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Climate change and physical activity have emerged as focal points of contemporary research. This study adopts a scientometric approach to review 1,268 bibliographic records and 70,522 citation records from the WoS Core Collection database, aiming to outline the research domains of climate change and physical activity through co-authorship, co-citation, and keyword co-occurrence analyses. Our findings highlight that: firstly, the research landscape is predominantly shaped by developed nations in Europe and North America, with the USA, Canada, and England being key contributors; secondly, the top ten authors in this field are spotlighted based on co-citation frequency, burst intensity, and centrality. Additionally, we identified four primary research themes and further unveiled the evolving research hotspots, delineating two promising research trajectories. In conclusion, potential future directions for research in climate change and physical activity are proposed. Furthermore, the study's principal contributions and limitations are elaborated upon, acknowledging the constraints imposed by utilized tools and data sources, and the influence of the researchers' expertise on result interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaves of Emmenopterys henryi Oliv. cultured under 25°C/20°C (CK) and 42◦C/37◦C (heat stress, HS), respectively, were used for physiological and transcriptomic analysis based on RNA-seq technology. Results showed that net photosynthesis rate (PN), ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) activity, chlorophyll and brassinosteroid (BR) content, and leaf angle (LA) decreased significantly while the contents of H2O2, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), abscisic acid (ABA) and anthocyanin, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), guajacol-dependent peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) increased obviously under HS. RNA-seq analysis indicated that 9492 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found, of which 4368 were up-regulated and 5124 were down-regulated. The most enriched KEGG pathways of DEGs were photosynthesis, plant hormone signal transduction, secondary metabolites biosynthesis. HSPs, SOD, CAT, POD, APX were up-regulated whereas genes related to photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) light-harvesting complex and reaction center proteins, cytochrome b6-f complex, plastocyanin, ATP synthase, Rubisco, Rubiscoactivase (RCA), and chlorophyll biosynthesis were down-regulated under heat stress. HS resulted in downregulation of genes related to BR biosynthesis and positive regulation in BR signaling but upregulation of genes related to inactivation of BR. Anthocyanin accumulation in E. henryi under HS might resulted from upregulation of PAL, CHI, DFR whereas downregulation of ANR and LAR. HS led to increase of ABA level but downregulation of genes related to ABA signaling. Transcription factors HSFA, HSFB and HSFC were involved in E. henryi HS response. E. henryi might responds to HS via regulating photosynthesis, antioxidase activity, ABA and BR metabolism and signaling, anthocyanin metabolism and HSPs and HSFs expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the sample size of repeating fast radio bursts (FRBs) has grown, an increasing diversity of phenomenology has emerged. Through long-term multi-epoch studies of repeating FRBs, it is possible to assess which phenomena are common to the population and which are unique to individual sources. We present a multi-epoch monitoring campaign of the repeating FRB source 20180301A using the ultra-wideband low (UWL) receiver observations with Murriyang , the Parkes 64-m radio telescope. The observations covered a wide frequency band spanning approximately 0.7–4 GHz, and yielded the detection of 46 bursts. None of the repeat bursts displayed radio emission in the range of 1.8–4 GHz, while the burst emission peaked at 1.1 GHz. We discover evidence for secular trends in the burst dispersion measure, indicating a decline at a rate of |$-2.7\pm 0.2\, {\rm pc\, cm^{-3}\, yr^{-1}}$|⁠. We also found significant variation in the Faraday rotation measure of the bursts across the follow-up period, including evidence of a sign reversal. While a majority of bursts did not exhibit any polarization, those that did show a decrease in the linear polarization fraction as a function of frequency, consistent with spectral depolarization due to scattering, as observed in other repeating FRB sources. Surprisingly, no significant variation in the polarization position angles was found, which is in contrast with earlier measurements reported for the FRB source. We measure the burst rate and sub-pulse drift rate variation and compare them with the previous results. These novel observations, along with the extreme polarization properties observed in other repeating FRBs, suggest that a sub-sample of FRB progenitors possess highly dynamic magneto-ionic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report five new fast radio bursts (FRBs) discovered from the Galactic Plane Pulsar Snapshot (GPPS) survey by the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST): FRB 20210126, FRB 20210208, FRB 20210705, FRB 20211005, and FRB 20220306. To date, no repeating bursts from these FRB sources have been detected in the follow-up monitoring observations, leading to their classification as potential one-off events. We obtain the basic parameters for these bursts, including position, dispersion measure, pulse width, spectral index, scattering time-scale, etc. The fluences and flux densities are generally lower in comparison to the values observed in one-off bursts discovered by other telescopes. Among