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Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the potential application of a radiomics features‐based nomogram for predicting therapeutic responses to neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy (NCHT) in patients with high‐risk non‐metastatic prostate cancer (PCa). Methods: Clinicopathologic information was retrospectively collected from 162 patients with high‐risk non‐metastatic PCa receiving NCHT and radical prostatectomy at our center. The postoperative pathological findings were used as the gold standard for evaluating the efficacy of NCHT. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was conducted to develop radiomics signature. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the predictors of a positive pathological response to NCHT, and a nomogram was constructed based on these predictors. Results: Sixty‐three patients (38.89%) experienced positive pathological response to NCHT. Receiver operating characteristic analyses showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of periprostatic fat (PPF) radiomics signature was 0.835 (95% CI, 0.754–0.898), while the AUC of intratumoral radiomics signature was 0.822 (95% CI, 0.739–0.888). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that PSA level, PPF radiomics signature and intratumoral radiomics signature were independent predictors of positive pathological response. A nomogram based on these three predictors was constructed. The AUC was 0.908 (95% CI, 0.839–0.954). The Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness‐of‐fit test showed that the nomogram was well calibrated. Decision curve analysis revealed the favorable clinical practicability of the nomogram. The nomogram was successfully validated in the validation cohort. Kaplan–Meier analyses showed that nomogram and positive pathological response were significantly related with survival of PCa. Conclusion: The radiomics–clinical nomogram based on mpMRI radiomics features exhibited superior predictive ability for positive pathological response to NCHT in high‐risk non‐metastatic PCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust acoustic waves (DAWs) in plasmas are influenced by many plasma parameters, such as, ion temperature, electron number density, nonthermal and nonextensive parameters, and dust cyclotron frequency. The plasma system is described by plasma fluid equations. The Zakharov–Kuznetsov equation and instability growth rate of DAWs have been obtained by reductive perturbation method and small‐k$$ k $$ expansion method, respectively. The effects of plasma parameters on the linear dispersion relation, phase velocity, amplitude, width, soliton energy, and three‐dimensional instability of DAWs have been carried out. It is obvious that the incremental nonextensive (nonthermal) parameter leads to the shrinking (incremental) soliton energy and phase velocity. These results are useful for understanding dusty plasma dynamics with Cairns–Tsallis electrons in planetary rings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of photosensitive zirconia ceramic slurry with adjustable viscosity and cured depth have been presented for the construction of high‐quality zirconia ceramic fabricated by digital light processing 3D printing. The rheological and curing behavior of the slurry can be flexibly optimized by tuning the reactive diluent concentration and category, since the change of dominant position of diluent on viscosity and the different curing mode. Monofunctional reactive diluent (HEA, hydroxyethyl acrylate) exhibits an enhanced dilution effect compared with that of bifunctional reactive diluent (HDDA, 1,6‐hexamethylene diacrylate) due to the lower molecular mass of monofunctional diluent. As a result, the viscosity reaches lower than 2000 mPa·s when the concentration of both HEA and HDDA exceeds 50 wt.%. At the same time, the non‐Newtonian properties of the slurry are also changed, which facilitates the printing process. However, excessive addition of diluent may generate more defects in ceramic green body. Consequently, the cured depth of zirconia slurry can reach 55 and 50 µm, respectively, at the curing time of 3 s while introducing the HEA or HDDA with the concentration below 70 wt.%, and the modified feedstock is promising for high‐quality and low‐defect zirconia ceramic components printing for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro displays employ capacitors inside the pixels to store analog signal, implement voltage‐charge redistribution, or conduct threshold voltage variation compensation. Selecting appropriate capacitors among the options of MOS (metal‐oxide‐semiconductor) capacitors, MIM (metal‐insulator‐metal) capacitors, MOM (metal‐oxide‐metal) capacitors need to consider performance, yield, and cost, besides footprint requirement that is determined by the display resolution, panel size, and pixel pitch. In this paper, nMOS (n‐typed MOS) capacitor and DMOS (depletion MOS) capacitors are analyzed comprehensively in terms of operation mechanism, capacitance and impact on image quality, defect generation and impact on yield, and cost and scaling opportunity. It was concluded that nMOS is generally preferred than DMOS and for next generations of micro displays. For advanced displays with higher resolution and smaller pixel pitch, MOM and MIM adoptions were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper aims to analyze the time trend of OCs incidence in 43 countries (1988–2012) and predict the incidence trend of OCs (2012–2030). Methods: In the database for Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, the annual data on OCs incidence grouped by age and gender were obtained from 108 cancer registries in 43 countries. The age‐standardized incidence rates were calculated, and the Bayesian age‐period‐cohort model was used to predict the incidence in 2030. Results: South Asia and Oceania had the highest ASR in 1988 (9.24/100 000) and 2012 (6.74/100 000). It was predicted that India, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Japan would be the countries with an increased incidence of OCs in 2030. Conclusion: Regional custom is an important factor affecting the incidence of OCs. According to our predictions., it is necessary to control risk factors according to local conditions and enhance screening and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Leaf traits are central to plant function, and key variables in ecosystem models. However recently published global trait maps, made by applying statistical or machine‐learning techniques to large compilations of trait and environmental data, differ substantially from one another. This paper aims to demonstrate the potential of an alternative approach, based on eco‐evolutionary optimality theory, to yield predictions of spatio‐temporal patterns in leaf traits that can be