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BACKGROUND: In China, the current status of clinical treatment of eLVO and the factors affecting its long-term prognosis are unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the predictive factors of functional outcomes at one year in patients of acute ischemic stroke with emergent large vessel occlusion (eLVO). METHODS: We retrospectively collected 536 patients who underwent treatments for eLVO. Primary outcomes included one-year functional outcomes and delayed functional independence (DFI). The logistic regression was performed to predict the primary outcome. RESULTS: 431 (85%) survivors participated in the one-year follow-up. In the multivariate logistic analysis adjusted for baseline characteristics, the following factors were found to be significant predictors of functional dependence at one year: old age (aOR = 1.042, 95% CI=1.01-1.076, p = 0.011), low Alberta stroke program early CT score (ASPECTS) (aOR = 0.791, 95% CI=0.671-0.933, p = 0.005), unsuccessful reperfusion (aOR = 0.168, 95% CI=0.048-0.586, p = 0.005), poor medication compliance (aOR = 0.022, 95% CI=0.007-0.072, p

Cannulated screw fixation is widely used in the treatment of femoral neck fractures. During surgery, we often face the situation that a guide wire needs to be adjusted because of poor positioning in the femoral neck. It is difficult to adjust the direction of the guide wire in the neck of the femur due to its elasticity. This study developed a practical technique to adjust the guide wire to the correct position. When the direction of insertion of the guide wire has deviated, first, measure the length of the guide wire. Second, select the appropriate cannulated screw based on the measurement, and screw the cannulated screw in along the direction of the guide wire to Ward's triangle. Then return the guide wire to the front of the cannulated screw. At this time, the cannulated screw can be used as a built‐in guide, and a screwdriver can be used to fine‐tune the position of the screw to the optimal direction under the X‐ray guidance. Finally, the cannulated screw is screwed in in this direction until it passes through the Ward triangle area, and the guide wire is inserted. This technique can help doctors insert a guide wire more quickly and accurately, reducing intraoperative injury and the operation time., This study developed a practical technique to direct the guide wire into the correct position. This technique can help trauma surgeons insert a guide wire more quickly and accurately, reducing intraoperative injury and operation time.

In the central nervous system, nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) protects neurons from oxidant injury, thereby ameliorating neurodegeneration. We explored the key circular RNAs (circRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) involved in Nrf2-induced neuroprotection. We used microarrays to examine the circRNAs (DEcircRNAs), lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and mRNAs (DEmRNAs) differentially expressed between Nrf2 (+/+) and Nrf2 (-/-) mice and identified DEcircRNA/DElncRNA-miRNA-DEmRNA interaction networks. In total, 197 DEcircRNAs, 685 DElncRNAs and 356 DEmRNAs were identified in prefrontal cortical tissues from Nrf2 (-/-) mice. The expression patterns of selected DEcircRNAs (except for mmu_circ_0003404) and DElncRNAs in qRT-PCR analyses were generally consistent with the microarray analysis results. Functional annotation of the DEmRNAs in the DEcircRNA/DElncRNA-miRNA-DEmRNA networks indicated that five non-coding RNAs (mmu_circ_0000233, ENSMUST00000204847, NONMMUT024778, NONMMUT132160 and NONMMUT132168) may contribute to Nrf2 activity, with the help of mmu_circ_0015035 and NONMMUT127961. The results also revealed that four non-coding RNAs (cicRNA.20127, mmu_circ_0012936, ENSMUST00000194077 and NONMMUT109267) may influence glutathione metabolism. Additionally, 44 DEcircRNAs and 7 DElncRNAs were found to possess coding potential. These findings provide clues to the molecular pathways through which Nrf2 protects neurons.

Banks today have been increasingly reducing their physical presence and redirecting customers to digital channels, and yet, the consequences of this strategy are not well studied. This research investigates the effects of banks’ branch network changes (i.e., branch openings and branch closures) on customer omnichannel banking behavior. Using a proprietary data set from a large commercial bank in the United States, this paper shows the asymmetric effects of branch openings and branch closures on customer omnichannel banking behavior. In particular, it finds that branch openings increase customers’ branch transactions. However, the first branch opening leads to a migration of complex transactions to the branches, which might result in a net decrease in online banking in the short term. As consumers interact more with the physical channel, there is a gradual synergistic increase in customers’ transactions via online banking as well as alternative channels due to a learning spillover effect. This learning spillover effect goes from easy online inquiries to more complex online transactions as additional branches open. On the contrary, branch closures result in a favorable migration pattern from the branch channel to online banking. This pattern, however, could be reversed once the last branch closes within the customer’s residential neighborhood.

