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Abstract The experimental results of this paper showed that the final grades of most students would be improved in the class with low English proficiency in the case of textbooks of the same difficulty. However, when multimodal instruction was used, the failure rate in the second semester decreased by 13 percentage points compared with the first semester, while the high-achieving students increased by 6 percentage points. Therefore, by using the multimodal teaching method, the learning effect of students with low English proficiency from the mid-term to the end of the term has been significantly improved, which showed that the multimodal teaching method was more superior than the conventional teaching method. Before and after the use of multi-modal teaching, students in class B had a 24% increase in grades from mid-term to final, mainly because the English level of class B was generally higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study conducted two experiments to explore the effects of intuitive thinking and social value orientation (SVO) on cooperative behavior and assess the mediating effect of cooperative expectations. It manipulated intuitive thinking by increasing the participants' need for cognitive closure, classified SVO using the triple-dominance measure, measured cooperative behavior using the prisoner's dilemma game, and considered cooperative expectations based on participants' assessments of the cooperativeness of their counterparts. Both experiments showed that intuitive thinking increased and decreased the cooperation of pro-social and pro-self individuals, respectively. In pro-self individuals, cooperative expectations mediated the effect of intuitive thinking on cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning from nature and promoting original design concept is a significant way to develop functional materials with outstanding performance. Even since the discovery of the role of DOPA residues in the strong adhesion ability of mussel foot-byssus proteins (Mfps), numerous efforts have been devoted into the design of mussel-inspired polymers and many outstanding results have been achieved. Herein, this review is aimed to summarize the recent progress in mussel-inspired polymers in the last decade, including further explorations in the structure and functionality of Mfps, the design trend and driving forces for mussel-inspired polymers, and the applications and prospects for functional mussel-inspired polymers. We anticipate that this review can provide some guidance for researchers to explore novel biomimetic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the moderator role of multidimensional wisdom (i.e. individuals' positive personality traits) on the association between caregiver burden and depressive symptoms among family caregivers of disabled older adults in China. A quota sampling was used to recruit 789 pairs of disabled older adults and their primary family caregivers in Shanghai, China, in 2013. Multiple-group path analysis was used to test the proposed model. Cognitive, reflective, and affective wisdom were found to moderate the association between burden and depressive symptoms. The association was statistically significant among those with relatively low levels of cognitive, reflective, and affective wisdom. These associations, however, were found to be statistically nonsignificant among those with relatively high levels of cognitive, reflective, and affective wisdom. The findings highlight the important role of multidimensional wisdom in the underlying mechanisms of family caregiving from the perspective of the stress process model. Policy and intervention implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lodging stress influences the yield, quality, and mechanical harvesting ability of rice (Oryza sativa L.). It is of great significance for the quantitative and objective evaluation of rice yield loss to obtain the rice lodging distribution and grade information rapidly and nondestructively. The purpose of this paper was to establish a remote sensing monitoring method for the grade of rice lodging based on change vector analysis via Sentinel-2A images before and after lodging. Taking the lodging ratio (LR) of rice in the parcel as the characterization index, the changes in spectral reflectance and vegetation index of the rice canopy under different lodging grade stresses were analyzed. A 7-dimensional space vector was composed of a canopy spectral reflectance and vegetation index. A new angle vector was formed by the angle between each vector object and the axis of the canopy spectrum (vegetation index). Based on the difference in feature vectors before and after lodging, a lodging grade monitoring model based on rice parcels was constructed, and the accuracy of the model was verified using field observations. The results showed that the spectral reflectance of the rice canopy after lodging increased with the increase in lodging stress. The difference in vegetation index before and after lodging increased with the increase in lodging severity. Based on the change in the magnitude of the canopy spectral reflectance and its angle vector, and the vegetation index and its angle vector, the R2 of the rice lodging model was 0.66, 0.66, 0.60, and 0.59, respectively, and the RMSE values were 21.03%, 20.37%, 22.13%, and 22.84%, respectively. Therefore, the accuracy of the model constructed using the vegetation index was the highest. The canopy spectral reflectance and difference in the vegetation index of rice changed regularly with lodging grade stress. The model based on the change magnitude of the vegetation index could effectively realize remote sensing monitoring of the grade of rice lodging in Wuchang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/aim of the study: Posterior circulation stroke (PCS) accounts for 20% of ischemic stroke, and vertebrobasilar stenosis is an important cause of PCS. Notably, not all patients with artery stenosis progress to ischemic stroke, and one of the important reason is that collateral circulation construction plays important protection role in this process. Clinical presentation: Here, we present the case of a 71-year-old male who presented with lightheadedness and three episodes of loss of consciousness after bilateral subclavian artery stenting. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) demonstrated severe stenosis of the left vertebral artery, and the bilateral subclavian artery was kept open. The patient was then given the left vertebral artery stenting in an effort to resolve the vascular stenosis. As expected, he achieved a complete remission after stenting. However, 6 months later the patient suffered from loss of consciousness again. Repeat DSA confirmed restenosis of the left vertebral artery, and revealed a collateral flow to the left vertebral artery which fed by external carotid collateral branches. Then DSA was performed after 12 months, and another collateral circulation involving thyrocervical trunk was also found supplying flow to the left vertebral artery. In this process, the frequency of loss of consciousness gradually decreased as the collateral circulation construction. Conclusion: Through this case, we observe the whole process of the collateral circulation construction. Moreover, this case serves as a testament to the variability and complexity of vertebrobasilar arteriopathies, suggesting promotion of collateral flow offers the opportunity for outcome improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new compounds, crotalariapallins A-C (1-3), were isolated from the 95% EtOH extract of the seeds of Crotalaria pallida. Their structures were established based on extensive spectroscopic methods, including HRESIMS, UV, 1D and 2D NMR. All compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activities to tyrosinase. These compounds showed different degrees of inhibitory activities, among them, compound 3 exhibited the strongest inhibition activity (IC50 = 0.42 mM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chemical investigation on the 90% EtOH extract of the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma applanatum led to the isolation of three new lanostane triterpenoids, designated as 25-methoxy-11-oxo-ganoderiol D (1), 3-oxo-25-methoxy-24,26-dihydroxy-lanosta-7,9(11)-diene (2), and 3β-acetyloxy-lucidone H (3). Structural elucidation of all the compounds were performed by spectral methods such as 1 D and 2 D (1H-1H COSY, HMQC, and HMBC) NMR spectroscopy. All the triterpenoids were in vitro evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against six pathogenic microorganisms. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited some activities against three Gram positive bacteria with MIC values less than 60 μg/ml. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the possibility of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) discontinuation in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients who obtained sustained deep molecular response (DMR) and to explore the prognostic role of NK cells in treatment-free remission (TFR). Sixty CML patients who discontinued TKI treatment were enrolled, and we also investigated the immune profiles in 27 CML patients after TKI cessation. Of the 60 patients, the estimated TFR rate was 60.8% [95% CI: 49.5–74.8%] at 12 months. Patients who had longer TKI duration, major molecular response, and DMR maintenance time had a significantly higher TFR rate. And a higher percentage of NKG2A+NK cells and NKG2A+CD56brightCD16−NK cells were independent prognostic factors of TFR in multivariate analysis. These results indicate the practicality of the cessation of TKIs and patients with stable NK cell counts accompanied by higher cytotoxicity and increased killing capacity are more inclined to get sustained treatment-free survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grading of intracochlear endolymphatic hydrops (EH) in Meniere's disease (MD) varies and lacks uniformity. To compare the grading consistency and correlation between different grade methods of intracochlear EH and hearing loss. Thirty-one patients diagnosed with MD underwent gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Two radiologists graded the cochlea EH according to M1, M2, M3, or M4. We analysed the grading consistency and correlation between the EH degrees and hearing loss. The weighted kappa coefficients for inter-observer and intra-observer agreements for grading using M1 were good, whereas those for M2, M3, and M4 are excellent (all p < 0.001). The cochlear EH degree based on M2 was correlated with the low-to-mid frequencies, high frequencies, full frequencies, and MD clinical stage (all p < 0.05). The degrees based on M1, M3, M4 were only relevant to some of the 4 items. The grading consistency of M2, M3, M4 is relatively higher than that of M1, and M2 shows the strongest correlation with hearing loss. Our results provide a more accurate method for assessing the clinical severity of MD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of present study was to evaluate the effect of Limosilactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) on the intestinal barrier function and mucosal immunity of piglets at different suckling phase. In this study, fifty-four neonatal piglets (Rongchang × Yorkshire) were orally administered with 1.0 × 1010 CFU L. reuteri I5007 (dissolved in 2 ml 0.1% peptone) or 2 ml 0.1% peptone by gavage every day. The experiment had lasted for 20 days from the birth. Six piglets from each group were slaughtered at 10- and 20-day-old, respectively. Intestinal samples were collected for the evaluation of target genes by real-time PCR and western blot. The results showed that L. reuteri I5007 significantly increased the average daily gain, decreased the diarrhoea incidence, and improved the intestinal morphology of piglets (p <.05). Oral administration of L. reuteri I5007 also elevated the mRNA and protein level of jejunal and ileal Zonula Occludens-1, Claudin-1, and Occludin to enhance the intestinal mucosal barrier function. Additionally, L. reuteri I5007 treatment modulated toll-like receptors (TLRs) and porcine host defense peptides (HDPs) expression, such as increased the mRNA levels of ileal TLR9 and PBD2 at 10-day-old, jejunal TLR9 and ileal PG1-5 at 20-day-old, the protein level of ileal TLR2 at 20-day-old, and influenced the protein and mRNA level of ileal TLR4. These findings indicated that oral administration of L. reuteri I5007 could improve the intestinal mucosal barrier and enhance the intestinal innate immunity of piglets during suckling period. L. reuteri increased the average daily gain and decreased the diarrhoea incidence of piglets. L. reuteri increased the expression of Zonula Occludens-1, Claudin-1, and Occludin in jejunal and ileal mucosal. L. reuteri influenced the expression of toll-like receptors and porcine host defense peptides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular abnormalities are frequent in core-binding factor (CBF) AMLs, but their prognostic relevance is controversial. Sixty-two patients were retrospectively analyzed and 47 harbored at least one gene mutation with a next-generation-sequencing assay. The most common molecular mutation was KIT mutation (30.6%), followed by NRAS (24.2%) and ASXL1 (14.5%) mutations, which was associated with a higher number of bone marrow blasts (p =.049) and older age (p =.027). The survival analysis showed KIT mutation adversely affected the overall survival (OS) (p =.046). NRAS mutation was associated with inferior OS (p =.016) and RFS (p =.039). Eight patients carried co-mutations of KIT and NRAS and had worse OS (p =.012) and RFS (p =.034). The multivariate analysis showed age ≥60 years and additional chromosomal abnormalities were significant adverse factors for OS. Thus, co-mutations of KIT and NRAS were significantly associated with a poor prognosis and should be taken into account when assessing for prognostic stratification in patients with CBF-AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]