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Objective: Alopecia areata (AA) is often characterized by sudden onset of patchy hair loss. Topical corticosteroid injection is the most common treatment. This study retrospectively observed the clinical efficacy of microneedle minoxidil combined with triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of AA. Methods: A total of 230 patients with AA were selected. The experimental group (n = 120) received physician training and home microneedle treatment with minoxidil combined with triamcinolone acetonide once a week. Topical minoxidil and triamcinolone acetonide were used twice daily at other times. The control group (n = 110) was treated with minoxidil combined with triamcinolone acetonide, twice a day. Cure rate, response rate, SALT, dermatological Quality of Life Index (DLQI), visual analogue (VAS), and cost were assessed at weeks 4 and 12. Results: Treated group SALT score(Severity of Alopecia Tool) remarkable lower than control group after treated 4 and 12 weeks. After 12 weeks treatment, DLQI score of the treated group (1.8 ± 1.67) were significantly lower than those of the control group (2.45 ± 1.88) (p < 0.05). VAS score and adverse reaction between two group showed no significant different (p = 0.823, p = 0.484 respectively). The total cost was 53.93 ± 15.85 in the treatment group and 53.26 ± 11.51 in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.72). In the treated group, the complete response rate (CR: 78.33%) and total effective rate (CR+PR: 95%) were significantly higher than those in the control group (CR: 40.91% and CR+PR: 51.82%), with statistically significant differences (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Microneedle introduction of minoxidil and triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of AA is a safe, effective, economical, and convenient method, with few adverse reactions, and has a good application prospect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem that the vibration calibration accuracy is seriously affected by the additional dynamic magnetic field interference and eddy current effect of the electromagnetic vibration exciters, a suppression method based on magnetic field tracking compensation is proposed. The influence of the dynamic magnetic field interference of the driving current on the total harmonic distortion of the driving coil output electromagnetic force waveform and the characteristics of the eddy current effect are studied. The compensation current set on the central yoke, its direction opposite to the driving current, to realize the dynamic tracking compensation and suppression of the additional dynamic magnetic field interference and eddy current loss of the driving coil, and effectively improve the vibration waveform accuracy and eliminate the temperature change of the working platform caused by eddy current effect. The simulation results show that the eddy current loss may be reduced by 53 % and the total harmonic distortion of the driving electromagnetic force waveform may be reduced by 0.12 % though the method in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vibration isolation device of ship power equipment is the key equipment to protect it from damage, and its performance determines whether the ship can sail safely. To address the problem that it is difficult to achieve the optimal vibration isolation performance of ship's double-layer vibration isolation, this paper establishes a vibration transmission theory model of ship's power equipment double-layer vibration isolation system, derives the vibration displacement transmission rate formula based on the model, and studies the influence law of the stiffness ratio of the lower and upper layers of vibration isolation devices, the mass ratio of the intermediate raft frame to the power equipment and the damping of the upper and lower layers of vibration isolation devices on the vibration transmission. The results show that reducing the stiffness ratio of upper and lower layer vibration isolators and increasing the mass ratio of intermediate raft frame and power equipment can reduce the two resonant frequencies and narrow the interval between the two resonant frequencies, and increasing the damping of upper and lower layer vibration isolators can reduce the vibration peak at the two resonant frequencies, but the vibration isolation effect in the high frequency band becomes worse. It provides a theoretical basis for the design optimization of the double-layer vibration isolation system for ship's power equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leptin (LEP) plays a role in animal growth, appetite regulation, energy partition, and body composition. In this study, 296 cultivated Takifugu rubripes individuals were screened for LEP gene polymorphisms using PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and DNA sequencing. Two single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mutations were detected in T. rubripes LEP gene: C/G at position 232 nucleotide (nt) and C/T at position 310 nt. One-way ANOVA of the SNPs