Development and validation of a nomogram model to predict primary graft dysfunction in patients after lung transplantation based on the clinical factors.

BACKGROUND: Primary graft dysfunction (PGD), a significant complication that can affect patients' prognosis and quality of life, develops within 72 h post lung transplantation (LTx). Early detection and prevention of PGD should be given special consideration. The purpose of this study was to create a clinical prediction model to forecast the occurrence of PGD. METHODS: We collected information on 622 LTx patients from Wuxi People's Hospital from 2016 to 2020 and used the data to construct the prediction model. Information on 224 patients from 2021 to June 2022 was used for external validation. We used LASSO regression for variable screening. A nomogram was developed for model presentation. Distinctness, fit, and calibration were used to evaluate the performance of the model. RESULTS: Subjects with respiratory failure, who received fresh frozen plasma, donor age, donor gender, donor mechanism of death, donor smoking, donor ventilator use time, and donor PaO 2/FiO 2 ratio were independent predictor variables for the occurrence of PGD. The area under the curve of the nomogram was .779. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed a good model fit (P = .158). The calibration curve of the nomogram is fairly close to the ideal diagonal. Moreover, the decision curve analysis revealed a positive net benefit of the model. External validation also confirmed the reliability of the model. CONCLUSIONS: The nomogram of PGD based on clinical risk factors in postoperative LTx patients was established with high reliability. It provides clinicians and nurses with a new and effective tool for early prediction of PGD and early intervention.

Electrochemical Detection of ompA Gene of C. sakazakii Based on Glucose-Oxidase-Mimicking Nanotags of Gold-Nanoparticles-Doped Copper Metal-organic Frameworks.

The present work developed an electrochemical genosensor for the detection of virulence outer membrane protein A (ompA, tDNA) gene of Cronobacter sakazakii (C. sakazakii) by exploiting the excellent glucose-oxidase-mimicking activity of copper Metal-organic frameworks (Cu-MOF) doped with gold nanoparticle (AuNPs). The signal nanotags of signal probes (sDNA) that biofunctionalized AuNPs@Cu-MOF (sDNA-AuNPs@Cu-MOF) were designed using an Au-S bond. The biosensor was prepared by immobilization capture probes (cDNA) onto an electrodeposited AuNPs-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). AuNPs@Cu-MOF was introduced onto the surface of the GCE via a hybridization reaction between cDNA and tDNA, as well as tDNA and sDNA. Due to the enhanced oxidase-mimicking activity of AuNPs@Cu-MOF to glucose, the biosensor gave a linear range of 1.0 × 10-15 to 1.0 × 10-9 mol L-1 to tDNA with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.42 fmol L-1 under optimized conditions using differential pulse voltammetry measurement (DPV). It can be applied in the direct detection of ompA gene segments in total DNA extracts from C. sakazakii with a broad linear range of 5.4-5.4 × 105 CFU mL-1 and a LOD of 0.35 CFU mL-1. The biosensor showed good selectivity, fabricating reproducibility and storage stability, and can be used for the detection of ompA gene segments in real samples with recovery between 87.5% and 107.3%.

Non-pharmacological interventions for cognitive impairment in older adults with heart failure: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is a prevalent issue among older adults with heart failure, and non-pharmacological approaches are recommended as the first line of treatment. However, it remains unclear which non-pharmacological interventions are the most effective for achieving optimal cognitive and physical outcomes. The aim of this study is to summarize the available evidence on the impact of non-pharmacological interventions for optimizing cognitive function in older adults with HF. METHODS: A systematic research was carried out across multiple databases including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, and Wanfang Database up until May 2022. Randomized controlled trials that focused on non-pharmacological interventions for older adults with heart failure and cognitive impairment, and evaluated the impact on cognitive function were targeted. The risk bias of the selected articles was analyzed following the Cochrane handbook. Two independent reviewers were responsible for selecting the studies, extracting the data, and assessing their quality. The results were reported in a narrative format. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies, which involved 1,287 patients, were reviewed and showed an acceptable risk of bias. These studies evaluated various cognitive domains, including global cognition, delayed recall memory, working memory, and verbal memory. Non-pharmacological interventions that included cognitive intervention, cognitive training combined with exercise, exercise training, and self-care management, were shown to have a positive impact on cognitive function, physical performance, and depression levels in older adults with heart failure. One study explored the effects of electrical muscle stimulation therapy, but no significant improvement in cognitive abilities was observed. CONCLUSION: The available evidence for the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for cognitive impairment in older adults with heart failure is limited, and further research with formal outcome measures and longer follow-up periods is necessary to provide more informed recommendations.

