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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer and, in its advanced stages, has a 5-year survival rate of only 3% to 5%. Despite novel mechanisms and treatments being uncovered over the past few years, effective strategies for HCC are currently limited. Previous studies have proven that aconite can suppress tumor growth and progression and prevent the recurrence and metastasis of multiple cancers, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, different doses of aconite were applied to mice bearing subcutaneous HCC tumors. It was found that aconite had a therapeutic effect on H22 tumor-bearing mice in a dose-dependent manner by reducing tumor volumes and prolonging survival times, which could be attributed to the immunoregulatory effect of aconite. Furthermore, results showed that high-dose administration of aconite could enhance adaptive immunity and natural killer (NK) cell-mediated immunity by regulating the secretion of interferon-γ, upregulating T cells and NK cells, and modulating the expression of the NK cytotoxicity biomarker CD107a and the inhibitory receptor TIGIT. This study revealed a novel mechanism through which aconite exerts antitumor effects, not merely through apoptosis induction pathways, providing more sound evidence that aconite has the potential to be developed into an effective anti-HCC agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the expression of Cripto-1 and the role of macrophage polarization in immune response after allogeneic transfusion were analyzed by constructing a mouse model of allogeneic transfusion. In order to analyze the effects of miR-449a on the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway and the expression of downstream related regulatory factors under normal and abnormal conditions, we adopt in vitro and in vivo experiments separately. The molecular mechanism of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway was analyzed by blocking or activating gene expression and western blotting. Experiment in vitro has confirmed that inhibition of miR-449a increased the protein expression of Cripto-1. In vivo experiments confirmed that allogeneic transfusion reduced the expression of Cripto-1, which further inhibited NF-κB signaling pathway through AKT/PI3K phosphorylation, regulated macrophage polarization, inhibited M1 polarization of macrophages, promoted M2 polarization, and thus affected immune response of the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the metaverse is hot, nonhomogenized tokens (NFT) as digital artwork identifiers present different characteristics and application values from other homogenized tokens, and their use for copyright verification will suffer from the problems of storage space limitation and data verification reliance on database, this study designs an NFT digital copyright authentication model for textual works. To cater for the uncontrollability of conventional Hash algorithms in stream matching due to the high conflict rate, a new random matrix theory is applied to propose a new Hash algorithm, which is used on the block structure of NFT credential authentication, while extending the block structure so that the data within the work is completely stored in the blockchain with NFT as the credential, allowing the database to store the work data in a relatively safe manner. The verification of the work data has the immutability and unique cryptographic solution of NFT. The NFT-based digital model collects TR information and conducts 30 tests, and the average test time for generating blocks is 0.53 s. Through the block query for detection, 248,655 words have exceeded the number of words of an article, and the consumption time is only 0.23s, to meet the customer's real-time query requirements for the system. According to the overhead ratio, the record storage expenditure is about 2-3 times of the text storage expenditure, the work storage expenditure, and the storage expenditure for storing 240,000 words for authentication is about 3720 KB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer (GC) is the most common malignant tumor in the digestive system, traditional radiotherapy and chemotherapy are not effective for some patients. The research progress of immunotherapy seems to provide a new way for treatment. However, it is still urgent to predict immunotherapy biomarkers and determine novel therapeutic targets. In this study, the gene expression profiles and clinical data of 407 stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) portal, and the abundance ratio of immune cells in each sample was obtained via the "Cell Type Identification by Estimating Relative Subsets of RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT)" algorithm. Five immune cells were obtained as a result of abundance comparison, and 295 immune-related genes were obtained through differential gene analysis. Enrichment, protein interaction, and module analysis were performed on these genes. We identified five immune cells associated with infiltration and 20 hub genes, of which five genes were correlated with overall survival. Finally, we used Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) to detect the expression differences of the five hub genes in 18 pairs of GC and adjacent tissues. This research not only provides cellular and gene targets for immunotherapy of GC but also provides new ideas for researchers to explore immunotherapy for various tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes an efficient XOR-based visual cryptography scheme with lossless reconfigurable algorithms, which includes an encryption and a decryption schemes for gray-scale and color secret images. The encryption scheme aims to encrypt secret images by mapping them to several shared images that do not suffer any pixel expansion problem and do not reveal any information of the secret images by considering a random column selection algorithm based on the 0-mapping and 1-mapping matrices, where the two matrices are dynamically generated in the encryption scheme. Moreover, the proposed decryption scheme can reconstruct the secret images with only a series of XOR operations. The reconstructed images do not suffer any contrast distortion and pixel expansion problems comparing with their original secret images. Finally, the proposed two schemes are illustrated with the practical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As important carriers of local innovation activities, innovative industrial clusters are attracting increasing attention. Therefore, several countries have started promotion policies for innovative industrial clusters. However, there are few empirical studies on relevant policies. This paper investigates the impact of China's "innovative industrial cluster pilot" (IICP) policy on regional innovation. Taking the implementation of IICP policy as a quasi-natural experiment and using the panel data of 266 prefecture-level cities in China in 2008-2019, this paper provides strong evidence that IICP policy promotes regional innovation. The conclusion still holds after a battery of robustness checks. The heterogeneity test shows that the promoting effect of IICP policy on innovation is more significant in central and western region than in eastern region. Moreover, the lower the city administrative level and the lower the dependence on natural resource, the more prominent the innovation effect of IICP policy. Further, the mechanism test shows that the IICP policy can promote regional innovation indirectly by strengthening government support for innovation and attracting the agglomeration of science and technological talents, but the mediation effect of industrial structure has not been verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that abnormal methylation is an early key event in the pathogenesis of most human cancers, contributing to the development of tumors. However, little attention has been given to the potential of DNA methylation patterns as markers for Helicobacter pylori- (H. pylori-) associated gastric cancer (GC). In this study, an integrated analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression was conducted to identify some potential key epigenetic markers in H. pylori-associated GC. DNA methylation data of 28 H. pylori-positive and 168 H. pylori-negative GC samples were compared and analyzed. We also analyzed the gene expression data of 18 H. pylori-positive and 145 H. pylori-negative GC cases. Finally, the results were verified by in vitro and in vivo experiments. A total of 5609 differentially methylated regions associated with 2454 differentially methylated genes were