Search

This study aimed to establish a mobile health application to diagnose and treat postdischarge hardware-related infections in a timely manner and prevent the complete removal of hardware or an implantable pulse generator (IPG). We conducted a retrospective and historical controlled study of all patients who had undergone initial hardware implantation at a single center. All participants were aggregated into 2 groups, A (between June 2005 and June 2014) and B (between July 2014 and May 2020). In group B, the Postdischarge Patient Aide was used for wound monitoring. Both groups received regular clinical follow-up. Cases and the range of hardware-related infections were compared. There was no significant difference in infection rate between the groups (1.8% vs. 1.4%, P = 0.413). After application of the Postdischarge Patient Aide, the proportion of patients with early interventions had increased significantly in group B compared with group A (83.3% vs. 20.0%, P < 0.001). The percentage of patients with IPG infection at the time of interventions in group B was significantly lower than that in group A (8.3% vs. 60.0%, P < 0.001). The IPG preservation rate in group B was significantly higher than that in group A (75% vs. 16%, P < 0.001). A mobile health application provides an efficient way to make an early diagnosis, treat a hardware-related infection, and prevent hardware removal. Information on wound healing should be transmitted to the surgery team in a convenient and fast way to prevent infection spreading, which helps to prevent the IPG from being abandoned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 96-h EC 50 of ERY to C. pyrenoidosa was 11.78 mg/L. • 6 PDPs of ERY were identified, 3 of them were predicted more toxic. • The toxicity of PDPs was performed by model prediction and biological experiment. • Inhibitory effect of PDPs on microalgae growth decreased with degradation time. • Acute effect of PDPs revealed as growth stimulation, but the chronic effect reversed. The photodegradation products (PDPs) of antibiotics in the aquatic environment received increasing concern, but their chronic effects on microalgae remain unclear. This study initially focused on examining the acute effects of erythromycin (ERY), then explored the chronic impacts of ERY PDPs on Chlorella pyrenoidosa. ERY of 4.0 − 32 mg/L ERY notably inhibited the cell growth and chlorophyll synthesis. The determined 96 h median effective concentration of ERY to C. pyrenoidosa was 11.78 mg/L. Higher concentrations of ERY induced more serious oxidative damage, antioxidant enzymes alleviated the oxidative stress. 6 PDPs (PDP749, PDP747, PDP719, PDP715, PDP701 and PDP557) were identified in the photodegradation process of ERY. The predicted combined toxicity of PDPs increased in the first 3 h, then decreased. Chronic exposure showed a gradual decreasing inhibition on microalgae growth and chlorophyll content. The acute effect of ERY PDPs manifested as growth stimulation, but the chronic effect manifested as growth inhibition. The malonaldehyde contents decreased with the degradation time of ERY at 7, 14 and 21 d. However, the malonaldehyde contents of ERY PDPs treatments were elevated compared to those in the control group after 21 d. Risk assessment still need to consider the potential toxicity of degradation products under long-term exposure. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activating carbon materials with superb capacity, kinetics, and stability for sodium storage is desirable for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), and heteroatom doping is believed as the effective strategy. Herein, ultrafine Co nanoparticles decorated nitrogen-doped carbon is prepared by the pyrolysis of black fungus infiltrated with Co(NO 3) 2 as SIBs anode material. Impressively, Co/NC exhibits efficient sodium storage properties of high specific capacity (345.7 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1), good rate performance (158.2 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1), and stable cyclic property (218.5 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 1000 cycles). Incorporation of N and Co produces defects and active sites, causing pseudocapacitive contributed sodium storage behavior with excellent electrochemical kinetics and structure stability. This study provides a reference to prepare high-performance carbon anodes using sustainable biomass materials. [Display omitted] • Co nanoparticles decorated N-doped carbon is prepared as SIBs anode. • Biomass of black fungus infiltrated with Co(NO 3) 2 are used as raw material. • Expanded carbon interlayer is favorable for Na+ insertion. • Pseudocapacitive behavior contributes to fast and large Na+ storage. • Excellent electrochemical Na+ storage performances are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Seasonal variation and uncertainties in parameterization of habitat suitability can lead to changes in habitat area and pattern of South China tiger. • Minor changes in landscape area or structure may result in disparate priority patches and corridor. • Assessment of priority sites based on dPC connector index was vulnerable to the