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Numerous studies have suggested that the perceived built environment is shaped by the objective built environment and influences human physical activity. However, the empirical examination of this pathway remains scant. Addressing this gap, our study investigates whether the built environment affects leisure-time physical activity through its impact on the perceived built environment, utilizing data collected from 760 residents in Fuzhou, China. Structural Equation Modeling results reveal a modest correlation between objective and perceived built environment elements, with the objective built environment being a stronger predictor of leisure-time physical activity. Notably, perceived recreational facilities significantly mediate the relationship between objective recreational facilities and leisure-time physical activity, accounting for 15% of the variance in physical activity due to objective recreational facilities. This mediation effect is consistent across subpopulations, irrespective of residential self-selection biases. These results highlight the imperative for urban planning and policy to extend beyond mere spatial allocation of amenities to enhancing both the actual and perceived accessibility of these facilities, thus underlining the study's profound implications for public health and urban development strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coleman's theorem states that continuous internal symmetries cannot be spontaneously broken in two-dimensional quantum field theories (QFTs). In this work we consider surface (i.e. two-dimensional) defects in d-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs) invariant under a continuous internal symmetry group G. We study under which conditions it is possible for a surface defect to break spontaneously a continuous internal symmetry. We find that spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) is impossible under reasonable assumptions on the defect Renormalization Group (RG) flow. Counterexamples are possible only for exotic RG flows, that do not terminate at a fixed-point. We discuss an example of this kind. We also illustrate our no-go result with an effective field theory analysis of generic defect RG flows. We find a generic weakly coupled defect universality class (with no SSB), where correlation functions decay logarithmically. Our analysis generalizes the recent discovery by Metlitski of the extraordinary-log boundary universality class in the O(N) model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abundant investigations have shown that hypobaric hypoxia (HH) causes cognitive impairment, mostly attributed to oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. HPN (4′-hydroxyl-2-subsitiuted phenylnitronyl nitroxide) is an excellent free radical scavenger with anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic activities. Our previous study has found that HPN exhibited neuroprotective effect on HH induced brain injury. In the present study, we examined the protective effect and potential mechanism of HPN on HH-induced cognitive impairment. Male mice were exposed to HH at 8000 m for 3 days with and without HPN treatment. Cognitive performance was assessed by the eight-arm radical maze. The histological changes were assayed by Nissle staining. The hippocampus cell apoptosis was detected by Tunnel staining. The levels of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers were detected. The expression of oxidative stress, inflammation-related and apoptosis-related proteins was determined by western blot. HPN administration significantly and mitigated HH induced histological damages and spatial memory loss with the evidence of decreased working memory error (WME), reference memory error (RME), total errors (TE) and total time (TT). In addition, HPN treatment significantly decreased the content of H2O2 and MDA, increased the levels of SOD, CAT, GSH-Px and GSH, and inhibited the synthesis of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. Moreover, HPN administration could down-regulate the expression of NF-κB, TNF-α, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3 and up-regulate the expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and Bcl-2. The number of apoptotic cells was also significantly decreased in the hippocampus of mice in the HPN group. There results indicate that HPN improve HH-induced cognitive impairment by alleviating oxidative stress damage, suppressing inflammatory response and apoptosis and may be a powerful candidate compound for alleviating memory loss induced by HH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A structurally dense hydrogel, with strong hydrogen bonding networks, was formed from poly(vinyl alcohol), sodium alginate, and oligomeric proanthocyanidins, using a combination of freeze–thaw cycles and calcium ion cross-linking. The structure of the hydrogel was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Mechanical testing and thermogravimetric analysis showed that incorporation of proanthocyanidins enhanced both the mechanical properties and the thermal stability of the hydrogel. The hydrogel was also demonstrated to have excellent ultraviolet resistance and antioxidant properties. The hydrogel was further shown that this hydrogel is also capable of generating electrochemical reactions, which strongly suggests that this hydrogel has exciting potential in many fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiotherapy is the main treatment for cervical cancer. It is usually applied alone or in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy. To explore the association between immune microenvironment of cervical cancer and radiotherapy response, we collected 20 paired cervical cancer tumor samples before and after radiotherapy and partial clinical information. With paired-end RNA-seq, we quantified the immune infiltration and tumor purity of these samples, and obtained 6350 differentially expressed genes before and after radiotherapy. With the help of R language, the