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The interpretation of tropospheric cloud formation rests on understanding the sources and processes affecting aerosol constituents of the atmosphere that are preserved in cloudwater. However, this challenge is difficult to be quantitatively addressed based on the sole use of bulk chemical properties. Nitrogenous aerosols, mainly ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3−), play an important role in tropospheric cloud formation. Here we collected cloudwater samples at the summit of Mt. Tai (1545 m above sea level) in Eastern China during a long-lasting biomass burning (BB) event, and measured for the first time the isotopic compositions (mean ± 1σ) of cloudwater nitrogen species (δ15N-NH4+ = −6.53 ± 4.96 ‰, δ15N-NO3− = −2.35 ± 2.00 ‰, δ18O-NO3− = 57.80 ± 4.23 ‰), allowing insights into their sources and potential transformation mechanism within the clouds. Large contributions of BB to the cloudwater NH4+ (32.9 ± 4.6 %) and NO3− (28.2 ± 2.7 %) inventories were confirmed through a Bayesian isotopic mixing model, coupled with our newly-developed computational quantum chemistry module. Despite an overall reduction in total anthropogenic NOx emission due to effective emission control actions and stricter emission standards for vehicles, the observed cloud δ15N-NO3− values suggest that NOx emissions from transportation may have exceeded emissions from coal combustion. δ18O-NO3− values imply that the reaction of OH with NO2 is the dominant pathway of NO3− formation (57 ± 11 %), yet the contribution of heterogeneous hydrolysis of dinitrogen pentoxide was almost as important (43 ± 11 %).

Background This report describes one case of paravertebral haemorrhage after ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) that may have been attributed to the inadvertent puncture of the posterior intercostal artery (PIA). This complication has never been reported in ultrasound-guided TPVB. Strategies to prevent this potentially serious complication are discussed. Case presentation A 52-year-old male underwent a video-assisted upper lobectomy. TPVB was performed under the guidance of ultrasound using the out-of-plane parasagittal approach. The transducer was placed 2.5 cm lateral to the midline area in a sagittal orientation. A needle was inserted at the lateral side of the transducer and advanced toward the T4 paravertebral space. During the final attempt, the needle tip was visualised in the middle area of the paravertebral space. Anterior displacement of the pleura was visualised upon injection of the saline. Aspiration of red blood was unfortunately identified. The block in this T4 level was discontinued. The patient was haemodynamically stable. When the chest cavity was entered, a bulging column-shaped haematoma was noted in the left paravertebral space extending from T1 to T12 with concomitant spread into the left T4–5 intercostal space. A postoperative neurological examination revealed intact sensory function in the T4 dermatome bilaterally. The patient fully recovered with no neurological sequelae. Conclusions Ultrasound-guided TPVB still bears the potential risk of inadvertent PIA injury. We recommend colour Doppler imaging to identify PIA prior to the TPVB.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus(PRRSV) is an important immunosuppressive virus which can suppresses infected cells proliferation. In this work, we examined PRRSV ability to manipulate cell cycle progression of MARC-145 cells and explored the potential molecular mechanisms. The results showed that PRRSV infection imposed a growth-inhibitory effect on MARC-145 cells by inducing cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase. This arrest was due to the significant decrease of Cdc2-cyclinB1 complex activity in PRRSV-infected cells and the activity reduction was a result of Cdc2 Tyr15 phosphorylation and the accumulation of Cdc2 and cyclinB1 in the nucleus. Not only elevated Wee1 and Myt1 expression and inactivated Cdc25C, but also increase of p21 and 14–3-3σ in a p53-dependent manner caused the inhibitory Tyr15 phosphorylation of Cdc2. PRRSV infection also activated Chk1. Our data suggest PRRSV infection induces G2/M arrest via various molecular regulatory mechanisms. These results provide a new insights for PRRSV pathogenesis.

No data are available on the prevalence of mortality in neonates after major surgery such as laparotomy in China.In a tertiary general hospital, 142 newborns who underwent laparotomy for a variety of surgical conditions in the past 6 years were included in this study in Beijing, China. Pre-, intra-, and postoperative variables potentially predictive of postoperative 30 day mortality were collected and compared between the surviving and deceased newborns.Death ≤30 days after laparotomy occurred in 19 of 142 newborns (13.4%) during the study period. Newborns diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) had the worst outcome (OR, 11.4). Significantly more neonates in the 30 day death group were intubated preoperatively (52.6%) compared with the survival group (19.5%; OR, 10.0). Base excess ≤-10 mmol/L immediately after laparotomy was associated with negative prognosis in the early postoperative period (OR, 11.2).The mortality rate of newborns ≤30 days after laparotomy was 13.4% in a Chinese tertiary general hospital in the past 6 years. The factors associated with early death were NEC, preoperative intubation with mechanical ventilation, and postoperative immediate base excess ≤-10 mmol/L.

The equation of states (EOS) that correlates the pressure, volume and temperature (PVT) of detonation products is indispensable in the numerical modeling of blasting performances of energetic materials. Based on extensive molecular dynamics simulations on the mixtures of CO2, H2O, N2, CO and H2, which are the main components of detonation products of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (HMX), the relation of pressure with density, temperature and composition is derived in the range of 1.4–2.2 g/cm3 for density, 3000–4400 K for temperature and 8–40 GPa for pressure. The proposed EOS exhibits good general applicability under the studied conditions and reasonable agreement with the experimentally established Becker–Kistiakowsky–Wilson (BKW) equation. Although several approximations are applied in the computations and some deviations remains, it suggests an effective and feasible approach to establish the EOS for detonation products of energetic materials by means of molecular modeling.