changes in landscape area and pattern. Improving connectivity is the most commonly used approach employed in biodiversity conservation to mitigate habitat fragmentation. Graph-based networks relying on species-oriented definitions of nodes and edges are powerful tools for evaluating landscape connectivity. However, few studies have examined the effects of seasonal variation and uncertainty in parameterization of habitat suitability on the identification of priority sites. Here, a combination of the habitat suitability index, morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA), and graph-network analysis were combined to assess the influence of habitat variability on the identification of priority sites for reintroduction of South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis). The combined approach was applied to the Hupingshan and Houhe National Nature Reserve and neighbourhood that are considered the most suitable places to harbour small populations of South China tigers. Six spatial or temporally static assessment scenarios for habitat suitability were used to account for uncertainties in the habitat requirement parameterizations of wild boars as the main prey for South China tigers. For each assessment scenario, three classification schemes (i.e., the P50, P70, and P90 schemes) were adopted to explain uncertainties in priority sites evaluation. In the static scenario, the minimum area of priority sites in the P50, P70, and P90 schemes was 321, 354, and 2,371 km2, respectively, while the areas encompassed by priority sites in the P50, P70, and P90 schemes considering the seasonal variability and habitat uncertainty were 0.2, 1.6, and 229.5 km2, respectively. These results suggest that priority areas with high conservation value differed among the six assessment scenarios. Conservation planning of landscapes consequently should consider the impacts of changes in landscape structures caused by seasonal variation and uncertainty in the parameterization of habitat suitability for the assessment of landscape priority sites rather than relying on purely spatial or temporally static connectivity analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive use of macrolide antibiotics (MCLs) has led to their frequent detection in aquatic environments, affecting water quality and ecological health. In this study, the sources, global distribution, environmental fate, ecotoxicity and global risk assessment of MCLs were analyzed based on recently published literature. The results revealed that there are eight main sources of MCLs in the water environment. These pollution sources resulted in MCL detection at average or median concentrations of up to 3847 ng/L, and the most polluted water bodies were the receiving waters of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and densely inhabited areas. Considering the environmental fate, adsorption, indirect photodegradation, and bioremoval may be the main attenuation mechanisms in natural water environments. N -demethylation, O -demethylation, sugar and side chain loss from MCL molecules were the main pathways of MCLs photodegradation. Demethylation, phosphorylation, N -oxidation, lactone ring hydrolysis, and sugar loss were the main biodegradation pathways. The median effective concentration values of MCLs for microalgae, crustaceans, fish, and invertebrates were 0.21, 39.30, 106.42, and 28.00 mg/L, respectively. MCLs induced the generation of reactive oxygen species, that caused oxidative stress to biomolecules, and affected gene expression related to photosynthesis, energy metabolism, DNA replication, and repair. Moreover, over 50% of the reported water bodies represented a medium to high risk to microalgae. Further studies on the development of tertiary treatment technologies for antibiotic removal in WWTPs, the combined ecotoxicity of antibiotic mixtures at environmental concentration levels, and the development of accurate ecological risk assessment models should be encouraged. [Display omitted] • 8 main sources were summarized for the occurrence of MLs in the water environment. • MLs up to 3847 ng/L were detected and the receiving water of WWTPs was most polluted. • Adsorption, indirect photodegradation and bioremoval are the main attenuation ways. • Microalgae was most susceptible under the oxidative stress and genotoxicity of MLs. • More than 50% of the water bodies represent a medium to high risk to microalgae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel network cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, pristine and multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified LiVPO 4 F composites have been successfully synthesized via a microwave assisted sol–gel route. The crystalline structure and morphology of as-synthesized samples are investigated systematically by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Their electrochemical performances are also studied and compared in detail. The achieved results indicate that the multi-walled carbon nanotube modified LiVPO 4 F sample has excellent C-rate performance, and delivered discharge capacities of 137.6, 131.2, 120.5 and 108.9 mAh g − 1 at 0.5, 1, 2 and 5 C in the voltage range of 3.0–4.5 V at room temperature, respectively. Moreover, the capacity retention is 96.2% with the discharge capacity of 132.4 mAh g − 1 at 0.5 C after 100 cycles. