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Cell division cycle 42 (CDC42) regulates the progression of leukemia via mediating proliferation and immune evasion of malignant cells. The study aimed to investigate the correlation of CDC42 with clinical features, treatment response, event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) in adult Philadelphia chromosome negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph− ALL) patients. CDC42 expression in bone marrow mononuclear cells was detected in 78 adult Ph− ALL patients and 10 donors using real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. CDC42 was increased in adult Ph− ALL patients compared with donors (p <.001). Besides, elevated CDC42 was linked with pro-B ALL or early-T ALL (p =.038) and white blood cell (WBC) elevation at diagnosis (p =.025). Fifty (64.1%) and 23 (29.5%) patients had complete remission (CR) at 1 month and minimal residual disease (MRD) after CR, respectively. CDC42 was inversely associated with CR at 1 month (p =.034), but not MRD after CR (p =.066). Concerning survival, patients with CDC42 ≥ 3.310 (cut by median value in patients) showed a shortened EFS (p =.006) and OS (p =.036) compared to those with CDC42 < 3.310. In detail, patients with CDC42 ≥ 3.310 and CDC42 < 3.310 had 5-year EFS rate of 29.9% and 45.4%, and 5-year OS rate of 39.4% and 63.6%, correspondingly. Further multivariate Cox's regression analyses revealed that CDC42 ≥ 3.310 was independently related to shorter EFS (hazard ratio = 2.933, p =.005). Elevated CDC42 is related with pro-B ALL or early-T ALL, WBC elevation at diagnosis, unfavorable treatment response and worse survival in adult Ph− ALL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The task of accurately mapping species-specific vegetation cover in remote and topographically complex regions like those found in Hawaiʻi presents unique challenges. This study leverages a machine learning approach to accurately classify vegetation into fine species-specific classes across the island of Lāna'i, Hawaii, offering a novel methodology for tackling such challenges. Utilizing high-resolution WordView-2 satellite imagery, a neural network classifier and a custom lidar-based geometric correction, we introduced two new approaches to refine our high-resolution land cover classifications. This included the implementation of prior-based adjustments to class posterior probabilities to enhance land cover classification accuracy. Moreover, we developed mixed hierarchical classification maps that use class posterior probabilities to identify, at the pixel level, the finest land cover class that meets a user-defined confidence threshold. The resulting high-resolution land cover map for Lāna'i captures the rich diversity and distribution of native and invasive plant species with high overall accuracy, generally exceeding 95%, based on independent ground control data. The capacity to produce wall-to-wall species-level vegetation maps provides a new window into monitoring vegetation dynamics on Lāna'i and similarly remote and topographically complex regions, and contributes to our broader understanding of ecosystem responses to invasive species, climatic changes, and land management practices such as erosion and sediment control planning. Our approach offers a blueprint for similar efforts in other complex and remote ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBased on the combination of China’s large outbound investment transaction data from 2005 to 2020 in the China Global Investment Tracker database and enterprises’ basic information, this study analyzes the influence of Internet use by multinational enterprises (MNEs) on their outward foreign direct investment (OFDI). The results show that the improvement in MNEs’ Internet use has significantly promoted the development of their OFDI, but the WeChat use index, which mainly serves the domestic market, has a crowding-out effect on this process. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the promoting effect of Internet use on OFDI mainly occurs in “the non-Belt and Road” and developing countries, midwestern regions, cross-border M&A and service investment. Further analysis shows that the impact of Internet use on OFDI is mainly generated through two channels: easing financing constraints and improving technological innovation ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compliant constant-force mechanisms (CCFMs) are compliant mechanisms that provide nearly constant forces over prescribed deflection ranges. This study proposes a topology optimization method for designing hinge-free compliant constant-output-force mechanisms. Bifurcation cause the objective function to oscillate, leading to convergence failure. Therefore, a constraint for preventing bifurcation in constant-output-force mechanisms is proposed. Moreover, a minimum scale constraint method that extends the design domain is utilized in the proposed optimization algorithm. The relationship between the minimum length scale and the force variation in the optimized CCFM is obtained and discussed, and an optimized CCFM is fabricated and tested. The optimized CCFM exhibits a force variation of 0.7% over a constant-force stroke of 26% of the CCFM length and is thus competitive among recently proposed CCFMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A timely and accurate understanding of the state of health (SOH) of lithium-ion batteries is essential for early detection and prediction of their potential safety risks. Acoustic emission (AE) can perform dynamic non-destructive testing of lithium-ion batteries under normal charge-discharge cycles, and detect the deformation of internal electrodes of the battery behavior. In this paper, firstly, the whole aging process of lithium-ion batteries and recorded AE signals are monitored. Secondly, the waveform and signal time interval from AE signals during battery aging in the time domain is extracted. Thirdly, the spectrum of AE signals is analyzed. The experimental results show that the total number of AE signals will change with the decline of battery capacity and SOH. The turning point in the time interval waveform of the battery AE signal can be used to identify the constant current or voltage charging mode. The AE signals of batteries mainly exist in two frequency bands, where the content of frequency band 1 is about 10kHz-120kHz, and the range of frequency band 2 is about 130kHz-180kHz. The maximum amplitude of frequency bands 1 and 2 shows their characteristics during the charging and discharging process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the rapid growth of English-medium instruction (EMI) in higher education institutions (HEIs), we observe the need to account for the educational and linguistic consequences of HEIs' decision to 'Englishise' their curricula. Especially, EMI in Asian countries (e.g. China) are fuelled by state-level initiatives to internationalise the higher education sector and implemented top-down in local universities. Although empirical studies report on the (mis)alignments between policymaking and implementation of EMI, little is known about how the interplay between EMI and internationalisation of HEIs is contextualised and negotiated in local contexts. Using the ROAD-MAPPING framework [Dafouz, E., and U. Smit. 2016. 