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Abstract: To determine the influence of metal ion and the auxiliary ligand on the formation of metal–organic frameworks, six new coordination polymers, {[Mn2(bpdc)(bpy)3(H2O)2]·2ClO4 ·H2O} n (1), {[Mn(bpdc)(dpe)]·CH3OH·2H2O} n (2), {[Cu(bpdc)(H2O)2]} n (3), {[Zn(bpdc)(H2O)2]} n (4), {[Cd(bpdc)(H2O)3]·2H2O} n (5), and {[Co(bpdc)(H2O)3]·0.5dpe·H2O} n (6) (H2bpdc=2,2′-bipyridine-3,3′-dicarboxylic acid, bpy=2,2′-bipyridine, dpe=1,2-di(4-pyridyl) ethylene), have been synthesized and characterized. Compound 1 forms 1D helical chain structure containing two unique MnII ions. In 2, the bridging ligand dpe links Mn-bpdc double zigzag chains to generate a layer possesses rectangular cavities. In 3, bpdc2− ligand connects to three metal centers forming a 2D network. Different from the above compounds, 4 displays a 1D double-wavelike chain. Compound 5 features a helical chain. Compound 6 also displays a helical chain with guest molecule dpe existing in the structure. These diverse structures illustrate rational adjustment of metal ions and the second ligand is a good method for the further design of helical compounds with novel structures and properties. In addition, the magnetic properties of 2, 3 and 6, the thermal stabilities and photoluminescence properties of 4 and 5 were also studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two new co-crystal copper(II) melamine complexes, [Cu(HBA)2(MA)2] [Cu(HBA)2] (1) and [Cu2(OAc)4(MA)·(H2O)]2[Cu(HPE)2] (2), MA, melamine; HBA, 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde; HPE, 1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethanone, have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Crystal structural analysis reveals that 1 and 2 all are co-crystal complexes and composed of two neutral coordination units. In 1, two mononuclear units adopt square planar and distorted octahedral coordination environments, respectively. In 2, one is a mononuclear unit with a square planar geometry and the other is a dinuclear unit with a paddle wheel structure in which the apical positions are rarely occupied by two different donor ligands. The 2D supramolecular structures are formed through strong hydrogen bonds with different modes. The electrochemical behaviors of complexes 1 and 2 were investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel Ag(I) compound [Ag(H2cpop)(bpy)] n (1) (H3cpop=4-(4-carboxyphenoxy) phthalic acid, bpy=4,4′-bipyridine), has been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. H3cpop came from the in situ decarboxylation of H4odp (H4odp=4,4′-oxydiphthalic acid) in the hydrothermal reactions. Compound 1 was obtained from the self-assembly of Ag(I) salt with bpy and H4odp ligands to form a 1D chain bearing hooks with carboxyl groups. The two chains are recognized each other to generate molecular zipper structure by hydrogen bonding interaction between the bearing carboxyl groups. Compound 1 is stable in air, and show intense photoluminescence at room temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Interleukin-27 (IL-27) is a novel IL-12 family member that plays a critical role in the regulation of T-cell responses. Its immunoregulatory effects on endothelial cells (EC) remain unexplored. Here we show a role for IL-27 in the induction of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression in primary human EC. Stimulation of human umbilical vein ECs by IL-27 rapidly induces IFN regulatory factor–1 and dramatically increases the expression of major histocompatibility class II transactivator (CIITA) isoform IV. Expression of this transactivator correlates with increased MHC class II gene expression. IL-27 also enhances expression of MHC class I molecules. Furthermore expression of β2-microglobulin and transporter associated with antigen processing–1 transcripts increases in response to IL-27. Additional microarray analysis demonstrates that IL-27 significantly upregulates a panel of genes that correlates with immune regulation, including the chemokines CXCL9, CXCL10, and CX3CL1 in human umbilical vein ECs. This first demonstration that both MHC II and I expression are increased in EC after IL-27 stimulation suggests that IL-27 may be important in conferring immune function on vascular endothelium. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We evaluated the potential effectiveness of dynamic contrast-enhanced perfusion-weighted images (PWI) in determining hemodynamic activation in brain structures that may be involved in mediating the symptomatology of patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), as manifested by contamination obsessions with washing compulsions. Ten unmedicated female patients with OCD were subjected to PWI, and relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in each region of interest (ROI) and self-ratings of OCD symptoms were compared before and after symptom provocation. We found that increases in the Anxiety Analogue Scale (AAS) and OCD Analogue Scale (OCDAS) scores were each significantly associated with provocation. The correlations between OCDAS and AAS scores were also statistically significant during both the control and provoked conditions. Compared with the control state, there was a significant increase in rCBF during the symptomatic state in the right head of caudate nucleus, thalamus, and bilateral orbitofrontal cortices (OFC). No statistical changes in rCBF were found in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortices (ACC). These findings demonstrate that OCD symptomatology is accompanied by anxiety, and that abnormal features are particularly apparent in the orbitofrontal-subcortical circuits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Balanophora subgen. Balania (Balanophoraceae), whose members differ from those of the other subgenus in having three-merous male flowers, includes B. flava, B. involucrata, B. tobiracola, the B. harlandii assemblage, and the agamospermic species B. japonica. Species limits of B. flava, B. involucrata, and the B. harlandii as currently circumscribed (B. harlandii assemblage) have long been controversial. Here, species limits in subgen. Balania are explored based on morphological characters and phylogenetic analysis using nuclear 18S and ITS ribosomal DNA sequences. Subgen. Balania was monophyletic if B. japonica is excluded. Balanophora harlandii assamblage was polyphyletic and three lineages, B. harlandii, B. kawakamii, and B. henryi, were recovered in the assemblage. Molecular and morphological divergence, distribution, and phenology provided strong support for the recognition of these lineages as distinct species, namely B. harlandii, B. kawakamii, and B. henryi. The findings also suggested that B. flava should be reduced to synonym under B. involucrata, thus supporting Hansen's treatment of both dioecious and monoecious populations as members of a single species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel turn-on fluorescence probe L has been designed that exhibits high selectivity and sensitivity with a detection limit of 9.53 × 10−8 mol/L for the quantification of Zn2+. 1H-NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the unsymmetrical nature of the structure of the Schiff base probe L. An emission titration experiment in the presence of different molar fractions of Zn2+ was used to perform a Job's plot analysis. The results showed that the stoichiometric ratio of the complex formed by L and Zn2+ was 1:1. Moreover, the molecular structure of the mononuclear Cu complex reveals one ligand L coordinates with one Cu atom in the asymmetric unit. On adding CuCl2 to the ZnCl2/L system, a Cu-Zn complex was formed and a strong quenching behavior was observed, which inferred that the Cu2+ displaced Zn2+ to coordinate with the imine nitrogen atoms and hydroxyl oxygen atoms of probe L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TP73-AS1 is over-expressed in glioma leading to poor prognosis. • Silence of TP73-AS1 inhibited glioma cells proliferation and stimulates apoptosis. • TP73-AS1 enhanced GALNT7 expression via antagonizing miR-103a in glioma cells. Glioma is the most aggressive, commonly occurring brain tumor in adults. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are among the gene expression regulators in cancer development. Previous research posited that the up-regulation of LncRNA TP73-AS1 (TP73-AS1) in glioma is linked to low survival rates. However, the precise LncRNA TP73-AS1 mechanism in glioma remains unknown. Herein, we found that TP73-AS1 was up-regulated in glioma and was associated with a dismal prognosis. The silencing of TP73-AS1 repressed the multiplication of glioma cells and caused cell death. Mechanistically, we identified that TP73-AS1 in glioma acts as a ceRNA by sequestering miR-103a from GALNT7. Further, the results of this study revealed a reciprocal expression between TP73-AS1 and miR-103a, and a positive regulation between TP73-AS1 and GALNT7, validating the identified mechanism. Besides, luciferase reporter assay identified miR-103a as the direct binding site of both TP73-AS1 and GALNT7. Moreover, the findings of CCK-8 and colony-formation assays indicated that exogenous expression of GALNT7 reversed TP73-AS1-induced division inhibition of glioma cells. Altogether, our results established that TP73-AS1 facilitates the progression of glioma through competing for endogenous RNA (ceRNA) in a TP73-AS1/miR-103a/GALNT7 loop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the impact of dietary supplementation with Chinese herbal additives on the serum immunity, cytokines, antioxidant indices, and rectal microbiota in Simmental beef cattle. Using a single-factor randomized block design, 20 healthy Simmental beef cattle with an average age of 12 months and a mean weight of (268.80 ± 4.95) kg were randomly assigned to a control group (CG group) and an experimental group (AG group), with 10 replicates per group and one beef cattle per replicate. The CG group was fed a basal diet, while the AG group received an additional 100 g/(head-day) of Chinese herbal additives on the basis of basal diet. The pre-feeding period lasted for five days, followed by a formal experimental period of 60 days. The results showed that compared to the CG group, the AG group showed an increase of 12.70% and 7.58% in the serum IgA and IL-6 concentrations (P<0.05), the serum T-SOD activity increased by 3.13% (P<0.05), the MDA content decreased by 28.87% (P<0.05), and the T-AOC increased by 1.39% (P>0.05). The Shannon, Chao1, and Ace indices of the intestinal flora of Simmental beef cattle in the AG group increased by 0.17%, 1.51%, and 0.96% compared with the CG group, respectively (P>0.05). In the AG group, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia increased by 6.50% and 2.94% (P>0.05), respectively. Compared to the CG group, Firmicutes decreased by 5.94% (P>0.05). The relative abundance of unclassified Bacteroidetes was higher in the AG group (P<0.05), and the relative abundance of Phocaeicola and Alistipes increased by 8.33% and 16.45% (P>0.05), respectively. The study indicates that the addition of Chinese herbal additives can enhance the immune level and antioxidant capacity of Simmental beef cattle, increase the relative abundance of intestinal microbiota, promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, and improve the cattle's ability to digest fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atrial esophageal fistula (AEF) is a lethal complication that can occur post atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. Esophageal injury (EI) is likely to be the initial lesion leading to AEF. Endoscopic examination is the gold standard for a diagnosis of EI but extensive endoscopic screening is invasive and costly. This study was conducted to determine whether fecal calprotectin (Fcal), a marker of inflammation throughout the intestinal tract, may be associated with the existence of esophageal injury. Methods: This diagnostic study was conducted in a cohort of 166 patients with symptomatic AF undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation from May 2020 to June 2021. Fcal tests were performed 1–7 days after ablation. All patients underwent endoscopic ultrasonography 1 or 2 days after ablation. Results: The levels of Fcal were significantly different between the EI and non‐EI groups (404.9 µg/g (IQR 129.6–723.6) vs. 40.4 µg/g (IQR 15.0–246.2), p <.001). Analysis of ROC curves revealed that a Fcal level of 125 µg/g might be the optimal cut‐off value for a diagnosis of EI, giving a 78.8% sensitivity and a 65.4% specificity. The negative predictive value of Fcal was 100% for ulcerated EI. Conclusions: The level of Fcal is associated with EI post AF catheter ablation. 125 µg/g might be the optimal cut‐off value for a diagnosis of EI. Negative Fcal could predict the absence of ulcerated EI, which could be considered a precursor to AEF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 8 August 2017 an earthquake (MS7.0) occurred within Jiuzhaigou County, Northern Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China, triggering 4834 landslides with an individual area greater than 7.8 m2 over a more than 400 km2 region. Instead of correlating geological and topographic factors with the coseismic landslide distribution pattern, this study has attempted to reveal the control from seismic landslide susceptibility mapping, which relies on the calculation of critical acceleration values using a simplified Newmark block model. We calculated the average critical acceleration for each cell of the gridded study area (1 km×1 km), which represented the seismic landslide susceptibility of the cell. An index of the potential landslide area generation rate was defined, i.e., the possible landsliding area in each grid cell. In combination with PGA (peak ground acceleration) distribution, we calculated such indexes for each cell to predict the possible landslide hazard under seismic ground shaking. Results show that seismic landslide susceptibility plays an important role in determining the coseismic landslide pattern. The places with high seismic landslide susceptibility tends to host many landslides. Additionally, the areas with high potential landslide area generation rates have high real landslide occurrence rates, consistent with dominant small-medium scale landslides by this earthquake. This approach can aid assessment of seismic landslide hazards at a preliminary stage. Additionally, it forms a foundation for further research, such as the rapid evaluation of post-earthquake landslides and identifying highly impacted areas to help decision makers prioritize disaster relief efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "A comparison of risk factors for age-related macular degeneration and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in Chinese patients" has been retracted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is a risk factor for poor long-term outcomes and a prognostic factor for disease-free survival in colon cancer. Preoperative lymph node status evaluation remains a challenge. The purpose of this study is to determine whether tumor size measured by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) could be used to predict LNM and N stage in colon cancer. Material and methods: One hundred six patients with colon cancer who underwent radical surgery within 1 week of MDCT scan were enrolled. Tumor size including tumor length (Tlen), tumor maximum diameter (Tdia), tumor maximum cross-sectional area (Tare), and tumor volume (Tvol) were measured to be correlated with pathologic LNM and N stage using univariate logistic regression analysis, multivariate logistic analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: The inter- and intraobserver reproducibility of Tlen (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.94, 0.95, respectively), Tdia (ICC = 0.81, 0.93, respectively), Tare (ICC = 0.97, 0.91, respectively), and Tvol (ICC = 0.99, 0.99, respectively) parameters measurement are excellent. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that there were significant differences in Tlen, Tdia, Tare, and Tvol between positive and negative LNM (p < 0.001, 0.001, < 0.001, < 0.001, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that Tvol was independent risk factor for predicting LNM (odds ratio, 1.082; 95% confidence interval for odds ratio, 1.039, 1.127, p<0.001). Tlen, Tdia, Tare, and Tvol could distinguish N0 from N1 stage (p < 0.001, 0.041, < 0.001, < 0.001, respectively), N0 from N2 (all p < 0.001), N0 from N1-2 (p < 0.001, 0.001, < 0.001, < 0.001, respectively), and N0-1 from N2 (p < 0.001, 0.001, < 0.001, < 0.001, respectively). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was higher for Tvol than that of Tlen, Tdia, and Tare in identifying LNM (AUC = 0.83, 0.82, 0.69, 0.79), and distinguishing N0 from N1 stage (AUC = 0.79, 0.78, 0.63, 0.74), N0 from N2 stage (AUC = 0.92, 0.89, 0.80, 0.89, respectively), and N0-1 from N2 stage (AUC = 0.84, 0.79, 0.76, 0.83, respectively). Conclusion: Tumor size was correlated with regional LNM in resectable colon cancer. In particularly, Tvol showed the most potential for noninvasive preoperative prediction of regional LNM and N stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the growth response and sugar accumulation of lettuce exposed to different lighting modes of red and blue LED light based on the same daily light integral (7.49 μmol·m−2). Six lighting treatments were performed, that were monochromatic red light (R), monochromatic blue light (B), simultaneous red and blue light as the control (RB, R:B = 1:1), mixed modes of R, B and RB (R/RB/B, 4 h R to 4 h RB and then 4 h B), and alternating red and blue light with alternating intervals of 4 h and 1 h respectively recorded as R/B(4 h) and R/B(1 h). The Results showed that different irradiation modes led to obvious morphological changes in lettuce. Among all the treatments, the highest fresh and dry weight of lettuce shoot were both detected with R/B(1 h), significantly higher than the other treatments. Compared with plants treated with RB, the contents of fructose, glucose, crude fiber as well as the total sweetness index (TSI) of lettuce were significantly enhanced by R treatment; meanwhile, monochromatic R significantly promoted the activities of sucrose degrading enzymes such as acid invertase (AI) and neutral invertase (NI), while obviously reduced the activity of sucrose synthesizing enzyme (SPS). Additionally. The highest contents of sucrose and starch accompanied with the strongest activity of SPS were detected in plants treated with R/B(1 h). The alternating treatments R/B(4 h) and R/B(1 h) inhibited the activity of SS, while enhanced that of SPS compared with the other treatments, indicating that different light environment might influence sugar compositions via regulating the activities of sucrose metabolism enzymes. On the whole, R/B(1 h) was the optimal lighting strategy in terms of lettuce yield, taste and energy use efficiency in the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Artesunate (ART) has potent anticancer activity but it suffers from poor stability and low bioavailability in vivo due to the special endoperoxide moiety in the molecules. In this work, we fabricated programmable enzyme/reactive oxygen species (ROS) responsive ART complex carriers with size and charge adaptive regulation in order to improve stability and overcome biochemical hurdles of solid tumor. The complex carries (ART/AA-PAMAM@HA) were created by electrostatic interaction between dendrimer-ART/arachidonic acid (AA) (ART/AA-PAMAM) and hyaluronic acid (HA), which can proactively penetrate deeply into tumors and selective drug release. Specifically, ART induced Fenton reaction and produced a mass of ROS and lipid peroxides (LPO), leading to the depressing of GSH level and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) activity. Meanwhile, exogenous AA further promoted the accumulation of LPO by cascade regulating ferroptosis pathway. In the anti-tumor efficacy in vivo, the tumor inhibition ratio was achieved to 46.92%. This work shows a new anti-tumor strategy triggering ferroptosis via regulating redox homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold-atom interferometers have matured into a powerful tool for fundamental physics research, and they are currently moving from realizations in the laboratory to applications in the field. A radio frequency (RF) generator is an indispensable component of these devices for controlling lasers and manipulating atoms. In this work, we developed a compact RF generator for fast switching and sweeping the frequencies and amplitudes of atomic-interference pulse sequences. In this generator, multi-channel RF signals are generated using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to control eight direct digital synthesizers (DDSs). We further propose and demonstrate a method for pre-loading the parameters of all the RF pulse sequences to the DDS registers before their execution, which eliminates the need for data transfer between the FPGA and DDSs to change RF signals. This sharply decreases the frequency-switching time when the pulse sequences are running. Performance characterization showed that the generated RF signals achieve a 100 ns frequency-switching time and a 40 dB harmonic-rejection ratio. The generated RF pulse sequences were applied to a cold-atom-interferometer gyroscope, and the contrast of atomic interference fringes was found to reach 38%. This compact multi-channel generator with fast frequency/amplitude switching and/or sweeping capability will be beneficial for applications in field-portable atom interferometers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Due to dramatic growth of the aging population worldwide, there has been an urgent call for a public health strategy to manage healthy aging, with the ultimate goal being advancement of aging research. Considerable progress has been made in uncovering the mystery of aging process using multidisciplinary methods. There is a growing consensus in the field that aging traits which were originally thought to be disparate are likely to be interconnected. Thus, emerging research is needed to incorporate current findings of aging by building multiscale network models. This study reported the network of healthy aging research using bibliometric approaches. Based on the results, aging of the brain and muscle is a primary research focus which is a critical part of the multiscale network regulating the aging process. Among aging-associated diseases, Alzheimer's disease and frailty are among the main research focuses, and emerging work has focused on developing diagnostic tools for these diseases. For research on anti-aging interventions, calorie restriction, physical activity, and anti-aging pharmacology are the main interventions, of which the underlying mechanisms have been comprehensively studied in animal models. Highlights • A comprehensive and integrative view of current research findings on healthy aging • Brain and muscle aging is the research focus and regulating aging throughout the body • Alzheimer's disease and frailty are the intensively studied aging-associated diseases • Calorie restriction, exercise, and drugs are the majority anti-aging interventions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This study intented to clarify the intracellular effect of PAI-1 on Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) metastasis and the precise mechanism involved. Methods The metastatic properties of NSCLC cells were determined by transwell assays and wound-healing assay in vitro . The mRNA and protein expressions of genes were analyzed by Real-time qPCR and western blot, respectively. Pulmonary metastasis model of NSCLC cells was established to evaluate the pro-metastasis effect of PAI-1 and anti-metastatic effect of miR-34a in vivo . The gene targets of miR-34a were confirmed by luciferase reporter assays. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay was employed to detect the transcriptional regulation of miR-34a. Co-immunoprecipitation assay was performed to observe the interaction of proteins. Results PAI-1, which was elevated in NSCLC patients with recurrence and metastasis, augmented NSCLC metastasis and was negatively related to the prognosis of NSCLC. miR-34a, which was decreased in NSCLC patients with metastasis, attenuated NSCLC metastasis and was positively correlated with the prognosis of NSCLC. Moreover, PAI-1 was identified as the target gene of miR-34a and activated the Stat3 signaling pathway to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in NSCLC cells. PAI-1 interacted with PIAS3 to regulate Stat3-dependent gene expression and miR-34a was transcriptionally suppressed by Stat3 to form a positive regulatory loop through Stat3 signaling. Conclusion Our findings suggest that PAI-1 and miR-34a, which can be clinically utilized as biomarkers for the clinical prognosis or diagnosis of NSCLC, are potential targets for the treatment of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To explore the structural progression of X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS) in patients by using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Design. Retrospective, observational study. Methods. Patients who were diagnosed with XLRS by genetic testing underwent comprehensive ophthalmological examinations from December 2014 to October 2016. Each eye was measured by SD-OCT using the same clinical protocol. A correlation between best-corrected visual acuity (VA) and SD-OCT measurements was observed. Results. Six patients demonstrated retinoschisis (12 eyes) and typical foveal cyst-like cavities (10 eyes) on SD-OCT images with a mean logMAR VA of 0.48. The median age was 7.5 years at the initial visit. Their foveal retinal thickness (516.9 μm) and choroid thickness (351.4 μm) decreased at a rate of 38.1 and 7.5 μm, respectively, at the 10.5-month follow-up visit; however, there were no significant differences (P=0.622 and P=0.406, resp.). There was no significant correlation between VA, the foveal retinal thickness, and subfoveal choroid thickness. Conclusions. SD-OCT images for XLRS patients during the juvenile period revealed no significant changes in the fundus structure, including the foveal retinal thickness and choroid thickness within one-year follow-up. There was a lack of correlation between VA, foveal retinal thickness, and subfoveal choroid thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, whether endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is superior to conventional TBNA (cTBNA) in the diagnosis of mediastinal lymphadenopathy remains controversial. We undertook a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBNA versus cTBNA in the diagnosis of mediastinal lymphadenopathy, both in benign and malignant etiologies. Computer-based retrieval was performed on PubMed and