Ultra-High-Efficiency Corrosion Protection of Metallic Surface Based on Thin and Dense Hexagonal Boron Nitride Coating Films.

Quest for ultrathin and highly effective anticorrosion coating films is critical for both fundamental community of materials science and industrial economics. A two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) film is a newly developed effective anticorrosion material due to its superior impermeability, thermal stability, and chemical stability. However, research in growth and anticorrosion properties of large-area dense h-BN coating films still lies in its infancy. Here, we report on the synthesis of a large-area and continuous dense few-layer (∼4) h-BN coating film onto a metal surface by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and its anticorrosion properties both in air and seawater environments. Cu coated in h-BN, which functions as an anticorrosive coating, exhibits an impressively reduced corrosion rate (CR) in a 3.5% NaCl solution (which mimics a seawater environment) when compared to bare Cu (approximately 27 times). At 200 °C, the h-BN coating can prevent Cu foil's surface from oxidizing, although doing so will cause a significant amount of oxide particles to simultaneously form on the bare Cu surface. In the meantime, the performance of the h-BN film remains unaltered after 100 days in an atmospheric environment, demonstrating the ultrahigh stability and corrosion resistance of the as-grown h-BN film.

Two-dimensional material assisted-growth strategy: new insights and opportunities.

The exploration and synthesis of novel materials are integral to scientific and technological progress. Since the prediction and synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) materials, it is expected to play an important role in the application of industrialization and the information age, resulting from its excellent physical and chemical properties. Currently, researchers have effectively utilized a range of material synthesis techniques, including mechanical exfoliation, redox reactions, chemical vapor deposition, and chemical vapor transport, to fabricate two-dimensional materials. However, despite their rapid development, the widespread industrial application of 2D materials faces challenges due to demanding synthesis requirements and high costs. To address these challenges, assisted growth techniques such as salt-assisted, gas-assisted, organic-assisted, and template-assisted growth have emerged as promising approaches. Herein, this study gives a summary of important developments in recent years in the assisted growth synthesis of 2D materials. Additionally, it highlights the current difficulties and possible benefits of the assisted-growth approach for 2D materials. It also highlights novel avenues of development and presents opportunities for new lines of investigation.

High-responsivity photodetector based on scrolling monolayer MoS2hybridized with carbon quantum dots.

The monolayer MoS2based photodetectors have been widely investigated, which show limited photoelectric performances due to its low light absorption and uncontrollable adsorbates. In this paper, we present a MoS2-based hybrid nanoscrolls device, in which one-dimensional nanoscrollsof MoS2is hybridized with carbon quantum dots (CQDs). This device architecture effectively enhanced the photodetection performance. The photoresponsivity and detectivity values of MoS2/CQDs-NS photodetectors are respectively 1793 A W-1and 5.97 × 1012Jones, which are 830-fold and 268-fold higher than those of pristine MoS2under 300 nm illumination atVds = 5 V. This research indicates a significant progress in fabricating high-performance MoS2photodetectors.

miR-499 released during myocardial infarction causes endothelial injury by targeting α7-nAchR.

The surged systemic vascular inflammation after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) aggravates the atherosclerotic endothelial injury. To explore roles of miR-499 released from cardiomyocytes during AMI in endothelial injury. Using qPCR and ELISA, we discovered that patients with AMI had significantly increased plasma miR-499, which was directly correlated with serum thrombomodulin, a marker for endothelial injury. Plasma of AMI patients, when incubated with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), significantly increased the expression of endothelial injury markers, which could be abrogated by antagomiR-499. In vitro, neonatal rat cardiomyocytes subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation (HX/R) released miR-499 that could be internalized into rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (RPMECs), worsening the high glucose-induced injury. In silico analysis demonstrated that CHRNA7 encoding α7-nAchR is a target of miR-499, which was validated in cell lines expressing endogenous α7-nAchR. In high glucose-induced RPMECs injury model, miR-499 aggravated, whereas forced CHRNA7 expression ameliorated the injury. Moreover, the perfusate from Langendorff perfused rat heart subjected to HX/R contained higher level of miR-499 that significantly impaired the Bradykinin-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation in both conduit and resistance arteries, which could be partially abrogated by antagomiR-499. Finally, the correlation between plasma miR-499 and endothelial injury was further confirmed in another cohort of AMI patients. We conclude that miR-499 released from injured cardiomyocytes contributes to the endothelial injury by targeting α7-nAchR. This study implies that miR-499 may serve as a potential target for the treatment of the surged vascular inflammation post-AMI.

