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Systemic injection with lipopolysaccharide can lead to depressive-like behavior in experimental animals by inducing neuroinflammation and is considered to be a classic model of depression. S-equol is a major metabolite of dietary soy isoflavones with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and it has many beneficial effects on human health, including alleviation of menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, cancer, obesity, chronic kidney disease, and cognitive dysfunction. A recent study reported that S-equol inhibited lipopolysaccharide-stimulated neuroinflammation in astrocytes. However, there is no research on the antidepressant-like effects of S-equol. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the antidepressant-like effects of S-equol in a lipopolysaccharide-induced depression model in mice and explore its underlying mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that treatment with S-equol (10, 20 and 40 mg kg-1) for 19 days markedly reversed the behavior of acute LPS (1.0 mg kg-1) treated mice in sucrose preference, tail suspension and forced swimming tests, exerting antidepressant-like effects. In addition, S-equol administration significantly decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, interleukin-1β), increased the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine and norepinephrine, and normalized the release of tryptophan and kynurenine in the hippocampi of lipopolysaccharide-treated mice. Moreover, treatment with S-equol significantly up-regulated the expression of synaptic plasticity-related proteins (phospho synapsin, synapsin, postsynaptic density-95) and down-regulated the toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway in the hippocampi of lipopolysaccharide-treated mice. These findings demonstrated that S-equol significantly alleviated the depressive-like behavior induced by acute systemic injection of LPS, and its antidepressant action was related to mediation of neuroinflammation via the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, normalization of the monoamine neurotransmitter levels, reversal of tryptophan metabolism dysfunction, and enhancement of synaptic plasticity. The current study provides insight into the potential of S-equol in the prevention of depression.

The current traffic sign detection technology is disturbed by factors such as illumination changes, weather, and camera angle, which makes it unsatisfactory for traffic sign detection. The traffic sign data set usually contains a large number of small objects, and the scale variance of the object is a huge challenge for traffic indication detection. In response to the above problems, a multi-scale traffic sign detection algorithm based on attention mechanism is proposed. The attention mechanism is composed of channel attention mechanism and spatial attention mechanism. By filtering the background information on redundant contradictions with channel attention mechanism in the network, the information on the network is more accurate, and the performance of the network to recognize the traffic signs is improved. Using spatial attention mechanism, the proposed method pays more attention to the object area in traffic recognition image and suppresses the non-object area or background areas. The model in this paper is validated on the Tsinghua-Tencent 100K data set, and the accuracy of the experiment reached a higher level compared to state-of-the-art approaches in traffic sign detection.

Chronic ethanol intake can lead to dementia by activating neuroinflammation, causing oxidative stress response, reducing cholinergic function and inducing neuronal apoptosis. Soy isoflavones (SIs) exert beneficial effects in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders by acting on the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic and neuro-trophic processes. However, at present, it is unknown whether SIs have a neuroprotective effect in chronic ethanol-induced dementia. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of SI on chronic ethanol-induced cognitive deficit in mice and explore the underlying mechanisms. The cognition-impaired mouse model was induced by ethanol (2.0 g kg-1, p.o) for 4 weeks. SIs (10, 20 or 40 mg kg-1, p.o) were delivered 1 hour after ethanol administration for 4 weeks. The Morris water maze (MWM) test and the passive avoidance (PA) task were conducted to evaluate the learning and memory abilities. After the behavioral tests, the biochemical parameter assay and western blot analysis were used to explore the underlying mechanisms of its action. SI administration significantly improved the cognitive performance in the MWM and PA tests, regulated the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and acetylcholine (Ach) level, elevated the synaptic plasticity-related protein expressions and inhibited neuron apoptosis-related protein expressions in the cortex and hippocampus of mice. The results revealed that soy isoflavones may provide a possible novel candidate for the prevention and treatment of alcoholic dementia.