identified. A total of 228 differentially expressed genes were identified from the gene expression data of H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative GC cases. The screened genes were analyzed for functional enrichment. Subsequently, we obtained 28 genes regulated by methylation through a Venn diagram, and we identified five genes (GSTO2, HUS1, INTS1, TMEM184A, and TMEM190) downregulated by hypermethylation. HUS1, GSTO2, and TMEM190 were expressed at lower levels in GC than in adjacent samples (P < 0.05). Moreover, H. pylori infection decreased HUS1, GSTO2, and TMEM190 expression in vitro and in vivo. Our study identified HUS1, GSTO2, and TMEM190 as novel methylation markers for H. pylori-associated GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is aimed at investigating the changes of serum soluble programmed death-ligand 1 (sPD-L1) expression level in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) before and after radiotherapy, the correlation of PD-L1, PD-1, and proteins of Akt (protein kinase B), mTOR, and HIF-1α, and the molecular mechanism of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in the development of NSCLS. A total of 126 NSCLC patients receiving radiotherapy in Liaoning Cancer Hospital from September 2018 to September 2019 were selected as the observation group, and another 58 healthy volunteers were selected as the control group. NSCLC patients were divided into group A (stage I-II, stereotactic radiotherapy) and group B (stage III, intensity-modulated radiation therapy) according to the cancer stage. The efficacy of radiotherapy was evaluated, and sPD-L1 expression was detected by ELISA. The immunohistochemical staining was adopted to detect protein expressions of Akt, mTOR, and HIF-1α in NSCLC tissues. The correlation between their expression and expression of PD-L1 and PD-1 was analyzed. The results showed that the overall response rate (ORR) of group A was 89.29%, the clinical benefit response (CBR) was 96.43%, the median survival time (MST) was 25 months, and the survival rate within three years was 72.56%. In group B, the ORR was 70.41%, the CBR was 97.96%, the MST was 18 months, and the survival rate within three years was 34.67%. Comparison of overall serum sPD-L1 expression in the control group, group A, and group B and between groups before radiotherapy was statistically significant (P < 0.01). After radiotherapy, serum sPD-L1 expression in group A and group B decreased compared with that before radiotherapy (P < 0.01). Among NSCLC patients, the positive expression rate of Akt, mTOR, and HIF-1α was 71.32%, 41.26%, and 80.65%, respectively. PD-L1 expression and Akt, mTOR, and HIF-1α expression showed a significant correlation. PD1 expression and Akt, mTOR, and HIF-1α expression also showed a significant correlation. It indicated that the expression level of sPD-L1 in NSCLC patients was higher than that in normal subjects, but the expression level of sPD-L1 was decreased after radiotherapy. PD-1/PD-L1 may play important roles in NSCLC procession through the Akt/mTOR and HIF-1α pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is one of the effective treatment methods for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in middle and late phases. However, TACE-induced hypoxia may promote the angiogenesis and section of some cytokines, such as IL-8, and, thereby, lead to tumor metastasis. Therefore, we investigated the effect of Jiedu Recipe (JR), which has been demonstrated as an effective Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recipe on HCC, on TACE-induced cytokines upregulation and hypoxia-induced angiogenesis. A total of 88 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with TACE were enrolled and divided into a JR group or control group. TACE induced significant increases of neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR), IL-1β, IL-2R, IL-6, and IL-8. JR treatment significantly inhibited the elevation of IL-8 compared with control. In vitro, JR significantly inhibited the hypoxia-induced overexpression of IL-8, HIF-1α, and VEGF mRNA in Huh 7 cells. ELISA assay demonstrated the effect of JR on IL-8 expression. Both hypoxia and IL-8 may promote angiogenesis which was suppressed by JR. Western blot showed that IL-8 upregulated the expression of phosphorylation of AKT, ERK, NF-κB, and VEGFR, which were inhibited by JR. On the other hand, effects of IL-8 on the increase of p-AKT and p-ERK were also blocked by LY294002 and U0126, respectively. In conclusion, our results indicated that JR may inhibit hypoxia-induced angiogenesis through suppressing IL-8/HIF-1α/PI3K and MAPK/ERK pathways after TACE in HCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We tracked the motor skill development of young children aged 3–6 years and investigated the influence of middle-income home environment on the development of motor skill. 268 children were selected from kindergartens in Beijing. The Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD) tool was used to test the development of locomotor and object-control skills (LS and OS), and a survey of children's behaviour and home environment was conducted. During the follow-up, the LS and OS of children aged 3–6 years continued to grow, with an annual growth rate of 20% and 30%. Five LS indicators and two OS indicators were significantly higher in the 3–4-year group than in the 4–5 and 5–6-year groups (p < 0.01). The age-sex trend model showed that girls' locomotor skill developed at a significantly higher rate than that of boys (β = 6.3004 and 4.6782, p < 0.001). Three-year-old boys performed significantly better than girls on object-control motor skill (p < 0.05). Factors affecting the rate of children's motor skill development in middle-income families included the frequency of playing with friends (β = 0.133 , p = 0.032) and the frequency of bicycling, skateboarding, dancing, running, and jumping (β = 0.041 , p = 0.042). Family income, parents' education level, and family activity area did not significantly affect the growth rate of motor skills. For middle-income families, the improvement of material environment at home like more playing spaces and toys did not speed up the motor development, while more opportunities to play with friends and engage in a variety of sports activities could promote children's motor skill development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We tracked the motor skill development of young children aged 3–6 years and investigated the influence of middle-income home environment on the development of motor skill. 268 children were selected from kindergartens in Beijing. The Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD) tool was used to test the development of locomotor and object-control skills (LS and OS), and a survey of children's behaviour and home environment was conducted. During the follow-up, the LS and OS of children aged 3–6 years continued to grow, with an annual growth rate of 20% and 30%. Five LS indicators and two OS indicators were significantly higher in the 3–4-year group than in the 4–5 and 5–6-year groups (p < 0.01). The age-sex trend model showed that girls' locomotor skill developed at a significantly higher rate than that of boys (β = 6.3004 and 4.6782, p < 0.001). Three-year-old boys performed significantly better than girls on object-control motor skill (p < 0.05). Factors affecting the rate of children's motor skill development in middle-income families included the frequency of playing with friends (β = 0.133 , p = 0.032) and the frequency of bicycling, skateboarding, dancing, running, and jumping (β = 0.041 , p = 0.042). Family income, parents' education level, and family activity area did not significantly affect the growth rate of motor skills. For middle-income families, the improvement of material environment at home like more playing spaces and toys did not speed up the motor development, while more opportunities to play with friends and engage in a variety of sports activities could promote children's motor skill development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Based on optical coherence tomography (OCT), we aimed to determine the diagnosis, clinical characteristics, and interventions of braid-like coronary arteries, which are rare and tend to be diagnosed as a woven coronary artery (WCA) anomaly.Methods and Results: We identified braid-like lesions on coronary angiography (CAG) in 7 patients (6 men; median age 47 years; age range 26 to 57 years). All patients were heavy smokers. Four patients were diagnosed with an old myocardial infarction and the other 3 with unstable angina. The braid-like lesions were located in the left anterior descending