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Tao Liu,1,* Ronghua Zuo,2,* Jia Song,1,* Jia Wang,3 Zhijian Zhu,1 Lifang Sun,1 Shasha Wang,1 Baoyin Li,1 Yesheng Pan,1 Bing Wang1 1Department of Cardiology, Jinshan Branch of Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, 201500, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Nephrology, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221000, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bing Wang, Department of Cardiology, Jinshan Branch of Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, 201500, People’s Republic of China, Email wangbing860716@163.comObjective: The association between serum uric acid (sUA) and incident abdominal aortic calcification (AAC), and severe abdominal aortic calcification (SAAC) in the general population of the United States (US) is unclear. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the association between sUA and the risk of AAC and SAAC.Methods: Individuals from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database were analyzed cross-sectionally between 2013 and 2014. The restricted cubic spline (RCS), multivariable logistic regression model and subgroup analysis were utilized to evaluate the correlation between sUA and incident AAC, and SAAC. In addition, generalized additive models with smooth functions were employed to survey the relationship between sUA and the degree of AAC.Results: This study included 3016 individuals from the NHANES database. According to the RCS plot, sUA levels were associated with the risk of AAC/SAAC in a U-shaped pattern in the US population. The degree of calcification decreased at first and then increased with the increase in the sUA level.Conclusion: Close monitoring and adequate control of sUA levels in the US general population may reduce the risk of AAC and SAAC.Keywords: abdominal aortic calcification, serum uric acid, cross-sectional study, China, United States

Shengjue Xiao,1,* Zhenwei Wang,1,* Ronghua Zuo,2,* Yufei Zhou,3 Yiqing Yang,1 Tian Chen,1 Naifeng Liu1 1Department of Cardiology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Naifeng Liu, Department of Cardiology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Nanjing, 210009, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 025 8327 2002, Email liunf@seu.edu.cnObjective: Our research was designed to investigate the relationship between systemic immune inflammation (SII) index and all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer-related mortality in patients with CVD.Methods: We used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 1999 to 2018 to conduct this study. The association between SII index and all-cause, CVD, and cancer-related mortality in patients with CVD was examined using restricted cubic splines (RCS), Cox proportional hazard models, and subgroup analysis, respectively. CVD was defined as a composite of five outcomes of CVD, including coronary heart disease (CHD), congestive heart failure (CHF), angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Additionally, the link between SII index and all-cause, CVD, and cancer-related mortality in patients with a composite of five outcomes of CVD was also explored.Results: In total, 5329 participants were included. The RCS also showed a U-curve correlation between SII index and the all-cause, CVD, and cancer-related mortality in patients with CVD. As compared with the individuals with lowest quartile of SII index, hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for all-cause, CVD, and cancer-related mortality across the quartiles were (1.202 (0.981, 1.474), 1.184 (0.967, 1.450), and 1.365 (1.115, 1.672)), (1.116 (0.815, 1.527), 1.017 (0.740, 1.398), and 1.220 (0.891, 1.670)), and (1.202 (0.981, 1.474), 1.184 (0.967, 1.450), and 1.365 (1.115, 1.672)), respectively, in the full-adjusted model. The SII index also had a U-shaped relationship with all-cause, CVD, and cancer-related mortality in patients with CHD, angina, and myocardial infarction. Additionally, the U-shaped relationship between SII index and all-cause, and cancer-related mortality also exists in CHF, and stroke. However, there was a positive linear correlation between SII index and CVD mortality in patients with CHF, and stroke.Conclusion: In the United States general population, the correlation between SII index and all-cause, CVD, and cancer-related mortality showed a U-shaped curve in patients with CVD.Keywords: all-cause mortality, cross-sectional study, cardiovascular disease mortality, cancer-related mortality, systemic immune inflammatory index

