Search

Objective: The effects of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) and carbon arc lamp therapy (CALT) on the repair of chronic soft tissue injury were compared. Background data: PBMT improves soft tissue ...

Sequential invasive-noninvasive ventilation (NIV) improves the outcomes of patients with respiratory failure caused by acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD); however, there is no clear consensus on the optimal timing of the switch to sequential invasive-NIV in these patients. In the present study, a potential role for the modified Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score to guide sequential weaning was investigated. Patients with AECOPD and respiratory failure were prospectively recruited from three study centers (Wenling Hospital Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University and Changsha Central Hospital) between January 1st 2016 and December 31st 2018. Patients were randomly assigned to group A and B, with the switching point for sequential weaning strategy in the two groups being a modified GCS score ≥13 and 10 points, respectively. Each group included 240 patients. Baseline demographic characteristics were comparable in the two groups. The duration of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in group A was significantly shorter than that in group B. However, there were no significant between-group differences with respect to the incidence of re-intubation, ventilator-associated pneumonia, in-hospital mortality or the length of hospital stay. Use of a modified GCS score ≥13 as the switching point for sequential invasive-NIV may help decrease the duration of IMV in patients with AECOPD and respiratory failure.

This study aimed to explore the role of miR-146b-3p in acute respiratory distress syndrome in septic mice. Ten mice were randomly selected as normal group (n = 10, without any treatment) and 60 septic mice with acute respiratory distress syndrome were divided into model group (n = 10, without any treatment), negative control (NC) mimic group (n = 10, injected with NC mimic), miR-146b-3p mimic group (n = 10, injected with miR-146b-3p mimic), si-NC group (n = 10, injected with PI3Kγ siRNA NC), si-PI3Kγ group (n = 10, injected with PI3Kγ silencing plasmid), and miR-146b-3p mimic + oe-PI3Kγ group (n = 10, injected with miR-146b-3p mimic + PI3Kγ overexpression plasmid). We found that miR-146b-3p negatively regulated PI3Kγ. Compared with normal group, model mice had decreased expression of miR-146b-3p, increased expressions of PI3Kγ, p-AKT, ASC, NLRP3 and Caspase-1 proteins, higher W/D ratio, and more serum IL-1β and IL-18 content (all P

Ganoderic acid A (GA) is one of the most abundant triterpenoids in Ganoderma lucidum, and has been proved to possess a wide range of beneficial health effects. The aim of the current study is to investigate the amelioration effects and mechanism of GA on improving hyperlipidemia in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). The results showed that GA intervention significantly inhibited the abnormal growth of body weight and epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), prevented the hypertrophy of epididymal adipocytes, and ameliorated the biochemical parameters of serum and liver related to lipid metabolism in HFD-fed mice. Histological analysis also showed that the excessive accumulation of lipid droplets in the liver induced by HFD-feeding was greatly alleviated by GA intervention. In addition, GA intervention also increased the level of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the intestine and promoted the excretion of bile acids (BAs) through feces. High-throughput sequencing of bacterial full-length 16S rDNA revealed that daily supplementation with GA made significant structural changes in the gut microbial population of mice fed with HFD, in particular modulating the relative abundance of some function related microbial phylotypes. The relationships between lipid metabolic parameters and gut microbial phylotypes were also revealed by correlation analysis based on a heatmap and network. The result showed that 46 key gut microbial phylotypes (OTUs) were markedly correlated with at least one lipid metabolic parameter. Moreover, UPLC-QTOF/MS-based liver metabolomics showed that 111 biomarkers (47 up-regulated metabolites and 64 down-regulated metabolites) were significantly changed after high-dose GA intervention (75 mg kg-1 day-1), compared with the HFD-fed hyperlipidemic mice. Metabolic pathway enrichment analysis of the differential hepatic metabolites demonstrated that GA intervention had significant regulatory effects on primary bile acid biosynthesis, fatty acid biosynthesis, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, inositol phosphate metabolism, and so on. In addition, GA intervention regulated the mRNA levels of hepatic genes involved in fatty acid metabolism and bile acid homeostasis. These findings present new evidence supporting that GA from G. lucidum has the potential to alleviate lipid metabolic disorders and ameliorate the imbalance of gut microflora in a positive way.

Post-operative adhesions, a common complication of surgery, cause pain, impair organ functionality, and often require additional surgical interventions. Control of inflammation, protection of injured tissue, and rapid tissue repair are critical for adhesion prevention. Adhesion barriers are biomaterials used to prevent adhesions by physical separation of opposing injured tissues. Current adhesion barriers have poor anti-inflammatory and tissue regenerative properties. Umbilical cord tissue (UT), a part of the placenta, is inherently soft, conforming, biocompatible, and biodegradable, with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antifibrotic properties, making it an attractive alternative to currently available adhesion barriers. While use of fresh tissue is preferable, availability and short storage time limit its clinical use. A viable cryopreserved UT (vCUT) “point of care” allograft has recently become available. vCUT retains the extracellular matrix, growth factors, and native viable cells with the added advantage of a long shelf life at −80 °C. In this study, vCUT's anti-adhesion property was evaluated in a rabbit abdominal adhesion model. The cecum was abraded on two opposing sides, and vCUT was sutured to the abdominal wall on the treatment side; whereas the contralateral side of the abdomen served as an internal untreated control. Gross and histological evaluation was performed at 7, 28, and 67 days post-surgery. No adhesions were detectable on the vCUT treated side at all time points. Histological scores for adhesion, inflammation, and fibrosis were lower on the vCUT treated side as compared to the control side. In conclusion, the data supports the use of vCUT as an adhesion barrier in surgical procedures., Highlights • Umbilical tissue (UT) has properties desirable for an adhesion barrier biomaterial. • Study shows viable cryopreserved umbilical tissue (vCUT) retains components of fresh UT in their native state. • vCUT prevents post-operative adhesions in vivo, suggesting vCUT could be used as an adhesion-barrier in surgical procedures.

