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Atherosclerosis is a potentially life-threatening cardiovascular disease characterized by chronic endothelial inflammation and the formation of atherosclerotic lesions. Circulating ox-LDL is known to induce atherosclerosis by triggering oxidative stress, the expression of inflammatory mediators and adhesion molecules, as well as downregulating the atheroprotective transcriptional factor KLF2. Aloperine is an alkaloid compound isolated from the plant Sophora alopecuroides. Here, we employed various experimental methods to determine the effects of aloperine on ox-LDL-induced markers of atherosclerosis. DHE staining revealed that aloperine may restore the oxidant/antioxidant balance in HUVECs by reducing the level of ROS and rescuing the reduction in NOQ-1 and GCLC induced by ox-LDL. Aloperine treatment reduced ox-LDL-induced expression of IL-6, MCP-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin and rescued the reduction in KLF2. Aloperine also downregulated ox-LDL-induced expression of the LOX-1. We also demonstrate that aloperine improved cell viability and inhibited the adhesion of U937 monocytes to HUVECs. Finally, we demonstrate that the effects of aloperine are mediated through the rescue of KLF2 expression via suppression of the phosphorylation of p53 protein. Together, our results implicate the potential of aloperine as a safe and effective antiatherosclerosis treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collective Intelligence (CI) is important for groups that seek to address shared problems. CI in human groups can be mediated by educational technologies. The current paper presents a framework to support design thinking in relation to CI educational technologies. Our framework is grounded in an organismic-contextualist developmental perspective that orients enquiry to the design of increasingly complex and integrated CI systems that support coordinated group problem solving behaviour. We focus on pedagogies and infrastructure and we argue that project-based learning provides a sound basis for CI education, allowing for different forms of CI behaviour to be integrated, including swarm behaviour, stigmergy, and collaborative behaviour. We highlight CI technologies already being used in educational environments while also pointing to opportunities and needs for further creative designs to support the development of CI capabilities across the lifespan. We argue that CI education grounded in dialogue and the application of CI methods across a range of project-based learning challenges can provide a common bridge for diverse transitions into public and private sector jobs and a shared learning experience that supports cooperative public-private partnerships, which can further reinforce advanced human capabilities in system design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human adenovirus infection is a common cause of upper and lower respiratory illness and easily breaks out in schools and the army. In an adenovirus epidemic, a large number of samples would be collected for laboratory diagnosis, and it is urgent to optimize the current sampling strategy. We researched the application of laboratory detection in the adenovirus epidemic and optimized the range of laboratory pathogen detection in the adenovirus epidemic by summarizing previous theoretical achievements, research reports, and experts' opinions and by using mathematical model tools. Under certain assumptions, a susceptible-infectious-quarantined-recovered (SIQR) model was established to describe the adenovirus epidemic and optimize the range of laboratory pathogen detection. Some standards and implementation rules suggest that when the number of cases is less than 10 or 20, all patients should be sampled for laboratory examination, and when the number of cases is more than 10 or 20, at least 10 or 20 samples should be collected. In practice, the sampling range can be appropriately expanded. A total of 21 studies were analyzed, and the sampling rate of adenovirus infection was 31% (95%CI: 24%~38%). The mathematical model suggested that the screening of asymptomatic people in the latent stage can slow the spreading of the epidemic, but the detection range will be too large. These findings may be helpful for policymaking during an adenovirus epidemic and to avoid proceeding with laboratory testing blindly. Furthermore, it may also provide some guidance for optimizing the sampling strategy of other diseases, especially for respiratory tract infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of biaxial strain on the electronic structure and the elastic and optical properties of monolayer CaI2 were studied using first-principles calculations. The two-dimensional (2D) equation of state for monolayer CaI2 as fit in a relative area of 80–120% is more accurate. The band gap can be tuned under strain and reached a maximum at a tensile strain of 4%. Under compressive strains, the absorption spectrum showed a significant red shift at higher strains. The static reflectance and static refractive index decreased in the strain range of −10% to 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel calix[6] arene polymer stationary phase (C6A-PEG) is reported that combines the π-electron-rich cavity of calix[6] arene (C6A) with polyethylene glycol (PEG) units for gas chromatography (GC). Thermogravimetric analysis revealed a 5% weight loss of C6A-PEG at 318 °C, and its static-coated capillary column showed high efficiency of 2924 plates/m (k = 3.48) determined by 1-octanol at 120 °C. As a result, the moderate polar C6A-PEG column showed clearly advantageous performance for the Grob reagent and a mixture of 25 analytes with high selectivity for hydrogen-bonded acids. Also, it exhibited high resolving performance for various isomer mixtures, in particular high-resolution performance (R > 2.2) for the challenging toluidine and dimethylaniline systems with distinct advantages compared to the C6A and PEG columns (R < 1.5 for some pairs). This work demonstrates the potential of calixarene-based polymers as novel stationary phases for gas chromatographic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the synthesis of single-layer lead iodide (PbI2) in the laboratory in recent years, it has been widely used due to its stable structure and suitable bandgap (2.5 eV). We carried out first-principles calculations and a theoretical analysis to investigate the mechanical properties, electronic structure, and thermal transport properties of monolayer PbI2. We computed the elastic constant C11 = 14.69 N m−1, layer modulus = 9.35 N m−1, and Young's modulus E2D = 13.63 N m−1. Our results indicate that monolayer PbI2 is more flexible than other two-dimensional materials, and it has good ductility. The Poisson's ratio v of monolayer PbI2 is 0.27, which means that ionic forces play a major role in the interatomic bonding for PbI2 layered by van der Waals forces. We also did first-principles calculations for the lattice thermal transport properties of monolayer PbI2 through the ShengBTE code. The calculated thermal conductivity of monolayer PbI2 at 300 K is 0.66 W/m K, which agrees well with the experimental data of 0.68 W/m K. Furthermore, its thermal conductivity is much lower than that of other two-dimensional materials. We concluded that the acoustic modes of monolayer PbI2 make a major contribution to its thermal conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are no practical and effective mechanisms to share high-dimensional data including sensitive information in various fields like health financial intelligence or socioeconomics without compromising either the utility of the data or exposing private personal or secure organizational