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Background: A stent with characteristics of a hybrid design may have advantages in improving the patency of symptomatic iliofemoral vein obstruction. This study assessed the safety and effectiveness of the V-Mixtent Venous Stent in treating symptomatic iliofemoral outflow obstruction. Methods: Eligible patients had a Clinical-Etiologic-Anatomic-Physiologic (CEAP) C classification of ≥ 3 or a Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) pain score of ≥ 2. The primary safety endpoint was the rate of major adverse events within 30 days. The primary effectiveness endpoint was the 12-month primary patency rate. Secondary endpoints included changes in VCSS from baseline to 6 and 12 months, alterations in CEAP C classification, Chronic Venous Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (CIVIQ-14) scores at 12 months, and stent durability measures. Results: Between December 2020 and November 2021, 171 patients were enrolled across 15 institutions. A total of 185 endovenous stents were placed, with 91.81% of subjects receiving one stent and 8.19% receiving 2 stents. Within 30 days, only two major adverse events occurred (1.17%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.14–4.16%), below the literature-defined performance goal of 11% (P <.001). The 12-month primary patency rate (91.36%; 95% CI, 85.93–95.19%; P <.001) exceeded the literature-defined performance goal. VCSS changes from baseline demonstrated clinical improvement at 6 months (− 4.30 ± 3.66) and 12 months (− 4.98 ± 3.67) (P <.001). Significant reduction in symptoms, as measured by CEAP C classification and CIVIQ-14, was observed from pre-procedure to 12 months (P <.001). Conclusions: The 12-month outcomes confirm the safety and effectiveness of the V-Mixtent Venous Stent in managing symptomatic iliofemoral venous outflow obstruction, including clinical symptom improvement compared to before treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing novel filler sands has garnered significant interest in improving the ladle's free‐opening rate and enhancing the cleanliness of high‐Mn and high‐Al steel. Laboratory studies explore the effect of adding Cr2O3 powder on the sintering behavior of chromite‐based filler sands. Furthermore, interfacial phenomena are examined between the sands and the steel grades, varying in Mn contents. The results demonstrate that adding Cr2O3 power plays a role in inhibiting the liquid phase formation in the sand. With a 16% addition, the steel (Mn mass% = 30) reacts with the sand, leading to the shape of a spinel phase, specifically (Mn, Fe, Mg)O·(Al, Cr)2O3, which facilitates the separation of the liquid phase. The reduction of FeO to Fe by Mn, Al, and C in steel, especially Al, is hindered by adding Cr2O3, resulting in a suitable sintering degree that ultimately benefits ladle free‐opening. SiO2 is crucial for forming the liquid phase during the sintering process. The SiO2 content of the sand should be about 20% to achieve optimal sintering effects. Chromite sand for casting is not suitable for the steels. The mixed sand presented in the current study demonstrates potential as a suitable filler sand for the steel (20 ≤ Mn mass% ≤ 30). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, COVID-19 has led to a blossoming of online counseling (OC) as an important and alternative way to help people in need. In this regard, the present study aims to explore and clarify therapists' practical implementation and preparation of OC in the post-pandemic era by developing scales. In total, 306 Taiwanese licensed therapists participated in this study and filled out the developed scales (75 males and 231 females, 246 of whom have provided OC to clients). The psychometric analysis revealed that the two scales developed in this study, the implementation of OC scale and the preparation of OC scale, have positive reliability and validity. The former consists of three factors: standardized process, presence of infrastructure, and similarity in practice, and the latter comprises two factors: intent to conduct OC and perceived benefits for clients. In addition, the results indicated that therapists who are elder, more experienced, or working in community mental health facilities showed better practical implementation and preparation of OC. Findings from this study carry useful reference for strengthening therapists' preparation for and the effectiveness of OC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The prevalence of certain cancers is high in the diabetic population. Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4, a therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes mellitus, is also involved in autophagic flux and cancer biology. In this paper, we reported that DPP-4 inhibition promotes breast cancer cell survival via induction of autophagy by the C-X-C motif chemokine 12/C-X-C receptor 4/mammalian target of rapamycin/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α axis. Metformin counteracts such an undesirable influence of DPP-4 inhibition on cancer biology. Our findings suggest that DPP-4 inhibitor, one of the most prescribed anti-diabetic drugs, could harm patients with certain cancers. The combination with metformin use could provide some clues to the use of DPP-4 inhibitors via the modulation of cancer autophagy-dependent survival signaling. Autophagy plays a complex role in breast cancer cell survival, metastasis, and chemotherapeutic resistance. Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4, a therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes mellitus, is also involved in autophagic flux. The potential influence of DPP-4 suppression on cancer biology remains unknown. Here, we report that DPP-4 deficiency promotes breast cancer cell survival via the induction of autophagy by the C-X-C motif chemokine 12 (CXCL12)/C-X-C receptor 4 (CXCR4)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α axis. DPP-4 knockdown and DPP-4 inhibitor KR62436 (KR) treatment both increased the levels of LC3II and HIF-1α in cultured human breast and mouse mammary cancer cells. The KR-induced autophagic phenotype in cancer cells was inhibited by treatment with the CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100 and rapamycin. HIF-1α knockdown also suppressed breast cancer autophagy induced by KR. The autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine significantly blocked the KR-mediated suppression of cleaved caspase-3 levels and apoptosis in breast cancer cell lines. Finally, we found that the metformin-induced apoptosis of DPP-4-deficient 4T1 mammary cancer cells was associated with the suppression of autophagy. Our findings identify a novel role for DPP-4 inhibition in the promotion of breast cancer survival by inducing CXCL12/CXCR4/mTOR/HIF-1α axis-dependent