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Renal cell carcinoma is a common malignancy of the urinary system. Surgery can save renal cell carcinoma patients’ lives, but concerns associated with their quality of life are a major clinical concern. Herein, we have analyzed the value of fatigue, resistance, aerobic, illness, and lost nursing, commonly known as FRAIL nursing, on the improvement in rehabilitation quality and nutritional status of renal cell carcinoma patients. The results show that compared with renal cell carcinoma patients in the control group receiving routine care, patients who received fatigue, resistance, aerobic, illness, and lost nursing had significantly shortened postoperative rehabilitation time, reduced incidence of postoperative complications, and enhanced nursing compliance and quality of life. Also, the nutritional status and immune function of renal cell carcinoma patients were significantly improved after fatigue, resistance, aerobic, illness, and lost nursing, demonstrating its high application value in clinical treatment of renal cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysphagia is a common complication of various clinical conditions, with an increased incidence as age advances. Complications such as aspiration, malnutrition, and aspiration pneumonia caused by dysphagia significantly affect the overall treatment outcomes of patients. Scholars both domestically and internationally are increasingly focusing on early rehabilitation for dysphagia. This article summarizes common conditions causing dysphagia, clinical manifestations, complications, screening assessment, diagnosis, rehabilitation, and nutritional support related to dysphagia. It emphasizes the arrival at a multidisciplinary collaborative diagnosis and formulation of a rehabilitation management plan for dysphagia in general hospitals in order to provide strategic suggestions for establishing a multidisciplinary collaborative model for swallowing disorder management in general hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Dynamic expression of SHANK3 in brain organoids at various stages. • Transcription regulation of SHANK3 during brain development. • EGR1 positively regulates SHANK3 in ASD. The expression levels of SHANK3 are associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The dynamic changes in SHANK3 expression during different stages of brain development may impact the progression of ASD. However, no studies or detailed analyses exploring the upstream mechanisms that regulate SHANK3 expression have been reported. In this study, we employed immunofluorescence to examine the expression of SHANK3 in brain organoids at various stages. Our results revealed elevated levels of SHANK3 expression in brain-like organoids at Day 60. Additionally, we utilized bioinformatics software to predict and analyze the SHANK3 gene's transcription start site. Through the dual luciferase reporter gene technique, we identified core transcription elements within the SHANK3 promoter. Site-directed mutations were used to identify specific transcription sites of SHANK3. To determine the physical binding of potential transcription factors to the SHANK3 promoter, we employed electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). Our findings demonstrated that the transcription factor EGR1 regulates SHANK3 expression by binding to the transcription site of the SHANK3 promoter. Although this study did not investigate the pathological phenotypes of human brain organoids or animal model brains with EGR1 deficiency, which could potentially substantiate the findings observed for SHANK3 mutants, our findings provide valuable insights into the relationship between the transcription factor, EGR1, and SHANK3. This study contributes to the molecular understanding of ASD and offers potential foundations for precise targeted therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explored why a routine government notice caused a series of unexpected public opinion crises. We used K-means clustering and Baidu Application Programming Interface Gateway to analyse 12,478 comments from Sina Weibo on Chinese Ministry of Commerce's release to encourage people to stock up necessities. Results show that even government's routine notice releases are regular events with relatively low objective risk, but in practice, how the government releases information and makes clarification would significantly infect public risk perception and emotion. First, ambiguous government releases magnify existing risks, especially during sensitive times, and resulting in heightened uncertainty, public risk perception and spread of negative emotions, therefore, lead to heated public discussion. Second, timely and effective clarifications can lower public risk perception as well as lead to positive emotions, although public banter may come along and generate another round of online public opinion within a short time. Our work answers why regular events would cause unexpected public opinion from the perspective of government behaviour, illustrates the dynamic interaction between government and online public opinion and can inform public policy aimed at more efficient communication with the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sports can help students better understand their strengths in various aspects, make appropriate and objective evaluations of their abilities, personalities, and strengths, and avoid harsh and unreasonable delusions. They can also develop their own potential and experience the value of their existence. In order to carry out mental health education in physical education teaching and truly promote students' physical and mental health. This paper check the role of the coupling of educational economic management and mental health education in the psychological construction of student activism. A total of 300 questionnaires were distributed and 295 valid questionnaires were retrieved Based on a sampling survey of the psychological status of economic and management graduate students in some universities in city A, a comprehensive analysis, subgroup analysis, and internal structure analysis of the psychological status of economic and management graduate students were conducted using the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90); The reasons for the psychological problems of graduate students in the field of economic management are the free and relaxed learning environment, the biased nature of the subject towards "literature", the abstract content of the subject, and the lack of mental health education for graduate students; The psychological health education for graduate students majoring in economic management should follow the principles of respect, timeliness, cooperation, prevention first, and differentiation, fully attach importance to psychological health education, establish and improve psychological prevention and emergency mechanisms, and do a good job in psychological health monitoring. Grasp the interrelationship between physical education teaching and mental health education, constantly update educational concepts, change teaching methods, and actively promote mental health education in physical education teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is well established. Lyn, a member of the nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinase Src family, has been reported to modulate inflammatory signaling pathways. Methods: Lyn expression was assessed in kidney biopsies of 11 patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and in kidney tissues of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DKD mice. 102 recruited T2DM patients were divided into three groups: normoalbuminuria, microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria. Twenty-one healthy volunteers were recruited as a control group. Clinical data, blood and urine samples of all individuals were collected for analysis. Results: Lyn expression was augmented in the kidneys of DKD patients and STZ-induced diabetic mice. Compared with control and normoalbuminuria groups, both mRNA and protein expression of Lyn in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in the macroalbuminuria group were significantly increased (p < .05). Elevated Lyn levels were independently related to urine albumin/urine creatinine ratio and were positively associated with key inflammatory factors, namely interleukin-1β, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Additionally, Lyn exhibited a noteworthy connection with renal tubular injury indicators, specifically urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and urinary retinol binding protein. ROC curve analysis showed that Lyn could predict albuminuria in diabetic patients with an area under the