Objectives To detect whether early growth response 1 (EGR1) in peripheral blood leucocytes (PBLs) indicates temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis (OA) lesions. Materials and methods Egr1 mRNA expression levels in PBLs were detected in eight malocclusion patients without temporomandibular disorder (TMD) signs and 16 malocclusion patients with clinical TMD signs with (eight) or without (eight) imaging signs of TMJ OA. Twelve 6-week-old rats were randomized to a control group and a unilateral anterior crossbite (UAC) group and were sampled at 4 weeks. The Egr1 mRNA expression levels in PBLs and protein expression levels in different orofacial tissues were measured. Results Patients with TMD signs with/without TMJ OA diagnosis showed lower Egr1 mRNA expression levels in PBLs than patients without TMD signs. The lower Egr1 mRNA expression was also found in the PBLs of UAC rats, which were induced to exhibit early histo-morphological signs of TMJ OA lesions. In subchondral bone of UAC rats, EGR1 protein expression was decreased, co-localization of EGR1 with osterix or dentin matrix protein-1 was identified, and the number of EGR1 and osterix double-positive cells was reduced (all p Conclusion Egr1 reduction in PBLs potentially indicates subchondral bone OA lesions at an early stage.

Background There are currently no data predicting chemosensitivity of induction chemotherapy (ICT) for hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). Methods Associations between immune cells and overall response (OR) to ICT and changes in immune cells during ICT were observed in 40 patients with hypopharyngeal SCC undergoing ICT. Results CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell and regulatory T-cell (Treg) frequencies reached diagnostic accuracy for OR to ICT. OR rate was significantly higher in CD4+ -high T cell, CD8+ -high T cell, and low Treg groups. A transient reduction in Tregs and increases in Tregs in the non-OR and OR groups were observed during the course of ICT. Conversely, increases in CD8+ T cells and reductions in CD8+ T cells in the non-OR and OR groups were observed. Conclusion High CD4+ T-cell, high CD8+ T-cell, and low Treg frequencies can be predictors for high efficacy of ICT in patients with hypopharyngeal SCC.

Mitochondria has been identified as a promising target in several cancers. However, little is known on the effects of targeting mitochondria in retinoblastoma. In this work, we show that anti-malarial atovaquone, at clinically achievable concentration, demonstrates inhibitory effects to retinoblastoma cells, to a more extent than in normal retinal cells. Atovaquone also significantly increases chemosensitivity in retinoblastoma. Importantly, we show that retinoblastoma cells have higher level of mitochondrial respiration, membrane potential, mass and ATP compared to normal retinal cells. Although atovaquone significantly inhibits mitochondrial respiration and decrease ATP level in both malignant and normal retinal cells in a similar manner, atovaquone induces much more oxidative stress and damage in retinoblastoma than normal retinal cells. These suggest that normal retinal cells are more tolerable to mitochondrial dysfunctions than retinoblastoma cells. We further demonstrate that atovaquone targets Akt/AMPK/mTOR signaling via inducing mitochondrial dysfunction. Our pre-clinical work demonstrates the translational potential of atovaquone as an addition to the treatment armamentarium for retinoblastoma. Our work also demonstrates the differences of mitochondrial biogenesis and function in malignant versus normal retinal cells which are important for the targeted therapy in retinoblastoma.

The aim of this study is to clone the LpxA gene of Chlamydia trachomatis and analyze its biological characteristics. Specific primers were designed according to the sequence of Ct LpxA gene. LpxA gene was amplified by PCR and connected to pMD18-T vectors. Positive clones were selected for PCR and DNA sequencing. Finally, bioinformatics software was used to analyze the biological properties of LpxA protein. The total length of LpxA gene was 840 bp, encoding 280 amino acids. LpxA protein has no signal peptide and was located in bacterial cytoplasm. The prediction of secondary structure showed that the α-helix, extended strand, β-turn and random coil accounted for 19.6%, 32.8%, 11.4% and 36%, respectively. According to the prediction of tertiary structure, three identical LpxA molecules constituted homologous trimers. It was predicted that there were 11 B cell epitopes in LpxA. Ct Lpxa gene was cloned, and LpxA protein structure and function were predicted.

Background: This study aimed to explore the effect of miR-146b-3p on acute respiratory distress syndrome in septic mice by regulating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Methods: Seventy C57BL/6 mice were divided into normal group ( n = 10) and modeling group ( n = 60, mice for constructing septic mice models with acute respiratory distress syndrome). Model mice were subdivided into model group (without any treatment), negative control (NC) mimic group (injection with miRNA NC), miR-146b-3p mimic group (injection with miR-146b-3p mimic), si-NC group (injection with PI3Kγ siRNA NC), si-PI3Kγ group (injection with PI3Kγ interference sequence), and miR-146b-3p mimic + oe-PI3Kγ group (injection with miR-146b-3p mimic + PI3Kγ overexpression plasmid). Dual-luciferase reporter assay was conducted to determine the target relationship between miR-146b-3p and PI3Kγ. Wet weight/dry weight (W/D) ratio of the left lung was measured. Hematoxylin and eosin stain was used to detect the pathological change of mouse lung. ELISA was employed to measure serum interleukin (IL) -1β and IL-18 levels. miR-146b-3p and PI3Kγ expressions were detected by qRT-PCR. PI3Kγ, AKT, NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein caspase recruitment domain (ASC) and Caspase-1 protein expressions were detected by Western blotting. Results: miR-146b-3p negatively regulated PI3Kγ. The lung tissues in other groups compared with normal group had down-regulated miR-146b-3p, up-regulated PI3Kγ, p-AKT, ASC, NLRP3 and Caspase-1 proteins, higher W/D ratio, and more serum IL-1β and IL-18 (all P < 0.05). All indicators in miR-146b-3p mimic group and si-PI3Kγ group were significantly improved as compared to model group (all P < 0.05). Up-regulated PI3Kγ, p-AKT, ASC, NLRP3 and Caspase-1 proteins and higher W/D ratio and IL-1β and IL-18 levels in serum existed in miR-146b-3p mimic + oe-PI3Kγ group compared with miR-146b-3p mimic group (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: Up-regulation of miR-146b-3p can restrain PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby improving acute respiratory distress syndrome in septic mice.

