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The localized nature of a flat band is understood by the existence of a compact localized eigenstate. However, the localization properties of a partially flat band, ubiquitous in surface modes of topological semimetals, have been unknown. We show that the partially flat band is characterized by a non-normalizable quasi-compact localized state (Q-CLS), which is compactly localized along several directions but extended in at least one direction. The partially flat band develops at momenta where normalizable Bloch wave functions can be obtained from a linear combination of the non-normalizable Q-CLSs. Outside this momentum region, a ghost flat band, unseen from the band structure, is introduced based on a counting argument. Then, we demonstrate that the Wannier function corresponding to the partially flat band exhibits an algebraic decay behavior. Namely, one can have the Wannier obstruction in a band with a vanishing Chern number if it is partially flat. Finally, we develop the construction scheme of a tight-binding model for a topological semimetal by designing a Q-CLS. Compact localized states constitute an auxiliary state representation for a flat-band lattice system with wave functions non-zero only in a finite portion of the lattice. Here, the authors show that in some flat-band systems, these states can be partially "hidden"; surprisingly, these ghost flat bands present an obstruction to be represented as maximally localized Wannier functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let be a compact complex space in Fujiki's class . In this paper, we show that admits a compact Kähler model , that is, there exists a projective bimeromorphic map from a compact Kähler manifold such that the automorphism group lifts holomorphically and uniquely to a subgroup of . As a consequence, we also give a few applications to the Jordan property, the finiteness of torsion groups, and arbitrary large finite abelian subgroups for compact complex spaces in Fujiki's class . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study area is located in the south margin of the North China Block, the south end of the junction between the Ordos Block and the Hehuai Block, and is part of the Fenwei Graben System and the Shanxi Cenozoic fault basin in the central part of the North China Craton. The study area has a complex regional geological structure, intense tectonic movement, and frequent magmatic activities. Based on the latest high-precision aeromagnetic data, an integrated interpretation was completed by combining the regional geology, regional gravity, and magnetic susceptibility information. In this paper, the magnetic field characteristics and the relationship with the structure division are described in detail based on the block features in different zones of the reduction-to-the-pole aeromagnetic data. We showed that the different characteristics of the magnetic field depend on the concentrated reflection such as tectonic movement, magmatic activity, and stratigraphic distribution, and the fault structures were inferred and studied, especially the deep and large fault structures. The fault structures were distributed to the northeast (NE) and northwest (NW) directions. On the aeromagnetic map, faults are reflected as a boundary of different magnetic fields and aeromagnetic gradient belts. Under the interaction of NE and NW faults, an X-shaped fault structural system is formed. The NE faults control the magnetic field division, the sedimentary formation, magmatism, metamorphism, and mineral distribution, whereas the NW faults control the magmatism only. The NW faults are characterized by dislocation of NE faults, and the formation time of NE faults is earlier than that of NW trending faults. This study provides insight into the geophysical basis and reference for basic geological research and potential analysis for iron and other metal minerals in the study area in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the progress in understanding left atrial substrate and arrhythmogenesis, only little is known about conduction characteristics in atrial fibrillation patients with various stages of fibrotic atrial cardiomyopathy (FACM). This study evaluates left atrial conduction times and conduction velocities based on high-density voltage and activation maps in sinus rhythm (CARTO®3 V7) of 53 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (LVEF 60% (55–60 IQR), LAVI 39 ml/m2 (31–47 IQR), LApa 24 ± 6 cm2). Measurements were made in low voltage areas (LVA ≤ 0.5 mV) and normal voltage areas (NVA ≥ 1.5 mV) at the left atrial anterior and posterior walls. Maps of 28 FACM and 25 no FACM patients were analyzed (19 FACM I/II, 9 FACM III/IV, LVA 14 ± 11 cm2). Left atrial conduction time averaged to 110 ± 24 ms but was shown to be prolonged in FACM (119 ms, + 17%) when compared to no FACM patients (101 ms, p = 0.005). This finding was pronounced in high-grade FACM (III/IV) (133 ms, + 31.2%, p = 0.001). In addition, the LVA extension correlated significantly with the left atrial conduction time (r = 0.56, p = 0.002). Conduction velocities were overall slower in LVA than in NVA (0.6 ± 0.3 vs. 1.3 ± 0.5 m/s, -51%, p < 0.001). Anterior conduction appeared slower than posterior, which was significant in NVA (1 vs. 1.4 m/s, -29%, p < 0.001) but not in LVA (0.6 vs. 0.8 m/s, p = 0.096). FACM has a significant influence on left atrial conduction characteristics in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. Left atrial conduction time prolongs with the grade of FACM and the quantitative expanse of LVA up to 31%. LVAs show a 51% conduction velocity reduction compared to NVA. Moreover, regional conduction velocity differences are present in the left atrium when comparing anterior to posterior walls. Our data may influence individualized ablation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is a critical prognostic factor in resectable pancreatic cancer (PC) patients, determining treatment strategies. This study aimed to develop a clinical model to adequately and accurately predict the risk of LNM in PC patients. Methods: 13,200 resectable PC patients were enrolled from the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database, and randomly divided into a training group and an internal validation group at a ratio of 7:3. An independent group (n = 62) obtained from The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University was enrolled as the external validation group. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to screen independent risk factors for LNM. The minimum Akaike's information criterion (AIC) was performed to select the optimal model parameters and construct a nomogram for assessing the risk of LNM. The performance of the nomogram was assessed by the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve, calibration plot, and decision curve analysis (DCA). In addition, an online web calculator was designed to assess the risk of LNM. Result: A total of six risk predictors (including age at diagnosis, race, primary site, grade, histology, and T-stage) were identified and included in the nomogram. The areas under the curves (AUCs) [95% confidential interval (CI)] were 0.711 (95%CI: 0.700–0.722), 0.700 (95%CI: 0.683–0.717), and 0.845 (95%CI: 0.749–0.942) in the training, internal validation and external validation groups, respectively. The calibration curves showed satisfied consistency between nomogram-predicted LNM and actual observed LNM. The concordance indexes (C-indexes) in the training, internal, and external validation sets were 0.689, 0.686, and 0.752, respectively. The DCA curves of the nomogram demonstrated good clinical utility. Conclusion: We constructed a nomogram model for predicting LNM in pancreatic cancer patients, which may help oncologists and surgeons to choose more individualized clinical treatment strategies and make better clinical decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of mobile intelligence and wearable computing promotes the rise of quantified-self. Users quantify themselves and realize self-tracking and self-cognition through the connection between mobile phone terminals and wearable computing devices. The characteristics of immersive quantified information design in the convergence mode of mobile intelligence and wearable computing attract many users to immerse into it. Based on the stimulus-body-response (S-O-R) model, this paper constructs an influence mechanism model that affects the immersive experience of quantified-self and adopts empirical research methods. This paper analyzes the influence of the information