Integrated methylome and transcriptome analysis unravel the cold tolerance mechanism in winter rapeseed(Brassica napus L.).

BACKGROUND: Cytosine methylation, the main type of DNA methylation, regulates gene expression in plant response to environmental stress. The winter rapeseed has high economic and ecological value in China's Northwest, but the DNA methylation pattern of winter rapeseed during freezing stress remains unclear. RESULT: This study integrated the methylome and transcriptome to explore the genome-scale DNA methylation pattern and its regulated pathway of winter rapeseed, using freezing-sensitive (NF) and freezing-resistant (NS) cultivars.The average methylation level decreased under freezing stress, and the decline in NF was stronger than NS after freezing stress. The CG methylation level was the highest among the three contexts of CG, CHG, and CHH. At the same time, the CHH proportion was high, and the methylation levels were highest 2 kb up/downstream, followed by the intron region. The C sub-genomes methylation level was higher than the A sub-genomes. The methylation levels of chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA were much lower than the B. napus nuclear DNA, the SINE methylation level was highest among four types of transposable elements (TEs), and the preferred sequence of DNA methylation did not change after freezing stress. A total of 1732 differentially expressed genes associated with differentially methylated genes (DMEGs) were identified in two cultivars under 12 h and 24 h in three contexts by combining whole-genome bisulfite sequencing( and RNA-Seq data. Function enrichment analysis showed that most DMEGs participated in linoleic acid metabolism, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, flavonoid biosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction pathways. Meanwhile, some DMEGs encode core transcription factors in plant response to stress. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of DNA methylation, the freezing tolerance of winter rapeseed is achieved by enhanced signal transduction, lower lipid peroxidation, stronger cell stability, increased osmolytes, and greater reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging. These results provide novel insights into better knowledge of the methylation regulation of tolerance mechanism in winter rapeseed under freezing stress.

Loose Pre-Cross-Linking Mediating Cellulose Self-Assembly for 3D Printing Strong and Tough Biomimetic Scaffolds.

The lack of an effective printable ink preparation method and the usual mechanically weak performance obstruct the functional 3D printing hydrogel exploitation and application. Herein, we propose a gentle pre-cross-linking strategy to enable a loosely cross-linked cellulose network for simultaneously achieving favorable printability and a strong hydrogel network via mediating the cellulose self-assembly. A small amount of epichlorohydrin is applied to (i) slightly pre-cross-link the cellulose chains for forming the percolating network to regulate the rheological properties and (ii) form the loosely cross-linked points to mediate the cellulose chains' self-assembly for achieving superior mechanical properties. The fabrication of the complex 3D structures verifies the design flexibility. The printed cellulose hydrogels exhibit a biomimetic nanofibrous topology, remarkable tensile and compressive strength (5.22 and 11.80 MPa), as well as toughness (1.81 and 2.16 MJ/m3). As a demonstration, a bilayer scaffold (mimicking the osteochondral structure) consisting of a top pristine cellulose and a bottom cellulose/bioactive glass hydrogel is printed and exhibits superior osteochondral defect repair performance, showing a potential in tissue engineering. We anticipate that our loose pre-cross-linking 3D printing ink preparation concept can inspire the development of other polymeric inks and strong 3D printing functional hydrogels, eventually spreading the applications in diverse fields.

Imipenem cilastatin sodium-associated thrombocytopenia in an older patient: A case report and literature review.

Imipenem cilastatin sodium, as a member of a new generation of ß-lactam antibiotics, has a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity and a very wide range of application. Thrombocytopenia has been reported as a rare adverse event in several studies of patients treated with imipenem cilastatin sodium. In this study, we present a case of thrombocytopenia associated with imipenem cilastatin sodium in an older patient. The 78-year-old male patient with pulmonary infection was initiated on anti-infection therapy with imipenem cilastatin sodium. On the 9th day after imipenem cilastatin sodium administration, the patient experienced a sudden and dramatic decrease in platelet count. Similarly, on the 4th day after the re-administration of imipenem cilastatin sodium for anti-infection therapy, the patient's platelet count showed a remarkable downward trend again. A time correlation between the drug therapy and the occurrence of platelet reaction was found. The patient's platelet count gradually returned to the normal level on the 6th day after the first drug withdrawal and the 13th day after the second drug withdrawal, respectively. Considering the widespread use of imipenem cilastatin sodium, healthcare providers should improve the notification of thrombocytopenia associated with imipenem cilastatin sodium.

