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This paper studies a novel robotic warehousing system called the overhead robotic compact storage and retrieval system, which can free up the floor space occupation at a low cost. Bins, as basic storage containers, are stacked on top of each other to form a bin stack. Along overhead tracks, bin-picking robots transport bins between storage/retrieval positions and workstations with the aid of track-changing robots. Little research has been done to study operational policies and performance analysis for this new robotic compact warehousing system. We propose a nested queuing network model that considers two transportation resources and performs reinforcement learning using real data to improve the reshuffling efficiency. We find that reinforcement learning based reshuffling policy greatly reduces the reshuffling distance and saves computation time compared to existing policies. We find that the storage policy of stacks affects the optimal width/length ratio regardless of the system height. Interestingly, we obtain the number of robots that can stabilise the system to avoid an explosion of the order queue; two more robots than that number will produce relatively low throughput times. Compared to an AutoStore system, using our system reduces cost by 30% with a slight increase in throughput time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topic: Patient Reported Outcomes/Quality of Life Background: Variant transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) is a rare genetic disease that affects patients' quality of life by affecting various organs and tissues. Despite a wealth of research on medical and psychosocial interventions, the impact of occupational therapy on patients with ATTRv is not well understood. This research focuses on the assessment of activities of daily living and occupations as a fundamental tool in the management of patients after diagnosis. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop an occupational therapy programme for the improvement of daily functioning and quality of life in patients with ATTRv. Methods: After an initial semi-structured interview, fourteen patients with ATTRv were enrolled in the study. The occupational therapist worked with the patient to develop short- and medium-term occupational goals, based on the Model of Human Occupation. During the six-month intervention period, weekly or ten-day sessions were held to monitor and adjust the guidelines. Outcomes were measured using scores for activities of daily living and psychological well-being. Results: The results showed that twelve patients stayed the same in their activities of daily living, two got worse and eight improved their psychological scores and the occupational situation. The study highlights the importance of early intervention and further research into the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions for patients with ATTRv. It also notes that patients who received occupational therapy intervention reported that 6 months was not enough and emphasizes the fundamental role of the therapist in providing motivation, facilitating meaningful activities, improving daily living and routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the intricate-coupling relationship between typhoons and the ionosphere by the high-frequency surface wave radar's (HFSWR) over-the-horizon capabilities. This letter describes the gravity wave features in travelling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) and ionospheric drift information. Further discussion is raised on the chaotic properties of gravity wave features using the Lyapunov exponents and chaotic attractors, particularly as they are influenced by typhoon. To predict these gravity wave features more accurately, a new model is developed by synergizing phase space reconstruction theory and statistical learning theory, a chaotic prediction model for gravity wave features constructed on a third-order Volterra filter. The experimental findings confirm that the gravity waves features detected via HFSWR present the hyperchaotic behaviour. More importantly, the innovative gravity wave prediction model based on chaotic attractor can capture the dynamics of the original chaotic system. Notably, the model's prediction accuracy has been improved by 98.6% after the introduction of phase space reconstruction modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe synergistic effect of ionic liquids (ILs) and anionic surfactants, ILs and cationic surfactants, and ILs and nonionic surfactants to form microemulsions has been studied by other researchers, while the synergistic effect of ionic liquids and zwitterionic surfactants to form microemulsions has not been reported. Here, we report the synergistic effect of imidazolium ionic liquid, 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide [C16mim] [Br], and betaine-type zwitterionic surfactant, cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine (CAHS), as surfactants, to form microemulsions with n-butanol, n-hexane and water. Phase behavior of the systems with different mass ratios of two surfactants, varied mass ratios of surfactant to cosurfactant (Km), and different temperatures are investigated by pseudo-ternary phase diagrams. The single-phase region of the microemulsion is maximized when the ratio of CAHS to [C16mim] [Br] is 1:4 and Km is 1.5, with little temperature dependence. The size and the polarity of microemulsions are explored. The synergistic effect of [C16mim] [Br] and CAHS is confirmed by surface tension and interface tension. A universal preparation method to form microemulsions by combining ionic liquids with zwitterionic betaine-type surfactants is provided and it play a pivotal role in broadening the potential uses of ILs in microemulsions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractHexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC) modified glassy carbon electrodes (HBC/GCEs) was fabricated by an electrochemical synthesis, solving the difficulty of the preparation of HBC films because of its poor solubility. HBC/GCE was used as a sensing electrode for the voltammetric investigation of imidacloprid (IDP). The presence of HBC increased the conductivity of GCE, and showed good electrocatalytic activity toward the reaction of IDP. Therefore, the HBC enhanced the electrochemical signal of IDP, which increased the sensitivity of the sensor. The best performance was obtained by optimizing the electrochemical synthesis time, pH and enrichment time. The linear response range and the limit of detection were 5 to 750 μmol·L−1 and 1.5 μmol·L−1, respectively. Moreover, the proposed sensor also exhibited good repeatability, selectivity and stability, and promising applications for real sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over half of patients with enlarged vestibular aqueducts (EVA) will have an air-bonr gap (ABG), however, current research on audiology has focused on the influencing factors of air-conducted. To retrospectively analyse the influencing factors and clinical manifestations of the bone-conduction threshold and ABG in patients with EVA. We included 286 patients with EVA; among them, 126 had full SLC26A4 gene sequence results. We performed a descriptive analysis of the bone-conduction threshold and explored the effect of age. Finally, we analyzed the relationship of ABG and SLC26A4 genes with the degree of vestibular aqueduct (VA) enlargement. Among 555 ears, 312 (57.8%) ears had ABG; approximately 94% of the patients' bone-conduction hearing is almost completely lost at frequencies of 2 and 4 kHz. There was no linear correlation between age and bone-conduction threshold (p > 0.05). ABG did not significantly differ according to the degree of VA enlargement and number of SLC26A4 allele mutations (p > 0.05). Among patients with EVA, ABG is mainly produced at low frequencies and is not significantly