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Background: Malnutrition is highly prevalent and associated with complications and mortality in patients with cirrhosis. Methods: This was a prospective observational study. Patients with cirrhosis were screened using the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002, the Royal Free Hospital‐Nutritional Prioritizing Tool and the Skeletal Muscle Index. Then, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and consistency with the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria results were calculated. We also analysed the association between nutritional status and short‐term prognosis. Results: We enrolled 125 patients with cirrhosis, of whom 59.20% and 60.00% were malnourished based on the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria and Skeletal Muscle Index. Some 53.60% and 65.60%, respectively, were classified medium‐to‐high nutritional risk by Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 and the Royal Free Hospital‐Nutritional Prioritizing Tool. The Royal Free Hospital‐Nutritional Prioritizing Tool had the best predictive value, and it was more sensitive and had a better negative predictive value than the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 Tool. The Skeletal Muscle Index also had good sensitivity and predictive value. The Royal Free Hospital‐Nutritional Prioritizing Tool, Skeletal Muscle Index and Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria showed high concordance. The 3‐ and 6‐month mortality rates were significantly higher for patients with moderate‐to‐high nutritional risk or malnutrition, regardless of the tool. Conclusions: When assessing cirrhosis with the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria, the Royal Free Hospital‐Nutritional Prioritizing Tool is best for nutritional screening and the Skeletal Muscle Index is also a good nutritional assessment tool. Key points: Diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases were considered.The Royal Free Hospital‐Nutritional Prioritizing Tool score is not affected by the presence of oedema and ascites and is therefore more advantageous than the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002, which is more commonly used in clinical practice in cirrhotic patients.The results of the present study show that the Royal Free Hospital‐Nutritional Prioritizing Tool is more valuable than the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 for determining the short‐term prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis.The study found good concordance between the Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI) and Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria in patients with cirrhosis. Therefore, lumbar 3‐SMI can be used to assess the nutritional status of these patients.C‐reactive protein, interleukin‐6 and procalcitonin levels significantly increased in patients with moderate‐to‐high nutritional risk or malnutrition compared to their counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Dehydration of serine/threonine residues necessitates the activity of a dehydratase enzyme (domain) during the biosynthesis of RiPP. Recently, it was reported that dehydration in the thioviridamide pathway relies on a distinct dehydratase complex that showcases the activities of a phosphotransferase TvaC for serine/threonine phosphorylation and a lyase TvaD for subsequent phosphate elimination. Herein, we report that dehydration reactions in the pathway of lantibiotic cacaoidin involves a similar dehydratase complex, CaoK/CaoY. Remarkably, this dehydratase complex exhibits flexible enzymatic activity and tolerates significant variations in its substrate peptide sequence. By binding with the leader peptide (LP) sequence of precursor peptide CaoA, the dehydration reactions proceed in a directional manner from the C‐terminus of the core peptide (CP) to the N‐terminus, and C‐terminally truncated variants of CP are acceptable. We show that fusing CaoK to CaoY in a 1 : 1 molar ratio enables the resulting enzyme CaoYK to exert enhanced dehydration activity. CaoK binds with the LP to improve its own solubility and to ensure the phosphate transfer activity, while CaoY functions in a manner independently of LP. This work advances our understanding of the dehydration process during cacaoidin formation, and provides useful enzymes and methods for the studies of the rapidly emerging RiPPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the ageing of society's population, neurodegenerative diseases have become an important factor affecting the quality of life and mortality in the elderly. Since its physiopathological processes are complex and the authorized medications have recently been shown to have several adverse effects, the development of safe and efficient medications is urgently needed. In this study, we looked at how ginsenoside Rg1 works to postpone neural stem cell ageing and brain ageing, giving it a solid scientific foundation for use as a therapeutic therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This meta‐analysis aims to systemically evaluate the efficacy of vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) combined with autologous platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). The China HowNet, China Biomedical Literature, VIP periodical resource integration service platform, Wanfang, Embase, Cochrane Central, and PubMed databases were retrieved using the computer. The retrieval period was up to July 2021. Randomised controlled trials on VSD combined with PRP in the treatment of DFU were collected. Those trials that met the inclusion criteria were included for meta‐analysis using RevMan 5.3 software. A total of 13 articles were included. In the trial group, 477 patients with DFU were treated with VSD combined with PRP, while in the control group, 482 patients with DFU were treated with conventional dressings and/or VSD. The meta‐analysis showed that, compared with the control group, VSD combined with PRP has significant advantages in shortening healing time (standardised mean difference [SMD] = −0.