and growth traits showed that genotype CC of primer L2 had a significantly higher body length (BL), body weight (BW), and absolute growth rate of BL (ABL) and BW (ABW) than genotypes CG and GG (P<0.05). The genotype frequencies of CC, CG, and GG were 61.15%, 35.14%, and 3.17%, respectively. Genotype CC at the C232G site was advantageous and significantly associated with growth traits. This site would be an excellent molecular marker to select and cultivate through statistical analysis. Additionally, the second unmutated and mutated mRNA structures were compared and analyzed. These results indicate that the T. rubripes LEP gene may be a candidate for these growth traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the use of bundles in the field of English education and to trace their development between 2001 and 2020 by compiling two corpora of PhD dissertations that add up to 2,390,093 words. The bundles have changed significantly in length, structure, and function over the past two decades, suggesting that the field of English education changes quickly. Regarding length, the percentage of three-word bundles has increased from 92.2% to 93.4%, whereas that of four-word bundles has decreased from 7.8% to 5.4%. Structurally, patterns such as "noun phrase + of," "of + noun phrase," and "in + noun phrase" have decreased in the last decade, while patterns like "noun phrase" have increased. Functionally, the proportion of research-oriented bundles has increased by 4.4%, while the percentages of text-oriented and participant-oriented bundles have dropped by 3.8% and .6%, respectively. At the same time, similarities across corpora have also been observed: three-word bundles make up an overwhelming proportion of the bundles; most of the bundles are noun-based or preposition-based; research-oriented bundles make up the largest percentage, followed by text-oriented bundles, with participant-oriented bundles accounting for a significantly small percentage. This study may have important implications for writers, teachers, students, textbook developers, and researchers in English education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study has indicated that a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), lncRNA39026, can be responsive to Phytophthora infestans infection. However, the function and regulation mechanism of lncRNA39026 during tomato resistance to P. infestans are unknown. In this study, an lncRNA39026 sequence was cloned from tomato Zaofen No. 2, and this sequence contained an endogenous target mimicry for miR168a, which might suppress the expression of miR168a. LncRNA39026 was strongly downregulated at 3 h in the tomato plants infected with P. infestans, and its expression level displayed a negative correlation with the expression level of miR168a and a positive correlation with the expression levels of SlAGO1 genes (target gene of miR168a) upon P. infestans infection. Tomato plants in which lncRNA39026 was overexpressed displayed enhanced resistance to P. infestans, decreased level of miR168a, and increased level of SlAGO1, whereas the resistance was impaired, level of miR168a was increased, and level of SlAGO1 was decreased after lncRNA39026 silencing. In addition, lncRNA39026 could also induce the expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes, as shown by increased and decreased expression levels of PR genes in tomato plants with overexpressed and silenced lncRNA39026, respectively. The result demonstrated that lncRNA39026 might function to decoy miR168a and affect the expression of PR genes in tomato plants, increasing resistance to disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous studies have revealed the function of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) in tomato in response to Phytophthora infestans infection. However, the interaction relationships between lncRNAs and miRNAs during tomato resistance to P. infestans infection are unknown. In this study, 9,011 lncRNAs were identified from tomato plants, including 115 upregulated and 81 downregulated lncRNAs. Among these, 148 were found to be differentially expressed and might affect the expression of 771 genes, which are composed of 887 matched lncRNA-mRNA pairs. In total, 88 lncRNAs were identified as endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) and predicted to decoy 46 miRNAs. Degradome sequencing revealed that 11 miRNAs that were decoyed by 20 lncRNAs could target 30 genes. These lncRNAs, miRNAs, and target genes were predicted to form 10 regulatory modules. Among them, lncRNA42705/lncRNA08711, lncRNA39896, and lncRNA11265/lncRNA15816 might modulate MYB, HD-Zip, and NAC transcription factors by decoying miR159, miR166b, and miR164a-5p, respectively. Upon P. infestans infection, the expression levels of lncRNA42705 and lncRNA08711 displayed a negative correlation with the expression level of miR159 and a positive correlation with the expression levels of MYB genes. Tomato plants in which lncRNA42705 and lncRNA08711 were silenced displayed increased levels of miR159 and decreased levels of MYB, respectively. The