independently evaluated. Innovation: Global patterns of community‐mean specific leaf area (SLA) and photosynthetic capacity (Vcmax) are predicted from climate via existing optimality models. Then leaf nitrogen per unit area (Narea) and mass (Nmass) are inferred using their (previously derived) empirical relationships to SLA and Vcmax. Trait data are thus reserved for testing model predictions across sites. Temporal trends can also be predicted, as consequences of environmental change, and compared to those inferred from leaf‐level measurements and/or remote‐sensing methods, which are an increasingly important source of information on spatio‐temporal variation in plant traits. Main conclusions: Model predictions evaluated against site‐mean trait data from > 2,000 sites in the Plant Trait database yielded R2 = 73% for SLA, 38% for Nmass and 28% for Narea. Declining species‐level Nmass, and increasing community‐level SLA, have both been recently reported and were both correctly predicted. Leaf‐trait mapping via optimality theory holds promise for macroecological applications, including an improved understanding of community leaf‐trait responses to environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mannich‐type reaction utilizes active α‐H compounds (aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids and their esters, nitroalkanes, nitriles, phenols, and alkynes), amines and aldehydes to synthesize β‐aminocarbonyl compounds, which are valuable intermediates for the synthesis of natural products and drugs. The reaction yield, enantioselectivity, diastereoselectivity, and regioselectivity of the Mannich reaction are mainly affected by the catalysts and structural characteristics of the reaction substrates. In particular, the structural features of the reaction substrates can be classified into the steric effect and electronic effects of the substituents. In this article, we summarize the developments of symmetric and asymmetric Mannich‐type reactions according to the type of reaction substrates and analyze the factors affecting the reaction yield, enantioselectivity, diastereoselectivity, and regioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Least‐cost theory" posits that C3 plants should balance rates of photosynthetic water loss and carboxylation in relation to the relative acquisition and maintenance costs of resources required for these activities. Here we investigated the dependency of photosynthetic traits on climate and soil properties using a new Australia‐wide trait dataset spanning 528 species from 67 sites. We tested the hypotheses that plants on relatively cold or dry sites, or on relatively more fertile sites, would typically operate at greater CO2 drawdown (lower ratio of leaf internal to ambient CO2, Ci:Ca) during light‐saturated photosynthesis, and at higher leaf N per area (Narea) and higher carboxylation capacity (Vcmax 25) for a given rate of stomatal conductance to water vapour, gsw. These results would be indicative of plants having relatively higher water costs than nutrient costs. In general, our hypotheses were supported. Soil total phosphorus (P) concentration and (more weakly) soil pH exerted positive effects on the Narea–gsw and Vcmax 25–gsw slopes, and negative effects on Ci:Ca. The P effect strengthened when the effect of climate was removed via partial regression. We observed similar trends with increasing soil cation exchange capacity and clay content, which affect soil nutrient availability, and found that soil properties explained similar amounts of variation in the focal traits as climate did. Although climate typically explained more trait variation than soil did, together they explained up to 52% of variation in the slope relationships and soil properties explained up to 30% of the variation in individual traits. Soils influenced photosynthetic traits as well as their coordination. In particular, the influence of soil P likely reflects the Australia's geologically ancient low‐relief landscapes with highly leached soils. Least‐cost theory provides a valuable framework for understanding trade‐offs between resource costs and use in plants, including limiting soil nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf dry mass per unit area (LMA), carboxylation capacity (Vcmax) and leaf nitrogen per unit area (Narea) and mass (Nmass) are key traits for plant functional ecology and ecosystem modelling. There is however no consensus about how these traits are regulated, or how they should be modelled. Here we confirm that observed leaf nitrogen across species and sites can be estimated well from observed LMA and Vcmax at 25°C (Vcmax25). We then test the hypothesis that global variations of both quantities depend on climate variables in specific ways that are predicted by leaf‐level optimality theory, thus allowing both Narea to be predicted as functions of the growth environment.A new global compilation of field measurements was used to quantify the empirical relationships of leaf N to Vcmax25 and LMA. Relationships of observed Vcmax25 and LMA to climate variables were estimated, and compared to independent theoretical predictions of these relationships. Soil effects were assessed by analysing biases in the theoretical predictions.LMA was the most important predictor of Narea (increasing) and Nmass (decreasing). About 60% of global variation across species and sites in observed Narea, and 31% in Nmass, could be explained by observed LMA and Vcmax25. These traits, in turn, were quantitatively related to climate variables, with significant partial relationships similar or indistinguishable from those predicted by optimality theory. Predicted trait values explained 21% of global variation in observed site‐mean Vcmax25, 43% in LMA and 31% in Narea. Predicted Vcmax25 was biased low on clay‐rich soils but predicted LMA was biased high, with compensating effects on Narea. Narea was overpredicted on organic soils.Synthesis. Global patterns of variation in observed site‐mean Narea can be explained by climate‐induced variations in optimal Vcmax25 and LMA. Leaf nitrogen should accordingly be modelled as a consequence (not a cause) of Vcmax25 and LMA, both being optimized to the environment. Nitrogen limitation of plant growth would then be modelled principally via whole‐plant carbon allocation, rather than via leaf‐level traits. Further research is required to better understand and model the terrestrial nitrogen and carbon cycles and their coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Nitrogen (N) limitation has been considered as a constraint on terrestrial carbon uptake in response to rising CO2 and climate change. By extension, it has been suggested that declining carboxylation capacity (Vcmax) and leaf N content in enhanced‐CO2 experiments and satellite records signify increasing N limitation of primary production. We predicted Vcmax using the