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In the current study, a total of six 5 year old healthy bulls reared in heat stress zone were used and semen from these bulls was collected by artificial vagina and undergoes for semen quality analysis. Results of semen quality parameters showed that the average semen volume and sperm density of Simmental bulls were 9.3mL and 1.23 × 109mL, and sperm acrosome integrity rate were lower as compared to Xiangxi cattle bulls. The transcriptome analysis revealed a 36.8Gb clean data and the obtained clean data of each sample was reached 5.84Gb. The transcriptome analysis further revealed that the percentage of q30 base was 91.19% or above. Based on the comparison results, 4,890 new genes were found, including 2,451 functional annotations. Go analysis explored that GO annotation system included 3 main sections that were biological processes, molecular functions and cellular components, respectively. In conclusion, results showed that the average semen volume and sperm density of Simmental bulls was higher and sperm motility and sperm acrosome integrity rate was lower as compared to Xiangxi cattle bulls. This study has developed a transcriptomic profile of spermatozoa of Xiangxi cattle and Simmental cattle bulls and reported Xiangxi cattle and Simmental cattle bull’s spermatozoa change the gene expression involved in various biological process. This study could provide the experimental basis of poor fertility in Xiangxi cattle bulls and provide possible fertility biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a globally significant crop and serves as a pioneer crop for improving saline-alkaline soils due to its salt-alkali tolerant properties. However, the response mechanism of barley to alkali stress remains unclear. In this study, two barley genotypes with contrasting performance under alkali stress were selected: the alkali-tolerant SCMS and the alkali-sensitive QT9919. The morphological and physiological mechanisms of these two barley cultivars in response to alkali stress were elucidated. Results showed that alkali stress inhibited germination in QT9919, leading to significant decreases in germination vigor, plant height and root length. On the other hand, SCMS presented stronger water absorbing capacity than QT9919 under all circumstances. Furthermore, starch degradation and sugar metabolism were suppressed by alkali stress in both barley cultivars through downregulation of genes expression and reduction of enzymes activities involved in the processes of EMP (Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas), tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA), and pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). Notably, enzyme activity of hexokinase (HK) and malic dehydrogenase (MDH) showed significant changes under alkali stress between the two barley genotypes. This study provides insights into screening barley germplasm with strong alkali-tolerance and holds significant implications for improving and utilizing of saline-alkaline soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive efficiency of a heifer is directly dependent on the health of reproductive system especially ovary and uterus. Current experiment was carried out to screen candidate genes related to reproductive traits and detect molecular mechanisms of DEGs by using RNA-sequencing (RNAseq) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) to understand the environmental adaptability, molecular breeding and analyze the reproductive performance. Furthermore, Illumina II high throughput sequncing technology was utilized in the current experiment to sequence transcriptomes and analysis related to pathway of different genes between uterus and ovary in Xiangxi cattle. The total number of ovary assembled was compared to the reference genome sequence, DEGs analysis, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis and candidate gene screening were performed. Based on the transcriptome data, seven cDNA libraries were constructed by utilizing total RNA. Out of seven contracted cDNA libraries, in every sequencing library, raw reads reached >133 Mb, and >94% clean reads remained. After comparing the Xiangxi cattle ovaries with the uterus, a total of 3635 mRNAs were found, in which 1608 were significantly up-regulated expressed and 2027 were down-regulated expression mRNAs. The mRNA expression of ADCY3, ADCY4, ADCY9, FSHR, BMP15, LHCGR, INSR, CYP11A1, CYP17A1, CYP19A1, STAR and SCARB1 in ovary of Xiangxi Cattle were significant different in ovarian and uterus tissues. Through GSEA and PPI network, we found the ovarian steroidogenesis pathway played significant role in signal regulation during the development of the ovarian tissue of the Xiangxi cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a multi-target drug to treat ischemic stroke, N-butylphthalide (NBP) is extremely water-insoluble and exhibits limited oral bioavailability, impeding its wide oral application. Effective treatment of ischemic stroke by NBP requires timely and efficient drug exposure, necessitating the development of new oral formulations. Herein, liposomes containing biosurfactant sodium cholate (CA-liposomes) were systemically investigated as an oral NBP delivery platform because of its high biocompatibility and great potential for clinical applications. The optimized liposomes have a uniform hydrodynamic size of 104.30 ± 1.60nm and excellent encapsulation efficiency (93.91 ± 1.10%). Intriguingly, NBP-loaded CA-liposomes produced rapid drug release and the cumulative release was up to 88.09 ± 4.04% during 12 h while that for NBP group was only 6.79 ± 0.99%. Caco-2 cell monolayer assay demonstrated the superior cell uptake and transport efficiency of NBP-loaded CA-liposomes than free NBP, which was mediated by passive diffusion via transcellular and paracellular routes. After oral administration to rats, NBP-loaded CA-liposomes exhibited rapid and almost complete drug absorption, with a tmax of 0.70 ± 0.14 h and an absolute bioavailability of 92.65% while NBP suspension demonstrated relatively low bioavailability (21.7%). Meanwhile, NBP-loaded CA-liposomes produced 18.30-fold drug concentration in the brain at 5 min compared with NBP suspension, and the brain bioavailability increased by 2.48-fold. As expected, NBP-loaded CA-liposomes demonstrated significant therapeutic efficacy in a middle cerebral artery occlusion rat model. Our study provides new insights for engineering oral formulations of NBP with fast and sufficient drug exposure against ischemic stroke in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Fraxinellone (Frax) isolated from Dictamnus albus L. possessed excellent anti-hepatic fibrosis activity, oral administration of Frax suffered from the inefficient therapeutic outcome in vivo due to negligible oral absorption. At present, the oral formulation of Frax is rarely exploited. For rational formulation design, we evaluated preabsorption risks of Frax and found that Frax was rather stable while poorly dissolved in the gastrointestinal tract (78.88 lg/mL), which predominantly limited its oral absorption. Further solubility test revealed the outstanding capacity of cyclodextrin derivatives (CDs) to solubilize Frax (6.8-12.8mg/mL). This led us to study the inclusion complexes of Frax with a series of CDs and holistically explore their drug delivery performance. Characterization techniques involving ¹H-NMR, FT-IR, DSC, PXRD, and molecular docking confirmed the most stable binding interactions when Frax complexed with 6-O-α-D-maltosyl-β-cyclodextrin (G2-β-CD-Frax). Notably, G2-β-CD-Frax exhibited the highest solubilizing capacity, fast dissolution rate, and superior Caco-2 cell internalization with no obvious toxicity. Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated markedly higher oral bioavailability of G2-β-CD-Frax (5.8-fold that of free drug) than other Frax-CDs. Further, long-term administration of G2- β-CD-Frax (5 mg/kg) efficiently inhibited CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis in the mouse without inducing any toxicity. Our results will inspire the continued advancement of optimal oral Frax formulations for anti-fibrotic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of current experiment was to sequence the high-throughput transcriptome of the Xiangxi and Simmental cattle's sperms by using RNA SEQ technology and to screen the expression genes related to the development and reproduction of the sperms. For this purpose, sperms from three Xiangxi yellow cattle and Simmental cattles were collected, separated and purified and cDNA library was constructed. After sequencing, we searched the database, screened the differential expression, analyzed the go and KEGG pathway by David software, and screened the genes related to sperm development through the function inquiry of gene cards. The results of the current study showed that a total of 4890 new genes were discovered, and out of 4890 new gens 2451 were annotated. One hundred fifty-five differentially expressed genes were selected, including 88 up-regulated genes and 67 down-regulated genes. According to the GO analysis, the differentially expressed genes involved in biological processes accounted for 40.9%, cell components accounted for 42.5%, and molecular functions accounted for 16.7%. KEGG pathway analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were more distributed in the three pathways of signal transduction, cancer-related and neurological diseases. In the up-regulated genes, ten genes that may be directly involved in signal pathway regulation, cell cycle regulation and cell proliferation and differentiation were RICTOR, VDAC2, ETNK1, TRIM36, SET, SRSF5, JMJD1C, ZNF280D, RIOK3 and HDAC1. However, further research is required to explore these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current study was conducted to evaluate the effects of age on production performance and meat quality of Xiangxi cattle. A total of 12 male weaning Xiangxi cattle (similar age and weight) were used in the current experiment. Animals were slaughtered at the age of six, eight and thirty months. Results showed that animals slaughtered at 30 months of age had the highest production performance and carcass traits (p < 0.05). The longissimus dorsi (LD) of the animals slaughtered at 6-month-age had a lower cooking loss and higher water content (p < 0.05). The LD of the animals slaughtered at 30-month-had significantly higher nutrient composition, total essential amino acid (EAA) composition and EAA/total amino acid percentage, C16 and saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents (p < 0.05). Moreover, higher C20, C17:1, monounsaturated FA, C18:3n-3, polyunsaturated FA, total FA contents and unsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acid ratio (p < 0.05) was observed in the LD muscle of cattle slaughtered at 18 months of age. Based on results, it is concluded that age significantly influenced the production performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and meat nutrient composition in Xiangxi cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue and durability tests are important to develop or to optimize the vehicle drivetrain system. Using the vehicle drivetrain road load simulation test rig to reproduce the longitudinal driving load of the vehicle on the real road and the vertical impact load caused when the vehicle is on a bumpy pavement. In order to improve the control accuracy and convergence speed, an iterative learning control (ILC) method is presented. After 10 times of learning, the control error of iterative learning control method is 4.8%, it is better than the 7.1% error achieved by proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control. The simulation results demonstrate that the ILC can improve the convergence rate and increase the tracking accuracy than the PID control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A novel air-cooling bubble absorption/compression hybrid refrigeration experimental set-up of 3 kW was designed and assembled, using R124-DMAC as working fluids. The described refrigeration system could be powered by exhaust gases heat and power from vehicle engine to supply cooling demands for automobile air-conditioning or transport refrigeration. The characteristics and performance of the refrigeration system were tested under different operation conditions, and results indicates that the refrigeration system have favorable performance and stability; The cooling capacity of absorption refrigeration sub-cycle and hybrid refrigeration cycle can reach 2.4 kW and 2.95 kW respectively, on conditions of 340 °C driving heat air temperature and 210 L h−1 pump flow rate. Highlights • An bubble absorption/compression refrigeration experiment is implemented. • An bubble absorber and a coiled tube generator are considered in the system. • The absorption/compression hybrid refrigeration installation can run stably. • Cooling capacity of ACHRC and ARSC can reach 2.4 kW and 2.95 kW. • The generation and condensing pressure of ACHRC is higher than that of ARSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apolymer, β-MEA, was synthesised from β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), 3-chloro-2-methylpropene (MAC), epoxysuccinic acid (ESA), and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS) with a (NH4)2S2O8-NaHSO3 redox initiator system by aqueous solution radical polymerisation. b-MEA was characterised by means of IR spectroscopy, time-of-flight mass spectrometry, gel permeation chromatography, and thermogravimetric analysis. Its structure, molecular weight, thermal stability, scale and corrosion inhibition performance and mechanism were investigated. The results verified that β-MEA achieves a better scale inhibition efficiency for BaSO4 compared with poly(aspartic acid) (PASP) (100% cf. 94.9% at a concentration of 20 mg L-1) and a better corrosion inhibition efficiency of N80 carbon steel in saline water compared with PESA (91.2% cf. 79.7% at a concentration of 1 g L-1). The BaSO4 was characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction to investigate the crystal morphology of the scale. Primary research on the mechanism for corrosion inhibition was carried by SEM-chemical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Unplanned "crash" dialysis starts are associated with worse outcomes and higher costs, a challenging problem for health systems participating in value-based care (VBC). We examined expenditures and utilization associated with these events in a large health system. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, single-center study at Cleveland Clinic, a large, integrated health system participating in VBC contracts, including a Medicare accountable care organization. METHODS: We analyzed beneficiaries who transitioned to dialysis between 2017 and 2020. Crash starts involved initiating inpatient hemodialysis (HD) with a central venous catheter (CVC). Optimal starts were initiated with either home dialysis or outpatient HD without a CVC. Suboptimal starts were initiated with outpatient HD with a CVC or inpatient HD without a CVC. RESULTS: A total of 495 patients initiated chronic dialysis: 260 crash starts, 130 optimal starts, and 105 suboptimal starts. Median predialysis 12-month cost was $67,059 for crash starts, $17,891 for optimal starts, and $7633 for suboptimal starts (P < .001). Median postdialysis 12-month cost was $71,992 for crash starts, $55,427 for optimal starts, and $72,032 for suboptimal starts (P = .001). Predialysis inpatient admission per 1000 beneficiaries was 1236 per 1000 for crash starts vs 273 per 1000 for optimal starts and 170 per 1000 for suboptimal starts (P < .001). Postdialysis inpatient admission for crash starts was 853 per 1000 vs 291 per 1000 for optimal starts and 184 per 1000 for suboptimal starts (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In a major health system, crash starts demonstrated the highest cost and hospital utilization, a pattern that persisted after dialysis initiation. Developing strategies to promote optimal starts will improve VBC contract performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the relationship between plasma total homocysteine concentration and osteoporosis in postmenopausal patients with type 2 diabetes. Postmenopausal patients with type 2 diabetes ( n = 258) were enrolled in a cross-sectional hospital-based study. Osteoporosis was documented by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Plasma total homocysteine concentration was measured using fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Risk factors for osteoporosis and determinants of homocysteine were obtained from blood samples and interviewer questionnaire. We found that plasma total homocysteine levels were higher in subjects with