IL-25 protects against high-fat diet-induced hepatic steatosis in mice by inducing IL-25 and M2a macrophage production.

Interleukin (IL)-25 is a cytokine that has previously been shown to have a protective role against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is associated with the induction of M2 macrophage differentiation. However, the direct relationships between IL-25 expression regulation, M2 induction and NAFLD remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that IL-25 promotes hepatic macrophage differentiation into M2a macrophages both in vivo and in vitro via the IL-13/STAT6 pathway. M2 macrophages that were differentiated in vitro were able to ameliorate high-fat diet HFD-induced hepatic steatosis. Furthermore, we found that IL-25 treatment, both in vitro and in vivo, promotes direct binding of STAT6 to the IL-25 gene promoter region. This binding of STAT6 in response to IL-25 treatment also resulted in the increase of IL-25 expression in hepatocytes. Together, these findings identify IL-25 as a protective factor against HFD-induced hepatic steatosis by inducing an increase of IL-25 expression in hepatocytes and through promotion of M2a macrophage production.

[Significance of 2-hour blood glucose after standardized steamed bread meal in diabetic screening].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the significance of 2-hour blood glucose after standardized steamed bread meal (SB-2 hBG) in diabetic screening. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted for diabetic screening data of annual check-up at PLA General Hospital from May 1996 to June 2002. And 100 g standardized steamed bread meal test was performed for non-diabetic subjects. Those subjects with SB-2 h BG ≥ 7.2 mmol/L underwent a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) within 2 weeks to determine whether the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (DM) could be established (WHO, 1985, 1999, Diagnostic Criteria for Diabetes). By extracting the data for 7 consecutive years, we analyzed the significance and the cut-off point of SB-2 hBG in the diagnosis of DM and investigated the changes of blood glucose curves in different glucose tolerance status after different glucose loading tests. RESULTS: A total of 3 343 subjects with complete information were recruited. There were 3 101 males and 242 females with an age range of 40-94 years. According to the results of OGTT, 429 (12.8%) subjects were diagnosed as DM, 1 405 (42.1%) were diagnosed as impaired glucose regulation (IGR) and 1 509(45.1%) had normal glucose tolerance (NGT).With a deterioration of glucose tolerance status, the difference between SB-2 hBG and OGTT-2 hBG increased gradually in 3 group (P < 0.01), namely the NGT group 1.7 (0.8-2.8) mmol/L, IGR group -0.4 (-1.2-0.6) mmol/L, DM group -2.7(-3.8-1.1) mmol/L. The cut-off points of FBG for the diagnosis of IGR and DM were 5.3 (sensitivity of 46.2%, specificity of 68.5%) and 5.6 (sensitivity of 57.4%, specificity of 76.4%) mmol/L respectively. The cut-off points of SB-2 h BG were 8.2 mmol/L for the diagnosis of IGR (sensitivity of 63.8%, specificity of 59.9%) and 9.2 mmol/L for the diagnosis of DM (sensitivity of 66.4%, specificity of 76.4%).If the cut-off point of SB-2 h BG was set at 7.2 mmol/L, the diagnostic specificity became quite low.However, at 11.1 mmol/L, the sensitivity was 31.5% and the specificity 95.7% for the diagnosis of DM. The coincidences of cut-off points of FBG and SB-2 hBG for the diagnosis of IGR and DM were equal (P > 0.05).When the cut-off point of SB-2 h BG was set at 7.8 mmol/L, the sensitivity was 77.4% and the specificity 41.8% for the diagnosis of IGR. And it was much better than FBG at 5.6 mmol/L (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: With a deterioration of glucose tolerance, the difference between SB-2 hBG and OGTT-2 hBG increases gradually. Compared to the diagnostic criteria of OGTT, the optimal cut-off points for the diagnosis of IGR and DM were 5.3 vs 5.6 mmol/L for FBG and 8.2 vs 9.2 mmol/L for SB-2 hBG respectively.For diabetic screening in middle-aged and elders, the cut-off points of FBG at 5.3 mmol/L and SB-2 hBG at 7.8 mmol/L are indicators for further OGTT.