Haiyan Cui,1 Baohua Zhang,2 Mei Ruan,3 Chunmei Fang,4 Ning Li,5 Xiaoqin Sun,6 Junmei Qi,1 Rongrong Zuo,1 Shuangshuang Zhang,1 Jiansheng Rong2 1Pathology Department, The Fourth People Hospital of Zibo, Zibo, Shandong, 255067, People’s Republic of China; 2Pathology Department, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong, 255036, People’s Republic of China; 3Oncology Department, The Fourth People Hospital of Zibo, Zibo, Shandong, 255067, People’s Republic of China; 4Gynecology Department, Zibo Lianchi Women & Infants Hospital, Zibo, Shandong, 255000, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Physical Examination, Zichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Zibo, Shandong, 255100, People’s Republic of China; 6Pathology Department, Zibo Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Zibo, Shandong, 255000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jiansheng Rong, Pathology Department, Zibo Central Hospital, No. 54 Gongqingtuan West Road, Zibo, Shandong, 255067, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86 533-2360321, Email rongjiansheng_zbzx@163.comBackground: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major cause of cervical cancer (CC) occurrence. This study aimed to explore whether abnormal microRNA (miR)-3653 is associated with HPV infection and to investigate the clinical value of miR-3653 in the diagnosis and prognosis of CC.Methods: Tumor tissues and adjacent non-cancerous tissues were collected from 136 patients with CC. Cervical tissues from 101 patients with uterine fibroids were collected as controls. The expression of miR-3653 was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. The ability of miR-3653 to discriminate between HPV positive (HPV+) and HPV negative (HPV-) CC patients, and to discriminate patients from controls was assessed by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Kaplan–Meier curves and Log rank tests were used to evaluate the relationship of miR-3653 with survival of CC patient. Whether miR-3653 could function as a prognostic indicator was evaluated by univariate and multivariate Cox analyses.Results: miR-3653, highly expressed in CC tissues, was associated with HPV infection, tumor diameter, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and lymph node metastasis in CC patients. Additionally, miR-3653 was increased in HPV+ controls, CC patients and CC cells. Moreover, miR-3653 could screen HPV+ controls, screen HPV+ patients and screen CC patients. Furthermore, miR-3653 was associated with the survival of CC patients (log-rank P < 0.001) and could serve as an independent prognostic indicator for CC patients.Conclusion: miR-3653, increased in CC, is related to HPV infection and may serve as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for CC patients.Keywords: miR-3653, microRNA, HPV, cervical cancer, diagnosis, prognosis

Runan Zuo,1 Yan Zhang,1 Xiaorong Chen,1 Shiheng Hu,1 Xinhao Song,1 Xiuge Gao,1 Jiahao Gong,1 Hui Ji,1 Fengzhu Yang,1 Lin Peng,1 Kun Fang,2 Yingjun Lv,1 Junren Zhang,1 Shanxiang Jiang,1 Dawei Guo1 1Engineering Center of Innovative Veterinary Drugs, Center for Veterinary Drug Research and Evaluation, MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People’s Republic of China; 2The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Dawei Guo; Shanxiang Jiang, Engineering Center of Innovative Veterinary Drugs, Center for Veterinary Drug Research and Evaluation, MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal, Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 25-84396215, Fax +86-25-84398669, Email gdawei0123@njau.edu.cn; nauvy@sina.comBackground: Halofuginone (HF)-loaded TPGS polymeric micelles (HTPM) were successfully fabricated using the thin-film hydration technique. HTPM via intravenous injection have been demonstrated to exert an excellent anticancer effect against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and subcutaneous xenografts. In the present study, we further explored the potential treatment effect and mechanism of orally administered HTPM alone and in combination with surgical therapy on TNBC in subcutaneous and orthotopic mouse models.Methods: Herein, the stability and in vitro release behavior of HTPM were first evaluated in the simulated gastrointestinal fluids. Caco-2 cell monolayers were then used to investigate the absorption and transport patterns of HF with/without encapsulation in TPGS polymeric micelles. Subsequently, the therapeutic effect of orally administered HTPM was checked on subcutaneous xenografts of TNBC in nude mice. Ultimately, orally administered HTPM, combined with surgical therapy, were utilized to treat orthotopic TNBC in nude mice.Results: Our data confirmed that HTPM exhibited good stability and sustained release in the simulated gastrointestinal fluids. HF was authenticated to be a substrate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), and its permeability across Caco-2 cell monolayers was markedly enhanced via heightening intracellular absorption and inhibiting P-gp efflux due to encapsulation in TPGS polymeric micelles. Compared with HF alone, HTPM showed stronger tumor-suppressing effects in subcutaneous xenografts of MDA-MB-231 cells when orally administered. Moreover, compared with HTPM or surgical therapy alone, peroral HTPM combined with partial surgical excision synergistically retarded the growth of orthotopic TNBC. Fundamentally, HTPM orally administered at the therapeutic dose did not cause any pathological injury, while HF alone led to weight loss and jejunal bleeding in the investigated mice.Conclusion: Taken together, HTPM could be applied as a potential anticancer agent for TNBC by oral administration.Graphical Abstract: Keywords: triple-negative breast cancer, Halofuginone hydrobromide, TPGS polymeric micelles, subcutaneous xenografts, orthotopic xenografts, oral administration

