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Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a fatal brain tumour with no available targeted therapies, has a poor prognosis. At present, radiotherapy is one of the main methods to treat glioma, but it leads to an obvious increase in inflammatory factors in the tumour microenvironment, especially IL‐6 and CXCL1, which plays a role in tumour to resistance radiotherapy and tumorigenesis. Casein kinase 1 alpha 1 (CK1α) (encoded on chromosome 5q by Csnk1a1) is considered an attractive target for Tp53 wild‐type acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) treatment. In this study, we evaluated the anti‐tumour effect of Csnk1a1 suppression in GBM cells in vitro and in vivo. We found that down‐regulation of Csnk1a1 or inhibition by D4476, a Csnk1a1 inhibitor, reduced GBM cell proliferation efficiently in both Tp53 wild‐type and Tp53‐mutant GBM cells. On the contrary, overexpression of Csnk1a1 promoted cell proliferation and colony formation. Csnk1a1 inhibition improved the sensitivity to radiotherapy. Furthermore, down‐regulation of Csnk1a1 reduced the production and secretion of pro‐inflammatory factors. In the preclinical GBM model, treatment with D4476 significantly inhibited the increase in pro‐inflammatory factors caused by radiotherapy and improved radiotherapy sensitivity, thus inhibiting tumour growth and prolonging animal survival time. These results suggest targeting Csnk1a1 exert an anti‐tumour role as an inhibitor of inflammatory factors, providing a new strategy for the treatment of glioma.

A new method for targeting lung infections is of great interest using biodegradable nanoparticles. In this study, bergenin-loaded BSA NPs were developed against lung injury. Briefly, bergenin-loaded bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (BG@BSA NPs) were synthesized and characterized. HPLC recorded the major peak of bergenin. UV–Vis spectra had an absorbance at 376 nm. XRD revealed the presence of crystalline particles. FTIR confirmed the occurrence of functionalized molecules in the synthesized NPs. The particles were highly stable with a net negative charge of − 24.2. The morphology of NPs was determined by SEM and TEM. The mean particle size was 124.26 nm. The production of NO by NR8383 cells was decreased by BG@BSA NPs. Also, in mice, lipopolysaccharide-mediated acute lung inflammation was induced. BG@BSA NPs reduced macrophages and neutrophils in BALF and remarkably enhanced wet weight-to-dry weight (W/D) ratios and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Further, BG@BSA NPs inhibited the production of inflammatory cells as well as tumor necrosis factor. The histopathological studies revealed that the damage and neutrophil infiltration were greatly inhibited by BG@BSA NPs. This indicates that BG@BSA NPs may be used to treat lung infections. Therefore, this study has given new insight into producing an active drug for the treatment of lung-associated diseases in the future.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between team heterogeneity and team performance in entrepreneurial team and is also of significance in guiding the management practice of an entrepreneurial team. Design/methodology/approach The study is carried out based on an experiment, in which a 2×2 experimental group is devised to collect data concerned with the heterogeneity of entrepreneurial team’s expertise and the attitude toward heterogeneity. Findings The entrepreneurial team’s heterogeneity has a significant effect on entrepreneurial performance; the entrepreneurial team’s heterogeneity influences entrepreneurial performance through team task conflict; attitudes toward heterogeneity play a mediating role in the above process. Originality/value This paper is carried out based on an experiment which can be used to determine the mediating effects of team conflict on the relationship between team expertise heterogeneity and the entrepreneurial performance.

