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The serrated pathway to colorectal cancers (CRCs) is a significant pathway encompassing five distinct types of lesions, namely hyperplastic polyps (HPs), sessile serrated lesions (SSLs), sessile serrated lesions with dysplasia (SSL-Ds), traditional serrated adenomas (TSAs), and serrated adenoma unclassified. In contrast to the conventional adenoma-carcinoma pathway, the serrated pathway primarily involves two mechanisms: BRAF/KRAS mutations and CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP). HPs are the most prevalent non-malignant lesions, while SSLs play a crucial role as precursors to CRCs, On the other hand, traditional serrated adenomas (TSAs) are the least frequently encountered subtype, also serving as precursors to CRCs. It is crucial to differentiate these lesions based on their unique morphological characteristics observed in histology and colonoscopy, as the identification and management of these serrated lesions significantly impact colorectal cancer screening programs. The management of these lesions necessitates the crucial steps of removing premalignant lesions and implementing regular surveillance. This article provides a comprehensive summary of the epidemiology, histologic features, molecular features, and detection methods for various serrated polyps, along with recommendations for their management and surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Choline, a quintessential quaternary ammonium compound, plays a cardinal role in several pivotal biological mechanisms, chiefly in safeguarding cell membrane integrity, orchestrating methylation reactions, and synthesizing vital neurotransmitters. This systematic review meticulously dissects the complex interplay between choline metabolism and its profound implications in oncology. The exposition is stratified into three salient dimensions: Initially, we delve into the intricacies of choline metabolism, accentuating its indispensability in cellular physiology, the enzymatic labyrinth governing its flux, and the pivotal cellular import mechanisms. Subsequently, we elucidate the contemporary comprehension of choline metabolism in the cancer paradigm, traversing its influence from inception to the intricate metamorphosis during oncogenic progression, further compounded by dysregulated enzyme activities and aberrant signaling cascades. Conclusively, we illuminate the burgeoning potential of choline-centric metabolic imaging modalities, notably magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and positron emission tomography (PET), as avant-garde tools for cancer diagnostics and therapeutic trajectory monitoring. Synoptically, the nuanced perturbations in choline metabolism in neoplastic entities unfurl critical insights, potentially heralding paradigm shifts in diagnostic and therapeutic oncological stratagems. A deeper foray into this realm is anticipated to fortify our molecular understanding and refine intervention modalities in cancer theranostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exchangeability of rare earth (RE) in weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores largely depends on its interaction with clay minerals, which may be significantly influenced by various cations. Therefore, the effects of K+, Ca2+ and Al3+ on RE3+ adsorption and desorption in binding sites of montmorillonite (MMT) were investigated. Through the pre-saturation, the interlayer ions of MMT had been replaced by K+, Ca2+ or Al3+. RE3+ can adsorb on the interlayer sites of Ca-MMT and K-MMT, but nearly not Al-MMT. The basal spacing of Ca-MMT is larger than K-MMT, which provides a smaller hinder effect of interlayer collapse for the interlayer diffusion of RE3+. The adsorption capacity followed the order: Ca-MMT>K-MMT>Al-MMT and La3+>Y3+>Eu3+. It can predict that the grade of the exchangeable RE in ores abundant in Ca2+ is the most, followed by the ore rich in K+ and Al3+ the least. Clay minerals tend to adsorb light RE and hard to adsorb middle and heavy RE. The reversibility of RE adsorbed in interlayers, especially in collapsed interlayers, is far worse than that on externals. The desorption rates of RE were in the order of RE-Al-MMT>RE-KMMT> RE-Ca-MMT and Eu3+>Y3+>La3+. For the desorption of interlayer RE3+, NH4+ is better than Mg2+ because the larger change of the basal spacings (Δd) provides more minor activation energy barriers (ΔE) for NH4+ diffusion within interlayers. It can enrich the metallogeny theory of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores and provide a certain theoretical basis for its efficient exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The writings of Wu Mi (吳宓) and other scholars of the Critical Review (Xueheng) group can be considered within the context of both their journal and beyond. In 1922, Wu Mi wrote an essay outside of Critical Review, entitled "A Response to the New Culture Movement." Most people only know of the essay through Lu Xun's 魯迅 criticism of it in "A Doctrine of Inclusiveness." Because Wu Mi's reputation has been overshadowed by Lu Xun's prominence, the essay itself is actually relatively unknown. This article analyzes and discusses the impact of "A Response to the New Culture Movement" beyond Lu Xun's reaction to it. Wu Mi's understanding of the New Culture Movement as exhibited in the article, as well as the untimeliness of its publication, helps us understand Wu Mi and the Critical Review group through a wider lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The