Runan Zuo,1 Jingjing Zhang,1 Xinhao Song,1 Shiheng Hu,1 Xiuge Gao,1 Junqi Wang,1 Hui Ji,1 Chunlei Ji,1 Lin Peng,1 Hongbin Si,2 Gonghe Li,2 Kun Fang,3 Junren Zhang,1 Shanxiang Jiang,1 Dawei Guo1 1Center for Veterinary Drug Research and Evaluation, MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People’s Republic of China; 2College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, People’s Republic of China; 3Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Dawei Guo; Shanxiang JiangCenter for Veterinary Drug Research and Evaluation, MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, People’s Republic of ChinaTel + 86-25-84396215Fax + 86-25-84398669Email gdawei0123@njau.edu.cn; nauvy@sina.comBackground: Halofuginone hydrobromide (HF) is a synthetic analogue of the naturally occurring quinazolinone alkaloid febrifugine, which has potential therapeutic effects against breast cancer, however, its poor water solubility greatly limits its pharmaceutical application. D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) is a water-soluble derivative of vitamin E, which can self-assemble to form polymeric micelles (PMs) for encapsulating insoluble anti-tumor drugs, thereby effectively enhancing their anti-cancer effects.Methods: HF-loaded TPGS PMs (HTPMs) were manufactured using a thin-film hydration technique, followed by a series of characterizations, including the hydrodynamic diameter (HD), zeta potential (ZP), stability, drug loading (DL), encapsulation efficiency (EE), and in vitro drug release. The anti-cancer effects and potential mechanism of HTPMs were investigated in the breast cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, and normal breast epithelial cell line Eph-ev. The breast cancer-bearing BALB/c nude mouse model was successfully established by subcutaneous injection of MDA-MB-231 cells and used to evaluate the in vivo therapeutic effect and safety of the HTPMs.Results: The optimized HTPMs had an HD of 17.8± 0.5 nm and ZP of 14.40± 0.1 mV. These PMs exhibited DL of 12.94 ± 0.46% and EE of 90.6 ± 0.85%, along with excellent storage stability, dilution tolerance and sustained drug release in pH-dependent manner within 24 h compared to free HF. Additionally, the HTPMs had stronger inhibitory effects than free HF and paclitaxel against MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells, and little toxicity in normal breast epithelial Eph-ev cells. The HTPMs induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 by disrupting the mitochondrial membrane potential and enhancing reactive oxygen species formation. Evaluation of in vivo anti-tumor efficacy demonstrated that HTPMs exerted a stronger tumor inhibition rate (68.17%) than free HF, and exhibited excellent biocompatibility.Conclusion: The findings from this study indicate that HTPMs holds great clinical potential for treating triple-negative breast cancer.Keywords: halofuginone hydrobromide, triple-negative breast cancer, TPGS, polymer micelles

