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Antecedentes Pocos estudios han investigado el impacto del síndrome metabólico (SM) en la enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Describimos las características clínicas y el pronóstico de los pacientes con COVID-19 confirmados con SM durante la hospitalización y después del alta. Métodos Se incluyeron retrospectivamente 233 pacientes con COVID-19 de los hospitales de 8 ciudades de Jiangsu, China. Se describieron las características clínicas de los pacientes con COVID-19 y se analizaron los factores de riesgo de enfermedad grave mediante un análisis de regresión logística. Resultados Cuarenta y cinco (19,3%) de los 233 pacientes de COVID-19 tenían EM. La mediana de edad de los pacientes de COVID-19 con EM fue significativamente mayor que la de los pacientes sin EM (53,0 años frente a 46,0 años, P=0,004). No hubo diferencias significativas en cuanto a los síntomas clínicos, las imágenes de TC torácica anormales y los fármacos de tratamiento entre los dos grupos. Hubo más pacientes con EM que tuvieron enfermedades graves (33,3% frente a 6,4%, P

BACKGROUND Computed tomography (CT) has become a routine preoperative examination for tibial plateau fractures (TPFs). Assessing the location of the fragment and intercondylar eminence fracture can provide clinicians with valuable information; however, the evaluation of traumatic meniscal lesion (TML) and arthroscopic management are controversial. AIM To predict TML by three-dimensional skeletal anatomy changes in unilateral TPF and bilateral TPF on preoperative thin layer CT. METHODS Acute fracture of tibial plateau patients undergoing arthroscopic surgery between December 2017 and December 2019 were included in this retrospective study. The type, zone, and location of TMLs were diagnosed based on the operation records and/or arthroscopic videos. Measurement of three-dimensional fracture morphology included the following: Frontal fragment width of plateau, sagittal fragment subsiding distance (FSD), sagittal fracture line distance, sagittal posterior tibial slope, and transversal area ratio of fragment area) on preoperative CT three-dimensional plane. The correlation of TML with skeletal values was calculated according to unicondylar TPFs and bicondylar TPFs. RESULTS A total of 67 patients were enrolled in this study, among which 30 patients had TMLs, lateral/medial (23/7). FSD was a particularly positive factor to predict TML, with odds ratio of 2.31 (1.26-5.63). On sagittal view of CT, FSD degree of 8 mm and posterior tibial slope exceeding 11.74° implied enhanced risk of TML in bicondylar TPFs. On coronal view, once fragment width of plateau surpassed 3 cm, incidence of TML reached 100%. On transverse view, area ratio of fragment as enhanced risk of 5.5% and FSD > 4.3 mm for predicting TML were observed in unicondylar TPFs. CONCLUSION TML can be predicted by different parameters on preoperative CT views according to unicondylar fractures and bicondylar TPFs.

Global concerns arose as the emerged and rapidly spreading SARS-CoV-2 variants might escape host immunity induced by vaccination. In this study, a heterologous prime-boost immunization strategy for COVID-19 was designed to prime with a DNA vaccine encoding wild type (WT) spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) followed by S1 protein-based vaccine in rabbits. Four vaccine-elicited rabbit monoclonal antibodies (RmAbs), including 1H1, 9H1, 7G5, and 5E1, were isolated for biophysical property, neutralization potency and sequence analysis. All RmAbs recognized RBD or S1 protein with KD in the low nM or sub nM range. 1H1 and 9H1, but neither 7G5 nor 5E1, can bind to all RBD protein variants derived from B.1.351. All four RmAbs were able to neutralize wild type (WT) SARS-CoV-2 strain in pseudovirus assay, and 1H1 and 9H1 could neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 WT authentic virus with IC50 values of 0.136 and 0.026 μg/mL, respectively. Notably, 1H1 was able to neutralize all 6 emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants tested including D614G, B.1.1.7, B.1.429, P.1, B.1.526, and B.1.351 variants, and 5E1 could neutralize against the above 5 variants except P.1. Epitope binning analysis revealed that 9H1, 5E1 and 1H1 recognized distinct epitopes, while 9H1 and 7G5 may have overlapping but not identical epitope. In conclusion, DNA priming protein boost vaccination was an effective strategy to induce RmAbs with potent neutralization capability against not only SARS-CoV-2 WT strain but also emergent variants, which may provide a new avenue for effective therapeutics and point-of-care diagnostic measures.

Komagataeibacter xylinus has received increasing attention as an important microorganism for the conversion of several carbon sources to bacterial cellulose (BC). However, BC productivity has been impeded by the lack of efficient genetic engineering techniques. In this study, a lambda Red and FLP/FRT-mediated site-specific recombination system was successfully established in Komagataeibacter xylinus. Using this system, the membrane bound gene gcd, a gene that encodes glucose dehydrogenase, was knocked out to reduce the modification of glucose to gluconic acid. The engineered strain could not produce any gluconic acid and presented a decreased bacterial cellulose (BC) production due to its restricted glucose utilization. To address this problem, the gene of glucose facilitator protein (glf; ZMO0366) was introduced into the knockout strain coupled with the overexpression of the endogenous glucokinase gene (glk). The BC yield of the resultant strain increased by 63.63-173.68%, thus reducing the production cost.

