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Interactive deformation via control handles is essential in computer graphics for the modeling of 3D geometry. Deformation control structures include lattices for free‐form deformation and skeletons for character articulation, but this report focuses on cage‐based deformation. Cages for deformation control are coarse polygonal meshes that encase the to‐be‐deformed geometry, enabling high‐resolution deformation. Cage‐based deformation enables users to quickly manipulate 3D geometry by deforming the cage. Due to their utility, cage‐based deformation techniques increasingly appear in many geometry modeling applications. For this reason, the computer graphics community has invested a great deal of effort in the past decade and beyond into improving automatic cage generation and cage‐based deformation. Recent advances have significantly extended the practical capabilities of cage‐based deformation methods. As a result, there is a large body of research on cage‐based deformation. In this report, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the art in cage‐based deformation of 3D geometry. We discuss current methods in terms of deformation quality, practicality, and precomputation demands. In addition, we highlight potential future research directions that overcome current issues and extend the set of practical applications. In conjunction with this survey, we publish an application to unify the most relevant deformation methods. Our report is intended for computer graphics researchers, developers of interactive geometry modeling applications, and 3D modeling and character animation artists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Any point inside a d‐dimensional simplex can be expressed in a unique way as a convex combination of the simplex's vertices, and the coefficients of this combination are called the barycentric coordinates of the point. The idea of barycentric coordinates extends to general polytopes with n vertices, but they are no longer unique if n > d+1. Several constructions of such generalized barycentric coordinates have been proposed, in particular for polygons and polyhedra, but most approaches cannot guarantee the non‐negativity of the coordinates, which is important for applications like image warping and mesh deformation. We present a novel construction of non‐negative and smooth generalized barycentric coordinates for arbitrary simple polygons, which extends to higher dimensions and can include isolated interior points. Our approach is inspired by maximum entropy coordinates, as it also uses a statistical model to define coordinates for convex polygons, but our generalization to non‐convex shapes is different and based instead on the project‐and‐smooth idea of iterative coordinates. We show that our coordinates and their gradients can be evaluated efficiently and provide several examples that illustrate their advantages over previous constructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IODP Site U1437 is located in the Izu rear‐arc region, approximately 330 km west of the Izu‐Bonin trench axis. The oldest four units (Units IV through Unit VII) include volcaniclastic sediment and in situ hyaloclastites. They have ages of about 6–15 Ma, shortly after cessation of Shikoku backarc basin opening. Three magma types are identified by their distinct geochemistry; they are similar types to those found in the modern Izu arc (Rear Arc Seamount Chain [RASC]‐type, Rift‐type, and volcanic front [VF]‐type). RASC‐type has the most enriched Nd and Hf isotope and fluid‐immobile trace element ratios and dominates from 9 to 6 Ma. Rift‐type, dominant from 15 to 9 Ma, is similar to VF‐type in Nd‐Hf isotopes but has the least radiogenic Sr and Pb, and intermediate La/Yb and Nb/Yb, indicating a more fertile mantle source and less hydrous slab component than VF‐type. Less common and randomly distributed VF‐type sediments have the most radiogenic Sr and Pb, and the highest Ba/(Th, LREE [light rare earth element]) ratios, and are interpreted to be distally derived. The genesis of mafic Unit VII samples (~15 Ma) was modeled using the Arc Basalt Simulator. Results are most similar to those for basalts in the modern rift environment indicating the addition of ~1% of a melt‐rich slab component generated at ~125 km, to a Philippine Sea Plate ambient mantle that was more depleted than DMM (depleted MORB mantle). The initial post‐Shikoku basin magmatism in the Izu rear‐arc generated Rift‐type magmas for about 6 million years before the distinctive RASC‐type magmatism began, which then became increasingly enriched. Plain Language Summary: We explore the history of magma genesis in the Izu rear‐arc, Japan, by studying the geochemistry of volcaniclastic sediments that were obtained by ocean drilling. This paper presents their Sr‐Pb‐Nd‐Hf isotope ratios and numerical models of magma genesis. We identify the presence of three geochemical types that change through time. Rift‐type formed soon after cessation of seafloor spreading in the Shikoku Basin at ~15 Ma and came from a more fertile mantle source with a less hydrous slab component than at the contemporaneous volcanic front. This type is most like basalts from rifts behind the current volcanic front and was unknown before drilling. RASC‐type dominates from 9 to 6 Ma and has more enriched Nd and Hf isotope and fluid‐immobile trace element ratios that are like those of rocks dredged from the coeval rear‐arc seamount chains. VF‐type is uncommon, randomly dispersed, and interpreted as derived from the distal volcanic front. The results confirm that the arc front has migrated trenchward since the Miocene. Key Points: The geochemistry of the volcaniclastics and hyaloclastites of IODP Site U1437 is reportedTwo magma types and one magma type of distal origin