'Towards a Dynamic Conceptual Framework for English-Medium Education in Multilingual University Settings.' Applied Linguistics 37 (3): 397–415], we present a case study of an internationally-oriented Chinese university with five distinctive types of EMI. Triangulated documentary and interview data reveal: (1) contextualised policymaking of EMI, which takes into account the bi-directional internationalisation and the needs of the target student cohort, is crucial at the practitioner-level; (2) norms of language use are shaped both top-down and bottom-up, and the teacher-practitioners exercise their agency in enabling bi/multilingual language use and awareness toward Global Englishes from the bottom-up. We also shed new light on how the integration of language and content in EMI is negotiated and/or realised by presenting three special cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is associated with impairment of hippocampal neurons. This study investigated the effect of PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway in CRF. Rat CRF model was established and rat hippocampal neurons were separated. Xanthine Oxidase method, fluorescence spectrophotometry and flow cytometry were applied to detect superoxide dismutase (SOD) content, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and apoptosis in hippocampal neurons, respectively. The levels of phosphorylated (p)-PERK, phosphorylated (p)-eIF2α, CHOP, Bax, C-Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 in rats were measured using Western blot. Then, the neurotoxicity of serum from CRF rats was assessed in rat hippocampal neurons after treatment with rat CRF serum and transfection with or without PERK overexpression or knockdown plasmid. SOD activity was reduced, while ROS level and apoptosis rate were increased in hippocampal tissues of CRF rats. PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 and apoptosis pathways were activated in CRF rats. Cells treated with serum from CRF rats showed increases in apoptosis rate and LDH and ROS levels, and decreases in cell viability and SOD activity. However, overexpressed PERK could reverse the cytotoxic effect of serum from CRF rats. PERK overexpression could enhance the activation of PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway in hippocampal neurons induced by serum from CRF rats. Furthermore, PERK overexpression could alleviate the increases in CHOP, Bax, C-Caspase-3 expressions and the reduction of Bcl-2 expression in hippocampal neurons induced by serum from CRF rats. PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway induced by increased endoplasmic reticulum stress may alleviate CRF-induced hippocampal neuronal damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding crystal/melt xenon (Xe) partitioning at depth is key to properly trace planetary processes using Xe isotopes. Partition coefficients measured on experimental samples recovered at room pressure (P) and temperature (T) span 6 orders of magnitude, potentially due to Xe exsolution from crystals upon quenching. We chose two in situ synchrotron X-ray methods to investigate Xe crystal/melt partitioning under high P and T up to 3 GPa and 1050°C using (1) resistive-heated diamond anvil cell with angle-dispersive diffraction and X-ray fluorescence, and (2) a new protocol using large volume press with energy-dispersive diffraction set-up. Results from both methods are consistent, and Xe is found to be compatible at depth, suggesting the continental crust could be a Xe-rich reservoir. This new protocol advances research to probe geological systems at the higher P–T conditions accessible with large volume press while maintaining homogeneous T throughout the sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to review the development of strengths assessment in mental health services and evaluate the features of those newly developed strengths assessments. A systematic literature review approach was adopted to identify relevant articles from September 2010 to August 2021. The results reveals that 1) the Value in Action Inventory of Strengths is the most widely studied strengths assessment but contains shortcomings in the application of mental health services; 2) 12 strengths assessments have been newly developed, which demonstrated quantitative measure, brief questionnaire, and contextual consideration are the tendency of measure development; 3) domains of strengths assessments were categorized into individual strengths, environmental strengths, and interpersonal strengths, in which individual strengths was the most commonly focus; 4) strengths conceptualization and psychometric properties are two remained limitations of existing strengths assessments. Developing a brief, quantitative, holistic, contextualized, recovery-oriented, psychometrically sound, and strengths-based assessment for people with mental illnesses is promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microglia are specialized macrophages responsible for the clearance of dead neurons and pathogens by phagocytosis and degradation. The degradation requires phagosome maturation and acidification provided by the vesicular- or vacuolar-type H+-translocating adenosine triphosphatase (V-ATPase), which is composed of the cytoplasmic V1 domain and the membrane-embedded Vo domain. The V-ATPase a subunit, an integral part of the Vo domain, has four isoforms in mammals. The functions of different isoforms on phagosome maturation in different cells/species remain controversial. Here we show that mutations of both the V-ATPase Atp6v0a1 and Tcirg1b/Atp6v0a3 subunits lead to the accumulation of phagosomes in zebrafish microglia. However, their mechanisms are different. The V-ATPase Atp6v0a1 subunit is mainly distributed in early and late phagosomes. Defects of this subunit lead to a defective transition from early phagosomes to late phagosomes. In contrast, The V-ATPase Tcirg1b/Atp6v0a3 subunit is primarily located on lysosomes and regulates late phagosome-lysosomal fusion. Defective Tcirg1b/Atp6v0a3, but not Atp6v0a1 subunit leads to reduced acidification and impaired macroautophagy/autophagy in microglia. We further showed that ATP6V0A1/a1 and TCIRG1/a3 subunits in mouse macrophages preferentially located in endosomes and lysosomes, respectively. Blocking these subunits disrupted early-to-late endosome transition and endosome-to-lysosome fusion, respectively. Taken together, our results highlight the essential and conserved roles played by different V-ATPase subunits in multiple steps of phagocytosis and endocytosis across various species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared three approaches for handling a fourth level of nesting when analyzing cluster-randomized trial (CRT) data. Although CRT data analyses may include repeated measures, individual, and cluster levels, there may be an additional fourth level that is typically ignored. This study examined the impact of ignoring this fourth level, accounting for it using a model-based approach, and accounting for it using a design-based approach on parameter and standard error (SE) estimates. Several fixed effect and random effect variance parameters and SEs were biased across all three models. Results suggest if a meaningful fourth level exists, researchers should acknowledge it using a design-based approach. If the fourth level is not practically important, researchers may ignore it altogether, resulting in more accurate parameter and SE estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid genetic algorithm (Is-hGA) parameter identification method based on local search was proposed to solve the anti-salient characteristics of interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM) and the defects of traditional genetic algorithm (GA) parameter identification method. In this hybrid optimization method, genetic algorithm is used for global search and hill-climbing algorithm is used for local search. This can not only improve the poor local search ability of genetic algorithm, but also greatly save calculation time. This method can identify four parameters of stator resistance, d-q axis inductance and permanent magnet flux linkage simultaneously. The performance of traditional GA and proposed Is-hGA in IPMSM parameter identification is compared by constructing an experimental