correlated with age, size of the VA opening or SLC26A4 genes, which could be attributed to the biomechanical effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Systemic immune-inflammatory markers such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) are associated with the prognosis of many cardiovascular and neoplastic diseases. Moyamoya disease (MMD) is associated with inflammation, but the relationship between systemic immune-inflammatory markers between MMD is unclear. The aim of our study was to analyse the association between systemic immune-inflammatory markers and the risk of MMD and its subtypes. Methods: We consecutively recruited 360 patients with MMD and 89 healthy control subjects in a case-control study to calculate and analyse the association of systemic immune-inflammatory markers with the risk of MMD and its subtypes. Results: The risk of MMD increased with higher levels of NLR (OR 1.237, 95% CI [1.008, 1.520], p =.042). When NLR and SII were assessed as quartile-spaced subgroups, the third quartile grouping of NLR and SII had a higher risk of MMD than the first quartile grouping (NLR: OR 3.206, 95% CI [1.271, 8.088], p =.014; SII: OR 3.074,95% CI [1.232,7.672], p =.016). When NLR was combined with SII, the highest subgroup had a higher risk of MMD than the lowest subgroup (OR2.643, 95% CI [1.340, 5.212], p =.005). The risk of subtypes also increased with higher levels of NLR and SII. The association between the levels of NLR and SII with the staging of the Suzuki stage follows an inverted U-shape. The highest levels of NLR and SII were found in patients with MMD at Suzuki stages 3–4. Conclusion: The risk of MMD increases with elevated systemic immune-inflammatory markers. This study analysed the association of systemic immune-inflammatory markers with the risk of developing MMD and its subtypes, and identified novel inflammatory markers for MMD. Systemic immune-inflammatory markers such as neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio and systemic immune-inflammatory index were higher in moyamoya disease (MMD) patients than in normal people. Systemic immune-inflammatory markers may be an independent risk factor for the onset of MMD. Systemic immune-inflammatory markers were associated with the progression of MMD, and their levels showed an inverted U shape with imaging stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number (CN) is a biomarker of mitochondrial function and has been reported associated with kidney disease. However, its association with IgA nephropathy (IgAN), the most common cause of glomerulonephritis (GN), has not been evaluated. We included 664 patients with biopsy-proven IgAN and measured mtDNA-CN in peripheral blood by multiplexed real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). We examined the associations between mtDNA-CN and clinical variables and found that patients with higher mtDNA-CN had higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (r = 0.1009, p =.0092) and lower serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid (UA) (r=−0.1101, −0.1023, −0.07806, respectively, all p values <.05). In terms of pathological injury, mtDNA-CN was higher in patients with less mesangial hypercellularity (p =.0385, M0 vs. M1 score by Oxford classification). Multivariable logistic regression analyses also showed that mtDNA-CN was lower for patients with moderate to severe renal impairment (defined as eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) vs. mild renal impairment, with the odds ratio of 0.757 (95% confidence interval: 0.579–0.990, p =.042). In conclusion, mtDNA-CN was correlated with better renal function and less pathological injury in patients with IgAN, proposing that systemic mitochondrial dysfunction may be involved in or reflect the development of IgAN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a syndrome characterized by an accelerating decrease in renal function in a short time. Thymol is one of the main components of thyme species and has a variety of pharmacological effects. Here, we investigated whether thymol could ameliorate rhabdomyolysis (RM)-induced AKI and its related mechanism. Glycerol was used to induce RM-associated AKI in rats. Rats received thymol (20 mg/kg/day or 40 mg/kg/day) gavage 24 h before glycerol injection until 72 h after injection daily. Kidney injury was identified by measuring serum creatinine (Scr) and urea levels and by H&E and PAS staining and immunohistochemistry (the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)). Renal superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and oxidative stress-related Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways were measured. The expression of the inflammatory markers TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, and NF-κB was assessed by ELISA and western blotting. Finally, the expression of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was detected by western blotting. Glycerol administration induced obvious renal histologic damage and increased Scr, urea, and PCNA expression. Notably, thymol treatment attenuated these structural and functional changes and prevented renal oxidative stress, inflammatory damage and PI3K/Akt pathway downregulation associated with glycerol-induced AKI. In conclusion, thymol might have potential applications in the amelioration of AKI via its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and upregulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of the study were to explore the potential associations between plasma proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and coagulation indexes in patients with primary membranous nephropathy (PMN). A total of 87 patients diagnosed with PMN were enrolled in our study. 30 healthy participants were recruited to match PMN participants. Plasma PCSK9 concentrations were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Correlations between PCSK9 and coagulation abnormalities in patients with PMN were analyzed using univariate and multiple linear regression analysis. Plasma PCSK9 levels in patients with PMN were significantly higher than that in healthy controls [232.0 (143.5, 359.5) ng/mL vs. 166.8 (129.7, 199.7) ng/mL; p = 0.001]. Plasma levels of PCSK9 were positively correlated with factor VIII, factor IX, factor XI, log-transformed tissue factor, protein C and protein S (r = 0.267, p = 0.013; r = 0.496, p < 0.001; r = 0.217, p = 0.045; r = 0.584, p < 0.001; r = 0.372, p = 0.001; r = 0.282, p = 0.011). In multiple linear regression analysis, PCSK9 concentration was independently and positively correlated with factor VIII, factor IX, and tissue factor (β = 0.186, p = 0.047; β = 0.325, p = 0.001; β = 0.531, p < 0.001; respectively). PCSK9 concentration was independently and negatively correlated with PT (β= −0.343, p = 0.011). Plasma PCSK9 levels had good positive correlations with procoagulant clotting factors and negative correlations with PT in PMN, which might provide novel information with regard to PCSK9 and hypercoagulability in PMN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peritoneal fibrosis caused by long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) is the main reason why patients withdraw from PD treatment. Lipid accumulation in the peritoneum was shown to participate in fibrosis, and klotho is a molecule involved in lipid metabolism. GSK343 (enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit (EZH2) inhibitor) has been verified to inhibit epithelial mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT) and peritoneal fibrosis, but its related mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether lipid accumulation was involved in the effect of GSK343 and its related mechanism. First, the expression of EZH2, klotho and EMT indices in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HMrSV5) incubated with high glucose (HG) levels was detected. After EZH2 was inhibited by