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The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade is a widely existing signal transduction system in eukaryotes, and plays an important role in the signal transduction processes of plant cells in response to environmental stress. In this study, we screened MdMKK9, a gene in the MAPK family. This gene is directly related to changes in anthocyanin synthesis in the ‘Daihong’ variety of red-fleshed apple (Malus sieversii f neidzwetzkyana (Dieck) Langenf). MdMKK9 expression was up-regulated in ‘Daihong’ tissue culture seedlings cultured at low levels of nitrogen. This change in gene expression up-regulated the expression of genes related to anthocyanin synthesis and nitrogen transport, thus promoting anthocyanin synthesis and causing the tissue culture seedlings to appear red in color. To elucidate the function of MdMKK9, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to construct a gene editing vector for MdMKK9 and successfully introduced it into the calli of the ‘Orin’ apple. The MdMKK9 deletion mutants (MUT) calli could not respond to the low level of nitrogen signal, the expression level of anthocyanin synthesis-related genes was down-regulated, and the anthocyanin content was lower than that of the wild type (WT). In contrast, the MdMKK9-overexpressed calli up-regulated the expression level of anthocyanin synthesis-related genes and increased anthocyanin content, and appeared red in conditions of low level of nitrogen or nitrogen deficiency. These results show that MdMKK9 plays a role in the adaptation of red-fleshed apple to low levels of nitrogen by regulating the nitrogen status and anthocyanin accumulation.

Background Due to drought stress, the growth, distribution, and production of mungbean is severely restricted. Previous study combining physiological and transcriptomic data indicated different genotypes of mungbean exhibited variable responses when exposed to drought stress. Aside from the genetic variation, the modifications of environmentally induced epigenetics alterations on mungbean drought-stress responses were still elusive. Results In this study, firstly, we compared the drought tolerance capacity at seedling stage by detecting physiological parameters in two contrasting genotypes wild mungbean 61 and cultivar 70 in response to drought stress. We found that wild mungbean 61 showed lower level of MDA and higher levels of POD and CAT, suggesting wild mungbean 61 exhibited stronger drought resistance. Transcriptomic analysis indicated totally 2859 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected when 70 compared with 61 (C70 vs C61), and the number increased to 3121 in the comparison of drought-treated 70 compared with drought-treated 61 (D70 vs D61). In addition, when drought-treated 61 and 70 were compared with their controls, the DEGs were 1117 and 185 respectively, with more down-regulated DEGs than up-regulated in D61 vs C61, which was opposite in D70 vs C70. Interestingly, corresponding to this, after drought stress, more hypermethylated differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in 61 were detected and more hypomethylated DMRs in 70 were detected. Further analysis suggested that the main variations between 61 and 70 existed in CHH methylation in promoter. Moreover, the preference of methylation status alterations in D61 vs C61 and D70 vs C70 also fell in CHH sequence context. Further analysis of the correlation between DMRs and DEGs indicated in both D61 vs C61 and D70 vs C70, the DMRs in gene body was significantly negatively correlated with DEGs. Conclusions The physiological parameters in this research suggested that wild mungbean 61 was more resistant to drought stress, with more hypermethylated DMRs and less hypomethylated DMRs after drought stress, corresponding to more down-regulated DEGs than up-regulated DEGs. Among the three DNA methylation contexts CG, CHG, and CHH, asymmetric CHH contexts were more dynamic and prone to be altered by drought stress and genotypic variations.

The accurate detection of nanoplastics is crucial due to their harmful effects on the environment and human beings. However, there is a lack of detection methods for nanoplastics smaller than 50 nm. In this research, we successfully constructed an Ag/CuO nanowire (NW)/BaTiO3@Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) Bowl-shaped substrate with a nanowire-in-Bowl-shaped piezoelectric cavity structure that can modulate surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) by the piezoelectric effect by the virtue of the tip effect of the CuO NW and light focusing effect of the Bowl-shaped cavity. Due to its unique nanowire-in-Bowl-shaped structure and piezoelectrically modifiable ability, nanoplastics less than 50 nm were successfully detected and quantitatively analyzed. We believe that the Ag/CuO NW/BaTiO3@PVDF Bowl-shaped substrate can provide an efficient, accurate, and feasible way to achieve qualitative and quantitative detection of nanoplastics.

