Visible-light photoredox-catalyzed three-component radical alkyl-acylation of [1.1.1]propellane.

We described herein a three-component radical alkyl-acylation of [1.1.1]propellane a visible-light photoredox single electron transfer process, demonstrating an efficient approach for accessing a diverse array of 1,3-disubstituted BCP ketone derivatives.

Site-Specific Radical Alkylation of Aryl Cyanide: Visible-Light, Photoredox-Catalyzed, Three-Component Arylalkylation of [1.1.1]Propellane.

We report herein a three-component radical arylalkylation of [1.1.1]propellane toward the synthesis of aryl-substituted bicyclo[1.

Redox-sensitive disulfide-bridged self-assembled nanoparticles of dexamethasone with high drug loading for acute lung injury therapy.

Acute lung injury (ALI) arises from an excessive inflammatory response, usually progressing to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) if not promptly addressed. There is currently a limited array of effective treatments available for ALI. In this study, we developed disulfide bond-bridged prodrug self-assembled nanoparticles (referred to as DSSS NPs).

One stage multi-scale efficient network for underwater target detection.

Due to the complexity of the underwater environment, existing methods for underwater target detection present low precision on small or dense targets. To address these issues, a novel method is proposed for underwater target detection based on YOLOv5s (You Only Look Once version 5 small), which aims to improve the precision and robustness. In this study, an efficient feature extraction network is introduced to extract significant features, and a novel attention mechanism with deformable convolution is designed to improve the feature representation.

Dual-branch information extraction and local attention anchor-free network for defect detection.

In the production process, the presence of surface defects seriously affects the quality of industrial products. Existing defect detectors are not suitable for surface with scattered distribution and complex texture of defects. In this study, a dual-branch information extraction and local attention anchor-free network for defect detection (DLA-FCOS), which is based on the fully convolutional one-stage network, is proposed to accurately locate and detect surface defects of industrial products.

MBA-DNet: A mask block attention-based foreign matter detection network for tobacco packages.

Foreign matter, such as varia and mildew in the cutaway view of tobacco packages, can be detected using machine vision detection technology. However, mainstream object detection algorithms have poor detection ability for small targets when applied to foreign matter detection in the cutaway view of tobacco packages. To solve this problem, this study proposes Mask Block Attention (MBA) and introduces it into the feature extraction network to improve the global modeling ability of the object detection network, further enhancing its ability to detect foreign matter in the cutaway view of tobacco packages.

Dynamic graph convolutional network for assembly behavior recognition based on attention mechanism and multi-scale feature fusion.

Intelligent recognition of assembly behaviors of workshop production personnel is crucial to improve production assembly efficiency and ensure production safety. This paper proposes a graph convolutional network model for assembly behavior recognition based on attention mechanism and multi-scale feature fusion. The proposed model learns the potential relationship between assembly actions and assembly tools for recognizing assembly behaviors.

Trends in LDL-C and Non-HDL-C Levels with Age.

Understanding how blood lipid levels change with age in the general population is a precondition to defining dyslipidemia. To explore age-related trends in LDL-C and non-HDL-C levels in the general population, a large-scale cross-sectional study with 49,201 males and 35,084 females was adopted. Trends of non-HDL-C and LDL-C levels were plotted against each age (18 to 85 years old, one-year increments); the trends, as well as the influence of confounding factors on the trends, were validated and adjusted by linear regression modeling.

Semantic Segmentation of a Printed Circuit Board for Component Recognition Based on Depth Images.

Locating and identifying the components mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) based on machine vision is an important and challenging problem for automated PCB inspection and automated PCB recycling. In this paper, we propose a PCB semantic segmentation method based on depth images that segments and recognizes components in the PCB through pixel classification. The image training set for the PCB was automatically synthesized with graphic rendering.

Multi-Segmentation Parallel CNN Model for Estimating Assembly Torque Using Surface Electromyography Signals.

The precise application of tightening torque is one of the important measures to ensure accurate bolt connection and improvement in product assembly quality. Currently, due to the limited assembly space and efficiency, a wrench without the function of torque measurement is still an extensively used assembly tool. Therefore, wrench torque monitoring is one of the urgent problems that needs to be solved.

Monitoring of Assembly Process Using Deep Learning Technology.