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results reveal that the charge-transfer resistance of multi-walled carbon nanotube modified LiVPO 4 F is much smaller than that of the pristine LiVPO 4 F. The outstanding features are desirable and enable the multi-walled carbon nanotube modified LiVPO 4 F to be an excellent cathode material for lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The design, fabrication, and characterization of an electromagnetically actuated micromirror with precise angle control, suitable for harsh environment optical switching applications, are reported. [•] Processes have been developed to accurately produce the frontside/backside structure overlap for angle fixing. [•] The device is packaged with a textured silicon encapsulation to promote high contrast and better vibration resistance. [•] The nonlinear magnetic response and dynamic behavior have been incorporated into the analytical model. [•] A pulsed voltage driving circuit is used to increase the electromagnet response speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To investigate microstructural tissue changes of trigeminal nerve (TGN) in patients with unilateral trigeminal neuralgia (TN) by multiple diffusion metrics, and correlate the diffusion indexes with the clinical variables. Methods: 16 patients with TN and 6 healthy controls (HC) were recruited into our study. All participants were imaged with a 3.0T system with three-dimension time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic resonance angiography and fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) DTI-sequence. We placed regions of interest over the root entry zone of the TGN and measured fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD). The mean values of FA, MD, AD and RD were compared between the affected and unaffected sides in the same patient, and to HC values. The correlation between the side-to-side diffusion metric difference and clinical variables (disease duration and visual analogy scale, VAS) was further explored. Results: Compared with the unaffected side and HC, the affected side showed significantly decreased FA and increased RD; however, no significant changes of AD were found. A trend toward significantly increased MD was identified on the affected side comparing with the unaffected side. We also found the significant correlation between the FA reduction and VAS of pain (r =−0.55, p =0.03). Conclusion: DTI can quantitatively assess the microstructural abnormalities of the affected TGN in patients with TN. Our results suggest demyelination without significant axonal injury is the essential pathological basis of the affected TGN by multiple diffusion metrics. The correlation between FA reduction and VAS suggests FA as a potential objective MRI biomarker to correlate with clinical severity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new antimicrobial peptide (AMP) named PGLa-H has been isolated from the skin of the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) using gel filtration and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Its amino acid sequence was determined as KIAKVALKAL by Edman degradation, with a molecular weight of 1053.727Da as analysed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS). No similar AMP was found by BLAST search. Purified PGLa-H demonstrated antimicrobial ability against the reference bacteria Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 [minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)=23.6μg/mL], Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 (MIC=8.7μg/mL) and Bacillus subtilis (MIC=14.4μg/mL) and was active against multidrug-resistant meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) (MIC=67.8μg/mL). The antimicrobial mechanism for this new peptide was further investigated by transmission electron microscopy. PGLa-H killed cells by destroying the cell membrane. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is the etiologic agent of listeriosis responsible for severe and fatal infections in humans. Listeria contamination occurs quite often in a wide range of foods due to its ubiquitous nature. Isolates need to be characterized to a strain level for accurate diagnosis of Listeria infection, epidemiological studies, investigation of outbreaks and effective prevention and control of food-borne listeriosis. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the multiple-locus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) for sub-typing L. monocytogenes isolates in pure cultures and in food matrices. Two multiplex PCR assays were formulated to amplify six specific loci using fluorescently-labeled primers; and the amplicons were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis. The MLVA method resulted in 34 unique DNA fingerprint patterns from 46 L. monocytogenes isolates of 10 serotypes which had 29 or 30 PFGE patterns with a single restriction enzyme and 34 AFLP patterns. The MLVA patterns of the 46 isolates remained unchanged in the presence of pre-enriched food matrices including sausage, ham, chicken, milk and lettuce. The MLVA method successfully typed L. monocytogenes strains spiked in cheese, roast beef, egg salad and vegetable samples after 48h enrichment at the initial inoculation levels of 1–5CFU per 25g of food or higher. The limits of detection (typing) of the MLVA method were 103–104 CFU/mL of pre-enriched food broth when evaluated using post-spiked sausage, ham, chicken, milk and lettuce samples. The MLVA method was simple, highly discriminatory, and easy to perform with portable (numerical) results. To our knowledge, this is the first report that describes the application of the MLVA method directly to food samples and demonstrates the possibility to obtain rapid and accurate subtyping results before an isolate is obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• ROX caused growth inhibition and oxidative damage in algae during 21 d exposure. • Phototransformation resulted in decreased toxicity of ROX to Chlorella pyrenoidosa. • ROX downregulated most genes in chlorophyll metabolism and DNA replication pathways. • DPs of ROX upregulated most genes in photosynthesis and carbon fixation pathways. • Transcriptome analysis revealed the mechanisms of toxicity of ROX and its DPs. Photodegradation is an important transformation pathway for macrolide antibiotics (MCLs) in aquatic environments, but the ecotoxicity of MCLs after phototransformation has not been reported in detail. This study investigated the effects of roxithromycin (ROX) before and after phototransformation on the growth and physio-biochemical characteristics of Chlorella pyrenoidosa , and its toxicity were explored using transcriptomics analysis. The results showed that 2 mg/L ROX before phototransformation (T0 group) inhibited algae growth with inhibition rates of 53.06%, 54.17%, 47.26%, 31.27%, and 28.38% at 3, 7, 10, 14, and 21 d, respectively, and chlorophyll synthesis was also inhibited. The upregulation of antioxidative enzyme activity levels and the malondialdehyde content indicated that ROX caused oxidative damage to C. pyrenoidosa during 21 d of exposure. After phototransformation for 48 h (T48 group), ROX exhibited no significant impact on the growth and physio-biochemical characteristics of the microalgae. Compared with the control group (without ROX and its phototransformation products), 2010 and 2988 differentially expressed genes were identified in the T0 and T48 treatment groups, respectively. ROX significantly downregulated genes related to porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, which resulted in the inhibition of chlorophyll synthesis and algae growth. ROX also significantly downregulated genes of DNA replication, suggesting the increased DNA proliferation risks in algae. After phototransformation, ROX upregulated most of the genes associated with the porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism pathway, which may be the reason that the chlorophyll content in T48 treatment group showed no significant difference from the control group. Almost all light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b (LHCa/b) gene family members were upregulated in both T0 and T48 treatment groups, which may compensate part of the stress of ROX and its phototransformation products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation is a crucial step in the development of liver fibrosis. Previous studies have shown that antler stem cells (AnSCs) inhibited HSC activation, suggesting that this may be achieved through secreting or releasing peptides. This study aimed to investigate whether AnSC-derived peptides (AnSC-P) could reduce liver fibrosis. The results showed that AnSC-P effectively reduced liver fibrosis in rats. Furthermore, we found that thymosin β10 (Tβ-10) was rich in AnSC-P, which may be the main component of AnSC-P contributing to the reduction in liver fibrosis. A further study showed that Tβ-10 reduced liver fibrosis in rats, with a reduction in HYP and MDA levels in the liver tissues, a decrease in the serum levels of ALP, ALT, AST, and TBIL and an increase in TP and ALB. Moreover, Tβ-10 decreased the expression levels of the genes related to the TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway in vivo. In addition, Tβ-10 also inhibited TGF-β1-induced HSC activation and decreased the expression levels of the TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway-related genes in HSCs in vitro. In conclusion, antler Tβ-10 is a potential drug candidate for the treatment of liver fibrosis, the effect of which may be achieved via inhibition of the TGFβ/SMAD signaling pathway. • Antler stem cell peptides reduced liver fibrosis, maybe through Tβ-10. • The application of Tβ-10 effectively reduced rat liver fibrosis. • Tβ-10 down-regulated the TGF-β1/SMAD signaling pathway. • Tβ-10 may be a novel drug for treating liver fibrosis in the clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roxithromycin (ROX) is a widely used macrolide antibiotic and its environmental fate and ecotoxicity have attracted considerable attention. In this study, the phototransformation kinetics and products of ROX under the