function enrichment analysis and 22 immune cells infiltration analysis were carried out. Moreover, we built a random forest model based on the immune microenvironment to predict the short-term efficacy of radiotherapy. We found that the effect of radiotherapy on the immune microenvironment of stage III and IV cervical cancer patients was weaker than that of stage I and II cervical cancer patients. Radiotherapy can significantly reduce the tumor purity and increase immune infiltration. The proportions of the immune infiltrating cells are predictive of the radiotherapy efficacy. In addition, the local mucositis caused by radiotherapy can improve the curative effect of radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For electromagnetic wave-absorbing materials, maximizing absorption at a specific frequency has been constantly achieved, but enhancing the absorption properties in the entire band remains a challenge. In this work, a 3D porous pyrolytic carbon (PyC) foam matrix was synthesized by a template method. Amorphous carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were then in-situ grown on the matrix surface to obtain ultralight CNTs/PyC foam. These in-situ grown amorphous CNTs were distributed uniformly and controlled by the catalytic growth time and can enhance the interface polarization and conduction loss of composites. When the electromagnetic wave enters the internal holes, the electromagnetic energy can be completely attenuated under the combined action of polarization, conductivity loss, and multiple reflections. The ultralight CNTs/PyC foam had a density of 22.0 mg·cm−3 and a reflection coefficient lower than −13.3 dB in the whole X-band (8.2–12.4 GHz), which is better than the conventional standard of effective absorption bandwidth (≤−10 dB). The results provide ideas for researching ultralight and strong electromagnetic wave absorbing materials in the X-band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulating the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of metallic nanostructures is of great interests for optical and catalytic applications, however, it is still a great challenge for tuning SPR features of small metallic nanoparticles (< 10 nm). In this work, we design a unique dielectric support—urchin-like mesoporous silica nanoparticles (U−SiO2) with ordered long spikes on its surface, which can well enhance the SPR properties of ∼ 3 nm gold nanocrystals (AuNCs). The U−SiO2 not only realizes the uniform self-assembly of AuNCs, but also prevents their aggregation due to the unique confinement effect. The finite-difference time-domain simulations show that the AuNCs on U−SiO2 can generate plasmonic hot spots with highly enhanced electromagnetic field. Moreover, the hot electrons can be effectively and rapidly transferred through the interface junction to TiO2. Thus, a high visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity can be observed, which is 3.8 times higher than that of smooth photocatalysts. The concept of dielectric supports engineering provides a new strategy for tuning SPR of small metallic nanocrystals towards the development of advanced plasmon-based applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Mounting evidence indicates the involvement of the innate immune system in Parkinson's disease (PD). Nevertheless, the implications of peripheral monocytes have not been fully elucidated. Although alpha-synuclein (α-synuclein) has been described as a pathological hallmark of PD, the proinflammatory effect of α-synuclein on monocytes is understudied. This study aimed to comprehensively characterize peripheral monocytes in PD patients and to investigate the proinflammatory magnitude of fibrillar α-synuclein. Methods: Using flow cytometry, we explored the distribution of monocytic subpopulations. We also investigated the actions of peripheral monocytes in response to lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and to fibrillar α-synuclein stimuli by measuring inflammatory molecule levels in post-culture supernatants. Results: Classical monocytes were enriched, in parallel with lower proportions of intermediate and nonclassical monocytes in patients with PD than in controls. Lower levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were spontaneously produced by unstimulated monocytes in patients with PD. LPS and fibrillar α-synuclein stimuli induced high levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and sCD163 in the PD and control groups. Strikingly, the fold induction of TNF-α and IL-6 was lower in patients with PD than that in normal controls under the same stimulation. Conclusion: Our results revealed a strong dysregulation of peripheral monocytes in PD patients, including subpopulation shifts and impaired response to specific stimuli, and the proinflammatory effect of α-synuclein on monocytes. Further studies are needed to clarify the specific mechanisms by which these immunological abnormalities are present in PD to open the possibility of immunoregulatory therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen a rapid development of lead halide perovskite (LHP) nanocrystals (NCs) as new and promising functional nanomaterials, which exhibit strong potential in a wide range of optoelectronic applications due to their superior properties and solution-processable advantages. However, to promote their progress in commercialization, overcoming the drawbacks of intrinsic lead toxicity and optimizing material performance are important and must be solved using alternative metal ions to replace Pb ions. In this review, we primarily summarize the recent development of lead-substitution strategies, which focus on the commonalities and differences of their functionalities that are induced by various doped ions. After a brief introduction to the synthesis, nucleation and growth of all-inorganic LHP NCs, a deep discussion of the crystalline structure, electronic band structure, defect states, exciton binding energy, exciton photodynamic process and stability is followed. Specifically, we highlight