Monitoring the assembly process is a challenge in the manual assembly of mass customization production, in which the operator needs to change the assembly process according to different products. If an assembly error is not immediately detected during the assembly process of a product, it may lead to errors and loss of time and money in the subsequent assembly process, and will affect product quality. To monitor assembly process, this paper explored two methods: recognizing assembly action and recognizing parts from complicated assembled products.

Conflicts of CpG density and DNA methylation are proximally and distally involved in gene regulation in human and mouse tissues.

The relationship between CpG content and DNA methylation has attracted considerable interest in recent years. Direct or indirect methods have been developed to investigate their regulatory functions based on various hypotheses, large cohort studies, and meta-analyses. However, all of these analyses were performed at units of CpG blocks and, thus, the influence of finer genome structure has been neglected.

Diastolic Blood Pressure Rises with the Exacerbation of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Males.

Objective: To characterize the association pattern between blood pressure (BP), metabolism changes, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity within male OSA patients.

Methods: The association between systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), glucose, lipids, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation index (ODI), and arousal index (ArI) was evaluated after adjustment for BMI and waist circumference/hip circumference ratio (WHR) in 1,370 male OSA patients.

Results: In the multiple linear regression models using SBP as an independent variable, SBP did not associate with the increase of any OSA indexes.

PRDX2 in Myocyte Hypertrophy and Survival is Mediated by TLR4 in Acute Infarcted Myocardium.

Peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX2) is an antioxidant and molecular chaperone that can be secreted from tumor cells. But the role of PRDX2 in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is not clear. In the current study, we demonstrate the role of PRDX2 from clinical trials, H9c2 cells and in a mouse model.

Injectable Self-Assembled Dipeptide-Based Nanocarriers for Tumor Delivery and Effective In Vivo Photodynamic Therapy.

Self-assembling peptide-based materials are playing an important role in fabricating drug delivery carriers; however, they are often limited by several challenges, such as precise structure modulation, desirable nanoscale size, and sufficient circulation lifetime in the body. To address this issue, herein one type of injectable dipeptide-based nanocarriers with well-modulated size and structure has been developed by adjusting glutaraldehyde (GA)-assisted cationic dipeptide (CDP) assembly. After loading a model photosensitive drug (Ce6) and further decorating CDP nanoparticles (NPs) with heparin polymers (Hep), the desired dipeptide-based NPs are achieved with an average diameter of 100 nm and surface charge of -25 mV, which are favorable for the enhanced permeability and retention effects.

Metformin Inhibits Advanced Glycation End Products-Induced Inflammatory Response in Murine Macrophages Partly through AMPK Activation and RAGE/NFB Pathway Suppression.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are major inflammatory mediators in diabetes, affecting atherosclerosis progression via macrophages. Metformin slows diabetic atherosclerosis progression through mechanisms that remain to be fully elucidated. The present study of murine bone marrow derived macrophages showed that (1) AGEs enhanced proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-)) mRNA expression, RAGE expression, and NFB activation; (2) metformin pretreatment inhibited AGEs effects and AGEs-induced cluster designation 86 (CD86) (M1 marker) expression, while promoting CD206 (M2 marker) surface expression and anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) mRNA expression; and (3) the AMPK inhibitor, Compound C, attenuated metformin effects.

Interfacial Cohesion and Assembly of Bioadhesive Molecules for Design of Long-Term Stable Hydrophobic Nanodrugs toward Effective Anticancer Therapy.

The majority of anticancer drugs are poorly water-soluble and thus suffer from rather low bioavailability. Although a variety of delivery carriers have been developed for bioavailability improvement, they are severely limited by low drug loading and undesired side effects. The optimum delivery vehicle would be a biocompatible and biodegradable drug nanoparticle of uniform size with a thin but stable shell, making it soluble, preventing aggregation and enabling targeting.

Carrier-Free, Chemophotodynamic Dual Nanodrugs via Self-Assembly for Synergistic Antitumor Therapy.

There are tremendous challenges from both tumor and its therapeutic formulations affecting the effective treatment of tumor, including tumor recurrence, and complex multistep preparations of formulation. To address these issues, herein a simple and green approach based on the self-assembly of therapeutic agents including a photosensitizer (chlorine e6, Ce6) and a chemotherapeutic agent (doxorubicin, DOX) was developed to prepare carrier-free nanoparticles (NPs) with the ability to inhibit tumor recurrence. The designed NPs were formed by self-assembly of Ce6 and DOX associated with electrostatic, π-π stacking and hydrophobic interactions.

