Nomogram incorporating preoperative pan-immune-inflammation value and monocyte to high-density lipoprotein ratio for survival prediction in patients with colorectal cancer: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Using the preoperative pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) and the monocyte to high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR) to reflect inflammation, immunity, and cholesterol metabolism, we aim to develop and visualize a novel nomogram model for predicting the survival outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: A total of 172 patients with CRC who underwent radical resection were retrospectively analyzed. Survival analysis was conducted after patients were grouped according to the optimal cut-off values of PIV and MHR. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards regression to screen the independent prognostic factors. Based on these factors, a nomogram was constructed and validated. RESULTS: The PIV was significantly associated with tumor location (P < 0.001), tumor maximum diameter (P = 0.008), and T stage (P = 0.019). The MHR was closely related to gender (P = 0.016), tumor maximum diameter (P = 0.002), and T stage (P = 0.038). Multivariate analysis results showed that PIV (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 2.476, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.410-4.348, P = 0.002), MHR (HR = 3.803, 95%CI = 1.609-8.989, P = 0.002), CEA (HR = 1.977, 95%CI = 1.121-3.485, P = 0.019), and TNM stage (HR = 1.759, 95%CI = 1.010-3.063, P = 0.046) were independent prognostic indicators for overall survival (OS). A nomogram incorporating these variables was developed, demonstrating robust predictive accuracy for OS. The area under the curve (AUC) values of the predictive model for 1-, 2-, and 3- year are 0.791,0.768,0.811, respectively. The calibration curves for the probability of survival at 1-, 2-, and 3- year presented a high degree of credibility. Furthermore, Decision curve analysis (DCA) for the probability of survival at 1-, 2-, and 3- year demonstrate the significant clinical utility in predicting survival outcomes. CONCLUSION: Preoperative PIV and MHR are independent risk factors for CRC prognosis. The novel developed nomogram demonstrates a robust predictive ability, offering substantial utility in facilitating the clinical decision-making process.

The Photocatalytic Performance of P, Cl Doped Carboxylated Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Modified Graphitic Carbon Nitride.

Graphitized carbonitride (g-C3N4) is widely used in CO2 reduction, hydrogen production, and degradation of toxic chemical dyes and antibiotics. It is a kind of photocatalytic material with excellent performance, and it has the advantages of being safe and nontoxic, having a suitable band gap (2.7 eV), and having a simple preparation and high stability, but because of its fast optical recombination speed and low visible light overutilization, the multifunctional application of g-C3N4 is seriously hindered. Compared with pure g-C3N4, MWCNTs/g-C3N4 have a red-shift in the visible range and a strong absorption in the visible region. Melamine and carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes were used as raw materials to successfully prepare CMWCNT modified g-C3N4 doped with P, Cl by a high temperature calcination method. The effect of the addition amount of P, Cl on the photocatalytic performance of modified g-C3N4 was studied. The experimental results show that the multiwalled carbon nanotubes can accelerate the electron migration, and the doping of P, Cl elements can change the energy band structure of g-C3N4 and reduce the band gap. Through fluorescence analysis and photocurrent analysis, it is known that the incorporation of P, Cl reduces the recombination efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. In order to explore the application in the degradation of chemical dyes, the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of RhB under visible light was studied. The photocatalytic performance of the samples was evaluated by photodecomposition of aquatic hydrogen. The results showed that when the amount of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate was 10 wt %, the photocatalytic degradation efficiency was the highest, which was 21.13 times higher than that of g-C3N4.

hsa-miR-7-5p suppresses proliferation, migration and promotes apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines by inhibiting SPC24 expression.

Emerging evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) participate in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Nevertheless, the mechanism of miR-7-5p in HCC cells has not been researched. In the research, the underlying biological function of miR-7-5p and SPC24 in HCC was explored. qRT-PCR was performed to measure the miR-7-5p and SPC24 level in HCC tissues and cells. The effect of miR-7-5p on HCC progression was detected by performing CCK-8, BrdU, and transwell assay. The relationship between miR-7-5p and SPC24 was determined using luciferase and RNA pull-down assays. Our findings showed that miR-7-5p was downregulated in HCC whereas SPC24 was upregulated in HCC. It was also showed that miR-7-5p upregulation restricted malignant behaviors of HCC cells, but this inhibitory effect of miR-7-5p could be relieved by its target gene SPC24. In conclusion, this research suggested that by inhibiting SPC24, miR-7-5p could act as a tumor inhibitory factor in HCC.

LINC01783 facilitates cell proliferation, migration and invasion in non-small cell lung cancer by targeting miR-432-5p to activate the notch pathway.

BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a common malignancy around the globe. Increasing long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been confirmed to be associated with the progression of cancers, including NSCLC. Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1783 (LINC01783) is a novel lncRNA and its regulatory function as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) has not been studied in NSCLC. METHODS: RT-qPCR measured the expression level of LINC01783 in NSCLC cells. CCK-8, EdU, transwell and wound healing assays were conducted to detect cell proliferation, migration and invasion in NSCLC. The relationship between miR-432-5p and LINC01783 along with delta like 1 (DLL-1) was illustrated by RNA pull down, RIP and luciferase reporter assays. RESULTS: LINC01783 was found remarkably increased in NSCLC cell lines, and down-regulation of LINC01783 suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Then, we discovered Notch pathway was related to the progression of NSCLC, and DLL-1 expression was reduced by LINC01783 knockdown. Furthermore, DLL-1 overexpression could counteract the suppressive effects of LINC01783 down-regulation on the growth of NSCLC cells. MiR-432-5p was observed to be the mutual miRNA that could bind with both LINC01783 and DLL-1. Overexpression of miR-432-5p inhibited DLL-1 expression. In the rescue assays, miR-432-5p depletion offset the impacts of LINC01783 knockdown, and then DLL-1 silence recovered the influence of miR-432-5p down-regulation on NSCLC cell growth. CONCLUSION: LINC01783 aggravates NSCLC cell growth by regulating Notch pathway and sponging miR-432-5p, being a potential target in the treatment for NSCLC.

Effect of the Nitrogen Incorporation on the Microstructure and Photoelectric Properties of N Type Nanocrystalline Silicon Thin Films.

N type silicon-rich nanocrystalline-SiN(x) ∶ H films were prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique by changing NH3 flow rate. The effect of nitrogen incorporation on the microstructure and photoelectric properties of the thin films were characterized by Raman, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra, and Hall effect measurement. The results indicated that with the increasing NH3, a phase transition from microcrystalline to amorphous silicon occured. Transmission electron microscope observation revealed that the size of silicon quantum dots could be adjusted by varying the flow rate of NH3. The microstructure order of the films reduced with increasing the flow rate of NH3, while the optical band gap increased, and the optical band tail became narrow. Meanwhile, Si­N bonds density increased and P doping was blocked. I-V testing results showed that with increasing NH3, the conductivity of films first decreased compared with nanocrystalline-Si and then increased. These behaviors reveal a competition in the mechanisms controlling the conductivity. However, with further increasing NH3, the conductivity decreased significantly due to rapid carrier recombination on the amorphous net structure.

Additively Manufactured Flexible Liquid Metal-Coated Self-Powered Magnetoelectric Sensors with High Design Freedom.

Although additive manufacturing enables controllable structural design and customized performance for magnetoelectric sensors, their design and fabrication still require careful matching of the size and modulus between the magnetic and conductive components. Achieving magnetoelectric integration remains challenging, and the rigid coils limit the flexibility of the sensors. To overcome these obstacles, this study proposes a composite process combining selective laser sintering (SLS) and 3D transfer printing for fabricating flexible liquid metal-coated magnetoelectric sensors. The liquid metal forms a conformal conductive network on the SLS-printed magnetic lattice structure. Deformation of the structure alters the magnetic flux passing through it, thereby generating voltage. A reverse model segmentation and summation method is established to calculate the theoretical magnetic flux. The impact of the volume fraction, unit size, and height of the sensors on the voltage is studied, and optimization of these factors yields a maximum voltage of 45.6 µV. The sensor has excellent sensing performance with a sensitivity of 10.9 kPa-1 and a minimum detection pressure of 0.1 kPa. The voltage can be generated through various external forces. This work presents a significant advancement in fabricating liquid metal-based magnetoelectric sensors by improving their structural flexibility, magnetoelectric integration, and design freedom.

The mRNA levels of PPARα, HIF-1α, and VEGF in the liver tissues of rats with alcoholic liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the liver tissues of rats with alcoholic liver disease. METHODS: A total of 50 Wistar rats were randomly divided into a 4-week model group (n = 10), an 8-week model group (n = 10), a 12-week model group (n = 10), a 16-week model group (n = 10), and a control group (n = 10). The control group got the same volume of distilled water, and the rats in the model groups were given ethanol to establish alcoholic liver disease model. The mRNA levels of PPARα, HIF-1α, and VEGF in the rats' liver tissues, the fatty liver degree, and the inflammation degree in each group were examined and compared. RESULTS: The liver tissues in 4 model groups showed a more worsened fatty liver degree and inflammation degree than those in control group (P < 0.05). With the extension of the modeling time, the fatty liver degree and inflammation levels were significantly increased (P < 0.05). All the model groups showed lower mRNA level of PPARα, and higher levels of HIF-1α and VEGF than the control group (P < 0.05). With the extension of the modeling time, the relative mRNA level of PPARα was decreased, while the mRNA levels of HIF-1α and VEGF increased (all P < 0.05). The fatty liver degree and inflammation level were negatively correlated with the PPARα mRNA level (r = -0.899, -0.893, P < 0.05) and positively correlated with the HIF-1α and VEGF mRNA levels (r = 0.791, 0.679, 0.744, 0.597, P < 0.05). The PPARα mRNA level was negatively correlated with HIF-1α and VEGF mRNA levels (r = -0.732, -0.681, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: High PPARα mRNA levels and low HIF-1α and VEGF mRNA levels in the liver tissues of rats with alcoholic liver disease may be closely related to fatty liver and inflammation reactions.