Objective The present purpose was to investigate the involvement of Derlin-3 in the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway-mediated apoptosis of chondrocytes in biomechanically stimulated mandibular condylar cartilage. Design First, fluid flow shear stress (FFSS) was applied to ATDC5 cells with or without overexpression of Derlin-3 by lentiviral transduction or silencing of Derlin-3 by siRNA transfection. Apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL assay. Molecular markers related to the endoplasmic reticulum stress-apoptosis pathway, including GRP78, CHOP, ATF6, Caspase-12, and cleaved Caspase-3, were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Second, the expression of proteins related to the endoplasmic reticulum stress-apoptosis pathway of the chondrocytes in mandibular condylar cartilage of mice treated with unilateral anterior crossbite (UAC) prostheses was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining and TUNEL assay. Results FFSS induced the endoplasmic reticulum stress-apoptosis pathway in ATDC5 cells. This apoptosis was suppressed by overexpressing Derlin-3 but was enhanced by silencing Derlin-3. UAC increased Derlin-3 expression in mandibular condylar cartilage at 1 and 3 weeks but decreased Derlin-3 expression at 7 and 11 weeks. The reduction of Derlin-3 expression by UAC was associated with the increase in the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway-mediated apoptosis in degenerative mandibular condylar cartilage. UAC elicited changes in Derlin-3 expression and the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway-mediated apoptosis was reversed after the removal of the prosthesis. Conclusion Reduced Derlin-3 expression is associated with the biomechanically induced endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway-mediated apoptosis of chondrocytes in the mandibular condylar cartilage and could be a therapeutic target for the treatment of biomechanically stimulated cartilage degradation.

To study the effect of curcumin on proliferation and invasion of the human retinoblastoma cells and its potential mechanism. A cell line of retinoblastoma (WERI-Rb-1) was treated with various concentrations of curcumin (0–40 µM). Cell number was counted with CCK8 kit, and cell migration was assessed using the Transwell assay. Immunoblotting was performed to detect the proteins of metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as well as nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB, p65). Proliferation and migration of WERI-Rb-1 cells were significantly inhibited by curcumin in a concentration-dependent manner (0–40 µM). Protein expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF in the WERI-Rb-1 cells were also significantly inhibited by curcumin in a concentration-dependent manner (0–40 µM). Furthermore, nuclear translocation of NF-κB (p65) was significantly inhibited by curcumin in time-dependent manner (6–24 h). Curcumin inhibited proliferation and migration of WERI-Rb-1 cells, a cell line of human retinoblastoma, which might be through modulating NF-κB and its downstream proteins including VEGF, MMP-2, and MMP-9.

Purpose Adenoid hypertrophy (AH) is common among young children. Adenoid-based surgery and drug therapy could be applied for symptomatic AH patients, yet the treatment decision is difficult to make due to the diverse cost and efficacy between these two treatments. Methods A Markov simulation model was designed to estimate the cost-effectiveness (CE) of the adenoid-based surgery and the drug therapy for symptomatic AH patients. Transition probabilities, costs and utilities were extracted from early researches and expert opinions. Simulations using two set of parameter inputs for China and the USA were performed. Primary outcome was cost per QALY gained over a 6-year period. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were also conducted. Results The utility for the surgery group and the drug group were 4.10 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and 3.58 QALYs, respectively. The cost of the surgery group was more than that of the drug group using model parameters specific to China ($1069.0 vs. $753.7) but was less for the USA ($1994.4 vs. $3977.7). Surgery was dominant over drug therapy when US specific parameters were used. Surgery group had an ICER of $604.0 per QALY when parameters specific to China was used. Conclusion Surgery is cost-effective in the simulations for both China and the USA at WTP thresholds of $9633.1 and $62,517.5, respectively.

Post-menopausal osteoporosis is one of the most common bone diseases in women. The aim of the present study was to predict the diagnostic function modules from a differential co-expression gene network in order to enhance the current understanding of the biological processes and to promote the early prevention and intervention of post-menopausal osteoporosis. The diagnostic function modules were extracted from a differential co-expression network by the established protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. First, significant genes were identified from the differential co-expression network, which were regarded as seed genes. Starting from the seed genes, the sub-networks in this disease, referred to as diagnostic function modules, were exhaustively searched and prioritized through a snowball sampling strategy to identify genes to accurately predict clinical outcomes. In addition, crucial function inference was performed for each diagnostic function module. Based on the microarray and PPI data, the differential co-expression network was constructed, which contained 1,607 genes and 4,197 interactions. A total of 110 seed genes were identified, and nine diagnostic modules that accurately distinguished post-menopausal osteoporosis from healthy controls were screened out from these seed genes. The diagnostic modules may be associated with five functional pathways with emphasis on metabolism. A total of nine diagnostic functional modules screened in the present study may be considered as potential targets for predicting the clinical outcomes of post-menopausal osteoporosis, and may contribute to the early diagnosis and therapy of osteoporosis.

Purpose: To investigate the potential protective effects of curcumin on the retina in diabetic rats. Methods: An experimental diabetic rat model was induced by a low dose of streptozotocin combined with a high-energy diet. Rats which had blood glucose levels ≥11.6 mmol/L were used as diabetic rats. The diabetic rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: diabetic rats with no treatment (DM), diabetic rats treated with 100 mg/kg curcumin (DM + Cur 100 mg/kg), and diabetic rats treated with 200 mg/kg curcumin (DM + Cur 200 mg/kg). Curcumin was orally administered daily for 16 weeks. After 16 weeks of administration, the rats were euthanized, and eyes were dissected. Retinal histology was examined, and the thickness of the retina was measured. Ultrastructural changes of retinal ganglion cells, inner layer cells, retinal capillary, and membranous disks were observed by electron microscopy. Malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and total antioxidant capacity were measured by ELISA. Expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in retina tissues were examined by immunohistochemical staining and ELISA. Expression levels of Bax and Bcl-2 in retina tissues were determined by immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting. Results: Curcumin reduced the blood glucose levels of diabetic rats and decreased diabetes-induced body weight loss. Curcumin prevented attenuation of the retina in diabetic rats and ameliorated diabetes-induced ultrastructure changes of the retina, including thinning of the retina, apoptosis of the retinal ganglion cells and inner nuclear layer cells, thickening of retinal capillary basement membrane and disturbance of photoreceptor cell membranous disks. We also found that curcumin has a strong antioxidative ability in the retina of diabetic rats. It was observed that curcumin attenuated the expression of VEGF in the retina of diabetic rats. We also discovered that curcumin had an antiapoptotic effect by upregulating the expression of Bcl-2 and downregulating the expression of Bax in the retina of diabetic rats. Conclusions: Taken together, these results suggest that curcumin may have great therapeutic potential in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy which could be attributed to the hypoglycemic, antioxidant, VEGF-downregulating and neuroprotection properties of curcumin.