curve of 0.844 (95% CI: 0.764-0.924). Conclusion: Lyn levels in PBMCs exhibited a positive correlation with the severity of albuminuria, renal tubular damage, and inflammatory responses. Hence, Lyn may be a compelling candidate for predicting albuminuria levels in diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shaft structures in high-rise buildings may increase fire coverage due to chimney effects. However, few previous studies have considered the motion of the flue gas under the combined effect of the chimney effect and thermal buoyancy. So,weset a continuous gradient differential pressure opening based on the characteristics of the chimney effect in winter. The CFD method is used to simulate 12 operating conditions with different fire source locations and rates of heat release from the ignition source. We compare and analyze the temperature rise, the flue gas rise law and the variation of the thermal pressure difference between the inner and outer shafts for different fire source powers. The results show that, in the case of low-floor fires, the range of temperature appreciation and fluctuation at the local measurement point increases with the fire power and the distribution of temperature appreciation decreases with the height. The relationship between the dimensionless time and the dimensionless height of the flue gas layer is exponential for different fire position conditions. The fire causes the neutral surface to shift, and below the original neutral surface, the higher the position of the fire source, the more pronounced the shift of the neutral surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because the sophistication of tool use is vastly enhanced in humans compared with other species, a rich understanding of its neural substrates requires neuroscientific experiments in humans. Although functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has enabled many studies of tool-related neural processing, surprisingly few studies have examined real tool use. Rather, because of the many constraints of fMRI, past research has typically used proxies such as pantomiming despite neuropsychological dissociations between pantomimed and real tool use. We compared univariate activation levels, multivariate activation patterns, and functional connectivity when participants used real tools (a plastic knife or fork) to act on a target object (scoring or poking a piece of putty) or pantomimed the same actions with similar movements and timing. During the Execute phase, we found higher activation for real versus pantomimed tool use in sensorimotor regions and the anterior supramarginal gyrus, and higher activation for pantomimed than real tool use in classic tool-selective areas. Although no regions showed significant differences in activation magnitude during the Plan phase, activation patterns differed between real versus pantomimed tool use and motor cortex showed differential functional connectivity. These results reflect important differences between real tool use, a closed-loop process constrained by real consequences, and pantomimed tool use, a symbolic gesture that requires conceptual knowledge of tools but with limited consequences. These results highlight the feasibility and added value of employing natural tool use tasks in functional imaging, inform neuropsychological dissociations, and advance our theoretical understanding of the neural substrates of natural tool use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Patulous eustachian tube is a disorder that leads to disturbing symptoms such as autophony, respiratory noise, and aural fullness. There has not been an established treatment found for this disorder. This study aims to assess the efficacy of autologous fat injection for a novel treatment of patients with patulous eustachian tube. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with refractory patulous eustachian tube were recruited for the study. Endoscopic autologous fat injection was performed submucosally into the anterior and posterior portion of the pharyngeal orifice of the eustachian tube. The outcomes were quantitatively assessed by comparing the difference between pre- and postoperative scores with the visual analog scale on 4 criteria: aural fullness, respiratory noise, tinnitus, and autophony. RESULTS: Autologous fat injection was performed successfully in all patients without major complications. According to the combined visual analog scale scores, after the treatments, 20 patients showed significant improvement and 6 showed moderate improvement. The overall success rate of the treatment was 92.9%. CONCLUSION: Autologous fat injection is an effective and safe procedure for the treatment of patulous eustachian tube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. The aim of the article is to understand how Chinese parents draw on their learning beliefs and experiences within the Chinese educational context to make decisions about their children's overseas education, as well as analysing how their learning beliefs are similar or different from East Asian or Western learning beliefs. Methods. The study is based on more than 100 in-depth separate interviews with 22 Chinese families conducted over serval years between 2016 and 2019. Based on interpretative phenomenological analysis and discourse analysis, the results are coded according to the theory of values proposed by Clyde Kluckhohn (1951). These learning values are further coded according to whether they are reflective of the American learning model (EALM), Confucian learning model (CLM), and Confucian learning philosophies. Results. The analysis shows that Chinese parents have displayed similar learning beliefs in socialising their children in the family domain, in their disapproval of the Chinese education system, and in their pursuit of a Western overseas education. The Chinese families' pursuit of a Western education for their children are driven by their cultural leaning beliefs, which are rooted in Confucian heritage culture, and which also echo European American heritage cultures. Conclusion. Many researchers tend to emphasise cultural differences in learning, particularly between Confucian heritage and European American heritage cultures. This paper shows the possibilities of cultural learning values shaping educational choices, expands upon the understanding of Confucian heritage culture, and suggests the similarities between the learning cultures of East Asia and the West. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double diffusive natural convection is one of the most widely used study subjects in heat and mass transfer. In this present study, double diffusive natural convection heating from below the wall in a closed cavity was studied with direct numerical simulation method. The flow characteristics are presented as isotherms, iso concentrations, and streamlines. The results show that RaT has signification strong effects on average Nusselt number, with a more considerable RaT, the value of Nusselt number more higher. These were also found to increase with increasing buoyancy ratio for adding flow and decrease as buoyancy ratio decreases for opposing flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread application of flexible electronic devices places higher demands for stretchable conductors as crucial components owing to their stable and consistently high conductivity and high stretchability. In this study, a superelastic conductive fractal helix fiber (FHF) consisting of a thermoplastic polyurethane fiber and Ag wire is developed, which exhibits excellent waterproofing ability. The maximum strain of the FHF can be improved to 8300% by increasing the helical index C and Ag wire winding density. A high conductivity of 6.3 × 107 S m-1 and ultra-high Q value of 3.37 × 104 at a strain of 5600% are realized for the conductive fiber owing to its fractal helical structure. The elastic limit point A of the FHF can be obtained by the relative resistance change (0.166%) to ensure that elastic deformation only occurs when stress is applied. In the elastic strain range, FHF demonstrates high electrical reliability under repeated deformation (over 10 000 cycles of stretching with a strain of 5600%) with a negligible increase in resistance. Moreover, the FHF can be easily integrated with the fabrics as an interconnection for wearable electronics. The newly developed twined FHF can also be used as a capacitive strain sensor to monitor human activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) feature prominently in tumors. Reportedly, lncRNA zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2 antisense RNA 1 (ZEB2-AS1) is aberrantly expressed in a variety of tumors. The present study was aimed to explore ZEB2-AS1 functions and