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As a reusable resource, remolded soils are often not utilized on a large scale due to their high water content and low bearing capacity. By using polyvinyl alcohol fiber (PVA) as reinforcing material and cement as cementing material, the remolded soil was improved into a usable consolidated remolded soil, and the effects of different fiber content, fiber length modulus, and conservation age on the static and dynamic characteristics of the consolidated remolded soil were investigated by conducting triaxial consolidated undrained shear tests and dynamic triaxial tests on the consolidated remolded soil. The results show that the use of PVA fiber reinforced cement can effectively improve the shear strength and dynamic strength of the remolded soil and reduce the water content of the remolded soil; the best effect on the static strength of the remolded soil was achieved when 0.1% of PVA fibers with a length of 6 mm were incorporated into the specimens at a conservation age of 28 d; the best effect on the dynamic strength of the remolded soil was achieved when 0.3% of PVA fibers with a length of 12 mm were incorporated into the specimens at a conservation age of 7 d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has played an indispensable role in clinical diagnosis and treatment. Based on a patient's symptom phenotypes, computation-based prescription recommendation methods can recommend personalized TCM prescription using machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies. However, owing to the complexity and individuation of a patient's clinical phenotypes, current prescription recommendation methods cannot obtain good performance. Meanwhile, it is very difficult to conduct effective representation for unrecorded symptom terms in an existing knowledge base. In this study, we proposed a subnetwork-based symptom term mapping method (SSTM) and constructed a SSTM-based TCM prescription recommendation method (termed TCMPR). Our SSTM can extract the subnetwork structure between symptoms from a knowledge network to effectively represent the embedding features of clinical symptom terms (especially the unrecorded terms). The experimental results showed that our method performs better than state-of-the-art methods. In addition, the comprehensive experiments of TCMPR with different hyperparameters (i.e., feature embedding, feature dimension, subnetwork filter threshold, and feature fusion) demonstrate that our method has high performance on TCM prescription recommendation and potentially promote clinical diagnosis and treatment of TCM precision medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modified Tabusen-2 decoction (MTBD) is traditional Chinese Mongolia medicine, mainly used to treat osteoporosis. However, the precise material basis of this prescription is not yet fully elucidated. Herein, we establish an HPLC-Q-Exactive MS/MS spectrometer method with four-step characteristic ion filtering (FSCIF) strategy to quickly and effectively identify the structural features of MTBD and determine the representative compounds content. The FSCIF strategy included database establishment, characteristic ions summarization, neutral loss fragments screening, and secondary mass spectrum fragment matching four steps. By using this strategy, a total of 143 compounds were unambiguously or tentatively annotated, including 5 compounds which were first reported in MTBD. Nineteen representative components were simultaneously quantified with the HPLC-Q-Exactive MS/MS spectrometer, and it is suitable for eight batches of MTBD. Methodology analysis showed that the assay method had good repeatability, accuracy, and stability. The method established above was successfully applied to assess the quality of MTBD extracts. Collectively, our findings enhance our molecular understanding of the MTBD formulation and will allow us to control its quality in a better way. At the same time, this study can promote the development and utilization of ethnic medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excavation of foundation pits is one of the most important factors causing changes to the initial stress state of its surrounding soil, thus affecting the safety of nearby existing subway tunnels. In order to study the deformation in metro lines induced by adjacent foundation pit excavation, a three-dimensional model based on an actual engineering case was established, and the deformation regulations of the retaining wall, surrounding soil, and tunnels were investigated, which also validated the model's feasibility. Additionally, the deformation and strain response of the subway tunnel under different selection parameters of the enclosing structure and soil were studied. The results showed that, after the foundation pit excavation, the soil inside the pit underwent an uplift, the surrounding soil outside of the pit showed vertical settlement, and the retaining wall created a deformation towards the interior of the pit. Mechanical parameters of plate elements have a small influence on the deformation of metro lines. Axial strain and maximum displacement of the subway tunnel increase with the increase in the soil's Poisson's ratio, and on the contrary, they decrease with the increase in the m-value and G 0 , ref . The maximum responses of the subway tunnel came from changes to G 0 , ref and υ. These analysis results can be used for the safety evaluation of subway tunnel