Bimetallic PdxFey alloy nanoparticles/carbon nanofiber (CNF) composites with different Pd/Fe mole ratios were successfully prepared by one-pot electrospinning of Pd and Fe precursors in polyacrylonitrile followed by pyrolysis. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were applied to characterize the structure of the PdxFey/CNF nanocomposite catalyst, revealing good dispersion as well as modification of the electronic properties of Pd. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry showed significantly high ethanol electrooxidation activity and stability in an alkaline environment for the PdxFey/CNF nanocomposites, compared to that of the commercial Pd/C and Pd/CNF catalysts, respectively. Thus, the prepared PdxFey/CNF catalyst can be considered as a promising anode catalyst for alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells.

Due to the extremely high stability of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), effective defluorination is difficult. Previous studies indicated that PFOS can be decomposed under the catalysis of vitamin B12 (VB12) with strong artificial reductants such as Ti(III)-citrate and nZn0. In this study, we explored if naturally occurring reductant like sulfide (S2−) could initiate the reaction. In S2−/VB12 system, branched PFOS (br-PFOS) can undergo effective decomposition and defluorination at the temperature of 70 °C and pH greater than 12. The degradation of br-PFOS fits pseudo-first-order kinetic with a rate constant of 0.0984 ± 0.0034 d-1 in the presence of 30 mM Na2S and 300 μM VB12, while linear PFOS (L-PFOS) remained stable during 30 d reaction process. UV–Vis spectral characterization indicates that S2− reduces VB12(CoIII) to CoII, which is able to initiate the reductive defluorination. Based on the product analysis, HF/2F elimination followed by C–C scission is the dominant degradation pathway of br-PFOS instead of stepwise H/F exchange. The primary products include F− and polyfluorinated sulfonates and carboxylates. The degradation of br-PFOS is strongly dependent on temperature due to a relatively high apparent activation energy of 62.86 kJ/mol. Strong alkaline condition can greatly enhance the decomposition efficiency since S2− is the primary reactive form. This study provides new insights into the VB12-catalyzed defluorination of PFOS and a feasible approach for future natural or engineered remediations of br-PFOS.

Previous studies have indicated that chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH) preconditioning can inhibit TNF‑α and other related inflammatory cytokines and exerts protective effect on intervertebral disc degeneration disease (IDD) in rats; however, the mechanism is still unclear. The present study aimed to explore the repair mechanisms of CIHH on IDD in rats. In the experiment, 48 adult Sprague‑Dawley rats were selected and randomly divided into an experimental group (CIHH‑IDD), a degenerative group (IDD) and a control group (CON). The CIHH‑IDD group of rats (n=16) were treated with CIHH (simulated 3000 m altitude, 5 h per day, 28 days; P

Background In tibial plateau fractures, the posterolateral segment of the tibia plateau is frequently affected and challenging to treat. Although there are many surgical approaches and fixation methods for the treatment of these fractures, all of these methods have limitations. We designed a new rotational support plate (RSP) and a special pressurizer that can fix the fracture directly via the anterolateral approach. This method is advantageous because it leads to little trauma, involves a simple operation, and has a reliable fixation effect. This study details the technique of treating these fractures with the RSP and special pressurizer and provides the outcomes. Methods From May 2016 to January 2019, the data of 12 patients with posterolateral tibial plateau fractures treated with the RSP and special pressurizer in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Postoperative rehabilitation was advised, knee X-rays were taken at follow-ups, and fracture healing, complications, and knee range of motion were assessed. The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) were used to evaluate knee function at the last follow-up. Results The average follow-up time of all patients was 16.5 months (range, 12–25 months). The average bony union time was 3.2 months (range, 3–4.5 months). At the last follow-up, the average knee range of motion was 138° (range, 107–145°). The average HSS score was 91 (range, 64–98). The average KOOS Symptoms score was 90 (range, 75–96). The average KOOS Pain score was 91 (range, 72–97). The average KOOS ADL score was 91 (range, 74–97). The average KOOS sport/recreation score was 83 (range, 70–90). The average KOOS QOL score was 88 (range, 69–93). Skin necrosis, incision infections, and fixation failure did not occur during the follow-up period. Conclusions With our newly designed RSP and special pressurizer, posterolateral tibial plateau fractures can be easily and effectively reduced and fixed through the anterolateral approach, which serves as a novel treatment for posterolateral tibial plateau fractures.

