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NPBS (Natural Products & Biological Sources) database is a chemical data resource with relational data between natural products and biological sources, manually curated from literatures of natural product researches. The relational data link a specific species and all the natural products derived from it and contrarily link a specific natural product and all the biological sources. The biological sources cover diverse species of plant, bacterial, fungal and marine organisms; the natural molecules have proper chemical structure data and computable molecular properties and all the relational data have corresponding references. NPBS database provides a wider choice of biological sources and can be used for dereplication to prevent re-isolation and re-characterization of already known natural products. Database URL: http://www.organchem.csdb.cn/scdb/NPBS

OBJECTIVE Among older adults, the ability to stand or walk while performing cognitive tasks (ie, dual-tasking) requires coordinated activation of several brain networks. In this multicenter, double-blinded, randomized, and sham-controlled study, we examined the effects of modulating the excitability of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) and the primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) on dual-task performance "costs" to standing and walking. METHODS Fifty-seven older adults without overt illness or disease completed 4 separate study visits during which they received 20 minutes of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) optimized to facilitate the excitability of the L-DLPFC and SM1 simultaneously, or each region separately, or neither region (sham). Before and immediately after stimulation, participants completed a dual-task paradigm in which they were asked to stand and walk with and without concurrent performance of a serial-subtraction task. RESULTS tDCS simultaneously targeting the L-DLPFC and SM1, as well as tDCS targeting the L-DLPFC alone, mitigated dual-task costs to standing and walking to a greater extent than tDCS targeting SM1 alone or sham (p

Qian Li,1,&ast; Zhenxiang Guo,1,&ast; Fuzheng Liu,2 Ye Liu,3 Dapeng Bao,4 Junhong Zhou5 1Sports Coaching College, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Medical Humanities, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3National Team Performance Training Center, National Sports Training Center, General Administration of Sport of China, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 4China Institute of Sport and Health Science, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 5Hebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02131, USA&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Dapeng BaoChina Institute of Sport and Health Science, Beijing Sport University, No. 48 Xinxi Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100084, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail baodp@bsu.edu.cnPurpose: The purpose exposure to hypoxia in high altitudes severely impairs the sleep quality and the related cardiovascular regulation, including the blood pressure (BP) regulation. BP regulation depends upon the continuous interaction of components over multiple temporal scales. As such, the dynamics of BP fluctuation are complex, and BP complexity has been linked to several pathological events. However, the effects of the exposure to hypoxia on BP complexity during sleep remain unknown.Methods: Twenty-five younger men naïve to high-altitude sleep (apnea severity as assessed by hypoxia apnea index (AHI): normal=8; moderate=9; severe=8) completed one nocturnal sleep under each of the three altitudes: 0 (ie, baseline), 2000, and 4000 m. The sleep characteristics and oxygen saturation (ie, SpO2) were assessed using polysomnography (PSG). The beat-to-beat BP fluctuation was recorded using a finger-blood-pressure sensor. Multiscale entropy (MSE) was used to characterize the complexity of systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) BP fluctuations, and lower MSE reflected lower complexity.Results: Compared to 0-m condition, SBP (p=0.0003) and DBP (F=12.1, p=0.0002) complexity, SpO2 (p< 0.0001) and REM ratio (p< 0.0090) were decreased, AHI was increased (p=0.0004) in 2000-m and even more in 4000-m conditions. In addition, lower BP complexity was associated with greater AHI (r=− 0.66∼ 0.52, p=0.0010), lower SpO2 (r=0.48∼ 0.51, p=0.0100∼ 0.0200) and lower REM ratio (r=0.48∼ 0.52, p=0.0200). Participants with greater percent reduction in BP complexity between altitudes had greater percent reduction in REM ratio and SpO2 (r=0.38∼ 0.45, p=0.0090∼ 0.0200), after adjustment for age, BMI, baseline apnea and altitude.Conclusion: These results suggested that the characterization of BP complexity may provide novel insights into the underlying mechanisms through which the exposure to hypoxia affects cardiovascular health during sleep, as well as sleep quality. This BP complexity may serve as a novel marker to help the management of cardiovascular health and sleep quality in high-altitude living.Keywords: high altitude, beat-to-beat blood pressure, multiscale entropy, sleep quality

In this work, a natural proanthocyanidin (PA) based magnetic nanoporous organic polymer (named as PA-MOP) was successfully synthesized for the first time. The PA-MOP possessed high hydrophilic-surface, good magnetic responsiveness and high affinity for neonicotinoid insecticides. It was applied as an advanced magnetic sorbent for extraction of four neonicotinoids (thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, acetamiprid and thiacloprid) from environmental water, peach juice and honey samples prior to HPLC analysis. Under optimal conditions, the limits of detection for the analytes at S/N = 3 were 0.02–0.08 ng mL−1 for water, 0.03–0.10 ng mL−1 for peach juice and 0.05–0.16 ng g−1 for honey sample. The method recoveries were 80.0%-114.8%, with the relative standard deviations below 6.8%. The values of matrix effect were from −1.5% to −9.3%. Based on theory calculation, the extraction mechanism can be attributed to multiple interactions between the PA-MOP and the neonicotinoids, in which hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking and electrostatic interactions are the major interactions.

A novel semirigid ureterorenoscope, named the Sotn ureterorenoscope, was designed with a vacuum suction system. The present study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of using the Sotn ureterorenoscope to manage single proximal ureteral or renal pelvic stones.Data were retrospectively collected from consecutive patients treated with a Sotn ureterorenoscope between February 2010 and August 2015 at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University and Jiangmen Wuyi Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital in China. The primary outcome was the primary stone-free rate (SFR) in 1 month. The secondary outcomes were the final SFR and the perioperative complication rate.A total of 386 patients were evaluated, including 240 males and 146 females. The median (interquartile range [IR]) age was 50 (40-59) years. There were 96 and 290 stones located in the renal pelvis and proximal ureter, respectively. The median (IR) operative time and console time for all patients were 40 (30-70) and 20 (12-38) minutes, respectively. The primary overall SFR was 86.5%, whereas the SFRs for stones with a diameter of ≤1, 1 to 2, and 2 to 3 cm were 95.7%, 86.9%, and 69.0%, respectively. Complications occurred in 90 patients (23.3%); these complications were classified as Clavien-Dindo grades 1 to 2 (minor) in 79 (20.5%) patients, and grades 3 to 4 (major) in 11 (2.8%).The novel semirigid Sotn ureterorenoscope featuring a vacuum suction system is effective and safe for managing proximal ureteral and renal pelvic stones.