close association of abdominal obesity rather than general obesity with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk might be mediated by IR and inflammation, which has never been systematically explored in large-scale prospective studies. Methods: We prospectively examined the mediation effects of the fasting triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and C-reactive protein (CRP) on the associations of obesity (general and abdominal) with CRC risk among 93,659 participants. We used the Cox proportional hazards regression models and subgroup analyses to evaluate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of CRC. The CAUSALMED procedure was used to perform the mediation analyses. Results: During 13.02 years of follow-up, a total of 586 CRC cases were verified. Male participants with general obesity and abdominal obesity had a 1.29-fold and a 1.28-fold increased risk of CRC. However, a significant association was only observed among female individuals with abdominal obesity. Both TyG index and CRP were associated with an elevated risk of CRC, and A significant interaction between the TyG index and CRP was found for the risk of CRC (P for interaction<0.05). CRP and the TyG index significantly mediated the positive association between abdominal obesity and CRC risk. Conclusion: CRP and TyG index increased the risk of CRC independently and synergistically. Mediation effects of CRP and the TyG index were found for the association between abdominal obesity and CRC risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a modified Fourier-Ritz method is used to study free vibration of a rectangular plate with a set of simply supported opposite sides and another set of arbitrary elastic constraints. The influence of different elastic constraint stiffness values on the modal response of the rectangular plate is also analyzed. In order to avoid that the displacement function of the rectangular plate calculated by the traditional method and its derivative may be discontinuous or non-derivable at the boundary, the displacement function is expressed in the form of the sum of standard cosine series and a periodic polynomial function. Compared with the sine series expansion, the convergence of the result is enhanced. Several sets of numerical examples with different boundary conditions are given in the article, the data shows that the results calculated by this method have good accuracy and fast convergence. In addition, this paper also analyzes the boundary conditions and discusses the influence of different spring stiffness values on the setting of boundary conditions. The results can be applied to the setting of general boundary conditions and the study of vibration control of rectangular plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite decades of research on the pathophysiology of myocardial stunning, protein changes and/or phosphorylation status underlying alterations in cardiac function/structure remain inadequately understood. Here, we utilized comprehensive and quantitative proteomic and phosphoproteomic approaches to explore molecular mechanisms of myocardial stunning in swine. The closedchest swine (n 5 pigs) were subjected to a 10-min left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion producing regional myocardial stunning. Tissues from the ischemic LAD region and a remote nonischemic area of the left ventricle were collected 1 h after reperfusion. Ion current-based proteomics (IonStar) and quantitative phosphoproteomics were employed in parallel to identify alterations in protein level and site-specific phosphorylation changes. A novel swine heart protein database exhibiting high accuracy and low redundancy was developed here to facilitate comprehensive study. Further informatic investigations identified potential protein-protein interactions in stunned myocardium. In total, we quantified 2,099 protein groups and 4,699 phosphorylation sites with only 0.4% missing values. Proteomic analyses revealed downregulation of contractile function and extracellular matrix remodeling. Meanwhile, alterations in phosphorylation linked with contractile dysfunction and apoptotic cell death were uncovered. NetworKIN/STRING analysis predicted regulatory kinases responsible for altered phosphosites, such as protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation of cardiac troponin I-S199 and CaMKIImediated phosphorylation of phospholamban-T17. In summary, the ion current-based proteomics and phosphoproteomics reliably identified novel alterations in protein content and phosphorylation contributing to contractile dysfunction, extracellular matrix (ECM) damage, and programmed cell death in stunned myocardium, which corroborate well with our physiological observations. Moreover, this work developed a comprehensive database of the swine heart proteome, a highly valuable resource for future translational research in porcine models with cardiovascular diseases. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We first used ion current-based proteomics and phosphoproteomics to reliably identify novel alterations in protein expression and phosphorylation contributing to contractile dysfunction, extracellular matrix (ECM) damage, and programmed cell death in stunned myocardium and developed a comprehensive swine heart-specific proteome database, which provides a valuable resource for future research in porcine models of cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reactivity and functionality of nanoparticles (NPs) are determined by the material- and size-dependent physicochemical properties at nanoscale. While single-type metallic NPs have been extensively studied for many potential applications, combination of multitype NPs and the interactions among them have received less attention. Here, an interesting synergistic effect between silver and palladium NPs is presented for using them together as lubricant additives. Dodecanethiol-modified Ag and Pd NPs were discovered to interact actively in a solution, changing their sizes, shapes, and electronic structures. A mixture of these two NPs was able to form a stable suspension in a lubricating oil and effectively improve tribological performance in the concentration range of 0.1-1 wt %. The Ag-Pd NP blend further reduced the friction and wear by >30% and >80%, respectively, compared with either NP alone at the same total NP concentration. The NPs and worn surfaces were characterized using a set of comprehensive analytical tools and the superior lubricating behavior was attributed to the formation of two types of protective tribofilms on the contact surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle, the expressions of degree of coherence, ellipticity, and beam wander of multi-Gaussian Schell-model beam through the anisotropic turbulence are derived. Their statistical properties in anisotropic turbulence are illustrated numerically. The results show that the beam width and beam wander of multi-Gaussian Schell-model beam decrease with the increase of the mode order or the decrease of the turbulence structure parameter and initial coherence and that the degree of coherence of multi-Gaussian Schell-model beam decreases with the increase of the turbulence structure parameter or the decrease of the mode order. Furthermore, the beam wander of multi-Gaussian Schell-model beam is smaller than that of Gaussian Schell-model beam under the same conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproducible quantification of large biological cohorts is critical for clinical/pharmaceutical proteomics yet remains challenging because most prevalent methods suffer from drastically declined commonly quantified proteins and substantially deteriorated quantitative quality as cohort size expands. MS2-based dataindependent acquisition approaches represent tremendous advancements in reproducible protein measurement, but often with limited depth. We developed IonStar, an MS1-based quantitative approach enabling in-depth, high-quality quantification of large cohorts by combining efficient/reproducible experimental procedures with unique data-processing components, such as efficient 3D chromatographic alignment, sensitive and selective direct ion current extraction, and stringent postfeature generation quality control. Compared with several popular label-free methods, IonStar exhibited far lower missing data (0.1%), superior quantitative accuracy/ precision [~5% intragroup coefficient of variation (CV)], the widest protein abundance range, and the highest sensitivity/specificity for identifying protein changes (<5% false altered-protein discovery) in a benchmark sample set (n = 20). We demonstrated the usage of IonStar by a large-scale investigation of traumatic injuries and pharmacological treatments in rat brains (n = 100), quantifying >7,000 unique protein groups (>99.8% without missing data across the 100 samples) with a low false discovery rate (FDR), two or more unique peptides per protein, and high quantitative precision. IonStar represents a reliable and robust solution for precise and reproducible protein measurement in large cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRs) have been demonstrated to be important in the establishment and progression of colon cancer. However the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. Polypeptide N‑acetylgalactosaminyltransferase4 (GALNT4) participates in numerous cellular processes, including tumorigenesis. The present study used reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting to investigate the expression levels of miR‑4262 and GALNT4 in tissues and cells. In addition, MTS and colony formation assays, and cell cycle analysis were performed to evaluate the effect of miR‑4262 on cell proliferation and the cell cycle. The findings demonstrated that miR‑4262 was a direct target of GALNT4 mRNA. Overexpression of miR‑4262 was demonstrated to decrease GALNT4 mRNA and protein expression levels, and thereby suppressed cell viability, growth and cell‑cycle progression in SW480 and SW620 colon cancer cells. In addition, knockdown of miR‑4262 significantly increased the cell viability, growth, and cell‑cycle progression of SW480 and SW620 cells. The expression level of miR‑4262 was observed to be downregulated as the expression of GALNT4 was upregulated in colon cancer tissues and cell lines. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that miR‑4262 may be involved in the development of colon cancer via targeting of GALNT4. The miR‑4262/GALNT4 axis may be a novel target for diagnosing and understanding the underlying molecular mechanism of colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an intention-driven semi-autonomous intelligent robotic (ID-SIR) system is designed and developed to assist the severely disabled patients to live independently. The system mainly consists of a non-invasive brain-machine interface (BMI) subsystem, a robot manipulator and a visual detection and localization subsystem. Different from most of the existing systems remotely controlled by joystick, head- or eye tracking, the proposed ID-SIR system directly acquires the intention from users' brain. Compared with the state-of-art system only working for a specific object in a fixed place, the designed ID-SIR system can grasp any desired object in a random place chosen by a user and deliver it to his/her mouth automatically. As one of the main advantages of the ID-SIR system, the patient is only required to send one intention command for one drinking task and the autonomous robot would finish the rest of specific controlling tasks, which greatly eases the burden on patients. Eight healthy subjects attended our experiment, which contained 10 tasks for each subject. In each task, the proposed ID-SIR system delivered the desired beverage container to the mouth of the subject and then put it back to the original position. The mean accuracy of the eight subjects was 97.5%, which demonstrated the effectiveness of the ID-SIR system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The study is to explore the role of tunicamycin-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in human ovarian cancer (OC) SKOV3 cells proliferation, migration and invasion by modulating the activity of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. METHODS: The collected human OC SKOV3 cells were randomly separated into three groups: The control group, the Tun group (treated with tunicamycin to induce ERS) and the CHOP-si group (transfected with CHOP-siRNA before tunicamycin treatment). CCK-8 method was applied for testing cell proliferation, while flow cytometry was conducted to detect cell apoptosis. Scratch test and Transwell test were used to determine the level of cell migration and invasion, respectively. Western blotting was performed to determine the related proteins expressions in ERS and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. RESULTS: The cell survival rate in the Tun group was enhanced than that in the CHOP-si group, both of which were declined with the passage of time. The cell apoptosis rate in the Tun group was increased compared to the CHOP-si group, both of which were significantly elevated. The horizontal migration distance and the number of invasive cells in the Tun and CHOP-si groups were inhibited; however, the horizontal migration distance and the number of invasive cells in the CHOP-si group were enhanced than that in the Tun group. In comparison with the control group, the expressions of CHOP and TRB3 were increased in the Tun group but decreased in the CHOP-si group. The PI3K, p-AKT and p-mTOR expressions were remarkably declined in the Tun group than those in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The study provides strong evidence that tunicamycin-induced ERS induces the apoptosis of human OC SKOV3 cells through inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal protective garment has been deemed as an important shielding against fire hazard and inflammable gas leakage. The coupling model of thermal protective garment, air-gap, and human body has been widely established, but the heat transfer in air-gap was commonly simplified, resulting in inaccurate results. This paper suggests a coupling heat transfer model of the microsystem consisting of thermal protective garment, air-gap, and human body, taking into account the heat transfer of air-gap, and human skin, its numerical solution is obtained by the finite element method. The degree of skin burn could be extracted and determined from the model, and the effect of heat source, fabric thickness, and air-gap thickness on the degree of skin burn are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with adverse health outcomes. We examined genetic and environmental determinants of serum 25(OH)D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 in childhood. Methods: The study sample consisted of 322 healthy Australian children (predominantly Caucasians) who provided a venous blood sample. A parental interview was conducted and skin phototype and anthropometry measures were assessed. Concentrations of 25(OH)D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 were measured by selective solid-phase extraction-capillary liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. These concentrations were deseasonalised where relevant to remove the effect of month of sampling. Results: Deseasonalised log 25(OH)D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 concentrations were only moderately correlated (r=0.42, p < 0.001). The following predicted both 25(OH)D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 : UVR 6 weeks before the interview, natural skin and eye colour, height and vitamin D allelic metabolism score. The following predicted 25(OH)D3 only: lifetime sunburns and vitamin D allelic synthesis score. Overall, 43.5% and 25.6% of variation in 25(OH)D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 could be explained. After accounting for 25(OH)D3 concentrations, higher UVR 6 weeks before the interview and vitamin D allelic metabolism score further predicted 1,25(OH)2D3 concentrations. Conclusions: Environmental factors and genetic factors contributed to both vitamin D metabolite concentrations. The intriguing finding that the higher ambient UVR con- tributed to higher 1,25(OH)2D3 after accounting for 25(OH)D3 concentrations requires further evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a protein expressed primarily in the liver, formerly known to maintain plasma lipid homeostasis by regulating lowdensity lipoprotein receptor levels, and its