result demonstrated that lncRNAs might function as ceRNAs to decoy miRNAs and affect their target genes in tomato plants, increasing resistance to disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have analyzed the electromagnetic wave interactions between a line source and an anisotropic biaxial half space as well as an anisotropic biaxial slab with partially negative constitutive parameters. Both the propagating and evanescent waves emitted from the source are discussed separately with the change of the permittivity and permeability tensors in the anisotropic media. Properties exhibited by the anisotropic half space and the anisotropic slab are investigated both theoretically and numerically based on different dispersion relations obeyed by the anisotropic media. We have shown that the media with elliptic dispersion relations can replace the isotropic left-handed materials in the subwavelength imaging, while the media with hyperbolic relations can convert the incident evanescent waves into propagating waves. When the permittivity and permeability tensors of the anisotropic media are properly selected, we also show that no propagating waves can be supported inside the media and we can use the anisotropic slabs as excellent reflectors to replace the traditional metallic ones. Numerical results have validated our analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of the study: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical manifestations and outcomes of patients with adult mixed-type Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) and imaging characteristics of the disease, and to evaluate the efficacy of combined therapy in treating symptoms of HSP. Material and methods: From January 2008 to October 2015, 23 patients with adult mixed-type HSP were enrolled. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) examination and small intestinal enteroscopy were performed for all the patients. For patients with positive urine protein, ultrasonic guided renal needle biopsy with 18G biopsy needle was performed; immunofluorescence and pathologic examinations were performed. Combined therapy with antihistamine drugs, gastric acid suppressants and glucocorticoids was used to relieve abdominal pain, gastrointestinal tract bleeding and urine protein. Results: The typical skin manifestation of HSP is distributed purpura in dependent areas. Abdominal contrast-enhanced CT examination exhibited the intestinal canal wall thickening and edema. Small intestinal endoscopy showed diffused hyperemia, dropsy, and erosion. All the patients with positive urine protein showed significantly higher IgA levels. With the use of combined therapy, abdominal pain and gastrointestinal tract bleeding disappeared, and urine protein decreased gradually. Conclusions: Higher IgA levels with multiorgan involvement (gastrointestinal, kidney and skin) should make one consider the diagnosis. The combined examination of abdominal contrast-enhanced CT, small intestinal endoscopy and renal needle biopsy is a valuable method for the early diagnosis of adult mixed-type HSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chelant-induced phytoextraction is considered an ideal remedial technique for removing heavy metals from contaminated soils. However, it can increase the risk of adverse environmental effects due to increased metal mobilization and the persistence of both chelants and metal-chelant complexes for extended periods of time. This paper reviews the mechanism, potential risks, and optimization of chelant-induced phytoextraction of toxic metals from contaminated soils. The advantages and major drawbacks of phytoextraction, along with possible strategies to reducing the risks associated with chelant application, are reviewed. Moreover, the directions for future research on chelant-assisted phytoextraction are briefly discussed. The objective of this paper was to comprehensively review chelant-assisted phytoextraction, and it will provide an effective and safe remediation technology for heavy metal-contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nucleotide binding sites-leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) genes are key regulatory components of plant to pathogens. Phytophthora infestansinducible coding sequence encoding an NBS-LRR (SpNBS-LRR) protein in tomato (Solarium pimpinellifolium L3708) was cloned and characterized based on our RNA-Seq data and tomato genome. After sequence analysis, SpNBS-LRR was identified as a hydrophilic protein with no transmembrane topological structure and no signal peptide. SpNBS-LRR had a close genetic relationship to RPS2 of Arahidopsis thaliana by phylogenetic analysis. In addition. SpNBS-LRR gene was mainly expressed in root, with low expression observed in leaf and stem. To further investigate the role of SpNBS-LRR in tomato-R infestans interaction, SpNBS-LRR was introduced in susceptible tomatoes and three transgenic lines with higher expression level of SpNBS-LRR were selected. These transgenic tomato plants that overexpressed SpNBS-LRR displayed greater resistance than