osteoporosis and diabetes than without [(9.5 ± 2.0) vs. (10.4 ± 2.4) μmol/l, p = 0.001]. The association of homocysteine with osteoporosis was independent of possible risk factors for osteoporosis in diabetes (e.g., duration of diabetes, HbA1c, body mass index, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, thiazolidinediones, and retinopathy) and determinants of homocysteine concentration (age, serum folate and vitamin B12, renal status, and biguanide use) [OR 1.40 (1.02-1.90), p = 0.036]. In addition, bone mineral density was closely correlated with homocysteine as a continuous variable after adjusting for age [ r = −0.64 (−0.69 to −0.58), p = 0.002]. Furthermore, per increase of 5.0 μmol/l, plasma homocysteine was related to osteoporosis, after controlling for per unit increase of other factors [OR 1.42 (1.07-1.96), p = 0.027]. The optimal cut-off point for the plasma homocysteine level distinguishing diabetic patients with osteoporosis from without was 10.18 μmol/l. The results suggest that plasma total homocysteine concentration is independently associated with the occurrence of osteoporosis in postmenopausal patients with type 2 diabetes. Future prospective studies are warranted to clarify the relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable and thermoresponsive star-block copolymer micelles were prepared and optimized for temperature-triggered drug release. The star-block poly(e-caprolactone)-block-poly(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate-co-oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) with lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of 42.8°C was chosen to self-assemble into micelles for doxorubicin (DOX) loading. For comparison, the non-thermoresponsive star-block poly(e-caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) micelles with similar composition and diameter were also used to load DOX. The thermoresponsive micelles exhibit an excellent temperature-triggered drug release behavior and pulsed response to the temperature switching between 25°C (below the LCST) and 45°C (above the LCST). The cytotoxicity assay confirmed the effective growth inhibition for HepG2 cells induced by DOX-loaded thermoresponsive micelles, while the blank micelles had low cytotoxicity and good biocompatibility. The confocal laser scanning microscopy suggested that the DOX-loaded micelles could internalize into cytoplasm and cell nucleus of HepG2 cells. The thermoresponsive star-block copolymer micelles can potentially be used in the controlled drug delivery applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) thresholds (<0.2 ng/ml) below currently accepted biochemical recurrence (BCR) definitions for patients treated with radical prostatectomy may be useful in the identification of candidates for early salvage therapy with improved outcome; however, the practice risks overtreatment, as the risk of subsequent PSA progression may be low. Objective: To analyze 14 BCR definitions for their association with subsequent PSA and treatment progression among subgroups of patients at varying risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality. Design, setting, and participants: The subsequent risk of PSA and treatment progression after BCR based on 14 BCR definitions (six standard definitions and eight definitions requiring one or more successive PSA rises ≤0.1 ng/ml) was analyzed according to various clinicopathologic risk criteria among 2348 patients with a detectable PSA ≥0.03 ng/ml at least 6 wk after radical prostatectomy. Intervention: Radical prostatectomy. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Probability of subsequent PSA progression after BCR, defined as a PSA rise >0.1 ng/ml above BCR PSA, initiation of secondary treatment, or clinical progression. Results and limitations: Using standard BCR definitions, the risk of PSA progression was >70%, regardless of clinicopathologic features. A single PSA ≤0.1 ng/ml was associated with PSA progression in only 30-55% of patients but ranged from 18-25% to 73-88% for patients without and with adverse pathologic features, respectively. Based on discrimination and calibration analysis, the optimal BCR definition for patients with 5-yr progression-free probability of <50%, 50-75%, 76-90%, and >90% was a single PSA ≥0.05 ng/ml, two or more rising PSAs ≥0.05 ng/ml, PSA ≥0.2 ng/ml and rising, and PSA ≥0.4 ng/ml and rising. Conclusions: BCR definitions below currently accepted PSA thresholds appear to be valid for selecting patients with adverse clinicopathologic risk factors for secondary therapy. This information may be useful in selecting for early salvage radiotherapy to improve clinical outcome. Take Home Message: Biochemical recurrence definitions that are below currently accepted prostate-specific antigen thresholds appear to be valid for selecting patients with adverse clinicopathological risk factors for secondary therapy. This information may be useful in the selection of patients for early salvage radiotherapy to improve clinical outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lysozyme gene from breast of Tibetan sheep was successfully expressed by secretion using a-factor signal sequence in the methylotrophic yeast, Pichia pastoris GS115. An expression yield and specific activity greater than 500 mg/L and 4,000 U/mg was obtained. Results at optimal pH and temperature showed recombinant lysozyme has higher lytic activity at pH 6.5 and 45°C. This study demonstrates the successful expression of recombinant lysozyme using the eukaryotic host organism P. pastoris paving the way for protein engineering. Additionally, this study shows the feasibility of subsequent industrial manufacture of the enzyme with this expression system together with a high purity scheme for easy high-yield purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the relationship between plasma total homocysteine concentration and diabetic macular edema in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 176) were enrolled in a cross-sectional hospital-based study. Diabetic macular edema status was documented by fundus photographs. Plasma total homocysteine concentration was measured using fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Normal control plasma homocysteine was established in 115 healthy subjects. Risk factors for diabetic macular edema were obtained from fasting blood samples and interviewer questionnaire. Results: Diabetic patients had increased plasma homocysteine compared with normal control. Plasma homocysteine levels were higher in subjects with diabetic macular edema than without ((11.4 ± 2.7) versus (8.5 ± 1.9) (μmol/l), p = 0.000). The association of homocysteine with diabetic macular edema was independent of major risk factors for diabetic macular edema (duration of diabetes, HbA1c, lipid) and determinants of higher homocysteine concentration (age, gender, serum folate and vitamin B12, renal status, and biguanide use) (OR: 1.63 (1.02-2.14), p = 0.018). Furthermore, per increase of 5.0 μmol/l plasma homocysteine was related to macular edema, after controlling for per unit increase of other factors (OR: 1.64 (1.04-2.16), p = 0.019). Conclusions: Plasma total homocysteine concentration is independently associated with the occurrence of macular edema in type 2 diabetes. Future prospective studies are warranted to clarify the relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonexistence of an end-to-end path poses great challenges in directly adapting the traditional routing algorithms for ad hoc or mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) to delay tolerant networks (DTNs). In this paper, an adaptive routing protocol that makes use of both self-aware and destination-aware utility metrics to evaluate the potential throughput between every pair of nodes is proposed. We theoretically analyze the nodes' spraying process and discover the relationship between the initial number of copies and the latency of the message distribution process, by which we can further control the expected latency under a certain level. Compared with Epidemic, Spray And Wait Spray, And Focus and Encounter-based routing, our proposed algorithm is the only one that achieves comparable performance under both Helsinki City Scenario and Cambridge-iMote Scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonexistence of end-to-end path between the sender and the receiver poses great challenges to the successful message transmission in delay tolerant networks. Probabilistic routing provides an efficient scheme to route messages, but most existing probabilistic routing protocols do not consider whether a message has enough time-to-live to reach its destination. In this paper, we propose an improved probabilistic routing algorithm that fully takes into account message's time-to-live when predicting the delivery probability. Based on statistical analysis,we compute and update the expected inter meeting times between nodes. And then the probability for a message to be delivered within its time-to-live is computed based on the assumed exponential distribution. We further propose an optimal message schedule policy, by modeling the buffer management problem as 0-1 knapsack, of which the maximum delivery probability sum can be achieved by resorting to the back track technique. Extensive simulations are conducted and the results show that the proposed algorithm can greatly enhance routing performance in terms of message delivery probability, overhead ratio, and average hop count. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonexistence of an end-to-end path poses great challenges to directly adapting the traditional routing algorithms for Internet and mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) to mobile opportunistic networks (MONs). In this paper, we try to improve the routing performance by resorting to an efficient data item selection mechanism that takes the bandwidth and connection duration time into consideration. For the purpose of evaluation, a specific data item selection mechanism for a probability-based routing is devised, which is formally defined as an optimal decision-making problem and solved by the dynamic programming technique. The simulation results show that our data item selection mechanism greatly reduces the number of aborted transmissions thus enhancing the routing performance in aspects of delivery probability, average latency, and overhead ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the nonexistence of end-to-end path between the sender and the receiver in delay tolerant networks and mobile social networks, consequently successful message transmission faces great challenges. In this paper, an adaptive routing algorithm taking full use of gregariousness characteristics of moving nodes is proposed. We first abstract all social relationships and uniformly represent them using friendship. Then by dynamically dividing nodes into different social groups, we finish flooding message among the target social group where destination node resides. In addition, we propose a social group based flooding model and a message redundancy control model to select fewer but better relay nodes and further reduce message redundancy. Extensive simulations have been conducted based on the synthetic traces generated by working day movement model and the results show that the proposed routing algorithm can get a higher message delivery ratio and a lower overhead ratio compared to Bubble Rap, Epidemic, and ProPHET, thus proving a better routing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE-To explore the relationship between serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels and diabetic neuropathy RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS-Type 1 or 2 diabetic and healthy control subjects (n = 568) were randomly enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Diabetic neuropathy status was documented by the presence of clinical symptoms or signs, electromyography, quantitative sensory tests, and cardiac autonomic neuropathy tests. The severity of the neuropathy was staged by composite scores. Serum NSE was measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The demographic and clinical variables were obtained through an interviewer questionnaire. RESULTS-Serum NSE levels increased slightly in diabetic subjects compared with normal subjects (9.1 [1.5] vs. 8.7 [1.7], P = 0.037), and the levels increased greatly in diabetic subjects with neuropathy compared with those without (10.8 [2.8] vs. 9.1 [1.5], P = 0.000). The association of NSE with diabetic neuropathy was independent of the hyperglycemic state (fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, duration, and the type of diabetes) and other potential confounders affecting NSE levels (e.g., age, sex, and renal status) (odds ratio 1.48 [1.13-1.74], P = 0.001). In addition, NSE levels increased with and were closely correlated to the stages of neuropathy (r = 0.63 [0.52-0.74], P = 0.000). The optimal cutoff point for serum NSE levels to distinguish patients with diabetic neuropathy from those without was 10.10 μg/L, with a sensitivity of 66.3% and a specificity of 72.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Members of the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) class of proteins are evolutionarily conserved molecular chaperones. They are involved in protein folding, assembly, stabilization, activation, and degradation in many normal cellular processes and under stress conditions. Unlike many other well-characterized molecular chaperones, Hsp90s play key roles in signal transduction, cell-cycle control, genomic silencing, and protein trafficking. However, no systematic analysis of genome organization, gene structure, and expression compendium has been performed in the Populus model tree genus to date. Results: We performed a comprehensive analysis of the Populus Hsp90 gene family and identified 10 Populus Hsp90 genes, which were phylogenetically clustered into two major groups. Gene structure and motif composition are relatively conserved in each group. In Populus trichocarpa, we identified three paralogous pairs, among which the PtHsp90-5a/PtHsp90-5b paralogous pair might be created by duplication of a genome segment. Subcellular localization analysis shows that PtHsp90 members are localized in different subcellular compartments. PtHsp90-3 is localized both in the nucleus and in the cytoplasm, PtHsp90-5a and PtHsp90-5b are in chloroplasts, and PtHsp90-7 is in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Furthermore, microarray and semi-quantitative real-time RT-PCR analyses show that a number of Populus Hsp90 genes are differentially expressed upon exposure to various stresses. Conclusions: The gene structure and motif composition of PtHsp90s are highly conserved among group members, suggesting that members of the same group may also have conserved functions. Microarray and RT-PCR analyses show that most PtHsp90s were induced by various stresses, including heat stress. Collectively, these observations lay the foundation for future efforts to unravel the biological roles of PtHsp90 genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yunmeng Shan metamorphic core complex (MCC) is composed of the lower plate, the upper plate and the detachment zone. The detachment zone consists of ductile shear zone (mylonite zone), chloritized microbreccias zone and the brittle fault plane. The ductile shear zone contains mylonitic rocks, protomylonites, and mylonites. Finite strain measurements of feldspar porphyroclasts from those rocks using the R f/φ method show that the strain intensities increase from mylonitic rocks ( Es=0.66-0.72) to protomylonites ( Es=0.66-0.83), and to mylonites ( Es=0.71-1.2). The strain type is close to flatten strain. Kinematic vorticity estimated by Polar Mohr diagrams suggest that foliations and lineation of mylonite (0.47< W k<0.85) record a bulk simple-dominated general shearing at the initial evolution stage of the Yunmeng Shan MCC's detachment zone; and the extensional crenulation cleavage(ecc) (0.34

