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We present a computational study on the solid--solid phase transition of a model two-dimensional system between hexagonal and square phases under pressure. The atomistic mechanism of phase nucleation and propagation are determined using solid-state Dimer and nudged elastic band (NEB) methods. The Dimer is applied to identify the saddle configurations and NEB is applied to generate the transition minimum energy path (MEP) using the outputs of Dimer. Both the atomic and cell degrees of freedom are used in saddle search, allowing us to capture the critical nuclei with relatively small supercells. It is found that the phase nucleation in the model material is triggered by the localized shear deformation that comes from the relative shift between two adjacent atomic layers. In addition to the conventional layerby- layer phase propagation, an interesting defectassisted low barrier propagation path is identified in the hexagonal to square phase transition. The study demonstrates the significance of using the Dimer method in exploring unknown transition paths without a priori assumption. The results of this study also shed light on phase transition mechanisms of other solid-state and colloidal systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aphasia is one of the most disabling cognitive deficits affecting .2 million people in the USA. The neuroimaging characteristics of chronic aphasic patients (.6 months post onset) remain largely unknown. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the regional signal changes of spontaneous neuronal activity of brain and the inter-regional connectivity in chronic aphasia. Materials and methods: Resting-state blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to obtain fMRI data from 17 chronic aphasic patients and 20 healthy control subjects in a Siemens Verio 3.0T MR Scanner. The amplitude of lowfrequency fluctuation (ALFF) was determined, which directly reflects the regional neuronal activity. The functional connectivity (FC) of fMRI was assessed using a seed voxel linear correlation approach. The severity of aphasia was evaluated by aphasia quotient (AQ) scores obtained from Western Aphasia Battery test. Results: Compared with normal subjects, aphasic patients showed decreased ALFF values in the regions of left posterior middle temporal gyrus (PMTG), left medial prefrontal gyrus, and right cerebellum. The ALFF values in left PMTG showed strong positive correlation with the AQ score (coefficient r=0.79, P,0.05). There was a positive FC in chronic aphasia between left PMTG and left inferior temporal gyrus (BA20), fusiform gyrus (BA37), and inferior frontal gyrus (BA47\45\44). Conclusion: Left PMTG might play an important role in language dysfunction of chronic aphasia, and ALFF value might be a promising indicator to evaluate the severity of aphasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Activation of inflammasome contributes to the clearance of intracellular bacteria. C-terminus of E. coli EscI protein can activate NLRC4 (NLR family, CARD domain containing-4) inflammasome in macrophages. The purpose of this study was to determine if activation of NLRC4 inflammasome by EscI can reduce the colonization of Salmonella in mice. Results: A recombinant S. typhimurium strain expressing fusion protein of the N-terminal SspH2 (a Salmonella type III secretion system 2 effector) and C-terminal EscI was constructed and designated as X4550(pYA3334-SspH2-EscI). In vitro assay showed that X4550(pYA3334-SspH2-EscI) significantly enhanced IL-1β and IL-18 secretion (P < 0.05) and pyroptotic cell death of mouse peritoneal macrophages, compared with those infected with control strain, X4550(pYA3334-SspH2). In vivo studies showed that colonization of X4550(pYA3334-SspH2-EscI) in both spleen and liver were significantly lower than that of X4550(pYA3334-SspH2) (P < 0.05). The bacterial counts of X4550(pYA3334-SspH2-EscI) in mice decreased, while those of X4550(pYA3334-SspH2) increased over the time after infection. Additionally, X4550(pYA3334-SspH2-EscI) induced a less pathological alteration in spleen and liver than X4550(pYA3334-SspH2). Conclusion: Fusion protein SspH2-EscI may be translocated into macrophages and activate NLRC4 inflammasome, which limits Salmonella colonization in spleen and liver of mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We propose a low-cost solution for performance enhancement and polarization rotation of a waveguide antenna by using an anisotropic metasurface. The antenna is being considered as reconfigurable, where its polarizations can be controlled by changing the alignment angle of striplines on the metasurface in order to fulfil the polarization diversity. Both simulation and experimental results verify that the metasurfaced waveguide antenna can operate in the lower GSM bandwidth from 698 to 960 MHz, with a gain that varies from 5.8 to 7.8 dBi. The waveguide antenna has a compact form size of 0.70λo × 0.39λo × 0.47λo at 698 MHz. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 59:1084-1087, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged recently as important factors in regulating fundamental biological processes. Alterations in the expression and function of lncRNAs have been observed to promote tumor formation, progression and metastasis. Although downregulation of the expression levels of LET lncRNA in several tumors has been reported, its role in gastric cancer remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression and function of LET in gastric cancer development. The expression levels of LET in 37 pairs of gastric cancer and adjacent non-tumor tissues were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). In addition, LET expression in gastric cancer cell lines was analyzed by RT-qPCR assay analysis. Furthermore, the impact of LET on cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis were detected using the cell counting kit-8, wound scratch and ELISA assays, respectively. The results demonstrated that the expression level of LET was downregulated in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines (SGC-7901 and MGC-803) compared with normal tissues and a normal human gastric epithelial cell line (GES-1). Restoration of LET expression using a synthesized recombinant overexpression vector transfected into SGC-7901 and MGC-803 cells, significantly inhibited cell proliferation and migration, and promoted cell apoptosis in vitro. The present study is the first to demonstrate that LET may function as a tumor suppressor in gastric cancer. The results indicate that LET may be a promising biomarker and/or a therapeutic target for gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel functional KH2PO4 (KDP) aqueous solution-in-oil (KDP aq/O) microemulsion system for KDP crystal ultra-precision chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) was prepared. The system, which consisted of decanol, Triton X-100, and KH2PO4 aqueous solution, was available at room temperature. The functional KDP aq/O microemulsion system was systematically studied and applied as polishing solution to KDP CMP technology. In this study, a controlled deliquescent mechanism was proposed for KDP polishing with the KDP aq/O microemulsion. KDP aqueous solution, the chemical etchant in the polishing process, was caged into the micelles in the microemulsion, leading to a limitation of the reaction between the KDP crystal and KDP aqueous solution only if the microemulsion was deformed under the effect of the external force. Based on the interface reaction dynamics, KDP aqueous solutions with different concentrations (cKDP) were applied to replace water in the traditional water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsion. The