existed in the Izu rear‐arc after spreading in the Shikoku Basin endedThe initial post backarc basin magmatism generated magmas similar to Quaternary Rift‐type and evolved to rear‐arc seamount chain type [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Pleistocene climatic fluctuations may have had a profound impact on the evolutionary history of many species. The geographical pattern of European wild boar (Sus scrofa) is clearly studied, and it was greatly influenced by ancient climatic events, especially the Last Glacial Maximum. Previous research on genetic variation has mainly focused on the origin and distribution histories of domestic pigs. However, some questions have not been answered, including those concerning the genetic diversity, geographical pattern and possible historic influence of climate on East Asian wild boar (EAWB). Employing the control region of mtDNA (511 bp), we investigated the contributions of historic climate, which possibly shaped the genetic pattern of wild boar. Given that the level of genetic diversity of wild boars is higher in East Asia than in Europe, 172 haplotypes were detected from 680 individuals. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated the complex phylogeographic structure of EAWB. Mismatch analysis, neutrality tests and the Bayesian Skyline Plot results all retrieved signals of a rapid population expansion, which might have played an important role in driving the formation of complex spatial genetic structure. Genetic data and species distribution modelling showed that the Last Glacial Maximum had weak effect on the distribution of the EAWB. We suggest that, in shaping spatial genetic structure in East Asian, long‐term gene flow and population history played more important roles than Pleistocene climate fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volcanoes in the East Asian/Pacific region have been the source of some of the largest magnitude eruptions during the Late Quaternary, and accurately evaluating their eruptive histories is essential for hazard assessments. To overcome difficulties in resolving and precisely dating eruptions in the near‐source realm, the high‐resolution (varved) sediments of Lake Suigetsu (central Honshu, Japan) were examined for the presence of non‐visible (cryptotephra) layers from 50 ka up until the 30 ka Aira‐Tanzawa (AT) caldera‐forming event of Aira volcano. Cryptotephra layers are four times more frequently preserved than visible markers in the Suigetsu sediments, meaning that this archive provides a unique and unprecedented record of eruptions that were dispersed over the densely populated regions of central Honshu. Major and trace element volcanic glass chemistry is used to fingerprint the ash layers and pinpoint their volcanic origin. Tephras are found throughout the investigated sediments, but the highest abundance of ash fall events are recorded between 39 and 30 ka, capturing a period of intense volcanism at calderas on Kyushu Island (Japan). The augmented Suigetsu tephrostratigraphy records at least seven eruptions from Aso caldera (southern Kyushu) that post‐date the widespread ACP‐4 Plinian eruption (ca. 50 ka) and four explosive events from Aira (central Kyushu) that occurred leading up to the catastrophic caldera‐forming AT eruption (ca. 30 ka). Key Points: Refined eruption stratigraphy for Japan (between 50 and 30 ka) through the identification of cryptotephra layers in the varved Lake Suigetsu sediment coreAso caldera was particularly active between 35 and 30 ka, producing at least 5 tephras that were dispersed >500 km from sourceA large eruption occurred from Aira 1.3 ka before the cataclysmic VEI 7 caldera‐forming AT eruption that blanketed Japan in ash [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most common persistent organic pollutants is di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate ( DEHP), which has caused considerable pollution in the Mollisols of agricultural areas in northeast China. This research investigates the effects of different concentrations of DEHP from 0 to 35 days on microbial biomass carbon ( MBC) and structural diversity in the microbial community of Mollisols. The results indicated that contamination by DEHP of more than 20 mg kg−1 could clearly affect MBC and structural diversity of the microbial community of a Mollisol in a short time depending on the dose of DEHP. At concentrations of DEHP >20 mg kg−1, we observed that the larger was the concentration of DEHP, the greater was the effect on the MBC and diversity of the soil microbial community. The DEHP concentration or incubation time had negative correlations with MBC, and the evenness ( E H), Shannon ( H) and richness ( S) indices of the microbial community, and the DEHP concentration had a dominant effect on microbial properties. The dominant bacterium in the DEHP-contaminated soil was B acillus. Furthermore, bacterial community structure changed under different amounts of DEHP stress and with the increase in incubation time; Pseudomonas and Sphingopyxis clearly increased in number with large concentrations of DEHP. The change in the microbial population indicated that these two bacteria might have a strong resistance to change under the microbial DEHP stress. Highlights DEHP significantly changed MBC and microbial diversity of a Mollisol., The change in MBC was related to the composition of the soil microbial community structure., DEHP had a persistent effect on the microbial community in a Mollisol., Bacillus were the dominant bacteria in the DEHP-contaminated soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We unified the number-of-layer dependence of the A1g and the E12g phonon frequencies of the layered MX2 (M = Mo and W; X = S and Se) semiconductors with derivative of quantitative information on the bond relaxation dynamics and clarification of their physical origins. Theoretical reproduction of observations confirms that atomic undercoordination stems the unusual behavior of phonons of the MX2. The difference in electronegativity and ionic radius between the constituent elements resolves the bond nature index m and the relaxation extents of phonon frequencies. It is also clarified that the dimer interaction dictates the blue shift of the E12g phonon but the collective interaction of an atom with its z-neighbors governs the red shift of the A1g phonon dynamics as the number-of-layer reduces. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the alcohol-water mixtures are ubiquitously important to beverage and pharmacy industries, it remains yet puzzling how the alcohols interact with watermolecules and how the alcoholmolecules functionalize the hydrogen bond network of liquid water and body fluid. We show spectrometrically that alcohol hydration softens both the H-O bond and the O:H nonbond through hydrogen bond cooperative relaxation and associated charge polarization. Observations suggested that each of the dangling hydroxide group :Ö:H- (interacts with :Ö or -H+) and the dangling methyl group C-H+ (with -H+ or :Ö) is equally capable of interacting with H2O molecules in the form of Ö:↔:Ö point compressor, H+↔H+ point breaker, and O:H-O hydrogen bond at the alcohol-water interface without charge sharing or new bond formation. The alcohol-water O:H-O formation enables the solubility and hydrophilicity of the alcohol; the H+↔H+ breaker embrittles the hydration network; the Ö:↔:Ö compression shortens the O:H nonbond and lengthens the H-O bond. H-O softening is associated with heat emission and depression of solution melting temperature; the O:H nonbond softening (due to polarization) lowers the critical temperatures for freezing. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albeit its chemical inertness, rare gas doping can substantially enhance the quantum size effect of nanocrystals, yet little attention has been paid on this fascination and the mechanism behind remains unclear. Here, we show that the rare gas dopant breaks bonds of its neighboring atoms, which effects the same to atomic under-coordination on the bond strain, energy quantum entrapment, and valence electron polarization of Li and Na clusters. Consistency between density functional theory calculation and the bond-order-length-strength correlation prediction revealed that the bond strain by 16.86% and 21.12% before and after He doping for Na30 clusters. Observations suggest an effective yet simple means to modulate the physical properties by doping the inert gases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solute-solvent interaction of salts has a striking impact on various biological and industrial processes but its mechanism remains yet mysterious despite intensive studies since 1888 when Franz Hofmeister established the salt series. A combination of confocal Raman spectroscopy and contact angle measurements has enabled us to resolve the hydrogen bond relaxation (O:H-O, HB) and the associated charge polarization dynamics at different molecular site because of alkali halides hydration. Results show consistently that salt hydration softens the O:H phonon but stiffens H-O phonon cooperatively. The extent of HB relaxation and polarization is proportional to the electronegativity difference and ionic radius, following the order of Hofmeister series: X (R/η) = I (2.2/2.5) > Br (1.96/2.8) > Cl (1.81/3.0) > F (1.33/4.0) ≈ 0 for anions, and Y(R/η) = Na (0.98/0.9) > K (1.33/0.8) > Rb (1.49/0.8) > Cs (1.65/0.8) for cations. Observations suggest that ions create each an electric field that aligns, stretches, and polarizes water molecules, which relaxes the O:H-O bond cooperatively, depresses the molecular dynamics, and enhances the hydration shell viscosity and the skin stress. Exercises also demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy performs as a powerful tool for probing the molecular-site-resolved HB network relaxation dynamics in terms of phonon stiffness, molecular fluctuation dynamics, and phonon abundance transition under external stimulus. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We systematically examined the effects of number-of-layer, pressure, and temperature on the bond length and energy, Debye temperature, atomic cohesive energy, and binding energy density for layered black phosphorus using bond-phonon-photon spectrometric methods. We clarified the following: (1) atomic under-coordination shortens and stiffens the PP bond, which raises the B2g and Ag2 phonon frequency and widens the bandgap, (2) bond thermal elongation and weakening soften all phonon modes, and (3) bond mechanical compression has the opposite effect of heating on phonon frequency relaxation. The phonon and photon energy depends on the bond length and energy, which determines the relevant elasticity and thermal stability of layered structure. More broadly, the approaches and findings of this work provide both insight into and efficient tools for further exploration of unusual behaviors of other two-dimensional substance. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of volatile profiles from differently processed flaxseed oils (FSO) was performed by SPME-GC-MS, electronic nose (E-nose) and descriptive sensory analysis. A total of 61 volatiles were tentatively identified and then quantified. Among these components, 51 volatiles were obtained from the hot-pressed FSO, 47 from cold-pressed FSO, and 40 by solvent extraction. Principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated that three FSO samples tested resulted in significant differences of three treatments ( p<0.05) and the marker compounds that contributed to discrimination of different processed FSO were hexanal, (E, E)-2, 4-pentadienal, (E, E)-2, 4-heptadienal, 6-hydroxy-2-hexanone, 1-hexanol, methyl-pyrazine, nonanal, 2,3-pentanedione, 1-butanol, acetic acid, hexanoic acid, and ethyl acetate. In addition, there was good consistency among GS-MS, sensory evaluation and E-nose analysis results. These results indicated that the process method has a significant effect on the aroma quality of FSO and may be helpful in evaluating aroma quality and the detection of frauds. Practical applications: The results showed that the major volatile components could be used as chemical markers to distinguish differently processed FSOs by the chemometric method. There was good consistency among GS-MS, sensory evaluation and E-nose analysis results, suggesting that E-nose technique combined with a PCA of the data provided by the sensor arrays has the good potential to evaluate FSO quality and the detection of frauds. Sixty-one volatiles were identified and significant differences were found in different processed flaxseed oils. Twelve major volatile compounds contributed to discrimination of different processed flaxseed oils. Flaxseed oil samples were distinguished from each other through PCA of E-nose data, suggesting that the E-nose can successfully discriminate different processed flaxseed oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tree shrew ( Tupaia belangeri chinensis) is a squirrel-like lower primate or a close relative of primates, commonly used as an animal model in biomedical research. Despite more than three decades of usage in research, the clear relationships between body weight, fasting blood glucose concentration, sex and age among tree shrews remain unclear. Based on an investigation of 992 tree shrews (454 males and 538 females) aged between 4 months and 4 years old, we found that male tree shrews have significantly higher body weight and fasting blood glucose concentration than female tree shrews (p < 0.001). The concentration of fasting blood glucose slightly increased with body weight in males ( r = 0.152, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, in females, the body weight, concentration of fasting blood glucose and waist circumference positively increased with age (p < 0.001). Additionally, 17 tree shrews with Lee index [body weight (g)*0.33*1000/body length (cm)] above 290 had significantly higher body weight, waist circumference and glycated haemoglobin A1c ( Hb A1c) than non-obese tree shrews with a Lee index score below 290 (p < 0.001). Interestingly, 6 of 992 tree shrews (three males and three females, 2-4 years old) displayed impaired plasma triglycerides, Hb A1c, low-density lipoprotein and oral glucose tolerance test, suggestive of the early symptoms of metabolic syndrome. This study provides the first clear relationships between body weight, fasting blood glucose concentration, sex and age in tree shrews, further improving our understanding of this relationship in metabolic syndrome ( Met S). Given the similarity of tree shrews to humans and non-human primates, this finding supports their potential use as an animal model in the research of MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential of chip-based capillary electrophoresis for rapid prenatal diagnosis of genetic diseases, we developed a prenatal diagnosis method for beta-thalassemia, one of the most common recessive inherited disorders. METHOD: DNA samples containing known mutations of beta-thalassemia were used to optimize multiplex allele-specific PCR and chip-based capillary electrophoresis was used to simultaneously detect Cy3-labeled PCR products and Cy5-labeled ladder. This system was validated by detecting 40 unknown cases, 4 of which were processed further for prenatal diagnosis. RESULTS: We analyzed previously genotyped samples and unknown samples by this method and the results were concordant with those from reverse dot blot and direct sequencing. Prenatal diagnosis was carried out successfully and rapidly on 1 microL (1 ng/microL) sample in 4 pregnancy cases carrying potential beta-thalassemia risk. CONCLUSION: This chip-based capillary electrophoresis detecting system could be used for prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassemia and will facilitate the rapid and sensitive prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorder. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, a number of genes that are expressed in the early stages of infection have been reported, while few genes that are expressed during the course of colonization, after the initiation of plant infection, have been studied. Plant inoculations, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gene cloning, protein expression and bioinformatics analysis were combined to identify a novel gene, MgNIP04, in the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe grisea. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the amino acid sequence contained a signal peptide. The wounded inoculation resulted in necrosis specks when the total expressed proteins including MBP-MgNIP04 was inoculated on the wounded rice leaves, which demonstrated the protein directly interacted with rice. The real-time PCR result of infected leaves showed that it is upregulated during late stages of infection of rice. Additionally, the copies of the gene expression absolute quantity of the gene were 7.61 × 102, 1.06 × 103, 1.31 × 103, 4.13 × 103, and 4.00 × 103, at 24, 48, 72, 96 and 168 h postinoculation (HPI), respectively. The higher copies of MgNIP04 were found at 96 and 168 HPI. The copies of MgNIP04 in mycelia of Y98-63C, Y99-16, 94-64-1b and 95-23-4a were significantly lower than those of infected leaves. Through the above bioinformatics and experimental analysis, our result suggested that the MgNIP04 was novel pathogenicity-related protein in rice blast fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solitary fibrous tumours (SFTs) are known to overexpress insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2). The down-stream oncogenic pathways of IGF-2, however, are not clear. Here we report uniform activation of the insulin receptor (IR) pathway in SFTs, which are mesenchymal tumours frequently associated with hypoglycaemia. Whereas the IR and its downstream signalling pathways were constitutively activated in SFTs, insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) was not expressed in these tumours. We also find that SFT cells secrete IGF-2 and proliferate in serum-free medium, consistent with an IGF-2/IR autocrine loop. The aetiological relevance of IGF-2 is supported by expression of IR-A, the IR isoform with high affinity for IGF-2, in all SFTs. Our studies suggest that IR activation plays an oncogenic role in SFTs. Copyright © 2007 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polypyrrole was electrochemically synthesized onto a gold electrode in the presence of sodium p‐toluenesulfonate (TSNa) as the key dopant. Under the optimal synthesis condition, the surface morphology of PPy/TSNa was tailored and exhibited a nano‐tentacle structure. The resulting rough and fuzzy morphology greatly enhanced the apparent surface area as well as the polymer film conductivity. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was then incorporated in the structure by subsequent ion exchanging. This procedure could be envisaged as pseudo‐molecular templating to eliminate several shortcomings associated with physical templating. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet‐visible (UV‐vis) spectroscopy were conducted to investigate the incorporation of ATP. The pronounced rough surface of PPy/TSNa provided a higher density of active sites for ATP binding. The resulting PPy/ATP film exhibited a high charged capacity and lower impedance compared to the bare gold electrode. ATP remained stable in the PPy film; however, a negative bias to the electrode stimulated the conducting polymer to release ATP. This concept could serve as a mechanism for drug delivery and biosensing applications. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Mutations in connexin (Cx) 26 are the most common cause of nonsyndromic hereditary hearing impairments. Our goal is to investigate molecular mechanisms responsible for hearing impairment caused by various types of Cx26 mutations.Study Design: Mutant Cxs linked to deafness were expressed in HEK293 cells. The permeability of reconstituted gap junctions (GJs) and hemichannels were studies.Methods: HEK293 cells were used to reconstitute GJs and hemichannels in vitro. Ionic as well as biochemical permeabilities of reconstituted GJs were evaluated.Results: We found two-point substitution mutations located in the first extracellular loop of Cx26, E47K, and G45E affected the GJ functions in dramatically different manners. E47K mutant Cx26 formed nonfunctional GJs that lacked GJ- and hemichannel-mediated biochemical and ionic coupling. In contrast, G45E mutation resulted in apoptosis and cell death within 24 hours of transfection. Increasing concentration of extracellular calcium ([Ca2+]0) rescued the cells in a dose-dependent manner. The rescued cells formed functional G45E GJs permeable to both ions and fluorescent tracer molecules.Conclusions: The primary effect of G45E Cx26 mutation is to cause leaky GJ hemichannels when cells are bathed in normal [Ca2+]0. Our data showed that abnormally open hemichannels with resultant cell death, in addition to GJ and hemichannel uncoupling, is a novel molecular mechanism by which Cx26 mutations may result in hearing impairment. One plausible therapeutic strategy for this type of Cx mutation, therefore, is to manipulate [Ca2+]0 and/or the Ca-binding affinity of GJ hemichannels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pharmacokinetics of an active herbal substance may be different when administered in an extract form as compared to that when administered as a pure compound. This study investigated the pharmacokinetics of 4 active compounds of hawthorn fruits--namely, (-)-epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, hyperoside, and isoquercitrin--following administration of an extract formulation (as hawthorn phenolic extract, which contained the active compounds) or equivalent doses of individual pure compound in male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 5 per group). The hawthorn phenolic extract or pure compounds were administered both orally and intravenously. Following administration, multiple plasma samples were obtained, and the plasma concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. After the intravenous injection of hawthorn phenolic extract, higher plasma drug concentration, larger area under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to infinity, longer terminal elimination half-life, smaller apparent volume of distribution, lower total body clearance, and higher urinary excretion of each compound were obtained when compared to that after the pure compound. Following the oral administration of either hawthorn phenolic extract or pure compound, only epicatechin was absorbed, and their pharmacokinetics were generally not significantly different between these 2 formulations. The differences in the pharmacokinetics of the 2 formulations following intravenous but not oral administration may be attributable to the existence of other co-occurring components in the hawthorn phonolic extract (which may be present in the body after intravenous but not oral administration). The results showed that an herbal extract formulation, when administered intravenously, could potentially alter the pharmacokinetics of its active ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the effect of protein kinase C isoforms on tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated cellular damage using a human intestinal cell line. Role in decreasing the extent of intestinal cellular viability; Factors that causes changes in cellular integrity; Impact on cellular apoptosis.