We propose to study the modeling and analysis of the coinfection of Buruli and cholera. We developed the model based on the literature for the coinfection and its optimal control. First, we analyze the sub-models at their steady states and present its mathematical results. The global stability for the sub-models are investigated for the special case. We show that the sub-models are locally as well as globally asymptotically stable whenever R 0 is less or greater than one. Further, the co-infection model is analyzed by computing its R 0 and it is proven that the coinfection model is locally asymptotically stable. We study the bifurcation analysis for the coinfection model and determine the conditions for the possible existence of backward bifurcation phenomenon. Moreover, we use five different control variables and obtain the control problem. The details mathematical results involve in the optimality system are shown. We use the Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle to determine the best strategy in controlling both the diseases. Lastly, we perform the numerical experiments using different set of controls for the possible eliminations of infection. We observe from our numerical results that the preventions and treatments are the best controls for the infection minimization.

Background Few studies focused on evaluating the impacts of preoperative severe left ventricular dysfunction on clinical outcomes of patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (OPCAB). This single center retrospective study aimed to evaluate the impacts of severe left ventricular dysfunction on in-hospital and mid-term clinical outcomes of Chinese patients undergoing first, scheduled, and isolated OPCAB surgery. Methods From January 2010 to December 2014, 2032 eligible patients were included in this study and were divided into 3 groups: a severe group (patients with preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≤35%, n = 128), an impaired group (patients with preoperative LVEF of 36-50%, n = 680), and a normal group (patients with preoperative LVEF of >50%, n = 1224). In-hospital and follow-up clinical outcomes were investigated and compared. Results Patients in the severe group compared to the other 2 groups had higher in-hospital mortality and higher incidences of low cardiac output and prolonged ventilation. Kaplan-Meier curves showed a similar cumulative follow-up survival between the severe group and the impaired group (χ2 = 1.980, Log-rank p = 0.159) and between the severe group and the normal group (χ2 = 2.701, Log-rank p = 0.102). Multivariate Cox regression indicated that grouping was not a significant variable related to mid-term all-cause mortality. No significant difference was found in the rate of repeat revascularization between the severe group (2.4%) and the other 2 groups. Conclusions Patients with preoperative LVEF of ≤35% compared to preoperative LVEF of >35% increased the risk of in-hospital death and incidences of postoperative low cardiac output and prolonged ventilation, but shared similar mid-term all-cause mortality and repeat revascularization after OPCAB surgery.

In the original publication, the affiliation of authors Ying-Tao Mu, Jin-Qiang Yu, Zhen-Kai Liu, Yan Wang, Jie Shao and De-Kun Li was published incorrectly. The correct affiliation is given in this correction.

Listeria monocytogenes, one of the most important foodborne pathogens, can cause listeriosis, a lethal disease for humans. L. ivanovii, which is closely related to L. monocytogenes, is also widely distributed in nature and infects mainly warm-blooded ruminants, causing economic loss. Thus, there are high priority needs for methodologies for rapid, specific, cost-effective and accurate detection, characterization and subtyping of L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii in foods and environmental sources. In this review, we (A) described L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii, world-wide incidence of listeriosis, and prevalence of various L. monocytogenes strains in food and environmental sources; (B) comprehensively reviewed different types of traditional and newly developed methodologies, including culture-based, antigen/antibody-based, LOOP-mediated isothermal amplification, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry, DNA microarray, and genomic sequencing for detection and characterization of L. monocytogenes in foods and environmental sources; (C) comprehensively summarized different subtyping methodologies, including pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multi-locus sequence typing, ribotyping, and phage-typing, and whole genomic sequencing etc. for subtyping of L. monocytogenes strains from food and environmental sources; and (D) described the applications of these methodologies in detection and subtyping of L. monocytogenes in foods and food processing facilities.

Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen responsible for listeriosis, a fatal disease. It is widely distributed in various foods and environmental sources. In this review, we focused on addressing PCR-based technologies, including conventional PCR, qPCR and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). Specifically, we described (a) conventional PCR and mono-, duplex- and multiplex-qPCR methodologies; (b) development and applications of gene HlyA-, Iap-, PrfA – and SsrA-based conventional and qPCR assays as well as PCR assays targeting newly identified gene targets for specific detection of L. monocytogenes; differentiation of viable from dead L. monocytogenes by qPCR in conjugation with propidium monoazide pretreatment; PCR-based serotype identification of L. monocytogenes isolates; PCR-based detection of L. ivanovii, infecting ruminants, differentiation of L. monocytogenes from other Listeria species; and sigB-gene based PCR identification of Listeria spp; (c) applications of ddPCR in detection of L. monocytogenes; and (d) application of qPCR assays in detection and subtyping of L. monocytogenes in milk and dairy products; meats, meat products and meat-processing environment; and seafood, seafood products and processing environment. Our goal was to provide a relatively comprehensive overview of PCR-based methodologies available in detection, characterization and subtyping of various strains of L. monocytogenes in foods and environmental sources.