[Correlation of thyroid-stimulating hormone with metabolic syndrome in euthyroid male elders].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and metabolic syndrome (MS) and its components in euthyroid male elders. METHODS: For this cross-sectional study, 307 euthyroid male elders aged over 60 years participating in a routine annual health screening examination at our hospital during May-June 2011 were enrolled. Their mean age was (72.6 ± 7.9) years. Height, weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, blood lipids, fasting insulin levels and thyroid functions (TT3, TT4, FT3, FT4, TSH, TgAb & TPOAb) were measured. And the association of thyroid functions and the presence of MS and its components was analyzed. RESULTS: The prevalence of MS was 40.7% (125/307). The TSH level was significantly higher in the MS and obese group than that in control group ((2.6 ± 1.1) vs (2.4 ± 1.0) mU/L, P = 0.014; (2.7 ± 1.1) vs (2.3 ± 1.1)mU/L, P = 0.007). The prevalence of MS and obesity showed a gradual increase according to the TSH tertiles. When comparing subjects in the highest and lowest tertile of TSH, the former group demonstrated 1.872 and 1.904-fold increases in the odds ratio for obesity and MS after adjusting for age and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (95%CI: 1.051-3.332, P = 0.033; 95%CI: 1.070-3.387, P = 0.028) . Logistic regression analysis showed that the TSH levels were independent influencing factors for MS in male elders (OR = 1.324, 95%CI:1.042-1.683) . CONCLUSION: High circulating TSH level, albeit normal, is associated with elevated risk for metabolic syndrome in male elders.

[Correlation of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone levels with metabolic syndrome in aged males].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) with metabolic syndrome (MS) and its components in aged males. METHODS: For this cross-sectional study, 1 729 aged males aged over 60 years were selected from participants in a routine annual health examination at our hospital from May to June 2012. Their mean age was 75 ± 10 years. Height, weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, blood lipids, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, phosphorus, 25(OH) D and PTH were measured. And the associations of 25(OH)D and PTH with the presence of MS and its components were analyzed. RESULTS: The prevalence of MS was 22.0%. The PTH levels were significantly higher in the MS and abnormal blood glucose and HDL-C group than in their control group [(42 ± 16) vs (40 ± 17), (42 ± 16) vs (40 ± 17), (47 ± 18) vs (40 ± 16) ng/L respectively, P < 0.05].However, there were no significant differences of 25(OH)D between these groups. The prevalence of MS showed a gradual increase according to the PTH quintiles (P < 0.05). When comparing the subjects in the highest and lowest quintile of PTH, the former group demonstrated a 1.51-fold increase in odds ratio for MS after adjusting for 25(OH)D levels and other confounding factors. Logistic regression analysis showed that the PTH level was an independent influencing factor for MS in aged males (OR = 1.007, 95%CI: 1.000-1.014, P = 0.047). The levels of 25 (OH) D were not associated with MS in the regression model (OR = 1.004, 95%CI: 0.992-1.016, P = 0.538). CONCLUSION: In aged males, the elevated level of PTH is a risk factor for the prevalence of MS. However, there was no association between 25 (OH) D and MS.

