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AbstractThe cultured meat technology has developed rapidly in recent years, but there are still many technical challenges that hinder the large-scale production and commercialization of cultured meat. Firstly, it is necessary to lay the foundation for cultured meat production by obtaining seed cells and maintaining stable cell functions. Next, technologies such as bioreactors are used to expand the scale of cell culture, and three-dimensional culture technologies such as scaffold culture or 3D printing are used to construct the three-dimensional structure of cultured meat. At the same time, it can reduce production costs by developing serum-free medium suitable for cultured meat. Finally, the edible quality of cultured meat is improved by evaluating food safety and sensory flavor, and combining ethical and consumer acceptability issues. Therefore, this review fully demonstrates the current development status and existing technical challenges of the cultured meat production technology with regard to the key points described above, in order to provide research ideas for the industrial production of cultured meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are a group of Gram-positive, non-respiring, non-spore-forming bacteria, cocci or rods, which produce lactic acid as the solely or main end product of carbohydrates fermentation. Some strains of LAB are probiotics that play important role in food processing and safety, as well as in maintaining human health as an integral part of the microbiota, that could be widely found in fermented foods, such as yogurt, cheese, kimchi, and wine. Streptococcus thermophilus, a species of LAB, exhibits probiotic effects, including alleviation of lactose intolerance, chronic gastritis, diarrhea, and bacteriostatic effects on pathogens. Recently, S. thermophilus in fermented products has attracted increasing research interest. However, the sources of new isolates of S. thermophilus are limited, so it is necessary to screen a large number of diverse habitats and functionally enriched selection to discover new and useful strains. This review summarizes the results related to insulation and identification, safety assessments and metabolic properties of S. thermophilus. Functional properties, its application in the production of fermented products, the development of new perspectives, as well as shortcomings are discussed in detail, in order to facilitate future research and application of S. thermophilus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study undertook a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles aimed to investigate how pilot-related causal factors contribute to runway incursions (RIs). Unauthorized entry onto an active runway, referred to as a "runway incursion" continues to present a safety risk in aviation. It is important to understand the cause of runway incursions and the underlying factors of why pilots commit runway incursions from a human factor perspective. A systematic literature review was conducted to synthesize and summarize the relevant findings from previous studies. Literature searches were conducted through eight databases with an emphasis on studies that identify causal factors related to pilot behavior. Limited publications on the analysis of pilot-related contributing factors of runway incursions were identified from 1985 to 2021. Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in this study. The review uncovered the common types of RIs, and the leading contributing factors associated with pilot error, such as miscommunication and loss of situational awareness. The evaluated studies provided possible mitigation solutions focusing on technical system, but no clear solution on how to prevent such errors systematically from a human factor perspective was revealed. Overall, the results provide insight into pilot behavior regarding runway incursions and provide a basis for future research to improve runway safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global epidemiological evidence indicates high rates of mental illness but low rates of diagnosis among older people. In China, service providers identify older adults with mental disorders in varied ways. Taking Shanghai as an example, this study revealed how the identification methods of geriatric mental health disorders in nonspecialized institutions diverge, providing a reference for the integration of services. A purposive sampling method was adopted to conduct semi-structured interviews with 24 service providers from various nonspecialized geriatric mental health care institutions. Interview audio was recorded with consent and converted into verbatim transcripts. The interview data were analysed thematically. Although service providers from the health care system tended to apply a biomedical-oriented assessment, those from the social care system typically identified mental disorders among older people based on selective attention and interpersonal relationships. Although there are stark differences, the various identification mechanisms implicitly converge—the relationship with clients has become an important consideration. Geriatric mental health issues urgently require the integration of formal and informal care resources. Referring to the idea of task transfer, social identification mechanisms are expected to be a useful supplement to traditional biomedical-oriented identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the backdrop of internationalisation of education and the emergence of English as a global language, medium of instruction (MOI) has long been a controversial issue globally. The present study examined the relationships between secondary-level MOI (English, EMI; Chinese, CMI) and learners' tertiary-level academic achievement and perceptions. 434 tertiary-level business, science, and social science students in Hong Kong completed a survey and 18 of them also attended an interview. An overall significant difference was found in tertiary-level academic achievement between the EMI and CMI students. Significant differences were also found in their self-rated performance in and preferences for some but not all kinds of assessments. When analysed by tertiary-level disciplines, business students showed no differences while science students showed some, and social science students showed the greatest differences between the CMI and EMI groups. The interviewees highlighted academic and psychological challenges facing CMI students. Implications for educators and researchers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only a few case reports of biopsy-proven GCA (BpGCA)-associated vision loss in Chinese subjects have been published. We describe three elderly Chinese subjects with BpGCA who presented with vision loss. We also searched the literature in order to review BpGCA-associated blindness in Chinese subjects. Case 1 presented as simultaneous right ophthalmic artery occlusion and left anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (AION). Case 2 presented as sequential bilateral AION. Case 3 presented as bilateral posterior ischaemic optic neuropathy and ocular ischaemic syndrome (OIS). The diagnosis was confirmed by temporal artery biopsy in all three. