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Based on the survey of “undergraduate family and educational background and freshman learning experience,” a statistical analysis of Guangzhou University first-year undergraduate students’ family backgrounds and participation in student organizational activities found a significant correlation between family background and the degree of student participation in such activities. A preliminary discussion of the findings is presented on the basis of cultural reproduction theory. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this study is to investigate the circulating OPG levels in postmenopausal women with diabetes and prediabetes and explore the relationships between serum OPG and insulin resistance. A total of 271 unrelated Chinese postmenopausal women were recruited in this study. The subjects were divided into type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) group (n = 93), impaired glucose regulation (IGR) (n = 90), and normal glucose regulation group (NGR) (n = 88), according to different glucose regulation categories. Serum OPG levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The serum OPG concentration in NGR group, 151.00 ± 45.72 pg/mL, was significantly lower than that in IGR group (169.28 ± 64.91 pg/mL) (p = 0 031) and T2DM group (183.20 ± 56.53 pg/mL) (p < 0 01), respectively. In multiple linear regression analysis, HOMA-IR, age, 2hPG, AST, ALP, and eGFR were found to be independent predictors of OPG. Increased serum OPG levels (OR = 1.009, p = 0 006) may be a risk factor for insulin resistance. The present study suggests that OPG might be implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetes and is a potential biomarker of insulin resistance in subjects with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple route to synthesize a new type of charring agent in high yield is reported. The polyphosphate oligomer polyphosphate poly(6-oxido-6H-dibenzo[c,e][1,2]oxa-phosphinin-6-yl phenyl phenylphosphate) (POBPP) was synthesized by addition reaction between 10-(2,5-dihydroxyl phenyl)-9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO-BQ) and phenyl dichlorophosphate. The structure of this product was characterized by means of the Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-, C- and P-NMR. The molecular weight was determined by Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC). By blending this flame retardant resin with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) resin, a flame retardant and anti-dripping epoxy resin was obtained. Thermal stability of flame retardant (FR) and cured composites was studied by the Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). Flame retarding performances of this epoxy were characterized by limiting oxygen index (LOI) and vertical burning test (UL94). Morphology of residue was investigated by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results reveal that FR improve the thermal stability of epoxy resin and help matrix to leave more residue by forming net structure in char. Graphical abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how undergraduate students’ leadership development may be facilitated in international service-learning (ISL) programs. Student leadership is defined as a relational process whereby students collaborate to effect change for the common good. ISL is organized social services engaged by students in overseas communities to address social problems faced by members of disadvantaged social groups, and to develop students’ competencies, such as leadership, intercultural understanding, and problem-solving. The study examined the questions: What were student leaders’ characteristics? How did student leaders’ characteristics influence the ways students’ negotiated leader-member relationships in ISL teams? How did leader-member relationships influence students’ perceived service quality and leadership development? Findings from interviews with students joining two ISL projects in Ghana and Thailand suggest that reciprocal leadership emphasizing all students’ leadership potential may be more productive in cultivating students’ leadership compared with locating leadership responsibilities solely to positional student leaders in ISL. By highlighting productive leadership characteristics identified from ISL projects, this paper offers practical recommendations on how to promote student leadership development in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose: This study uses a cosmetic virtual community (VC) as the research context and the UTAUT model as the theoretical structure aim to explore factors affecting the re-usage intentions of VC members. Background: The Internet use rate of VC was up to 50%, thereby implying that VC gained the attention of Internet users. Therefore, operating a VC will be an effective way to communicate with customers. However, to maintain an existing member is more efficient than creating a new one. As such, understanding determinants of VC members' re-use intentions becomes important for firms. Methodology: Through an online survey, 276 valid responses were gathered. The collected data were examined by performing confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling procedures, as well as the moderator analysis. Contribution: This study shows the importance in the context of online cosmetics-related VC, which was rarely explored before. We provide issues for future research, despite the accumulated academic literature related to UTAUT and VC. Findings: Results show that only performance expectancy and social influence significantly affecting re-usage intentions and only gender has moderating effects on the path from performance expectancy to VC re-use intention and from trust to VC re-use intention. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study found that users emphasized performance expectancy most of all. A cosmetic product-related VC should introduce products abundantly, offer useful information, and help people accomplish tasks quickly and productively. Recommendation for Researchers: Future researchers may use our findings to conduct further positivist research in the area of social influence using different subjects and research contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration patterns in the Northeast U.S. sea scallop industry are examined from 1996-2014 using generalized indices of concentration and exploratory spatial data analysis. Absolute and relative Theil indices of concentration are computed to describe the regional pattern of concentration within ports over time. Moran's I provides a complementary measure of concentration of activity among neighboring ports. The Moran scatterplots and confidence plots provide insight into local patterns of concentration in this industry. The analysis reveals large changes from year to year in the geographic concentration of the scallop industry, which is likely to be related to natural variability of the environment and regulations enacted by fisheries managers in response to the variability of the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the detection of wear particles and oil contamination in the oil liquid has become an important means for the state detection and fault diagnosis of mechanical equipment. Based on this, the current paper establishes a model of the relationship between wear particles and oil pollution index by using BP neural network. And the traditional BP algorithm, the conjugate gradient method and Levenberg-Marquardt method are used to verify the examples. Compared with the optimization results, it is found that L-M method has better generalization ability, and the effect is better in the study of the degree of wear particles and oil contamination in the