platform. As a result, the proposed method can have more accurate identification precise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated disparities in access to healthcare and mental health, often forcing healthcare social workers into ethical and moral dilemmas as they endeavor to provide equitable, humanistic care to their patients and caregivers. The purpose of this mixed method study was to explore how COVID-19-related personal and professional grief and losses impacted healthcare social worker's distress and resilience. Participants were recruited through healthcare social work professional organizations from September-November 2020. Participants (N = 246) completed an online survey capturing sociodemographic variables, as well as mental distress, pandemic-related meaning-making, and resilience. Data analysis included correlations and regressions pertaining to meaning-making, emotional distress, and resilience, as well as thematic analysis of participants' open-ended survey responses. Approximately one-third of participants reported emotional distress and difficulty in finding meaning from their pandemic-related losses. Participants reported a lower level of resilience when compared with the United States general population. Three themes emerged from social workers' qualitative responses: the hardest year of my career; the collective loss of our normal; and we were built for this. Pandemic-related grief permeates social workers' daily lives; yet their training and resilience foster hope to positively impact their clients, communities, and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tissue filler injection is popular for tissue augmentation, but it is still not widely used for depressed scar correction because of the limitations of the existed materials. This study was designed to observe the effects of a tissue-engineering filler derived from autologous skin and hairs for correction of moderate-severe depressed scars. Totally 40 volunteers with moderate-severe depressed scars were enrolled in. Keratin gel and fibroblast derived from autologous hairs and a small piece of skin were mixed with autoserum and then injected into the dermis of the deformities. The whole procedure for injection was: filling and leveling up the scars by 10% after adequate subcision and repeating the treatment every other 3 weeks for total 9 weeks. Clinical features at different time points of the scars were collected and assessed. Thirty-six patients followed the protocol completely, receiving at least 50% improvement in depth and size of scars (significant improvement) 1 year after the treatment, with 88.9% of them had '75% improvement or more improvement' (excellent improvement). No severe complications were reported. Autologous keratin and fibroblast as filler is an effective option for moderate-severe depressed scars correction with long-term efficacy and high satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nematode chitinases play vital roles in various physiological processes, including egg hatching, larva moulting, and reproduction. Small-molecule inhibitors of nematode chitinases have potential applications for controlling nematode pests. On the basis of the crystal structure of CeCht1, a representative chitinase indispensable to the eggshell chitin degradation of the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, we have discovered a series of novel inhibitors bearing a (R)-3,4-diphenyl-4,5-dihydropyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrazol-6(2H)-one scaffold by hierarchical virtual screening. The crystal structures of CeCht1 complexed with two of these inhibitors clearly elucidated their interactions with the enzyme active site. Based on the inhibitory mechanism, several analogues with improved inhibitory activities were identified, among which the compound PP28 exhibited the most potent activity with a Ki value of 0.18 μM. This work provides the structural basis for the development of novel nematode chitinase inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using remote sensing data to estimate forest aboveground biomass (FAB) is of great significance for understanding the terrestrial C dynamics and making regional policies of forest management. The vegetation type-specified approach can improve the accuracy of estimating FAB, and it is difficult to obtain enough field plots for each vegetation type to fit a statistic model in practice. In this study, we tried to solve this problem by fitting a linear mixed-effects model based on the Landsat TM image and vegetation types. For developing the most parsimonious mixed-effect models, we used stepwise regressions to fit a linear regression model at the beginning and then we extended it into a linear mixed-effects model with the backward elimination method by adding and testing random effects to the explanatory variables in the linear regression model. The results showed that the linear mixed-effects model, compared with the linear regression model, has higher estimation accuracy with fewer parameters and smaller RMSE (R2 = 0.63, RMSE reduced by 14.81%). The linear mixed-effects model is a feasible way to fit a species-level FAB estimation model when the field plots data are limited and uneven for different vegetation types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is prevalent and associated with distinct diseases including infectious mononucleosis (IM), chronic active EBV infection (CAEBV) and NK/T-cell lymphoma (NKTL). However, the specific roles of EBV in these diseases remain unclear. Here, the whole miRNA expression datasets derived from 7 IM, 6 CAEBV, and 3 NKTL biopsies were obtained. Homo sapiens microRNA-372-5p (Hsa-miR-372-5p) was upregulated in both CAEBV and NKTL patients. Overexpression of hsa-miR-372-5p altered the expression of over 100 proteins. In addition, hsa-miR-372-5p may target NIMA related kinase 7 to regulate NLRP3 inflammasome activation in host cell. Taken together, we reported different miRNA expression profiles in distinct EBV associated diseases, which provided novel insights to understand how host miRNAs contribute to the mechanism of EBV associated diseases. Hsa-miR-372-5p, as well as other differential expressed miRNA, might serve as potential targets in the therapy of various EBV associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperspectral remote sensing demonstrates a great potential for identifying crops. Orbita hyperspectral image satellite (OHS) is a new hyperspectral satellite in orbit with the highest spectral and spatial resolutions and relatively short spectral range. In this study, the OHS, along with Land Remote-Sensing Satellite (System, Landsat) eight operational land imager (OLI) images (assigned as L8) and Sentinel-2B (S2B) images, was used to identify cotton and estimate its acreage in Beiquan town, Shihezi city, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China based on spectral reflectance, sample separability, and accuracy. And Two Class Support vector machine was adapted to map cotton acreage. For the spectral reflectance of cotton, OHS is slightly higher than the analytical spectral device (ASD) in the visible range and is similar in the near-infrared range. Both the S2B and L8 spectrum curves of cotton fit well with the ASD spectrum's. For the sample separability, the pair values between cotton and non-cotton (e.g. impervious surface, water, maize, grape, etc.) of OHS and S2B are better than that of L8 in general, indicating that OHS and S2B are more reliable than L8 for cotton identification using OHS, L8, and S2B. The results show that the overall accuracy of these three sensors is comparable: an overall accuracy of 0.96 from OHS, 0.95 from S2B, and 0.94 from L8. Moreover, the cotton identification accuracy is not only related to the spatial resolution but