wild-type tomato plants after infection with P. infestans, as shown by decreased disease index, lesion diameters, number of necrotic cells, P. infestans abundance, and higher expression levels of the defense-related genes. This information provides insight into SpNBS-LRR involved in the resistance of tomato to P. infestans infection and candidate for breeding to enhance biotic stress-resistance in tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context • The aim in treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is to reduce patients’ symptoms, including pain, stiffness, and fatigue; to correct their posture; and to improve their quality of life. Currently, no definitive therapy is available for treating AS. Previous studies have reported positive results regarding the efficacy of exercise. Objective • This study aimed to assess the efficacy of ultrasound, combined with exercise, in patients with AS. Design • The research team designed a randomized, double-blind, 2-arm parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial. Setting • The study took place at the Affiliated Hongqi Hospital of Mudanjiang Medical University (Mudanjiang, China). Participants • Participants were 62 individuals with AS who were patients at the hospital. Intervention • Participants were randomly assigned to one of 2 groups: (1) the intervention group, who received exercise and ultrasound therapy; or (2) the control group, who received exercise and placebo ultrasound therapy, without an active probe, both for 8 wk. Outcome Measures • The outcome measures included (1) the numerical rating scale (NRS), (2) the Bath ankylosing spondylitis metrology index (BASMI), (3) the Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI), (4) the Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI), and (5) the ankylosing spondylitis quality of life (ASQoL) questionnaire. All outcomes were measured at baseline and at the end of 4 and 8 wk of treatment. Results • Fifty-seven patients fulfilled the requirements of the study. Ultrasound and exercise therapy showed greater efficacy than the placebo ultrasound and exercise in decreasing the scores for the NRS, daily and at night; the BASMI; the BASDAI; the BASFI; and the ASQoL, at the end of both 4 and 8 wk of treatment. No adverse events were noted in either group. Conclusions • The study demonstrated that 8 wk of ultrasound and exercise therapy was efficacious in patients with AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: Our study aimed to investigate a reliable diagnostic approach for tuberculous peritonitis (TBP) by comparing the commonly used diagnostic tools. Materials and methods: Fifty-one patients had received a series of diagnoses, including laparoscopy, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), cancer antigen 125 (CA125), tuberculin skin test, tuberculosis antibody in serum (TB-Ab), the T-SPOT.TB test, or adenosine deaminase (ADA) in ascitic fluid. The positive rate of each method was calculated and the differences of positive rates between laparoscopy and laboratory tests that had higher positive rates were analyzed by McNemar chi-square test. Results: The most common symptoms and signs of 51 patients were fever (86.3%), abdominal mass (78.4%), abdominal distension (62.7%), abdominal pain (74.5%), and weight loss (66.7%). Furthermore, the positive rates of CA125, laparoscopy, T-SPOT.TB test, and ESR were relatively higher than those of the other three methods (tuberculin skin test, TB-Ab, and ascitic ADA). Additionally, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the positive rates between the diagnoses of laparoscopy and those three laboratory tests. Conclusion: CA125, laparoscopy, T-SPOT.TB test, and ESR had a stronger diagnostic power for TBP, and they are reliable alternatives for the diagnosis of TBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the lateral shift of the optical beams incident from an ordinary isotropic medium into an anisotropic metamaterial half space. Different from the isotropic case, the shift is closely related to the dispersion relation of the anisotropic medium and some anomalous phenomena have been discovered. The lossy effect of the metamaterial on the lateral shift is also investigated, showing that the shift may be either negative or positive with respect to the incident angle. Analytical and numerical results validate the above conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic surface waves (ASWs) can be generated through a one-dimensional array of grooves. Sound can be collimated by ASWs. However, in previous studies, the groove period and grating period have been the same. In this work, we propose a structure where the groove period is different from the grating period, and collimates sound waves with very small side lobes. The structure can alter the acoustic wave radiation direction by manipulating ASWs and the relationship between the radiation direction and the frequency for different groove depths are investigated. Furthermore the incident direction of the soundwave, which can be coupled into ASWs, can be manipulated