arteries in 2 patients and in the right coronary arteries in the other 5. TIMI grade 2 flow was observed in all involved vessels. OCT findings of all lesions were consistent with recanalization of organized thrombi, which consisted of septa that divided the lumen into multiple small cavities communicating with each other. No separate three-layered structure could be defined. Based on the significance of the stenosis and its related symptoms, drug-eluting stents were implanted in all of the lesions. All patients experienced symptomatic improvement after the intervention and were followed up event-free for 12 months.Conclusions: Braid-like coronary arteries are likely to undergo recanalization of organized thrombi rather than WCA according to our OCT findings. The majority of cases affect men who smoke heavily. Percutaneous stent implantation may be beneficial in selected patients when feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The COVID-19 epidemic triggered by coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is rapidly spreading around the globe. This study is aimed at finding out the suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Hubei province, China. We also investigated symptoms, medications, life quality, and psychological issues of IBD patients under the ongoing pandemic.Methods: We conducted a self-reported questionnaire survey via an online survey platform. SARS-CoV-2 infection-related data was collected from IBD patients. The status quo of medications and symptoms of the subjects were investigated. Life quality, depression, and anxiety were measured by clinical questionnaires and rated on scoring systems.Results: A total of 204 IBD patients from Hubei province were included in this study. No suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection case was found in this study. As a result of city shutdown, two-thirds of the patients (138/204) in our series reported difficulty in accessing medicines and nearly half of them (73/138) had to discontinue medications. Apart from gastrointestinal symptoms, systemic symptoms were common while respiratory symptoms were rare in the cohort. Though their quality of life was not significantly lowered, depression and anxiety were problems that seriously affected them during the COVID-19 epidemic.Conclusions: Inaccessibility to medications is a serious problem for IBD patients after city shutdown. Efforts have to be made to address the problems of drug withdrawal and psychological issues that IBD patients suffer from during the COVID-19 outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thermal insulation layer is often deposited on the lining structure of tunnels in cold regions to solve the problem of frost damage. When the air humidity in the tunnel becomes excessively high, the thermal insulation material tends to absorb water, leading to significant changes in thermal conductivity. Moreover, the temperature differences between the day and night cycles have been observed to be significant in portal sections of cold region tunnels, which facilitate the freeze-thaw cycle and, consequently, deteriorate the performance of the thermal insulation material. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the changes in the water absorption, thermal conductivity, and microstructure of polyurethane and polyphenolic insulation boards under freeze-thaw conditions. To this end, an indoor water absorption test was conducted for both the insulation boards till they were saturated, which then underwent a freeze-thaw cycle test. It was determined that the water absorption and thermal conductivities of these boards increased linearly with the number of freeze-thaw cycles. In order to explore the change of thermal conductivity of thermal insulation materials after moisture absorption, this study provides insights into the relationship between the thermal conductivities and water contents of tunnel insulation materials under normal and freezing temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction to extract soybean oil will produce soy protein hydrolysates (SPH) that have good antioxidant properties but are bitter and hygroscopic. To microencapsulate these hydrolysates, soy protein isolate/maltodextrin mixtures were used as the carrier. The effects of spray-drying and freeze-drying on the bitterness, hygroscopicity, and antioxidant properties were compared. The properties of different dried samples were compared using solubility, hygroscopicity, moisture content, water activity, flowability, and glass transition temperature (Tg). The results showed that the spray-drying was more effective than freeze-drying. Hygroscopicity was reduced to 18.2 g/100 g, and the Tg value was raised to 80.8°C. The morphology was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, and the antioxidant properties of the samples were measured using the ABTS˙+ radical scavenging activity. The results showed that spray-dried SPH had more carrier masking, which weakened bitterness, reduced moisture absorption, and had no significant negative impact on its oxidation resistance, solubility, and flowability, and spray-drying after carrier encapsulation of SPH improved the recovery rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reveal the influence of overwintering behaviour on the flavour of Scylla paramamosain, this study selected crabs of before and after overwintering in SM (Sanmen County, Zhejiang Province), HP (Hepu County, Guangxi Province) and WN (Wanning city, Hainan Province). The contents of flavouring‐related substances in hepatopancreas, muscles and gonads were determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); taste activity value (TAV) and equivalent umami concentration (EUC) were calculated. The results showed that sweetish amino acids were mainly accumulated in muscles, umami amino acids were mainly accumulated in hepatopancreas, free nucleotides were mainly accumulated in gonads, and the EUC value in gonads was the highest. After overwintering, the content of sweetish, umami amino acids and free nucleotides in muscle and hepatopancreas decreased significantly, while the content of flavour‐tasting amino acids in gonads did not change significantly, but the content of umami nucleotides increased significantly. Therefore, overwintering behaviour decreased the flavour of muscle and hepatopancreas, slightly enhanced gonad and the overall flavour of S. paramamosain before overwintering was better than that after overwintering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Neuropathic pain not only affects individual life quality but also increases economic burden for the society. Treatment to alleviate neuropathic pain is required. Methodology. Fifty rats were randomly assigned into sham, spinal nerve ligation, and three treatment groups with different doses of Tempol (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg, respectively), with 10 rats in each group. A neuropathic pain model was created with spinal nerve L5 and L6 ligation. Mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia were tested preoperatively (day 0) and postoperatively (days 1, 3, 5, and 7). Spinal cord levels of nitric oxide, as well as activities of nitric oxide synthase and acetylcholinesterase, were tested in postoperative day 7. Results. Compared with rats in the spinal nerve ligation group, rats in Tempol treatment groups had decreased responses to mechanical pain and cold plate stimulations. A high dose of Tempol produced more attenuating effects. The level of nitric oxide and activity of nitric oxide synthase were also decreased with Tempol treatments, whereas no significant changes were observed in the activity of acetylcholinesterase. Conclusions. Tempol attenuated an experimental rat model with neuropathic pain by inhibiting nitric oxide production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scylla paramamosain is a commercially important species distributed along the coast of southern China and other Indo-Pacific countries. Sudden salinity drop exceeding the adjustment capability of S. paramamosain can result in damage or even mortality. In our previous study, we had analyzed the mechanism of adapting sudden drop in salinity from the level of transcriptomics and proteomics, respectively. This study performed a correlation analysis of RNA sequencing transcriptomics and iTRAQ proteomics in order to investigate the adaptation mechanisms to sudden salinity drop from 23‰ to 3‰. There were 3954 correlations and a total of 15 correlations for differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from proteomics and transcriptomics. The correlation between DEPs and DEGs was 0, and the