To explore a new surgical treatment for infection and obstruction of ventriculoperitoneal shunt in hydrocephalus. Two cases of post-operative infection of ventriculoperitoneal shunt were analyzed retrospectively. One case was cryptococcal infection, the other case was Acinetobacter lwoffii. The number of cerebrospinal fluid cells was high, the infection of ventriculoperitoneal shunt was generally complicated with abdominal obstruction, and the hydrocephalus was aggravated again, The authors try to pull out the drainage tube at the end of abdominal cavity for external drainage, combined with intravenous antibiotics, completely control of infection, and then use the original shunt device for intraventricular jugular shunt. The authors explore that this method is simple, safe and effective, and it is an effective and feasible method for the treatment of infection after ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

Long non‑coding RNAs (lncRNAs) contribute to the tumorigeneses of numerous types of cancer, including glioma. The present study was designed to unveil a novel lncRNA functioning in glioma and explore the underlying mechanisms. lncRNA titin‑antisense RNA1 (TTN‑AS1), miR‑27b‑3p and Runt‑related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) expression in glioma tissues and cell lines was estimated by RT‑qPCR. Si‑TTN‑AS1 was transfected into glioma cell lines (U251 and LN229), and CCK‑8 assay, flow cytometry, wound healing and Transwell assays were applied to estimate the function of TTN‑AS1 in glioma cells. miR‑27b‑3p inhibitor was used to explore the mechanisms. The results revealed that TTN‑AS1 was highly expressed in glioma specimens and cell lines. Downregulation of TTN‑AS1 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of the glioma cells, as well as increased the rate of apoptosis. In vivo, the tumor growth was also inhibited by TTN‑AS1 depletion in nude mice. Furthermore, we revealed that TTN‑AS1 exerted oncogenic effects via sponging miR‑27b‑3p and thereby positively regulating RUNX1 expression. In conclusion, the present study supported that TTN‑AS1 acts as an oncogene in glioma by targeting miR‑27b‑3p to release RUNX1. This finding may contribute to gene therapy of glioma.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been widely used in the fields of smart phones, electric vehicles, and smart grids. With its opened Aurivillius structure, tungstate antimony oxide (Sb2WO6, SWO), constituted of {Sb2O2}2n+ and {WO4}2n−, is rarely investigated as an anode for lithium-ion batteries. In this work, Sb2WO6 with nanosheets morphology was successfully synthesized using a simple microwave hydrothermal method and systematically studied as an anode for lithium-ion batteries. The optimal SWO (SWO-60) exhibits a high specific discharge capacity and good rate capability. The good electrochemical performance could be ascribed to mesoporous nanosheets morphology, which is favorable for the penetration of the electrolyte and charge transportation. The results show that this nanostructured SWO is a promising anode material for LIBs.

This work reports the wavelength- and pulse-duration-dependent nonlinear optical properties of exfoliated black phosphorus (BP). We found that BP nanosheets exhibit better saturable absorption response in the visible range than that in the near-infrared range and better response under 6 ns pulse excitation than that under 340 fs excitation. In addition, we propose that the optically induced transparency and optical limiting properties of BP dispersions mainly originate from the competition between saturable absorption and nonlinear scattering.

Background To document characteristics and treatments of ocular blast injury from a fire and explosion. Method Authors retrospectively evaluated 116 patients with 166 eye injuries from six hospitals. Terminology of ocular injury referred to Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was categorized with the ocular trauma score (OTS) grading system. Incidence, preoperational and follow-up BCVA, treatment of severe ocular blast injuries were surveyed. Results Oculoplastic injuries accounted for the majority of eye injuries, while globe injuries were presented in 52 eyes with median baseline OTS 70 ranging from 26 to 100. No endophthalmitis occurred. The mean timing of the first-stage operations was 9.4 ± 6.4 h after blast, while second-stage operations were performed on average 14.7 ± 0.9 days post blast. Final BCVA of 68.8% of eyes achieved 20/200 or better as followed, 7 open globe injuries had a BCVA of no light perception. Additionally, eyes presenting rupture, retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage, choroidal injury and initial BCVA less than 20/200 had worse final visual outcomes, while globe penetration was not associated with poor visual acuity. Conclusion Various ocular injuries were commonly in the casualties of blast, in which open-globe injuries have worst visual prognosis. OTS is a valid approach for evaluation of prognosis and optimizing the therapeutic strategies subsequently in the massive casualty. Intense rescue and careful examination, proper surgery should be performed correctly to rescue patients.