An innovative method is presented to estimate the size effect on the ferroelectric phase transitions in the barium titanate ceramic system. The method is based on the phenomenological thermodynamic theory with additional stress led by surface bond contraction. Two symmetry-breaking factors are introduced to correct the stress. This method has enabled us to predict the changing trends in phase transitions and the critical grain size for the disappearance of ferroelectric phase, which is beyond the prediction of existing models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining bond–band–barrier (BBB), density‐functional theory (DFT) and zone‐selective electron spectroscopy (ZES) correlations, we investigate the bonding mechanisms at Na/Ta(110) and Ta/Na(110) interfaces. When the Ta metal coverage on the Na(110) surface is increased from 7/9 ML to 8/9 ML, the Ta surface distribution changed from one‐dimensional chains to two‐dimensional ring structures. Moreover, the Ta‐induced shifts in the surface binding energy (BE) on the Na(110) surface were dominated by quantum entrapment, whereas the Na‐induced shifts in the BE on the Ta(100) surface are dominated by polarization. DFT calculations reveal that the Ta atomic chain is more stable than the structure of the Ta atomic ring. The adsorption of Ta atoms on the Na(110) surface is more stable than the structure of the Na atoms adsorbing on the Ta(110) surface. The 1D chain formations and 2D ring structures on the Na(110) surface are identified and explained in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the effect of metabolic syndrome (MetS), genetic predisposition, and their interactions, on the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)., Methods: Cohort analyses included 287 868 participants from the UK Biobank Study. A genetic risk score for COPD was created using 277 single nucleotide polymorphisms. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for COPD in relation to exposure factors., Results: During 2 658 936 person-years of follow-up, 5877 incident cases of COPD were documented. Compared with participants without MetS, those with MetS had a higher risk of COPD (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.17-1.32). Compared to participants with low genetic predisposition, those with high genetic predisposition had a 17% increased risk of COPD. In the joint analysis, compared with participants without MetS and low genetic predisposition, the HR for COPD for those with MetS and high genetic predisposition was 1.50 (95% CI 1.36-1.65; P < 0.001). However, no significant interaction between MetS and genetic risk was found., Conclusions: Metabolic syndrome was found to be associated with an increased risk of COPD, regardless of genetic risk. It is crucial to conduct further randomized control trials to determine whether managing MetS and its individual components can potentially reduce the likelihood of developing COPD., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Patients undergoing surgical anesthesia increasingly suffer from preoperative depression. Clinical studies have shown that depression is a risk factor for perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PNDs) in elder patients. However, the underlying mechanism, especially at the neural circuit level, remains poorly understood., Methods: Right carotid artery separation under sevoflurane and chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) in adult mice were used to establish surgical anesthesia and chronic depression models. Cognitive function was assessed by the Y maze and novel object recognition tests. A chemogenetic approach was used to modulate the locus coeruleus-dorsal hippocampal CA1 (LC-dCA1) circuit. Hippocampal synaptic alterations were evaluated by Golgi staining and whole-cell patch clamp recording., Results: We found that CSDS induced synaptic impairments in dorsal hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons and cognitive deficits in adult mice after surgery under sevoflurane. Chemogenetic activation of the LC-dCA1 pathway significantly alleviated the CSDS-induced synaptic impairments and cognitive dysfunction. On the contrary, inhibition of this pathway could mimic CSDS-induced deficits. Furthermore, we showed that dopamine played an important role in CSDS-induced PNDs in adult mice after surgery/sevoflurane., Conclusion: Overall, our results have demonstrated a vital role for the LC-dCA1 pathway in CSDS-induced PNDs in adult mice undergoing surgery with sevoflurane anesthesia., (© 2023 The Authors. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

We aimed to study the effects and underlying mechanism of different intensities of continuous training (CT) on vascular inflammation and oxidative stress in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Rats were divided into five groups (n = 12): Wistar-Kyoto rats sedentary group (WKY-S), sedentary group (SHR-S), low-intensity CT group (SHR-L), medium-intensity CT group (SHR-M) and high-intensity CT group (SHR-H). Changes in body mass, heart rate and blood pressure were recorded. The rats were euthanized after 14 weeks, and blood and vascular tissue samples were collected. Haematoxylin and Eosin staining was used to observe the aortic morphology, and Western blot was used to detect the expression of mesenteric artery proteins. After CT, the mean arterial pressures improved in SHR-L and SHR-M and increased in SHR-H compared with those in SHR-S. Vascular inflammation and oxidative stress levels significantly subsided in SHR-L and