platform and content characteristics (interaction, ease of use, usefulness, entertainment) of the convergence of mobile intelligence and wearable computing on users' immersive experience of quantified-self and the moderating effect of privacy concern and potential affordance on immersive experience and continuous participation. The results show that interaction, ease of use, usefulness, and entertainment all have a significant impact on users' quantified-self immersive experience, and the influence is in the order of usefulness>ease of use>entertainment>interaction. Potential affordance and privacy concerns play a significant role in regulating the state of immersion and continuous participation. The conclusion of this study not only analyzes the influencing factors of users' immersive experience of quantified-self from the characteristics of the convergence of mobile intelligence and wearable computing but also analyzes the relationship between users' immersive experience of quantified-self and continuous participation from the perspective of potential affordance and privacy concerns. It provides opinions and suggestions for the interaction design and user information management of the convergence of mobile intelligence and wearable computing and has practical reference significance for related enterprises to improve user stickiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Campylobacter is regarded as the leading cause of zoonotic diseases and Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) is one of the predominant pathogenic species. To track C. jejuni infections, various genotyping methods have been used. In this study, amplified intergenic locus polymorphism (AILP) was used to type C. jejuni for the first time. To confirm its feasibility, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed as a control, and the results obtained by the AILP and PFGE methods were compared. Fifty-one isolates were resolved into 34 and 29 different genotypes with Simpson's indices of 0.976 and 0.967 using the AILP and PFGE methods, respectively. The adjusted Rand coefficient of the two approaches was as high as 0.845. In summary, the data showed that the two genotyping methods were similar for discriminating isolates and were both appropriate methods to distinguish whether two isolates were indistinguishable, but the AILP was faster and less costly than PFGE. Therefore, the AILP is a reliable, rapid, and highly discriminative method to genotype C. jejuni collected from poultry meat, which is helpful to effectively monitor C. jejuni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catheter ablation is an effective method of rhythm therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF). AF recurrence is a common problem after catheter ablation. The aim of this study was to investigate influence factors of early recurrence after catheter ablation for AF. One hundred and three consecutive patients with AF were enrolled and underwent catheter ablation. Venous blood (Marked as A) was collected before ablation and left atrial blood (Marked as B) was collected after successful atrial septal puncture to detect serum periostin. After 3 months of follow-up, statistical analysis was made based on the recurrence of AF. 27 (26.2%) patients had a recurrence of atrial arrhythmia after catheter ablation. Patients with recurrent atrial arrhythmia had a larger left atrial volume (162.31 ± 47.76 vs. 141.98 ± 41.64,p = 0.039), and higher serum periostin levels (periostin A. 99.71 ± 16.475 vs. 90.36 ± 13.63, p = 0.005; periostin B. 103.95 ± 13.09 vs. 94.46 ± 15.85, p = 0.006) compared with the non-recurrent group. The numbers of patients with left atrial low-voltage areas (LVAs) were more in the recurrence group (p < 0.001). Left atrial volume, serum periostin and left atrial LVAs were included in univariate and multivariate COX regression analysis. It showed that left atrial LVAs (HR3.81; 95% CI 1.54 to 9.44; p = 0.004) and serum periostin A (HR1.07; 95% CI 1.02 to1.13; p = 0.008) were the independent predictors of AF recurrence. The cut-off value of serum periostin A was 87.95 ng/ ml (AUC, 0.681; sensitivity 88.9% and specificity 53.9%). Kaplan–Meier survival curve showed that the recurrence rate of AF was higher in patients with left atrial LVAs and higher serum periostin. The venous serum periostin level and left atrial LVAs were independent predictors of early recurrence of AF after catheter ablation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this technical note, we add to the literature the analytical solution of the heat equation with radiation boundary conditions for an instantaneous point source in a hollow sphere. Instead of using the conventional method of the Laplace transfer and inverse Laplace transfer that requires intricate integral in the complex plane, we present a new approach to derive the analytical solution in the time domain. First, we express the instantaneous point source as the initial condition in terms of Dirac delta, e.g., Eq. (2), which is further expressed in the form of the general solution, i.e., Eq. (18). Subsequently, we determine the solution coefficients and obtain the analytical solution. Two special cases with prescribed surface temperature and no-flux boundaries are presented to demonstrate the solution. This solution is of practical importance in many scientific and engineering applications, such as pore pressure prediction in reservoir engineering, thermal analysis of casing in drilling engineering, and determining the relaxation process in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality of service (QoS)-aware manufacturing cloud service composition (QoS-MCSC) is one of the key issues in Cloud manufacturing (CMfg). More and more manufacturing cloud services offering the same or similar functionality but different QoS attributes are provided in the CMfg platform. It is a challenging issue to construct an optimal composite service satisfying customers' requirements. In this study, a novel hybrid teaching-learning-based optimization algorithm is proposed to solve QoS-MCSC problems. It integrates the advantages of uniform mutation, adaptive flower pollination algorithm, and teaching-learning-based optimization algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm finds higher quality results than other compared algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endoscopic access to the targeted site is a major challenge for the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients undergoing Roux-en-Y (R-Y) reconstruction after total or subtotal gastrectomy. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility, reproducibility, and safety of mechanistic loop resolution strategies using a short-type single-balloon enteroscopy (short SBE) system. Methods: Between February 2020 and March 2022, consecutive patients with a previous R-Y gastrectomy requiring ERCP were prospectively enrolled. Different mechanistic loop resolution strategies for two-dimensional loops, three-dimensionally rotated loops, and loops making a cane or S-shape were applied during the SBE approach. Results: Forty-three short SBE-ERCP procedures were performed on 37 patients, with an approach success rate of 100.0% (43/43). The mean time to reach the jejunojejunal anastomosis and target site were 8.0 (6.0–11.0) minutes and 26.0 (16.0–36.0) minutes, respectively. The major challenges for the approach were the cane or S-shaped loop in the jejunojejunal anastomosis or Treitz ligament. The retroflex positioning of a SBE in front of the papilla was achieved in 86.0% (37/43), and the cannulation success rate in patients with an intact papilla was 90.9% (30/33). The initial, overall therapeutic successes, median total procedure time, and adverse event rate were 87.8%, 92.7%, 77.0 (IQR 56–100.5) minutes, and 11.6%, respectively. Conclusions: Short SBE-ERCP using standardized mechanistic loop resolution strategies is effective and reproducible in patients with R-Y reconstruction after gastrectomy. Trial registration: ClinicalTrial.gov (NCT04847167). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent few decades, exploiting and exploring the quantum world has been drawing more attention. Entanglement, especially, which plays an extraordinary role in quantum world and is regarded as an important recourse in quantum information, has been studied deeply. Mastering the properties of entanglement can promote the development of quantum information. What’s more, discord which is usually regarded as very different quantum correlations with entanglement also has its own significance in quantum information. In this paper, we study entanglement measurement and show a link between entanglement and Tsallis q-discord (0 < q ≤ 1) and reveal that entanglement can be viewed as a special Tsallis q-discord. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assembly process increases complex and Augmented Reality (AR) is applied in the assembly process to improve the user's experience by providing interactive instructions in real time. However, none of the previous studies developed AR application to guide assembly and investigated the complexity of the assembly. The research develops an AR-guided assembly application to provide instruction on the assembly of a laptop. The assembly complexity of the laptop was investigated. The application development involves the creation of model target, 3D models and animations, and the development of the user interface. The laptop consists of ten parts and ten assembly steps are described. Each step comprises animated 3D models and text to detail the assembly instructions comprehensively. Speech recognition has been used to navigate the assembly sequence. The result demonstrates the ability of AR application in assembly guidance with the assembly complexity up to 6.63. With the developed application, the performance of the laptop assembly can be accelerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing maturity of Web 2.0–related technologies and the expansion of applications, a large number of social network services have emerged at home and abroad. These network platforms have greatly enriched the lives of netizens and become an important platform for studying user information behavior. At the same time, the development of technologies such as global positioning system technology, search engine, and data mining has made users' data in the mobile social network platform receive extensive attention. This paper constructs a model of information search behavior based on data mining technology in mobile socialized networks and tests it with empirical methods. The results show that the usefulness of information plays a mediating role in the path of information usability impact on information search behavior. Product interaction and human-computer interaction can significantly affect the information search behavior. Trust plays a mediating role in the interaction of virtual community interaction (product interaction, interpersonal interaction, and human-computer interaction) on information search behavior. Using data mining technology to mine user needs, mining relevant data in search and mining information utilization, can improve user information search efficiency and efficiency. What's more, it can provide basis and support for users and website decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem cell transplantation is a promising therapeutic strategy for myocardial infarction (MI). However, engraftment, survival and differentiation of the transplanted stem cells in ischemic and inflammatory microenvironment are poor. We designed a novel self-assembly peptide (SAP) by modifying the peptide RADA16 with cell-adhesive motif and BMP-2 (bone morphogenetic protein-2)-binding motif. Effects of the functionalized SAP on adhesion, survival and differentiation of c-kit+ MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells) were examined. Myocardial regeneration, neovascularization and cardiac function were assessed after transplantation of the SAP loading c-kit+ MSCs and BMP-2 in rat MI models. The SAP could spontaneously assemble into well-ordered nanofibrous scaffolds. The cells adhered to the SAP scaffolds and spread well. The SAP protected the cells in the condition of hypoxia and serum deprivation. Following degradation of the SAP, BMP-2 was released sustainedly and induced c-kit+ MSCs to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. At four weeks after transplantation of the SAP loading c-kit+ MSCs and BMP-2, myocardial regeneration and angiogenesis were enhanced, and cardiac function was improved significantly. The cardiomyocytes differentiated from the engrafted c-kit+ MSCs were increased markedly. The differentiated cells connected with recipient cardiomyocytes to form gap junctions. Collagen volume was decreased dramatically. These results suggest that the functionalized SAP promotes engraftment, survival and differentiation of stem cells effectively. Local sustained release of BMP-2 with SAP is a viable strategy to enhance differentiation of the engrafted stem cells and repair of the infarcted myocardium.Graphical Abstract: Stem cell transplantation is a promising therapeutic strategy for myocardial infarction (MI). However, engraftment, survival and differentiation of the transplanted stem cells in ischemic and inflammatory microenvironment are poor. We designed a novel self-assembly peptide (SAP) by modifying the peptide RADA16 with cell-adhesive motif and BMP-2 (bone morphogenetic protein-2)-binding motif. Effects of the functionalized SAP on adhesion, survival and differentiation of c-kit+ MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells) were examined. Myocardial regeneration, neovascularization and cardiac function were assessed after transplantation of the SAP loading c-kit+ MSCs and BMP-2 in rat MI models. The SAP could spontaneously assemble into well-ordered nanofibrous scaffolds. The cells adhered to the SAP scaffolds and spread well. The SAP protected the cells in the condition of hypoxia and serum deprivation. Following degradation of the SAP, BMP-2 was released sustainedly and induced c-kit+ MSCs to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. At four weeks after transplantation of the SAP loading c-kit+ MSCs and BMP-2, myocardial regeneration and angiogenesis were enhanced, and cardiac function was improved significantly. The cardiomyocytes differentiated from the engrafted c-kit+ MSCs were increased markedly. The differentiated cells connected with recipient cardiomyocytes to form gap junctions. Collagen volume was decreased dramatically. These results suggest that the functionalized SAP promotes engraftment, survival and differentiation of stem cells effectively. Local sustained release of BMP-2 with SAP is a viable strategy to enhance differentiation of the engrafted stem cells and repair of the infarcted myocardium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fragile X-related protein 1 (FXR1) is an RNA-binding protein that can regulate specific mRNA decay in cells. Our previous study showed that FXR1 expression was significantly decreased in trophoblasts from patients with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA); however, the role of FXR1 in trophoblast function during early placenta development has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we found that knockdown of FXR1 using siRNA effectively inhibited the migration of HTR-8 cells and extravillous trophoblast (EVT) outgrowth in an ex vivo extravillous explant culture model. Furthermore, through analysis of a panel of cytokines, we found that the GDF-15 protein was upregulated after knockdown of FXR1 in HTR-8/SVneo cells. This was further confirmed by western blotting and immunofluorescence in HTR-8/SVneo cells and an extravillous explant. Our data also showed that FXR1 expression was downregulated and GDF-15 was upregulated in chorionic villous tissues from RSA patients compared with those from healthy controls (HCs). Further, immunohistochemistry showed a strong expression of GDF-15 in chorionic villous tissue in the RSA group, which was mainly distributed in villous trophoblasts (CTBs) and syncytiotrophoblasts (STBs). Moreover, knockdown of GDF-15 enhanced the migration of HTR-8 cells, while overexpression of GDF-15 using plasmid or treatment with recombinant human GDF-15 protein inhibited trophoblast migration. Importantly, RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation showed that FXR1 directly bound to the 3′-UTR of GDF-15 mRNA to promote GDF-15 mRNA decay. Together, our data provide new insight into the function of FXR1 in human placenta via regulation of GDF-15 expression in trophoblasts and suggest a possible pathological process involved in RSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monogamy and polygamy relations characterize the quantum correlation distributions among multipartite quantum systems. We investigate the monogamy and polygamy relations satisfied by measures of general quantum correlation. By using the Hamming weight, we derive new monogamy and polygamy inequalities satisfied by the β-th power and the α-th power of general quantum correlations, respectively. We show that these monogamy and polygamy relations are tighter than the existing ones, such