Ping Li,1–3,* Jian Wang,4,* Desheng Wu,3 Xiaohu Ren,3 Wen Wu,2,3 Ran Zuo,2 Qingbo Zeng,3 Bingyu Wang,2 Xi He,1 Jianhui Yuan,2,5 Ni Xie1,21Biobank, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Medicine, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Toxicology, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518035, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Shenzhen 518020, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Occupational Health, Shenzhen Nanshan District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518054, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ni XieBiobank Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, No. 3002 Sungang West Road, Futian District, Shenzhen 518035, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 1 350 158 0802Fax +86 7 558 300 3435Email xn100@szu.edu.cnJianhui YuanDepartment of Occupational Health, Shenzhen Nanshan District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 95 Nanshang Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518054, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 1 350 158 0509Fax +86 7 558 300 3435Email jianhui_yuan@126.com*These authors contributed equally to this workPurpose: Lung cancer is one of the most life-threatening cancer worldwide with poor prognosis attributed to the lack of early diagnosis and proper therapy. The estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα) is a multifunctional protein not limited to bind ligands and has been reported to be associated with numerous cancers. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of ERRα in lung cancer and to provide a novel perspective for lung cancer early diagnosis, targeted therapy, and prognosis assessment.Methods: The correlation between ERRα mRNA expression and survival time of the online clinical data about lung cancer was analyzed by using Kaplan–Meier (KM) plotter. A mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) was constructed to detect the expression level of ERRα in tumor tissues. ERRα-knockdown LUAD cells were generated and the impacts of ERRα on cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis were further analyzed. Cancerous and paracancerous tissues were collected to semi-quantitative the levels of ERRα in LUAD clinical samples (n=88), combined with clinical information for prognostic analysis.Results: The KM plotter analysis suggested that ERRα is correlated with poor prognosis in LUAD (n=720) rather than in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) (n=524). ERRα is also upregulated in tumor tissues obtained from LUAD model mice. Quantitative analysis suggested an abnormal elevation of ERRα in LUAD cells rather than in LSCC cells. The results demonstrated that downregulation of ERRα impairs proliferation, invasion and migration abilities (P

Proliferation and migration of epidermal stem cells (EpSCs) are essential for epithelialization during skin wound healing. Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) has been reported to play an important role in wound healing, but the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. Here, we investigate the contribution of ANGPTL4 to full-thickness wound re-epithelialization and the underlying mechanisms using Angptl4-knockout mice. Immunohistochemical staining reveals that ANGPTL4 is significantly upregulated in the basal layer cells of the epidermis around the wound during cutaneous wound healing. ANGPTL4 deficiency impairs wound healing. H&E staining shows that ANGPTL4 deficiency significantly reduces the thickness, length and area of the regenerated epidermis postwounding. Immunohistochemical staining for markers of EpSCs (α6 integrin and β1 integrin) and cell proliferation (PCNA) shows that the number and proliferation of EpSCs in the basal layer of the epidermis are reduced in ANGPTL4-deficient mice. In vitro studies show that ANGPTL4 deficiency impedes EpSC proliferation, causes cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase and reduces the expressions of cyclins D1 and A2, which can be reversed by ANGPTL4 overexpression. ANGPTL4 deletion suppresses EpSC migration, which is also rescued by ANGPTL4 overexpression. Overexpression of ANGPTL4 in EpSCs accelerates cell proliferation and migration. Collectively, our results indicate that ANGPTL4 promotes EpSC proliferation by upregulating cyclins D1 and A2 expressions and accelerating the cell cycle transition from G1 to S phase and that ANGPTL4 promotes skin wound re-epithelialization by stimulating EpSC proliferation and migration. Our study reveals a novel mechanism underlying EpSC activation and re-epithelialization during cutaneous wound healing.

Recently, Radio over Fiber (RoF) technology has become a hot research topic in the broadband communication access network field and has attracted much attention in the industry. This is mainly because the technology makes full use of the massive bandwidth of optical fiber transmission and the application advantages of flexible coverage of wireless communication. In the evolution and development of RoF technology, multi-dimensional multi-order modulation has important scientific research significance and practical value because it can improve the system bandwidth utilization and reduce the signal transmission and receiving cost. This paper summarizes the research progress of traditional amplitude modulation, typical multi-dimensional multi-order modulation and some representative new multi-dimensional multi-order modulation technologies. We also briefly analyzes the application prospect of multi-dimensional multi-order modulation technology in RoF system.

This study evaluates the impact of the use of antibiotics on the effectiveness of nivolumab in the treatment of advanced/metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A literature search was conducted in various electronic databases to identify studies, which evaluated the impact of antibiotic use on the survival of patients with advanced/metastatic NSCLC who have been treated with nivolumab. Six studies, comprising a total of 787 patients with 37.2% females and of age range 30–90 years, were included in the study. A lack of smoking history was reported in 14.4% of the patients. A meta-analysis was conducted in 678 and 713 patients for PFS and OS, respectively. The pooled HR was 1.95 (95% CI: 1.13–3.37, P = 0.016) for PFS and 2.70 (95% CI: 1.81–4.02, P < 0.001) for OS. Among patients exposed to antibiotics, the median PFS and OS were reduced by 1.6 months (95% CI: 1.5–1.7) and 8.8 months (95% CI: 8.5–9.1), respectively. Our study indicates that, among patients with advanced/metastatic NSCLC, the use of antibiotics with nivolumab led to a decrease in the median OS by more than 8 months. Studying the mechanism of the effect of antibiotics on the efficacy of nivolumab in patients with NSCLC should also be prioritized.