Co-Assembly of Heparin and Polypeptide Hybrid Nanoparticles for Biomimetic Delivery and Anti-Thrombus Therapy.

Biomimetic delivery carriers using polypeptide/heparin hybrid nanoparticles that are adsorbed onto red blood cells for extended blood circulation time have been developed. This might open up an avenue to promote the innovations and advances of biomimetic, stimuli-responsive drug delivery, especially for the site-specific treatment of intravascular diseases such as thrombosis.

One-Step Nanoengineering of Hydrophobic Photosensitive Drugs for the Photodynamic Therapy.

Nanoengineering of anticancer therapeutic drugs including photosensitizers is highly desired and extremely required for improved therapeutic efficacy. It remains a formidable challenge to achieve nanostructured colloidal particles directly starting from hydrophobic drugs due to their hydrophobic nature and ready aggregation in aqueous ambient. In this work, we report a facile method for a one-pot preparation of hydrophobic photosensitizer nanoparticles by coating with different types of polyelectrolyte as stabilizing agents.

Functional architectures based on self-assembly of bio-inspired dipeptides: Structure modulation and its photoelectronic applications.

Getting inspiration from nature and further developing functional architectures provides an effective way to design innovative materials and systems. Among bio-inspired materials, dipeptides and its self-assembled architectures with functionalities have recently been the subject of intensive studies. However, there is still a great challenge to explore its applications likely due to the lack of effective adaptation of their self-assembled structures as well as a lack of understanding of the self-assembly mechanisms.

Peptide-induced hierarchical long-range order and photocatalytic activity of porphyrin assemblies.

Long-range structural order and alignment over different scales are of key importance for the regulation of structure and functionality in biology. However, it remains a great challenge to engineer and assemble such complex functional synthetic systems with order over different length scales from simple biologically relevant molecules, such as peptides and porphyrins. Herein we describe the successful introduction of hierarchical long-range order in dipeptide-adjusted porphyrin self-assembly by a thermodynamically driven self-orienting assembly pathway associated with multiple weak interactions.

Nanoengineering of stimuli-responsive protein-based biomimetic protocells as versatile drug delivery tools.

We present a general strategy to nanoengineer protein-based colloidal spheres (biomimetic protocells) as versatile delivery carriers with stimuli responsiveness by the electrostatic assembly of binary components (proteins and polypeptides) in association with intermolecular disulfide cross-linking. The size of the colloidal spheres, ranging from nanoscale to microscale, is readily tuned through parameters like protein and polypeptide concentration, the ratio between both, pH, and so on. Moreover, such colloidal spheres show versatile encapsulation of various guest molecules including small organic molecules and biomacromolecules.

Core-shell type lipid/rPAA-Chol polymer hybrid nanoparticles for in vivo siRNA delivery.

Our previous study had reported that cholesterol-grafted poly(amidoamine) (rPAA-Chol polymer) was able to self-assemble into cationic nanoparticles and act as a potential carrier for siRNA transfection. In this study, the core-shell type lipid/rPAA-Chol hybrid nanoparticles (PEG-LP/siRNA NPs and T7-LP/siRNA NPs) were developed for improving in vivo siRNA delivery by modifying the surface of rPAA-Chol/siRNA nanoplex core with a lipid shell, followed by post-insertion of polyethylene glycol phospholipid (DSPE-PEG) and/or peptide (HAIYPRH, named as T7) modified DSPE-PEG-T7. The integrative hybrid nanostructures of LP/siRNA NPs were evidenced by dynamic light scattering (DLS), confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), cryo-transmission electron microscope (Cryo-TEM) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay.

Self-assembly cationic nanoparticles based on cholesterol-grafted bioreducible poly(amidoamine) for siRNA delivery.

In this study, a series of bioreducible poly(amidoamine)s grafting different percentages of cholesterol (rPAA-Ch14: 14%, rPAA-Ch29: 29%, rPAA-Ch57: 57% and rPAA-Ch87: 87%) was synthesized and used for siRNA delivery. These amphiphilic polymers were able to self-assemble into cationic nanoparticles in aqueous solution at low concentrations. The nanoparticle formation was evidenced via cryo-transmission electron microscope (Cryo-TEM) and dynamic light scattering analysis.