The conventional 2D textile-based triboelectric nanogenerators (t-TENGs) integrated with clothes can harvest various types of biomechanical energy that occur in everyday life. However, the power outputs are still low due to the limited gap between the strips, resulting in insufficient triboelectric effect utilization. Hence, we report a fully flexible homogeneous integrated textile-based TENG (HTNG) fabricated with flat-panel vulcanizing process based on Ag-coated glass microspheres and PTFE powders in high-temperature silicone rubber matrix (Ag@rubber and PTFE@rubber). After triboelectric material selection and rational structural design, the HTNG has three relatively independent charge flow paths to realize hybrid triboelectric energy harvesting. By optimizing the internal contact-separation design of triboelectric layer, the maximum peak to peak open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and power density of 728 V, 16.6 μA, and 1.77 W/m2 are obtained under 1 MΩ load, respectively. Moreover, the ability to respond to different frequencies, resistances, and charge capacity of HTNG are investigated experimentally. It proves an efficient access to harvest mechanical energy from environment and human motion.

Importance Time spent in outdoor activities has decreased owing to home confinement for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Concerns have been raised about whether home confinement may have worsened the burden of myopia owing to substantially decreased time spent outdoors and increased screen time at home. Objective To investigate the refractive changes and prevalence of myopia in school-aged children during the COVID-19 home confinement. Design, Setting, and Participants A prospective cross-sectional study using school-based photoscreenings in 123 535 children aged 6 to 13 years from 10 elementary schools in Feicheng, China, was conducted. The study was performed during 6 consecutive years (2015-2020). Data were analyzed in July 2020. Exposures Noncycloplegic photorefraction was examined using a photoscreener device. Main Outcomes and Measures The spherical equivalent refraction was recorded for each child and the prevalence of myopia for each age group during each year was calculated. The mean spherical equivalent refraction and prevalence of myopia were compared between 2020 (after home confinement) and the previous 5 years for each age group. Results Of the 123 535 children included in the study, 64 335 (52.1%) were boys. A total of 194 904 test results (389 808 eyes) were included in the analysis. A substantial myopic shift (approximately −0.3 diopters [D]) was found in the 2020 school-based photoscreenings compared with previous years (2015-2019) for younger children aged 6 (−0.32 D), 7 (−0.28 D), and 8 (−0.29 D) years. The prevalence of myopia in the 2020 photoscreenings was higher than the highest prevalence of myopia within 2015-2019 for children aged 6 (21.5% vs 5.7%), 7 (26.2% vs 16.2%), and 8 (37.2% vs 27.7%) years. The differences in spherical equivalent refraction and the prevalence of myopia between 2020 and previous years were minimal in children aged 9 to 13 years. Conclusions and Relevance Home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic appeared to be associated with a significant myopic shift for children aged 6 to 8 years according to 2020 school-based photoscreenings. However, numerous limitations warrant caution in the interpretation of these associations, including use of noncycloplegic refractions and lack of orthokeratology history or ocular biometry data. Younger children’s refractive status may be more sensitive to environmental changes than older ages, given the younger children are in a critical period for the development of myopia.

Identifying the sources of increased ammonia (NH3) in the atmosphere has important implications for air quality, ecosystems, and climate. While analysis of the nitrogen isotopic composition (δ15N) can aid in the apportionment of NH3 emission sources, the widely-used passive collection methods have not been verified for their ability to accurately characterize δ15N-NH3. In this study, three types of passive samplers (ALPHA, Analyst, and Radiello) were employed and collocated with a denuder based active sampler (DELTA, serves as a reference method) to compare and contrast their ability in collecting atmospheric NH3 for subsequent concentration and δ15N-NH3 analysis in urban Beijing during the summer of 2018. The results showed that NH3 concentrations determined using passive collection samplers that included ALPHA (n = 11), Analyst (n = 12), and Radiello (n = 7) samplers were 13.4%, 14.4%, and 27.5% lower than that of the active sampler (n = 12), respectively. The low NH3 concentration bias in the passive collection samplers was suggested to be the result of inaccurate effective sampling rates due to incorrect mass transfer correction factors for the environmental conditions of this study. The δ15N-NH3 values did not show significant differences between passive samplers, with weekly means of −31.0 ± 1.0‰ (n = 4), −28.4 ± 5.5‰ (n = 4), and − 29.1 ± 0.9‰ (n = 4) for the ALPHA, Analyst, and Radiello, respectively. Notably, the overall mean δ15N-NH3 values collected by these passive samplers (−29.5 ± 3.2‰, n = 12) was significantly lower than that of the active sampler (−14.1 ± 1.6‰, n = 4), with a difference of 15.4 ± 3.5‰. The large underestimation of δ15N-NH3 values by passive samplers can be explained by the diffusive isotope fractionation of NH3 isotopologues, which is driven by relative mass differences of 14NH3 and 15NH3. Overall, these findings highlight a potential low bias in NH3 concentrations and a substantial uncertainty in previous source interpretation using δ15N-NH3 as previous studies have almost exclusively characterized δ15N-NH3 using passive samplers. We suggest that the denuder-based active sampler should be used in the future for characterizing δ15N-NH3 whether at the source or in an atmospheric environment with mixed sources. This work also has important implications for characterizing δ15N of other gaseous nitrogen compounds.

