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Background: Cerebral perivascular spaces are part of the cerebral microvascular structure and play a role in lymphatic drainage and the removal of waste products from the brain. Relationships of the number and location of such spaces with cognition are unclear. Objective: To meta-analyze available data on potential associations of severity and location of perivascular spaces with cognitive performance. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and the Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials for relevant studies published between January 2000 and July 2023. Performance on different cognitive domains was compared to the severity of perivascular spaces in different brain regions using comprehensive meta-analysis. When studies report unadjusted and adjusted means, we use adjusted means for meta-analysis. The study protocol is registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42023443460). Results: We meta-analyzed data from 26 cross-sectional studies and two longitudinal studies involving 7908 participants. In most studies perivascular spaces was using a visual rating scale. A higher number of basal ganglia perivascular spaces was linked to lower general intelligence and attention. Moreover, increased centrum semiovale perivascular spaces were associated with worse general intelligence, executive function, language, and memory. Conversely, higher hippocampus perivascular spaces were associated with enhanced memory and executive function. Subgroup analyses revealed variations in associations among different disease conditions. Conclusions: A higher quantity of perivascular spaces in the brain is correlated with impaired cognitive function. The location of these perivascular spaces and the underlying disease conditions may influence the specific cognitive domains that are affected. Systematic review registration: The study protocol has been registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42023443460). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Centiloid project helps calibrate the quantitative amyloid-β (Aβ) load into a unified Centiloid (CL) scale that allows data comparison across multi-site. How the smaller regional amyloid converted into CL has not been attempted. We first aimed to express regional Aβ deposition in CL using [18F]Flutemetamol and evaluate regional Aβ deposition in CL with that in standardized uptake value ratio (SUVr). Second, we aimed to determine the presence or absence of focal Aβ deposition by measuring regional CL in equivocal cases showing negative global CL. Methods: Following the Centiloid project pipeline, Level-1 replication, Level-2 calibration, and quality control were completed to generate corresponding Centiloid conversion equations to convert SUVr into Centiloid at regional levels. In equivocal cases, the regional CL was compared with visual inspection to evaluate regional Aβ positivity. Results: 14 out of 16 regional conversions from [18F]Flutemetamol SUVr to Centiloid successfully passed the quality control, showing good reliability and relative variance, especially precuneus/posterior cingulate and prefrontal regions with good stability for Centiloid scaling. The absence of focal Aβ deposition could be detected by measuring regional CL, showing a high agreement rate with visual inspection. The regional Aβ positivity in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex was most prevalent in equivocal cases. Conclusion: The expression of regional brain Aβ deposition in CL with [18F]Flutemetamol has been attempted in this study. Equivocal cases had focal Aβ deposition that can be detected by measuring regional CL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metallic plasmonic array that can support both propagating surface plasmon polaritons (PSPPs) and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) possesses rich optical properties and remarkable optical performance, making it a powerful platform for applications in photonics, chemistry, and materials. For practical applications, the excitation spot is usually smaller than the area of metal arrays. It is thus imperative to address "how many array units are enough?" towards a rational design of plasmonic nanostructures. Herein, we employed focused ion beam (FIB) to precisely fabricate a series of plasmonic array structures with increased unit number. By utilizing photoluminescence (PL) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), we found that the array units outside the excitation spot still have a significant impact on the optical response within the spot. Combined with the numerical simulation, we found that the boundary of the finite array leads to the loss of PSPP outside the excitation point, which subsequently affects the coupling of PSPP and LSPR in the excitation spot, leading to variations in PL and SERS intensity. Based on the findings, we further tuned the LSPR mode of the metal arrays by electrodeposition to obtain strong near-field enhancement without any influence on the PSPP mode. This work advances the understanding of near-field and far-field optical behavior in finite-size array structures and provides guidance for designing highly-efficient photonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer has become one of the most important causes of human death. In particular, the 5 year survival rate of patients with digestive tract cancer is low. Although chemotherapy drugs have a certain efficacy, they are highly toxic and prone to chemotherapy resistance. With the advancement of antitumor research, many natural drugs have gradually entered basic clinical research. They have low toxicity, few adverse reactions, and play an important synergistic role in the combined targeted therapy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. A large number of studies have shown that the active components of Paris polyphylla (PPA), a common natural medicinal plant, can play an antitumor role in a variety of digestive tract cancers. In this paper, the main components of PPA such as polyphyllin, C21 steroids, sterols, and flavonoids, amongst others, are introduced, and the mechanisms of action and research progress of PPA and its active components in the treatment of various digestive tract cancers are reviewed and summarized. The main components of PPA have been thoroughly explored to provide more detailed references and innovative ideas for the further development and utilization of similar natural antitumor drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, coal miners are the primary workforce in coal mining, and among all patients with occupational diseases, 90% suffer from pneumoconiosis. Therefore, the psychological problems resulting from the dual pressures of occupational stress and the high risk of occupational diseases among coal miners are significant factors that affect the development of physical and mental health and even production safety. The Crown–Crisp Experience Index (CCEI) is a multidimensional questionnaire that assesses the psychological state of patients. This study aims to test reliability and validity of Chinese version of the CCEI questionnaire using factor analysis, and apply it to coal miners. We recruited a total of 900 participants from different occupational stages in coal mining, including active miners, Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis (CWP) patients, and retired miners, to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the CCEI questionnaire. A questionnaire survey was conducted on three groups of 1000 individuals each, including active coal miners, retired coal miners, and pneumoconiosis patients, to determine the detection rate of psychological problems in each group. An analysis was performed for each group to explore the primary factors influencing anxiety. The exploratory factor analysis yielded six principal components that accounted for a total of 79.389% of variances. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the Chi-square freedom ratio (χ2/df) was 1.843, the root mean square error approximation was less than 0.044, and the comparative fit index was 0.938 and Tucker–Lewis index (TLI) was 0.934. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.948, and the scale-level content validity index (S-CVI) was 0.88. Effective questionnaires were obtained from 98.5%, 96.9%, to 91.0% of pneumoconiosis patients, active miners, and retired miners, respectively, with the incidence rates of psychological problems being 21%, 35.8%, and 13.6%, respectively. Compared with retired miners, active miners showed higher levels of psychological problems in the dimensions of depressive symptoms, free-floating anxiety and somatic symptoms, whereas pneumoconiosis patients had higher levels of psychological problems in the dimensions of phobic anxiety and somatic symptoms. This study demonstrates that the Chinese version of the CCEI is highly reliable and valid and can be used as a screening tool to measure patients' anxiety and fear levels in coal minders. Miners face distinct psychological challenges at different stages and require targeted screening and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence suggests that chronic inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD); however, the precise pathogenic stressors and sensors, and their impact on disease progression remain unclear. Several studies have demonstrated that type I interferon (IFN) response is activated in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of AMD patients. Previously, we demonstrated that human RPE cells can initiate RNA-mediated type I IFN responses through RIG-I, yet are unable to directly sense and respond to DNA. In this study, we utilized a co-culture system combining primary human macrophage and iPS-derived RPE to study how each cell type responds to nucleic acids challenges and their effect on RPE barrier function in a homotypic and heterotypic manner. We find that DNA-induced macrophage activation induces an IFN response in the RPE, and compromises RPE barrier function via tight-junction remodeling. Investigation of the secreted cytokines responsible for RPE dysfunction following DNA-induced macrophages activation indicates that neutralization of macrophage-secreted TNFα, but not IFNβ, is sufficient to rescue RPE morphology and barrier function. Our data reveals a novel mechanism of intercellular communication by which DNA induces RPE dysfunction via macrophage-secreted TNFa, highlighting the complexity and potential pathological relevance of RPE and macrophage interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Central South University is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Anterior vertebral body tethering (AVBT) was introduced as a fusionless alternative to treating adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) while preserving range of motion (ROM). This is the first systematic review to compare the ROM outcomes between AVBT and PSF in treating AIS. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search on PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library. Inclusion criteria were patients with AIS treated with AVBT or PSF or both, and clearly defined ROM outcomes; exclusion criteria were scoliosis other than AIS, biomechanical or cadaveric studies, non-English publications, case reports, conference summaries, unpublished literature, commentaries, and reviews. Primary outcome was ROM. Secondary outcomes included Cobb angle correction, quality of life (QOL), complications, and muscle strength and endurance. Results: Twelve studies were included in this review. We found moderate evidence to support that AVBT results in superior ROM outcomes than PSF while achieving comparable Cobb angle correction with low evidence. The comparison of QOL outcomes between AVBT and PSF remained inconclusive. In addition to the complications noted conventionally in PSF, AVBT could result in over-correction and distal adding-on. We also found very low evidence to support that AIS patients treated with AVBT have superior muscle strength and endurance when compared to those treated with PSF. Conclusions: AVBT provides better preservation of ROM and muscle strength postoperatively when compared with PSF, while achieving comparable curve correction. Future studies should explore the spinal growth trajectory to determine the window of opportunity for AVBT in AIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Our study examined the association between the initial systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) and respiratory failure in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Methods: The weighted linear regression model, weighted chi-square test, logistic regression models, smooth curve fittings, and the two-piece linear regression model were utilized for data analysis. Results: Among the 443 GBS patients, 75 (6.9%) had experienced respiratory failure. According to logistic regression models, there existed no consistent linear relationship between respiratory failure and SIRI in model 1 (OR = 1.2, p < 0.001), model 2 (OR = 1.2, p < 0.001), and model 3 (OR = 1.3, p = 0.017). However, smooth curve fittings found an S-like curve relationship between SIRI and respiratory failure. Furthermore, when SIRI was < 6.4, there existed a positive correlation between SIRI and respiratory failure in model 1 (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = (1.3, 1.8), p < 0.0001), higher correlation in model 2 (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = (1.3, 1.8), p < 0.0001), and highest correlation in model 3 (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = (1.3, 2.5), p < 0.0001). Conclusions: SIRI can be used as a predictor of respiratory failure in GBS, and an S-like relationship exists between SIRI and respiratory failure at an infliction point of 6.4. When the SIRI was less than 6.4 and increased, SIRI was associated with a higher occurrence of respiratory failure. The risk of respiratory failure was no longer increased when the SIRI was over 6.4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renal cancer is a common malignancy of