Spearman correlation coefficient of the same trend correlation for DEPs and DEGs was the highest, reaching 0.9080. KEGG pathway enrichment correlation revealed that protein digestion and absorption (Ko04974), proximal tubule bicarbonate (Ko04964), and bile secretion (Ko04976) played important roles in Na+/H+ and Na+/K+ exchange. In addition, important genes related to osmoregulation, such as ion transport and carbonic anhydrase, were also detected in the correlation analysis for same trend DEPs_DEGs. In conclusion, the proteome and transcriptome correlation results from this study indicate that ion transport plays a critical role in the adaptation of S. paramamosain to sudden reduction in salinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A generalized economic model with two kinds of agents (farmers and landlords) is investigated. Farmers produce grains by renting lands from landlords. The land which is not rented is cultivated by less productive landlords. The economy is assumed to be with extreme frictions so that there are no markets for agents to trade grains. The rental rate is determined by the equilibrium of the supply and demand. We consider the situation that farmers are likely to take more risk when the rental rate is low and have more risk aversion if the rate goes high. The psychological anticipation is taken into account in the setting of our model. Using the optimal control theory, the dynamic properties of the rental rate and its influence to the endogenous volatility are analyzed. Besides, we clarify that the rental market has an instinctive ability to dominate the anticipation of agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluid resuscitation could hardly be performed immediately after fatal hemorrhagic shock in outpatients. We investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli (ST36) could prevent fatal hemorrhagic shock induced heart failure with delayed fluid resuscitation and whether the protective role of EA is related to the autonomic nervous system. Sixty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups (n=12 each): group of sham hemorrhagic shock (SHAM), group of EA, group of sham EA (SEA), group of delayed fluid resuscitation with EA (EA + DR), and group of delayed fluid resuscitation with SEA (SEA + DR). After blood loss for 6 hours, caspase-3 activity and positive rate of TUNEL in EA + DR group were significantly lower than in other hemorrhagic shock groups (e.g., versus SEA + DR: 0.156±0.039 versus 0.301±0.042; P<0.05). Immediately EA treatment after the blood loss enhanced the protective effect of delayed resuscitation on the cardiac tissue of hemorrhagic shock rats. Considering the significant changes of epinephrine (137.8±6.9 ng/L versus 98.6±7.4 ng/L; P<0.05) and acetylcholine (405±8.6 pmol/L versus 341±10.1 pmol/L; P<0.05) after EA treatment (SEA + DR versus EA + DR), this cardiac protective effect may be related to regulation of the autonomic nervous system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafine Pd nanocrystals were grown on the cobalt phosphide (Co2P) decorated Vulcan XC-72 carbon (C/Co2P), which is realized by first implementing the corresponding metal precursor and then the further chemical reduction process. The as-synthesized C/Co2P/Pd composite was further constructed to form a gas permeable electrode. This electrode can be applied for formaldehyde (HCHO) detection. The results demonstrate that the Co2P nanocrystal can significantly improve the sensing performance of the C/Co2P/Pd electrode for catalytic oxidation of HCHO, which is considered to be attributed to the effective electron transfer from Co2P to Pd in the C/Co2P/Pd composites. Furthermore, the assembled C/Co2P/Pd sensor exhibits high sensitivity of 617 nA/ppm and good selectivity toward various interfering gases such as NO2, NO, SO2, CO2, and CO. It also shows the excellent linear response that the correlation coefficient is 0.994 in the concentration range of 1–10 ppm. Therefore, the proposed cost-effective C/Co2P/Pd nanocomposite, which owns advantages such as high activity and good stability, has the potential to be applied as an effective electrocatalyst for amperometric HCHO detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims. We want to investigate whether a novel noninvasive marker is suitable for Chinese CHB patients. Methods. A total of 160 treatment-naïve CHB patients who underwent liver biopsy were enrolled in our study, and we assessed the diagnostic accuracies of GPR, aspartate transaminase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), and the fibrosis index based on 4 factors (FIB-4) in them. Results. Of these 160 CHB patients, the numbers of F0, F1, F2, F3, and F4 are 34 (21.3%), 62 (38.8%), 18 (11.3%), 24 (15%), and 22 (13.8%), respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) of GPR for fibrosis (0.77 versus 0.70, P=0.03), significant fibrosis (0.70 versus 0.63, P=0.02), and extensive fibrosis (0.71 versus 0.64, P=0.02) were significantly higher than those of APRI. The AUROCs of GPR and Fib-4 for fibrosis (0.77 versus 0.75, P=0.14), significant fibrosis (0.70 versus 0.70, P=0.22), extensive fibrosis (0.71 versus 0.68, P=0.13), and cirrhosis (0.64 versus 0.67, P=0.24) were comparable. Conclusions. The GPR can be a routine laboratory marker to stage liver fibrosis in patients with CHB in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutual exclusion problems widely exist in discrete event systems in which several processes will compete for the common resource for maintaining their normal running. This competition is mutually exclusive. However, a special behavior, that is, periodic mutual exclusion behavior, is important for many discrete event systems. Once a process obtains the common resource, it will consecutively obtain the common resource in the following several competitions. The other processes should wait for the release of the common resource. All processes will compete for the common resource again after the common resource is released. These competitions have obvious periodicity. In this paper, a methodology is proposed to design periodic mutual exclusion supervisors to control the periodic mutual exclusion behavior in discrete event systems. Moreover, two original structural conversion concepts, called k-derivation and k-convergence processes, are proposed to construct the periodic mutual exclusion supervisors. The discussion results show that many undesirable execution sequences are forbidden since the periodic mutual exclusion behavior is controlled by the proposed periodic mutual exclusion supervisors. Finally, an example is used to illustrate the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activation of blood coagulation contributes to cancer progression. Tissue factor pathway inhibitor-1 (TFPI-1) is the main inhibitor of extrinsic coagulation pathway. The aim of this study is to assess the predicting significance of TFPI-1 for thrombotic complication and metastasis in lung cancer patients. Total of 188 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients were included in this study. Plasma TFPI-1, D-dimer (D-D), antithrombin (AT), Fibrinogen (Fbg), and coagulating factor VIII activity (FVIII:C) were measured. In NSCLC patients, significantly decreased TFPI-1 and AT and increased D-D, Fbg, and FVIII:C levels were observed, and there was a significant correlation between TFPI-1 and other hemostatic parameters (P<0.001, resp.). NSCLC patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or metastasis had significantly lower TFPI-1 levels than those without DVT or metastasis (P<0.01, resp.). Multivariate regression revealed that TFPI-1 acted as a predictor for DVT or tumor metastasis in NSCLC patients [OR: 4.15 or 3.28, P<0.05, resp.]. The area under ROC curve of TFPI-1 was 0.905 (95% CI, 0.842~0.967) or 0.828 (95% CI, 0.742~0.915) for predicting DVT or metastasis (P<0.001, resp.). The optimal point of TFPI-1 was 57.7 or 54.3 ng/mL for predicting DVT or metastasis, respectively. Combination of TFPI-1 and D-D measurements can improve the predicting power for DVT or metastasis in NSCLC patients. Our findings suggested that TFPI-1 was a valuable predictor of DVT and tumor metastasis in NSCLC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper selects improved maximum likelihood method to conduct parameter estimation of Heston model, and results show that the share option pricing performance of Hang Seng Index is better and pricing error of at-the-money options is the smallest. By comparing parameter estimation of samples in different intervals, it has been found that parameter estimated results of two-year market data are obviously inferior to estimated effect of one-year data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe burn injuries may result in gastrointestinal paralysis, and barrier dysfunction due to gut ischemia and lowered vagus excitability. In this study we investigate whether electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli (ST36) could prevent severe scalds-induced gut ischemia, paralysis, and barrier dysfunction and whether the protective role of EA at ST36 is related to the vagus nerve. 