[Blood glucose control and its influencing factors in elderly type 2 diabetics under different health care levels].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the status of blood glucose control in elderly type 2 diabetics under different health care levels and analyze its influencing factors. METHODS: Using cross-sectional and field survey methods, 688 elderly type 2 diabetics aged over 60 years undergoing long-term annual physical examination at PLA General Hospital in May 2009(veteran group) were recruited. And 409 patients aged over 60 years with type 2 diabetes were selected from a community health survey in Beijing from September 2009 to June 2010(community group). According to the diabetic control standards of Chinese Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Guide(2010), a comparison of blood glucose control status between two groups were conducted. RESULTS: The mean HbA1c level was 6.6% ± 1.0% in the veteran group. And there were 50.6% patients with HbA1c <6.5% and 76.3% with HbA1c <7%. In the community group, the mean HbA1c level was 7.1% ± 1.4% and the success rates of HbA1c were 40.6% and 55.7% respectively. The status of blood glucose control in the veteran group was significantly superior to that in the community group (P < 0.05). The comprehensive rates of achieving control target goals for blood glucose, blood pressure and blood lipids were higher in the veteran group than that in the community group (11.5% vs 2.0%, P < 0.001). The success rates of HbA1c for diabetics diagnosed after age 60 years were better than those diagnosed before age 60 years (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that different health care levels, gender, duration of diabetes, age of onset and total cholesterol were crucial factors for achieving target goal of HbA1c in both groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The status of blood glucose control was much better in the veteran group than that in the community group. And the blood glucose control level in the patients diagnosed as diabetes after age 60 years was superior to that in those diagnosed before age 60 years.

[Correlation of sex hormones and parathyroid hormone with biochemical markers of bone turnover in aged men].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation of serum sex hormones and parathyroid hormone (PTH) with the biochemical markers of bone turnover in aged men. METHODS: We collected the laboratory data of 465 men aged 60- 93 (73. 1 +/- 8. 3) years old, who came for routine physical examinations in our hospital. We obtained the levels of serum follicle- stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), PTH, 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3 (25(OH) D3), and bone turnover markers C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX), osteocalcin (OC) and amino-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP). We also determined free testosterone (FT) , bioactive testosterone (BT) , testosterone secretion index (TSI) and FT index (FTI), and analyzed the correlation of each index with the biochemical markers of bone turnover. RESULTS: The concentrations of serum FSH, LH, and SHBG increased, while the levels of FT, BT, TSI, FTI, PTH, CTX, OC and PINP decreased with age, especially in those over 80 years old (P <0.05). PTH was positively correlated with CTX, OC and PINP (r =0. 227, 0. 269 and 0. 162, P <0. 01), even after the adjustment for age, while SHBG negatively correlated with OC (r = -0. 100, P <0.05). The bone turnover markers increased with the elevation of the PTH quartiles, with significant differences between the first and the fourth quartile (P <0. 01). Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that age was correlated inversely with CTX, OC and PINP ( beta = -0. 126, -0. 141 and -0. 122, P <0.05) , PTH positively with the three markers (beta = 0. 196, 0.279 and 0.189; P <0. 001), and SHBG negatively with OC ( beta = -0. 100, P <0.05) . CONCLUSION: Aging is the fundamental cause of reduced bone turnover in aged men. The levels serum PTH and SHBG are significantly associated with the biochemical markers of bone turnover.

Fasting glucose level is associated with nocturnal hypoglycemia in elderly male patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Nocturnal hypoglycemia was a common and serious problem among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), especially in the elderly. This study investigated whether fasting glucose was an indicator of nocturnal hypoglycemia in elderly male patients with T2DM. METHODS: A total of 291 elderly male type 2 diabetic patients who received continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) between January 2007 and January 2011 were enrolled in the study. The association of fasting glucose and nocturnal hypoglycemia based on CGM data was analyzed, comparing with bedtime glucose. RESULTS: Based on CGM data, patients with nocturnal hypoglycemia had significantly lower fasting glucose (5.88 ± 1.29 versus 6.92 ± 1.32 mmol/L) and bedtime glucose (7.33 ± 1.70 versus 8.01 ± 1.95 mmol/L) than patients without nocturnal hypoglycemia (both p < 0.01). Compared with the highest quartile, the lowest quartile of fasting glucose had a significantly increased risk of nocturnal hypoglycemia after the multiple adjustments (pfor trend < 0.001). However, this association did not appear in bedtime glucose. When the prediction of nocturnal hypoglycemia either by fasting glucose or bedtime glucose using the area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, fasting glucose but not bedtime glucose, was an indicator of nocturnal hypoglycemia, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.714 (95% CI: 0.653 ∼ 0.774, p < 0.001). On the ROC curve, the Youden index was maximal when fasting glucose was 6.1 mmol/L. CONCLUSIONS: Fasting glucose may be a convenient and clinically useful indicator of nocturnal hypoglycemia in elderly male patients with T2DM. Risk of nocturnal hypoglycemia significantly increased when fasting glucose was less than 6.1 mmol/L.