the urinary system, and renal clear cell carcinoma (RCCC) is the most common pathological type. Transmembrane channel-like (TMC) protein is an evolutionarily conserved gene family containing 8 members, however there is still a lack of comprehensive analysis about TMC family members in RCCC. In this study, we analyzed the expression of TMC family members in RCCC from TCGA and investigated the prognosis values and immune infiltration of TMC family members in RCCC. We found that TMC2, TMC3, TMC5, TMC7 and TMC8 were significantly related with overall survival (OS) of RCCC patients. TMC3, TMC6, and TMC8 was positively correlated with the degree of immune infiltration in RCCC. TMC2, TMC6, TMC7, and TMC8 were positively correlated with immune checkpoint genes, whereas TMC4 was negative. According to KEGG and GO analysis, almost all TMCs except TMC4 were involved in the immune response. Thus, we may regard the TMC family members as novel biomarkers to predict potential prognosis and immunotherapeutic response in RCCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the dense Cr and Cr0.92Si0.08 coatings have been deposited on Zircaloy-4 substrates by the magnetron sputtering technique. The high-temperature oxidation resistance of coatings is evaluated in 1200 °C steam for 1–4 h. The Cr0.92Si0.08 coating shows better oxidation resistance than the Cr coating. The in-situ formed Zr2Si diffusion barrier inhibits the mutual diffusion of Cr and Zr. And the formation of a Cr2O3/SiO2 double-layer scale effectively improves the oxidation resistance of a single Cr2O3 layer. The formation of the in-situ diffusion barrier, Cr2O3/SiO2 scales and oxidation protection mechanisms of the Cr0.92Si0.08 coating have been discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Xujiaweizi Fault Depression has experienced multiple stages of tectonic activity and its geological conditions are complex. Palaeogeomorphic restoration can provide a new idea for efficient exploration of oil and gas. At present, there is no systematic study on paleo-geomorphology restoration in the Anda Sag of the northern Xujiaweizi Fault Depression. In this paper, a large number of drilling and seismic data have been used to study the fault activity characteristics and genesis mechanism of the Anda Sag based on the structural analysis theory. Furthermore, the paleogeomorphology of the Anda Sag was restored. The study shows that the NE and NW trending preexisting boundary normal faults and the near E-W trending extensional activities controlled the formation and development of the Xujiaweizi Fault Depression. The Shahezi Formation had low extensional intensity in the early stage and was dominated by NE and NW trending fault activities. In the late period, it was dominated by S-N trending fault activities with high extensional intensity. The mechanism of formation denudation in the Anda Sag includes regional uplift and reverse extrusion deformation. The distribution of fault depression structures and main troughs of the Shahezi Formation in the Anda Depression have good inheritance characteristics. The denudation of the edge strata and the inner extrusion reversed zone is relatively serious, and most of the residual strata are in the delta front and lacustrine sedimentary development areas. Therefore, effective source rocks are developed in the residual formation areas, which are conducive to the formation of deep self-source gas reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I DAMAGET i is utilized to correlate with vulnerability value ( I V i ) in this study using Equation (10): 10 HT ht Graph B 3.4. Correction: Optimizing high-performance fber-reinforced cementitious composites for improving bridge resilience and sustainability Robustness of the bridge is calculated as: 14 HT ht Graph The bridge collapsed on March 15, 2018, and the road was closed until March 24, 2018, when the debris was cleaned. [Extracted from the article]

Given the complexity of tumorigenesis, numerous studies have also shown that excessive exposure to heavy metals increases the risk of cancers and disrupts the secretion of sex hormones. However, the specific effects of heavy metals on cancers remain to be proven. To confirm the association between heavy metals and pan-cancer sex hormone levels among adults, 94,337 individuals from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were assessed. We examined the associations between pan-cancers associated with sex hormones (ovarian, testicular, breast, and prostate cancers) and heavy metals in blood/urine. The methods (the WQS (weighted quantile sums) and SVYGLM (survey generalized linear model) regressions) were used to evaluate the association between sex hormone-related cancers and each metal category by incorporating covariates. To evaluate the overall effect of heavy metals and detect the dose–response relationship between the prevalence of pan-cancers associated with sex hormones and heavy metals, RCS (restricted cubic splines) were applied. Environmental exposure to heavy metals may be associated with pan-cancers associated with sex hormones in adults in the USA. Prostate cancer was inversely associated with blood cadmium while positively associated with blood lead, urinary tin, and thallium. Breast cancer was inversely associated with blood lead. Ovarian cancer was positively associated with blood cadmium. We also found a non-linear dose–response relationship between pan-cancers associated with sex hormones and heavy metals, which was non-parametric, using RCS models. The OR for breast cancer decreased along with the increase in lead concentration under approximately 20 µg/dl, while the OR for prostate cancer increased between urine thallium levels of approximately 0.17–1.1 ng/ml. Pan-cancers associated with sex hormones are associated with exposure to heavy metals. Considering the design of the NHANES study, further studies need to be conducted on other nationally representative surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commuting flow prediction is a crucial issue for transport optimization and urban planning. However, the two existing types of solutions have inherent flaws. One is traditional models, such as the gravity model and radiation model. These models rely on fixed and simple mathematical formulas derived from physics, and ignore rich geographic semantics, which makes them difficult to model complex human mobility patterns. The other is the machine learning models, most of which simply leverage the features of Origin-Destination (OD), ignoring the topological nature of the interaction network and the spatial correlation brought by the nearby areas. In this paper, we propose a 'preprocessing-encoder-decoder' hybrid learning model, which can make full use of geographic semantic information and spatial neighborhood effects, thereby significantly improving the prediction performance. Specifically, in the preprocessing part, we divide the study area into grids, and then incorporates features such as location, population, and land use types. The second step of the encoder designs a convolutional