Ovarian cancer (OV) is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. One major reason of the high mortality of the disease is due to platinum-based chemotherapy resistance. Increasing evidence reveal the important biological functions and clinical significance of zinc finger proteins (ZNFs) in OV. In the present study, the relationship between the zinc finger protein 76 (ZNF76) and clinical outcome and platinum resistance in patients with OV was explored. We further analyzed ZNF76 expression via multiple gene expression databases and identified its functional networks using cBioPortal. RT-qPCR and IHC assay shown that the ZNF76 mRNA and protein expression were significantly lower in OV tumor than that in normal ovary tissues. A strong relationship between ZNF76 expression and platinum resistance was determined in patients with OV. The low expression of ZNF76 was associated with worse survival in OV. Multivariable analysis showed that the low expression of ZNF76 was an independent factor predicting poor outcome in OV. The prognosis value of ZNF76 in pan-cancer was validated from multiple cohorts using the PrognoScan database and GEPIA 2. A gene-clinical nomogram was constructed by multivariate cox regression analysis, combined with clinical characterization and ZNF76 expression in TCGA. Functional network analysis suggested that ZNF76 was involved in several biology progressions which associated with OV. Ten hub genes (CDC5L, DHX16, SNRPC, LSM2, CUL7, PFDN6, VARS, HSD17B8, PPIL1, and RGL2) were identified as positively associated with the expression of ZNF76 in OV. In conclusion, ZNF76 may serve as a promising prognostic-related biomarker and predict the response to platinum in OV patients.

Background Human papillomavirus screen in female cervical cells has demonstrated values in clinical diagnosis of precancerous lesions and cervical cancers. Human papillomavirus tests of cervical cells by utilizing Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method provides human papillomavirus infection status however no further virus in situ information. Although it is well known that the tests of human papillomavirus E6/E7 RNA location in infected cervical cells and cell internal malignancy molecular will provide clues for gynecologists to evaluate disease progression, there are technique difficulties to preserve RNAs in cervical scraped cells for in situ hybridization. Methods In current study, after developing a cervical cell collection and preparation method for RNA in situ hybridization, we captured the chance to screen 98 patient cervical cell samples and detected human papillomavirus E6/E7 mRNAs of high-risk subtypes, low-risk subtypes and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) TERC in the cells. Results There were 69 samples exhibited consistence between human papillomavirus PCR and human papillomavirus RNA in situ hybridization results in cervical collected cells. Among them, 23 were both positive and 46 were both negative. In the rest 29 samples, 8 were HPV RNAscope positive, either high risk or low risk subtypes, however HPV PCR negative. Another 9 samples were HPV PCR results positive whereas RNAscope negative. The last 12 samples were HPV positive detected by both RNAscope and PCR methods, however inconsistent between high-risk and low-risk subtypes. In RNAscope positive samples, viral E6/E7 mRNAs were observed to distribute in cervical scraped cell nucleus and cytoplasm. Moreover, HPV viral RNA gathered clusters were observed outside of cells through human papillomavirus RNA in situ hybridization detection. Varied numbers of human papillomavirus infective cells were detected by RNAscope assay in different patients even though they were all human papillomavirus high-risk subtype positive discovered by human papillomavirus PCR results. A cell malignancy related long non-coding RNA, TERC, has been detected in seven patient samples. The patient follow-up information was further analyzed with RNAscope results which indicated a combination of RNAscope positive signals of TERC and human papillomavirus high risk signals in more than 10 cells (cytoplasm or nucleus) may connect with cervical lesion fast progression which deserves further studies in the future.C Conclusions Taken together, current study has provided an observable clue for gynecologists to evaluate human papillomavirus infection stage and cell malignancy status which may contribute for assessment of cervical disease progression.

Fresh kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are common green vegetable that are widely cultured and consumed worldwide. The benefits of fresh kidney beans are highly substantial, but at the same time, toxicity caused by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) has raised concerns. PHA from fresh kidney beans accounted for 40% of poisoning events induced by poisonous plants in China from 2004 to 2013. However, an understanding of PHA levels in fresh kidney beans remains elusive. An analysis method for PHA based on agglutination of PHA to erythrocyte cell was established. We investigated the effect of cultivar, bean part, maturity, and cooking method on PHA content in fresh kidney beans. We demonstrated significant differences in the distribution of PHA among various predominant, fresh Chinese kidney bean cultivars and parts. One major Chinese strain, Zihuayoudou, was found to contain the highest amount of PHA, which was abundant in fresh kidney bean seeds. Moreover, PHA concentrations were found to decrease with the maturity of the fresh product. Further, cooking methods had a significant effect on PHA levels in fresh kidney beans. PHA could be effectively removed when stir-frying for more than 18 min, or braising for more than 10 min. These findings provide insight into the PHA content of fresh kidney beans in China and will be helpful to guide food safety measures.