by changing the period of rectangular grating. We theoretically illustrate the physical mechanism of controlling the ASW radiation direction by wave-number analysis. These theoretical predictions are verified using numerical simulations. Using this proposed structure, we can manipulate the ASW radiation direction, which is very important for practical applications of directional acoustic propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to evaluate the associations of gain-of-function allele of CYP2C19*17 and risk of clinical events in clopidogrel-treated patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CCVDs). Materials and Methods: Literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. Odds ratio (OR) combined with 95% confidence interval (CI) was the pooled statistics. Subgroup analysis was performed by disease type, bleeding events, and race. Results: Thirteen eligible studies involving 14,239 patients with CYP2C19*17 carriers or noncarriers were included in the meta-analysis. CYP2C19*17 was significantly related to decreased risk of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.60-0.98, P = 0.03), however, irrelevant with stent thrombosis in neither CAD nor ischemic heart disease patients. CYP2C19*17 was also significantly linked to decreased risk of high platelet reactivity (HPR) in CCVD patients (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.43-0.88, P = 0.008). Meanwhile, CYP2C19*17 was significantly associated with bleeding risk in CCVD patients (OR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.09-3.25, P = 0.02) but not related to major bleeding risk (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 0.87-2.08, P = 0.18). Several outcomes in Caucasian subgroup were reverse to the overall results, such as bleeding events and HPR, which lacked significance. Conclusion: CYP2C19*17 had a significant effect on the reduced risks of MACCE and HPR as well as increased bleeding risk, but not on the risks of stent thrombosis and major bleeding in clopidogrel-treated CCVD patients. Outcomes might be different in different races. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sodium borosilicate controlled-release inhibitor has been prepared via calcination for suppressing carbon steel corrosion in simulated recirculating cooling water (SRCW). The synthesized inhibitor was mainly composed of B2O3 and SiO2, coupling with small quantities of NaB5O6(OH)43H2O and NaB5O85H2O crystals. The total boron concentration gradually increased to 250 mg L-1 during the 28 days of release (2 g inhibitor in 500 mL SRCW) at 50 °C. A higher controlled-released rate existed in acidic environments (pH 5) than in neutral environments (pH 7) and alkaline environments (pH 9). The potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results indicated that the inhibitor showed a better anticorrosion performance in neutral and alkaline environments than in acidic environments. In addition, a passive film with a Fe-O-B structure formed on the carbon steel surface to prevent the attack of the corrosive ions. A passivation-pitting-repassivation process was detected in the passive film by electrochemical noise, which demonstrated that the passive film exhibited a self-healing capacity. Moreover, a potential corrosion risk under the film was detected under the passive film in alkaline environment after 21 days of immersion. According to the experiment results and the analysis results of the point defect model, we believed that the anticorrosion performance of the sodium borosilicate inhibitor was in the following order: pH 7 > pH 9 > pH 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caloric cooling and heat pumping rely on reversible thermal effects triggered in solids by magnetic, electric or stress fields. In the recent past, there have been several successful demonstrations of using firstorder phase transition materials in laboratory cooling devices based on both the giant magnetocaloric and elastocaloric effects. All such materials exhibit non-equilibrium behaviours when driven through phase transformations by corresponding fields. Common wisdom is that non-equilibrium states should be avoided; yet, as we show using a model material exhibiting a giant magnetocaloric effect, nonequilibrium phase-separated states offer a unique opportunity to achieve uncommonly large caloric effects by very small perturbations of the driving field(s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantification of biomass carbon pools is important for understanding carbon cycling in forest ecosystems. This study was designed to reveal the effects of stand age on biomass partitioning and carbon storage of Chinese fir plantation stands in Dabie Mountains of Anhui, East China. A total of six even-aged Chinese fir plantation stands along an age-sequence from 10 to 50 years were selected. To quantify the biomass of different tree components, 18 trees with diameter at breast height (D1.3) from 6.5 to 35.2 cm were harvested from the different aged stands. Biomasses of understory vegetation, forest floor and standing dead trees were also