Furan is a volatile and carcinogenic heterocyclic chemical compound that occurs in a wide range of thermally processed food. It can be induced during food-preparing processes by high temperatures and UV-C light. In the present study, the degradation of furan content in ground coffee, Maillard model system, and not-from-concentrate (NFC) apple juice by red-fleshed apple anthocyanin extract (RAAE) was studied. The results demonstrated that RAAEs had different degrees of degradation of furan content in coffee powder, and the RAAE from ‘XJ3’ had the most significant effect, with a reduction rate of up to 20%. Moreover, by adding RAAE to the Maillard model system, we found the amounts of furan were significantly reduced. At the same time, RAAE from ‘XJ3’ could observably reduce the content of furan in pasteurized NFC juice, with ‘Fuli’ NFC juice furan content decreasing the most, which was 68%. Taken together, our study demonstrated that the use of RAAE could be a feasible way to reduce furan content in ground coffee, Maillard model system, and NFC apple juice.

The performance characteristics of deep learning fully convolutional neural network (DLFCNN) algorithm-based computed tomography (CT) images were investigated in the detection and diagnosis of perianal abscess tissue. 60 patients who were medically diagnosed as perianal abscesses in the hospital were selected as the experimental group, and 60 healthy volunteers were selected as the control group. In this study, the DLFCNN algorithm based on deep learning was compared with the CNN algorithm and applied to the segmentation training of CT images of patients with perianal abscesses. Then, the segmentation metrics Jaccard, Dice coefficient, precision rate, and recall rate were compared by extracting the region of interest. The results showed that Jaccard (0.7326) calculated by the CNN algorithm was sharply lower than that of the DLFCNN algorithm (0.8525), and the Dice coefficient (0.7264) was also steeply lower than that of the DLFCNN algorithm (0.8434) ( P < 0.05 ). The thickness range of the epidermis and dermis in patients from the experimental group was 4.1–4.9 mm, which was markedly greater than the range of the control group (1.8–3.6 mm) ( P < 0.05 ). Besides, the CT value of the subcutaneous fascia in the experimental group (−95.45 ± 8.26) hugely reduced compared with the control group (−76.34 ± 7.69) ( P < 0.05 ). The accuracy rate of the patients with perianal abscesses was 96.67% by multislice spiral CT (MSCT). Therefore, the DLFCNN algorithm in this study had good stability and good segmentation effect. The skin at the focal site of anal abscess was obviously thickened, and it was simple and accurate to use CT images in the diagnosis of patients with perianal abscesses, which could effectively locate the lesion and clarify the relationship between the lesion and the surrounding structure.

The sensing mechanism of 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde-(4-pyridinecarboxylic)-hydrazone for Al3+ is investigated based on the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and photo-induced electron transfer (PET) processes. Absorption and fluorescence spectra are calculated, which are consistent with experimental results. By analyzing the major bond parameters, infrared vibrational spectra as well as frontier molecular orbitals, it can be concluded that the hydrogen bond is enhanced in the first singlet excited state (S1), which can also be visualized by the reduced density gradient function. Potential energy curves are also scanned, which can elucidate that the ESIPT process is more likely to occur in the S1 state. Changes in molecular configuration and intensity of fluorescence emission confirmed that the ESIPT and PET processes are forbidden in the presence of Al3+.

There was an investigation of the diagnostic and prognostic effect of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based on multimodal feature fusion algorithm for impotence of perianal abscess. In this study, the second to fifth convolution blocks of the visual geometric group network were applied to extract the depth features in the way of transfer learning, and a multimode feature fusion algorithm was constructed. The whole network was trained by maximizing the energy proportion of the feature layers, which was compared with the fully convolutional neural network (FCN) algorithm. Then, this algorithm was adopted to the imaging diagnosis of 50 patients with anorectal diseases admitted to our hospital, and it was found that the similarity coefficient (85.37%), accuracy (80.02%), and recall rate (79.38%) of the improved deep learning algorithm were higher markedly than those of the FCN algorithm (70.18%, 67.82%, and 66.92%) ( P < 0.05 ). As the number of convolutional layers increased, the segmentation accuracy of the convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm was also improved. The detection rate of the observation group (84%) rose hugely compared with the control group (64%), and the difference was statistically obvious ( P < 0.05 ). Besides, the detection accuracy of abscess location (84%), impotent tract location (80%), and internal orifice location (92%) in patients from the observation group was higher substantially than the accuracy of abscess location (60%), impotent tract location (68%), and internal orifice location (72%) from the control group ( P < 0.05 ). In conclusion, the performance of the multimodal feature fusion algorithm was better, and the MRI image feature analysis based on this algorithm had a higher diagnostic accuracy, which had a positive effect on improving the detection rate, detection accuracy, and disease classification.