Background:Longxuetongluo Capsule (LTC) that was prepared from the phenolic compound cluster of Chinese dragon’s blood, has been clinically utilized for years towards ischemic stroke. However, its therapeutic mechanism s remain unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect and to explore the underlying mechanisms of LTC on ischemic stroke rats characterized by cerebral ischemia 6 re perfusion injury. Method:Ischemic stroke rats were simulated by middle cerebral artery occlusion ( and validated by the assays in terms of histological and behavioral assessments . The plasma metabolome comparisons amongst different groups were conducted by UHPLC Q Executive MS in combination with subsequent multivariate statistical analysis , aiming to finding the molecules in respond to the surgery or LTC treatment . Result:Intragastric administration of LTC significantly decreased not only the neurobehavioral abnormality scores but also the cerebral infarct area of MCAO rats. A total of 21 potential biomarkers related to ischemic stroke were observed, and 18 biomarkers (such as LysoPC, PE, SM, N1-Methyl-4-pyridone-3-carboxamide, PE (24:1/18:3 etc.) were selected after Youden index >0.7. The results showed that LTC was beneficial to ischemic stroke rats induced by ischemia reperfusion injury by Glycerophospholipid metabolism , Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor biosynthesis , Nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism and Sphingolipid metabolism Conclusion:The present study could provide evidence that metabolomics, as system systematicatic approach, revealed its capacity to evaluate tapproach, revealed its capacity to evaluate the holistic efficacy of TCM, he holistic efficacy of TCM, and investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the clinical treatment of LTC on and investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the clinical treatment of LTC on ischemic stroke. ischemic stroke.

Longxuetongluo Capsule (LTC) that was prepared from the phenolic compound cluster of Chinese dragon’s blood, has been clinically utilized for years towards ischemic stroke. However, LTC therapeutic mechanisms remain unclear, which restricts its further application and promotion. The present study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect and to explore the underlying mechanisms of LTC on ischemic stroke rats characterized by cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury. Ischemic stroke rats were simulated by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), and LTC therapy was validated by the assays in terms of histological assessments. The plasma metabolite profiling was used to clarify the molecules in respond to the LTC treatment. A total of 13 potential biomarkers contributing to ischemic stroke were observed, and Youden index of 11 biomarkers such as LysoPC, SM, and PE (24:1/18:3) were more than 0.7, which are involved in neuroprotective process. The correlation and pathway analysis showed that LTC was beneficial to ischemic stroke rats via regulating glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid metabolism, together with bicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism. Heatmap and ternary analysis indicated the synergistic effect of carbohydrates and lipids may be induced by flavonoid intake from LTC. Funding Information: This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81573572, 81530097), China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA, and Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund (Y2020XK24) Declaration of Interests: Authors declare no conflict of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: All animal experiment protocols were approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine

Citrus pectin and citrus oil are the main functional components of citrus residuals in the processing industry. In this study, citrus oil emulsions were fabricated for the first time using four different citrus pectins (orange, mandarin, grapefruit, and commercial citrus pectins) as the emulsifier. The influence mechanism of citrus variety and acid treatment (pH 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) on the emulsifying capacity of citrus pectins was systematically investigated by understanding the relationship between molecular structure, solution property, interfacial property, and emulsion property. The results suggest that citrus variety and acid treatment can significantly influence the emulsifying capacity in relation to the molecular structure and molecular state of citrus pectins. A smaller molecular size of citrus pectin and lower pH between 2 and 7 produced a reduction in aggregate size, which improved the interfacial capacity and emulsifying ability by promoting their distribution at the interface. Although hydrolyzed citrus pectins at pH 1 with a lower molecular size exhibited better interfacial capacity, citrus oil emulsions were unstable due to electrostatic attraction caused by partially positive charged citrus pectins. Fine stable citrus oil emulsion was prepared using mandarin pectin with a relative high methyl ester content and small molecular size at pH 2. Our results provide a scientific basis for the fabrication of citrus oil emulsion based on citrus pectin and facilitate the application of citrus residuals in the food industry.

