Design, synthesis, and characterization of a new hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite with a high-Tc dielectric transition.

Phase change materials (PCMs) have drawn increasing attention for their promising applications in thermal switches, data communication, and energy storage. Because of the complexity of the interactions between molecules, it is still a challenge to design PCMs with a desired high phase transition temperature (Tc). In this study, a one-dimensional hybrid perovskite of (TEACCl)PbBr3 (1, TEACCl = Et3NCH2Cl) was successfully designed and synthesized with a Tc = 390 K. Disordering of TEACCl+ on the heating process is the origin of the structural phase transition of 1 from the P21/c to P63/mmc structure. It is noted that the phase transition is associated with an excellent switchable dielectric property, which indicates that 1 has the potential to be applied to sensor equipment. After calculation, 1 is an infrequent indirect bandgap semiconductor with an energy gap of 3.57 eV. Moreover, 1 exhibits strong red fluorescence under irradiation of UV light. This work will provide guidance for designing high Tc switching materials.

WTAP mediates FOXP3 mRNA stability to promote SMARCE1 expression and augment glycolysis in colon adenocarcinoma.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant mRNA internal modification and has reportedly been linked to aerobic glycolysis, a hallmark event in tumor development. This work focuses on the role of the m6A methyltransferase WT1-associated protein (WTAP) in metabolic reprogramming and development of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) and the molecules involved. The WTAP expression in COAD tissues and cells was detected. WTAP was knocked down in two COAD cell lines to figure out its role in the glycolytic activity and malignant phenotype of cancer cells. Cancer cells were further injected into nude mice subcutaneously or via tail vein to evaluate tumor growth and metastasis. The downstream molecules involved were explored using bioinformatics tools, and the molecular interactions were confirmed by immunoprecipitation, luciferase assays, and rescue experiments. WTAP was abundantly expressed in COAD samples. Knockdown of WTAP suppressed glucose consumption, lactate production, and glycolysis, which consequently suppressed cancer cell growth and dissemination in vitro and in vivo. WTAP promoted m6A methylation and stabilized forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) mRNA with the participation of the m6A "reader" YTHDF1. FOXP3 could further bind to SMARCE1 promoter for transcriptional activation. Rescue experiments showed that upregulation of FOXP3 or SMARCE1 restored the glycolytic activity in COAD cells and augmented the growth and mobility of cells both in vitro and in vivo. This study demonstrates that WTAP grants glycolytic activity to COAD and promotes tumor malignant development via the m6A modification of FOXP3 mRNA and the upregulation of SMARCE1.

Influence of Ego Depletion on Individual Forgiveness in Different Interpersonal Offense Situations.

Forgiveness, as an important content in the field of morality, means that the offended person overcomes the negative emotion, cognition, and behavior toward the offender and replaces it with positive emotion, cognition, and behavior. Based on the theory of the limitation of psychological resources, ego depletion (ED) will lead to the weakening of self-regulation function, thus making some immoral behaviors, which is not conducive to individual forgiveness. In order to explore the influence of ED on individual forgiveness in different interpersonal offense situations, this study used the Stroop task to manipulate the level of ED and used imaginary situations to distinguish offending situations. We found that the level of forgiveness in a serious offense situation was significantly lower than that in a mild offense situation, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.158. In different interpersonal offense situations, ED has different effects on forgiveness. In the severe offense situation, the forgiveness level of high-ED individuals was significantly lower than that of the low-ED individuals, p = 0.023, partial η2 = 0.144; in the mild offense situation, the forgiveness level of high-ED individuals was significantly higher than that of low-ED individuals, p = 0.029, partial η2 = 0.140. The results showed that different levels of ED have no consistent effect on forgiveness in different interpersonal offense situations; high ED hinders individual forgiveness in serious offense situations but can promote individual forgiveness in mild offense situations.

BMP9 overexpressing adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells promote cartilage repair in osteoarthritis-affected knee joint via the Notch1/Jagged1 signaling pathway.