Laboratory-based assessments of standing posture provide important insights into balance, mobility, and many other factors. We created a smartphone-based assessment of standing posture-completed with the phone placed in the user's pocket-for use in remote, non-laboratory settings. We here tested the reliability and sensitivity of App-derived metrics of postural sway to participant age and standing condition. Fifteen healthy younger and 15 older adults completed two laboratory visits separated by one week. On each visit, they followed multi-media instructions provided by the App to complete three 30-second trials each of standing with eyes open (EO), eyes closed (EC), and eyes open while performing a serial subtraction dual task (DT). Sway data were simultaneously collected with the App and a gold-standard force plate. Participants also completed App-based tests within their own homes on three separate days. To characterize sway, path length and root-mean-square (RMS) were derived from the acceleration and angular velocity signal acquired from the phone's internal motion sensor, and from the center of pressure (COP) signal acquired by the force plate. Across repeated trials conducted on the same day within the laboratory, App-derived path length and RMS of acceleration and angular velocity across conditions demonstrated moderate to excellent test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs)=0.69-0.97) for both the younger and older adults. Force plate-derived metrics demonstrated low to excellent test-retest reliability (ICCs=0.44-0.93). Compared to within-day laboratory testing, App-derived sway outcomes generally exhibited greater variability when tested across days within the home (ICCs=0.14-0.79). All sway metrics derived from the App were sensitive to age group (F>43.8, p 31.8, p

To surmount the challenges of limited drug penetration and therapeutic resistance in solid tumors, stimuli-responsive nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems (DDSs) with relatively small sizes are inherently favorable for combined treatment of cancerous cells. In this work, poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) functionalized Co

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a well-established KPI metrics to measure the equipment effectiveness. OEE has been widely used for many industries as a quantitative tool for measuring of productivity. Singapore institute of manufacturing technology (SIMTech) designs the “Real-Time OEE for Industry 4.0 implementation and OEE improvement” training program using Learn-Practice-Implement (LPI) model. The learner could practice OEE implementation in Model Factory@SIMTech before actual implementation at customer site. This paper presents the training methodology and the benefit of the training program.

Background It has been widely accepted that oral health status is related to oral health literacy. The need to measure oral health literacy has led to the development of measurement instruments. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive instrument for adults and to examine its reliability and validity in China. Methods A three-step design process was used. First, a literature review and expert panel discussion were used to draw up a 37-item pool covering oral health knowledge, belief, practice, skill, and functional oral health literacy. The Delphi method was used to delete and modify questions in the item pool. The draft instrument was evaluated by nine experts and the consensus among them was calculated using the content validity index. The scale was then used to conduct a psychometric study among 370 participants from community health centers in Beijing. Construct validity, discriminant validity and concurrent validity were examined. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and test–retest methods were used to assess reliability. Results The final scale included 30 items across four dimensions. The item–level content validity index was 0.90. Exploratory factor analysis extracted four fixed factors, and the result of the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin and Bartlett’s tests was 0.752, with the model explaining 35.21% of the total variance. The four dimensions were associated with oral health knowledge, perceptions of oral health issues, oral health practice and skills, and functional oral health literacy. The mean score of the lowest 27% was significantly lower than the highest 27% (P P Conclusions Initial testing of the comprehensive oral health literacy instrument suggested that it is a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate individuals’ oral health literacy, with four dimensions for evaluating knowledge, belief, skills, and functional oral health literacy.

Two models for predicting the density of organic cocrystals composed of energetic organic cocrystals and general organic cocrystals containing nitro groups were obtained. Sixty organic cocrystals in which the ratio of component molecules is 1 : 1 were studied as the dataset. Model-I was based on the artificial neural network (ANN) to predict the density of the cocrystals, which used (six) input parameters of the component molecules. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the ANN model was 0.033, the mean absolute error (MAE) was 0.023, and the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.920. Model-II used the surface electrostatic potential correction method to predict the cocrystal density. The corresponding RMSE, MAE, and R2 were 0.055, 0.045, and 0.716, respectively. The performance of Model-I is better than that of Model-II.

OEE (overall equipment effectiveness) is a well-established KPI metrics to measure the equipment effectiveness. OEE has been widely used for many industry as a quantitative tool for measuring productivity. The biggest challenge in the OEE implementation is due to the complexity of the plant with many variety of machines. In this paper, we present a unified OEE data collection method that is able to connect both brown field legacy machines and green field machines. An integrated OEE monitoring system architecture is proposed for large scale of implementation. A case study demonstrates the successful implementation of the OEE system for the productivity improvement.

Organic micropollutants have been extensively detected in environmental waters, posing severe hazards to organisms and humans. Effective detection of micropollutants in environmental water and food samples is of significant importance. Herein, a novel magnetic porous organic framework (labeled as M-Qu-POF) was synthesized using natural quercetin as building units via a facile azo-coupling reaction for the first time. Featuring with good magnetism, intrinsic porosity, high surface area and hydrophilic-lipophilic (amphiphilic) structure, the M-Qu-POF displayed high adsorption capacity for phenylurea herbicides (PUHs) pollutants. The adsorption mechanism was investigated by theory calculation, confirming that the hydrogen bonds interaction, π-π interactions and electrostatic interactions play an important role in the adsorption. With the M-Qu-POF as adsorbent, a magnetic solid phase extraction-high performance liquid chromatography method was first established for simultaneous enrichment and detection of six PUHs in environmental water, tea drink and cucumber samples. Under the optimized experimental conditions, good linear range, low detection limits and high enrichment factors were obtained. The method was successfully applied for determination of PUHs in environmental water, tea drink and cucumber samples with satisfactory recoveries (80.0–118%). The result demonstrates that the M-Qu-POF material has a good application prospect in the detection of other organic micropollutants.