oil. Secondly, in order to further illustrate the impact of the selected indicators of oil, after the normalization of all the data, using Matlab to draw the relative value of each index of three kinds of pollution level, all of these will provide a basis for the subsequent inference of the operation of the machine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: To examine the associations of regional body fat distribution with metabolic risk factors among Chinese.Methods and Study Design: Truncal fat (TF) and leg fat (LF) were measured by dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) among 947 adults, and abdominal visceral fat (VAT) and subcutaneous fat (SAT), upper leg SAT were measured by magnetic resonance image (MRI) among 103 adults during 2008-2013. Metabolic risk factors included fasting blood glucose, total triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and metabolic syndrome (MetS).Results: TF showed adverse effect while LF showed beneficial effect on metabolic risk factors, and all these effects were independent of body mass index (BMI) (mostly p<0.01). Individuals with higher TF and lower LF experienced the highest risk of MetS compared to other subgroups of combination of TF and LF (all p<0.05). Abdominal VAT was positively associated with risk of MetS (men: odds ratio (OR)=4.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.18, 16.8; women: OR=6.54, 95% CI: 1.08, 39.6) and serum triglyceride (men: beta (β)=0.379, 95% CI: 0.090, 0.667; women: β=0.700, 95% CI: 0.327, 1.07). Upper leg SAT showed an opposite association with most metabolic factors compared to abdominal SAT and VAT, however, the association was not statistically significant.Conclusion: TF and LF showed opposite effects on metabolic risk factors among Chinese adults. Abdominal VAT, but not abdominal SAT, was positively associated with serum triglyceride and risk of MetS. Future studies are warranted to examine the potential mechanism of the opposite effects between TF and LF on metabolic risk factors among Chinese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a valuable in vitro model for investigating the bone toxicity of cadmium (Cd). Autophagy has been proposed to play a pivotal role in Cd-mediated toxicity. The FOXO family proteins are important transcription factors that are essential to autophagy induction. This study investigated the role of autophagy in Cd-induced skeleton damage and its potential mechanism. We exposed MSCs to different concentrations of cadmiumchloride (3.5, 7, and 14 lM) for 24 h. We demonstrated that Cd treatment increased autophagic flux, and inhibition of autophagic process using BENC1 gene silencing blocked Cd-induced cell death. Cd treatment also significantly increased mRNA levels of various essential autophagy-related genes including ATG5, ATG12, BECN1, LC3, and ULK1. Specifically, Cd increased FOXO3a and FOXO1 expression at the mRNA and protein levels, and AMPK was demonstrated to enhance FOXO3a nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity by phosphorylating FOXO3a at specific serine residues (Ser588) in Cd-treated MSCs. Notably, knockdown of FOXO3a, but not FOXO1, prevented autophagy-related genes expression and autophagosome formation after Cd treatment. Taken together, our results demonstrate that Cd-induced cell death via the overactivation of FOXO3adependent autophagy. Modulation of the FOXO3a autophagy pathway may offer novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of Cd-induced bone damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether autophagy is involved in aldosterone (Aldo)-induced mesangial cell (MC) proliferation. MCs were incubated with 10-7 M Aldo for 24 h. Proliferation of MCs, and the underlying mechanisms, were subsequently analyzed using [3H]thymidine assay, cell counting assay, western blotting and RNA interference (RNAi). Aldo was revealed to induce autophagy, as indicated by the increased conversion from microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3)-I to LC3-II, the increased expression levels of autophagy-related gene 7 (Atg7) and the increased degradation of p62, which was accompanied by MC proliferation. Notably, pharmacological inhibition of autophagy or RNAi-mediated knockdown of Atg7 attenuated Aldo-induced MC proliferation, suggesting that autophagy was at least partially responsible for this effect. The results of the present study provided evidence that autophagy is critical for regulating Aldo-induced MC proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

e-Portfolios are a form of authentic assessment with formative functions that include showcasing and sharing learning artifacts, documenting reflective learning processes, connecting learning across various stages and enabling frequent feedback for improvements. This paper examines how e-portfolios take up these formative roles to support productive learning. Qualitative findings from interviews with selected first-year undergraduate students at a higher education institution in Hong Kong are reported concerning students' experiences of constructing e-portfolios as assessment tasks. As part of an institutional teaching and learning initiative, e-portfolios were incorporated into three core courses for first-year students. The findings reveal that several conditions necessary to foster productive learning were missing in students' experiences: strengthened formative role of e-portfolios through coherent assessment design; encouragement for students' pursuit of authentic tasks to develop learning interests; engagement of students in reflective and self-regulative learning as an essential learning process; provision of constructive feedback for sustained learning support; and support for students' autonomy through facilitation of collaborative knowledge building. By explicating how the lack of these conditions impeded students' active involvement in e-portfolio tasks and suggesting relevant strategies for teachers at the institution in question, this paper offers implications for harnessing information and communication technology ( ICT) to support students' productive learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) is an often-encountered clinical problem. Although many patients suffer from persistent or recurrent chest pain, treatment remains a challenge owing to its various possible etiologies. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common cause of NCCP. In GERD-related NCCP, proton pump inhibitor treatment appears to be effective. However, the pathophysiology remains to be fully elucidated in NCCP patients without GERD. Treatment for non-GERD-related NCCP has been aimed at esophageal motility disorders and visceral hypersensitivity. As there is growing evidence that esophageal visceral hypersensitivity plays a role in NCCP, pain modulators have become the mainstay of therapy in patients with non-GERD-related NCCP. However, there is an unmet need for the treatment of esophageal hypersensitivity in NCCP due to modest evidence for the benefit of pain modulators, including antidepressants, in non-GERD-related NCCP. Recent studies have demonstrated that esophageal mast cell infiltration and impaired mucosal integrity are related to visceral hypersensitivity in patients with NCCP. Thus, esophageal mast cell stabilization and restoration of esophageal mucosal integrity could be considered potential therapeutic targets in selected NCCP patients with hypersensitivity. However, further observations are necessary to shed light on esophageal hypersensitivity in NCCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human gastric fundus relaxation is mediated by intrinsic inhibitory pathway. We investigated the roles of nitrergic and purinergic pathways, two known inhibitory factors in gastric motility, on