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.07 to −0.67, P <.00001), improving ulcer healing rates (odds ratio = 4.01, 95% CI: 2.95 ~ 5.46, P <.00001), and reducing hospital stays (mean difference = −15.29, 95% CI: −16.05 to −14.54, P <.00001), but the differences in dressing change times (SMD = −1.27, 95% CI: −2.71 to 0.17, P =.08) and hospitalisation expenses (SMD = −0.16, 95% CI: −13.40 to 13.07, P =.98) were not statistically significant. VSD combined with autologous PRP has good curative efficacy in the treatment of DFU and is a better treatment option. However, this treatment is limited in patients with platelet dysfunction, thrombocytopenia, leukaemia, and poor general condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organoselenium compounds are important molecules owing to their value in medicinal chemistry, material chemistry and biochemistry. The selenation of pharmaceutical molecules is a promising way to find new drugs. Herein, we introduced an electrochemical oxidative cross‐coupling of pyrazolones and diselenides without transition‐metal catalyst and external oxidant. Various pyrazolones and diselenides were compatible, generating the desired products in up to 86% yield. Preliminary mechanistic investigation suggested that a radical/radical cross‐coupling process might be involved in this transformation. This method provides a green and convenient route for directly installing a selenium moiety into bioactive pyrazolone derivatives, which possesses great application potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a novel unsupervised learning approach for computing correspondences between non‐rigid 3D shapes. The core idea is that we integrate a novel structural constraint into the deep functional map pipeline, a recently dominant learning framework for shape correspondence, via a powerful spectral manifold wavelet transform (SMWT). As SMWT is isometrically invariant operator and can analyze features from multiple frequency bands, we use the multiscale SMWT results of the learned features as function preservation constraints to optimize the functional map by assuming each frequency‐band information of the descriptors should be correspondingly preserved by the functional map. Such a strategy allows extracting significantly more deep feature information than existing approaches which only use the learned descriptors to estimate the functional map. And our formula strongly ensure the isometric properties of the underlying map. We also prove that our computation of the functional map amounts to filtering processes only referring to matrix multiplication. Then, we leverage the alignment errors of intrinsic embedding between shapes as a loss function and solve it in an unsupervised way using the Sinkhorn algorithm. Finally, we utilize DiffusionNet as a feature extractor to ensure that discretization‐resistant and directional shape features are produced. Experiments on multiple challenging datasets prove that our method can achieve state‐of‐the‐art correspondence quality. Furthermore, our method yields significant improvements in robustness to shape discretization and generalization across the different datasets. The source code and trained models will be available at https://github.com/HJ-Xu/WTFM-Layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design and implementation of efficient p‐type transparent conducting (TC) oxides with excellent performance are the global material challenge. The strategy of "chemical modulation of the valence band" triggers the enthusiasm for p‐type TC delafossite CuMO2. However, the low conductivity of previous CuMO2 films obstructs the development of delafossite‐based electronics. Herein, a new p‐type 4d transition metal Rh‐based CuRhO2 film with large‐size is first designed and fabricated by a facile solution method. Room‐temperature conductivity as high as 735 S cm−1 is achieved by substituting 10%Mg in Rh sites. Additionally, the acceptor‐doped CuRhO2 films exhibit high near‐infrared transmittance of 85–60% with low room‐temperature sheet resistance of 4.28–0.18 kΩ sq−1. Furthermore, the electronic structure, electrical transport mechanism, and intra‐band excitation feature for the CuRhO2 film are unveiled. The theoretical and experimental results make a great advance in p‐type TC films and will pave a promising blueprint for future multifunctional opto‐electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a powerful spectral shape descriptor for shape analysis, named Anisotropic Spectral Manifold Wavelet Descriptor (ASMWD). We proposed a novel manifold harmonic signal processing tool termed Anisotropic Spectral Manifold Wavelet Transform (ASMWT) first. ASMWT allows to comprehensively analyse signals from multiple wavelet diffusion directions on local manifold regions of the shape with a series of low‐pass and band‐pass frequency filters in each direction. Based on the ASMWT coefficients of a very simple signal, the ASMWD is efficiently constructed as a localizable and discriminative multi‐scale point descriptor. Since the wavelets used in our descriptor are direction‐sensitive and able to robustly reconstruct the signals with a finite number of scales, it makes our descriptor compact, efficient, and unambiguous under intrinsic symmetry. The extensive experiments demonstrate that our descriptor achieves significantly better performance than the state‐of‐the‐art descriptors and can greatly improve the performance of shape matching methods including both handcrafted and learning‐based methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in