Background Parkinson disease (PD) is a common movement disorder. Patients with PD have multiple gait impairments that result in an increased risk of falls and diminished quality of life. Therefore, gait measurement is important for the management of PD. Objective We previously developed a smartphone-based dual-task gait assessment that was validated in healthy adults. The aim of this study was to test the validity of this gait assessment in people with PD, and to examine the association between app-derived gait metrics and the clinical and functional characteristics of PD. Methods Fifty-two participants with clinically diagnosed PD completed assessments of walking, Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale III (UPDRS III), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Hamilton Anxiety (HAM-A), and Hamilton Depression (HAM-D) rating scale tests. Participants followed multimedia instructions provided by the app to complete two 20-meter trials each of walking normally (single task) and walking while performing a serial subtraction dual task (dual task). Gait data were simultaneously collected with the app and gold-standard wearable motion sensors. Stride times and stride time variability were derived from the acceleration and angular velocity signal acquired from the internal motion sensor of the phone and from the wearable sensor system. Results High correlations were observed between the stride time and stride time variability derived from the app and from the gold-standard system (r=0.98-0.99, P Conclusions A smartphone-based gait assessment can be used to provide meaningful metrics of single- and dual-task gait that are associated with disease severity and functional outcomes in individuals with PD.

BACKGROUND Parkinson disease (PD) is a common movement disorder. Patients with PD have multiple gait impairments that result in an increased risk of falls and diminished quality of life. Therefore, gait measurement is important for the management of PD. OBJECTIVE We previously developed a smartphone-based dual-task gait assessment that was validated in healthy adults. The aim of this study was to test the validity of this gait assessment in people with PD, and to examine the association between app-derived gait metrics and the clinical and functional characteristics of PD. METHODS Fifty-two participants with clinically diagnosed PD completed assessments of walking, Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale III (UPDRS III), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Hamilton Anxiety (HAM-A), and Hamilton Depression (HAM-D) rating scale tests. Participants followed multimedia instructions provided by the app to complete two 20-meter trials each of walking normally (single task) and walking while performing a serial subtraction dual task (dual task). Gait data were simultaneously collected with the app and gold-standard wearable motion sensors. Stride times and stride time variability were derived from the acceleration and angular velocity signal acquired from the internal motion sensor of the phone and from the wearable sensor system. RESULTS High correlations were observed between the stride time and stride time variability derived from the app and from the gold-standard system (r=0.98-0.99, PF1,103=14.1, PF1,103=6.8, P=.008) in the dual-task condition were significantly greater. Participants who walked with greater stride time variability exhibited a greater UPDRS III total score (single task: β=.39, PP=.01), HAM-A (single-task: β=.49, P=.007; dual-task: β=.48, P=.009), and HAM-D (single task: β=.44, P=.01; dual task: β=.49, P=.009). Moreover, those with greater dual-task stride time variability (β=.48, P=.001) or dual-task cost of stride time variability (β=.44, P=.004) exhibited lower MoCA scores. CONCLUSIONS A smartphone-based gait assessment can be used to provide meaningful metrics of single- and dual-task gait that are associated with disease severity and functional outcomes in individuals with PD.

(1) Background: Exercise that exceeds the body’s accustomed load can lead to oxidative stress and increased fatigue during intense training or competition, resulting in decreased athletic performance and an increased risk of injury, and the new medicinal H2 may be beneficial as an antioxidant. Therefore, we explored the effect of short-term supplementation of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on the work performance and fatigue recovery of dragon boat athletes after training. (2) Methods: Eighteen dragon boat athletes who trained for 4 h a day (2 h in the morning and 2 h in the afternoon) were divided into an HRW group (n = 9) and a placebo water (PW) group (n = 9), drinking HRW or PW for 7 days. Each participant completed 30 s rowing dynamometer tests, monitoring the heart rate at baseline (i.e., Day 1) and after the intervention (on Day 8). (3) Result: Drinking HRW increased the maximum power and average power of the 30 s rowing test and decreased the maximum heart rate during the period. After the rowing test, the HRW group’s heart rate dropped significantly after 2 min of recovery, while the PW group’s heart rate did not drop. There was no significant difference between the 30 s rowing distance and the predicted duration of rowing 500 m. (4) Conclusions: Drinking HRW in the short term can effectively improve the power performance of dragon boat athletes and is conducive to the recovery of the heart rate after exercise, indicating that HRW may be a suitable means of hydration for athletes.

The quantitative characterization of movement disorders and their related neurophysiological signals is important for the management of Parkinson&rsquo, s disease (PD). The aim of this study is to develop a novel wearable system enabling the simultaneous measurement of both motion and other neurophysiological signals in PD patients. We designed a wearable system that consists of five motion sensors and three electrophysiology sensors to measure the motion signals of the body, electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, and electromyography, respectively. The data captured by the sensors are transferred wirelessly in real time, and the outcomes are analyzed and uploaded to the cloud-based server automatically. We completed pilot studies to (1) test its validity by comparing outcomes to the commercialized systems, and (2) evaluate the deep brain stimulation (DBS) treatment effects in seven PD patients. Our results showed: (1) the motion and neurophysiological signals measured by this wearable system were strongly correlated with those measured by the commercialized systems (r &gt, 0.94, p &lt, 0.001), and (2) by completing the clinical supination and pronation frequency test, the frequency of motion as measured by this system increased when DBS was turned on. The results demonstrated that this multi-sensor wearable system can be utilized to quantitatively characterize and monitor motion and neurophysiological PD.