practicability of the controlled deliquescent mechanism was proved by the decreasing material removal rate (MRR) with the increasing of the cKDP. As a result, the corrosion pits on the KDP surface were avoided to some degree. Moreover, the roughnesses of KDP with KDP aq/O microemulsion (cKDP was changed from 10 mM to 100 mM) as polishing solutions were smaller than that with the W/O microemulsion. The smallest surface root-mean-square roughness of 1.5 nm was obtained at a 30 mmol/L KDP aq solution, because of the most appropriate deliquescent rate and MRR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Geographical accessibility is important in accessing healthcare services. Measuring it has evolved alongside technological and data analysis advances. High correlations between different methods have been detected, but no comparisons exist in the context of palliative and end of life care (PEoLC) studies. To assess how geographical accessibility can affect PEoLC, selection of an appropriate method to capture it is crucial. We therefore aimed to compare methods of measuring geographical accessibility of decedents to PEoLC-related facilities in South London, an area with well-developed SPC provision. Methods: Individual-level death registration data in 2012 (n = 18,165), from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) were linked to area-level PEoLC-related facilities from various sources. Simple and more complex measures of geographical accessibility were calculated using the residential postcodes of the decedents and postcodes of the nearest hospital, care home and hospice. Distance measures (straight-line, travel network) and travel times along the road network were compared using geographic information system (GIS) mapping and correlation analysis (Spearman rho). Results: Borough-level maps demonstrate similarities in geographical accessibility measures. Strong positive correlation exist between straight-line and travel distances to the nearest hospital (rho = 0.97), care home (rho = 0.94) and hospice (rho = 0.99). Travel times were also highly correlated with distance measures to the nearest hospital (rho range = 0.84-0. 88), care home (rho = 0.88-0.95) and hospice (rho = 0.93-0.95). All correlations were significant at p < 0.001 level. Conclusions: Distance-based and travel-time measures of geographical accessibility to PEoLC-related facilities in South London are similar, suggesting the choice of measure can be based on the ease of calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A graph G is called a fractional (k; n ' ;m)-critical deleted graph if any n ' vertices are removed from G the resulting graph is a fractional (k;m)-deleted graph. In this paper, we prove that for integers for each pair of non-adjacent vertices x, y of G, then G is a fractional (k; n ' ;m)-critical deleted graph. The bounds for neighborhood union condition, the order n and the minimum degree δ(G) of G are all sharp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel azobenzene-derived β-diketonates (4,4,5,5,6,6,6-heptafluoro-1-azobenzene-1,3-hexanedione (LA), 4,4,5,5,6,6,6-heptafluoro-1-(4-dimethylamino)azobenzene-1,3-hexanedione (LB)) were designed and their complexes with lanthanide cations (La3+, Eu3+, Gd3+, Yb3+) were prepared and characterized by 1H NMR, FT-IR, and elemental analysis. Three of the complexes were crystallized successfully and identified by X-ray diffraction. It was significant to find that LA showed remarkably reversible trans-to-cis isomerization properties, however, LB, bearing an electron donor compared with LA, slowed down the isomerization to an extent. The presence of Ln(iii) enhanced the reversible trans-to-cis isomerization properties of both LA and LB a little upon photoirradiation in organic solvents, and amazingly increased the fatigue resistance. In addition, the complexes doped in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) films produced a similar phenomenon as well as when in solution. Theoretical calculations based on time dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) were performed for geometry optimization and to determine the excitation energies of LA and LB to gain further insight into the electronic structure of the complexes, and the data were consistent with the experimental results. The excellent reversible photoisomerization properties of the newly designed Ln(iii) complexes can offer important advantages that will help with the further study of these materials to reach their full potential in applications such as molecular switching devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fowlicidins are a group of cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides that were initially identified in chickens. Fowlicidin-2, which is composed of 31 amino acids, is widely expressed in the majority of tissues in chickens and has an important role in innate immunity. In the present study, a recombinant expression system for fowlicidin-2 was successfully constructed using Pichia pastoris X-33 and the expression vector pPICZα-A. Under the optimized fermentation conditions, 85.6 mg fowlicidin-2 with >95% purity was obtained from 1 liter culture medium following purification by ion exchange chromatography and reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. The recombinant fowlicidin-2 exhibited broad spectrum antimicrobial activity and had a minimum inhibitory concentration ranging from 1 to 4 μM. Furthermore, recombinant fowlicidin-2 exhibited hemolytic activity, promoting 50% human erythrocyte hemolysis in the concentration range of 128-256 μM, and anticancer activity, resulting in the death of 50% of A375 human malignant melanoma cells in the concentration range of 2-4 μM. The results of the present study suggest that recombinant fowlicidin-2 may be a promising candidate for therapeutic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A high gain dual-polarized wideband Fabry-Perot (FP) antenna fed by 1 × 2 antenna array is proposed. A metasurface consisting of patch and mesh array is employed as a partially reflective surface, which produces a reflection phase with a positive slope over a wideband frequency range for increasing antenna's gain bandwidth. To obtain dual polarizations and further improve the gain of antenna, a 1 × 2 patch array coupled by two orthogonal slots is designed as the feed of the FP antenna. A prototype is fabricated and measured. The measured results demonstrate that this proposed antenna has a 3-dB gain bandwidth of 22.2% in both polarizations. The peak gain of 15.7 dBi and 15.2 dBi is obtained at two polarization ports, respectively. Within the 3-dB gain bandwidth, good impedance matching with high isolation over 35 dB between the two ports is achieved as well. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:2316-2321, 2016 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer. Polypoid BCC is very rare and distinguishes from other types of BCC by being female predominant, locating on nonsun‑exposed areas, prevailing in dark‑skinned races, and having large average size, but considered nonaggressive. We report a case of BCC presenting as an inconspicuous polyp. A 40‑year‑old female sustained a slowly growing mass at the left groin for many years. Physical examination revealed a polypoid mass over the right groin without specific symptoms. Surgical removal with simple polypectomy was performed, whereas the pathological features revealed BCC with polyp feature. There has been no recurrence after the surgery. This case highlights the importance of remaining clinically alert to differentiate a benign‑looking polyp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramics are highly valued for their exceptional thermal resistance and ability to withstand high temperatures. This study investigated the production of ceramic-like pressed geopolymer, focusing on the effects of aging period and sintering temperature. The results showed that the 7-day pressed geopolymer achieved the highest compressive (134.7 MPa) and flexural (34.9 MPa) strengths after sintering at 1000°C, with a density retention of 93.7 %, a mass loss of 7.9 %, and a thermal shrinkage of 1.4 %. Microstructural analysis at 1000°C showed a dense ceramic-like structure with nepheline formation. Phase analysis of the 7-day pressed geopolymer revealed a decrease in the amorphous phase as temperature increased, with nepheline formed at 800°C (26.0 %) and maximized at 1000°C (61.0 %). This work offers an optimal aging period and sintering temperature to maximize the mechanical strength and nepheline crystal formation, making them perfect for fire-resistant panels and precast construction products. • Pressed geopolymer was formed at various aging times and sintering temperatures. • The highest mechanical strength was achieved by the 7d pressed geopolymer at 1000°C. • The residual compressive strength at 1000°C ascends in 28d < 7d < 1d. • Gel matrix transformed into a ceramic-like structure with rising temperature. • The 7d pressed geopolymer has the most nepheline phase formation at 1000°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the fluorescence efficiency of semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs), strategies via enhancing photo‐absorption and eliminating non‐radiative relaxation have been proposed. In this study, we demonstrate that fluorescence efficiency of molybdenum disulfide quantum dots (MoS2 QDs) can be enhanced by single‐atom metal (Au, Ag, Pt, Cu) modification. Four‐fold enhancement of the fluorescence emission of MoS2 QDs is observed with single‐atom Au modification. The underlying mechanism is ascribed to the passivation of non‐radiative surface states owing to the new defect energy level of Au in the forbidden band that can trap excess electrons in n‐type MoS2, increasing the recombination probability of conduction band electrons with valence band holes of MoS2. Our results open an avenue for enhancing the fluorescence efficiency of QDs via the modification of atomically dispersed metals, and extend their scopes and potentials in a fundamental way for economic efficiency and stability of single‐atom metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the fluorescence efficiency of semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs), strategies via enhancing photo‐absorption and eliminating non‐radiative relaxation have been proposed. In this study, we demonstrate that fluorescence efficiency of molybdenum disulfide quantum dots (MoS2 QDs) can be enhanced by single‐atom metal (Au, Ag, Pt, Cu) modification. Four‐fold enhancement of the fluorescence emission of MoS2 QDs is observed with single‐atom Au modification. The underlying mechanism is ascribed to the passivation of non‐radiative surface states owing to the new defect energy level of Au in the forbidden band that can trap excess electrons in n‐type MoS2, increasing the recombination probability of conduction band electrons with valence band holes of MoS2. Our results open an avenue for enhancing the fluorescence efficiency of QDs via the modification of atomically dispersed metals, and extend their scopes and potentials in a fundamental way for economic efficiency and stability of single‐atom metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ontology is an effective tool for processing concept semantics, and in the ontology learning algorithm, all the semantic information of each vertex is expressed by a multidimensional vector. The essence of ontology learning algorithm is to obtain ontology function in terms of ontology data samples, so as to map each concept in ontology to a real number. Stability is the foundation of the ontology learning algorithm and the guarantee of its generalization ability. This article relaxes the original uniformly stable hypothesis and proposes the concept of locally ontology relaxed stability. And under the setting of reproducing kernel Hilbert space, the upper bound of stability is verified. Under the framework of random ontology algorithm, the original concept is redefined. The error bounds in general, the reproducing kernel Hilbert space and the stochastic ontology learning algorithm frameworks are obtained in terms of their respective stability definitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiple myeloma, the second most common haematological cancer, remains incurable. Its incidence is rising due to population ageing. Despite the impact of the disease and its treatment, not much is known on who is most in need of supportive and palliative care. This study aimed to (a) assess symptom severity, palliative care concerns and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with multiple myeloma, and (b) to determine which factors are associated with a lower quality of life. We further wanted to know (c) whether general symptom level has a stronger influence on HRQOL than disease characteristics.Methods: This multi-centre cross-sectional study sampled two cohorts of patients with multiple myeloma from 18 haematological cancer centres in the UK. The Myeloma Patient Outcome Scale (MyPOS) was used to measure symptoms and concerns. Measures of quality of life included the EORTC QLQ-C30, its myeloma module and the EuroQoL EQ-5D. Data were collected on socio-demographic, disease and treatment characteristics and phase of illness. Point prevalence of symptoms and concerns was determined. Multiple regression models quantified relationships between independent factors and the MyPOS, EORTC global quality of life item and EQ5D Index.Results: Five-hundred-fifty-seven patients, on average 3.5 years (SD: 3.4) post-diagnosis, were recruited. 18.2 % had newly diagnosed disease, 47.9 % were in a treatment-free interval and 32.7 % had relapsed/progressive disease phase. Patients reported a mean of 7.2 symptoms (SD: 3.3) out of 15 potential symptoms. The most common symptoms were pain (72 %), fatigue (88 %) and breathlessness (61 %). Those with relapsed/progressive disease reported the highest mean number of symptoms and the highest overall palliative care concerns (F = 9.56, p < 0.001). Factors associated with high palliative care concerns were a general high symptom level, presence of pain, anxiety, low physical function, younger age, and being in the advanced stages of disease.Conclusion: Patients with multiple myeloma have a high symptom burden and low HRQOL, in the advanced and the earlier stages of disease. Identification of patients in need of supportive care should focus on assessing patient-reported outcomes such as symptoms and functioning regularly in clinical practice, complementary to traditional biomedical markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a semantic representation model, ontology has penetrated into all areas of natural science and social science. The core issue of ontology applications is similarity computing between ontology concepts. In this article, we report a sparse vector learning algorithm for ontology similarity measure and ontology mapping in terms of sub-gradient calculating and iterative computation. The main procedure of our iterative computation is based on the tricks of fuse and divide. The simulation experimental results show that the new proposed algorithm has high efficiency and accuracy in ontology similarity measure and ontology mapping in biology and physical education science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This letter presents a broadband circularly polarized Fabry-Perot (FP) antenna with high gain. A double-layer