determine mechanism in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, expressions of ZEB2-AS1, microRNA (miR)-582-5p and forkhead box C1 (FOXC1) mRNA in HCC tissues and cell lines were detected via quantitative reveres transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). After establishing gain- and loss-of-functions models, cell counting kit-8, 5-bromo-2’-deoxyuridine (BrdU), Transwell assays and flow cytometry analysis were conducted to examine HCC cell multiplication, migration, invasion and apoptosis, respectively. The targeted relationship between miR-582- 5p and ZEB2-AS1 was verified via dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Western blot was utilized for detecting FOXC1 expression in HCC cells after selectively regulating ZEB2-AS1 and miR-582-5p. Results: In HCC tissues and cells, ZEB2-AS1 expression was increased. High ZEB2-AS1 expression was related to relatively large tumor volume, increased tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage and positive lymph node metastasis of the patients. ZEB2-AS1 overexpression facilitated HCC cell multiplication, migration, invasion and suppressed apoptosis, while ZEB2-AS1 knock-down caused the opposite effects. It was also confirmed that ZEB2-AS1 could competitively bind with miR-582-5p to repress its expression, and indirectly up-regulate FOXC1 expression level in HCC cells. Conclusion: The current study revealed that ZEB2-AS1 was over-expressed in HCC tissues and cells. It also upregulated FOXC1, through sponging miR-582-5p, to promote HCC progression. This provides new perspectives for elucidating the pathogenesis of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dental injury caused by caries and trauma is the main cause of residual roots. Food trapped in the residual roots is difficult to clean. If the residual roots are not treated and cared for in time, flies can take advantage as soon as hygiene slips. Here, we present a rare case of human residual root myiasis caused by Clogmia albipunctata larvae, never previously reported.Case Presentation: A 26-year-old lady found two active, living larvae in her mouth while brushing her teeth. She did not present with fever, pain and any uncomfortable oral feeling. The intraoral examination revealed the right second mandibular molar was severely damaged as a result of caries, leaving a residual tooth root. The mucosa above it was mildly erythematous and edematous. No larvae and no inflamed gums were observed in her mouth. When normal saline was used to flush the area of the residual root with a syringe, four larvae appeared from the residual root. The larvae were observed by naked eye and under a light microscope. They were identified as the mature stage larvae of Clogmia albipunctata. Because the patient was in lactation, medication was not recommended. Treatment included the removal of all visible larvae followed by flushing the residual root with normal saline three times a day. The patient was followed-up weekly for one month. No more larvae were found and the erythematous and edematous mucosa healed completely.Conclusions: The existence of a residual root can result in residual root myiasis. Myiasis caused by Clogmia albipunctata larvae or other fly larvae should be considered in cases of residual root infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike the traditional extensive heating management, the on-demand precise time- and region-specific heating strategy can effectively reduce the heating energy consumption of vernacular buildings. The existing studies on the time- and region-specific heating strategy of vernacular buildings face several problems: the time and space are not clearly divided, the heating model cannot simultaneously satisfy the different heating demands of residents in different periods, and the proper time- and region-specific heating terminals are severely lacking. To solve these problems, this paper explores the regional construction and differences of thermal environment in vernacular buildings. Firstly, we classified the regional construction of thermal environment in vernacular buildings, analyzed the thermal process for the regional construction, and determined the implementation model for heating actual vernacular buildings. The layout of rooms inside a multi-space vernacular building determines the difference in heat gain and loss between the rooms to be heated, when the heating system operates naturally. With this in mind, we analyzed the regional thermal balance of thermal environment in vernacular buildings, linearly fitted the average indoor thermal sensation in each region of a vernacular building in day and night, and obtained the relevant experimental results. In addition, the regional indoor temperature changes were summarized at different glazing ratios and different roof heat transfer resistances. The results show the effectiveness of the regional construction strategy of thermal environment based on time and regional differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-determination is a complex process with several components, such as making choices and independence. However, limited research on self-determination has focused on individuals with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder. This study aimed to support independent leisure engagement and choice-making of leisure activities for this population by using a visual support intervention package, including the use of a visual activity schedule, video modeling, structured environment, preference assessment, and prompt procedures. The study used a single case research multiple baseline probe design to test the effectiveness of the intervention on three adults with autism spectrum disorder. Findings showed that implementing the visual support package was effective in promoting independent leisure engagement and facilitating choice-making of leisure activities. The study highlights the need for and advantages of incorporating video modeling and preference assessment into the visual activity schedule for this particular population. Self-determination encompasses various components, including decision-making and independence, making it a complex process. While the importance of self-determination for individuals with autism spectrum disorder has been explored in previous studies, there is limited research focusing on individuals with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder. Evidence-based practices such as visual activity schedules and video modeling have shown effectiveness in promoting independence among individuals with autism spectrum disorder. To address the need for independence and choice-making among individuals with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder, this study developed a visual support package incorporating visual activity schedules, video modeling, preference assessments, and prompt procedures. By investigating the intervention's effectiveness in three participants, this study contributes to the existing literature on the use of a visual activity schedule and video modeling in enhancing choice-making and independent leisure engagement. Following the intervention, all participants were able to select three leisure activities, develop their own visual schedules, and complete them. Notably, this study conducted preference assessments to determine participants' preferred leisure activities and did not provide additional reinforcement. Practical implications of this research include incorporating video prompting as needed and adjusting activity engagement time. Future research should explore the long-term effectiveness of the visual support package and its application in developing novel skills or vocational activities for individuals with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder. This study fills a critical gap in the literature, providing important insights for practices and research in the field of autism spectrum disorder interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal stress and thermal strain are the major causes of wall cracking of high-rise buildings. The key to wall cracking control lies in regulating thermal stress, and reducing the uncoordinated deformation probability of structural members. However, the existing studies have not considered the common stack effect of high-rise buildings. To fill up the gap, this paper analyzes the thermal stress and optimizes the structure of high-rise buildings under stack effect. Firstly, the cracking mechanism of structural members in high-rise buildings was expounded under stack effect, and the thermal stress of these buildings was analyzed in the light of that effect. Next, finite-element calculation was performed on the instantaneous stress field of high-rise buildings. After