Potassium salts activated lignin-based biochar as an effective adsorbent for malachite green adsorption.

Herein, a series of lignin-based porous carbons (LC) were prepared from sulfonated lignin through a simple and environmentally-friendly one-pot activated carbonization together with various potassium compounds as activators, and used for malachite green (MG) adsorption. The results showed that the prepared biochar, especially after K2CO3 activation, exhibited a honeycomb profile with large surface area (2107.6 m2/g) and high total pore volume (1.1591 cm3/g), having excellent efficiency for MG adsorption, and the biggest adsorption capacity was 2970.0 mg/g. The kinetic study together with thermodynamic analysis indicated that the adsorption of MG by LC-K2CO3 conformed to pseudo-second-order model and the adsorption process was spontaneous, feasible, and endothermic. Moreover, LC-K2CO3 also displayed good stability and selectivity, and can selective separate the cationic dye from binary-dye system. Furthermore, the adsorption mechanism proposed in this work manifested that the high-efficient MG adsorption by LC-K2CO3 was a result of multiple actions including hydrogen bonding, electrostatic attraction, π-π interaction and n-π interaction as well as physical absorption. The work not only provide a fundamental theory for dye removal from wastewater, but offered a new insight for lignin valorization.

A synchronous-twisting method to realize radial scalability in fibrous energy storage devices.

For wearable electronics, radial scalability is one of the key research areas for fibrous energy storage devices to be commercialized, but this field has been shelved for years due to the lack of effective methods and configuration arrangements. Here, the team presents a generalizable strategy to realize radial scalability by applying a synchronous-twisting method (STM) for synthesizing a coaxial-extensible configuration (CEC). As examples, aqueous fiber-shaped Zn-MnO2 batteries and MoS2-MnO2 supercapacitors with a diameter of ~500 µm and a length of 100 cm were made. Because of the radial scalability, uniform current distribution, and stable binding force in CEC, the devices not only have high energy densities (~316 Wh liter-1 for Zn-MnO2 batteries and ~107 Wh liter-1 for MoS2-MnO2 supercapacitors) but also maintain a stable operational state in textiles when external bending and tensile forces were applied. The fabricating method together with the radial scalability of the devices provides a reference for future fiber-shaped energy storage devices.

The Synergetic Reduction of the Condensation Degree of Dissolved Lignin (DL) during the Refining Process of Wheat Straw Biomass Based on the MA/O3 System.

Lignin, a natural pol2ymer with a complex structure that is difficult to separate, is prone to C-C bond condensation during the separation process. To reduce the condensation of lignin, here, a novel method is proposed for separating the components by using a combination of maleic acid (MA)/ozone (O3) to co-treat wheat straw. The removal of lignin, glucan, and xylan was 38.07 ± 0.2%, 31.44 ± 0.1%, and 71.98 ± 0.1%, respectively, under the conditions of ball-milling of wheat straw for 6 h, reaction temperature of 60 °C, and O3 holding time of 9 min. Lignin-rich solutions were collected to extract the dissolved lignin (DL) after washing the treated samples. The DL obtained under MA/O3 conditions had a carboxyl group (-COOH) content of 2.96 mmol/g. The carboxyl group of MA underwent esterification with the hydroxyl group (-OH) at the γ position of lignin and O3 reacted on the positions of the lignin side chain or the phenolic ring, resulting in a break in the side chain and the opening of the phenolic ring to introduce the carboxyl group. The 2D-HSQC-NMR results revealed that the phenolic ring-opening reaction of lignin in the presence of O3 was essentially free of ß-ß and ß-5 condensation bonds.

Unsupervised machine learning cluster analysis to identification EVAR patients clinical phenotypes based on radiomics.

OBJECTIVE: This study used unsupervised machine learning (UML) cluster analysis to explore clinical phenotypes of endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients based on radiomics. METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed 1785 patients with infra-renal AAA who underwent elective EVAR procedures between January 2010 and December 2020. Pyradiomics was used to extract the radiomics features. Statistical analysis was applied to determine the radiomics features that related to severe adverse events (SAEs) after EVAR. The selected features were used for UML cluster analysis in training set and validation in test set. Comparison of basic characteristics and radiomics features of different clusters. The Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted to generate the cumulative incidence of freedom from SAEs rate. RESULT: A total of 1180 patients were enrolled. During the follow-up, 353 patients experienced EVAR-related SAEs. In total, 1223 radiomics features were extracted from each patient, of which 23 radiomics features were finally preserved to identify different clinical phenotypes. 944 patients were allocated to the training set. Three clusters were identified in training set, in which patients had identical clinical characteristics and morphological features, while varied considerably of selected radiomics features. This encouraging performance was further approved in the test set. In addition, each cluster was well differentiated from other clusters and Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significant differences of freedom from SAEs rate between different clusters both in the training (p = .0216) and test sets (p = .0253). CONCLUSION: Based on radiomics, UML cluster analysis can identify clinical phenotypes in EVAR patients with distinct long-term outcomes.