Sleep deprivation (SD) negatively caused cognitive deficit, which was associated with oxidative stress induced damage. Ginsenoside Rh2 had the ability to protect against damage caused by reactive oxygen species in vitro, showing antioxidant property. Therefore, it was hypothesized that Ginsenoside Rh2 could prevent SD-induced cognitive deficit via its antioxidant properties. In this study, the effect of Ginsenoside Rh2 on memory impairment induced by sleep deprivation was investigated. The mice were sleep deprived continuously for 14 days using our self-made Sleep Interruption Apparatus (SIA). Ginsenoside Rh2 was administered intraperitoneally at two doses (20 and 40 μmol/kg) for 20 days. Thereafter, behavioral studies were conducted to test the learning and memory ability using object location recognition (OLR) experiment and passive avoidance (PA) test. Additionally, the oxidative stress parameters in the serum and the brain tissues (cortex and hippocampus) were assessed, including the superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity, the total antioxidant reactivity (TAR), the malondialdehyde (MDA) level, the glutathione (GSH) level, and the lipid peroxidation (LPO) content. The results revealed that SD impaired both spatial and non-spatial memory (P < 0.05). Treatment with Ginsenoside Rh2 at both doses prevented memory impairment induced by SD. Moreover, Ginsenoside Rh2 normalized the reduction of SOD and TAR activities in the serum (P < 0.01) and the decrease of GSH content in both the cortex and hippocampus (P < 0.05) induced by SD. Furthermore, Ginsenoside Rh2 significantly decreased the MDA level in the serum (P < 0.05) and the LPO content in both the cortex and hippocampus (P < 0.05) compared to SD group. In conclusion, sleep deprivation impaired both spatial and non-spatial memory and Ginsenoside Rh2 reversed this impairment, probably by preventing the oxidative stress damage in the body, including the serum and brain during sleep deprivation.

Sleep deprivation (SD) is associated with oxidative stress that causes learning and memory impairment. 20(S)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD), one of the protopanaxadiol-type saponins, has antioxidant and neuroprotective effect. This study was designed to research the protective effect of PPD against cognitive deficits induced by chronic sleep deprivation (CSD) in mice. The CSD model was induced by subjecting the mice to our self-made Sleep Interruption Apparatus (SIA) continuously for 14 days. The memory enhancing effects of PPD were evaluated by behavioral tests and the related mechanism was further explored by observing the oxidative stress changes in the cortex and hippocampus of mice. The results revealed that PPD (20 and 40 μmol/kg, i.p.) administration significantly improved the cognitive performance of CSD model mice in object location recognition experiment, novel object recognition task and Morris water maze test. Furthermore, PPD effectively restored the levels/activities of antioxidant defense biomarkers in the cortex and hippocampus, including the superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity, catalase (CAT) enzyme activity, glutathione (GSH), and lipid peroxidation (LPO). In conclusion, PPD could attenuate cognitive deficits induced by CSD, and the neuroprotective effect of PPD might be mediated by alleviation of oxidative stress. It was assumed that PPD has the potential to be a neuroprotective substance for cognition dysfunction.

Integrating green ecological concepts and design into the kindergarten architectures is a significant subject and full of challenges. Only by leading children to be close to nature and learning and living in a green and ecological kindergarten environment can we provide better education for children as much as possible. This article discusses the existing problems in the architectural design of kindergartens in our country, and studies the application principles of the green ecological concept in the architectural design of kindergartens at first. Then it takes the China’s Haichao Kindergarten as an example to analyze how the green ecological concept can be better used in the architectural design of kindergartens, and explores the design ideas and methods of Haichao Kindergarten. Finally, it summarizes the importance of green ecological design concepts in today’s kindergarten architectures.

