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Mandarin Chinese is rich in sentence-final particles, which have to follow a rigid linear order when they cluster. In much of the literature, researchers focus on clarifying the functions of individual particles, with less attention being paid to the explanations of their highly restricted order. Based on corpus data and using the framework of Functional Discourse Grammar (FDG, Hengeveld & Mackenzie 2008), this paper explores the questions which particles can cluster and why they cluster in a specific order. We show that maximally three Mandarin sentence-final particles can cluster, and we argue that their sequence is restricted by their positioning in a strict four-layered hierarchical structure, in which each particle pertains to a specific semantic or pragmatic layer. In addition, Mandarin particles provide evidence that there are operators at a higher discourse level than so far assumed to exist in FDG.

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of ultrasound, basic amino acids (l-lysine and l-arginine), and their combination treatments on the physicochemical properties of emulsion sausages and raw meat batters. A combination of ultrasonic and l-lysine treatment resulted in 69.8% decrease in cooking loss, 70.6% decrease in total expressible fluids, 11.1% decrease in expressible fat in sausages as compared to those with ultrasonic treatment; and 15.7% reduction in cooking loss, 18.8% reduction in total expressible fluids and 6.8% reduction in expressible fat in sausages as compared to those with l-lysine treatments, respectively. Similarly, a combination of ultrasonic and l-arginine treatment led to 91.9% decrease in cooking loss, 89.5% decrease in total expressible fluids, 27.1% decrease in expressible fat in sausages as compared to those with ultrasonic treatment; and 48.3% reduction in cooking loss, 43.9% reduction in total expressible fluids and 14.9% reduction in expressible fat in sausages as compared to those with l-arginine treatment, respectively. Meanwhile, their combination treatments were more effective than their individual treatments in improving textural properties. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that the emulsion sausages treated with a combination of ultrasound and l-lysine/l-arginine exhibited smaller and more uniform fat/oil droplets, compared to the emulsion sausages treated with ultrasound, l-lysine, or l-arginine, respectively. l-Lysine/l-arginine treatments could lead to changes in the rheological pattern of meat batters, while ultrasonic treatment could not. Nevertheless, ultrasonic treatment resulted in increase in the storage modulus and apparent viscosity of meat batter regardless of l-lysine/l-arginine in most cases. Summarily, ultrasound could assist l-lysine/l-arginine to improve the quality characteristics of emulsion sausage.

Peripheral electrical nerve stimulation enhances hand function during stroke rehabilitation. Here, we proposed a percutaneous direct median nerve stimulation guided by ultrasound (ultrasound‐guided median nerve electrical stimulation, UG-MNES) and evaluated its feasibility and effectiveness in the treatment of stroke patients with upper limb extremity impairments. Sixty-three stroke patients (2-3 months of onset) were randomly divided into control and UG-MNES groups. Both groups received routine rehabilitation and the UG-MNES group received an additional ultrasound-guided electrical stimulation of the median nerve at 2 Hz, 0.2 ms pulse-width for 20 minutes with gradual intensity enhancement. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment for upper extremity motor function (FMA-UE) was used as the primary outcome. The secondary outcomes were the Functional Test for the Hemiplegic Upper Extremity (FTHUE-HK), Hand Function Rating Scale, Brunnstrom Stages, and Barthel Index scores for motor and daily functions. All the participants completed the trial without any side effects or adverse events during the intervention. After 4 weeks of intervention, the functions of the upper limbs on the hemiplegic side in both groups achieved significant recovery. Compared to the control group, all evaluation indices used in this trial were improved significantly in the UG-MNES group after 2 and 4 weeks of intervention; particularly, the first intervention of UG-MNES immediately improved all the assessment items significantly. In conclusion, the UG-MNES is a safe and feasible treatment for stroke patients with upper limb extremity impairments and could significantly improve the motor function of the affected upper limb, especially in the first intervention. The UG-MNES could be an effective alternative intervention for stroke with upper limb extremity impairments.