exact role in the radioresistance of prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear. We aim to investigate the function of PCSK9 in the radioresistance of PCa cells. Methods: PCSK9 small interfering RNA (siRNA) was introduced into the PCa cells by transient transfection. Then, cells were exposed to ionizing radiation (IR) at indicated dose rates. Cell damage was detected using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and Hoechest 33342/propidium iodide (PI) staining. Rhodamine-123 (Rho-123) dye was used to assay mitochondrial membrane potential alteration. Western blot was used to detect the apoptosis-related protein expression. Results: PCSK9 siRNA treatment significantly protected PCa cells from IR-induced cell damage, including enhancing cell viability, reducing apoptosis, and inhibiting MMPs. Moreover, PCSK9 siRNA repressed the increase of cytochrome C (cyto C), caspase-3, and B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X (Bax) expressions induced by IR and promoted Bcl-2 expression, which might partially interpret the radioprotective role of PCSK9 siRNA in PCa cells. Conclusion: PCSK9 might impact on radiosensitivity through mitochondrial pathways and serve as a novel therapeutic target for PCa patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the subway-induced vibrations on two adjacent masonry structures in Shanghai with focus on the vibration level and frequency. The results show that: (1) the vibration levels of the two masonry structures in three directions are all higher during the peak traffic hours than the off-peak hours and are higher in the daytime than at night. In addition, they are higher at the mid-span of the floor than the wall-floor junctions and staircase. (2) The parameters of the numerical model were calibrated by the measured vibration response. The slab properties, room size, and other factors can affect the vibration response distribution. (3) The vertical vibrations in the rooms with precast slab are greater than those with cast- in-situ slab. The vertical vibrations at the ash seam between the precast slabs are amplified. In addition, the room depth has a small effect on the vibration intensity. The relationship between the room depth and the vibration intensity depends on the relative width and depth of the room. (4) The width of the room has a significant effect on the vertical vibration. The floor corner and surrounding wall constraint conditions greatly affect the vibration intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat protective clothing is always being treated as a main personal protective equipment to shield robust flame injection and high temperature, therefore, it is significant and essential to investigate transient heat transfer and heat insulation ability of heat protective clothing. In this paper, a novel co-operative model composed of heat protective clothing, air gap, and test sensor was established under the convection and radiation heat source, and the temperature and heat flux were numerically solved by finite element method. The results showed an acceptable agreement between the experimental data and numerical prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As alternative lubricant anti-wear additives are sought to reduce friction and improve overall fuel economy, it is important that these additives are also compatible with current emissions control catalysts. In the present work, an oil-miscible phosphorous-containing ionic liquid (IL), trihexyltetradecylphosphonium bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate ([P66614][DEHP]), is evaluated for its impact on three-way catalysts (TWC) and benchmarked against the industry standard zinc-dialkyl-dithio-phosphate (ZDDP). The TWCs are aged in different scenarios: neat gasoline (no-additive, or NA), gasoline+ZDDP, and gasoline+IL. The aged samples, along with the as-received TWC, are characterized through various analytical techniques including catalyst reactivity evaluation in a bench-flow reactor. The temperatures of 50% conversion (T50) for the ZDDP-aged TWCs increased by 30, 24, and 25 °C for NO, CO, and C3H6, respectively, compared to the no-additive case. Although the IL-aged TWC also increased in T50 for CO and C3H6, it was notably less than ZDDP, 7 and 9 °C, respectively. Additionally, the IL-aged samples had higher water-gas-shift reactivity and oxygen storage capacity than the ZDDP-aged TWC. Characterization of the aged samples indicated the predominant presence of CePO4 in the ZDDP-aged TWC aged by ZDDP, while its formation was retarded in the case of IL where higher levels of AlPO4 is observed. Thus, results in this work indicate that the phosphonium-phosphate IL potentially has less adverse impact on TWC than ZDDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) removal from municipal wastewater was investigated by sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with different aeration rates. The results indicated that the removal performances of nitrogen and phosphorus both increased first and then decreased with increasing aeration rates, and that the aeration rate should be controlled at 25 L.h-1 (dissolved oxygen = 2.7 mg.L-1) in order to achieve ideal removal efficiencies of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP). Aeration rate had a prominent effect on the occurrence of nitrification and denitrification (SND), and excessive aeration would weaken nitrogen removal during SND process. In contrast, excessive aeration had no effect on the release rate of the anaerobic