as Liu [Int. J. Theor. Phys. 60, 1455–1470 (2021)]. Taking concurrence and the Tsallis-q entanglement of assistance as examples, we show the advantages of our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: POEM is a rescue endoscopic therapy for patients who had previously failed surgical or endoscopic treatment. However, data regarding its effectiveness after failed pneumatic dilation (PD) and its long-term effects are limited. We aimed to retrospectively investigate the long-term outcomes in patients who had undergone POEM after failed PD. Methods: Data from 66 achalasia patients with a 2-year follow-up period were analyzed. Intraprocedural events were compared between the first POEM group (patients without prior-endoscopic intervention) and prior PD group (patients who had pre-POEM PD). Symptom evaluation, HRM and 24 h-pH DeMeester scores between the two groups were performed at 2 years after the POEM procedure. Muscularis externa samples were obtained from the lower esophagus using POEM to assess the muscle fibrosis with Azan-Mallory staining. Results: POEM was successfully performed for all achalasia patients. During the 2-year follow-up period, the success rate of POEM was 96.15% (25/26) for patients with prior PD and 95% (38/40) with primary POEM. For patients with type II achalasia and who underwent prior PD, the post-procedure DeMeester score was higher compared to patients who underwent POEM only (P < 0.05). A larger number of patients who underwent primary POEM (27.50%, 11/40) complained of mild heartburn compared to patients who underwent POEM after PD (7.69%, 2/26) (P < 0.05). With regards to fibrosis, the majority of patients who underwent POEM only were classified as F-1 (45.00%, 18/40), while the majority of patients who underwent prior PD were classified as F-2 (42.3%, 11/26). The degree of fibrosis was significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05). Both surgical time and prior PD were correlated with the degree of fibrosis (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Despite the technical challenges, pre-POEM endoscopic treatment does not impact the safety and efficacy of POEM in achalasia patients. Longer follow-up studies using larger cohorts are needed to determine long-term outcomes and complications of POEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperventilation-induced downbeat nystagmus (HV-DBN) has been reported in cerebellar disorders and explained by a loss of the inhibitory cerebellar output via a metabolic effect on cerebellar Ca2+ channels. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics and underlying pathogenesis of episodic vestibular syndrome (EVS) with HV-DBN. Of 667 patients with EVS, we recruited 22 with HV-DBN and assessed their clinical characteristics, video-oculographic findings, and the results of molecular genetic analyses. The age at symptom onset was 47.5 ± 13.0 years (mean ± SD), and there was a female preponderance (n = 15, 68%). The duration of vertigo/dizziness attacks ranged from minutes to a few days, and 11 patients (50%) fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for vestibular migraine. HV-induced new-onset DBN in 8 patients, while the remaining 14 showed augmentation of spontaneous DBN by HV. The maximum slow-phase velocity of HV-DBN ranged from 2.2 to 11.9°/s, which showed a statistical difference with that of spontaneous DBN (median = 4.95, IQR = 3.68–6.55 vs. median = 1.25, IQR = 0.20–2.15, p < 0.001). HV-DBN was either purely downbeat (n = 11) or accompanied with small horizontal components (n = 11). Other neuro-otologic findings included perverted head-shaking nystagmus (n = 11), central positional nystagmus (n = 7), saccadic pursuit (n = 3), and horizontal gaze-evoked nystagmus (n = 1). Gene expression profiling with a bioinformatics analysis identified 43 upregulated and 49 downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in patients with EVS and HV-DBN and revealed that the downregulated DEGs were significantly enriched in terms related to the ribosome pathway. Our results suggest that the underlying cerebellar dysfunction would be responsible for paroxysmal attacks of vertigo in patients with EVS and HV-DBN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and miRNAs (microRNAs) are considered as key regulators of several biological processes, including dental development. In this study, we explored the lncRNAs and miRNAs which are involved in dental development. Method: Real-time PCR was performed to identify the candidate lncRNAs and miRNAs involved in dental development. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase assay were carried out to establish the regulatory relationships between MALAT1, miR-203 and miR-200c in dental development. Results: Among all candidate lncRNAs, only MALAT1 was highly expressed in differentiated human dental pulp cells (hDPCs), and among all candidate miRNAs which are down-regulated in differentiated hDPCs, miR-203, and miR-200c are most decreased. Furthermore, MALAT1 was up-regulated while miR-203 and miR-200c were down-regulated in differentiated hDPCs in a time-dependent manner. MiR-203 and miR-200c were proved to bind to MALAT1. Moreover, BMI1 was identified as a target gene of miR-203 or miR-200c, and BMI1 was time-dependently decreased in hDPCs cultured with odontogenic medium. On the contrary, dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), dentin matrix protein-1 (DMP-1), osteocalcin (OCN), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), were time-dependently increased in hDPCs cultured with odontogenic medium. Finally, the overexpression of MALAT1 and the knockdown of miR-203/miR-200c both significantly increased the levels of BMI1, DSPP, DMP-1, OCN, and ALP, while the effect of knockdown of miR-203/miR-200c was much stronger than that of the overexpression of MALAT1. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that MALAT1 functions as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-203 and miR-200c and accordingly promotes BMI1 expression. Therefore, MALAT1 may serve as a biomarker for dental development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was recently reported that circular dichroism in angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (CD-ARPES) can be used to observe the Berry curvature in 2H-WSe2 (Cho et al. in Phys Rev Lett 121:186401, 2018). In that study, the mirror plane of the experiment was intentionally set to be perpendicular to the crystal mirror plane, such that the Berry curvature becomes a symmetric function about the experimental mirror plane. In the present study, we performed CD-ARPES on 2H-WSe2 with the crystal mirror plane taken as the experimental mirror plane. Within such an experimental constraint, two experimental geometries are possible for CD-ARPES. The Berry curvature distributions for the two geometries are expected to be antisymmetric about the experimental mirror plane and exactly opposite to each other. Our experimental CD intensities taken with the two geometries were found to be almost opposite near the corners of the 2D projected hexagonal Brillouin zone (BZ) and were almost identical near the center of the BZ. This observation is well explained by taking the Berry curvature or the atomic orbital angular momentum (OAM) into account. The Berry curvature (or OAM) contribution to the CD intensities can be successfully extracted through a comparison of the CD-ARPES data for the two experimental geometries. Thus, the CD-ARPES experimental procedure described provides a method for mapping Berry curvature in the momentum space of topological materials, such as Weyl semimetals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous catalytic reactions based on single metal–organic framework (MOF) material for the oxidative carboxylation of olefins following a tandem process, which involves the epoxidation of olefins and subsequent epoxide–CO2 cycloaddition, are highly desirable and economical for CO2 chemical fixation. In this work, a new trans-A2B2-type porphyrin ligand, 5,15-di(m-benzoato)-porphyrin (H2DMBP), was successfully synthesized and utilized for constructing a novel, highly porous, and stable Nd-porphyrin MOF, named CSUST-2. (CSUST stands for Changsha University of Science and Technology.) Furthermore, the coordinatively unsaturated Co(II) ions were implanted into the MOF by exploiting the innate non-metallated porphyrin ligands to generate Co(II)@CSUST-2 framework, which was evidenced to act as an efficient recyclable catalyst for oxidative carboxylation of olefins in the presence of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as an oxidant and tetrabutylammonium bromide (n-Bu4NBr) as a co-catalyst under mild conditions (1 atm CO2, 75 °C, and without solvent). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal transitions of spray-dried (SD) and freeze-dried (FD) egg whites containing unfreezable water (i.e., lower water contents) and freezable water (i.e., higher water contents) were measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). For the SD and FD samples containing unfreezable water (0.039–0.282 and 0.043–0.206 g water/g sample (w.b.) in SD and FD samples), the denaturation temperatures (Td) of ovotransferrin and ovalbumin were observed in both the SD and FD samples. However, it was difficult to identify the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the egg whites. The Tg was only detected in SD egg whites with low water contents (0.039–0.093 g water/g sample (w.b.)). For the SD and FD samples containing freezable water (0.32–0.72 and 0.31–0.73 g water/g sample (w.b.) in SD and FD samples), the glass transitions were not detected, and only the freezing points (TF) and the end point of freezing (Tm′) were observed. The unfreezable water content and the corresponding characteristic end point of freezing (Tm′)u of the SD samples were both greater than those of the FD samples. The heat denaturation of egg white proteins and different protein solubility (water-binding capacity) may cause the different thermal transitions between SD and FD egg whites. But the Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) monolayer water contents of the SD and FD egg white powders were similar. The results are useful for selecting the optimal process and storage conditions for dried and frozen egg whites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Pustular psoriasis is a chronic and recurrent autoimmune disease, although little is known about the disease burden of pustular psoriasis in China. We analyzed the characteristics and disease burdens of patients from Beijing who had generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) or palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP). Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study used a regional electronic health database that covered 30 public hospitals in Beijing. From June 2016 to June 2021, all patients with a diagnosis of GPP, PPP, or psoriasis vulgaris (PV) were identified by International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision codes. The GPP and PPP cohorts were separately matched with patients with PV in a 3:1 ratio for comparisons. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, healthcare resource utilization, and costs were collected. Descriptive and comparative analyses were used to compare the cohorts. Results: There were 744 patients with GPP (46.8% men; age 42.14 ± 21.47 years) and 4808 patients with PPP (35.5% men; age 51.65 ± 16.12 years); 14.5% of patients with GPP had concomitant PV and 7.5% of patients with PPP had concomitant PV. Relative to matched patients with PV, patients with GPP had a higher prevalence of erythrodermic psoriasis (5.9% vs 0.4%, p < 0.0001), psoriatic arthritis (3.1% vs 1.5%, p = 0.007), and organ failure (1.1% vs 0.2%, p = 0.002). Relative to matched patients with PV, patients with PPP had a higher prevalence of cerebrovascular disease (4.7% vs 1.2%, p < 0.0001), thyroid dysfunction (3.9% vs 3.3%, p = 0.035), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (6.8% vs 5.9%, p = 0.030). More patients with GPP than patients with PV received systemic non-biological agents (27.9% vs 3.3%, p < 0.0001) and biologic agents (4.8% vs 2.0%, p = 0.010). More patients with PPP than patients with PV received topical agents (50.9% vs 34.7%, p < 0.0001) and systemic non-biological agents (17.8% vs 2.7%, p < 0.0001). More patients with GPP than patients with PV required inpatient hospitalization (22.0% vs 7.8%, p < 0.0001). Hospitalization stay was longer in patients with GPP than patients with PV (11.72 ± 0.45 vs 10.38 ± 0.45 days, p = 0.022). More patients with PPP than patients with PV had emergency visits (16.3% vs 12.8%, p < 0.0001). The GPP and PPP cohorts and their matched PV cohorts had no significant differences in costs. However, patients with PPP had lower outpatient costs than patients with PV (368.20 ± 8.19 vs 445.38 ± 5.90 Chinese Yuan per patient per month, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Patients from Beijing with GPP and PPP had higher disease burdens than matched PV cohorts, including the prevalence of comorbidities, healthcare resource utilization, and medication burden. However, the economic burden of pustular psoriasis was similar to that of PV. Practical and specific therapies are needed to reduce the burdens of pustular psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A disturbance feed-forward compensation method based on 7th-order extended Kalman filter (EKF) is proposed for permanent magnet linear synchronous motor (PMLSM) servo system which is vulnerable to the influence of external disturbances, such as friction force, force ripple and so on. Firstly, a disturbance model which consists of position-dependent functions was developed and utilized as a disturbance feed-forward compensator. Then, the initial position and the varying mass information of plant were estimated by the 7th-order EKF and reflected to the disturbance feed-forward compensator. In addition, the coefficients of the disturbance model were adjusted adaptively to create synchronization between the model and real disturbance and achieve the purpose of varying mass estimation and disturbance compensation. Finally, the system simulation and experiment results confirm that the proposed method is effective and feasible. The PMLSM servo system based on 7th-order EKF has superior performance in disturbance compensation, and it is not affected by the varying mass of PMLSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the influence of dissociation reaction on thermal decomposition of ammonium nitrate (AN), biochar was selected as an adsorbent to interfere with the dissociation of AN. The TG-DSC results showed that the notable exothermic reaction of AN with the presence of 2% or 7% biochar took place. The decomposition temperature of AN decreased with increasing amount of biochar. The notable knee point was found in the TG curves. The activation energy of AN with biochar in the initial stage was higher than that of AN itself. Remote sensing Fourier transform infrared experiments found biochar induced AN decomposition at about 190 °C, which was also confirmed by the TG-MS results. After dissociation reaction, HNO3 (g) and NH3 (g) were adsorbed and crystalline of AN was formed on the surface of biochar. With the increasing temperature, NH3 escaped from the surface of biochar, while HNO3 (g) was stayed in biochar. HNO3 (g) catalyzed the thermal decomposition of AN and also reacted with biochar. The results indicated that dissociation reaction of AN played an important role during AN thermal decomposition process. When dissociation reaction was changed, the thermal decomposition reaction of AN would also change, catalysis or inhibition AN thermal decomposition. It is a useful reference to guide the AN additives selection and to understand the mechanism for the AN decomposition accident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several animal and human studies have reported that sphincter of Oddi (SO) motility shows cyclical changes during the fasting state. However, to date, the relationship between the SO motility and the migrating motor complex (MMC) of the small bowel (SB) remains unclear in humans.Aims: We observed SO motility over a long study period and evaluated its relationship with the MMC of the SB in humans using percutaneous long-term manometry.Methods: Our study included patients with hepatolithiasis who required percutaneous transhepatic catheter placement and subsequently underwent choledochoscopy and stone removal. Long-term percutaneous transhepatic SO manometry was performed after complete stone removal. SO and SB motility were simultaneously recorded.Results: SO motility showed cyclical phasic changes with periodic high-frequency contractions similar to the MMC contractions of the SB. All high-frequency contractions of the SO coincided with phase III contractions of the MMC of the SB. The proportions of phase III contractions of SO and SB were similar, but the proportions of phase I (P = 0.001) and phase II (P = 0.002) contractions were significantly different. The mean basal SO pressure was observed to significantly increase in phase III compared to phase I (P = 0.001) and phase II (P = 0.001) contractions.Conclusions: SO motility in humans showed cyclical phasic changes closely coordinated with the MMC of the SB in a fasting state; however, the proportion of phases differed between the SO and the SB. The basal pressure significantly increased during physiological high-frequency phase III contractions of the SO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphite/titanium oxide composite anti-corrosion coatings with five proportions of graphite were applied on the surface of aluminum alloy. The surface morphology and composition of the coating were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The crystal structure of the coatings was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical properties of the coatings were tested by potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). After immersing five graphite content coatings in 3.5% NaCl solution for 360 h, it was found that elements such as C, Si, and K in the coatings were consumed to some extent, but the phases in these coatings did not change. Electrochemical analysis showed that graphite content is an important factor affecting corrosion protection properties of the coating. A lower content of graphite (such as 0.25%, 0.5%, 2.5%) has a positive effect on corrosion resistance, and the |Z|0.01 of the coating before and after corrosion is maintained at about 105 Ω·cm2, which has a certain competitiveness. When the graphite content is increased (such as 5%, 10%), the corrosion resistance of the coating is weakened instead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thermally stable thiodiphenyl epoxy resin was modified with a dimeric fatty acid at an epoxy resin:fatty acid molar ratio of 4:1. The thermal and mechanical properties of the modified epoxy resin were studied by preparing an epoxy composition with an amine curing agent and a catalyst, followed by curing at 170 °C to produce a neat plastic epoxy resin. The tensile and impact strengths of the resin indicated improved flexibility and toughness compared to other epoxy resins. Enhanced toughness was confirmed by the increased lap shear strength in single lap joints prepared with steel substrates attached by the resin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was to evaluate the effect of antifreeze peptides from pigskin collagen hydrolysates (CoAPPs) on the fermentation properties, texture properties, water distribution and water mobility of dough during freezing and freeze-thaw cycles. The fermentation properties of the frozen dough were more stable in the CoAPPs groups than those of control groups. The texture profile analysis showed that the hardness, gumminess and chewiness of the CoAPPs breads were significantly smaller ( P < 0.05) than controls. The NMR showed that addition of CoAPPs weakened the influence of the freeze-thaw treatment on water mobility and influenced the water distribution in frozen dough. The results suggest that CoAPPs could potentially serve as a food-origin cryoprotectant in the conventional dough products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent several meta-analyses and certain case-control studies suggested that the Ras-like without CAAX 2 (RIT2) rs12456492 increased the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD) in Asian and Caucasian populations. However, as so far, the association between RIT2 rs12456492 and PD is still controversial. We investigated genetic association of RIT2 rs12456492 with PD susceptibility in a Han Chinese population of 1747 ethnic Han Chinese subjects comprising 884 PD patients and 863 healthy controls. The minor allele frequency (MAF) of G at the RIT2 rs12456492 was not significantly different between the cases and the controls. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in genotype distribution between PD patients and healthy controls for the RIT2 rs12456492, even after being stratified by age at onset and gender. In addition, we found that no significant differences were detected in the clinical manifestations for gender, age at onset, and onset symptoms between PD patients with AG + GG genotypes and those with AA genotypes. Our study from the mainland China demonstrates that RIT2 rs12456492 do not increase the risk of developing PD. Therefore, more replication studies in additional Chinese population and other cohorts are warranted to further clarify the role of RIT2 rs12456492 in PD susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early mortality remains a major challenge for the treatment of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), which warrants the need for prompt risk stratification in the early phase of the disease. We retrospectively analyzed clinical features of a cohort of pediatric patients managed at a tertiary hospital in southern China from 2005 to 2015. A total of 116 patients (median age 27.5 months) with predominantly secondary HLH were included. In a multivariate Cox regression model, neutrophils <0.5 × 10(9)/L (risk ratio (RR) = 5.01; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.55-16.20; P = 0.007), total bilirubin over twofold upper limit of normal value (RR = 2.86; 95 % CI 0.83-9.88; P = 0.097), and albumin ≤20 g/L (RR = 5.79; 95 % CI 1.70-19.73; P = 0.005) at diagnosis were independent risk factors for 30-day mortality. The 30-day overall survival rate (OS) of patients with three risk factors was significantly lower than that of patients with zero to two risk factors (0 vs 90.7 %; P<0.001). Patients with three risk factors were 64-fold more likely to have early adverse outcome as compared to patients with zero to two risk factors (RR = 64.45; 95 % CI 18.35-226.33; P<0.001). Platelet count normalization in 2 weeks was an independent predictor for resolution after initial therapy with an odds ratio (OR) of 18.4 (95 % CI 2.7-122.9; P = 0.003). Our results indicate that severe neutropenia and liver function damage are prognostic factors for early death in HLH and platelet count normalization in 2 weeks is a critical predictor for resolution after initial therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a compensation method to improve the distorted space vectors when a 3-level Neutral Point Clamped (NPC) inverter has an unbalanced neutral point voltage. Since both the neutral point voltage of the DC link and the space vector of a 3-level NPC inverter are closely related depending on the output load connecting state, a distorted space vector can occur when the neutral point voltage of a 3-level NPC inverter is unbalanced. The proposed method can improve the distorted space vectors by adjusting the injection time of the small and medium vectors and by modulating the amplitude of the carrier waveforms. In this paper, the proposed method is verified by both simulation and experimental results based on a 3-level NPC inverter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudorabies (PR, Aujeszky's disease) is an acute, highly contagious viral disease resulting in major economic losses to the swine industry. PR is endemic in wild and domestic animals, although its natural host is the pig. Here, we report an outbreak of PR in foxes on a fur-producing farm in Yuncheng county, Shandong, China, that were fed pig offal. The diagnosis of PR was based on nervous signs and standard PCR methods and by isolation of PRV from fox brain tissue in Vero cells. The diagnosis was confirmed by an indirect immunofluorescence assay and electron microscopy. Phylogenetic analysis of a partial (804 nt) viral glycoprotein gC gene sequence indicated that it was likely to be a field strain closely related to a cluster of PRV previously identified in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bile acids entering into enterohepatic circulating are primary acids synthesized from cholesterol in hepatocyte. They are secreted actively across canalicular membrane and carried in bile to gallbladder, where they are concentrated during digestion. About 95 % BAs are actively taken up from the lumen of terminal ileum efficiently, leaving only approximately 5 % (or approximately 0.5 g/d) in colon, and a fraction of bile acids are passively reabsorbed after a series of modifications in the human large intestine including deconjugation and oxidation of hydroxy groups. Bile salts hydrolysis and hydroxy group dehydrogenation reactions are performed by a broad spectrum of intestinal anaerobic bacteria. Next, hepatocyte reabsorbs bile acids from sinusoidal blood, which are carried to liver through portal vein via a series of transporters. Bile acids (BAs) transporters are critical for maintenance of the enterohepatic BAs circulation, where BAs exert their multiple physiological functions