that, the thermal stress of high-rise buildings was fully analyzed. Several suggestions were provided for the structural design and optimization of high-rise buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effects of methionine hydroxyl analog chelated microminerals (MHA-M) replacing inorganic microminerals (ITMs) on the growth performance, fecal microminerals concentrations, immune function, and antioxidant status in growing-finishing pigs; 253 pigs (average 33.68 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to six treatments with six replicates each treatment: (1) ITM: a basal diet with Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn from sulfates providing 20, 100, 40, and 60 mg/kg; (2–6): 1/5MHA-M, 2/5MHA-M, 3/5MHA-M, 4/5MHA-M, and MHA-M was replaced with 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% MHA-M. Results showed that the average daily gain (ADG) in the 1/5MHA-M and 2/5MHA-M was greater than other groups in the whole period. Fecal Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations had decreased as the intake of trace minerals decreases. The ITM group decreased the fecal Zn concentration on Days 35, 70, and 91, and Fe concentration on Day 70, and increased the Mn concentration on Day 70 compared with MHA-M group. Pigs fed 1/5MHA-M, 2/5MHA-M, and MHA-M had a higher immune function and antioxidant status in serum compared with ITM, 3/5MHA-M, and 4/5MHA-M on Day 35. In conclusion, treatment with 1/5MHA-M and 2/5MHA-M could reduce the excretion of fecal microminerals and improve the immune function and antioxidant capacity compared with the ITM group [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a triangular facets based, highly accurate, and adaptive finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) mesh generation technique is presented. There are two innovations in the implementation of this technique. One is adaptive mesh lines placement method. The mesh lines are automatically set to be dense where the object has fine structure and sparse where the object has rough structure based on the incremental placement of the triangular mesh vertices. The other is ray column tracing method. Ray columns in the normal direction of the coordinate plane are employed to intersect the surface facets to make the mesh generation results highly accurate. The generating FDTD results of the numerical examples show that the proposed technique can well-restore objects with complex edge structures. The simulation results are in good agreement with the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labial minora fusion persisting to the reproductive age is a rare type of labial fusion. Only 17 sporadic case-reports have been published to describe this disease. We report a retrospective cohort study of nine patients undergone surgical dissections in our hospital with labial minora fusion of reproductive age. General information, a medical history, gynecological examinations, preoperative ultrasonography and observations during surgery were reviewed. Four patients found vulva deformity at age 1.25 ± 1.09 years, and the remaining 5 patients discovered the disease when they reached child-bearing age (25.20 ± 4.31). The average age of operation was 22.89 ± 6.21 years. The characteristic symptoms of the disease were menstrual blood and urine excretion from the urethral orifice. No endometriosis was detected in all 9 patients. One patient was found to have congenital defects, with a double cervical and complete uterine septum. All patients recovered well without re-adhesion. Seven patients (7/9, 77.80%) were interviewed by telephone. Three patients had normal sexual life and all patients were able to control urination normally. This labial fusion was found in 44.44% patients shortly after birth and might combined with other defects, suggesting a congenital nature of the disease, and further indicates the developmental feature of the vulva. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common health problem and has significant negative effects on a woman's quality of life. The transvaginal mesh procedure is a durable reconstructive surgery, but the mesh kits are expensive for underdeveloped countries. Our previous case-series study showed that the use of self-cut mesh had a good success rate (91.8% at 1-year follow-up) and low complication rate. This trial is designed to compare a self-cut titanium-coated polypropylene mesh procedure with a mesh kit for the treatment of symptomatic stage III-IV anterior or apical prolapse in terms of efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness.Methods: The trial is a randomized controlled multicenter non-inferiority trial. The primary outcome measure is the composite success rate at 1-year follow-up. The secondary outcomes are anatomic outcomes of each vaginal segment (anterior, posterior and apical) using the POP-Q score, subjective improvement of quality of life according to questionnaires, intraoperative parameters, complications and costs. Analysis will be performed according to the intention-to-treat principle. Based on a comparable success rate of 90% and 10% as the margin (β = 0.2 and one-sided α = 0.025), about 312 patients in total from 11 centers will be recruited including 10% dropout. The aims of the research are to demonstrate whether the self-cut mesh procedure is non-inferior to the mesh-kit procedure and to investigate the performance of titanium-coated mesh for vaginal prolapse repair.Discussion: This multicenter non-inferiority trial will evaluate whether the efficacy and safety of self-cut mesh is non-inferior to mesh kits in women with severe symptomatic stage III-IV anterior or apical prolapse. If we are able to show that the self-cut mesh procedure is non-inferior to the mesh-kit procedure in success rates, then the self-cut mesh procedure may be more cost-effective.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03283124. Registered on 17 January 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Jianqu has been used to alleviate symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia, but its specific anti-functional dyspepsia effect is still unclear. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the impact of Jianqu on functional dyspepsia in mice. Methods: The phytochemical profile of Jianqu was analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Subsequently, Kunming mice were fed a high-calorie or high-protein diet (HCHP) for 7 days, and then orally treated with vehicle or Jianqu (1.62 g/kg body weight (b. w.) and 3.25 g/kg b. w.) for 10 days. A carbon powder solution was used to detect the gastric emptying and intestinal transit rate. The pathological changes in stomach and duodenum were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The occludin, claudin-1, ZO-1 and CD45 expression was measured by immunocytochemical staining. Importantly, the serum gastrointestinal hormones were detected by ELISA. In addition, the gut microbiota composition was determined using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The cecal short chain fatty acids were assessed by gas chromatography. Results: In general, 17 phytochemical compounds were identified from Jianqu, which significantly improved the gastric emptying rate and intestinal transit rate (p < 0.01), increased the body weight and food intake (p < 0.0001) in HCHP mice as well. Though HCHP did not cause significant pathological lesions in the gastrointestinal tract, increased the expression of CD45 in the duodenum (p < 0.05) was observed. Notably, Jianqu attenuated this abnormal expression of CD45 (p < 0.05). The levels of serum gastrointestinal hormones were significantly normalized by Jianqu intervention (p < 0.05). Moreover, Jianqu increased the relative abundance of Roseburia as well as short chain fatty acids levels in cecum (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The present results showed that Jianqu alleviated dyspeptic symptoms in HCHP mice possibly through reducing the duodenal leukocyte infiltration, and regulating the expression of gastrointestinal hormones. These effects may be partly related to the increasing cecal short chain fatty acids levels probably via gut microbial modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effectiveness of individualized dietary interventions in improving the nutritional status and general health of individuals undergoing dialysis. A total of 120 patients undergoing dialysis were equally allocated to the Standard Care Group and Intervention Group. The recipients of individualized dietary counseling had their plans modified monthly in accordance with their nutritional needs, personal preferences, and clinical circumstances. Nutritional adherence, biochemical parameters, clinical outcomes, and quality of life