the observed bursts, polarization data for four bursts were recorded during observations. Consequently, we obtain polarization profiles and Faraday rotation measures for these bursts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) data, antibiotic resistance escalates more challenges in treatment against communicable diseases worldwide. Henceforth, the use of combinational antimicrobial therapy and metal-conjugated phytoconstituents composites are considered as alternatives. The present study explored the efficacy of mercuric-sulfide-based metallopharmaceutical, Sivanar Amirtham for anti-bacterial, anti-tuberculosis, anti-HIV therapeutics and toxicity profile by haemolytic assay, first of its kind. The anti-bacterial study was performed against both gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA: ATCC 43300), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA14) and Vibrio cholerae (MTCC 3905) by agar well diffusion assay, wherein the highest zone of inhibition was identified for MRSA (20.7 mm) and V. cholerae (34.3 mm) at 25 mg/mL. Furthermore, the anti-tuberculosis activity experimented by microtitre alamar blue assay against M. tuberculosis (ATCC 27294) demonstrated significant activity at the concentration range of 12.5–100 µg/mL. Additionally, the anti-HIV efficacy established by the syncytia inhibition method using C8166 cell lines infected with HIV-1IIIB, showed a significant therapeutic effect. The in-vitro toxicity assay proved Sivanar Amirtham to be non-haemolytic and haemocompatible. The physicochemical characterization studies revealed the nano-sized particles with different functional groups and the distinctive metal–mineral complex could be attributed to the multi-site targeting ability. The rationale evidence and scientific validation for the efficacy of Sivanar Amirtham ensures that it could be proposed as an alternative or adjuvant for both prophylactics and therapeutics to overcome HIV infection and antimicrobial resistance as well as the multi-drug resistance challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. In this study, transcriptomics and metabolomics were used to analyse changes in gene expression and metabolites in the liver of 70-d-old mule ducks after 10 and 20 d of continuous overfeeding. 2. In the free-feeding group, 995 differentially expressed genes and 51 metabolites (VIP >1, P < 0.05) were detected in the early stage, and 3,448 differentially expressed genes and 55 metabolites (VIP >1, P < 0.05) were detected in the later stage. There were 775 differentially expressed genes and 47 metabolites (VIP >1, P < 0.05) detected in the early stage of the overfeeding group, and 6,719 differentially expressed genes and 57 metabolites (VIP >1, P < 0.05) detected in the later stage. 3. There were no significant differences between the early stage in the overfeeding and free-feeding groups at the transcriptional and metabolic levels. Oleic acid and palmitic acid synthesis increased in the early stage of the overfeeding and free-feeding groups, however, these were inhibited in the late stage. Fatty acid oxidation and β-oxidation pathways were inhibited and insulin resistance was enhanced significantly in the late overfeeding stage. 4. In the early stage, the digestion and absorption of fat in the overfeeding and free-feeding groups were enhanced. In the later stage, the ability to store triglyceride in the overfeeding group was greater than in the free-feeding group. 5. The expression of nuclear factor κB (NFκB), a key inflammatory factor, was inhibited in the late stage of overfeeding, while arachidonic acid (AA), a metabolite with anti-inflammatory properties, increased in the late stage of overfeeding to inhibit the inflammatory effects caused by excessive lipid accumulation. These results add to the understanding of the mechanism of production of fatty liver in mule ducks and facilitate the development of treatments for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. This study aimed to study the preventive and therapeutic effects of andrographolide (Andro) during Mycoplasma gallisepticum HS strain (MG) infection in ArborAcres (AA) broilers. 2. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Andro against MG was measured. Broiler body weight, feed efficiency, morbidity, cure rate and mortality were recorded during the experiment. Air sac lesion scores and immune organ index were calculated. Expression of pMGA1.2 in lung tissue and serum biochemical indices were examined. Histopathological examinations of immune organs, liver, trachea and lung tissue were conducted by Haematoxylin and Eosin stain. 3. MIC was 3.75 μg/mL and Andro significantly inhibited the expression of pMGA1.2 (P ≤ 0.05). Compared with control MG-infected group, Andro low-dose and high-dose prevention reduced the morbidity of chronic respiratory disease in 40.00% and 50.00%, respectively. Mortality of C, D and E group was 16.67%, 10.00% and 6.67%, respectively. Cure rate of E, F, G and H group was 92.00%, 92.86%, 93.33% and 100.0%, respectively. Compared with control MG-infected group, Andro treatment significantly increased average weight gain (AWG), relative weight gain rate (RWG) and feed conversion rate (FCR) at 18 to 24 days (P ≤ 0.05). Compared with control group, Andro alone treatment significantly increased AWG in broilers (P ≤ 0.05). 4. Compared with control MG-infected group, Andro significantly attenuated MG-induced air sac lesion, immune organs, liver, trachea and lung damage in broilers. Andro alone treatment did not induce abnormal morphological changes in these organs in healthy broilers. Serum biochemical analysis results showed, comparing with control MG-infected group, Andro significantly decreased the content of total protein, albumin, globulin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, urea, creatinine, uric acid, total cholesterol, and increased the albumin/globulin ratio and content of alkaline phosphatase, apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein A-I in a dose-dependent manner (P ≤ 0.05). 