also to the spectral resolution and band position, and more importantly to each sensor specifications, even though each satellite hyperspectral and multispectral sensor has its own unique advantages in being complimentary for identifying cotton and other crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an optical multiple image encryption method based on ellipsometry reconstruction is proposed. In our proposal, the cryptosystem is designed as multiple paths, and each path is used to encrypt one image. In each path, one original image is decomposed into two phase only masks (POMs) using the interference method. Then, every two masks decomposed from the same original image are encoded onto the spatial light modulator (SLM) to generate an elliptically polarized light (EPL) with specific amplitude and polarization. After that, each light passes through a linear polarizer. CCD is used to record the sum of the intensity of these path outputs, which is ciphertext. Jones matrix is used to describe these procedures. Moreover, our proposed encryption system has certain anti-attack ability. Computer simulations are conducted to verify the correctness and validity of our proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study is to investigate trajectories of stress and depressive symptoms of spousal and intimate partner caregivers in the context of cancer. We also examined the patient-related predictors of caregiver stress and depression. This is a longitudinal cohort study. Patients diagnosed with cancers affecting the hepatobiliary and pancreatic system and their spousal or intimate partner caregivers were recruited at a large tertiary cancer center. The patients and caregivers were assessed for their level of stress, depressive symptoms, relationship quality, and quality of life at the time of the patients' diagnosis, every 2 months for 12 months and then at 18 months. One hundred and seventy-nine caregivers were included in the trajectory analyses. Amongst the 179 caregivers, 120 patient and caregiver dyads had complete data at baseline to 6-months. The majority of the spousal caregivers were female (84%) and the mean age was 57 years. 25% of caregivers reported high levels of chronic depressive symptoms. However, significant reductions were observed at 6 months. High and moderate levels of caregiver stress were also reported in 21% and 36% of caregivers, respectively. The caregivers who reported moderate levels of stress had a decrease in stress over time while those in the high stress group reported stable levels of stress over time. Caregivers' stress is predicted by the cancer patients' depressive symptoms but not patients' quality of life. Caregivers who reported high levels of stress and depressive symptoms at patients' cancer diagnosis remain high even after the initial adjustment. A bidirectional relationship between the caregivers' stress and the patients' depressive symptoms was observed. The development of dyadic interventions focusing on the patients' and caregivers' distress is warranted to decrease psychological morbidities of the dyad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, numerical simulation and experimental research are utilized to improve the temperature uniformity inside the storage chambers of a top-mounted air-cooled refrigerator. Firstly, in order to accurately predict the temperature distribution characteristics inside the storage chambers, porous media technique as well as multiple reference frame method are used to simulate the temperature field. The comparison of monitored points between calculated and measured temperatures are conducted to demonstrate simulations show relatively acceptable agreement with experimental results. Secondly, by using computational fluid dynamics simulation, two new air-duct structures were designed on the basis of the original air-duct system, which significantly reduced freezer temperature deviation and optimized the air volume distribution ratio between freezer and refrigerating storage chamber. Finally, the influence of outlet size on the temperature uniformity, air volume and velocity distribution inside both storage chambers was investigated based on the optimized air-duct structure. The results indicate that temperature deviation in freezer storage chamber reduced from 3.7 °C/3.1 °C to 1.1 °C/0.3 °C during damper-on/damper-off condition after optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social workers play an important role in assessing social determinants of health (SDH) and providing behavioral health services in integrated care settings. Evidence suggests that integrated care interventions improve quality of life and other patient outcomes. However, the ambiguous role of social workers on the interdisciplinary team, the lack of protocol in SDH screening and intervention, and restrictions due to healthcare reimbursement limit social workers' ability to intervene. Future directions include standardizing integrated care models, evaluating integrated care's efficacy to address SDH, incorporating SDH into interprofessional training including role clarification and reimbursing for SDH assessment and intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is one of the most widely used separations and analysis methods, which has become an indispensable part of the separation and detection of mixtures, qualitative and quantitative analysis and other scientific research and social production fields. Because of the decisive effect of the chromatographic column on analysis and separation, it has become the core of research in the chromatographic system. In the past decades, the research and development of new chromatographic column stationary phase have been highly concerned. Monodisperse polymer microsphere, because of its special large pore structure, has good permeability and high specific surface area, which can be used as special materials in various fields, such as adsorption materials in the separation process, HPLC column packing, catalyst carrier, preparation template of nanomaterials and nuclear fusion targeting materials. When it is used in HPLC, because of the good permeability of microspheres, it can effectively improve the separation efficiency and performance. In this article, based on the previous work, a number of new polymer microspheres were prepared, and the prepared microspheres were used for the separation and detection of HPLC, and their physical and chemical properties were studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In a randomised controlled trial, we investigated the blood pressure (BP) lowering effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in patients with moderate-severe obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS, an apnoea-hypopnoea index, AHI of 15 or higher) and nocturnal hypertension (night-time systolic/diastolic BP ≥120/70 mmHg). Methods: Sixty patients were randomly assigned to CPAP or sham CPAP, while maintaining their antihypertensive treatment. Ambulatory BP monitoring was performed at baseline (first run-in visit) and the end of follow-up. Clinic and home BP were measured at baseline and each of the monthly follow-up visits. Results: Of the 60 patients, 47 completed the 3-month study. CPAP (n = 26), compared with sham CPAP (n = 21), slightly and non-significantly reduced 24-h systolic/diastolic BP by −2.8/−2.5 mmHg (p ≥ 0.27), with a slightly greater between-group difference in the daytime (−4.0/−2.8 mmHg, p ≥ 0.29) than night-time (−0.2/−1.5 mmHg, p ≥ 0.50). The CPAP treatment did not significantly influence clinic or home BP during follow-up (p ≥ 0.27). Nonetheless, simple and partial correlation analyses showed that the ambulatory BP lowering effect was dependent on the daytime pulse rate at baseline (r ≥ 0.47, p ≤ 0.01). In patients with a daytime pulse rate greater than 