Osteoarthritis (OS) is a common disease in orthopedics. Although OS is known as an inflammation mediated by inflammatory cytokines; however, the mechanism is poorly understood. In the present study, the role of bone morphogenetic protein-9 (BMP9) was investigated in chondrogenic differentiation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs). ADMSCs were transfected with BMP9. BMP9 mRNA expression was detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Type II collagen and aggrecan expression was detected by western blotting and RT-qPCR. Mouse models of knee OS were established. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and toluidine blue staining were performed to observe changes in the OS-affected knee joint. After intra-articular injection of ADMSCs transfected with BMP9, intra-articular expression of type II collagen and aggrecan was detected by western blot analysis and RT-qPCR. After the Notch signaling pathway was inhibited in ADMSCs, ADMSCs were injected into the articular cavity. The expression of Notch signaling pathway-related proteins Notch1 and Jagged1 was detected by western blot analysis and RT-qPCR. BMP9 promoted chondrogenic differentiation of ADMSCs. After injection of BMP9 overexpressing ADMSCs into the articular space, type II collagen and aggrecan expression was increased. When the Notch signaling pathway of ADMSCs was inhibited, the ability of BMP9 overexpressing ADMSCs to repair the cartilage in the OS-affected knee joint was attenuated. These results demonstrate that upregulating BMP9 protein expression may promote the chondrogenic differentiation of ADMSCs. Intra-articular injection of ADMSCs contributes to cartilage repair in OS-affected knee joints through the Notch1/Jagged1 signaling pathway.

The average concentration function of dissolved copper in Hun River, Liaoning province, Northeastern China.

Water samples were collected from Hun River to research the change in the concentration of dissolved copper and its distribution as well as accumulation during the dry season in 2013. The mean concentrations of dissolved copper in Hun River were 0.1057-0.1533 mg/l during the dry season. The results indicated that the most severe dissolved copper pollution were associated with the mining area, industrial area, and living area along the Hun River. The results also indicated that controlling the sources of copper pollution effectively reduced the concentration of dissolved copper in Hun River. The concentration function about time and spatial coordinate, average concentration function about time coordinate, average concentration function about spatial coordinate, and bounded mean oscillation space were used to evaluate the extent of copper pollution in Hun River. The error function, quartiles, and curve fitting tool were performed to determine the stations with high concentration of dissolved copper in Hun River. We furthermore obtained the upper and lower bounds of the error between two kinds of bounded mean oscillation spaces to explore the migration of copper pollution in Hun River. The results of the average concentration function and bounded mean oscillation space revealed that the long-term control measures of copper pollution and short-term control measures of copper pollution, the control of copper pollution in large watershed, and the control of copper pollution in small watershed in Hun River should be combined with each other. The strict policy and pollution control strategy should be implemented to ensure that the water of the Hun River meets the natural environment standard for the growth of aquatic life and human.

Heavy metal concentrations in water and soil along the Hun River, Liaoning, China.

Water and soil samples were collected along the Hun River to study the concentrations of Cr, Cu and Zn during the dry season, medium season and wet season in 2013. The concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Zn in Hun River were 0.0010 to 0.1298, 0.0057 to 0.1533 and 0.0162 to 0.5004 mg/L, respectively. The concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Zn in soil from around the Dahuofang reservoir were 0.0033 to 0.2149, 0.0054 to 0.2218 and 0.0135 to 0.3544 mg/g, respectively. The results indicated that the concentrations of Cr, Cu and Zn in water from the Hun River and soil from around the Dahuofang reservoir were significantly different at different sample stations and seasons. The pollution indexes of Cr, Cu and Zn in water and soil along the Hun River were calculated using principal component analysis in order to enact future measures against heavy metal pollution. According to the pollution characteristics of heavy metals along the Hun River, a treatment strategy was formulated to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of heavy metal pollution along the Hun River.

Microsurgical anatomy of perforated arteries in the hypothalamic area.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the microsurgical anatomy of perforating arteries in the hypothalamic area, which are associated with diabetes insipidus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 20 adult cadaver heads soaked in formalin were infused with red latex through the carotid artery and vertebral artery, and supplementary perfusion was performed after 1 day. RESULTS: The perforating arteries in the hypothalamic area could be divided into three groups according to their origins, namely, the former, below and outside groups. The former group mainly comprised the perforating arteries near the current communicating arteries. The outside group comprised the perforating arteries from the upper clinoid segment of the internal carotid and posterior communicating arteries. The below group comprised the bottom hypophyseal arteries of the cavernous segment from the internal carotid artery. CONCLUSION: Vascular injuries that occur during surgery can be minimised by understanding the distribution of the aforementioned vessels.

A facile method for the synthesis of quaternary Ag-In-Zn-S alloyed nanorods.

Ag-In-Zn-S nanorods with tunable photoluminescence were formed by a convenient synthetic approach, and the nanorods demonstrated a relatively long fluorescence lifetime of 1.248 µs. In addition, Ag-In-Zn-S nanorods of nail shape and rod-particle dimers were successfully produced by adjusting the reaction parameters.