5. Andro could act as a potential agent against MG infection in broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A platform has been developed to study laser-direct-drive energy coupling at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) using a plastic sphere target irradiated in a polar-direct-drive geometry to launch a spherically converging shock wave. To diagnose this system evolution, eight NIF laser beams are directed onto a curved Cu foil to generate Heα line emission at a photon energy of 8.4 keV. These x rays are collected by a 100-ps gated x-ray imager in the opposing port to produce temporally gated radiographs. The platform is capable of acquiring images during and after the laser drive launches the shock wave. A backlighter profile is fit to the radiographs, and the resulting transmission images are Abel inverted to infer radial density profiles of the shock front and to track its temporal evolution. The measurements provide experimental shock trajectories and radial density profiles that are compared to 2D radiation-hydrodynamic simulations using cross-beam energy transfer and nonlocal heat-transport models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In X-ray grating-based phase contrast imaging, information retrieval is necessary for quantitative research, especially for phase tomography. However, numerous and repetitive processes have to be performed for tomographic reconstruction. In this paper, we report a novel information retrieval method, which enables retrieving phase and absorption information by means of a linear combination of two mutually conjugate images. Thanks to the distributive law of the multiplication as well as the commutative law and associative law of the addition, the information retrieval can be performed after tomographic reconstruction, thus simplifying the information retrieval procedure dramatically. The theoretical model of this method is established in both parallel beam geometry for Talbot interferometer and fan beam geometry for Talbot-Lau interferometer. Numerical experiments are also performed to confirm the feasibility and validity of the proposed method. In addition, we discuss its possibility in cone beam geometry and its advantages compared with other methods. Moreover, this method can also be employed in other differential phase contrast imaging methods, such as diffraction enhanced imaging, non-interferometric imaging, and edge illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several researchers have worked on the development of effective criteria for prediction of fatigue failure in rubber. Although many of these criteria have achieved some level of success, they are restrictive in the sense that they apply only to certain loading conditions. Objective: A new criterion was proposed to evaluate damage for antivibration design and applications so that different loading modes would not alter the fatigue prediction. Methods: It is hypothesized that shear deformation causes fatigue damage in rubber. An effective shear strain criterion was developed by combining three principal strain ranges and verified using the published experimental results from 4 loading sets: 14 tension cases; 31 torsion cases 26 combined tension–torsion cases in phase and 19 combined tension–torsion cases out of phase. In addition, the criterion was validated against a failure of an industrial mount. Results: The predicted cracks were located at the maximum values of the criterion, consistent with where the cracks were observed experimentally. The predicted crack orientations correlated with the experimental measurement. The obtained S–N curve covered over 102 to 2.4 × 106 cycles, achieving high accuracy with a scatter-band of 1.9 based on the 90 fatigue cases. Conclusions: This criterion seems effective and could be used at a stage of fatigue design. In addition, it could be combined with the critical plane method: the proposed approach could be used to find hot spots, whilst the critical plane search method could be utilised locally to find the maximum values of the required damage variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivative 1-(3-((6-bromopyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-yl)oxy)phenyl)-3-cyclopentylurea is designed and synthesized. The final structure is characterized by 1H, 13C, and 2D NMR, MS, FTIR. In addition, the crystal structure of the title compound is determined by X-ray diffraction. With the 6-311G(2d,p) basis set, the molecule is further explored using density functional theory (DFT) by the B3LYP method. The final results show that the DFT optimized structure of the title molecule is consistent with the crystal structure determined by X-ray diffraction. The Hirshfeld surface analysis and the 2D fingerprint plot are given to support the quantitative analysis of intermolecular interactions and contacts generated by supramolecular accumulation in crystals. The interactions of the title molecule are analyzed by the natural bond orbital analysis. Finally, the molecular electrostatic potential and frontier molecular orbitals are further investigated using DFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high power diode laser (HPDL) was successfully used as a surface modifying approach on a hot dip process simulator (HDPS) Zn-55Al-3Mg-1.5Si coating. The overlay microstructure was drastically refined owing to the rapid cooling rate of the laser radiation process, in which the size of a-Al dendrite was shrunk