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AIM: To study the efficacy of laser combined with ranibizumab in the treatment of proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR)and its effects on levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor(PAI), tissue plasminogen activator(t-PA)and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in aqueous humor. METHODS: Totally 76 cases of patients(76 eyes)with PDR were divided into observation group(n=41)and control group(n=35)according to the use of ranibizumab or not. Control group was given routine laser surgery, and observation group was added with ranibizumab for adjuvant treatment. The laser energy and density used in treatment, and the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT)and levels of PAI, t-PA and VEGF in aqueous humor after treatment, postoperative complications and prognosis were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The sunfleck quantity, laser energy and energy density in observation group were lower than those in control group(PPPPPPPP>0.05). CONCLUSION: Laser combined with ranibizumab for PDR can significantly reduce the expression levels of serum VEGF, t-PA and PAI in aqueous humor, decrease the CMT, and improve the BCVA. And combined therapy is beneficial to reduce the sunfleck quantity, laser energy and energy density during treatment, and lower the laser damage towards the retina.

The thermal management system is one of the important assemblies that ensure the secure operation of electric vehicles (EVs). Using intelligent algorithms to optimize the control strategy of the thermal management system can reduce energy consumption under the premise of effective heat dissipation of EVs. This paper attempts to construct the control strategy of EV thermal management system by coupling the modified genetic algorithm (MGA) and support vector regression (SVR). Firstly, the double-population adaptive mutation method and a novel optimization process are adopted to obtain MGA. Afterward, the performance of MGA is verified by four benchmark functions compared with three typical algorithms, which are genetic algorithm (GA), double-population genetic algorithm (DPGA), and quantum genetic algorithm (QGA). The results demonstrate that the accuracy and stability of MGA are obviously better than the other three algorithms. Secondly, MGA is applied to modify parameters of SVR kernel function, and the accuracy of MGA-SVR algorithm is verified by the Auto-MPG and Computer Hardware data sets. The mean square deviations of the SVR algorithm test set are 0.0186 and 0.0806, respectively, and the mean square deviations of the MGA-SVR algorithm test set are 0.0099 and 0.0054, respectively, which fully shows that MGA-SVR have more accurate forecasting capabilities. Finally, the thermal management system model of EV is built by the one-dimensional simulation software KULI. Under the Chinese working condition, fan speed which meets the cooling requirements of the motor and controller is obtained from the KULI model, and the database is constructed. Then, MGA-SVR is trained by database and employed to predict fan speed under the Chinese working condition and obtain control strategy of the thermal management system. Compared with traditional control strategy, the thermal management system based on MGA-SVR control strategy can not only meet the radiating requirements, but also effectively reduce the power consumption of fans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we designed and synthesized a novel naphthalenediimide-based n-type conjugated polymer PNDICI, which bears asymmetric backbone containing a 3-chlorothiophene unit. The asymmetric structure associated with steric effects of the chlorine atom imparts remarkable solubility to PNDICI in various organic solvents, enabling the fabrication of all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) by using an environmentally friendly solvent of d-limonene. Combined with a novel pyrrolo[3,4-f]benzotriazole-5,7(6H)-dione based p-type conjugated polymer P2F-Si with deep highest occupied molecular orbital energy level, the resulting d-limonene-processed all-PSCs presents an impressively high open-circuit voltage of approaching 1.0 V, corresponding to a very small energy loss of 0.49 eV. Through further morphology optimization by using γ-valerolactone, we demonstrated an impressive device efficiency of 4.2%, which is among the best photovoltaic performance of devices processed using d-limonene and comparable to that processed by conventional solvent, suggesting the great promise of using greener solvent for fabricating high-performance all-PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–air batteries exhibit high potential for grid-scale energy storage because of their high theoretical energy density, their abundance in the earth’s crust, and their low cost. In these batteries, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) occurs on the air electrode during charging. This study proposes a method for improving the OER electrode performance. The method involves sequentially depositing a Ni underlayer, Sn whiskers, and a Ni protection layer on the metal mesh. Small and uniform gas bubbles form on the Ni/Sn/Ni mesh, leading to low overpotential and a decrease in the overall resistance of the OER electrode. The results of a simulated life cycle test indicate that the Ni/Sn/Ni mesh has a life cycle longer than 1,300 cycles when it is used as the OER electrode in 6 M KOH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional genomic elements, including transposable elements, small RNAs and non-coding RNAs, are involved