the importance of both theoretical calculations and experimental characterizations to establish indicative guidelines for high-performance semiconductor nanomaterials. Finally, the light emission applications are discussed, and several issues concerning future research on the controllable synthesis of halide perovskite NCs with low toxicity, superior reproducibility and properties are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, we endeavor to study the asynchronous and resilient dissipative filtering issue for T–S fuzzy Markov jump singularly perturbed systems (MJSPSs) involving the dynamic event-triggered transmission protocol, partly known conditional probabilities, and deception attacks. A novel dynamic event-triggered transmission protocol is firstly offered to further decrease the data transmission percentage over the communication channels. To better depict the practical communication situations, the mutually independent random variables that subject to the Bernoulli distribution are adopted to formulate the occurrence of deception attacks. And an asynchronous and resilient filter is properly constructed, which yields that the filtering error systems are converted into the T–S fuzzy MJSPSs with time-varying delays. Then, the criteria of stochastically stable for the filtering error systems are presented concerning a group of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). By solving the LMIs, the nonsynchronous and resilient dissipative filter, the weighting matrix of dynamic event-triggered transmission protocol can be concurrently determined. Eventually, an example is provided to verify the validity of the developed theoretical results. Further, for the prescribed dissipative performance, state trajectoires, filter trajectories, and filter errors are presented for MJSPSs involving deception attacks under different transmission protocols, which illustrate that both of them almost have the same decay rates. However, for the prescribed dissipative performance, the transmission rates are so different for two transmission protocols that the dynamic event-triggered transmission protocol is much lower than that of the static one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affected by frequency, amplitude and some other factors, the dynamic mechanical properties of rubber bushing are nonlinear. In order to study the frequency dependence of the rubber bushing, a BP neural network optimized by genetic algorithm (GA-BP neural network) is applied to predict the dynamic stiffness and loss factor under frequency of 61–100 Hz. The training data refers to the test data under frequency of 1–60 Hz. And the algorithm is demonstrated by the elastomer test of rubber bushing under amplitudes 0.2 mm, 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm. The results show that the prediction error of dynamic stiffness is less than 1%, and the prediction error of loss factor is less than 3%. In order to apply the predicted results to the software for simulation, a five-parameter mathematical model (FPM) consisting of three elastic elements and two damping elements is developed, and the model parameters are identified by least squares method. According to the fitting results and test data, the fitting error of dynamic stiffness is less than 2%, and the fitting error of loss factor is less than 3%. The GA-BP neural network and FPM model predict the dynamic mechanical behaviour of rubber bushing without the performance of iterative experiments and the incurrence of a high computational cost, making it applicable to analyze full-size vehicles with numerous rubber bushings under various vibration load conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti3C2Tx materials have large specific surface area, high in-layer conductivity, strong conductivity loss and good electromagnetic absorption properties. However, the impedance matching characteristics of Ti3C2Tx still need to be further optimized. Through cross-linking reaction, a poly-dopamine (PDA) protective layer is coated on the surface of Ti3C2Tx, and then, the N-doped pyrolytic carbon (N-PyC)/Ti3C2Tx hybrids are fabricated by heat treatment with the obtained PDA-Ti3C2Tx. The results show that Ti3C2Tx coated with N-PyC layered has a low degree of oxidation and a high dielectric loss, which is attributed to the carbon coating as a protective layer consumes Ti3C2Tx surface functional groups and reduces the O-terminals of Ti3C2Tx produced during the heat treatment process, thereby reducing oxidation. The high conductivity Ti3C2Tx is compounded with the medium loss material N-PyC, which can optimize the impedance matching characteristics. On the flip side defect polarization caused by N atoms in N-PyC is propitious to dissipate electromagnetic waves. Hence, N-PyC/Ti3C2Tx hybrids exhibit good electromagnetic wave absorption properties. When the mass ratio is 21wt% and the thickness is 2.6 mm, the minimum reflection coefficient of N-PyC/Ti3C2Tx is -26.5 dB in X-band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mouse incisors are covered by enamel only on the labial side and the lingual side is covered by dentin without enamel. This asymmetric distribution of enamel makes it possible to be abrased on the lingual side, generating the sharp cutting edge of incisor on the labial side. The abrasion of mouse incisors is compensated by the continuous growth throughout life. Epithelium stem cells responsible for its continuous growth are reported to localize within the labial cervical loop. The transcription factor Sox2 plays important roles in the maintenance of stem cell pluripotency and organ formation. We previously found that Sox2 mainly expressed in the dental epithelium. Besides, Sox2 has been reported to be a dental epithelium stem cell marker in the incisor. However, the exact mechanism of Sox2 controlling amelogenesis is still not quite clearly elucidated. Here we report that conditional deletion of Sox2 in the dental epithelium using Shhcre caused impaired ameloblast differentiation in the labial side and induced ectopic