neural network (CNN) to achieve the fusion of neighborhood features, constructs a spatial interaction network with the grids as nodes and the flows as edges, and then uses the graph convolutional network (GCN) to extract the embeddings of the nodes. In the last step of the decoder, a random forest regressor is trained to predict the commuting flow based on the learned embedding vectors. An empirical study on a commuter dataset in Beijing shows that our proposed model is approximately 20% better than XGBoost (state-of-the-art), thus proving its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To quantitatively reveal how rock blocks falling into water affect the impulse waves, the influence of a rigid block on induced first wave and second wave is systematically investigated. The block characteristics include the initial velocity, density, volume, and incident angle, and the investigated wave behavior characteristics include the maximum kinetic energy of the water, the transformation ratio of the kinetic energy from the block to the waves, the duration of the waves, the maximum movement speed, and the maximum height and width of the waves. The coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian method (CEL) is introduced to establish the numerical models of the fluid-solid coupling, and a laboratory test of a rigid wedge sliding into water demonstrates that it can reasonably describe the dynamic behavior of a landslide-induced wave. A typical process of a block entering water and its energy variation are described and analyzed in detail. Further, the relationship between each characteristic parameter of the block and the waves is quantitatively investigated and fitted. The simulation results show that energy exchange between the block and the water is very rapid after the block collides with the water. The maximum kinetic energy, maximum velocity, duration, and side dimension of the waves mainly increase non-linearly with the above characteristic parameters of the block. The transformation ratio of the kinetic energy from the block to the water, the first wave, and the second wave are usually below 60%, 45%, and 30%, respectively. The velocity of the block first decreases and then maintains a constant speed after entering the water. The displacement of the block increases linearly with the initial velocity and density of the block and exponentially increases with the block volume at different times. With the increase in the incident angle of the block, the kinetic energy and scale of the second wave increase correspondingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites (HPFRCC) have shown benefits in improving infrastructure resilience but often compromises sustainability due to the higher upfront cost and carbon footprint compared with conventional concrete. This paper presents a framework to optimize HPFRCC for improving bridge resilience and sustainability. This research considers ultra-high-performance concrete and strain-hardening cementitious composite featuring high mechanical properties, ductility, and damage tolerance. This paper establishes links between resilience, sustainability, mechanical properties of HPFRCC, and HPFRCC mixtures. The investigated mechanical properties include the first crack stress, ultimate tensile strength, and ultimate tensile strain. With the established links, sustainability is maximized while resilience is retained by optimizing HPFRCC mixtures. The framework is implemented into a case study of a bridge that collapsed during construction. Results show that use of HPFRCC enhances resilience, and HPFRCC mixtures can be engineered to minimize the material cost and carbon footprint while retaining high resilience. Highlights: ● A practical framework is presented to improve bridge resilience and sustainability. ● High-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites are tailored in the framework. ● Effects of mechanical strength and ductility of materials on bridge resilience are evaluated. ● Material cost and carbon footprint are minimized while bridge resilience is improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The WE43 magnesium alloy was prepared by squeeze casting, and the influence of squeeze casting parameters on mechanical properties and corrosion resistance was studied and compared with gravity casting. The gravity cast WE43 alloy shows uneven grain size distribution, and some grains even greater than 90 µm. While, the grain size of the squeeze cast WE43 alloy is mainly distributed in 20–50 µm. The Mg12Nd2Y phase morphology changes from large lamellar to strips after squeeze casting, whereas Mg24Y5 phase exhibits no obvious change. The yield strength, tensile strength, and elongation of the gravity cast WE43 alloy are 127 MPa, 157 MPa, and 6%, respectively, and 145 MPa, 193 MPa, and 9.1% for squeeze cast alloy. For the squeeze cast WE43 alloy, the average corrosion rate is 0.6056 mm·year−1 according to immersion test results, and according to electrochemical measurements, the corrosion current density is 78.13 µA·cm−2, which is better than that of the gravity cast WE43 alloy. Compared with gravity casting, the grains and second phase of the WE43 alloy by squeeze casting are refined, and the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance are improved. This may expand the applications of the WE43 alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original online version of this article was revised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Wen-Luo-Tong Granules (WLT) local administration in the treatment of patients with peripheral neuropathy (PN) induced by chemotherapy or target therapy. Methods: This study is a randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled trial. Seventy-eight patients with PN induced by chemotherapy or target therapy were enrolled from China-Japan Friendship Hospital between July 2019 and January 2020. They were randomly assigned to WLT (39 cases) and control groups (39 cases) using a block randomization method. The WLT group received WLT (hand and foot bath) plus oral Mecobalamin for 1 week, while the control group received placebo plus oral Mecobalamin. The primary endpoint was PN grade evaluated by the National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE). The secondary endpoints included quantitative touch-detection threshold, neuropathy symptoms, Quality of Life Questionnaire-Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (QLQ-CIPN20), and Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core30 (QLQ-C30). Results: After treatment, the PN grade in the WLT group was significantly lower than that in the control group (1.00 ± 0.29 vs. 1.75 ± 0.68, P<0.01). The total effective rate in the WLT group was significantly higher than that in the control group (82.05% vs. 51.28%, P<0.01). Compared with the control group, the touch-detection thresholds at fingertips, neuropathy symptom score, QLQ-CIPN 20 (sensory scale, motor scale, autonomic scale, and sum score), and QLQ-C30 (physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, and global health) in