to less than 1/10 of the original. The laser also varied the solidifying path and yielded different phases in the interdendritic areas leading to modifications including, rare Si, disappearance of MgZn2 and nucleation of the Q phase. The modified Zn-55Al-3Mg-1.5Si coating induced by HPDL surface treatment is assumed to make a contribution to the improvement of the corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have searched for weak fast radio burst (FRB) events using a data base containing 568 736 756 transient events detected using the Parkes radio telescope between 1997 and 2001. In order to classify these pulses, and to identify likely FRB candidates, we used a machine-learning algorithm based on ResNet. We identified 81 new candidate FRBs and provide details of their positions, event times, and dispersion measures. These events were detected in only one beam of the Parkes multibeam receiver. We used a relatively low S/N cut-off threshold when selecting these bursts and some have dispersion measures only slightly exceeding the expected Galactic contribution. We therefore present these candidate FRBs as a guide for follow-up observations in the search for repeating FRBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Individual identification of horses for pedigree verification and registration is important for the sustainable development of the horse industry. Horse individual identification and parentage tests commonly use the 17 short tandem repeats (STRs) recommended by the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG) and the locus LEX33. While many multiplex STR typing systems have been established for the horse, a sex determining marker is usually absent, and none of them can simultaneously detect all 17 ISAG recommended loci and the locus LEX33. Here, we present a 19‐plex STR typing system that contains the 17 ISAG recommend loci, the locus LEX33 and amelogenin as sex determining loci. The results of our sensitivity, species specificity, stutter analysis and population data analysis, indicate that this system is a specific, sensitive, and robust tool for the identification of individuals, parentage testing and genetic research in the horse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The development and progression of colon cancer are significantly affected by the tumor microenvironment, which has attracted much attention. The goal of our study was primarily to find out all possible tumor microenvironment-related genes in colon cancer. Method: This study quantified the immune and stromal landscape using the ESTIMATION algorithm using the gene expression matrix obtained from the UCSC Xena database. Dysregulated genes were harvested using the limma R package, and relevant pathways and biofunctions were identified using enrichment analysis. A least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to select the pivotal genes from the DEGs. Then, survival analysis was performed to determine the hub genes and a prognostic model was constructed by these hub genes with (or) TNM stage. Besides, associations between hub gene expressions and immune cell infiltration were assessed. Results: A total of 725 DEGs were identified. Most of the results of the enrichment analysis were immune-related items. 13 genes were selected as the hub genes and a moderate-to-strong positive correlation between most hub genes and several immune cells were observed. Besides, the prognostic value of the hub genes were comparable to TNM staging. Conclusions: Our study provides a better understanding of how interactions between the 13 immune-prognostic hub genes and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment affect biological processes in colon cancer. These genes exhibit an equivalent ability to TNM staging in prognosis prediction. They are particularly expected to become novel prognostic biomarkers and targets of immunotherapies for colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Statements of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) concerns the core justification for nominating and inscribing cultural and natural heritage properties on the UNESCO World Heritage List, ever since 2007. Ten criteria are specified and measured independently for the selection process. The 2008 ICOMOS Report "What is OUV" has been a successful example to interpret OUV as an integral concept by inspecting the associations of the selection criteria in all inscribed properties. This paper presents a novel methodology for interpreting OUV using computational techniques of Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, and Graph Visualization. Firstly, frequent phrases appearing in Statements of OUV are used to construct a lexicon for each selection criterion; Secondly, three similarity matrices are constructed as graphs to represent the pair-wise associations of the criteria; Lastly, the lexicon and graphs are visualized in 2D. The study shows that the lexicon derived from computational techniques can capture the essential concepts of OUV, and that the selection criteria are consistently associated with each other in different similarity metrics. This study provides a quantitative and qualitative interpretation of the Statements of OUV and the associations of selection criteria, which can be seen as an elaborated computational extension of the 2008 Report, useful for future inscription and evaluation process of World Heritage nominations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the impact of correlated noise on fast radio burst (FRB) searching. We found that (1) the correlated noise significantly increases the false alarm probability; (2) the signal-to-noise ratios (S/N) of the false positives become higher; (3) the correlated noise also affects the pulse