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in Cases 1 and 2 demonstrated retrobulbar optic nerve ischaemia. Enhancement of the optic nerve sheath and inflammatory changes of the ophthalmic artery on enhanced orbital MRI was also noted in Cases 2 and 3. All of the subjects were treated with steroids, either intravenously or orally. In the literature review, 11 cases (17 eyes) of BpGCA-associated vision loss in Chinese subjects were found including AION, central retinal artery occlusion, combined AION and cilioretinal artery occlusion, and orbital apex syndrome. In the 14 cases (including ours), the median age at diagnosis was 77 years, and 9 (61.5%) were males. The most common extraocular manifestations were temporal artery abnormalities, headache, jaw claudication, and scalp tenderness. Thirteen (56.5%) eyes had visual acuity of no light perception at the initial visit and failed to respond to the treatment. Although rare, in elderly Chinese subjects with ocular ischaemic diseases, the diagnosis of GCA must be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although nearly all local governments in China face serious fiscal challenges, fiscal pressures on some local governments are more severe than on others. Using data from 2011 through 2016, this paper measures the relative fiscal condition of local governments in a single Chinese province as a means of quantifying fiscal disparities within the province. We measure the fiscal gaps between local governments' expenditure needs and revenue-raising capacity. Expenditure needs are estimated using a regression-based strategy to identify a set of characteristics of each local government that influence the costs of delivering local public services. We measure own-source revenue-raising capacity as a function of both local GDP and actual local government revenues. Although fiscal disparities remain, they are substantially reduced after the receipt of equalizing intergovernmental transfers. Because per capita transfers to rural local governments are much larger than transfers to large city governments, post-transfer fiscal health is actually weaker in the province's larger cities than in smaller, more rural jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire is an important wood boring pest of Fraxinus species in the family Oleaceae. Oxacyclotridecan-2-one is an attractant of A. planipennis. Traps with attractive lures can be used in mass trapping of insect pests, but the traps are a bit expensive and they must be set up and dismantled in the field. To develop an attract and kill method for A. planipennis, we enveloped oxacyclotridecan-2-one into sustained-released microspheres. The attractant microspheres were prepared using the solvent evaporation method. An orthogonal test L16(45) was used to optimize the five preparation factors: the quantities of polylactic acid (PLA), gelatin, Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), attractant, and the rotational speed. The results showed that optimal conditions for preparation of microspheres were 2.5 g PLA, 0.5 g gelatin, 1.25 g PVA, 2 mL attractant and 600 r min–1 rotational speed. The encapsulation efficiency of the prepared microspheres was 95.22%, and the attractant loading rate was 15.61%. The release rate of attractant from prepared microspheres was about 26.74% on the first day, and then gradually entered a sustained-release stage for about 10 days that lasted for 17 days. Preliminary field control experiments showed that the prepared microspheres could attract and kill A. planipennis adults when sprayed together with insecticide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With CMOS process developing, the Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) suffers unavoidable degradation in terms of read and write stabilities. To optimise the memory with conventional 6-T cell in 7-nm process technology, Response Surface Method (RSM) is adopted to get the optimised relationship among the noise margin, the operating temperature, the supply voltage, the unit ratio, the pull-up ratio and the pre-charged voltage, et al. It shows that RSM approach is an effective statistical method for the optimisation of the SRAM cell, especially in the nano-scale scheme. In order to prove the superiority of the RSM approach, the noise margin variation is investigated from 90 nm to 7 nm technology nodes based on the general butterfly curves approach for the comparison. It shows that the stability of the SNM of the 6-T cell tends to be degraded with the continuous shrinkage of the process nodes. The RSM approach is demonstrated to be an effective way for the optimisation of the SRAM cell in single-digit nanometre node. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrothermal reaction of Mn2+ with 5-(4-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)phenyl)-2H-tetrazole (HL) ligand resulted in complex 1 [Mn(L)2(H2O)4]·2H2O (1), which has been characterized by single-crystal XRD, IR, EAs and TG analysis. Complex one is a single molecular structure (0D) and possesses a relative thermal stability. In addition, the magnetism property was also recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial utilization of natural bamboo has been plagued by cracking that are closely related to the relationship between the moisture content (MC) and drying shrinkage. To reveal the cracking mechanism, three relationships between environmental factors and drying rate (DR), MC and shrinkage strain, strain variation and cracking were investigated during the air seasoning (AS) of the 6-meter-long bamboo in free state. The DR decreased significantly affected by hygroscopicity, and a model considering hygroscopicity and environmental factors was proposed for estimating the DR. Natural bamboos were prone to cracking between 42% and 12% MC. The top cracking was earlier and more than other parts, which is caused by initial lower MC and absence of end diaphragm. There were significant differences in shrinkage strain between different tissues and sites. This work reveals the drying characteristics, the law of strain variation, and cracking mechanism in bamboo AS process, which is vital to the prevention and control of drying defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolite lactic acid has always been regarded as a metabolic by-product rather than a bioactive molecule. Recently, this view has changed since it was discovered that lactic acid can be used as a signal molecule and has novel signal transduction functions both intracellular and extracellular, which can regulate key functions in the immune system. In recent years, more and more evidence has shown that lactic acid is closely related to the metabolism and polarization of macrophages. During inflammation, lactic acid is a regulator of macrophage metabolism, and it can prevent excessive inflammatory responses; In malignant tumors, lactic acid produced by tumor tissues promotes the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages, which in turn promotes tumor progression. In this review, we examined the relationship between lactic acid and macrophage metabolism. We further discussed how lactic acid plays a role in maintaining the homeostasis of macrophages, as well as the biology of macrophage polarization and the M1/M2 imbalance in human diseases. Potential methods to target lactic acid in the treatment of inflammation and cancer will also be discussed so as to provide new strategies for the treatment of diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The studies regarding the effects of exercise duration on blood pressure have reported inconsistent and conflicting results. Nitric oxide (NO) is a well-known vasodilator released by endothelial cells, and endothelial microparticles (EMPs) are membranous vesicles released into the circulation from activated or apoptotic endothelial cells, both of whose level can reflect the endothelial function. But few studies have been done to explore the effect of exercise duration on blood pressure and endothelial function, especially, the EMPs response to exercise in young male patients with hypertension. This study aimed to investigate the blood pressure response during moderate-intensity exercise performed in different durations and the acute effects on post-exercise hypotension and endothelial function in hypertensive patients. Eighteen young male hypertensive patients who did not take antihypertensive drugs were recruited in this study. They randomly performed twice exercises on a cycle ergometer at a moderate intensity of 40%–50% of their HR reserve; one was 20 min (E20 session), the other one was 40 min (E40 session); there was 1-week break between the two exercises. Blood pressure was monitored by the YUWELL blood pressure monitor at rest, every 5 min during exercise, and 3 and 6 min post-exercise. The level of NO (nitrate/nitrite reduction) and EMPs (flow cytometry) in plasma were detected before and immediately following exercise. CD31+/CD42b− events were classified as EMPs and events per microliter plasma were calculated. This study was approved by the Beijing Sport University Institutional Review Board (protocol number 2019087 H). Mean age of patients was 34.8 ± 3.5 yrs, and BMI was 27.6 ± 2.7 kg/m2. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the two sessions increased significantly during exercise. The SBP in the E20 session increased by 37 mmHg (P <.01) at 5 min during exercise and remained stable afterward. In the E40 session, the SBP increased by 35 mmHg (P <.01) at 5 min during exercise and was stable at 5 through 25 min, decreased by 8 mmHg at 25 through 35 min during exercise, and then stabilized (P <.01). There was no obvious change of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in the two sessions during exercise. In the E20 session, SBP at 6 min following exercise was no different from the rest; in the E40 session, SBP at 6 min following exercise was 14 mmHg lower than at the rest (P <.01). DBP in the E20 session was the same as rest at 3 min following exercise and decreased by 4 mmHg at 6 min following exercise compared with the rest (P <.05), while DBP in the E40 session decreased by 3 mmHg at 3 min following exercise compared with the rest (P <.05). The plasma NO levels of E20 and E40 increased significantly following exercise (P <.01 for both). There was no difference in plasma NO level between the two sessions pre- and post-exercise, but the increased magnitude of NO level in E40 was greater than that in E20 (24.47% vs. 9.24%, P <.01). The plasma EMPs level of E20 and E40 decreased significantly following exercise (P <.01 for both). There was no difference in plasma EMPs level between the two sessions pre- and post-exercise, but the decreased magnitude of EMPs level in E40 was greater than that in E20 (15.66% vs. 8.00%, P <.01). There is no exaggerated blood pressure response to 20-min and 40-min acute moderate-intensity exercise in young hypertensive men with no antihypertensive drugs. Both 20-min and 40-min acute moderate exercise can reduce the rest blood pressure, and improve endothelial function by increasing NO and decreasing EMPs in young male patients with hypertension, and the effects of 40-min exercise on lowering SBP and improving endothelial function are better than that of 20-min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ag/BiOI/C composite photocatalyst was synthesized by high-temperature tube furnace calcination method. The Ag/BiOI/C (0.5:2:3) sample showed the greater competence for the photocatalytic remove of the typical methylene blue dye compared with the pristine BiOI and BiOI/C under visible light exposure. The characterization was confirmed the Ag and C could synergistically enhance the photocatalytic performance. Among, the Ag and C worked as electron acceptors enhanced separation effectiveness of photo-induced electron-hole pairs and suppressed their recombination. Further, trapping experiments displayed that the ·O2− and h+ were the major function in the photo-degradation of methylene blue. A possible mechanism was proposed for the novel photocatalyst. The SPR effect and biochar were used to synergistically enhance the photocatalytic activity of BiOCl flower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain protein content (GPC), as an important agronomic indicator of nutritional value, is commonly used for optimized cultivation, classified harvesting, and quality grading. Previous studies on the spectroscopic estimation of GPC were often conducted at the canopy level with vegetation indices (VIs) derived from the visible and near-infrared (VNIR) bands, which are apart from the absorption features of protein predominately located in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) region. Since those absorption features are mostly masked by water for living plants, the causal relationships between sensitive spectral bands and protein absorption features are poorly understood. Recently, continuous wavelet spectral analysis has been commonly applied to the spectroscopic estimation of vegetation parameters in the way of extracting the optimal wavelet feature (denoted as WFλ,S, λ is the shifting factor in wavelength and S is the scaling factor in the power number of two) or the red-edge position. This study proposed the wavelet-based SWIR edge position (SWEP) for estimating the GPC in cereal crops through extending the red edge position extraction technique to laboratory SWIR reflectance spectroscopy. The performance of SWEPs and WFs was evaluated in coefficient of determination (R2), root mean squared error (RMSE) and relative RMSE (RRMSE) with experimental data over field trials. Our results demonstrated that the protein absorption features in the SWIR region could be enhanced using wavelet-based methods towards accurate estimation of the GPC across rice and wheat crops. The optimal features WF1510,4 (R2 = 0.96) and WF1610,5 (R2 = 0.93) exhibited similar performance for GPC estimation as compared to normalized difference protein indices (NDPIs) on calibration data, but the latter NDPI models had much poorer performance on independent validation data (NDPI1745,1780: R2 = 0.35, RMSE = 1.83%, RRMSE = 21.70%; NDPI2080,2160: R2 = 0.57, RMSE = 1.48%, RRMSE = 17.55%). The GPC could be estimated with high accuracies on both calibration (R2 = 0.94) and validation (R2 = 0.92, RMSE = 0.64%, RRMSE = 7.59%) using the SWEP extracted from the 1450–1650 nm range at Scale 5. Given their close predictive performance, the wavelet-based SWEP was less affected by the degradation of spectral resolution in the input data than the WF. The application of SWEPs could help us better understand the spectroscopy mechanism of GPC estimation from grain reflectance spectra. It also suggests that not just the commonly used red edges but also the insufficiently exploited SWIR edges are important in the entire spectral domain for quantifying vegetation properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of conductive polymers, they have shown great potential in room-temperature chemical gas detection, as their electrical conductivity can be changed upon exposure to oxidative or reductive gas molecules at room temperature. However, due to their relatively low conductivity and high affinity toward volatile organic compounds and water molecules, they always exhibit low sensitivity, poor stability, and gas selectivity, which hinder their practical gas sensor applications. In addition, inorganic sensitive materials show totally different advantages in gas sensors, such as high sensitivity, fast response to low concentration analytes, high surface area, and versatile surface chemistry, which could complement the conducting polymers in terms of the sensing characteristics. It seems to be a win-win choice to combine inorganic sensitive materials with polymers for gas detection due to their synergistic effects, which has attracted extensive interests in gas-sensing applications. In this review, we summarize the recent development in polymer-inorganic nanocomposite based gas sensors. The roles of inorganic nanomaterials in improving the gas-sensing performances of conducting polymers are introduced and the progress of conducting polymer-inorganic nanocomposites including metal oxides, metal, carbon (carbon nanotube, graphene), and ternary composites are presented. Finally, a conclusion and a perspective in the field of gas sensors incorporating conducting polymer-inorganic nanocomposite are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