Identification of oxidative phosphorylation-related genes in moyamoya disease by combining bulk RNA-sequencing analysis and machine learning.

Introduction: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a chronic cerebrovascular disease that can lead to ischemia and hemorrhagic stroke. The relationship between oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and MMD pathogenesis remains unknown. Methods: The gene expression data of 60 participants were acquired from three Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, including 36 and 24 in the MMD and control groups. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between MMD patients MMD and control groups were identified. Machine learning was used to select the key OXPHOS-related genes associated with MMD from the intersection of DEGs and OXPHOS-related gene sets. Gene ontology (GO), Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG), gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), Immune infiltration and microenvironments analysis were used to analyze the function of key genes. Machine learning selected four key OXPHOS-related genes associated with MMD: CSK, NARS2, PTPN6 and SMAD2 (PTPN6 was upregulated and the other three were downregulated). Results: Functional enrichment analysis showed that these genes were mainly enriched in the Notch signaling pathway, GAP junction, and RNA degradation, which are related to several biological processes, including angiogenesis, proliferation of vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells, and cytoskeleton regulation. Immune analysis revealed immune infiltration and microenvironment in these MMD samples and their relationships with four key OXPHOS-related genes. APC co-inhibition (p = 0.032), HLA (p = 0.001), MHC I (p = 0.013), T cellco- inhibition (p = 0.032) and Type I IFN responses (p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the MMD groups than those in the control groups. The CSK positively correlated with APC co-inhibition and T cell-co-inhibition. The NARS2 negatively correlated with Type I IFN response. The SMAD2 negatively correlated with APC co-inhibition and Type I IFN response. The PTPN6 positively correlated with HLA, MHC I and Type I IFN responses. Discussion: This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the role of OXPHOS in MMD and will contribute to the development of new treatment methods and exploration of MMD pathogenesis.

Causal relationship between basal metabolic rate and intervertebral disc degeneration: a Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: The role of basal metabolic rate (BMR) in intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is still uncertain. To address this gap, we conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to comprehensively explore the causal relationship between BMR and IVDD. METHODS: BMR data were obtained from a large genome-wide association study (GWAS) database, while IVDD data were derived from the FinnGen project. The causal relationship between IVDD and BMR was investigated using MR, with inverse-variance weighting (IVW) as the primary estimate. MR-Egger weighed median and weighed mode were employed for robustness. Sensitivity analyses, including the Cochran Q test, leave-one-out analysis, and MR-Egger intercept analysis, were conducted. Furthermore, the study also identified causal relationships between IVDD and factors associated with BMR (hyperthyroidism, type 2 diabetes, standing height, weight, and body mass index). Multivariable MR was applied to further assess the direct effect of BMR on IVDD. RESULTS: Genetic predisposition to BMR (after removing outliers OR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.37-1.63; P = 5.073e-21) were associated with an increased risk of IVDD. Additionally, IVDD risk increased with greater height, weight, and BMI. No causal relationship was observed between hy/thy and T2D and intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) (P > 0.05). In multivariable MR, a significant causal association between BMR and IVDD persisted, even after adjusting for BMI, height, and weight. CONCLUSION: In this study, we successfully identified that a higher BMR is independently and causally linked to IVDD, indicating an increased risk of developing IVDD. These findings suggest that managing BMR could potentially mitigate the risk of IVDD.

Zr-based metalloporphyrin MOF probe for electrochemical detection of parathion-methyl.