coordination hypothesis and estimated changes in leaf‐level photosynthetic N for 1982–2016 assuming proportionality with leaf‐level Vcmax at 25°C. The whole‐canopy photosynthetic N was derived using satellite‐based leaf area index (LAI) data and an empirical extinction coefficient for Vcmax, and converted to annual N demand using estimated leaf turnover times. The predicted spatial pattern of Vcmax shares key features with an independent reconstruction from remotely sensed leaf chlorophyll content. Predicted leaf photosynthetic N declined by 0.27% yr−1, while observed leaf (total) N declined by 0.2–0.25% yr−1. Predicted global canopy N (and N demand) declined from 1996 onwards, despite increasing LAI. Leaf‐level responses to rising CO2, and to a lesser extent temperature, may have reduced the canopy requirement for N by more than rising LAI has increased it. This finding provides an alternative explanation for declining leaf N that does not depend on increasing N limitation. See also the Commentary on this article by Smith, 235: 1683–1685. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Face image captured via surveillance videos in an open environment is usually of low quality, which seriously affects the visual quality and recognition accuracy. Most image super‐resolution methods adopt paired high‐quality and its interpolated low‐resolution version to train the super‐resolution network. It is difficult to achieve contented visual quality and restoring discriminative features in real scenarios. A discriminative self‐attention cycle generative adversarial network is proposed for real‐world face image super‐resolution. Based on the cycle GAN framework, unpaired samples are adopted to train a degradation network and a reconstruction network simultaneously. A self‐attention mechanism is employed to capture the contextual information for details restoring. A Siamese face recognition network is introduced to provide a constraint on identify consistency. In addition, an asymmetric perceptual loss is introduced to handle the imbalance between the degradation model and the reconstruction model. Experimental results show that the observation model achieved more realistic low‐quality face images, and the super‐resolved face images have shown better subjective quality and higher face recognition performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study of dust ion acoustic waves in a magnetized dusty plasmas composed of negatively or positively charged static dust, positive and negative ions, as well as kappa distribution electrons is presented. The Zakharov-Kuznetsov (ZK) equation is derived via reductive perturbation technique. The solitary wave solution of ZK equation is given and the multi-dimensional instability of these solitary waves is investigated via small k perturbation method. The instability criterion and growth rate relying on obliqueness, superthermality, positive ion thermal pressure, relative ion number density, magnetic field strength, and direction cosines are discussed for five cases. The results are beneficial to understand different nonlinear characteristics of unstable electrostatic disturbances in laboratory and space plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modulation of the key immune cell subsets by biomaterial has emerged as a potential target to promote tissue repair and regeneration. Based on calcium alginate (Alg) and glycol chitosan (GC), an injectable double‐network (DN) hydrogel has been developed as a scaffold for cell delivery and cell cocultured system. Previous studies have documented the interaction between dendritic cells (DCs) and GC or Alg hydrogel, but the potential effect of DN hydrogel on activation of DCs still remains unclear. This research was conducted to explore the immunomodulatory influence and underlying mechanisms of GC/Alg DN hydrogel on DCs in vitro and in vivo. Stimulation of DCs with DN hydrogel obviously induced the maturation of DCs in vitro. In vivo, DN hydrogel did not have obvious influence on the maturation of splenic DCs on postimplantation days 3, 10, and 30. Mechanistically, we found that DN hydrogel induced the maturation of DCs via phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin in vitro. It provides a novel understanding of the immunomodulatory property of DN hydrogel on DCs, which may serve as potential target for designing immune‐mediated regenerative strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study of dust ion acoustic waves in a magnetized dusty plasmas composed of negatively or positively charged static dust, positive and negative ions, as well as kappa distribution electrons is presented. The Zakharov–Kuznetsov (ZK) equation is derived via reductive perturbation technique. The solitary wave solution of ZK equation is given and the multi‐dimensional instability of these solitary waves is investigated via small k perturbation method. The instability criterion and growth rate relying on obliqueness, superthermality, positive ion thermal pressure, relative ion number density, magnetic field strength, and direction cosines are discussed for five cases. The results are beneficial to understand different nonlinear characteristics of unstable electrostatic disturbances in laboratory and space plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors review recent density‐matrix renormalization group studies of lightly doped quantum spin liquids (QSLs) on the kagome lattice. While a number of distinct conducting phases, including high temperature superconductivity, have been theoretically anticipated, a tendency toward fractionalized insulating charge‐density‐wave (CDW) states is instead found. In agreement with earlier work [Jiang, Devereaux, and Kivelson, Phys. Rev. Lett. 2017, 119, 067002], results for the t‐J model reveal that, starting from a fully gapped QSL, light doping leads to CDW long‐range order with a pattern that depends on lattice geometry and doping concentration such that there is one doped‐hole per CDW unit cell, while the spin–spin correlations remain short‐ranged. Alternatively, this state can be viewed as a stripe crystal or Wigner crystal of spinless holons, rather than of doped holes. From here, by studying generalized versions of the t‐J model, these results are extended to light doping of other types of QSLs, including critical and chiral QSLs. These results suggest that doping these QSLs also leads to insulating states with long‐range CDW order. While the superconducting correlations are short‐ranged, they can be significantly enhanced by second‐neighbor electron hopping. The relevance of these numerical results to Kagome materials is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Leaf area (LA), mass per area (LMA), nitrogen per unit area (Narea) and the leaf‐internal to ambient CO2 ratio (χ) are fundamental traits for plant functional ecology and vegetation