information. Excessive scrambling or encoding of the information makes it less useful for modelling or analytical processing. Insufficient preprocessing may compromise sensitive information and introduce a substantial risk for re-identification of individuals by various stratification techniques. To address this problem, we developed a novel statistical obfuscation method (DataSifter) for on-the-fly de-identification of structured and unstructured sensitive high-dimensional data such as clinical data from electronic health records (EHR). DataSifter provides complete administrative control over the balance between risk of data re-identification and preservation of the data information. Simulation results suggest that DataSifter can provide privacy protection while maintaining data utility for different types of outcomes of interest. The application of DataSifter on a large autism dataset provides a realistic demonstration of its promise practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ibuprofen is one of the most potent non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and plays an important role in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, its poor brain penetration and serious side effects at therapeutic doses, has hindered its further application. Thus, it is of great interest to develop a carrier-mediated transporter (CMT) system that is capable of more efficiently delivering ibuprofen into the brain at smaller doses to treat neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, a dual-mediated ibuprofen prodrug modified by glucose (Glu) and vitamin C (Vc) for central nervous system (CNS) drug delivery was designed and synthesized in order to effectively deliver ibuprofen to brain. Ibuprofen could be released from the prepared prodrugs when incubated with various buffers, mice plasma and brain homogenate. Also, the prodrug showed superior neuroprotective effect in vitro and in vivo than ibuprofen. Our results suggest that chemical modification of therapeutics with warheads of glucose and Vc represents a promising and efficient strategy for the development of brain-targeting prodrugs by utilizing the endogenous transportation mechanism of the warheads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the incidence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in 131 patients with multiple myeloma (MM), 53 of whom received daratumumab (Dara) treatments. The Dara group had more RRMM patients than the group without Dara. CMV infection was significantly more common in patients treated with Dara (16.98%) than in patients treated with regimens without Dara (2.56%). During Dara treatments, 24.53% of patients developed CMV and/or EBV infections. Patients who developed infections had significantly lower levels of albumin and lymphocytes in their peripheral blood. The median time from the first Dara infusion to infection was 27 days. We observed NK cell depletion and T cell expansion during Dara-treatment. Patients with CMV and/or EBV infections had significantly lower numbers of NK cells, total T cells, and CD8 + T cells at 1 month, and lower numbers of CD8 + T cells at 2 months after the first Dara infusion than those without infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atopic dermatitis (AD) exhibits difference in immune polarization between Caucasians and Asian races due to which an evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Pimecrolimus (PIM) in Asian population is called for. The current study addresses the need via a sub-group analysis of the PETITE study (NCT00120523) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PIM in Chinese infants. Patients with AD (≥3 months–<12 months of age) were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either PIM 1% cream or topical corticosteroids (TCS). The primary endpoint was safety. The secondary endpoint was efficacy. 120 patients were randomized to either PIM 1% or TCS (n = 61 for PIM, n = 59 for TCS). The most often reported adverse events were reported by similar proportions of patients treated with PIM or TCS. There was a progressive increase in overall IGA treatment success in infants treated with PIM (82.9%, p <.05, 95% CI: 70.4, 95.3) after 26 weeks which was comparable to the TCS group (88.5%, p <.05, 95% CI: 79.8, 97.1). PIM showed an early and sustained efficacy in the Chinese sub-population with a substantial corticosteroid-sparing effect in patients with AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ibuprofen is one of the most potent non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and plays an important role in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, its poor brain penetration and serious side effects at therapeutic doses, has hindered its further application. Thus, it is of great interest to develop a carrier-mediated transporter (CMT) system that is capable of more efficiently delivering ibuprofen into the brain at smaller doses to treat neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, a dual-mediated ibuprofen prodrug modified by glucose (Glu) and vitamin C (Vc) for central nervous system (CNS) drug delivery was designed and synthesized in order to effectively deliver ibuprofen to brain. Ibuprofen could be released from the prepared prodrugs when incubated with various buffers, mice plasma and brain homogenate. Also, the prodrug showed superior neuroprotective effect in vitro and in vivo than ibuprofen. Our results suggest that chemical modification of therapeutics with warheads of glucose and Vc represents a promising and efficient strategy for the development of brain-targeting prodrugs by utilizing the endogenous transportation mechanism of the warheads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fibrous drug-loading capability, degradation profile, drug release behavior and mechanical performance were found to be controlled by regulating the amount of IPA and chitosan, which delayed the degradable time-scale and improved the drug loading capacity. Six types of alginate fibers were spun by combining two distinct core flows with deionized water-based, ethanol-based and isopropyl alcohol-based sheath fluid, respectively. The as prepared fibers were analyzed and compared by the characterization of SEM, mass loss, ICP, FTIR, XRD, UV, mechanics performance testing and antibacterial activity tests. The results showed that fibers in the isopropyl alcohol with low polarity sheath flow exhibited higher-ordered structure. Also, incorporation of chitosan for the core stream strengthened the degree of crosslinking among the molecular chain, and thus made the fiber entrapped more drug of ampicillin molecular. The fibers, possessing superior mechanical properties, preferable drug loading capability, more prolonged drug release behavior and outstanding antibiotic activity, may offer a promising candidate for biomaterials, such as fibrous drug carrier and antibacterial sutures. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy has shown efficiency in treating port wine stains. A dynamic model that incorporates blood flow, kinetic diffusion, oxygen and photosensitizer consumption and reaction, and light modulation is proposed to reveal the interactions among light, photosensitizer, and oxygen. Simulation results show that pulse light modulation synchronized with heartbeats hold the advantage of increased singlet oxygen accumulation, higher oxygen concentration and lower temperature. Meanwhile, constant light treatment is advantageous in terms of higher temperature, lower total oxygen concentration and singlet oxygen accumulation. Therefore, the optimized treatment protocol may involve a balance among the phototoxicity, hypoxia, and photothermolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of L-PRF on promoting full-thickness skin grafting for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer wounds and attempted to characterize the mechanism. In a retrospective study, we centrifugated 10–20 ml of venous blood at 1006.2 g for 20 min. The fibrin clot between the top oligocellular plasma layer and the bottom erythrocyte layer was extracted and directly used, without compression, to cover the wound after debridement. Patients who received L-PRF before skin grafting underwent surgery earlier than patients in the control group. Skin necrosis occurred in 7 patients (28%) in the L-PRF group and 16 (64%) in the control group. The difference was statistically significant, P <.05. The postoperative infection rate in the control group (56%) was significantly higher than that in the L-PRF group (24%), P <.05. During a mean follow-up of 1 year, ulcer recurrence occurred in 9 patients (36%) in the control group compared with 4 patients (16%) in the L-PRF group, P <.05. The final amputation rate was also higher in the control group (48%) than in the L-PRF group (20%). The difference is statistically significant, P <.05. The Maryland scale score and SF-36 score of the two groups of patients after treatment were significantly better than those before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P <.05). The L-PRF group (94.80 ± 4.14) had better foot scores at the last follow-up after treatment than the control group (88.84 ± 5.22) (P <.05). The results showed that L-PRF played a positive role in the treatment of Wagner grade 4 ulcer gangrene with free full-thickness skin grafts. What is the context? ● Diabetic foot is a serious complication in the later stage of the disease course of diabetic patients. The incidence rate is increasing year by year. In severe cases, it can lead to amputation or even death. ● For diabetic ulcer wounds, dressings such as L-PRF or autologous fat are often used in the initial stage to speed up wound healing. For advanced wounds, especially patients with local tissue gangrene, simple wound dressings cannot meet the needs of wounds. People often use skin flaps or different types of skin grafts to treat advanced wounds. ● Flap or skin grafting has been shown to be effective, but because of the patient's own neurovascular injury and infection, the rate of graft necrosis and ulcer recurrence is extremely high. What is new? ● This study discusses the treatment of advanced wounds in diabetes. After thorough debridement and before skin grafting, we first covered the wound with L-PRF and observed the wound condition. Studies have shown that the use of L-PRF can allow the original poor wound to be reconstructed: the content of growth factors and growth-related cells is increased, blood circulation is improved and granulation tissue growth, bone and tendon exposure is improved, and infection is controlled. What is the impact? ● This study provides evidence that using L-PRF to reconstruct wounds can greatly shorten the preparation time for elective surgery. Reconstructed wounds can better accept free skin grafts, and the incidence of postoperative complications and amputation (particularly, toe amputation) is also lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opioid use in pregnant women is a growing public health concern and is shown to be associated with lower infant birth weights. Placental volume changes in prior studies correlated with various maternal and fetal conditions. We aimed to identify differences between placental volumes in pregnant women with opioid use, and control pregnant women without drug use. We prospectively recruited 27 healthy pregnant women and 17 pregnant women with opioid use disorder who were on medication-assisted treatment (MAT). All women underwent placenta/fetal MRI at 27–39 weeks gestation on a 3 Tesla MR scanner. Placental volumes were measured in a blinded fashion using a previously validated technique. Multiple linear regression was used to identify associations of placental volume with multiple maternal and fetal clinical factors. The significance threshold was set at p <.05. Placental volume was significantly associated with gestational age at MRI (p <.0001), fetal sex (p =.027), MAT with smoking (p =.0008), MAT with polysubstance use (p =.01), and maternal BMI (p =.032). Placental volume was not associated with opioid MAT alone in our cohort. For pregnant women on medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, there was no significant difference in placental volume compared to healthy pregnant women. However, concomitant smoking and polysubstance use in the setting of medication-assisted treatment may be detrimental to placental health. To our knowledge, this is the first study assessing placental volume in opioid use on prenatal MRI. These results support the benefit of medication-assisted treatment during pregnancy; however additional studies are needed to further elucidate the impact of opioid use on placental and fetal development and postnatal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemotherapy, as the main treatment for breast cancer, inevitably damages normal tissues due to the lack of targeting. Various nano targeting drug delivery systems (TDDS) have the potential to be developed as anticancer therapeutics. Although mono-ligand-directed liposomes have been used with some success, dual-ligand-directed liposomes exhibit promising advantages. In current work, we synthesized a Y-shaped ligand covalently linking fructose and biotin (Fru-Bio-Chol) to prepare a dual-targeting liposome Fru-Bio-Lip for breast cancer. The targeting ability was evaluated by comparing the Fru-Bio-Lip with the non-modified liposome (Lip), fructose or biotin mono modified liposomes (Fru-Lip and Bio-Lip), and another dual-targeting liposome (Fru + Bio-Lip) physically mixing fructose and biotin mono modified ligands (Fru-Chol and Bio-Chol). The cellular uptake of Fru-Bio-Lip is 3.27-, 1.81-, 2.19-, 1.15-times that of Lip, Fru-Lip, Bio-Lip and Fru + Bio-Lip on 4T1 cells, and 3.11-, 1.80-, 1.89-, 1.15-times on MCF-7 cells. Additionally, the uptake mechanism indicates the uptake of Fru-Bio-Lip is energy-dependently achieved through multiple endocytosis pathway with a dual recognition of fructose and biotin by GLUT5 and SMVT. The cytotoxicity and apoptosis assay show PTX-Fru-Bio-Lip among liposomes have the strongest proliferation inhibitory effect on breast cancer cells, and the apoptosis rate is 1.7-times that of PTX-Lip. In vivo images indicate Fru-Bio-Lip have the strongest tumour enrichment ability, which is 2.76-, 1.60-, 1.96-, 1.40-times that of Lip, Fru-Lip, Bio-Lip and Fru + Bio-Lip, respectively. Overall, the fructose and biotin covalently modified liposomes improved breast cancer targeting ability, demonstrating great potential as a drug delivery system for breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the effects of oxygen concentration and reservoir cutting on thermokinetic characteristics of light oil were analyzed using thermogravimetry (TG/DTG). Results show that three consecutive oxidation reactions of distinct chemical mechanism (low-temperature oxidation [LTO], fuel deposition [FD], and high-temperature oxidation) are detected for all tested samples. Hypoxic air weakens the LTO and FD process and causes a poor FD performance, while reservoir cutting positively influences the thermal characteristics of oil. Kinetic parameters comparison exhibits that the positive effect of reservoir cutting on oil oxidation is significantly stronger than the negative impact caused by hypoxic air. The existence of reservoir cutting greatly reduces the activation energy of oil oxidation in hypoxic air environment, which is a positive signal for the implementation of high-pressure