spontaneous and nerve-evoked contractions in human gastric fundus muscles. Methods: Gastric fundus muscle strips (12 circular and 13 longitudinal) were obtained from patients without previous gastrointestinal motility disorder who underwent gastrectomy for stomach cancer. Using these specimens, we examined basal tone, peak, amplitude, and frequency of spontaneous contractions, and peak and nadir values under electrical field stimulation (EFS, 150 V, 0.3 ms, 10 Hz, 20 s). To examine responses to purinergic and nitrergic inhibition without cholinergic innervation, atropine (muscarinic antagonist, 1 μM), MRS2500 (a purinergic P2Y1 receptor antagonist, 1 μM), and N-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, 100 μM) were added sequentially for spontaneous and electrically-stimulated contractions. Tetrodotoxin was used to confirm any neuronal involvement. Results: In spontaneous contraction, L-NNA increased basal tone and peak in both muscle layers, while amplitude and frequency were unaffected. EFS (up to 10 Hz) uniformly induced initial contraction and subsequent relaxation in a frequency-dependent manner. Atropine abolished initial on-contraction and induced only relaxation during EFS. While MRS2500 showed no additional influence, L-NNA reversed relaxation (p = 0.012 in circular muscle, and p = 0.006 in longitudinal muscle). Tetrodotoxin abolished any EFS-induced motor response. Conclusions: The relaxation of human gastric fundus muscle is reduced by nitrergic inhibition. Hence, nitrergic pathway appears to be the main mechanism for the human gastric fundus relaxation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we address the inverse problems for the fractal steady heat transfer described by the local fractional linear and non-linear Volterra integro-differential equations. The Volterra integro-differential equations are presented for investigating the fractal heat-transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present a new application for the Yang-Srivastava-Machado fractional derivative without singular kernel to the steady heat flow problem. The Sumudu transform is used to find the analytical solution of the fractional-order heat flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we address the coupling method for the local fractional variational iteration algorithm III and local fractional Laplace transform for the first time, which is called as the local fractional Laplace transform variational iteration algorithm III. The proposed technology is used to find the local fractional iteration solution for the diffusion problem in fractal media via local fractional derivative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pheochromocytoma is primarily derived from the adrenal medulla. The majority of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma cases occur in the superior para-aortic region and para-adrenal area. However, pheochromocytoma originating from the pancreas is rare. The present study reports the cases of three patients who had no history of hypertension but were post-operatively diagnosed with pheochromocytoma located in the pancreas. Of the three patients, two were admitted to hospital due to abdominal pain, and imaging examinations revealed a soft-tissue lesion in the head of pancreas. Local resection of the pancreatic tumor was successfully performed and a diagnosis of pheochromocytoma derived from the pancreas was subsequently made by pathologists. The third patient was admitted to hospital for surgical treatment due to the identification of a continuously growing lesion in the tail of pancreas during physical examinations. Distal resection of the pancreas was stopped during surgery when the patient's blood pressure and heart rate suddenly increased to 180/110 mmHg and 140 beats/min, respectively. Due to a marked rise in noradrenaline and adrenaline levels in the blood subsequent to surgery, the patient was diagnosed with pancreatic pheochromocytoma. The present study additionally reviewed the associated literature concerning pheochromocytoma in order to improve the understanding of this rare clinical phenomenon. The aim of the present study is to highlight to surgeons that although patients may not present with typical clinical manifestations due to the non-functional status of the tumor, undiagnosed pheochromocytoma of the pancreas should be considered when surgeons observe an unexpected hypertensive crisis during pancreatic tumor surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, a novel method to improve the particle size and content of Y2BaCuO5 (Y-211) in YBa2Cu3O7 − x (YBCO) bulks was demonstrated. The single-domain YBCO bulks (20 mm in diameter) have been fabricated employing the RE+011 TSIG technique with different heating rates during the liquid phase infiltration (LPI) stage. The various heating rates on Y-211 size and its content in the final YBCO samples has been investigated in detail. The findings suggest that the average size of the Y-211 particles in the Y-123 matrix initially decreases followed by an increase, while its volume fraction gradually decreases with increasing heating rate. Furthermore, it is observed that the levitation force and the trapped fields exhibit an initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease as the heating rate increases. Among all the samples, sample S3 (heating rate of 30 °C/h) has the best magnetic levitation force and trapped field performances at 77 K, i.e., the largest values are of 45.3 N and 0.41 T, respectively. The results suggest that, while employing the RE+011 TSIG technique for YBCO bulk fabrication, the average size and volume fraction of Y-211 particles in the final sample can be further enhanced by controlling the heating rates during the LPI stage, obviating any need for chemical refining agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation processes of watermelon seed are often affected by issues such as empty shells and defects, resulting in significant losses. To obtain high‐quality seeds, the terahertz imaging technology combined with image smoothing and enhancement algorithm was proposed to reduce the noise and non‐obvious features caused by the influence in the imaging process and realize the non‐destructive, efficient, and accurate detection of the internal quality of watermelon seeds. Initially, a terahertz imaging system with a spatial resolution of 0.4 mm was used to acquire images of watermelon seeds with varying levels of fullness. Subsequently, denoising techniques, including Gaussian filtering, median filtering, bilateral filtering, discrete wavelet transformation denoising, wavelet denoising, and principal component analysis denoising, were used to handle the terahertz spectral images of watermelon seeds in the frequency range of 1–1.5 THz, respectively. Image enhancement operations, involving segmented linear gray‐level transformation and fractional‐order differentiation, were performed on the terahertz images of watermelon seeds after denoising. The optimal image processing approach was determined based on defect assessment through threshold segmentation. Finally, the validation was conducted at a spatial resolution of 0.2 mm. The images at a spatial resolution of 0.4 mm were subjected to wavelet denoising and window slicing in segmented linear gray‐level transformation (WS‐SLT) enhancement; the results exhibited the following improvements in defect accuracy compared with untreated THz images. A 7.74% increase in accuracy was observed for empty seeds, along with a 6.29% increase in the defect ratio for defective seeds 1. The defect ratio for intact seeds was 0, and there was no significant difference in defect ratio accuracy for defective seeds 2. At a spatial resolution of 0.2 mm, the average defect ratio error of THz imaging handled