the WLT group significantly improved after treatment (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Conclusion: WLT local administration was significantly effective in the treatment of patients with PN induced by chemotherapy or target therapy. (Trial registration No. ChiCTR1900023862) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the incremental diagnostic value of 18F-Flutemetamol PET following MRI measurements on an unselected prospective cohort collected from a memory clinic. A total of 84 participants was included in this study. A stepwise study design was performed including initial analysis (based on clinical assessments), interim analysis (revision of initial analysis post-MRI) and final analysis (revision of interim analysis post-18F-Flutemetamol PET). At each time of evaluation, every participant was categorized into SCD, MCI or dementia syndromal group and further into AD-related, non-AD related or non-specific type etiological subgroup. Post 18F-Flutemetamol PET, the significant changes were seen in the syndromal MCI group (57%, p < 0.001) involving the following etiological subgroups: AD-related MCI (57%, p < 0.01) and non-specific MCI (100%, p < 0.0001); and syndromal dementia group (61%, p < 0.0001) consisting of non-specific dementia subgroup (100%, p < 0.0001). In the binary regression model, amyloid status significantly influenced the diagnostic results of interim analysis (p < 0.01). 18F-Flutemetamol PET can have incremental value following MRI measurements, particularly reflected in the change of diagnosis of individuals with unclear etiology and AD-related-suspected patients due to the role in complementing AD-related pathological information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the imaginary highest weight modules and the imaginary Whittaker modules for the affine Nappi—Witten algebra. We show that simple singular imaginary Whittaker modules at level (κ, c)(κ ∈ ℂ✭) are simple imaginary highest weight modules. The necessary and sufficient conditions for these imaginary modules to be simple are given. All simple imaginary modules are classified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the combined anti-inflammatory effect of activating blood circulation and detoxifying Chinese medicines in unstable angina (UA) patients. Methods: This study was an open-labeled, randomized controlled trial conducted in 5 centers in Beijing. A total of 154 patients were randomized into two groups at a 1:1 ratio by random numbers. Based on the conventional treatment, patients in the activating blood circulation (ABC) group were treated with Guanxin Danshen Droping Pill (冠心丹参滴丸, 0.4 g, thrice daily), and patients in the activating blood circulation and detoxifying (ABCD) group were treated with Guanxin Danshen Droping Pill (0.4 g, thrice daily) and Andrographis tablet (0.2 g, thrice daily) for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the serum level of high sensitive C reaction protein (hs-CRP), and the secondary outcome index included the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), thrombomodulin (TM), the score of angina pectoris, the score of blood stasis syndrome, and the score of Chinese medicine symptoms, observed at week 0 and week 4. Results: A total of 144 patients completed the trial (ABC group, n=70; ABCD group, n=74). There were no significant differences in the clinical baseline characteristics between the two groups. When compared with the ABC group, ABCD group showed better performance in reducing the level of inflammatory factors, especially hs-CRP (P<0.05), IL-6 (P<0.01) and TNF-α (P<0.01). In term of clinical symptoms, ABCD group played a better role in improving the scores of angina pectoris and blood stasis syndrome than ABC group (all P<0.05). Conclusions: The combination of Guanxin Danshen Dropping Pill and Andrographis tablet exert significant anti-inflammatory effect on UA patients, which is superior to single Guanxin Danshen Dropping Pill. (Registration No. ChiCTR-TRC-13004072) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quality of life questionnaire specific to sarcopenia (SarQoL®) was successfully developed. There is a huge demand for translation and validation in Chinese. The aim of this study was to translate the SarQoL® into Chinese and investigate its psychometric properties. The translation and cross-cultural adaptation process recommended by the developers of the initial questionnaire was followed. A total of 159 participants were investigated. The translation process consists of five steps: (1) two bilinguals independently translate initial English to Chinese; (2) synthesize the two translations into one; (3) backward translations; (4) expert committee review and (5) test of the pre-final version. The validation consists of three parts: (1) validity (discriminative power, construct validity); (2) reliability (internal consistency, test–retest reliability) and (3) floor and ceiling effects. There was no difficulty in translation process. Regarding the validity, good discriminant validity {quality of life for sarcopenic subjects [35.56 (29.73–42.70)] vs. non-sarcopenic ones [73.22 (60.09–82.90)], p < 0.001} and consistent construct validity [high correlations (spearman's r) of SarQoL® with generic Short Form-36 version 2 questionnaire (0.250 to 0.824) and EuroQoL-5-Dimension questionnaire (− 0.114 to − 0.823)] were found in SarQoL®. Regarding reliability, high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.867) and excellent test–retest reliability (intraclass coefficient correlation was 0.997, 95% CI 0.994–0.998) were found. No ceiling/floor effect was reflected. A valid SarQoL® questionnaire is now available for Chinese population. It can provide a better understanding of the sarcopenia disease burden and serve as a therapeutic outcome indicator in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Central South University is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Optical power cable (OPC) current sensing models and experiments based on the optical transmission properties of magnetic fluids are proposed. Firstly, the models of OPC, magnetic fluid current sensor and OPC current sensing are established. Secondly, the relationship between the magnetic field and the current of the OPC is demonstrated. Finally, the relationship between the optical transmission properties of magnetic fluids and the OPC current is studied. The results show that there is a good linear relationship between the transmitted power and the current of the OPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Alteration" geologically refers to chemical composition and/or structural changes of minerals under the influences of hydrothermal fluids, surface water, seawater, or other environmental conditions. In this paper, we use the word "alteration" to refer to chemical component and structural changes in jade artifacts caused by human activity and natural weathering, which is different from the term in geology. "Mercury alteration", a kind of black alteration related to Hg, is unique among the several types of