Herein, we described a ratiometric strategy based on “chameleon” DNA-silver nano-clusters(DNA-AgNCs) fluorescent binary probes. The strategy was applied to detect high-risk human papillomavirus(HPV) DNA sequences, HPV-16. First, DNA-AgNCs were synthesized by a simple reduction method. The obtained nanoprobes showed typical yellow and red fluorescence of AgNCs. Upon the addition of HPV-16 DNA, the yellow fluorescence of AgNCs was reduced greatly, whereas the red fluorescence of AgNCs was increased. The concentration of HPV-16 DNA in the samples was characterized by the ratio of fluorescence intensity at 570 and 630 nm. The ratiometric nanoprobes showed good selectivity for HPV-16 DNA, and the detection limit was 2 nmol/L. In addition, the practical applicability of this strategy was demonstrated by analysing the HPV-16 DNA in human serum, illustrating its potential promise for clinical diagnosis.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of l-lysine (Lys)/l-arginine (Arg)/l-cysteine (Cys) on the color of cured sausage and the possible mechanism underlying these effects. The results indicated that the combined addition of Arg/Lys/Cys and NaNO2 effectively increased the a* values and nitroso pigment content but decreased the MetMb(Fe3+) content in cured sausage, compared with the individual addition of Arg/Lys/Cys and NaNO2. The cured sausage treated with combined Arg/Lys/Cys and NaNO2 contained significantly lower residual nitrite than those treated with only NaNO2. UV-vis spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that pentacoordinate nitrosyl ferrohemochrome was the main pigment component in the cured sausage treated with NaNO2 or combined Arg/Lys/Cys and NaNO2 and higher content in the latter one. The results suggest that Arg/Lys/Cys hindered myoglobin oxidation and promoted pentacoordinate nitrosylmyoglobin formation, which could contribute to the improved color of cured sausage. The results are of interest in the meat industry.

This study investigated the alleviative effects of l-arginine and l-lysine on the emulsifying properties and structural changes of myosin under hydroxyl radical (·OH) stress. The results showed that ·OH decreased the emulsifying activity index and emulsifying stability index but increased the creaming index and droplet size of a soybean oil-myosin emulsion (SOME). Confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated that ·OH caused larger and more inhomogeneous SOME droplets. l-Arginine and l-lysine effectively alleviated ·OH-induced destructive effects on the emulsifying properties of myosin. In addition, ·OH increased the extent of protein carbonylation and dityrosine formation, surface hydrophobicity, and β-sheet content, but decreased the tryptophan fluorescence intensity, solubility, total sulfhydryl, and α-helix content of myosin. Although l-lysine increased dityrosine fluorescence intensity, l-arginine and l-lysine effectively alleviated the aforementioned structural changes of myosin. Therefore, l-arginine and l-lysine could mitigate ·OH-induced structural changes of myosin, which enabled myosin to maintain its emulsifying capacity under oxidative stress.

This study investigated the effects of l -arginine and l -lysine on the water holding capacity, shear force, color, and protein denaturation of frozen porcine Longissimus lumborum. Four batches were prepared, each corresponding to samples of an experimental treatment: without a cryoprotective solution, injecting a 0.3% sodium tripolyphosphate and 0.5% NaCl solution, a 0.5% l -arginine solution, or a 0.5% l -lysine solution. The results showed that both l -arginine and l -lysine decreased thawing loss, cooking loss, shear force, L⁎ values, b⁎ values, and surface hydrophobicity, but they increased pH values, a⁎ values, percentages of peak areas for T21 relaxation times, and Ca2+-ATPase activity. Additionally, both histological and transmission electron microscopy images showed that l -lysine, and especially l -arginine could inhibit the formation of gaps between fiber bundles, alleviate the disruption of intracellular spaces, and maintain the structural integrity of sarcomeres. Overall, the results showed that both l -arginine and l -lysine hindered the structural damage of muscle fibers during freezing and protected myofibrillar proteins from denaturation, ultimately contributing to superior quality attributes.