Association between sex hormone levels and abnormal metabolism in a population of elderly Chinese men.

OBJECTIVE: Low testosterone levels may be a signal of poor health. This study aimed to investigate the effects of age and abnormal metabolism on sex hormones in Chinese male. METHODS: Three hundred and thirty-seven elder men were enrolled into this single-center, cross-sectional study, and their sex hormone levels and metabolic parameters were assessed. RESULTS: Serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations increased with age, while free testosterone index (FTI), testosterone secretion index (TSI), estradiol (E2)/SHBG and progestin (PROG) decreased. Abnormal metabolisms were related to androgen indices (TT, FT, BT, FTI, TSI, T/E2), SHBG and E2/SHBG even after adjusting by age and macrovascular disease. Obesity and overweight, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia were the most important abnormal metabolism that related to decreased androgen indices. Including SHBG in the stepwise regression increased the explanation effect of TT and BT by 32.7% and 28.5%, respectively, and all metabolic indices were excluded. Abnormal metabolism indies (BMI and PBG) were correlated to the decrease in SHBG levels, while age and LH was positively correlated to SHBG levels. CONCLUSIONS: Age and abnormal metabolism were independently important factors associated with the sex hormone levels in elderly Chinese men, which were all mediated by SHBG.

Deciphering transcriptional dynamics of cardiac hypertrophy and failure in a chamber-specific manner.

Pressure overload-induced pathological cardiac hypertrophy (CH) is a complexed and adaptive remodeling of the heart, predominantly involving an increase in cardiomyocyte size and thickening of ventricular walls. Over time, these changes can lead to heart failure (HF). However, the individual and shared biological mechanisms of both processes remain poorly understood. This study aimed to identify key genes and signaling pathways associated with CH and HF following aortic arch constriction (TAC) at four weeks and six weeks, respectively, and to investigate potential underlying molecular mechanisms in this dynamic transition from CH to HF at the whole cardiac transcriptome level. Initially, a total of 363, 482, and 264 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for CH, and 317, 305, and 416 DEGs for HF were identified in the left atrium (LA), left ventricle (LV), and right ventricle (RV), respectively. These identified DEGs could serve as biomarkers for the two conditions in different heart chambers. Additionaly, two communal DEGs, elastin (ELN) and hemoglobin beta chain-beta S variant (HBB-BS), were found in all chambers, with 35 communal DEGs in the LA and LV and 15 communal DEGs in the LV and RV in both CH and HF. Functional enrichment analysis of these genes emphasized the crucial roles of the extracellular matrix and sarcolemma in CH and HF. Lastly, three groups of hub genes, including the lysyl oxidase (LOX) family, fibroblast growth factors (FGF) family, and NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (NDUF) family, were determined to be essential genes of dynamic changes from CH to HF.

Enhancing the Strengthening Effect of Graphene-Nanoplates in Al Matrix Composites by Heterogeneous Matrix Design.