ameloblast-like cell differentiation on the lingual side. Abnormal FGF gene expression was detected by RNAscope in situ hybridization in the mutant incisor. Collectively, we speculate that asymmetric ameloblast lineage commitment of mouse incisor might be regulated by Sox2 through FGF signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider an optimal trading problem for an investor who trades Bitcoin spot and Bitcoin inverse futures, plus a risk-free asset. The investor seeks an optimal strategy to maximize her expected utility of terminal wealth. We obtain explicit solutions to the investor's optimal strategies under both exponential and power utility functions. Empirical studies confirm that optimal strategies perform well in terms of Sharpe ratio and Sortino ratio and beat the long-only strategy in Bitcoin spot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bismuth-Yttrium Oxide Bi3YO6 (BYO) is well-known among researchers for its potential applications in different fields but its use as an electrode for asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) has not yet been discussed and uncovered. As high energy and power densities could be well achieved with the aid of optimum potential. In the current scenario, BYO is used as an electrode material for ASCs for the first time. The material is prepared by a solid-state reaction method and its structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties have been explored by using different characterization tools. Structural analysis declared the flourite based structure of BYO having a cubic phase without any visible impurity. In a morphological analysis, a mesoporous thin film with a high surface area (~ 36.6 m2 g−1) with a narrow pore width of (~ 5–18 nm) has been observed. The as-prepared BYO employed as an electrode material for SCs delivers a high specific capacitance of (388 F g−1 at 100 m Vs−1 in the three-electrode system) with excellent cycling stability (5% loss after 6000 cycles). Essentially, an ASC is assembled using BYO and rGO as a positive and negative electrodes operating in a stable and wide potential window up to 2.2 V. Moreover, a high energy density of 11 Wh kg−1 along with a power density of 648 W kg−1 is obtained and maintained a high power density of 888 W kg−1 with the downfall of energy density to 3.7 Wh kg−1. The results prove electrode material as an alternative promising candidate for ASCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene-based plasmonic sandwiches have received considerable research interest because of their intriguing optical, electronic and catalytic properties. The capability of tuning the distribution of plasmonic nanostructures is essential for exploring their intrinsic properties and potential applications. Herein, we report an ultraviolet (UV)/ozone-assisted approach to synthesizing gold nanoparticles/reduced graphene oxide/gold thin film (AuNPs/RGO/Au) plasmonic nano-sandwiches with easy and fine tunability of AuNPs at room temperature. The UV/ozone functionalization controls the activation of anchor sites for AuNPs on the GO scaffold without creating new defects on the basal plane. By simply varying the functionalization time, the loading density of AuNPs with an average size of ~ 17 nm is able to reach a value of over 500 μm−2, which is higher than previously reported values using other room-temperature methods. The AuNPs/RGO/Au plasmonic nano-sandwiches offer remarkable near-field enhancement with an enhancement factor of over 300 in the Raman signal of graphene, which is comparable with the highest reported values. The as-prepared AuNPs/RGO/Au nano-sandwiches can be used as sensitive surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates. This work demonstrates that oxygen-containing functional groups, which were commonly considered to have negative effects on graphene-based nanocomposites, can contribute to the successful synthesis of high-loading plasmonic nano-sandwiches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a globally important legume crop, soybean provides excellent sources of protein and oil for human and livestock nutrition. Improving seed protein and oil contents has always been an important objective in soybean breeding. Water-soluble protein plays a significant role in the processing and efficacy of soybean protein. Here, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of seed compositions (protein, oil, and water-soluble protein contents) was conducted using 211 diverse soybean accessions genotyped with a 355 K SoySNP array. Three, four, and five QTLs were identified related to the protein, oil, and water-soluble protein contents, respectively. Furthermore, five QTLs (qPC-15-1, qOC-8-1, qOC-12-1, qOC-20-1 and qWSPC-8-1) were detected in multiple environments. Analysis of the favorable alleles for oil and water-soluble protein contents showed that qOC-8-1 (qWSPC-8-1) exerted inverse effects on oil and water-soluble protein synthesis. Relative expression analysis suggested that Glyma.15G049200 in qPC-15-1 affects protein synthesis and Glyma.08G107800 in qOC-8-1 and qWSPC-8-1 might be involved in oil and water-soluble protein synthesis, producing opposite effects. The candidate genes and significant SNPs detected in the present study will allow a deeper understanding of the genetic basis for the regulation of protein, oil and water-soluble protein contents and provide important information that could be utilized in marker-assisted selection for soybean quality improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated device of solar cell and photocatalysis (p-Si fronted solar cell/ CoSi2/WO3) has been used as photoanode for water splitting. The WO3 had been synthesized by co-electrodeposition of CoW on the p-Si fronted solar cell and followed by the annealing and acid treatment. The XRD and SEM show the amorphous structure for both as-depostion and after treatment samples. After the treatment, XPS and the ellipsometer spectroscopy shows that the CoSi2 and WO3 was formed with the band gap of 1.32 eV and 2.67 eV, respectively. Without