As an emerging class of organic contaminants, polyhalogenated carbazoles (PHCZs) have been increasingly detected all over the world since 1980s. Due to the environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and dioxin-like toxicity, PHCZs have aroused widespread concerns in recent years. However, efficient approach for the degradation of PHCZs is quite limited so far. Therefore, in this study, an advanced oxidation process (AOP), sulfidated zero-valent iron/peroxymonosulfate (S-ZVI/PMS) system was used to degrade 3-chlorocarbazole (3-CCZ), which is one of the mostly detected PHCZs congeners. The degradation of 3-CCZ was systematically studied under different conditions by varying the molar ratio of S/Fe, the dosage of S-ZVI or PMS, pH and temperature. The results indicated that S-ZVI/PMS was an effective strategy for PHCZs treatment. The 20-min degradation efficiency of 3-CZZ was up to 96.6% with the pseudo-first-order rate constant of 0.168 min

Background: Posterolateral tibial plateau fractures are uncommon fractures and challenging to treat. Although there are many surgical approaches and fixation methods for the treatment of these fractures, all of these methods have limitations. We designed a new rotational support plate (RSP) and a special pressurizer that can fix the fracture directly via the anterolateral approach. This method is advantageous because it leads to little trauma, involves a simple operation and has a reliable fixation effect. This study details the technique of treating these fractures with the RSP and special pressurizer and provides the outcomes.Methods: From May 2016 to January 2019, the data of 12 patients with posterolateral tibial plateau fractures treated with the RSP and special pressurizer in our hospital were retrospectively analysed. Postoperative rehabilitation was advised, knee X-rays were taken at follow-ups, and fracture healing, complications, and knee range of motion were assessed. The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score was used to evaluate knee function at the last follow-up.Results: The average follow-up time of all patients was 16.5 months (range, 12-25 months). The average bony union time was 3.2 months (range, 3-4.5 months). At the last follow-up, the average knee range of motion was 138° (range, 107°-145°). The average HSS score was 91 (range, 64-98). Skin necrosis, incision infections, and fixation failure did not occur during the follow-up period.Conclusions: With our newly designed RSP and special pressurizer, posterolateral tibial plateau fractures can be easily and effectively reduced and fixed through the anterolateral approach, which serves as a novel treatment for posterolateral tibial plateau fractures.

In order to curve the ongoing trend of the COVID-19 pandemic and save more lives, effective treatments against COVID-19 are urgently needed. Compared to developing new drugs, which may take too much time, it’s more efficient and cost-effective to repurpose existing drugs in the treatment of COVID-19. Fortunately, some of the shared features of COVID-19 and other wellknown diseases make it possible to use old strategies to combat this new challenge. In this paper, we reviewed various possible strategies of drug repurposing in the treatment of COVID-19 and explored the possible scientific mechanisms behind each strategy.