KTa0.63Nb0.37O3 (KTN) and Fe doped KTa0.63Nb0.37O3 particles have been synthesized by the mixed solvothermal method at 200 °C for 24 h. The influence of Fe-doping on the phase structure and micro-morphology of KTN was investigated by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. The obtained samples are cubic phase KTN nanocrystallines with high-purity and well-crystallized. The grain size of Fe doped KTN increases and the lattice parameters change slightly. Moreover, the particle separation becomes to be better and the particle distribution becomes more homogeneous after Fe-doping. The Fe-doping content is better to be controlled under 1.8 mol% to prevent impurities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) is a new method for the treatment of resistant hypertension (RH). However, few studies have focused on the effects of RSD on blood flow and the interaction between temperature field and flow field. In this paper, firstly, we designed a numerical simulation of electromagnetic field, flow field and temperature field coupling by finite element method. Secondly, numerical simulation results were verified by particle image velocimetry (PIV) and vitro experiment. From the simulation results, when the flow velocity increases to 0.05 m/s, the turbulence near the electrode disappeared and flow state became uniform laminar flow. With the increases of flow velocity (0 m/s to 0.1 m/s), temperature rise of the renal artery, the electrode tip and blood decreased from 13°C, 24°C and 5.4°C to 9.3°C, 9.7°C and 0.2°C, respectively. From PIV experiment and vitro experiment results, when the flow rate increases to 0.5 L/min, it appeared similar phenomenon with the velocity of 0.05 m/s in simulation. With the increases of flow rate (0 L/min to 0.8 L/min), temperature rise of three points decreased from 11.2°C, 20.5°C and 3.6°C to 7.8°C, 8.5°C, and 0.4°C, respectively. When the blood flow rate exceeds 0.5 L/min, there is no large velocity gradient and reflux area in the flow field, so there will be no hemolysis and thrombosis. Therefore, the temperature field has less influence on the flow field. With the increase of flow rate, the temperature at all three points decreases. Therefore, the flow field has an effect on the temperature field. But the central temperature of renal artery can still reach the treatment target in which temperature rises to be more than 6°C. Therefore, this study preliminarily verified the safety and effectiveness of RSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We design this study to detect levels of Elabela (ELA) and Apelin (APLN) in women with and without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the second and third trimesters, and to identify whether there is any association between ELA, APLN, and metabolic parameters. Seventy-nine GDM and 80 control subjects in the second trimester and 87 GDM and 88 healthy subjects in the third trimester were included. In the second trimester, lower ELA levels [(14.1 versus 16.9) ng/ml, p =.025] and higher APLN levels [(1021.8 versus 923.5) pg/ml, p =.046] were observed in GDM patients compared to controls. ELA levels were positively correlated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (r = 0.423, p <.001) in the control group, and APLN levels were negatively correlated with triglycerides (TG) (r = −0.251, p =.025) in the control group and total cholesterol (TC) (r = −0.227, p =.044) in the GDM group. ELA appeared to be related to glucose metabolism and APLN is involved in lipid metabolism during pregnancy. The expression of ELA is significantly downregulated from the second trimester to the third trimester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of procalcitonin (PCT) in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) after cardiac valve replacement. A total of 80 patients who underwent cardiac valve replacement in our department were enrolled in this study. Of these patients,40 were diagnosed with VAP and assigned to the observation group, while the other 40 patients not diagnosed with VAP were assigned to the control group. The changes in serum PCT, white blood cell count and C-reactive protein (CRP) were observed before each operation (T0), on the first day after the operation (T1), the second day after the operation (T2) and the third day after the operation (T3). After the operation, the serum PCT in the observation group was significantly higher than those at different time points after the operation, and also significantly higher than those in the control group (p <.05). In the control group, PCT was significantly higher after the operation than before the operation (p <.05), but the differences among the different postoperative time points were not statistically significant (p >.05). In the two groups, the white blood cell count and CRP were significantly higher after the operation than before the operation (p <.05), but the differences between the two groups were not statistically significant (p >.05). Serum PCT is an early, sensitive and highly specific high-risk monitoring index and has an early prediction value for VAP after cardiac valve replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trajectory of landsenses development is characterized with three phases: the phase of concept formation, the phase of proposing landsense creation and its connection with ecosystem services, and the phase of applying landsenses ecology to the sustainability of the natural-social-economic complex ecosystem. This special issue covers landsenses ecology research progress in the first two phases and points out the research direction of Phase III. This issue contains ten articles, covering a broad range of application areas and research topics. Ecosystem cultural and provisioning services dominated these studies. Most of the articles emphasize societal and environmental components of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper is directed toward the study on the global attractivity of a unique positive periodic solution of a discrete hematopoiesis model with unimodal production functions and several time delays. This model is described by a nonlinear difference equation. The result obtained is proved by transforming this model into another difference equation and by using the Schauder fixed-point theorem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a concept of sustainable development from the perspective of ecosystem services and analyzes some existing problems in ecosystem service assessment. It also proposes the concepts of landsense, landsense creation (LC) and general landsenses ecology in order to expand the research and application of landsenses ecology, and discusses the relationships among landsense creation, ecosystem services and sustainable development. In view of these definitions, this paper puts forward three approaches for landsense creation, i.e. using an existing carrier, transforming an existing carrier or building a new carrier by integrating visions into the carrier to make it a landsense. This paper outlines eight main principles of landsense creation, including the bidirection principle of vision manifestation, the vein-compliance principle of orientation and bearing, the multiscale principle of spatiotemporal combination, the systematicness principle of physical senses, the integrity principle of psychological perceptions, the interactivity principle of physical senses and psychological perceptions, the dissimilarity principle of different cultures and the progressivity principle of process. Finally, this paper illustrates a general framework for the study of landsenseology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In animal models, insulin resistance without severe hyperglycemia is associated with retinopathy; however, corroborating data in humans are lacking. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of retinopathy in a population without diabetes and evaluate the association of insulin resistance and retinopathy within this group. Methods: The study population included 1914 adults age ≥40 without diabetes who were assigned to the morning, fasted group in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2008, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control. Retinopathy was determined using fundus photos independently graded by a reading center and insulin resistance was determined using the homeostatic model of insulin resistance. Results: Prevalence of retinopathy in those without diabetes was survey design adjusted 9.4% (174/1914). In multivariable analyses, retinopathy was associated with insulin resistance (HOMA-IR OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.16; p =.0030), male gender (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.85; p =.0267), and age (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.05; p =.0203). Conclusions: Insulin resistance in the absence of overt hyperglycemia could be an early driver of retinopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the efficacy and safety of sustained low-efficiency diafiltration (SLEDf) versus hemodialysis (HD) for patients with wasp stings who developed stage III acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of consecutive patients who developed AKI following wasp stings. All eligible patients received renal replacement therapy in combination with hemoperfusion. Thereafter, blood purification therapy and HD were performed with a volumetrically controlled machine and 1.7 m2 surface, Fresenius Polysulfone HD filter and SLEDf was undertaken with a volumetrically controlled machine and 1.3 m2 surface, Fresenius Polysulfone HD filter. Results: Forty patients developed stage III AKI following wasp stings, including 14 patients that received SLEDf and 26 patients underwent HD. Thirteen patients were aged less than 60 years and underwent HD (group I), 27 patients were aged at least 60 years, including 13 patients undergoing HD (group II) and 14 patients receiving SLEDf (group III). Groups I and II completed 150 and 162 sessions of HD, respectively, and group III completed 156 sessions of sustained low-efficiency blood purification therapy, including 50 sessions of SLEDf. The time to return to normal serum creatinine levels was 38.8 ± 2.7 days for group I, 47.2 ± 5.3 days for group II, and 39.2 ± 3.3 days for group III. A statistically significant difference was observed in time to normal serum creatinine levels among the three groups. Conclusion: Elderly wasp victims have more severe illness than younger wasp victims and SLEDf is safe and superior to HD in recovery of renal function of elderly wasp victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In responding to global ecosystem conservation and sustainable social development, numerous ecological restoration projects have been performed in ecologically vulnerable areas around the world, especially in semi-arid areas. Affected by local hydrothermal conditions, whether ecological restoration projects can achieve goals of balanced water-carbon enhancement as well as sustainable development in semi-arid areas is controversial. It is uncertain that to what extent the land use change caused by ecological restoration projects will affect the water-carbon imbalance. This research takes the Bashang Plateau Protection Zone (BPZ), a typical semi-arid area in Hebei Province of China, as a porotype to discover the spatial water-carbon changes and their contributing factors under ecological projects during 2000 to 2020 through root mean square deviation and random forest analysis. Results show: (1) In the past two decades, carbon sequestration in BPZ continued to improve while water conservation decreased significantly. The water-carbon imbalance regions in BPZ increased nearly 6.80 folds, from 338.60 km2 to 2642.38 km2. (2) Precipitation and temperature exerted the most significant impact on the formation of water-carbon imbalance regions, whereas the contribution of land use change could reach 40%, demonstrating that human activities were also strongly responsible for water-carbon imbalance. (3) Ecological restoration pattern of limiting afforestation and agricultural land expansion with priority restoration of grassland is beneficial to achieving water-carbon balance and sustainable goals of ecological restoration in semi-arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-doped MnxGe1–x (Co–MnxGe1–x) (x = 0.02, 0.1, 0.3) films had been deposited at different sputtering powers on silicon (100) substrates using direct current (DC) and radio frequency (RF) magnetron co-sputtering. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy disperse X-ray (EDX), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). It was shown that the samples with low Mn content had polycrystalline cubic structure with an (220)-preferential orientation. The roughness of samples enhanced with the increase of Co content. In addition, we found that introducing Co can improve the ferromagnetism of the samples when sputtering power is 20 W. At the same time, the Co–MnxGe1–x (80W) films have a stronger ferromagnetic property due to the introduction of substantial Co atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate the relationship between of endogenous enzymes and physiochemical indicators during the processing of dry-salted Decapterus maruadsi produced by the traditional method. The evolution of the endogenous enzymes (cathepsin B, cathepsin L, cathepsin H, acid lipase, neutral lipase, and phospholipase) and physical and chemical parameters (moisture content, salt content and pH) of dry-salted Decapterus maruadsi during processing were investigated. Principal component analysis and Pearson correlation coefficient analysis were used to explore the main factors influencing the endogenous enzyme activity and the interactions between endogenous enzymes. The following results were observed during the processing of dry-salted Decapterus maruadsi: the salt content could stimulate cathepsin (L and B) activity and inhibit lipase activity; a lower moisture content could inhibit lipase activity, while the inhibitory effect on cathepsin was inconspicuous; pH had a minor influence on the endogenous enzyme activities; cathepsin B and L could partially inhibit lipase activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To develop and validate a refined traumatic brain injury (TBI) classification system to supplement the existing systems which have limited accuracy for predicting long-term consciousness recovery. Methods: The refined classification system was developed using medical records of 527 patients according to clinical presentations within 12-24 hrs after injury. Multiple linear regression was applied to identify protective and risk factors for Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score at 12-month follow-up. The TBI severity was moved to a less or more severe level when more than half of the protective or risk factors were present. The capability and reliability of each system for predicting 12 month GCS and GOS scores, and mortality were assessed using ROC curve analysis and Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficient. Results: One protective factor and four risk factors were identified for predicting long-term outcomes. The refined system had higher sensitivity and specificity in predicting 12-month GCS and GOS scores, and mortality than the other two systems. The refined system had lower reliability than the GCS system and higher reliability than the Chinese system. Conclusions: The refined system incorporates the advantages of both GCS and Chinese systems and provides a better prediction of long-term consciousness outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we developed a novel active targeting and pH-responsive system for delivering the drug doxorubicin (DOX) to tumor sites using folic acid (FA)-modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Acid-treated MWCNTs with carboxyl groups were first covalently conjugated with polyethyleneimine (PEI). Subsequent sequential modification with FA (via a polyethylene glycol spacer), fluorescein isothiocyanate (FI), and acetic anhydride/triethylamine resulted in multifunctional FA-bound MWCNT (MWCNT-PEI.Ac-FI-PEG-FA) nanomaterials that possessed exceptional colloidal stability and good biocompatibility in a given concentration range. The FA-bound MWCNTs were characterized using various techniques and exhibited a high drug loading and an encapsulation efficiency as high as 70.4%. DOX/MWCNT-PEI.Ac-FI-PEG-FA nanocomplexes (DOX/MWCNT