Complexation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and gold nanorods has been investigated by plasmon-enhanced light scattering spectroscopy under external stimuli such as the changes in hydrogen ion concentration value and ionic strength, with addition of ethanol. The results indicated that the BSA chains tend to adopt a coil conformation by decreasing hydrogen ion concentration value. Scattering intensity of the gold nanorods–BSA system gradually decreases because BSA chains tend to adopt a coil conformation with addition of sodium chloride. This work will further extend the application range of this method due to its simplicity, rapidity, and sensitivity.

The goal of this study was to verify the ultrasound features of hyper-echoic rims in thyroid nodules and to evaluate their diagnostic value in predicting thyroid malignancies. We retrospectively analyzed 228 pathologically proven thyroid nodules (137 malignant and 91 benign nodules). Forty-eight thyroid nodules had a hyper echogenic rim. All malignant nodules (137) were papillary carcinomas, which were studied to identify the correlation between the hyper-echoic rim (detected by ultrasound) and other histologic features. Presence of a hyper-echoic rim had high specificity (94.51%), but low sensitivity (31.39%) in predicting malignancy (p < 0.05). Thirty-seven of 43 malignant nodules had boundary zones of mixed structure (apparent fibrous stroma bands or dense collagenous border with a mixed population of cancerous cells) under microscopic examination. In conclusion, the hyper-echogenic rim could be one additional ultrasound parameter in the diagnosis of thyroid lesions.

Recent studies have demonstrated that chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is associated with reduced antigen‑presenting capacity and insufficient cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) production. The molecular chaperone tapasin mediates binding of the transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP), and has an important role in endogenous antigen processing and presentation, and the induction of specific CTL responses. The present study aimed to determine whether tapasin is associated with chronic HBV (CHB) infection. The mRNA expression levels of tapasin were detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 27 patients with CHB, 20 patients with acute HBV (AHB) and 26 healthy controls by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In addition, CD8+ T immune responses were evaluated in all groups, and the correlation between tapasin expression and CD8+ responses was analyzed. The results demonstrated that the mRNA expression levels of tapasin were significantly downregulated in patients with CHB compared with in healthy controls and patients with AHB. Furthermore, the apoptotic rate of CD8+ T cells was increased in patients with CHB compared with in the other two groups. The percentage of interferon (IFN)‑γ+CD8+ T cells was reduced in patients with CHB compared with in patients with AHB and healthy controls, and serum cytokine levels (IFN‑γ, interleukin‑2 and tumor necrosis factor‑α) were generally low in patients with CHB. Furthermore, the mRNA expression levels of tapasin were positively correlated with IFN‑γ production by CD8+ T cells, and were inversely correlated with the apoptotic ratio of CD8+ T cells. These results indicate that decreased expression of tapasin may be closely associated with CHB, and suggest an important role for tapasin in the pathogenesis of CHB.

The activity of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) plays a predominant role in the clearance of HBV. Dendritic cells (DCs) are key antigen-presenting cells and play an important role in the initiation of immune responses. We previously verified that lentiviral vector encoding ubiquitinated hepatitis B core antigen (LV-Ub-HBcAg) effectively transduced DCs to induce maturation, and the mature DCs efficiently induced T cell polarization to Th1 and generated HBcAg-specific CTLs ex vivo. In this study, HBV-specific immune responses of LV-Ub-HBcAg in BALB/c mice (H-2Kd) were evaluated. It was shown that direct injection of LV-Ub-HBcAg increased the production of cytokines IL-2 and IFN-γ, elicited strong antibody responses, and remarkably generated a high percentage of IFN-γ+CD8+ T cells with HBV-specific CTL responses in BALB/c mice. In addition, direct injection of LV-Ub-HBcAg induced potent anti-HBV immune responses, similar to those elicited by in vitro-transduced DCs. In conclusion, the DC-based therapeutic vaccine LV-Ub-HBcAg elicited specific antibody immune responses and induced robust specific CTL activity in vivo.

$\mathbf{A}$ simplified geometrical musculoskeletal model was developed in this paper for an intelligent wheelchair assisting person in stand-to- sit transfer safely and comfortably. The principal muscles on lower limbs during the stand-to-sit transfer, and relative geometric positions of them and bones were determined. Basing on the proposed model, the principle muscle force of human during stand-to-sit motion was calculated in combination with the joint moments of hip, knee and ankle joints. An amplitude limitation of muscle force was implemented for imitating the person in the case of insufficient muscle strength of their lower limbs. Results of stimulation and experiment show feasibility and efficiency of the proposed methodology.