In the present work, the properties of graphene-nanoplates/aluminum (GNPs/Al) composites with a heterogeneous matrix design were investigated. The advantage of the heterogeneous matrix was investigated by the finite element method. Then, 0.6 wt.% (GNPs/6061Al)/2024Al (heterogeneous matrix) and 0.6 wt.% GNPs/6061Al composites were prepared by ball milling, pressure infiltration technology, and hot extrusion. The aggregation of GNPs was eliminated and the interlayer slide of GNPs was observed. Mechanical property test results show that the mechanical properties of the heterogeneous matrix composite are better than that of a homogeneous matrix composite, including strength, elastic modulus, and plasticity. It is assumed that the heterogeneous matrix design enhances the non-uniform stress field during the deformation treatment. This improves the dispersion of GNPs, grain refinement, and produces the few-layer graphene (FLG), thus enhancing the strengthening effect of GNPs. Meanwhile, heterogeneous matrix design is thought to introduce more hardening mechanisms to increase the plasticity of materials and improve the intrinsic trade-off of strength and toughness.

Engineering the Optoelectronic Properties of 2D Hexagonal Boron Nitride Monolayer Films by Sulfur Substitutional Doping.

Tuning the optical and electrical properties of two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is critical for its successful application in optoelectronics. Herein, we report a new methodology to significantly enhance the optoelectronic properties of hBN monolayers by substitutionally doping with sulfur (S) on a molten Au substrate using chemical vapor deposition. The S atoms are more geometrically and energetically favorable to be doped in the N sites than in the B sites of hBN, and the S 3p orbitals hybridize with the B 2p orbitals, forming a new conduction band edge that narrows its band gap. The band edge positions change with the doping concentration of S atoms. The conductivity increases up to 1.5 times and enhances the optoelectronic properties, compared to pristine hBN. A photodetector made of a 2D S-doped hBN film shows an extended wavelength response from 260 to 280 nm and a 50 times increase in its photocurrent and responsivity with light illumination at 280 nm. These enhancements are mainly due to the improved light absorption and increased electrical conductivity through doping with sulfur. This S-doped hBN monolayer film can be used in the next-generation electronics, optoelectronics, and spintronics.

Design and Evaluation of an Ultrahigh-Strength Coral Aggregate Concrete for Maritime and Reef Engineering.

In this paper, an ultrahigh-strength marine concrete containing coral aggregates is developed. Concrete fabricated from marine sources is considered an effective and economical alternative for marine engineering and the construction of remote islands. To protect sea coral ecosystems, the coral aggregates used for construction are only efflorescent coral debris. To achieve the expected mechanical performance from the studied concrete, an optimal mixture design is conducted to determine the optimal proportions of components, in order to optimize the compressive strength. The mechanical properties and the autogenous shrinkage, as well as the heat flow of early hydration reactions, are measured. The hydration products fill up the pores of coral aggregates, endowing our concrete with flowability and self-compacting ability. The phases in the marine concrete are identified via X-ray diffraction analysis. The 28-day compressive and flexural strength of the developed marine concrete achieve 116.76 MPa and 18.24 MPa, respectively. On account of the lower cement content and the internal curing provided by coral aggregates, the volume change resulting from autogenous shrinkage is only 63.11% of that of ordinary reactive powder concrete.

[Down-regulation of IL-25 accompanied by a decrease in the number of M2 macrophages in patients of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with significant liver fibrosis].

Objective To observe and analyze the relationships among the level of interleukin 25 (IL-25), the stage of liver fibrosis and the polarization of hepatic M2 macrophages in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods A total of 36 patients with NAFLD and 20 control patients were enrolled. Fibrotouch, HE staining, and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the stage of liver fibrosis. Patients with NAFLD were classified into groups of mild liver fibrosis (F1) (20 cases) and significant liver fibrosis (≥ F2) (16 cases). The level of serum IL-25 in each group was detected by ELISA. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect the hepatic mRNA expression levels of IL-25, collagen1 (Col1), α mooth muscle actin (α-SMA), macrophage mannose receptor 1 (CD206/MR1) and transglutaminase 2 (TGM2). Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the protein levels of IL-25, α-SMA, CD206 and TGM2. Results There was no significant difference in the level of serum IL-25 among groups. Compared with patients in the control group and the mild liver fibrosis group, patients with significant liver fibrosis showed reduced mRNA expression levels of IL-25, CD206, and TGM2 in addition to lower levels of hepatic IL-25 protein and less polarization of M2 macrophages. Conclusion Down-regulation of IL-25 is accompanied by a decrease in the number of the M2 macrophages with the progression of liver fibrosis in NAFLD patients.