Purpose Positron emission tomography (PET) is an important tool for nuclear medical imaging. It has been widely used in clinical diagnosis, scientific research, and drug testing. PET is a kind of emission computed tomography. Its basic imaging principle is to use the positron annihilation radiation generated by radionuclide decay to generate gamma photon images. However, in practical applications, due to the low gamma photon counting rate, limited acquisition time, inconsistent detector characteristics, and electronic noise, measured PET projection data often contain considerable noise, which results in ill‐conditioned PET images. Therefore, determining how to obtain high‐quality reconstructed PET images suitable for clinical applications is a valuable research topic. In this context, this paper presents an image reconstruction algorithm based on patch‐based regularization and dictionary learning (DL) called the patch‐DL algorithm. Compared to other algorithms, the proposed algorithm can retain more image details while suppressing noise. Methods Expectation‐maximization (EM)‐like image updating, image smoothing, pixel‐by‐pixel image fusion, and DL are the four steps of the proposed reconstruction algorithm. We used a two‐dimensional (2D) brain phantom to evaluate the proposed algorithm by simulating sinograms that contained random Poisson noise. We also quantitatively compared the patch‐DL algorithm with a pixel‐based algorithm, a patch‐based algorithm, and an adaptive dictionary learning (AD) algorithm. Results Through computer simulations, we demonstrated the advantages of the patch‐DL method over the pixel‐, patch‐, and AD‐based methods in terms of the tradeoff between noise suppression and detail retention in reconstructed images. Quantitative analysis shows that the proposed method results in a better performance statistically [according to the mean absolute error (MAE), correlation coefficient (CORR), and root mean square error (RMSE)] in considered region of interests (ROI) with two simulated count levels. Additionally, to analyze whether the results among these methods have significant differences, we used one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to calculate the corresponding P values. The results show that most of the P 0.01

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a health education intervention on healthy lifestyle and behavior-related knowledge among college students. Methods: We used an epidemiological experimental research design and multistage random cluster sampling. The health education intervention was conducted in the intervention group for two semesters. The pass rates on the healthy lifestyle and behavior knowledge questionnaire before and after the intervention were compared and analyzed using the chi-square test and logistic regression. Results: The pass rate significantly increased by 11% in the intervention group, compared to 4.7% in the control group. Single factor analysis showed that pass rates increased in 7 subgroups of the intervention group but not in those of the control group. Pass rates experienced an upward trend in 8 subgroups of both the intervention and control groups. However, the pass rates did not improve in only one subgroup (i.e., ethnic minorities) of either the intervention or control group. Multiple regression analysis showed that in the intervention group, urban residence [odds ratio (OR), 1.394; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.205–1.612], female sex (1.486; 1.292–1.708), having low-educated parents (1.682; 1.061–2.666), having high-educated parents (1.627; 1.024–2.585), belonging to the Han ethnic group (2.142; 1.317–3.484), and having a household income of ≥7,000 yuan (1.246; 1.105–1.405) were positively associated with higher pass rates. In the control group, the pass rate among sophomores was 1.291 (1.152–1.447) times higher than that among freshmen. Students from the Han ethnic group had a higher pass rate than those from ethnic minorities (1.291; 1.152–1.447). In the intervention group, the pass rate was 1.587 (1.410–1.786) times in the end-line survey than in the baseline survey. Conclusions: Health education intervention can improve the pass rate on healthy lifestyle and behavior questionnaires among college students. College students can actively improve their lifestyles and behaviors using the existing health information and health education methods.