Objective Essential tremor (ET) and Parkinsonian tremor (PT) are often clinically misdiagnosed due to the overlapping characteristics of their hand tremor. We aim to examine if ET and PT influence the multiscale dynamics of hand tremor, as quantified using complexity, differently, and if such complexity metric is of promise to help identify ET from PT. Methods Forty-eight participants with PT and 48 with ET performed two 30-second tests within each of the following conditions: sitting while resting arms or outstretching arms horizontally. The hand tremor was captured by accelerometers secured to the dorsum of each hand. The complexity was quantified using multiscale entropy. Results Compared to PT group, ET group had lower complexity of both hands across conditions (F > 34.2, p 0.15, p 0.18, p 0.77, cut-off value = 48 (postural), 49 (resting)), which was confirmed in a separate dataset with ET and PT that were clearly diagnosed in prior work. Conclusions The PT and ET have different effects on hand tremor complexity, and this metric is promising to help the identification of ET and PT, which still needs to be confirmed in future studies. Significance The characteristics of multiscale dynamics of the hand tremor, as quantified by complexity, provides novel insights into the different pathophysiology between ET and PT.

Background: Recently, considerable research has been conducted to study the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on balance control in older adults. We completed a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of tDCS on balance control in this population.Methods: A search strategy based on the PICOS principle was used to find the literatures in the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, EBSCO, Web of Science. The quality and risk of bias in the studies were independently assessed by two researchers.Results: Ten studies were included in the systematic review. A meta-analysis was completed on six of these ten, with a total of 280 participants. As compared to sham (i.e., control), tDCS induced significant improvement with low heterogeneity in balance control in older adults. Specifically, tDCS induced large effects on the performance of the timed-up-and-go test, the Berg balance scale, and standing postural sway (e.g., sway area) and gait (e.g., walking speed) in dual task conditions (standardized mean differences (SMDs) = −0.99~3.41 95% confidence limits (CL): −1.52~4.50, p < 0.006, I2 < 52%). Moderate-to-large effects of tDCS were also observed in the standing posture on a static or movable platform (SMDs = 0.37~1.12 95%CL: −0.09~1.62, p < 0.03, I2 < 62%).Conclusion: Our analysis indicates that tDCS holds promise to promote balance in older adults. These results warrant future studies of larger sample size and rigorous study design and results report, as well as specific research to establish the relationship between the parameter of tDCS and the extent of tDCS-induced improvement in balance control in older adults.

BACKGROUND Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is a leading cause of blindness. This study aimed to analyze the expression of the erythropoietin receptor (EpoR) in patients with PDR and its correlation with postoperative visual prognosis. METHODS Between May 2016 and May 2017, 89 patients who underwent vitreoretinal surgery (VRS) in Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College were enrolled. Among them, 45 patients (52 eyes) with PDR and 44 patients (50 eyes) with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) made up the study group and the control group, respectively. All patients received 25G standard flattened three-channel lens-preserving VRS; all procedures were performed by the same physician. Recovery and change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were observed. Subsequently, the patients were divided into group A (improved vision) and group B (no improvement in vision). The integrated optical density (IOD) value of EpoR expression among the groups were compared. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the IOD values of EpoR and the change in visual acuity after surgery for PDR. RESULTS The IOD value of EpoR in the study group was higher than that in the control group (P

Machine translation of chemical nomenclature has considerable application prospect in chemical text data processing between languages. However, rule based machine translation tools have to face significant complication in rule sets building, especially in translation of chemical names between English and Chinese, which are the two most used languages of chemical nomenclature in the world. We applied two types of neural networks in the task of chemical nomenclature translation between English and Chinese, and made a comparison with an existing rule based machine translation tool. The result shows that deep learning based approaches have a great chance to precede rule based translation tools in machine translation of chemical nomenclature between English and Chinese.

BACKGROUND There is currently no clinical biomarker for the early diagnosis of giant cell tumor of bone. Long-chain non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have a wide range of important gene regulatory functions and play an important role in the occurrence and development of various malignant tumors. This study mainly screened the differential expression of lncRNAs in patients with giant cell tumor of bone by gene chip technology, verified the biological function. We tried to establish a reference basis for early diagnosis of tumor and prediction of tumor recurrence. METHODS From September 2018 to September 2019, we randomly selected 20 cases of primary giant cell tumor of bone and 20 cases of recurrent giant cell tumor of bone, and 20 cases of bone trauma tissue. First, the differential expression of incRNAs in the bone tissue of the patients was evaluated via utilizing gene chip technology. The gene chip was Human LncRNA Array v 3.0 (8 x 60 K) was completed by Shanghai Kangcheng Biotechnology Co., Ltd. The DAVID online analysis platform was used to analyze the differentially expressed genes by GO and KEGG pathways. The target lncRNAs were screened; real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the relative expression levels of target lncRNAs in bone tissue and serum of three groups of patients. RESULTS Using gene chip technology screening, fold-change (FC) value > 2.0 was used as standard. A total of 1,254 differentially expressed lncRNAs were detected of which 896 were up-regulated and 358 were down-regulated. Additionally, a total of 106 differentially expressed lncRNAs were detected with FC values > 10.0. Among these, 72 lncRNAs were upregulated and 34 lncRNAs were downregulated. We then selected two lncRNAs with up-regulation and down-regulation with the largest fold difference. qRT-PCR analytical results showcased that the expression of AK124776 in bone tissue and serum of patients in the recurrent group was significantly higher than that of the initial group and the normal group. Conversely, for RP11-160A10.2, the expression level in the recurrent group was significantly lower than that in the initial group, and the normal group was the highest; the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Finally, we used the expression levels of AK124776 and RP11-160A10.2 in each group as the diagnostic indicators. According to the receiver operating curve (ROC), the accuracy of AK¬124776 and RP11-160A10.2 in the diagnosis of giant cell tumor of bone (area under the curve), the AUC was 0.865 and 0.877, respectively; the accuracy of predicting recurrence of giant cell tumor of bone was 0.832 and 0.841, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The early detection of differential expression of lncRNAs in the serum of patients with giant cell tumor of bone is important for the diagnosis of disease and prediction of recurrence. The establishment of stable expression of lncRNAs and simple and easy detection methods are of great value for guiding clinical application.