modelling. Here we aimed to assess how their variation, within and between species, tracks environmental gradients.Measurements were made on 705 species from 116 sites within a broad north–south transect from tropical to temperate Australia. Trait responses to environment were quantified using multiple regression; within‐ and between‐species responses were compared using analysis of covariance and trait‐gradient analysis.Leaf area, the leaf economics spectrum (indexed by LMA and Narea) and χ (from stable carbon isotope ratios) varied almost independently among species. Across sites, however, χ and LA increased with mean growing‐season temperature (mGDD0) and decreased with vapour pressure deficit (mVPD0) and soil pH. LMA and Narea showed the reverse pattern. Climate responses agreed with expectations based on optimality principles. Within‐species variability contributed < 10% to geographical variation in LA but > 90% for χ, with LMA and Narea intermediate.These findings support the hypothesis that acclimation within individuals, adaptation within species and selection among species combine to create predictable relationships between traits and environment. However, the contribution of acclimation/adaptation vs species selection differs among traits. See also the Commentary on this article by Tautenhahn et al., 228: 6–10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute organophosphorus poisoning (AOPP) is a serious public health issue, especially in the rural areas. This study was designed to establish a scoring system to assess the risk of cases with severe AOPP. A retrospective cohort study was conducted at two independent hospitals. The derivation cohort included 444 patients with AOPP and the validation cohort included 274 patients. A risk score for patients with severe AOPP was developed. The rates of severe AOPP cases were 20.7% and 20.1% in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. A scoring system for severe AOPP risk was developed that included: (1) age >50 years, (2) white blood cell count of >15 × 109/L, (3) plasma cholinesterase of <360 U/L, (4) plasma albumin of <35 g/L, (5) blood pH <7.3, and (6) lactic acid >3.0 mmol/L. The predicted score in severe cases of AOPP had good accuracy in both the derivation (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85–0.92) and validation cohorts (AUC 0.83, 95% CI, 0.77–0.90). A practical bedside prediction scoring system was developed for patients with severe AOPP. The routine use of this scoring system could rapidly assist in identifying patients at higher risk who require more intensive care or transfer to a larger better‐equipped hospital. A risk scoring system evaluating the severity of acute organophosphorus poisoning, depending on the following parameters: age > 50 years, white blood cell count >15 × 109/L, plasma cholinesterase <360 U/L, plasma albumin <35 g/L, blood pH < 7.3 and lactic acid >3 mmol/L was developed. The scoring system provided scores with good accuracy in both the derivation and validation cohorts and may be useful in identifying patients at higher risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid dissemination of non‐conjugative virulence plasmids among non‐K1/K2 types of Klebsiella pneumoniae poses an unprecedented threat to human health, yet the underlying mechanisms governing dissemination of such plasmids is unclear. In this study, a novel 68 581 bp IncFIA plasmid is discovered that can be fused to a hypervirulence‐encoding plasmid to form a hybrid conjugative virulence plasmid in conjugation experiments; such fusion events involve homologous recombination between a 241 bp homologous region located in each of the two plasmids. The fusion hypervirulence‐encoding plasmid can be conjugated to both classic and blaKPC‐2‐bearing carbapenem‐resistant K. pneumoniae strains through conjugation, enabling such strains to acquire the ability to express the hypervirulence phenotype. Dissemination of this fusion virulence plasmid will impose an enormous burden on current efforts to control and treat infections caused by multidrug resistant and hypervirulent K. pneumoniae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naturally occurring CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are required to limit immune‐induced pathology and to maintain homeostasis during the early‐phase of sepsis. This study aimed to investigate the role of interleukin (IL)‐38, a newly described member of the IL‐1 cytokine family, in mediated immune response of CD4+CD25+ Tregs in sepsis. Here, we provide evidence that expressions of IL‐38 and its receptor were detected in murine CD4+CD25+ Tregs. Stimulation of CD4+CD25+ Tregs with LPS markedly up‐regulated the expression of IL‐38. Treatment with rmIL‐38 dramatically enhanced the immunosuppressive activity of CD4+CD25+ Tregs after LPS stimulation and in septic mice induced by CLP, resulting in amplification of helper T cell (Th) 2 response and reduction in the proliferation of effector T cells. These effects were robustly abrogated when anti–IL‐38 antibody was administered. Administration of rmIL‐38 improved the survival rate of CLP mice. In addition, CD4+CD25+ Tregs depletion before the onset of sepsis obviously abolished IL‐38–mediated protective response. These findings suggest that IL‐38 enhances the immunosuppressive activity of CD4+CD25+ Tregs, which might contribute to the improvement of host immune function and prognosis in the setting of sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many pieces of research have been conducted on image‐restoration techniques to recover high‐quality images from their low‐quality versions, but they usually aim to handle a single degraded factor. However, captured images usually suffer from various degradation factors, such as low resolution and compression distortion, in the procedures of image acquisition, compression, and transmission simultaneously. Ignoring the correlation of different degraded factors may result in the limited efficiency of the existing image‐restoration methods for captured images. A joint deep‐network‐based image‐restoration algorithm is proposed to establish a restoration framework for image deblocking and super‐resolution. The proposed convolutional neural network is made up of two stages. A deblocking network is constructed with two cascade deblocking subnets first, then, super‐resolution is performed by a very deep network with skipping links. Cascading these two stages forms a novel deep network. An end‐to‐end training scheme is developed, which makes the two stages be trained jointly so as to achieve better performance. Intensive evaluations have been conducted to measure the performance of the authors' method both in general images and face images. Experimental results on several datasets demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms other state‐of‐the‐art methods, in terms of both subjective and objective performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertension is considered a key risk factor for acute aortic dissection (AAD). However, there is limited evidence demonstrating if hypertension management affects AAD development. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of hypertension management in AAD development in a Chinese population. A total of 825 AAD patients and 3300 age- and sex-matched controls were included. The authors analyzed data on demographics, chronic comorbidities, and hypertension management of all participants. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the relationship between chronic comorbidities, as well as the management of hypertension and AAD risk. After adjusting for other related factors, multivariate logistic regression identified hypertension, chronic kidney disease, Marfan syndrome, history of cardiovascular surgery, and history of smoking as risk factors for AAD. Among the identified risk factors, hypertension was an important and controllable risk factor for AAD development. Thus, the authors further evaluated how hypertension management affects AAD development. A total of 848 controls and 585 AAD patients with hypertension were enrolled in this part of the study. Hypertensive patients with AAD had a longer history, higher stage, poorer medication compliance, and poor control rates of blood pressure, among which poor medication compliance (Irregular vs Regular P < 0.001; Never treated vs Regular P < 0.001) and uncontrolled hypertension (P < 0.001) significantly increased the risk of AAD development. In conclusion, uncontrolled hypertension and poor medication compliance are important precipitating and controllable factors for AAD development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To search for an association between sepsis and mitochondrial genetic basis, we began our study. In this study, a proband harbouring mitochondrial T6459C mutation with sepsis and his Chinese Han pedigree including 7 members of 3 generations were enrolled. General information, blood parameters and mitochondrial full sequence scanning of all members were performed, and cellular functions, including cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), degrees of cell apoptosis and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations, were measured in members with and without the T6459C mutation. Through mitochondrial full sequence scanning and analysis of all members we found, the maternal members (I‐1, II‐1, II‐2 and II‐4) in this Chinese Han pedigree all had the mitochondrial T6459C mutation and were used as the mutation group. The non‐maternal members (II‐3, III‐1 and III‐2) did not have this mutation and were used as the non‐mutation group. The differences in all indicators, including the blood routine, blood biochemistry and coagulation function tests, between members in these two groups were not significant. Under the non‐stimulation condition, the mutation group had higher ROS levels (4210.42 ± 1043.35 vs 3387.78 ± 489.66, P = .028) and apoptosis ratios (P = .004) and lower ATP concentrations (P = .049) and MMP levels (P = .047) than the non‐mutation group. After 6 hours of simulated LPS stimulation, the mutation group had significantly increased ROS levels (5759.25 ± 2297.90 vs 3862.00 ± 1519.77, P = .045) compared with the non‐mutation group, whereas the mutation group continued to demonstrate higher ROS levels (P = .045) and apoptosis ratios (P = .003) and lower MMP levels (P = .005) and ATP concentrations (P = .010). We speculated that the mtDNA T6459C mutation might be the basis for the genetic susceptibility to sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chromium carbide coatings are prepared at 1173K (900°C) by powder immersion reaction‐assisted coating (PIRAC) on low carbon of steel Q235 and T/P 24, respectively. After 2 hours of the PIRAC treatment, the detected phases of the coating formed on the 2 substrates are different. After 4 hours of PIRAC treatment, Cr23C6 is the only detected carbide for both substrates. The morphologies of the Cr23C6 coating formed on the 2 substrates are different. The Cr23C6 coating prepared on Q235 has higher hardness and better sliding wear resistance against alumina ball specimens than that prepared on T/P 24. Formation mechanism of the PIRAC chromium carbide coatings is proposed and then difference of the produced coating is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transects that traverse substantial climate gradients are important tools for climate change research and allow questions on the extent to which phenotypic variation associates with climate, the link between climate and species distributions, and variation in sensitivity to climate change among biomes to be addressed. However, the potential limitations of individual transect studies have recently been highlighted. Here, we argue that replicating and networking transects, along with the introduction of experimental treatments, addresses these concerns. Transect networks provide cost-effective and robust insights into ecological and evolutionary adaptation and improve forecasting of ecosystem change. We draw on the experience and research facilitated by the Australian Transect Network to demonstrate our case, with examples, to clarify how population- and community-level studies can be integrated with observations from multiple transects, manipulative experiments, genomics, and ecological modeling to gain novel insights into how species and systems respond to climate change. This integration can provide a spatiotemporal understanding of past and future climate-induced changes, which will inform effective management actions for promoting biodiversity resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of two baccharane glycosides (hosenkoside A and hosenkoside K) of total saponins of Semen Impatientis in rat plasma using mogroside V as the internal standard (IS). The analytes were separated using a C18 RP Agilent XDB column (1.8 μm, 50 × 2.1 mm i.d.) and detection of the compounds was done using a TSQ Quantum triple quadrupole mass spectrometer coupled with a negative electrospray ionization source under selection reaction monitoring mode. According to the US Food and Drug Administration guidelines, the established method was fully validated and the results were proved within acceptable limits. The lower limits of quantification of both analytes were 5 ng/mL. The validated method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of orally administered the total saponins of Semen Impatientis in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taraxasterol, a pentacyclic triterpene from Taraxacum officinale, is one of the main active constituents of the herb. This study developed and validated a highly selective and sensitive liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of taraxasterol in rat plasma over the range of 9.0-5000 ng/mL. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 (4.6 × 50 mm, 5.0 µm) column with methanol-isopropanol-water-formic acid (80:10:10:0.1, v/v/v/v) as mobile phase with an isocratic elution. The flow rate was 0.7 mL/min. After adding cucurbitacin IIa as an internal standard (IS), liquid-liquid extraction was used for sample preparation using ethyl acetate. The atmospheric pressure chemical ionization source was applied and operated in positive ion mode. Selected reaction monitoring mode was used for the quantification of transition ions m/z 409.4 → 137.1 for taraxasterol and m/z 503.4 → 113.1 for IS. The mean recoveries of taraxasterol in rat plasma ranged from 85.3 to 87.2%. The matrix effects for taraxasterol were between 98.5 and 104.0%. Intra- and inter-day precision were both <11.8%, and the accuracy of the method ranged from −7.0 to 12.9%. The method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of taraxasterol after oral administration of 7.75, 15.5 and 31.0 mg/kg in rats. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterophyllin B (HB) is a cyclic octapeptide isolated from Pseudostellaria heterophylla. HB is used as the quality control index for evaluating P. heterophylla in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. A rapid and sensitive LC-ESI-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the analysis of HB in rat plasma. Sample preparation consisted of a solid-phase extraction step for the removal of interference and preconcentration of the target analyte HB and the internal standard N-acetylcysteine before chromatographic analysis by MS/MS detection. The separation of HB and N-acetylcysteine was performed using a Hypersil GOLDTM C18 column and a mixture of methanol-water (60:40, v/v) containing 10 mmol/L ammonium formate and 0.1% formic acid as the mobile phase. The determination step was optimized in the selected reaction monitoring mode for the highly selective and sensitive quantitation of HB in rat plasma. Intra- and inter-assay precision (as relative standard deviation) was ≤9.1%, and accuracy was between 92.6 and 102.7%. The validated method was successfully applied to quantify HB concentrations up to 7 h after tail intravenous injections of 2.08, 4.16 and 8.32 mg/kg HB in rats. The LC-MS/MS method identified the relevant pharmacokinetic parameters of HB and its studied analog. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this study, a novel composite hydrogel with improved cellular structure and mechanical properties was prepared by the crosslinking of hyaluronic acid (HA) and sodium alginate (SAL). The amide linkages (covalent bonds) in the hydrogel that we expected to form were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The hydrogels had a pore size larger than 100 μm and were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Texture profile analysis indicated that the hardness of the hydrogels was enhanced by an increase in the polymer's concentration, but it declined with an increase in the HA/SAL molar ratio. The swelling capacity was reduced with increases in the polymer's concentration and the 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl)-1-carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC)/HA molar ratio, and it was enhanced by an increase in the HA/SAL molar ratio. The resistance against hyaluronidase was negatively correlated with the proportion of HA in the hydrogels and positively correlated with the EDC/HA molar ratio. Given the improved physicochemical properties that we produced, these novel hydrogels may have the potential to be applied in tissue engineering scaffolding. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41898. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A sensitive and selective liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of three major lignans (podophyllotoxin, epipodophyllotoxin, and 4′-demethylpodophyllotoxin) in rat plasma using diphenhydramine as the internal standard. The analytes were detected using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer that was equipped with an electrospray ionization source in the positive ion and selected reaction monitoring modes. The linearity of the calibration curve was good, with coefficients of determination ( r2) >0.9914 for all of the analytes. The developed method was successfully applied for the simultaneous determination of the three lignans in rat plasma following oral administration of Diphylleia sinensis extract to rats. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abscisic acid ( ABA) has been demonstrated to be involved in iron ( Fe) homeostasis, but the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Here, we found that Fe deficiency induced ABA accumulation rapidly (within 6 h) in the roots of Arabidopsis. Exogenous ABA at 0.5 μM decreased the amount of root apoplastic Fe bound to pectin and hemicellulose, and increased the shoot Fe content significantly, thus alleviating Fe deficiency-induced chlorosis. Exogenous ABA promoted the secretion of phenolics to release apoplastic Fe and up-regulated the expression of AtNRAMP3 to enhance reutilization of Fe stored in the vacuoles, leading to a higher level of soluble Fe and lower ferric-chelate reductase ( FCR) activity in roots. Treatment with ABA also led to increased Fe concentrations in the xylem sap, partially because of the up-regulation of AtFRD3, AtYSL2 and AtNAS1, genes related to long-distance transport of Fe. Exogenous ABA could not alleviate the chlorosis of abi5 mutant resulting from the significantly low expression of AtYSL2 and low transport of Fe from root to shoot. Taken together, our data support the conclusion that ABA is involved in the reutilization and transport of Fe from root to shoot under Fe deficiency conditions in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel framework is presented for the analysis of ecophysiological field measurements and modelling. The hypothesis ' leaves minimise the summed unit costs of transpiration and carboxylation' predicts leaf-internal/ambient CO2 ratios ( c i /c a) and slopes of maximum carboxylation rate ( Vcmax) or leaf nitrogen ( Narea) vs. stomatal conductance. Analysis of data on woody species from contrasting climates (cold-hot, dry-wet) yielded steeper slopes and lower mean c i /c a ratios at the dry or cold sites than at the wet or hot sites. High atmospheric vapour pressure deficit implies low c i /c a in dry climates. High water viscosity (more costly transport) and low photorespiration (less costly photosynthesis) imply low c i /c a in cold climates. Observed site-mean c i /c a shifts are predicted quantitatively for temperature contrasts (by photorespiration plus viscosity effects) and approximately for aridity contrasts. The theory explains the dependency of c i /c a ratios on temperature and