Fresh agricultural products e-commerce has become an important way of agricultural products consumption, but China’s fresh agricultural products e-commerce is still in its infancy. It is urgent to find out the influencing factors of fresh agricultural products consumers’ online purchase intention for the development of fresh agricultural products e-commerce. This paper extracts the main factors affecting consumers’ online purchase intention of fresh agricultural products by text mining of 5958 online review data of Tmall Fresh Channel. On this basis, the multiple linear regression model is used to analyze the key factors affecting consumers’ intention to purchase fresh agricultural products online. The results show that the factors that consumers pay attention to mainly include product quality, service quality and perceived quality. In addition to appearance, price, product description reliability, distribution service quality and competitors, other factors have a significant impact on consumers’ online purchase intention and the impact is positive. This study expands the breadth and depth of the research on the influencing factors of fresh agricultural products consumers’ online purchase intention, and also provides targeted suggestions for enterprises to improve products and services, and promotes the healthy development of fresh agricultural products e-commerce.

The COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020 not only had a significant impact on China at the macro level, but also triggered changes in public psychology and irrational behavior at the individual level, one of the typical features of which was the panic buying behavior exhibited by residents during the outbreak. Based on Perceived Risk theory, emotion infection theory and information processing theory, this paper investigates the influence of herd mentality on panic buying behavior and the mediating role of Perceived Risk and information overload, and validates the model by collecting data from 326 residents through a questionnaire. The results show that herding mentality, Perceived Risk, and information overload all have positive effects on panic buying; Perceived Risk and information overload partially mediate the effect between herding mentality and panic buying, and information overload carries more mediating effects. These results suggest that higher levels of herding, Perceived Risk, and information overload can intensify individuals’ panic buying and cause further irrational buying behavior. In response to the findings, this paper also proposes countermeasures to deal with panic buying from three aspects: individuals, media, and government.

[Purpose/significance] At present, the popularity of "involution" has become a cultural phenomenon, and the social reality it reflects deserves attention. Clarify the concept and characteristics of "involution" and measure it from a quantitative perspective, which helps to quickly seek the formation mechanism of "involution" and the path to solve it. [Method/process] At first, the study explained the evolution of the concept of "involution". Secondly, the evaluation index of "involution" is constructed in relation to the competition scenario of university students. Finally, we analyzed the experimental results, and gave corresponding suggestions from the three dimensions of individual and group. [Result/conclusion] As the randomness in the network topology decreases, the degree of competition for the "involution" of the system increases. The cooperative strategy can improve the total output of the system, while the total system input of the competitive strategy is high, but the total output of the system is low. On the whole, the value evaluation under the global mode is outstanding in the characteristics of high investment, low return and diminishing marginal utility, and the "involution" is serious.

BACKGROUND The identification of natural and synthetic amethyst is still a challenge for gemological laboratories either at home or abroad. Previous studies focus on twinning, color band, inclusions and the infrared spectrum. Controversy still exists on whether the 3595cm-1 and 3543cm-1 absorptions are indicative or conclusive clues when employing infrared spectroscopy to separate natural amethyst from synthetics. OBJECTIVES To characterize the features of natural and synthetic amethyst. METHODS Typical natural and synthetic amethyst samples were collected. The limitations of infrared spectroscopy to identify natural and synthetic amethyst were studied. The polarized Raman spectroscopy was applied to the identification of amethyst genesis. RESULTS The results showed that there were some limitations in the origin determination of amethyst by using the infrared absorption peaks of 3595cm-1 and 3543cm-1 as criteria. These peaks were indicative, but cannot be used as a decisive basis. The polarized Raman spectrum was complementary to infrared spectroscopy. The polarized Raman spectrum (the direction of both incident laser and Raman signal set as horizon-HH) peak of 400cm-1 were observed in all the natural amethyst, but this peak was absent in the synthetics. The polarized Raman spectrum (direction:HH) peaks of 795cm-1 and 448cm-1 appeared in all the synthetic amethyst, but were not detected in natural amethyst. CONCLUSIONS The difference of polarized Raman spectra may be related to different degree of crystal lattice deformation in natural and synthetic amethyst. The polarized Raman peaks of 400cm-1, 448cm-1 and 795cm-1 can be used as a new criterion for source determination of amethyst.