phosphorus, and the decrease of these polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) could significantly influence phosphorus uptake, which was very essential for controlling the biological phosphate removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme freeze-thaw action occurs on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau due to its unique climate resulting from high elevation and cold temperature. This action causes damage to the surface soil structure, as soil erosion in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is dominated by freeze-thaw erosion. In this research, freezing-thawing process of the soil samples collected from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was carried out by laboratory experiments to determinate the volume variation of soil as well as physical and mechanical properties, such as porosity, granularity and uniaxial compressive strength, after the soil experiences various freeze-thaw cycles. Results show that cohesion and uniaxial compressive strength decreased as the volume and porosity of the soil increased after experiencing various freeze-thaw cycles, especially in the first six freeze-thaw cycles. Consequently, the physical and mechanical properties of the soil were altered. However, granularity and internal friction angle did not vary significantly with an increase in the freeze-thaw cycle. The structural damage among soil particles due to frozen water expansion was the major cause of changes in soil mechanical behavior in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focusing properties of radially polarized hypergeometric Gaussian beam are studied using the Richards-Wolf vectorial diffraction model. Such a polarized beam is decomposed into radial and longitudinal polarization. With a proper combination of the beam order, beam size and imaginary parameter variables, the adjustably confined flat-topped focus and focal hole can be obtained in the focal region. Moreover, we got originality characteristic for the axial intensity distribution of two shaped symmetric light spots. The tight focusing of a hypergeometric Gaussian beam may find applications in data storage, laser drilling, optical trapping, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gravel beds can prevent sand-dust emission and weaken sand-dust flux. We used wind-tunnel experiments and field observations on artificial gravel beds above the Mogao Grottoes to quantify their impact. In the report, we identified a significant correlation between gravel roughness and its ability to trap wind-transported sand. The optimal combinations of gravel diameter and coverage were determined. The greatest roughness is achieved when small gravel coverage is 75%, medium 40% and large 45%. We found that initial wind speed and gravel coverage are the key factors controlling the amount of sand trapped by the gravel beds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gravel beds can prevent sand-dust emission and weaken sand-dust flux. We used wind-tunnel experiments and field observations on artificial gravel beds above the Mogao Grottoes to quantify their impact. In the report, we identified a significant correlation between gravel roughness and its ability to trap wind-transported sand. The optimal combinations of gravel diameter and coverage were determined. The greatest roughness is achieved when small gravel coverage is 75%, medium 40% and large 45%. We found that initial wind speed and gravel coverage are the key factors controlling the amount of sand trapped by the gravel beds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the associations of serum lipid profile with disease progression in high-risk clinically isolated syndromes (CIS) after the first demyelinating event. Methods: High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) were obtained in pretreatment serum from 135 high risk patients with CIS (≥2 brain MRI lesions and ≥2 oligoclonal bands) enrolled in the Observational Study of Early Interferon β-1a Treatment in High Risk Subjects after CIS study (SET study), which prospectively evaluated the effect of intramuscular interferon β-1a treatment following the first demyelinating event. Thyroid stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, active smoking status and body mass index were also obtained. Clinical and MRI assessments were obtained within 4 months of the initial demyelinating event and at 6, 12 and 24 months. Results: The time to first relapse and number of relapses were not associated with any of the lipid profile variables. Higher LDL-C (p=0.006) and TC ( p=0.001) levels were associated with increased cumulative number of new T2 lesions over 2 years. Higher free thyroxine levels were associated with lower cumulative number of contrast-enhancing lesions (p=0.008). Higher TC was associated as a trend with lower baseline whole brain volume (p=0.020). Higher high density lipoprotein was associated with higher deseasonalised 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 (p=0.003) levels and a trend was found for deseasonalised 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 (p=0.014). Conclusions: In early multiple sclerosis, lipid profile variables particularly LDL-C and TC levels are associated with inflammatory MRI activity measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyses on the basis of seismic array records have confirmed that spatially distributed earthquake ground motions are neither fully coherent nor independent, but partially coherent. It has not yet