including stimulation of bile flow, intestinal absorption of lipophilic nutrients, solubilization, and excretion of cholesterol. Tight regulation of BA transporters via nuclear receptors (NRs) is necessary to maintain proper BA homeostasis. In conclusion, disturbances of enterohepatic circulation may account for pathogenesis of gallstones diseases, including BAs transporters and their regulatory NRs and the metabolism of intestinal bacterias, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Posterior circulation ischemic stroke (PCIS) possesses unique features. However, previous studies have primarily or exclusively relied on anterior circulation stroke cases to build machine learning (ML) models for predicting onset time. To date, there is no research reporting the effectiveness and stability of ML in identifying PCIS onset time. We aimed to build diffusion-weighted imaging-based ML models to identify the onset time of PCIS patients. Methods: Consecutive PCIS patients within 24 h of definite symptom onset were included (112 in the training set and 49 in the independent test set). Images were processed as follows: volume of interest segmentation, image feature extraction, and feature selection. Five ML models, naïve Bayes, logistic regression, tree ensemble, k-nearest neighbor, and random forest, were built based on the training set to estimate the stroke onset time (binary classification: ≤ 4.5 h or > 4.5 h). Relative standard deviations (RSD), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and the calibration plot was performed to evaluate the stability and performance of the five models. Results: The random forest model had the best performance in the test set, with the highest area under the curve (AUC, 0.840; 95% CI: 0.706, 0.974). This model also achieved the highest accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value (83.7%, 64.3%, 91.4%, 75.0%, and 86.5%, respectively). Furthermore, the model had high stability (RSD = 0.0094). Conclusion: The PCIS case-based ML model was effective for estimating the symptom onset time and achieved considerably high specificity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spread of American Bullfrog has a significant impact on the surrounding ecosystem. It is important to study the mechanisms of their spreading so that proper mitigation can be applied when needed. This study analyzes data from national surveys on bullfrog distribution. We divided the data into 25 regional clusters. To assess the spread within each cluster, we constructed temporal sequences of spatial distribution using the agglomerative clustering method. We employed Elementary Cellular Automata (ECA) to identify rules governing the changes in spatial patterns. Each cell in the ECA grid represents either the presence or absence of bullfrogs based on observations. For each cluster, we counted the number of presence location in the sequence to quantify spreading intensity. We used a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to learn the ECA rules and predict future spreading intensity by estimating the expected number of presence locations over 400 simulated generations. We incorporated environmental factors by obtaining habitat suitability maps using Maxent. We multiplied spreading intensity by habitat suitability to create an overall assessment of bullfrog invasion risk. We estimated the relative spreading assessment and classified it into four categories: rapidly spreading, slowly spreading, stable populations, and declining populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining epidermal homeostasis relies on a tightly organized process of proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes. While past studies have primarily focused on calcium regulation in keratinocyte differentiation, recent research has shed light on the crucial role of lysosome dysfunction in this process. TLR adaptor interacting with SLC15A4 on the lysosome (TASL) plays a role in regulating pH within the endo-lysosome. However, the specific role of TASL in keratinocyte differentiation and its potential impact on proliferation remains elusive. In our study, we discovered that TASL deficiency hinders the proliferation and migration of keratinocytes by inducing G1/S cell cycle arrest. Also, TASL deficiency disrupts proper differentiation process in TASL knockout human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) by affecting lysosomal function. Additionally, our research into calcium-induced differentiation showed that TASL deficiency affects calcium modulation, which is essential for keratinocyte regulation. These findings unveil a novel role of TASL in the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes, providing new insights into the intricate regulatory mechanisms of keratinocyte biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State transition is an important protection mechanism of plants for maintaining optimal efficiency through redistributing unbalanced excitation energy between photo-system II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI). This process depends on the reversible phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of the major light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) and its bi-directional migration between PSII and PSI. But it remains unclear how phosphorylation/dephosphorylation modulates the LHCII conformation and further regulates its reversible migration. Here molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) were employed to elucidate the impact of phosphorylation on LHCII conformation. The results indicated that N-terminal phosphorylation loosened LHCII trimer with decreased hydrogen bond (H-bond) interactions and extended the distances between neighboring monomers, which stemmed from the conformational adjustment of each monomer itself. Global conformational change of LHCII monomer started from its stromal Nterminal (including the phosphorylation sites) by enhancing its interaction to lipid membrane and by adjusting the interaction network with surrounded inter-monomer and intra-monomer transmembrane helixes of B, C, and A, and finally triggered the reorientation of transmembrane helixes and transferred the conformational change to luminal side helixes and loops. These results further our understanding in molecular mechanism of LHCII migration during state transition from the phosphorylation-induced microstructural feature of LHCII. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Downstream regulatory element antagonistic modulator (DREAM) is a critical transcriptional repressor for pain modulation. The role of nitric oxide (NO) plays in modulating DREAM pain pathway in the periphery is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the role of the NO in modulation of the expression of DREAM in formalin-induced rat inflammatory pain models. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly distributed into four groups: the normal group, formalin test group, Nω-nitro- l-arginine ( l-NNA) group, and morphine group. One hundred microliters of 2.5 % formalin was injected into the plantar surface of the right hindpaw of rats. l-NNA (40 nmol/L) and morphine (40 nmol/L) were injected intrathecally in the hindpaw before formalin injection. The nociceptive behavioral reaction was recorded. After the formalin test, the expression of DREAM mRNA and protein in the spinal cord of the four groups were measured. The nociceptive reaction induced by injection of formalin exhibited two phases. Morphine and l-NNA significantly decreased pain scores of the second phase. The expression of DREAM was significantly increased in the rat spinal cord after formalin-induced pain. Morphine significantly upregulated the expression of DREAM, and the formalin-induced upregulation was significantly attenuated by l-NNA. NO may play an important role in the DREAM pathway modulation of inflammatory pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at post-transcriptional levels through mRNA degradation or translation inhibition. Little is known regarding miRNA participation in regulating hematopoietic, or more specifically erythroid differentiation. This study was aimed at identifying erythroid lineage-specific miRNAs expressed during in vitro erythropoiesis using human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human umbilical cord blood (CB) CD34+ cells. CD34+ hematopoietic cells were produced from hESCs in vitro and subsequently induced to differentiate into erythroid cells by culture in sequence on OP9 feeder cells and then with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in the presence of cytokines. Expression profiles