In order to solve the problem of local optimal solution and slow convergence speed of standard genetic algorithm, this paper combines simulated annealing method and improved genetic algorithm to propose a task planning model based on hybrid algorithm. Through the analysis of the AUV task planning problem, this paper simulates and compares the task planning results of the standard genetic algorithm, the improved genetic algorithm and the hybrid algorithm. The simulation results show that the task planning model based on the hybrid algorithm can effectively improve the algorithm convergence speed, avoid local minima, and balance the tasks between AUVs.

Background Many solutions have been proposed in treating of forearm supination. Comparing with other supination function reconstructions, pronator teres rerouting is believed to be less effective due to its insufficient supination strength. The aim of this study is to introduce a modified procedure, and compare its result with two previous approaches. Patients and methods From 2015 to 2020, 11 patients have restored forearm supination by rerouting of the pronator teres weave sutured with allogeneic tendons. The average follow-up period was 17.5 months (12 to 24). The range of active supination at the final follow-up was recorded. Results Almost all patients acquired good supination range. The average active post-operative supination was 72.7° (60° to 80°) at the final follow-up. No complication was observed. All patients retained full range of pronation. Conclusions This study provides a modified supination function reconstruction with simple operating, fine results, low risks, and no affecting of pronation function. The use of allogeneic tendon makes up for the muscles with insufficient length, making it valuable to reconsider those rebuilding operations that were once considered unpromising by many.

BACKGROUND: When a reverse sural neurofasciocutaneous flap is used to reconstruct a forefoot defect, usually, the transverse length of the flap is increased or the pivot point is lowered to ensure the reconstruction range. Therefore, proximal partial necrosis leading to surgery failure is sometimes caused by insufficient arterial supply if the flap is too long or the pivot point is too low and has no a reliable perforator in the pedicle. Herein, we describe a new method for extending the reconstruction range of the reverse sural neurofasciocutaneous flap that can provide a higher survival rate. METHODS: Between July 2010 and July 2014, 24 patients with forefoot defect were randomly assigned into two groups. In the research group, 12 modified reverse sural neurofasciocutaneous flaps with extended reconstruction range were used to reconstruct forefoot defect. We dissected the septum along the last perforator to locate the main trunk of the peroneal artery, disconnected the proximal end of the peroneal artery at the root of the perforator, and separated the peroneal artery more distally to obtain a lower rotation point to extend the reconstruction range. The last perforator and a section of the peroneal artery were contained in the pedicle. In the control group, 12 traditional reverse sural neurofasciocutaneous flap procedures were performed. RESULTS: In the research group, 11 flaps survived with good quality and esthetic contours. Partial distal necrosis occurred in 1 flap. In the control group, 7 flaps survived. Partial necrosis occurred in the other 5 flaps. Compared with control group, the survival rate in the research group was significantly higher while the healing time was significantly shorter. All patients were satisfied with the therapeutic outcome in the research group. CONCLUSIONS: Our modified method proved efficacious in extending the reconstruction range of the reverse sural neurofasciocutaneous flap. Meanwhile, partial necrosis was avoided because the length of the flap was shortened, and a reliable perforator was preserved in the artery pedicle. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chictr.org Identifier: ChiCTR2100046323.

MdCoL, which encodes a putative 2OG-Fe(II) oxygenase, is a strong candidate gene for control of the columnar growth phenotype in apple. However, the mechanism by which MdCoL produces the columnar trait is unclear. Here, we show that MdCoL influences abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis through its interactions with the MdDREB2 transcription factor. Expression analyses and transgenic tobacco studies have confirmed that MdCoL is likely a candidate for control of the columnar phenotype. Furthermore, the ABA level in columnar apple trees is significantly higher than that in standard apple trees. A protein interaction experiment has showed that MdCoL interacts with MdDREB2. Transient expression and electrophoretic mobility shift assays have demonstrated that MdDREB2 binds directly to the DRE motif in the MdNCED6 and MdNCED9 (MdNCED6/9) gene promoters, thereby activating the transcription of these ABA biosynthesis genes. In addition, a higher ABA content has been detected following co-overexpression of MdCoL–MdDREB2 when compared with the overexpression of MdCoL or MdDREB2 alone. Taken together, our results indicate that an interaction between MdCoL and MdDREB2 promotes the expression of MdNCED6/9 and increases ABA levels, a phenomenon that may underlie the columnar growth phenotype in apple.