alteration that occur in Chinese ancient jades. Mercury alteration often appears on ancient jade artifacts unearthed from high-grade tombs of the pre-Qin period (before 221 B.C.). Therefore, ancient jades with mercury alteration have attracted substantial attention from Chinese archaeologists. This paper reports the use of materials analytic techniques to study such ancient jade fragments. The studied jade samples date to the middle and late periods of the Spring and Autumn Period (~500 B.C.) and were unearthed from Lizhou'ao Tomb in Jiangxi Province, China. Structural analyses revealed the internal microstructure of the ancient jade fragments and the microdistribution of the mercury alteration. The jade fragments exhibit typical characteristics of round holes and structural hierarchy, which imply that the jades were heated before burial. The black alteration on these jade samples was found to be rich in Hg. The results of this study will be widely useful in the study of ancient jade artifacts and jade culture in Chinese archeology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peritoneal fibrosis is recognised as the main cause of the technical failure of peritoneal dialysis (PD), and currently, there are no specific and effective anti-fibrosis therapies. We have found that miR-200a is down-regulated in a rat model of PD-related peritoneal fibrosis (PF) and could inhibit transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in peritoneal mesothelial cells by target ZEB1/2. However, its treatment role in vivo is still largely unclear. In this study, we examined the therapeutic potential for miR-200a on PD-related PF in a rat model of PD induced by daily infusion of 4.25% dextrose-containing dialysate. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control group, PD group, PD + miR-agomir-NC group, and PD + miR-200a-agomir group (n = 5 in each group). MiR-200a agomir was delivered into the peritoneum by intra-peritoneal injection on days 10 and 20 after PD. We found that treatment with miR-200a agomir significantly reduced the collagen volume fraction (CVF) of the peritoneum and prevented peritoneal dysfunction. The up-regulation of the EMT marker (decreased E-cadherin and increased α-smooth muscle actin) and extracellular matrix (fibronectin and collagen I) was significantly ameliorated by miR-200a in the PD + miR-200a-agomir group. Furthermore, we demonstrated that miR-200a inhibition of PF in vivo was associated with the suppression of ZEB1 and 2, which were proved to be the target of miR-200a in our previous study. In conclusion, results from the present study suggest that treatment with miR-200a may represent a novel and effective therapy for PD-related PF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epileptogenesis, induced by status epilepticus (SE), is a chronic process, and intervention in this progress may prevent chronic epilepsy. It has been proposed that DNA methylation might be related with epileptogenesis. RASgrf1 has a differentially methylated region at the promoter which can silence gene expression. We have previously observed the down-regulation of RASgrf1 in epilepsy patients and proved that hypermethylation of RASgrf1 reaches maximal level at the latent period in mice after kainate-induced SE (KA mice), with corresponding alteration of RASgrf1 expression. In the present study, N-phthalyl-L-tryptophan (RG108), a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, was applied in KA mice at latent phase and the behavior, electroencephalogram and pathological changes were observed in chronic phase. Methylation and expression of RASgrf1 were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blotting, and bisulfite sequencing PCR. The results showed that the incidence of spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) was significantly lower in the RG108 group than the normal saline (NS) group. Subgroup analysis showed significant hypermethylation and lower expression of RASgrf1 in the RG108-SRS subgroup and the NS-SRS subgroup but not in the RG108-NSRS (no SRS) subgroup and the NS-NSRS subgroup compared with the control group. No significant difference was found between the RG108-SRS and NS-SRS subgroups. Meanwhile, hippocampal neuronal loss was observed in RG108-SRS and NS-SRS subgroups. We thus demonstrated that RG108 could modify the progression of epileptogenesis after KA induced SE and prevent chronic epilepsy. Meanwhile, hypermethylation of RASgrf1 after KA induced SE could be reversed with corresponding changes of RASgrf1 expression. Additionally, we speculated that RASgrf1 might be a potential epigenetic mediator in epileptogenesis and chronic epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor drug response of sorafenib is a major challenge which reduces clinical benefit of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients. It is therefore of great clinical significance to elucidate the underlying mechanism to restore the therapeutic response to sorafenib.Methods: Angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) protein levels were measured by western blot and immunohistochemistry in two cohorts of RCC patients. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments were performed to investigate the biological roles of ANGPTL3 in response to sorafenib treatment in RCC cells. Human proteome microarray and immunoprecipitation analysis were performed to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the functions of ANGPTL3.Results: ANGPTL3 was upregulated in sorafenib-responsive RCC, which correlated with clinically good sorafenib response. Knockdown of ANGPTL3 conferred sorafenib-tolerance traits to RCC cells, whereas overexpression of ANGPTL3 restored sorafenib sensitivity in RCC cells. Mechanistically, ANGPTL3 bound to Focal Adhesion Kinase(FAK) and restained sorafenib induced nuclear translocation of FAK, leading to attenuate the ubiquitination of p53, which contributed to cellular apoptosis and enhanced sorafenib response.Conclusions: ANGPTL3 may be a novel predictor for the response of sorafenib therapy in RCC patients, and a potential target in improving its therapeutic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium channel blocking antiepileptic drugs (SCB-AEDs) are common effective medications available for epilepsy. However, not all patients respond to this regimen and drug resistance is frequently encountered. Rs2298771(c.3184A > G/p.Thr1067Ala) and rs3812718(IVS5N +5G > A) polymorphisms are two of the most common polymorphisms in the SCN1A gene, which is closely related to resistance to SCB-AEDs. Therefore, we have conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the contribution of the two polymorphisms to resistance of SCB-AEDs. The PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched up to September 2017, for studies on the association of SCN1A polymorphisms with resistance to SCB-AEDs. A fixed-effects or random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled odds ratios based on the results from the heterogeneity tests. A total of eight studies were eligible for the pooled