GSK343, Western blot (WB), wound healing and Transwell assays were used to explore the effect of GSK343. EZH2 and klotho expression was also detected. Oil red O and Nile red staining and triglyceride (TG) detection kits were used to detect lipid accumulation. A rescue experiment with small interfering RNA specific for klotho (si-klotho) on the basis of GSK343 was also conducted to verify that GSK343 exerted its effect via klotho. In in vivo experiments, rats were administered GSK343, and the related index was assessed. In our study, we revealed that the expression of EZH2 was significantly upregulated and klotho was significantly downregulated in HMrSV5 cells induced by high glucose. With the aid of GSK343, we found that lipid deposition caused by HG was significantly decreased. In addition, EMT and fibrosis were also significantly alleviated. Moreover, GSK343 could also restore the downregulation of klotho. To further verify whether klotho mediated the effect of EZH2, a rescue experiment with si-klotho was also conducted. The results showed that si-klotho could counteract the protective effect of GSK343 on high glucose-induced lipid accumulation and fibrosis. In vivo experiments also revealed that GSK343 could relieve peritoneal fibrosis, lipid deposition and EMT by mitigating EZH2 and restoring klotho expression. Combining these findings, we found that EZH2 regulated lipid deposition, peritoneal fibrosis, and EMT mediated by klotho. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the effect of the EZH2-klotho interaction on peritoneal fibrosis. Hence, EZH2 and klotho could act as potential targets for the treatment of peritoneal fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginseng black spot, caused by Alternaria panax, is one of the most common diseases of Panax ginseng, which usually causes serious yield loss of ginseng plants. However, the pathogenic mechanism of A. panax has not been clarified clearly. Mycotoxins produced by phytopathogens play an important role in the process of infection. Previous study reported that dibutyl phthalate (DBP) identified from the metabolites of A. panax is a potent mycotoxin against P. ginseng. However, more evidence suggests that DBP is one of the constituents of plasticisers. To identify mycotoxins from A. panax and evaluate their phytotoxicity on the leaves of P. ginseng, different chromatographic, spectral and bioassay-guided methods were used together in this report. As a result, tyrosol (1), 3-hydroxy-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propanoic acid (2), and 3-benzylpiperazine-2,5-dione (3) were isolated and characterised from the extract of A. panax, in which compounds 1 and 2 showed phytotoxic activity on ginseng leaves. Furthermore, DBP was confirmed to come from the residue of ethyl acetate through UPLC-MS/MS analysis, and displayed no phytotoxicity on ginseng leaves based on biological experiments. The results in this report first revealed that tyrosol (1), and 3-hydroxy-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propanoic acid (2) not DBP were the potent mycotoxins of A. panax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For urban growth modeling, assessment metrics derived from cell-by-cell comparisons are mainly related to the size of the study area and the urban growth rate. Non-urban areas always occupy an important part of the city to which cellular automata (CA) models do not contribute much, so the simulation accuracy is often exaggerated when this part is included. To enable comparing simulation results across models, regions, and time, we developed an improved equivalent area-based assessment (EQASS) method using cell-by-cell comparison metrics. As against existing assessment methods, EQASS is computed by including the same area of urban and suburban areas (i.e., equivalent areas). EQASS was tested in three Chinese coastal cities using a heuristic CA model and two spatial statistical CA models to simulate urban growth. The results show that EQASS can exclude correct rejections that are not attributable to CA models; these correct rejections have a significant impact on the model assessment. The improved assessment can better evaluate the performance of CA models across regions and over time than the conventional assessment method that accounts for the full study area. This study extends the simulation assessment method and provides a good solution for selecting the best CA model from many candidate models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional bioretention filters lack satisfactory performance in nitrogen removal. In this study, we used a mixture of cultivated soil and river sand as the bioretention filter to remove nitrogen pollutants from simulated rainwater runoff. To improve its permeability and nitrogen removal performance, both activated carbon and ceramsite were used as additives. The nitrogen removal processes and its mass accumulation in the modified bioretention filters were studied. The contribution of adsorption and biotransformation processes, together with the effects of percolate rate on nitrogen removal performance was explored. The results showed that an activated carbon layer in the bioretention filters could obviously improve nitrogen removal efficiencies, but its location made no significant difference in nitrogen removal performance. Bioretention filters modified with 20% of ceramsite could achieve the optimal percolate rate and nitrogen removal efficiencies. At given conditions, the average removal efficiencies of ammonium nitrogen (NH3–N), nitrate-nitrogen (NO3–N), and total nitrogen (TN) by the modified bioretention filter reached 80.27%, 41.48%, and 59.45%, respectively. During the leaching processes, organic nitrogen originated in the filter materials can be mineralised into NH3–N, then be denitrified and completely removed in the anaerobic environment under flooding conditions. Biotransformation in the modified bioretention filters caused a reduction of NH3–N removal efficiency by 15.41% and an increase of NO3–N removal efficiency by 31.03%. The modified bioretention filter can withstand a long-term operation. Compared with NO3–N and TN, the pollutant of NH3–N in rainwater runoff is not easy to form a mass accumulation in the modified bioretention filter. Highlights The modified bioretention filter showed high percolation rate and nitrogen removal. Hydraulic residence time is a critical design parameter to achieve nitrogen removal. NH3–N is not easy to form a mass accumulation in the filler media as NO3–N. Biodegradation increased NO3–N removal efficiency by 31.03% at given conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of Rice straw and King grass on apparent digestibility, ruminal bacterial, and fungus composition in buffaloes. Three ruminal fistulated buffaloes were used in a 3 × 2 Latin square design. The dietary treatments were king grass and straw hay. Experimental animals were kept in individual pens and concentrate was offered at 1 kg/d while roughage was fed ad libitum. Each period lasted for 15d, with the first 12d for an adaptation period, followed by a 3-day formal trial period. King grass has higher digestibility of protein. Rice straw has higher digestibility to cellulose. The results showed that when buffaloes were fed king grass and straw, Bacteroidetes were dominant in the rumen normal flora, but firmicutes were not. In addition, the results of this experiment suggest that increasing protein content in diets may be beneficial to increase the relative abundance of Proteobacteria. Similarly, higher dietary fiber content may be beneficial for increasing relative abundance of Prevotella and Staphylococcus. The dominant fungi in ruminal fluid 2 h after ingestion were aerobic fungi. These aerobic fungi most likely entered the rumen with food. Whether and how long aerobic fungi can survive in the rumen needs more research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical penetration depth and failure displacement of vertically loaded anchor (VLA) have already been investigated. However, only few investigations focused on the double-plate VLA. Therefore, based on the finite element method, the critical penetration depth for the double-plate VLA was obtained, which is approximately 6.0 times the width of the upper fluke of the double-plate VLA. According to the reduced-scale model tests, the failure displacement of the double-plate VLA with different included angles and dimensions of the bottom fluke under shallow-embedded and deep-embedded conditions was obtained. Furthermore, the failure displacement of double-plate VLA with 30° included angle and the dimension of bottom fluke equal to that of upper fluke under shallow-embedded and deep-embedded condition is 0.29 and 0.67 times the width of upper fluke, respectively. Based on the empirical bearing capacity formula for VLA model, an improved bearing capacity formula for double-plate VLA model has been put forward; by means of the improved bearing capacity formula, the coefficient of bearing capacity for double-plate VLA under shallow-embedded and deep-embedded condition is obtained to be 5.013 and 4.106, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Except for cell-surface receptors, a range of transporters have been exploited as targets for the delivery of novel anti-tumour nanomaterials. Transporters, which are essential for delivering nutrients for the biosynthesis of mammalian cells, are significantly expressed in a range of tumour types; their expression is mostly tissue- and site-specific. The unique functional and expression characteristics of transporters make them ideal targets for mediating the selective delivery of nanomaterials to cancer cells, thus promoting cell accumulation, and enhancing the penetration of nanomaterials into biological barriers before they can specifically target cancer cells. In this review, we discuss the unique function of cancer-related transporters in the initiation and development of tumours, as well as the use of transporter-targeted nanocarriers in tumour-targeting therapy. First, the expression of various transporters in tumorigenesis and development is reviewed; this is followed by a discussion of the latest advances in targeted drug delivery strategies based on transporter nanocarriers. Finally, we review the molecular mechanisms and targeting efficiency of transporter-mediated nanocarriers. This review provides a state-of-the-art synthesis of this discipline and will facilitate the generation of new concepts for the design of highly efficacious and tumour-targeting nanocarriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition rules of cellular automata (CA) werestrengthened by incorporating annual growth rate (AGR) to reflect spatially heterogeneous neighbourhoods. We conducted hotspot (AGRHST) and gradient (AGRGDT) analysis of AGR to generate two spatial heterogeneity layers, then constructed three CA models: AGR-CA, AGRHST-CA and AGRGDT-CA. The modeling results showed that AGR-CA performed best in overall accuracy, AGRGDT-CA was superior to other models in terms of landscape pattern, and AGRHST-CA produced unrealistically smooth boundaries. The simulation accuracy of these models exceeds 89%, indicating that logistic regression-based simulation methods can be substantially improved by strengthening the neighbourhood effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to explore nanoindentation characteristics of tungsten, and the influences of grain size, indenter velocity, indenter size, and temperature are discussed. The results illustrate that the hardness reduces as the grain size (5.00 ∼ 24.62 nm) decreases. There is no phase change observed during the whole deformation process. For monocrystalline W, the dislocation nucleation and propagation dominate the deformation mechanisms. Differently, the primary deformation mode of nanocrystalline W is the grain split and motion of GBs. Dislocations primarily nucleate below the contact surface of the indenter and substrate and then glide in the grain core. The monocrystalline W has better pattern-forming ability than nanocrystalline. Besides, the pattern-forming ability of nanocrystalline W is negatively correlated with the average grain size (5.00 ∼ 24.62 nm). The von Mises stress is mainly concentrated in the interface between the indenter and substrate, the dislocation area for monocrystalline, and grain boundaries for nanocrystalline. The indentation force and hardness are positively correlated with indenter radius size (30 ∼ 80 Å), negatively correlated with temperature (10 ∼ 1500 K), and insensitive to the indenter velocity when velocity is lower than 3.0 Å /ps (300 m/s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two pairs of flavonoid enantiomers (1a/1b and 2a/2b) together with three known analogues (3–5) were isolated from the heartwood of Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis (1 D and 2 D NMR, UV, IR, and HRMS) and experimental and calculated ECD data. Compound 2 features an unusual 2-methyl-3(2H)-furanone moiety forming the C-ring of flavonoid, and its putative biosynthetic pathway is also proposed. Compounds 3‒5 exhibited significant inhibition of nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells with IC50 values of 14.7 ± 0.3 μM, 40.2 ± 1.1 μM, and 3.2 ± 0.1 μM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salvianolic acid A (SA-A), a water-soluble compound extracted from traditional Chinese herb Radix Salvia miltiorrhiza, has anti-fibrotic effects on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the anti-fibrotic effects of SA-A on CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in mice. All mice (except control group) were intraperitoneally administered CCl4 dissolved in peanut oil to induce liver fibrosis. Treatment groups were then gavaged with SA-A (20 or 40 mg/kg). The liver function index; liver fibrosis index; and superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels were determined. Furthermore, histopathological changes in liver tissues were observed via hematoxylin–eosin and Masson's trichrome staining. The expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen I was detected using immunofluorescence, and the mRNA levels of inflammatory factors were determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Finally, western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to determine the expression levels of proteins related to Nrf2/HO-1, NF-κB/IκBα, p38 MAPK, and JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathways. The results showed that SA-A could ameliorate CCl4-induced liver injury and liver fibrosis, improve morphology, and alleviate collagen deposition in the fibrotic liver. Moreover, SA-A could regulate the Nrf2/HO-1, NF-κB/IκBα, p38 MAPK, and JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathways; increase the levels of SOD and GSH-Px; and decrease MDA level in the fibrotic liver. Collectively, our study findings indicate that SA-A is effective in preventing liver fibrosis in mice by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress via regulating the Nrf2/HO-1, NF-κB/IκBα, p38 MAPK, and JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpha-methylthiofentanyl and thiofentanyl are psychoactive substances that have been abused in recent years, strongly threatening social and public security. Because they are rapidly metabolized in vivo, their determination presents a great challenge for forensic science. An automated method of online solid-phase extraction coupled with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography—tandem mass spectrometry was developed for the determination of alpha-methylthiofentanyl, thiofentanyl, and the metabolite norfentanyl in urine. The analytes were first enriched and purified by an Oasis HLB online SPE column and eluted on a Hypersil GOLD C18 analytical column. Chromatographic