Abstract: A three-dimensional Damping Solvent Stepwise Extraction (DSSE) method is developed and implemented in the ANSYS finite element software for nonlinear seismic analysis of large-scale structures resting on an unbounded visco-elastic soil. Given a larger introduced artificial damping and arbitrary soil–structure interface geometry, the DSSE method provides a more efficient and accurate way to calculate the interaction forces of the unbounded soil within the framework of finite elements. In order to consider the effect of the artificial damping on structures, an Interface-Coupling element established with interface nodes in generalized structure substructure is developed through the element-based partition of the damped soil elements. The Newton–Raphson iteration method is employed along with the Newmark assumptions for the nonlinear analysis of generalized structures. The Newmark algorithm for damped bounded soil is also employed to assure the accuracy and convergence of the interaction system. User Programmable Features (UPFs) available in ANSYS is used to incorporate DSSE method. Also, a complete toolkit for general seismic soil–structure interaction (SSI) analysis is created using scripting-based ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL) and Graphical User Interface (GUI). The proposed technique is applicable to arbitrary sophisticated structure models, irregular soil domain, and provides the selection of the artificial damping without depending on the domain size of bounded soil. Two validation examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method. Moreover, an optimal case is suggested in view of engineering practice based on the comparison among the results from several sets of computational parameters including domain size, amount of artificial damping, and extraction steps. Nonlinear seismic analysis of high arch dam in south-west China is also presented to illustrate the analysis procedure, and demonstrate the capabilities of the method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

AbstractPurpose:This study compared operative data and outcomes in patients undergoing either bilateral open partial nephrectomy (BOPN) or bilateral laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (BLPN) for synchronous bilateral kidney tumors.Patients and Methods:Patients who had undergone bilateral partial nephrectomy at our institution between 1992 and 2008 were reviewed retrospectively; 114 patients underwent either BOPN or BLPN. Ischemia time, tumor size, and renal function outcomes immediately after each surgery, at an intermediate time point (≤12 months), and at a late time point (>12 months) were compared. Oncologic outcomes were also evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis.Results:BOPN and BLPN were conducted in 92 and 22 patients, respectively. Average tumor size was larger in the BOPN group (4.1 vs2.7 cm; P=0.001); however, pathologic stage was equivalent (P=0.52). Hospital stay was longer in the BOPN group (5.6 vs4.0 d; P<0.001). Preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) in the BOPN and BLPN groups were both ≥60 mL/min/1.73m2. Percent decrease in eGFR between the two groups was 38% in the BLPN group and 27% in the BOPN group (P=0.03). Cancer-specific and recurrence-free survival rates were equivalent between groups over a mean follow-up of 5.5 years.Conclusions:BOPN and BLPN resulted in equivalent intermediate-term oncologic control. BLPN was associated with a larger percent decrease in eGFR. As ischemia times shorten for contemporary laparoscopic partial nephrectomies, it is expected that functional outcomes will be equivalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: To explore the relationship between plasma total homocysteine concentration and diabetic neuropathy in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (n =249) were enrolled in a cross-sectional hospital based study. Diabetic neuropathy status was documented by presence of clinical signs and confirmed by electromyography. Plasma total homocysteine concentration was measured using fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Traditional risk factors for diabetic neuropathy were obtained from fasting blood samples and interviewer-questionnaire. Results: Plasma total homocysteine levels were higher in subjects with diabetic neuropathy than without (12.8 (9.2–14.8)μmol/l vs. 8.0 (7.7–9.1)μmol/l, p =0.005). The association of homocysteine with diabetic neuropathy was independent of major traditional risk factors for diabetic neuropathy (duration of diabetes, HbA1c) and determinants of higher homocysteine concentration (age, gender, serum folate and vitamin B12, renal status, and Biguanide use) (OR: 1.12 (1.00–1.25), p =0.042). Furthermore, per increase of 4.0μmol/l plasma homocysteine was related to neuropathy, after controlling for per unit increase of other factors (OR: 1.17 (0.94–1.33), p =0.045). Conclusion: Plasma total homocysteine concentration was independently associated with occurrence of diabetic neuropathy in Chinese people. Future prospective studies are warranted to clarify the relationship. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

When subject to applied electric pulses, a lipid membrane exhibits complex responses including electrodeformation and electroporation. In this work, the electrodeformation of giant unilamellar vesicles under strong dc electric fields was investigated. Specifically, the degree of deformation was quantified as a function of the applied field strength and the electrical conductivity ratio of the fluids inside and outside of the vesicles. The vesicles were made from L-β-phosphatidylcholine with diameters ranging from 14 to 30 μm. Experiments were performed with field strengths ranging from 0.9 to 2.0 kV/cm, and intra-to-extra-vesicular conductivity ratios varying between 1.92 and 53.0. With these parametric configurations, the vesicles exhibited prolate elongations along the direction of the electric field. The degree of deformation was, in general, significant. In some cases, the aspect ratio of a deformed vesicle exceeded 10, representing a strong-deformation regime previously not explored. The aspect ratio scaled quadratically with the field strength, and increased asymptotically to a maximum value at high conductivity ratios. Appreciable area and volumetric changes were observed both during and after pulsation, indicating the concurrence of electroporation. A theoretical model is developed to predict these large deformations in the strongly permeabilized limit, and the results are compared with the experimental data. Both agreements and discrepancies are found, and the model limitations and possible extensions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In electroporation, an electric field transiently permeabilizes the cell membrane to gain access to the cytoplasm, and to deliver active agents such as DNA, proteins, and drug molecules. Past work suggests that the permeabilization is caused by the formation of aqueous, conducting pores on the lipid membrane, which are also known as electropores. The current-voltage relation across the membrane-bound pores is critical for understanding and predicting electroporation. In this work, we solve the Nernst–Planck equations in a geometry encompassing an isolated electropore to investigate this relation. In particular, we study cases where the intra- and extracellular electrical conductivities differ. We first derive an analytical solution, which is subsequently validated with a direct numerical simulation using a finite volume method. The main result of the current work is a formula for the effective pore resistance as a function of the pore radius, the membrane thickness, and the intra- and extracellular conductivities. This formula can be incorporated into whole-cell or planar-membrane electroporation models for system-level prediction and understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Salinity Gradient Energy (SGE) recovery of desalinated seawater using RED method. • Verify the feasibility of recovery the SGE by comparative experiments. • High salinity, temperature and flow rate are promoting to improve RED stack performance. Recovery on salinity gradient energy (SGE) usually existing at the junction of rivers and sea, have attracted a large amount of researchers. However, recovery and utilization of the SGE between desalinated seawater and seawater discharged from desalination plants, is relatively unexplored. In this work, a reverse electrodialysis (RED) approach is introduced to recover the SGE and convert it into electric energy. The objectives of this work are: i) exploring the feasibility to recover the SGE by adopting the RED method; ii) investigating the influence of different inlet parameter on the performance of a RED stack. On the basis of above aims, comparative experiments are implemented to verify the feasibility. Then the factors affecting the performance of the RED stack are analyzed. Results show that the power density of desalinated seawater (3.0 mol/L)/seawater (0.50 mol/L) is slightly higher than that of seawater/freshwater (0.060 mol/L), and lower than that of desalinated seawater/freshwater. A