by wavelet denoising and WS‐SLT was approximately 5.04%. In conclusion, the terahertz imaging technology coupled with wavelet denoising and WS‐SLT methods can be used to enhance the accuracy of internal defect detection in watermelon seeds, and it provides a technical foundation and reference for assessing watermelon seed fullness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying pruritus regulation in Atopic dermatitis (AD). Objective: To investigate the functional changes of the resting-state whole brain network of AD participants and the mechanisms by which they were involved in pruritus regulation. Method: Based on the functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 19 AD participants and 37 healthy controls (HC), a graph-theoretical measure of degree centrality (DC) conjoined with a voxel-level seed-based functional connectivity (FC) method was used to identify abnormal higher-order nodes and the functionally relevant circuit in AD participants compared to healthy controls (HC). Results: Of 64 participants screened, 19 AD participants (12M/7F, median [IQR] age, 27 [14] years) and 36 HCs (13M/23F, median [IQR] age, 20 [1] years) were enrolled. DC values of the left superior frontal gyrus (LSFG) increased in AD participants and exhibited a negative correlation with the SCORAD score (r = -0.561, p = 0.012) compared with HC. In the FC analysis with LSFG as the seed, FC values of several sensory and motor regions increased in AD participants, highly overlapping with the anatomical distribution of the inferior fronto-occipital fascicle (IFOF). AD participants with severe pruritus exhibited lower levels of DC (T = -2.316, p = 0.033) and FC between the LSFG and left insula (T = -2.203, p = 0.042) than those with mild-to-moderate pruritus. Conclusions and Relevance: LSFG was involved in pruritus regulation in AD by forming a high-order sensorimotor circuit through the IFOF, a white matter fascicle that proved to provide multimodal integration in motor control and sensory information processing. These results offer more mechanism-guided treatment targets for severe pruritus in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The correlation between the Raman peak shift and the linewidth of porous silicon is studied. The experimental result does not fit with the relationship predicted by the phonon confinement model. By taking into account both the phonon confinement and the effect of strain, the calculated Raman line shape coincides fairly well with the measured spectrum. The built-in strain of porous silicon varies with the porosity of the sample and is on the order of 10-3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metastatic progression of breast cancer involves phenotypic plasticity of the carcinoma cells moving between epithelial and mesenchymal behaviors. During metastatic seeding and dormancy, even highly aggressive carcinoma cells take on an E-cadherin-positive epithelial phenotype that is absent from the emergent, lethal metastatic outgrowths. These phenotypes are linked to the metastatic microenvironment, though the specific cells and induction signals are still to be deciphered. Recent evidence suggests that macrophages impact tumor progression, and may alter the balance between cancer cell EMT and MErT in the metastatic microenvironment.Methods: Here we explore the role of M1/M2 macrophages in epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity of breast cancer cells by coculturing epithelial and mesenchymal cells lines with macrophages.Results: We found that after polarizing the THP-1 human monocyte cell line, the M1 and M2-types were stable and maintained when co-cultured with breast cancer cells. Surprisingly, M2 macrophages may conferred a growth advantage to the epithelial MCF-7 cells, with these cells being driven to a partial mesenchymal phenotypic as indicated by spindle morphology. Notably, E-cadherin protein expression is significantly decreased in MCF-7 cells co-cultured with M2 macrophages. M0 and M1 macrophages had no effect on the MCF-7 epithelial phenotype. However, the M1 macrophages impacted the highly aggressive mesenchymal-like MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells to take on a quiescent, epithelial phenotype with re-expression of E-cadherin. The M2 macrophages if anything exacerbated the mesenchymal phenotype of the MDA-MB-231 cells.Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate M2 macrophages might impart outgrowth and M1 macrophages may contribute to dormancy behaviors in metastatic breast cancer cells. Thus EMT and MErT are regulated by selected macrophage phenotype in the liver metastatic microenvironment. These results indicate macrophage could be a potential therapeutic target for limiting death due to malignant metastases in breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combined use of a public bicycle system (PBS) and transit is considered a green and efficient travel mode, yet few studies have focused on users' perceptions of this integrated mode. This study investigated commuters who recently began using PBS to access the metro, referred to herein as the metro-PBS, and commuters who drive to work in suburban Nanjing, China, which is an area where PBS is in early developmental stages. First, a survey was conducted to obtain the personal characteristics of the metro-PBS users and their before-andafter commuting experiences. Then, a comparative analysis was performed, which revealed that saving time, energy, and money are the critical motivating factors of their mode shift behavior. The users' personal characteristics vary with their previous modes, but the users are generally characterized as well educated with regard to environmental protection. In contrast to many other bike sharing investigations, the results showed a significant motor vehicle trip substitution. Another survey was conducted to investigate drivers' perceptions of the metro-PBS. Of the respondents, 62.8% exhibited a willingness to change to metro-PBS. A binary logit model was built to reveal the factors affecting mode selection behavior, and the key factors identified were gender, employment status, and the comfort level associated with travel experiences. Male motorists who are lower-level employees or have unpleasant commute experiences are more likely to be attracted to metro- PBS. Based on the findings, suggestions are presented for building a user-friendly metro-PBS system that attracts motorists. This case study concludes that metro-PBS can be an ideal travel mode for suburban commuters and thus can contribute to reducing car travel under some circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The correspondence between local unitary equivalence of bipartite quantum states and simultaneous orthogonal equivalence is thoroughly investigated and strengthened. It is proved that local unitary equivalence can be studied through simultaneous similarity under projective orthogonal transformations, and four parametrization independent algorithms are proposed to judge when two density matrices on Cd1 ⊗ Cd2 are locally unitary equivalent in connection with trace identities, Kronecker pencils, Albert determinants and Smith normal forms [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microwave-enhanced precipitation method was employed to prepare nano-sized MgO particles using MgCl2.6H2O as precursor, deionized water as solvent, and ammonia solution as the precipitating agent. The influence of the concentration of MgCl2 solution, pH value, irradiation time, calcination temperature and methods on particle sizes and physico-chemical features of MgO were studied, and the optimal technical conditions were obtained. For comparison, MgO nanoparticles were also synthesized without microwave irradiation. The structure