separation was achieved with mobile phase components of 2 mM ammonium formate and 0.1% formic acid in water and same composition in methanol in gradient elution mode. The limit of detection and lower limit of quantitation of the method for the three analytes were 0.2 and 2 pg/ml, respectively. Acceptable linearity was obtained from 2 to 800 pg/ml. The accuracy was in the range of 87.98–108.95%; and precision, calculated as the relative standard deviation, was less than 14.63%. The method recoveries were from 65.56 to 113.72%. This highly sensitive method was applied to study the detection window of the precursor compounds and metabolites in rat urine. Both alpha-methylthiofentanyl and thiofentanyl are metabolized to norfentanyl, which was first revealed in this study. With the aid of norfentanyl, the detection windows of alpha-methylthiofentanyl and thiofentanyl were extended to 18–26 days and 20–27 days, respectively. This study provides important auxiliary tools for the forensic identification of fentanyl analogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting future urban land-use scenarios and assessing their encroachment on ecological land is important for sustainability policy formulation. This study develops a new Futureland model using cellular automata with user-defined transformation rules, graphical neighborhood configuration and matrixed transformation cost to simulate multiple land-use changes. Compared with existing models, Futureland applies different factors to different land-use types in a single simulation experiment. Futureland was developed using Geospatial Data Abstraction Library and parallel computing, which significantly improve the implementation efficiency. The case study of Shanghai 2010–2020 illustrates an overall accuracy of 86.6% and a Kappa simulation of 0.79. The land-use scenarios for 2020–2035 were projected under greenspace planning constraints using Futureland. The results indicate that Shanghai's urban sprawl will gradually slow down by 2030, and the increased urban areas will be mainly in the urban fringes and suburban regions. Futureland can help decision-makers to manage future land-use and optimize urban planning policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the effects of historical land-use change and static land-use state on the modeling, we established three cellular automata (CA) models using the spatial autoregressive model (SAR). The models are CASAR-Cha based on the change data, CASAR-Sta based on the start-state data, and CASAR-End based on the end-state data. The models that considered five different neighborhood sizes (from 3 × 3 to 11 × 11) were applied to simulate the urban growth of Jiaxing, China from 2008 to 2018, and predict the urban scenario to the year 2048. All three models can accurately reproduce the urban growth from 2008 to 2018, and the CASAR-End model performed best in calibration and validation. The differences in historical land data did affect the spatial distribution of the simulated urban patterns. The neighborhood size has a significant impact on the model's allocation ability, yet the appropriate size depends on the unique landscape context being studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linked colour imaging (LCI) is a novel new image-enhanced endoscopy (IEE) technology that produces bright and vivid images. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of LCI to improve the diagnostic accuracy of early gastric cancer (EGC) relative to white light imaging (WLI). We performed this study on patients undergoing screening endoscopy from 12 medical institutions in China. Patients were randomly assigned to receive WLI followed by LCI or LCI followed by WLI. The primary outcome was to compared the diagnostic accuracy between LCI and WLI for EGC/high-grade intraepithelial neoplasms. Secondary outcomes included the numbers of suspicious lesions, neoplastic lesions and examination time by using LCI detected versus using WLI. A total of 1924 patients were randomly selected, and 1828 were included in the analysis. The diagnostic accuracy for EGC, which was 78.8% by using LCI and 68.4% by using WLI (p <.0001). More suspicious lesions were detected by LCI than by WLI (n = 1235 vs. 1036, p =.031), especially among differentiated EGC (p =.013). LCI greatly shortened the examination time compared with WLI (p =.019). LCI has better accuracy and shorter examination time in diagnosing EGC than WLI (Clinical trial registration: NCT03092414). Compared with white light imaging (WLI), the diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity increased by using LCI. More lesions were detected by LCI alone than by WLI alone, especially among differentiated EGC. LCI may be used as a screening tool for routine clinical observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the clinical manifestations, pathological features, pathogenesis, treatment, and prognosis of anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease with membranous nephropathy (MN). Seven patients with anti-GBM disease and concurrent MN were enrolled in this study. Control subjects included 13 patients with anti-GBM glomerulonephritis (GN) and 6 with anti-GBM disease and concurrent anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies-associated disease (anti-GBM + ANCA). Laboratory tests and pathological information were analyzed before immunosuppressive therapy or plasmapheresis administration. Prognosis was assessed in continuous follow-up. In the anti-GBM + MN group, 28.57% of patients exhibited acute kidney disease, lower than that in the anti-GBM GN group (84.62%, p =.022). None of the anti-GBM + MN or + ANCA patients exhibited hemoptysis, but 15.4% of anti-GBM GN patients did, with no significant difference (p =.720). Only 14.3% of anti-GBM + MN patients had crescentic GN. The proportion of necrosis averaged 29.0% in the anti-GBM + MN group. Survival curve analysis revealed that renal outcomes in the anti-GBM + MN group were better than those in the anti-GBM GN group (p =.019). Patients with both anti-GBM disease and MN showed atypical anti-GBM GN. They had a lower proportion of glomerular crescents and a better renal function prognosis than patients with classical anti-GBM GN. To improve renal recovery, early identification and treatment of anti-GBM disease associated with MN is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of the study were to identify whether left renal vein (LRV) entrapment was more prevalent in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and Henoch–Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) compared with other types of renal diseases, and the association of LRV entrapment with glomerular incidental IgA and galactose-deficient-IgA1 (Gd-IgA1) deposition. A total of 797 patients with biopsy-proven kidney diseases have been screened for LRV entrapment by color Doppler ultrasound, and the prevalence of LRV entrapment in different types of renal diseases were then analyzed. Propensity score matching analysis was used to adjust for age, gender, and body mass index. Immunostaining of Gd-IgA1 with KM55 was performed in paraffin-embedded sections of renal biopsy specimens. LRV entrapment was diagnosed in 47 patients (6%) with several kinds of renal diseases in our cohort. A total of 32 (68%) LRV entrapments were combined with expanded IgAN (idiopathic IgAN and HSPN). The prevalence of LRV entrapment in expanded IgAN was significantly higher than that in non-expanded IgAN (17 vs. 2%, p < 0.001), even after adjustment for age, gender, and body mass index by propensity score matching analysis (13 vs. 2%, p < 0.001). Removing expanded IgAN and LN, glomerular incidental IgA deposition was observed to be significantly more common in patients with LRV entrapment compared with patients without it (43 vs. 9%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, in glomerular diseases with incidental IgA deposits, significantly