additional power, we had demonstrated that the p-Si fronted solar cell/CoSi2/WO3 can achieve ~ 0.046 mA/cm2 photocurrent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effects of heat waves and ozone on hypertensive rats. Heat wave and ozone pollution were simulated on the Shanghai Meteorological and Environmental Animal Exposure System. Eighteen hypertensive rats were randomly divided into a control group, an ozone group, and a heat wave plus ozone group. The experimental groups were transferred to the exposure system for exposure to the ozone and heat wave plus ozone. After exposure, blood samples were collected from the abdominal aorta, and the hearts were harvested in all groups. The concentrations of inflammatory factors, vasomotion factors, cardiovascular risk factors, oxidative stress and thrombosis factors and heat stress factors in heart tissue were measured in each rat. Ozone exposure and heat wave plus ozone exposure increased the levels of inflammatory factors, thrombosis factors, vasomotion factors and cardiovascular risk factors, except for HDL-C, which was reduced. Moreover, experimental exposure increased the heat stress factors and oxidative stress, except for SOD, which was decreased. These data demonstrated that both ozone exposure and heat wave plus ozone exposure could adversely affect hypertensive rats, and that heat wave may enhance the toxic effect of ozone exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Many commercially available glucagon products for treatment of severe hypoglycaemia require cumbersome reconstitution and potentially intimidating injection during an emergency. Nasal glucagon (NG) is a novel drug-device combination product consisting of a single-use dosing device that delivers glucagon dry powder through nasal administration. The present study assessed whether 3 mg NG was non-inferior to 1 mg intramuscular glucagon (IMG) in adults with type 1 diabetes. Methods: This randomised, open-label, two-period, crossover trial was conducted at two clinical sites. Hypoglycaemia (plasma glucose [PG] target of < 3.3 mmol/l (60 mg/dl) was induced by an intravenous insulin infusion. Glucagon preparations were given by study staff. Treatment success was defined as an increase in PG to ≥ 3.9 mmol/l (70 mg/dl) or an increase of ≥ 1.1 mmol/l (20 mg/dl) from the PG nadir within 30 min of receiving glucagon. Results: Of the 66 participants included in the primary efficacy analysis who received both NG and IMG, 100% achieved treatment success, thus demonstrating non-inferiority of NG to IMG. All participants achieved treatment success within 25 min with the mean time to treatment success of 11.4 min (NG) and 9.9 min (IMG). No serious adverse events occurred. Forty-eight treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred after NG and 51 after IMG. Most TEAEs were mild and transient. Conclusion: Nasal glucagon was as efficacious and well tolerated as IMG for the treatment of insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in adults and will be as useful as IMG as a rescue treatment for severe hypoglycaemia. Trial Registration: NCT03339453, ClinicalTrials.gov [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photosynthesis plays an extremely important role throughout the life cycle of plants. Improving the photosynthetic rate is a major target for increasing crop productivity. This study was conducted to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Cond), intercellular carbon dioxide concentration (Ci) and transpiration rate (Trmmol) through genome-wide association study (GWAS) and to inspect the relationships among these traits in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). A population of 219 soybean accessions was used in this research. A total of 12 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with Pn, Cond, Ci and Trmmol were detected and distributed on chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, and 19, and some of these QTL overlapped with previously reported QTLs. Furthermore, four candidate genes were identified, and there were significantly different expression levels between the high-light-efficiency accessions and low-light-efficiency accessions. These putative genes may participate in the regulation of photosynthesis through different metabolic pathways. Therefore, the associated novel QTLs and candidate genes detected in this study will provide a theoretical basis for genetic studies of photosynthesis and provide new avenues for crop improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of the impurity in Cu2O nanowire on the degradation of methyl orange under light irradiation in dark circumstances was investigated. Here, we present the fabrication of Cu2O nanowires at different temperatures (110, 130, 150, 170, and 190 °C) by a facile hydrothermal route. Meanwhile, at the synthesis temperature of 110–150 °C, the major impurity in Cu2O nanowires was Cu4O3, and a new Cu impurity was introduced in the Cu2O nanowires as the synthesis temperature increased from 170 to 190 °C. Overall, as the synthesis temperature increases from 110 to 190 °C, the total impurity decreases in Cu2O nanowires. The fast degradation rate in dark circumstances has been achieved in Cu2O nanowires for all synthesis temperatures, which can be attributed to the Cu2+ in the Cu4O3 impurity of Cu2O nanowires. This result shows that the Cu2O nanowires obtained at the synthesis temperature of 150 °C have the fastest degradation rate for both under light irradiation and in dark circumstances. It has been found that under light irradiation, the Cu impurity in Cu2O nanowires plays a vital role in the degradation of methyl orange. In the current scenario, different impurity contents influence the catalyst activity of Cu2O nanowires under the visible light or dark, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Glucagon is the only approved medicine for severe hypoglycemia available for caregivers of people with diabetes. Nasal glucagon (NG) was recently approved in the USA as a needle-free, ready-to-use alternative