hypoxic air injection process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) performed with protein DNA polymeraseBstand DNA chains was influenced by nanoparticles in different ways. The effects of different concentrations of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with diameters 10 and 20 nm and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) 1–10 nm in diameter on the amplification of the pR72H gene of Vibrio parahaemolyticus were investigated. AuNPs with a diameter of 10 nm in 0.6–60 nM concentration accelerated initiation of the LAMP reaction, 3 nM AuNPs reduced the reaction time by about 10 min, whereas 20 nm AuNPs did not, although neither size increased the yield after 60 min. AgNPs inhibited the LAMP reaction both in speed and yield at concentrations of 0.6–60 nM; the yield of amplification was reduced by 50% and 80% for 12 and 60 nM, respectively, after reaction for 1 h. This indicated that strong bactericidal effects of silver are also observed in its nanoparticles. The molecular mechanism of AuNPs and AgNPs in LAMP needs to be explored further, although their size-related electronic, magnetic and optical properties, as well as their ability to affect protein denaturation, or hydrophilic/hydrophobic effects may be involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim of guaranteeing the interests and health of tourists, this study comprehensively evaluates the suitability of the environment in different cities in China for tourism by considering the impacts of climate, vegetation and environmental factors on health. The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), total precipitation (PREC), Vegetation Leaf Area Index (LAI), concentration of particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), and the downward UV radiation at the surface (UVB) are used as indices. In addition, the Delphi–AHP–TOPSIS algorithm is introduced and is used for the comprehensive evaluation of the environmental suitability of 684 cities in China for tourism in 2019. It is found that Chinese cities vary greatly in terms of the suitability of their environments for tourism. Among the factors that affect the environmental suitability, the LAI is important, with an increase in the LAI generally being advantageous. In contrast, an increase in the PM2.5 concentration is a key factor that limits the environmental suitability of an area. Thus, urban landscaping and control of the atmospheric quality are essential and effective ways of improving the suitability of the environment of cities in China for tourists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is a clinically important causative agent of acute respiratory diseases in postweaning calves and feedlot cattle and causes numerous economic losses to the cattle industry. In June 2018, an outbreak of an acute respiratory disease occurred among 4- to 10-month-old calves on three intensive beef cattle farms in Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China, with a 27.42% morbidity rate (329/1200) and a > 25% mortality rate (85/329). Using next-generation sequencing, we comprehensively analyzed microbial diversity in the lung samples of the diseased cattle and found that the causative agent of this epidemic outbreak is mainly a bovine orthopneumovirus named BRSV strain DQ. We then isolated and confirmed the virus by RT-PCR and an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Phylogenetic analysis of genes G, F, N, NS1, NS2, and SH of BRSV strain DQ showed that this strain shares the highest genetic similarity with strains USII/S1, 15489, V41, and NY487834 belonging to subgroup III of BRSV. This is the first report of subgroup III strain of BRSV presence in China. Heilongjiang Province is a major cattle-breeding province in China; therefore, it is necessary to test for BRSV in the cattle trade and to conduct region-extended epidemiological surveillance for BRSV in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interleukin-23/interleukin 17A (IL-23/IL-17A) cytokine axis plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. In this study, we report the effects of topical calcipotriol, camptothecin, clobetasol and tazarotene on the treatment of imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like inflammation, the development of which is dependent on the IL-23/IL-17A axis. IMQ-induced epidermal hyperplasia and inflammation in the BALB/c mouse ear were significantly inhibited following clobetasol treatment but not calcipotriol, camptothecin or tazarotene treatments. Real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that the mRNA levels of IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in ear skin were significantly decreased by clobetasol. In addition, we observed that calcipotriol, camptothecin and tazarotene failed to show any inhibitory effects on the IL-23/IL-17A/IL-22 axis. We also found that clobetasol treatment inhibited the proliferation of γδ T cells and C-C chemokine receptor type 6 (CCR6) expression induced by IMQ. Calcipotriol, camptothecin and tazarotene not only failed to inhibit this proliferation but also enhanced retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γ (RORγ) expression in IMQ-induced psoriasis-like inflammation. In conclusion, we suggest that clobetasol induces the relief of IMQ-induced psoriasis-like inflammation in a mouse model but that calcipotriol, camptothecin and tazarotene cannot. Therefore, we suggest that more in-depth studies on pharmacological effects of tazarotene, camptothecin and calcipotriol should be carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new triterpenoids, 2-O-acetyl-3-O-(4′-O-acetyl)-α-l-arabinopyranosylmaslinic acid (1), 2-O-acetyl-3-O-(3′-O-acetyl)-α-l-arabinopyranosylmaslinic acid (2), 2-O-acetyl-3-O-(3′,4′-O-diacetyl)-α-l-arabinopyranosylmaslinic acid (3), and 3-O-(3′-O-acetyl)-α-l-arabinopyranosyloleanolic acid (4), together with six known triterpenoids, 3-O-(4′-O-acetyl)-α-l-arabinopyranosyloleanolic acid (5), maslinic acid (6), 2-O-acetylmaslinic acid (7), 3-O-acetylmaslinic acid (8), betulinic acid (9), and 2α-hydroxy-3β-O-acetylbetulinic acid (10), were isolated from the EtOAc extract ofGarcinia hanburyiresin. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of the spectroscopic data and chemical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The microbial community structures, sulfur speciation, and their correlations in soil samples in and around Xiangtan Liejiaqiao Coal Gangue Dump in Hunan province south of China were analyzed with gene sequencing, sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy (XANES), and principal components analysis (PCA). The gene sequencing results showed that the microbes in soil samples fell into six phyla, i.e., Nitrospira, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Deferribacteres, and Ktedonobacteria. The dominant bacteria species in the four samples were Moorella glycerini, Escherichia coli, Leptospirillum ferriphilum, Ferrimicrobium acidiphilum, Sulfobacillus benefaciens, and Desulfomonile tiedjei. According to the XANES results, sulfur speciation in soil samples was composed of sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate, and organic sulfur. The PCA analysis among physicochemical characteristics, sulfur speciation, and distributions of microbes showed that oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) was correlated to the bacterial population of Proteobacteria, while pH was correlated to Ktedonobacteria. Furthermore, the correlation between sulfur speciation (sulfate and thiosulfate) and microbes (Deferribacteres, Nitrospira, and Actinobacteria) was particularly significant. Sulfite and glutathione also presented a strong correlation with Ktedonobacteria and Proteobacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the mean square consensus problem for stochastic multi-agent systems with nonlinear protocols is concerned. In particular, the topological structure of the system is characterised by state-dependent directed graph, in which the edges are described by nonlinear function related to the states and possess much better performance than before. A novel proposition based on matrix theory is proposed to conquer the challenges of time-invariant asymmetric matrix. In view of the communication burden and practically, a time-dependent event-triggered strategies are explored, where the control input on each agent is updated only when a certain triggering condition is violated. Then, some sufficient conditions for mean square consensus of stochastic multi-agent with state-dependent topology are established. Furthermore, a positive lower bound for inter-event times can be found such that the Zeno phenomenon is eliminated. Finally, a simulation example is utilised to illustrate the validly of developed theoretical results and the effectiveness of the control protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A statistical method was applied to investigate the number of isomeric structures of hyperbranched polymers formed by the polymerization of an AB 2 type moiety with Bf polyfunctional core moieties (abbreviation as AB2/B f type). By means of the kinetic model described by a Smoluchowski-like coagulation equation, the explicit expressions of z-average mean-square radii of gyration are evaluated as a function of the conversion of functional groups. The numerical calculation shows that the mean size of the AB 2/B f type hyperbranched polymers will increase with the increase of the conversion of A groups or the reaction time, furthermore increasing sharply at the end of the reaction. When the reaction is quantitatively completed, the z-average mean-square radii of gyration of AB 2/B f type hyperbranched polymers show a maximum. The results are similar to those for star branched polymers, rather than those of hyperbranched polymers made by the ABf type monomers without cores; the former had finite values and the latter reached infinite values when the reaction was quantitatively completed. These theoretical analysis conclusions will be important for effectively controlling the mean sizes or the average degrees of hyperbranched polymers by varying the number of the Bf type polyfunctional core moieties in experimental research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined the effects of an 11-week exercise intervention on brain activity during a working memory (WM) task and resting-state functional network connectivity in deaf children. Twenty-six deaf children were randomly assigned to either an 11-week exercise intervention or control conditions. Before and after the exercise intervention, all participants were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during N-back task performance and a resting state. The behavioural results showed that the exercise intervention improved WM performance. Task activation analyses showed an increase in the parietal, occipital, and temporal gyri and hippocampus and hippocampus (HIP). In addition, WM performance improvements were associated with greater activation in the left HIP region. Resting-state functional connectivity (Rs-FC) between HIP and certain other brain areas shown a significant interaction of group (exercise versus no exercise) and time (pre- and postintervention). Moreover, connectivity between the left HIP and left middle frontal gyrus was related to improved WM performance. These data extend current knowledge by indicating that an exercise intervention can improve WM in deaf children, and these enhancements may be related to the WM network plasticity changes induced by exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ventriculoperitoneal shunting (VPS) is a common neurosurgical procedure used to treat hydrocephalus. Although the use of a navigation system in VPS achieves superior results compared with conventional surgery, the relationships among clinical symptoms, ventricular catheter placement, catheter obstruction, and the postoperative Evans index have not been clearly reported. We performed a retrospective study of 40 patients with VPS (the navigation surgery group) and 31 patients with VPS (the conventional surgery group). Clinical data, follow-up times, catheterization accuracy, postoperative outcomes, cumulative survival times, and correlations between catheter placement and obstruction, symptom grade and the postoperative Evans index were analyzed. Thirty-seven patients experienced optimal ventricular catheter placement (grade 1), three experienced suboptimal placements (grade 2), and none experienced poor ventricular catheter placement (grade 3) in the navigation surgery group. Greater improvement in postoperative symptoms (p < 0.001), including less catheter readjustment (p < 0.001), was observed in the navigation surgery group. A Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the cumulative catheter obstruction-free survival time was longer in the navigation surgery group (p = 0.016). Moreover, catheter placement was significantly correlated with catheter obstruction (p < 0.001). Additionally, catheter obstruction was significantly correlated with the symptom grade (p < 0.001) and postoperative Evans index (p = 0.002). VPS for hydrocephalus via the occipital horn with a navigation system is superior to the conventional surgical procedure in terms of clinical outcomes, the precision of ventricular catheterization, and the occurrence of complications. Catheter obstruction-free survival times were longer in the navigation surgery group and catheter placement was significantly correlated with catheter obstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigenetic parameters linked to E-cadherin gene were investigated in 5 human colorectal cancer cell lines. Treatment with trichostatin A led to enhanced acetylation of histone H3-K9 with concurrent induction of E-cadherin mRNA in 3 E-cadherin low/negative cell lines that are not DNA methylated. Co-treatment with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine and trichostatin A resulted in additive/synergic induction of E-cadherin mRNA in all 5 cell lines with concomitant enhancement of histone H3-K9 acetylation in 4 E-cadherin low/negative cell lines. Our results suggest that histone H3-K9 deacetylation appears to play a crucial role in transcriptional repression of E-cadherin in colorectal cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we consider a class of optimal control problems involving dynamical systems described by impulsive integrodifferential equations. First, we approximate the integral kernel of the integral equation by a finite expansion of the shifted Chebyshev polynomial. Through this process, the optimal control problem is approximated by a sequence of optimal control problems involving only impulsive ordinary differential equations. Each of them can be viewed as a nonlinear optimization problem. For each of these approximated problems, the gradient formula of the cost functional can be derived and hence can be solved by many efficient optimization techniques. Consequently, the optimal control software, MISER, is applicable for the purpose. Then, we present some convergence results showing the relationship between the sequence of the optimal controls of the approximated problems and that of the original problem. Finally, a numerical example is presented to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizing landscape patterns and revealing their underlying processes are critical for studying climate change and environmental problems. Previous methods