much larger proportion of patients with LRV entrapment were positive for glomerular Gd-IgA1 in contrast to patients without LRV entrapment (5/5 vs. 5/17, p = 0.01). LRV entrapment coexisted with several kinds of renal diseases, with a significantly higher prevalence in patients with idiopathic IgAN and HSPN. In patients of LN and IgAN-unrelated disease with LRV entrapment, glomerular IgA and Gd-IgA1 deposition was more common compared with patients without LRV entrapment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) is associated with the highest risk for developing venous thrombosis compared with other nephrotic diseases. The aim of the study was to assess the predictive value of the pathognomonic anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antibody with regard to incidence of venous thrombosis in PMN. A total of 365 in-hospital patients diagnosed with PMN were enrolled in the study. Anti-PLA2R antibody was detected by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Multivariate logistic regression was used to detect the independent risk factors for venous thrombosis. Thirty-seven patients (10.14%) had venous thrombosis. Patients with venous thrombosis had higher levels of cholesterol (CHOL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and D-dimer than those without venous thrombosis (p <.05). Patients with venous thrombosis had significantly lower levels of albumin (23.95 ± 5.53 vs. 26.18 ± 6.59 g/L, p =.049). No significant differences were found in proteinuria, serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate, platelets, and fibrinogen between patients with and without thrombosis. Anti-PLA2R antibody levels in patients with venous thrombosis were significantly higher than in patients without it (p =.002). In the univariate logistic regression, Ln anti-PLA2R antibody (OR: 1.340; p =.004), albumin (OR: 0.945; p =.050), CHOL (OR: 1.191; p =.006), and LDL (OR: 1.271, p =.006) were associated with venous thrombosis. Ln anti-PLA2R antibody (OR = 1.269; 95%CI: 1.032–1.561), and LDL (OR = 1.213; 95%CI: 1.017–1.448) were the independent risk factors for venous thrombosis (p <.05) in multivariate analysis. Anti-PLA2R antibody was the independent risk factor for venous thrombosis in PMN. Larger prospective studies were warranted to verify the results in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from parental cells could communicate with neighboring or distant recipient cells. The components in EVs, especially non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs, could regulate the functions of the recipient cells. Meanwhile, EVs could also be used as valuable biomarkers and drug delivery carriers. Moreover, environmental toxicants may alter EVs components and regulate EVs-mediated pathogenesis of various diseases. In this review, we mainly summarized the roles of EV-derived non-coding RNAs in the regulation of cell dysfunctions in various adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preeclampsia (PE), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and miscarriage. Moreover, the effects of environmental toxicants on the components and functions of EVs, as well as on their regulatory roles in these diseases, were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grey mould, caused by Botrytis cinerea, is an increasingly destructive disease of ginseng (Panax ginseng) in China. However, the extent of variation in the morphological characteristics of fungal colonies, genetic background and pathogenicity of different strains of this pathogen remains unknown. In this study, we isolated and identified 102 isolates of B. cinerea from ginseng. Among these, the sclerotial phenotype was dominant, followed by the mycelial and conidial phenotypes, with the proportion of each phenotype in the pathogen population showing no obvious variance across three provinces. Isolates were separated into three groups with differing pathogenicity, based on the diameter of the lesions they caused in pathogenicity tests; moderate-pathogenicity isolates were dominant, followed by strong- and weak-pathogenicity isolates. Variation was observed in the pathogenicity of isolates from three provinces. The Nei's genetic diversity index and the Shannon's information index of isolates from Jilin province was highest, followed by those from Liaoning, while isolates from Heilongjiang displayed the lowest genetic diversity. Furthermore, most of the genetic variance was found within the geographically defined B. cinerea populations; the low-genetic variance among populations was probably counteracted by gene flow. Results from this study provide a base understanding of genetic and pathogenic variation in B. cinerea populations from the main ginseng-growing regions of China, which will be helpful for further research and control of grey mould of ginseng. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart structures have the advantages of high system integrity and diverse sensing capabilities. However, the labor-intensive and time-consuming fabrication process hinders the large-scale adoption of smart structures. Despite recent attempts to develop sensor-embedded structures using 3D printing technologies, the reported smart structures generally suffer from the complex fabrication process, constrained part size, and limited sensing modality. Herein, we propose a workflow to design and fabricate novel smart structures via multimaterial fused deposition modeling (FDM)-based 3D printing. More specifically, conductive filaments with tailorable mechanical and electrical properties, e.g. piezoresistive effects, were developed. Additionally, the printing process was optimized for processing soft filaments with Young's modulus around 2 MPa, resolving the issue of filament buckling. Furthermore, the potential applications of the proposed workflow were showcased using three design cases, i.e. biaxial strain sensor, smart tire, and cable-driven soft finger with multiple sensing capabilities. This workflow provides a cost-effective and rapid solution for developing novel smart structures with soft materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production and selection of driving factors are essential to building a strong Cellular Automata (CA) model of dynamic urban growth simulation. A critical issue that should be addressed is how the spatial representation and the generalization scale of driving factors affect the CA modeling and the simulation results. It is challenging to evaluate the effectiveness of the selected driving factors because they have no true values. To explore the impacts of the generalization scales, we produced nine sets of driving factors at nine scales to calibrate the CA models based on the Particle Swarm Optimization (CAPSO) and applied them to simulate urban growth of Suzhou during 2000–2020. Our results show that the driving factors at a smaller scale have much better performance in explaining urban growth simulations as inferred by the Explained Residual Deviance (ERD) of the Generalized Additive Models (GAMs). Specifically, the ERD declined from 51.9% to 45.9% as the factor scale became larger during 2000–2020, but there was a peak value (52.2%) at Scale-2. For all simulations during 2000–2020, the CAPSO models with larger-scale factors have slightly lower overall accuracy and Figure-of-Merit (FOM), which respectively decreased by 3.1% and 4.4% as compared to the CA models with scale-free factors. We concluded that the driving factors at a smaller scale (200 ~ 400 m for point-like facilities and 7 ~ 14 m for line-like facilities) can build more accurate CA models to simulate urban growth patterns, and the optimal scale for factors can be identified using the ERD. This study contributes to the methods of evaluating the effectiveness of driving factor production and reveals the impacts of spatial representation of factors on the CA modeling and simulation considering the factor