EMBASE. The quality was evaluated according to the quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies-2, and Meta-Disc was adopted to perform meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The summary receiving operating characteristic curve as well as the areas under curve (AUC) was measured. Four studies with a total of 440 patients met the inclusion criteria. Our results showed that the pooled sensitivity was 0.90 (95 % CI 0.85-0.94) and 0.76 (95 % CI 0.68-0.82), pooled specificity was 0.75 (95 % CI 0.60-0.87) and 0.94 (95 % CI 0.86-0.98), DOR was 75.38 (95 % CI 16.38-346.97) and 108.17 (95 % CI 13.84-845.35), and AUC was 0.9339 and 0.9732 for EBUS-TBNA group and cTBNA group, respectively. Although EBUS-TBNA with a higher sensitivity performs better than cTBNA, there is lack of enough evidence regarding EBUS-TBNA being superior to cTBNA in the diagnosis of mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Considering the limitations of methodology and limited data, further robust RCTs are needed to verify the current findings and investigate the optimal choice in patients receiving TBNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Plastic-covered ridge-furrow farming systems for rainfall concentration ( RC) improve the water availability for crops and increase the water use efficiency ( WUE), thereby stabilizing high yields. In this study, we optimized the mulching patterns for RC planting to mitigate the risks of drought during crop production in semiarid agricultural areas. We conducted a 4-year field study to determine the RC effects on corn production of mulching in furrows with 8% biodegradable films ( RCSB), liquid film ( RCSL), bare furrow ( RCSN) and conventional flat ( CF) farming. RESULTS We found that RC significantly ( P > 0.05) increased the soil moisture in the top 0-100 cm layer and the topsoil temperature (0-20 cm) during the corn-growing period. Mulching with different materials in planting furrows further improved the rain-harvesting, moisture-retaining and yield-increasing effects of RC planting. Compared with CF, the 4-year average total dry matter amount per plant for RCSB, RCSL and RCSN treatments increased by 42.1%, 30.8% and 17.2%, respectively. The grain yield increased by 59.7%, 53.4% and 32.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION Plastic-covered ridge and furrow mulched with biodegradable film and liquid film is recommended for use in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China to alleviate the effects of drought on crop production. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The employment of the new Schiff base ligand 2‐[(4‐chloro‐2‐hydroxybenzylideneamino)methyl]phenol (H2L) bearing O2N donors for the preparation of a novel Co6 cluster is reported. The hexanuclear cobalt complex, namely, di‐μ2‐acetatotetrakis{μ2‐2‐[(4‐chloro‐2‐oxidobenzylideneamino)methyl]phenolato}tetra‐μ3‐methanolato‐tetracobalt(II)dicobalt(III), [CoII4CoIII2(C14H10ClNO2)4(CH3COO)2(CH3O)4], was obtained using Co(CH3COO)2·4H2O and H2L as starting materials in MeOH under solvothermal conditions. The six metal ions are linked together by the μ3‐O atoms of four deprotonated MeOH molecules, two CH3COO− units and six phenolate O atoms of four L2− ligands to form a defect disk‐shaped topology. DC magnetic susceptibility investigations revealed the existence of antiferromagnetic interactions in the Co6 cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two new types of Zn-MOF { [Zn(CIA2−)(4,4′-BB)]·0·75H 2 O} n and Co-MOF [Co(CIA2−)(4,4′-BB)·H 2 O] n were synthesized by solvothermal method. • Zn-MOF sensor can achieve the quantitative detection of His, TC, NB and PTH with high sensitivity and selectivity. • Co-MOF can be used as a photocatalyst to photo-catalyze the basic fuchsin and methylene blue dyes. In this paper, two metal-organic frameworks { [Zn(CIA)(4,4′-BB)]·0·75H 2 O} n (1) and [Co(CIA)(4,4′-BB)·H 2 O] n (2) were synthesized by using ligands 5-methoxyisophthalic acid (5-H 2 CIA) and 4,4′-bis((1 H -imidazol-1-yl)methyl)-1,1′-biphenyl (4,4′-BB) under solvothermal conditions. The structures were characterized by TG, IR, PXRD, BET, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis. The results show that 1 and 2 form a three-dimensional structure, where 1 and 2 have good thermal stability. Further study reveals that 1 shows good fluorescence properties and can be used as a fluorescence sensor to detect histidine (His), nitrobenzene (NB), tetracycline (TC) and pyrimethanil (PTH) in water. (LOD: His 0.23 μM, TC 0.17 μM, PTH 0.08 μM, NB 0.03 μM). However, 2 shows better photocatalytic activity and can be used to degrade dyes in water, such as BF (basic fuchsin) and MB (methylene blue). Under visible light irradiation, the degradation rate of BF is 95.5 % and that of MB is 76.1 %. Finally, the mechanism of detection of 1 as a fluorescence probe and the mechanism of photocatalytic degradation of 2 are discussed. Zn-MOF (1) fluorescence sensor was synthesized by hydrothermal method using carboxylic acid and imidazole. The 1 as a fluorescent probe has high sensitivity, selectivity, anti-interference and circulation ability for His-TC PTH and NB. Co-MOF (2) was synthesized by the same method. It is found that 2 can be used as photocatalyst for degradation of BF and MB dyes under visible light. Finally, the detection mechanism of 1 and the degradation mechanism of 2 were discussed. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Addressing the pervasive issue of bacteria and biofilm infections is crucial in the development of advanced antifouling wound dressings. In this study, a novel wound healing treatment using sulfobetaine (SBMA) decorated electrospun fibrous membrane based on polycaprolactone (PCL)/nitric oxide (NO) donors was developed. The fabrication involved a dual strategy, first integrating NO donors into mesoporous polydopamine (MPDA) and complexed with PCL/PEI to electrospin nanofibers. The fibrous membrane exhibited a potent antibacterial response upon irradiation at 808 nm, owing to a combination of NO and photothermal effect that effectively targets bacteria and disrupts biofilms. Surface functionalization of the membrane with PEI allowed for the attachment of SBMA via Michael addition, fabricating a zwitterionic surface, which significantly hinders protein adsorption and reduces biofilm formation on the wound dressing. In vitro and in vivo assessments confirmed the rapid bactericidal capabilities and its efficacy in biofilm eradication. Combining photothermal activity, targeted NO release and antifouling surface, this multifaceted wound dressing addresses key challenges in bacterial infection management and biofilm eradication, promoting efficient wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One new heterometallic complex [Cd 2 Cu(BTC) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ]⋅2H 2 O ( 1 ) (BTC = benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate), has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The structure indicates that the complex 1 crystallizes in triclinic, space group P ī, in which, the carboxylate groups of BTC ligand adopt μ 2 –η 1 :η 1 , and μ 2 –η 2 :η 1 coordination modes, bridging Cd(II) and Cu(II) atoms to generate 2D Cd-BTC bilayer then to a (4,6)-connected open 3D framework with 1D channels occupied by guest water molecules. In addition, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and luminescent property of 1 were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of simultaneous transcatheter corrections of perimembranous ventricular septal defect (VSD) and other congenital cardiopathies. Patients/methods From 2004 to 2012, 56 patients (25 male, 31 female), aged 14.2 ± 10.1, with compound congenital cardiovascular abnormalities underwent simultaneous transcatheter interventional procedure. Of the 56 patients, 32 had VSD and atrial septal defects (ASD); 17 had VSD and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA); and seven had VSD and pulmonary valve stenosis (PS). Percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (PBPV) was performed before the closure of VSD, PDA, or ASD. Results The combined transcatheter interventional procedure was successfully performed in all patients. Among these, two occluders were implanted in each of 49 patients, seven patients with VSD combined with PS underwent successfully balloon valvuloplasty and VSD closure. The size of VSD, ASD and PDA detected by TTE was 4.8 ± 1.7 mm, 9.0 ± 5.0 mm and 4.5 ± 2.5 mm, respectively. The occluder diameter of VSD, ASD and PDA was 7.6 ± 2.2 mm, 14.3 ± 6.2 mm and 7.9 ± 3.2 mm, respectively. The peak-to-peak transpulmonary gradient decreased from 60.4 ± 19.7 mmHg to 15.0 ± 5.0 mmHg (p < 0.001) in seven patients with VSD combined with PS. One patient with VSD and ASD had a permanent pacemaker implanted because of third-degree atrioventricular block two months after the procedure. There were not serious adverse events in relation to the combined procedures during the 23.8 ± 20.7 months of follow-up in other 55 patients. Conclusion The simultaneous treatment of VSD and other congenital cardiopathies using transcatheter-based procedures is safe and effective, which can provide satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two coordination polymers, [M(cbdc)(bipy)(HO)] [M = Zn ( 1), Cd ( 2)]. (Hcbdc = 1,1-cyclobutane dicarboxylic acid, bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine), have been synthesized by using Zn(II)/Cd(II) acetate with cbdc and bipy ligands under hydrothermal conditions. Their structures have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray crystallography and powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Complexes 1 and 2 are isostructural and show a 3D pillared-layer network with (3,4)-connected InS topology. The luminescent properties of the complexes and the free ligand have been investigated. Graphical Abstract: Two novel coordination polymers based on the flexible alicyclic dicarboxylic acid ligand 1,1-cyclobutane dicarboxylic acid (Hcbdc) ligand have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Complexes 1 and 2 are isostructural and show a 3D pillared-layer network with (3,4)-connected InS topology. The luminescent properties of the complexes and the free ligand have been investigated.[Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two new zn (II) coordination polymers were synthesized and characterized. • Complex 1 and complex 2 can detect 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol (TNP), tetracycline (TET) and fluazinam (FLU) with a high sensitivity and selectivity. • Coordination polymers have shown great potential in clinical diagnosis and treatment. Two new Zn(II) coordination polymers, namely, {[Zn 2 (L)(4,4′-bip) 2 ] ·4H 2 O} n (1) {[Zn (H 2 L) (1,2-die)] · H 2 O} n (2) [H 4 L = 5, 5′-(ethane-1, 2-diyl) diisophthalic acid, 4, 4′-bip = 4, 4′ - bis (1-imidazolyl) biphenyl , 1, 2-die = 1,2-di(pyridin-4-yl)ethene] have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, IR spectra and fluorescent analysis. Coordination polymers 1 and 2 are 2D network structures. They both have 3D supramolecular structures based on the interspersion of 2D networks. They can detect 2, 4, 6-trinitrophenol (TNP), tetracycline (TET) and fluazinam (FLU) by fluorescence quenching. And the possible reasons for the quenching of TNP, TET, and FLU were discussed in detail, which may be energy resonance transfer. These new zinc coordination polymers could be used multifunctional sensors on NACs, antibiotics and pesticides in the future. In addition, the results of fluorescence sensing experiments show that Zn(II) coordination polymers composed of different auxiliary N donors have significant influence on the detection limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cd-MOF fluorescence sensor was synthesized by hydrothermal method using carboxylic acid and imidazole. The sensor not only has good stability under different pH conditions, but also has high sensitivity, selectivity, anti-interference and circulation ability for His NB TC and PTH. It is particularly significant that the sensor can effectively detect pesticides in peel and Yanhe River water. [Display omitted] • A new type of Cd-MOF ([Cd(CIA)(44′-BB)·H 2 O]·H 2 O) was synthesized by solvothermal method. • Cd-MOF sensors can achieve the quantitative detection of His, NB, TC, and PTH with high sensitivity and selectivity. • Cd-MOF can achieve fast response and recycling when used as fluorescence sensor. • Cd-MOF can be applied to real samples when used as fluorescence sensor. • The possible mechanism of Cd-MOF in the detection process was discussed. A novel metal–organic framework (MOF) with the formula of [Cd(CIA)(4,4′-BB)·H 2 O]·H 2 O (Cd-MOF) (H 2 CIA = 5-methoxyisophthalic acid, 4,4′-BB: 4,4′-bis((1 H -imidazol-1-yl)methyl)-1,1′-biphenyl) has been designed and synthesized through solvothermal reaction. The structure was characterized by TG, IR, PXRD, elemental analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and XPS. The coordination pattern of the fully deprotonated ligand (CIA) in Cd-MOF is μ 2 - к 1: к 0: к 2. The complex is found to be a three-dimensional reticular material with good thermal stability. Further study revealed that Cd-MOF has good fluorescence performance and can be used as a fluorescent probe for sensitive detection of histidine (His), nitrobenzene (NB), tetracycline (TC) and pyrimethanil (PTH) in water. Four cycles experiments can be achieved with a low detection limit. The detection limits were 0.3 µM (His), 0.05 µM (NB), 0.2 µM (TC) and 0.01 µM (PTH), respectively. To verify the feasibility of detecting PTH in real samples, we further explored it in water samples and apple peels. The spiked recoveries were 95.3–99.4 % and 97.2–101.2 %, respectively. Finally, the fluorescence quenching mechanism of Cd-MOF in His, NB, TC and PTH detection is discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two new zn (II) coordination polymers were synthesized and characterized. • Complex 1 and complex 2 can detect 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol (TNP), tetracycline (TET) and fluazinam (FLU) with a high sensitivity and selectivity. • Coordination polymers have shown great potential in clinical diagnosis and treatment. Two new Zn(II) coordination polymers, namely, {[Zn 2 (L)(4,4′-bip) 2 ] ·4H 2 O} n (1) {[Zn (H 2 L) (1,2-die)] · H 2 O} n (2) [H 4 L = 5, 5′-(ethane-1, 2-diyl) diisophthalic acid, 4, 4′-bip = 4, 4′ - bis (1-imidazolyl) biphenyl , 1, 2-die = 1,2-di(pyridin-4-yl)ethene] have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, IR spectra and fluorescent analysis. Coordination polymers 1 and 2 are 2D network structures. They both have 3D supramolecular structures based on the interspersion of 2D networks. They can detect 2, 4, 6-trinitrophenol (TNP), tetracycline (TET) and fluazinam (FLU) by fluorescence quenching. And the possible reasons for the quenching of TNP, TET, and FLU were discussed in detail, which may be energy resonance transfer. These new zinc coordination polymers could be used multifunctional sensors on NACs, antibiotics and pesticides in the future. In addition, the results of fluorescence sensing experiments show that Zn(II) coordination polymers composed of different auxiliary N donors have significant influence on the detection limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reviews have shown that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) were effective in improving cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs), but the results were contradictory. This umbrella review aimed to summarize and grade the existing reviews on CVRFs associated with MBIs. The protocol of this umbrella review had been registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022356812). PubMed, Web of science, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, Medline, PsycINFO and CINAHL were searched from database inception to 20 July 2022. The quality of evidence was assessed through GRADE. Twenty-seven reviews with 14,923 participants were included. Overall, 45% of reviews had low heterogeneity (I 2 < 25%). For the quality of evidence, 31% were rated very low, 42% were rated low, 17% were rated moderate and 10% were rated high. MBIs significantly improved systolic blood pressure [SMD -5.53 mmHg (95% CI -7.81, −3.25)], diastolic blood pressure [SMD -2.13 mmHg (95% CI -2.97, −1.30)], smoking [Cohen's d 0.42 (95% CI 0.20, 0.64)], glycosylated hemoglobin [MD 0.01 (95% CI -0.43, −0.07)], binge eating behavior [SMD -6.49 (95% CI -10.80, −2.18)], depression [SMD -0.72 (95% CI -1.23, −0.21)] and stress [SMD -0.67 (95% CI -1.00, −0.34)]. In conclusion, this umbrella review provided evidence for the role of MBIs in the improvement of CVRFs. • This umbrella review included 27 reviews from 481 individual studies. • Mindfulness-based interventions significantly improved depression and stress. • Mindfulness-based interventions could reduce specific cardiovascular risk factors. • Mindfulness-based interventions could prevent cardiovascular disease. • This is the first umbrella review of the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sub-acute toxicity test was performed to investigate the effects of molybdenum (Mo) on ovarian function. ICR adult female mice were exposed to Mo by free access to distilled water containing the Mo at 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg/L for 14 days. Compared to the control group, M II oocyte morphology, ovary index, and ovulation improved within the 5 mg/L Mo group, but were negatively affected by Mo at 40 mg/L. Morphologically abnormal ovarian mitochondria were observed at ≥ 20 mg/L. These alterations accompanied the changes in superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidise (GPx), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in ovaries. In conclusion, Mo affects oocyte quality possibly through regulating ovarian oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner. It appears that Mo may improve ovarian function at a suitable concentration, which might be a candidate for the treatment of female infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the role of region of interest (ROI) selection of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) for predicting lymph node metastases (LNM) and tumor response after chemoradiation therapy (CRT) in locally advanced rectal cancer.Materials and Methods: Seventy-nine patients with biopsy-proven rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent pre- and post-CRT MRI and surgery were prospectively enrolled. The exclusion criteria included nonresectable and/or metastatic disease and loss of follow-up. Pathological stage was determined using ypTNM stage and tumor regression grade. Slow diffusion coefficient (D), fast diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion-related diffusion fraction (f), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and their percentage changes (Δ%) were evaluated by two readers using whole-volume, single-slice and small samples ROI methods. Risk factors including carcinoembryonic antigen, post-CRT T-staging, extramural venous invasion and IVIM parameters were evaluated through multivariate analyses. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) were calculated to evaluate diagnostic performance. Duration of follow-up was two-year. Recurrence-free survival of patients with LNM and tumor response was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis.Results: Interobserver agreement were good for pre- and post-CRT three ROI methods (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC], 0.581-0.953). Whole-volume ROI-derived Δ%D was an independent risk factor for LNM, non-pathological complete response (non-pCR) and poor response (odds ratio, 0.940, 0.952, 0.805, respectively; all p < 0.001). Whole-volume ROI-derived Δ%D showed best AUC of 0.810, 0.851 and 0.903 for LNM, non-pCR and poor response (cutoff value, 31.8%, 54.5%, 52.8%, respectively). Patients with post-CRT LNM showed reduction in 2-year recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio, 3.253).Conclusions: Whole-volume ROI-derived Δ%D provided high diagnostic performance for evaluating post-CRT LNM and tumor response. Patients with post-CRT LNM showed earlier recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Dietary salt intake may vary depending on different lifestyles. We aimed to estimate the different salt intakes and evaluate the knowledge and self-awareness about salt among people speaking the Teochew, Teochew-Hakka and Hakka dialects in the Chaoshan region of southern China.Design: The study followed a cluster sampling of residents in Chaoshan region. General characteristics, lifestyles, health status as well as knowledge and self-awareness related to salt intake were investigated using a questionnaire. Anthropometric variables as well as Na and K excretion in a 24-h urine collection were measured.Setting: Chaoshan region of China.Participants: Four hundred fifteen adults who spoke only one of these three dialects.Results: The salt intake of adults who spoke the Teochew, Teochew-Hakka and Hakka dialects was 7·19 (interquartile range (IQR) 5·29-10·17), 9·03 (IQR 6·62-11·54) and 10·12 (IQR 7·61-12·82) g/d, respectively, with significant differences between Teochew and Teochew-Hakka speakers and between Teochew and Hakka speakers (both P < 0·05). The Na:K ratio for adults who spoke the three dialects was 3·00 (IQR 2·00-4·11), 3·50 (IQR 2·64-4·82) and 4·52 (IQR 3·35-5·97), respectively, and differed significantly among the groups (all P < 0·05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed increased Na:K ratio associated with hypertension (β = 0·71, P = 0·043) in Hakka speakers. Knowledge and self-awareness about salt intake were poor in this population.Conclusions: Salt intake was closely related to lifestyles and was higher than the upper limit (5 g/d) recommended by the WHO in adults of Chaoshan, especially those speaking the Hakka dialect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xiao-Ai Jie-Du decoction (XAJDD) has been used in clinical practice to treat diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL); its prescriptions vary based on the pathogenesis of patients. We aimed to determine the core formula of XAJDD and investigate its mechanism of action against DLBCL. Apriori data mining of 187 clinical cases (including 421 Traditional Chinese Medicines, TCMs) was conducted to retrieve the core formula of XAJDD. Comprehensive in silico modeling was used to identify potential active components and corresponding targets. The potential targets of 16 compounds were identified based on network pharmacology using in silico modeling. Thereafter, experimental determination of the active compounds and their mechanism of action in treating DLBCL was performed using different assays (including CCK-8, Annexin V-FITC/PI double-staining, Western blot, and flow cytometry assays). The core formula of XAJDD included six herbs: Astragalus mongholicus Bunge (Huangqi, family: Fabaceae), Scutellaria barbata D. Don (Banzhilian, family: Lamiaceae), Prunella vulgaris L. (Xiakucao, family: Lamiaceae), Smilax glabra Roxb. (Tufuling, family Smilacaceae) and Fritillaria thunbergii Miq. (Dabei, family: Liliaceae), and Curcuma zanthorrhiza Roxb. (Ezhu, family: Zingiberaceae); Databases including 62 druggable compounds and 38 DLBCL-related structural targets were constructed; ∼0.3 million data points produced by computational modeling based on potential compounds and targets six components from XAJDD, including astibin, folic acid, baicalin, kaempferol, quercetin, and luteolin, significantly inhibited DLBCL cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and suppressed the expression of key oncogenes. This study provides an integrated strategy for determining the core formula of XAJDD and reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying the treatment of DLBCL, which were consistent with the principle of "monarch (Jun), minister (Chen), adjunctive (Zuo), and guide (Shi)", confirming that XAJDD may serve as a promising natural therapeutic agent against DLBCL. [Display omitted] • For the first time, we determined the core formula of XAJDD, which included six herbs, based on an analysis of 187 clinical cases (including 421 TCMs). • A database containing 62 druggable components of XAJDD and 38 targets related to DLBCL was constructed. • We constructed fingerprints indicating potentially active components and their corresponding targets using comprehensive in silico modeling, resulting in approximately 0.3 million data points. • Using network pharmacology, we predicted the potential targets of the 16 compounds identified by in silico modeling. • We experimentally determined the active components and their mechanisms of action for the treatment of DLBCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) volume and apparent diffusion coefficient values (ADCs) for assessing lymph node metastases (LNM) and good response after chemoradiation therapy (CRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Materials and methods: This retrospective study consisted of 61 patients with LARC who underwent pre- and post-CRT DW images. Two radiologists independently placed free-hand regions of interest in each tumor-containing section on DW images to calculate pre- and post-CRT tumor volume and tumor volume reduction rates (Δvolume). Regions of interest were drawn to include tumor on maximum cross-sectional slice to obtain ADCs. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) were calculated to evaluate diagnostic performance in identifying LNM and good response after CRT using these parameters. Results: Inter-observer agreement and intra-observer agreement were excellent for pre- and post-CRT DW MR volume (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC], 0.889–0.948) and moderate for pre- and post-CRT ADCs (ICC, 0.535–0.811). AUCs for identifying LNM were 0.508 for pre-CRT DW MR volume versus 0.705 for pre-CRT ADC, 0.855 for post-CRT DW MR volume versus 0.679 for post-CRT ADC, and 0.887 for Δvolume versus 0.533 for ΔADC. AUCs for identifying good response were 0.518 for pre-CRT volume versus 0.506 for pre-CRT ADC, 0.975 for post-CRT volume versus 0.723 for post-CRT ADC, and 0.987 for Δvolume versus 0.655 for ΔADC. Conclusion: DW MR Δvolume provided high diagnostic performance in discriminating LNM after CRT. DW MR Δvolume was equally as accurate as post-CRT DW MR volume for evaluating good response. Key Points: • Inter-observer agreement and intra-observer agreement were excellent for pre- and post-CRT DW MR volume (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC], 0.889–0.948) and moderate for pre- and post-CRT ADCs (ICC, 0.535–0.811). • DW MR Δvolume provided high diagnostic performance in identifying LNM after CRT (AUC, 0.887) and good response (AUC, 0.987) and was significantly more accurate than pre-CRT DW MR volume (AUC, 0.508 and 0.518, respectively) and ADCs (AUC, 0.705 and 0.506, respectively). • DW MR Δvolume (AUC, 0.987) was equally as accurate as post-CRT DW MR volume (AUC, 0.975) for evaluating good response, while pre-CRT DW MR volume and ADCs were not reliable for evaluating LNM and good response after CRT (AUC, 0.506–0.723). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is to investigate optimum apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) parameter for predicting lymphovascular invasion (LVI), lymph node metastasis (LNM) and histology type in resectable rectal cancer. 58 consecutive patients with resectable rectal cancer were retrospectively identified. The minimum, maximum, average ADC and ADC difference value were obtained on ADC maps. Maximum ADC and ADC difference value increased with the appearance of LVI (r = 0.501 and 0.495, P < 0.001, respectively) and development of N category (r = 0.615 and 0.695, P < 0.001, respectively). ADC difference value tended to rise with lower tumor differentiation (r = − 0.269, P = 0.041). ADC difference value was an independent risk factor for predicting LVI (odds ratio = 1.323; P = 0.005) and LNM (odds ratio = 1.526; P = 0.005). Maximum ADC and ADC difference value could distinguish N0 from N1 category, N0 from N1–N2, N0–N1 from N2 (all P < 0.001). Only ADC difference value could distinguish histology type (P = 0.041). ADC difference value had higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve than maximum ADC in identifying LVI (0.828 vs 0.797), N0 from N1 category (0.947 vs 0.847), N0 from N1–N2 (0.935 vs 0.874), and N0–N1 from N2 (0.814 vs 0.770). ADC difference value may be superior to the other ADC value parameters to predict LVI, N category and histology type of resectable rectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) including Chinese patent medicine has been widely used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Syndrome differentiation is the essence of TCM. However, the diagnostic ability of gastroenterologists to detect TCM syndromes in IBS in China remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of gastroenterologists to diagnose the TCM syndromes of IBS based on modified simple criteria compared with TCM practitioners. Methods. Patients meeting the Rome III criteria for IBS-D or IBS-C were recruited from six tertiary referral centers between January 2016 and December 2017. After learning the diagnosis criteria of the TCM syndromes in IBS, gastroenterologists first diagnosed the syndromes of the enrolled patients. Subsequently, the patients were diagnosed by TCM practitioners. The rate of agreement between the gastroenterologists and TCM practitioners was analyzed. In addition, demographic data and the distribution of TCM syndrome types in IBS were also analyzed. Results. A total of 178 patients (93 males and 85 females), including 131 patients with IBS-D and 47 patients with IBS-C, were enrolled in this study. The rate of agreement of the syndrome diagnosis between the gastroenterologists and TCM practitioners was 84.3%. The diagnosis consistency rates among IBS-D patients and IBS-C patients were 87.0% and 76.5%, respectively. The most common TCM syndrome type in IBS-D patients was liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome (27.5%), followed by spleen-yang deficiency syndrome (19.8%). Dryness and heat in intestine syndrome was the most common TCM syndrome in IBS-C patients (57.4%). Conclusions. Gastroenterologists had good diagnostic agreement with TCM practitioners for diagnosing TCM syndrome types in IBS after learning the diagnostic criteria. This knowledge can aid gastroenterologists in selecting suitable Chinese patent medicine to treat IBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the performance of gastroenterologists major in western medicine in diagnosing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome types of functional dyspepsia (FD), postprandial distress (PDS) and epigastric pain syndromes (EPS) based on the main symptoms, with that of traditional TCM practitioners in outpatient services. Methods: Patients with PDS or EPS were enrolled in the study from six tertiary referral centers between January 2016 and December 2017. Their symptoms were first diagnosed by medical doctors, and then by the TCM practitioners. The diagnostic agreement between the gastroenterologists and the TCM practitioners was calculated. The patients' data and their types of FD syndrome were collected and analyzed. Results: In total 160 patients, including 81 with PDS and 79 with EPS were enrolled. The total diagnostic consistency rate between the gastroenterologists and TCM practitioners was 86.3%, while that of PDS and EPS was 85.2% and 87.3%, respectively. The most common type of PDS diagnosed by TCM practitioners was liver‐stomach disharmony syndrome (33.3%), spleen deficiency and qi‐stagnation syndrome (33.3%), while that for EPS was liver‐stomach disharmony syndrome (36.7%). Conclusions: Gastroenterologists had a high diagnostic agreement about the types of FD syndromes based on differential diagnosis of the main symptoms, compared with TCM practitioners. This may aid gastroenterologists in selecting Chinese medicine for FD‐based on syndrome differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Ln-sulfoterephthalate coordiantion polymers, namely, [Ln(2-stp)(4,4'-bbpi) (H2O)2]⋅H2O [Ln = Eu (1), Tb (2), Dy (3)] (2-H3stp = 2-sulfoterephthalate; 4,4'-bbpi = 4,4'-bisbiphenylimidazole), were prepared by hydrothermal method and characterizatied by EA, IR, TGA, and PXRD technologies. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses show that the three complexes are isostructral twodimensional network featuring helical chain structures. The fluorescence studies show that the emissions of the coordination polymers exhibit the characteristic peaks of lanthanide ions, which means they could be potential fluorescence materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were to establish whether the sex-determining region Y gene and its mRNA transcript are present in the Y sperm and X sperm of bulls and, if present, determine their cellular localization. Semen was collected from three bulls and sorted by flow cytometry into X- and Y-chromosome populations. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to determine Sry mRNA expression in X sperm and Y sperm. The presence and localization of Sry DNA and RNA were investigated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). RT-PCR detected a single Sry transcript of 142 bp in Y sperm but not in X sperm. In Y sperm, the FISH-positive rates for Sry DNA and Sry RNA did not differ significantly from the re-analyzed Y sperm purity. In further experiments, there were no significant differences between the FISH-positive rate for Sry RNA and the re-analyzed Y sperm purity for X-sorted, Y-sorted, or unsorted sperm. In conclusion, FISH analysis revealed that Sry transcripts are present at the edges of the sperm heads of Y sperm but are absent from X sperm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Promoter-CH 4 hydrate formation in a high-pressure microcalorimeter is studied. • The CH 4 hydrate formation thermodynamic behavior depends greatly on the promoter. • The hydrate structure has little effect on its formation thermodynamic behavior. To understand the thermodynamic characteristics of CH 4 hydrate formation in a high-pressure microcalorimeter under different reaction kinetics, five typical systems including CH 4 -H 2 O, CH 4 -Tetrahydrofuran (THF)–H 2 O, CH 4 -Cyclopentane (CP)–H 2 O, CH 4 -Methyl cyclohexane (MCH)–H 2 O, and CH 4 - tert -Butyl methyl ether (TBME)–H 2 O are adopted to conduct experiments in this work. The results show that their hydrate formation thermodynamic characteristics depend greatly on the promoter. For the CH 4 -H 2 O system, a hydrate crystals film will form quickly at the beginning of the reaction, hindering the mass transfer between gas and liquid, thereby presenting an extremely slow hydrate formation kinetics. After adding the water-soluble promoter that cannot form an oil phase, like THF, a rapid hydrate formation process is observed from the cooling stage. However, if the promoter can form an oil phase (CP, MCH, and TBME), regardless of whether the promoter is soluble in water, only a slow hydrate formation kinetics can be observed. This is because the oil phase can separate the water and gas phase, reducing their mass transfer efficiency, thereby restricting the hydrate growth. Interestingly, a rapid hydrate formation process can be obtained during their heating stage. These indicate that high driving force cannot always lead to a rapid hydrate formation kinetics. It is worth mentioning that a similar hydrate formation and dissociation behavior in high-pressure microcalorimeter is observed for water-insoluble promoters (CP, MCH), indicating the hydrate structure will not significantly affect their thermodynamic behavior except for the intensity of the peaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A