for mapping land cover changes largely focused on the classification of remote sensing images. Therefore, they could not provide information about the evolutionary process of land cover changes. In this paper, we developed a spatiotemporal structural graph (STSG) technique for a comprehensive analysis of land cover changes. First, a land cover neighborhood graph was generated for each snapshot to quantify the spatial relationship between adjacent land cover objects. Then, an object-based temporal tracking algorithm was designed to monitor the temporal changes between land cover objects over time. Finally, land cover evolutionary trajectories, pixel-level land cover change trajectories, and node-wise connectivity changes over time were characterized. We applied the proposed method to analyze land cover changes in Suffolk County, New York from 1996 to 2010. The results demonstrated that STSG can not only characterize and visualize detailed land cover changes spatially but also maintain the temporal sequence and relations of land cover objects in an integrated space-time environment. The proposed STSG provides a useful framework for analyzing land cover changes and can be adapted to characterize and quantify other spatiotemporal phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rapidly increasing penetration level of renewable energy sources (RES) in electric grids, it is noteworthy that stable and reliable operation of electric power systems is urgently needed, given the inverter interfaced RES has less inertia compared to conventional rotational generation units. Meanwhile, it should be also noted that grid operation can be categorized as normal and abnormal conditions. For each type of grid operation condition, the inverter interfaces should produce reliable power generation into the grid. Especially during fault operation, low-voltage ride through (LVRT) is a critical operation condition that needs to be achieved in each interface inverter. Furthermore, when the system is operated in severe conditions, the faulty areas should be effectively isolated from the rest of the system. Considering the operation requirements in electric grids, in this paper, an autonomous operation of grid synchronizing breakers is designed and implemented. Particularly, the developed grid synchronizing breakers can autonomously detect grid operation condition by measuring the grid-connected current and grid side voltage. An extended LVRT curve is designed to support the original LVRT curve so that enhanced fault mitigation and isolation can be achieved. In the meantime, the designed circuit breaker can automatically synchronize with the external grid voltage. Therefore, transient process when breaker is turned on or off can be successfully controlled without violating the existing standards. A simulation model is implemented in MATLAB/Simulink to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to find a low temperature phase change material with a temperature range of 2–8°C, decyl alcohol (DA) and myristyl alcohol (MA) binary eutectic mixture was prepared based on theoretical calculation, with a mass ratio of DA: MA=87:13. DA-CA/EG with an optimal mass ratio of DA-MA: EG=14:1 was obtained after vacuum adsorption. Scanning electron microscope and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy results show that DA-MA was uniformly distributed in the porous network structure of EG due to physical action. Phase change temperature and latent heat of DA-MA/EG were measured at 3.55°C and 172.3 J·g−1, and the thermal conductivity was 0.942 W·(m·K)−1, which was 3.4 times higher than DA-MA. After 500 high and low temperature cycles, DA-MA/EG did not change much and still maintained good stability. Overall, the prepared DA-MA/EG composite PCM had great application prospects in cold chain logistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging advanced intelligent transportation systems, such as connected vehicles (CV) and cooperative vehicle-to-infrastructure system (CVIS), attract much research attentions nowadays. Taking the advantages of such systems, first, this article develops a joint control model which optimizing the speeds of the connected vehicles and coordinating signals along an arterial simultaneously. This control model forms connected vehicles into platoons so that the vehicles can pass through intersections together with no stops or the least stop time. At the same time, it optimizes signal timing plans along an arterial to achieve lower signal delay and higher throughput. Finally, the proposed model is tested on a mimic of a real-world road network in simulation. Compared with the MAXBAND model, the results indicate that the joint control model can reduce the stop time and stops of coordinate phase by up to 53.69% and 41.15%. The signalized intersection delay per vehicle is reduced by 13.19%. Meanwhile, the vehicle queue is eliminated by the platoon control and arterial signal coordination. The sensitivity analysis also shows that the signalized intersection delay reduction is proportional to the traffic flow volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious diseases are a major challenge for the poultry industry that causes widespread production losses. Thus, management and control of poultry health and diseases are essential for the viability of the industry. Toll-like receptors are best characterized as membrane-bound receptors that perform a central role in immune homeostasis and disease resistance by recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns. In response to pathogen recognition, TLRs initiate both innate and adaptive immune responses which may help to develop immunomodulatory therapeutics for TLR associated diseases. Vaccination produces specific immunity in the animal's body towards pathogens. However, due to certain disadvantages of vaccines, (inactivation of attenuated pathogens into the virulent strains and weak immunogenicity of inactivated vaccines) there is a crucial need to develop the safe and effective therapeutic intervention. TLR ligands have been classified as a potential adjuvant against the infectious diseases in farm animals. TLR adjuvants induce both specific and nonspecific immune responses in chickens to combat several bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases. Therefore, the aim of this review was to explore the chicken TLR4 and their role in immune responses and disease resistance to develop disease resistance poultry breeds in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The treatment effects of spironolactone on heart failure with reduced (HFrEF LVEF <40%) and preserved (HFpEF LVEF ≥50%) ejection fraction are well characterized. It is not clear whether heart failure patients with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF, LVEF 40-49%) benefit from spironolactone. The present study aims to evaluate the efficacy of spironolactone in HFmrEF patients.Method: This study compared a high dosage of spironolactone (50 mg daily), a low dosage of spironolactone (25 mg daily), and an untreated group for the prevention of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in 279 patients admitted to hospital diagnosed with HFmrEF.Results: With a mean follow-up duration of 1 year, the death and HF-rehospitalization rate demonstrated significantly lower incidence in those taking spironolactone, compared with the untreated group (21.3% vs 34.5%, p = .014, respectively). Further analysis showed no difference between two spironolactone groups (21.8% vs 20.7%, p = .861). Kaplan-Meier analysis of outcome-free survival illustrated a significant difference in survival rate among three groups (log-rank testing, p = .045). Compared with the baseline level, patients receiving 25 mg