analysis, of which eight studies included SCN1A rs3812718 polymorphism and four studies included SCN1A rs2298771 polymorphism. The results showed that SCN1A rs2298771 polymorphism was significantly associated with resistance to SCB-AEDs. (A vs. G: OR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.61-0.95, P = 0.02; AA vs. AG + GG: OR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.54-0.94, P = 0.022). However, no association was observed between SCN1A rs3812718 polymorphism and resistance to SCB-AEDs. Our results indicate that the A-allele of SCN1A rs2298771 polymorphism, especially AA genotype, may play an important role in responsiveness to SCB-AEDs, while SCN1A rs3812718 polymorphism is not associated with SCB-AEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pouring position as the input heat source has great influence on the temperature field evolution. In this study, the Flow3D simulation software was applied to investigate the influence of pouring methods (with fixed or moving pouring channel) on AZ91 Mg alloy horizontal centrifugal casting (HCC) process. The simulation results show that the moving pouring channel method can effectively increase the cooling rate and formability of casting pipe. The casting experiment shows that an AZ91 Mg alloy casting pipe with homogeneous microstructure and clear contour was obtained by the moving pouring channel method, and the grain size of the casting pipe is significantly decreased. Meanwhile, serious macro-segregation appeared in the AZ91 casting pipe by the fixed pouring channel HCC process. Compared with the fixed pouring channel, the moving pouring channel can remarkably improve the ultimate tensile strength and elongation of the AZ91 HCC pipe from 142.2 MPa to 201.5 MPa and 6.2% to 6.7%, respectively . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two copper(II)/cobalt(II) coordination polymers formulated as [Co(3-bptzp)(1,4-BDC)(1,4-H2BDC)0.5] (1) and [Cu(3-bptzp)(1,4-BDC)] (2) have been hydrothermally synthesized by using a flexible bis(pyridyl-tetrazole) ligand (3-bptzp = 1,4-bis(5-(3-pyridyl)tetrazolyl)propane) and an aromatic dicarboxylic acid (1,4-H2BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid) as mixed ligands. Both complexes have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analyses, infrared spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. There are two different types of 2D layered network in the structures of both complexes. In complex 1, the 2D layered network is formed by 1,4-BDC anions and neutral 1,4-H2BDC ligands, while the 3-bptzp ligands bridge the adjacent two Co(II) atoms to form a [Co2(3-bptzp)2] ring. In complex 2, adjacent Cu(II) atoms are bridged by 1,4-BDC anions to form a 1D [Cu(1,4-BDC)]n chain, and then adjacent 1D [Cu(1,4-BDC)]n chains are further linked together by the 3-bptzp ligands to generate a 2D layered network. The electrochemical behaviors and dye adsorption properties of both complexes have been studied.Graphical Abstract: Two new coordination polymers constructed from a flexible bis(pyridyl-tetrazole) ligand have been hydrothermally synthesized. There exist two different types of 2D layered structures in the complexes 1 and 2. In addition, the electrochemical behaviors and dye adsorption properties of complexes 1-2 have been studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excess wind power produced in wind-intensive areas is normally delivered to remote load centers via long-distance transmission lines. This paper presents a comparison between long-distance transmission, which has gained popularity, and local energy consumption, in which a fraction of the generated wind power can be locally consumed by energy-intensive industries. First, the challenges and solutions to the long-distance transmission and local consumption of wind power are presented. Then, the two approaches to the utilization of wind power are compared in terms of system security, reliability, cost, and capability to utilize wind energy. Finally, the economic feasibility and technical feasibility of the local consumption of wind power are demonstrated by a large and isolated industrial power system, or supermicrogrid, in China. The coal-fired generators together with the short-term interruptible electrolytic aluminum load in the supermicrogrid are able to compensate for the intermittency of wind power. In the long term, the transfer of high-energy-consumption industries to wind-rich areas and their local consumption of the available wind power are beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize the low-voltage and low-power dissipation designing of digital circuits, minimum energy point tracking (MEPT) based on adaptive voltage scaling (AVS) circuit is proposed in this paper. With process, voltage and temperature and frequency variance, the supply voltage of digital circuits is decreased dramatically by AVS, and equals to minimum voltage point (MVP), and advantageously in reducing dynamic energy consumption. Based on the MVP, in order to effectively decrease energy consumption of digital circuits, minimum energy point (MEP) of digital circuits is searched via comparing energy dissipation under different supply voltage by MEPT. Therefore, the supply voltage and energy consumption of digital circuits are decreased dramatically by the proposed novel circuit. The proposed circuit has been implemented and fabricated in a standard 0.18 μm CMOS process. The experimental results show that, when operating frequency of load keeps 1.319 MHz, the MVP and MEP of load are 425 and 450 mV, respectively. For operation frequency 5.334 MHz, the MEP changes from 625 to 550 mV with the degree of activity of load difference. Comparing with the traditional fixed voltage circuits, the maximum saving 91% of dynamic energy is realized by the proposed circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmaceuticals in drinking water sources have raised significant concerns due to their persistent input and potential human health risks. The seasonal occurrence of 25 pharmaceuticals including 23 antibiotics, paracetamol (PAR), and carbamazepine (CMZ) in Taihu Lake was investigated; meanwhile, the distribution and removal of these pharmaceuticals in two drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) and a constructed wetland were evaluated. A high detection frequency (>70%) in the Taihu Lake was observed for nearly all the 25 pharmaceutics. Chlortetracycline (234.7 ng L), chloramphenicol (27.1 ng L), erythromycin (72.6 ng L), PAR (71.7 ng L), and CMZP (23.6 ng L) are compounds with both a high detection frequency (100%) and the highest concentrations, suggesting their wide use in the Taihu Basin. Higher concentrations of chloramphenicols, macrolides, PAR, and CMZP were observed in dry season than in wet season, probably due to the low flow conditions of the lake in winter and the properties of pharmaceuticals. The overall contamination levels of antibiotic pharmaceutics (0.2-74.9 ng L) in the Taihu Lake were lower than or comparable to those reported worldwide. However, for nonantibiotic