NCs) exhibited pH-responsive release in acidic environments. Importantly, the DOX/MWCNT NCs targeted tumor cells overexpressing FA receptors (FARs) and effectively inhibited their growth. In vivo anticancer experiments demonstrated that DOX/MWCNT NCs not only enhanced the suppression of tumor growth but also decreased the side effects of free DOX. The developed FA-modified MWCNTs with an unconventionally high DOX loading boosted in vivo anti-tumor efficacy, and the lower systemic toxicity may be utilized for tumor therapy upon clinical translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The most preferable vascular access for patients with end-stage renal failure needing hemodialysis is native arteriovenous fistula (AVF) on account of its access longevity, patient morbidity, hospitalization costs, lower risks of infection and fewer incidence of thrombotic complications. Meanwhile, according to National Kidney Foundation (NKF)̸Dialysis Out-comes Quality Initiative (DOQI) guidelines, AVF is more used than before. However, a significant percentage of AVF fails to support dialysis therapy due to lack of adequate maturity. Among all factors, the presence of diabetes mellitus was shown to be one of the risk factors for the development of vascular access failure by some authors. Therefore, this review evaluates the current evidence concerning the correlation of diabetes and AVF failure. Methods: A search was conducted using MEDLINE, SCIENCE DIRECT, SPRINGER, WILEY-BLACKWELL, KARGER, EMbase, CNKI and WanFang Data from the establishment time of databases to January 2016. The analysis involved studies that contained subgroups of diabetic patients and compared their outcomes with those of non-diabetic adults. In total, 23 articles were retrieved and included in the review. Results: The meta-analysis revealed a statistically significantly higher rate of AVF failure in diabetic patients compared with non-diabetic patients (OR = 1.682; 95% CI, 1.429-1.981, Test of OR = 1: z = 6.25, p <.001). Conclusions: This review found an increased risk of AVF failure in diabetes patients. If confirmed by further prospective studies, preventive measure should be considered when planning AVF in diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reasonable project was presented for the extraction and separation of Pt(IV), Pd(II), Ru(III), and Rh(III) from the mixed imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) [C6mim]Cl, [C6mim][NTf2], and [C6mim][DDTC]. Pt(IV) was first separated from other three platinum group metals with a mixture of [C6mim]Cl and [C6mim][NTf2]. Then, separation of Pd(II) and Ru(III) from Rh(III) was realized by changing the concentration of [C6mim][DDTC]. Back-extraction of Pt(IV), Pd(II), and Ru(III) from loaded hydrophobic phase and the recovery of Rh(III) in aqueous phase were also investigated. Mechanisms between Pd(II)/Ru(III) and [C6mim][DDTC] were further explored using ultraviolet spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR), the method of continuous variations, ab initio quantum chemical studies, and X-ray crystallographic analysis. The results afford more directions for extracting and separating metals by introducing devisable functionalized group into ILs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological security of urban surface water is subject to significant risk due to rapid urbanization. Pollutant discharge and accumulation are among the most critical stressors endangering urban surface water and affecting the normal operation of urban aquatic ecosystem services. In this study, we assessed how pollutant accumulation stresses water purification systems, which perform important urban ecosystem services. First, we applied a water environmental capacity model to calculate thresholds of urban surface water environmental capacity under a given water quality target. Second, based on a stepwise regression method, an equation was used to describe the relationship between stressor factors (pollutant accumulation) and measurable socioeconomic indicators. Third, an ecological risk index was used as an assessment endpoint indicator to assess the negative ecological effect of pollutant accumulation. Finally, risk level was classified according to the risk quotient method. Taking Xiamen City as an example, we analyzed the contribution of different sources of pollutants and evaluated the urban ecological risk posed by two major contaminants present in the environment by measuring chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N). The results show that the ecological risk indexes of both COD and NH4+-N are expected to decrease from 2020 to 2030; that of COD is expected to fall from medium to low, whereas that of NH4+-N is expected to fall from high to medium. These findings demonstrate that the ecological risk posed to the surface water in Xiamen City can be reduced by controlling population growth, optimizing industrial structure, and promoting economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Eight-and-a-half syndrome is caused by a lesion in the dorsal tegmentum of the caudal pons involving parapontine reticular formation and median longitudinal fasciculus, as well as the nucleus and/or the fasciculus of the facial nerve. It is characterized by one-and-a-half syndrome and an ipsilateral cranial nerve VII palsy. Also, many variants of eight-and-a-half syndrome have been described, including nine syndrome, thirteen-and-a-half syndrome and fifteen-and-a-half syndrome. Methods: We describe a case of a 49-year-old man who presented with eight-and-a-half syndrome combined with contralateral hemiparesis. We reviewed the literature describing the related spectrum of eight-and-a-half syndrome associated with various etiologies. Results: Brain computed tomography scan revealed a hyperdensity located in the left paramedian aspect of the dorsal pons. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging at the 11-month follow-up showed hyperintensity and enlargement of the inferior olivary nuclei, which were compatible with a diagnosis of hypertrophic olivary degeneration. In light of our observations and cases reported in the literature, we categorize the spectrum of eight-and-a-half syndrome into three types, namely classic eight-and-a-half syndrome, eight-and-a-half syndrome variants and eight-and-a-half plus syndrome. Besides, the clinical feature and outcome of the three types are discussed in this article. Conclusions: Recognition of the spectrum of eight-and-a-half syndrome allows precise anatomic localization of the lesion to pontine tegmentum region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the level of inflammatory cytokines in endometriosis patients, and explore the relationship between IL-37 concentration and endometriosis stages. Methods: Inflammatory cytokine concentrations from 27 patients with different stages of endometriosis and 52 controls without endometriosis were examined by ELISA. Then, the specificity and sensitivity of cytokines for distinguishing from controls and the different stages of endometriosis were analyzed using the ROC curve. Results: The difference in serum concentrations of IL-37, IL-17A, IL-10, and IL-2 between the endometriosis and control groups was statistically significant (p < .01). Compared with controls, significantly higher levels of serum IL-37 and IL-10, and significantly lower levels of serum IL-17A and IL-2 were detected in patients with endometriosis (p < .01). Furthermore, IL-2 concentration was significantly higher in peritoneal fluid (PF) in the endometriosis group (p = .0034), IL-10 concentrations in PF were significantly lower in the early-stages of endometriosis than in the more advanced groups (p = .0439), and IL-4 concentration in PF was significantly higher in more advanced endometriosis (p = .0228). The sensitivity and specificity of serum IL-37 for distinguishing endometriosis were 81.48% and 83.33%, respectively, and the cutoff concentration was 69.84 pg/ml. For IL-17A, the sensitivity and specificity were 96.30% and 100%, respectively, and the