It has been widely claimed in the literature that the sentence-final particlebain Mandarin Chinese is a modal element. This article argues against this claim and shows thatbais an element that has a unified mitigating function with scope over the utterance as a whole. Using the framework of Functional Discourse Grammar (FDG), and more specifically its hierarchical, layered organization, the article provides several arguments that support this new classification ofba. First,ba, like mitigators in general, but unlike modal elements, can occur in sentences with different basic illocutions. Second,bamay co-occur with modal elements of all different subtypes and thus cannot be a modal element itself. Third,bamay occur in sentences in which the speaker is highly confident of the propositional content. Fourth, unlike modal elements,bamay occur in certain types of non-propositional utterances. And fifth, the position thatbaoccupies with respect to other sentence-final particles shows that it has scope over the utterance as a whole. After thus arguing for the status ofbaas a mitigator, we show how the general mitigating function ofbacan acquire the more specific mitigating effects that have previously been attributed to it in the literature.

Nucleic acids, as one kind of significant biomarker, have attracted tremendous attention and exhibited immense values in fundamental studies and clinical applications. In this work, we developed a fluorescent assay for detecting nucleic acids in complex samples based on magnetic microbead (MMB)-assisted catalyzed hairpin assembly (CHA) and a donor donor-acceptor fluorescence resonance energy transfer ("DD-A" FRET) signaling mechanism. Three types of DNA hairpin probes were employed in this system, including Capture, H1 (double FAM-labeled probe as FRET donor), and H2 (TAMRA-labeled probe as FRET acceptor). First, the Captures immobilized on MMBs bound to targets in complex samples, and the sequences in Captures that could trigger catalyzed hairpin assembly (CHA) were exposed. Then, target-enriched MMB complexes were separated and resuspended in the reaction buffer containing H1 and H2. As a result, numerous H1-H2 duplexes were formed during the CHA process, inducing an obvious FRET signal. In contrast, CHA could not be triggered, and the FRET signal was weak, while target was absent. With the aid of magnetic separation and "DD-A" FRET, errors from background interference were effectively eliminated. Importantly, this strategy realized amplified detection in buffer, with detection limits of microRNA as low as 34 pM. Furthermore, this method was successfully applied to detect microRNA-21 in serum and cell culture media. The results showed that our method has the potential for biomedical research and clinical application.

Accurate measurement of intracellular temperature is of great significance in biology and medicine. With use of DNA nanotechnology and inspiration by nature's examples of "protective and reversible responses" exoskeletons, a scallop-inspired DNA nanomachine (SDN) is desgined as a ratiometric nanothermometer for intracellular temperature sensing. The SDN is composed of a rigid DNA tetrahedron, where a thermal-sensitive molecular beacon (MB) is embedded in one edge of the DNA tetrahedron. Relying on the thermal-sensitive MB and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) signaling mechanism, the "On" to "Off" signal is reversibly responding to "below" and "over" the melting temperature. Mimicking the functional anatomy of a scallop, the SDN exhibits high cellular permeability and resistance to enzymatic degradation, good reversibility, and tunable response range. Furthermore, FRET ratiometric signal that allows the simultaneous recording of two emission intensities at different wavelengths can provide a feasible approach for precise detection, minimizing the effect of system fluctuations.

Six bacterial species were evaluated to determine their inhibitory effects on Clostridium perfringens in vitro (brain heart infusion broth) and in situ (chicken breast meat) under temperature abuse conditions (4 ± 1 °C for 12 h, followed by 7 h at 28 ± 1 °C and then 4 ± 1 °C for 53 h). During abusive storage, rapid growth of C. perfringens from vegetative cell and spore inocula was observed, exhibiting a 2.68–3.37 log CFU/mL (or g) increase in bacterial counts. In the presence of Pediococcus pentosaceus P1 or Lactobacillus fermentum R6, the counts of C. perfringens remained unchanged in the samples containing vegetative cells at the end of storage (P 1.9 log CFU/mL (or g) compared to those of the control (P 0.05), and the inhibitory effect against C. perfringens was ascribed to non-acid antimicrobial substances. These results indicate a potential solution for bio-protecting chicken meat from C. perfringens growth. Industrial relevance Clostridium perfringens is a common pathogen that contaminates meat and meat products, but the organism cannot multiply under cold chain conditions at 4 °C. However, it was reported that temperature abuses commonly occurred during the transportation, storage or retail display of the food chill chain. During the abusive storage, C. perfringens could grow rapidly, which may lead to food poisoning. It is a serious problem for food safety. In this study, Lactobacillus fermentum R6 was found to show effective inhibition on both the growth of C. perfringens vegetative cells and the germination and outgrowth of its spores in chicken meat (P 0.05). The results reveal a potential technology for bio-protecting chicken meat from C. perfringens growth.