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Nanomaterials employed for enhanced drug delivery and therapeutic effects have been extensively investigated in the past decade. The outcome of current anticancer treatments based on conventional nanoparticles is suboptimal, due to the lack of biocompatibility, the deficient tumor targeting, the limited drug accumulation in the diseased region, etc. Alternatively, DNA-based nanocarriers have emerged as a novel and versatile platform to integrate the advantages of nanotechnologies and biological sciences, which shows great promise in addressing the key issues for biomedical studies. Rather than a genetic information carrier, DNA molecules can work as building blocks to fabricate programmable and bio-functional nanostructures based on Watson Crick base-pairing rules. The DNA-based materials have demonstrated unique properties, such as uniform sizes and shapes, pre-designable and programmable nanostructures, site-specific surface functionality and excellent biocompatibility. These intrigue features allow DNA nanostructures to carry functional moieties to realize precise tumor recognition, customized therapeutic functions and stimuli-responsive drug release, making them highly attractive in many aspects of cancer treatment. In this review, we focus on the recent progress in DNA-based self-assembled materials for the biomedical applications, such as molecular imaging, drug delivery for in vitro or in vivo cancer treatments. We introduce the general strategies and essential requirements for fabricating DNA-based nanocarriers. We summarize the advances of DNA-based nanocarriers according to their functionalities and structural properties for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future perspectives regarding the detailed in vivo parameters of DNA materials and the design of intelligent DNA nanomedicine for individualized cancer therapy.

The efficient delivery of a therapeutic gene into target tissues has remained a major obstacle in realizing a viable gene-based medicine. Herein, we introduce a facile and universal strategy to construct a DNA nanostructure-based codelivery system containing a linear tumor therapeutic gene (p53) and a chemotherapeutic drug (doxorubicin, DOX) for combined therapy of multidrug resistant tumor (MCF-7R). This novel codelivery system, which is structurally similar to a kite, is rationally designed to contain multiple functional groups for the targeted delivery and controlled release of the therapeutic cargoes. The self-assembled DNA nanokite achieves efficient gene delivery and exhibits effective inhibition of tumor growth in vitro and in vivo without apparent systemic toxicity. These structurally and chemically well-defined codelivery nanovectors provide a new platform for the development of gene therapeutics for not only cancer but also a wide range of diseases.

The Valsa canker, caused by Valsa mali (V. mali), is a destructive disease of apple in Eastern Asia. Effector proteins are important for fungal pathogenicity. We studied a candidate effector VmPxE1 isolated based on the genome information of V. mali. By using the yeast invertase secretion assay system, VmPxE1 was shown to contain a signal peptide with secretory functions. VmPxE1 can suppress BCL-2-associated X protein (BAX)-induced cell death with a high efficacy of 92% in Nicotiana benthamiana. The expression of VmPxE1 was upregulated during the early infection stage and deletion of VmPxE1 led to significant reductions in virulence on both apple twigs and leaves. VmPxE1 was also shown to target an apple ascorbate peroxidase (MdAPX1) by the yeast two-hybrid screening, bimolecular fluorescence complementation and in vivo co-immunoprecipitation. Sequence phylogenetic analysis suggested that MdAPX1 was an ascorbate peroxidase belonging to a subgroup of heme-dependent peroxidases of the plant superfamily. The ectopic expression of MdAPX1 in the mutant of VmPxE1 significantly enhanced resistance to H2O2, while the presence of VmPxE1 seems to disturb MdAPX1 function. The present results provide insights into the functions of VmPxE1 as a candidate effector of V. mali in causing apple canker.

Apple Valsa canker, caused by the necrotrophic pathogen Valsa mali, is a devastating disease of apples and causes great financial loss in East Asia. Improving the understanding of apple - V. mali interactions will contribute to disease management. In this study, three predicted secreted peroxidases (VmPOD1, VmPOD2 and VmPOD3) were uncovered based on the secretome and genome information of V. mali. Phylogenetic analysis showed that VmPOD1 is a catalase peroxidase, VmPOD2 is a chloroperoxidase, and VmPOD3 is a plant peroxidase-like peroxidase. The secretion function of the corresponding genes was confirmed using the yeast invertase secretion system. The deletion of VmPODs did not affect the vegetative growth when the mutants (ΔVmPOD1, ΔVmPOD2 and ΔVmPOD3) and the wild-type strain 03-8 were grown on PDA medium at 25 °C in the dark. However, the respective mutants showed impaired conidiation ability with fewer pycnidia, and all gene deletion mutants grew more slowly than 03-8 on PDA supplemented with H

Amblyopia risk factors in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are usually hard to detect in early childhood due to poor cooperation and has not been reported in the Chinese population. We screened 168 Chinese children with ASD, aged between 3 and 8 years, and 264 age-matched neurotypical children with Spot photoscreener and basic ophthalmologic examinations. Children with ASD were found to have normal refractive status but significantly higher incidence of strabismus (16.1%), compared with control children (1.5%) (p