pharmaceutics, PAR (45.0 ng L) and CMZP (14.5 ng L), significantly higher concentrations were observed in the Taihu Lake than at a global scale. High detection frequencies of 25 pharmaceuticals were observed in both the two DWTPs (100%) and the wetland (>60%) except for florfenicol and sulfapyridine. The removal efficacies of the studied pharmaceuticals in DWTP B with advanced treatment processes including ozonation and granular activated carbon filtration (16.7-100%) were superior to DWTP A with conventional treatment processes (2.9-100%), except for sulfonamides. Wetland C with the constructed root channel technology was efficient (24.2-100%) for removing most pharmaceuticals. This work suggests that the application of cost-effective technologies such as constructed wetlands should be considered as an efficient alternative for removing pharmaceuticals from water supply sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In neutrophils, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) release and autocrine purinergic signaling regulate coordinated cell motility during chemotaxis. Here, we studied whether similar mechanisms regulate the motility of breast cancer cells. While neutrophils and benign human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) form a single leading edge, MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells possess multiple leading edges enriched with A3 adenosine receptors. Compared to HMEC, MDA-MB-231 cells overexpress the ectonucleotidases ENPP1 and CD73, which convert extracellular ATP released by the cells to adenosine that stimulates A3 receptors and promotes cell migration with frequent directional changes. However, exogenous adenosine added to breast cancer cells or the A3 receptor agonist IB-MECA dose-dependently arrested cell motility by simultaneous stimulation of multiple leading edges, doubling cell surface areas and significantly reducing migration velocity by up to 75 %. We conclude that MDA-MB-231 cells, HMEC, and neutrophils differ in the purinergic signaling mechanisms that regulate their motility patterns and that the subcellular distribution of A3 adenosine receptors in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells contributes to dysfunctional cell motility. These findings imply that purinergic signaling mechanisms may be potential therapeutic targets to interfere with the motility of breast cancer cells in order to reduce the spread of cancer cells and the risk of metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GLI2 is a key mediator of the sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway and plays an important role in neural tube development during vertebrate embryogenesis; however, the role of gli2 in human folate-related neural tube defects remains unclear. In this study, we compared methylation status and polymorphisms of gli2 between spina bifida patients and a control group to explore the underlying mechanisms related to folate deficiency in spina bifida. No single nucleotide polymorphism was found to be significantly different between the two groups, although gli2 methylation levels were significantly increased in spina bifida samples, accompanied by aberrant GLI2 expression. Moreover, a prominent negative correlation was found between the folate level in brain tissue and the gli2 methylation status ( r = −0.41, P = 0.014), and gli2 hypermethylation increased the risk of spina bifida with an odds ratio of 12.45 (95 % confidence interval: 2.71-57.22, P = 0.001). In addition, we established a cell model to illustrate the effect of gli2 expression and the accessibility of chromatin affected by methylation. High gli2 and gli1 mRNA expression was detected in 5-Aza-treated cells, while gli2 hypermethylation resulted in chromatin inaccessibility and a reduced association with nuclear proteins containing transcriptional factors. More meaningful to the pathway, the effect gene of the Shh pathway, gli1, was found to have a reduced level of expression along with a decreased expression of gli2 in our cell model. Aberrant high methylation resulted in the low expression of gli2 in spina bifida, which was affected by the change in chromatin status and the capacity of transcription factor binding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cz n-type Si (100) wafers are implanted with 190 keV O and 40 keV H ions in different implantation sequences. Cross sectional transmission electron microscopy and slow positron annihilation spectroscopy are used to study the formation and evolution of micro-defects. Our results clearly show that the defect morphology depends strongly on the implantation sequence. Large cavities are observed in O preimplanted samples, while only platelets are observed in H preimplanted samples. The change regularity of the S parameter is the same for the Si samples co-implanted at different sequences. But in H preimplanted samples, the S parameter is a little higher. The effects of the implantation sequence on the micro-defects have been discussed in combination with H and O implantation-induced defects as well as their interactions upon annealing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T cells respond to antigen stimulation with the rapid release of cellular ATP, which stimulates an autocrine feedback mechanism that regulates calcium influx through P2X receptors. This autocrine purinergic feedback mechanism plays an essential role in the activation of T cells resulting in cell proliferation and clonal expansion. We recently reported that increases in mitochondrial ATP production drive this stimulation-induced purinergic signaling mechanism but that low-level mitochondrial ATP production fuels basal T cell functions required to maintain vigilance of unstimulated T cells. Here we studied whether defects in these purinergic signaling mechanisms are involved in the unwanted proliferation of leukemia T cells. We found that acute leukemia T cells (Jurkat) possess a larger number and more active mitochondria than their healthy counterparts. Jurkat cells have higher intracellular ATP concentrations and generat more extracellular ATP than unstimulated T cells from healthy donors. As a result, increased purinergic signaling through P2X1 and P2X7 receptors elevates baseline levels of cytosolic Ca in Jurkat cells. We found that pharmacological inhibition of this basal purinergic signaling mechanism decreases mitochondrial activity, Ca signaling, and cell proliferation. Similar results were seen in the leukemic cell lines THP-1, U-937, and HL-60. Combined treatment with inhibitors of P2X1 or P2X7 receptors and the chemotherapeutic agent 6-mercaptopurine completely blocked Jurkat cell proliferation. Our results demonstrate that increased mitochondrial metabolism promotes autocrine purinergic signaling and uncontrolled proliferation of leukemia cells. These findings suggest that deranged purinergic signaling can result in T cell malignancy and that therapeutic targeting aimed at purinergic signaling is a potential strategy to combat T cell leukemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]