In this research, we compared the phenotypical characters, total anthocyanins content, total phenols content, and antioxidant activity of red-fleshed apple cultivars &lsquo, XJ4&prime, &lsquo, QN-5&prime, DH&rsquo, and &lsquo, HX1&prime, at three fruit developmental stages. A further flavonoids metabolites study was conducted in &lsquo, We found broader variation of total anthocyanins content in the peel of the four cultivars, which might result in larger differences of free radicals scavenging rate. The most significant difference in fruit phenotype, anthocyanins content, and DPPH scavenging rate was observed between &lsquo, at mature stage. Therefore, the flavonoids metabolites of &lsquo, at mature stage were compared to unveil the details of anthocyanins compounds. The unique compounds pelargonidin 3-O-&beta, D-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-malonylhexoside were detected only in peel and flesh of &lsquo, but not in &lsquo, which might contribute to the purple peel and dark-red flesh color of &lsquo, Significantly decreased upstream metabolites in the early biosynthetic genes regulated domain were found only in &lsquo, peel but not in the flesh. This might explain why the anthocyanins content in &lsquo, peel was decreased largely at the mature stage. Taken together, our findings will give some insight into the metabolites study in flavonoid biosynthetic pathway of red-fleshed apple.

The effect of different substituents on the excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) of 1-aryl-2-(furan-2-yl)butane-1,3-diones (AYFBD), namely OFBD, TFBD, MFBD and FFBD are studied by employing the density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) methods. By comparing the geometric configurations and infrared vibrational spectra of the first excited state (S1) with those of the ground state (S0), it can be concluded that the intramolecular hydrogen bonds are strengthened in S1 state. The calculated peaks of absorption and fluorescence spectra of AYFBD derivatives in keto form are consistent with experimental results reported previously (Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2017, 82, 12097). We can also confirm that the intensities of the intramolecular hydrogen bonds in the S1 state are enhanced by analyzing the frontier molecular orbitals and the infrared spectra. To further investigate the ESIPT mechanism of AYFBD derivatives, the potential energy curves (PECs) of S0 and S1 states are scanned by varying O1 H2 distance, which demonstrates that ESIPT occurs in the S1 state of all the AYFBD derivatives and follows the order: FFBD > MFBD > TFBD > OFBD.

The collective transport of the self-propelled rods (SPRs) is studied by dissipative particle dynamics simulations. Two types of channels (channel I and channel II) are taken into account for various rod concentrations. It is found that in channel I-the asymmetric corrugated channel with periodically varying width, some SPRs are trapped at the corners and form the hedgehog clusters. Other SPRs aggregate at the bottleneck and lead to a traffic jam. Consequently, channel I is inefficient for the directional SPR transport in the case of finite concentration. To achieve efficient collective particle transport, channel II-the channel with constant width and arrays of asymmetric obstacles within it, which can avoid the traffic clogging and hedgehog aggregate is suggested. It is found that the swimmer-obstacle interaction gives rise to the directional motion, the spacing between obstacles can avoid the formation of the hedgehog clusters. The high-efficiency directional collective motion of the SPRs is acquired in channel II. Overall, our simulation study offers an efficient approach for directional collective motion of SPRs.