width distribution of false positives, and there will be more false positives with wider pulse width. We use 55-h observation for M82 galaxy carried out at Nanshan 26m radio telescope to demonstrate the application of the correlated noise modelling. The number of candidates and parameter distribution of the false positives can be reproduced with the modelling of correlated noise. We will also discuss a low S/N candidate detected in the observation, for which we demonstrate the method to evaluate the false alarm probability in the presence of correlated noise. Possible origins of the candidate are discussed, where two possible pictures, an M82-harboured giant pulse and a cosmological FRB, are both compatible with the observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration radio transients1,2 of unknown origin. Two possible mechanisms that could generate extremely coherent emission from FRBs invoke neutron star magnetospheres3–5 or relativistic shocks far from the central energy source6–8. Detailed polarization observations may help us to understand the emission mechanism. However, the available FRB polarization data have been perplexing, because they show a host of polarimetric properties, including either a constant polarization angle during each burst for some repeaters9,10 or variable polarization angles in some other apparently one-off events11,12. Here we report observations of 15 bursts from FRB 180301 and find various polarization angle swings in seven of them. The diversity of the polarization angle features of these bursts is consistent with a magnetospheric origin of the radio emission, and disfavours the radiation models invoking relativistic shocks. Polarization observations of the fast radio burst FRB 180301 with the FAST radio telescope show diverse polarization angle swings, consistent with a magnetospheric origin of the emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, the physicochemical properties of soybean-based DAG (SDAG), especially the effects of dry fractionation on crystallisation properties, were investigated. The solid portion (SF) and liquid portion (LF) were obtained by dry fractionation of SDAG. The physicochemical properties of soybean oil, SDAG, LF, and SF were investigated, including the determination of acylglycerol composition, fatty acid (FA) composition, slip melting point (SMP), iodine value (IV), solid fat content (SFC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential calorimetry (DSC). The DAG content of SF (44.79 ± 0.87%) was higher than SDAG (41.94 ± 1.28%) and LF (42.22 ± 0.29%). After fractionation, SF contained higher levels (p < 0.05) of saturated fatty acids (SAFA) and lower levels (p < 0.05) of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) than LF and SDAG, which was in accordance with the differences in IV and SMP. The SFC of SF (0°C, 17.25 ± 0.65%; 20°C, 10.66 ± 0.28%; 40°C, 3.47 ± 0.14%) was significantly higher than those of LF and SDAG (p < 0.05). With respect to the crystal structures, it was demonstrated that SF contained more β' crystals than SDAG and LF and could be better used in shortening. Overall, the present work provides a theoretical basis for the industrial applications of SDAG and its fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Radical gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy has been widely recognized as standard surgical procedure for advanced gastric cancer, while the role of No. 14v lymphadenectomy in distal gastric cancer remains controversial. Methods: Clinicopathological data of 793 distal gastric cancer patients who underwent at least a radical D2 lymphadenectomy with No. 6 nodes metastasis were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Fifty patients received No. 14v lymphadenectomy. Patients with No. 14v nodes metastasis (21/50, 42.0%) had poor prognosis. The No. 14v nodes metastasis was not an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.075). In distal gastric cancer patients with No. 6 nodes metastasis, No. 14v lymphadenectomy deteriorated overall survival, what's more, No. 14v lymphadenectomy was an independent risk prognostic factor (hazard ratio: 1.404; 95% confidence interval 1.043–1.889; P = 0.025). There was no significant difference in overall or locoregional and other types of recurrence rate between the 14vD+ and the 14vD− groups. The proportion of complication rate was greater in 14vD+ group (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Extended D2 gastrectomy including No. 14v lymphadenectomy seems to be associated with poor overall survival and increased complication rate of distal gastric cancer patients with No. 6 nodes metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present our piggyback search for fast radio bursts using the Nanshan 26 m Radio Telescope and the Kunming 40 m Radio Telescope. The observations are performed in the L band from 1380 to 1700 MHz at Nanshan and the S band from 2170 to 2310 MHz at Kunming. We built the roach2 -based FFT spectrometer and developed the real-time transient search software. We introduce a new radio interference mitigation technique named zero-DM matched filter and give the formula of the signal-to-noise ratio loss in the transient search. Though we have no positive detection of bursts in about 1600 and 2400 h data at Nanshan and Kunming, respectively, an intriguing peryton was detected at Nanshan, from which hundreds of bursts were recorded. Perytons are terrestrial radio signals that mimic celestial fast radio bursts. They were first reported at Parkes and identified as microwave oven interferences later. The bursts detected at Nanshan show similar frequency swept emission and have double-peaked profiles. They appeared in different sky regions in about tens of minutes