An electrochemical (EC) sensor based on metalloporphyrin metal-organic framework (MOF) for the detection of parathion-methyl (PM) has been developed. The prepared MOF-525(Fe) exhibits great signal enhancement toward the electrochemical detection of PM owing to its unique structural properties and electrochemical activities. Under optimal experimental conditions, the as-prepared MOF-525(Fe) based EC sensor exhibited excellent PM sensing performance with a wide linear detection range (0.1 µM-100 µM) and low limit of detection (LOD, 1.4 nM). Compared to its corresponding Fe metalloporphyrin (linker), MOF-525(Fe) exhibited a superior sensitivity (28.31 µA cm-2·µM-1), which is 3.7 times higher than the sensitivity of FeTCPP linker (7.56 µA cm-2·µM-1) towards PM. The improved performance is associated with the high specific surface area and the large pore channels of MOF-525(Fe) facilitating a better interaction between PM and the Fe metalloporphyrin active sites, especially in the lower concentration range. Moreover, a possible affinity of the PM molecules toward Zr6 clusters may also contribute to the selective enrichment of PM on MOF-525(Fe). This EC sensor further demonstrated high selectivity in the presence of interfering molecules. The recovery results further confirm accurate PM sensing in actual samples, which suggests promising applications for the rapid detection of environmental organophosphates by metalloporphyrin MOFs.

Characterization of PANoptosis-related genes and the immune landscape in moyamoya disease.

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a cerebrovascular narrowing and occlusive condition characterized by progressive stenosis of the terminal portion of the internal carotid artery and the formation of an abnormal network of dilated, fragile perforators at the base of the brain. However, the role of PANoptosis, an apoptotic mechanism associated with vascular disease, has not been elucidated in MMD. In our study, a total of 40 patients' genetic data were included, and a total of 815 MMD-related differential genes were screened, including 215 upregulated genes and 600 downregulated genes. Among them, DNAJA3, ESR1, H19, KRT18 and STK3 were five key genes. These five key genes were associated with a variety of immune cells and immune factors. Moreover, GSEA (gene set enrichment analysis) and GSVA (gene set variation analysis) showed that the different expression levels of the five key genes affected multiple signaling pathways associated with MMD. In addition, they were associated with the expression of MMD-related genes. Then, based on the five key genes, a transcription factor regulatory network was constructed. In addition, targeted therapeutic drugs against MMD-related genes were obtained by the Cmap drug prediction method: MST-312, bisacodyl, indirubin, and tropanyl-3,5-dimethylbenzoate. These results suggest that the PANoptosis-related genes may contribute to the pathogenesis of MMD through multiple mechanisms.

Hepatitis B virus X protein represses expression of tumor suppressor PTPN18 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the prevalent form of HCC, with HBx protein being a crucial oncoprotein. Numerous members of the protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor (PTPN) family have been confirmed to be significantly associated with the occurrence and progression of malignant tumors. Our group has previously identified the involvement of PTPN13 in HCC. However, the roles of other PTPNs in HCC still requires further investigation. In this study, we found PTPN18 expression was significantly downregulated within HCC tissues compared to that in adjacent non-tumor tissues and normal liver tissues. Functionally, PTPN18 exerted inhibitory effects on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and sphere-forming capability of HCC cells, while concurrently promoting apoptotic processes. Through phospho-protein microarray screening followed by subsequent validation experiments, we identified that PTPN18 could activate the p53 signaling pathway and suppress the AKT/FOXO1 signaling cascade in HCC cells. Moreover, we found that the HBx protein mediated the repression of PTPN18 expression by upregulating miR-128-3p. Collectively, our study unveiled the role of PTPN18 as a tumor suppressor in HBV-related HCC. Implications: Our findings revealed PTPN18 might serve as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for HBV-related HCC.

Category Alignment Mechanism for Few-Shot Image Classification.

While humans can excel at image classification tasks by comparing a few images, existing metric-based few-shot classification methods are still not well adapted to novel tasks. Performance declines rapidly when encountering new patterns, as feature embeddings cannot effectively encode discriminative properties. Moreover, existing matching methods inadequately utilize support set samples, focusing only on comparing query samples to category prototypes without exploiting contrastive relationships across categories for discriminative features. In this work, we propose a method where query samples select their most category-representative features for matching, making feature embeddings adaptable and category-related. We introduce a category alignment mechanism (CAM) to align query image features with different categories. CAM ensures features chosen for matching are distinct and strongly correlated to intra-and inter-contrastive relationships within categories, making extracted features highly related to their respective categories. CAM is parameter-free, requires no extra training to adapt to new tasks, and adjusts features for matching when task categories change. We also implement a cross-validation-based feature selection technique for support samples, generating more discriminative category prototypes. We implement two versions of inductive and transductive inference and conduct extensive experiments on six datasets to demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm. The results indicate that our method consistently yields performance improvements on benchmark tasks and surpasses the current state-of-the-art methods.

Topology Reconfiguration of Anion-Pillared Metal-Organic Framework from Flexibility to Rigidity for Enhanced Acetylene Separation.