Biomarkers of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis (OA) remain unknown. The objective was to detect whether molecular biomarkers from peripheral blood leucocytes (PBLs) engage in TMJ OA lesions. Thirty‐four six‐week‐old Sprague Dawley rats were used. The top upregulated gene ontology categories and gene‐fold changes in PBLs were detected by a microarray analysis comparing rats that received 20‐week unilateral anterior crossbite (UAC) treatment with age‐matched controls (n = 4). Twenty weeks of UAC treatment had been reported to induce TMJ OA‐like lesions. The other twenty‐four rats were randomly placed in the UAC and control groups at 12‐ and 20‐week time points (n = 6). The mRNA expression levels of the selected biomarkers derived from the microarray analysis and their protein expression in the alveolar bone and TMJ were detected. The microarray analysis indicated that the three most highly involved genes in PBLs were Egr1, Ephx1 and Il10, which were confirmed by real‐time PCR detection. The increased protein expression levels of the three detected molecules were demonstrated in cartilage and subchondral bone (P

The ageing population is rapidly increasing, both in Singapore and worldwide. Due to the shortage of healthcare professionals and institutionalized care, there is a pertinent need for seniors to age-in-place - safely and in the familiarity of their neighborhoods. In addition, changing family structures and rising divorce rates, coupled with the desire for more personal space and independence, have resulted in a significant proportion of seniors who live alone at home. In this paper, we describe a scalable and low-cost monitoring system that can help to identify community-dwelling seniors who are at risk of social isolation and/or frailty. This is achieved by monitoring the seniors' activity levels (which are computed based on the timings and durations that seniors spend in their residential homes), through the use of Bluetooth beacons and the seniors' smartphones. The system has been implemented and deployed in 81 residential homes, over a period of 3 weeks. Preliminary results show that the system can provide a low-cost and efficient way of providing caregivers with insights on each senior's well-being, based on his/her activity levels.

Objective: Wound healing is a complex process involving the dynamic interplay of various types of cells and bioactive factors. Impaired wound healing is characterized by a loss in synchronization of the process, resulting in non-healing chronic wounds. Human amniotic membrane (AM) has been shown to be effective in the management of chronic wounds. Recently, a viable lyopreserved AM (VLAM) has been developed. The VLAM retains the structural, molecular, and functional properties of fresh AM with the advantage of a long shelf life for living tissue at ambient temperatures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of VLAM on the impaired wound microenvironment and wound closure in db/db mice. Approach: VLAM or saline gel (control) was applied weekly to 7-mm excisional wounds in diabetic (db/db) mice. Wound appearance and size were assessed weekly. Inflammation and redox state in wounds were tested by cytokine gene and protein expression, and by catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities, respectively. Wound tissue granulation and neovascularization were assessed histologically. Results: Diabetic wounds treated with VLAM closed faster than control wounds. On an average, VLAM-treated wounds closed 4 days faster than the control wounds, with a significantly faster rate of closure at days 7 and 14 as compared with control wounds. The faster closure correlated with a decrease in the expression of proinflammatory factors and oxidative stress, and an increase in angiogenesis and dermal thickness. Innovation: Effects of VLAM on a chronic wound microenvironment and underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated for the first time. Conclusion: VLAM accelerates wound closure in db/db mice by decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress and supporting wound tissue granulation, neovascularization, and re-epithelialization.

Background: Induction chemotherapy (ICT) has become an initial treatment for late-stage hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC); however, there are no data regarding ICT sensitivity for this population. Objective: This study investigated the predictive value of various inflammation markers for ICT responses in hypopharyngeal SCC. Methods: The data from 72 patients who received initial ICT treatment were obtained and associations between pretreatment inflammation markers and overall responses to ICT were calculated. Results: According to receiver operating characteristic curves, pretreatment lymphocyte count (PLC), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) achieved diagnostic accuracy for overall responses to ICT. These indicators were classified into two groups according to their cut-off values. Overall response rates were significantly higher in the low PLC (p < 0.01), high NLR (p = 0.035), and high PLR (p = 0.012) groups. Conclusion: Our results showed that low PLC, high NLR, and high PLR are predictors of positive responses to ICT in hypopharyngeal SCC patients.

Objective To detect the long-term response to unilateral anterior crossbite (UAC) in masticatory muscles and in molecular biomarkers of peripheral blood leukocytes. Design Fifty-six six-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The gene-fold changes in peripheral blood leukocytes were detected by the microarray analysis to compare the rats that received 20-week UAC treatment with age-matched controls (n = 4). Muscle atrophy-related gene Fbxo32 was selected based on the data of the microarray analysis verified by using real-time PCR. The remaining 36 rats were randomly separated in the UAC and control groups at 12 and 20 weeks (n = 12). The protein expression of Fbxo32 and the muscle injury and myogenesis-related markers, αB-crystallin and desmin, were detected in the masseter and lateral pterygoid muscles by western blot assay. Results In the 20-week UAC group, the masseter muscle weight was lower than that in the age-matched control group, and the expression level of Fbxo32 gene in peripheral blood leukocytes was increased according to the microarray analysis confirmed by real-time PCR detection. The increased protein expression levels of Fbxo32 were detected in the masseter in the 20-week UAC group, and the protein expression levels of desmin and αB-crystallin were decreased at this time point. No similar changes were detected in the lateral pterygoid muscle. Conclusions Masseter atrophy is induced by long-term stimulation of UAC. The increased expression of the Fbxo32 gene in peripheral blood leukocytes may be a candidate biological marker of masseter atrophy.

The pollution of aquatic bodies in the natural environment by pharmaceuticals has become a matter of increasing concern. In this study, we investigated the effects of the various influencing factors on the degradation of phenacetin (PNT) and its disinfection byproduct formation potentials (DBPFPs) by UV/persulfate (UV/PS) treatment. We first examined the effects of factors such as the PS concentration, pH, HCO3–, NO3–, NO2–, and natural organic matter (NOM) on the PNT degradation kinetics. The PNT degradation rate exhibited a positive correlation with the PS concentration. The PNT degradation rate was also pH-dependent, and it was highest under mild-alkalinity conditions. The presence of NO3–, NO2–, and NOM all inhibited PNT degradation, whereas HCO3– slightly accelerated PNT degradation. We next adopted LC/MS/MS to identify the degradation products of PNT, and the possible degradation pathways were proposed accordingly. The effects of UV/PS pretreatment on the DBPs from chlorination exhibit a close relationship with the abovementioned factors influencing the PNT degradation performance. Upon prolonging the pretreatment time and increasing the PS concentration, it was observed that trichloromethane (TCM) formation continuously decreased, while dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN) and trichloronitromethane (TCNM) exhibited patterns of increase and subsequent decrease in concentration. Mild alkalinity enhanced TCM formation and largely restrained DCAN and TCNM formation. Additionally, the presence of NOM enhanced TCM formation, while HCO3– hardly affected DBP formation. Meanwhile, NO2– profoundly affected the formation of TCNM. Therefore, these factors influencing PNT degradation by UV/PS should be carefully considered when integrating such technology as an alternative pretreatment for PNT-polluted water before disinfection.