observations and the dispersion measure index is not exactly 2, which indicates the terrestrial origin. The peryton differs drastically from the known perytons detected at Parkes, because it appeared in a precise period of p  = 1.712 87 ± 0.000 04 s. Its origin remains unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whether intraoperative blood loss (IBL) was independently associated with poor prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) patients remains controversial. In the present study, we evaluated the impact of IBL on the disease-free survival (DFS) of GC patients. Methods: A total of 1669 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for GC were reviewed retrospectively. All patients were classified as IBL < 400 mL and IBL ≥ 400 mL group according to the amount of IBL. The prognostic difference between two patient groups was compared and clinicopathologic factors associated with the prognosis of GC patients were analyzed. Results: The 5-year DFS rate of the patients with IBL < 400 mL and those with IBL ≥ 400 mL was 52.1% and 41.5%, respectively (P < 0.001). The 5-year DFS rate of the patients who did and did not receive intraoperative blood transfusion was 36.9% and 53.2%, respectively (P < 0.001). However, the similar survival outcomes were not observed in the subgroup analysis based on the TNM stage. The multivariate analysis indicated that IBL (HR 1.021, 95% CI 0.875–1.191, P > 0.05) and intraoperative blood transfusion (HR 1.111, 95% CI 0.943–1.309, P > 0.05) were not independent prognostic factors for GC patients. In addition, the patients with IBL ≥ 400 mL had a higher risk of postoperative complications than those with IBL < 400 mL, especially for intraabdominal infection and wound infection. The tumor located in upper 1/3 stomach, total gastrectomy, combined organ resection and advanced tumor stage (stage III) were independent risk factors for intraoperative massive hemorrhage. Conclusion: Intraoperative blood loss was significantly associated with tumor-related and surgery-related factors. Intraoperative blood loss itself could not independently affect survival outcome of GC patients after curative gastrectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stable reference gene is a key prerequisite for accurate assessment of gene expression. At present, the real-time reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction has been widely used in the analysis of gene expression in a variety of organisms. Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is a major predator of mites on many important economically crops. Until now, however, there are no reports evaluating the stability of reference genes in this species. In view of this, we used GeNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder software tools to evaluate the expression stability of 11 candidate reference genes in developmental stages and under various abiotic stresses. According to our results, β -ACT and Hsp40 were the top two stable reference genes in developmental stages. The Hsp60 and Hsp90 were the most stable reference genes in various acaricides stress. For alterations in temperature, Hsp40 and α -TUB were the most suitable reference genes. About UV stress, EF1 α and α -TUB were the best choice, and for the different prey stress, β -ACT and α -TUB were best suited. In normal conditions, the β-ACT and α-TUB were the two of the highest stable reference genes to respond to all kinds of stresses. The current study provided a valuable foundation for the further analysis of gene expression in N. barkeri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Negative employment consequences of arthritis are known but not fully understood. Examining transitions in and out of work can provide valuable information. OBJECTIVE: To examine associations of arthritis with employment during the Great Recession and predictors of employment transitions. METHODS: Data were for 3,277 adults ages 30–62 years with and without arthritis from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey followed in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2008-2009. Employment (working vs. not working) was ascertained at baseline and five follow-ups. We estimated Kaplan Meier survival curves with 95% confidence intervals (CI) separately for time to stopping work (working at baseline) and starting work (not working at baseline) using Cox proportional hazards regression models with hazard ratios (HR). RESULTS: Arthritis was significantly associated with greater risk of stopping work (HR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.3–2.2; adjusted HR= 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1–2.0) and significantly associated with 40% lower chance of starting work (HR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.4–0.8), which reversed on adjustment (HR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.0–2.2). Employment predictors were mixed by outcome. CONCLUSIONS: During the Great Recession, adults with arthritis stopped work at higher rates and started work at lower rates than those without arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qidan Dihuang decoction (QDD) is the latest development of Chinese medicine compound and mainly provides renal protection. The study presented was designed to evaluate the renoprotective effects of QDD on streptozotocin-induced diabetes and to explore the possible mechanisms of this action. We established a diabetes rat model. The condition of the rats was observed. The biochemistry indexes for diabetic rats were examined. Renal tissues were stained with HE, PAS, and Masson and we performed immunohistochemical staining for α-SMA and TGF-β. The proteins expressions of α-SMA, TGF-β, renin, and AT1 were detected