We report self-assembled nanocentipedes as multivalent vehicles for the delivery of immunostimulatory CpG ODNs. The multivalent vehicles could be internalized by RAW264.7 cells and stimulate the secretion of large amounts of cytokines, successively inducing effective apoptosis of cancer cells.

A frame deformation estimation algorithm is investigated for the purpose of real-time control and health monitoring of flexible lightweight aerospace structures. The inverse finite element method (iFEM) for beam deformation estimation was recently proposed by Gherlone and his collaborators. The methodology uses a least squares principle involving section strains of Timoshenko theory for stretching, torsion, bending, and transverse shearing. The proposed methodology is based on stain-displacement relations only, without invoking force equilibrium. Thus, the displacement fields can be reconstructed without the knowledge of structural mode shapes, material properties, and applied loading. In this paper, the number of the locations where the section strains are evaluated in the iFEM is discussed firstly, and the algorithm is subsequently investigated through a simple supplied beam and an experimental aluminum wing-like frame model in the loading case of end-node force. The estimation results from the iFEM are compared with reference displacements from optical measurement and computational analysis, and the accuracy of the algorithm estimation is quantified by the root-mean-square error and percentage difference error.

Recently, DNA tetrahedron-based sensors for intracellular detection have attracted more attention due to many interesting properties, including good structural rigidity, excellent biocompatibility, high resistance to enzymatic degradation, and the ability to enter cells without the use of transfection agents. However, the previous designs are still restricted by their lack of accuracy, reliability, and generality. Herein, to solve these limitations, we describe self-assembly of the competition-mediated FRET-switching DNA tetrahedron molecular beacon (CF-DTMB), and its applications for intracellular tumor-related mRNA detection. In brief, the recognition strand is partially complementary to its competitor, which is a hairpin stem-loop structure inserted in one edge of the DNA tetrahedron. In the absence of a target, a long domain of the recognition strand hybridizes with the competitor and makes the hairpin structure open, inducing the two labeled dyes to be spatially separated (FRET off). However, in the ...

This study investigated how l-lysine/l-arginine/l-cysteine improved cured sausage color. Visible detection showed that Mb(Fe2+)NO did not form when MetMb(Fe3+) was treated with a combination of l-lysine and NaNO2, l-arginine and NaNO2, or l-cysteine and NaNO2. Visible spectra and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) detection together indicated formation of Mb(Fe2+)O2 when MetMb(Fe3+) was treated with l-lysine, l-arginine, or l-cysteine; Mb(Fe2+)NO was formed when MetMb(Fe3+) was treated with a combination of l-lysine and NO, l-arginine and NO, or l-cysteine and NO. Visible, EPR, and fourier transform infrared results suggested formation of a complex of Mb(Fe2+) and l-cysteine by the coordination of sulfydryl and ferrous porphyrin. Therefore, l-lysine, l-arginine, or l-cysteine can promote the formation of Mb(Fe2+)NO by reducing MetMb(Fe3+) to Mb(Fe2+)O2, and l-cysteine promotes formation of a complex of Mb(Fe2+) and l-cysteine via coordination of sulfydryl and ferrous porphyrin, which may improve cured sausage color.