BACKGROUND High-resolution MRI is regarded as the best method to evaluate whether there is an involved circumferential resection margin in rectal cancer. OBJECTIVE We explored the application of the faster region-based convolutional neural network to identify positive circumferential resection margins in high-resolution MRI images. DESIGN This was a retrospective study. SETTINGS The study conducted at a single surgical unit of a public university hospital. PATIENTS We studied 240 patients with rectal cancer in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from July 2016 to August 2018, who were determined to have a positive circumferential resection margin and who had received a high-resolution MRI. All posttreatment cases were excluded from this study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The faster region-based convolutional neural network was trained by 12,258 transverse relaxation-weighted (T2-weighted imaging) images of pelvic high-resolution MRI to build an artificial intelligence platform and complete clinical tests. In this network, the proportion of positive and negative circumferential resection margin images was 1:2. In accordance with the test results of the validation group, the metrics of the receiver operating characteristic curves and the area under the curve were applied to compare the diagnostic results of the artificial intelligence platform with those of senior radiology experts. RESULTS In this artificial intelligence platform, the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the circumferential resection margin status as determined were 0.932, 0.838, and 0.956. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves was 0.953. The time required to automatically recognize an image was 0.2 seconds. LIMITATIONS This is a single-center retrospective study with limited data volume and a highly selected patient cohort. CONCLUSIONS In high-resolution MRI images of rectal cancer before treatment, the application of faster region-based convolutional neural network to segment the positive circumferential resection margin has high accuracy and feasibility. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B88. EVALUACION DEL MARGEN DE RESECCION CIRCUNFERENCIAL DEL CANCER RECTAL MEDIANTE EL USO DE UNA RED NEURONAL CONVOLUCIONAL MAS RAPIDA BASADA EN UNA REGION EN IMAGENES DE RESONANCIA MAGNETICA DE ALTA RESOLUCION: La resonancia magnetica de alta resolucion se considera el mejor metodo para evaluar si existe un margen de reseccion circunferencial involucrado en el cancer de recto.Se exploro la aplicacion de la red neuronal convolucional mas rapida basada en una region para identificar margenes de reseccion circunferencial positivos en imagenes de resonancia magnetica de alta resolucion.Este fue un estudio retrospectivo realizado en una unica unidad quirurgica de un hospital universitario publico.Estudiamos 240 pacientes con cancer rectal en el Hospital Afiliado de la Universidad de Qingdao desde el 2 de julio de 2006 hasta el 2 de agosto de 2008, a los que se determino que tenian un margen de reseccion circunferencial positivo y que habian recibido una resonancia magnetica de alta resolucion. Todos los casos posteriores al tratamiento fueron excluidos de este estudio.La red neuronal convolucional mas rapida basada en una region recibio capacitacion de 12,258 imagenes de RM pelvica de alta resolucion con relajacion transversal para construir una plataforma de inteligencia artificial y completar pruebas clinicas. En esta red, la proporcion de imagenes con margen de reseccion circunferencial positivo y negativo fue 1: 2. De acuerdo con los resultados de las pruebas del grupo de validacion, se aplicaron las metricas de las curvas de las caracteristicas operativas del receptor y del area bajo la curva para comparar los resultados de diagnostico de la plataforma de inteligencia artificial con los de expertos de radiologia de alto nivel.En esta plataforma de inteligencia artificial, la precision, sensibilidad y especificidad del estado del margen de reseccion circunferencial segun lo determinado fueron 0.932, 0.838 y 0.956, respectivamente. El area bajo las curvas caracteristicas de operacion del receptor fue de 0.953. El tiempo requerido para reconocer automaticamente una imagen fue de 0.2 segundos.Este es un estudio retrospectivo de centro unico con volumen de datos limitado y una cohorte de pacientes altamente seleccionada.En las imagenes de resonancia magnetica de alta resolucion de cancer rectal antes del tratamiento, la aplicacion de la red neuronal convolucional mas rapida basada en una region, para segmentar el margen de reseccion circunferencial positivo tiene una alta precision y factibilidad. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B88.

Red-fleshed apple (Malus sieversii f. neidzwetzkyana (Dieck) Langenf) has attracted more and more attention due to its enriched anthocyanins and high antioxidant activity. In this study we extracted total anthocyanins and phenols from two types of red-fleshed apples&mdash, Xinjing No.4 (XJ4) and Red Laiyang (RL)&mdash, to study the stability and antioxidant activity of anthocyanins after encapsulation onto Corn Starch Nanoparticles (CSNPs). The results indicated the anthocyanins and total phenol levels of XJ4 were 2.96 and 2.25 times higher than those of RL respectively. The anthocyanin concentration and loading time had a significant effect on CSNPs encapsulation, and XJ4 anthocyanins always showed significantly higher loading capacity than RL. After encapsulation, the morphology of RL-CSNPs and XJ4-CSNPs was still spherical with a smooth surface as CSNPs, but the particle size increased compared to CSNPs especially for RL-CSNPs. Different stress treatments including UV light, pH, temperature, and salinity suggested that XJ4-CSNPs exhibited consistently higher stability than RL-CSNPs. A significantly enhanced free radical scavenging rate under stress conditions was observed, and XJ4-CSNPs had stronger antioxidant activity than RL-CSNPs. Furthermore, XJ4-CSNPs exhibited a slower released rate than RL-CSNPs in simulated gastric (pH 2.0) and intestinal (pH 7.0) environments. Our research suggests that nanocrystallization of anthocyanins is an effective method to keep the anthocyanin ingredients intact and active while maintaining a slow release rate. Compared to RL, encapsulation of XJ4 anthocyanins has more advantages, which might be caused by the significant differences in the metabolites of XJ4. These findings give an insight into understanding the role of nanocrystallization using CSNPs in enhancing the antioxidant ability of anthocyanins from different types of red-fleshed apples, and provide theoretical foundations for red-fleshed apple anthocyanin application.