SHR-M (p < 0.05), whereas in SHR-H, only vascular inflammation significantly subsided (p < 0.05), and oxidative stress remained unchanged (p > 0.05). AMPK and SIRT1/3 expressions in SHR-L and SHR-M were significantly up-regulated than those in SHR-S (p < 0.05). These results indicated that low- and medium-intensity CT can effectively reduce the inflammatory response and oxidative stress of SHR vascular tissue, and high-intensity CT can improve vascular tissue inflammation but not oxidative stress., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: To provides the clinical and genetic characteristics of a series of Chinese patients with X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS) through multimodal imaging and next-generation sequencing., Methods: Thirty patients (60 eyes) from 29 unrelated families of Chinese origin with XLRS were screened using multigene panel testing, and underwent a complete clinical evaluation. All variants identified in this study and reported in the Human Gene Mutation Database were analysed., Results: Twenty-five distinct variants in the retinoschisin gene were identified, of which eight were novel, and one was de novo. Missense mutations were the most prevalent type, and mutation hot spot was localized in the discoidin domain. The mean Snellen best-corrected visual acuity was 0.28 ± 0.17. Of all eyes presenting with schisis, 92.86% had lamellar schisis and 62.5% had peripheral schisis. Schisis changes mostly involved inner and outer nuclear layers. X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS) patients had a high incidence of complications, and peripheral schisis was a risk factor for it. No obvious genotype-phenotype association was observed., Conclusion: This study provides comprehensive analyses of the genetic and clinical characteristics of XLRS in a cohort of Chinese patients. The fourth de novo mutation in RS1 was identified. And we show that XLRS has a wide spectrum of clinical characteristics; hence, molecular diagnosis is crucial for its diagnosis, differential diagnosis and genetic counselling. Peripheral schisis is a risk factor for the high incidence of complications, and no clear genotype-phenotype correlations were found., (© 2020 The Authors. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Neurological Association.)

Influenza A virus (IAV) PA-X is a critical ribonuclease protein involved in host cell shutoff but its role in modulating the host immune response to IAV infection remains to be addressed. In this study, host cellular proteins that directly interact with PA-X were screened to investigate the biological function of PA-X in the pathogenesis of IAV infection. The protein ankyrin repeat domain 17 (Ankrd17), a positive regulator of inflammatory responses via the retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I)-like receptor (RLR) signaling pathway, was identified as a specific PA-X binding partner that preferred PA-X to the PA protein. The N-terminal ankyrin repeats of Ankrd17 are the key domain for the interaction with PA-X rather than PA, which is required for the function of Ankrd17 in elevating the host immune response. Using Ankrd17 knockout and overexpression, we confirmed that PA-X significantly affected the Ankrd17-mediated response to infection in host cells. Our data therefore reveal a novel function for PA-X in the regulation of innate immune pathways via the interaction between PA-X and Ankrd17., (© 2020 The Societies and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Purpose: To explore an early, rapid and precise diagnosis of Stickler syndrome type I (STL1) and to enrich the spectrum of COL2A1 mutations in the Chinese population, which is poorly studied at present., Methods: In the current study, we analysed 115 patients with high myopia by next-generation sequencing and identified five STL1 patients from four unrelated Chinese families. The clinical features of all patients were reviewed in detail., Results: Four variants of COL2A1 were identified, including two novel variants (c.1435delG and c.184delG) and two previously reported variants (c.1221+1G>A and c.1030C>T). Three variants caused premature termination codons which were common in STL1. In addition, we proposed a new diagnostic tactic to improve early diagnostics of STL1 in patients., Conclusion: In this study, our findings expanded the spectrum of COL2A1 mutations with two novel variants and provided a new diagnostic tactic for reference, which was of great significance. Precise diagnosis on the basis of clinical manifestations and genetic testing will become the gold standard to diagnose inherited ocular disorders or syndromes in the future., (© 2019 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Environment has a potential effect on the animal symbiotic microbiome. Here, to study the potential relationship of the symbiotic microbiomes of wild amphibians with altitude, we collected the gut and skin samples from frogs (nine species) and the environmental samples (water and soil samples) from the Leshan Mountains (altitude: 360-410 m) and Gongga Mountains (altitude: 3340-3989 m) on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. Bufo gargarizans (Bg) samples were collected from both the Leshan and Gongga mountain regions (Bg was the only species sampled on both mountains). The DNA extracted from each sample was performed high-throughput sequencing (MiSeq) of bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons. High relative abundance of Caulobacteraceae and Sphingomonadaceae was found in skin samples from both Bg and the other high-altitude amphibians (nine species combined). High relative abundance of Coxiellaceae and Mycoplasmataceae was found in gut samples from both Bg and the other high-altitude amphibians. Furthermore, the alpha and beta diversities of skin and gut