It is of great interest to construct DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles (DNA-AuNPs) with a controllable number of DNA strands and relative orientations. Herein, we describe a three-dimensional (3D) molecular transfer strategy, in which a pattern of DNA strands can be transferred from a DNA icosahedron cage (I-Cage) to the wrapped AuNP surface. The results show that DNA-AuNPs produced by this method inherit DNA pattern information encoded in the transient I-Cage template with high fidelity. Controllable numbers and positions of DNA on the surface of AuNPs can be simultaneously realized by direct "printing" of a DNA pattern from the nanoshell (I-Cage) to the nanocore (AuNP), further expanding the applications of DNA nanotechnology to nanolithography. Prospectively, the customized DNA-printed nanoparticles possess great potential for constructing programmable architectures for optoelectronic devices as well as smart biosensors for biomedical applications.

This work investigated the mechanisms underlying the combined effects of ultrasound and l -lysine/ l -arginine on the physical stability of myosin-soybean oil emulsions (MSE). The results showed that compared with the individual treatments (ultrasound, l -lysine or l -arginine), the combined treatments (ultrasound and l -lysine, ultrasound and l -arginine) were more effective in decreasing creaming index and emulsion size, but increasing emulsifying activity index, emulsifying stability index and emulsion ζ-potential, and forming smaller and more uniform MSEs. Also, except that active sulfhydryls decreased in the following order: ultrasonic treatment > a combination of Arg and ultrasound ≈ a combination of Lys and ultrasound > Arg ≈ Lys ≈ control, the combined treatments were effective than the individual treatments in increasing the ζ-potential, surface hydrophobicities, and solubility of myosin as well as the percentage of adsorbed myosin, but decreasing the hydrodynamic size of myosin, and inducing the transformations of myosin from a rigid structure to flexible ones. Therefore, the results suggested that ultrasound and l -lysine/ l -arginine synergistically improved the physical stability of MSEs by inducing myosin to unfold and be negatively charged.

We developed a simple label-free aptamer-based method for C-reactive protein (CRP) detection. In our previous work, we obtained a G-rich aptamer named 6th-62-40, which exhibited good affinity and specificity toward CRP. Herein, we demonstrated that 6th-62-40 could enhance the fluorescence of thioflavin T (ThT). In the absence of CRP, ThT bound to the G-rich aptamer and formed an aptamer/ThT complex, which showed high fluorescence. However, the fluorescence decreased due to the formation of an aptamer/CRP complex in the presence of CRP. The proposed method was a rapid strategy for CRP detection with a detection limit of 380 pM.

Graphene-based metal oxides are desirable as potential anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their superior electrochemical properties. In this work, sandwich-structured graphene-metal oxide (ZnO, NiO) composites are facilely synthesized on a large scale through self-assembly of graphene oxide nanosheets and metal ammine complexes, and then thermal decomposition of the self-assembled products. ZnO or NiO nanoparticles with diameters of 5∼10 nm are immobilized between the layers of graphene nanosheets, which may provide the space for accommodating the volume change of metal oxides during cycles, and highly improve the electronic conductivity of the composites. Accordingly, these sandwich-structured composites exhibit enhanced electrochemical performances compared to metal oxide particles or stacked graphene nanosheets. This facile synthesis method is very suitable for the large-scale production of three-dimensional graphene-based composites as high-performance anodes for LIBs.

This work investigated the effects of basic amino acids such as l -arginine (Arg)/ l -lysine (Lys) on the physicochemical properties of cooked marinated chicken breast (CMCB) as well as the possible mechanism underlying these effects. The results indicated that shearing force decreased from 13.3 N to 10.0 N and cooking loss decreased from 38.3 g/100 g–26 g/100 g when Lys increased from 0 g/100 g–0.4 g/100 g, while shearing force decreased to 8.8 N and cooking loss decreased to 28 g/100 g at 0.4 g Arg/100 g. Furthermore, Arg/Lys improved the textural parameters and increased pH value. Low field-nuclear magnetic resonance showed that Arg shortened the relaxation times of T21 from 50 ms to 38 ms and Arg/Lys increased the peak area percentage (P21) for T21 from 93.6 to 97. Arg/Lys promoted the extraction of salt-soluble meat proteins from 54 mg/g to 78.6 mg/g. Scanning electron microscopy illustrated that Arg and Lys narrowed the gaps between muscle fibers at 0.6 g/100 g and at 0.4 g/100 g, respectively. The results disclosed that Arg/Lys could improve the physicochemical properties of CMCB, and thus showing a potential for the manufacture of cooked marinated meat products.