Background Although large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) is the most common type of cerebral infarction, non-LAA is not uncommon. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the prognosis of patients with non-LAA and to establish a corresponding nomogram. Patients and methods Between June 2016 and June 2017, we had 1101 admissions for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Of these, 848 were LAA and 253 were non-LAA. Patients were followed up every 3 months with a minimum of 1 year of follow-up. After excluding patients who were lost follow-up and patients who did not meet the inclusion criteria, a total of 152 non-LAA patients were included in this cohort study. After single-factor analysis and multifactor logistic regression analysis, the risk factors associated with prognosis were derived and different nomograms were developed based on these risk factors. After comparison, the best model is derived. Results Logistics regression found that the patient’s National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, ejection fraction (EF), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), age, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and serum albumin were independently related to the patient’s prognosis. We thus developed three models: model 1: single NIHSS score, AUC = 0.8534; model 2, NIHSS + cardiac parameters (CK-MB, EF), AUC = 0.9325; model 3, NIHSS + CK−MB + EF + age + AST + NLR + albumin, AUC = 0.9598. We compare the three models: model 1 vs model 2, z = − 2.85, p = 0.004; model 2 vs model 3, z = − 1.58, p = 0.122. Therefore, model 2 is considered to be the accurate and convenient model. Conclusions Predicting the prognosis of patients with non-LAA is important, and our nomogram, built on the NIHSS and cardiac parameters, can predict the prognosis accurately and provide a powerful reference for clinical decision making.

Angiogenesis is a pathological signature of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Accumulating evidence has shown that notochordal cells (NCs) play an essential role in maintaining intervertebral disc development and homeostasis with inhibitive effect on blood vessel in-growth. However, the anti-angiogenesis mechanism of NCs is still unclear. In the current study, we, for the first time, isolated NC-derived exosomes (NC-exos) and showed their increased concentration following compressive load cultures. We further found that NC-exos from 0.5 MPa compressive load cultures (0.5 MPa/NC-exos) inhibit angiogenesis via transferring high expressed microRNA (miR)-140-5p to endothelial cells and regulating the downstream Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Clinical evidence showed that exosomal miR-140-5p expression of the nucleus pulposus is negatively correlated with angiogenesis in IDD. Finally, 0.5 MPa/NC-exos were demonstrated to have a therapeutical impact on the degenerated disc with an anti-angiogenesis effect in an IDD model. Consequently, our present findings provide insights into the anti-angiogenesis mechanism of NC-exos, indicating their therapeutic potential for IDD., Graphical Abstract, Notochordal cells play an essential role in intervertebral disc homeostasis. Sun et al. found that notochordal cell-derived exosomes from 0.5 MPa inhibit angiogenesis via transferring miR-140-5p to endothelial cells and regulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, providing insights into their anti-angiogenesis potential for intervertebral disc degeneration.

Background: Post-stroke depression (PSD) constitutes an essential complication of stroke and is associated with high-risk unfavorable outcome after stroke. The main objective of this prospective study was to determine the relationship between early-onset PSD (1 month after stroke) and functional outcomes 5 years after baseline enrollment.Methods: Four hundred thirty-six patients who met the criteria were included in this study from October 2013 to February 2015. The follow-up time for each patient was ~5 years, with follow-up every 3 months. Patients received questionnaires including the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and the Barthel Index (BI).Results: Of the 436 patients, 154 (35.3%) patients with the prevalence of PSD status at baseline, 26 (7.2%) patients with the prevalence of PSD status, and 73 (20.1%) had an unfavorable outcome 5 years after stroke. The odds ratio (OR) for unfavorable outcome at 5 years in the PSD group was ~2.2 relative to the non-PSD group after adjusting for potential risk factors [OR = 2.217, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.179–4.421, P = 0.015]. In the early-onset PSD group, HAMD scores were independently associated with 5-year unfavorable outcome rates (OR = 1.168, 95% CI = 1.015–1.345, P = 0.031).Conclusions: Our findings indicate that early-onset PSD status in Chinese patients is an independent risk factor for unfavorable outcome 5 years after stroke, and that the severity of PSD is also related to unfavorable outcome.

In our study, we explored changes in the redox status and inflammatory response in the testes of the SAMP8 model of varying ages (2, 4, 8, 10 months old) compared with control mice SAMR1 by the methods of immunohistochemical staining, Western blotting, RT-PCR and Luminex multi-analyte cytokine profiling. We found that as ROS and inflammation levels increased during aging, steroidogenic enzymes (StAR and P450scc) reduced and led to the decline of testosterone production eventually. The pathways of P38 MAPK → COX2 and NF-κB → COX2 were detected by using specific inhibitors of SB203580 and Bay 11-7082 in isolated Leydig cells. These results indicated that activation of both p38 MAPK → COX2 and NF-κB → COX2 signaling pathways are functionally linked to the oxidative stress response and chronic inflammation during aging, and mediate their inhibitory effects on testosterone production.