Xiang-Zhi Zhao,1,2 Wei Zhang,1 Yang Cao,1,3 Shuai-Shuai Huang,4 Yi-Zhen Li,5 Dan Guo,1 Xing-Yue Wang,1 Hai-Tao Ran1,3 1Ultrasound Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, Chongqing 400016, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiovascular Ultrasound, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Ultrasound Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Renal Disease, Urology and Nephrology Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo 315100, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Cardiovascular Ultrasound and Noninvasive Cardiology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Hai-Tao RanUltrasound Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 76, Linjiang Road, Chongqing, Yuzhong District 400010, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail ranhaitao@cqmu.edu.cnObjective: To construct an ideal theranostic nanoplatform (LIP3); to clarify its physicochemical properties; to confirm its characteristics of dual-modality imaging, active-targeting, and cascade amplification therapy for mammary carcinoma; and to perform a preliminary exploration of the cytotoxicity mechanism.Design: A self-prepared liposome nanosystem, LIP3, can actively target 4T1 cells because the surface is linked with C-RGD. Haematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME), an excellent sonosensitizer entrapped in the lipid bilayer, can function in photoacoustic imaging. Low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) of ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) promotes localized drug delivery into tumours because PFH, a phase-change substance, is loaded in the LIP3 core, achieving visualization of targeted drug release, and sonodynamic therapy (SDT) can kill tumour cells. SDT provides a favourable environment for AQ4N, resulting in amplification of LIP3 treatment. Therefore, LIP3 shows targeted aggregation and targeted release, integrating dual-mode imaging and precise treatment.Results: The self-prepared lipid nanosystem, LIP3, meets the above expectations and has ideal physicochemical properties, with a regular sphere with uniform distribution. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), photoacoustic imaging, and bimodal imaging were effective in vitro. In 4T1 cell experiments, the cell capacity was as high as 42.9%, and the cytotoxicity to 4T1 was more than 5 times that of LIP1 (containing AQ4N only) and more than 2 times that of LIP2 (containing only HMME), achieving comparable results as cascade therapy for mammary cancer.Conclusion: LIP3, a theranostic nanoplatform, was successfully constructed and conformed to the physicochemical characterization of ideal nanoparticles, with active-targeting, dual-modality imaging, visualized drug release, and precise treatment under the action of LIFU. SDT provides a favourable environment for AQ4N, resulting in amplification of LIP3 treatment. Therefore, LIP3 shows targeted aggregation and targeted release, integrating dual-mode imaging, and precise cascade treatment. This unique theranostic NPS with multiple capabilities is expected to be a favourable anti-cancer method in the future.Keywords: LIFU, SDT, HMME, AQ4N

CMV infection remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Several investigators have reported that adaptive NKG2C+ NK cells persistently expand during CMV reactivation. In our study, 2 cohorts were enrolled to explore the relationships among the NKG2C genotype, NKG2C+ NK cell reconstitution, and CMV infection. Multivariate analysis showed that donor NKG2C gene deletion was an independent prognostic factor for CMV reactivation and refractory CMV reactivation. Furthermore, adaptive NKG2C+ NK cells' quantitative and qualitative reconstitution, along with their anti-CMV function after transplantation, was significantly lower in patients grafted with NKG2Cwt/del donor cells than in those grafted with NKG2Cwt/wt donor cells. At day 30 after transplantation, quantitative reconstitution of NKG2C+ NK cells was significantly lower in patients with treatment-refractory CMV reactivation than in patients without CMV reactivation and those with nonrefractory CMV reactivation. In humanized CMV-infected mice, we found that, compared with those from NKG2Cwt/del donors, adaptive NKG2C+ NK cells from NKG2Cwt/wt donors induced earlier and stronger expansion of NKG2C+ NK cells as well as earlier and stronger CMV clearance in vivo. In conclusion, donor NKG2C homozygosity contributes to CMV clearance by promoting the quantitative and qualitative reconstruction of adaptive NKG2C+ NK cells after haploidentical allo-HSCT.

Chloroplasts play an essential role in plant growth and development. Any factors affecting chloroplast development will lead to abnormal plant growth. Here, we characterized a new maize mutant, albino seedling mutant 81647 (as-81647), which exhibits an entirely albino phenotype in leaves and eventually died before the three-leaf stage. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrated that the chloroplast thylakoid membrane was impaired and the granum lamellae significantly decreased in as-81647. Map-based cloning and transgenic analysis confirmed that PPR647 encodes a new chloroplast protein consisting of 11 pentratricopeptide repeat domains. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assays and transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) showed that the PPR647 mutation significantly disrupted the expression of PEP-dependent plastid genes. In addition, RNA splicing and RNA editing of multiple chloroplast genes showed severe defects in as-81647. These results indicated that PPR647 is crucial for RNA editing, RNA splicing of chloroplast genes, and plays an essential role in chloroplast development.

Microbial indicators are often used to monitor microbial safety of aquatic environments. However, information regarding the correlation between microbial indicators and ecotoxicological factors such as potential pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in anthropogenically impacted waters remains highly limited. Here, we investigated the bacterial community composition, potential pathogens, ARGs diversity, ARG hosts, and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) potential in urban river and wastewater samples from Chaohu Lake Basin using 16S rRNA and metagenomic sequencing. The composition of the microbial community and potential pathogens differed significantly in wastewater and river water samples, and the total relative abundance of fecal indicator bacteria was positively correlated with the total relative abundance of potential pathogens (p0.001 and Pearson's r = 0.758). Network analysis indicated that partial ARG subtypes such as dfrE, sul2, and PmrE were significantly correlated with indicator bacteria (p0.05 and Pearson's r0.6). Notably, Klebsiella was the indicator bacteria significantly correlated with 4 potential pathogens and 14 ARG subtypes. ARGs coexisting with mobile gene elements were mainly found in Thauera, Pseudomonas, Escherichia, and Acinetobacter. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) can be used to conduct preliminary surveys of environmental samples to access potential health risks, thereby facilitating water resources management.