Metabolomics of clinical samples reveal the treatment mechanism of lanthanum hydroxide on vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease.

Previous studies showed that lanthanum hydroxide (LH) has a therapeutic effect on chronic kidney disease (CKD) and vascular calcification, which suggests that it might have clinical value. However, the target and mechanism of action of LH are unclear. Metabolomics of clinical samples can be used to predict the mechanism of drug action. In this study, metabolomic profiles in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were used to screen related signaling pathways, and we verified the influence of LH on the ROS-PI3K-AKT-mTOR-HIF-1α signaling pathway by western blotting and quantitative real-time RT-qPCR in vivo and in vitro. We found that ROS and SLC16A10 genes were activated in patients with ESRD. The SLC16A10 gene is associated with six significant metabolites (L-cysteine, L-cystine, L-isoleucine, L-arginine, L-aspartic acid, and L-phenylalanine) and the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. The results showed that LH inhibits the ESRD process and its cardiovascular complications by inhibiting the ROS-PI3K-AKT-mTOR-HIF-1α signaling pathway. Collectively, LH may be a candidate phosphorus binder for the treatment of vascular calcification in ESRD.

Ultrasound-Assisted Preparation of Maillard Reaction Products Derived from Hydrolyzed Soybean Meal with Meaty Flavor in an Oil-In-Water System.

In the present work, we prepared Maillard reaction products (MRPs) derived from enzyme hydrolyzed soybean meal with ultrasound assistance in an oil-(oxidized lard)-in-water system (UEL-MRPs) or oil-free system (UN-MRPs), and the effect of ultrasound on the properties of the obtained MRPs was evaluated. The analysis of fatty acids in lard with different treatments showed that ultrasound can generate more unsaturated fatty acids in the aqueous phase. The UV-Vis absorbances of UEL-MRPs, UN-MRPs, and MRPs obtained in an oil-in-water system (EL-MRPs) and MRPs obtained in an oil-free system (N-MRPs) at 294 and 420 nm indicated that ultrasound could increase the amount of Maillard reaction intermediates and melanoids in the final products of the Maillard reaction. This was in line with the result obtained from color change determination-that ultrasound can darken the resultant MRPs. Volatile analysis showed ultrasound can not only increase the number of volatile substances, but also greatly increase the composition of volatile substances in UEL-MRPs and UN-MRPs, especially the composition of those contributing to the flavor of the MRPs, such as oxygen-containing heterocycles, sulfur-containing compounds, and nitrogen-containing heterocycles. Descriptive sensory evaluation revealed that UN-MRPs and UEL-MRPs had the highest scores in total acceptance, ranking in the top two, and UEL-MRPs had the strongest meaty flavor among these four kinds of MRPs. Furthermore, the measurements of antioxidant activities, including DPPH radical-scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging ability, and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power, were conducted, showing that UN-MRPs exhibited the highest antioxidant activity among all the MRPs.

The effects of carbon dioxide exposure concentrations on human vigilance and sentiment in an enclosed workplace environment.

In this study, fifteen participants were exposed to different carbon dioxide (CO2 ) concentrations in an enclosed environmental chamber to investigate the potential effects of elevated CO2 concentrations on human vigilance and sentiment. The psychomotor vigilance test (PVT), the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS), and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) were measured before and after each 4-hour CO2 exposure session. The statistical analyses of the PVT performance metrics showed that the human vigilance decreased significantly with the elevated CO2 concentration from 1500 ppm to above 3500 ppm, but no significant change was observed in the KSS score. Moreover, although the participants reported less positive and more negative emotions as the CO2 exposure concentration increased, the effect of CO2 concentration on human sentiment was not potent. In sum, the findings suggested a detrimental effect of CO2 exposure concentration on human vigilance at the CO2 concentration of 3500 ppm, which is below the current occupational exposure limit of 5000 ppm. It is worth noting that the order of CO2 exposures was not balanced among the participants, which remains a major limitation of this study.