Numerous studies have focused on the effects of food-processing techniques on pesticide residues. However, it remains a challenge to ensure high-quality processing and effective pesticide removal from foods. Triadimefon (TF) is a broad-spectrum fungicide that is widely used in barley crop, and its residues are detected in its products, including beer. In this study, we investigated the dissipation kinetics of TF during fermentation mediated by two different yeast strains, Saccharomyces cerevisiae IAPPST 1401 (Y1) and CICC 1202 (Y2), and found that Y2 promoted the degradation of TF. Response surface methodology was used to optimize fermentation process variables, in order to achieve the maximum removal rate of TF and the minimum production of its corresponding metabolite, triadimenol (TN). Processing factors (PFs) were also evaluated during the optimized brewing process and were close to 1 for TF during the malting, milling, boiling, and cooling steps, but not in mashing and fermentation that were 0.19 and 0.13, respectively. TF degraded to TN during brewing, and a PF value of >1 for TN was also observed in malting and fermentation. Our analysis concluded that beers produced using the yeasts and brewing methods we investigated are safe for human consumption.

The stereoselective behaviors of triadimefon (TF) and its metabolite triadimenol (TN) during barley storage and beer brewing were studied by supercritical fluid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to shed light on potential security risks. Matrix-matched calibration curves were constructed for barley and beer, with determination coefficients (r2) ≥ 0.9991. Average recoveries of 77.2-107.5 % and relative standard deviations within 15.0 % were observed. The degradation of the TF enantiomers during storage followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, and S-TF was degraded in preference to R-TF with the half-life ranges 18.5-36.5 d and 20.4-69.3 d, respectively. During beer brewing, the TF enantiomers (enantiomer fraction, 0.44-0.56) were selectively metabolized into TN stereoisomers (diastereomer fraction, 0.43-0.58). The total pesticide content of beer was 93.3 % lower than that of raw grain, whereby the TF content declined by up to 100 % and the TN stereoisomers were reduced by 35.1 %. The processing factors of all the brewing steps were less than one, illustrating that beer consumption is safer after its commercial processing. Furthermore, the TF enantiomers showed different behaviors upon fermentation by two yeast strains. Thus, this work is a useful reference for assessing the food safety risk posed by individual pesticide enantiomers and their contribution to environmental pollution.

In the recent years, interest in soybean as a neuroprotective nutrient in the management of Alzheimer&rsquo, s disease (AD) has increased and soy isoflavones (SI), as kinds of soybean phytochemicals, are thought to be biologically active components that confer this beneficial effect against neurodegenerative diseases. However, the neuroprotective effect of SI is not well understood. Therefore, the present study (30 days) was conducted to investigate the neuroprotective effects of soy isoflavones (SI) on scopolamine (SCOP)-induced memory impairments in Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice (aged 4 weeks) and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms of action. SI (40 mg/kg) administration improved the cognitive performance of SCOP-treated mice in an object location recognition task and the Morris water maze test. SI (40 mg/kg) administration significantly enhanced cholinergic system function and suppressed oxidative stress levels in the hippocampus of SCOP-treated mice. Furthermore, SI (40 mg/kg) treatment markedly upregulated the phosphorylation levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression levels in the hippocampus. Taken together, these results demonstrated that soy isoflavones exerted a significant neuroprotective effect on cognitive dysfunctions induced by scopolamine, suggesting that soy isoflavones could be a good candidate for possible treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer&rsquo, s disease (AD).

Background: Ginsenoside Rh1, a 20(S)-protopanaxatriol with a single sugar moiety from ginseng, has benefits on the central nervous system and recently Rh1 had been reported to be effective for the Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate the neuroprotective effects of Ginsenoside Rh1 on scopolamine-induced cognitive dysfunctions and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms of action. Methods: Rh1 (20 and 40 μmol/kg) was administered intraperitoneally to mice for 28 days, and scopolamine (0.75 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally for 10 days to induce memory deficit. Memory-related behaviors were evaluated using object location recognition (OLR) experiment, novel object recognition (NOR) test, Morris water maze (MWM) test and passive avoidance (PA) task. Cholinergic system function and oxidative stress activities were measured in the hippocampus. The expression levels of CREB, Egr-1, c-Fos and c-Jun were also measured in the hippocampus. Results: Rh1 administration could improve the cognitive performance of scopolaminetreated mice in the object location recognition, the novel object recognition, the Morris water maze and the passive avoidance tests. And Rh1 significantly enhanced cholinergic system function and suppressed oxidative stress level in the hippocampus of scopolaminetreated mice, as indicated by decreasing acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, elevating choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity and acetylcholine (Ach) level, increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and lowering the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the hippocampus of scopolamine-treated mice. Moreover, for the first time, Rh1 was found to significantly upregulate the expression levels of CREB, early growth response-1 (Egr-1), c-Fos and c-Jun in the hippocampus of scopolamine-treated mice. Conclusion: These results demonstrated that Ginsenoside Rh1 might exert a significant neuroprotective effect on cognitive dysfunctions induced by scopolamine, driven in part by the modulation of cholinergic activity, oxidative stress level and upregulation of CREB, Egr-1, c-Fos and c-Jun expression in the hippocampus.