This study aimed to investigate physicochemical, functional and antioxidant properties of mung bean protein (MBP) enzymatic hydrolysates (MBPEHs) by alcalase, neutrase, protamex, flavourzyme and papain. Physicochemical properties were evaluated by SDS-PAGE, particle size distribution, FTIR, ultraviolet visible and fluorescence spectrophotometries. ABTS, hydroxyl scavenging, Fe

Zhao XZ, Zhang W, Cao Y, et al. Int J Nanomedicine.2020;15:3953–3964. The authors have advised due to an error that occurredinadvertently at the time of figure assembly, Figure 2M onpage 3956 is incorrect. The correct Figure 2 is shown below. The authors have also advised there is an error in Figure 3 onpage 3960. The concentration units in part B show “mg” theyshould read “mg/ml”. The correct Figure 3 is shown below. The authors apologize for these errors. Read the original article

Nitrogen is an essential macronutrient for plants and regulates many aspects of plant growth and development. Nitrate is one of the major forms of nitrogen in plants. However, the role of nitrate uptake and allocation in seed development is not fully understood. Here, we identified the maize (Zea mays) small-kernel mutant zmnpf7.9 and characterized the candidate gene, ZmNPF7.9, which was the same gene as nitrate transport 1.5 (NRT1.5) in maize. This gene is specifically expressed in the basal endosperm transfer layer cells of maize endosperm. Dysfunction of ZmNPF7.9 resulted in delayed endosperm development, abnormal starch deposition and decreased hundred-grain weight. Functional analysis of cRNA-injected Xenopus oocytes showed that ZmNPF7.9 is a low-affinity, pH-dependent bidirectional nitrate transporter. Moreover, the amount of nitrate in mature seeds of the zmnpf7.9 mutant was reduced. These suggest that ZmNPF7.9 is involved in delivering nitrate from maternal tissues to the developing endosperm. Moreover, most of the key genes associated with glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, carbon fixation, carbon metabolism and biosynthesis of amino acids pathways in the zmnpf7.9 mutant were significantly down-regulated. Thus, our results demonstrate that ZmNPF7.9 plays a specific role in seed development and grain weight by regulating nutrition transport and metabolism, which might provide useful information for maize genetic improvement.

Objective To investigate the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), interleukin (IL)-1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in elderly patients with refractory depression. Methods A total of 58 elderly patients diagnosed with refractory depression between January 2015 and December 2016 were divided randomly into two groups: 29 patients who received rTMS and 29 controls without rTMS. Thirty healthy individuals were also enrolled and all received rTMS. Serum levels of BDNF, IL-1β, and TNF-α were measured before the study (0 days), and at 48 hours and 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after the first TMS treatment. Results BDNF levels gradually increased with treatment duration in the rTMS group and were significantly higher compared with the control group. In contrast, IL-1β and TNF-α levels gradually decreased and were significantly lower than in the control group. None of the serum factors were affected by rTMS in the healthy individuals. BDNF levels were negatively correlated and IL-1β and TNF-α levels were positively correlated with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-24 scores. Conclusion These results suggest that rTMS may increase BDNF and decrease IL-1β and TNF-α serum levels in elderly patients with refractory depression.

Curcumin has been reported to have anti-fibrotic effect. However, the anti-fibrotic mechanism of curcumin for liver fibrosis remains obscure. In the presenting study, we aimed to investigate whether curcumin reduce chemokines secretion by inhibiting kupffer cells (KCs) activation to decrease Ly6Chi monocyte infiltration in the treatment of liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-injection in mice. Mice in curcumin group received curcumin treatment by gavage. Pretreatment with curcumin significantly protected mice from liver inflammation and fibrosis. Compared to CCl4 group, mice in the curcumin group showed significantly less intrahepatic infiltration of Ly6Chi monocytes, but no difference of other leucocyte subtypes. Moreover, curcumin significantly reduced Ly6Chi monocytes associated pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrogenic cytokines, which was in line with the decreased numbers of intrahepatic Ly6Chi monocytes. Further study found that curcumin is able to decrease KCs activation and monocyte chemokines, which explains why curcumin can reduce Ly6Chi monocytes infiltration during liver fibrosis. In vitro, we discovered that curcumin prevents the polarization of macrophages toward M1 and reduces monocyte chemokines secretion, which is involved with ERK1/2 and p38 pathways. Taken together, for the first time, we verified that curcumin can reduce chemokines secretion by inhibiting KCs activation to decrease Ly6Chi monocyte infiltration in the treatment of liver fibrosis. These results suggested that curcumin may be considered a promising candidate in the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis.

Hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) plays a critical role in protecting against infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and were extensively studied in literature. At the same time, the status of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs)-specific B cells in both vaccinated and HBV infected people received limited attention. In the current study, we adopted a highly specific B-cell Enzyme Linked ImmunoSpot (ELISpot) assay to analyze HBs-specific B cells in various clinical settings: healthy individuals with the history of HBV vaccination before and after receiving an extra HBV vaccine boost, people chronically infected with HBV (CHB) in various clinical stages, with or without a particular type anti-viral treatment, or whether receiving a dose of HBV vaccine. In all of these cases, B-cell ELISpot assay was used effectively in enumerating the frequency of HBs-specific B cells. While the focus of the current report was to establish the utility of this assay for HBV research, a number of interesting observations were made in this pilot study based on the profiles and dynamics of HBs-specific B cells in various conditions. Such information is useful to guide the future work in designing novel therapeutic strategies against CHB.

Background Early identification of acute pancreatitis (AP) patients at high-risk of developing persistent organ failure (persistent OF) is a vital clinical goal. This research intends to assess the ability of apolipoprotein A-I (APO A-I) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) to predict persistent OF. Methods Between January 2011 and September 2016, a total of 102 adult AP patients with organ failure, local complications or deterioration of former comorbidities disease during hospitalization were included in this study retrospectively. Serum lipids were tested and computed the correlation with clinical outcomes or scoring systems. The AUCs to predict persistent OF were also calculated and compared with each other. Results Serum APO A-I and HDL-C levels were negatively associated with scoring systems. Meanwhile, serum lipids were negatively correlated with poor clinical outcomes. The AUCs of APO A-I, HDL-C, the combination of APO A-I and BISAP, or the combination of APO A-I and MCTSI to predict persistent OF among Moderately severe acute pancreatitis (MSAP) and Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) patients were 0.886, 0.811, 0.912, and 0.900 or among those with organ failure were 0.915, 0.859, 0.933, and 0.933, respectively. Conclusions The concentrations of APO A-I, HDL-C, and the combinations of APO A-I and scoring systems have high predictive value to predict persistent OF.