A Polymer with Mechanochemically Active Hidden Length.

Incorporating hidden length into polymer chains can improve their mechanical properties, because release of the hidden length under mechanical loads enables localized strain relief without chain fracture. To date, the design of hidden length has focused primarily on the choice of the sacrificial bonds holding the hidden length together. Here we demonstrate the advantages of adding mechanochemical reactivity to hidden length itself, using a new mechanophore that integrates (Z)-2,3-diphenylcyclobutene-1,4-dicarboxylate, with hitherto unknown mechanochemistry, into macrocyclic cinnamate dimers. Stretching a polymer of this mechanophore more than doubles the chain contour length without fracture. DFT calculations indicate that the sequential dissociation of the dimer, followed by cyclobutene isomerization at higher forces yields a chain fracture energy 11 times that of a simple polyester of the same initial contour length and preserves high energy-dissipating capacity up to ∼3 nN. In sonicated solutions cyclobutene isomerizes to two distinct products by competing reaction paths, validating the computed mechanochemical mechanism and suggesting an experimental approach to quantifying the distribution of single-chain forces under diverse loading scenarios.

Colorimetric biosensing of nopaline synthase terminator using Fe3O4@Au and hemin-functionalized reduced graphene oxide.

In this paper, we present a simple and label-free colorimetric biosensor for detection of the nopaline synthase (NOS) terminator in genetically modified (GM) plants. The "signal on" colorimetric biosensor was developed using a nanocomposite consisted of gold nanoparticles doped magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4@Au NP), capture probe DNA (cDNA), and hemin-functionalized reduced graphene oxide nanosheets (H-GN). The nanocomposite was successfully prepared by means of Au-S bonds and the strong π interactions between cDNA and H-GN. The sensing approach is based on the excellent peroxidase-mimicking activity of H-GN and its different electrostatic interactions with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). In presence of the target NOS, the cDNA in the nanocomposite will hybridize with its complementary sequence, and form dsDNA structure. Due to the weak π interactions between dsDNA and H-GN, a portion of H-GN will be released from the surface of Fe3O4@Au NPs and transferred into solution. After magnetic separation was performed, the supernatant was incubated with 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of H2O2. The released H-GN can catalyze the oxidation reaction of TMB and turn the colorless solution blue. This "signal-on" colorimetric biosensor shows a broad linear range of 0.5-100 nM for the target NOS, with a 0.19 nM detection limit. The application of the biosensor for determination of NOS segments in samples of GM and non-GM tomatoes shows that it can discriminate between GM and non-GM plants. The reliability of the method for samples of NOS-spiked GM tomato suggests satisfactory recoveries in the range of 93.6%-94.2%.

Surface charge-controlled electron transfer and catalytic behavior of immobilized cytochrome P450 BM3 inside dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles.

Understanding the influencing factors on the reaction kinetics of P450 BM3 within confined spaces is essential for developing efficient P450 BM3 bioreactors. Herein, two dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (OH-DMSNs and NH2-DMSNs) with similar pore size but opposite surface charge have been prepared and served as the vehicle to immobilize P450 BM3. With the help of the film-forming material of chitosan, P450 BM3/OH-DMSN and P450 BM3/NH2-DMSN composites were immobilized on GC electrode and characterized with electrochemical measurements. Compared with P450 BM3/OH-DMSNs/GCE, P450 BM3/NH2-DMSNs/GCE showed higher electron transfer efficiency with higher current charge and lower ks value. Besides, the generated catalytic current towards testosterone on P450 BM3/NH2-DMSNs/GCE was 1.81 times larger than P450 BM3/OH-DMSNs/GCE. Furthermore, P450 BM3 inside NH2-DMSNs displayed higher affinity towards testosterone with the lower Kmapp value of 244.82 µM. These results are attributed to the positively charged internal walls of NH2-DMSNs so that P450 BM3 adapts to an orientation favorable for electron exchange with electrodes and substrate binding with the active sites. The present study provides fundamentals for regulating the surface charge to optimize redox process and catalytic behavior in CYP bioreactors through electrostatic interactions.

Calcium ion assisted fluorescence determination of microRNA-167 using carbon dots-labeled probe DNA and polydopamine-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles.