autophagy. Metformin is a potential drug that counteracts the breast cancer cell survival system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medik.), primarily a cropland weed, exerts adverse impacts on the productivity of various crops, including soybean (Glycine max L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and maize (Zea mays L.), by hindering their vegetative growth. However, the interference mechanism of velvetleaf on the three crops remains unclear. RESULTS: The inhibitory effect of velvetleaf water extract on the germination and growth of soybean, wheat, and maize was determined in pot experiments and field trials. Four phenolic acids were identified as allelochemicals: protocatechuic acid (PA), gallic acid (GA), chlorogenic acid (CHA), and vanillic acid (VA). These allelochemicals were detected in different parts (leaves, roots, and stems) of velvetleaf, and in the rhizosphere soil of tested crops over the range of 1.19–556.23 μm kg−1. These allelochemicals were administered in approximate concentrations as in velvetleaf roots and rhizosphere soil, and their effects varied with crop species and velvetleaf parts. The allelochemicals generally had low‐dose stimulation and high‐dose inhibition effects on the growth of soybean, wheat, and maize. Furthermore, the biomass distribution of these crops was affected by allelochemicals in the soil. In field trials, the allelochemicals significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited the growth of all tested crops over the whole growth period, and PA showed a significant (P < 0.05) inhibitory effect on the yield of soybean, wheat, and maize. CONCLUSION: GA, PA, CHA, and VA in velvetleaf aqueous extracts were identified as allelochemicals that play an inhibitory role on three crops. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The root extracts and root exudates from the Taxus chinensis var. mairei had significant promote effects on growth of Camptoteca acuminata seedlings. Four taxane chemicals, cephalomannine, 10-deacetylbacatin III, paclitaxel and 7-Epi-10-deacetyl-paclitaxel, were isolated from T. chinensis var. mairei root extracts and their structures were identified by spectroscopic analysis. The chemicals were detected in T. chinensis var. mairei root exudates, rhizosphere soils, and their concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 5.90 μg/g. At an approximate concentration determined in T. chinensis var. mairei root exudates, all four chemicals significantly promoted the growth of C. acuminata seedlings. Therefore, four chemicals from T. chinensis var. mairei root exudates may act as allelochemicals accelerating growth of C. acuminata seedling. There were significant relationships between growth of C. acuminata seedlings, soil properties, enzyme activities and microbial community under allelochemicals' application. The results provide a reference for in-depth understanding of C. acuminata and T. chinensis var. mairei interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild Camptotheca acuminata Decne (C. acuminata) resources are becoming endangered and face poor growth. Preliminary investigation results found that the growth of C. acuminata in an artificial mixed forest of Taxus chinensis var. mairei (Lemee et Levl.), Cheng et L. K. Fu (T. chinensis var. mairei) and C. acuminata was significantly higher than that in pure forests. Understanding the reasons for the above differences can help create a mixed forest of T. chinensis var. mairei and C. acuminata to solve the problem of depleting C. acuminata resources. In this study, the growth and soil indexes under two different modes (C. acuminata/T. chinensis var. mairei interplanted and monocultured C. acuminata seedlings) were compared. The results showed that plant height, basal diameter, photosynthesis rate and chlorophyll content of C. acuminata under the interplanting mode were higher than those under monoculture. The growth rates of plant height and basal diameter that were calculated from interplanted specimens increased by 25% and 40%, respectively, compared with those from specimens that were monocultured. Photosynthetic rates from different light intensities under interplanting were higher than those in seedlings under monoculture. The contents of chlorophylls a and b and total chlorophyll under interplanting were 1.50, 1.59, and 1.47 times higher than those under monoculture, respectively. The numbers of bacteria and fungi in the interplanted culture were higher than those in the monoculture. Furthermore, the differences in microbial diversity under different planting modes were analyzed via the amplicon sequencing method. Soil enzyme activities increased under interplanting compared with that in the monoculture. Taxane allelochemicals were detected in the range of 0.01–0.67 μg/g in the interplanting mode from April to September. T. chinensis var. mairei may increase the establishment and productivity of C. acuminata seedlings under interplanting mode through improvements in enzyme activity, changes in microorganism population structure, and release of allelochemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medik.) is a strong and competitive weed in fields that inhibits the growth of crops. Reports have suggested that allelopathy is one of the reasons for this inhibition; however, the mechanism of this allelopathy remains unclear. In this study, velvetleaf powder/extracts were shown to inhibit seed germination, growth and yield in maize, wheat and soybean through petri dish, pot and field control experiments. We observed a concentration-dependent inhibition of the seed germination rate for all three crops. The root tip structure changed significantly and the embryo even died when irrigated with a high concentration of the extract (10 mg·mL−1). After adding velvetleaf powder, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in crop seedlings was dose-dependent, and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of maize, wheat and soybean showed the maximum values under treatment with 1.25, 5 and 5 mg·cm−3, respectively. The activity of peroxidase (POD) showed the highest value under the 5 mg·cm−3 treatment in maize and wheat seedlings and under 10 mg·cm−3 treatment in soybean seedlings. However, sugar, protein content and root activity in all three crops was the lowest under the 10 mg·cm−3 treatment. Therefore, velvetleaf may decrease the productivity of three crops by changing the antioxidant enzyme activities, root system activities and root tip structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple Pd/Cu-catalyzed borylation of allenylic carbonates with B2Pin2 was developed using a cheap P(OEt)3 ligand. Under mild neutral conditions, 2-boryl 1,3-butadienes were obtained selectively in moderate to high yields. Furthermore, the use of different