The inhibition of mitogen‑activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including c‑Jun NH2‑terminal protein kinase (JNK), p38 MAPK (p38) and extracellular signal‑regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), have an important effect on lung ischemia‑reperfusion injury (IRI) during lung transplantation (LT). However, the way in which combined MAPK inhibition exerts optimal protective effects on lung IRI remains to be elucidated. Therefore, the present study evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of the inhibition of MAPKs in rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) in an IRI model of LT. The rat PMVECs were transfected with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) against JNK, p38 or ERK1/2. Cotransfection was performed with siRNAs against JNK and p38 in the J+p group, JNK and ERK1/2 in the J+E group, p38 and ERK1/2 in the p+E group, or all three in the J+p+E group. Non‑targeting (NT) siRNA was used as a control. The PMVECs were then treated to induce IRI, and the levels of inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress were detected. Differences between compared groups were determined using Tukey's honest significant difference test. In all groups, silencing of the MAPKs was shown to attenuate inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress to differing extents, compared with the NT group. The J+p and J+p+E groups showed lower levels of interleukin (IL)‑1β, IL‑6 and malondialdehyde, a lower percentage of early‑apoptotic cells, and higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, compared with the other groups. No significant differences were observed in the inflammatory response, SOD activity or early apoptosis between the J+p and J+p+E groups. These findings suggested that the dual inhibition of JNK and p38 led to maximal amelioration of lung IRI in the PMVECs of the IRI model of LT, which occurred through anti‑inflammatory, anti‑oxidative and anti‑apoptotic mechanisms.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is characterized by functionally impaired type 1 T-helper cell (Thl) immunity and poor HBV‑specific T‑cell responses. Ubiquitin (Ub), a highly conserved small regulatory protein, commonly serves as a signal for target proteins that are recognized and degraded in proteasomes. The rapid degradation of Ub‑mediated antigens results in efficient stimulation of cell‑mediated immune responses. Thus, the Ub‑HBV core antigen (HBcAg)‑cytoplasmic transduction peptide (CTP) fusion protein was designed for specific delivery of a foreign modified antigen to the cytoplasm of antigen‑presenting cells. HBV transgenic mice were used to determine whether Ub‑HBcAg‑CTP would restore HBV‑specific immune responses and anti‑viral immunity in these animals. The results demonstrated that synthesized Ub‑HBcAg‑CTP not only significantly increased the levels of interleukin‑2 and interferon (IFN)‑γ compared with those in the HBcAg‑CTP, IFN‑α, Ub‑HBcAg, HBcAg and phosphate‑buffered saline groups, but additionally induced the highest IFN‑γ+ CD8+ T‑cell numbers and HBV‑specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses, indicating a strong immune response. In addition, enhancement of specific CTL activity provoked by the fusion protein reduced hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV DNA serum levels and diminished the expression of HBsAg and HBcAg in liver tissue of HBV transgenic mice, suggesting that there was a therapeutic effect. In conclusion, the present study provided evidence that Ub‑HBcAg‑CTP activated the Th1‑dependent immunity, triggered functional T cell responses and subsequently inhibited viral replication in HBV transgenic mice. These observations suggested that the fusion protein may represent an innovative and promising candidate for active immunotherapy during chronic and persistent HBV.

Janus hybrid multicomponent nanoparticles have been synthesized by one-step reverse atom transfer radical polymerization in emulsion, which reduces the requirement of reaction conditions. Janus nanoparticle structure has been controlled by adjusting the reaction time, ratio of styrene monomers to gold nanoparticles, time of addition of gold colloids and reaction temperature.

Reciprocal signaling between stromal and tumor cells was believed to contribute to tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis in heterocellular systems. Herein we used the CO

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene polymorphism has been implicated in predisposition to diabetes and dementia in old population, but the results from the different studies were inconclusive. A cross-sectional study was carried out to explore the relationship among ApoE gene polymorphism, diabetes and cognition in non-demented aging Chinese adults. A total number of 1000 community dwellers aged 55 years and above were randomly recruited. Demographic information of the participants was collected using well designed self-administered questionnaires. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test was employed to evaluate the cognitive status of the participants. Semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to obtain the dietary intake information. Fasting venous blood samples were taken for ApoE genotyping and serum lipid measurements. 238 participants were type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and 145 participants were ApoE4 carriers. ApoE 4-T2DM subjects had higher serum triglyceride (TG) concentration than E2 and E3 carriers (P < 0.05). T2DM subjects carrying ApoE4 had lower cognition than subjects with E2 or E3 carriers (P < 0.05). Comparing to non-type 2 diabetic mild cognitive impaired (nT2DM-MCI) subjects, the type 2 diabetic mild cognitive impaired (T2DM-MCI) subjects have higher serum glucose (Glu) level and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) level (P < 0.05). The T2DM-MCI subjects carrying ApoE4 have lower cognition than E2 and E3 carriers (P

Metabolic syndrome (MS) could be associated with liver function. Our study aimed to investigate the association between liver function and MS in a large cohort of Chinese men and women. We enrolled 32,768 ostensibly healthy participants. The associations between liver function and MS of both genders were analyzed separately after dividing total bilirubin (TBIL), gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) into quartiles. Young males had significantly higher MS prevalence than females, yet after menopause, females had higher MS prevalence. We used TBIL, GGT and ALT quartiles as categorical variables in binary logistic regression models. Significantly decreased MS risks were demonstrated in TBIL quartiles 2 to 4 for males, and quartiles 3 to 4 for females. As to GGT and ALT, significantly increased MS risks were shown in high quartiles for both genders. Aging also resulted in significantly higher MS risks in both genders except for young females. This study displayed close associations between liver function and MS, which were influenced by gender and age. A high TBIL level had protective effect against MS, while high GGT and ALT levels were risk factors for MS. It is meaningful that liver function is used as clinical risk predictors for MS.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the function of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in angiogenesis and their association with the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Using immunohistochemical staining, the expression of 15-PGDH and COX-2, and the microvessel density (MVD) levels were evaluated in 35 NSCLC specimens. Paracancerous normal lung tissue was collected as control samples from six patients. The correlation of 15-PGDH with COX-2, clinicopathological characteristics, MVD and overall survival (OS) was studied. NSCLC tissues showed a significantly lower expression level of 15-PGDH (P=0.009) and a significantly higher expression level of COX-2 (P=0.004) compared with normal lung tissue. The expression level of 15-PGDH was negatively correlated with MVD (P