Background: Dandelion is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine with several active compounds found in extracts. It has a variety of pharmacological effects, such as a reduction in swelling and inflammation, and detoxification. The mechanism by which dandelion extract inhibits the inflammatory response in skeletal muscle cells remains unknown; therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dandelion extract root on the proliferation of skeletal muscle cells and the alleviation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in vitro. Methods: Rat skeletal muscle cells were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rat and cultured in vitro which were cultured in basal medium, or medium containing LPS or dandelion extract. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) was employed to measure cell proliferation; meanwhile, the optimal concentration of dandelion extract and treatment time were selected. Crystal violet staining was used to detect the proliferation of muscle cells. Western blotting analysis was used to detect the levels of inflammatory factors, myogenic factor, and p-AKT protein expression. Results: The optimal concentration and treatment time of dandelion extract for the following study were 5 mg/ml and 4 days, respectively. Dandelion extract was found to increase proliferation of rat skeletal muscle cells (t = 3.145, P < 0.05), with the highest effect observed at 5 mg/ml. LPS was found to decrease proliferation of skeletal muscle cells (t = −131.959, P < 0.001), and dandelion extract could against this affection (t = 19.466, P < 0.01). LPS could induce expression of inflammatory factors, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (IL-1β: t = 9.118, P < 0.01; IL-6: t = 4.346, P < 0.05; TNF-α: t = 15.806, P < 0.05), and dandelion extract was shown to reduce LPS-induced expression of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α (IL-1β: t = −2.823, P < 0.05; IL-6: t = −3.348, P < 0.01; and TNF-α: t = −3.710, P < 0.01). Furthermore, LPS was also shown to decrease expression of myogenic factor, including myod1 and myogenin (MyoD1: t = 4.039, P < 0.05 and myogenin: t = 3.300, P < 0.01), but dandelion extract was shown to against this effect of LPS (MyoD1: t = −3.160, P < 0.05 and myogenin: t = −3.207, P < 0.01). And then, LPS was found to increase expression of p-AKT protein (p-AKT/AKT: t = 4.432, P < 0.05). Moreover, expression of p-AKT protein was found to decrease, with 5 mg/ml of dandelion extract (p-AKT/AKT: t = −3.618, P < 0.05). Conclusions: The findings indicate that dandelion extract plays an important role in skeletal muscle cells viability regulation, promote cells proliferation by increasing level of p-AKT protein expression, and reduce LPS-induced expression of inflammatory factors, inhibiting the inflammatory response of rat skeletal muscle cells. Key words: Anti-Inflammation Mechanism; Dandelion Extract; Herbal Plant; Inflammation; Skeletal Muscle Cells

To establish optimal reference values for recovered immune cell subsets, we prospectively investigated post-transplant immune reconstitution (IR) in 144 patients who received allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo- SCT) and without showing any of the following events: poor graft function, grades II‒IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), serious chronic GVHD, serious bacterial infection, invasive fungal infection, or relapse or death in the first year after transplantation. IR was rapid in monocytes, intermediate in lymphocytes, CD3+ Tcells, CD8+ T cells, and CD19+ B cells, and very slow in CD4+ T cells in the entire patient cohort. Immune recovery was generally faster under HLA-matched sibling donor transplantation than under haploidentical transplantation. Results suggest that patients with an IR comparable to the reference values display superior survival, and the levels of recovery in immune cells need not reach those in healthy donor in the first year after transplantation.We suggest that data from this recipient cohort should be used as reference values for post-transplant immune cell counts in patients receiving HSCT.

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is characterized by a rapid and progressive clinical course. A timely and objective image-based evaluation of disease severity before standard clinical assessments might increase the diagnostic confidence of the neurologist. We sought to investigate whether features from diffusion tensor imaging of the entire brain with a machine learning algorithm, rather than a few pathogenically involved regions, may predict the clinical severity of PSP. Fifty-three patients who met the diagnostic criteria for probable PSP were subjected to diffusion tensor imaging. Of them, 15 underwent follow-up imaging. Clinical severity was assessed by the neurological examinations. Mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy maps were spatially co-registered, normalized, and parcellated into 246 brain regions from the human Brainnetome atlas. The predictors of clinical severity from a stepwise linear regression model were determined after feature reduction by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. Performance estimates were obtained using bootstrapping, cross-validation, and through application of the model in the patients who underwent repeated imaging. The algorithm confidently predicts the clinical severity of PSP at the individual level (adjusted R2: 0.739 and 0.892, p &lt, 0.001). The machine learning algorithm for selection of diffusion tensor imaging-based features is accurate in predicting motor subscale of unified Parkinson&rsquo, s disease rating scale and postural instability and gait disturbance of PSP.

Hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) has been rarely studied after haploidentical donor (HID) allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). We performed a retrospective multicentre study on patients with SOS after allo-HSCT in China. The incidence, risk factors, and outcomes were compared between HID HSCT and matched related donor (MRD) HSCT. SOS developed in 0.4% of patients (HIDs: 0.4%, MRDs: 0.5%, p = 0.952) at a median time of 21.50 days (range, 1–55) after allo-HSCT (HIDs: 24 days, MRDs: 20 days, p = 0.316). For patients diagnosed with SOS, the 2-year cumulative incidence of relapse was 22.7% and 22.4% in patients receiving HID and MRD transplantation, respectively (p = 0.584). Overall survival (OS) at 2 year was 10.4% and 38.5% in the two groups (p = 0.113). The transplant-related mortality (TRM) at 100 days was 60.9% in the HID group and 38.5% in the MRD group (p = 0.178). According to the multivariate analyses, significant independent risk factors for the occurrence of SOS were delayed platelet engraftment (p = 0.007) and advanced disease status at the time of HSCT (p = 0.009). The outcomes of SOS after HID HSCT are similar to those after MRD HSCT.