high concentration, temperature, and flow rate can improve efficiently the performance of the stack. For a RED stack composed of 10 membrane cells with desalinated seawater in the concentration range of 1.5 mol/L–3.0 mol/L, the open–circuit voltage and the maximum power density can reach 0.966 V and 0.372 W/m2 respectively. This study can provide some guidance for the recovery of SGE between desalinated seawater and seawater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A green and efficient process to synthesize monolithic porous inorganic materials with hierarchical structure has been presented. By using wood cellular structure as a template and supercritical CO 2as a solvent and carrier, the morphology and pore or channel systems of wood templates could be replicated faithfully. The total BET (Brunauer−Emmett−Teller) surface area of the resulting silica material can reach 469 m 2/g using poplar as the template. It is found that different pore structure data can be obtained with different wood cellular structures as the template. Meanwhile, the pore structure data of the product can be adjusted by changing the experimental conditions of the supercritical CO 2during the impregnation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leg G = (V1, V2; E) be a simple bipartite graph of order n, the minimum degree δ(G) ≥ 3 and k any positive integer. In this paper, we study the problem of partitioning any bipartite graph in k vertex-disjoint paths and obtain the new result: If ||V1| - |V2|| ≤ k and every balanced independent set S of four vertices has at least n-k+5/2 neighbors in G, then G can be partitioned in k vertex-disjoint paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrated a simple approach for fabricating Au–Fe3O4/PDA hollow nanoparticles as high-performance catalysts for water purification. The polydopamine (PDA) shell was in situ formed on the silica surface from self-polymerization, which acts as a medium support for coupling with metal ions (for Fe3O4 nanoparticle deposition) as well as a reducing agent and stabilizer for Au nanoparticle reduction and deposition. A step of simultaneous Fe3O4 nanoparticle deposition and silica core removal under alkaline conditions is first introduced in this study. This process significantly simplifies previous strategies which typically require the use of poisonous agents such as hydrogen fluoride or additional complicated post-treatment steps. Under optimized conditions, the Au–Fe3O4/PDA hollow nanoparticles show a high saturation magnetization of 18.8 emu g−1 and an excellent catalytic performance for the rapid reduction of p-nitrophenol with the reaction kinetic constant of 0.34 min−1. This catalyst can be easily recovered using a permanent magnet and recycled eight times with a high catalytic cycle stability. The strategy presented in this work provides a facile and versatile approach towards designing complicated Au–Fe3O4/PDA hollow nanostructures, which might have great potential for many applications within biological, energy, and environmental technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel absorption-compression combined refrigeration cycle was proposed. • The cycle is activated by waste heat of exhaust gas and jacket water from engine. • The cycle has a high performance coefficient. • The cycle can supply enough cooling capacity for vehicles or ships. Absorption refrigeration is an admirable means of refrigeration to use waste heat and decrease electricity and power consumption in air conditioning and refrigeration. A novel absorption–compression combined refrigeration cycle, which is driven by waste heat from the internal combustion engine of overload vehicles, vessels, or diesel generating sets, is proposed and investigated in this study. The high-pressure generator and the low-pressure generator are activated by exhaust gases and coolant liquids from the engine, respectively. Correspondingly, the high- and low-pressure compressors and solution pump are driven by the output power from the engine. The proposed refrigeration cycle can use the waste heat of the engine to the greatest extent and decrease engine power consumption. First, the thermodynamic circle model of the combined system was constructed. Then, the model was solved under different control strategies and operating modes. Theoretical calculation results show that the proposed combined cycle had a higher performance coefficient compared with compression refrigeration. The calculation results can be used as a reliable design, control strategy, and optimization tool for the combined refrigeration cycle future utilization in overload vehicles, vessels, or diesel generating sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of hydrophilic chain of surfactants fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether sodium sulphates (AEnS, n = 2, 3, 7) on surface properties and wetting properties was investigated by the measurement of equilibrium surface tension, dynamic surface tension and dynamic contact angle. The fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether sodium sulphates with different head group sizes were used. From the results of equilibrium surface tension measurements, we could obtain the critical micellisation concentration, adsorption efficiency, maximum surface excess concentration and Langmuir equilibrium adsorption constant at air/liquid interface. The dynamic surface tension results showed that the adsorption of aqueous solutions at the air/liquid interface follows a mixed-diffusion kinetic adsorption mechanism. In conclusion, for both studied surfactant, the longer the oxyethylene chains, the higher the maximum rate of surface tension reduction, the higher the diffusivity and wetting properties in terms of contact angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the proposal of a "smart battery," real-time sensing by rechargeable batteries has become progressively more important in both fundamental research and practical applications. However, many traditional sensing technologies suffer from low sensitivity, large size, and electromagnetic interference problems, rendering them unusable in the harsh and complicated electrochemical environments of batteries. The optical sensor is an alternative approach to realize multiple-parameter, multiple-point measurements simultaneously. Thus, it has garnered significant attention. Through analyzing these measured parameters, the state of interest can be decoded to monitor a battery's health. This review summarizes current progress in optical sensing techniques for batteries with respect to various sensing parameters, discussing the current limitations of optical fiber sensors as well as directions for their future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND. Generally, clinical assessment of gonadal testosterone (T) in human physiology is determined using concentrations measured in peripheral blood. Prostatic T exposure is similarly thought to be determined from peripheral T exposure. Despite the fact that androgens drive prostate cancer, peripheral T has had no role in the clinical evaluation or treatment of men with localized prostate cancer. METHODS. To assess the role of local androgen delivery in prostate cancer, we obtained blood from the (periprostatic) prostatic dorsal venous complex in 266 men undergoing radical prostatectomy from July 2014 to August 2021 and compared dorsal T (DT) levels with those in circulating peripheral blood (PT) and prostatic tissue. Comprehensive targeted steroid analysis and unbiased metabolomics analyses were performed. The association between the DT/PT ratio and progression-free survival after prostatectomy was assessed. RESULTS. Surprisingly, in some men, DT levels were enriched several-fold compared with PT levels. For example, 20% of men had local T concentrations that were at least 2-fold higher than peripheral T concentrations. Isocaproic acid, a byproduct of androgen biosynthesis, and 17-OH-progesterone, a marker of intratesticular T, were also enriched in the dorsal vein of these men, consistent with testicular shunting. Men with enriched DT had higher rates of prostate cancer recurrence. DT/PT concentration ratios predicted worse outcomes even when accounting for known clinical predictors. CONCLUSIONS. These data suggest that a large proportion of men have a previously unappreciated exposure to an undiluted and highly concentrated T supply. Elevated periprostatic T exposure was associated with worse clinical outcomes after radical prostatectomy. FUNDING. National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH grants R01CA172382, R01CA236780, R01CA261995, R01CA249279, and R50CA251961; US Army Medical Research and Development Command grants W81XWH2010137 and W81XWH-22-1-0082. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trajectory planning for a multihelicopter transportation system requires optimizing numerous variables while considering obstacle avoidance, formation shape change, multibody dynamics and other feasibility constraints, making it challenging to achieve real-time effectiveness and convergence. To overcome this issue, a real-time trajectory planning method based on differential flatness and a minimum control effort (MINCO) trajectory expression is proposed. This method enables the implicit consideration of dynamic constraints and formation shape change requirements, and it handles obstacle avoidance and feasibility constraints linearly, reducing the complexity of planning. Specifically, the flatness characteristics and related assumptions of the system are given in detail by considering two cases where the load is modeled as a mass point or a rigid body. The obstacle avoidance trajectory planning problem is transformed into an unconstrained optimization problem based on MINCO and its spatial-temporal deformation. This optimization aims to minimize the trajectory energy and total time consumption while considering cost functions related to load obstacle avoidance, load state feasibility, helicopter obstacle avoidance, swarm avoidance between helicopters, cable obstacle avoidance, and cable force feasibility constraints. Finally, simulations are conducted in both cases where the load is modeled as a mass point and a rigid body to verify the feasibility of the proposed method. Overall, the proposed method has the potential to solve the problem of trajectory planning with obstacle avoidance in a multihelicopter transportation system in real time with improved efficiency and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a generalization of fuzzy set, hesitant fuzzy set (HFS) permits the membership of an element to a set having a set of possible values. Distance is one of important tools inmeasuring the relationship between two HFSs.Based on the cardinality theory, some novel distances which take the cardinal numbers of HFSs into account have been introduced using the concept of "multi-sets." The main advantage of the distance measures is that they can more objectively and universally measure the relationship between HFSs than the existing methods. Finally, the performance of the proposed distance measures is illustrated through two pattern recognition examples in port enterprise management and transportation infrastructure construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a long-period fiber grating, we conducted experimental research on the temperature sensitivity of topological insulators. The long-period fiber grating and topological insulators solution were encapsulated in a capillary tube using UV glue, and the temperature response was measured. Within a range of 35 to 75 centigrade, one resonance dip of a long-period fiber grating exhibits a redshift of 1.536 nm. The temperature sensitivity is about 7.7 times of an ordinary long-period fiber grating's sensitivity (0.005 nm/°C). A numerical simulation is also performed on the basis of the experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epilepsy is a disease caused by paroxysmal abnormal supersynchronous electrical activity of brain neurons, and it is also one of the most common illnesses in neurology. Among the causes, hippocampal sclerosis may be one of the main causes of temporal lobe epilepsy. However, the pathogenesis of hippocampal sclerosis in epilepsy remains unclear. Methods: We established an epilepsy model by intraperitoneal injection of pentetrazol (PTZ) into Sprague-Dawley rats, and applied isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) technology to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the hippocampus. We quantified a total of 3782 proteins. DEPs were defined as proteins with a fold change >1.2 (or <0.83) and a Q value (p-adjusted) <0.05. Results: Comparing the epilepsy group and the control group, we identified 170 DEPs, comprising 109 upregulated and 61 downregulated proteins. According to bioinformatics analysis, the DEPs were primarily involved in long-term potentiation, the calcium signalling pathway, aldosterone synthesis and secretion, carbon metabolism, and dopaminergic synapses. Four of these proteins were validated using parallel reaction monitoring (PRM), including Glud1, Atp1a2, Prkcg and Arpc3. Conclusions: Our research results may provide further insight into the molecular pathology of hippocampal injury in epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triptolide (TP), a compound isolated from a Chinese medicinal herb, possesses potent anti-tumor, immunosuppressive, and anti-inflammatory properties, but was clinically limited due to its poor solubility, bioavailability, and toxicity. Considering the environment-friendly, low-cost mechanochemical techniques and potential dissolution enhancement ability of Na2GA, an amorphous solid dispersion (Na2GA&TP-BM) consisting of TP and Na2GA were well-prepared to address these issues. The performance of Na2GA&TP-BM was improved through ball milling, such as from crystalline state to an amorphous solid dispersion, suitable nano micelle size and surface potential, and increased solubility. This change had a significant improvement of pharmacokinetic behavior in mice and could be able to extend the blood circulation time of the antitumor drug. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor study showed that Na2GA&TP-BM displayed more potent cytotoxicity to tumor cells. The work illustrated an environment-friendly and safe preparation of the TP formulation, which was promising to enhance the oral bioavailability and antitumor ability of TP, might be considered for efficient anticancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a hybrid numerical method for the evaluation of dynamic impedance of rigid foundation embedded in anisotropic multilayered soil. The proposed approach includes two main parts: (a) the solution of wave propagation in anisotropic multilayered soil in the frequency wave-number domain; (b) the evaluation of Green's functions for a buried source lying in the anisotropic multilayered soil in the frequency spatial domain. The derivation of part (a) is based on the precise integration method (PIM) and the mixed variable formulation (MVF) of wave motion equations, which ensure accuracy of the solution and make it convenient to deal with the assembly of layers for multilayered soil. Part (b) can be preceded by applying the inverse Fourier transformation directly. Finally, the flexible volume method is used to obtain the impedance of foundation embedded in anisotropic multilayered soil. A comparison of the numerical results with those available in the literature validates the effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are molecular chaperones that are involved in many normal cellular processes and stress responses, and heat shock factors (Hsfs) are the transcriptional activators of Hsps. Hsfs and Hsps are widely coordinated in various biological processes. Although the roles of Hsfs and Hsps in stress responses have been well characterized in Arabidopsis, their roles in perennial woody species undergoing various environmental stresses remain unclear. Results: Here, a comprehensive identification and analysis of Hsf and Hsp families in poplars is presented. In Populus trichocarpa, we identified 42 paralogous pairs, 66.7% resulting from a whole genome duplication. The gene structure and motif composition are relatively conserved in each subfamily. Microarray and quantitative real-time RT-PCR analyses showed that most of the Populus Hsf and Hsp genes are differentially expressed upon exposure to various stresses. A coexpression network between Populus Hsf and Hsp genes was generated based on their expression. Coordinated relationships were validated by transient overexpression and subsequent qPCR analyses. Conclusions: The comprehensive analysis indicates that different sets of PtHsps are downstream of particular PtHsfs and provides a