Background: Health literacy refers to the ability of an individual to acquire and understand health information and use that information to maintain and promote their own health. The evaluation index of residents’ health literacy has been incorporated into the national health development plan. The outline of “healthy China 2030” plan issued and implemented by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council in 2016 clearly requires that the health literacy and lifestyle monitoring system covering the whole country should be improved and the health literacy of residents should be greatly improved. The Health literacy level should reach 20% in 2020 and 30% in 2030. Jiangsu provincial Party committee, provincial government, Huai’an Municipal Party committee and municipal government have also formulated corresponding health literacy evaluation index requirements. Main text to evaluate the distribution of health literacy and its impact factors in female residents between the ages of 15 and 69 in Huai’an city and provide the basis for establishment of comprehensive health educational strategies and measures. Methods: A cross-sectional survey method and multi-stage stratified random sampling was adopted. Residents between the ages of 15 and 69 were surveyed in Huai’an city from October till December, 2013. This research includes demographic data, such as age, gender, occupation, etc., and three dimensions of health literacy, namely, basic knowledge and concept, healthy lifestyle and behavior, and basic skills. The collected data were analyzed via X 2 -test and logistic regression. Results: The health literacy ratio standardized was 13.8% among all the 2,486 subjects. Single factor analysis showed that health literacy among female residents between the ages of 15 and 69 in urban areas was higher than rural areas, increasing with the increasing degree of cultural knowledge. In addition, the health literacy of different groups of ages, per capita annual family income and occupations were statistically significant separately (P Conclusions: The rate of health literacy standardized among female residents in Huai’an city was 13.8%. It has been at a low level for a while. Which means the health literacy intervention should be enhanced in order to comprehensively improve the health literacy condition of the female residents.

Due to the cost-effectiveness of sodium source, sodium-ion batteries (SIB) have attracted considerable attention in recent years. However, SIB still have some challenges in in competing with lithium-ion batteries for practical applications. In particular, the high rate performance and long-term cycling are very difficult to be achieved for SIB. Here, nitrogen-doped carbon-coated WS2 nanosheets (WS2/NC) were successfully synthesized by high-temperature solution method, followed by carbonization of polypyrrole. When tested as anode materials for SIBs, WS2/NC composite displayed high rate capacity at 386 and 238.1 mAh g-1 at 50 and 2000 mA g-1, respectively. More importantly, even after 400 cycle, the composite electrode still can delivere a capacity of about 180 mAh g-1 at 1000 mA g-1, corresponding a capacity loss of 0.09% per cycle. The excellent electrochemical performance is attributed to the synergistic effect of highly conductive nature of the nitrogen-doped carbon-coating and WS2 nanosheets. Results demonstrated that the WS2/NC nanosheets are promising electrode materials for Sodium ion batteries application.

In this paper, a sparse reconstruction framework is proposed on the basis of steadystate experiment data to identify Gene Regulatory Networks (GRNs) structure. Different from traditional methods, this approach is adopted which is well suitable for a large-scale underdetermined problem in inferring a sparse vector. We investigate how to combine the noisy steady-state experiment data and a sparse reconstruction algorithm to identify causal relationships. Efficiency of this method is tested by an artificial linear network and the DREAM networks. The performance of the suggested approach is compared with two state-of-the-art algorithms, the widely adopted total least-squares (TLS) method and those available results on the DREAM project website. Actual results show that with a lower computational cost, the proposed method can significantly enhance estimation accuracy

A strategy for estimating structure of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) is proposed on basis of time series experimental data in this paper. This strategy is an essential for transforming the problem of identifying a GRN into that of sparse reconstruction whose measurement matrix is composed of the nonlinear functions of a GRN. Differently from tradition methods, this method is well suitable for a large scale network identification, and may avoid both linearized inaccuracy and limitation of the length of time series data. We utilize an algorithm of the stagewise modified orthogonal matching pursuit (SmOMP) to estimate the sparse vector that denote a gene regulated by other genes. Compared with robust state estimator (RSE), the well known extended Kalman filter (EKF) and unscented Kalman filter (UKF) based method, the efficiency of this method has been verified by numerical simulations. Actual results show that this suggested method not only has better convergence speed and higher estimate accuracy, but also can significantly reduce the computational complexity in GRN inferences.