Properties of Concrete Prepared with Silane Coupling Agent-Impregnated Coral Aggregate and Coral Concrete.

Silane coupling agent (SCA), a kind of organic solvent, was introduced to improve the performance of coral coarse aggregates and enhance the interfacial adhesion between the inorganic coral aggregate and the cement paste of coral concrete. The crushing indicator and water absorption of the coral aggregates over various dipping times were measured, and the slump, interface microhardness, and compressive strength of coral concrete tested. The microscopic appearances of the coral concrete before and after modification were analyzed based on SEM images. The experimental results indicate that SCA can effectively reduce the crushing indicator and water absorption of coral coarse aggregates, and the modification performance becomes better over time. SCA facilitates the generation of chemical forces between the coral aggregates and cement mortars, improves adhesion between the aggregates and mortars, augments the microhardness of the interface, and increases the compressive strength. According to the microscopic appearance of the treated and untreated coral aggregate interfaces, the aggregates and the mortars are in closer combination after modification.

Evaluation of the Effects of Surface Treatment Methods on the Properties of Coral Aggregate and Concrete.

Coral concrete has low cost and convenient materials, making it an excellent raw material for processing. However, its lower strength limits the application of coral concrete. Surface modification is expected to increase the properties of porous coral concrete. In this study, single and compound modification treatments were applied to the surface of a coral aggregate to improve its properties for promoting the mechanical performance of coral concrete. The results showed that the micro-aggregate effect and pozzolanic activity of granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) and the permeability and polycondensation of sodium silicate (SS) could be mutually promoted. The GBFS and SS could effectively fill the pores of the coral aggregate, enhancing the properties of the aggregate, such as density and load-bearing capacity, and reducing the water absorption and crushing index by more than 50%. GBFS and SS could intensify and accelerate the hydration of cement, and generate a large number of hard hydration products at the interfacial transition zone (ITZ), which could strengthen the bonding between the aggregate and mortar, improving the strength of the ITZ. The compressive strength of the coral concrete was significantly increased.

Enrichment differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells into sinoatrial node-like cells by combined modulation of BMP, FGF, and RA signaling pathways.

BACKGROUND: Biological pacemakers derived from pluripotent stem cell (PSC) have been considered as a potential therapeutic surrogate for sick sinus syndrome. So it is essential to develop highly efficient strategies for enrichment of sinoatrial node-like cells (SANLCs) as seed cells for biological pacemakers. It has been reported that BMP, FGF, and RA signaling pathways are involved in specification of different cardiomyocyte subtypes, pacemaker, ventricular, and atrial cells. We aimed to investigate whether combined modulation of BMP, FGF, and RA signaling pathways could enrich the differentiation of SANLC from human pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC). METHODS: During the differentiation process from human induced pluripotent stem cell to cardiomyocyte through small molecule-based temporal modulation of the Wnt signaling pathway, signaling of BMP, FGF, and RA was manipulated at cardiac mesoderm stage. qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and whole cell patch clamp were used to identify the SANLC. RESULTS: qRT-PCR results showed that manipulating each one of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and retinoid acid (RA) signaling was effective for the upregulation of SANLC markers. Moreover, combined modulation of these three pathways displayed the best efficiency for the expression of SANLC markers, which was further confirmed at protein level using immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Finally, the electrophysiological characteristics of upregulated SANLC were verified by patch clamp method. CONCLUSION: An efficient transgene-independent differentiation protocol for generating SANLC from hiPSC was developed, in which combined modulating BMP, FGF, and RA signaling at cardiac mesoderm stage generates SANLC at high efficiency. This may serve as a potential approach for biological pacemaker construction.