HfS3 nanobelts with a width of 700 − 70 nm, a thickness of about 10–30 nm and a length of more than 10 μm, were directly synthesized at 650 °C for 5 h by a facile chemical vapor transport (CVT) method. The direct and indirect optical energy gaps of the nanobelts were measured as 2.19 and 1.73 eV, respectively. The nanobelts have good photoluminescence (PL), i. e. there are strong emissions at 483, 540 and 600 nm under excitation at 400 nm. The nanobelts were dispersed in enthanol and adhered to a transparent polypropylene (PP) film by double-side adhesive tape, and then two separate electrodes (Ti/Au) were evaporated on the surface with a mask, removing the mask to form a flexible photodetector. The detector demonstrated an excellent photoresponse from ultraviolet to visible light. Under illumination of 405 nm with 6.32 mW, the light on/off current ratio is 12, and response time is less than 0.2 s. It suggested that the HfS3 nanobelts are promising for applications in optoelectronic nanodevices, and the flexible photodetector can be used in practical photodetection.

[Purpose] This study evaluated the effects of topical oxygen therapy on the hind limb wounds of rats under ischemic conditions. [Subjects and Methods] Twelve injured rats were treated with topical oxygen on skin wounds located on the hind limb and compared with twelve injured control rats. Indexes including gross morphology of the wound, wound healing time, wound healing rate, and histological and immunohistochemical staining of sections of wound tissue were examined at different time points after intervention. [Results] The wound healing time was shorter in the topical oxygen therapy group than the control group. The wound healing rate and granulation tissue formation in the topical oxygen therapy group showed significant improvement on days 3, 7, and 14. Through van Gieson staining, the accumulation of collagen fiber in the topical oxygen therapy group was found to have improved when compared with the control group on day 7. Through semiquantitative immunohistochemical staining, many more new vessels were found in the topical oxygen therapy group compared with the model control group on day 7. [Conclusion] The results of the experiment showed that topical oxygen therapy improved ischemic wound healing.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a major polyphenol in green tea. In this study, we investigated the effects of EGCG on insulin resistance and insulin clearance in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) mice.Mice were fed on a high-fat diet for 24 weeks. During the last 4 weeks, the mice were injected with EGCG (10, 20 and 40 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1), ip). Glucose tolerance, insulin tolerance and insulin clearance were assessed. After the mice were euthanized, blood samples and tissue specimens were collected. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was examined in isolated pancreatic islets. The progression of NAFLD was evaluated histologically and by measuring lipid contents. Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) protein expression and enzyme activity were detected using Western blot and immunocapture activity assays, respectively.The high-fat diet significantly increased the body weight and induced grade 2 or 3 liver fatty degeneration (steatosis, lobular inflammation and ballooning) accompanied by severe hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in the model mice. Administration of EGCG dose-dependently ameliorated the hepatic morphology and function, reduced the body weight, and alleviated hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in NAFLD mice. Furthermore, EGCG dose-dependently enhanced insulin clearance and upregulated IDE protein expression and enzyme activity in the liver of NAFLD mice.EGCG dose-dependently improves insulin resistance in NAFLD mice not only by reducing body weight but also through enhancing the insulin clearance by hepatic IDE. The results suggest that IDE be a potential drug target for the treatment of NAFLD.

A bromine-substituted hydrazone derivative, named N′-(4-bromobenzylidene)-2-hydroxybenzohydrazide (BBH), and its unsubstituted analogue, named N′-benzylidene-2-hydroxybenzohydrazide (BH), have been synthesized by a simple and effective one-pot synthesis method. Their interactions with human serum albumin (HSA) were comprehensively studied employing spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and molecular docking. Our attention was largely on the thermodynamic properties of their binding to HSA, in order to evaluate the impact of a bromine atom in BBH to its biological activity comparing to BH. BBH is a stronger ligand with a binding constant of 105 L·mol−1 and formed a more stable complex with HSA compared with BH. The binding processes of both BBH and BH are mainly an enthalpy driven process occurring in site I, mainly bound by hydrogen bonding and the van der Waals force.

In this paper, a stochastic model with a saturation infection rate representing HIV internal virus dynamics is investigated. We prove that the model exists non-negative solutions. Then we analyse the asymptotic behavior of the model. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to illustrate our mathematical findings.

Background Adjuvant radiation therapy is commonly administered to breast cancer patients who received breast-conserving surgery. However, lengthy treatment times of standard radiotherapy pose certain challenges. Here, we performed a prospective controlled study comparing standard radiation to hypofractionated radiotherapy in terms of efficacy and outcome. Material and methods Eighty breast cancer patients (tumor stage pT1-2N0-1M0) who had undergone breast-conservation surgery were randomly divided into 2 groups (40 patients/group). The experimental group received 43.2 Gy to the whole breast in 18 fractions for 24 days with a concomitant boost (50.4 Gy) to the tumor bed. The control group received 45 Gy to the whole breast in 25 fractions for 44 days with a boost to the tumor bed of 59 Gy. Survival, locoregional recurrence, adverse effects, and aesthetic results were all considered for analysis. Results The following criteria were included as part of study follow-up: local control, survival, adverse skin reactions, cosmetic outcome, and hematological toxicity. At a median follow-up of 27 months (follow-up rate 100%), there were no statistical differences in any of the categories between the 2 groups. The 2-year survival rate of both groups was 100% without any locoregional recurrence. Although there was some skin toxicity, these instances were not severe and they cleared on their own within 6 weeks. The most common problems encountered by patients were breast fibrosis and altered pigmentation. Conclusions A shortened whole-breast hypofractionated irradiation schedule with a concomitant boost is as effective as standard radiation and may be a reasonable alternative following breast conservation surgery.