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and estrogen deficiency both predispose fracture patients to increased risk of delayed union or nonunion. The present study investigated the effects of strontium ranelate (SR) on fracture healing in ovariectomized (OVX) diabetic rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS A mid-shaft fracture was established in female normal control (CF), diabetic (DF), and OVX diabetic (DOF) rats. Treated DOF rats received either insulin alone (DOFI) or combined with SR (DOFIS). All rats were euthanized at 2 or 3 weeks after fracture. Fracture healing was evaluated using radiological, histological, immunohistochemical, and micro-computed tomography analyses. RESULTS At 3 weeks after fracture, radiological and histological evaluations demonstrated delayed fracture healing in the DF group compared with the CF group, which was exacerbated by OVX, as indicated by the significantly lower X-ray score, BMD, BV/TV, and Md.Ar/Ps.Cl.Ar, and the markedly decreased OCN and Col I expression in the DOF group. All these changes were prevented by insulin alone or combined with SR treatment. In comparison with the DOFI group, DOFIS rats displayed markedly higher OCN expression at 2 weeks after fracture and Col I expression at 2 and 3 weeks after fracture. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrated delayed fracture healing with preexisting estrogen deficiency and T2DM. While insulin alone and combined with SR were both effective in promoting bone fracture healing in this model, their combined treatment showed significant improvement in promoting osteogenic marker expression, but not of the radiological appearance, compared with insulin alone.

Strong ground vibration triggered by seismic waves is one of the most significant factors that causes building damage during a seismic event. The interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technique can efficiently and quickly provide seismic deformation information. There is no clear relationship model between seismic deformation and the degree of building damage. Considering the earthquake that hit Wenchuan (China) on May 12, 2008, in this work, a method to evaluate the degree of building damage based on coseismic deformation is presented. Based on 51 building area samples selected, taking the Deformation normalization index(DNI) as the independent variable and the earthquake damage index (EDI) of the field survey data provided by the China Earthquake Administration (CEA) as the dependent variable, the relationships between seismic damage survey data and the seismic deformation of adobe structures, brick-wood structures, brick-concrete structures and reinforced concrete frame structures are analysed. There are linear relationships between the normalized deformation indices of adobe and brick-concrete structure types and the EDIs of buildings. There are quadratic relationships between the normalized seismic deformation indices of brick-wood structures and reinforced concrete frame construction types and the EDIs of buildings. Additionally, the regional curve estimates of the comprehensive building damage index and the normalized index of seismic deformation show that there is a quadratic relationship between the comprehensive building damage index and the normalized index of seismic deformation. The validity of the modelling method was verified by data from the Yushu earthquake in 2010. The results can provide an accurate and reliable reference basis for post-earthquake rescue and decision making. The work represents a new concept and method for the rapid assessment of building damage data from the perspective of surface deformation movement by addressing methodological steps, highlighting the potential of using the coseismic deformation field obtained during building damage assessment, and discussing the potential and limitations of InSAR technology in the field of damage detection.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an emerging organic pollutant that has become ubiquitous in waterways and is difficult to be removed from wastewater using traditional treatment methods. In this study, amino-functionalized graphene oxide (AGO) aerogels were prepared as a potential remediation tool for water contaminated by PFOA. The structure of the prepared absorbent material was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and X-ray diffraction. The use of various adsorption times, temperatures, solution pH, and absorbent amount were investigated to determine optimum conditions for PFOA adsorption. Adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics of the absorbent were analyzed as well. AGO aerogels exhibited a high adsorption capacity of PFOA (1575 mg∙g-1) and high removal efficiency (99.95%) in a solution containing 10 mg PFOA L-1, likely due to the interconnected porous microstructures and amino groups of the AGO aerogels. The adsorption kinetics and isotherm of PFOA were well-fitted using pseudo-second-order and the Freundlich modelling. The adsorption mechanism of PFOA onto AGO aerogels followed spontaneous, exothermic, and physical processes. This study shows the potential of this material to remove PFOA from PFOA-contaminated waters effectively by providing insight into the understanding of the adsorption mechanisms of PFOA onto AGO aerogels.