Prolonged isolated thrombocytopenia (PT) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) has a great impact on transplant outcome. In this study, we performed a retrospective analysis to investigate the association of donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies (DSAs) with PT in 394 patients who underwent unmanipulated haploidentical blood and marrow transplantation (HBMT). For HLA antibody positive samples with a median fluorescent intensity (MFI) > 500, DSAs were further examined. A total of 390 patients (99.0%) achieved sustained myeloid engraftment. Of the 394 cases tested, 45 (11.4%) were DSA positive. The cumulative incidence of PT in this cohort of patients was 9.9 ± 1.5%. The incidence of PT was higher in patients with a MFI ≥ 1000 compared with those with a MFI P=0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that the presence of DSAs (MFI ≥ 1000) was correlated to PT (hazard ratio (HR) 3.262; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.339–7.946;P=0.009) and transplant-related mortality (HR 2.320; 95% CI, 1.169–4.426;P=0.044). Our results, for the first time, suggest an association of DSAs with PT after unmanipulated HBMT. It would help screen out the suitable donor and guide intervention. This indicated that DSAs should be incorporated in the algorithm for unmanipulated HBMT.

2,2,4,4-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) has received considerable attention because of its high detection level in biological samples and potential developmental toxicity. Here, using zebrafish (Danio rerio) as the experimental animal, we investigated developmental effects of BDE-47 and explored the potential mechanism. Zebrafish embryos at 4 h post-fertilization (hpf) were exposed to 0.312, 0.625 and 1.25 mg/L BDE-47 to 74–120 hpf. We found that BDE-47 instigated a dose-related developmental toxicity, evidenced by reduced embryonic survival and hatching rate, shortened body length and increased aberration rate. Meanwhile, higher doses of BDE-47 reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production but increased apoptosis in zebrafish embryos. Expression of genes involved in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) (ndufb8, sdha, uqcrc1, cox5ab and atp5fal) were negatively related to BDE-47 doses in zebrafish embryos. Moreover, exposure to BDE-47 at 0.625 or 1.25 mg/L impaired mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial dynamics. Our data further showed that BDE- 47 exposure induced excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress, which was accompanied by the activation of c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK). Antioxidant NAC and JNK inhibition could mitigate apoptosis in embryos and improve embryonic development in BDE-47-treated zebrafish, suggesting the involvement of ROS/JNK pathway in embryonic developmental changes induced by BDE-47. Altogether, our data suggest here that developmental toxicity of BDE-47 may be associated with mitochondrial ROS-mediated JNK signaling in zebrafish embryo.

Xanthohumol may prevent and cure diabetes and atherosis, have oxidation resistance and antiviral function as well as anticancer effect preventing cancer cell metastasis. We investigate whether the anticancer effect of xanthohumol induces growth inhibition and apoptosis of human liver cancer through NF-κB/p53-apoptosis signaling pathway. Human liver cancer HepG2 cell were treated with 10, 20, 30 and 40 µM xanthohumol for 48 h. The present study showed that the anticancer effect of xanthohumol was effective in inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis of human liver cancer HepG2 cells. Furthermore, the caspase-3 activity of human liver cancer HepG2 cells was increased by xanthohumol. In addition, 48-h treatment with xanthohumol suppressed NF-κB expression and promoted p53, cleaved PARP, AIF and cytochrome c expression and downregulated XIAP and Bcl-2/Bax expression in human liver cancer HepG2 cells. Therefore, the anticancer effect of xanthohumol induces growth inhibition and apoptosis of human liver cancer through the NF-κB/p53-apoptosis signaling pathway.

The emerging role of stress-related signaling in regulating cancer development and progression has been recognized. However, whether stress serves as a mechanism to promote gastric cancer metastasis is not clear. Here, we show that the β2-AR agonist, isoprenaline, upregulates expression levels of CD44 and CD44v8-10 in gastric cancer cells. CD44, a cancer stem cell-related marker, is expressed at high levels in gastric cancer tissues, which strongly correlates with the occurrence of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated phenotypes both in vivo and in vitro. Combined with experimental observations in two human gastric cancer cell lines, we found that β2-AR signaling can initiate EMT. It led to an increased expression of mesenchymal markers, such as α-SMA, vimentin, and snail at mRNA and protein levels, and conversely a decrease in epithelial markers, E-cadherin and β-catenin. Isoprenaline stimulation of β2-AR receptors activates the downstream target STAT3, which functions as a positive regulator and mediated the phenotypic switch toward a mesenchymal cell type in gastric cancer cells. Our data provide a mechanistic understanding of the complex signaling cascades involving stress-related hormones and their effects on EMT. In light of our observations, pharmacological interventions targeting β2-AR-STAT3 signaling can potentially be used to ameliorate stress-associated influences on gastric cancer development and progression.

Based on island microgrid, using master-slave structure. VF inverter works as master, ensuring the stability of the voltage and frequency of microgird, PQ inverter works as slave, maximize the use of renewable energy sources. Design the controller for VF and PQ inverter respectively. PQ inverter use single current loop, VF inverter use voltage outer loop and current inner loop. Discuss the design of controller in detail. VF inverter and PQ inverter working in parallel in master-slave island microgrid. Simulation runs in Matlab Simulink environment, the result turns out this structure and design is workable and stable.