35% burn area rats were divided into six groups: (a) EAN: EA nonchannel acupoints followed by scald injury; (b) EA: EA at ST36 after scald injury; (c) VGX/EA: vagotomy (VGX) before EA at ST36 and scald injury; (d) VGX/EAN: VGX before EAN and scald injury; (e) atropine/EA: applying atropine before scald injury and then EA at ST36; (f) atropine/EAN: applying atropine before scald injury and then EA at nonchannel acupoints. EA at the Zusanli point significantly promoted the intestinal impelling ratio and increased the amount of mucosal blood flow after scald injury. The plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) and intestinal permeability decreased significantly after scald injury in the EA group compared with others. However, EA after atropine injection or cervical vagotomy failed to improve intestinal motility and mucosa blood flow suggesting that the mechanism of EA may be related to the activation of the cholinergic nerve pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the efficacy of dapagliflozin for diabetes mellitus complicated by coronary artery diseases and its impact on vascular endothelial function. Methods. Between August 2020 and August 2021, 80 patients with coronary heart disease complicated by type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited and randomly assigned to receive either dapagliflozin (5 mg daily) plus original oral hypoglycemic agents (dapagliflozin group) or original oral hypoglycemic agents alone (control group). Outcome measures included blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol levels, vascular endothelial function, cardiovascular events, and drug-related adverse events. Results. The two groups had similar outcome indices upon admission (P > 0.05). After 20 weeks of medication, the two groups of patients showed similar blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) levels versus those before treatment (P > 0.05), and no significant differences were found in intergroup comparison neither (P > 0.05). Dapagliflozin plus conventional hypoglycemic agents resulted in a significantly higher reactive hyperemia index (RHI) value, fewer cases with abnormal vascular endothelial function, and fewer major cardiovascular events during treatment versus the sole use of conventional hypoglycemic agents (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in drug-related adverse events between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion. Dapagliflozin improves the vascular endothelial functions of patients with diabetes mellitus complicated by coronary artery disease with a high safety profile and favorable efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a critical task to provide recommendation on implicit feedback, and one of the biggest challenges is extreme data sparsity. To tackle the problem, a graph kernel-based link prediction method is proposed in this paper for recommending crowdfunding projects combining graph computing with collaborative filtering. First of all, an investor-project bipartite graph is established based on transaction histories. Then, a random walk graph kernel is constructed and computed, and a one-class SVM classifier is built for link prediction based on implicit feedback. At last, top N recommendations are made according to the ranking of investor-project pairs. Comparative experiments are conducted and the results show that the proposed method achieves the best performance on extremely sparse implicit feedback and outperforms baselines. This paper is of help to improve the success rate of crowdfunding by personalized recommendation and is of significance to enrich the research in recommendation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Mongolian medicine is a systematic theoretical system, which is based on the balance among Heyi, Xila, and Badagan. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the characteristics of intestinal microbiota and metabolites in different rat models of Mongolian medicine. Methods. After establishing rat models of Heyi, Xila, and Badagan, we integrated 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomics. Results. Heyi, Xila, and Badagan rats had significantly altered intestinal microbial composition compared with rats in the MCK group. They showed 11, 18, and 8 significantly differential bacterial biomarkers and 22, 11, and 15 differential metabolites, respectively. The glucosinolate biosynthesis pathway was enriched only in Heyi rats; the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids pathway and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway were enriched only in Xila rats; the isoflavonoid biosynthesis pathway, the glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism pathway, and the arginine and proline metabolism pathway were enriched only in Badagan rats. Conclusions. The intestinal microbiota, metabolites, and metabolic pathways significantly differed among Heyi, Xila, and Badagan rats compared with control group rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scylla paramamosain is one of the commercially crucial marine crustaceans belonging to the genus Scylla, which is commonly distributed along the coasts of China. Proteomic data are scarce for the mud crab. Salinity is one of the ecological factors that affect S. paramamosain during overwintering. To understand the energy metabolism mechanism adapted to salinity, we analysed the proteomics of S. paramamosain hepatopancreas in response to two different salinities (4‰ and 25‰). A total of 1283 proteins were detected, of which 426 down‐regulated proteins and 83 up‐regulated proteins were associated with metabolism (p < 0.05). Among these proteins related to metabolic pathways (16 pathways), we identified angiotensin‐converting enzyme, trypsin, glutamate dehydrogenase, aminomethyl transferase, hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase, L‐lactate dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, alkaline phosphatase, catalase and xanthine dehydrogenases. Additionally, real‐time PCR showed mRNA expression of differentially expressed genes correlated positively with their protein levels. Compared with 25‰ salinity group, 4‰ salinity group was involved in amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism, lipid metabolism and inorganic ion metabolism by regulating related proteins, which made the metabolism of the overwintering S. paramamosain more vigorous in the low salt environment, and hepatopancreas consumed more energy to maintain life activities. These data are the first to reveal the molecular mechanism of overwintering S. paramamosain in response to different salinities at the protein level. The study provides important information for the aquaculture production of S. paramamosain during indoor overwintering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overwintering is an important part of the conservation of Scylla paramamosain, and salinity is a primary parameter affecting this species' metabolism at this particular time. We compared and analysed gene sequences responsible for the metabolism of S. paramamosain at 4‰ versus 25‰ salinities using transcriptome analysis, in order to find out the optimum salinity for S. paramamosain during overwintering. A total of 5895 genes were detected, of which 105 down‐regulated genes and 131 up‐regulated genes were associated with metabolism (p < 0.05). Among these genes related to metabolic pathways (117 pathways), we identified D‐aspartate oxidase, D‐amino acid oxidase, creatine kinase, sarcosine oxidase, citrate synthase, transferase, glycogen synthase, hexokinase, carbonic anhydrase, glutamine synthetase, V‐type H+‐transporting ATPase, 3′‐phosphoadenosine 5′‐phosphosulphate synthase, fatty acid synthase and others. Additionally, the consistency between qRT‐PCR results and transcriptome data reflected the reliability of transcriptome results in the present study. Compared with the 25‰ salinity group, the 4‰ salinity group promoted energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism by regulating metabolism‐related genes, which made the overwintering S. paramamosain more active in the low‐salt environment, and hepatopancreas consumed