A D-shape plastic optical fiber (D-POF) surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor based on the graphene/Au film (G/Au) was proposed and experimentally demonstrated for detection of DNA hybridization process. To improve the detection performance of SPR sensors, the Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) method was used to evaporate the Au film directly onto the graphene grown on copper foil, and the Au film acted as a role of traditional Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA). The process made graphene and Au film form seamless contact. Next, the G/Au was transferred onto the D-shape fiber together. We explored the G/Au SPR sensor by using the finite element method (FEM) and obtained the optimum materials thickness to form configuration. Compared to other plastic optical fiber experiments, the proposed sensor’s sensitivity was improved effectively and calculated as 1227 nm/RIU in a range of glucose solution. Meanwhile, our proposed sensor successfully distinguishes hybridization and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) by observing the resonance wavelength change. It also exhibits a satisfactory linear response (R2 = 0.996) to the target DNA liquids with respective concentrations of 0.1nM to1µM, which shows this method’s wide potential in medical diagnostics.

Rare earth-doped crystals and fibers have long been used as laser active media in the UV, VIS, and NIR spectral regions, but only a limited number of materials have shown laser emission beyond 3 μm, mainly because of the competition between radiative and non-radiative processes that limit the emission efficiency of these materials at long wavelengths. The ideal material must have excellent crystal quality, good thermo-physical parameters, wide transparency region in the mid infrared (MIR) and low phonon energies. Most of the research has been focused on fluorides, bromides and chlorides [1], but these compounds are often hygroscopic and/or the optical quality of grown samples (especially chlorides and bromides) is low both for the presence of scattering centers and contamination with quenching centers.

We report spectroscopic characterization of Pr3+:Lu2O3 in the MIR region from 1 to 10 µm. Lu2O3 possesses good thermo-physical properties, has relatively low phonon energies, and can be grown in good quality. Moreover, Pr3+ ions possess several low-energy levels that in principle, can give rise to mid-infrared emission. For these reasons, we investigated this material as a potential mid-infrared emitter. From absorption measurements, we identified absorption from the first five multiplets. Moreover, low temperature measurements allowed us to extract the Stark sublevel positions of all these five multiplets and we revised the classical Dieke diagram for Pr3+ in this compound. We also observed near- and mid-infrared emission bands under diode laser pumping. The pump power dependence of the corresponding emission intensities proved the main energy transfer mechanisms that populate the lower lying levels to be cross-relaxation processes and permitted us to discern among the various possibilities and assign the different emission bands to specific transitions. In particular, we observed for the first time MIR emission at 4.4 and 7 µm in this compound, that is, in the latter case, an emission energy equal to less than three phonons in this crystal host.

This study examined the association between depression symptoms and metabolic syndrome (MetS) or its components prospectively. It assessed the mediator role of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Self-reported depression symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale. MetS was defined as having at least three of the following five criteria: (1) waist circumference &gt, 102 centimeters (cm) in men or &gt, 88 cm in women, (2) triglycerides ≥ 50 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), (3) high-density lipoprotein cholesterol &lt, 40 mg/dL in men or &lt, 50 mg/dL in women, (4) blood pressure: systolic ≥ 30 and diastolic ≥85 mm of mercury or on antihypertensive medication, and (5) fasting glucose ≥110 mg/dL. The risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated using multivariate Poisson regression models. A total of 419 White and 180 Black individuals with a mean age of 36 years were followed for 6.9 years. The findings demonstrated that hs-CRP mediated the influence of depression symptoms on central obesity in White young adults. The adjusted RR for central obesity was 1.08 with 95% CI of 0.88–1.32, and the value for hs-CRP was 1.12 with 95% CI of 1.02–1.23. Although depression did not influence MetS in this study cohort, the complete mediator role of hs-CRP was established for central obesity, a component of MetS in White young adults.