of erythroid lineage-specific miRNAs were analyzed by quantitative PCR during in vitro differentiation. Expression levels of miR-142-3p, miR-142-5p, miR-146a and miR-451 were dynamically changed during differentiation of hESCs to CD34+ hematopoietic cells, and in subsequent differentiation of the CD34+ cells into the erythroid lineage. This suggests that these four miRNAs might be involved in regulating erythropoiesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Praeruptorin C, D, and E (PC, PD, and PE) are three pyranocoumarins isolated from the dried root of Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn of Umbelliferae. In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of these compounds in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Pyranocoumarins significantly inhibited LPS-induced production of nitric oxide, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The mRNA and protein expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase, IL-6, and TNF-α were also suppressed by these compounds. Both PD and PE exhibited greater anti-inflammatory activities than PC. Further study showed that pyranocoumarins suppressed the cytoplasmic loss of inhibitor κB-α protein and inhibited the translocation of NF-κB from cytoplasm to nucleus. In addition, pyranocoumarins suppressed LPS-induced STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation. Taken together, the results suggest that pyranocoumarins may exert anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages through the inhibition of NF-κB and STAT3 activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shock tube experiments of inclined air/SF interface instability under the shock wave with the Mach numbers 1.23 and 1.41 are conducted. The numerical simulation is done with the parallel algorithm and the multi-viscous-fluid and turbulence (MVFT) code of the large-eddy simulation (LES). The developing process of the interface accelerated by the shock wave is reproduced by the simulations. The complex wave structures, e.g., the propagation, refraction, and reflection of the shock wave, are clearly revealed in the flows. The simulated evolving images of the interface are consistent with the experimental ones. The simulated width of the turbulent mixing zone (TMZ) and the displacements of the bubble and the spike also agree well with the experimental data. Also, the reliability and effectiveness of the MVFT in simulating the problem of interface instability are validated. The more energies are injected into the TMZ when the shock wave has a larger Mach number. Therefore, the perturbed interface develops faster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective and design: The anti-inflammatory effect of methyl-1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate (MHNA), a novel naphthol derivative, was evaluated in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in murine macrophages. Materials and methods: The release of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were detected by the Griess reagent and ELISA methods. The protein expressions of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were examined by Western blotting. The mRNA expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, iNOS and COX-2 were determined by real-time PCR. Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathways were detected by Western blotting, reporter gene assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Results: MHNA significantly inhibited the release of NO, IL-1β and IL-6 as well as the protein expression of iNOS and COX-2 in LPS-stimulated macrophages. It also inhibited the mRNA expression of iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β and IL-6. Further studies indicated that MHNA inhibited LPS-induced increases in NF-κB DNA-binding activity and NF-κB transcriptional activity as well as IκB-α degradation and NF-κB translocation in a dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, the activation of p38 MAPK and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) induced by LPS were decreased by MHNA. Conclusions: MHNA inhibits the LPS-induced inflammatory response in murine macrophages via suppression of NF-κB and MAPKs signaling pathways activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation to find a suitable coating material for a rudder application has been carried out in this study. Ten different coatings were prepared by arc spraying with Al-, Zn-, Cu-, and Fe-based wire feedstock. Both the cavitation erosion and marine corrosion behavior of the arc-sprayed coatings were evaluated, and compared with the conventional anti-corrosion paint. In terms of marine corrosion resistance, aluminum coating was the best among the tested coating systems while stainless steel coating showed the highest resistance against cavitation erosion. In addition, the effects of both the Si composition in Al-based coatings and the Ni composition in Cu- and Fe- based coatings were discussed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let M be a positive quaternionic Kähler manifold of dimension 4 m. We already showed that if the symmetry rank is greater than or equal to $$ \left[ {\tfrac{m} {2}} \right] + 2 $$ and the fourth Betti number b4 is equal to one, then M is isometric to ℍ P m. The goal of this paper is to report that we can improve the lower bound of the symmetry rank by one for higher even-dimensional positive quaternionic Kähler manifolds. Namely, it is shown in this paper that if the symmetry rank of M with b4( M) = 1 is greater than or equal to $$ \tfrac{m} {2} + 1 $$ for m ≥ 10, then M is isometric to ℍ P m. One of the main strategies of this paper is to apply a more delicate argument of Frankel type to positive quaternionic Kähler manifolds with certain symmetry rank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a review of a study on avascular wound healing of the cornea. Factors that contribute to avascularization of the cornea are discussed. Laboratory studies hypothesized that neovascularization (NV) or the formation of new vascular structures of the cornea can be promoted by means of stromal fibroblasts through their proangiogenic matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. The activities of antiangiogenic and proangiogenic factors during wound healing are cited. The laboratory study used corneas harvested from mice.

The development of an accessory breast tissue is attributed to the failure of regression of milk line remnants during embryogenesis. The accessory breasts can develop anywhere along the milk line, extending from axilla to the groin. The vulvar accessory breast is extremely rare among these. We report an 18-year-old girl presenting a solitary vulvar mass which is later pathologically confirmed to be an accessory breast tissue. On preoperative ultrasonographic examination, a lobulated echogenic mass with internal septa was seen in the subcutaneous fat layer of the mons pubis. Excisional biopsy was performed, which revealed an accessory breast tissue. She had no specific developmental abnormalities and had no familial history. An accessory breast in the vulva is an extremely rare case among the ectopic breasts, especially in an adolescent girl. Pathological confirmation is mandatory in this case to exclude a possibility of other tumor, including malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoscale sensing elements offer promise for single-molecule analyte detection in physically or biologically constrained environments. Single-walled carbon nanotubes have several advantages when used as optical sensors, such as photostable near-infrared emission for prolonged detection through biological media and single-molecule sensitivity. Molecular adsorption can be transduced into an optical signal by perturbing the electronic structure of the nanotubes. Here, we show that a pair of single-walled nanotubes provides at least four modes that can be modulated to uniquely fingerprint agents by the degree to which they alter either the emission band intensity or wavelength. We validate this identification method in vitro by demonstrating the detection of six genotoxic analytes, including chemotherapeutic drugs and reactive oxygen species, which are spectroscopically differentiated into four distinct classes, and also demonstrate single-molecule sensitivity in detecting hydrogen peroxide. Finally, we detect and identify these analytes in real time within live 3T3 cells, demonstrating multiplexed optical detection from a nanoscale biosensor and the first label-free tool to optically discriminate between genotoxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]