This work investigated the effects of L-arginine (Arg) and L-lysine (Lys) on the tenderness of chicken breast and explored the possible mechanisms underlying this effect for the first time. The results showed that both Arg and Lys decreased the shear force and increased the pH value, sarcomere length and myofibrillar fragmentation index as well as degraded the troponin-T by keeping calpain activity in chicken breast. In addition, Arg effectively reduced Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase activities and promoted actomyosin dissociation. These results indicated that both Arg and Lys could enhance the tenderness of chicken breast, and it could also explain why Arg was more effective than Lys in improving the tenderness of chicken breast. These results will help facilitate the development of industrial-scale methods for improving the tenderness of meat products.

This study investigated the mechanisms underlying the influence of l –Arginine (Arg)/ l –Lysine (Lys) on the physical stability of soybean oil–myosin emulsions (SOME). Results indicated that Arg and Lys increased emulsifying activity index and emulsifying stability index, but decreased the residual protein content in the aqueous phase, CI and oil droplet size of SOME. Arg increased the interfacial pressure (π) of SOME and increased the penetration rate (kP) but decreased the diffusion rate (kdiff) of interfacial myosin. Lys increased the kP but decreased the kdiff of the interfacial myosin and decreased the π of SOME. Lys reduced the rearrangement rate of interfacial myosin; Arg only slightly affected it. Lys was more effective than Arg in exposing tyrosine and tryptophan residues of interfacial myosin; Arg was more conducive than Lys for structurally transforming interfacial myosin from disordered to ordered. These results confirm that Arg and Lys changed the structure and penetration of interfacial myosin, improving the physical stability of SOME.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of l-lysine (Lys)/l-arginine (Arg)/l-cysteine (Cys) on the color of cured sausage and the possible mechanism underlying these effects. The results indicated that the combined addition of Arg/Lys/Cys and NaNO

Mirativity is a distinct grammatical category. In the literature, no mirative marker has been identified so far in Mandarin Chinese. This paper aims to argue that Mandarin Chinese is a language that has grammatical means of expressing mirativity. The sentence-final particle le (SF le) in Mandarin is a mirative marker in its own right. It encodes the information as newsworthy or surprising and occurs with different time references and Illocutions. Based on the data from SF le, this paper extends the definition of mirativity given by Hengeveld & Olbertz (2012) by proposing that mirativity can not only be targeted towards either the speaker or the addressee, but also towards both. Lastly, it is argued that mirativity should be accounted for at the layer of Communicated Content at the Interpersonal Level in Functional Discourse Grammar.

Based on commercial catalysts (V2O5–WO3/TiO2), the effects of a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system on the emission characteristics of fine particles were investigated. The size distribution, morphology, element compositions, and chemical compositions of fine particles at the outlet of the SCR system were measured by an electrical low pressure impactor (ELPI), particulate matter (PM10/PM2.5) samplers, field emission scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectrometry (FSEM–EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), etc. The influences of reaction conditions and flue gas components on fine particle formation were also studied. The results reveal that a large number of fine particles can be generated during the SCR process. These fine particles are mostly in the submicrometer size range and appear to be nonuniform. The main components of these fine particles are ammonium sulfate or ammonium bisulfate. There is a good correlation between the formation of fine particles and the SO2 oxidation rate. Fine par...

The effects of high pressure processing (HPP) (0–400 MPa) and CaCl2 (0–0.8%) on cooking loss (CL), water holding capacity (WHC) and textual properties of salt-soluble meat protein (SSMP) gels with the addition of 3% sodium-salt and 0.2% locust bean gum (LBG) (SSMP-SL) were investigated. Results showed that 100–200 MPa could significantly increase WHC of SSMP-SL gels, while 300–400 MPa could decrease CL, hardness and chewiness of that (P Industrial relevance To develop low-fat and sodium-reduced meat products, the application of HPP and the addition of CaCl2 (0–0.8%) might be of great interest for industrial manufacture and can yield the products bearing high water binding capacity and good textural properties.

