"Fight Fire with Fire": Trace-Water-Induced Controllable Synthesis of Hydrophobic Armors to Stabilize Metal-Organic Cage-Based Crystalline Frameworks.

Metal-organic cage-based crystalline frameworks (MCFs) are distinguished for high porosity and diverse functionality, while their applications are constrained by degradation in wet environments. Inspired by the "fight fire with fire" method in traditional Chinese medicine, trace-water-induced synthesis of armors is proposed to stabilize MCFs. Water at ppm concentration is enriched on the hydrophilic surface of MCFs, and then polymerizes with diisocyanate under the catalysis of MCFs to form hydrophobic shells.

Stabilization of Supramolecular Frameworks by Surface-Confined Polymerization for Natural Gas Purification.

High-porosity supramolecular frameworks (SMFs) show potential as natural gas purification adsorbents, but their instability and tendency to collapse after activation limit their practical value. Here, we adopt the strategy of surface-confined polymerization to overcome this problem, using trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate (TMDI) to coat the surface of a new SMF, NUT-130, which allows obtaining NUT-130@PolyTMDI with permanent porosity. Compared to the uncoated material NUT-130, the specific surface area of NUT-130@PolyTMDI increased 3.

Synthesis of Sterically Hindered Monophosphino--Carboranes by Rh(I)-Catalyzed B(3,6)-H Arylation under Microwave Irradiation.

Rh(I)-catalyzed B(3,6)-H arylation of monophosphino--carborane and a variety of aryl halides bearing -substituted and di--substituted groups can be carried out under microwave irradiation. Sterically hindered B(3)-arylated and B(3,6)-diarylated products were obtained in 11-95% yields.

Approaches for Performance Verification Toward Standardization of Peripheral Blood Regulatory T-Cell Detection by Flow Cytometry.

Context.—: Regulatory T-cell (Treg) detection in peripheral blood, based on flow cytometry, is invaluable for diagnosis and treatment of immune-mediated diseases. However, there is a lack of reliable methods to verify the performance, which is pivotal toward standardization of the Tregs assay.

Towards provably efficient quantum algorithms for large-scale machine-learning models.

Large machine learning models are revolutionary technologies of artificial intelligence whose bottlenecks include huge computational expenses, power, and time used both in the pre-training and fine-tuning process. In this work, we show that fault-tolerant quantum computing could possibly provide provably efficient resolutions for generic (stochastic) gradient descent algorithms, scaling as [Formula: see text], where n is the size of the models and T is the number of iterations in the training, as long as the models are both sufficiently dissipative and sparse, with small learning rates. Based on earlier efficient quantum algorithms for dissipative differential equations, we find and prove that similar algorithms work for (stochastic) gradient descent, the primary algorithm for machine learning.

Electroacupuncture alleviates ciliary muscle cell apoptosis in lens-induced myopic guinea pigs through inhibiting the mitochondrial signaling pathway.

Aim: To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the mitochondria-dependent apoptotic signaling pathway in the ciliary muscle of guinea pigs with negative lens-induced myopia (LIM).

Methods: Guinea pigs were randomly divided into normal control (NC) group, LIM group, LIM+SHAM acupoint (LIM+SHAM) group, and LIM+EA group. Animals in the NC group received no intervention, while those in other three groups were covered with -6.

Linear Combination of Hamiltonian Simulation for Nonunitary Dynamics with Optimal State Preparation Cost.

We propose a simple method for simulating a general class of nonunitary dynamics as a linear combination of Hamiltonian simulation (LCHS) problems. LCHS does not rely on converting the problem into a dilated linear system problem or on the spectral mapping theorem. The latter is the mathematical foundation of many quantum algorithms for solving a wide variety of tasks involving nonunitary processes, such as the quantum singular value transformation.

Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic properties of InS/TiC composites.

Recently, the problem of water pollution, caused by antibiotics, is becoming more and more serious. Photocatalysis is one of the promising technologies for removing antibiotics from water. Herein, the InS/TiC composites were prepared by an in-situ hydrothermal growth method for photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC).

Efficient quantum algorithm for dissipative nonlinear differential equations.

Nonlinear differential equations model diverse phenomena but are notoriously difficult to solve. While there has been extensive previous work on efficient quantum algorithms for linear differential equations, the linearity of quantum mechanics has limited analogous progress for the nonlinear case. Despite this obstacle, we develop a quantum algorithm for dissipative quadratic n-dimensional ordinary differential equations.

Kidney Transplantation From Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg)-Positive Living Donors to HBsAg-Negative Recipients: Clinical Outcomes at a High-Volume Center in China.

Background: Data on kidney transplantation (KTx) from hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive (HBsAg+) donors to HBsAg-negative (HBsAg-) recipients [D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-)] are limited. We aimed to report the outcomes of D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-) KTx in recipients with or without hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb).

Methods: Eighty-three D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-) living KTx cases were retrospectively identified.

Individualized Preconditioning for ABO-Incompatible Living-Donor Kidney Transplantation: An Initial Report of 48 Cases from China.

BACKGROUND ABO-incompatible (ABOi) living-donor kidney transplantation (KTx) is well established in developed countries, but not yet in China. MATERIAL AND METHODS We developed individualized preconditioning protocols for ABOi KTx based on initial ABO antibody titers. After propensity score matching of ABOi with ABO-compatible (ABOc) KTx, post-transplant outcomes were compared.

Steroid withdrawal or avoidance is safe in high-risk kidney transplants: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The present study is aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of steroid withdrawal or avoidance (SWA) in high-risk kidney transplant (HRKT). We performed a systematic review of the literature and pooled analysis of the available data concerning SWA following HRKT. HRKT is associated with patients undergoing repeat kidney transplantation, in African American recipients, or in patients with panel-reactive antibody levels >20%.