A selective and sensitive fluorescence biosensor is described for determination of microRNA-167 using fluorescent resonant energy transfer (FRET) strategy. The FRET system comprises carbon dots (CDs, donor) labeled with probe DNA (pDNA) and polydopamine (PDA)-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4@PDA NPs, acceptor). The CDs-pDNA can be absorbed onto the surface of Fe3O4@PDA NPs because of the strong π interaction between pDNA and PDA. With the enhanced adsorption ability of Fe3O4@PDA NPs by Ca2+, the fluorescence intensity of CDs at 445 nm (excitation at 360 nm) is quenched. In presence of microRNA-167, the hybridized complex of CDs-pDNA-microRNA-167 will be released from the surface of Fe3O4@PDA NPs due to the weak π interaction of the complex and PDA. This results in the fluorescence recovery of CDs. By application of twice-magnetic separation, the biosensor shows a wide linear range of 0.5-100 nM to microRNA-167 with a 76 pM detection limit. The method was applied to the determination of microRNA-167 in samples of total microRNA extractions from A. thaliana seedlings, and the recoveries ranged from 96.4 to 98.3%.

Non-Contact Damage Detection under Operational Conditions with Multipoint Laservibrometry.

Scanning laser-Doppler vibrometry (SLDV) can localize and visualize damages in mechanical structures. In order to enable scanning, it is necessary to repeat the vibration. Therefore, this technique is not suited to detect emerging hazards in working machinery that change the vibration behavior. A common technique for such cases is monitoring the vibration excited by machine operation with accelerometers. This technique requires mechanical coupling between sensors and the measurement object, which influences the high-frequency vibration responses. However, in the low-frequency range, local damages do not shift resonances or distort operational deflection shapes (ODS) significantly. These alterations in the vibration behavior are tiny and hard to detect. This paper shows that multipoint laservibrometry (MPV) with laser excitation can measure these effects efficiently, and it further demonstrates that damages influence ODSs at frequencies above 20 kHz much stronger than at frequencies below 20 kHz. In addition, ODS-based damage indices are discussed; these are highly sensitive to minute visible changes of the ODSs. In order to enhance the sensitivity of hazard detection, the response vector assurance criterion value is computed and evaluated during operation. The capabilities and limitations of the methodology on the example of a cantilever with manually emerging damage are demonstrated.

Multiple stable states of dissipative soliton resonance in a passively mode-locked Yb-doped fiber laser.

Dissipative soliton resonance (DSR) with multiple stable states has been experimentally demonstrated in a passively mode-locked Yb-doped fiber laser. The generation of the DSR square pulse has been achieved with the nonlinear optical loop mirror technique. The duration of the square pulse varies from 16 to 123 ns, while the amplitude of the pulse remains constant. Experimentally, by fixing the pump power and changing the orientations of the polarization controllers, we have observed three different square pulses that all operate in the DSR regime. At the same time, we have obtained a wavelength-tunable square pulse, which demonstrates that the DSR and operation wavelength are independent of each other. We also analyzed the ideal state in the DSR regime.

Photovoltaic Array Fault Diagnosis Based on Gaussian Kernel Fuzzy C-Means Clustering Algorithm.

In the fault diagnosis process of a photovoltaic (PV) array, it is difficult to discriminate single faults and compound faults with similar signatures. Furthermore, the data collected in the actual field experiment also contains strong noise, which leads to the decline of diagnostic accuracy. In order to solve these problems, a new eigenvector composed of the normalized PV voltage, the normalized PV current and the fill factor is constructed and proposed to characterize the common faults, such as open circuit, short circuit and compound faults in the PV array. The combination of these three feature characteristics can reduce the interference of external meteorological conditions in the fault identification. In order to obtain the new eigenvectors, a multi-sensory system for fault diagnosis in a PV array, combined with a data-mining solution for the classification of the operational state of the PV array, is needed. The selected sensors are temperature sensors, irradiance sensors, voltage sensors and current sensors. Taking account of the complexity of the fault data in the PV array, the Kernel Fuzzy C-means clustering method is adopted to identify these fault types. Gaussian Kernel Fuzzy C-means clustering method (GKFCM) shows good clustering performance for classifying the complex datasets, thus the classification accuracy can be effectively improved in the recognition process. This algorithm is divided into the training and testing phases. In the training phase, the feature vectors of 8 different fault types are clustered to obtain the training core points. According to the minimum Euclidean Distances between the training core points and new fault data, the new fault datasets can be identified into the corresponding classes in the fault classification stage. This strategy can not only diagnose single faults, but also identify compound fault conditions. Finally, the simulation and field experiment demonstrated that the algorithm can effectively diagnose the 8 common faults in photovoltaic arrays.