investigated. Total biomass carbon storages ranged from 57.6 to 211.4 Mg ha–1 in the different aged stands. Tree layer comprised from 93.7% to 96.4% of the total biomass C pools in the different aged stands. The C pools of the necromass were from 1.8 to 6.2 Mg ha–1. Stand age had a significant effect on tree biomass partitioning, with an increase in proportion of root biomass. The root/shoot ratios were from 0.187 to 0.312, which was significantly positively correlated to stand age. The existing plantation stands are still developing and have somewhat high rate of biomass and carbon accumulations beyond the normal rotation period (usually 25–30 years) even over an age of 50 years. Appropriate prolongation of the rotation period of Chinese fir plantation will be effective in maintaining long-term productivity and providing large carbon sink. The measurements provide valuable data for modelling productivity of Chinese fir plantation forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg activation, the transition of mature oocytes into developing embryos, is critical for the initiation of embryogenesis. This process is characterized by resumption of meiosis, changes in the egg's coverings and by alterations in the transcriptome and proteome of the egg; all of these occur in the absence of new transcription. Activation of the egg is prompted by ionic changes in the cytoplasm (usually a rise in cytosolic calcium levels) that are triggered by fertilization in some animals and by mechanosensitive cues in others. The egg's transcriptome is dramatically altered during the process, including by the removal of many maternal mRNAs that are not needed for embryogenesis. However, the mechanisms and regulators of this selective RNA degradation are not yet fully known. Forward genetic approaches in Drosophila have identified maternal-effect genes whose mutations prevent the transcriptome changes. One of these genes, prage (prg), was identified by Tadros et al. in a screen for mutants that fail to destabilize maternal transcripts. We identified the molecular nature of the prg gene through a combination of deficiency mapping, complementation analysis, and DNA sequencing of both extant prg mutant alleles. We find that prg encodes a ubiquitously expressed predicted exonuclease, consistent with its role in maternal mRNA destabilization during egg activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vastly increasing application of chiral Cp ligands in asymmetric catalysis results in growing demand for novel chiral Cp ligands. Herein, we report a new class of chiral Cp ligands based on 1,1'-spirobiindane, a privileged scaffold for chiral ligands and catalysts. The corresponding Rh complexes are shown to be excellent catalysts in asymmetric oxidative coupling reactions, providing axially chiral biaryls in 19-97% yields with up to 98:2 er. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the fabrication and characterization of KTiOPO4 optical waveguides formed by Rb+-K+ ion exchange in high-purity RbNO3 melt at 340°C for 90 min and subsequent He+-ion irradiation at energy of 500 keV and fluence of 3 x 1016 ions/cm2. The irradiation of KTiOPO4 crystals with He+ ions was simulated using the stopping range of ions in matter (SRIM'2006) software. The dark mode spectra of the samples were measured with the prism coupling method. The reconstructed refractive index profiles of the planar waveguide show a barrier in the middle of the guiding region, and a refractive index enhancement region on each side of the barrier, indicating the formation of a double waveguide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical investigation of the bark of Juglans sinensis Dode (Juglandaceae) led to the isolation of two active compounds, 8-hydroxy-2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (1) and 5-hydroxy-2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (2), together with 15 known compounds 3-17. All compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Compounds 1-17 were tested for their cytotoxicity against the A549 human lung cancer cell line; compounds 1 and 2 exhibited significant cytotoxicity and additionally had potent cytotoxicity against six human cancer cell lines, MCF7 (breast cancer), SNU423 (liver cancer), SH-SY5Y (neuroblastoma), HeLa (cervical cancer), HCT116 (colorectal cancer), and A549 (lung cancer). In particular, breast, colon, and lung cancer cells were more sensitive to the treatment using compound 1. In addition, compounds 1 and 2 showed strong cytotoxic activity towards human breast cancer cells MCF7, HS578T, and T47D, but not towards MCF10A normal-like breast cells. They also inhibited the colony formation of MCF7, A549, and HCT116 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that the percentage of apoptotic cells significantly increased in MCF7 cells upon the treatment with compounds 1 and 2. The mechanism of cell death caused by compounds 1 and 2 may be attributed to the upregulation of Bax and downregulation of Bcl2. These findings suggest that compounds 1 and 2 may be regarded as potential therapeutic