In our study, we explored changes in the redox status and inflammatory response in the testes of the SAMP8 model of varying ages (2, 4, 8, 10 months old) compared with control mice SAMR1 by the methods of immunohistochemical staining, Western blotting, RT-PCR and Luminex multi-analyte cytokine profiling. We found that as ROS and inflammation levels increased during aging, steroidogenic enzymes (StAR and P450scc) reduced and led to the decline of testosterone production eventually. The pathways of P38 MAPK → COX2 and NF-κB → COX2 were detected by using specific inhibitors of SB203580 and Bay 11-7082 in isolated Leydig cells. These results indicated that activation of both p38 MAPK → COX2 and NF-κB → COX2 signaling pathways are functionally linked to the oxidative stress response and chronic inflammation during aging, and mediate their inhibitory effects on testosterone production.

The earthquake disaster not only caused great damage to the original ecological environment system, but also even formed a new ecological system. Remote sensing technology has played an important role in post-earthquake emergency and disaster assessment with its rapid, high revisit cycle and macro-micro comprehensive observation. The effective use of multi-period remote sensing data combined with the theory of eco-environmental impact assessment can build an effective model to evaluate the dynamic changes of ecological environment. In this paper, taking Wenchuan County in Wenchuan Earthquake as a case study, we proposed a comprehensive evaluation index method and the eco-environmental quality evaluation of Wenchuan County after 10-year earthquake were constructed and the changes of eco-environmental quality were analyzed. The result of the analysis showed that ten years after the earthquake (2018), the eco-environmental quality of poor regions in the county had also exhibited an obvious improvement. The eco-environmental quality in some regions in the county had fully recovered. The results are of great significance to scientific disaster relief and reasonable restoration and reconstruction.

Objective To observe the effects of Bushen Tiaojing Recipe (BTR) on the counts of survival preantral follicles and the bone morphogenetic protein receptor II (BMPR II )/activin receptor- like kinase 6-drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic proteins (ALK6-Smads) signal pathway in oocytes cultured in vitro, and to study its mechanism for improving the quality of oocytes. Methods Prean- tral follicles were mechanically isolated from 65 female 12-day old healthy Kunming mice, which were inoculated by normal rats' serum (as the control group) , high, medium, low dose BTR containing serums (as Shen-supplementing groups) , high dose BTR containing serum + K02288 (as the inhibitor group) , respectively. All were cultured by common method in vitro. On the 6th day the counts of survival preantral follicles were compared between each Shen-supplementing group and the control group respectively. mR- NA expressions of BMPR II, ALK6, Smad1 , Smad5, and Smad8 were detected by Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. The protein expressions of indices mentioned above and phospho-Smadl/5/8 (p- Smadl/5/8) were detected by cellular immunofluorescence test. Results Compared with the control group, the quantity of survival preantral follicles increased in the high dose BTR containing serum group; mRNA expressions of BMPR II, ALK6, Smad5, and Smad8 were elevated, protein expressions of indi- ces mentioned above and p-Smadl/5/8 were increased in the 3 Shen-supplementing groups (P0. 05) ; mRNA and protein expressions of Smad1 were increased in high and medium dose BTR containing serum groups (P0.05). Compared with the high dose BTR containing serum group, protein expressions of Smad1/5/8 were reduced in the inhibitor group (P0.05). Conclusion BTR could elevate the quantity of survival preantral follicles cultured in vitroand improve the quality of oocytes, which might be possibly as- sociated to regulating the BMPR II/ALK6-Smads signal pathway in oocytes.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is the major pathogenesis of lower back pain. Tyrosol is a polyphenolic compound that exhibits anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Herein, we explored the effects and mechanisms of tyrosol on IDD progression in interleukin (IL)-1β-stimulated human nucleus pulposus cells (HNPCs). Cell viability and apoptosis were detected by CCK-8 and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. The production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-6, nitric oxide (NO), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was examined to evaluate inflammation. The mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) (MMP-3/9/13), collagen type II, SRY-related high mobility group box 9 (SOX-9), and aggrecan was measured by qRT-PCR. Protein levels of silent information regulator 2 homolog 1 (Sirt1), phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt), Akt, collagen type II, SOX-9, and aggrecan were determined by western blot. Results showed that tyrosol attenuated IL-1β-induced viability reduction, apoptosis, and caspase-3/7 activity in HNPCs. The increase in the production of TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and PGE2 in IL-1β-treated HNPCs was abolished by tyrosol treatment. Tyrosol treatment reversed IL-1β-induced upregulation of MMP-3, MMP-9, and MMP-13, and downregulation of collagen II, SOX-9, and aggrecan in HNPCs. Additionally, tyrosol treatment activated the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway in IL-1β-stimulated HNPCs. Sirt1 was upregulated by tyrosol, and Sirt1 silencing inhibited Akt phosphorylation in HNPCs. Sirt1 knockdown attenuated the effects of tyrosol on IL-1β-induced apoptosis, inflammation, and ECM remodeling in HNPCs. In summary, upregulation of Sirt1 by tyrosol suppressed apoptosis and inflammation and regulated ECM remodeling in IL-1β-stimulated HNPCs through activation of PI3K/Akt pathway.