The effect of high pressure processing (HPP) on properties of duck muscle gels (DMG) containing 1% curdlan was investigated. The application of > 300 MPa could result in the decrease of cooking loss of DMG in water binding capacity, the increase of L value and the decrease of a value and b value in color, the increase of hardness, springiness, cohesiveness and chewiness in textural parameters ( P Industrial relevance To provide healthier meat foods like low-fat (

The effects of curdlan on color, syneresis, cooking qualities, and textural properties of potato starch noodle (PSN) were investigated at the addition level of 0-1.0% w/w, and the interaction and microstructure within PSN containing curdlan (PSNC) were determined by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron micrographs (SEM). Results showed that a significant increase of syneresis, decrease of cooked weight, improvement of firmness, and tensile strength of PSNC were gained at 0.3-1.0% curdlan content, while enhancement of lightness (L* value) and yellowness (b * value) occurred at 0.1-0.5 and 1.0%, respectively (p

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is still an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients receiving mechanical ventilation. This research aimed to investigate the genes related to VAP and potential diagnosis targets.Gene expression profiles data of GSE30385 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus, which included 10 samples of patients with VAP and 10 samples of patients without VAP. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two types of patients were identified by limma package and the functions and pathways of DEGs were predicted by Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses. Next, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) pairs of all genes in the samples were obtained from STRING database. Then we searched genes related to VAP in NCBI, and constructed a PPI network of these genes. Subsequently, the overlapped genes between genes in the PPI network and DEGs were searched, followed by expression patterns analysis. Furthermore, genes in PPI network were subjected to function and pathway enrichment analysis, and transcription factors were screened on the basis of TRANSFAC database.A total of 69 DEGs were screened between two types of patient samples, and 7 genes related to VAP were obtained. The overlapped genes (e.g. LTF, MAPK14) were enriched in MAPK cascade and immune system-related processes. In addition, MAPK14 was enriched in MAPK signaling pathway.The VAP-related genes (MAPK14 and LTF) might be the crucial genes in the pathogenesis of VAP, and be served as potential diagnostic targets.

The design methodology and validation of a compliant translational joint–based force/displacement integrated sensor is presented in this article. The stiffness analysis of the large displacement high precision compliant translational joint is developed, in which the screw theory–based symbolic formulation method for structures is employed. By combining the stiffness matrix of the single compliant beams and components in this joint, the entire stiffness matrix is derived. The stiffness matrix is validated by finite element analysis (FEA) method. Finally, the compliant translational joint was fabricated with a three-dimensional printer and equipped with a linear position sensor and microcontroller. The displacement of the translational joint is measured and then the force is calculated using the stiffness matrix. A calibration is conducted so that the sub-Newton precision of the sensor is achieved.

To investigate the effects of ET-1 on isolated perfused rat liver and vascular rings at early and late stages of cirrhosis.Liver cirrhosis was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of 50% CCl(4) (0.3 ml/100 g, twice a week). In the 9th and 14th weekend after injecting CCl(4), the isolated perfused liver and vascular rings were performed to evaluate effects of four concentrations of ET-1 on early and late stages of cirrhosis.The Ppv of L-HC group at baseline was higher than that of E-HC group, both were higher than that of the controls. However, there showed no differences on Phv in these groups. With the concentration of ET-1 increasing, PVP was elevated accordingly in E-HC and L-HC group. L-HC group showed higher PVP compared with E-HC group, both were higher than the controls. While in isolated vascular rings, with the deteriorating of cirrhosis, the cumulative response curves showed right-shift. 0.1 nmol/L ET-1 showed mild relaxation on vascular rings in L-HC group.ET-1 can increase the PVP, especially with the deterioration of cirrhosis, there showed higher reaction compared with normal controls. The vascular rings showed low response on the contrary. So ET-1 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension. In view of its different roles on liver and vascular rings at early and late stages, administration of different selective antagonist of ET receptor at different stages of cirrhosis should be well considered.