To confirm feasibility and assess intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) to differentiate active sacroiliitis and ankylosing spondylitis.. Forty-one patients were divided into two groups, an active group (n = 20) and a chronic group (n = 21), according to the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and laboratory parameters. In addition, 21 healthy volunteers were chosen as the control group. Tissue diffusivity (Dslow), perfusion fraction (f), and pseudo-diffusion coefficient (Dfast) values were obtained for all three groups. One-way analysis of variance and receiver operating characteristic analysis were performed for all parameters. There was good interobserver agreement on the measurements between the two observers. The optimal cut-off values (with respective AUC, sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio) between active and chronic groups were Dslow = 0.53 × 10−3 mm2/s (0.976, 90 %, 95.2 %, 18.9, 0.10) and f = 0.09 (0.545, 20 %, 95.5 %, 4.2, 0.84), and between chronic and control groups were Dslow = 0.22 × 10−3 mm2/s (0.517, 9.52 %, 100 %, no number, 0.9) and f = 0.09 (0.935, 95.24 %, 80.95 %, 5, 0.059). Dslow and f of IVIM diffusion-weighted (DW)-MRI in AS show a significant difference in the values of diffusion of water molecules and fractional perfusion-related volume among the three groups. • D slow can be used to differentiate the activity of AS. • With perfusion fraction, the sensitivity of differentiating the AS activity is improved. • IVIM DWI plays an important role in detecting the activity in patients with AS.

In this study, a priming Stroop paradigm was used to determine whether stereotype activation is unintentional. Priming conditions (priming/no-priming) and the relationship between priming and target (consistent/inconsistent/no-relation) were the independent variables; accuracy, reaction time and N400 amplitude were used as dependent variables. The reaction time revealed that stereotype activation is, to some extent, unintentional. Furthermore, the event-related potenial (ERP) results showed that N400 amplitude was larger for inconsistent conditions than for consistent conditions. This result supported the notion that stereotype activation is an unintentional and automatic process.

It has been previously reported that exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hucMSC)‑exosomes exhibit cardioprotective effects on the rat acute myocardial infarction (AMI) models and cardiomyocyte hypoxia injury models in vitro, however the exact mechanisms involved require further investigation. The present study aimed to investigate the repair effects of hucMSC‑exosomes on myocardial injury via the regulation of mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 7 (Smad7) expression. Compared with sham or normoxia groups (in vivo and in vitro, respectively), western blotting demonstrated that Smad7 expression was significantly decreased in the borderline area of infraction myocardium and in H9C2(2‑1) cells following hypoxia‑induced injury. Additionally, microRNA (miR)‑125b‑5p expression was markedly increased using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction, but was reversed by hucMSC‑exosomes. Trypan blue staining and lactate dehydrogenase release detection demonstrated that cell injury was significantly increased in the AMI + PBS and hypoxia group compared with in the sham and normoxia groups and was inhibited by hucMSC‑exosomes. A dual luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed that Smad7 is a target gene of miR‑125b‑5p. In addition, miR‑125b‑5p mimics promoted H9C2(2‑1) cell injury following 48 h exposure to hypoxia. Downregulation of Smad7 expression under hypoxia was increased by miR‑125b‑5p mimics compared with the mimic negative control, and hucMSC‑exosomes partially alleviated this phenomenon. In conclusion, hucMSC‑exosomes may promote Smad7 expression by inhibiting miR‑125b‑5p to increase myocardial repair. The present study may provide a potential therapeutic approach to improve myocardial repair following AMI.

OBJECTIVES Achalasia is an oesophageal disorder characterized by abnormalities of peristalsis and impaired swallowing-induced relaxation. The therapeutic approach at present remains palliative. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is thought to be less invasive and to maintain the function of the lower oesophageal sphincter postoperatively. However, the effects of POEM still need to be evaluated and understood. METHODS We analysed the outcome for 45 achalasia patients who underwent POEM in our centre, described the details of surgery and evaluated the effects by 4 s integrated relaxation pressure (4s-IRP). All patients were followed up for at least 2 years and were assessed by the dysphagia score, the Eckardt score, oesophageal manometry and the gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) Q-questionnaire. According to the new Chicago classification of oesophageal motility using high-resolution manometry, the patients were diagnosed and classified into types I, II and III. RESULTS The average age of the patients was 46.32 ± 19.04 years (range 26-72 years), and the ratio of women to men was 1.81. All patients were suffering from dysphagia; more than half of them experienced regurgitation. The data revealed that POEM considerably reduced the 4s-IRP, dysphagia score and Eckardt score postoperatively (all P < 0.05). The patients with type III achalasia had higher values of 4s-IRP than the others (type I, P = 0.025; type II, P = 0.022) before treatment and at 3 months after treatment (type I, P = 0.028; type II, P = 0.047). In type I patients, GERD symptoms were more likely to appear at 24 months after POEM than in type II and III patients (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Peroral endoscopic myotomy provides definite relief of symptoms in these patients with achalasia and offers them long-term therapeutic benefit. Considering the risks of surgery, we believe that POEM is a better choice than surgery for achalasia patients and carries lower risk. However, our study is a preliminary exploration; therefore, larger-scale studies are needed for further research on POEM.

With the rapid development and improvement of public life and social economy, the whole society has entered into the age of information, which can use ordinary computer intelligent control system more and more widely. This article makes brief statements on the design and application of computer intelligent control system.

In order to reduce the adverse effect of suspension point dynamic load on pumping unit system, according to the suspension point balance principle of conventional type pumping unit, the suspension point direction balance designing scheme is determined. Take CYJ10-3-37HB pumping unit as research object. Establish the virtual prototype simulation analysis model of conventional pumping unit by suspension point direction balance before and after the balance. Through the contrastive analysis of simulation results, the effect of load reduction and energy saving after the pumping unit by suspension point direction balance is determined. The simulation results show that the reduce rate of pumping unit maximum polished rod load is 29.4%, the reduce rate of RMS torque is 15.8%, the load reduction and energy saving effect of suspension point direction balance is obviously. It laid a theoretical basis for the suspension point direction balance device in engineering practice application.

While the system is equipped with Petersen coil caused by the switching operation can prevent a different period , single-phase disconnection and other factors neutral point displacement , so that the neutral point voltage is too high, the threat of insulation safety equipment . Also in the normal operation of the power grid , but also effectively prevent resonance over-voltage , prevent system damage caused thereby , better protection of system security , stability, and high-quality operation. Summary of small current grounding system after the formation of arc suppression coil compensation compensation network system , in order to better prevent arc short-circuiting the system of single phase , which is to ensure security of supply , improve reliability and power quality .In the paper, small current grounding system Petersen coil with the compensation adjustment is carried out and some analysis, study and research is done in order to improve the operating personnel awareness and emphasis on small current grounding system , and better ensure the safety of the small current grounding system , stable operation.