20(S)-protopanaxatriol (PPT), one of the ginsenosides from Panax ginseng, has been reported to have neuroprotective effects and to improve memory. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of PPT on scopolamine-induced cognitive deficits in mice. Male Institute of Cancer Research mice were pretreated with 2 different doses of PPT (20 and 40 μmol/kg) for 27 days by intraperitoneal injection, and scopolamine (0.75 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally for 9 days to induce memory impairment. Thirty minutes after the last pretreatment, the locomotor activity was firstly examined to evaluate the motor function of mice. Then, memory-related behaviors were evaluated, and the related mechanism was further researched. It was founded that PPT treatment significantly reversed scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment in the object location recognition experiment, the Morris water maze test, and the passive avoidance task, showing memory-improving effects. PPT also significantly improved cholinergic system reactivity and suppressed oxidative stress, indicated by inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity, elevation of acetylcholine levels, increasing superoxide dismutase activity and lowering levels of malondialdehyde in the hippocampus. In addition, the expression levels of Egr-1, c-Jun, and cAMP responsive element binding in the hippocampus were significantly elevated by PPT administration. These results suggest that PPT may be a potential drug candidate for the treatment of cognitive deficit in Alzheimer's disease.

Aim To evaluate the surgical treatment and visual outcomes of eyes with cataract and persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV). Methods This retrospective study included patients with cataract and PHPV treated with various strategies. Anterior PHPV was treated using phacoemulsification with underwater electric coagulation on posterior capsule neovascularization, posterior capsulotomy, anterior vitrectomy, and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Posterior PHPV was treated with lensectomy, posterior vitrectomy, retinal photocoagulation, and IOL implantation or silicone oil tamponade. Visual acuity (VA), pattern visual evoked potential (P-VEP), anatomic recovery, postoperative complications, and amblyopia outcome were examined. Subjects were followed-up for 3-48mo after surgery. Results Of the 30 patients (33 eyes) with congenital cataract and PHPV included (average age, 39.30±35.47mo), 9 eyes had anterior PHPV and 24 had posterior PHPV. Thirty-two eyes were surgically treated. Eyes with anterior PHPV received an IOL during one-stage (6 eyes) and two-stage (3 eyes) implantation. Postoperative complications included retinal detachment (1 eye) and recurrent anterior chamber hemorrhage (1 eye). In eyes with posterior PHPV, 6 and 11 eyes received IOLs in one- and two-stage procedures, respectively. Silicone oil was retained in 2 eyes, and IOLs were not implanted in 4 eyes. VA significantly improved in 25 eyes following operations and 3-48mo of amblyopia treatment. P-VEP P100 was improved following surgery in both PHPV types. Conclusion Our surgical strategies are appropriate and effective for anterior and posterior PHPV. Early surgical intervention and amblyopia therapy result in positive treatment outcomes.