were evaluated and compared between groups. At baseline, both groups exhibited comparable demographic characteristics. Compared to baseline values, the Intervention Group showed substantial enhancements in albumin, hemoglobin, potassium, and phosphorus levels after six months (P < 0.05). The Intervention Group had a considerably higher rate of adherence to dietary recommendations than the Standard Care Group (92% vs. 75%, P < 0.01). Nutritional intake analyses revealed a noteworthy enhancement in energy and protein consumption, while sodium, potassium, and phosphorus intake decreased (P < 0.05). The results of the quality-of-life evaluation demonstrated notable improvements in physical, emotional, social, and overall health perception scores (P < 0.05). Thus, personalized dietary interventions substantially improve the nutritional status, biochemical profile, and overall quality of life of patients undergoing dialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relapsed and refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma (MM) patients have very poor prognosis. Chimeric antigen receptor modified T (CAR T) cells is an emerging approach in treating hematopoietic malignancies. Here we conducted the clinical trial of a biepitope-targeting CAR T against B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) (LCAR-B38M) in 17 R/R MM cases. CAR T cells were i.v. infused after lymphodepleting chemotherapy. Two delivery methods, three infusions versus one infusion of the total CAR T dose, were tested in, respectively, 8 and 9 cases. No response differences were noted among the two delivery subgroups. Together, after CART cell infusion, 10 cases experienced a mild cytokine release syndrome (CRS), 6 had severe but manageable CRS, and 1 died of a very severe toxic reaction. The abundance of BCMA and cytogenetic marker del(17p) and the elevation of IL-6 were the key indicators for severe CRS. Among 17 cases, the overall response rate was 88.2%, with 13 achieving stringent complete response (sCR) and 2 reaching very good partial response (VGPR), while 1 was a nonresponder. With a median follow-up of 417 days, 8 patients remained in sCR or VGPR, whereas 6 relapsed after sCR and 1 had progressive disease (PD) after VGPR. CAR T cells were high in most cases with stable response but low in 6 out of 7 relapse/PD cases. Notably, positive anti-CAR antibody constituted a high-risk factor for relapse/PD, and patients who received prior autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation had more durable response. Thus, biepitopic CAR T against BCMA represents a promising therapy for R/R MM, while most adverse effects are clinically manageable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researching and developing of ultra-wideband capability and high light transmittance have been hot issues in the field of new artificial electromagnetic stealth material. In this paper, a novel transparent metamaterial absorber, made of resistive films and glass, has been presented. The simulation results show that, under the incidence of plane wave, the absorber realizes high absorption during frequency range from 3.5 GHz to 18.5 GHz while keeping insensitive to polarization. A prototype has been fabricated and tested, and the measurement results are in good consistent with simulation. Along with its high transmittance and superior absorption, we expect that the absorber has great potential applications in RCS (Radar Cross Section) reduction and electromagnetic shielding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer (CC) with early metastasis of the primary tumor results in poor prognosis and poor therapeutic outcomes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNA molecules that play a substantial role in regulating gene expression post-transcriptionally and influence the development and progression of tumors. Numerous studies have discovered that miRNAs play significant roles in the invasion and metastasis of CC by affecting specific pathways, including Notch, Wnt/β-catenin, and phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathways. miRNAs also effectively modulate the process of epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Many studies provide new insights into the role of miRNAs and the pathogenesis of metastatic CC. In this review, we will offer an overview and update of our present understanding of the potential roles of miRNAs in metastatic CC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Two approaches, namely, the crossing-line and the Monte Carlo methods, for navigation safety assessment in approaching channel based on Automatic Identification System (AIS) are proposed. The crossing-line method evaluated the ship grounding probability using the probability density functions of the ship track parameters from single-crossing-line or multi-crossing-lines. The Monte Carlo method considers the causation of the track parameters. Such a causation was realized using a regression algorithm by which the relationships among the ship track parameters can be established through a crossing-line with the factors corresponding to the previous crossing-lines. With the relationships, Monte Carlo simulation of ship trajectory evaluation was then applied to assess the grounding frequency. The inbound ship behaviors of Kaohsiung Harbor are analyzed to quantitatively assess the grounding risk on entrance and inner traffic lane. The results of the grounding probability acquired from both methods are consistent with each other. The grounding probability of the starboard boundary is higher than the port one. The proposed methods could be further applied to risk assessment and will facilitate navigational safety in congested waterways and ports. Highlights • The crossing-line and the Monte Carlo methods for navigation safety assessment based on AIS data are proposed. • The probability of potential hazard grounding and the probability of grounding in the approaching channel is evaluated. • The ship behaviors of the Kaohsiung Harbour are analyzed to quantitatively assess the grounding risk on entrance and lane. • The causation of the AIS track data is considered in Monte Carlo simulation to assess the grounding frequency. • A two-variate joint distribution models the conditional probability of grounding with lateral position and heading angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The mineralogy and elemental geochemistry of epidotes of different genetic types were explored. • Epidote shows different geochemical features in propylitic and potassic alteration zones. • Geochemistry of epidote may be useful for exploration vectoring for South Dulan and Vlaska exploration greenfield. The Bor metallogenic belt in Serbia is a promising region for copper-gold (Cu-Au) resources, hosting numerous porphyry copper deposits, epithermal gold deposits and metallogenic prospects, such as the South Dulan and Vlaska exploration greenfield. Epidote alteration is integral to the propylitic and sodic-calcic alteration assemblages within this region. It is distinguished by the extensive occurrence of two primary epidote types: disseminated (Ep1) and veined (Ep2) epidote. In this study, comprehensive petrographic analysis reveals that in the propylitic zone, epidote mainly replaced hornblende (Ep1a) and plagioclase phenocrysts (Ep1b), coexisting with chlorite, apatite and titanite. In proximity to the potassic zone, epidote (E1c) coexists with biotite, while epidote (Ep2), chlorite, pyrite and chalcopyrite veinlets are observed near the ore body. Notably, Ep1 exhibits lower Fe and higher Mn contents in comparison to Ep2. Additionally, elements such as Ca, Al and Fe in Ep1a, and Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn and Ti in Ep1b, as well as Ca, Al, Fe and Mn in Ep1c, are introduced into the epidote through hydrothermal fluid interactions. Variations in trace element characteristics are evident among different epidotes. Specifically, Ep1a exhibits elevated Mg content (324–6050 ppm), Ep1b is notable for its high Na (22–942 ppm) and Sr (523–3075 ppm) contents, while Ep1c contains elevated K (24–445 ppm) and Na (41–103 ppm). Which suggest that disseminated epidote (Ep1) inherits the geochemical features from its precursor minerals. In comparison to disseminated epidote, epidote in veinlet exhibits higher Fe3+, Cu, Sn and REEs, along with lower contents of Pb, Sb and Sc, suggesting that these elements have been integrated into epidote through isomorphism substitution and influenced by fluids compositions, physical factors (temperature, pressure, etc.) and chemical parameters (speciation, pH, f O2 , etc.), as well as mineral assemblages. Therefore, the trace element contents of Pb, Sb, Sc, Cu, Sn and REEs in epidote could serve as more appropriate indicators for mineral geochemistry in porphyry deposit hydrothermal centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Sepsis-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has a high mortality rate, and no effective treatment is available currently. Quercetin is a natural plant product with many pharmacological activities, such as antioxidative, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to elucidate the protective mechanism of quercetin against sepsis-related ARDS. METHODS: In this study, network pharmacology and in vitro experiments were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms of quercetin against sepsis-related ARDS. Core targets and signaling pathways of quercetin against sepsis-related ARDS were screened and were verified by in vitro experiments. RESULTS: A total of 4,230 targets of quercetin, 360 disease targets of sepsis-related ARDS, and 211 intersection targets were obtained via database screening. Among the 211 intersection targets, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), albumin (ALB), AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were identified as the core targets. A Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed 894 genes involved in the inflammatory response, apoptosis regulation, and response to hypoxia. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis identified 106 pathways. After eliminating and generalizing, the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), TNF, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signaling pathways were identified. Molecular docking revealed that quercetin had good binding activity with the core targets. Moreover, quercetin blocked the HIF-1, TNF, NF-κB, and NODlike receptor signaling pathways in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine alveolar macrophage (MH-S) cells. It also suppressed the inflammatory response, oxidative reactions, and cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: Quercetin ameliorates sepsis-related ARDS by binding to its core targets and blocking the HIF-1, TNF, NF-κB, and NOD-like receptor signaling pathways to reduce inflammation, cell apoptosis, and oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since they function as cell wall-loosening proteins, expansins can affect plant growth, developmental processes and environmental stress responses. Our previous study demonstrated that changes in Nicotiana tabacum a-expansin 4 (EXPA4) expression affect the sensitivity of tobacco to Tobacco mosaic virus [recombinant TMV encoding green fluorescent protein (TMV–GFP)] infection by Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression. In this study, to characterize the function of tobacco EXPA4 further, EXPA4 RNA interfernce (RNAi) mutants and overexpression lines were generated and assayed for their tolerance to abiotic stress and resistance to pathogens. First, the differential phenotypes and histomorphology of transgenic plants with altered EXPA4 expression indicated that EXPA4 is essential for normal tobacco growth and development. By utilizing tobacco EXPA4 mutants with abiotic stress, it was demonstrated that RNAi mutants have increased hypersensitivity to salt and drought stress. In contrast, the overexpression of EXPA4 in tobacco conferred greater tolerance to salt and drought stress, as indicated by less cell damage, higher fresh weight, higher soluble sugar and proline accumulation, and higher expression levels of several stressresponsive genes. In addition, the overexpression lines were more susceptible to the viral pathogen TMV–GFP when compared with the wild type or RNAi mutants. The induction of the antioxidant system, several defense-associated phytohormones and gene expression was down-regulated in overexpression lines but up-regulated in RNAi mutants when compared with the wild type following TMV–GFP infection. In addition, EXPA4 overexpression also accelerated the disease development of Pseudomonas syringae DC3000 on tobacco. Taken together, these results suggested that EXPA4 appears to be important in tobacco growth and responses to abiotic and biotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orosomucoid 1-like protein 3 (ORMDL3) is an asthma candidate gene associated with virus-triggered recurrent wheeze. Stimulator of interferon gene (STING) controls TLR-independent cytosolic responses to viruses. However, the association of STING with ORMDL3 is unclear. Here, we have shown that ORMDL3 expression shows a linear correlation with STING in recurrent wheeze patients. In elucidating the molecular mechanisms of the ORMDL3-STING relationship, we found that STING promoted the transcriptional activity of ORMDL3, which was significantly associated with increased levels of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6). Further study showed that via activation of TANK binding kinase 1 (TBK1), STING enhanced the phosphorylation and binding of IRF3 and STAT6, which upregulated ORMDL3 by binding to the promoter. Our results showed that STING positively regulated ORMDL3 through the TBK1-IRF3-STAT6 complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buy Article Permissions and Reprints This account describes our studies on the total synthesis of several natural terpenoids based on our modified biosynthetic hypothesis. Compared to the originally proposed biosynthetic hypothesis, the modified ones proved to be more practicable for the formation of hispidanin A, a dimeric diterpenoid, and sarcandrolide J and shizukaol D, two dimeric sesquiterpenoids, from a viewpoint of chemical reactivity. Moreover, a cascade reaction involving intermolecular and intramolecular cycloaddition was facilitated to expeditiously accumulate molecular complexity in the total synthesis of bolivianine, a sesterterpenoid, on the basis of a modified biohypothesis. 1 Introduction 2 Total Synthesis of Hispidanin A 3 Total Syntheses of Bolivianine and Isobolivianine 4 Total Syntheses of Sarcandrolide J and Shizukaol D 5 Conclusion [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, Co3O4 nanoparticles/nitrogen-doped carbon (Co3O4/NPC) composites with different structures were prepared via a facile method. Structure control was achieved by the rational morphology design of ZIF-67 precursors, which were then pyrolyzed in air to obtain Co3O4/NPC composites. When applied as catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the M-Co3O4/NPC composites derived from the flower-like ZIF-67 showed superior catalytic activities than those derived from the rhombic dodecahedron and hollow spherical ZIF-67. The former M-Co3O4/NPC composite displayed a small overpotential of 0.3 V, low onset potential of 1.41 V, small Tafel slope of 83 mV dec-1, and a desirable stability. (94.7% OER activity was retained after 10 h.) The excellent performance of the flower-like M-Co3O4/NPC composite in the OER was attributed to its favorable structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new convolutional perfectly matched layer (CPML) for the fourth-order one-step leapfrog hybrid implicit explicit finite-difference time-domain (HIEFDTD) method for the TE case has been proposed in this paper. When the time step size satisfies with the time stability condition, the maximum reflection error of the proposed method is below -72dB, which demonstrates good absorbing performance of the CPML method. To verify the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method, we compare the results of the traditional FDTD method and the HIE-FDTD method. Numerical examples demonstrate that the proposed method consumes about 60.13% less CPU time than the traditional FDTD method and 41.60% less CPU time than the existing HIE-FDTD method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ploidy levels and genome sizes have significant implications in plant evolution and crop improvement. Species of Lonicera L. have long been cultivated as medicinal, ornamental crops, or both. However, chromosome numbers, karyotypes, and DNA contents have only been documented in a few species, of which some controversies regarding basic chromosome numbers and karyotypes remain. This study analyzed the chromosome numbers and karyomorphology of 11 cultivars across four species and also the DNA content of 10 cultivars representing six species of Lonicera. Among them, the chromosome numbers of nine cultivars are reported for the first time. Results showed that the basic chromosome number of x = 9 was constant, and chromosome numbers of 2n = 18, 27, 36, or 54 were observed, suggesting that polyploidy exists in the genus. Five cultivars are diploid with 2n = 18; one cultivar is triploid, four are tetraploid, and one is hexaploid. The karyotypes of all studied cultivars are 3B or 3A, except Lonicera sempervirens 'Crimson Cascade' that