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), as a molecular-specific spectroscopy method using plasmonic nanostructures to significantly enhance Raman spectroscopy, has broad application prospects in various fileds. In our work, the Ag/CuO nanowires (NWs)/pyramidal PDMS multiscale structure were rationally fabricated as a multi-dimensional plasmon coupling SERS substrate with molecular enrichment effect. CuO NWs were grown in the pyramid cavity by alkaline etching and formed micro-nano multiscale strucure. The Ag film was decorated on the nano-micro multiscale structure by physical vapor deposition method, endowing the SERS activity. The subwavelength-size Ag/CuO NWs can also provide a rough enough surface to separate the droplets from the air, reduce the surface energy, and achieve a hydrophobic effect. To demonstrate the SERS activity, the proposed multiscale micro-nano structure has been successfully applied to sensitively detect Rhodamine 6G (R6G) at low concentration. Interestingly, we also demonstrate that the Ag/CuO NWs/pyramidal PDMS multiscale structure has excellent molecular adsorption for practical application detection. We successfully achieve the detection for the mixture of R6G, Crystal Violet (CV) and Congo Red (CR) molecule under turbid and different PH environment, which demonstrates its great potential for in-situ detection of chemical dye molecules in complex environments.

BACKGROUND: Digital defect is one of the most common types of emergency hand injuries. Plastic surgeons continue to search for a better method to repair digital defects, especially those of the thumb. The medial sural artery perforator (MSAP) flap has been widely used as a popular method for limb and head reconstruction. Our findings have led us to advocate the use of free medial sural artery perforator flap to repair large thumb defects. METHODS: From July 2010 to July 2013, we used free MSAP flaps to resurface large defects of 9 thumbs in 9 clinical cases. There were 6 men and 3 women among the participants, aged 21–49 years (average age: 37.6 years). Flap sizes varied from 2 cm × 3 cm to 3 cm × 6 cm. Perforators of all flaps were accurately located by color Doppler detection. RESULTS: According to color Doppler detection, the distance from the popliteal crease to the points where first/second perforator pierced the deep fascia was 10.1±1.1/15.2±0.8 cm. The distance from the midline to the first/second perforator was 2.8±0.8/3.5±0.5 cm. A total of nine flaps fully survived. All defects of the nine thumbs were adequately resurfaced. Postoperative follow-up conducted at 12–24 months revealed satisfaction in both cosmetic and function results. CONCLUSIONS: The MSAP flap, which can be easily harvested and well thinned, is an ideal choice to repair thumb defects. Accurate location of the perforator by Doppler detection ensures the surgical success, and minimizes injury to the donor site.

Rod-shaped active micro/nano-particles, such as bacterial and bipolar metallic micro/ nano-motors, exhibit emergent collective phenomena far from equilibrium state compared to passive particles. We apply a simulation approach —dissipative particle dynamics (DPD)— to explore the collectively ordered states of self-propelled rods (SPRs) which rely on the defect dynamics in the rod cluster. The SPRs are confined in a doublet of circular confinement and repel each other when two rods touch each other. When the rod flow in the connecting passage of the circles is suppressed, namely the small passage width, the steady vortex pattern is obtained in the two circles for weak activity. In binary-passage system, long single-passage system, and short single-passage system, ferromagnetic vortices (FMV), uncorrelated vortices (UV), and anti-ferromagnetic vortices (AFMV) can be obtained, respectively. For intermediate activity, a regular periodic oscillation of the rod number n r in one circle can be seen clearly. For strong activity, mixing of high- and low-frequency oscillation is observed. The amplitude of the rod current in the passage I p follows the relation , where F a denotes the self-propelled force.