partially reflective surface (PRS) with patch arrays with different sizes is employed. This proposed PRS can provide positive reflective phase gradient in a wideband frequency range, resulting in a significant improvement of 3-dB gain bandwidth. To obtain the property of wideband circular polarization, a wideband microstrip patch antenna fed by a feeding network integrated with a broadband 90° phase shifter is applied as the primary source. A prototype operating at X-band is fabricated and tested; whose 3-dB gain bandwidth achieves 28.3% with the peak gain of 14.7 dBi. Moreover, its 3-dB bandwidth of axial ratio (AR) can achieve 30% from 8.5 to 11.5 GHz. This antenna is a promising candidate for X-band satellite communication due to its high gain, wideband AR, and fabrication simplicity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:1109-1113, 2016 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a lumped-element dual-resonance resonator (LE-DRR) is proposed to design dual-band bandpass filter (DB-BPF) and reconfigurable filters. Two resonant modes of proposed LE-DRR are controlled by two diverse branches. The mixed electric and magnetic coupling (MEMC) implemented by two capacitors to provide electric coupling and one inductor to provide magnetic coupling is employed in the LE-DRR filters design. As an example, a 0.9/1.57-GHz DB-BPF with 3-dB fractional bandwidth (FBW) of 22.2%/11.8% is designed firstly. A reconfigurable DB-BPF with two independently controlled passbands is then designed. The measured results show that the central frequency (CF) of the 1st passband can be tuned from 0.617 to 0.817 GHz, and the CF of the 2nd passband can be tuned from 1.386 to 2.02 GHz. Finally, a multi-function reconfigurable filter is proposed by introducing two pairs of p-i-n diodes in the reconfigurable DB-BPF. The proposed multi-function reconfigurable filter has four operating modes, i.e., a reconfigurable DB-BPF operating mode, an all-stop filter operating mode, and two single-band tunable BPF operating modes. The all-stop filter operating mode has a 10.2-dB rejection within the interested frequency range. The CFs of two single-band tunable BPF operating modes can cover a continuous frequency range from 0.56 to 1.619 GHz. The proposed LE-DRR filters are compatible with an integrated circuit process. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Many studies have shown that sialyl Lewis X (sLeX) is related to cancer prognosis and clinicopathology, but failed to provide conclusive results. We conducted the present meta-analysis to identify the association between sLeX overexpression and cancer prognosis. We searched studies in PubMed and Embase databases. Relative risk or hazard ratio with 95% confidence intervals were estimated with the Mantel-Haenszel random-effect method and 29 studies were included. Our meta-analysis showed that sLeX overexpression is significantly related to lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, T stage, N stage, M stage, tumor stage, recurrence, and overall survival. In subgroup analysis, we found that cancer type and ethnicity might be two major contributing factors to the possible presence of heterogeneity among the studies. In conclusion, sLeX overexpression is associated with tumor metastasis, recurrence, and overall survival in cancer patients, it plays an important role in cancer prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Mycobacterium phlei in diets (Experiment 1) and investigate the mode of action on the intestinal microecology of weaned piglets (Experiments 1 and 2 ). In Experiment 1, a total of 96 commercial cross-bred pigs [(Duroc × Yorkshire) × Landrace], weaned at 21 days, were assigned to two treatments in a completely randomized design with a single factorial arrangement of 40 days of supplementation (nonsupplemented vs. supplemented with 0.4% heat-killed M. phlei). The results showed that M. phlei has the capability to improve the intestinal microecology of weaned piglets. The serum concentrations of IL-2, IL-12, and TNF-α from the experimental group were significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.01). In Experiment 2, the antibacterial effect of 5 different extracts (pure water, 95% ethanol, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol) from M. phlei was assayed by the Plat stiletto method. The results showed that these extracts had hardly any antibacterial effect on E. coli. Our results indicate that M. phlei can improve the intestinal microecology of weaned piglets not because of its antibacterial effects, but because of these immune factors stimulated by the microecology of weaned piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical mechanism in efficiency droop of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) was investigated using a modified rate equation model considering inhomogeneous carrier distribution and was compared with the measured result. On this basis, the efficiency droop effect on the performance of a code division multiple access (CDMA) visible-light communication (VLC) system using GaN-based LEDs was also analyzed. The results reveal that the obvious transmitted signal error under the effect of LED efficiency droop leads to performance deterioration of multiuser CDMA VLC systems. Also, the performance of CDMA VLC systems is reduced with the user number increase due to LED efficiency droop. The bit error rate of a CDMA VLC system was further calculated for different branch signal levels and bias currents. It is demonstrated that the efficiency droop effect on the performance of CDMA VLC systems can be alleviated by adjusting the branch signal level and the bias current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and natural course of pulmonary cysts in a population-based cohort and to describe the CT image characteristics in association with participant demographics and pulmonary functions.Materials and Methods: Chest CT scans of 2633 participants (mean age 59.2 years; 50% female) of the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) were visually evaluated for the presence of pulmonary cysts and their image characteristics. These findings were correlated with participant demographics and results of pulmonary function tests as well as the presence of emphysema independently detected on CT. The interval change was investigated by comparison with previous CT scans (median interval 6.1 years).Results: Pulmonary cysts were seen in 7.6% (95% CI 6.6% to 8.7%; 200/2633). They were not observed in participants younger than 40 years old, and the prevalence increased with age. Multiple cysts (at least five) were seen in 0.9% of all participants. Participants with pulmonary cysts showed significantly lower body mass index (BMI) (p<0.001). Pulmonary cysts were most likely to appear solitary in the peripheral area of the lower lobes and remain unchanged or slightly increase in size over time. Pulmonary cysts showed no significant influence on pulmonary functions (p=0.07-0.6) except for diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) (p=0.03) and no association with cigarette smoking (p=0.1-0.9) or emphysema (p=0.7).Conclusions: Pulmonary cysts identified on chest CT may be a part of the aging changes of the lungs, occurring in asymptomatic individuals older than 40 years, and are associated with decreased BMI and DLCO. Multiple pulmonary cysts may need to be evaluated for the possibility of cystic lung diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a multiple stubs loaded ring resonator (MSLRR) is proposed to design directly coupled multi-band bandpass filters (BPFs) with mixed electric and magnetic coupling (MEMC). The proposed MSLRR exhibits multiple-mode resonant behavior. The increased number of loaded