samples from Bg and the other amphibian species (nine species combined) were similar. In terms of the symbiotic microbial community, the low-altitude samples were less diverse and more similar to each other than the high-altitude samples were. We speculated that extreme high-altitude environments and host phylogeny may affect the amphibian microbiome. Despite the distinct microbial community differences between the skin and gut microbiomes, some functions were similar in the Bg and combined high-altitude samples. The Bg and high-altitude skin samples had higher oxidative stress tolerance and biofilm formation than the low-altitude skin samples. However, the opposite results were observed for the Bg and high-altitude gut samples. Further study is required to determine whether these characteristics favor high-altitude amphibian adaptation to extreme environments., (© 2020 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: Kommerell diverticulum with aortic dissection involving aortic arch is a rare but troublesome condition. The purpose of this study is to summarize the experience and strategy of surgical treatment., Method: From November 2015 to January 2018, seven consecutive patients underwent surgical treatment in our institution. Three patients with acute type A aortic dissection and one patient with acute type B aortic dissection received total arch replacement and frozen elephant trunk (FET) implantation through median sternotomy. Three patients with chronic type B aortic dissection underwent total aortic arch and descending aorta replacement through median sternotomy and lateral thoracotomy., Result: There were seven male patients whose median age was 42.3 ± 11.7 (from 14 to 54) years old. There was no perioperative death in this study. One patient had postoperative critical illness polyneuropathy and required prolonged mechanical ventilation (485 hours) and recovered finally. Follow up was completed for all seven patients with a median follow-up time of 7 (3-46) months. One patient with type A dissection developed aneurysm of the descending aorta distal to the FET and received reintervention. No clinical events and abnormal computed tomography manifestations were found in the other seven patients., Conclusion: Total arch replacement and FET through single median incision is a reliable method for Kommerell diverticulum associated with acute dissection involving arch. For Kommerell diverticulum associated with chronic type A or B aortic dissection involving aortic arch, graft replacement by double or single incision is safe and appropriate., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Aim: This study aimed to investigate effects of renal denervation (RDN) on pressure overload-induced cardiac remodelling in rats and the related mechanisms., Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent transverse aortic constriction (TAC) to generate cardiac remodelling. RDN was performed 1 week after TAC. The animals were divided into four groups: control group, TAC group, TAC+RDN group and control+RDN group. Rats in all groups were studied at 3 and 10 weeks after TAC respectively. Echocardiography and histology were used to evaluate cardiac function and pathological changes. TUNEL staining and western blotting were used to assess apoptosis. Western blotting and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to evaluate autophagy., Results: Three weeks after TAC, the TAC rats exhibited cardiac hypertrophy with normal cardiac function and no myocardial interstitial fibrosis or apoptosis, accompanied by a lower LC3 II level and fewer autophagic vacuoles in the left ventricles, both in the presence and absence of chloroquine (CQ), indicating suppressed autophagy at this stage. RDN ameliorated these pathological changes and attenuated the decrease in autophagy. Ten weeks after TAC, the TAC rats had decreased cardiac function, obvious cardiac interstitial fibrosis and apoptosis, with increased autophagy. RDN prevented these pathological changes, coincident with attenuation of increased autophagy., Conclusion: Autophagy was suppressed at the early stage but activated at the late stage of TAC-induced cardiac remodelling. RDN attenuated the pathological changes of TAC rats, accompanied by attenuation of the changes in autophagy. Thus, RDN ameliorated TAC-induced cardiac remodelling partially associated with biphasic modulation of autophagy., (© 2019 Scandinavian Physiological Society. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The composition of the intestinal microbial community may vary across developmental stages. In this study, we explored how this microbial community shifted along the intestinal tract of the Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) at various ages. Next-generation sequencing was used to sequence the bacterial 16S rRNA gene from different kind of samples, including the stomach, duodenum, ileum, and rectum. The highest mean relative abundance of the bacterial community in the gastrointestinal tract shifted in relation to age: within the first year, Bacteroidetes (47.76%) dominated the gut microbiome, whereas Proteobacteria was the most dominant at age 2 (32.88%) and age 3 (30.78%), and finally, Firmicutes was the most dominant at age 4 (34.70%). The overall richness of the gut bacterial community also generally increased from age 2 to 4. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that the gut microbiome at age 2 had greater variability than that at either age 3 or 4, likely representing a shift in diet from yolk or redworms as a juvenile to shrimp or crab as an adult. As these salamanders develop, their gastrointestinal tracts increase in complexity, and this compartmentalization may also facilitate an increase in microbial gut diversity., (© 2018 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)