more energy to maintain life activities. These results improve our understanding on molecular mechanisms and metabolic pathways associated with salinity changes in S. paramamosain during overwintering. The data presented in this study are also the first to reveal the molecular mechanisms of S. paramamosain during overwintering in response to different salinities at the gene level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The microstructure and behaviors of the interface layer around the nanoparticle are strongly related to the overall thermophysical properties of molten salt‐based nanofluids (MSBNFs). Understanding this link may enable the advanced heat transfer fluid (HTF) for concentrated solar power and other applications. In this study, a molecular dynamics (MD) model for solar salt (60 wt% NaNO3/40 wt% KNO3)‐SiO2 nanofluid system is developed to estimate the characteristics of the interface layer and their effects on the overall specific heat capacity (SHC) and effective thermal conductivity (ETC) of MSBNFs. The results show that the SHC and thermal conductivity (TC) of the interface layer in MSBNFs are, respectively, 1.44‐1.85 and 1.05‐1.97 times higher than those of pure solar salt. The SHC of the interface layer has a significant effect on the overall SHC of the MSBNFs, but the interface layer is not the dominant influencing factor for the ETC enhancement of MSBNFs and thus has less effect on the overall ETC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overwintering is one of an important stage for aquatic animals, and light intensity has an important effect on the conservation of Scylla paramamosain during overwintering. Three different light intensity levels (0, 1.43 and 40.31 μmol m−2 s−1) were used to explore the effects of light intensity on digestion and immune responses, plasma cortisol and amino acid composition of S. paramamosain. This is the first report that the adult S. paramamosain can be effect by the light intensity. The results showed that S. paramamosain has a strong stress response under high light intensity. Compared with darkness condition, digestive enzyme activity was higher under light condition. S. paramamosain reared under low light conditions had enhanced immunity, and it raised in light conditions exhibited superior qualities to those cultured in dark conditions. The results of this study demonstrated that low light levels are most suitable for breeding and improving the quality of S. paramamosain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overwintering is an important part of the conservation of Scylla paramamosain, and salinity has an important effect on the conservation of S. paramamosain during overwintering. Three salinities (4‰, 12‰ and 25‰) were selected as the overwintering salinities to reveal the effects of different salinities on the relevant important ions in osmotic pressure regulation, plasma cortisol, digestive enzymes, immune enzymes and amino acids of S. paramamosain during indoor overwintering. Results indicated that after overwintering, Cl‐, Na+ and the osmotic pressure of serum have the highest salinity at 25‰, and the lowest salinity at 4‰. Na+/K+‐ATPase activity and cortisol were found to increase with decreasing salinity. The activity of digestive and immune enzymes was highest at 25‰, and was the lowest at 4‰. The amount of total amino acids (TAA), umami amino acids (UAA) and essential amino acids (EAA) in 25‰ were significantly higher than in 4‰ and 12‰. After overwintering, the essential amino acid index (EAAI) in the salinity range of 12–25‰ was 54.04–59.00, compared to 48.56–54.04 in the salinity range of 4–12‰. As a result, S. paramamosain at 25‰ had higher digestion and immunity than at 4‰ and 12‰, due to requiring more energy for osmotic pressure adjustment. In addition, S. paramamosain at 25‰ had the best meat quality. The results of this study are helpful for aquaculture production for indoor overwintering of S. paramamosain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three salinities (4‰, 12‰ and 25‰) were selected to determine the effects of different salinities on the growth, survival, nutrition and energy metabolism of Scylla paramamosain during indoor overwintering. Growth performance (survival rate, condition factor, hepatopancreatic index, weight gain rate and specific growth rate), nutrient composition (ash, moisture, crude fat, crude protein and total nitrogen), fatty acids, energy metabolites (glycogen, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and lactic acid) and energy metabolic enzymes (hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase) were measured and calculated. The results showed that S. paramamosain exhibited the best growth and survival at 25‰ and worst at 4‰ after overwintering. In addition to consuming crude fat, excess protein was also broken down to provide energy in the 4‰ and 12‰ groups. The content of unsaturated fatty acids in the 25‰ group was higher after overwintering. Glycogen and glucose consumption and triglycerides, cholesterol and lactic acid production were lowest in the 25‰ group. The activity of hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase was highest in the 4‰ group and lowest in the 25‰ group. The activity of hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase in the hepatopancreas was higher than in the muscle. In conclusion, S. paramamosain uses less energy, has more unsaturated fatty acids and has a higher survival rate at a salinity of 25‰ after overwintering. The results of this study provide helpful information the indoor overwintering S. paramamosain in aquaculture production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An "abnormal" female Scylla paramamosain, named "Butter crab" (B_♀) is more popular than wild‐type mud crab (CK) with people. Histologically, "butter crab" ovaries are partially degraded, with full of yellow oily substances in body. Composition of the essential nutritional components is quite similar in "butter crab" and CK. In a comparison of fatty acids, B_♀ is richer. A comparison of flavour amino acids and nucleotide in muscle showed that sweet amino acids and bitter amino acids in B_♀ is lower than CK_♀, but umami amino acids are significantly higher in B_♀. However, the umami amino acid content in the gonads is significantly less in B_♀ than CK_♀. Moreover, umami nucleotides in B_♀ muscle is significantly higher. From the perspective of EUC evaluation, the umami taste of CK_ ♀ gonads is strongest, followed by B_ ♀ gonads. In the hepatopancreas, the umami taste ranks CK_♀> B_♀ >CK_♂, and there are no significant differences among muscles in the three groups. In conclusion, the characteristics of "butter crab" are more fragrant and nutritious, with sweet and umami taste. The article systematically scientifically analysed the nutritional composition and flavour characteristics of "butter crab", providing a novel insight for development of S. paramamosain industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Civil aviation transportation equipment is more convenient and faster than other transportation tools and is an essential part of intelligent transportation. It is significant to study the reliability of positioning information and enhance traffic safety. Advanced receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (ARAIM) can provide vertical guidance during the different navigation stages in civil aviation fields. The traditional multiple hypothesis solution separation (MHSS) algorithm distributes the probability of hazardous misleading information (PHMI) and probability of false alarm (PFA) uniformly over all visible satellites resulting in reduced global availability of ARAIM. Aiming at this problem, we proposed an adaptive simulated annealing particle swarm optimization (ASAPSO) algorithm to redistribute integrity and continuity risks and establish a protection level optimization model. Based on the real BeiDou navigation satellite system/global positioning system (BDS/GPS) data, the experimental results show that the optimized algorithm can reduce the vertical protection level (VPL), and the ARAIM global availability of BDS/GPS is improved by 1.73%∼2.73%. The optimized algorithm can improve the availability of integrity monitoring at different stages of the navigation system and provide a basis for ensuring the reliability of the positioning results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. To investigate the effect of fecal microbiota transplantation on visceral hypersensitivity compared with Bifidobacterium longum. Methods. Mice visceral hypersensitivity was induced by Trichinella spiralis. After 8 weeks, they were divided into