Long-term results of surgical treatment of aortic and mitral regurgitation with enlarged left ventricle.

Mitral valve and aortic valve regurgitation associated with enlarged left ventricle remains difficult to manage and the long-term results following surgical treatment is uncertain. Between April 1988 and September 2000, 82 patients with aortic and mitral regurgitation associated with enlarged left ventricle underwent valve replacement at Anzhen Hospital. The valve disease was rheumatic in origin in 75 patients (91.5%) and congenital in 7 (8.5%). Twenty-eight patients were in New York heart Association Functional (NYHA) class II and 39 in class III and 15 in class IV. Echocardiogram showed severe aortic insufficiency associated with mild to moderate mitral regurgitation in 66 patients and severe mitral regurgitation associated with mild to moderate AI in 16 patients. The mean left ventricular diastole diameter (LVDD) was 77.8 ± 5.2 mm. Valve replacement was performed under hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Early hospital mortality was 7.3%. Two weeks after surgery the echocardiogram showed a reduction of LVDD. Follow up was completed in 69 patients with mean of 13.5 years. 20 patients were in NYHA class I; 26 in Class II and 3 in Class III and 2 in class IV. The follow-up survival rate was 73.9%, and follow-up mortality was 26.1%. LVDD reduced from 77.8 ± 5.2 mm to 58.3 ± 4.5 mm (P < 0.001). In 24 patients, the LVDD was less than 50 mm. Double valve replacement and/or repair carried out an acceptable early and Long-term clinical outcomes in patients with MR and AI with associated LV great enlargement. Both LVDD and NYHA improved following surgical treatment in survival patients.

Effects of core self-evaluations on the job burnout of nurses: the mediator of organizational commitment.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of Core self-evaluations on job burnout of nurses, and especially to test and verify the mediator role of organizational commitment between the two variables. METHOD: Random cluster sampling was used to pick up participants sample, which consisted of 445 nurses of a hospital in Shanghai. Core self-evaluations questionnaire, job burnout scale and organizational commitment scale were administrated to the study participants. RESULTS: There are significant relationships between Core self-evaluations and dimensions of job burnout and organizational commitment. There is a significant mediation effect of organizational commitment between Core self-evaluations and job burnout. CONCLUSIONS: To enhance nurses' Core self-evaluations can reduce the incidence of job burnout.

An in vivo model of in situ implantation using pulmonary valved conduit in large animals under off-pump condition.

BACKGROUND: The application of pulmonary valved conduit to reconstruct the continuity between right ventricles and pulmonary artery is one of the major surgeries. This study aimed to establish an in vivo model of in situ implantation using pulmonary valved conduit in large animals under off-pump condition to validate the long-term effects of artificial pulmonary valved conduit. METHODS: Domesticate juvenile male sheep and tissue-engineered porcine pulmonary valved conduit were used for the experiment: 30 sheep, weighing (15 ± 3) kg (range 13 to 17 kg) were randomly divided into two groups which were all operated under general anesthesia by off-pump surgery (group 1) and left thoracotomy (group 2). Two different off-pump surgical methods were used to perform cannulation in sheep pulmonary artery to replace part of sheep pulmonary artery with pulmonary valved conduit which will work together with sheep pulmonary artery and valves. During the experiments, animal survival, complication rates, operating time and blood loss were recorded to compare the results between groups and to establish a surgical method with minimal invasion, simplicity, safety, and high success rates. RESULTS: In group 1, a total of 15 cases of surgeries were performed, in which two sheep died; the operative mortality was 13.3% (2/15). In group 2, a total of 15 cases of surgeries were performed, and the surgical mortality rate was 0 (0/15). The operation time and blood loss in group 2 was significantly better than that in group 1. The postoperative echocardiograms showed that, after the surgeries by these two methods, the blood flows were normal, and the valves can open and close freely. Autopsy after 6 months showed that the inner wall and the valves of pulmonary valved conduit were smooth with no thrombus formation. CONCLUSION: These two off-pump methods are feasible and safe with fewer traumas; but the second method is better and particularly suitable for the establishment of a juvenile animal model.

Double-layered lateral meniscus.

A case of double-layered lateral meniscus in which an accessory proximal hemimeniscus was overlying the body and posterior horn of the lateral meniscus is here reported. The accessory hemimeniscus lays marginal and parallel to the normal lateral meniscus with its periphery dissociated from the capsule and was significantly thinner and more mobile than its underlying counterpart. It was resected arthroscopically, and the patient's symptoms were significantly improved. This case demonstrates an interesting and extremely rare anatomical abnormality of the lateral meniscus.