is 2B based on the Stebbins' asymmetry classification of karyotypes. The asymmetry index (A1) values vary from 0.47 to 0.60. The chromosome lengths range from 0.77 to 4.09 mm. Total karyotype lengths differ from 33.55 to 78.71 mm. The 1C-value of 10 cultivars varies 3-fold, ranging from 1.158 to 3.664 pg. Information gathered from this study could be valuable for improving breeding efficiency in the development of new cultivars of Lonicera with enhanced medicinal, ornamental value, or both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some components in Double horse head (DHH) pumping unit may occur cracking failure due to high cycle alternating stress, and this makes the research on dynamic stress simulation for them more interesting topic in its maintenance operation. This paper aims to improve the accuracy of dynamic stress simulation model through a parameter optimization method for the cable joints in DHH pumping unit. A series of cylinders was employed to model the steel cable, and the back horse head was also transformed to flexible body, then a rigid-flexible multibody dynamics model with cable was constructed to simulate the dynamic stress of components in DHH pumping unit. Stiffness and damping coefficient in cable joints have a significant effect on the model performance, and an unreasonable value may cause a strong vibrational and undesirable model response, therefore, a Memetic Algorithms based method was proposed to optimize them for improving the simulation accuracy using tested stress as objective function. Results show that the dynamic stress simulated from improved model is much closer to the experimental test compared with the original model and these optimized parameters are also valid for the model in other working condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is concerned with a stabilisation problem of a boundary controlled fractional reaction diffusion (FRD) system with mixed or Robin boundary conditions. The contribution of this study is to utilise boundary feedback control to stabilise the FRD system with mixed or Robin boundary conditions in terms of the backstepping method. Specifically, three backstepping-based boundary feedback controllers have been proposed to address the stabilisation problem of the FRD system with mixed or Robin boundary conditions, including Dirichlet, Neumann, and Robin backstepping-based boundary feedback controllers. Moreover, based on Lyapunov-based Mittag--Leffler stability theory, we prove that the FRD system with mixed or Robin boundary conditions is Mittag--Leffler stable by the proposed three backstepping-based boundary feedback controllers. Finally, the numerical efforts of the open-loop and the closed-loop solutions of the FRD systems with mixed or Robin boundary conditions are presented by two numerical experiments to verify the validness of our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straw return is a promising method for managing soil organic carbon (SOC) in agricultural soils and thus may promote sustainable land use. However, the optimal straw-return strategy for economically sustainable grain production in intensive winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-summer maize (Zea mays L.) cropping systems remains uncertain. A 4-yr field experiment was conducted in the central North China Plain to determine the effects of straw return on SOC stock and lability, soil enzyme activity, and grain yield, and to further evaluate the sustainability of crop production in intensive wheat-maize double-cropping systems. Four treatments were tested: no straw return (NR), return of wheat straw (WR), return of maize straw (MR), and return of both wheat and maize straw (WR+MR). Compared with the initial value, SOC stocks significantly increased by 2.8, 5.4, and 13.1% in WR, MR, and WR+MR, respectively, and significantly decreased by 2.9% in NR. Stocks of KMnO4-oxidizable C and microbial biomass C; activities of soil invertase, protease, and dehydrogenase; and the C management index were significantly higher with than without straw return and followed the order NR < WR < MR < WR+MR. Yields of wheat and maize were highest in WR+MR, but economic sustainability was higher in WR and MR relative to NR and WR+MR. Our results indicate that return of either wheat or maize straw is sufficient to maintain SOC levels and may be the optimal strategy for economically sustainable grain production in the central North China plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe heat stroke (HS) consists of extreme hyperthermia with thermoregulatory failure, leading to high morbidity and mortality. Liver injury is a complication of HS that is associated with inflammatory responses and Kupffer cells (KCs), which are resident macrophages in the liver that serve as a major source of inflammatory cytokines; however, the association and the underlying mechanisms of KC functions in HS‑induced endotoxemia and inflammation require an improved understanding. The important chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein‑1α (MIP‑1α) increases inflammatory responses and the secretion of inflammatory molecules from KCs, including tumor necrosis factor‑α, interleukin (IL)‑1β and IL‑6. In addition, the activation of c‑Jun N‑terminal kinase (JNK) signaling is responsible for the development of liver inflammation. Therefore, HS animal and cell models were constructed in order to investigate the pathways involved in the HS‑induced dysfunction of KCs. The results of the present study suggest that JNK may be involved in the MIP‑1α‑associated pathogenesis of KCs in HS injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3-n-Butylphthalide (NBP) protects the mitochondria and reduces apoptosis in multiple disease models. However, it remains to be determined whether NBP can protect muscle cells from oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation and apoptosis in myositis. In the present study, a myosin immunization protocol was applied to induce experimental autoimmune myositis (EAM) in guinea pigs. After 4 weeks, a low- or high-dose NBP solution was injected intraperitoneally into the guinea pigs, with saline solution serving as the negative control. After 10 days, the guinea pigs were sacrificed and muscle cells were isolated for analysis. The results revealed that NBP increased the superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, and reduced malondialdehyde activity in the EAM model. Furthermore, NBP enhanced ATPase activity in muscle mitochondrial membranes and muscle fiber membranes, reduced the number of apoptotic cells, and differentially regulated the Bcl-2, Bax and BAD mRNA and protein expression levels in muscle tissues and sera. NBP directly protects muscle mitochondria and muscle cells from oxidative damage. Notably, NBP reduced muscle cell apoptosis. Thus, it is speculated that, as an antioxidant treatment, NBP may benefit individuals with myopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhododendronsare an important genus of alpine flowering plant used ornamentally worldwide. The purpose of this study is to improve the application of remote-sensing technology for investigating and monitoring mountainrhododendrongermplasm. Research area is the Baili Rhododendron National Forest Park located in the karst region of Guizhou Province, China. Field spectrometry was used to acquire spectral data for 20 samples extracted from eightrhododendronspecies. A deep-learning algorithm from a discriminative restricted Boltzmann machine was used with the original spectral data from the differentrhododendronspecies to obtain the optimal parameters for the model. Simultaneously, the data processing methodology from the discriminative restricted Boltzmann machine was used to recognize the original spectra, the noise smoothed spectra, and the first- and second-order spectral derivatives with accuracies of 88.54%, 88.54%, 93.75%, and 90.62%, respectively. The results show that the discriminative restricted Boltzmann machine is effective in recognizing spectral information for differentrhododendronspecies. Changes in the first-order derivative gave the most accurate classification, but changes in the second-order derivative significantly reduced the sample training time. Changes in both derivatives therefore proved useful in recognizing and extracting particular features of the plant species. This research may therefore further support the use of hyperspectral remote-sensing imagery for investigating and monitoring germplasm, species classification, and physiological parameter inversions forrhododendronsfrom various mountain regions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dispersion hybrid implicit-explicit finite-difference time-domain (HIE-FDTD) method is proposed