In this paper, vibration of a steel truss bridge under moving train and earthquake action is analyzed. The following conclusions are drawn by modal analysis and time-history analysis. 1) Lateral dynamic response of this structure is more obvious under earthquake action and lateral dynamic effect of train running load; 2) seismic response in the directions different from train load is small, and dynamic response becomes larger obviously when they are considered together.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Dragon's blood (Chinese name: Xuejie), which comprises red resins obtained from several plants (27 species from 4 families), is drawing worldwide interests in medicinal applications owing to its broad pharmacological spectrum such as promoting blood circulation, regenerating muscle, relieving swelling and pain, maintaining hemostasis, etc. Aim of the study This work aims to evaluate current research progress on phenolic constituents, pharmacological activities, quality control, and metabolism of six Dracaena plants, namely, Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S.C.Chen, D. cambodiana Pierre ex Gagnep., D. cinnabari Balf. f., D. draco (L.) L., D. loureiroi Gagnep., and D. schizantha Baker, figure out the shortcomings of existing studies, and provide meaningful guidelines for future investigations. Methods Extensive database retrieval, such as SciFinder, PubMed, CNKI, ChemSpider, etc., was performed by using the keywords “Dracaena,” “dragon's blood,” as well as the Latin names of the six Dracaena species. In addition, relevant textbooks, patents, reviews, and documents were also employed to ensure sufficient information is collected. Results Flavonoids and their oligomers are the primary chemical clusters distributed in Dracaena plants. Pharmacological activities including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, and cytotoxic effects; bi-directional regulation effects on hemorheology; and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular effects have been disclosed by modern pharmacological evaluations. The chemical and metabolic profiles after oral administration of dragon's blood extract were preliminarily characterized. However, some of the pharmacological investigations reported only elementary methodologies and unreliable findings, and even worse, some important aspects were questionable or missing in these articles. Conclusions Dragon's blood is a valuable source of bioactive compounds, mainly flavonoids and their oligomers. Its potential therapeutic effects on different diseases are attractive, such as the notable effect on cardiovascular diseases. In future studies, there is an urgent need to test the effect of this extract on appropriate cell lines and animal models to analyze its ethnopharmacological applications; moreover, “composition−effect correlation” methods and omics technologies are demanded for identifying the effective material basis and therapeutic mechanisms before entering into clinical trials. Moreover, attention should be paid to the chemical profiling and quality evaluation of this precious herbal medicine.

To assess efficacy/safety of initial linagliptin/metformin single-pill combination (SPC) therapies versus individual drug components over 24weeks in treatment-naïve Asian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and insufficient glycemic control.Patients (initial glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] ⩾7.5% to11.0% [58-97mmol/mol]; main group) were randomized to: linagliptin 5mg once daily (qd); metformin 500mg twice daily (bid); metformin 1000mg bid; linagliptin 2.5mg/metformin 500mg bid; or linagliptin 2.5mg/metformin 1000mg bid. Patients with severe hyperglycemia (HbA1c ⩾11.0% [97mmol/mol]) received linagliptin 2.5mg/metformin 1000mg bid or linagliptin 5mg qd (switched at week 12 from linagliptin to SPC if HbA1c8.0% [64mmol/mol]). The main group primary endpoint was HbA1c change from baseline to week 24.At week 24, adjusted mean change from baseline in HbA1c (main group, n=733) was: linagliptin 5mg qd, -1.3%; metformin 500mg bid, -1.6%; metformin 1000mg bid, -2.1%; linagliptin 2.5mg/metformin 500mg bid, -2.2%; linagliptin 2.5mg/metformin 1000mg bid, -2.3%. The first test of primary HbA1c analysis (linagliptin 2.5mg/metformin 1000mg bid vs. metformin 1000mg bid) was borderline non-significant; however, SPCs produced significantly greater reductions in HbA1c from baseline versus respective monotherapies in all but one pre-defined sensitivity analysis. In the severe hyperglycemia group (n=143), linagliptin 2.5mg/metformin 1000mg bid produced a superior HbA1c reduction (-4.7%) versus linagliptin 5mg qd (-3.5%) after 12weeks. Hypoglycemic adverse events were low across groups.Initial linagliptin/metformin SPC significantly improved glycemic control in this population.

One of the most important technology for mold design is using the Hot-Runner (HR) system, which should be supported by much of experience and knowledge. Based on repository, this paper has presented a way to design the structure of gates, manifolds, nozzles of the HR. The system is successfully used to design multi-cavity injection molds.