to injectable glucagon. This simulated user experience study in Japan compared NG and intramuscular glucagon (IMG) administration by caregivers, and NG administration by untrained third parties. Methods: This was an open-label, single-center, partially randomized crossover, simulated user experience trial conducted in Japan (October 2018 to December 2018). Caregivers who live with and care for a relative with diabetes were randomized (1:1, stratified by patient diabetes type 1 or 2) to one of two simulated administration sequences (group 1: NG then IMG; group 2: IMG then NG). Caregivers received training on each device 2 weeks before simulated administration of the device. Third parties received no training and only conducted simulated NG administration. Outcome measures included the percentage of successful administrations (based on critical step completion and dose; primary outcome), time to complete administration, and user satisfaction/preferences. Results: In caregivers (N = 19), the percentage of successful administrations was greater (89.5% vs 26.3%, P < 0.001) and mean time to complete administration was shorter (23.9 vs 207.3 s, P < 0.001) with NG than with IMG. In third parties (N = 20), 95% of NG administration attempts were successful (mean time to complete administration, 55.5 s). All caregivers and 80% of third parties reported that the NG device was easy to use. All caregivers and 70% of third parties were confident and willing to use the device in a real emergency, and more than 80% of caregivers preferred the NG device to IMG. Conclusion: This simulated user experience study confirmed that glucagon administration using a nasal delivery device was quicker, easier, and had a higher success rate than intramuscular administration in Japan, where the glucagon injection kit is not available. Funding: Eli Lilly. Plain Language Summary: Plain language summary available for this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is the most common hereditary cerebral small vessel disease caused by mutations in NOTCH3. Prevailing models suggest that demyelination occurs secondary to vascular pathology. However, in zebrafish, NOTCH3 is also expressed in mature oligodendrocytes. Thus, we hypothesized that in addition to vascular defects, mutant NOTCH3 may alter glial function in individuals with CADASIL. The aim of this study was to characterize the direct effects of a mutant NOTCH3 protein in HS683 oligodendrocytes. HS683 oligodendrocytes transfected with wild-type NOTCH3, mutant NOTCH3(R90C), and empty control vector were used to study the impact of the NOTCH3(R90C) mutant on its protein hydrolytic processing, cell viability, apoptosis, autophagy, oxidative stress, and the related upstream events using immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, RT-PCR, and flow cytometry. We determined that HS683 oligodendrocytes transfected with mutant NOTCH3(R90C), which is the hotspot mutation site-associated with CADASIL, exhibited aberrant NOTCH3 proteolytic processing. Compared to cells overexpressing wild-type NOTCH3, cells overexpressing NOTCH3(R90C) were less viable and had a higher rate of apoptosis. Immunoblotting revealed that cells transfected with NOTCH3(R90C) had higher levels of intrinsic mitochondrial apoptosis, extrinsic death receptor path-related apoptosis, and autophagy compared with cells transfected with wild-type NOTCH3. This study suggests that in patients with CADASIL, early defects in glia influenced by NOTCH3(R90C) may directly contribute to white matter pathology in addition to secondary vascular defects. This study provides a potential therapeutic target for the future treatment of CADASIL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original version of this article unfortunately contained mistakes. In line 9 of the abstract, 5% should read as 2%. The reference 41 at end of the XRD discussion should read as 42. All the references were not ordered and some references were missing. They are given below. The added references were mistakenly omitted from the original manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

KRAS mutation in colorectal cancer (CRC) activates transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) to promote tumor progression. In the current study, we explored the potential effect of LYTAK1, a novel TAK1 inhibitor, against KRAS mutant CRC cells in vitro and in vivo. We found that LYTAK1 dose-dependently inhibited KRAS mutant CRC cell (HT-29 and SW-620 lines) growth, and induced cell cycle G1-S arrest. Further, LYTAK1 activated apoptosis in HT-29 cells and SW-620 cells, and apoptosis inhibitors almost reversed LYTAK1-mediated growth inhibition. While in KRAS wild-type (WT) CRC cell lines (DLD-1 and HCT-116), LYTAK1 had almost no effect on cell growth, cell cycle progression, or cell apoptosis. In KRAS mutant HT-29 cells and SW-260 cells, LYTAK1 blocked TAK1 activation or phosphorylation at Thr-184/187. Activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) in these cells, detected by phosphorylations of p65 and IκB kinase α (IKKα) as well as expression of NF-κB-regulated gene cyclin D1, was significantly inhibited by LYTAK1. Further, LYTAK1 treatment resulted in downregulation of β-catenin and Wnt response gene Axin 2, indicating Wnt inactivation. In vivo, oral LYTAK1 significantly inhibited HT-29 xenograft growth in nude mice. Together, these results show that LYTAK1 inhibits KRAS mutant CRC cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. LYTAK1 might be investigated as a novel agent against CRC with KRAS mutation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike normal differentiated cells, cancer cells primarily rely on glycolysis to generate energy needed for cellular processes even in normoxia conditions. This phenomenon is called aerobic glycolysis or 'the Warburg effect.' Aerobic glycolysis is inefficient to generate ATP, but the advantages it confers to cancer cells remain to be fully explained. Several oncogenic signaling pathways, interplaying with enzymes and kinases involved in glucose metabolism, participate in the switch from oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to aerobic glycolysis. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a family of functional RNA molecules that are not further translated into proteins, which exert regulatatory roles in gene transcription and translation. ncRNAs, especially miRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), may also have great effect on glucose metabolism by targeting not only glycolysis enzymes directly but also oncogenic signaling pathways indirectly. A better understanding of the Warburg effect and the regulatory role of ncRNAs in cancer glucose metabolism may contribute to the treatment of cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daily precipitation data from 153 meteorological stations over Northwest China during summer from 1963 to 2012 were selected to analyze the spatiotemporal distribution of extreme summer precipitation frequency. The results show that the extreme precipitation frequency was regional dependent. Southern Gansu, northern Qinghai, and southern Shaanxi provinces exhibited a high extreme precipitation frequency and were prone to abrupt changes in the frequency. Northwest China was further divided into three sub-regions (northern, central, and southern) based on cluster analysis of the 50-yr extreme precipitation frequency series for each meteorological station. The extreme precipitation frequency changes were manifested in the northern region during the late 1970s and in the central region from the end of the 1980s to the 1990s. The southern region fluctuated on a timescale of quasi-10 yr. This study also explored the mechanism of changes in extreme precipitation frequency. The results demonstrate that stratification stability, atmospheric water vapor content, and upward motion all affected the changes in extreme precipitation frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the fault detection problem is investigated for a class of nonlinear discrete-time singular systems over networks with mode-dependent time delays. The transmission delays are modeled as a Markov chain with partly known distribution, which takes values in a finite state space. By augmenting the original nonlinear singular system and the fault detection filter, the resulting fault detection dynamics is formulated as an $$H_{\infty }$$ filtering problem of a singular Markov jump system. Regular, casual, stochastically stable of the fault detection dynamics and the prescribed $$H_{\infty }$$ attenuation level are obtained by the mode-dependent Lyapunov functional approach. The desired fault detection filter is obtained in terms of a series of feasible LMIs. A numerical example is presented to show the effectiveness of the developed technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current treatment for advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unsatisfactory due to resistance to chemotherapy and ionizing radiation. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) regulates multiple cellular processes that are crucial for the proliferation and survival of all kinds of cells. Carbobenzoxyl-leucinyl-leucinyl-leucinal-H (MG132), a specific and selective reversible inhibitor of the 26S proteasome, represents a novel approach for cancer therapy. However, whether MG132 can potentiate the effect of radiation against the growth and metastasis of NSCLC is not clear. We found that MG132 inhibited the proliferation of human NSCLC cell lines (A549 and H1299) in a dose- and time-dependent manner by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Then MG132 at a nontoxic dose (100 nM) was selected for following studies. Pretreatment of A549 and H1299 cells with 100 nM MG132 before ionizing radiation (IR) potentiated the anticancer effect of IR. Moreover, pretreatment with 100 nM MG132 before IR-enhanced radiation induced cell cycle arrest by decreased CyclinD1 but increased Wee1 expression in A549 and H1299 cells. In addition, pretreatment of MG132 combined with IR significantly suppressed cell migration and invasion abilities in NSCLC cell lines, which was accompanied by decreased expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 in NSCLC cell lines. Taken together, our results demonstrate that MG132 enhances the antigrowth and antimetastatic effects of irradiation in NSCLC cells by modulating expression of cell cycle and invasion- related genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten-week-old male Wistar rats (systolic blood pressure, 106-116 mmHg; body weight, 300-320 g) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (systolic blood pressure, 160-176 mmHg; body weight, 210.9-244.9 g) were used as healthy and hypertensive subjects to determine the effects of varying degrees of cold-air exposure in a climate chamber box. The three cold-air ranks were cold air I [minimum temperature (TMIN) 6.4 °C, ↓∆T 8.6 °C], cold air II (TMIN 3.8 °C, ↓∆T 11.2 °C), and cold air III (TMIN −0.3 °C, ↓∆T 15.3 °C), as established from the cold-air data of Zhangye City, China. Each cold-air rank consisted of a temperature drop and a temperature increase with the same initial and terminal temperatures (15 °C). After cold-air exposure, the risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) such as systolic blood pressure, whole blood viscosity (10/s and 150/s), plasma fibrinogen, and blood lipids of the rats were determined. The results indicated that the CVD risk factors of the healthy and hypertensive rats increased significantly with cold-air exposure intensities. The increase in systolic blood pressure was greater during temperature drops, whereas the increases in whole blood viscosity and plasma fibrinogen were greater after cold-air exposure. The effects of cold-air exposure on the CVD risk factors of healthy rats, particularly the systolic blood pressure, whole blood viscosity (150/s), and LDL/HDL, were greater than those in hypertensive rats. In conclusion, CVD risk may increase with cold-air ranks. Blood pressure-induced CVD risk may be greater during