by western blot. After treatment for 8 weeks, serum creatinine and 24 h proteinuria were significantly reduced in the rats which received losartan and Qidan Dihuang decoction while blood glucose, urine volume, blood urea nitrogen, and KW/BW did not improve. The pathology of renal tissue of rats treated with losartan and Qidan Dihuang decoction was inhibited. In addition, western blot showed that the expression of α-SMA, TGF-β, renin, and AT1 proteins was significantly decreased after receiving Qidan Dihuang decoction and losartan. Taken together, the results indicate that Qidan Dihuang decoction can improve the renal function and inhibit renal fibrosis of DN rat via modulating RAS system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoseiulus barkeri (HUGHES) is the natural enemy of spider mites, whiteflies and thrips. Screening for chemically-resistant predatory mites is a practical way to balance the contradiction between the pesticide using and biological control. In this study, the number of eggs laid by fenpropathrin-susceptible and resistant strains of N. barkeri was compared. Additionally, we cloned three N. barkeri vitellogenin (Vg) genes and used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to quantify Vg expression in susceptible and resistant strains. The total number of eggs significantly increased in the fenpropathrin-resistant strain. The full-length cDNA cloning of three N. barkeri Vg genes (NbVg1, NbVg2 and NbVg3) revealed that the open reading frames of NbVg1, NbVg2 and NbVg3 were 5571, 5532 and 4728 bp, encoding 1856, 1843 and 1575 amino acids, respectively. The three N. barkeri Vg possessed the Vitellogenin-N domain (or lipoprotein N-terminal domain (LPD_N)), von Willebrand factor type D domain (VWD) and the domain with unknown function 1943 (DUF1943). The NbVg1 and NbVg2 expression levels were significantly higher in the resistant strain than in the susceptible strain, while the NbVg3 expression level was lower in the resistant strain. Thus, we speculate that the increased number of eggs laid by the fenpropathrin-resistant strain of N. barkeri may be a consequence of changes in Vg gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast electron transport and spatial energy deposition are investigated in integrated cone-guided Fast Ignition experiments by measuring fast electron induced copper K-shell emission using a copper tracer added to deuterated plastic shells with a geometrically reentrant gold cone. Experiments were carried out at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics on the OMEGA/OMEGA-EP Laser where the plastic shells were imploded using 54 of the 60 OMEGA60 beams (3ω, 20 kJ), while the high intensity OMEGA-EP (BL2) beam (1 ω, 10 ps, 500 J, Ipeak > 1019 W/cm²) was focused onto the inner cone tip. A retrograde analysis using the hybrid-PIC electron transport code, ZUMA, is performed to examine the sensitivity of the copper Kα spatial profile on the laser-produced fast electrons, facilitating the optimization of new target point designs and laser configurations to improve the compressed core areal density by a factor of 4 and the fast electron energy coupling by a factor of 3.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rubber creep, as a time-dependent deformation, is one of the critical factors when considering engineering design and applications for anti-vibration structures. A function based on material damage with a variable T (time elapsed) and an invariant I¯1 is introduced to hyperelastic constitutive models based on strain energy density for polymer creep prediction. The concept is to link rubber creep to its structure change, leading to degradation of the materials over the elapsed time. Hence, hyperelastic models, widely available in industry, can be extended to include the variable time T so that a creep evaluation for rubber structures can be performed at a design stage and in the service. A typical rubber-to-metal bonded component, which is used in industrial applications, is selected to validate the proposed approach. Verification shows that the proposed approach predicts nearly identical experimental results, and the method can be used for engineering design and industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is frequently seen in severely burned patients, however it is not common in those with smallarea burns. We present a case of a 22-year-old man suffering from a hot crush injury to his left hand dorsum covering 1% of his total body surface area. The patient developed severe sepsis and superficial vein thrombosis, probably due to wound infection. Culture of the wound secretion indicated Corynebacterium striatum. Following intensive topical and systemic treatment the severe sepsis was controlled. The local wound was repaired by the abdominal skin pedicle flap which had taken well by day 27 post admission. A topical superficial vein thrombosis, unintentionally found 42 days after admission, was partially excised. This case demonstrates that when treating severe sepsis in patients with small-area burns, the timely recognition and diagnosis along with active systemic support, play a vital role in successful management [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose A large number of traditional Chinese patent medicines ( TCPMs) are widely used to treat migraine in China. However, it is uncertain whether there is robust evidence on the effects of TCPMs for migraine. A meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TCPMs in patients with migraine. Methods Comprehensive searches were conducted on the Medline database, Cochrane Library, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, the Chinese Biomedical Literature database and the Wanfang database up to December 2013. Summary