The antioxidative activity of hydrolysate peptides from oysters (Crassostrea talienwhanensis) was investigated. After hydrolysis with subtilisin, the yields of the peptides that were soluble in trichloroacetic acid (TCA-soluble) and the antioxidant activities of the resulting hydrolysate were determined using an orthogonal design and a hydroxyl radical scavenging reaction. The hydrolysate was fractionated using Sephadex G-15 gel filtration chromatography, and the two resulting bioactive peptides were subsequently purified by RP-HPLC with a Kromasil C18 (ODS) column. The amino acid sequences were analyzed by nano-ESI-MS/MS. The critical reaction temperature, pH, hydrolysis time and enzyme-to-substrate (E/S) ratio were determined for the optimum hydrolysis with subtilisin, and the E/S ratio was found to be the most critical reaction condition. The amino acid sequences of the peptides (518 and 440 Da) were proline-valine-methionine-glycine-aspartic acid (PVMGA) and glutamine-histidine-glycine-valine (QHGV), respectively. These two novel peptides exhibited high antioxidative actions based on their hydroxyl and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities.

We herein report a novel fluorescent probe for Hg2+ based on the deprotection of 1,3-dithiolane, via the covalent assembly principle. Presence of Hg2+ triggers a cascade, which ultimately furnishes the push–pull backbone of a fluorescent dye, rendering a turn-on signal from a zero background and hence high detection sensitivity.

This communication presents a facile method for preparing ordered hydrophilic metal nanoparticles into gold nanoparticle monolayer Janus film (top face solvent-phobic polystyrene and bottom face solvent-philic nanoparticles) with thiol-terminated polystyrene. It also reveals the enhanced light source spectrum properties of the gold nanoparticle monolayer Janus film.

Lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) is a pathologic process that is observed in several clinical conditions, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is involved. Diabetes mellitus (DM) results in an increased incidence of ischemia-induced organ damage. The aims of this study were to examine the effects of DM on LIRI in a rat model of DM and to explore the possible mechanisms in relation to the p38 MAPK pathway.Forty rats were randomly divided into the following five groups (n = 8 each): a control + sham group, a control + IR group (CIR), a DM + sham group, a DM + IR group (DIR), and a DM + IR + SB203580 group. The control and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats underwent a sham operation or left hilum occlusion for 90 min followed by reperfusion for 4 h. SB203580 was used to inhibit the p38 MAPK pathway. The pulmonary oxygenation index, inflammatory cytokines in the serum, lung edema, histopathology, oxidant stress, apoptosis, and phosphorylated/total-p38 MAPK protein levels were measured.The DIR group displayed greater concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and increases in the wet weight-to-dry weight ratio, lung injury scores, malondialdehyde levels, and cellular apoptosis, and these effects were accompanied by lower pulmonary oxygenation compared with the CIR group (P 0.05). In the DIR group, the expression levels of p38 MAPK protein were significantly upregulated compared with those of the CIR group. Additionally, all of these alterations were attenuated in the DM + IR + SB203580 group compared with the DIR group.Diabetes exacerbates LIRI by activating the p38 MAPK pathway.

Side-branch occlusion is a serious complication of provisional one-stent strategies used to treat coronary bifurcation lesions. The aim of the study was to compare the short- and long-term clinical outcomes between the balloon-stent kissing technique (BSKT) and jailed wire technique (JWT) in patients with non-left coronary bifurcation lesions.This prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled study enrolled 89 consecutive patients (aged 18-85 years) with 90 true bifurcation lesions (hemadostenosis ≥70%; bifurcation angle

A new photothermal coupling agent for photothermal ablation (PTA) therapy of tumors is developed based on ultrathin PEGylated W18O49 nanowires. After being injected with the nanowire solution, the in vivo tumors exhibit a rapid temperature rise to 50.0 ± 0.5 °C upon irradiation with NIR laser light at a safe, low intensity (0.72 W cm(-2)) for 2 min (left-hand mouse in the figure),), resulting in the efficient PTA of cancer cells in vivo in 10 min.

Fiber-shaped solar cells (FSCs) have attracted increasing interest in recent years due to their numerous advantages. Herein we report the first prototype of highly flexible all-solid-state single-wire FSCs by using CuInSe 2 (CIS) as the model photoactive semiconductor. CIS layer is electrodeposited on a flexible Mo wire as the substrate. Subsequently, CdS, ZnO and ITO layers are orderly deposited on the Mo/CIS wire, and each upper layer ensures full contact with the underlying layer, resulting in an excellent structural uniformity along circumference of the FSC. This Mo/CIS/CdS/ZnO/ITO single-wire FSC exhibits a power conversion efficiency of 2.31%, which is one of the highest values in all reported FSCs. More importantly, the present all-solid-state single-wire FSC exhibits stable conversion efficiency (2.16–2.32%) during rotation (0∼360°), bending (0∼360°) and long-time aging (stored at 60 °C for 600 h) processes, which makes it possible to fabricate very long single-wire FSC with stable efficiency for weaving large-area devices and/or the stereoscopic cell textiles. Our method provides a new and general approach for fabricating flexible single-wire FSC with various kinds of photovoltaic semiconductor materials, and it also would be applicable to develop other flexible electronic circuits.