Effect of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors on survival in kidney transplant recipients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, specifically angiotensin II converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB), have confirmed renoprotective benefits in patients with proteinuria and hypertension. However, it remains controversial whether these agents are beneficial to kidney recipients. We conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of ACEI/ARB treatment on patient and allograft survival after kidney transplant.

Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis in preventing BK polyomavirus infection after renal transplant: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Previous studies regarding the prevention of BK viremia following renal transplantation with fluoroquinolone have yielded conflicting results. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the evidence regarding the efficacy of fluoroquinolone in preventing BK polyomavirus infection following renal transplantation. We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for research articles published prior to January 2015 using keywords such as "fluoroquinolone," "BK viremia," and "renal transplantation.

A role for anti-CD45RB monoclonal antibody treatment upon dendritic cells.

Selective interference with CD45RB isoform by monoclonal antibody (anti-CD45RBmAb) reliably induces donor-specific tolerance. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen-presenting cells that are capable of activating naïve T cells. The purposes of the present study were to investigate the roles of anti-CD45RBmAb on the phenotypes and functioning of DCs and to further illustrate the mechanism of anti-CD45RBmAb-inducing immunologic tolerance.

Ovarian cancer G protein-coupled receptor 1-dependent and -independent vascular actions to acidic pH in human aortic smooth muscle cells.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammation disease characterized by acidic micromilieu and the accumulation of numerous bioactive lipid mediators, such as lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and prostaglandins, in the atherosclerotic lesion. Chronic acidification induced various effects on vascular smooth muscle cells, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects remain unknown. In this study, we examine the role of proton-sensing ovarian cancer G protein-coupled receptor 1 (OGR1) in extracellular acidification-induced regulation of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 induction, PGI(2) production, MAPK phosphatase (MKP)-1 expression, and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 expression and proliferation in human aortic smooth muscle cells (AoSMCs).

Enhancement of the immunogenicity of an infectious laryngotracheitis virus DNA vaccine by a bicistronic plasmid encoding glycoprotein B and interleukin-18.

A DNA vaccine against infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) can induce specific humoral and cell-mediated immunity. However, compared to conventional vaccines, DNA vaccines usually induce poor antibody responses. To determine if co-expression of a cytokine can result in a more potent ILTV DNA vaccine, immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a monocistronic vector encoding the glycoprotein B (gB) of ILTV was compared to that of a bicistronic vector separately encoding the gB and chicken interleukin-18.

Each one of certain histidine residues in G-protein-coupled receptor GPR4 is critical for extracellular proton-induced stimulation of multiple G-protein-signaling pathways.

GPR4, previously proposed as the receptor for sphingosylphosphorylcholine, has recently been identified as the proton-sensing G-protein-coupled receptor coupling to multiple intracellular signaling pathways, including the G(s)-protein/cAMP, G(12/13)-protein/Rho, and G(q)-protein/phospholipase C pathways. In the present study, we examined whether extracellularly located histidine residues of GPR4 sense extracellular protons and, if so, whether a certain histidine residue is critical for coupling to the single or multiple signaling pathway(s). We found that the mutation of histidine residue at 79, 165, or 269 from the N-terminal of GPR4 to phenylalanine shifted the half-maximal effective concentration (EC(50)) of proton-induced signaling activities to the right, including cAMP accumulation, SRE promoter activity reflecting Rho activity, and NFAT promoter activity reflecting phospholipase C signaling activity, without an appreciable change in the maximal activities.

Cloning, in vitro expression, and bioactivity of interleukin-18 isolated from a domestic porcine breed found in Henan.

To evaluate the effects of recombinant porcine interleukin-18 (rpIL-18) on the replication of viruses in host cells and proliferation of lymphocytes, porcine IL-18 (pIL-18) isolated from a domestic big-white porcine breed found in the Henan province (HN) was cloned using a reverse transcriptase-PCR. The cloned HN pIL-18 contained an ORF of 579 base pairs encoding a 192-amino-acid precursor protein. The amino acid sequence of HN pIL-18 was compared with all the other pIL-18 amino acid sequences and varied by at least one amino acid to the consensus of all the others available.

Previously postulated "ligand-independent" signaling of GPR4 is mediated through proton-sensing mechanisms.

GPR4 was initially identified as a receptor for sphingosylphosphorylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine; however, lipid actions have not always been confirmed. Instead, ligand-independent actions have sometimes been observed in GPR4- and other OGR1 family receptor-expressing cells. Here, we examined the possible involvement of extracellular protons, which have recently been proposed as another ligand for GPR4.

Role of lipoprotein-associated lysophospholipids in migratory activity of coronary artery smooth muscle cells.

The migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is a hallmark of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and restenosis after angioplasty. Plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL), but not high-density lipoprotein (HDL), induced the migration of human coronary artery SMCs (CASMCs). Among bioactive lipids postulated to be present in LDL, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) appreciably mimicked the LDL action.

[Clinical value of three-dimensional dynamic contrast-enhanced MR angiography in diagnosis of angiostenosis after liver transplantation].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical application of three-dimensional dynamic contrast-enhanced MR angiography (3D DCE MRA) in diagnosis of angiostenosis after liver transplantation.

Methods: Twenty recipients of liver transplantation underwent 3D DCE MRA examination. The blood vessel rating grades were accessed and the relative diameter of vascular anastomosis was measured; and the results were compared with those of US or DSA examination.