generalization scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Race and ethnic backgrounds affect the disease characteristics and clinical outcomes in many cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia; however, the association of race/ethnicity on myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is still controversial. Therefore, we aimed to study the impact of race/ethnicity on the disease characteristics and survival outcomes in patients with MDS. Adult patients with MDS diagnosed in 2004–2016 were selected using the SEER database. Race/ethnicity was categorized as non-Hispanic White (NHW), non-Hispanic Black (NHB), and Hispanic. Hispanic and NHB patients had significantly lower incidence rate ratio (IRR) in age group ≥01 years (p <.001) compared to NHW; however, in the age group <50 years, NHB patients had significantly higher IRR with an increased incidence rate of 49%. NHB patients had better overall survival than Hispanic and NHW patients (p <.001), even after adjusting for confounding variables. MDS have significant differences in age at diagnosis, disease risk, and survival outcomes based on racial/ethnic backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and green method was developed for the reaction of 2-aminothiophenol and benzaldehyde in the self-neutralizing acidic CO2-alcohol system to produce benzothiazoles. A series of benzothiazole derivatives were successfully prepared from the condensation and cyclization reaction of 2-aminothiophenol or substituted 2-aminothiophenol with aliphatic, heteroaryl and aryl aldehydes promoted by alkyl carbonic acid under mild conditions. Moreover, the method is also suitable for the synthesis of 2-phenylbenzimidazole and 2-phenylbenzoxazole. Additionally, this reaction system greatly simplified post-processing, which did not need to be neutralized with base and without salt disposal. These advantages make the process more practical, economical, and environmentally friendly. Mechanism investigation indicated that formation of alkyl carbonic acid from CO2 and methanol is the key intermediate, which provides hydrogen ions to catalyze the reaction of 2-aminothiophenol and benzaldehyde. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Genetically, complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) is androgenetic diploid, containing two sets of paternal chromosomes. In most cases, recurrent HM (RHM) is CHM but has diploid biparental chromosome constitution. Case report: We report a mother with RHM, both with biparental diploidy. The mother was compound heterozygous for two variants, c.1720dup, p.(C574Lfs*4) and c.2165A > G, p.(D722G) of the NLRP7 gene, as was a brother who fathered 2 normal pregnancies. Conclusion: The genotype study should be obtained for patients of CHM, even in their first pregnancy, followed by genetic screening for maternal-effect variants in those with biparental moles. This strategy will identify patients in their first pregnancy with HM that have a decreased chance for a normal pregnancy, to allow genetic counseling, perhaps utilizing a donor egg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rectal neuroendocrine tumors (R-NETs) usually invade the submucosa, and so complete resection is difficult. The treatment of choice for R-NETs ≤10 mm in size is endoscopic resection, but there is still controversy concerning the best endoscopic method. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of ligation-assisted endoscopic submucosal resection combined with endoscopic ultrasonography (ESMR-LUS) for treatment of R-NETs. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 101 patients with R-NETs ≤10 mm in size who underwent ESMR-LUS (n = 48) or conventional ligation-assisted endoscopic submucosal resection (ESMR-L; n = 53) between May 2019 and September 2021 at the 900th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force. Complete resection rate, pathological complete resection rate, procedure time, and adverse events were compared between the two groups of patients. The endoscopic complete resection rate was slightly higher in the ESMR-LUS group than in the ESMR-L group (100 vs. 96.2%, p =.496). The pathological complete resection rate was also slightly higher in the ESMR-LUS group (97.9 vs. 88.7%, p =.152), these findings, though statistically non-significant, have practical clinical significance. Margin involvement was less common in ESMR-LUS patients than in ESMR-L patients (1 vs. 6). Involvement of the lateral resection margin was found one patient in the ESMR-LUS group versus two patients in the ESMR-L group, and deep resection margin involvement in no patient in the ESMR-LUS group versus four patients in the ESMR-L group. Mean procedure time was longer in the ESMR-LUS group than in the ESMR-L group (11.08 ± 1.89 min vs. 9.38 ± 2.09 min, p =.061). Immediate bleeding occurred in two patients in the ESMR-LUS group vs. seven patients in the ESMR-L group. Two patients in the ESMR-L group also suffered perforation; both patients were successfully treated by endoscopy. ESMR-LUS appears to be a safe and effective technique for removal of small rectal NETs confined to the submucosal layer without metastasis. Further studies are warranted to compare the efficacy and safety of different methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban light rail transit systems have a significant potential to alter future urban development. We developed a new cellular automata model (CACG) based on conjugate gradients, and applied it to 1) simulate historical urban development at Jinhua of China, and 2) project future development scenarios incorporating the effect of future light rail transit stations (LRTS). The model produced a realistic urban pattern for 2018 with overall accuracy exceeding 95%, Kappa coefficient exceeding 70% and figure-of-merit exceeding 32%, indicating the model's ability to accurately capture urban dynamics. We predicted three different scenarios: a benchmark scenario of business as usual (BAU), a scenario focusing on LRTS, and an individual-factor-based scenario (ILRTS). The results show that the annual urban development intensity has the strongest correlation with LRT stations for LRTS-scenario, followed by ILRTS-scenario and BAU-scenario. The model can be readily applied elsewhere to assess the impact of urban infrastructure on future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explained the generation and implementation of pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) of small rural tourism enterprises (SRTEs) based on protection motivation theory (PMT), and discussed the effect of the contextual variable of community involvement on PEB of SRTEs. The results showed that: (a) the vulnerability to risks, severity of risks, response efficacy, and self-efficacy have significant effects on the pro-environmental behavioural intention (PEBI) of SRTEs; (b) SRTEs' PEBI further significantly affects their PEB; and (c) community involvement can not only directly affect the PEB of SRTEs, but also positively moderate the relationship between PEBI and PEB of SRTEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify microorganisms that can colonise pine trees and have a toxic effect on Monochamus alternatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), we isolated the CSHH2 bacterial strain from the phloem of nematode-infected Pinus massoniana (Coniferales: Pinaceae). The isolated strain was identified as Pseudomonas entomophila (Pseudomonadales: Pseudomonadaceae) based on phenotypic traits, 16S rDNA gene sequencing, homology analysis, phylogenetic tree analysis, and physiological and biochemical analysis. P. entomophila CSHH2 was resistant only to cefathiamidine and polymyxin B but was sensitive to most drugs tested in the antimicrobial sensitivity assay. Furthermore, the bioassay indicated that the CSHH2 strain possesses significant insecticidal activity against the second instar