Background: Gait impairments including shuffling gait and hesitation are common in people with Parkinson's disease (PD), and have been linked to increased fall risk and freezing of gait. Nowadays the gait metrics mostly focus on the spatiotemporal characteristics of gait, but less is known of the angular characteristics of the gait, which may provide helpful information pertaining to the functional status and effects of the treatment in PD. Objective: This study aimed to quantify the angles of steps during walking, and explore if this novel step angle metric is associated with the severity of PD and the effects of the treatment including the acute levodopa challenge test (ALCT) and deep brain stimulation (DBS). Methods: A total of 18 participants with PD completed the walking test before and after the ALCT, and 25 participants with PD completed the test with the DBS on and off. The walking test was implemented under two conditions: walking normally at a preferred speed (single task) and walking while performing a cognitive serial subtraction task (dual task). A total of 17 age-matched participants without PD also completed this walking test. The angular velocity was measured using wearable sensors on each ankle, and three gait angular metrics were obtained, that is mean step angle, initial step angle, and last step angle. The conventional gait metrics (ie, step time and step number) were also calculated. Results: The results showed that compared to the control, the following three step angle metrics were significantly smaller in those with PD: mean step angle (F-1,F-48=69.75, P

We designed a natural product database filled with hand-curated data of natural product information from journal literatures, to establish the relationships between natural products and biological sources. Therefore, we can figure out all the biological sources of a specific natural product reported in literatures, and also can inspect for the holistic view of a specific organism’s components, metabolites or extracts.

Similar to translated thermal ablative techniques in clinic, the occurrence of cellular necrosis during tumor photothermal therapy (PTT) would induce inflammatory responses that are detrimental to therapeutic outcomes. Inspired by the well-known colorimetric Folin-Ciocalteu assay, monodispersed and renal-clearable tungsten (W)-based polyoxometalate nanoclusters (W-POM NCs, average diameter of around 2.0 nm) were successfully obtained here through a facile redox reaction with natural gallic acid in alkaline aqueous solution. Apart from excellent stability in the form of freeze-dried powder, the as-prepared W-POM NCs occupied considerable biocompatibility toward normal cells/tissues both in vitro and in vivo, since no obvious toxicities were observed by treating female Balb/c mice with concentrated W-POM NCs during the 30 day post-treatment period. More importantly, W-POM NCs exhibited not only considerable near-infrared (NIR) light absorption (coloration effect originated from the existence of electron-trapped W5+) for efficient PTT but also impressive anti-inflammatory ability (eliminating inflammation-related reactive oxygen species by the oxidation of W5+ into W6+ state) to achieve better therapeutic outcomes. Thus, our study pioneers the application of POMs for non-inflammatory PTT with expected safety and efficiency.

Objective. To determine the effects of a transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) intervention with the anode placed over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and cathode over the right supraorbital region, on cognition, mobility, and “dual-task” standing and walking in older adults with mild-to-moderate motor and cognitive impairments. Methods. A double-blinded, block-randomized, sham-controlled trial was conducted in 18 nondemented, ambulatory adults aged ⩾65 years with slow walking speed (⩽1.0 m/s) and “executive” dysfunction (Trail Making Test B score ⩽25th percentile of age- and education-matched norms). Interventions included ten 20-minute sessions of tDCS or sham stimulation. Cognition, mobility, and dual-task standing and walking were assessed at baseline, postintervention, and 2 weeks thereafter. Dual tasking was also assessed immediately before and after the first tDCS session. Results. Intervention compliance was high (mean ± SD = 9.5 ± 1.1 sessions) and no unexpected or serious side effects were reported. tDCS, compared with sham, induced improvements in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment total score ( P = .03) and specifically within the executive function subscore of this test ( P = .002), and in several metrics of dual-task standing and walking ( P < .05). Each of these effects persisted for 2 weeks. tDCS had no effect on the Timed Up-and-Go test of mobility or the Geriatric Depression Scale. Those participants who exhibited larger improvements in dual-task standing posture following the first tDCS session exhibited larger cognitive-motor improvements following 2 weeks of tDCS ( P < .04). Interpretation. tDCS intervention designed to stimulate the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may improve executive function and dual tasking in older adults with functional limitations.

Background Recent findings suggest that transcranial direct current stimulation of the primary motor cortex may ameliorate freezing of gait. However, the effects of multitarget simultaneous stimulation of motor and cognitive networks are mostly unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of multitarget transcranial direct current stimulation of the primary motor cortex and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on freezing of gait and related outcomes. Methods Twenty patients with Parkinson's disease and freezing of gait received 20 minutes of transcranial direct current stimulation on 3 separate visits. Transcranial direct current stimulation targeted the primary motor cortex and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex simultaneously, primary motor cortex only, or sham stimulation (order randomized and double-blinded assessments). Participants completed a freezing of gait-provoking test, the Timed Up and Go, and the Stroop test before and after each transcranial direct current stimulation session. Results Performance on the freezing of gait-provoking test (P = 0.010), Timed Up and Go (P = 0.006), and the Stroop test (P = 0.016) improved after simultaneous stimulation of the primary motor cortex and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, but not after primary motor cortex only or sham stimulation. Conclusions Transcranial direct current stimulation designed to simultaneously target motor and cognitive regions apparently induces immediate aftereffects in the brain that translate into reduced freezing of gait and improvements in executive function and mobility. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

To surmount the challenges of limited drug penetration and therapeutic resistance in solid tumors, stimuli-responsive nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems (DDSs) with relatively small sizes are inherently favorable for combined treatment of cancerous cells. In this work, poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) functionalized Co0.85Se nanoparticles (PAA-Co0.85Se NPs) were synthesized through an ambient aqueous precipitating approach for synergistic photothermal-chemo treatment of cancer. The obtained PAA-Co0.85Se NPs possess ultrasmall size (8.2 ± 2.6 nm), considerable near-infrared (NIR) light absorption, high photothermal transforming efficiency (45.2%) and low cytotoxicity, all of which are beneficial for localized photothermal ablation of cancer cells. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX·HCl) was then successfully loaded on PAA-Co0.85Se NPs with a loading capacity up to 8.3% to form PAA-Co0.85Se-DOX composites, which exhibited an exciting acidic pH-responsive drug release property due to the protonation of amino groups...