Flexible metal-organic framework (MOF) adsorbents commonly encounter limitations in removing trace impurities below gate-opening threshold pressures. Topology reconfiguration can fundamentally eliminate intrinsic structural flexibility, yet remains a formidable challenge and is rarely achieved in practical applications. Herein, a solvent-mediated approach is presented to regulate the flexible CuSnF6-dpds-sql (dpds = 4,4''-dipyridyldisulfide) with sql topology into rigid CuSnF6-dpds-cds with cds topology. Notably, the cds topology is unprecedented and first obtained in anion-pillared MOF materials. As a result, rigid CuSnF6-dpds-cds exhibits enhanced C2H2 adsorption capacity of 48.61 cm3 g-1 at 0.01 bar compared to flexible CuSnF6-dpds-sql (21.06 cm3 g-1). The topology transformation also facilitates the adsorption kinetics for C2H2, exhibiting a 6.5-fold enhanced diffusion time constant (D/r2) of 1.71 × 10-3 s-1 on CuSnF6-dpds-cds than that of CuSnF6-dpds-sql (2.64 × 10-4 s-1). Multiple computational simulations reveal the structural transformations and guest-host interactions in both adsorbents. Furthermore, dynamic breakthrough experiments demonstrate that high-purity C2H4 (>99.996%) effluent with a productivity of 93.9 mmol g-1 can be directly collected from C2H2/C2H4 (1/99, v/v) gas-mixture in a single CuSnF6-dpds-cds column.

AdipoRon promotes amyloid-ß clearance through enhancing autophagy via nuclear GAPDH-induced sirtuin 1 activation in Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Amyloid-ß (Aß) peptide is one of the more important pathological markers in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The development of AD impairs autophagy, which results in an imbalanced clearance of Aß. Our previous research demonstrated that AdipoRon, an agonist of adiponectin receptors, decreased the deposition of Aß and enhanced cognitive function in AD. However, the exact mechanisms by which AdipoRon affects Aß clearance remain unclear. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: We studied how AdipoRon affects autophagy in HT22 cells and APP/PS1 transgenic mice. We also investigated the signalling pathway involved and used pharmacological inhibitors to examine the role of autophagy in this process. KEY RESULTS: AdipoRon promotes Aß clearance by activating neuronal autophagy in the APP/PS1 transgenic mice. Interestingly, we found that AdipoRon induces the nuclear translocation of GAPDH, where it interacts with the SIRT1/DBC1 complex. This interaction then leads to the release of DBC1 and the activation of SIRT1, which in turn activates autophagy. Importantly, we found that inhibiting either GAPDH or SIRT1 to suppress the activity of SIRT1 counteracts the elevated autophagy and decreased Aß deposition caused by AdipoRon. This suggests that SIRT1 plays a critical role in the effect of AdipoRon on autophagic induction in AD. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: AdipoRon promotes the clearance of Aß by enhancing autophagy through the AdipoR1/AMPK-dependent nuclear translocation of GAPDH and subsequent activation of SIRT1. This novel molecular pathway sheds light on the modulation of autophagy in AD and may lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies targeting this pathway.

Efficiency of magnesium oxide nanoparticle in contaminants removal from environmental water samples: Optimization through central composite design.

This experimental study was conducted to synthesize magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles and investigate their efficiency in removing arsenic, brilliant cresyl blue, and neutral red from aqueous solutions. The MgO nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analyses. The results revealed that the synthesized MgO nanoparticles had a spherical structure with an estimated average size of approximately 30 nm. The influence of solution pH, concentration, adsorbent amount, type of eluent, and interference of interfering ions was examined and optimized for removing arsenic, brilliant cresyl blue, and neutral red. The optimal conditions for the removal process were determined as pH of 7, MgO amount of 0.037 g, ultrasonication time of 16 min, and concentration of 25 mg L-1. The experimental removal efficiencies of arsenic, brilliant cresyl blue, and neutral red in aqueous samples ranged from 88.49% to 96.03%. The results of eluent selection showed that ethanol had the highest removal efficiency of analytes from the absorbent surface. The reusability of the MgO adsorbent demonstrated its effective use for the continuous removal of arsenic, brilliant cresyl blue, and neutral red for at least four consecutive cycles. Overall, the results suggest that MgO nanoparticles could be an effective and cost-efficient adsorbent for removing arsenic, brilliant cresyl blue, and neutral red from real samples.