To improve the transceiver quality of Free Space Optical (FSO) system and ensure that user access is feasible the network, a high-speed full-duplex 100 meters FSO transmission scheme using 67% duty cycle RZ-4PAM downlink and alternative mark inversion (AMI) uplink signals is designed system. In the downlink, one PAM sequence generator and one Mary pulse generator (MPG) module are used to generate 67% RZ-4PAM optical signals at 10Gbit/s through a Mach-Zehnder intensity modulator (MZM). The upstream AMI signals generator by the pseudo-random binary sequence (PRBS) generator and the precoding process. We have measured optical spectrums, time-domain waveforms and eye diagrams before and after signals transmission by system simulation. The transceiver performance of the downstream RZ-4PAM with 67% duty cycle and upstream AMI optical signals the in the 100m FSO transmission system is analyzed.

In order to solve the problem of network frequency resource congestion from the central office (CS) to the base station (BS) in sixth generation (6G) mobile communication systems, we design a passive optical network (PON) access scheme. 1.25Gbit/s non-return-to-zero (NRZ) downstream signals over 6GHz subcarrier are successfully transmitted in the 20km single-mode fiber (SMF) and allocated to 4 optical network units (ONUs). The radio frequency (RF) spectrums, optical spectrums, eye-diagrams and bit error rate (BER) before and after transmission of NRZ signals in the system were measured and analysed. The results show that, this scheme can provide high-speed, stable and secure data communication.

In order to improve the transmission performance of visible light communication (VLC) system and user’s demand for large-capacity and high-speed, one multi-color VLC scheme is proposed. This scheme uses red-green-blue light-emitting diode (RGB-LED) as the sender to transmit 4-ary pulse amplitude modulation (4PAM) signals with 67% return-to-zero (RZ). At the receiver, one optical bandpass filter is used for channel separation. By system simulation, we have measured the time-domain waveforms before and after transmission, eye diagrams of the three colors signals, and the bit error rate (BER) performance has been analyzed. The results show that at receiver power of -11dBm, the BER at back-to-back case is slightly lower than that of the signals transmitted in the 8m channel. Since 4PAM signals have higher spectral efficiency compared with the traditional binary signals, this scheme has potential application value in indoor broadband access system.

In this paper, the performance of a 60 GHz radio over fiber free space optics (RoF-FSO) communication system with 10Gbit/s 4-ary pulse amplitude modulation (4-PAM) polarization shift-keying (Polsk) downlink signal is proposed and designed. In the receiver, the 60GHz millimeter-wave with 4-PAM downstream signals is generated by the beating of two continuous light waves, and the high frequency signal is demodulated by self-mixing zero difference detection method. Meanwhile, the optical spectra, radio frequency (RF) spectrum, eye-diagram are measured, and the transmission performance of the used RoF-FSO system are analyzed.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers are ideal for evolutionary studies, including phylogeography, population genetics, phylogeny, etc. However, different mitochondrial genes always own different evolutionary rate. In this study, we analysed the genetic variation across the 16 complete mtDNA from 13 species in the genus Papilio and recognized the best DNA barcoding for Papilio species. The mitochondrial gene arrangement for each species shares a similar order, similar to the typical Papilionidae species, which indicated the relatively conservative state of gene arrangement in Papilio. The sliding window of genetic diversity showed that there was a significant difference in the genetic diversity of each gene in the mitochondrial genome of Papilio. The relatively mean clock rate of the ND1 was broadly lower than the other genes in mitochondrial genome of Papilio; while the ATP8 owns the largest values of mean clock rate. Those results suggested that the rate of evolution of each gene is not balanced and all mitochondrial genes except ND1 and ATP8 could act as barcoding for the identification of Papilio species. The phylogenetic analyses of complete mtDNA data for 13 Papilio species divided them into five major branches, which keep the same topological structure with previous studies.