diboron reagents was also feasible in the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter a W-band small-size low sidelobe level (SLL) 6 × 16 microwaveguide slot array antenna is proposed based on the silicon micromachining technology. The feeding network within the limited available area consists of several stages of equal T-junctions and TE120-mode-cavity dual-layer power dividers able to build the desired tapering power distribution over a relatively wide bandwidth. The TE120-mode-cavity dual-layer power divider is at the end of the feeding network, which can implement the layer-to-layer transition and the power division simultaneously. Thus, the whole size of the array antenna can be reduced by about 25% compared with the conventional five-stage tree-like feeding network. The overall antenna size is 60 mm × 20 mm × 1.85 mm. The measured maximum gain is 26.1 dBi at 94 GHz, and the corresponding radiation efficiency is 69.2%. The measured SLL in E-plane is below than −18.5 dB within the frequency band from 92 to 96 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) concurrent with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) was associated with a better clinical prognosis. This study aimed to investigate a potential mRNA gene that affects the development of PTC, which helps PTC concurrent with HT patients have a better prognosis. Material/Methods: PTC data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. And the validation data of tissue specimens were collected from Guangzhou First People's Hospital. The thyroid tissue sections were hybridized with deleted in malignant brain tumor 1 (DMBT1) probes by situ hybridization. Survival rates were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves, and the log-rank test was used to compare group survival rates. Prognosis clinicopathological factors were analyzed by Cox regression. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Gene and Genomic Encyclopedia (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Finally, the correlation of deletion in DMBT1 expression with overall immune status, tumor purity, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene expression profile was analyzed. Results: HT was significantly associated with sex, tumor foci, extrathyroidal extension (ETE), residual tumor, and tumor stage (T stage). Moreover, PTC concurrent with HT had a lower risk of recurrence versus non-HT groups. A total of 136 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEMs) were identified between HT and non-HT groups. Among them, the expression level of DMBT1 in HT groups was statistically higher than that in non-HT groups. A significant association with ETE and recurrence was revealed in the high expression and the low expression of DMBT1. Furthermore, DMBT1 was an independent predictor of survival. The overall immune activity of high expression of DMBT1 was higher than that of the low-expression group. Conclusions: The PTC patients with HT had better behavior features and prognosis than those with simple PTC. DMBT1 in PTC-HT patients was a potential possible factor that inhibits tumors. High expression of DMBT1 may improve PTC prognosis by immune-related pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accumulating studies have been made to understand the association between CXC chemokine ligand-12 (CXCL12)/CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, large-scale data analysis of potential relationship between CXCL12 and AML remains insufficient. Methods: We collected abundant CXCL12 expression data and AML samples from several publicly available datasets. The CIBERSORT algorithm was used to quantify immune cell fractions and the online website of STRING was utilized for gene ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. The statistical analysis and graphical work were mainly performed via the R software. Results: CXCL12 expression was extremely down-regulated in AML. Clinically, low CXCL12 expression was correlated with higher white blood cells (WBCs) (P < 0.0001), more blasts in bone marrow (BM) (P < 0.001) and peripheral blood (PB) (P < 0.0001), FLT3-internal tandem duplications (FLT3-ITD) (P = 0.010) and NPM1 mutations (P = 0.015). More importantly, reduced CXCL12 expression predicted worse overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) in all AML, nonM3-AML, and cytogenetically normal (CN)-AML patients in three independent cohorts. As for immune cell infiltration, high CXCL12 expressed groups tended to harbor more memory B cells and plasma cells infiltration while low CXCL12 expressed groups exhibited more eosinophils infiltration. GO enrichment and KEGG pathways analysis revealed the potential biological progress the gene participating in. Conclusions: CXCL12 is significantly down-regulated in AML and low CXCL12 expression is an independent and poor predictor of AML prognosis. CXCL12 expression level correlates with clinical and immune characteristics of AML, which could provide potential assistance for treatment. Prospective studies are needed to further validate the impact of CXCL12 expression before routine clinical application in AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A millimeter-wave near-field-focused (NFF) full 2-D frequency-scanning antenna array is presented in this article. The proposed antenna is achieved by combining an NFF ridged-waveguide slot array with a double-layer folded focused progressive feeding network. The linear ridged-waveguide slot array antenna is designed with a height-modulated ridge to focus on the power in one direction. The folded feeding line with different length is used to generate the desired focused phase and frequency-dependent progressive phase shift in the other direction. In this case, as the working frequency is swept in the considered range, the inherent frequency-dependent behavior of the linear NFF leaky-wave antenna (LWA) allows a single-scanning sweep in one direction, whereas the focused progressive feeding network ensures multiple-scanning sweeps in the other direction. A full 2-D electronic scanning with no coverage blindness in the scanning area is achieved. To the best of our knowledge, the proposed NFF antenna array is the first design to achieve the full 2-D scanning focus in the near-field (NF) region only by sweeping the frequency, which means that the testing information in the NF region can be directly obtained with a certain band of frequency. This type of antenna is a good candidate in NF fast-scanning applications, e.g., electromagnetic imaging/detecting systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A W-band decoupling structure sandwiched between a pair of high-gain step-profiled horn array antennas using the silicon micromachining technology is proposed. To suppress the surface wave, 18 choke slots with a depth of one quarter wavelength at 94 GHz are arranged in a triangular-grid array and the isolation can be averagely improved by about 7 dB with a range of 2–20 dB. This decoupling structure and two W-band coplanar array antennas are fashioned and fully integrated together by the silicon micromachining technique. Five 400 μm thick and one 650 μm thick silicon wafers are utilized and the total thickness of the antennas is 2.65 mm. Thanks to this technology, light weight, compact size, and high integration of the decoupling structure and array antennas can also be achieved. Additionally, the two array antennas share a common ground plane within a small edge-to-edge spacing of 6.05 mm where TM surface waves exist. Experimental studies validate the performance of the proposed triangular-grid choke slot array. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wideband air-filled plate array antenna with multistage impedance matching operated in $D$ -band is proposed in this article. To achieve the wide bandwidth, three stages of impedance matching are introduced in the $2\times 2$ subarray, including the step-profiled horn element, the step-profiled power divider cavity with two resonant points, and a modified E-plane bend transition. The integrated step-profiled horn with simple configuration can realize broadband matching. Wideband T-junctions are combined together to form a corporate feeding network. Essential matching pins are introduced to break through the upper bandwidth restriction of the feeding network. In addition, the square aperture shape of the horn element and the air-filled feeding structure contribute to the high radiation efficiency of the proposed array. To satisfy the fabrication tolerance, the MEMS micromachining technology with a high etching precision is utilized. The experimental results show a wide 1 dB down gain bandwidth of 23.54%. The maximum gain is 33.24 dBi and the peak efficiency is 70.91%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision forging is a choice for compressor blade fabrication. Pressure and suction surfaces could be forged to yield design requirements but the blade edge could not. A localization for machining blade edge, considering forging deformation and surface continuity, is discussed in this paper. Different from making machining allowance more balance in past researches, minimizing the difference between machined surface and design surface is adopted. Except machining allowance constraint, new constraints about form tolerance and geometry continuity are built up for localization. As a model for generating tool path, the machining surface of the blade edge is determined by adjusting a group of section curves under proposed constraints. At last, a precision forging blade is applied to verify the proposed localization method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The online version of the original article can be found at https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04614-0.Correction to: Current Psychology (2023)https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04614-0In the original version of this article, the given and family names of the authors were incorrectly structured.The original article has been corrected.Publisher's NoteSpringer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.By Wan‑Chen Chen; Hsun‑Yu Chan; Yu‑Hsien Sung; Po‑Lin Chen; Ya‑Feng Hung; Kuo‑Chang Huang and Shi‑Sen HsuReported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author [Extracted from the article]

A wideband low-profile monopulse feeder at the W-band based on the silicon micromachining technology is investigated in this letter. The proposed monopulse feeder consists of four stepped horn elements as the radiating antenna array and four Magic-Tees as the comparator network for generating SUM and DIFF beams. In order to achieve the features of wide working bandwidth and low profile, a series of special structures are employed, such as a ridged structure and a metallic reduced-height waveguide, in Magic-Tees. The total thickness of this feeder is 2.65 mm (0.80λ), which includes six metallic layers. Then, the feeder is fabricated and experimented. This feeder has a working bandwidth of 21.7% (from 80.4 to 100 GHz) for ports 1 and 2, while a working bandwidth of 15% for port 3. More than 13.5 dBi is maintained for the gain of SUM patterns, and all gain ratios of SUM and DIFF beams are within 3.2 dB in the working bandwidth. The result indicates that this kind of feeder can be an excellent candidate for the W-band high-resolution system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies reported that miR-146a was involved in small intestine ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, but the mechanism is largely vague. Here, we aimed to identify the change of miR-146a in patients with mesenteric ischemia and explore the potential regulatory mechanism of miR-146a in intestine epithelial cells survival under ischemia and I/R injury. The plasma of 20 patients with mesenteric ischemia and 25 controls was collected to examine the miR-146a expression by qPCR. Rat intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-6) and 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats were included to build ischemia and I/R model in vitro and in vivo. The qPCR results showed that miR-146a decreased both in the plasma of patients with mesenteric ischemia and in IEC-6 cells and rat small intestine tissues in ischemia and I/R model compared to controls. Both the in vitro and in vivo results showed that I/R resulted in more severe apoptotic injury than ischemia. Cleaved-caspase 3, TLR4, TRAF6, and nuclear NF-κB p65 were up-regulated accompanying reduced XIAP and SOCS3 expression in intestinal ischemia and I/R injury. After up-regulation of miR-146a in IEC-6 cells, increased cell survival and decreased cell apoptosis were observed, concomitant with decreased cleaved-caspase 3 and down-regulated TLR4/TRAF6/NF-κB pathway. What is more, this protective effect was blocked by TRAF6 overexpression and increased nuclear NF-κB p65 nuclear. Taken together, this study revealed that miR-146a expression was decreased in small intestine ischemia and I/R injury. And miR-146a improves intestine epithelial cells survival under ischemia and I/R injury through inhibition TLR4, TRAF6, and p-IκBα, subsequently leading to decreased NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims Human mutL homologl ( MLH1) works coordinately in sequential steps to initiate repair of DNA mismatches, and aberrant MLH1 expression is related to spermatogenetic malfunction. In the present study, MLH1 expression in patients with azoospermia was investigated, and moderating effects of miR-188-3p on MLH1 expression and spermatogenesis were identified. Methods Testicular tissues from 16 patients with obstructive azoospermia ( OA) and