85 beats/min, the mean changes in daytime systolic BP were significantly greater in the CPAP (n = 10) than sham CPAP group (n = 11), with a between-group mean difference of −10.1 mmHg (p = 0.048). Conclusions: The CPAP treatment did not show significant ambulatory BP lowering effect in patients with moderate-severe OSAS and nocturnal hypertension. However, it may be effective in lowering daytime BP in patients with a faster pulse rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In exploring the 1′,6′-isoneplanocin structural framework for antiviral compound development, both the D-like and L-like 5′-fluoro-5′-deoxy analogs have been synthesized from readily available cyclopentenyl iodides and adenine in five steps. Antiviral evaluation found D-like 5′-fluoro-5′-deoxy-1′,6′-isoneplanocin to display less broad-spectrum antiviral effects than the parent D-like including weaker activity against Ebola and norovirus. The L-like enantiomer was devoid of any activity, contrary to the parent L-like compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, no clear guidelines exist for modeling non-water-cooled small modular reactors (SMRs) despite the rising need for high-fidelity simulation tools to support regulators and the industry. Most SMR concepts currently under the Canadian prelicensing review adopted non-water-cooled–reactor technologies [molten salt reactor (MSR), gas-cooled reactor, and liquid metal–cooled reactor] that are new for Canada. There is a need for a modeling tool set that is broadly applicable for the assessment of advanced technologies used in SMRs. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be used in performance evaluation and safety analysis of non-water-cooled SMRs for modeling three-dimensional (3-D) fluid flow and heat transfer in geometries of arbitrary complexity without resorting to geometry-specific empirical correlations. This study investigates the capabilities of existing models within a commercial CFD code to simulate the flow and heat transfer characteristics in a MSR configuration. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) configuration was simulated in this study using a stand-alone CFD approach, and CFD predictions were assessed with ORNL data. Intricate geometry details within the MSRE core were included in the computational model to study the associated geometric effects. The results obtained in this study showcased the ability of CFD to predict 3-D effects within the computational domain especially at the lower plenums. The predicted trends for the temperature rise in the fuel and moderator within the core were in good agreement with the ORNL data. The results presented in this paper constitute the first step in developing Canadian Nuclear Laboratories' capability for CFD modeling of non-water SMRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The automatic classification of power lines from airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data is a crucial task for power supply management. The methods for power line classification can be either supervised or unsupervised. Supervised methods might achieve high accuracy for small areas, but it is time consuming to collect training data over areas of different conditions and complexity. Therefore, unsupervised methods that can automatically work over different areas without sophisticated parameter tuning are in great demand. In this paper, we presented a hierarchical unsupervised LiDAR-based power line classification method that first screened the power line candidate points (including the power line corridor direction detection based on a layered Hough transform, connectivity analysis, and Douglas–Peucker simplification algorithm), followed by the extraction of contextual linear and angular features for each candidate laser points, and finally by setting the feature threshold values to identify the power line points. We tested the method over both forest and urban areas and found that the precision, recall and quality rates were up to 96.7%, 88.8% and 78.3%, respectively, for the test datasets and were higher than the ones from a previously developed supervised classification method. Overall, our approach has the advantages of achieving relatively high accuracy and being relatively fast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil quality standards used for agricultural land do not fully consider the effect of soil properties on cadmium (Cd) uptake by crops. A pot experiment with six types of soil derived from two typical soil parent materials was conducted to determine the effect of soil properties on the soil Cd fractions and Cd concentration in rice grain. The results of soil Cd fractions obtained by the Community Bureau of Reference sequential extraction revealed significant differences among soil types. Redundancy analysis showed that soil pH was the most influential factor affecting soil Cd fractions for red paddy soil, but soil pH, soil organic matter, and clay content were significant for purple paddy soil. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed that soil clay and soil organic matter were the two most significant variables contributing to soil Cd threshold, explaining 97.8% of the variance. These results suggest that soil clay and organic matter contents should be considered when evaluating the risk of Cd in paddy soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mould was designed to produce considerable splashing during filling, resulting in the entrainment of freshly produced double oxide film defects. Two moulds were cast to produce 60 testbars in total, suitable for four-point bend testing, to determine their Weibull moduli. Different faces of the cast test-bars, top and bottom, would have different distributions of double oxide film defects, depending on whether the defects were expected to float or to sink during casting. The faces of the test-bars placed downwards in the four-point bend-tests would experience the maximum tensile load, meaning that the test-bar faces associated with the greatest defect densities (top or bottom) would be associated with the lowest Weibull Modulus. The experiment confirmed that double oxide film defects are positively buoyant, initially, and would float towards the surface of the casting during pouring and solidification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an essential part of integrated circuit, chip manufacturing has increasingly demanding requirements for quality, cost and others. Some technical limitations and the development direction of miniaturisation and high density have led to defects in the manufacturing process, which affect the performance and life of the chip. Therefore, the detection, identification and classification of defects are very important to improve the chip reliability. Based on the orderly and concise literature research, this paper focuses on a comprehensive review of the main research results in the field of non-contact non-destructive testing imaging methods for chip defects. Firstly, various defects that may occur in the chip design and packaging process are introduced. Then the contact detection methods including manual and probe method are clarified, and the principles, properties and development applications of NDT methods are introduced in detail, also the defect identification methods after imaging are briefly introduced. Moreover, the advantages and limitations of NDT technologies are summarised through comparative studies. Finally, the future development trend of non-destructive testing methods is predicted. This work hopes to provide some reference for the non-destructive testing of chips, which is of great significance for the health testing of chips in the electronics manufacturing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study, a novel method of broadening the