Based on the safety assessment framework and site-specific characteristic investigations in northwest China, an approach to deriving the specific activity limit of 239Pu is applied to establish a proposed value. Our analyses, in conjunction with the results of other previous studies, allow for the following conclusions: (1) As an intrusion scenario with a feature of minimal site-dependence and pervasive applicability, the drilling scenario can be used as the limiting scenario for the post-closure period; (2) Given a dose limit of 5 mSv per year, a derived specific activity of 287 Bqg-1 (at a disposal depth shallower than 5 m) for 239Pu is obtained through the formulation of models and subsequent calculations. It is suggested that both our approaches to deriving the limit and the results can be effectively applied to establish acceptance criteria of long-lived transuranic nuclides, for the particular disposal facility; and (3) From the standpoint of exploring the approach for limit derivation, the intrusion scenario and the corresponding exposure evaluation can be the focus of concern in the study area. It is implied that, in arid regions, a leaching scenario may lead to a more complex evaluation, with unnecessary effort, and can be virtually excluded.

Andrew Zane,1 Ranfang Zuo,2 Frederick A Villamena,3 Antal Rockenbauer,4,5 Ann Marie Digeorge Foushee,1 Kristin Flores,1 Prabir K Dutta,2 Amber Nagy1 1Biomaterials and Environmental Surveillance Department, Naval Medical Research Unit San Antonio, Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX, 2Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 3Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; 4Research Centre for Natural Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, 5Department of Physics, MTA-BME Condensed Matter Research Group, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary Abstract: The addition of antibacterial functionality to dental resins presents an opportunity to extend their useful lifetime by reducing secondary caries caused by bacterial recolonization. In this study, the potential efficacy of nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles for this purpose was determined. Nitrogen doping was carried out to extend the ultraviolet absorbance into longer wavelength blue light for increased biocompatibility. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (approximately 20–30 nm) were synthesized with and without nitrogen doping using a sol–gel method. Ultraviolet–Visible spectroscopy indicated a band of trap states, with increasing blue light absorbance as the concentration of the nitrogen dopant increased. Electron paramagnetic resonance measurements indicated the formation of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals upon particle exposure to visible light and oxygen. The particles were significantly toxic to Escherichia coli in a dose-dependent manner after a 1-hour exposure to a blue light source (480 nm). Intracellular reactive oxygen species assay demonstrated that the particles caused a stress response in human gingival epithelial cells when exposed to 1 hour of blue light, though this did not result in detectable release of cytokines. No decrease in cell viability was observed by water-soluble tetrazolium dye assay. The results show that nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles have antibacterial activity when exposed to blue light, and are biocompatible at these concentrations. Keywords: titanium dioxide, antibacterial activity, nitrogen doping

Rong Zeng,1–3 Tao Shou,3 Kun-xian Yang,4 Tao Shen,5 Jin-ping Zhang,5 Rong-xia Zuo,5 Yong-qing Zheng,5 Xin-ming Yan5 1Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, People’s Republic of China; 2Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, People’s Republic of China; 3Medical Oncology, The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, People’s Republic of China; 4Surgical Oncology, The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province Kunming, People’s Republic of China; 5Institute of Clinical and Basic Medicine Research, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, People’s Republic of China Objective: This study investigated clinical and pathological characteristics and risk factors in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients’ native to Yunnan plateau in southwestern China. Methods: Clinical data from 1,198 patients diagnosed with PTC (n=578) and control subjects (n=620) with benign thyroid disease (ie, thyroid nodule disease, benign thyroid diseases [BTD]) in Yunnan province were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The mean patient age was lower for PTC than for BTD. Positive ratios of thyroid peroxidase antibody, thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb), and thyrotrophin receptor antibody (TRAb) were higher in PTC than in BTD patients. The ratio of PTC coexisting with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) or with lymphocytic thyroiditis was higher than that of BTD. The number of patients whose age at menarche was ≤13 years, who had given birth to less than or equal to two children, or who were in premenopause were higher in the PTC than in the BTD group. Multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses revealed that age >45 years, nodal size >1 cm, and elevated TG levels were protective factors against PTC. Abnormally elevated TGAb and TRAb levels were independent risk factors for PTC in females. Conclusion: HT was not an independent risk factor for but was associated with PTC. TRAb is a risk factor for PTC in individuals living in the Yunnan plateau, but not for those in the plains region. Keywords: papillary thyroid carcinoma, risk factors, Yunnan plateau, benign thyroid disease, autoimmune disease status