StOMP algorithm is well suited to large-scale underdetermined applications in sparse vector estimations. It can reduce computation complexity and has some attractive asymptotical statistical properties. However, the estimation speed is at the cost of accuracy violation. This paper suggests an improvement on the StOMP algorithm that is more efficient in finding a sparse solution to the large-scale underdetermined problems. Also, compared with StOMP, this modified algorithm can not only more accurately estimate parameters for the distribution of matched filter coefficients, but also improve estimation accuracy for the sparse vector itself. Theoretical success boundary is provided based on a large-system limit for approximate recovery of sparse vector by modified algorithm, which validates that the modified algorithm is more efficient than StOMP. Actual computations with simulated data show that without significant increment in computation time, the proposed algorithm can greatly improve the estimation accuracy.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the FAO-AquaCrop model in winter wheat in the southern Loess Plateau of China. Multi-year field experimental data from 2004 and 2011 were used to calibrate and validate the model for simulating biomass, canopy cover (CC), soil water content, and grain yield under rainfed conditions. The model performance was evaluated using root mean square error (RMSE) and Willmott index of agreement (d) as criteria. The RMSE ranged from 0.16 to 0.38 t/ha for simulating aboveground biomass, 1.87 to 4.15% for CC, 0.50 to 1.44 t/ha for grain yield, and 5.70 to 22.56 mm for soil water content. The d ranged from 0.22 to 0.89, 0.25 to 0.43, 0.36 to 0.62 and 0.95 to 0.98 for aboveground biomass, CC, soil water content and grain yield, respectively. Generally, the model performed better for simulating CC and yield than biomass and soil water content. The results further indicated that AquaCrop is capable of simulating winter wheat yield under rainfed conditions. Further improvement may be needed to capture the variation of different management practices such as fertility and irrigation levels in this region.

According to the data of 146 coal samples measured by mercury penetration, coal pores are classified into two levels of 65 nm seeping pore by fractal method based on the characteristics of diffusion, seepage of coal bed methane(CBM) and on the research results of specific pore volume and pore structure. The diffusion pores are further divided into three categories: 1000 nm macropore based on the abrupt change in the increment of specific pore volume.

The filling of a moulding box with sand is one factor to affect the quality of castings for Evaporative Pattern Casting (EPC). The maximum filling height of the vertical tube is itself fairly sensi...

To explore the etiologic relationship between sexually transmitted diseases(STDs) and chronic prostatitis (CP), and to evaluate the effect of multiple treatment on CP following STDs.Seventy-two cases of CP after STDs were randomly divided into three groups: Group A (treated with levefloxatin), Group B (treated with Levofloxacin, terazosin and microwave), and Group C (treated with levofloxacin, Chinese traditional medicine and microwave), all treated for thirty days. The pathogens related to STDs in the prostatic fluid of all the patients had been examined before treatment. The efficacy was evaluated among the three groups by comparing the count of leukocytes and the scores of NIH-CPSI before and after treatment.The pathogens related to STDs were found in the prostatic fluid of 7 patients. The count of leukocytes and the scores of NIH-CPSI decreased after treatment in the three groups, more markedly in Groups B and C than in Group A.There is no strict etiological causality between STDs and CP. Multiple treatments are superior to single antibiotic treatment.

To examine the expression of the tau protein and microtubule-associated proteins in the testis interstitium of aged and young rats.Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into a young group(6 months, n = 10) and an aged group(28 months, n = 10). The two steps immunohistochemistry method with the antibody against tau protein and MAP alpha was performed on the testis tissues of the rats.The results showed that the immunoreactive cells of tau protein of the testis interstilial of the aged rats obviously increased(P0.001) than those of the young, while the immunoreactive cells of the microtubule-associated proteins decreased(P0.01) in the aged.The changes in the expression of the tau protein and microtubule-associated proteins may be related to the aging process of the testis.

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