bandwidth by fabricating the silica aerogel film composited with the chiral nematic liquid crystal (N*-LC) is proposed. Diffusion of chiral compound filled in the silica aerogel resulted in the non-uniform pitch distribution, which can be anchored by UV-radical polymerisation. The results strongly suggested that the reflection bandwidth could be broadened preferably by adjusting the silica aerogel condensation time, the content of UV polymerisable free radical monomer and the polymerisation temperature. The reflection bandwidth was broadened from 270 nm to 878 nm, and the centre wavelength was blue-shifted by 642 nm. A general correlation among the silica aerogel condensation time, the polymerisation condition, and the reflective region will be outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The separation of oil and water mixtures is an important issue in acidic and alkaline conditions. In this paper, the chitosan (CS)-coated filter paper was successfully fabricated for application in the field of oil/water separation by crosslinking filter paper with hydrophilic chitosan through a simple Schiff's base reaction. The surface of the prepared CS-coated filter paper maintains superhydrophilic and low adhesive ability to oil in water. Besides, this filter paper can resist highly acidic erosion even concentrated sulfuric acid. Surprisingly, CS-coated filter paper can be efficiently applied on the separation of different types of oil/water mixtures in wide pH range conditions and exhibits excellent recyclability and antibacterial property. The antibacterial rate of CS fiber pure textile can reach 99%. The antibacterial rate of blended fabric is about 75%. This separation process has high potential for industrial oilfield wastewater treatment and separation in extreme environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensifera is an extremely diverse group in the order Orthoptera, and it has been the subject of considerable research, especially in terms of phylogeny and bioacoustics. Katydids are known for using high-frequency broadband signals whereas most cricket songs are pure tones with a frequency range of 2–8 kHz. Pseudophyllus titan is a special katydid emits low-frequency pure tone songs similar to that of crickets. Acoustic communication of Ensifera were widely studied, but song evolution could deserve new examination taking into account the newly available phylogenies. To examine the song evolution of P. titan in the Ensifera, the mitogenomes of P. titan and three other ensiferan species (Sphagniana ussuriana, Oecanthus sinensis, Truljalia hibinonis) were obtained by high-throughput sequencing. In addition, the phylogeny of Ensifera was reconstructed including 63 in-group taxa, and the divergence time was further estimated for major ensiferan lineages. Lastly, the evolutions of song frequency were evaluated based on an ancestral character state reconstruction (ACSR). Moreover, we have studied the calling songs of 78 katydids and performed ACSR based on five genes. All phylogeny analyses confirmed that the superfamily Schizodactyloidea was placed basally to the non-grylloid clade. P. titan was in the Pseudophyllinae clade, and this clade had a distant relationship form other lineages in Phaneropteridae. The ACSR showed that P. titan evolved low-frequency pure tone songs independently after ancestors of katydids evolved high-frequency broadband noise. Referring to the geologic time scale, we suggest that the song frequency evolution in the Ensifera to some extent caused by adaptations to the changing habitat under conditions of climate change and plant evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method of multiple-image encryption via spiral phase mask rotations based on the joint transform correlator encryption system was proposed. Multiple images can be encrypted into one ciphertext through this approach. When decrypted the ciphertext, we have no need to produce too many key masks, only need rotate the key mask to the angle corresponding to the plaintext. The system also has good resistance to occlusion attack and differential attack. Computer simulations initially verified the correctness of this method, and the experimental results also confirmed its validity further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical wound is one of the unavoidable threats to survival of plants. More researchers focus on the effect of mechanical wound to the over-ground tissues. And the effects of wound to roots were frequently ignored, although it is an important organ for plant growth. In our studies, the metabolomics study was performed to reveal the mechanical wound effects in Catharanthus roseus on roots and leaves by combining gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LC-MS) and statistical analyses. The metabolic response of TIAs and PCs in plants to wound was most active at 0.5 h after treatment via Q value analysis. At this time point, then significantly responsive primary metabolites and specific secondary compounds (TIAs and PCs) were screened by PLS-DA score plot. In this case, the treatments of CK, LT (wound to leaves) and RT (wound to roots) were clearly distinguished. The targeted compounds include 8 sugars, 4 TIAs and 12 PCs and they displayed specific responses to CK, LT and RT treatments. Under RT group, plants invest more resources on the local responses using TIAs and the color reactions to regulate wound close using PCs. Whereas, LT group might lay emphasis on systemic responses via TIAs induced by SA (salicylic acid) and gallic acid. Our studies provide some basic data for further investigations of the defensive mechanism on roots treated by mechanical wound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both enantiomers of the isomer of neplanocin where the C-4′ hydroxymethyl has been displaced to the 6′-position (that is, 6′-isoneplanocin) have been prepared in 5 steps from known, protected iodocyclopentenones. Both products were evaluated against a number of DNA and RNA viruses and found to be inactive. This observation is suggested to be due to the displacement of the C-4′ hydroxymethyl of neplanocin (in the D-like form) away from the lysine425of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase, which is important for inhibition by neplanocin and, in turn, its antiviral activity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The larvae ofParapoynx crisonalis(Walker, 1859) is an important pest in China, causing significant damage on the aquatic crops. To improve the management ofP. crisonalisand demonstrate the phylogenetic relationships amongst Pyraloidea, the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequences of four aquatic pyralid moths, which belong to three acentropine larval forms – Parapoynx-type, Nymphula-type and Potamomusa-type, and twenty-three terricolous pyralids were compared. The complete mitogenomeP. crisonalis, a typical parapoynx larval species, was 15,374 base pairs in length and included 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes and an A + T-rich region. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the aquatic acentropine moths formed a monophyletic clade with strong phylogenetic support via maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods with a bootstrap value of 100% and a posterior probability of 1.00. The Potamomusa-type was more closely related to the Nymphula-type than to the Parapoynx-type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several reports published in the current issue of the journal are presnetd including on cutting-edge research on using fine resolution remotely sensed data for mapping species or communities in terrestrial and coastal ecosystems.