For comprehensive utilization of powder quartz, a detailed mineralogical analysis is needed. In this paper, the minerals collected from a powder quartz deposit in Yunnan Province and its purification products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical composition, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. The raw powder quartz deposit had a simple mineral composition made of 85% quartz and 15% clay minerals kaolinite and illite with a trace amount of feldspar. It had narrow particle size distribution with whiteness of 81.4. The impurity minerals kaolinite and illite existed in the forms of aggregates with quartz or inclusions in quartz particles and could be easily removed. The mineralogical characterization suggested that the powder quartz deposit was formed by long-term weathering of feldspathic or felsic rocks, possible of pegmatitic origin.

The properties of soil at disposal sites are very important for geological disposal of very low level radioactive waste in terms of U(VI). In this study, soil from a candidate very low level radioactive waste disposal site in China was evaluated for its capacity on uranium sorption. Specifically, the equilibrium time, initial concentration, soil particle, pH, temperature, and carbonate were evaluated. The results indicated that after 15-20 days of sorption, the Kd value fluctuated and stabilized at 355-360 mL/g. The adsorptive capacity of uranium was increased as the initial uranium concentration increased, while it decreased as the soil particle size increased. The pH value played an important role in the U(VI) sorption onto soil, especially under alkaline conditions, and had a great effect on the sorption capacity of soil for uranium. Moreover, the presence of carbonate decreased the sorption of U(VI) onto soil because of the role of the strong complexation of carbonate with U(VI) in the groundwater. Overall, this study assessed the behavior of U(VI) sorption onto natural soil, which would be an important factor in the geological barrier of the repository, has contribution on mastering the characteristic of the adsorption of uranium in the particular soil media for the process of very low level radioactive waste disposal.

Abstract Background CCCH zinc finger proteins contain a typical motif of three cysteines and one histidine residues and serve regulatory functions at all stages of mRNA metabolism. In plants, CCCH type zinc finger proteins comprise a large gene family represented by 68 members in Arabidopsis and 67 in rice. These CCCH proteins have been shown to play diverse roles in plant developmental processes and environmental responses. However, this family has not been studied in the model tree species Populus to date. Results In the present study, a comprehensive analysis of the genes encoding CCCH zinc finger family in Populus was performed. Using a thorough annotation approach, a total of 91 full-length CCCH genes were identified in Populus, of which most contained more than one CCCH motif and a type of non-conventional C-X11-C-X6-C-X3-H motif was unique for Populus. All of the Populus CCCH genes were phylogeneticly clustered into 13 distinct subfamilies. In each subfamily, the gene structure and motif composition were relatively conserved. Chromosomal localization of these genes revealed that most of the CCCHs (81 of 90, 90 %) are physically distributed on the duplicated blocks. Thirty-four paralogous pairs were identified in Populus, of which 22 pairs (64.7 %) might be created by the whole genome segment duplication, whereas 4 pairs seem to be resulted from tandem duplications. In 91 CCCH proteins, we also identified 63 putative nucleon-cytoplasm shuttling proteins and 3 typical RNA-binding proteins. The expression profiles of all Populus CCCH genes have been digitally analyzed in six tissues across different developmental stages, and under various drought stress conditions. A variety of expression patterns of CCCH genes were observed during Populus development, of which 34 genes highly express in root and 22 genes show the highest level of transcript abundance in differentiating xylem. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) was further performed to confirm the tissue-specific expression and responses to drought stress treatment of 12 selected Populus CCCH genes. Conclusions This study provides the first systematic analysis of the Populus CCCH proteins. Comprehensive genomic analyses suggested that segmental duplications contribute significantly to the expansion of Populus CCCH gene family. Transcriptome profiling provides first insights into the functional divergences among members of Populus CCCH gene family. Particularly, some CCCH genes may be involved in wood development while others in drought tolerance regulation. Our results presented here may provide a starting point for the functional dissection of this family of potential RNA-binding proteins.