stubs excite many more useful resonant modes, but these resonant modes can be still independently controlled. As examples, a dual-band BPF, a tri-band BPF, a quad-band BPF, and a quint-band BPF using different types of MSLRRs are designed and fabricated. The passband frequencies and return losses (RLs) of these multi-band BPFs can be independently controlled. A dual-mode open loop resonator is then introduced in the quint-band BPF to enhance the sixth resonant mode of the MSLRR to produce the sixth passband so that a sext-band BPF is also presented. Multiple transmission zeros due to the cancelling effect of MEMC and virtual grounds in the MSLRR can be observed around the passbands resulting in sharp passband selectivity and high band-to-band isolation. Moreover, all of the fabricated multi-band BPFs have compact sizes, good RLs, and low insertion losses. Good agreements are observed between the simulated and measured results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A mathematical-programming (MP)-based approach is proposed to directly determine the two extreme [(1) minimum, and (2) maximum] bounds of some static response quantity for elastic structures subject to the simultaneous application of interval applied forces and interval elastic material properties. Such a direct determination scheme reformulates the interval finite-element (FE) analysis into a pair of standard nonlinear programming (NLP) problems that can be solved by any available NLP code. Not only does the proposed method advantageously bypass any computationally expensive combinatorial searches to capture the response limits, but it can also directly accommodate any dependency in the interval data. Some examples are presented to illustrate the robustness and efficiency of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal inflammation and accelerated decline in lung function occur in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Klotho, an anti-aging protein, has an anti-inflammatory function. However, the role of Klotho has never been investigated in COPD. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible role of Klotho by alveolar macrophages in airway inflammation in COPD. Klotho levels were assessed in the lung samples and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of non-smokers, smokers, and patients with COPD. The regulation of Klotho expression by cigarette smoke extract (CSE) was studied in vitro, and small interfering RNA (siRNA) and recombinant Klotho were employed to investigate the role of Klotho on CSE-induced inflammation. Klotho expression was reduced in alveolar macrophages in the lungs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of COPD patients. CSE decreased Klotho expression and release from MH-S cells. Knockdown of endogenous Klotho augmented the expression of the inflammatory mediators, such as MMP-9, IL-6, and TNF-α, by MH-S cells. Exogenous Klotho inhibited the expression of CSE-induced inflammatory mediators. Furthermore, we showed that Klotho interacts with IκBα of the NF-κB pathway. Dexamethasone treatment increased the expression and release level of Klotho in MH-S cells. Our findings suggest that Klotho plays a role in sustained inflammation of the lungs, which in turn may have therapeutic implications in COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissimilar metals of AA6013 aluminum alloy and Q235 low-carbon steel of 2.5 mm thickness were butt joined using a 10 kW fiber laser welding system with ER4043 filler metal. The study indicates that it is feasible to join aluminum alloy to steel by butt joints when zinc layer was hot-dip galvanized at the steel's groove face in advance, and better weld appearance can be obtained at appropriate welding parameters. The joints had dual characteristics of a welding joint on the aluminum side and a brazing joint on the steel side. The smooth Fe2Al5 layer adjacent to the steel matrix and the serrated-shape FeAl3 layer close to the weld metal were formed at the brazing interface. The overall thickness of Fe-Al intermetallic compounds layers produced in this experiment were varied from 1.8 μm to 6.2 μm at various welding parameters with laser power of 2.85-3.05 kW and wire feed speed of 5-7 m/min. The Al/steel butt joints were failed at the brazing interface during the tensile test and reached the maximum tensile strength of 120 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an improved inertial frame alignment algorithm for a marine SINS under mooring conditions is proposed, which significantly improves accuracy. Since the horizontal alignment is easy to complete, and a characteristic of gravity is that its component in the horizontal plane is zero, we use a clever method to improve the conventional inertial alignment algorithm. Firstly, a large misalignment angle model and a dimensionality reduction Gauss-Hermite filter are employed to establish the fine horizontal reference frame. Based on this, the projection of the gravity in the body inertial coordinate frame can be calculated easily. Then, the initial alignment algorithm is accomplished through an inertial frame alignment algorithm. The simulation and experiment results show that the improved initial alignment algorithm performs better than the conventional inertial alignment algorithm, and meets the accuracy requirements of a medium-accuracy marine SINS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that Tai Chi and conventional exercise can modify the brain through distinct mechanisms, resulting in different brain adaptations. Therefore, it is conceivable to speculate that these two exercise modalities may have different effects on improving cognitive function. This study was a parallel group, assessor-blinded, pilot randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of Tai Chi and conventional exercise on improving cognitive function in older persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A total of 34 adults aged ≥ 50 years with MCI were randomized (1:1:1) to the Tai Chi group (TC, n = 10, 3 sessions of 60-min Yang-style Tai Chi training per week for 24 weeks), conventional exercise group (EX: n = 12, 3 sessions of 60-min fitness training per week for 24 weeks), or control group (CON: n = 12, no intervention). Global cognitive function assessed by the Hong Kong version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-HK) and performance in various cognitive domains were examined at baseline, and 12 and 24 weeks of the intervention. Both exercise groups showed improved global cognitive function as measured by MoCA-HK compared with the control group after 12 and 24 weeks of the intervention, (all P < 0.001). Only TC achieved clinically relevant improvement on global cognitive function at week 12. Both exercise groups achieved clinically relevant improvements at the end of the interventions at week 24. Compared with EX, TC exhibited greater improvements on global cognitive function indicated by MoCA-HK after 12 weeks of the intervention (P < 0.001) and cognitive flexibility indicated by part B/A ratio score of the Trail Making Test throughout the study (all P < 0.05). Both interventions were equally effective in improving the other examined cognitive domains. Further studies are needed to substantiate the superior long-term benefits of Tai Chi on global cognitive function compared with conventional exercise, and dissect the underlying mechanisms of the two exercises on improving cognitive domains and the corresponding brain adaptations. Trial registration: This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (Trial registration number: NCT04248400; first registration date: 30/01/2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiro-9,13-epoxy-labdane diterpenoids are commonly found