A new coordination polymer [Ag3(1,2,4-btc)]n(1) (1,2,4-H3btc = 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylate) has been synthesized by hydrothermal method and characterized by X-ray single crystal diffraction, elemental analysis, IR spectrum, and TGA. Compound1exhibits a 3D network consisting of the 2D layer connected by the ligand 1,2,4-btc3−, which adopts a new coordination mode. Moreover, blue fluorescence at 480 nm emission was observed under 320 nm excitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new C20-diterpenoid alkaloids vilmorrianines E (1), F (2), and G (3) were isolated from the whole plants of Aconitum vilmorrianum, along with one artifact N-chloromethyl vilmorrianine E hydrochloride (4), as well as two known alkaloids hemsleyaconitines F (5) and G (6). The structures of 1–4 were established by HR-ESI-MS, 1D-, 2D-NMR (HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY), and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In addition, the structures of naturally occurring 2-O-acetylorochrine (7) and orochrine (8) were revised to be the known alkaloids heterophylloidine (9) and deacetyl heterophylloidine (10), respectively, on the basis of consideration of transannular effect and chemical correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing-based methods of aboveground biomass (AGB) estimation in forest ecosystems have gained increased attention, and substantial research has been conducted in the past three decades. This paper provides a survey of current biomass estimation methods using remote sensing data and discusses four critical issues – collection of field-based biomass reference data, extraction and selection of suitable variables from remote sensing data, identification of proper algorithms to develop biomass estimation models, and uncertainty analysis to refine the estimation procedure. Additionally, we discuss the impacts of scales on biomass estimation performance and describe a general biomass estimation procedure. Although optical sensor and radar data have been primary sources for AGB estimation, data saturation is an important factor resulting in estimation uncertainty. LIght Detection and Ranging (lidar) can remove data saturation, but limited availability of lidar data prevents its extensive application. This literature survey has indicated the limitations of using single-sensor data for biomass estimation and the importance of integrating multi-sensor/scale remote sensing data to produce accurate estimates over large areas. More research is needed to extract a vertical vegetation structure (e.g. canopy height) from interferometry synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) or optical stereo images to incorporate it into horizontal structures (e.g. canopy cover) in biomass estimation modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective. To test the efficacy of lansoprazole, bismuth, levofloxacin, and amoxicillin therapy compared to bismuth metronidazole tetracycline (BMT) quadruple therapy for second-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. Methods. A total of 284 patients who failed prior H. pylori eradication were randomized to receive 14-day regimens containing lansoprazole 30 mg twice a day (b.i.d.), bismuth subcitrate 240 mg b.i.d., and either amoxcillin, 1 g b.i.d. and levofloxacin 500 mg once daily (qd) (levofloxacin/bismuth therapy) or metronidazole 400 mg four times daily (q.i.d.) and tetracycline, 500 mg q.i.d. (BMT quadruple therapy). Endoscopy and culture were performed before treatment. Antimicrobial susceptibility was by agar dilution. H. pylori status was determined 6 weeks after the end of therapy using a 13C-urea breath test. Results. The metronidazole, levofloxacin, tetracycline, and amoxicillin resistance rates were 85.3%, 40.2%, 1.1%, and 0.5%, respectively. The intention-to-treat and per-protocol (PP) eradication rates were 83% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 75.9-88.3%) and 88.1% (95% CI: 81.2-92.4%) ( p = 0.22) for levofloxacin-bismuth (levo-bismuth) versus BMT quadruple, respectively, and PP rates were 85.4% (95% CI: 78.5-90.3%) and 90.6% (95% CI: 84.6-94.5%) ( p = 0.18). Moderate and severe side effects were significantly higher with BMT quadruple than levo-bismuth (22.4% vs. 5%, p < 0.001) and higher in women (28.4%) than men (10.4%) in BMT quadruple therapy group ( p = 0.015). Conclusion. Increasing fluoroquinolone resistance has undermined levo-bismuth quadruple therapy making BMT quadruple therapy a better choice empiric second-line therapy for H. pylori infection. However, compliance was significantly higher with levo-bismuth quadruple therapy, especially among women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the postoperative symptom by using inferior conjunctival autografting (ICA) rather than superior conjunctival autografting (SCA) after excision of pterygium. Methods: This prospective randomized control study evaluated 80 eyes of 80 consecutive patients undergoing primary pterygium surgery. Patients in each subgroup were then randomized into the ICA ( n = 40) or SCA ( n = 40) group. All patients were asked to return for follow up on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 14 then at months 1, 3, 6, and 12 postoperatively. Outcome measures were postoperative patient discomfort, corneal epithelial healing time, complications and recurrence rate. Results: Fluorescein staining revealed complete corneal epithelial healing time was 3.1 ± 0.5 d (range 2-4) in the ICA group and 3.3 ± 0.6 d (range 2-4) in the SCA group ( p = 0.11). Pain scores were significantly less in the ICA group than the SCA group on follow-up days 3 and 5 ( p < 0.05). Postoperative foreign body sensation scores on follow-up days 5 and 7 were significantly lower in the ICA group than the SCA group ( p < 0.05). Epiphora scores were significantly less in the ICA group than the SCA group on follow-up days 3, 5, and 7 ( p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences between two groups were found for the overall (conjunctival and corneal) recurrence rates (5% versus 7.5%, p = 0.64). No serious complications were encountered. Conclusion: Pterygium excision with ICA led to less postoperative discomfort for patients with primary pterygium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted to investigate alleviative effects of modified maifanite (MMF) on zearalenone (ZEN) toxicity in female weaner pigs. In this experiment, 32 female weaner pigs (Duroc×Landrace×Large white, 10.50±0.07 kg) were divided into 4 groups (8 pigs/group): control group (0.02 mg/kg ZEN); ZEN-treated group (1.11 mg/kg ZEN); MMF-treated group (1% MMF); ZEN+MMF treated group (1.11 mg/kg ZEN and 1% MMF), The trial period lasted for 28 d. Growth performance, vulva size, genital organs, antioxidant enzyme activities, serum metabolites and ZEN residues in female weaner pigs were determined. The results showed that the treatments had no effect on growth performance and length and width of the vulva. However, vulva area (P=0.038) and progesterone (P=0.022) were affected by the ZEN×MMF interaction. Treatment with ZEN resulted in a significant increase of the genital organ weight (P=0.002) and decrease of serum superoxide dismutase (P=0.017) activity. Feeding of the ZEN diet decreased the number of red blood cells (P=0.009) and platelets (P=0.002). The MMF reduced methane dicarboxylic aldehyde concentration when fed with ZEN diet but not when fed with the basal diet (ZEN×MMF, P=0.018). In the liver, feeding of the ZEN diet with MMF reduced the levels of ZEN residues (P=0.003). Our findings suggest that the addition of MMF to ZEN diet resulted in partial restoration of antioxidant status and reduced ZEN levels in the liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantification of allergens in food including baked food matrices is of great interest. The aim of the present study was to describe a non-immunologic method to quantify bovine