Based on the characteristics of low temperature and strong oxidation of liquid oxygen, a new temperature control method is proposed for optical measurement device in liquid oxygen medium. In order to ensure the temperature of the optical system satisfied the design requirements, the polyurethane is used as insulation materials and the heat-insulating is considered for the initial part design to increase the thermal resistance between optical system and the outside environment (passive thermal control). At the same time, the method of heating the optical lens with an electric heating film is adopted for active thermal control. According to the heat transfer theory, we analyze the heat transmission patterns and the heat influencing factors of the optical system. Making the finite element model of the optical measurement device on the ANSYS Workbench software, and simulate the heat transmission for different thickness and heating power. The result shows that the design of the optical measurement device is satisfied when the thickness of the insulating layer is 20mm, and the heating power is 19W.

In order to reduce the number of cameras which are equipped in spacecraft, and using a small amount of cameras to monitor the whole spacecraft, an optical system of fisheye lens is designed based on the principle of non-similarity. The optical system uses a high definition CCD which has 1920×1080 pixels (the size of pixel is 5.5μm×5.5μm). The effective focal length of the fisheye optical system is 5.0 mm, the F number is 5.0, and the full field of view (FOV) is 180°. Its modulation transfer function (MTF) in all FOV is more than 0.5 at 91 lp/mm with great image. And the relative illumination of marginal FOV reaches 85.2%, this guarantees that the optical system has a good of illumination uniformity. Taken into account that the camera will be used in the intricate space environment, the article was analyzed the influence of environmental factors, the changing temperatures and vacuum environment, on the imaging quality of the optical system. The results show that the optical system of fisheye lens still has good imaging performance under the temperature -40?~+60? in vacuum environment. In the imaging process, the stray light which likes a red ring has been found at the edge of the image when the strong light source appeared in the middle of the image, it is similar to a positive ghost. After analysis, the results show that stray light mainly comes from the reflected light among the lens surfaces. So, there is a proposal that the radius of these lens surfaces should be restricted under optimization. Through the further optimizing and experiment, the consequence proves that the stray light was successfully eliminated. © 2017 SPIE.

A modified QuEChERS method was used and an ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method was developed for the rapid determination of 18 kinds of sulfonamide residues in chicken eggs. Sample preparation and cleanup conditions were carefully evaluated, and factors such as the adsorbent type and adsorption condition were key parameters in improving the cleanup. The modified QuEChERS method removed matrix interferences, and the sensitivity of the method increased about 5% for recovery and efficiency of the method. Under the optimized UHPLC method with UV detection, all 18 sulfonamide residues were simultaneously separated and rapidly identified within 15 min. The qualitative and quantitative method limits of the 18 sulfonamide residues were 2.06 to 4.12 and 6.86 to 13.7 μg·kg−1, respectively. A close linear relationship (R2 = 0.990 to 0.999) was observed within the concentration range of 0.10 to 2.25 μg·ml−1. Recovery was satisfactory (71 to 102%) for all the sulfonamides in three stand...