spironolactone had a lower physical score (p < .05) at 1-year follow-up. MLHFQ total scores in the two spironolactone groups markedly improved compared with the untreated group (p < .001); similar results were observed in the MLHFQ physical scores (p = .025, .001, respectively) and emotional sub-scale (p = .023, .011, respectively); however, paired comparison between the two spironolactone groups showed no difference.Conclusions: In patients with HFmrEF, treatment with spironolactone significantly reduced the incidence of the primary composite outcomes of all-cause death, and rehospitalization for the management of heart failure compared with placebo, and a high dosage of spironolactone did not show trends of reduction in MACE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The involvement of the North China Craton (NCC) in the assembly or breakup of Rodinia has long been debated. Studies of palaeomagnetism, mafic sills (dikes), igneous events, and sedimentary records have led to contrasting opinions on this topic. No igneous events related to the late Mesoproterozoic assembly of Rodinia have been reported in the NCC. However, the authors found numerous late Mesoproterozoic zircons in the Tonian system on the northern margin of the NCC. The Tonian Zhulazhagamaodao formation is composed of meta-sandstone, siltstone, slate, carbonate, and dolomine of the littoral to neritic facies and occurs mainly in the western part of the Bayan Obo-Zhaertai-Langshan rift. U-Pb dating of detrital zircons from the Tonian system reveals age peaks at 1079 ± 23 Ma, 1092 ± 22 Ma, 1175 ± 50 Ma, 1175 ± 18 Ma, 1260 ± 45 Ma, 1266 ± 16 Ma, and 1270 ± 26 Ma, which correspond to the timing of Rodinia assembly. Considering that coeval igneous rocks and orogenic belts developed mostly in the Laurentia-Baltica cratons, we propose that these cratons supplied clastic material to the northern margin of the NCC and that they had a close spatial relationship between each other during the Tonian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study systematically reviewed previous literatures and analyzed the genotype-phenotype relationship between the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN 2A)-cutaneous lichen amyloidosis (CLA) and RET/OSMR/IL31RA mutations. RET/OSMR/IL31RA screening was performed on 8 RET-carriers from 3 independent Chinese MEN 2A families. Besides, 51 MEN 2A-CLA patients in 116 RET carriers from literatures were clustered and analyzed. Our results indicated that almost all MEN 2A-CLA patients exhibited CLA which was located in the scapular region and carried RET mutation at codon 634. Meanwhile, we firstly described MEN 2A-CLA here in Chinese Han patient with RET p.C634F mutation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gold nanoparticle exhibits optical property of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), which dynamically alters as the surface adsorbs new ligands. We carried out a semi-quantitative analysis with the method of multivariate curve resolution, observing that the adsorption of serum albumin on gold nanoparticle was best deciphered as two-mode competitive kinetics. Interestingly, for human serum albumin, the slower mode contributed considerably to the LSPR response of protein-conjugated surfaces, while in the case of bovine serum albumin the faster mode overwhelmed the slower one at high protein concentrations. The kinetic patterns were rationalized with diversity of biomolecular orientations on the nanoparticle surface. The simple but efficient protocol supports semi-quantitative analysis combining UV-vis spectroscopy with chemometrics method for distinguishing conjugation kinetics of different types of proteins on the surface of nanoparticles at nanomolar concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents the detailed application of pressure bulb theory in optimising gateroad layout under the remnant chain pillar of the longwall undermining technology with the assistance of numerical simulation of FLAC3D®. Prior to extracting the gateroad in the underlying seam, the threshold bulb corresponding to the minimum offset distance is determined; the optimal bulb of the maximum principle stress (MaxPS) as well as the maximum shear stress (MaxSS) predicts the optimal offset segment. After the gateroad is extracted in the subsequent seam, two indicators of the peak normalised rib abutment stress and the width of the yield zone are employed to verify the validity. For particular case of Sydney basin, Australia, the minimum offset distance suggests 31 m, while the optimal offset segment projects the range of 41–156 m. In terms of the diverse mining operation plan, the optimum offset distance is 71 and 156 m corresponding to the optimal MaxPS bulb and MaxSS bulb, respectively. The calibration result of the optimum offset distance is roughly 65 m which agrees very well. This study can provide theoretical framework of a design overview and practical basis for similar mining conditions in other coalfields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the drug plasma concentration fluctuation without being destroyed by gastric fluid, novel Esomeprazole magnesium modified-release pellets (EMZ-MRPs) with suitablein vitrorelease profiles and goodin vitroandin vivocorrelation (IVIVC) were developed. Fluid-bed was used to obtain EMZ-loaded pellets by spraying drug suspension onto blank sugar pellets. The drug-loaded pellets were subsequently coated with Eudragit® RS30D/RL30D (ERS/ERL) aqueous dispersion to achieve sustained-release (SR) characteristics. Furthermore, the SR pellets were coated with Eudragit® L30D-55 (EL-55) aqueous dispersion to achieve enteric properties. Besides, isolated coating film was necessary between drug layer and SR layer, as well as SR and enteric-coated layer to protect from their possible reaction. The resulting pellets were filled into the hard gelatin capsules forin vitrorelease processing and single-dose pharmacokinetic study in rats. The optimal formulation achieved good SR feature bothin vitroandin vivowith a relative bioavailability of 103.50%. A goodIVIVCwas characterized by a high coefficient of determination (r = 0.9945) by deconvolution method. Compared to those of EMZ enteric-coated pellets (EMZ-ECPs, trade name NEXIUM), thein vivostudy make known that the EMZ-MRPs with decreased maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), prolonged peak concentration time (Tmax) and mean residence time (MRT), and similar values both area under concentration–time curve from 0 tot(AUC0–t) and 0 to infinity (AUC0–∞). Collectively, these results manifested EMZ-MRPs had a satisfactory sustained-release behavior, a desired pharmacokinetic property, improvedin vivoretention and decreased plasma drug concentration fluctuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this article was to compare the advantages and disadvantages of single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (SILA) and conventional three-port laparoscopic appendectomy (CTLA). Material and methods: A meta-analysis was performed by analyzing all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English that compared SILA and CTLA for appendicitis in adults and children. These studies compared these two methods from different angles including outcomes of interest, patient characteristics, operative time, pain visual analogue scales scores (VAS scores), length of hospital stay, time to return to full activity, resumption of diet, postoperative complications and cosmetic results The risk ratios (RR) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were employed to assess the outcome. Results:Seven recent RCTs encompassing 1170 patients (586 SILA and 584 CTLA cases) were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results