irradiation of simulated sunlight were investigated. The ecotoxicity of ROX before and after phototransformation were also examined using the bioluminescence bioassay and algae growth inhibition test. The results showed that ROX underwent direct photolysis and indirect photolysis in the presence of Suwannee River humic acid (SRHA) and Suwannee River natural organic matter (SRNOM). The kinetic rate constant of the photodegradation of ROX in the presence of 20 mg·L−1 SRHA and SRNOM were 4.0 and 3.6 times higher than direct photolysis in the absence of dissolved organic matter (DOM). A total of 20 phototransformation products (PTPs) formed as a result of the photodegradation of ROX by simulated solar irradiation were identified, and 10 of them were reported for the first time. The PTPs were generally formed through the N -demethylation, O -demethylation or direct cleavage of the side chain, desosamine or cladinose moiety from ROX. Solutions containing ROX and its PTPs showed an increased toxicity to Vibrio fischeri , demonstrating some PTPs were more toxic to V. fischeri. On the other hand, the toxicity of ROX after irradiation to Chlorella pyrenoidosa decreased, suggesting the phototransformation of ROX in the environment may be a positive outcome in the context of the growth of green algae. Unlabelled Image • 10 phototransformation products (PTPs) of ROX were reported for the first time. • The PTPs were formed by demethylation, cleavage of side chain and sugar moiety from ROX. • ROX after phototransformation showed a higher toxicity to V. fischeri. • The phototransformation of ROX is probably a detoxification process for green algae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meat and poultry are major protein sources for humans worldwide. Undeclared ingredients in processed meat products, like sausage, continue to be identified in retail products all over the world. In collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, a previous study of products purchased in Canada showed 20% mislabelling rate in sausage meats when tested for beef, pork, chicken, turkey and horse using DNA barcoding and digital PCR. In a follow-up to this study, an additional 100 "single species" sausage products were collected from Canadian retail markets, one year after our earlier study, to determine the prevalence of undeclared meat species in sausage. A new hierarchy of complementary molecular methods was applied in this study, including the testing of new target species (sheep and goat), in addition to beef, pork, chicken, turkey and horse. First, all samples were tested using DNA barcoding using universal primers, which revealed that 97% of the samples contained the declared species, presumably as the predominant species. Second, all samples were tested using ddPCR assays specifically targeting beef, pork, chicken, and turkey, which revealed that five beef samples, three chicken samples and two turkey samples contained undeclared species. Additionally, ddPCR revealed the presence of undeclared sheep in five samples. Overall, using complementary molecular methods, 14% of the samples contained additional undeclared species. It was encouraging to find a reduced rate of mislabelling compared to the previous study, though it remains clear that meat mislabelling is still an issue affecting Canadian consumers. The results from this study can be used to support decision-making processes for future inspection and monitoring activities in order to control species substitution or adulteration to protect consumers. Unlabelled Image • Meat mislabelling was studied in 100 single species sausage products from Canada. • Target species included beef, pork, chicken, turkey, horse, sheep and goat. • 97% of the samples contained the declared species as the predominant species. • 14% of the samples contained additional undeclared species. • It remains clear that meat mislabelling is an issue affecting Canadian consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to provide a more precise estimate of the relationship between telomere length and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by systematically reviewing evidence.Method: We conducted a systematic electronic search in the databases of the PUBMED, PsycINFO, OVID (Medline), EMBASE and other resources (such as Google Scholar). The methodological quality of the articles was assessed according to the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Heterogeneity was assessed using the chi-square test for Cochrane's Q statistic and I-squared. When heterogeneity was found to be reasonably high between studies, the random-effects model with the mean difference (95% confidence interval [CI]) was conducted using RevMan 5 software by using the inverse variance method (P < 0.05; chi-square test). By contrast, the fixed-effects model was carried out.Results: Eight eligible studies involving 2639 participants were included in our meta-analysis. Shortened telomere length was significantly associated with OSA with mean difference of -0.03 (95% CI: -0.06, -0.00; P = 0.003 with I-square of 85%）. The results of subgroup analysis preformed by age and sample number suggested that shorter telomere