non-obstructive azoospermia ( NOA), and tissues of eight healthy patients were collected. Real-time PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining were used to detect MLH1 expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and luciferase reporter assay were performed to evaluate histone acetylation level of miR-188-3p and relationships between miR-188-3p and MLH1. Results Testicular MLH1 expression at mRNA and protein levels was significantly increased, while miR-188-3p expression was lower in patients with OA and NOA than that in controls. Reduced histone acetylation level of miR-188-3p promoter was observed in patients with azoospermia. Overexpression/inhibition of HDAC1, but not HDAC2, contributed to the significant reduction/increase of miR-188-3p expression. miR-188-3p targeted 3′ UTR of MLH1 and regulated MLH1 expression. miR-188-3p inhibitor led to elevation of apoptotic level of spermatogenic cells in mice, while this effect was reversed by si- MLH1. Conclusion Down-regulation of miR-188-3p by reducing histone acetylation up-regulated MLH1 expression and contributed to promotion of apoptosis in spermatogenic cells, in patients with azoospermia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared the vitrified outcomes between early and expanded blastocysts with or without laser drilling. The grade III embryos from the patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in our reproductive center from September 2009 to February 2015 were incubated into early blastocysts and expanded blastocysts. The early blastocysts and expanded blastocysts were, respectively, divided into laser group (vitrification after laser drilling), non-laser group (direct vitrification), and control group (fresh non-vitrified blastocysts). After thawing, the blastular anabiosis rate, expansion rate, hatching rate, and apoptosis were observed in each group and then were compared amongst groups. This study indicated that the blastular expansion rate (all P < 0.01) and hatching rate (all P < 0.01) were significantly lower, but the blastular apoptosis (all P < 0.05) was significantly higher in both laser and non-laser groups than in the control group in the early blastocysts. In the expanded blastocysts, the blastular anabiosis rate was significantly higher in the laser group than in the non-laser group ( P < 0.01), and the blastular expansion rate was significantly higher, but the blastular apoptosis was significantly lower in both laser group and control group than in the non-laser group (all P < 0.05). The blastular expansion rate (all P < 0.01) and hatching rate (all P < 0.01) were significantly higher, but the blastular apoptosis (all P < 0.05) was significantly lower in the expanded laser group than in both early laser and early non-laser groups. We conclude that vitrification for laser-drilling expanded blastocysts can achieve the best outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kidney fibrosis is the final common pathway of progressive kidney diseases including diabetic nephropathy. Here, we report that the endogenous antifibrotic peptide N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (AcSDKP), the substrate of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), is an orally available peptide drug used to cure kidney fibrosis in diabetic mice. We utilized two mouse models of diabetic nephropathy, streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced type 1 diabetic CD-1 mice and type 2 diabetic nephropathy model db/db mice. Intervention with the ACE inhibitor imidapril, oral AcSDKP, or imidapril + oral AcSDKP combination therapy increased urine AcSDKP levels. AcSDKP levels were significantly higher in the combination group compared to those of the other groups. AcSDKP oral administration, either AcSDKP alone or in addition to imidapril, ameliorated glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Plasma cystatin C levels were higher in both models, at euthanasia, and were restored by all the treatment groups. The levels of antifibrotic miRs, such as miR-29 or let-7, were suppressed in the kidneys of both models; all treatments, especially the combination of imidapril + oral AcSDKP, restored the antifibrotic miR levels to a normal value or even higher. AcSDKP may be an oral antifibrotic peptide drug that would be relevant to combating fibroproliferative kidney diseases such as diabetic nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the capacity of a tissue-engineered complex of human osteoprotegerin (hOPG)-transfected periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) seeding on beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) to regenerate alveolar bone defects in New Zealand rabbits. Methods: PDLSCs were isolated from rabbit periodontal ligament tissues and expanded in vitro to enrich PDLSC numbers, and their proliferative activities and differentiation capability were evaluated under specific induction conditions. Lentiviral vector containing hOPG and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was constructed by using Gateway technology and transfected into rabbit PDLSCs. The expression of hOPG was determined with quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. The PDLSCs with or without engineered hOPG were seeded on β-TCP scaffolds prior to transplantation. Morphological characterization of cells and materials was done by scanning electron microscope. Twenty rabbits with alveolar bone defects were randomly allocated into four groups and transplanted with β-TCP, PDLSCs/β-TCP, and hOPG-transfected PDLSCs/β-TCP or were left untreated as a control. Animals were sacrificed 12 weeks after operation for histological observation and histomorphometric analysis. Results: PDLSCs expressed STRO-1 and vementin and favored osteogenesis and adipogenesis in conditioned media. Expressions of hOPG were significantly upregulated after transfection of the lentiviral vector into PDLSCs. PDLSCs attached and spread well on β-TCP, and there was no significant difference in growth of PDLSCs on β-TCP between the hOPG transfection group and the non-transfection group. The histological observation and histomorphometric analysis showed that the hOPG-transfected PDLSCs/β-TCP complex exhibited an earlier mineralization and more bone formation inside the scaffold than control, β-TCP, and PDLSCs/β-TCP complexes. Implantation of hOPG-transfected PDLSCs contributed to new bone formation as determined by EGFP gene expression under circularly polarized light microscopy. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated the feasibility of β-TCP scaffolds for primary PDLSC culture and expression of hOPG gene in vitro and in vivo, and hOPG-transfected PDLSCs could serve as a potential cell source for periodontal bone regeneration, which may shed light on the potential of systemic hOPG gene therapy in combination with PDLSC tissue engineering as a good candidate in periodontal tissue engineering for alveolar bone regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the embryo development potential of human three-pronuclear (3PN) zygotes reduced to two-pronuclear (2PN) zygotes (3 → 2PN zygotes) by micropuncture. In this study, there were three groups, the 3 → 2PN group (338 zygotes), the non-corrected 3PN group (381 zygotes), and the normal 2PN group (359 zygotes). The first cleavage mode (2-cell cleavage or 3-cell cleavage), 6-8 cell embryogenesis rate, high-quality embryogenesis rate and Day 5/Day 6 blastulation rate were compared between the three groups. The success rate of enucleation was 92.9%. The 2-cell cleavage rate was significantly higher in the 3 → 2PN group (74.3%) than in the 3PN group (36.4%) ( P < 0.05), but had no statistical difference compared with the 2PN group (86.0%) ( P > 0.05). The 6-8 cell embryogenesis rate was significantly higher in the 3 → 2PN group (91.1%) as compared to the 2PN group (85.6%) ( P < 0.05), but had no statistical difference compared with the 3PN group (95.0%) ( P > 0.05). Total blastulation rate was significantly higher in the 2PN group (58.8%) as compared to the 3PN group (21.5%) ( P < 0.01), and in the 3 → 2PN group as compared to the 3PN group (5.6%) ( P < 0.01). Also D5 blastulation rate was significantly higher in the 2PN group (53.7%) as compared to the 3 → 2PN group (8.9%) ( P < 0.01), and in the 3 → 2PN group as compared to the 3PN group (1.9%) ( P < 0.01). In 3 → 2PN zygotes, the first cleavage mode is mainly 2 cells which is significantly higher than that in 3PN zygotes. Compared with 3PN zygotes, the embryo developmental potential of 3 → 2PN zygotes is improved, but still is lower than that in 2PN zygotes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tyrophagus curvipenis Fain & Fauvel, 1993 (Acari: Acaridae) has been reported from a very broad range of plant and animal hosts in various habitats in Australia, France, Portugal and New Zealand. However, except host/habitat records, there have been no reports of its life history and other aspects of biology. In this laboratory study conducted at 25°C, T. curvipenis were kept individually and fed three different diets. The time from egg to adult mite was recorded and size of resulting adult mites was measured. T. curvipenis completed development on dry yeast in 10 days, about half of time needed when fed rolled oats and 42% of time needed when fed wheat flour. The length and width of the prodorsal shield was used to determine adult size. Adult females fed yeast were 18% larger than those fed on oats and 25% larger than those fed on wheat flour. Adult males were 14% larger on yeast than on oats, and 27% larger on yeast than on wheat flour. Faster development and larger size at maturity on yeast are correlated with the higher protein content of yeast compared to that in oats and wheat. Males were smaller and developed faster than females on all three diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Myocardial bridging (MB), a common benign coronary anomaly, may bring about some unwanted complications such as angina-like chest pain. The only way of MB detection is coronary arteriography or coronary computed tomographic angiography, which is costly and invasive. This study intended to profile a panel of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of MB. Methods. Using TaqMan Low-Density Array followed by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) validation, we analyzed the expression of miRNAs in serum samples from 90 MB patients and 50 non-MB controls. Results. The Low-Density Array data showed that 196 miRNAs were differentially expressed in MB patient sera in comparison with controls. After qRT-PCR validation and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, a list of five miRNAs (miR-29b, miR-151-3p, miR-126, miR-503-3p and miR-645) showed the ability to distinguish MB patients from controls. The area under curve (AUC) values range from 0.722-0.938. Conclusions. We have demonstrated that this panel of five serum miRNAs is expected to become potential non-invasive biomarkers for detection of MB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The head-on collision of dust magnetoacoustic solitary waves (DMASWs) is studied in magnetized electron–ion–dust plasma. The extended Poincaré–Lighthill–Kuo perturbation method is used to derive the Korteweg de Vries equations for DMASWs in this three-component plasma. The effects of the magnetic field intensity B0, the number of electrons residing on dust surface Zd, the ratio of electron to dust number density δ, the ratio of electron to ion temperature σ, and the ratio of dust acoustic velocity to dust Alfvén velocity β on the phase shift are investigated. It is found that these parameters can significantly influence the phase shifts of colliding DMASWs. The present investigation may be beneficial to understand the interaction between two DMASWs that may occur in plasma with dust impurities situations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article presents the first study of the head-on collision of two ion-acoustic solitary waves (IASWs) in magnetized plasmas with nonextensive electrons and positrons using the extended Poincaré-Lighthill-Kuo (PLK) method. The effects of the ion gyro-frequency to ion plasma frequency ratio, the positron to ion number density ratio, the electrons temperature to positrons temperature ratio, and the nonextensive parameter q on the phase shifts are investigated. It is shown that these factors significantly modify the phase shifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the non-classical major histocompatibility complex(MHC)-1 antigens, Human Leukocyte Antigen G (HLA-G), has been suggested as a prognostic marker to identify the embryo developmental potential. In the present study, we investigated the potential roles of HLA-G in human spermatogenesis and early embryonic development. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that HLA-G's expression was increased with increased Johnsen score in testicular tissues. There was no significant difference in HLA-G mRNA expression between testicular tissues with Johnsen score of 8–9 and normal sperm from ejaculated semen. HLA-G mRNA expression was detected in human zygotes, embryos and blastocysts but not in unfertilized oocytes. In testicular tissues where sperm was obtained by testicular sperm extraction (Johnsen score was 8 to 9), there were no correlations between HLA-G mRNA expression and fertilization, cleavage and high-quality embryo rates. At 48–72 h post-fertilization, HLA-G expression was higher in fast growing embryos. HLA-G specific siRNA injection into zygotes not only slowed down embryonic cleavage rate at 48 h post-fertilization, but also down-regulated the expression of embryo metabolism related gene (SLC2A1) and cell cycle-regulated gene (CCND2). Taken together, our findings suggested that HLA-G plays significant roles in human spermatogenesis and early embryonic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background Coronary atherosclerosis, the most common form of coronary artery disease (CAD), is characterized by accumulation of lipid in the walls of coronary arteries. Recent data from clinical trials have showed that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) has causal role in the pathogenesis and development of coronary atherosclerosis. Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) is an important regulator of plasma HDL-C. Several genetic mutations in the CETP gene were found to be associated with HDL-C levels. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the association of HDL-C-related CETP polymorphisms and risk of coronary atherosclerosis. Methods We investigated the association of seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) (rs1800775, rs708272, rs5882, rs1532624, rs1864163, rs7499892, and rs9989419) in the CETP gene with the risk of coronary atherosclerosis and levels of HDL-C in a case-control study in China. Included in the study were 420 patients with coronary atherosclerosis and 424 healthy controls. SNP genotyping was performed by TaqMan allelic discrimination assay and serum lipid levels were measured by standard laboratory methods. Results Carriers of the AA and GA + AA genotypes of rs708272 had significant lower risks of coronary atherosclerosis (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.36-0.85, p = 0.003; OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.50-0.90, p = 0.007, respectively) compared to those with GG genotype. These relations remained significant after adjustment for confounding effects of age, smoking, diabetes and hypertension. The rs1800775 polymorphism was significantly associated with serum levels of HDL-C in healthy controls (p = 0.04). Besides, rs708272 was in close linkage disequilibrium (LD) with rs1800775 in this study. Conclusions Our findings indicated that CETP rs708272 may be associated with the risk of coronary atherosclerosis and rs1800775 may influence serum HDL-C levels in healthy controls in Chinese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide attempts constitute a serious clinical problem. People who have attempted suicide are at an elevated risk for additional suicide attempts, but there is limited evidence regarding the predictors of suicidality of suicide attempters following case management services. In the present study the indicators of suicidality after case management were examined. A total of 1,056 subjects who had recently attempted suicide were recruited from January 1, 2011, to June 30, 2011. The suicide prevention center of Kaohsiung City in Taiwan provided case management services and followed up on suicide attempt cases for 6 months. The salient factors for repeat suicide attempts were estimated using a logistic regression analysis. The results showed that multiple factors, including a 'willingness to receive mental health services during a crisis,' 'social support,' 'a history of mental disorders,' and 'a history of suicide,' could predict repeat suicide attempts with hazard ratios (0.58, 0.54, 3.84, 1.51) and 95% confidence interval (0.39-0.86, 0.36-0.83, 2.41-6.10, 1.03-2.21). The four factors mentioned above were the most accurate predictors of subsequent suicidality when case management services were utilized after 6 months of follow-up. The findings of our study could help clarify future strategies for suicide prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear properties of magnetoacoustic waves are investigated in magnetized pair-ion plasmas with dust impurity. Three-fluid collisionless magneto-hydrodynamic model is considered and reductive perturbation method is employed to derive Korteweg-de Vries equation for magnetoacoustic solitary waves (MASWs). The effects of the charge number of dust particles, magnetic field intensity, and plasma number density are studied on MASWs. It is found that the variation of parameters causes significant changes in solitary structures. The present investigation may be useful to understand formation and propagation of MASW structures in dust pair-ion plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the first study of the head-on collision between two magnetoacoustic solitary waves (MASWs) in magnetized quantum plasma consisting of electrons, positrons, and ions, using the extended Poincaré-Lighthill-Kou (PLK) method. The effects of the magnetic field intensity, the positron to ion number density ratio, the quantum parameter, the Fermi temperature ratio, and plasma number density on the solitary wave collisions are investigated. It is shown that these factors significantly modify the phase shift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suicide attempts constitute a serious clinical problem and have important implications for healthcare resources. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of case management using crisis postcards over a 6-month follow-up period. Method: A randomised controlled trial was conducted in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Prevention of further suicide attempts was compared between two groups with and without the postcard intervention. The intervention group consisted of 373 participants (139 males, 234 females; age: 39.8 ± 14.0 yrs.). The control group consisted of 388 participants (113 males, 275 females; age: 40.0 ± 16.0 yrs.). A survival analysis was used to test the effectiveness of the crisis postcard intervention for the prevention of suicide reattempts. Per-protocol and intention-to-treat analyses were conducted. Results: The intention-to-treat analysis indicated that the crisis postcard had no effect (hazard ratio = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.56 - 1.29), whereas the per-protocol analysis showed a strong benefit for the crisis postcard (hazard ratio = 0.39; 95% CI = 0.21 - 0.72). Conclusion: Although the results of the present study indicated that the postcard intervention did not reduce subsequent suicide behaviour, our study provides an alteration to the postcard intervention. Further studies need to be conducted to clarify whether this type of intervention can reduce subsequent suicidal behaviour, with a particular focus on reducing the rate of loss to follow-up [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Better pregnancy outcomes can be obtained by human mature oocyte vitrification, but many problems remain to be resolved in human mature oocyte vitrification. Since mature oocyte development possesses its own maturity cycle, there should be the optimal timing for mature oocyte