With the rapid development of living standards in recent years, organic agriculture and the market for organic foods in China are developing at a rapid rate of 30% per annum. In 2005, China introduced the China National Organic Product Standard and The Rule on Implementation of Organic Products Certification which covers production certification and imports of organic food products, and all products for sale as organic in China which are required to comply with the National Standard. In 2006, the quantity of organic exports from China reached a value of about 800 million U.S. dollars. Organic food consists mostly fresh produce and unprocessed field crops, grains, beans, fruit and vegetables, accounting for 90% of exports. By the end of 2007, China became a country with the second largest area of certified organic cultivation land (4.10 million hectares), producing about 30 categories and more than 500 species of organic products, certified by 30 Chinese organic food certification agencies and internationally accredited companies. Products sold in domestic supermarkets are mainly certified by local certification agencies. Due to the advantages of abundant resources, market demand, government support and promotion of health benefits, it is anticipated that China's organic food industry will experience further growth in the future.

The present study evaluated the significance of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in 30 patients with endometrial carcinoma and the relationship of those molecular markers to tumor characteristics and microvessel density (MVD). Immunohistochemical expression of COX-2, iNOS, and CD34 was analyzed on paraffin-embedded tissue sections. The COX-2 and iNOS positive rates were 66.7% and 73.3%, respectively. The level of COX-2 expression was higher in grade II tumors than in grade III tumors (p0.05). The percentage of iNOS positivity was higher in patients with deep myometrial invasion than in patients without or less than 50% myometrial invasion (p0.05). There was significant correlation between positive COX-2 and positive iNOS expression (r = 0.601, p0.001). Both COX-2 and iNOS were significantly correlated with MVD (r = 0.02 p0.05; r = 0.599 p0.0001, respectively). The present findings suggest that combined expression of COX-2 and iNOS may play an important role in development and invasion of endometrial cancer and that this could be partially attributable to modulation of angiogenesis by COX-2 and iNOS.

This paper is devoted to the dynamic performance assessment and model reduction for a longitudinally interconnected power system, with special emphasis on small-perturbation stability. A 2-machine equivalent is established for representing intersubsystem behavior of the test system, that is valid over a large range of interconnected system operation. Eigenvalue sensitivity-based constraints are derived to represent variations of security levels with MW transfers between subsystems. These constraints can be stored in simple lookup tables and are used to extend the authors work on a bicriterion optimization approach for determining the most appropriate generation dispatch solution taking into account the fuel and environmental costs, and to provide security constraints during optimization.

Service outsourcing industry is an opportunity for the global industrial transition. Talent bottleneck and unified brand image are the major obstacles and challenges for China to enter vast service outsourcing market. On the basis of researches on the development of service outsourcing industry, this paper focuses on analyzing the quantity and quality requirements of human resources for China's software and information service outsourcing industry and its rapid developments. It describes the characteristics and knowledge, ability and hierarchy understanding of the talents in the field of outsourcing services. Combine actual work which has been carried out, establish experimental zone for talent training, further adjust the structure of professional training in local undergraduate colleges and universities, increase the intensity of innovation in the talent training model.

In knowledge management systems (KMS), the overabundance of information has forced users to spend more time searching for information that they need. If KMS can discover users' interests and initiatively recommend knowledge which users are interested in, it will greatly improve users' satisfaction. In this paper, based on social network theory, we propose a new method for establishing a knowledge network by analyzing users' retrieval records. With the network, we introduce an algorithm which is based on centralization analysis and cohesive subgroup analysis in social network theory to meet the requirements of recommendation. The success in a practical project demonstrates the effectiveness of the method.

The quality of knowledge in the knowledge repository determines the effects of knowledge reusing and sharing. The control of the knowledge maintenance process is necessary. Workflow system has been used to support the control of knowledge maintenance process. However, it is difficult to create an appropriate knowledge maintenance process. In this paper, workflow mining is used to support the design of knowledge maintenance process. At first, the characteristics of knowledge maintenance process are discussed deeply. Then the workflow- mining-based knowledge maintenance approach including the novel knowledge maintenance process mining algorithm is proposed. Finally, the acquisition process for the lessons learned knowledge is used as a case study to illustrate the proposed approach.

The paper is devoted to the dynamic performance assessment and model reduction for longitudinal interconnected power systems. Based on this, simple expressions are established to represent variations of security levels with the power transfer between subsystems. These expressions are used to extend the authors' work on a bicriterion optimisation approach for determining the most appropriate generation-dispatch solution taking into account the fuel and environmental costs, and to provide security constraints/checks during optimisation.