been fully addressed how the partially coherent nature of seismic ground motions affect the seismic response of underground pipelines. In this paper, the impact of auto power spectrum density, pipe cross-sectional radius, and wall thickness, local effect, and coherency effect on pipeline responses are analyzed by calculating the longitudinal and lateral seismic responses of continuous pipelines in a homogeneous medium using a pseudoexcitation algorithm of the random vibration theory. A numerical integration technique is developed by converting infinite integration into a series with limited terms. Sufficient precision is achieved when integration steps are sufficiently small. The method provides a simplified way for practical professionals to analyze response of underground pipelines to earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To assess the relationships of sun exposure history, supplementation and environmental factors to vitamin D levels in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and to evaluate the associations between sun exposure and MRI measures. Methods This study included 264 MS patients (mean age 46.9±10 years, disease duration 14.6±10 years; 67.8% relapsing-remitting, 28% secondary progressive and 4.2% primary progressive MS) and 69 healthy controls. Subjects underwent neurological and 3 T MRI examinations, provided blood samples and answered questions to a structured questionnaire. Information on race, skin and eye colour, supplement use, body mass index (BMI) and sun exposure was obtained by questionnaire. The vitamin D metabolites (25-hydroxy vitamin D3, 1, 25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 and 24, 25- dihydroxy vitamin D3) were measured using mass spectrometry. Results Multivitamin supplementation ( partial correlation rp=0.29, p<0.001), BMI (rp=-0.24, p=0.001), summer sun exposure (rp=0.22, p=0.002) and darker eye colour (rp=-0.18, p=0.015) had the strongest associations with vitamin D metabolite levels in the MS group. Increased summer sun exposure was associated with increased grey matter volume (GMV, rp=0.16, p=0.019) and whole brain volume (WBV, rp=0.20, p=0.004) after correcting for Extended Disability Status Scale in the MS group. Inclusion of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 levels did not substantially affect the positive associations of sun exposure with WBV (rp=0.18, p=0.003) and GMV (rp=0.14, p=0.026) in the MS group. Conclusions Sun exposure may have direct effects on MRI measures of neurodegeneration in MS, independently of vitamin D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the curing behavior and adhesion properties of five kinds of polyurethane (PU) and silane modified polyurethane (SPU) adhesives were studied. Fourier transform infrared spectra showed that the adhesive Sikaflex-555 had an SPU structure and that the other four adhesives were one-component polyurethanes. The experimental results of curing behavior show that the tack-free times and curing rates of these adhesives were significantly affected by the relative humidity and the temperature. The adhesion of the SPU adhesive to glass sheet, zinc galvanized steel sheet and steel sheet was much better than that of PU adhesives. The tack-free times and curing rates of all the adhesives was measured during the 12 months of storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mutation of tumor suppressor gene, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), is the primary molecular event in the development of most intestinal carcinomas. Animal model with APC gene mutation is an effective tool for study of preventive approaches against intestinal carcinomas. We aimed to evaluate the effect of Riccardin D, a macrocyclic bisbibenzyl compound, as a chemopreventive agent against intestinal adenoma formation in APCMin/+ mice. Methods: APCMin/+ mice were given Riccardin D by p.o. gavage for 7 weeks. Mice were sacrificed, and the number, size and histopathology of intestinal polyps were examined under a microscope. We performed immunohistochemical staining, western blotting, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in intestinal polyps to investigate the mechanism of chemopreventive effect of Riccardin D. Results: Riccardin D treatment resulted in a significant inhibition of intestinal adenoma formation, showing a reduction of polyp number by 41.7%, 31.1% and 44.4%, respectively, in proximal, middle and distal portions of small intestine. The activity of Riccardin D against polyp formation was more profound in colon, wherein Riccardin D decreased polyp number by 79.3%. Size distribution analysis revealed a significant reduction in large-size polyps (2-3 mm) by 40.0%, 42.5% and 33.3%, respectively, in proximal, middle and distal portions of small intestine, and 77.8% in colon. Histopathological analysis of the intestinal polyps revealed mostly hyperplastic morphology without obvious dysplasia in Riccardin D-treated mice. Molecular analyses of the polyps suggested that the inhibitory effect of Riccardin D on intestinal adenoma formation was associated with its abilities of reduction in cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis, antiangiogenesis, inhibition of the Wnt signaling pathway and suppression of inflammatory mediators in polyps. Conclusions: Our results suggested that Riccardin D exerts its chemopreventive effect against intestinal adenoma formation through multiple mechanisms including anti-proliferative, apoptotic, anti-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]