Antioxidants induce the proliferation of cancers by decreasing the expression of p53. Propofol, one of the most extensively used intravenous anesthetics, provides its antioxidative activity via activation of the nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) pathway, but the mechanisms involved in the effects remain unknown. Thus, we aimed to investigate the function of p53 and Nrf2 in the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 following treatment with propofol. The cells were treated with propofol (2, 5 and 10 µg/ml) for 1, 4 and 12 h, and MTT assay was used to evaluate cell proliferation, and a wound healing assay was used to evaluate cell migration. Cell apoptosis, caspase-3 activity, and western blot analysis for p53 and Nrf2 protein were also assessed. Finally, PIK-75, a potent Nrf2 inhibitor, was used to confirm the effects of Nrf2 after treatment with propofol. Treatment of MDA-MB‑231 cells with propofol resulted in increased proliferation and migration in a dose- and time-dependent manner. After treatment with propofol for 12 h, the Nrf2 protein expression was increased, while the percentage of apoptotic cells, caspase-3 activity, and expression of p53 were significantly decreased. Additionally, treatment with the Nrf2 inhibitor increased the percentage of apoptotic cells, inhibited the migration almost completely, and decreased the degree of proliferation, while the expression of p53 was not affected. In conclusion, propofol increased the proliferation of human breast cancer MDA-MB‑231 cells, which was at least partially associated with the inhibition of the expression of p53, and induced cell migration, which was involved in the activation of the Nrf2 pathway.

A functional cancer theranostic nanoplatform is developed, specifically tailored toward the optoacoustic modality by combining gold nanorods with DNA nanostructures (D-AuNR). DNA origami is used as an efficient delivery vehicle owing to its prominent tumor-targeting property. The D-AuNR hybrids display an enhanced tumor diagnostic sensitivity by improved optoacoustic imaging and excellent photothermal therapeutic properties in vivo.

Polymeric hybrid nanoparticles were synthesized via surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) method on the surface of gold nanoparticles in cyclohexanone. Tetraoctyl ammonium bromide (TOAB) as a phase transfer agent was used to transfer the gold nanoparticles into cyclohexanone, which will be replaced by disulfide initiator on the surface of gold nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV–vis spectroscopy were utilized to characterize the product to make sure the experiment had been conducted. The results showed that the polymeric gold hybrid nanoparticles with different structures could be controlled by adjusting the ratio of initiator and gold nanoparticles in ATRP. If the ratio is very little, asymmetric polystyrene–gold hybrid nanoparticles were synthesized, and a single gold nanoparticle was attached with a polystyrene sphere. If the ratio becomes larger, core–shell polystyrene–gold nanocomposite particles were obtained resulting in gold nanoparticle encapsulated by a uniform polymer shell. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43584.

This article reports on a survey of archivists from 20 provinces and municipalities in China to investigate their professional skills and knowledge needs. It analyzes their responses concerning the educational advantages and disadvantages archivists face and the relationship between their skill levels and knowledge needs. In conclusion, it points to several solutions to these problems: preprofessional curriculum design better addressing actual archivists’ needs, increasing continuing education to address archivists’ needs to maintain professional skills, and archivists’ desire for custom-built training to specific technical requirements.

Cluster of differentiation (CD)8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) have a key role in the elimination of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected cells. Ubiquitin (Ub) functions as a marker for protein degradation, which may promote the generation of peptides appropriate for major histocompatibility complex class I presentation, while the HBV core antigen (HBcAg) possesses marked immunogenic properties. However, it remains to be elucidated whether Ub-modified HBcAg is able to effectively elicit significant CD8+ CTL activity. In order to address this issue, a prokaryotic vector was constructed to express the Ub-HBcAg-cytoplasmic transduction peptide (CTP). The fusion protein was successfully expressed and subsequently pulsed into bone-marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs). It was confirmed that with assistance from the cell‑penetrating properties of CTP, the fusion protein was able to directly penetrate into the cytoplasm of DCs. The results revealed that the Ub-HBcAg-CTP fusion protein not only increased the expression of surface molecules in DCs and cytokine secretion from proliferating T cells, but also induced T cells to differentiate into specific CTLs and enhanced their antiviral ability. In conclusion, the Ub-HBcAg-CTP fusion protein promoted DC maturation, enhanced the presentation of targeting antigens and efficiently induced HBcAg‑specific CTL immune responses in vitro.