The objective of this paper is to investigate the behavior of doctors smoking and smoking control situation, and to analyze the reasons of doctors smoking. According to the reasons, put forward practical and feasible measures and provide scientific basis for tobacco control, for doctor’s own smoking cessation activities, for doctors’ advises to patients to quit smoking and for smoke-free hospital being successfully realized. The qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. 220 doctors from a big (3A) general hospital were selected for the investigation and 6 doctors of different departments were interviewed at the same time. General descriptive, chi-square test and other statistical methods were used for statistical analysis. There were significant differences in gender and age distribution of doctors smoking. The impact of tobacco on them selves, the knowledge of the relationship between tobacco and disease were differences in the doctors smoking,ex-smoking or no-smoking. Doctors’ self-control ability,the knowledge of the smoking control all have impacts on smoking control in hospital. Middle-aged male doctors were the “main force” of smokers; the doctors’ knowledge of substances in tobacco and its effect on health, and the knowledge of the relationship between tobacco and diseases had a certain deviation. Doctors’ self-control was not strong in actual smoking control action; there were resistances in the implementation process in hospital smoking control. For the current smoking status, the solutions are to set up smoking cessation clinics, to strengthen the smoking control interventions, to propagate and learn the knowledge of smoking-related diseases,to establish and improve the reward and punishment system, to train the doctors self-control and so on. The government and the hospital should work together to overcome and promote the smoking control in hospital.

The discovery of novel anti-AML therapeutic agents is urgently needed, but the complex heterogeneity of the disease has so far hampered the development of a curative treatment. FLT3 inhibitors have shown therapeutic potential in clinical trials; but a monotherapy regimen has been associated with resistance mediated by the activation of parallel signalling circuitry, including MAPK and mTOR. Therefore, inhibiting a nexus of the two signalling pathways along with inhibition of FLT3 might be advantageous. Herein, we propose that a dual inhibition of FLT3 and Mnk would provide a better clinical option for AML patients compared to targeting FLT3 alone. Thus, a series of N-phenyl-4-(thiazol-5-yl)pyrimidin-2-amines and 4-(indol-3-yl)-N-phenylpyrimidin-2-amines were prepared. Potent Mnk2 inhibitors, FLT3 inhibitors, and dual inhibitors of Mnk2 and FLT3 were identified and their anti-proliferative activities assessed against MV4-11 AML cell lines. Dual inhibition of FLT3 and Mnk2 caused the increased apoptotic cell death of MV4-11 cells compared to inhibition of FLT3 or Mnk2 alone. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Growth factors and cytokines control cell growth, proliferation and differentiation via a network of inter- and intracellular signalling pathways, and are involved in skin self-renewing and wound healing. In recent years, topical and injectable growth factors and cytokines have emerged as an intriguing therapeutic modality that can be harnessed for aesthetic purposes. However, very little data are available on their long-term safety and tolerability. In this report, we describe two cases of patients, who developed intramuscular lipoma of the chin following topical injection with a mixture of basic fibroblast growth factor as the main ingredients for chin augmentation. Biopsies in the two cases were performed at our department, and revealed intramuscular lipoma. Our report indicates that the topical injection of growth factors can lead to tumorigenesis, so health care providers need to be aware of its potential consequences.

Leptin has been identified as an important cytokine in the inflammatory networks of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Higher serum leptin levels may accelerate the development of RA. This study aimed to examine the effects of vitamin A (VitA) and vitamin E (VitE) on the levels of leptin and other related experimental and clinical indices, and to explore the mechanisms of these effects through the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signal transduction pathway in rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). CIA model rats were established by the intradermal injection of bovine type II collagen emulsified in incomplete Freund’s adjuvant, followed by a booster intradermal injection. Four weeks later, the CIA model rats were treated with 42.86 μg retinol equivalents/kg body weight (b.w.) VitA or 200 mg/kg b.w. VitE for four weeks. The levels of leptin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, IL-4, C-reactive protein (CRP) and rheumatic factor were measured by ELISA using commercial kits, and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was determined. In addition, the expression levels of phosphorylated (p)-STAT1, p-STAT3 and leptin in the synovium were evaluated by western blot analysis. The results indicated that VitA and VitE significantly reduced the levels of leptin, TNF-α, IL-6 and CRP and the ESR and significantly increased the levels of IL-10 compared with those of the model group. Furthermore, significantly reduced p-STAT3 protein expression levels were observed in the VitA and VitE groups. In conclusion, VitA and VitE reduced the levels of serum leptin protein and other cytokines. Furthermore, VitA and VitE also reduced the p-STAT3 protein levels. The present study may provide a novel approach for the treatment of RA.

The solubility of aceclofenac in six pure solvents from (293.35 to 338.25) K was experimentally measured using a synthetic method. The experimental results indicate obviously that the solubility of aceclofenac in the selected solvents increases with elevated temperature. Furthermore, the experimental solubility data were fitted with modified Apelblat and Wilson models. The results show that the data calculated by the two models agree with the measured data with RMSD values of no more than 2.75 %.

In this study, an acylhydrazone derivative, named N′-(2-chlorobenzylidene)-2-hydroxybenzo-hydrazide (NCH) has been synthesized by a one-pot synthesis method. Spectroscopy together with molecular modeling and electrochemistry were employed to investigate the binding behavior of NCH to serum albumin (SA), including human serum albumin (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), under physiological conditions. Unclassical static quenching has been proven in the fluorescence quenching of SA induced by NCH, due to the large activation energy requirement in the binding process. NCH was absorbed by both HSA and BSA with a 104 M−1 affinity constant. The primary binding driving force was the typical hydrophobic interaction occurring in Sudlow's site I of SA, while hydrogen bonds stabilized the NCH–SA complex and fixed the NCH configuration in the binding pocket. NCH could slightly destroy the polypeptide backbone and change the α-helix into an unordered ribbon. It was shown that NCH could efficiently bind with SA.