Insufficient and heterogeneously distributed heat commonly leads to the incomplete elimination and recurrence of tumors. Inspired by the fact that autophagy is essential for cell survival in response to harmful stresses, a near-infrared (NIR) light responsive chloroquine (CQ, a well-known autophagy inhibitor) delivery system, consisting of phase-changing material (1-tetradecanol, PCM) and hollow mesoporous Prussian blue nanoparticles (HMPBs), is reported here to deliver CQ to the tumor region to augment the efficacy of photothermal therapy (PTT). In vitro thermosensitive CQ release assays demonstrated that precise "on-off" release profiles of CQ could be readily manipulated, owing to the excellent photothermal conversion abilities of HMPBs and the solid-to-liquid phase change properties of the PCM under NIR light illumination. Furthermore, targeted autophagy inhibition in cancer cells could remarkably amplify the cell-killing efficiency of PTT, leading to synergistic cancer suppression at mild therapeutic temperatures. Therefore, this work is expected to depict an effective strategy for the design and construction of a thermally responsive CQ delivery platform for modulating autophagy inhibition in tumors to reinforce the efficacy of PTT.

For the first time, double blue emitting layers have been functioned as the main exciton generation zone to achieve high-performance three-color phosphorescent white organic light-emitting diodes (WOLEDs). The WOLED exhibits the maximum forward-viewing external quantum efficiency (EQE) and power efficiency (PE) of 21.2% and 50.0 lm/W, respectively. Even at 1000 c d / m2, the forward-viewing EQE and PE are as high as 18.0 % and 32.5 lm / W, respectively, indicating low efficiency roll-off. Besides, the WOLED shows a maximum luminance of 81156 c d / m2. Moreover, by manipulating the excitons distribution, a WOLED can achieve a high color rendering index of 80. The findings may provide a new opportunity to achieve high-efficiency, high-luminance and low efficiency roll-off WOLEDs. Published version

Aristolochic acids are known for nephrotoxicity, and implicated in multiple cancer types such as hepatocellular carcinomas demonstrated by recent studies. Natural products that are analogues to aristolochic acids have been constantly isolated from organisms, a larger chemical space of these compounds and a wider coverage of biological sources should be determined in consideration of the potential hazard of aristolochic acid analogues and the wide distribution of their biological sources in the nature. Therefore, we carried out an in silico research of naturally occurring aristolochic acid analogues and their biological sources, as a supplement to existing studies. The result shows a chemical space of 238 naturally occurring aristolochic acid analogues that are present in 175 species of biological sources including 44 traditional medicines. With the computational estimation for toxicity and the implication in hazard assessment of a biological source with the presence of aristolochic acid analogues, we propose that additional awareness should be raised to the public for avoidance of toxic species, especially those that are used as herbal medicines and easily accessible.

Introduction. Essential tremor (ET) and Parkinsonian tremor (PT) are often clinically misdiagnosed. Involuntary hand motion depends upon numerous physiological interactions over multiple temporal-spatial scales. The dynamics of the motion are thus “complex,” and the pathophysiological changes in PT and ET may impact such complexity to different degrees. We hypothesize that measures of complexity may be used to distinguish ET from PT. Methods. Forty-eight participants with clinically-diagnosed PT and 48 age- and sex-matched participants with ET completed this study. Participants performed two 30-second tests within each of the following conditions: sitting while resting arms on chair arms or outstretching arms horizontally. The involuntary motion was derived from accelerometers secured to the dorsum of each hand. The complexity quantified using multiscale entropy and the amplitude and dominant frequency of the motion were calculated. We also confirmed the accuracy of our results using a separate dataset of 22 patients with PT and 22 with ET. Results. Participants with ET had lower complexity of both hands across both conditions (F > 10.8, p0.15, p0.18, p 0.15, p 0.18, p Conclusion. The complexity of involuntary hand motion captures pathophysiological characteristics reflective of PT and ET. This metric may serve as a novel marker to help distinguish ET from PT in clinical practice.

Composite energetic salts (CES) of 3,4-dinitraminofurazan based on hydroxylammonium and ammonium in the ratio of 3:1 (salt 7) and 1:1 (salt 8) were successfully prepared for the first time and their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Salt 7 showed better thermal stability, higher density and lower impact sensitivity while possessing the detonation performance equally to that of the corresponding hydroxylammonium salt.

In older adults, assessment of standing postural control under various task and/or environmental conditions provides valuable insight into cognitive-motor function. To date, however, such assessments have been limited primarily to laboratory or clinical settings. We therefore created a smartphone App to enable remote assessments of postural control. This App provides users with standardized multi-media instructions and harnesses the phone’s internal motion sensors to capture postural sway, with the phone placed in the user’s pants pocket, during trials of standing with eyes open, eyes-closed, and while performing serial-subtractions (i.e., dual tasking). We then established the test-retest reliability of several metrics of postural sway derived from this assessment tool, as well as their sensitivity to the effect of age and standing condition. Fifteen healthy younger and 15 older adults completed multiple standing trials in two separate laboratory visits and on three separate days in their own homes. Postural sway metrics included the mean distance from the center of the trajectory and root mean square were derived from both transverse-plane acceleration and angular velocity time series. Each sway metric demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability, even when analyzed separately by group and standing condition (ICCs: 0.78-0.89). Moreover, each metric was sensitive to age group and standing condition, such that greater sway was observed in older adults as compared to younger adults (p