Predominant T helper cell type 1 (Th1) immune responses accompanied by boosted HBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity are essential for the clearance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. Ubiquitin (Ub) serves as a signal for the target protein to be recognized and degraded through the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Ubiquitinated hepatitis B core antigen (Ub-HBcAg) has been proved to be efficiently degraded into the peptides, which can be presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I resulting in stimulating cell-mediated responses. In the present study, lentiviral vectors encoding Ub-HBcAg (LV-Ub-HBcAg) were designed and constructed as a therapeutic vaccine for immunotherapy. HBcAg-specific cellular immune responses and anti-viral effects induced by LV-Ub-HBcAg were evaluated in HBV transgenic mice. We demonstrated that immunization with LV-Ub-HBcAg promoted the secretion of cytokines interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), generated remarkably high percentages of IFN-γ-secreting CD8(+) T cells and CD4(+) T cells, and enhanced HBcAg-specific CTL activity in HBV transgenic mice. More importantly, vaccination with LV-Ub-HBcAg could efficiently decreased the levels of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), HBV DNA and the expression of HBsAg and HBcAg in liver tissues of HBV transgenic mice. In addition, LV-Ub-HBcAg could upregulate the expression of T cell-specific T-box transcription factor (T-bet) and downregulate the expression of GATA-binding protein 3 (GATA-3) in spleen T lymphocytes. The therapeutic vaccine LV-Ub-HBcAg could break immune tolerance, and induce potent HBcAg specific cellular immune responses and therapeutic effects in HBV transgenic mice.

Cathodic protection (CP) is usually combined with organic coatings to protect metallic structures exposed to seawater. However, the application of CP would enhance coating failure, such as cathodic delamination. To date, there has been few works characterizing the impedance models and water transport behaviors of cathodically polarized coating. In the present article, the analyses of impedance models and water uptake processes of chlorinated rubber coating subjected to various levels of cathodic protection were studied during coatings aging process by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Four distinguished electrical equivalent circuits (EEC) were used to fit the EIS plots of coatings without CP, while only two were employed for samples with CP. Since no corrosion was expected to take place at the metal/coating interface for sample which was polarized cathodically. Coating capacitance was used to investigate the sorption characteristic of water in coating since the increase of Cc was associated with water penetration into the coating. Compared with the sample without CP, those coating systems under CP have a smaller water diffusion coefficient and a further water uptake process after the saturation period.

Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite (IPMC) is a new electro-active polymer, which has the advantages of light weight, flexibility, and large stroke with low driving voltage. Because of these features, IPMC can be applied to bionic robotic actuators, artificial muscles, as well as dynamic sensors. However, IPMC has the major drawback of low generative blocking force. In this paper, in order to enhance the blocking force, the Nafion membranes with thickness of 0.22 mm, 0.32 mm, 0.42 mm, 0.64 mm and 0.8 mm were prepared by casting from liquid solution. By employing these Nafion membranes, IPMCs with varying thickness were fabricated by electroless plating. The elastic modulus of the casted Nafion membranes were obtained by a nano-indenter, and the current, the displacement and the blocking force were respectively measured by the apparatus for actuation test. Finally, the effects of the thickness on the performance of IPMC were analyzed with an electromechanical model. Experimental study and theory analysis indicate that as the thickness increases, the elastic modulus of Nafion membrane and the blocking force of IPMC increase, however, the current and the displacement decrease.

With the rapid development of Internet of Things technology in recent years, speech recognition technology based on artificial intelligence and Internet of Things has gradually penetrated into various fields.In the traditional field of smart home systems, users generally need to manually set function scenes, which are time-consuming and labor-intensive and inconvenient for human-machine system interaction. In order to better meet the needs of people's intelligent life, to provide users with better control experience on smart home appliances, improve the quality of intelligent home life. This article designed a smart home control system that uses iOS as the core, voice recognition module as the interactive means, and MQTT communication protocol as data transfer.The system uses speech recognition technology based on artificial intelligence and deep learning to improve the recognition rate of speech input, achieve perfect interaction between humans and computers, and enable users to truly experience the intelligent and humanized characteristics of smart home systems.

The distribution of borehole temperature at four high-altitude alpine glaciers was investigated. The result shows that the temperature ranges from −13.4°C to −1.84°C, indicating the glaciers are cold throughout the boreholes. The negative gradient (i.e., the temperature decreasing with the increasing of depth) due to the advection of ice and climate warming, and the negative gradient moving downwards relates to climate warming, are probably responsible for the observed minimum temperature moving to lower depth in boreholes of the Gyabrag glacier and Miaoergou glacier compared to the previously investigated continental ice core borehole temperature in West China. The borehole temperature at 10 m depth ranges from −8.0°C in the Gyabrag glacier in the central Himalayas to −12.9°C in the Tsabagarav glacier in the Altai range. The borehole temperature at 10 m depth is 3∼4 degrees higher than the calculated mean annual air temperature on the surface of the glaciers and the higher 10 m depth temperature is mainly caused by the production of latent heat due to melt-water percolation and refreezing. The basal temperature is far below the melting point, indicating that the glaciers are frozen to bedrock. The very low temperature gradients near the bedrock suggest that the influence of geothermal flux and ice flow on basal temperature is very weak. The low temperature and small velocity of ice flow of glaciers are beneficial for preservation of the chemical and isotopic information in ice cores.

Using the recent compilation of the isotopic composition data of surface snow of Antarctic ice sheet, we proposed an improved interpolation method of δD, which utilizes geographical factors (i.e., latitude and altitude) as the primary predictors and incorporates inverse distance weighting (IDW) technique. The method was applied to a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) to produce a grid map of multi-year mean δD values with 1km spatial resolution for Antarctica. The mean absolute deviation between observed and estimated data in the map is about 5.4‰, and the standard deviation is 9‰. The resulting δD pattern resembles well known characteristics such as the depletion of the heavy isotopes with increasing latitude and distance from coast line, but also reveals the complex topographic effects.