length was significantly associated with OSA, with mean difference of -0.07 (95% CI: -0.07, -0.01; P = 0.005) for adult group and -0.04 (95% CI: -0.02, -0.06; P = 0.005) for large-sample studies.Conclusion: Compared to healthy people, individuals with OSA have shorter telomere lengths which implicates early intervention and timely treatment for preventing future adverse outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate food labelling is of utmost importance for food safety and consumer choice in the food chain. Complete or partial substitution, whether intentional or unintentional, may introduce food pathogens or allergens to a product or affect personal or religious beliefs. Several studies around the world have reported different degrees of species substitution in meat products but no similar studies have been conducted in the Canadian market for sausage products. In this study, 100 raw meat sausage samples that were labelled as single meat species products (beef, pork, chicken or turkey) were collected from retail establishments across Canada and were surveyed for the presence of a panel of non-labeled species. The predominant meat species were determined using DNA barcoding and contaminant or unclaimed meat species were detected using digital droplet PCR using species specific primers and probes. All samples were also tested for presence of horse meat using real-time PCR. All samples contained the predominant species matching the label species except for five turkey sausage samples which contained chicken as the predominant species. Second, this analysis showed that 6% of beef sausages also contained pork, 20% of chicken sausages contained turkey while 5% contained beef, and 5% of pork sausages also contained beef. Five samples labeled as turkey sausage contained no turkey and one pork sample was found to contain horse meat. The overall mislabeling rate detected in this study was 20% and the results provide a baseline for assessing species mislabeling in processed meat products in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common psychiatric disorder, which may accelerate aging. Many study have investigated the association between telomeres length and PTSD, but results from published studies are contradictory. Therefore, Meta-analysis approaches were conducted to give more precise estimate of relationship between telomere length and PTSD.Method: We systematically reviewed the databases of PUBMED, PsycINFO, Medline(Ovid SP) and EMBASE for all articles on the association between telomere length and PTSD. Data were summarized by using random-effects in the meta-analysis. The heterogeneity among studies were examined by using Cochrane's Q statistic and I-squared.Results: Five eligible studies containing 3851 participants were included in our meta-analysis. Shorten telomere length was significantly associated with PTSD with mean difference of -0.19( 95% CI: -0.27, -0.01; P<0.001) with I-square of 96%. The results from subgroup analysis demonstrated that shorter telomere length was significantly associated with PTSD across all gender groups, with mean difference of -0.15( 95% CI: -0.29, -0.01; P=0.04) for female, mean difference of -0.17( 95% CI: -0.19, -0.15; P<0.001) for male. Meanwhile, shorten telomere length was significantly associated with sexual assault(mean difference =-0.15, 95% CI: -0.29, -0.01), childhood trauma (mean difference =-0.08, 95% CI: -0.19, -0.07), but not combat (mean difference =-0.39, 95% CI: -0.83, 0.05).Conclusion: Compared to the individuals without PTSD, individuals with PTSD have shorter telomere length, which has implications for early intervention and timely treatment to prevent future adverse health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Si n–i–p tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) fabricated by plasma implantation and laser annealing is proposed. This TFET has sharp lateral source doping profile, which can reduce the tunneling distance and improve carrier tunneling. Enhanced on-current (12μA/μm) and improved I ON/I OFF ratio (6×106) are observed in this TFET [V DS =(V GS − V BTBT)=−1.1V; V BTBT is the V GS at the lowest subthreshold current observed at given V DS] at T =300K. In addition, the TFET fabricated by laser annealing shows improved subthreshold characteristics, reduced tunneling resistance and smaller threshold voltage than TFET fabricated by rapid thermal annealing. Low-temperature measurements of this TFET were also performed to confirm the carrier injection mechanism of band-to-band tunneling. Plasma implantation and laser annealing are effective and suitable to be applied in current CMOS technology for low power devices. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The first study to detect multiple pig social behaviours based on a computer vision-based method. • Utilisation of keypoint-based high-quality spatio-temporal features. • Realisation of high-precision sophisticated social behavior classification. • Robustness against piglet body deformation and challenging environments. In the pig industry, the social behaviors of preweaning piglets are critical indicators of their liveability, growth, health, and welfare status. In this study, we developed a novel method based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) that extracts high-quality spatiotemporal features to detect different types of social behaviors among preweaning piglets: snout-snout and snout-body social nosing, and snout-snout and snout-body aggressive/playing behavior. In our method, piglets were first detected and individually tracked using an integrated CNN-based network. Upon piglet detection, the key points of the piglet body were detected using a key point detector and a 1-second-tracking-unit strategy was adopted to reduce the influence of tracking errors and missing the detection of piglets. To detect suspected social behaviors in a tracking unit, we constructed a self-adaptive spatial affinity kernel function to represent the relationships between piglets, and pairwise piglets with spatial affinity higher than 0.7 were kept for further analysis, while the others were filtered out. Thereafter, high-quality spatiotemporal features consisting of the piglets' spatial affinity and the corresponding linear motion and angular motion intensities were extracted and input into a support vector machine to hierarchically detect and classify piglet social behaviors. In addition, the proportions of the four detected social behaviors associated with the interaction points were analyzed in short video clips and a long video that covered the whole daytime. Our method achieved a favorable detection performance with a recall of 0.9687, a precision of 0.9309, and an F 1 of 0.9494 in the short video clips, and a recall of 0.9576, a precision of 0.9187, and an F 1 of 0.9377 in the 8-h long video episode. This shows the feasibility of the detection of social behaviors for piglets using CNNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Alkyltri(oxyethyl) β- d -glucopyranosides in anomerically pure form were prepared. • Their water solubility was obviously improved by a hydrophilic spacer. • Their surface properties had regular variations. • They should be applied as sugar-based surfactants, bioreagents. Based on reconstructing conventional alkyl β - d -glucopyranosides, alkyltri(oxyethyl) β - d -glucopyranosides (4a ~ 4h , n = 6 ~ 16) were prepared by introducing a tri(oxyethyl) group ((–OCH 2 CH 2 –) 3) as a hydrophilic spacer to improve effectively the related water solubility. Their foaming performance, emulsifying property, hygroscopicity, solubility, and thermotropic phase transitions were further investigated. The experimental results showed that the phase transition temperature (T iso) increased with increasing their alkyl chain length. Such β - d -glucopyranosides (4b ~ 4h , n = 7 ~ 16) showed a smectic focal conic-shaped texture. Their water solubility, surface tension, CMC value, and hygroscopicity decreased with increasing their alkyl chain length. Meanwhile, 4e (n = 10) had the best foamability. In the rapeseed oil/water system, 4f (n = 12) had excellent emulsifying property. Furthermore, 4 (n = 8, 10, 12) and SDS or CTAC had the synergistic effect because their experimental CMC value was smaller than their ideal CMC value (CMCid). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Changes in AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity contribute to the regulation of insulin secretion. Troglitazone has been shown to lower serum insulin levels and protect beta cell function. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of troglitazone on AMPK activity and insulin secretion in beta cells. Isolated rat islets and MIN6 cells were treated for a short (1 h) or a long time (20 h) with troglitazone. One-hour troglitazone treatment activated AMPK and inhibited both glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and the response of insulin secretion to combined stimuli of glucose and palmitate. Long (20 h) treatment with troglitazone caused a sustained phosphorylation of AMPK and acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and increased GSIS after withdrawal of the drug. This study provided evidence that troglitazone activated AMPK in beta cells. In addition to the insulin-sensitizing effects in peripheral tissues, troglitazone also directly inhibits insulin hypersecretion by the elevated glucose and fatty acids, and thus protects beta cells from glucolipotoxicity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This purpose was to discuss optimal reference value for normal glucose tolerance (NGT) at different time points during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. One thousand seven hundred and forty-six subjects from March 2004 to March 2005 were given 75g OGTT and the blood samples were collected at 0, 30, 60, 120 and 180min for glucose measurement. Other demographic data (e.g. age, sex, body mass index, BMI) were also recorded. The status of NGT, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and DM was determined according to American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria. IGT and IFG were merged as impaired glucose regulation (IGR). Using IGR as the assumed test, the cutoff values at 0, 30, 60, 120 and 180min during OGTT for normal reference range were calculated