three groups (controls, Bifidobacterium longum, and fecal microbiota transplantation) and were daily treated by gavage with 0.2 ml PBS, Bifidobacterium longum HB55020, or fecal microbiota for 7 days. Visceral hypersensitivity was tested with abdominal withdrawal reflex. Permeability of colon epithelium was assessed with Ussing chamber. Results. After administration of Bifidobacterium longum, compared with mice in postinfectious group, mice had higher pain threshold (p<0.05). After administration of fecal microbiota, compared with mice in postinfectious group, mice had higher pain threshold (p<0.05). Fecal microbiota transplantation was as effective as Bifidobacterium in relieving visceral hypersensitivity. Administration of Bifidobacterium longum or fecal microbiota transplantation improved colon epithelium permeability. Expression of occluding-1 was increased. Conclusion. Manipulation of microbiota is effective in relieving visceral hypersensitivity. Fecal microbiota transplantation is as effective as Bifidobacterium longum administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) is recognized as a B-cell neoplasm arising from germinal center or postgerminal center B-cells. The hallmark of CHL is the presence of CD30 (+) Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells with dim expression of PAX5. Nearly all of the HRS cells are positive for PAX5. However, a small minority of HRS cells may lack PAX5 expression, which can cause a diagnostic dilemma. Herein we describe two cases of PAX5-negative CHL and review of the English literature on this very rare entity. It is crucial to be aware of this phenomenon, which in some cases may lead to misdiagnosis and may ultimately adversely affect patient’s management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by ventricular chamber enlargement and systolic dysfunction. The pathogenesis of DCM remains uncertain, and the TNNT2 gene is potentially associated with DCM. To assess the role of TNNT2 in DCM, we examined 10 tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the patients.~Background~Background~A total of 97 DCM patients and 189 control subjects were included in the study, and all SNPs were genotyped by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.~Methods~Methods~In the TNNT2 gene, there was a significant association between DCM and genotype for the tagging SNPs rs3729547 (¿(2) = 6.63, P = 0.036, OR = 0.650, and 95% CI = 0.453-0.934) and rs3729843 (¿(2) = 9.787, P = 0.008, OR = 1.912, and 95% CI = 1.265-2.890) in the Chinese Han population. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis showed that the SNPs rs7521796, rs2275862, rs3729547, rs10800775, and rs1892028, which are approximately 6 kb apart, were in high LD (D' > 0.80) in the DCM patients.~Results~Results~These results suggest that the TNNT2 polymorphisms might play an important role in susceptibility to DCM in the Chinese Han population.~Conclusion~Conclusions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Persistent inflammation has been recognized as an important comorbid condition in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with many complications, mortality, and progression of CKD. Previous studies have not drawn a clear conclusion about the anti-inflammatory effects of statins in CKD. This meta-analysis is aimed at assessing the anti-inflammatory effects of statins therapy in patients with CKD. Methods. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in these databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane library, and clinical trials) to identify the randomized controlled trials that assess the anti-inflammatory effects of statins. Subgroup, sensitivity, and trim-and-fill analysis were conducted to determine the robustness of pooled results of the primary outcome. Results. 25 eligible studies with 7921 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The present study showed that statins therapy was associated with a decreased C-reactive protein (CRP) (-2.06 mg/L; 95% CI: -2.85 to -1.27, p < 0.01). Subgroup, sensitivity, and trim-and-fill analysis showed that the pooled results of CPR were stable. Conclusion. This meta-analysis demonstrates that statins supplementation has anti-inflammatory effects in patients with CKD. Statins exert an anti-inflammatory effect that is clinically important in improving complications, reducing mortality, and slowing progression in CKD. We believe that the benefits of statins to CKD are partly due to their anti-inflammatory effects. However, stains usually are prescribed in the CKD patients with dyslipidemia, whether statins can reduce inflammation in CKD patients with normal serum lipid needed to explore in the future. Therefore, we suggest that randomized clinical trials need to assess the effect of statins in CKD patients with normal serum lipid. Whether statins can be prescribed for aiming to inhibit inflammation in CKD also needed further study. Trial Registration. The study protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO); registration number: CRD42022310334. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In real recommendation systems, implicit feedback data is more common and easier to obtain, and recommendation algorithms based on such data will be more applicable. However, implicit feedback data cannot directly express user preferences. Meanwhile, data sparsity caused by massive data is still an urgent problem to be solved in recommendation system. In response to this phenomenon, this paper proposes a deep collaborative filtering algorithm. In the perspective of implicit feedback, this method uses the advantages of convolutional neural network for effective learning of the nonlinear interaction of users and items and the characteristics of collaborative filtering algorithm for modeling the linear interaction of users and items and combines the two methods for recommendation. Finally, the baseline method is set up and the comparative experiment and parameter adjustment is carried out. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has significantly improved the recommendation accuracy on public dataset (Yahoo! Movie). The parameter adjustment results show that, under the condition of uniformly collecting negative feedback data and setting a certain number of convolution layers, the sparser the data is, the better the recommendation performs. As a result, this paper has made some progress in solving the problem of data sparsity and enriching the research of recommendation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been identified as a potential therapeutic approach to immune-related diseases. Here, we show that BMSC-derived exosomes promote FOXP3 expression and induce the conversion of CD4+ T cells into CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Treg cells, which is significant for immunosuppressive activity. We found that miR-181a-5p is upregulated in BMSC-derived exosomes and can be transferred to CD4+ T cells. In CD4+ cells, miR-181a directly targets SIRT1 and suppresses its expression. Moreover, downregulated SIRT1 enhances FOXP3 via protein acetylation. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that BMSC-derived exosomal miR-181a is critical in the maintenance of immune tolerance. Furthermore, our results reveal that BMSC-derived exosomal miR-181a induces the production of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Treg cells via SIRT1/acetylation/FOXP3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of low salinity on fatty acid and free amino acid (FAA) composition in muscles of swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus, were investigated in this study. The swimming crabs were reared for 5 weeks under two different experimental treatments (the 12 ppt group and the 24 ppt group). Then, composition of fatty acids and free amino acids in total muscles was measured using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) with external standard method and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer (LC‐MS) with internal standard method respectively. Results of fatty acid analysis showed that C18:1n9c, C20:5n3 (EPA) and C22:6n3 (DHA) were the dominating fatty acids in muscle tissues of P. trituberculatus. There was an extremely significant increase in contents of total fatty acids (TFA), total saturated fatty acids (SFA), total monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in muscle tissues of P. trituberculatus with low salinity treatment (12 ppt) compared with those cultured in seawater (24 ppt) (p < 0.01). Results of free amino acid analysis showed that the content of total free amino acids (TFAA) significantly decreased in muscle