cutoff concentration was 57.54 pg/ml. For IL-10, the sensitivity and specificity was 92.59% and 100%, respectively, and the cutoff concentration was 3.301 pg/ml. For IL-2, the sensitivity and specificity were 74.07% and 93.75%, respectively, and the cutoff concentration was 1.813 pg/ml. For PF IL-2, the sensitivity and specificity were 29.73% and 100%, respectively, and the cutoff concentration was 1.06 pg/ml. Conclusions: IL-37, IL-17A, IL-10, and IL-2 may play a significant role in immune response in endometriosis. IL-37 levels may be used as a diagnostic marker for endometriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selection and establishment of research partners is increasingly important in innovation and strategic research. Using a panel dataset of patents by 2846 researchers from a large US biotechnology company between 1976 and 2013, we examined the relationships between spanning structural holes and partner dynamics, which are captured by the entry of new partners and the persistence of existing partners. Then, we tested the possible moderating effect of dynamic exploratory ability. Based on the results of negative binomial regression models with fixed effects in the longitudinal design, we found that spanning structural holes was negatively associated with the entry of new partners and positively associated with the persistence of existing partners. Furthermore, exploratory ability positively moderated these relationships. Aside from having managerial implications for innovators, the findings of our interdisciplinary study are relevant for research on partner dynamics, strategy research, and exploration processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we developed a novel active targeting and pH-responsive system for delivering the drug doxorubicin (DOX) to tumor sites using folic acid (FA)-modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Acid-treated MWCNTs with carboxyl groups were first covalently conjugated with polyethyleneimine (PEI). Subsequent sequential modification with FA (via a polyethylene glycol spacer), fluorescein isothiocyanate (FI), and acetic anhydride/triethylamine resulted in multifunctional FA-bound MWCNT (MWCNT-PEI.Ac-FI-PEG-FA) nanomaterials that possessed exceptional colloidal stability and good biocompatibility in a given concentration range. The FA-bound MWCNTs were characterized using various techniques and exhibited a high drug loading and an encapsulation efficiency as high as 70.4%. DOX/MWCNT-PEI.Ac-FI-PEG-FA nanocomplexes (DOX/MWCNT NCs) exhibited pH-responsive release in acidic environments. Importantly, the DOX/MWCNT NCs targeted tumor cells overexpressing FA receptors (FARs) and effectively inhibited their growth. In vivo anticancer experiments demonstrated that DOX/MWCNT NCs not only enhanced the suppression of tumor growth but also decreased the side effects of free DOX. The developed FA-modified MWCNTs with an unconventionally high DOX loading boosted in vivo anti-tumor efficacy, and the lower systemic toxicity may be utilized for tumor therapy upon clinical translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate clinical features, diagnosis, surgical management, and treatment of parapharyngeal space tumors in a single-center setting due to limited knowledge of diagnosis and treatment of parapharyngeal space. Methods: Clinical records of 103 patients were included for the analysis of such clinical characteristics. Results: A total of 29 different types of tumors were diagnosed after operation: 20 benign and 9 malignant. With a follow-up of 31–84 months for 90 benign cases, 84 cases had no recurrence and 6 cases were lost to follow-up. In contrast, with an 8- to 51-month follow-up for 13 malignant cases, 11 patients died and 2 were lost to follow-up. Furthermore, for postoperative complications, 3 cases had Horner syndrome, 2 had hoarseness, 2 had facial nerve dysfunction, and each for other types. Conclusions: Surgery remains the first choice for the treatment of parapharyngeal space tumors, with the transcervical approach used for most tumors. Moreover, CT or MRI may assist in making decisions about operation schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the phenomenon of steam condensation in a rectangle horizontal channel with a mass flux range of 20–70 kg/m2/s and a vapor quality of 0.2–0.8. Mass flux and vapor quality were presented to primarily affect the heat transfer coefficient in shear-dominated flow regime, such as the mass flux is greater than 40 kg/m2/s. At the low mass flux, only slug flow, plug flow, and wave flow were observed. At the high mass flux, the wave flow and annular flow were observed even at the low-vapor quality, and the slug and plug flow were not found during the entire condensation process. Observed flow patterns agreed with Tandon’s flow pattern map. Four kinds of correlations are employed to predict the condensing heat transfer coefficient, and the result reveals that Cavallini’s correlation agrees with the experimental results relatively well. The measured pressure drop has a good agreement with the Lockhart–Martinelli correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this study, various amount of SnO2was doped into Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3ceramics. The effects of SnO2doping on phases, densities and microstructures, energy storage densities of prepared BST ceramics were studied. XRD patterns indicated that Sn4+has entered the BST lattice. SnO2also showed the effect to inhibit the grain growth. When SnO2content was 0.05 mol%, the energy storage efficiency can be greatly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study was designed to investigate the relationship of insulin resistance (IR) and cellular immune abnormalities associated with women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Women with RPL were divided into two groups according to their homeostasis model assessment for IR (HOMA-IR) scores. The IR group received metformin approximately 3 months before pregnancy. The percentage of lymphocyte subsets and other blood biochemical indices were tested. The HOMA-IR and fasting serum insulin levels were related to the percentage of lymphocyte subsets. The women with RPL had higher CD3+and CD3+CD4+cell levels while CD56+CD16+cell levels were lower. A higher likelihood of cellular immune abnormalities was observed. Women with normal lymphocyte subsets had normal pregnancy outcomes. Metformin significantly downregulated CD3+and CD3+CD4+cells and improved pregnancy outcomes. IR was associated with cellular immune abnormalities in RPL. The data suggests that metformin affected the immune/inflammatory response, which may regulate the cellular immune balance and improve pregnancy outcomes. AbbreviationsRPL: recurrent pregnancy loss; IR insulin resistance; HOMA-IR: homeostasis model assessment for IR [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death, and alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth. Adolescents acquire cigarettes and alcohol through the retail environment. This paper investigates the relationships between underage cigarette and alcohol sales resulting from compliance checks and associated factors in Hawaii. Methods: Four hundred and two retail establishments were inspected by minors for compliance to underage cigarette and alcohol age restrictions. Findings: The overall compliance rate for selling cigarettes to a minor was 93% and alcohol was 84% from April 2012 to March 2013. There were 5.7% of stores that sold cigarettes only, 14.4% that sold alcohol only, 1.7% that sold both and 78.1% that did not sell any. No similarities between the gender of the minor or the gender of the clerk were found. Selling cigarettes and alcohol to a minor was significantly associated with whether identification or age was asked of the minor. Selling alcohol to a minor was significantly associated with smaller stores, having alcohol advertisements and correct wording on warning signs. Conclusions: Results are useful for future compliance education and enforcement and to further