in Leonurus species, particularly in Leonurus japonicus Houtt., which is a medicinal herb of long-standing use in Asia and in which such spiro-heterocycles are present in at least 38 diterpenoids. Here, through generation of a transcriptome and functional characterization of six diterpene synthases (diTPSs) from L. japonicus, including three class II diTPSs (LjTPS1, LjTPS3, and LjTPS4) and three class I diTPSs (LjTPS5, LjTPS6, and LjTPS7), formation of the spiro-9,13-epoxy-labdane backbone was elucidated, along with identification of the relevant diTPSs for production of other labdane-related diterpenes. Similar to what has been found with diTPSs from other plant species, while LjTPS3 specifically produces the carbon-9 (C9) hydroxylated bicycle peregrinol diphosphate (PPP), the subsequently acting LjTPS6 yields a mixture of four products, largely labda-13(16),14-dien-9-ol, but with substantial amounts of viteagnusin D and the C13-S/R epimers of 9,13-epoxy-labda-14-ene. Notably, structure-function analysis identified a critical residue in LjTPS6 (I420) in which single site mutations enable specific production of the 13S epimer. Indeed, extensive mutagenesis demonstrated that LjTPS6:I420G reacts with PPP to both specifically and efficiently produce 9,13S-epoxy-labda-14-ene, providing a specialized synthase for further investigation of derived diterpenoid biosynthesis. The results reported here provide a strong foundation for future studies of the intriguing spiro-9,13-epoxy-labdane diterpenoid metabolism found in L. japonicus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-affinity antibodies are widely used in diagnostics and for the treatment of human diseases. However, most antibodies are isolated from semi-synthetic libraries by phage display and do not possess in vivo affinity maturation, which is triggered by antigen immunization. It is therefore necessary to engineer the affinity of these antibodies by way of in vitro assaying. In this study, we optimized the affinity of two human monoclonal antibodies which were isolated by phage display in a previous related study. For the 42A1 antibody, which targets the liver cancer antigen glypican-3, the variant T57H in the second complementarity-determining region of the heavy chain (CDR-H2) exhibited a 2.6-fold improvement in affinity, as well as enhanced cell-binding activity. For the I4A3 antibody to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, beneficial single mutations in CDR-H2 and CDR-H3 were randomly combined to select the best synergistic mutations. Among these, the mutation S53PS98T improved binding affinity (about 3.7 fold) and the neutralizing activity (about 12 fold) compared to the parent antibody. Taken together, single mutations of key residues in antibody CDRs were enough to increase binding affinity with improved antibody functions. The mutagenic combination of key residues in different CDRs creates additive enhancements. Therefore, this study provides a safe and effective in vitro strategy for optimizing antibody affinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal leeches in the genus Hirudo have been utilized for therapeutic procedures for thousands of years. To date, six known species of Hirudo are widely distributed in different regions of the Eurasian continent. In this study, a new medicinal leech species Hirudo tianjinensis Liu, sp. nov. is described based upon specimens collected from Tianjin City, China. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of characters: blackish green dorsum with five continuous yellow longitudinal stripes; six sensillae on dorsal annulus a2 of segments VIII-XXV; greyish green ventrum with irregular bilateral dark brown spots; dorsum and abdomen separated by a pair of pale yellow stripes; front half atrium wrapped by white prostate; apparent albumen gland; epididymis massive in relation to ejaculatory bulb. The phylogenetic tree based upon COI implies a sister relationship to H. nipponia Whitman, 1886. A key to the known species is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oyster mushrooms have a high biological efficiency and are easy to cultivate, which is why they are produced all over the world. Cap color is an important commercial trait for oyster mushrooms. Little is known about the genetic mechanism of the cap color trait in oyster mushrooms, which limits molecular breeding for the improvement of cap color-type cultivars. In this study, a 0.8-Mb major quantitative trait locus (QTL) region controlling cap color in the oyster mushroom Pleurotus cornucopiae was mapped on chromosome 7 through bulked-segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq) and extreme-phenotype genome-wide association studies (XP-GWAS). Candidate genes were further selected by comparative transcriptome analysis, and a tyrosinase gene (PcTYR) was identified as the highest-confidence candidate gene. Overexpression of PcTYR resulted in a significantly darker cap color, while the cap color of RNA interference (RNAi) strains for this gene was significantly lighter than that of the wild-type (WT) strains, suggesting that PcTYR plays an essential role in cap color formation. This is the first report about fine mapping and functional verification of a gene controlling cap color in oyster mushrooms. This will enhance our understanding of the genetic basis for cap color formation in oyster mushrooms and will facilitate molecular breeding for cap color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel 3D MOF [Cd2(IPA)2L0.5(CH3OH)] (CUST‐535) (H2IPA=isophthalic acid; L=9,10‐bis(N‐benzimidazolyl)‐anthracene) with rectangular 2D layer has been rationally synthesized under solvothermal conditions using ligand L with fluorescence properties. CUST‐535 displays a fascinating 6‐connected 3D network based on the point symbol {36 ⋅ 418}. The excellent structural stability of CUST‐535 was also verified by PXRD and TGA. Remarkably, thanks to the presence of the anthracene‐based chromophore, CUST‐535 exhibits strong blue light emission and shows sensitive and rapid fluorescence "turn‐off" detecting of trace amounts of 2,4,6‐trinitrophenol (TNP) and nitrofurantoin (NFT) in DMF. The limit of detection (LOD) for TNP and NFT are 0.374 μM and 0.675 μM, respectively. In the end, the mechanisms of fluorescence quenching have also been systematically studied through theoretical calculations and experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral ischemia reperfusion ( CIR ) has become the leading cause of death and disability. Baicalein is a natural bioactive ingredient extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and has neuroprotective activity. In our work, baicalein was found to reduce neurological deficits, brain water content, infarct area, and neuronal death of rats induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion. In vitro, oxygen--glucose deprivation/reperfusion induced inordinate ROS production and apoptosis that could be reversed by baicalein. Our study revealed for the first time that baicalein has the potential to bind and inhibit the activity of calpain 1, thereby inhibiting AIF nuclear translocation. These findings demonstrated that baicalein protected against CIR injury via inhibiting AIF nuclear translocation by inhibiting calpain 1 activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous experimental studies have demonstrated that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor c-Met serve an important function in lymphangiogenesis, but their biological functions in malignant tumors have remained elusive. The present study aimed to investigate the expression patterns of HGF-α and c-Met and their association with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C, lymphatic vessel density and lymph