operation, design, and construction in other similar engineering settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multitower suspension bridge is of different style compared to the traditional suspension bridge with two towers, and consequently the dissimilarity of static and dynamic behaviors is distinct. As a special case of multitower suspension bridge, two long-span triple-tower suspension bridges have been constructed in China and the seismic random response of triple-tower suspension bridges is studied in this paper. A nonlinear dynamic analysis finite element model is established in ABAQUS and the Python language is utilized to facilitate the preprocess and postprocess during the finite element analysis. The procedure for random response calculation of structures based on the pseudoexcitation method is presented, with the initial equilibrium state of structure considered, which may be ignored for long-span bridges during calculating of stochastic response. The stationary seismic random responses of triple-tower suspension bridge under uniform excitation in firm, medium, and soft soil conditions and under spatially varying excitation in soft soil are investigated. The distribution of RMS of random responses of displacements and internal forces of the stiffening girder and towers is presented and discussed in detail. Results show that spatially variable ground motions should be considered in the stochastic analysis of triple-tower suspension bridge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have indicated an association of histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9) genetic variant with large-vessel stroke and coronary artery disease, among the European population. However, whether HDAC9 gene is associated with an increased susceptibility to acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Chinese Han population is not known. A total of 472 patients, including patients with ACS (N=309), and those with chest pain syndrome (controls, N=163) were enrolled. Genotyping for HDAC9 gene was performed using the ligation detection reaction assay. A series of statistical analyses were performed to investigate the correlation between HDAC9 gene SNPs and the susceptibility to ACS. The results revealed a significant association of rs2240419 with ACS risk in which the A allele (P = 0.047) and the A allele carriers (AA + AG) (P = 0.037) were more likely to be in ACS group as compared to those in the control group. None of two other SNPs, rs2389995 and rs2107595, were significantly associated with ACS risk (P > 0.05). Logistic regression analyses further revealed an increased risk for ACS in A allele carrier among rs2240419 genotypes, as compared to those with GG homozygotes (odds ratio: 1.869, 95% CI 1.143, 3.056, P = 0.013). A significant correlation between rs2240419 polymorphism of HDAC9 gene and the susceptibility to ACS in Chinese Han population was observed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal fixed-point smoothing problem for the descriptor systems with multiplicative noises is considered, where instantaneous and delayed observations are available. Standard singular value decomposition is used to give the restricted equivalent delayed system, where the observations also include two different types of measurements. Reorganized innovation lemma and projection theorem are used to give the fixed-point smoother for the restricted equivalent delayed system. The fixed-point smoother is given in terms of recursive Riccati equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

QiShen'YiQi Pills (QSYQ) is a compound Chinese medicine used for treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The present study investigated the effects of QSYQ on the Doxorubicin- (DOX-) induced disorders in rat cardiac structure and function and the possible mechanism underlying. A total of 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats were administrated by intraperitoneal injections with DOX at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg, once every day for a total of 6 times. After the 6th injection, the rats were evaluated by echocardiographic analysis, and the animals with injured heart (n = 14) were divided into 2 groups and further treated with (n = 7) or without (n = 7) QSYQ by gavage at a dose of 0.2 g/day, once a day, over the next 2 weeks. Two weeks after QSYQ treatment, the following variables were assessed: myocardial blood flow (MBF) by Laser-Doppler Perfusion Imager, the ratio of heart weight to body weight (HW/BW), myocardial histology, myocardial content of ATP, AMP, free fatty acids (FFAs) and AMP/ATP by ELISA, and expression of PPARa, PGC- la, and ATP 5D by Western blot. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Turkey test for multiple comparisons. DOX challenge significantly increased left ventricular internal diameter and HW/BW and decreased the thickness of the left ventricular posterior wall, the left ventricle ejection fraction, and the left ventricle fractional shortening. DOX also increased AMP, FFA, and AMP/ATP, decreased ATP, and downregulated the protein content of ATP 5D, PPAR α, and PGC-1 α. All these DOX-induced cardiac insults were attenuated significantly by QSYQ treatment. These results show the potential of QSYQ to ameliorate DOX-induced disorders in cardiac structure and function; this effect may be related to the increase in myocardial ATP content via the upregulation of ATP 5D, PPAR α, and PGC-1 α and the oxidation of FFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strong tumorigenic capacity and treatment resistance made hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) a huge threat to public health. ZNF165, the kruppel family of zinc-finger-containing transcription factors, is expressed in HCC; however, its specific role in HCC and the molecular mechanism are yet to be elucidated. In this study, we observed that ZNF165 was overexpressed in liver cancer tissues and the immune microenvironment; higher ZNF165 expression was correlated with lower overall survival in liver cancer patients. The ZNF165 knockdown in Bel7402 cells revealed the impairment of the tryptophan/kynurenine/AhR/CYP1A1 axis. Moreover, the knockdown of CYP1A1 significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of HCC cells, and ZNF165 promoted the transcriptional activity of AhR by facilitating the nuclear translocation of CYP1A1. In conclusion, the present study argued that ZNF165 was highly expressed in liver tissues and the immune microenvironment. ZNF165 promoted the proliferation and migration of HCC cells by activating the tryptophan/kynurenine/AhR/CYP1A1 axis and promoting the expression of CYP1A1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, oxidized wood pulp fiber (OWPF) was prepared by oxidizing wood pulp fiber (WPF) with NaIO4, and OWPFs with different oxidation degrees were obtained and characterized by light microscope, XRD, and TG. Then, OWPFs with different oxidation degrees were incorporated into thermoplastic starch (TPS) to prepare OWPF/TPS composites. The cross-section morphology, water resistance, and physical and mechanical properties of the composites were investigated. SEM showed good dispersion of OWPF in the continuous TPS phase. The tensile strength of OWPF/TPS reached a maximum value of 5.02 MPa when the oxidation degree of OWPF was 0.5. Elongation at break of OWPF/TPS composites increased with the increasing oxidation degree of OWPF. Meanwhile, as a result of cross-linking, the water contact angle was also improved with the increased oxidation degree of OWPF. The study provided a new way to prepare a degradable TPS composite with satisfying properties to be used for packaging and catering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the mechanical characteristics of complex pile-cap foundations and the distribution law of hydrodynamic pressure acting on piles and cap in deep-water environments, the 60 m deep-water pile-cap foundation of Xihoumen rail-cum-road bridge was considered for this investigation. This paper focused on introducing the design and implementation process of simulating an earthquake using an underwater shaking-table test for a 1 : 60 complex pile-cap foundation model and systematically summarizing the test results. The test results showed that water reduced the acceleration of complex pile-cap foundation; however, the strain, displacement, and hydrodynamic pressure increased in varying degrees with water depths, and the maximum strain of the piles increased by 13.8% for the X-direction earthquake excitation and 15.1% for the Y-direction earthquake excitation in 1.0 m water-depth environment. The strain of the corner pile was the largest under earthquake excitation, followed by that of the front-row pile, and the strain of the middle pile was the smallest. When the water depth was 1.0 m, the maximum strain difference of each pile in the X- and Y-directions reached 26.4% and 27.5%, respectively. The hydrodynamic pressure acting on the piles decreased gradually from bottom to top, the edge pile bore more hydrodynamic pressure than the middle pile, and the hydrodynamic pressure difference between the piles reached 20%. Owing to the influence of the round-ended cap, the hydrodynamic pressure suddenly increased at the cap position, and the distribution law of the cap showed a gradually declining trend from front to side; however, the attenuation amplitude was affected by its shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Migraine has a great impact on public health. Current acute therapies do not satisfy all migraineurs. The novel serotonin 5-HT1F receptor agonist appears more promising for aborting migraine attacks. Objective. To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of lasmiditan in treating acute migraine attacks. Methods. The literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which assessed the effect and safety of lasmiditan on migraine. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. Results were extracted and pooled as risk ratios (RRs) with a fixed or random-effects model. Results. Based on the four included RCTs, pooled estimates showed that lasmiditan with the 50 mg, 100 mg, and 200 mg doses was superior to placebo at 2 h after the first dose in terms of pain freedom, absence of migraine-associated symptoms, headache relief, no/mild disability, and global impression of change (very much/much better) (RRs ranged from 1.13 to 1.96), except for nausea-free and vomiting-free. Both lasmiditan 100 mg and 200 mg resulted in significantly fewer patients using rescue medication (100 mg: RR = 0.75 , 95% CI (0.61, 0.92), P = 0.007 ; 200 mg: RR = 0.81 , 95% CI (0.66, 0.99), P = 0.04) at 2-24 h postdose, compared with placebo. Safety data showed that the proportion of patients reporting at least one treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE) and the incidence of most common TEAEs such as dizziness, paresthesia, fatigue, somnolence, and