estimates, including 95% confidence intervals ( CIs), were calculated for frequency of migraine attacks, response rate and headache intensity. Results A total of seven trials including 582 participants with migraine met the selection criteria. TCPM was significantly more likely to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks compared with placebo (standardized mean difference −0.54; 95% CI −0.72, −0.36; P < 0.001). TCPM was associated with an improvement of response rate compared with placebo (summary relative risk 4.63, 95% CI 2.74, 7.80, P < 0.001; therapeutic gain 24.1%; number needed to treat 4.1). Headache intensity was attenuated by TCPM compared with placebo (standardized mean difference −1.33; 95% CI −1.79, −0.87; P < 0.001). The adverse events of TCPM were no different from those of placebo. Conclusion TCPMs are effective and well tolerated in the prophylactic treatment of migraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background It has been suggested that the p300 transcriptional coactivator participates in the regulation of a wide range of cell biological processes, and mutations in p300 have been identified in various cancers. Objectives To investigate p300 expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma ( cSCC) tissues and its effect on the outcome of patients with cSCC. Methods Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on a tissue microarray to investigate p300 expression levels in cSCC tissues. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, Kaplan-Meier plots and a Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to analyse the data. Results Based on the ROC curves, we defined the cut-off score for high p300 expression as > 55% of tumour cells positively stained. High expression of p300 was observed in 86 of 165 (52·1%) of the cSCC samples and six of 30 (20%) of the adjacent normal skin tissue samples ( P < 0·001). High expression of p300 was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis ( P = 0·006) and advanced clinical stage ( P < 0·001). In univariate survival analysis, high expression of p300 was correlated with poor patient outcomes in terms of recurrence-free survival ( P = 0·006) and overall survival ( P < 0·001). Moreover, p300 expression was evaluated as an independent prognostic factor in a multivariate analysis ( P = 0·004). Conclusions Our results indicate that high p300 expression is associated with aggressive features of cSCC and suggest that p300 expression, as examined by IHC, will be a promising biomarker for predicting clinical outcomes in patients with cSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kelvin-Voigt and Zener viscoelasticity models have been studied using a stressed uniform bar. The presented results show that since a classic single element model and a real structure are governed by a first-order ordinary differential equation and a second/third-order partial differential equation, respectively, an ideal single element model will behave differently from a structure when acceleration has to be taken into account. When for a Zener viscoelasticity holds $${\tau_{\varepsilon} < \tau_{\sigma}}$$ , then it may cause no a creep relaxation due to a positive real part of an eigenvalue in vibration that may become unstable. This suggests that the Zener model is valid for a real material when, and only when, $${\tau_{\varepsilon} \geq \tau_{\sigma}}$$ . It has been found that the formulations of calculating Q parameters developed in literature from a single element model may need to be improved and that the initial response obtained from a classic single element model relaxes far more quickly than that of a stressed bar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background More than half of patients undergoing emergency general surgery are older than 651. The Emergency Laparotomy and Frailty (ELF) study identified that frail patients (CFS ≥5) were vulnerable to adverse outcomes and longer hospital stays and should be reviewed by a geriatrician2. The 2021 National Emergency Laparotomy Audit (NELA) found that only 27% were reviewed by a geriatrician1. Local problem A local hospital had no routine geriatrician input to perioperative care of older people admitted under the care of general surgeons. Method/Intervention In one month prior to intervention, we noted CFS recorded once and a geriatrician involved in only 3 patients over the age of 65 (n = 35). We introduced a service comprising twice-weekly geriatrician-led multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings of all-age patients followed by selected patient ward rounds. This equated to 2.5 Programmed Activity's (PA) per week. After another month we measured the number of patients having CFS recorded, those who had geriatrician involvement and length of stay. We also surveyed members of the MDT. Results All 31 patients aged over 65 received geriatrician input with 93.5% having a CFS recorded. Length of stay of all-age patients (n = 75) was reduced from 12.8 to 8.8 days, with the most significant reduction of 6.5 days in over 65's (16.7 to 10.2); >200 bed days saved for older people. The MDT comments included: 'improved MDT communication', 'early identification of discharge barriers' and 'pro-active approach'. Conclusion NELA highlights that consistent geriatrician input remains generally poor. Even a limited geriatrician-led service can be highly effective at guaranteeing review of appropriate patients in line with recommendations from NELA. Alongside targeted patient review geriatricians can support and lead decision making of all-age patients. This cost-effective strategy can reduce length of stay for young and old alike and gained excellent feedback from the MDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]