vapour pressure deficit, and observed relationships of leaf δ13C and Narea to aridity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A sensitive and rapid LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the determination of kadsurenone in rat plasma using lysionotin as the internal standard (IS). The analytes were extracted from rat plasma with acetonitrile and separated on a SB-C18 column (50 × 2.1 mm, i.d.; 1.8 µm) at 30 °C. Elution was achieved with a mobile phase consisting of methanol-water-formic acid (65:35:0.1, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 0.30 mL/min. Detection and quantification for analytes were performed by mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring mode with positive electrospray ionization m/z at 357.1 → 178.1 for kadsurenone, and m/z 345.1 → 315.1 for IS. Calibration curves were linear over a concentration range of 4.88-1464 ng/mL with a lower limit of quantification of 4.88 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day accuracies and precisions were <8.9%. The LC-MS/MS assay was successfully applied for oral pharmacokinetic evaluation of kadsurenone using the rat as an animal model. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of erythropoietin (EPO) for treating patients with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. We conducted a randomized, prospective study of 103 patients with CO poisoning in two groups: an EPO group ( n = 54; patients received EPO) and a placebo group ( n = 49; patients received normal saline). The study endpoints were the functional outcome at day 30 (the Barthel index and neurologic sequelae), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, and the levels of S-100β. At 18 days, the NIHSS score improved significantly and S-100β levels significantly decreased in patients in the EPO group. At 30 days, patients in the EPO group had a superior Barthel index and fewer patients had delayed neurologic sequelae (DNS). This study demonstrated that early administration of EPO to patients with CO poisoning improved neurological outcomes and reduced the incidence of DNS. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J BiochemMol Toxicol 27:266-271, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/jbt.21484 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A T300 carbon fiber and a SiC-coated C/SiC composite made from the same fiber were studied in atomic oxygen environment. The carbon fiber shows significant degradation while the erosion rate of SiC-coating of C/SiC is about 50 times lower. Evidence shows that Si is preferentially etched from the SiC surface. And XPS information showed that amorphous carbon and diamond-like carbonare periodically generated on the tested composite surface. Statistical analysis shows that the C/SiC specimens have no significant change in flexural properties after 1-year fluence AO treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

J. Neurochem. (2011) 119, 805-814. Abstract The principal active constituent of the botanical drug candidate PBI-05204, a supercritical CO2 extract of Nerium oleander, is the cardiac glycoside oleandrin. PBI-05204 shows potent anticancer activity and is currently in phase I clinical trial as a treatment for patients with solid tumors. We have previously shown that neriifolin, which is structurally related to oleandrin, provides robust neuroprotection in brain slice and whole animal models of ischemic injury. However, neriifolin itself is not a suitable drug development candidate and the FDA-approved cardiac glycoside digoxin does not cross the blood-brain barrier. We report here that both oleandrin as well as the full PBI-05204 extract can also provide significant neuroprotection to neural tissues damaged by oxygen and glucose deprivation as occurs in ischemic stroke. Critically, we show that the neuroprotective activity of PBI-05204 is maintained for several hours of delay of administration after oxygen and glucose deprivation treatment. We provide evidence that the neuroprotective activity of PBI-05204 is mediated through oleandrin and/or other cardiac glycoside constituents, but that additional, non-cardiac glycoside components of PBI-05204 may also contribute to the observed neuroprotective activity. Finally, we show directly that both oleandrin and the protective activity of PBI-05204 are blood brain barrier penetrant in a novel model for in vivo neuroprotection. Together, these findings suggest clinical potential for PBI-05204 in the treatment of ischemic stroke and prevention of associated neuronal death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms of heavy metal resistance in plants can be classified into internal tolerance and exclusion mechanisms, but exclusion of heavy metals with the help of organic acids secretion has not been well documented. Here we demonstrated the contribution of oxalate secretion to cadmium (Cd) exclusion and resistance in tomato. Different Cd resistance between two tomato cultivars was evaluated by relative root elongation (RRE) and Cd accumulation. Cultivar 'Micro-Tom' showed better growth and lower Cd content in roots than 'Hezuo903' at different Cd concentrations not only in short-term hydroponic experiment but also in long-term hydroponic and soil experiments, indicating that the genotypic difference in Cd resistance is related to the exclusion of Cd from roots. 'Micro-Tom' had greater ability to secrete oxalate, suggesting that oxalate secretion might contribute to Cd resistance. Cd-induced secretion of oxalate was localized to root apex at which the majority of Cd accumulated. Phenylglyoxal, an anion-channel inhibitor, effectively blocked Cd-induced oxalate secretion and aggravated Cd toxicity while exogenous oxalate supply ameliorated Cd toxicity efficiently. These results indicated that the oxalate secreted from the root apex helps to exclude Cd from entering tomato roots, thus contributes to Cd resistance in the Cd-resistant tomato cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiCf/SiC composites have emerged as one of the most promising materials for aero‐engine hot‐end structures. However, their performance is limited by their susceptibility to oxidation and corrosion reactions with oxygen and water vapor. To overcome this challenge, antioxidant‐modified phases are introduced into matrices of SiCf/SiC composites which improve their water and oxygen resistance. In this study, the resistance of SiCf/SiC composites modified by yttrium silicate matrix (SiCf/SiC‐YS composites) to air at 1000–1400°C and water‐oxygen environments at 1200°C was investigated. The diffusion paths of oxygen in SiCf/SiC‐YS composites and the antioxidant behavior of the yttrium silicate matrix were discussed. Additionally, the differences in oxygen and water‐oxygen corrosion resistance of SiCf/SiC‐YS composites at the same temperature were compared. The strength retention of