Breast cancer is one of the most lethal diseases world-wide. However, there is a large difference in breast cancer incidence among Caucasian, Hispanic, African and Asian (e.g. Chinese) women with Caucasian women being the highest and Asian women being the lowest. It has been suggested that the dietary factors may account for approximately 50% of the breast cancer. One of such dietary components which are typical to Asian but not Caucasian diet is soy foods. A number of epidemiological studies have suggested that increasing soy consumption could be related to the decreased risk of occurrence and/or mortality of breast cancer. In this review, we first described briefly different types of soy products and their nutritional functions and consumption. Then, we described briefly soybean isoflavones, i.e. genistein (GEN), daidzein, glycitein, and presented several lines of evidence to demonstrate the possible association of soy flavone food consumption with incidence and prognosis of breast cancer; finally, we summarized several possible molecular mechanisms, including the effects of GEN as an agonist of ERβ, epigenetic and genome-wide effects, activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, induction of apoptosis and stimulation of autophagy, involved in the chemo-preventive effects of GEN on breast cancer.

Yao Sun,1 Monika Joks,2 Li-Ming Xu,1 Xiu-Li Chen,1 Dong Qian,1 Jin-Qiang You,1 Zhi-Yong Yuan1 1Department of Radiation Oncology, CyberKnife Center, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Poznan University of Medical Science, Poznan, Poland Background: The breast is a rare site of extranodal involvement of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We aimed to assess the clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, and treatment outcomes of breast DLBCL.Patients and methods: We retrospectively analyzed 113 patients (from our institution and the literature) between 1973 and 2014. The primary end point was overall survival (OS). Kaplan–Meier OS curves were compared with the log-rank test. Cox regression analysis was applied to determine the prognostic factors for OS, progression-free survival (PFS), local control (LC), and cause-specific survival (CSS).Results: A total of 113 patients were included in the study: 42 cases from our hospital and 71cases from 12 publications. The median age at diagnosis was 58 years. With a median follow-up time of 39.2 months, the estimated 5-year OS, PFS, LC, and CSS were 71.4%, 58.8%, 75.6%, and 74.9%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, more than four cycles of chemotherapy, having localized cancer, lumpectomy with or without axillary lymph node (ALN) dissection,and low to low-to-intermediate International Prognostic Index were favorable factors for OS. For PFS, significant prognostic factors were rituximab use, B symptoms, and tumor size. As for the local group, lumpectomy with or without ALN dissection and more than four cycles of chemotherapy were favorable factors for OS. Tumor size >4 cm and nonuse of rituximab were adverse factors for PFS. Twenty-one patients (18.6%) developed local relapse and 33 (29.2%) developed systemic relapse. Eight patients had central nervous system relapse (7.3%).Conclusion: Our results reveal that local and extended staging criteria can reflect the different prognosis and treatment outcomes of breast DLBCL. Rituximab use, lumpectomy, and more than four cycles of chemotherapy are recommended as a treatment regimen. However, further study is warranted to validate our data. Keywords: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, breast, rituximab, surgery, chemotherapy

The title nanobelts are synthesized by chemical vapor transport reaction of Hf and S powders (quartz tube, 650 °C, temperature gradient about 10 K/cm, 5 h).

The goal of this study was to develop a sensitive, specific, and accurate method for the selective detection of viable Escherichia coli O157:H7 cells in foods. A unique open reading frame (ORF), Z3276, was identified as a specific genetic marker for the detection of E. coli O157:H7. We developed a real-time PCR assay with primers and probe targeting ORF Z3276 and confirmed that this assay was sensitive and specific for E. coli O157:H7 strains ( n = 298). Using this assay, we can detect amounts of genomic DNA of E. coli O157:H7 as low as a few CFU equivalents. Moreover, we have developed a new propidium monoazide (PMA)–real-time PCR protocol that allows for the clear differentiation of viable from dead cells. In addition, the protocol was adapted to a 96-well plate format for easy and consistent handling of a large number of samples. Amplification of DNA from PMA-treated dead cells was almost completely inhibited, in contrast to the virtually unaffected amplification of DNA from PMA-treated viable cells. With beef spiked simultaneously with 8 × 10 7 dead cells/g and 80 CFU viable cells/g, we were able to selectively detect viable E. coli O157:H7 cells with an 8-h enrichment. In conclusion, this PMA–real-time PCR assay offers a sensitive and specific means to selectively detect viable E. coli O157:H7 cells in spiked beef. It also has the potential for high-throughput selective detection of viable E. coli O157:H7 cells in other food matrices and, thus, will have an impact on the accurate microbiological and epidemiological monitoring of food safety and environmental sources.

According to the demanded functions, a novel hardening accelerating and water reducing admixture has been excogitated which is based on a polycarboxylate superplasticizer and cooperated with some other hardening accelerants at the same time, and has many merits such as chloride free、sulfate free、low total alkali content、low dosage、high water reducing rate、high early strength and so on. The performance of this admixture has proved to be outstanding especially in accelerating the early strength of 12 hours and 24 hours age in the concrete tests.

This study presents an experimental investigation of the relationship between liquid surface tension and fabrics water retention in dehydration processes such as centrifuging, line drying and heat drying. Selected surfactants were used to prepare wash baths with different surface tension, and dehydrating experiments of cotton fabric after immersion in above bath were conducted. The results showed that lower surface tension is beneficial to reducing fabrics water retention by centrifuging and improving line drying efficiency and heat drying efficiency. It was assumed that water with low surface tension is easy to drop down or separate from fabric, thus improving the de-watering and drying efficiency.

Cerebral vascular disease is very common in the elderly and is one of the most dangerous diseases which is hazardous to the body’s health, and it is the medical specialists’ study hot spot not only in the clinical field but also in the medical basic research field. Neural regeneration has been paid more and more attention in recent years. Nogo’s function in the process of neural regeneration has become the focal point since it was discovered in the year 2000. Many studies elucidate that Nogo negatively affects the neural regeneration and plasticity. Chinese medicine plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of neural diseases, and recently some researches about the Chinese medicine’s intervention effect on Nogo-A/NgR sprang up, so it is necessary to make a review on this aspect.

The regioslective reduction of electron- rich dienes to monoolefins and the reductive cleav- age of allyl esters were fulfilled by employing a sodium borohydride-nickel chloride-methanol cata- lytic system with exceedingly simple manipulations and high functional group tolerability. Both of the reductive reactions may involve p-allylnickel inter- mediates generated from fresh nickel boride.