tissues of P. trituberculatus with low salinity treatment compared with those in seawater (p < 0.05). Among all flavour‐tasting FAAs, the umami FAA content was extremely significantly higher in low salinity group compared with control group (p < 0.01); the sweetish FAA content was significantly lower in low salinity group while the bitter taste of FAA content had no significant differences between two groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to clarify the changes in the thermophysical properties of rocks in deep high-temperature strata and their influence on the temperature field of the surrounding rocks, thermal property tests were conducted on rock samples taken from 1,500 to 2,000 m depth in the Xiling well construction area of Sanshandao gold mine. According to the difference equation based on the principle of heat balance, the numerical solution of unsteady heat conduction of surrounding rock can be deduced. In addition, we can explore the dynamic process of the heat-regulating ring that under ventilation measures in deep high geothermal strata and analyze its influence on the dynamic process based on the equation. The result of the research shows that the thermal conductivity of rock is mainly determined by the mineral composition and is influenced by factors such as mesostructure. Calcite and muscovite of granite have a great impact on lithology, even they just account for a relatively small percent. As the ground temperature increases step by step, the variation of the thermal conductivity of rock is less and the thermal diffusion coefficient of rock and its ability to transmit temperature changes both decrease. On the contrary, as the specific heat capacity of rock increases, its heat storage capability enhanced. Therefore, the expansion range of the heat-regulating ring of surrounding rock is influenced by mineral composition and the temperature of the environment, and the influence of the former is much greater than the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze heat effect in deep metal mines, it is crucial to understand the temperature field distribution around the mine tunnel. In this paper, a numerical model of the random mineral composition of the rock body is established based on finite element software to analyze the influence of the internal composition of the surrounding rock on the temperature field, and a numerical simulation model based on COMSOL finite element software is established based on the two heat exchange modes of heat conduction and heat convection in the surrounding rock. The results show that the numerical simulation results of a typical numerical simulation model using a single material are lower than the real situation; increasing the tunnel length does not increase the heat exchange efficiency between the rock wall and the air; increasing the wind velocity has a limited impact on the temperature field; the wind temperature more directly affects the mining surface; and the effect of wet air on the temperature field of the surrounding rock has a more substantial variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic method in regenerative medicine. Our previous research adopted a simple nonenzymatic strategy for the preparation of a new type of ready-to-use infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) cell concentrates. The aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic efficacy of intra-articular (IA) injection of autologous IPFP cell concentrates and allogeneic IPFP-MSCs obtained from these concentrates in a rabbit articular cartilage defect model. IPFP-MSCs sprouting from the IPFP cell concentrates were characterized via flow cytometry as well as based on their potential for differentiation into adipocytes, osteoblasts, and chondrocytes. In the rabbit model, cartilage defects were created on the trochlear groove, followed by treatment with IPFP cell concentrates, IPFP-MSCs, or normal saline IA injection. Distal femur samples were evaluated at 6 and 12 weeks posttreatment via macroscopic observation and histological assessment based on the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) macroscopic scoring system as well as the ICRS visual histological assessment scale. The macroscopic score and histological score were significantly higher in the IPFP-MSC group compared to the IPFP cell concentrate group at 12 weeks. Further, both treatment groups had higher scores compared to the normal saline group. In comparison to the latter, the groups treated with IPFP-MSCs and IPFP cell concentrates showed considerably better cartilage regeneration. Overall, IPFP-MSCs represent an effective therapeutic strategy for stimulating articular cartilage regeneration. Further, due to the simple, cost-effective, nonenzymatic, and safe preparation process, IPFP cell concentrates may represent an effective alternative to stem cell-based therapy in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are two predominant histological types of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), lacking effective early diagnostic markers. In this study, we assessed the diagnostic value of autoantibodies against p53, MMP-7, and Hsp70 in skin SCC and BCC. ELISA was performed to detect levels of autoantibodies in sera from 101 NMSC patients and 102 normal controls, who were recruited from the Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College. A receiver operator characteristic curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value. The serum levels of autoantibodies against p53, MMP-7, and Hsp70 were higher in NMSCs than those in the normal controls (all P < 0.01). The AUC of the three-autoantibody panel was 0.841 (95% CI: 0.788-0.894) with the sensitivity and specificity of 60.40% and 91.20% when differentiating NMSCs from normal controls. Furthermore, measurement of this panel could differentiate early-stage skin cancer patients from normal controls (AUC: 0.851; 95% CI: 0.793-0.908). Data from Oncomine showed that the level of p53 mRNA was elevated in BCC (P < 0.05), and the Hsp70 mRNA was upregulated in SCC (P < 0.001). This serum three-autoantibody panel might function in assisting the early diagnosis of NMSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interelement spacing of a coprime array breaks through the half-wavelength limitation, so that a larger array aperture can be obtained with a fixed number of array elements. In this paper, the symmetry of the noncircular signal is used to virtually expand the L-shaped array into an orthogonal cross array. Furthermore, the virtual received signal of the augmented array is obtained by the second-order statistic of the received data. Decoupling and dimension reduction of elevation and azimuth are realized by a z-axis subarray and y-axis subarray. Finally, the sparse reconstruction of the signal is realized by the minimum absolute convergence and selection operator method. This method can enlarge the aperture and freedom of array and has higher accuracy and resolution of DOA estimation. It has the advantages of automatic parameter pairing without additional pairing operation and is effective for coherent and incoherent signals. The final numerical simulation results prove the effectiveness of the method in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of heating temperature (70°C ~ 100°C) and time (0 ~ 180 min) on beef M. longissimus dorsi tenderness, the oxidation characteristics of myofibrillar protein (MP), and the correlation between tenderness with protein oxidation characteristics were studied. The results showed that heating temperature and time significantly influenced beef tenderness and MP oxidation characteristics. SDS‐PAGE analysis indicated that the thermal stability of actin was significantly higher than that of myosin heavy chain. Myosin heavy chain bands disappeared completely when heated for 120 min at 90°C or for 30 min at 100°C. The actin bands faded slightly and they were still clearly visible when heated for 180 min at 100°C. Correlation analysis showed that beef shear force value was significant negatively correlated with the dityrosine content (p <.01). This will provide a theoretical basis for the quality control and cooking process optimization of Chinese traditional beef stew dishes. Novelty impact statement: This study investigated the changes of beef tenderness and myofibrillar protein structure during stewing and elucidated the correlation between beef tenderness and myofibrillar protein structure. The results will provide a theoretical basis for the quality control and cooking process optimization of Chinese traditional beef stew dishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]