and morphology of the MgO particles were analyzed by XRD, SEM, and DTA-TG. The results show that the nanometer MgO prepared under the optimal technical conditions has regular morphology and uniform size distribution. The sample calcined at 773 K had an average particle size about 10 nm. Both SEM and XRD characterization showed the formation of smaller particles after microwave irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of time-varying plasma to the propagation of phase modulation signals are investigated in this paper. Through theoretical analysis, the mechanism of the interaction between the time-varying plasma and the phase modulation signal is given. A time-varying plasma generator which could produce arbitrary time-varying plasma is built by adjusting the discharge power. A comparison of results from experiment and simulation prove that the time-varying plasma could cause the special rotation of QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying) constellation, and the mechanism of constellation point's rotation is analyzed. Additionally, the experimental results of the QPSK signals' EVM (Error Vector Magnitude) after time-varying and time-invariant plasma with different ωp/ω are given. This research could be used to improve the TT&C (Tracking Telemeter and Command) system of re-entry vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ozonation of real dye wastewater for removal of color and COD reduction covering a wide range in operating parameters forms the scope of the present work. The influence of parameters such as influent pH, ozone flow rate and initial effluent concentration on ozonation efficiency has been critically examined. It has been observed from the present investigation that a maximum of COD removal efficiency of 92.5% has been achieved under optimum operating conditions (pH=ll; ozone flow rate: 6X10-3 m³/minute). Further the biodegradability index of the dye effluent has increased from an initial value of 0.18 to 0.49 during ozonation indicating favorable adaptation of ozonation as a primer to the biochemical technique to enhance the efficiency of biochemical treatment. Water Environ. Res., 88, 403 (2016). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Closed drainage after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been used routinely for many decades, but controversies have arisen in recent years. The purposes of this study were to compare the clinical outcomes of closed drainage with nondrainage after primary TKA; and to assess the benefit and drawback of closed drainage.Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed/Medline, CENTRAL, Embase and Web of Science) were systematically searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the efficacy and risks of closed drainage after primary TKA. Two investigators independently reviewed studies for eligibility, assessed the risk of bias and extracted the data. A meta-analysis was then performed using Review Manager Software.Results: Twelve RCTs totalling 889 TKAs were identified. No significant differences in infection rate or blood loss were found between the closed drainage and nondrainage TKAs, and there was also no significant difference in haematoma formation, deep venous thrombosis, postoperative VAS score or range of motion between the two groups.Conclusions: There appears to be no clear benefit or drawback to the use of closed drainage after primary TKA. Improving the use of closed drainage might provide better outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a unified analysis for higher-order finite volume methods for parabolic problems on quadrilateral meshes is presented. By studying the quasi-symmetry of the finite volume bilinear form, optimal-order error estimates in the L∞ (H¹)- and L∞ (L²)-norms are derived. The theoretical estimates are validated by numerical experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methodwas developed and validated for the simultaneous analysis of ketoconazole (KCZ) and beauvericin (BEA) as well as their degradation products in the combination tablets. KCZ is a synthetic broad-spectrumantifungal agent with the risk of hepatoxicity. However, it was found that the combined use of KCZ and BEA in their lowdose had not only maintained the antifungal activity of KCZ but also significantly reduced the liver toxicity. The method development was started from forced degradation studies including acidic, basic, oxidative, thermal and photolytic degradations in the solution mixtures of KCZ and BEA. The forced degradation study results indicate that hydrolysis and oxidation were the major degradation pathways for KCZ while BEA mainly decomposed under basic hydrolytic condition. The newly developed HPLC method was validated according to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines with respect to specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, limits of detection and quantification and robustness. The method validation results indicate that the new HPLC method could be successfully applied in the simultaneous detection and quantitation of KCZ and BEA and their degradation products. For example, the accuracy and the precision of the method were determined by a recovery study at 80, 100 and 120% of the tablet dosage levels. The recoverywas found to be 99.6-100.2 for both analytes with a relative standard deviation of no more than 1.2% (n = 5) at any concentration level. This newmethod can be used for further development of various KCZ and BEA combination drug products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone marrow-derived monocyte-to-fibroblast transition is a key step in renal fibrosis pathogenesis, which is regulated hy the inflammatory microenvironment. However, the mechanism by which the inflammatory microenvironment regulates this transition is not fully understood. In this study, we examined how the CD8+ T cell/IFN-γ microenvironment regulates the monocyte-tofibroblast transition in renal fibrosis. Genetic ablation of CDS promoted a monocyte-to-fibroblast transition and increased renal interstitial fibrosis, whereas reconstitution of CDS knockout (KO) mice with CD8+ T cells decreased fibrosis. However, depletion of CD4+ T cells in CDS KO mice also reduced fibrosis. To elucidate the role of CD4+ T cells in mediating CDS-regulated monocyte-tofibroblast transition, CD4+ T cells were isolated from obstructed kidneys of CDS KO or wild-type mice. CD4+ T cells isolated from CDS KO obstructed kidney expressed more IL-4 and GATA3 and less IFN-γ and T-bet and showed increased monocyte-tofibroblast transition in vitro compared with those isolated from wild-type obstructed kidney. To examine the role of IFN-yexpressing CD8+ T cells, we reconstituted CD8 KO mice with CD8+ T cells isolated from IFN-γ KO mice. The IFN-γ KO CD8+ cells had no effect on IL-4, GATA3, IFN-γ, and T-bet mRNA expression in obstructed kidneys or renal fibrosis. Taken together, our findings identify the axis of CD8+ T cells and IFN-γ-CD4+ T cells as an important microenvironment for the monocyte-tofibroblast transition, which negatively regulates renal fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An aptamer immobilized tentacle-type monolith is prepared for lysozyme purification with excellent selectivity and high adsorbing capacity. In this study, the aptamer immobilized glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) serves as monomer to be grown into long polymer chains on a highly porous monolith by a series of reactions. This tentacle grafting gives rise to a sharp increase of aptamer coverage density and realizes the multilayer adsorption for protein. The dynamic adsorption capacity of the grafted monolith reaches 68.22 and 77.07 mg mL-1 for lysozyme at the breakthrough of 10% and 50%, respectively, up to