β-casein using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-TQ-MS/MS) in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Eight of 10 theoretical peptides from β-casein after tryptic digestion were compared and MRM methods were developed to determine five signature peptides. The peptide VLPVPQK was selected as the signature peptide for bovine β-casein because of the high sensitivity. A stable isotope-labelled internal standard was designed to adjust the instability of sample pre-treatment and ionisation caused by matrix effect. Using the present suspension digestion method, the native and denatured β-casein could be digested to release the signature peptide at the maximum extent. The UPLC-TQ-MS/MS method developed based on a tryptic signature peptide led to a reliable determination of bovine β-casein allergen in baked food matrices at a low quantitation level down to 500 μg kg–1with a satisfactory accuracy (< 8.9%) and recovery (98.8% ± 2.6% to 106.7% ± 3.0%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the Dempster–Shafer (D–S) method is used as the theoretical basis for creating data classification systems. Testing is carried out using three popular multiple attribute benchmark data-sets that have two, three and four classes. In each case, a subset of the available data is used for training to establish thresholds, limits or likelihoods of class membership for each attribute, and hence create mass functions that establish probability of class membership for each attribute of the test data. Classification of each data item is achieved by combination of these probabilities via Dempster's rule of combination. Results for the first two data-sets show extremely high classification accuracy that is competitive with other popular methods. The third data-set is non-numerical and difficult to classify, but good results can be achieved provided the system and mass functions are designed carefully and the right attributes are chosen for combination. In all cases, the D–S method provides comparable performance to other more popular algorithms, but the overhead of generating accurate mass functions increases the complexity with the addition of new attributes. Overall, the results suggest that the D–S approach provides a suitable framework for the design of classification systems and that automating the mass function design and calculation would increase the viability of the algorithm for complex classification problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between organic toxicants and nanoparticles (NPs) in the aquatic environment may modify toxicant bioavailability and consequently the toxicant's environmental fate and toxicity. Therefore, we investigated the influence of titanium dioxide NPs (nano-TiO2) on deca-BDE (BDE-209; a polybrominated diphenyl ether congener) bioconcentration, metabolism and its effects on the thyroid endocrine system in zebrafish ( Danio rerio) larvae. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to various concentrations of BDE-209 alone or in combination with nano-TiO2 (0.1 mg/L) until 7-day post-fertilization. Nano-TiO2 can adsorb BDE-209 and nano-TiO2 is taken up into developing zebrafish larvae. Chemical measurements showed that BDE-209 was bioconcentrated and metabolized in zebrafish larvae, and BDE-209 uptake was enhanced by nano-TiO2. Furthermore, increased BDE-209 metabolites were detected in larvae co-exposed with nano-TiO2. BDE-209 exposure significantly increased whole-body thyroid hormone contents (T3 and T4); T4 content significantly increased in the larvae co-exposed with nano-TiO2. Nano-TiO2 exposure alone did not induce generation of reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidative oxidation, gene transcription or thyroid hormone levels. Upregulation of several gene transcriptions ( tshβ, tg, dio2) in the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis was also observed. Furthermore, co-exposure of nano-TiO2 and BDE-209 caused a decrease in locomotion activity and downregulation of specific genes and proteins involved in the central nervous system of developing zebrafish larvae (e.g. myelin basic protein and α1-tubulin). These results indicate nano-TiO2 enhances BDE-209 bioavailability and metabolism, leading to thyroid endocrine disruption and developmental neurotoxicity in zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Herbal preparation of Pao pereira [ Geissospermum vellosii Allem (Apocynaceae)] has long been used by oncologic patients and Integrative Medicine practitioners in South America. However, its anticancer activities have not been systematically studied. Objective: To investigate the anticancer effects of β-carboline alkaloids-enriched extract from Pao pereira (Pao), either alone or in combination with carboplatin, in preclinical ovarian cancer models. Materials and methods: Cytotoxicity of Pao (0-800 µg/ml) against different ovarian cancer cell lines and an immortalized epithelial cell line was detected by flow cytometry, MTT assay and colony formation in soft agar. Combination of Pao and carboplatin, a primary chemotherapeutic drug for ovarian cancer, was evaluated using Chou-Talalay's methods. Mice bearing intraperitoneally spread ovarian cancer were treated with 20 or 50 mg/kg/day Pao by i.p. injection. Carboplatin at 15 mg/kg/week i.p. was compared and combined to Pao treatments. Results: Pao selectively inhibited ovarian cancer cell growth with IC50 values of 180-235 µg/ml, compared to 537 µg/ml in normal cells. Pao induced apoptosis dose- and time-dependently and completely inhibited colony formation of tumor cells in soft agar at 400 µg/ml. Pao greatly enhanced carboplatin cytotoxicity, with dose reduction (DRIs) for carboplatin at 1.2-10 fold. In vivo, Pao alone suppressed tumor growth by 79% and decreased volume of ascites by 55%. When Pao was combined with carboplatin, tumor inhibition reached 97% and ascites was completely eradicated. Discussion and conclusion: Pao possess potent antitumor activity and could enhance carboplatin effect, and therefore holds therapeutic potential in the treatment of ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAt the intersection of social digitization and population aging, the challenge of older adults fitting into digital life is becoming more prominent. To understand how to help older adults adopt digital life, this study builds upon the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and developed the Digital Technology Motivation Interaction Model (DTMIM) to study the complex effects of autonomous motivation (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment), controlled motivation, and digital feedback on WeChat adoption among older adults, as well as the urban-rural differences. The results of the questionnaire survey and Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) show that: First, no single construct is a necessary condition for a high (non-high) attitude toward using (ATU) or high (non-high) actual using (AU). Second, we identified two configurations that trigger high ATU including the autonomy-motivation type and digital feedback under motivational synergy, and three configurations that enable high AU including motivational synergy type, digital feedback under autonomous extrinsic motivation, and digital feedback under motivational synergy. Third, the configurations of high ATU and high AU show significant differences between urban and rural areas. Autonomy motivation plays a universal role in urban older adults’ WeChat adoption, while digital feedback is critical for rural older adults. The configuration analysis of DTMIM and urban-rural differences is not only an adaptive improvement of TAM but also provides new methods and perspectives for future research on the adoption of digital technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]