SiCf/SiC‐YS composites after oxidation and water‐oxygen corrosion at 1200°C were 138.6% and 108.8%, respectively. This indicates that the addition of water vapor accelerated the degradation of SiCf/SiC‐YS composites. By comparing with SiCf/SiC composites, it can be concluded that the modification of the yttrium silicate matrix considerably improved the oxidation resistance of SiCf/SiC composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Ion acoustic waves (IAWs) are theoretically researched in a negative ion plasma (NIP) with warm light ions, cold heavy ions, and (r,q)$$ \left(r,q\right) $$ distributed electrons. The reductive perturbation method (RPM) is used to simplify two‐fluid plasma equations and the relevant ZK equation and solitary solution of IAWs are derived. Small‐k expansion method is applied to obtained the instability growth rate of IAWs. The flatness and tail parameters modify the amplitude, width, soliton energy, and instability growth rate. It is noted that the increscent flatness and tail parameters result in the increasing amplitude, width, and soliton energy. Increasing flatness and tail parameters lead to the decreasing growth rate. These results will be helpful in understanding the plasma dynamics for NIP system containing (r,q)$$ \left(r,q\right) $$ distributed electrons in Earth's ionosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to generate a prognostic model to predict survival outcome in pediatric Wilms tumor (WT). Methods: The data including mRNA expression and clinical information of pediatric WT patients were downloaded from the Therapeutically Available Research to Generate Effective Treatments (TARGET) database. The differentially expressed genes were identified and a prognostic signature of pediatric WT was generated according to the results of univariate and multivariate Cox analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the five‐mRNA signature in pediatric Wilms tumor patients. Bootstrap test with 500 times was used to perform the internal validation. Results: We identified 6,964 differentially expressed mRNAs associated with pediatric WT, including 3,190 downregulated mRNAs and 3,774 up‐regulated mRNAs. Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis identified five mRNAs (SPRY1, SPIN4, MAP7D3, C10orf71, and SPAG11A) to establish a predictive model. The risk score formula is as follows: Risk score = 0.3036*SPIN4 + 0.8576*MAP7D3 −0.1548*C10orf71 −0.7335*SPRY1 −0.2654*SPAG11A. The pediatric WT patients were divided into low‐risk group and high‐risk group based on the median risk score (value = 1.1503). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed good performance of the 5‐mRNA prognostic model (the area under the curve [AUC] was 0.821). Bootstrap test (Bootstrap resampling times = 500) was used to perform the internal validation and revealed that the AUC was 0.822. REACTOME, KEGG, and BIOCARTA pathway analyses demonstrated that these survival‐related genes were mainly enriched in ErbB2 and ErbB3 signaling pathways, and calcium signaling pathway. Conclusion: The five‐mRNA signature can predict the prognosis of patients with pediatric WT. It has significant implication in the understanding of therapeutic targets for pediatric WT patients. However, further study is needed to validate this five‐mRNA signature and uncover more novel diagnostic or prognostic mRNAs candidates in pediatric WT patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common autoimmune illness that is difficult to treat. The upregulation of Th17 cells is critical in the pathological process of MS. Hederagenol (Hed) has been shown to lower IL‐17 levels, although its role in MS pathophysiology is uncertain. In this study, we explore whether Hed could ameliorate MS by modulating Th17 cell differentiation, with the goal of identifying new treatment targets for MS. The experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model was conducted and Hed was intraperitoneally injected into mice. The weight was recorded and the clinical symptom grade was assessed. Hematoxylin‐eosin staining was carried out to determine the extent of inflammation in the spinal cord and liver. The luxol Fast Blue staining was performed to detect the pathological changes in the myelin sheath. Nerve damage was detected using NeuN immunofluorescence staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick‐end labeling staining. Immunohistology approaches were used to study alterations in immune cells in the spinal cord. The proportions of T cell subsets in the spleens were analyzed by flow cytometry. RORγt levels were measured using quantitative real‐time PCR or Western blot. The activity of the RORγt promoter was analyzed by Chromatin immunoprecipitation. Hed administration reduced the clinical symptom grade of EAE mice, as well as the inflammatory infiltration, demyelination, and cell disorder of the spinal cord, while having no discernible effect on the mouse weight. In addition, Hed treatment significantly reduced the number of T cells, particularly Th17 cells in the spinal cord and spleen‐isolated CD4+ T cells. Hed lowered the RORγt levels in spleens and CD4+ T cells and overexpression of RORγt reversed the inhibitory effect of Hed on Th17 differentiation. Hed decreased nerve injury by modulating Th17 differentiation through the RORγt promoter. Hed regulates Th17 differentiation by reducing RORγt promoter activity, which reduces nerve injury and alleviates EAE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naturally occurring CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T cells (Tregs) are required to limit immune-induced pathology and to maintain homeostasis during the early-phase of sepsis. This study aimed to investigate the role of interleukin (IL)-38, a newly described member of the IL-1 cytokine family, in mediated immune response of CD4 + CD25 + Tregs in sepsis. Here, we provide evidence that expressions of IL-38 and its receptor were detected in murine CD4 + CD25 + Tregs. Stimulation of CD4 + CD25 + Tregs with LPS markedly up-regulated the expression of IL-38. Treatment with rmIL-38 dramatically enhanced the immunosuppressive activity of CD4 + CD25 + Tregs after LPS stimulation and in septic mice induced by CLP, resulting in amplification of helper T cell (Th) 2 response and reduction in the proliferation of effector T cells. These effects were robustly abrogated when anti-IL-38 antibody was administered. Administration of rmIL-38 improved the survival rate of CLP mice. In addition, CD4 + CD25 + Tregs depletion before the onset of sepsis obviously abolished IL-38-mediated protective response. These findings suggest that IL-38 enhances the immunosuppressive activity of CD4 + CD25 + Tregs, which might contribute to the improvement of host immune function and prognosis in the setting of sepsis., (© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.)