cold-air temperature drop, whereas atherosclerosis-induced CVD risk may be greater after cold-air exposure. The effect of cold air on the CVD risk factors in healthy subjects may be more significant than those in hypertensive subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal flying-height control (TFC) is now a key technology used in hard-disk drives (HDD) as an effective way to push the magnetic spacing to sub-5 nm. Precise control of the TFC sliders' actuated flying-height (FH) is a major consideration in improving the read/write capability as well as reducing the reliability problem. In this paper, we investigate the response of TFC sliders to altitude changes with a focus on the variation of actuated FH. Numerical and experimental results both indicate an increase in the actuated FH at higher altitudes. Simulations show that the increased TFC protrusion and less air bearing pushback on sliders at higher altitudes contribute to this increase. This study is of practical importance for improving heater and air bearing surface design to reduce the TFC sliders' sensitivities to altitude changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study describes and assesses potential hepatobiliary events related to atomoxetine therapy, as reported in clinical trials and as spontaneous adverse event reports post-launch in 2002.Methods: Case reports that contained potential hepatobiliary events were identified by a computerized search of the Eli Lilly and Company atomoxetine spontaneous adverse events and clinical trials databases. All cases were reviewed by at least two company physicians, one with expertise in hepatology, to determine the relevance of the information in respect of potential liver toxicity.Results: Of 7961 paediatric and adult patients treated with atomoxetine in clinical trials, 41 were identified as having hepatobiliary events requiring additional analysis. Most of these events were mild increases in ALT and AST levels. None of these cases met Hy's rule criteria or progressed to liver failure. During the 4 years after market launch, 351 spontaneous reports of adverse events were related to the liver, of which 69 had other explanations unrelated to atomoxetine. Of the remaining 282 cases, 133 contained possible confounding factors (and were deemed to be possibly related), 146 presented too little information to assess, and three suggested atomoxetine as a probable cause of liver injuries. One of the three had a positive rechallenge. All three patients recovered after discontinuation of the drug.Conclusions: Since the launch of atomoxetine therapy, three spontaneously reported cases of reversible drug-induced liver injury were deemed probably related to it. Atomoxetine should be discontinued in patients with jaundice or laboratory evidence of liver injury and should not be restarted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which examined the effects of atomoxetine on non-North American patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Improvements in the psychosocial and functional outcomes of patients with ADHD; Safety and tolerability of atomoxetine on ADHD patients; Symptoms of the disease.

Traditional radiation biology states that radiation causes damage only in cells traversed by ionizing radiation. But radiation-induced bystander effect (RIBE), which refers to the biological responses in unirradiated cells when the neighboring cells are exposed to radiation, challenged this old dogma and has become a new paradigm of this field. By nature, RIBEs are the consequences of intercellular communication between irradiated and unirradiated cells. However, there are still some important questions remain unanswered such as whether RIBE is dependent on radiation quality, what are the determining factors if so, etc. Using a transwell co-culture system, we found that HaCaT keratinocytes irradiated with α-particles but not X-rays could induce bystander micronucleus formation in unirradiated WS1 fibroblasts after co-culture. More importantly, the activation of TGF-β1-Smad2 pathway and the consistent decrease of miR-21 level in α-irradiated HaCaT cells were essential to the micronucleus induction in bystander WS1 cells. On the other hand, X-irradiation did not induce bystander effect in unirradiated WS1 cells, accompanied by lack of Smad2 activation and consistent decrease of miR-21 in X-irradiated HaCaT cells. Taken together, these results suggest that the radiation quality-dependence of bystander effect may be associated with the TGF-β1-Smad2 pathway and miR-21 in irradiated cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radioresistance has been an important factor in restricting efficacy of radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and new approaches to inhibit cancer growth and sensitize irradiation were warranted. Despite the important role of ubiquitin/proteasome system (UPS) during cancer progression and treatment, the expression and biological role of ubiquitin (Ub) in human NSCLC has not been characterized. In this study, we found that ubiquitin was significantly overexpressed in 75 NSCLC tissues, compared to their respective benign tissues by immunohistochemistry (P < 0.0001). Knock-down of ubiquitin by mixed shRNAs targeting its coding genes ubiquitin B (UBB) and ubiquitin C (UBC) suppressed the growth and increased the radiosensitivity in NSCLC H1299 cells. Apoptosis and γ H2AX foci induced by X-ray irradiation were enhanced by knock-down of ubiquitin. Western blot and immunostaining showed that knock-down of ubiquitin decreased the expression and translocation of NF-κB to the nucleus by reduced phospho-IκBα after irradiation. Suppression of ubiquitin decreased the proliferation and radioresistance of H1299 transplanted xenografts in nude mice by promoting apoptosis. Taken together, our results demonstrate the critical role of ubiquitin in NSCLC proliferation and radiosensitivity. Targeting ubiquitin may serve as a potentially important and novel approach for NSCLC prevention and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]