water storage of the large freshwater lakes in Arid Central Asia (ACA) have significant implications for the regional social and ecological systems. Here we present a lake‐level record of the past 2,000 years from Bosten Lake, a large freshwater body in the region, using the sedimentary Cladoceran microfossil. The results suggest that a lower lake level and a higher salinity occurred during the cold, high‐precipitation periods of 280–450 AD and 1570–1850 AD, and that a higher lake level and a lower salinity occurred during the warm, low‐precipitation period of 450–1570 AD. The findings show that on the centennial timescale, the water‐level fluctuations of Bosten Lake were modulated mainly by temperature‐driven meltwater input. In addition, the shortage of freshwater during the cold period may have contributed to the collapse of the ancient cities and the depression of the trade along the Silk Road. Plain Language Summary: Bosten Lake, the largest inland freshwater lake of China, is located in the northeast part of Tarim Basin. The lake is important freshwater resources and plays an important role in sustaining regional social and ecological systems. In this study, we reconstructed the water‐level fluctuations of the lake over the past 2,000 years, based mainly on the Cladoceran microfossil analyses of a sediment core. The results suggest that a lower lake level occurred during the cold, high‐precipitation periods of 280–450 AD and 1570–1850 AD, and that a higher lake level occurred during the warm, low‐precipitation period of 450–1570 AD. The findings show that on the centennial timescale, the water‐level fluctuations of Bosten Lake were modulated mainly by temperature‐driven meltwater input. In addition, historical documents reveal that a large number of ancient cities in the Tarim Basin were abandoned in the third‐sixth centuries and that the trade along the ancient Silk Road was relatively depressed during that time, coinciding with the salinization and the shrinking of Bosten Lake. This suggests that the shortage of freshwater during this cold period may have contributed to the collapse of the ancient cities and the depression of the trade along the Silk Road. Key Points: On the centennial timescale, the water‐level fluctuations of Bosten Lake were modulated mainly by temperature‐driven meltwater inputThe shortage of freshwater during the cold period may have contributed to the collapse of the ancient cities along the Silk Road [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lunar surface temperature (LST) derived from thermal infrared (TIR) measurements can aid in understanding the physical properties of the lunar surface. The Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment (herein, Diviner) sensor provides global lunar surface observation in seven TIR channels. However, its retrieval of LST constantly uses a single emissivity value (i.e., 0.95) by ignoring the spatial variation of lunar surface, thereby reducing the accuracy of temperature and day–night temperature difference. To overcome this problem, this study developed a physical method called temperature–emissivity separation (TES) algorithm to retrieve LST and lunar surface emissivity from the daytime observation in three Christiansen Feature (CF) channels (7.55–8.05, 8.10–8.40, and 8.38–8.60 μm) of the Diviner, and then used the emissivity from daytime observation to inverse LST at nighttime observation. Findings showed that the TES algorithm could retrieve LST and emissivity with an error of less than 0.8 K and 0.008, respectively. However, observation noise significantly affected the retrieval accuracy, particularly for the low‐temperature pixels; moreover, high retrieval accuracy requires a surface temperature higher than 240 K. The new algorithm was applied to obtain the daytime and nighttime LST and emissivity from the Diviner images. Results showed that the LST retrieved from the algorithm differed approximately 3.9 K from that calculated from a single emissivity 0.95. Finally, an example of global surface temperature and emissivity were obtained. Consequently, the CF pixels were found to distribute in the latitude range from −60° to 60°; however, they did not have a large distribution in high‐latitude and near‐polar regions. Key Points: A physical algorithm was proposed to estimate lunar surface temperature and emissivity from Diviner daytime and nighttime observationsLunar surface temperature retrieved from the new algorithm differed 3.9 K from that calculated from a fixed emissivity 0.95Global lunar Christiansen Feature pixels were identified and found to mainly distribute in the latitude range from −60° to 60° [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is a frequent thyroid malignancy. With the significant regulatory role in tumor progression, more attention has been employed to investigate mechanism of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in progression of PTC. We prospectively explored the mechanism whereby lncRNA SET‐binding factor 2‐antisense RNA1 (SBF2‐AS1) is implicated in pathogenesis of PTC. First, differentially expressed SBF2‐AS1 between PTC and normal adjacent thyroid tissues was determined, and result indicated a higher SBF2‐AS1 expression in PTC tissues than adjacent normal tissues. Moreover, highly SBF2‐AS1 expression predicted a poor prognosis in PTC patients. Second, SBF2‐AS1 overexpression promoted cell viability and cycle of PTC, while inhibited cell apoptosis. However, SBF2‐AS1 downregulation reduced viability and cycle, while promoted cell apoptosis. Moreover, SBF2‐AS1 could bind with miR‐431‐5p and showed negative correlation with miR‐431‐5p in PTC patients. Furthermore, miR‐431‐5p bind with cyclin‐dependent kinase (CDK) 14 and showed negative correlation with CDK14 in PTC patients. Finally, overexpression of CDK14 