Enhanced Mechanical Properties of Multiscale Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Unidirectional Composites with Different Dimensional Carbon Nanofillers.

Ammonia modified graphene-carbon nanotubes/continuous carbon fiber reinforced epoxy unidirectional multiscale composites (AMGNS-MWCNT/CFEP) were prepared by adding ammonia modified graphene and carbon nanotubes to an epoxy matrix to reduce agglomeration of carbon nanofillers in the epoxy matrix and improve composites properties. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and universal testing machines were used to characterize the properties of carbon nanofillers, AMGNS-MWCNT/epoxy nanocomposites, and AMGNS-MWCNT/CFEP unidirectional composites. When the AMGNS-MWCNT content was 1.0 wt%, flexural strength, the flexural modulus and interlaminar shear strength of AMGNS-MWCNT/CFEP unidirectional composites reached the maximum value of 1520.3 MPa, 138.88 GPa, and 87.80 MPa, respectively, which were 12.5%, 9.42%, and 10.1% higher than that of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy unidirectional composites (CFEP). The synergistic mechanism of two carbon nanofillers in the matrix is discussed.

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Carbon-Al-Cu Composite for Friction Material.

A carbon/carbon-Al-Cu composite reinforced with carbon fiber 2.5D-polyacrylonitrile-based preforms was fabricated using the pressureless infiltration technique. The Al-Cu alloy liquids were successfully infiltrated into the C/C composites at high temperature and under vacuum. The mechanical and metallographic properties, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) of the C/C-Al-Cu composites were analyzed. The results showed that the bending property of the C/C-Al-Cu composites was 189 MPa, whereas that of the pure carbon slide material was only 85 MPa. The compressive strength of C/C-Al-Cu was 213 MPa, whereas that of the pure carbon slide material was only 102 MPa. The resistivity of C/C-Al-Cu was only 1.94 µΩm, which was lower than that of the pure carbon slide material (29.5 µΩm). This finding can be attributed to the "network conduction" structure. Excellent wettability was observed between Al and the carbon matrix at high temperature due to the existence of Al4C3. The friction coefficients of the C/C, C/C-Al-Cu, and pure carbon slide composites were 0.152, 0.175, and 0.121, respectively. The wear rate of the C/C-Al-Cu composites reached a minimum value of 2.56 × 10-7 mm³/Nm. The C/C-Al-Cu composite can be appropriately used as railway current collectors for locomotives.

Effect of Interface Modified by Graphene on the Mechanical and Frictional Properties of Carbon/Graphene/Carbon Composites.

In this work, we developed an interface modified by graphene to simultaneously improve the mechanical and frictional properties of carbon/graphene/carbon (C/G/C) composite. Results indicated that the C/G/C composite exhibits remarkably improved interfacial bonding mode, static and dynamic mechanical performance, thermal conductivity, and frictional properties in comparison with those of the C/C composite. The weight contents of carbon fibers, graphene and pyrolytic carbon are 31.6, 0.3 and 68.1 wt %, respectively. The matrix of the C/G/C composite was mainly composed of rough laminar (RL) pyrocarbon. The average hardness by nanoindentation of the C/G/C and C/C composite matrices were 0.473 and 0.751 GPa, respectively. The flexural strength (three point bending), interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), interfacial debonding strength (IDS), internal friction and storage modulus of the C/C composite were 106, 10.3, 7.6, 0.038 and 12.7 GPa, respectively. Those properties of the C/G/C composite increased by 76.4%, 44.6%, 168.4% and 22.8%, respectively, and their internal friction decreased by 42.1% in comparison with those of the C/C composite. Owing to the lower hardness of the matrix, improved fiber/matrix interface bonding strength, and self-lubricating properties of graphene, a complete friction film was easily formed on the friction surface of the modified composite. Compared with the C/C composite, the C/G/C composite exhibited stable friction coefficients and lower wear losses at simulating air-plane normal landing (NL) and rejected take-off (RTO). The method appears to be a competitive approach to improve the mechanical and frictional properties of C/C composites simultaneously.