basis for functional studies aimed at revealing the roles of these families in poplar development and stress responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassinosteroids (BRs) play essential roles in regulating plant growth and development, however, gaps still remain in our understanding of the BR signaling network. We previously cloned a grain length quantitative trait locus qGL3, encoding a rice (Oryza sativa L.) protein phosphatase with Kelch-like repeat domain (OsPPKL1), that negatively regulates grain length and BR signaling. To further explore the BR signaling network, we performed phosphoproteomic analysis to screen qGL3-regulated downstream components. We selected a 14-3-3 protein OsGF14b from the phosphoproteomic data for further analysis. qGL3 promoted the phosphorylation of OsGF14b and induced the interaction intensity between OsGF14b and OsBZR1. In addition, phosphorylation of OsGF14b played an important role in regulating nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of OsBZR1. The serine acids (Ser258Ser259) residues of OsGF14b play an essential role in BR-mediated responses and plant development. Genetic and molecular analyses indicated that OsGF14b functions as a negative regulator in BR signaling and represses the transcriptional activation activity of OsBZR1. Collectively, these results demonstrate that qGL3 induces the phosphorylation of OsGF14b, which modulates nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and transcriptional activation activity of OsBZR1, to eventually negatively regulate BR signaling and grain length in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess a flexible therapeutic strategy for patients referred to a specialized interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) clinic using an individualized phenotype-directed treatment plan based on clinically based urinary, psychosocial, organ-specific, infection, neurologic or nonbladder, and tenderness of pelvic floor (UPOINT) categorization, instead of the traditional algorithmic stepwise approach. Methods: Consecutive patients referred to a specialized tertiary IC/BPS clinic with at least 1 follow-up posttreatment visit were categorized according to their UPOINT status and treated according to previously published individualized phenotype-based treatment plan. Patients were assessed at baseline and up to 2 years with validated symptom scores (interstitial cystitis symptom score [ICSI]; and pain urgency frequency questionnaire) as well as pain and voiding assessments. Results: Follow-up visit data were available for 93 patients (mean age, 45.2 years; median age, 44 years; mean ICSI, 13.2 ± 3.6). Patients reported a median of 4 UPOINT domains (mean, 3.7 ± 0.94) with the following distribution: U = 100%; P = 31.2%; O = 97.8%; I = 45.2%; N = 39.8%; and T = 55.9%. The mean decrease in ICSI was 3.4 points. Significant clinical improvement (>30% decrease in ICSI) was observed in 46.2% compared with initial baseline visit. Pain urgency frequency, and pain and urgency scoring changes were comparable. No correlation between severity of symptoms and number of domains and ICSI decrease was observed. Conclusion: Almost 50% of patients referred to a tertiary IC/BPS clinic, regardless of the complexity or severity of condition, experienced clinically significant improvement using an individualized phenotype-directed therapeutic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassinosteroids (BRs) play essential roles in regulating plant growth and development, however, gaps still remain in our understanding of the BR signaling network. We previously cloned a grain length quantitative trait locus qGL3, encoding a rice (Oryza sativa L.) protein phosphatase with Kelch-like repeat domain (OsPPKL1), that negatively regulates grain length and BR signaling. To further explore the BR signaling network, we performed phosphoproteomic analysis to screen qGL3-regulated downstream components. We selected a 14-3-3 protein OsGF14b from the phosphoproteomic data for further analysis. qGL3 promoted the phosphorylation of OsGF14b and induced the interaction intensity between OsGF14b and OsBZR1. In addition, phosphorylation of OsGF14b played an important role in regulating nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of OsBZR1. The serine acids (Ser258Ser259) residues of OsGF14b play an essential role in BR-mediated responses and plant development. Genetic and molecular analyses indicated that OsGF14b functions as a negative regulator in BR signaling and represses the transcriptional activation activity of OsBZR1. Collectively, these results demonstrate that qGL3 induces the phosphorylation of OsGF14b, which modulates nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and transcriptional activation activity of OsBZR1, to eventually negatively regulate BR signaling and grain length in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A kind of thermo-sensitive core/shell nanoparticles (Mn-Zn ferrite/poly(N,N′-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-hydroxymethylacrylamide)) has been designed in this work. By using the surface initiated method, a thermoresponsive co-polymer composed of N,N′-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and N-hydroxymethylacrylamide (HMAAm) was grafted from ferrite core. The nanoparticles obtained were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, TGA, HRTEM and DLS. The HRTEM observation showed a clear contrast between an ordered crystalline core and a light amorphous polymeric coating. DLS results confirmed the temperature sensitivity of the nanoparticles. In vitro hyperthermia showed well-controlled self-heating properties, indicating that the nanoparticles could potentially be used as an anticancer drug carrier in the biomedical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A kind of thermosensitive core/shell nanoparticles Mn–Zn ferrite/poly N,N ′-isopropylacrylamide is designed in this work. By using surface initiated reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, thermoresponsive poly(N,N ′-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) was successfully covalently grafted from ferrite core. The graft polymerization exhibited the characteristics of a controlled/“living” polymerization which demonstrated a well controlled molecular weight. The nanoparticles obtained were also characterized by FTIR and HRTEM. FTIR results confirmed the successful graft polymerization, whereas HRTEM observation showed clearly a contrast between an ordered crystalline core and a light amorphous polymeric coating. With combined magnetic and thermosensitive properties, it could potentially be used as an anticancer drug carrier in biomedical field. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The dynamic structure–unbounded foundation interaction plays an important role in the seismic response of structures. The damping solvent extraction (DSE) method put forward by Wolf and Song has a great advantage of simplicity, with no singular integrals to be evaluated, no fundamental solution required and convolution integrals avoided. However, implementation of DSE in the time domain to large-scale engineering problems is associated with enormous difficulties in evaluating interaction forces on the structure–unbounded foundation interface, because the displacement on the corresponding interface is an unknown vector to be found. Three sets of interrelated large algebraic equations have to be solved simultaneously. To overcome these difficulties, an efficient algorithm is presented, such that the solution procedure can be greatly simplified and computational effort considerably saved. To verify its accuracy, two examples with analytical solutions were investigated, each with a parameter analysis on the domain size and amount of artificial damping. Then with the parameters suggested in the parameter study, the complex frequency–response functions and earthquake time history analysis of Morrow Point dam were presented to demonstrate the applicability and efficiency of DSE approach. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifies a gene expression fingerprint for heart failure. Statistical method to establish comprehensive cutoff point for identification of differentially-expressed genes; Differentiation of etiologies of heart failure by gene expression fingerprint; Gene clusters that show coordinated up- or downregulation in human heart failure.