approximately 10-fold higher than the ungrafted one. Despite the high adsorption capacity, the novel aptamer anchored tentacle grafted monolith separates perfectly lysozyme from the protein mixture, indicating the excellent adsorptive selectivity. By taking the advantages of high capacity and excellent selectivity, the affinity-grafted monolith is applied successfully to purify lysozyme from the diluted chicken egg white solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A process for continuously monitoring the ultrasonic dispersion process of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was discovered by integrating dynamic light scattering (DLS) and UV-vis spectroscopy. Through a continuous flow approach adapted to the dispersion system, the CNT suspension could be quantitatively characterized in real time. By continuously monitoring and identifying the evolution of mean particle size distribution and transparency of CNT suspension, the effective dispersion parameters and dispersion quality was quantified. Two types of MWNTs of different diameters and lengths were studied. For longer MWNTs with smaller diameters, the dispersion process achieved at a steady 100 nm of agglomerate size with 40 min of sonication. For shorter and large diameter and less entangled MWNTs, after 60 min of sonication, an agglomerate size of 100 nm was achieved, yet the stability decrease. The results show the potential ability of the system to optimize nanoparticle dispersion process for in-line dispersion quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study indicated that the combination of salvianolic acid B (SalB) and ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1), the main components of Salvia miltiorrhizae and Panax notoginseng, improves myocardium structure and ventricular function in rats with ischemia/reperfusion injury. The present study aimed to determine the safety of the combined SalB and Rg1 (SalB-Rg1) in mice. The safety of SalB-Rg1 was evaluated through acute toxicity and repeated-dose toxicity. In the acute toxicity study, the up and down procedure was carried out firstly, and then, the Bliss method was applied. In the toxicity study for seven-day repeated treatment of SalB-Rg1, forty Kunming mice were randomly divided into four groups. The intravenous median lethal dose (LD50) of the SalB-Rg1 combination was 1747 mg/kg using the Bliss method. For both the acute toxicity study and the seven-day repeated toxicity study, SalB-Rg1 did not induce significant abnormality on brain, heart, kidney, liver and lung structure at any dose based on H&E stain. There were no significant changes related to the SalB-Rg1 toxicity detected on biochemical parameters for two kinds of toxicity studies. The LD50 in mice was 1747 mg/kg, which was more than one hundred times higher than the effective dose. Both studies of acute toxicity and seven-day repeated dose toxicity indicated the safety of the SalB-Rg1 combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is a common skin disorder with frequent relapses, and its treatment comprises a challenge due to its uncertain etiology. In particular, certain cases of CHE exhibiting severe keratinization have a very poor response to various treatments. The Daivobet ointment, a complex product comprising calcipotriol and betamethasone, has been successfully used for the treatment of patients with plaque-type psoriasis for ~10 years; however, there are few reports on the effect of the ointment on other skin disorders of abnormal keratinization, such as eczema. The present study reported 3 cases of refractory hyperkeratotic eczema of the hand that did not respond to several treatments, but responded well to topical Daivobet treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sweet potato is an important food crop that is grown widely in tropical and subtropical regions. Sweet potato weevil is the most disastrous pest affecting sweet potato plantations, causing millions of dollars losses annually. An effective integrated pest management (IPM) method will help to prevent economic losses, and it is crucial to understand the factors that contribute to weevil infestation and strategies that are available to overcome them. This review summarizes the (1) mechanisms of action of weevil on sweet potato and (2) contributing factors in weevil infestation, followed by (3) discussion on current IPM practices used in the different regions, including intercropping, entomopathogenic fungi and bacteria, sex pheromones, and pesticides. Lastly, it also focuses on (4) applications of advanced biotechnology and genomics strategies towards reducing weevil’s infestation in sweet potato plantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is devoted to the finite‐time consensus control for directed networks with stochastic Markov jump topologies and external disturbances. The purpose of the study is to design a control protocol to ensure that the disagreement dynamics of interconnected networks stay in a given bound over a finite‐time interval rather than asymptotically converge to zero in infinite settling time. Through utilisation of certain features of Laplacian matrix in real Jordan form, sufficient conditions for the existence of finite‐time consensus protocol is derived by allowing Lyapunov function to increase in a fixed‐time interval. Finite‐time convergence result for stochastic consensus problem is validated via a simulation study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving gastric accommodation and gastric emptying is an attractive physiological treatment target in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). We evaluated the effect of DA-9701, a new drug for FD, on gastric motor function after a meal in healthy volunteers using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Forty healthy volunteers were randomly allocated to receive either DA-9701 or placebo. After 5 days of treatment, subjects underwent gastric MRI (60 min before and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min after a liquid test meal). Gastric volume was measured through 3-dimensional reconstruction from MRI data. We analyzed 4 outcome variables including changes in total gastric volume (TGV), proximal TGV, and proximal to distal TGV ratio after a meal and gastric emptying rates after adjusting values at the pre-test meal. Results: Changes in TGV and proximal TGV after a meal did not differ between the DA-9701 and placebo groups (difference between groups -25.9 mL, 95% confidence interval [CI] -54.0 to 2.3 mL, P = 0.070 and -2.9 mL, 95% CI -30.3 to 24.5 mL, P = 0.832, respectively). However, pre-treatment with DA-9701 increased postprandial proximal to distal TGV ratio more than placebo (difference between groups 0.93, 95% CI 0.08 to 1.79, P = 0.034). In addition, pre-treatment with DA-9701 significantly increased gastric emptying as compared with placebo (mean difference between groups 3.41%, 95% CI 0.54% to 6.29%, P = 0.021, by mixed model for repeated measures). Conclusion: Our results suggested that DA-9701 enhances gastric emptying and does not significantly affect gastric accommodation in healthy volunteers. Further studies to confirm whether DA-9701 enhances these gastric motor functions in patients with FD are warranted. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the experimental realization of perfect sound absorption by sub-wavelength monopole and dipole resonators that exhibit degenerate resonant frequencies. This is achieved through the destructive interference of two resonators' transmission responses, while the matching of their averaged impedances to that of air implies no backscattering, thereby leading to total absorption. Two examples, both using decorated membrane resonators (DMRs) as the basic units, are presented. The first is a flat panel comprising a DMR and a pair of coupled DMRs, while the second one is a ventilated short tube containing a DMR in conjunction with a sidewall DMR backed by a cavity. In both examples, near perfect absorption, up to 99.7%, has been observed with the airborne wavelength up to 1.2 m, which is at least an order of magnitude larger than the composite absorber. Excellent agreement between theory and experiment is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cataract formation is a multifactorial disease, induced by a variety of stressors. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced unfolded protein response (UPR) is known to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to apoptosis. The present study aimed to investigate whether activation of the UPR occurs in human lenses, using human lens epithelial cell (HLEC) lines and lenses obtained from an eye bank, from individuals aged between 50 and 90 years. In vitro analysis was performed using calcimycin (10 µM) as an ER stressor. The level of ER stress was measured by the production of ROS, staining for cell death, detection of binding immunoglobulin proteins (BIP) and levels of other UPR proteins, including inositol-requiring enzyme-1 (IRE), activating transcription factor (ATF) 6 and PKR-like eukaryotic initiation factor 2a kinase (PERK). These parameters were examined in HLECs exposed to calcimycin for 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. Fluorescent activated cell sorting analysis of the levels of ROS and apoptosis revealed an increase following 24 h calcimycin exposure. The reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction results demonstrated a gradual increase in the mRNA levels of BIP, IRE1, ATF6 and PERK between 12 and 72 h. A similar effect was observed in the protein levels, which also demonstrated a gradual increase in the levels of endoplasmic oxidoreductin-1-like (Ero1-L)-β and protein disulfide isomerase, but a lower level of Ero1-Lα. Activation of the UPR involved the apoptotic pathway, revealed by increased levels of C/EBP homologous protein, ATF4 and caspase-4. Additionally, the antioxidant protein levels were also suppressed. The investigation of aged human lenses revealed a similar increase in the protein expression of UPR. These results indicated that activation of the UPR-induced ROS production suppressed the antioxidant status and triggered the apoptotic pathway, ultimately leading to the formation of age-related cataracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a unified L² error estimate for a class of bi-r finite volume (FV) schemes on a quadrilateral mesh for elliptic equations, where r ≥ 1 is arbitrary. The main result is to show that the FV solution possesses the optimal order L² error provided that (u, f) ∈ Hr+1 x Hr, where u is the exact solution and f is the source term of the elliptic equation. Our analysis includes two basic ideas: (1) By the Aubin-Nistche technique, the L² error estimate of an FV scheme can be reduced to the analysis of the difference of bilinear forms and right-hand sides between the FV and its corresponding finite element (FE) equations, respectively; (2) with the help of a special transfer operator from the trial to test space, the difference between the FV and FE equations can be estimated through analyzing the effect of some Gauss quadrature. Numerical experiments are given to demonstrate the proved results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the tumor-targeting recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (rhTNF)-α fusion protein mediated by urokinase on Sl80 tumor-bearing mice, as well as to explore its mechanisms of action. Furthermore, the study aimed to observe the effect of the protein on liver and kidney function. rhTNF-α fusion protein prokaryotic expression vectors were constructed using genetic engineering techniques, and were introduced into Escherichia coli. Expression of the fusion protein was induced, and it was then separated and purified in order to determine its cytotoxic activity on L929 cells. Kunming mice were randomly divided into four groups after being inoculated with S180 tumor cells. The groups were then injected with saline (control group, group S), or saline with 0.1 μg/ml fusion protein (low dose group, group L), 0.2 μg/ml fusion protein (middle dose group, group M) or 0.3 μg/ml (high dose group, group H). The mice were sacrificed after 12 days and liver [mg/kg; (liver weight/body weight) × 1,000] and kidney [mg/kg; (kidney weight/body weight) × 1,000] indices, tumor weight, the percentage reduction in mean tumor size, and the levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), albumin (ALB), creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in each group of mice were determined. In addition, the levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), the expression of bcl-2, bax and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and the percentage of apoptotic cells were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, streptavidin-biotin complex of immunohistochemistry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling, respectively. The fusion protein significantly inhibited the growth of S180 tumor cells in vivo in a dose-dependent manner. With an increase in the dose of fusion protein, ALT, uPA, bcl-2 and VEGF levels decreased, and ALB levels increased. However, liver and kidney indices and bax expression were not significantly altered. Cr and BUN levels did not change significantly in the low and middle dose groups, but did increase in the high dose group. Compared with the control group, the percentage of apoptotic cells in the high-dose group was significantly higher. In conclusion, the fusion protein significantly inhibited S180 tumor growth in a mouse model, possibly by reducing the levels of uPA, bcl-2 and VEGF. There was a mildly toxic effect on the kidneys with the high dose, but a protective effect in the liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context.—Colorectal cancer is a heterogeneous disease resulting from different molecular pathways of carcinogenesis. Recent data evaluating the histologic features and molecular basis of the serrated polyp-carcinoma pathway have significantly contributed to more comprehensive classifications of and treatment recommendations for these tumors. Objective.—To integrate the most recent molecular findings in the context of histologic classifications of serrated lesions and their implications in diagnostic pathology and colorectal cancer surveillance. Data Sources.—Published literature focused on serrated polyps and their association with colorectal cancer. Conclusions.