by ROC analysis. The cutoff values were 5.6, 9.5, 10.1, 7.8 and 6.1mmol/l at 0, 30, 60, 120 and 180min, respectively, in whole subjects. In addition, we provided the ROC information in age-stratified groups since there are differences among different age groups. When the results of OGTT were considered, the present study provided a reference range value to evaluate the status of glucose tolerance. Because of the heterogeneity of diabetes, further studies are necessity. And the sample collection is continuing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dengue is one of the most important pervasive diseases in many regions of the world, including China. There is an urgent need for new repellents, including plant derivatives, due to the resistance, toxicity, and non-degradability of synthetic insecticides. Traditional plant-based remedies may provide potential avenues for developing new strategies. The aims of this study were to 1) document the traditional mosquitoes repellent plants used by the Dai people of Xishuangbanna, China; 2) screen out new efficient mosquito repellent plants as candidates for further study. During the period August 2016 to July 2017, five field surveys were conducted in 16 villages of Xishuangbanna. A total of 81 informants (44 males and 37 females) were interviewed using semi-structured questions to collect detailed information on the plants they use to prevent mosquito bites. Ten plants with higher popularity and larger resource were collected and extracts were prepared by hydro-distillation or with petroleum ether. Extracts were tested for adult Aedes albopictus repellency using a human-bait cage. Firstly, repellency was determined as the Minimum Effective Dosage (MED) per minute at which 1% of the mosquito bite through the treated cloth. Secondly, five plant extracts with lower MEDs were tested the repellent longevity of different concentrations. Eighteen plants were documented as being used in traditional remedies against mosquitoes. The methods for controlling mosquitoes were diverse: direct burning was used for most plants (16 species), followed by smearing (5 species), and placing (5 species). Laboratory analyses confirmed that ten plants did exhibit mosquito repellent activity. Of them, Artemisia indica, Nicotiana tabacum , Blumea balsamifera , Vitex trifolia , and Chromolaena odorata showed good mosquito repellency with MEDs of 0.015, 0.061, 0.090, 0.090, and 0.105 mg/cm2, respectively. The protection rate provided by A. indica is also the highest among five plants. Although it provides complete protection time of only 30 min at 0.45 mg/cm2 concentration, its repellency within 2 h is not significantly different from that of DEET. Dai villagers in Xishuangbanna have a rich, diverse and scientific knowledge of plant-based mosquito repellents. Laboratory experiments screened out several plants as candidates for mosquito repellents, of which Artemisia indica was the most promising candidate plant. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the inherent defects of the long alkyl chain in the related hydrophilicity and water solubility, alkyl α - D -xylosides (7) had hardly the practical application as sugar-based surfactants and should be reconstructed to obtain alkyl dioxyethyl α - D -xylosides (5) with dioxyethylene fragment (−(OCH 2 CH 2) 2 -)) as the hydrophilic spacer to increase the related TPSA value. With D -xylose as the raw material, 1,2-cis alkyl dioxyethyl α - D -xylosides (5a-5f , n = 6–12) were stereoselectively synthesized. Their physicochemical properties including water solubility, surface tension, foamability, emulsification, thermotropic liquid crystal, and hygroscopicity had been investigated. Their water solubility was found to decrease gradually whereas their calculated HLB numbers were 14.72 → 11.67 (n = 6 → 12) with increasing alkyl chain length (n). Dodecyl dioxyethyl α - D -xyloside (5f) had not water solubility because the HLB number was low. Furthermore, their CMC values decreased with increasing the alkyl chain length, and the CMC value of decyl dioxyethyl α - D -xyloside (5e) was as low as 9.21 × 10−5 mol·L−1. Octyl dioxyethyl α - D -xyloside (5c) had the lowest surface tension (27.25 mN·m−1) at the CMC. Both of nonyl and decyl dioxyethyl α - D -xylosides (5d & 5e) possessed good foaming power and foam stability. Decyl dioxyethyl α - D -xyloside (5e) had the strongest emulsifying property either in the toluene/water system or in the octane/water system. Nonyl dioxyethyl α - D -xylosides (5d) had the most stylish S A texture. Hexyl dioxyethyl α - D -xyloside (5a) possessed the strongest hygroscopicity. Therefore, the alkyl dioxyethyl α - D -xylosides as a class of novel sugar-based surfactants will be widely considered as promising candidates for various practical applications. Unlabelled Image • Alkyl dioxyethyl α-D-xylosides in anomerically pure form were prepared. • An introduction of a hydrophilic spacer caused water solubility improvement. • Their surface properties changed regularly with increasing the alkyl chain length. • They should be used as sugar-based surfactants and bioreagents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]