stable Cd-MOF was synthesized. • Cd-MOF can detect TET, PTH and AMB with low detection limits. • An "IMPLICATION" logic gate based on Cd-MOF was constructed successfully. Due to the indiscriminate abuse of pesticides and antibiotics has caused serious threats to the environment and human and animal bodies, the detection of antibiotics and pesticides has attracted widespread attention in recent years. Herein, a novel 2D Cd (II)-MOF, [Cd(L) 0.5 (1,2-bimb)] (Cd-L-1,2-bimb), [H 4 L = 1, 1′-ethylbiphenyl −3, 3′, 5, 5′- tetracarboxylic acid, 1, 2-bimb = 1, 2-bis[(1H-imidazol-1-yl) methyl] benzene] is synthesized. Cd-L-1,2-bimb has excellent stability in different organic solvents and in the range of pH 1.1–12.5. Cd-L-1,2-bimb exhibits high selectivity, high sensitivity, and fast luminescent response to pesticides [pyrimethanil (PTH, LOD = 2.2 μM) and abamectin benzoate (AMB, LOD = 2.39 μM)] and antibiotic contaminants tetracycline (TET, LOD = 0.13 μM). Cd-L-1,2-bimb displays discriminative fluorescence when detecting AMB and PTH, and is an implication logic gate. Finally, the possible detection mechanism of Cd-L-1,2-bimb toward different pollutants is also further investigated. This MOF-based multifunctional sensor opens up new prospects for environmental monitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many mutations in the retinoschisis (RS1) gene have been identified, but there are limited clinical data relating to the different genotypes. This study investigated the genotype, clinical phenotype and therapies for X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS) patients in China to evaluate the effects of gene mutations and therapies on the prognosis of the disease. Thirty patients were recruited in the study. Genetic examination identified 8 novel RS1 gene mutations. Twenty-four patients were identified as missense mutation, which was the most common gene mutation in XLRS patients. Amino acids 102 and 209 were the most common mutation areas, accounting for a total 35.7% of all patients. Mutations affecting amino acid 102 were associated with poor results on the flash electroretinogram (ERG). Sixteen patients had various complications. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs were given to four patients with hemorrhage or other complications, and serious adverse events did not occur. Our outcome demonstrates that missense mutation was the leading cause of XLRS and more than half of the patients with this missense had various complications. Anti-VEGF drugs may be an effective and safe way to prevent deterioration of XLRS with certain complications. There is wide genotypic and phenotypic variability in Chinese patients with XLRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the effects of molybdenum (Mo) on sperm parameters and testicular oxidative stress, the ICR strain of adult mice were exposed to different doses of molybdenum for a sub-acute toxicity test. Compared to the control, our results showed that the sperm parameters, including the epididymis index, sperm motility, sperm count, and morphology, increased by a moderate dose of Mo (25 mg/L), but were negatively affected at high doses (≥ 100 mg/L). In addition, the changes of sperm parameters were accompanied with changes of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in testes. In conclusion, Mo affects the sperm quality through regulating the testicular oxidative stress in a complex manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A heterometallic anionic Cd (II)-K (I)-MOF was synthesized. • Cd (II)-K (I)-MOF showed high selectivity and sensitivity to Aspartic acid. • Cd (II)-K (I)-MOF can encapsulate Eu3+ and sensitize characteristic fluorescence of Eu3+. • Eu3+@CdK-MOF can detect Ornidazole with low detection limit and the ODZ test paper was also successfully designed. • Eu3+@CdK-MOF has great potential in information encryption and decryption and information storage. A highly stable heterometallic MOF, {[(Me 2 NH 2) 2 ]·[Cd 2 K 2 (L) 2 (H 2 O)]} n (H 4 L = terphenyl-2, 2′, 4, 4′-tetracarboxylic acid) (1), was synthesized. 1 featuring one-dimensional channels can efficiently detect Aspartic acid with a low limit of detection (LOD) value (2.5 μM). More interestingly, 1 can encapsulate Eu3+ and sensitize the visible-emitting characteristic fluorescence of Eu3+ in aqueous solution. Then, Eu3+@CdK-MOF is found to be an excellent fluorescence sensor for the detection of Ornidazole (ODZ) and the portable ODZ test paper is also successfully designed. Eu3+@CdK-MOF can also be used as fluorescent ink to write some words. The words can be hidden when treated with acid vapor and then the words can be restored when treated with alkaline vapor. More importantly, the hidden information can be read repeatedly. Therefore, this reversible light-emitting and reusable property have great potential for development in information encryption and decryption and information storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel coordination polymers (CPs), formulated as {[Zn 3 (L) 1.5 (DMF) 3 ]•C 2 H 7 N} n (1), and [Zn(L) 0.5 (bpb) 0.5 (H 2 O) 2 ] n (2), (H 4 L = 1, 1′-ethylbiphenyl −3, 3′, 5, 5′- tetracarboxylic acid, bpb = 1, 4-di(pyridin-4-yl) benzene), have been acquired under hydrothermal conditions. Complexes 1 and 2 display excellent luminescence characteristics and stability in antibiotics and organic solvents. Complex 1 can detect triethylamine (TEA) and tetracycline (TET) in water by fluorescence quenching. The detection limits of 1 towards TEA and TET are 1.07 μM and 0.1 μM, respectively. Complex 2 can be used as a luminescence sensor to detect nitrobenzene (NB) and the detection limit towards NB is 0.2 μM. Moreover, complexes 1 and 2 perform excellent reproducibility, because the changes of fluorescence intensity are negligible after four cycles. The mechanism of the fluorescence quenching is discussed in detail. [Display omitted] • Two new Zn (II) Coordination polymers were synthesized and characterized. • Complex 1 can detect triethylamine (TEA) and tetracycline (TET) with a high sensitivity and selectivity. • Complex 2 could be served as a potential highly selective NB luminescent sensor with a low detection limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The object of this study was to investigate the effect of molybdenum on the development of mouse preimplantation embryos cultured in vitro. Zygotes were flushed from one outbred mouse strain (Kunming), and then were cultured in potassium simplex optimized medium (KSOM) containing 0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 120, and 160 µg/ml of molybdenum for 5 days until the mid-blastocyst stage. The addition of ≤ 20 µg/ml molybdenum did not affect the blastocyst and birth rates. Molybdenum at doses of 40 µg/ml and higher significantly decreased the cleavage, blastocyst and birth rates, the average cell number, and significantly increased the proportion of degenerative blastocysts. At 120 µg/ml molybdenum inhibited the blastocysts development to birth. At 160 µg/ml molybdenum caused overall developmental arrest (up to 16-cells) of embryos and their massive degeneration. In conclusion, molybdenum negatively affected the development of embryos in a dose-dependent manner. With lower doses (≤ 20 µg/ml), mouse embryos were not apparently damaged. With very high doses (≥ 40 µg/ml), embryo quality significantly decreased. This assessment of the effect of molybdenum on the preimplantation embryo is an initial survey of toxicological risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Flax Lignan ( FLL), a chemical widespread within the plant and animal kingdoms, has antioxidant, antiinfectious, and antitumor activities. However, little is known about the effects of FLL on the central nervous system ( CNS). Methods The neuroprotective actions of FLL against N-methyl-d-aspartate ( NMDA) are investigated in primary cultured cortical neurons by MTT assay. The expression levels of proteins related to apoptosis and GluN2-containing receptor were detected by Western blot analysis. Intracellular Ca2+ was measured under a confocal laser scanning microscope. Results After challenged with 100 μM NMDA for 30 min, loss of cell viability and excessive apoptotic cell death were observed in cultured cortical neurons. FLL protected the neurons against the NMDA-induced cell loss in a concentration-dependent manner. FLL also significantly inhibited the neuronal apoptosis induced by NMDA exposure through reversing intracellular concentration of Ca2+ overload and balancing of Bcl-2 and Bax expression. Furthermore, FLL significantly reversed the upregulation of GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors by exposure to NMDA, but did not affect the expression of GluN2A-containing NMDA receptor. Conclusions These findings suggest that FLL protects cortical neurons by inhibiting the expression of GluN2B-containing NMDA receptor and regulating the Bcl-2 family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]