Er3+ doped, Yb3+ doped, and Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped Y2Ti2O7 phosphors with various concentrations of Er3+ (12–20%), Yb3+ (1-10 at%), and Er3+Yb3+ (1%, and 1,2,3%, respectively) were prepared by solid-state reaction. The phase structure and purity of all prepared phosphors were studied by X-ray diffraction analysis followed by measurement of the hydrodynamic diameter of each sample by Dynamic light scattering. The formation of the pyrochlore structure was confirmed by the observation of relative vibrations by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Moreover, photoluminescence spectra of different co-doped Y2Ti2O7 compounds are presented to check the energy transfer processes of Er3+ and Yb3+ ions. Finally, phosphors were used for the detection of latent fingermarks on various surfaces and a fingerprint minutia extraction algorithm was used for the analysis of extracted minutiae. The analyses confirm that the co-doped phosphors can be useful for the visualization of latent fingerprints once a good detection of their minutiae is obtained.

A highly sensitive Au-graphene structure D-type fiber surface plasmon resonance biosensor is presented in this study to specifically detect biomolecules. The method of growing graphene is employed directly on the copper, and then a gold film of optimum thickness is sputtered, and the copper foil is etched to obtain the structure. This method makes the contact closer between the gold layer and the graphene layer to improve surface plasmon resonance performance. The performance of this type of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor has been previously verified both theoretically and experimentally. With the proposed Au-graphene structure D-type fiber biosensor, the SPR behaviors are obtained and discussed. In the detection of ethanol solution, a red shift of 40 nm is found between the refractive index of 1.3330 and 1.3657. By calculation, the sensitivity of the sensor we designed is 1223 nm/RIU. Besides, the proposed sensor can detect the nucleotide bonding between the double-stranded DNA helix structures. Thus, our sensors can distinguish between mismatched DNA sequences.

It is very vital to construct the dense hot spots for the strong surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signals. We take full advantage of the MoS

The early onset of menarche is related to the adulthood risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease. This study examines the relation of early onset of menarche to carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), which is a surrogate marker of CV disease, among asymptomatic young adult women in a black-white community.A cohort of 461 women (31% black, 69% white) aged 24 to 43 years (mean of 35.6 years) were participants in the Bogalusa Heart Study. The age at menarche was retrospectively collected. In addition to CV risk factor variable measurements B-mode ultrasound images of the far walls of carotid artery segments were obtained. The multivariate linear regression model along with mediating effect by Sobel test was applied to analyze menarcheal age effect on carotid artery IMT, adjusting for covariates.Waist to height ratio was significantly greater (P = .01) in early menarcheal age (11 years) versus menarcheal age (≥11 years) in both black and white women. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was significantly greater (P = .01) in early menarcheal age (11 years) versus menarcheal age (≥11 years) in white women and also similar direction in black women. Internal carotid artery IMT was the same in early menarcheal age (11 years) versus menarcheal age (≥11 years) in white women but higher (P = .02) in black women. Given as previously mentioned these different associations, the mediation analysis by race was performed. The effect of early menarcheal age (11 years) versus menarcheal age (≥11 years) was mediated by waist to height ratio and HOMA-IR in white women after adjusting for parental education and age. The mediating effect of waist to height ratio (Sobel test = -2.26 and P = .02) and HOMA-IR (Sobel test = -1.85 and P = .06) on internal carotid artery IMT was noted in white women. The direct effect of early menarcheal age (11 years) versus menarcheal age (≥11 years) on internal carotid artery IMT (β = -0.150, P = .01) was observed in black women.The observed deleterious effect of early onset of menarche on carotid artery IMT in asymptomatic black and white younger adult women has biological, social, and public health implications.

A few-layer tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheet film on a YAG substrate was fabricated and used as saturable absorber in a passively Q-switched Er:SrF2 laser operating at 2.79 µm. Under an absorbed power of 2.42 W, a stable Q-switched laser operation was realized with an average output power of 428 mW and a pulse duration of 679 ns at a repetition rate of 38 kHz, corresponding to a pulse energy of 11.26 µJ.

An Au film/graphene D-shaped plastic optical fiber (D-POF) functionalized with dopamine-binding aptamer (DBA) was proposed to achieve a sensitive and specific detection of the small molecule dopamine. The surface plasmon resonance sensor combines the virtues of a D-shaped fiber, the transfer of graphene via gold film, and the amplification of the refractive index with the conformational transformation of DBA. The sensitivity of the Au film/graphene D-POF sensor (1539 nm/RIU) is higher than that without graphene in ethanol solution. The dopamine concentrations of 10−10 M to 10−6 M were measured. And the decoration of DBA onto graphene for dopamine detection with a good linearity was verified in experiments. The proposed sensor possesses high sensitivity and specificity, which will provide good application prospects for the development of biosensing in disease treatment.