node metastasis in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the present study, the lymphatic microvessel density (LMVD) and the expression levels of HGF-α, its receptor c-Met and VEGF-C were determined in 113 human NSCLC tissues and 113 normal lung tissue samples, using immunohistochemical staining. As a result, it was determined that the expression levels of HGF-α, c-Met and VEGF-C were significantly higher in NSCLC tissues than those in normal lung tissues (HGF-α, 67.3 vs. 20.4%, P<0.001; c-Met, 74.3 vs. 23.0%, P<0.001; and VEGF-C, 65.5 vs. 23.9%, P<0.001). HGF-α expression was observed to be significantly associated with that of VEGF-C (r=0.234, P=0.012) or c-Met (r=0.648, P<0.001). In addition, there was a positive correlation between the expression levels of VEGF-C and c-Met (r=0.224, P=0.017). In NSCLC tissues, the expression of HGF-α, c-Met or VEGF-C was significantly correlated with the LMVD (P=0.045, 0.002 and 0.001, respectively), and lymph node metastasis was more common in HGF-α, c-Met or VEGF-C-positive groups (P=0.020, 0.020 and 0.009, respectively). In addition, the HGF-α or VEGF-C-positive groups presented shorter survival time periods. In conclusion, the expression of HGF-α or c-Met was closely correlated with VEGF-C, LMVD and metastases of lymph nodes, indicating that HGF-α, c-Met and VEGF-C may perform important and collaborative actions in lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis of primary NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collective behavior of biological systems has inspired efforts toward the controlled assembly of synthetic nanomotors. Here we demonstrate the use of acoustic fields to induce reversible assembly of catalytic nanomotors, controlled swarm movement, and separation of different nanomotors. The swarming mechanism relies on the interaction between individual nanomotors and the acoustic field, which triggers rapid migration and assembly around the nearest pressure node. Such on-demand assembly of catalytic nanomotors is extremely fast and reversible. Controlled movement of the resulting swarm is illustrated by changing the frequency of the acoustic field. Efficient separation of different types of nanomotors, which assemble in distinct swarming regions, is illustrated. The ability of acoustic fields to regulate the collective behavior of catalytic nanomotors holds considerable promise for a wide range of practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi-channel visible bremsstrahlung measurement system has been developed on Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). In addition to providing effective ion charge Zeff as a routine diagnostic, this diagnostic can also be used to estimate other parameters. With the assumption that Zeff can be seen as constant across the radius and does not change significantly during steady state discharges, central electron temperature, averaged electron density, electron density profile, and plasma current density profile have been obtained based on the scaling of Zeff with electron density and the relations between Zeff and these parameters. The estimated results are in good coincidence with measured values, providing an effective and convenient method to estimate other plasma parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel 3D Co(ii) coordination polymer, [Co6(4-ptz)6(N3)6]n (1) (4-ptz = 4-(pyridinyl)tetrazole), was synthesized by in situ hydrothermal reaction and characterized magnetically. Compound 1 consists of ferrimagnetic-like Co(ii) layers with the title heterobridges and exhibits the spin-glass slow dynamics. The study on spin-glass behavior in mixed azide and tetrazolate bridged compounds is the first example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eu2+ doped aluminosilicate phosphors (Ca2AlMg0.5Si1.5O7:Eu2+ (CAMS:Eu2+)) for white near-UV w-LEDs have been synthesized by solid-state reaction at 1250 °C. The phase and crystal structure of CAMS have been analyzed by using XRD. The material with a relatively low Eu2+ concentration displayed a peak in excitation spectrum at 372 nm and a tunable emission spectrum. The colorimetric coordinate of sample with optimum Eu2+ concentration locates in green-yellow region with coordinate value of (0.2639, 0.6212). When the phosphor was pumped by UV light (λ ≈ 372 nm), we obtained bright green-yellow light, suggesting this material has a potential application as a NUV converting green-yellow phosphor for the NUV w-LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA topoisomerase II-α (Topo II-α) is essential for numerous cell processes, including DNA replication, transcription, recombination, and chromosome separation and condensation. Altered Topo II-α expression may lead to carcinogenesis and cancer progression. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between Topo II-α expression levels and clinicopathological data from laryngeal cancer patients. Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze Topo II-α expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and distant healthy tissues obtained from 70 patients. In addition, fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to detect Topo II-α amplification and chromosome 17 ploidy using a laryngeal cancer tissue microarray. The expression of Topo II-α protein was detected in 71.43% (50/70) of laryngeal carcinoma tissues, in contrast to 9% of healthy tissues (2/22). Furthermore, the expression of Topo II-α protein was found to be associated with tumor de-differentiation and advanced tumor T stage. However, the expression of Topo II-α protein was not identified to be associated with Topo II-α amplification in laryngeal carcinoma, although was found to positively correlate with chromosome 17 aneuploidy (P<0.05). A higher aneuploidy rate contributed to increased expression levels of Topo II-α protein. Aberrant Topo II-α expression and chromosome 17 aneuploidy contributed to the development and progression of laryngeal cancer, indicating that targeting Topo II-α may provide a treatment strategy for patients with laryngeal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, some new exact traveling and oscillatory wave solutions to the Kudryashov-Sinelshchikov non-linear PDE are investigated by using Bernoulli sub-equation function method. Profiles of obtained solutions are plotted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has spread throughout the world, which becomes a global public health emergency. Undernourishment prolongs its convalescence and has an adverse effect on its prognosis, especially in diabetic patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of undernourishment and to determine how it is related to the prognostic outcomes in the diabetic patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A retrospective, multicenter study was conducted in 85 diabetic COVID-19 patients from three hospitals in Hubei Province. All patients were assessed using the European Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) and other nutritional assessments when admitted. Of them, 35 (41.18%) were at risk of malnutrition (NRS score =3). Severe COVID-19 patients had a significantly lower level of serum albumin and prealbumin and higher NRS score than non-severe patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum prealbumin and NRS score increased the likelihood of progression into severe status (P<0.05). Meanwhile, single factor and multivariate analysis determined that grade of illness severity was an independent predictor for malnutrition. Furthermore, prealbumin and NRS score could well predict severe status for COVID-19 patients. The malnutrition group (NRS score =3) had more severe illness than the normal nutritional (NRS score <3) group (P<0.001), and had a