demonstrated that conversion rate, drain inserted, reoperation, length of hospital stay, resumption of normal diet and postoperative complications were statistically comparable between the two groups. The postoperative abdominal pain within 24 h was -0.57 in favor of the SILA technique ( p = 0.05). Compared with CTLA, SILA showed a better cosmetic satisfaction score (SMD, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.32-0.83; p < 0.0001) and shorter time to recover normal activity (WMD, -0.69; 95% CI, -1.11-0.26; p = 0.001). However, SILA has a longer operative time (WMD, 5.38; 95% CI, 2.94-7.83; p < 0.0001). Conclusions:In selected patients, SILA was confirmed to be as safe and effective as CTLA. Despite the longer operative time, SILA has higher cosmetic satisfaction and shorter recovery time to normal activity. Due to the limitations of the available data, further research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial contamination reduces the shelf-life of foods and presents serious risks to human health. Nanotechnology provides the opportunity for the development of new antibacterial agents. Nano-inorganic metal oxides have shown the potential to reduce bacterial contamination of foods. When the particle size of materials decreases from the micrometre to the nanometre range, nano-functional properties such as diffusivity, mechanical strength, chemical reactivity and biological properties are improved. Significantly, ZnO has been used in many applications with particular success. Many studies have shown that ZnO nanoparticles have enhanced antibacterial activity. This review discusses the main synthetic methods, antibacterial activity, antibacterial mechanisms and food applications of ZnO nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify methylated genes in serum with diagnostic potentials for early colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: Serum methylation levels of up to 12 genes were measured in two sets of serum samples with the second set from 26 stage I CRC patients and 26 age/gender-matched controls. Results: Serum methylation levels of TAC1, SEPT9, and EYA4 were significant discriminants between stage I CRC and healthy controls. Combination of TAC1 and SEPT9 rendered 73.1% sensitivity with 92.3% specificity. Conclusion: Serum methylation levels of TAC1. SEPT9 and EYA4 may be useful biomarkers for early detection of CRC though a validation study is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidences accumulated that the death of neutrophils are not the end of their missions. The neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), web-like structure, formed after neutrophils dying contribute greatly to immune defense, in both innate and adaptive immunity. Interestingly, previous studies revealed that the generation and activation of NETs do not only rely on bacteria induction, but also in patients with sterile inflammatory diseases, implying an undeniable correlation between NETs and these diseases. This review summarized the latest findings that the crucial roles of NETs in sterile inflammatory diseases, as well as novel targeted therapy based on these new discoveries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental studies on desulfurization and denitrification were carried out using activated carbon irradiated by microwave. The influences of the concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), the flue gas coexisting compositions, on adsorption properties of activated carbon and efficiencies of desulfurization and denitrification were investigated. The results show that adsorption capacity and removal efficiency of NO decrease with the increasing of SO2concentrations in flue gas; adsorption capacity of NO increases slightly first and drops to 12.79 mg/g, and desulfurization efficiency descends with the increasing SO2concentrations. Adsorption capacity of SO2declines with the increasing of O2content in flue gas, but adsorption capacity of NO increases, and removal efficiencies of NO and SO2could be larger than 99%. Adsorption capacity of NO declines with the increase of moisture in the flue gas, but adsorption capacity of SO2increases and removal efficiencies of NO and SO2would be relatively stable. Adsorption capacities of both NO and SO2decrease with the increasing of CO2content; efficiencies of desulfurization and denitrification augment at the beginning stage, then start to fall when CO2content exceeds 12.4%. The mechanisms of this process are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sulfur chemical speciation in extracellular and intracellular sulfur globules of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus caldus were investigated with an integrated approach including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy (XANES). The results indicated that both strains can accumulate extracellular sulfur globules when grown on thiosulfate, and the major sulfur chemical speciation of which were S8 for A. ferrooxidans and mixture of ring sulfur and polythionate for A. caldus, respectively. In contrast, A. ferrooxidans can accumulate both linear sulfur and S8 internally when grown with sulfur powder and thiosulfate, whereas A. caldus did not accumulate intracellular sulfur globules. In addition, the fitted results of sulfur K-edge XANES spectra indicated that the reduced glutathione (containing thiols groups) were involved in sulfur bio-oxidation of both strains and the tetrathionate were the intermediate products during thiosulfate metabolism by two strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

microRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of noncoding RNA species, believed to be regulating gene expression by binding to complementary sites in the 3'UTRs of target mRNAs. They play important regulatory roles in various metabolic pathways in most eukaryotes. The recent discovery of virus encoded miRNAs suggests that viruses may be using them to regulate host and viral gene expression. Another class of closely related small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) also has been found within the HIV-1 genome and shown to be exerting a limited impact on virus reproduction. Additionally, an additional type of viral noncoding RNAs named small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) ranging from a few tens to a few hundred nucleotides in length, has also been identified. sncRNAs have a wide phylogenesis and high levels of expression, suggesting they may play an important roles in different species. Here we discuss the genomic organization, expression, conservation as well as potential function of virally encoded miRNA, siRNA, and sncRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors aimed to evaluate traffic noise level and noise annoyance in Beijing and the impact of the noise on the quality of life of the residences. The authors performed a cross-sectional study in a 12-floor college dormitory near 4th Ring Road in Beijing, China. The north-side rooms of the building were noisy and had windows facing the road. The authors measured both indoor and outdoor noise. Using both a 5-item verbal scale and a 0-10 numerical scale, they questioned a sample of 1,293 college students living in the dormitory about road-traffic noise annoyance. The results showed that the average outdoor day-to-night noise level was 79.2 dB(A) in the noisy rooms and 64.0 dB(A) in the quiet rooms. Nearly 39% of the respondents living in the noisy rooms indicated that they were highly annoyed by traffic noise according to the response on the verbal scale, and 50% of the respondents living in the noisy rooms were highly annoyed according to the numerical scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]