counteracted with the inhibitory role of SBF2‐AS1 downregulation on cell viability, cycle, and apoptosis of PTC. In conclusion, SBF2‐AS1 exhibited oncogenic property in PTC, and knockdown of SBF2‐AS1 could be a therapeutic strategy for PTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic delafossites ABO2, as the new benchmark of ultra‐high conductive oxides, have recently attracted great interest. The harsh processing conditions and dimensional sizes obviously limit the fundamental sciences and technological applications. Here, a low‐cost and facile solution approach is realized to synthesize epitaxial metallic ABO2 thin films including PtCoO2, PdCoO2, and PdCrO2 with a dimension up to two‐inches in diameter, showing ultra‐high room temperature conductivity. The electrical properties, growth mechanisms, and potential technical applications including transparent conducting films and hydrogen evolution reaction activity are unveiled. The achievements of epitaxial metallic delafossites ABO2 thin films through solution methods will pave the route to producing wafer‐scaled ultra‐high conductive metallic delafossites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (Baizhu) is a valuable traditional Chinese medicine, and medicines of that type originating from Zhejiang province are the most famous and much more expensive than those from other regions. Driven by the great difference in prices, fraudulent labeling often occurs. In order to protect the interests of consumers, producers and honest traders, reliable techniques for the geographic authentication of Baizhu are needed urgently. Methods: The stable isotope ratios of five light elements (C, N, H, O and S) in Baizhu samples originating from four provinces of China were determined with an elemental analyzer coupled to isotope ratio mass spectrometry, and the concentrations of 45 elements in these samples were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Chemometric approaches including principal component analysis (PCA) and orthodox partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS‐DA) were applied to the obtained data. Results: The PCA results showed that the techniques enabled clear classification of the Baizhu samples into three clusters: A (Zhejiang province), B (Shaanxi province) and C (Hebei and Ahui provinces). Furthermore, OPLS‐DA using 27 key variables provided 100% correct discrimination between samples originating from Zhejiang province and those from the other three provinces. Conclusions: Stable isotope ratio and multielement analyses in combination with chemometric approaches showed great potential for the geographic authentication of Baizhu, providing a promising method for the control of fraudulent labeling that frequently occurs with traditional herbal medicines in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photosynthesis in non‐foliar organs plays an important role in crop growth and productivity, and it has received considerable research attention in recent years. However, compared with the capability of photosynthetic CO2 fixation in leaves, the distinct attributes of photosynthesis in the non‐foliar organs of wheat (a C3 species) are unclear. This review presents a comprehensive examination of the photosynthetic characteristics of non‐foliar organs in wheat. Compared with leaves, non‐foliar organs had a higher capacity to refix respired CO2, higher tolerance to environmental stresses and slower terminal senescence after anthesis. Additionally, whether C4 photosynthetic metabolism exists in the non‐foliar organs of wheat is discussed, as is the advantage of photosynthesis in non‐foliar organs during times of abiotic stress. Introducing the photosynthesis‐related genes of C4 plants into wheat, which are specifically expressed in non‐foliar organs, can be a promising approach for improving wheat productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution technology is recognized as a promising approach to relieving the growing energy crisis. Therefore, the development of a stable high‐performance photocatalyst has long been the focus of research. In this work, quaternary composite materials involving a snowflake‐like CdS nanocrystal wrapped by different amounts of polyoxometalate‐decorated g‐C3N4 and polypyrrole (GPP@CdS) have been synthesized as photocatalysts for hydrogen production under visible‐light irradiation. It has been revealed that the best composite (40 % GPP@CdS composite) exhibits hydrogen production activity of 1321 μmol, which exceeds that of CdS by a factor of more than two, and can be used in at least seven cycles with negligible loss of activity. The enhanced photocatalytic performance has been primarily attributed to the efficient synergy of CdS, g‐C3N4, polypyrrole (PPy), and the polyoxometalate Ni4(PW9)2. It should be noted that the introduction of PPy and g‐C3N4 into the title composite simultaneously promotes electron/hole pair separation and photocatalytic stability, whereas Ni4(PW9)2 serves as an efficient electron modulator and extra catalytic active site. Synergy in action. A novel polyoxometalate‐decorated g‐C3N4‐wrapping snowflake‐like CdS nanocrystal photocatalyst, by virtue of the synergistic effect stemming from the integration of the individual advantages of CdS, g‐C3N4, polypyrrole, and the polyoxometalate Ni4(PW9)2, displays high‐performance hydrogen production activity and superior photocatalytic stability (see figure). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a challenge to develop a robust sensor for simple, rapid operation and sensitive detection of neurotransmitters in complex specimens. Herein, ferric citrate functionalized gold nanoparticles (CA-FeIII/Au NPs) are utilized to develop a facile sensor based on surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy (SERRS) for sensitive detection of dopamine (DA). The sensor is prepared by decorating the acupuncture needle with Au NPs, which enables sufficient surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy enhancement. The CA-FeIII structure is highly sensitive and selective for DA due to the formation of the CA-FeIII-DA resonant structure; this indicates the advantages of capturing, carrying, and separating DA molecules from complicated samples in a simple operation. Furthermore, the practical application of the fabricated sensor is validated by the detection of DA in pretreated serum and cerebrospinal fluid of acupuncture-treated mice with detection limits of 0.1 and 2.5 n m DA, respectively. The developed active acupuncture needle sensor has potential benefits for sensitive detection and qualitative identification of DA molecules from biological samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A novel graphene nanomaterial functionalized by octa(aminopropyl) polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (OapPOSS) was synthesized and then confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM EDX), atomic force microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The obtained functionalized graphene (OapPOSS-GO) was used to reinforce waterborne polyurethane (WPU) to obtain OapPOSS-GO/WPU nanocomposites by in situ polymerization. The thermal, mechanical, and hydrophobic properties of nanocomposites as well as the dispersion behavior of OapPOSS-GO in the polymer were investigated by TGA, a tensile testing machine, water contact angle tests, and field emission SEM, respectively. Compared with GO/WPU and OapPOSS/WPU composites, the strong interfacial interaction between OapPOSS-GO and the WPU matrix facilitates a much better dispersion and load transfer from the WPU matrix to the OapPOSS-GO. It was found that the tensile strength of the OapPOSS-GO/WPU composite film with 0.20 wt % OapPOSS-GO exhibited a 2.5-fold increase in tensile strength, compared with neat WPU. Better thermal stability and hydrophobicity of nanocomposites were also achieved by the addition of OapPOSS-GO. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44440. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current evidence demonstrated certain beneficial effects of medicinal herbs as an adjuvant therapy for post-stroke depression (PSD) in China; Chai-hu (Chinese Thorowax Root, Radix Bupleuri) is an example of a medicinal plant for Liver-Qi regulation (MPLR) in the treatment of PSD. Despite several narrative reports on the antidepressant properties of MPLR, it appears that there are no systematic reviews to summarize its outcome effects. Therefore, the aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of MPLR adjuvant therapy in patients with PSD. Seven databases were extensively searched from January 2000 until July 2016. Randomized control trials (RCTs) involving patients with PSD that compared treatment with and without MPLR were taken into account. The pooled effect estimates were calculated based on Cochrane Collaboration's software RevMan 5.3. Finally, 42 eligible studies with 3612 participants were included. Overall, MPLR adjuvant therapy showed a significantly higher effective rate (RR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.19, 1.27; p < 0.00001) compared to those without. Moreover, the administration of MPLR was superior to abstainers regarding Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score changes after 3 weeks (WMD = -4.83; 95% CI = -6.82, -2.83; p < 0.00001), 4 weeks (WMD = -3.25; 95% CI = -4.10, -2.40; p < 0.00001), 6 weeks (WMD = -4.04; 95% CI = -5.24, -2.84; p < 0.00001), 8 weeks (WMD = -4.72; 95% CI = -5.57, -3.87; p < 0.00001), and 12 weeks (WMD = -3.07; 95% CI = -4.05, -2.09; p < 0.00001). In addition, there were additive benefits in terms of response changes for the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and other self-rating scores. No frequently occurring or serious adverse events were reported. We concluded that there is supporting evidence that adjuvant therapy with MPLR is effective in reducing the depressive symptoms and enhancing quality of life for patients with PSD. More well-designed RCTs are necessary to explore the role of MPLR in the treatment of PSD. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controversy remains over whether anterior cervical discectomy and fusion ( ACDF) or posterior cervical foraminotomy ( PCF) is superior for the treatment of cervical radiculopathy. We therefore performed a systematic review including three prospective randomized controlled trails ( RCT) and seven retrospective comparative studies (RCo S) by searching Pub Med and EMBASE. These studies were assessed on risk of bias according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, and the quality of evidence and level of recommendation were evaluated according to the GRADE approach. Clinical outcomes, complications, reoperation rates, radiological parameters, and cost/cost-utility were evaluated. The mean complication rate was 7% in the ACDF group and 4% in the PCF group, and the mean reoperation rate was 4% in the ACDF group and 6% in the PCF group within 2 years of the initial surgery. There was a strong level of recommendation that no difference existed in clinical outcome, complication rate and reoperation rate between the ACDF and the PCF group. There was conflicting evidence that the ACDF group had better clinical outcomes than the PCF group (one study with weak level of recommendation). PCF could preserve the range of motion ( ROM) of the operated segment but did not increase the ROM of the adjacent segment (weak level of recommendation). Meanwhile, the average cost or cost-utility of the PCF group was significantly lower than that of the ACDF group (weak level of recommendation). In conclusion, the PCF was just as safe and effective as the ACDF in the