longer length of in-hospital stay and higher mortality. Malnutrition is highly prevalent among COVID-19 patients with diabetes. It is associated with severely ill status and poor prognosis. Evaluation of nutritional status should be strengthened, especially the indicators of NRS-2002 and the level of serum prealbumin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fracture-filling minerals in coal-bearing strata are the product of water-rock interactions under specific geological conditions, which reflect the accumulation process and characteristics of CBM enrichment and migration. In this study, vein-bearing sedimentary rock samples from coal-bearing strata in the Huaibei coalfield were selected to reveal the fluid sources and the filling periods of CBM. The carbon source of the vein samples is a mixture of the degraded organic carbon of coal and the dissolution of carbonate minerals in coal measure. Considering the low salinity of the fluid, the infiltration of surface water will also bring some supergenic carbon supplement. Moreover, the high 87Sr/86Sr ratios might also be induced by the infiltration of surface water and the dissolution of radiogenic strontium adsorbed in coal. Based on the temperature, salinity, and Raman spectral analysis, the formation of fluid inclusions is divided into two phases: the first phase corresponded to the generation of large-scale thermogenic gas, while the second phase reflected the event of large-scale secondary biogas formation. The values of δD–CH4 and δ13C–CH4 in the group inclusions showed that no significant isotope fractionation occurred between the methane in the inclusions and that in the coal seam; the methane in the inclusions is predominantly biogas. This study further reveals the mechanism of CBM formation and accumulation process in the Huaibei coalfield, which could benefit the exploration and development of CBM in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melatonin (MT) plays important roles in plant disease response, but the mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we show that MT functions in stomatal immunity in Panax notoginseng and Arabidopsis thaliana. Biochemical analyses showed that MT-induced stomatal closure plays a prominent role in preventing invasion of bacteria Pseudomonas syringe pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000 via activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and NADPH oxidase-mediated reactive oxygen species production in P. notoginseng. The first putative phytomelatonin receptor 1 (PMTR1) is a plasma membrane protein required for perceiving MT signaling in stomatal closure and activation of MAPK. Biochemical and genetic tests found PMTR1 is essential for flg22- and MT-induced MAPK activation in a heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein Ga subunit GPA1-independent manner. GPA1 functions in the same genetic pathways of FLS2/BAK1 (Flagellin Sensing 2/Brassinosteroid Insensitive 1-associated kinase 1)- as well as PMTR1-mediated flg22 and MT signaling in stomatal closure. The stomata in pmtr1 are insensitive to MT and flg22, but the application of MT induces stomatal closure and reduces the bacterial growth in fls2 and bak1 plants, indicating that PMTR1 might be a downstream signaling component in FLS2- and BAK1-mediated stomatal immunity. In summary, our results (i) demonstrate that phytomelatonin functions in the priming of stomatal immunity and (ii) provide insights into the phytomelatonin signaling transduction pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to study the effects of dietary short-chain fatty acid salts, sodium acetate (SA), sodium propionate (SP) and sodium butyrate (SB), on the growth performance, digestive ability, immune parameters and disease resistance of juvenile Exopalaemon carinicauda. Shrimps (14.60 ± 1.48 mg) were fed with 10 experimental diets containing 0.0 (control), 0.25%, 0.5% and 1% of SA, SB and SP in triplicate. The highest survival rate was observed in the SP (0.5%) group (p < 0.05). The final weight, specific growth rate and feed efficiency was highest in the SP (0.25%) group (p < 0.05). Shrimps that were fed SP (0.25%) had greater intestinal digestive enzyme (chymotrypsin) activity. Shrimps in the SA (0.5%) group had the highest activities of glutathione peroxidase, catalase, lysozyme, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase, which was accompanied by the highest relative percent survival after a Vibro parahaemolyticus challenge (p < 0.05). The expression of immune-related genes (prophenoloxidase, C-type lectin and mannose binding lectin) in the hepatopancreas of shrimps fed SA (0.5%) and SP (0.25%) was higher than that of the control group (p < 0.05). These data suggest that SA (0.5%) and SP (0.25%) are beneficial to the growth performance and health of E. carinicauda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a high precision interferometric fiber optic gyroscope (IFOG) under temperature control, a short start-up time and small temperature drift are important for its applications. The start-up time and the temperature drift of IFOG with the same fiber length but with a different fiber coil layer number are investigated and compared. Simulation by finite difference time domain method is done to illustrate the existence of optimal layer number for the fiber coil wound by the quadrupolar method. Theoretical analysis is then provided and a closed-form formulation is given to calculate the optimal layer number of the fiber coil, which can effectively reduce both the start-up time and temperature drift of IFOG. Our study is meaningful in improving the thermal performance of the fiber coil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Central obesity is a major manifestation of metabolic syndrome, which is a common health problem in middle-aged and older adults.Objective: To examine the therapeutic efficacy of tai chi for management of central obesity.Design: Randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03107741).Setting: A single research site in Hong Kong between 27 February 2016 and 28 February 2019.Participants: Adults aged 50 years or older with central obesity.Intervention: 543 participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to a control group with no exercise intervention (n = 181), conventional exercise consisting of aerobic exercise and strength training (EX group) (n = 181), and a tai chi group (TC group) (n = 181). Interventions lasted 12 weeks.Measurements: Outcomes were assessed at baseline, week 12, and week 38. The primary outcome was waist circumference (WC). Secondary outcomes were body weight; body mass index; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride, and fasting plasma glucose levels; blood pressure; and incidence of remission of central obesity.Results: The adjusted mean difference in WC from baseline to week 12 in the control group was 0.8 cm (95% CI, -4.1 to 5.7 cm). Both intervention groups showed reductions in WC relative to control (adjusted mean differences: TC group vs. control, -1.8 cm [CI, -2.3 to -1.4 cm]; P < 0.001; EX group vs. control: -1.3 cm [CI, -1.8 to -0.9 cm]; P < 0.001); both intervention groups also showed reductions in body weight (P < 0.05) and attenuation of the decrease in HDL-C level relative to the control group. The favorable changes in WC and body weight were maintained in both the TC and EX groups, whereas the beneficial effect on HDL-C was only maintained in the TC group at week 38.Limitations: High attrition and no dietary intervention.Conclusion: Tai chi is an effective approach to reduce WC in adults with central obesity aged 50 years or older.Primary Funding Source: Health and Medical Research Fund. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]