nausea was higher in the lasmiditan groups (50 mg, 100 mg, and 200 mg), compared with placebo. There was no significant difference between lasmiditan and placebo in terms of cardiovascular-related TEAEs (RR = 2.75 , 95% CI (0.81, 9.37), P = 0.11). Compared with lasmiditan 100 mg, lasmiditan 200 mg was more effective in pain freedom at 2 h after the first dose (RR = 0.83 , 95% CI (0.74, 0.94), P = 0.004) but associated with a higher risk of reporting at least one TEAE (RR = 0.88 , 95% CI (0.81, 0.96), P = 0.006). Conclusions. Lasmiditan with the 50 mg, 100 mg, and 200 mg doses are effective and safe in acute migraine treatment. Lasmiditan 200 mg is more effective than lasmiditan 100 mg in pain freedom, while lasmiditan 100 mg is better tolerated in the short-term follow-up. Further larger sample-size RCTs are required to verify the applicability and tolerability in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Chronic tinnitus affects approximately 10-15% of the population. Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been considered as a promising and well-tolerated therapeutic strategy for chronic tinnitus. However, a recent large-scale multicenter clinical trial showed a negative result. Objective. This systematic review is aimed at assessing the efficacy and safety of low-frequency rTMS in chronic tinnitus. Methods. We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library for randomized controlled studies of rTMS treatment of chronic tinnitus. A pooled analysis of standardized mean difference (SMD) was performed with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results. Ten RCTs involving 567 participants were included in this review. Compared with sham stimulation, rTMS showed no significant efficacy in tinnitus severity and disability measured by Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) in short-term (SMD = − 0.04 , 95% CI -0.23 to 0.16, P = 0.72), medium-term (SMD = − 0.13 , 95% CI -0.43 to 0.17, P = 0.41), and long-term (SMD = − 0.16 , 95% CI -0.38 to 0.05, P = 0.14) follow-up. Tinnitus severity and disability measured by Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ) also showed no significant improvement in short-term (SMD = − 0.11 , 95% CI -0.31 to 0.10, P = 0.30), medium-term (SMD = − 0.10 , 95% CI -0.37 to 0.16, P = 0.44), and long-term (SMD = − 0.20 , 95% CI -0.40 to 0.01, P = 0.06) follow-up. Additionally, no statistically significant difference was shown in the changes of tinnitus loudness assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS) between rTMS and sham groups in the short-term (SMD = − 0.28 , 95% CI -0.59 to 0.02, P = 0.07), medium-term (SMD = − 0.26 , 95% CI -0.59 to 0.07, P = 0.13), and long-term (SMD = − 0.20 , 95% CI -0.53 to 0.13, P = 0.24) follow-up. Few mild or moderate adverse events were observed in both the rTMS and sham groups. Conclusion. Low-frequency rTMS is well tolerated but not effective in treating chronic tinnitus based on the current analysis of pooled data. Further studies with modified and uniform protocols are required to investigate the potential benefit of rTMS in chronic tinnitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The motor and nonmotor symptoms of PD involve several brain regions. However, whether α-syn pathology originating from the SNc can directly lead to the pathological changes in distant cerebral regions and induce PD-related symptoms remains unclear. Here, AAV9-synapsin-mCherry-human SNCA (A53T) was injected into the unilateral SNc of mice. Motor function and olfactory sensitivity were evaluated. Our results showed that AAV9-synapsin-mCherry-human SNCA was continuously expressed in SNc. The animals showed mild motor and olfactory dysfunction at 7 months after viral injection. The pathology in SNc was characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons accompanied by ER stress. In the striatum, hα-syn expression was high, CaMKβ-2 and NR2B expression decreased, and active synapses reduced. In the olfactory bulb, hα-syn expression was high, and aging cells in the mitral layer increased. The results suggested that hα-syn was transported in the striatum and OB along the nerve fibers that originated from the SNc and induced pathological changes in the distant cerebral regions, which contributed to the motor and nonmotor symptoms of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the effectiveness and mechanism of the Chinese herbal formula Sini Tang (SNT) which consists of Aconitum carmichaelii (Fuzi), Zingiber officinale (Gan Jiang), and Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Gancao) in heart failure after myocardial infarction in rats. Methods. We established the heart failure after myocardial infarction in model of SD rats by ligating the anterior descending branch of left coronary artery. Rats were randomly divided into six experimental groups: Sham operation group, HF group, Benazepril group, high dose of SNT group, medium dose of SNT group, and low dose of SNT group. Drugs were administered by oral gavage for eight weeks. The detection indexes include left ventricular function by echocardiogram, Collagen Volume Fraction by Masson staining, level of Plasma Renin, Angiotensin II and Aldosterone by radioimmunoassay, protein and gene level of ACE and AT1R by western-blot, and real-time PCR. Results. The outcomes of this study indicated that SNT significantly improved the LVEF and LVFS, thickened both LVAWd and LVAWs, and reduced LVIDs in heart failure