treatment of cervical radiculopathy. Meanwhile, PCF might have lower medical cost than ACDF and decrease the incidence of adjacent segment disease. Based on the available evidence, PCF appears to be another good surgical approach in the treatment of cervical radiculopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the association between the introduction of neuraxial (epidural) labor analgesia and mode of delivery in a large urban maternity hospital in China. Methods A single-intervention impact study was conducted at Shijiazhuang Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in Shijiazhuang. Baseline data collection occurred between August 1 and December 31, 2009, when no analgesic method was routinely employed during labor. An intervention was then implemented, consisting of a neuraxial labor analgesia service. The service was fully operational from September 1, 2010, and data were collected to August 31, 2011. The mode of delivery was compared between the different periods. Results Neuraxial analgesia rate was used in none of the 3787 deliveries during the baseline period and 3429 (33.5%) of 10 230 in the implementation period. Cesareans were performed in 1533 (40.5%) deliveries in the baseline period and 3441 (33.6%) in the implementation period (difference –6.8%, 99.8% confidence interval [CI] –9.7% to –3.9%; P < 0.0017). The proportion of vaginal deliveries in which forceps were used was unchanged (difference –0.8%, 99.8% CI –0.7% to 2.2%; P = 0.92). Conclusion The introduction of epidural analgesia reduced the frequency of cesarean delivery, which improved obstetric and neonatal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly c-axis oriented Bi2− x Na x Sr2 Co2 O y ( x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) thin films were successfully deposited onto LaAlO3 (0 0 1) single crystal substrates by the chemical solution deposition method. The Na-doping effects on microstructures as well as transport and thermoelectric properties were investigated. The crystallite size normal to the thin film surface was decreased with Na doping, and the carrier concentration and mobility was enhanced and decreased, respectively. As for the transport properties, it is suggested that Na-doping-induced disorders play a more important role at low temperatures, while at the medium temperature the doping play a trivial role, at higher temperatures Na-doping weakens the electron correlation. Combined with the transport properties and Seebeck coefficient results, it is suggested that the thermoelectric properties are mainly controlled by carrier concentration due to the hole doping in blocking layers. Power factor at 300 K was enhanced about 22% for the Bi1.7 Na0.3 Sr2 Co2 O y thin film as compared with that of the undoped thin films, suggesting that Na doping at blocking layer in Bi2 Sr2 Co2 O y was an effective route to enhance the thermoelectric power factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single exposure to drugs of abuse produces an NMDAR ( N-methyl- D-aspartate receptor)-dependent synaptic potentiation at excitatory synapses of dopamine ( DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area ( VTA) of the midbrain. All addictive drugs can increase DA concentrations in projection areas of the midbrain, including the hippocampus. Hippocampal DA release subsequently modulates hippocampal plasticity and drug-associated memories. Using in vivo electrophysiological recording techniques in anesthetized rats, we show that systemic injection of morphine induced hippocampal synaptic potentiation in a dose-dependent manner. Intra- VTA but not intra-hippocampus injection of morphine evoked this potentiation. Local hippocampal dopamine D1 receptors ( D1R) are required in the morphine-induced synaptic potentiation and conditioned place preference ( CPP). Moreover, both NMDAR activation in the VTA and VTA/hippocampus dopaminergic connections are essential for the morphine-evoked potentiation and CPP. These findings suggest that NMDAR signalings in the midbrain play a key role in regulating dopamine-mediated hippocampal synaptic plasticity underlying drug-induced associative memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly c-axis-oriented Ca3 Co4− x Cu x O9+δ ( x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3) thin films were prepared by chemical solution deposition on LaAlO3 (001) single-crystal substrates. X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electronic microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrums were used to characterize the derived thin films. The solubility limit of Cu was found to be less than 0.2, above which [ Ca2( Co0.65 Cu0.35)2 O4]0.624 CoO2 with quadruplicated rock-salt layers was observed. The electrical resistivity decreased monotonously with increasing Cu-doping content when x ≤ 0.2, and then slightly increased with further Cu doping. The Seebeck coefficient was enhanced from ~100 μV/K for the undoped thin film to ~120 μV/K for the Cu-doped thin films. The power factor was enhanced for about two times at room temperature by Cu doping, suggesting that Cu-doped Ca3 Co4 O9+δ thin films could be a promising candidate for thermoelectric applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To determine the genetic diversity of invasive snails ( Pomacea spp.) that are implicated in crop damage, environmental degradation and human disease, and to determine their distribution pattern in a large part of eastern Asia. Location People's Republic of China (P.R. China). Methods We collected Pomacea snails in a national survey using a grid sampling approach. Overall, 544 snails from 54 sites were used for the present investigation. The mitochondrial cox1 gene was amplified and sequenced from all the snails. We determined and classified the haplotypes using network analyses and mapped them within