Objective Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is effective in treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and less invasive than surgical resection. However, ‘one-off' complete tumor ablation on liver function has not been reported. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 36 HCCs which met the criteria of ‘one-off' complete tumor ablation: (1) tumor was completed covered by the ablated zone (confirmed by postoperative enhanced CT) with a single RFA and, (2) no sign of recurrence for at least 6 months. We categorized tumors into two groups: near vascular tumor (NVT) if the distance was less than 5 mm, and far vascular tumor (FVT) otherwise. Results Thirteen HCCs met the criteria of NVTs, and 23 HCCs met that of FVTs. The Average tumor size was 2.6 ± 0.3 cm in FVTs and 2.5 ± 0.3 cm in NVTs. Although restored to normal range by postoperative day (POD) 7, ALT, AST, total bilirubin (TB), albumin and prothrombin time showed more significant fluctuation in NVTs compared to those in FVTs on POD1 through POD5. Moreover, 53.9% (7/13) patients in NVT group and 26.1% (6/23) in FVT group developed post-RFA transient ascites (OR = 5.1, 95% CI = 1.1–24.4). Incidence of post-RFA pleural effusion were 61.5% (8/13) in NVT but only 17.4% (4/23) in FVTs (OR = 7.6, 95% CI = 1.6–35.9). Conclusion ‘One-off' complete tumor ablation may impair liver function and led to more postoperative complication if a tumor is within 5 mm away from a large blood vessel (≥3 mm). Particular caution should be made in preoperative assessment on the anatomic relation between tumor and large blood vessel for patients.

Controlling of the pollution plays an important role in environmental monitoring. This paper proposed a prediction model for the evolution of pollution in a certain region. With the statistic data of the pollution in this region, several parameters can be determined. With solving the related partial differential equation, the evolution of the pollution in next days can be predicted. Then some efficient measures can be adopted for controlling. The efficiency and the accuracy of the proposed model are shown in presented numerical examples.

Network loss rate is an important technical power system economic indicators used to measure power integrated enterprise management level, but also an important symbol of the development of the electric power industry is one of great significance to control them. Strengthen the network loss management, implementation of loss reduction measures, has become an important power supply enterprise content management one. The regional distribution network loss reduction and feasibility of specific measures are given in this paper, to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the grid under the premise of reducing losses from management and technical measures two aspects in detail, in a bid to obtain the actual operation of the grid better social and economic benefits.

The position and role of the construction industry in the national economy is getting increasingly significant, though the safety situation of construction production is not optimistic as hazards is the basic cause of the accident as well as the necessity of the research of hazard management mode has been increasing. Based on the hazards of the basic theory from two aspects: the identification of hazards control and analyze the hazard management, obtained from the project before and after the project, project management of hazards management model.

Plant in vitro organogenesis is well-controlled and thus provides an ideal system for plant propagation and studying mechanisms of plant development. However, the data on systematic in vitro organogenesis from leaf explant with various concentrations and combinations of hormones are limited. Arabidopsis is a very useful model plant species for many aspects of plant biological study. Here, we reported a simple, fast and efficient one-step process for evaluating leaf explant-derived in vitro Arabidopsis organogenesis involving the application of various concentrations and combinations of exogenous hormones. The central portion of the fourth rosette leaf was harvested from the 21-days-old seedling and cultured in vitro on the media containing 216 combinations of exogenous hormones. Different types of organs, including roots, shoots, inflorescences, and leaf-like organs were initiated from leaf explants. Several optimal experimental combinations were selected. A hormone combination, 1.00 μM NAA + 10.00 μM ZT, was considered as the most efficient one for adventitious shoot regeneration. And for adventitious root regeneration, six hormone combinations, [(NAA + ZT: 1.00 + 0.10 μM; 10.00 + 0.01 μM; 20.00 + 0.10 μM; 20.00 + 1.00 μM) and (NAA + 6-BA: 10.00 + 0.10 μM; 20.00 + 10.00 μM)], were thought to be the best ones. Further, both auxin and cytokinin ratios and concentrations were crucial for efficient in vitro organogenesis. Our study provides the important information for hormone-regulated organogenesis.

The design of the angular displacement sensor based on magnetoresistive technology uses DSPIC30F3010 digital signal processor for computing. Having been amplified, magnetoresistive element output signal enters into the single-chip microprocessor A/D converter unit to operate together with the Hall components output signal operation processing, and ultimately generates the actual angular displacement values.

Design of large-stroke linear displacement sensor with high-precision based on SS495A1 technology uses permanent magnet as the excitation source and a series of linear Hall devices as the sensing element. Having been encoded, linear Hall device output signal enters into DSPIC30F3011 A/D conversion to do conversion, and obtains the absolute displacement value after DSPIC30F3011 calculating, and then transmits to the host computer via RS485 to achieve the non-contact, absolute measurement of the linear displacement. The sensor shell and seal have special materials and special processes so that it can function stably under water, especially in the marine environment.

This study explores the cloud computing service security and access by considering the cloud provider, service provider and the customers concern and identifying new trends of challenges relate to the two types of concerns. Focusing on the mobile environment, strategies to cope with the challenges are proposed. By investigating concerns from different perspectives, and drawing upon the proposed levels of strategies, we hope to bridge the gap between technology/service providers and the customers.