BACKGROUND Gait impairments including shuffling gait and hesitation are common in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), and have been linked to increased fall risk and freezing of gait. Nowadays the gait metrics mostly focus on the spatiotemporal characteristics of gait, but less is known of the angular characteristics of the gait, which may provide helpful information pertaining to the functional status and effects of the treatment in PD. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to quantify the angles of steps during walking, and explore if this novel step angle metric is associated with the severity of PD and the effects of the treatment including the acute levodopa challenge test (ALCT) and deep brain stimulation (DBS). METHODS A total of 18 participants with PD completed the walking test before and after the ALCT, and 25 participants with PD completed the test with the DBS on and off. The walking test was implemented under two conditions: walking normally at a preferred speed (single task) and walking while performing a cognitive serial subtraction task (dual task). A total of 17 age-matched participants without PD also completed this walking test. The angular velocity was measured using wearable sensors on each ankle, and three gait angular metrics were obtained, that is mean step angle, initial step angle, and last step angle. The conventional gait metrics (ie, step time and step number) were also calculated. RESULTS The results showed that compared to the control, the following three step angle metrics were significantly smaller in those with PD: mean step angle (F1,48=69.75, PF1,48=15.56, PF1,48=61.99, PF1,38=5.77, P=.02, partial eta-square=0.13; DBS: F1,52=8.53, P=.005, partial eta-square=0.14) and last step angles (ACLT: F1,38=10, P=.003, partial eta-square=0.21; DBS: F1,52=4.96, P=.003, partial eta-square=0.09), but no significant changes were observed in step time and number after the treatments. Additionally, these step angles were correlated with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Part III score: mean step angle (single task: r=–0.60, Pr=–0.52, Pr=–0.35, P=.006; dual task: r=–0.35, P=.01), and last step angle (single task: r=–0.43, P=.001; dual task: r=–0.41, P=.002). CONCLUSIONS This pilot study demonstrated that the gait angular characteristics, as quantified by the step angles, were sensitive to the disease severity of PD and, more importantly, can capture the effects of treatments on the gait, while the traditional metrics cannot. This indicates that these metrics may serve as novel markers to help the assessment of gait in those with PD as well as the rehabilitation of this vulnerable cohort.

Numerous interrelated factors on the causal pathway to falls in older adults—from gait and balance decline to cognitive dysfunction, depression, and chronic pain—arise at least in part from ineffective and/or inappropriate activation of brain networks. Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are two forms of noninvasive brain stimulation capable of selectively modulating the excitability of brain regions of interest and their connected neural networks. While no studies to date have directly examined the effects of tES or TMS interventions on falls in older adults, mounting evidence suggests that each technology holds promise to enhance gait and balance, improve certain aspects of cognitive function, and combat symptoms associated with depression and chronic pain in both aging and disease. This chapter will thus introduce tES and TMS technologies and their application to clinical research in aging, review available literature with potential relevance to falls prevention, and highlight important areas of future research needed to maximize the potential of noninvasive brain stimulation to alleviate the burden of cognitive–motor decline and falls in older adults.

Condition based maintenance (CBM) has become increasingly important over the past decade as a means to maximize the asset usage and plant operating efficiency. CBM reduces maintenance cost by reducing the unnecessary scheduled preventive maintenance where equipment outages are predicted and maintenance is carried out only when necessary. The CBM methodology and techniques have been extensively researched in a variety of application areas such as rotating machinery, aerospace systems, chemical manufacturing, electronic and electrical components by universities, laboratories and the industry. Among these, advanced feature extraction and selection are essential research issues for realizing CBM. In this research, a novel Dominant Feature Identification (DFI) methodology is first proposed. Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) is used to decompose the inner product matrix of collected data from the monitoring sensors. The principal components are optimized in a least squares sense in a certain reduced space, and the dominant features are extracted using the K-means clustering algorithm. DFI provides an autonomous rule-base for data and sensor reduction. To efficiently use DFI in the CBM framework, a methodology is developed to integrate the proposed DFI with traditional feature extraction methods of time domain and frequency domain analysis, working together with Recursive Least Squares (RLS) and Extended Least Squares (ELS) modelling methods. The developed methodology and framework is evaluated based on the accuracy of prediction of the actual milling tool wear. Further improvement has been developed to integrate DFI with advanced feature extraction techniques of wavelet based correlation modelling. The efficiency of the advanced feature extraction and selection methodology is evaluated based on the accuracy of health condition assessment of the brushless DC motor. The research scope was extended from single machine CBM to complex manufacturing environment which may consist of many different types of machines. A system framework of iDiagnosis & Prognosis was developed to provide distributed intelligence of diagnosis and prognosis, to provide system condition and job execution capability assessment, and provide real time machine condition feedback to the supervisory control. The system framework, architecture, functions, and information flow are developed for implementing the diagnosis and prognosis in a complex manufacturing environment. DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (MAE)

The dynamics of tremulous motion in the upper limb is complex. We aimed to explore the relationship between the complexity of upper limb tremor when aiming and aiming performance and the influences of physical load on the two outcomes. Fifteen modern pentathlon athletes were recruited and completed two 1000-m treadmill running and three 60-s standard aiming task trials: one at baseline and each of the other two immediately after each running. The time series of light spot trace on the target was measured using a high-speed camera. The complexity of this time series was quantified using multiscale entropy. The effective aiming rate was used to assess the aiming performance. We observed that participants with lower tremor complexity had lower effective aiming rate across three physical load conditions (

Background The objective was to assess the feasibility of a prenatal yoga randomized controlled trial (RCT) for gestational low back pain (LBP), mobility, and maternal well-being. Methods In this pilot, women aged 18 to 39 years with uncomplicated pregnancies at 12 to 26 weeks were randomized, stratified by presence of LBP, to attend a weekly yoga class or a time-matched educational support group for 12 weeks. Sample size was based on anticipated enrollment of 2 subjects per month. Primary outcomes were measures of feasibility and acceptability. Secondary outcomes included LBP disability, pregnancy symptom burden, childbirth self-efficacy, instrumented gait, balance, and falls at baseline, every 4 weeks, and 6 weeks postpartum. Results From April 2015 to December 2015, 168 women were contacted and 115 (68%) were eligible. Twenty women enrolled (N = 11 yoga; N = 9 control; mean gestational age 20.2 weeks). Retention at 12 weeks was 81% in yoga and 77% in control. There were no yoga-related adverse events. Exploratory analyses show no differences in back pain disability between groups. Significant groups effects were found on biomechanical assessments, including percentage change in gait speed ( F = 4.4, P = .04), double support time ( F = 23.6, P Conclusion Conducting an RCT of prenatal yoga to improve gestational LBP and maternal well-being is feasible and safe. While no differences in back pain were observed, biomechanical measures were sensitive assessments for evaluating gestational LBP-related mobility impairment and showed group differences. Additionally, the PSI showed significant differences in symptom burden over 12 weeks, supporting the ongoing claims that yoga improves a pregnant woman’s overall well-being.