P.R. China. Haplotypes from this study, together with sequences available from GenBank, were used to reveal the global distribution of Pomacea canaliculata and P. insularum. Results We obtained 521 cox1 sequences and identified 24 unique haplotypes. Six haplotypes were commonly found in P.R. China. Two species, P. canaliculata and P. insularum, and one cryptic group were observed. The distribution of the 24 haplotypes across P.R. China shows a mosaic pattern. Globally, only six of 112 haplotypes of P. canaliculata, P. insularum, P. dolioides, P. lineata and P. paludosa are shared between introduced and native snail populations. We found 16 haplotype clusters, five of which occur in mainland P.R. China. Three of the five clusters could be traced back to South America. The remaining two clusters were unique to P.R. China. Main conclusions Phylogenetic analyses indicate that P. canaliculata, P. insularum and two cryptic groups, discovered by the present and previous studies, coexist in the mainland of P.R. China. The mosaic distribution and the high diversity found in the collection sites suggests multiple and secondary introductions. The findings indicate the importance of preventing further intentional introductions and call for appraisal of the risk posed by these snails in vulnerable areas. Discrimination of the ecological impacts of the different species or genotypes will help to develop setting-specific management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that play fundamental roles in diverse biological and pathological processes by targeting the expression of specific genes. Here, we identified 38 methylation-associated miRNAs, the expression of which could be epigenetically restored by cotreatment with 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine and trichostatin A. Among these 38 miRNAs, we further analyzed miR-34b, miR-127-3p, miR-129-3p and miR-409 because CpG islands are predicted adjacent to them. The methylation-silenced expression of these miRNAs could be reactivated in gastric cancer cells by treatment with demethylating drugs in a time-dependent manner. Analysis of the methylation status of these miRNAs showed that the upstream CpG-rich regions of mir-34b and mir-129-2 are frequently methylated in gastric cancer tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues, and their methylation status correlated inversely with their expression patterns. The expression of miR-34b and miR-129-3p was downregulated by DNA hypermethylation in primary gastric cancers, and the low expression was associated with poor clinicopathological features. In summary, our study shows that tumor-specific methylation silences miR-34b and miR-129 in gastric cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small‐size pixels and high efficiency under low injection levels are required for high‐resolution microdisplay. Efficient blue InGaN micro‐light‐emitting diodes (μLEDs) with 5 μm diameter are fabricated using AuSn flip‐chip bonding, high reflection electrodes, and large‐area N electrodes surrounding the mesas. The peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) measured in an integrating sphere is as high as 13.67% at a current density of 5.4 A cm−2. Moreover, at a current density of 0.1 A cm−2, EQE can still reach 11.69%. The electrical efficiency approaches 1, and the differential slope of log L versus log I is close to 1 at low current density. These results suggest significant progress in exploring high‐efficiency 5 μm InGaN blue μLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species delimitation remains a challenge worldwide, especially in highly diverse tropical and subtropical regions. Here, we use an integrative approach that combines morphology, phylogenomics, and species distribution modeling (SDM) to clarify the cryptic differentiation within the enigmatic hemiparasitic love vine Cassytha filiformis (Lauraceae) in China and adjacent regions. We generated complete plastid genomes and nuclear ribosomal sequences for diverse samples from across the species range and compared results with previously published plastid data, recovering two well‐supported monophyletic clades. Further, the analysis revealed significant differences in two morphological characters and SDM, indicating distinct environmental factors influencing their distributions. Fossil‐calibrated analyses to estimate the origins and diversification patterns for the cryptic species gave divergence age estimates corresponding to the Oligo‐Miocene; a period of new ecological opportunities associated with the prevailing East Asian monsoon. Multivariate analyses support the conclusion that southern China and adjacent regions have a different, previously unknown, cryptic lineage of C. filiformis. Our study highlights the importance of using multivariate approach to characterize plant species, as well as the significant role that past climatic changes have played in driving speciation in parasitic plants in tropical and subtropical zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents chemical equations related to article "Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Cyclization of Heterocyclic Ketene Aminals with (E)-Ethyl 2,3-Diiodoacrylates: Selective Synthesis of Bicyclic Pyrroles and Bicyclic Pyridones" by L. Hu and others, published in the periodical "Tetrahedron" in 2014.

In the title compound, [Sm(C7H5O2)3(C12H8N2)], the Sm(III) cation is coordinated by six O atoms from three bidentate 2-formyl-phenolate ligands and by two N atoms from 1,10-phenanthroline ligand. The resulting SmN2O6 coordination polyhedron is a distorted square anti-prism. In the crystal, C-H⋯O inter-actions connect mol-ecules into chains along the b-axis direction. In addition, π-π stacking inter-actions are observed with centroid-centroid distances in the range 3.6422 (13)-3.7329 (13) Å.