vitrification. The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of frozen timing on the spindle density, the angle between the polar body and spindle, and embryo development of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in vitrified mouse mature oocytes and explore its possible mechanism. Mouse oocytes were randomly divided into three groups according to different frozen timing including Groups A, B, and C in which oocytes were vitrified within 2 h after ovum pick-up, and 3-4 and 5-6 h after ovum pick-up, respectively. Spindle-related parameters were measured, ICSI was performed. The spindle occurrence rate of vitrified-thawed oocytes was 98.4% in Group A, 82.3% in Group B, and 75.8% in Group C, without statistical differences between pre-vitrification and post-thawing and among the three groups ( P > 0.05). The angles between the polar body and spindle were larger after thawing than before vitrification ( P < 0.01). The spindle retardance values were lower after thawing than before vitrification in Groups B and C ( P < 0.05), but higher in Group A ( P < 0.05). The spindle retardance values before vitrification were higher in Group B than in Groups A and C ( P < 0.05), but the spindle retardance value, oocyte survival and two-cell rate after thawing were higher in Group A than in Groups B and C ( P < 0.05). There were no statistical differences in ICSI fertility rate between the three groups ( P > 0.05). The damage on the spindle is the slightest and embryo quality is the highest in the mouse oocytes vitrified within 2 h after ovum pick-up. The spindle retardance value is more valuable than the spindle occurrence rate in the evaluation of vitrified-thawed oocyte quality, and is positively correlated with embryo quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary 1. The aim of the present study was to determine whether ligustrazine (2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine; TMP) exerts a cardioprotective effect during myocardial ischaemia reperfusion (IR), and to investigate the underlying mechanisms and the role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in cardioprotection. 2. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a sham group and five IR groups: IR control, TMP pretreated, TMP + wortmannin (a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor), NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; a NOS inhibitor) and TMP + L-NAME. IR was produced by 35 min of regional ischaemia followed by 120 min of reperfusion. Myocardial infarct size, oxidative stress, myocardial apoptosis, nitric oxide (NO) production, and expression of phosphorylated protein kinase B (Akt) and eNOS were measured. 3. TMP markedly decreased infarct size and attenuated myocardial apoptosis, as evidenced by a decrease in the apoptotic index and reduced caspase-3 activity. TMP treatment caused a marked increase in NO production. Cotreatment with wortmannin or L-NAME completely blocked the TMP-induced NO increase. TMP induced phosphorylation of Akt at Ser 473 (1.61 ± 0.18 vs 0.79 ± 0.10 in the IR control group) and phosphorylation of eNOS at Ser1177 (1.87 ± 0.33 vs 0.94 ± 0.22 in the IR control group). Wortmannin abrogated the phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS induced by TMP. 4. These data suggest that ligustrazine has anti-apoptotic and cardioprotective effects against myocardial IR injury and that it acts through the PI3K/Akt pathway. In addition, the phosphorylation of eNOS with subsequent NO production was found to be an important downstream effector that contributes significantly to the cardioprotective effect of TMP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas chromatography (GC) analysis of sulfer dioxide is challenging because SO is a highly mobile and chemically active molecule. For the conventional GC method with flame photometric detector (FPD) and direct-injection, it is often ineffective particularly when the SO level is as low as on the trace level. In this paper, a modified GC system integrated with an adsorption-desorption device was developed to detect the trace SO impurity in H fuel. Adsorbent GDX-502 is used in the adsorber to adsorb/collect SO from the sample gas and desorb/release it in a concentrated flow so that the conventional GC at downstream could detect it with an acceptable accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dual-source CT coronary angiography (CTCA) has been used to detect coronary artery disease; however, the factors with potential to affect its diagnostic accuracy remain to be defined. Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the accuracy of dual-source CTCA in diagnosing coronary artery stenosis according to conventional coronary angiography (CAG), and the effect of average heart rate, heart rate variability, and calcium score on the accuracy of CTCA. Material and Methods: A total of 113 patients underwent both dual-source CTCA and CAG. The results were used to evaluate the findings in dual-source CTCA to assess the accuracy in the diagnosis of > or =50% (significant stenosis) and >75% (severe stenosis) of coronary artery according to those by CAG. Patients were divided into subgroups according to their heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV), and calcium score, and the accuracy of CTCA was further evaluated. The chi-square test was used to analyze the difference in sensitivity and specificity for the detection of > or =50% and >75% coronary stenosis among subgroups. The generalized estimation equation method was used in per-vessel analysis to adjust for within-patient correlation. Results: In all, 113 patients had 338 vessels and 1661 segments evaluated by CAG. Dual-source CTCA displayed 1527 segments (91.9%). Among them, 1468 segments (calcium score by CAG score 1, n=1018; score 2, n=270; score 3, n=180) were assessable in CTCA. On a per-patient analysis, the sensitivity and specificity of CTCA were 93.9% and 93.5% for significant stenosis and 86.9% and 98.1% for severe stenosis. On a per-vessel basis, the sensitivity and specificity were 90.2% and 97.1% for significant and 83.3% and 98.1% for severe stenosis. On a per-segment analysis, the sensitivity and specificity were 90.2% and 97.1% for significant and 83.3% and 98.1% for severe stenosis. Average HR had no effect on the sensitivity and specificity of CTCA (P>0.05); whereas HRV and calcium score had some effect on the sensitivity and specificity of CTCA (P<0.05). Conclusion: On a per-patient, per-vessel, and per-segment basis, dual-source CTCA has a high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of coronary artery stenosis. Average HR has no effect on the diagnostic accuracy of CTCA, while HRV and calcium score have a statistically significant effect on the sensitivity and specificity of CTCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]