—Three types of serrated polyps are currently recognized: hyperplastic polyps, sessile serrated adenomas/polyps, and traditional serrated adenomas. The BRAF V600E mutation is one of the most frequent molecular abnormalities identified in hyperplastic polyps and sessile serrated adenomas. In contrast, in traditional serrated adenomas, either BRAF V600E or KRAS mutations can be frequently identified. CpG methylation has emerged as a critical molecular mechanism in the sessile serrated pathway. CpG methylation of MLH1 often leads to reduced or lost expression in dysplastic foci and carcinomas arising in sessile serrated adenomas/polyps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Three-dimensional (3D) culture models are considered to recapitulate the cell microenvironment in solid tumors, including the extracellular matrix (ECM), cell-cell interactions, and signal transduction. These functions are highly correlated with cellular behaviors and contribute to resistances against chemo- and radio-therapies. However, the biochemical effects and mechanisms remain unknown in soft sarcoma. Therefore, we developed an in vitro 3D model of sarcoma to analyze the reasons of the chemo- and radio-resistance in therapies. Methods: Four soft sarcoma cell lines, HT1080, RD, SW872, and human osteosarcoma cell line 1 (HOSS1), a cell line established from a patient-derived xenograft, were applied to 3D culture and treated with growth factors in methylcellulose-containing medium. Spheroids were examined morphologically and by western blotting, RT-qPCR, and immunofluorescence staining to analyze cell adhesion, gap junctions, ECM genes, and related factors. Proliferation and colony formation assays were performed to assess chemo- and radio-resistances between 3D and two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures. Annexin V and Propidium Iodide staining was used to detect early apoptotic sarcoma cells treated with Doxorubicin, Gemcitabine, and Docetaxel in the 3D model. Results: The four soft sarcoma cell lines formed spheres in vitro by culture in modified condition medium. Compared with 2D cell culture, expression of ECM genes and proteins, including COL1A1, LOX, SED1, FN1, and LAMA4, was significantly increased in 3D culture. Analysis of cadherin and gap junction molecules showed significant changes in the gene and protein expression profiles under 3D conditions. These changes affected cell-cell communication and were mainly associated with biological processes such as cell proliferation and apoptosis related to chemo- and radio-resistances. Conclusions: Our findings revealed significant differences between 3D and 2D cell culture systems, and indicated that cellular responsiveness to external stress such as radiation and chemotherapeutics is influenced by differential expression of genes and proteins involved in regulation of the ECM, cell adhesion, and gap junction signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel design methodology of corrective control is proposed for fault-tolerance against transient faults in input/output asynchronous sequential machines. The main objective is to lessen controller complexity by proposing a structure of corrective control that employs no state observer, which is required in the former studies for input/output control of asynchronous machines. The form of the output feedback is also simplified as a unit character instead of bursts. Although the exact identification of the machine's state is infeasible, the proposed controller achieves immediate faulttolerance against transient faults that cause unauthorised state transitions. As a case study, the authors apply the proposed control scheme to implementing configuration controllers for space-borne field programmable gate array with hardware redundancy in which single event upset faults may happen by the radiation effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The methylotrophic yeast, Pichia pastoris, is widely used as a useful experimental tool in protein engineering and production. It is common for proteins expressed in P. pastoris to exhibit N-glycosylation. In recent years, glycosylation studies in P. pastoris have attracted increasing attention from scholars. Rhizopus chinensis lipase (RCL) is one of the most important industrial lipases, and it has four potential N-linked glycosylation sites. The aim of the present study was to determine whether RCL undergoes asparagine-linked (N-linked) glycosylation and to examine the role of this modification in RCL expression and function. Results: In this study, we demonstrated that RCL expressed in Pichia pastoris was N-glycosylated at the sites N-14, N-48 and N-60. The majority of the sites N-14 and N-60 were glycosylated, but the glycosylation degree of the site N-48 was only a very small portion. The glycan on N-60 played a key role in the expression and secretion of RCL. RT-PCR results showed that the mRNA level of proRCLCN60Q remained unchanged even though the protein secretion was hampered. Although the N-glycan on N-14 had no effect on the secretion of RCL, this glycan was beneficial for the lipase catalytic activity. On the other hand, the little amount of N-glycan on N-48 had no effect both on the secretion and activity of RCL in P. pastoris. Moreover, the thermostability analysis of RCL revealed that the lipase with more N-glycan was more thermostable. Conclusions: RCL was N-glycosylated when expressed in P. pastoris. The N-glycans of RCL on the different sites had different functions for the secretion and enzymatic properties of the lipase. Our report may also provide theoretical support for the improvement of enzyme expression and stability based on the N-linked glycosylation modification to meet the future needs of the biotechnological industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In diabetic patients, left ventricular (LV) remodeling is highly prevalent; however, little is known about the impact of diabetes on right ventricular (RV) structure and function. We recently found that overexpression of angiotensin (ANG)-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which metabolizes ANG-II to ANG-(1-7) and ANG-I to ANG-(1-9), may improve LV remodeling in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Here, we aimed to assess whether LV remodeling and dysfunction are paralleled by RV alterations and the effects of ANG-(1-7) on RV remodeling in DCM. After 12 wk of diabetes induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin, rats were treated with saline, ANG-(1-7), perindopril, ANG-(1-7) plus perindopril, ANG-(1-7) plus Mas receptor antagonist A779, or ANG-(1-7) plus ANG-II type 2 receptor antagonist PD123319 for 4 wk. RV remodeling in diabetic rats was indicated by fibrosis of the RV free wall in the absence of hypertrophy and apoptosis. Treatment with ANG-(1-7) prevented diabetes-induced RV fibrosis and dysfunction. ANG-(1-7) (800 ng·kg-1·min-1) was superior to perindopril in improving RV fibrosis. The major mechanisms involved a complex interaction of ANG-II type 2 and Mas receptors for subsequent downregulation of ACE expression and activity and ANG-II type 1 receptor expression, as well as upregulation of ACE2 expression and activity and the expression of ANG-II type 2 receptor and sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase. Thus RV fibrosis and dysfunction plays a central role in DCM, and ANG-(1-7) mitigates diabetes-induced RV alterations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and non-GIST subepithelial tumors (SETs) account for about 75 and 25 % of gastric hypoechoic SETs ≥2 cm, respectively. Therefore, identifying preoperative predictive factors for GISTs are required to refine surgical indications. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 375 surgically resected gastric hypoechoic SETs ≥2 cm. Demographic data and tumor characteristics based on upper endoscopy and CT findings were compared between GIST and non-GIST SETs originating from muscularis propria layer (leiomyomas, Schwannomas, glomus tumors, and ectopic pancreas). Results: In cardia, leiomyomas were found twice more frequently than GISTs (63.6 versus 31.8 %). Perilesional lymph node enlargement (PLNE) was found only in patients with GIST or Schwannomas. Patients with GIST showed a significantly lower rate of PLNE than those with Schwannomas (3.5 versus 29.0 %). In multivariate analysis, tumor site outside cardia (odds ratio, 9.157), absence of PLNE (odds ratio, 11.519), old age, large tumor size, exophytic growth pattern, and ulceration or dimpling were identified as independent preoperative predictive factors for GISTs versus non-GIST SETs. Conclusions: The effort for preoperative pathologic diagnosis such as endosonography-guided tissue sampling might be positively considered for SETs at cardia and SETs with PLNE where the possibility of GIST is low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]