The main objective of this study is to assess the feasibility and safety of treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) proximal to the gallbladder using laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Surgical ablation of tumor located adjacent to the gallbladder may damage the gallbladder wall, even with a laparoscope and this ablation method is not precise and incomplete and is frequently combined with alcohol injections with need for further RFA treatment. Four patients were included in this study, with typical HCC where the tumor was present on the left, right, or bed side surrounding the gallbladder. The gallbladder was not separated or removed during larascopic inspection. In the RFA treatment procedure, the tumor lesion was pre-heated for 10 min, and heating was continued for 20 min. The integrity of the gallbladder wall was properly maintained. A follow-up to check for possible local recurrence was carried out 1 year after the RFA. The goal of "one-off" tumor complete RFA is to achieve thorough ablation of the tumor in a single treatment and limiting the possibility of recurrence within 6 months. Seven days after RFA, liver functions of all the patients returned to near-preoperative levels. The patients experienced slight pain in the upper right abdomen, which disappeared in 2-3 days. Results of B ultrasound on days 3-5 showed thickening of the periphery of the ablation area, without significant effusion. Enhanced CT on day 3 showed that RFA low-density area completely covered the lesions. No significant abnormality was observed in the gallbladder and its vicinity. One month after the surgery, B ultrasound and CT examination revealed no significant abnormalities. All patients had an intact gallbladder, and no extrahepatic or intrahepatic bile duct dilatation occurred. There was no evidence of damage to the bile duct or the vessels. Follow-up for 18-32 months found that all patients were in good condition. "One-off" complete RFA can be safely implemented to ablate HCC close to the gallbladder with the assistance of a laparoscope while maintaining integrity and continuity of the gallbladder, and without the need for secondary treatments.

The weight of evaluation index plays a key role in condition assessment and maintenance control of power transformer. A new approach of determination of comprehensive weight is proposed in this paper. The approach combines the entropy objective weight with the expert subjective weight together in a specific form, which not only avoids the situation that single weight determines the overall weight, but considers the primary and secondary problem between the two weights. The comprehensive weight calculated by this approach can reflect the place of every index in condition assessment of power transformer well. Empirical results show that the approach is reasonable and available.

Reasonable design of hob tip fillet and calculation of modification coefficients were researched to avoid undercutting in this paper. The undercut gears were generated in the virtual environment based on Pro / E software. Meanwhile, parametric finite element models of undercut gear, ordinary modified gear generated by standard hob and modified gear generated by hob with tip fillet radius increased,were founded by APDL (ANSYS Parametric Design Language).The results show that the minimum modification coefficients chosen to avoid undercutting by traditional modification method may not meet the requirements of contact ratio or addendum thickness.While through reasonable design of hob tip fillet, modification coefficients calculated not only avoid undercutting to improve the tooth bending strength but also meet the requirements of contact ratio ε>1.2 and addendum thickness δ>0.25m (module) .

Electric pitch control system has time-varying, nonlinear, large inertia, wind speed uncertainty characteristics. A fuzzy control design method of electric pitch control system based on variable universe is proposed. In this method, the variable region algorithm is applied to the speed control of the electric pitch control system. The adaptive fuzzy controller with variable universe of the speed loop for the electric pitch control system is designed by adopting optimized proportional exponential contraction-expansion factor and using S-Function. The simulation experiment of electric pitch control system is carried on, which builds the fuzzy controller with variable region. Compared with traditional PID control, the results show that electric pitch control system based on variable universe fuzzy control has the strong anti-interference performance and robustness.

This paper analyzes the relationship between the parameters of CFH (Cosine Flexure Hinge) and the adjustable angle in the measurement and micro-adjustment of yaw, pitch and roll angle in the DCM (Double Crystal Monochromator). We derive the motion equations of CFH during the measurement and adjustment process, and get accurate expression formulas. Then we use ANSYS software to simulate the CFH and compare the simulation value and the theoretical value. It shows that the maximum angular deflection error is less than 3.5 percent. We compare the CFH to the RCFH (Right Circular Flexure Hinge), and get that the maximum angular deflection and the linear displacements of RCFH are all about 1.56 times than the CFH when the parameters are equivalent. Therefore, we provide a simple flexure hinge to improve the stability and accuracy of angular measurement and micro- adjustment in the DCM.

The complexity of taxi operation system grows out of the inherent dynamics and randomness of taxi services. A simulation model of cruising taxi operation system is presented, through which, the dynamic features of the taxis 24-hour available service can be recurred. A new method of determining the system optimal taxi fleet size is developed. These are helpful to taxi supervisor for providing better service.

The environmental pollution of the rural area partly results from the excrement of sheep, cattle and poultry. In a systematic project of regulating and harnessing the excrement, the additive is applied to mix the faeces to remove the unbearable smell from livestock excreta and to make better and comprehensive utilization of the excreta. At present, the mixers at home and abroad are not applicable to mix the excrement of domestic animals for the reason that there are so many fibers in it. The shapes of sheep and cattle excrement like a ball which demands the rotor of the mixer to have the clipping function. Thus, the clipping and mixing machine is designed. Its principle, structure, technique and its main parameters are analyzed and proved in this paper.

Common mining methods for thick coal seams or extremely thick coal seams has slice mining top coal caving mining, greater height mining, and surface mining. From the perspective of economic and technological mining method, the choice of methods should be fully taken into account the technical, economic, quality of operating personnel, equipment, geological conditions. It allows priority to open-pit mining, and then according to the thickness, coal quality, coal other factors to select the top coal caving or mining of high extraction methods which can achieve the economic, security, and efficient purposes. Conversely, if the method is poor choice, it will certainly lead to economic and time losses.

In this subject, the Analysis Parametric Design Language (APDL) was used to process the parameterized finite element model of large load, long span suspended platform and simplify the structure model of suspended platform, Coupling and constraint equation was established to process the special connected construction .Study the influence of the suspended platform construction and the structure section change on the integral structure. Determine the analysis schemes of the different section, obtain the stress distribution and the structural deformation of the platform structure. Aimed at the least weight of the suspended platform structure, analyze the influence of every main structure section，the lacing bar and the web members arrangement on the suspended platform structure to provide references for the design and analysis of the large load, long-span suspended platform structure.