Cathodic Deposition-Assisted Synthesis of Thin Glass MOF Films for High-Performance Gas Separations.

Glass metal-organic framework (MOF) films can be fabricated from their crystalline counterparts through a melt-quenching process and are prospective candidates for gas separation because of the elimination of the grain boundaries in crystalline MOF films. However, current techniques are limited to producing glass MOF films with a thickness of tens of micrometers, which leads to ultralow gas permeances. Here, we report a novel cathodic deposition-assisted synthesis of glass ZIF-62 films with a thickness as low as ~1 µm. Electrochemical analyses and deposition experiments suggest that the cathodic deposition can lead to pure crystalline ZIF-62 films with a controllable thickness of ~2 µm to ~15 µm. Accordingly, glass ZIF-62 films with a thickness of ~1 µm to ~10 µm can be obtained after a thermal treatment. The fabricated defect-free glass ZIF-62 film measuring 2 µm in thickness shows a remarkable CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 selectivity of 31.4 and 33.4, respectively, with a CO2 permeance which is over 30 times higher than the best-performing glass ZIF-62 films in literature.

Histamine and receptors in neuroinflammation: Their roles on neurodegenerative diseases.

Histamine, an auto-reactive substance and mediator of inflammation, is synthesized from histidine through the action of histidine decarboxylase (HDC). It primarily acts on histamine receptors in the central nervous system (CNS). Increasing evidence suggests that histamine and its receptors play a crucial role in neuroinflammation, thereby modulating the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies have demonstrated that histamine regulates the phenotypic switching of microglia and astrocytes, inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and alleviates inflammatory responses. In the CNS, our research group has also found that histamine and its receptors are involved in regulating inflammatory responses and play a central role in ameliorating chronic neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we will discuss the role of histamine and its receptors in neuroinflammation associated with neurodegenerative diseases, potentially providing a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of chronic neuroinflammation-related neurodegenerative diseases in clinical settings.

Costunolide mitigates inflammation and promotes extracellualr matrix integrity of thoracic aortic dissection by inhibiting NF-κB signaling.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) is one of the most fatal cardiovascular diseases. One of its important pathological characteristics is the local inflammatory response. Many studies have found that Macrophage polarization plays an extremely critical role in the inflammatory progression and tissue remodeling of TAD. Costunolide (CTD) has an improving effect on oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. However, whether it can promote the integrity of extracellular matrix in Aortic dissection and its mechanism are still unclear. METHODS: The male C57BL/6J mice were used to construct an animal model of TAD with ß-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) (100 mg/kg/day, lasting for 28 days), and then CTD (10 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally for 28 days to check the survival rate, TAD incidence, aortic morphology and other indicators of the mice. Using hematoxylin-eosin (HE), Masson, Elastin van Gieson (EVG) staining, immunofluorescence (IF), and immunohistochemical staining, the study aimed to determine the therapeutic effects of CTD on an animal model with BAPN-induced TAD. To enhance the examination of the regulatory mechanism of CTD, we conducted transcriptome sequencing on arterial tissues of mice in both the BAPN group and the BAPN + CTD100 group. Next, ANG II were used to construct TAD model in vascular smooth muscle cells (VMSCs). The effects of CTD on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of ANG II-induced cells are to be detected. The expression of MMP2, MMP9, P65, and p-P65 in each group will be examined using Western blot. Finally, the overexpression of IκB kinaseß (IKKß) will be established in VMSCs cells to further explore the protective function of CTD. RESULTS: The result showed that CTD significantly inhibited BAPN induced mortality and TAD incidence in the animal model, improved aortic vascular morphology, promoted the integrity of extracellular matrix in TAD, reduced tissue inflammation, reduced the accumulation of M1 macrophage, promoted M2 macrophage polarization, and reduced the expression of NF-κB pathway related proteins. Mechanistically, CTD significantly weakened the proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. p-P65 protein expression of TAD cells were induced by ANG II and IKK-ß. CONCLUSION: CTD has the potential to alleviate inflammation, VSMC apoptosis, MMP2/9 levels, and enhance extracellular matrix integrity in TAD by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Case Report: Technical description and clinical evaluation of three cases of unilateral biportal endoscopic decompression for symptomatic spinal epidural lipomatosis.