Electro-Oxidation and Simultaneous Determination of Indole-3-Acetic Acid and Salicylic Acid on Graphene Hydrogel Modified Electrode.

A selective and sensitive electrochemical sensor was developed for simultaneous detection of phytohormones indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and salicylic acid (SA). The sensing interface was fabricated on a porous, three-dimensional networked graphene hydrogel (GH) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The electrocatalytic behavior of IAA and SA on the surface of the modified electrode (GH/GCE) was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry. Results show that the oxidation reactions of IAA and SA occur at different potentials, which enable their simultaneous detection at the sensing interface. Under optimal conditions, the GH/GCE exhibited good selectivity and stability and its response, unaffected by various interferents, was linear in the range of 4 to 200 µM of IAA and SA. The limit of detection (S/N = 3) achieved were 1.42 µM for IAA and 2.80 µM for SA. The sensor performance was validated by measuring for IAA and SA in real vegetable samples with satisfactory results.

MicroRNA-224 suppresses osteoblast differentiation by inhibiting SMAD4.

Osteoblast differentiation was found to be regulated by a variety of cell signaling and intracellular regulatory factors. In this study, we aimed at investigating the regulatory effect of microRNA-224 on osteoblast differentiation and its molecular mechanism. Expression of miR-224 in the osteoblasts, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-A), bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-B) and mbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-U) were detected using RT-PCR. Expression of miR-224 was lower in osteoblast than in the three mesenchymal stem cells and it revealed a decreasing time-dependent trend from 0 day to 28 days during osteoblast differentiation. By using alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay and alizarin red S (ARS) staining, we found that the mineralization nodules decreased in miR-224-mimics group and increased in miR-224-inhibitor group. The Western blot detection of osteoblast markers, such as osteocalcin (OCN), osteopontin (OPN), bone sialoprotein (BSP), and runt related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), also verified that overexpression of miR-224 inhibited osteoblast differentiation, while its inhibition promoted osteoblast differentiation. Luciferase reporter assay was performed in our study, which illustrated that miR-224 regulated SMAD4 directly by targeting SMAD4 3'UTR. Then after the inhibition of SMAD4, we found that lower expression of SMAD4 suppressed the osteoblast differentiation and the related signaling pathway using RT-PCR and Western blot. Our results revealed a new mechanism of osteoblast differentiation, and provided a new therapeutic agent to promote bone anabolism by targeting miR-224.

Predicting contaminant dispersion using modified turbulent Schmidt numbers from different vortex structures.

Air pollutant transmission has significant influences on indoor air quality (IAQ). It is crucial to study mechanisms involved with airborne contaminant dispersion indoors. However, relationship between pollutant diffusion coefficient and viscosity in enclosed spaces has not been fully understood. In this study, turbulent Schmidt number (Sc t ) was modified as a function of turbulent kinematic viscosity rather than a constant value to better simulate dispersion of airborne contaminant in two typical enclosed spaces: an aircraft cabin and an office room. An experiment for airborne contaminant transmission was conducted in an aircraft cabin mockup. Combining with experimental data in the office room with an under floor air distribution (UFAD) system from literature, Sc t was modified based on airflow vortex structures. The performance of RNG k-ε model using the modified Sc t was found to be obviously better than that using the default Sc t value in both the two enclosed spaces. In addition, model applicability to different enclosed spaces was analyzed based on the airflow vibration frequency.

Patterning Electrospun Nanofibers via Agarose Hydrogel Stamps to Spatially Coordinate Cell Orientation in Microfluidic Device.

A straightforward, inexpensive, and reliable approach to pattern electrospun nanofibers via solvent-containing agarose hydrogel stamps is reported. Complex hierarchical microstructures can be further constructed via appropriate multistep permutation of microcontact patterning and electrospinning. As a proof-of-concept application, the patterned electrospun nanofibers are employed to spatially coordinate cell orientation in microfluidic devices.