in regulation of gene expression in response to plant stress. To identify genomic elements that regulate dehydration and alkaline tolerance in Boea hygrometrica, a resurrection plant that inhabits drought and alkaline Karst areas, a genomic DNA library from B. hygrometrica was constructed and subsequently transformed into Arabidopsis using binary bacterial artificial chromosome (BIBAC) vectors. Transgenic lines were screened under osmotic and alkaline conditions, leading to the identification of Clone L1-4 that conferred osmotic and alkaline tolerance. Sequence analyses revealed that L1-4 contained a 49-kb retroelement fragment from B. hygrometrica, of which only a truncated sequence was present in L1-4 transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Additional subcloning revealed that activity resided in a 2-kb sequence, designated Osmotic and Alkaline Resistance 1 (OAR1). In addition, transgenic Arabidopsis lines carrying an OAR1-homologue also showed similar stress tolerance phenotypes. Physiological and molecular analyses demonstrated that OAR1-transgenic plants exhibited improved photochemical efficiency and membrane integrity and biomarker gene expression under both osmotic and alkaline stresses. Short transcripts that originated from OAR1 were increased under stress conditions in both B. hygrometrica and Arabidopsis carrying OAR1. The relative copy number of OAR1 was stable in transgenic Arabidopsis under stress but increased in B. hygrometrica. Taken together, our results indicated a potential role of OAR1 element in plant tolerance to osmotic and alkaline stresses, and verified the feasibility of the BIBAC transformation technique to identify functional genomic elements from physiological model species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic migraine (CM) is a highly disabling and burdensome disease. Wuzhuyu decoction (WZYD), a clinical used formula to treat and prevent episodic migraine and CM, has been reported to relieve the hyperalgesia of CM and increase brainstem and blood serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in migraine model rats in previous studies; yet the mechanism is unclear.Purpose: This study aimed to observe the hyperalgesia relief effect of WZYD and investigate the mechanistic association with the regulation on central and peripheral 5-HT.Methods: WZYD with different doses (3.372, 1.686 and 0.843 g/kg∙d) and the positive drug - sumatriptan (5.83 mg/kg∙3 d) were intragastrically administered in inflammatory soup (IS)-induced CM model rats, respectively. Hyperalgesia was assessed by facial mechanical withdrawal threshold and tail-flick latency. 5-HT was determined by ELISA. Western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence determination, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were performed.Results: WZYD significantly relieved the hyperalgesia by elevating the facial mechanical withdrawal threshold and tail-flick latency. In WZYD groups, increased 5-HT and decreased calcitonin gene-related peptide in both the brainstem and plasma, downregulated TNF-α, IL-1β, and c-fos expression in the brainstem were observed in dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, 5-HT in colon tissues were also observed, which is associated with upregulating tryptophan hydroxylase, serotonin transporter and Piezo1 expression and increasing 5-HT and chromogranin A in enterochromaffin cells. Disorder of the microbiota, function and metabolism was correlated with 5-HT synthesis. WZYD could regulate the abundance of Anaerostipes and Acidifaciens.Conclusion: WZYD has the pharmacological effect on relieving hyperalgesia in CM model rats, possibly by affecting central and peripheral 5-HT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional genomic elements, including transposable elements, small RNAs and non-coding RNAs, are involved in regulation of gene expression in response to plant stress. To identify genomic elements that regulate dehydration and alkaline tolerance in Boea hygrometrica, a resurrection plant that inhabits drought and alkaline Karst areas, a genomic DNA library from B. hygrometrica was constructed and subsequently transformed into Arabidopsis using binary bacterial artificial chromosome (BIBAC) vectors. Transgenic lines were screened under osmotic and alkaline conditions, leading to the identification of Clone L1-4 that conferred osmotic and alkaline tolerance. Sequence analyses revealed that L1-4 contained a 49-kb retroelement fragment from B. hygrometrica, of which only a truncated sequence was present in L1-4 transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Additional subcloning revealed that activity resided in a 2-kb sequence, designated Osmotic and Alkaline Resistance 1 (OAR1). In addition, transgenic Arabidopsis lines carrying an OAR1-homologue also showed similar stress tolerance phenotypes. Physiological and molecular analyses demonstrated that OAR1-transgenic plants exhibited improved photochemical efficiency and membrane integrity and biomarker gene expression under both osmotic and alkaline stresses. Short transcripts that originated from OAR1 were increased under stress conditions in both B. hygrometrica and Arabidopsis carrying OAR1. The relative copy number of OAR1 was stable in transgenic Arabidopsis under stress but increased in B. hygrometrica. Taken together, our results indicated a potential role of OAR1 element in plant tolerance to osmotic and alkaline stresses, and verified the feasibility of the BIBAC transformation technique to identify functional genomic elements from physiological model species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]