after myocardial infarction in rats when compared with control group (P<0.05). Besides, SNT significantly reduced the Collagen Volume Fraction (P<0.05). The results of radioimmunoassay showed that SNT decreased the level of Plasma Renin, Angiotensin II, and Aldosterone (P<0.05). The outcomes of western-blot and real-time PCR analysis showed that SNT significantly downregulated the protein and gene level of ACE and AT1R (P<0.05). Conclusions. The Chinese herbal formula SNT could improve left ventricular systolic function in heart failure after myocardial infarction in rats and decreased the level of Plasma Renin, Angiotensin II, and Aldosterone, as well as downregulating the protein and gene level of ACE and AT1R. Therefore, SNT has potential benefits of improving cardiac function by inhibiting the excessive activation of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone system in heart failure after myocardial infarction in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modified Wu-Zi-Yan-Zong prescription (MWP), a traditional Chinese medicinal decoction, has possessed the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. The mechanisms associated with these properties, however, are not completely understood. We designed the experiments to elucidate the antineuroinflammatory property of MWP in BV2 microglia activated by β-amyloid (Aβ), which is a characteristic feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The composition of MWP was studied using HPLC. BV2 microglia cells were then treated with Aβ in the presence or absence of MWP. The effects of MWP treatment on Aβ-activated neuroinflammation were determined using PCR, western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining. MWP significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators such as IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1, as well as the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in Aβ-activated BV2 microglia. MWP also inhibited the nuclear translocation and signaling pathway of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) by suppressing inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB (IκB) degradation and downregulating IκB kinase β (IKKβ) phosphorylation. Moreover, MWP decreased extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK)/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation, which is an important signaling pathway for proinflammatory gene expression. We concluded that MWP could suppress neuroinflammatory responses in Aβ-activated BV2 microglia via the NF-κB and ERK/p38 MAPK signaling cascades and could prove an effective therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of neuroinflammatory diseases such as AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microsphere composite made of poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN), and nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) (PLGA-MSN/nHA) was prepared and evaluated as bone tissue engineering materials. The objective of this study was to investigate the synergistic effect of MSN/nHA on biocompatibility as well as its potential ability for bone formation. First, we found that this PLGA-MSN/nHA composite performed good characteristics on microstructure, mechanical strength, and wettability. By cell culture experiments, the adhesion and proliferation rate of the cells seeded on PLGA-MSN/nHA composite was higher than those of the controls and high levels of osteogenetic factors such as ALP and Runx-2 were detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Finally, this PLGA-MSN/nHA composite was implanted into the femur bone defect in a rabbit model, and its ability to induce bone regeneration was observed by histological examinations. Twelve weeks after implantation, the bone defects had significantly more formation of mature bone and less residual materials than in the controls. These results demonstrate that this PLGA-MSN/nHA composite, introducing both MSN and nHA into PLGA microspheres, can improve the biocompatibility and osteoinductivity of composite in vitro and in vivo and had potential application in bone regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The relationship between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels and the extent of coronary artery stenosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains uncertain. The present study aimed to assess the correlation of HbA1c level with angiographic coronary atherosclerosis. Methods. 292 consecutive ACS patients were enrolled and stratified into three groups according to HbA1c levels (group 1: <6.0%, n=137; group 2: 6.0–6.4%, n=67; group 3: ≥6.5%, n=88). The severity of coronary arteriosclerosis was assessed by Gensini score. The relationship between HbA1c and Gensini score was analyzed by multiple variables analysis. Results. HbA1c level was not associated with the severity of CAD assessed by Gensini score in patients with ACS, even after the adjustment for other risk factors. However, NT-proBNP, ApoA1 and LVEF levels were independent predictors for CAD severity. Moreover, HbA1c level was not associated with the risk of high Gensini score (>40) by logistic regression analysis. Diabetes mellitus (DM) and LVEF levels were two independent risk factors for high Gensini score. Conclusions. HbA1c level is not a significant and independent marker for the severity of angiography in ACS patients, even in high-risk patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]