understand what factors may be contributing to, or preventing, underage cigarette and alcohol sales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within students’ proximal social environment, the crucial role of their perceived foreign language teacher support in their academic learning has emerged in numerous empirical studies in recent decades. However, little is known about the impact of perceived foreign language teacher support on academic emotions (e.g. foreign language anxiety; FLA). The mediating role of personality (e.g. second language [L2] grit) also remains unknown. To address these gaps, the current study adopted a quantitative approach to investigate the impact of perceived foreign language teacher support on their FLA and the mediating effect of L2 grit. We administered questionnaires to 1,401 Chinese high school students learning English as a foreign language to measure their FLA, L2 grit, and three types of perceived foreign language teacher support – namely, academic, emotional, and instrumental support. Structural equation modelling results indicate that students’ perceived overall foreign language teacher support had a direct positive predictive effect on FLA, whereas three dimensions of teacher support could not directly affect FLA alone. Mediation analysis results reveal that perceived emotional and instrumental support could negatively affect FLA via the complete mediating role of L2 grit. This study offers insights for teachers to improve students’ academic learning experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel sulfone derivatives containing a [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine moiety was synthesized and characterized via1H NMR,13C NMR, IR, and elemental analyses. Bioassay results indicated some of the derivatives displayed good antifungal activities and insecticidal activity. The inhibition rates of 8-chloro-3-((2,6-difluorobenzyl)sulfonyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine against Rhizotonia erealis and Helminthosporium maydis were 78.6% and 76.4% activities at 50 μg mL−1, respectively. And compound 8-chloro-3-(((6-chloropyridin-3-yl)methyl)sulfonyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine showed >95% mortality at 500 μg mL−1and >65% mortality at 200 μg mL−1against Plutella xylostella, respectively. As well as 8-chloro-3-(((6-chloropyridin-3-yl)methyl)sulfonyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine displayed >90% mortality at 500 μg mL−1against Helicoverpa armigera. A preliminary structure activity relationship (SAR) is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusion: To make a comprehensive analysis with a variety of diagnostic maneuvers is conducive to the correct diagnosis and classification of BPPV. Objective: Based on the standard spatial coordinate-based semicircular canal model for theoretical observation on diagnostic maneuvers for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) to analyze the meaning and key point of each step of the maneuver. Materials and methods: This study started by building a standard model of semicircular canal with space orientation by segmentation of the inner ear done with the 3D Slicer software based on MRI scans, then gives a demonstration and observation of BPPV diagnostic maneuvers by using the model. Results: The supine roll maneuver is mainly for diagnosis of lateral semicircular canal BPPV. The Modified Dix-Hallpike maneuver is more specific for the diagnosis of posterior semicircular canal BPPV. The side-lying bow maneuver designed here is theoretically suitable for diagnosis of anterior semicircular canal BPPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we introduce an algorithms by incorporating inertial terms in the extragradient algorithm. A weak convergence theorem is established for the proposed algorithm. Numerical experiments show that the inertial algorithms speed up the original ones. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: To investigate the role of intrauterine malnourishment in the development and function of pancreatic islet β-cells.Methods: Whole-cell patch clamping was used to record voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC)-mediated currents. Insulin secretion was detected by measuring capacitance using a sequence of sine wave stimuli. VGCC currents and insulin secretion were measured in the small for gestational age (SGA) group treated with human recombinant growth hormone (hGH).Results: The membrane capacitance in the SGA group (6.4 ± 0.9 fF/Pf) was significantly reduced. Calcium current density and peak current density in the SGA group were also markedly decreased, whereas other measurements of calcium channels were unaltered. Treatment with hGH significantly rescued the membrane capacitance, whereas calcium channels were not affected.Conclusion: Our data suggest that decreased β-cell secretion is caused by a decreased expression of calcium channels and reduced calcium currents. hGH restores β-cell secretion in SGA animals, possibly independently of VGCC. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: To investigate surgical management of type III EACC with lesions involving the posterior external auditory canal and mastoid. Methods: This retrospective case review was conducted in 12 patients with type III EACC who underwent intact canal wall mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty and canal wall reconstruction with autologous cortical bone. Results: During the follow-up, all patients obtained successful results on external auditory canal structures and hearing improvement, except for one patient who needed a revision operation for the fistula between the reconstructed wall and the mastoid. Conclusion: Intact canal wall mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty and canal wall reconstruction with autologous cortical bone was proved to be an effective and inexpensive choice for the patients with type III external auditory canal cholesteatoma (EACC) to achieve optimal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate surgical management of type III EACC with lesions involving the posterior external auditory canal and mastoid. Methods: This retrospective case review was conducted in 12 patients with type III EACC who underwent intact canal wall mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty and canal wall reconstruction with autologous cortical bone. Results: During the follow-up, all patients obtained successful results on external auditory canal structures and hearing improvement, except for one patient who needed a revision operation for the fistula between the reconstructed wall and the mastoid. Conclusion: Intact canal wall mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty and canal wall reconstruction with autologous cortical bone was proved to be an effective and inexpensive choice for the patients with type III external auditory canal cholesteatoma (EACC) to achieve optimal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current guidelines recommend patients with active and mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis (UC), who have received initial therapy with 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA). In this study, a novel drug delivery vehicle achieved by pH-sensitive hydrogels was applied to 5-ASA. In our previous work, a novel P(CE-MAA-MEG) pH-sensitive hydrogel was successfully synthesized by the heat-initiated free radical polymerization method. The aim of this study is to investigate its site-specific delivering of drugs to the colon and evaluate its colon-targeting characteristicin vivo. 5-ASA was chosen as a model drug and successfully loaded in the hydrogel.In vitroinvestigations were carried out to evaluate its release process. Above all, animal treatment results reveal an obvious effect on the UC healing. Therefore, all results suggested that the developed 5-ASA-P(CE-MAA-MEG) hydrogel (5-ASA-GEL) as a colon-targeting vector might have a great potential application in the UC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]