for simulating the graphene-based absorber at terahertz frequencies. The surface conductivity of the graphene derived from the Kubo formula is incorporated into the conventional HIE-FDTD algorithm by using the auxiliary differential equation technique. The time step size of this method is not related with the fine cells inside the graphene layer. The simulation result of the infinite graphene sheet shows that the dispersion HIE-FDTD method has high computational accuracy and the computational time is greatly reduced compared with the dispersion FDTD method. By using the dispersion HIEFDTD method, it is validated that the graphene sheet can be used as a broadband absorber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh is a widespread mangrove species along the southeast coasts of China. Recently, the outbreak of herbivorous insect, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton, a leaf miner, have impacted on the growth of A. marina. Little is reported about the responses of A. marina to leaf miner infection at the biochemical, physiological and molecular levels. Here, we reported the responses of A. marina to leaf miner infection from the aspects of leaf structure, photosynthesis, and antioxidant system and miner responsive genes expression. A. marina leaves attacked by the leaf miner exhibited significant decreases in chlorophyll, carbon and nitrogen contents, as well as a decreased photosynthetic rate. Scanning and transmission electron microscopic observations revealed that the leaf miner only invaded the upper epidermis and destroyed the epidermal cell, which lead to the exposure of salt glands. In addition, the chloroplasts of mined leaves (ML) were swollen and the thylakoids degraded. The maximal net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance (Gs), carboxylation efficiency (CE), dark respiration (Rd), light respiration (Rp) and quantum yields (AQE) significantly decreased in the ML, whereas the light saturation point (Lsp), light compensation point (Lcp), water loss and CO2 compensation point (Г) increased in the ML. Moreover, chlorophyll fluorescence features also had been changed by leaf miner attacks. Interestingly, higher generation rate of O2-. and lower antioxidant enzyme expression in the mined portion (MP) were found; on the contrary, higher H2O2 level and higher antioxidant enzyme expression in the non-mined portion (NMP) were revealed, implying that the NMP may be able to sense that the leaf miner attacks had happened in the MP of the A. marina leaf via H2O2 signaling. Besides, the protein expression of glutathione S-transferase (GST) and the glutathione (GSH) content were increased in the ML. In addition, insect resistance-related gene expression such as chitinase 3, RAR1, topless and PIF3 had significantly increased in the ML. Taken together, our data suggest that leaf miners could significantly affect leaf structure, photosynthesis, the antioxidant system and miner responsive gene expression in A. marina leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: The integration of multiple profiling data and the construction of a transcriptional regulatory network may provide additional insights into the molecular mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study was conducted to investigate the deregulation of genes and the transcriptional regulatory network in HCC. Methods: An integrated analysis of HCC gene expression datasets was performed in Gene Expression Omnibus. Functional annotation of the differentially expression genes (DEGs) was conducted. Furthermore, transcription factors (TFs) were identified, and a global transcriptional regulatory network was constructed. Results: An integrated analysis of eight eligible gene expression profiles of HCC led to 1,835 DEGs. Consistent with the fact that the cell cycle is closely related to various tumors, the functional annotation revealed that genes involved in the cell cycle were significantly enriched. A transcriptional regulatory network was constructed using the 62 TFs, which consisted of 872 TF-target interactions between 56 TFs and 672 DEGs in the context of HCC. The top 10 TFs covering the most downstream DEGs were ZNF354C, NFATC2, ARID3A, BRCA1, ZNF263, FOXD1, GATA3, FOXO3, FOXL1, and NR4A2. This network will appeal to future investigators focusing on the development of HCC. Conclusions: The transcriptional regulatory network can provide additional information that is valuable in understanding the underlying molecular mechanism in hepatic tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the implementation of the parallel hybrid implicit-explicit finite-difference timedomain (HIE-FDTD) method using the Message Passing Interface (MPI) library. The method proves to be very effective in simulating large-scale three-dimensional electromagnetic problems with fine structures in one direction. For the decomposition of the computational volume in the HIE-FDTD method, an MPI Cartesian 2D topology is implemented, allowing arbitrary division of the volume in two directions. Derived data types provided in the MPI library are employed to optimize inter-process communication. High accuracy and efficiency are subsequently demonstrated through a numerical example of a frequency-selected surface (FSS). It shows that the proposed method is very suitable for parallel computing, and the parallel efficiency maintains above 80% for different numbers of processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infection of plants by multiple viruses is common in nature. Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) belong to different families, but Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana are commonly shared hosts for both viruses. In this study, we found that TCV provides effective resistance to infection by CMV in Arabidopsis plants co-infected by both viruses, and this antagonistic effect is much weaker when the two viruses are inoculated into different leaves of the same plant. However, similar antagonism is not observed in N. benthamiana plants. We further demonstrate that disrupting the RNA silencing-mediated defense of the Arabidopsis host does not affect this antagonism, but capsid protein (CP or p38)-defective mutant TCV loses the ability to repress CMV, suggesting that TCV CP plays an important role in the antagonistic effect of TCV toward CMV in Arabidopsis plants co-infected with both viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new hybrid implicit-explicit difference and pseudospectral (PS) scheme is presented for solving the electromagnetic problems which have fine features and are electrically large. The maximum time-step size in this method is only determined by two spatial discretization which only need two cells per wavelength. The formulation of the method is presented and the time stability condition of the method is demonstrated. This method is more efficient than the finite-difference timedomain (FDTD) method in terms of computer memory and computation time, which is demonstrated through numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although increasing attention has been paid to plant adaptation to soil heavy metal contamination, competition and neighbor effects have been largely overlooked, especially in dioecious plants. In this study, we investigated growth as well as biochemical and ultrastructural responses of Populus cathayana Rehder females and males to cadmium (Cd) stress under different sexual competition patterns. The results showed that competition significantly affects biomass partitioning, photosynthetic capacity, leaf and root ultrastructure, Cd accumulation, the contents of polyphenols, and structural and nonstructural carbohydrates. Compared with single-sex cultivation, plants of opposite sexes exposed to sexual competition accumulated more Cd in tissues and their growth was more strongly inhibited, indicating enhanced Cd toxicity under sexual competition. Under intrasexual competition, females showed greater Cd accumulation, more serious damage at the ultrastructural level and greater reduction in physiological activity than under intersexual competition, while males performed better under intrasexual competition than under intersexual competition. Males improved the female microenvironment by greater Cd uptake and lower resource consumption under intersexual competition. These results demonstrate that the sex of neighbor plants and competition affect sexual differences in growth and in key physiological processes under Cd stress. The asymmetry of sexual competition highlighted here might regulate population structure, and spatial segregation and phytoremediation potential of both sexes in P. cathayana growing in heavy metal-contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]