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of three patients with symptomatic Spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL) treated using Unilateral Biportal Endoscopic (UBE) surgery. Methods: This report retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of three patients with SEL admitted to our hospital. The analysis covers onset characteristics, clinical manifestations, and the most recent radiologic grading system of neural compression (Manjila classification). Furthermore, it details the decompression accomplished through the application of a minimally invasive UBE surgical technique, specifically targeting the removal of proliferated fat responsible for nerve and spinal cord compression. Results: This technique was performed successfully in 3 patients with SEL. Radiating pain was reduced, and the functional disability and radiologic compression were improved in all three patients. Postoperative spinal instability and surgical complications related to the procedure were not observed. Conclusions: For SEL, timely diagnosis and appropriate intervention can prevent the progression of neurological disability. UBE is a minimally invasive muscle-preserving technique that achieves neural decompression directly by the removal of excessive intraspinal adipose tissue buildup.

Molecular sieving of iso-butene from C4 olefins with simultaneous high 1,3-butadiene and n-butene uptakes.

Iso-butene (iso-C4H8) is an important raw material in chemical industry, whereas its efficient separation remains challenging due to similar molecular properties of C4 olefins. The ideal adsorbent should possess simultaneous high uptakes for 1,3-butadiene (C4H6) and n-butene (n-C4H8) counterparts, endowing high efficiency for iso-C4H8 separation in adsorption columns. Herein, a sulfate-pillared adsorbent, SOFOUR-DPDS-Ni (DPDS = 4,4'-dipyridyldisulfide), is reported for the efficient iso-C4H8 separation from binary and ternary C4 olefin mixtures. The rigidity in pore sizes and shapes of SOFOUR-DPDS-Ni exerts the molecular sieving of iso-C4H8, while exhibiting high C4H6 and n-C4H8 uptakes. The benchmark Henry's selectivity for C4H6/iso-C4H8 (2321.8) and n-C4H8/iso-C4H8 (233.5) outperforms most reported adsorbents. Computational simulations reveal the strong interactions for C4H6 and n-C4H8. Furthermore, dynamic breakthrough experiments demonstrate the direct production of high-purity iso-C4H8 (>99.9%) from C4H6/iso-C4H8 (50/50, v/v), n-C4H8/iso-C4H8 (50/50, v/v), and C4H6/n-C4H8/iso-C4H8 (50/15/35, v/v/v) gas-mixtures.

Data-Driven Multi-Objective Optimization Approach to Loaded Meshing Transmission Performances for Aerospace Spiral Bevel Gears.

Loaded meshing transmission performance optimization has been an increasingly significant target for the design and manufacturing of aerospace spiral bevel gears with low noise and high strength. An innovative data-driven multi-objective optimization (MOO) method is proposed for the loaded meshing transmission performances of aerospace spiral bevel gears. Data-driven tooth surface modeling is first used to obtain a curvature analysis of loaded contact points. An innovative numerical loaded tooth contact analysis (NLTCA) is applied to develop the data-driven relationships of machine tool settings with respect to loaded meshing transmission performance evaluations. Moreover, the MOO function is solved by using an achievement function approach to accurate machine tool settings output, satisfying the prescribed requirements. Finally, numerical examples are given to verify the proposed methodology. The presented approach can serve as a powerful tool to optimize the loaded meshing transmission performances with higher computational accuracy and efficiency than the conventional methods.

SMYD4 monomethylates PRMT5 and forms a positive feedback loop to promote hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

Both lysine and arginine methyltransferases are thought to be promising therapeutic targets for malignant tumors, yet how these methyltransferases function in malignant tumors, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has not been fully elucidated. Here, we reported that SMYD4, a lysine methyltransferase, acts as an oncogene in HCC. SMYD4 was highly upregulated in HCC and promoted HCC cell proliferation and metastasis. Mechanistically, PRMT5, a well-known arginine methyltransferase, was identified as a SMYD4-binding protein. SMYD4 monomethylated PRMT5 and enhanced the interaction between PRMT5 and MEP50, thereby promoting the symmetrical dimethylation of H3R2 and H4R3 on the PRMT5 target gene promoter and subsequently activating DVL3 expression and inhibiting expression of E-cadherin, RBL2, and miR-29b-1-5p. Moreover, miR-29b-1-5p was found to inversely regulate SMYD4 expression in HCC cells, thus forming a positive feedback loop. Furthermore, we found that the oncogenic effect of SMYD4 could be effectively suppressed by PRMT5 inhibitor in vitro and in vivo. Clinically, high coexpression of SMYD4 and PRMT5 was associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients. In summary, our study provides a model of crosstalk between lysine and arginine methyltransferases in HCC and highlights the SMYD4-PRMT5 axis as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of HCC.