There are two mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit of the title compound, C(15)H(17)N(3)O(6). The 2,3-dioxopiperazine ring adopts a half-chair conformation with torsion angles of -7.6 (4) and 35.1 (4)° in one mol-ecule, and 5.3 (4) and 45.4 (4)° in the other mol-ecule. In the crystal structure, the carb-oxy groups are involved in classical inversion-related O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, which link the mol-ecules into centrosymmetric dimers. These dimers are further linked by inter-molecular O-H⋯O and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Each independent mol-ecule also exhibits an intra-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bond. The H atoms of the carb-oxy groups are disordered over two positions, with refined site-occupancy factors of 0.5.

Chronic morphine administration decreases the size of dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). These transient morphological changes are accompanied by a reduced sensitivity of morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) after chronic exposure to the drug. In this study we examined alterations in the firing rate of DAergic neurons by means of extracellular recording following chronic morphine exposure and applied 100 Hz electroacupuncture (EA) treatment to reverse the reduced firing rate of these neurons. In the first set of experiments we show that in rats, which received chronic morphine treatment for 14 days, a small dose of morphine was not able to induce a CPP response anymore. However, the sensitivity to morphine was reinstated by consecutive EA treatment for 10 days. The electrophysiological response of VTA DA neurons to morphine was markedly reduced in chronic morphine-treated rats compared to saline-treated controls. A substantial recovery of the reactivity of VTA DA neurons to morphine was observed in rats that received 100 Hz EA for 10 days. Our findings suggest that 100 Hz EA is a potential therapy for the treatment of opiate addiction by normalizing the activity of VTA DA neurons.

The title mol-ecule, C(14)H(19)NO(6), was synthesized by the reaction of glyoxylic acid, ethyl acetoacetate and NH(4)HCO(3). In the crystal structure, the dihydro-pyridine ring adopts an asymmetric boat-type conformation with the C atom bearing the carboxyl group showing a signficantly larger deviation [0.325 (2) Å] from the base plane then the N atom [0.137 (2) Å]. One of the ethyl groups is disordered over two positions with occupancies of 0.741 (10) and 0.259 (10). The crystal is stabilized by strong inter-molecular hydrogen bonds. N-H⋯O inter-actions form infinite chains in the a direction. O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds form typical carboxylic acid dimers, which link the N-H⋯O chains into a ladder-type double chain.

In the title compound, C(21)H(30)N(2)O, there are five fused rings. The A and C rings adopt chair conformations, ring B adopts an 8β,9α-half-chair conformation and ring D adopts a 14α-envelope conformation. The pyrazole ring is planar. Inter-molecular O-H⋯N hydrogen bonds [H⋯N = 1.88 (5) Å] help to stabilize the crystal structure. The absolute structure was deduced from those of the starting materials.

The aromatic mol-ecule of the title compound, C(20)H(14)N(4)·2C(3)H(7)NO, occupies a special position on an inversion center. The benzimidazole unit (planar to within 0.008 Å) forms a dihedral angle of 9.1 (2)° with the central benzene ring. The benzimidazole H atom participates in a hydrogen bond with the dimethyl-formamide solvent molecule, thus giving rise to the title 1:2 aggregate. These aggregates are further linked in the crystal structure by aromatic π-π stacking inter-actions [centroid-centroid distance = 6.356 (2) Å].

Mol-ecules of the title compound, C(56)H(76)Cl(4)O(16)S(4), have crystallographic C(2) symmetry and adopt a 1,3-alternate conformation where the four -OCH(2)CH(2)OCH(2)CH(2)Cl groups are located alternately above and below the virtual plane (R) defined by the four bridging S atoms. The dihedral angles between the plane (R) and the phenolic rings are 72.85 (7) and 74.57 (7)°. An unusual 24-membered macrocyclic ring is formed in the crystal structure with an array of eight intra-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the ether arm H atoms and the sulfonyl O atoms. In the supra-molecular structure, the mol-ecular components are linked into infinite zigzag one-dimensional chains by a combination of four inter-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming R(2) (2)(13), R(2) (2)(16), R(2) (2)(21) and R(2) (2)(26) ring motifs. These chains are augmented into a wave-like two-dimensional network by weak C⋯O inter-actions. One tert-butyl group shows rotational disorder, and one CH(2)CH(2)Cl group is disordered over two orientations; the site-occupation factors are 0.756 (6) and 0.244 (6) for the two tert-butyl groups, and 0.808 (3) and 0.192 (3) for the two CH(2)CH(2)Cl units.

The mol-ecule of the title compound, C(17)H(10)N(4)O, has crystallographically imposed C(2) symmetry. The urea group and the benzene ring are nearly coplanar, the dihedral angle between them being 4.15 (7)°. The crystal packing is stabilized by aromatic π-π stacking inter-actions, with a centroid-to-centroid separation of 3.833 (4) Å.