Background In older adults, compromised white matter tract integrity within the brain has been linked to impairments in mobility. We contend that poorer integrity disrupts mobility by altering the processing of sensorimotor and cognitive and attentional resources in neural networks. The richness of information processing in a given network can be quantified by calculating the complexity of resting-state functional MRI time series. We hypothesized that (i) older adults with lower brain complexity, specifically within sensorimotor, executive, and attention networks, would exhibit slower walking speed and greater dual-task costs (ie, dual-task cost) and (ii) such complexity would mediate the effect of white matter integrity on these metrics of mobility. Methods Fifty-three older adults completed a walking assessment and a neuroimaging protocol. Brain complexity was quantified by calculating the multiscale entropy of the resting-state functional MRI signal within seven previously defined functional networks. The white matter integrity across structures of the corpus callosum was quantified using fractional anisotropy. Results Participants with lower resting-state complexity within the sensorimotor, executive, and attention networks walked more slowly under single- and dual-task (ie, walking while performing a serial-subtraction task) conditions (β > 0.28, p ≤ .01) and had a greater dual-task cost (β < −0.28, p < .04). Complexity in these networks mediated the influence of the corpus callosum genu on both single- (indirect effects > 0.15, 95% confidence intervals = 0.02–0.32) and dual-task walking speeds (indirect effects > 0.13, 95% confidence intervals = 0.02–0.33). Conclusion These results suggest that the multiscale dynamics of resting-state brain activity correlate with mobility and mediate the effect of the microstructural integrity in the corpus callosum genu on walking speed in older adults.

The proportion of surgical patients over age 65 is increasing, and older patients who receive surgery and anesthesia are at higher risk of complications and poor functional and cognitive recovery. We will introduce a clinical test paradigm in which the surgery itself serves as the experimental stressor, with future recovery predicted by the response of dynamic physiological output measures (e.g., heart rate, electroencephalogram [EEG]) observed during the surgery. This approach is valuable for risk stratification and medical decision-making, especially when surgery is necessitated without opportunity for extensive pre-operative assessment. We will review the prognostic significance of three types of resilience indicators that can be derived from intraoperative time series physiological output data: heart rate variability, “anteriorization” of the EEG alpha band, and multi-scale entropy (an indicator of data complexity). We will present pilot data from a cohort of older adults undergoing non-cardiac, non-neurological, elective surgeries at a single center.

White matter lesions (WML) are highly prevalent in older adults and thought to represent cerebral microvascular disease, contributing to slow gait and dementia. Hypertension is associated with WML. However, the underlying mechanism of this association is unclear. The complex beat-to-beat BP fluctuations represent the influence of BP regulatory mechanisms over multiple time scales. The association between WML and abnormalities in BP regulation may be manifest as a loss of complexity in BP dynamics. The aim of this study is thus to explore the relationships between hypertension, BP complexity, and WML in older adults. Twenty-two older adults with hypertension (SBP>140 mmHg) and 19 age-matched older adults without hypertension (i.e., control) completed this study. Their whole-brain WML were assessed by two neurologists using the Fazekas Scale. Greater score reflects higher WML grade. Each participant completed a 10-minute BP assessment when sitting quietly following the MRI. The continuous SBP and DBP series were recorded, and the complexity of them was quantified using multiscale entropy (MSE). Lower MSE reflects lower complexity. Compared to the controls, hypertensives had significantly greater Fazekas scores (i.e., higher WML grade) (F=4.8, p=0.02) and lower complexity of SBP and DBP (F>3.7, p

Methods that analyze the driving force in the formation of the new energetic cocrystal are proposed in this paper. Various intermolecular interactions in the 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazatetracyclo [5.5.0.05,9.03,11]dodecane (CL-20) cocrystals are compared with those in pure CL-20 and coformer crystals by atom in molecule (AIM) and Hirshfeld surface methods under the supramolecular cluster model. The driving force in the formation of the CL-20 cocrystals is analyzed. The main driving force in the formation of the cocrystal CL-20/HMX comes from the O···H interactions, that in the formation of the cocrystal CL-20/TNT from the O···H and C···O interactions, and that in the formation of the cocrystal CL-20/BTF from the N···H and N···O interactions. Other interactions in the CL-20 cocrystals only contribute to their stabilization. At the same time, the reasons for the decreased impact sensitivity of the CL-20 cocrystals are also analyzed. They are the strengthening of the intermolecular interactions, the reducing of the free space, and the changing of the surrounding of CL-20 molecule in the CL-20 cocrystals in comparison with those in the pure CL-20 crystal.

In order to explore the interaction mechanism between 2,2-Bis (ethylferrocenyl) propane (GFP) and ammonium perchlorate (AP) at low temperature (below 250 °C), all the possible intermolecular interactions between GFP and AP were calculated. The calculations were performed in single molecule, cluster and slab models. The calculation results show that the interactions between GFP and AP at low temperature mainly come from GFP – H + and GFP – NH 4 + pair interactions. We speculate that the interaction mechanism between GFP and AP at low temperature is that GFP/H+ or GFP/NH4+ interactions cause GFP to be protonated, and then protonated GFP is to further oxidized.