larvae of M. alternatus (p < 0.0001). LC50 and LT50 were 5.37 × 107 CFU mL−1 and 5.630 days (1.63 × 108 CFU mL−1 bacteria per larva) respectively at 10 days post-treatment. The present study is the first to identify the toxicity of P. entomophila against M. alternatus larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroautophagy/autophagy-related proteins regulate infectious and inflammatory diseases in autophagy-dependent or -independent manner. However, the role of a newly identified mammalian-specific autophagy protein-BECN2 (beclin 2) in innate immune regulation is largely unknown. Here we showed that loss of BECN2 enhanced the activities of NLRP3, AIM2, NLRP1, and NLRC4 inflammasomes upon ligand stimulations. Mechanistically, BECN2 interacted with inflammasome sensors and mediated their degradation through a ULK1- and ATG9A-dependent, but BECN1-WIPI2-ATG16L1-LC3-independent, non-canonical autophagic pathway. BECN2 recruited inflammasome sensors on ATG9A+ vesicles to form a complex (BECN2-ATG9A-sensors) upon ULK1 activation. Three soluble NSF attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins (SEC22A, STX5, and STX6) were further shown to mediate the BECN2-ATG9A-dependent inflammasome sensor degradation. Loss of BECN2 promoted alum-induced peritonitis, which could be rescued by the ablation of CASP1 in Becn2-deficient mice. Hence, BECN2 negatively regulated inflammasome activation to control inflammation, serving as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases. Abbreviations: AIM2: absent in melanoma 2; ATG: autophagy related; BECN1: beclin 1; BMDC: bone marrow-derived dendritic cells; BMDM: bone marrow-derived macrophages; CASP1: caspase 1; CQ: chloroquine; gMDSC: granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells; IL: interleukin; LPS: lipopolysaccharide; MAP1LC3B: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta; mMDSC: monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells; NLRC4: NLR family CARD domain containing 4; NLRP1: NLR family pyrin domain containing 1; NLRP3: NLR family pyrin domain containing 3; PECs: peritoneal exudate cells; PYCARD/ASC: apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain; SNAREs: soluble NSF attachment protein receptors; STX5: syntaxin 5; STX6: syntaxin 6; ULK1: unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1; WIPI: WD repeat domain, phosphoinositide interacting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant decrease in red blood cell (RBC) survival has been observed in patients with renal failure, which is supposed to contribute to renal anemia. The aim of this observational study was to determine RBC survival in hemodialysis (HD) patients treated with roxadustat or recombinant human erythropoietin (rhuEPO) compared with healthy persons. RBC lifespan was measured by Levitt's CO breath test with newly developed automatic instrument ELS Tester. A total of 102 patients receiving long-term HD from two independent dialysis centers enrolled in the study, of whom 62 were treated with rhuEPO and 40 were on roxadustat therapy. A total of 25 healthy participants were recruited to match HD participants according to age and sex. Median RBC survival times in rhuEPO, roxadustat, and control groups were 65.0 (25th–75th percentile, 49.5–77.3), 75.5 (25th–75th percentile, 57.3–99.3), and 108.0 (25th–75th percentile, 89.0–141.5) d, respectively. Patients treated with roxadustat had significantly longer RBC survival time than patients treated with rhuEPO (p <.05). In multivariate analysis of factors affecting RBC lifespan in the whole HD patients, anemia treatment drugs (rhuEPO/roxadustat) and levels of hemoglobin were the significantly independent factors. RBC survival was not found to correlate with either weekly rhuEPO dosage (r = –0.087, p =.500) or weekly roxadustat dosage (r = −0.267, p =.110) in our cohort. HD patients treated with roxadustat had significantly longer RBC survival time than patients treated with rhuEPO, large prospective studies with long-term follow-up are warranted to verify the results in future. Abbreviations RBC: red blood cell; HD: hemodialysis; rhu EPO: recombinant human erythropoietin; ESRD: end-stage renal disease; EPO: erythropoietin; ROS: reactive oxygen species; CKD: chronic kideny disease; ESAs: erythropoiesis-stimulating agents; HIF-PHD: hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase; CO: carbon monoxide; Hb: hemoglobin [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitogenome of Gymnosoma dolycoridis Dupuis, 1960 was determined in this study. It is 15,185 bp in length, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes (PCG), 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes and one non-coding control region. The A + T content of the mitogenome is 78.5%. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree built on 13 PCGs of 15 tachinid species indicated that Gymnosoma dolycoridis is clustered with other members of the subfamily Phasiinae as conventional taxonomy predicted. [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]

Existing studies regarding the role of DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTi) and lenalidomide in refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts (RARS) are limited. Using the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results-medicare database, we assembled a population-based cohort of older adults diagnosed with non-del(5q) lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes during 2007–2015. Of 2167 patients, 30% had RARS. About 16% of RARS and non- ring sideroblasts (RS) patients received DNMTi. RARS patients were more likely to receive lenalidomide (11.1% vs. 7.1%, p < 0.01). Among patients who were transfusion-dependent at treatment initiation, 55.6% of those treated with DNMTi only and 42.5% treated with lenalidomide only achieved red blood cell transfusion independence (RBC-TI) for a median duration of 21 and 12 weeks, respectively. RS status did not impact rate of RBC-TI. RARS patients had a significantly better survival, and the median survival of RARS patients varied by treatment group. In this population-based study of older RARS patients, DNMTi and lenalidomide were clinically active. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moral framing is a mobilizing strategy in digital activism to raise awareness of a social issue. This essay discussed the strengths and weaknesses of multiple methods of extracting moral framing from media content. Two issues were highlighted from crowd-coding and automated coding using computational approaches: context sensitivity and the handling of coding discrepancies. We compared results from manual content coding and automated analysis using the eMFD, urging scholars to incorporate multiple methods to uncover the meanings behind each moral value. We argued that crowdcoding, computational approaches and manual coding are not exclusive of one another, and encouraged scholars to diversify their methodological toolbox and choose what to use based on the research context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided by moral foundation theory and information virality theory, this study explored how moral framing, operationalized as the use of one of the five moral dimensions in tweets (i.e., care, fairness, loyalty, authority, and sanctity), is related to virality of social movement messages. It offered a case study of the 2019 Hong Kong protests by analyzing Twitter data collected using #HongKongPoliceBrutality. Results demonstrated that care framing promotes message virality, indicated by the likelihood of getting retweeted and favorited. However, the use of the fairness or authority frame decreased virality. Results indicated that the supporters of the movement were more likely to be triggered by non-political messages. The effect of moral framing on information virality was contingent upon the audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]