agents against cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to examine how implanted bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) encourage peripheral nerve regeneration, the present study investigated the interaction of BMSCs and Schwann cells (SCs) using an indirect in vitro co-culture model. SCs and BMSCs were obtained from adult Sprague-Dawley rats. The passaged BMSCs were CD29- and CD44-positive but CD45-negative and were co-cultured with the primary SCs using a Millicell system, which allows BMSCs and SCs to grow in the same culture medium but without direct contact. Expression of the typical SC markers S-100 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) of the treated BMSCs as well as the proliferation capacity of the co-cultured SCs was evaluated by immunocytochemical staining on the 3rd and 5th day of co-culture. Immunocytochemical staining showed that >75% of the BMSCs in the indirect co-culture model were GFAP- and S-100-positive on the 3rd and 5th day after co-culture, as opposed to <5% of the BMSCs in the control group. On the 3rd day after co-culture, only a few co-cultured BMSCs showed the typical SC-like morphology, while most BMSCs still kept their native appearance. By contrast, on the 5th day after co-culture, almost all of the co-cultured BMSCs appeared with the typical SC-like morphology. Furthermore, 70.71% of the SCs in the indirect co-culture model were S-100-positive on the 5th day of co-culture, as opposed to >30.43% of the SCs in the control group. These results indicated that BMSCs may interact synergistically with SCs with regard to promoting peripheral nerve regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the hydromechanical behavior of unsaturated soils is explored. A constitutive model is proposed to describe the coupled hydraulic and mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils. The compression stiffness parameters, such as λ(s), κ(s), λs, and κs, are analyzed, taking into account the influences of suction, degree of saturation, and net mean stress. Based on the volume change behavior under constant suction and the water retention properties, the relationship between the degree of saturation and volume change has been investigated under both net mean stress and suction. The proposed model is capable of describing the mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils for either isotropic compression or triaxial compression. Indeed, the simulation results of three cases of suction-controlled laboratory tests show good agreement with experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amur ide (Leuciscus waleckii), an important aquaculture species, inhabits neutral freshwater but can tolerate high salinity or alkalinity. As an extreme example, the population in Dali Nor lake inhabits alkalized soda water permanently, and migrates from alkaline water to neutral freshwater to spawn. In this study, we performed comparative transcriptome profiling study on the livers of Amur ide to interrogate the expression differences between the population that permanently inhabit freshwater in Ganggeng Nor lake (FW) and the spawning population that recently migrated from alkaline water into freshwater (SM). A total of 637,234,880 reads were generated, resulting in 53,440 assembled contigs that were used as reference sequences. Comparisons of these transcriptome files revealed 444 unigenes with significant differential expression (p-value ≤ 0.01, fold-change ≥ 2), including 246 genes that were up-regulated in SM and 198 genes that were up-regulated in FW. The gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis indicated that the mTOR signaling pathway, Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling pathway, and oxidative phosphorylation were highly likely to affect physiological changes during spawning migration. Overall, this study demonstrates that transcriptome changes played a role in Amur ide spawning migration. These results provide a foundation for further analyses on the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying Amur ide spawning migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the propagation characteristics of spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on infinitely thin corrugated metal strips are theoretically analyzed. Compared with the situations of infinitely thick lateral thickness, the infinitely thin lateral thickness leads to lower plasma frequency according to the analyses. The propagation lengths and the binding capacity of the spoof SPPs are evaluated based on the derived dispersion equation. The effects of different lateral thicknesses are also investigated. At the end, a surface wave splitter is presented using infinitely thin corrugated metal strip. Other functional planar or flexible devices can also be designed using these metal strips in microwave or terahertz regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neck pain is a common symptom in most patients suffering from cervical radiculopathy. However, some conservative treatments are limited by their modest effectiveness. On the other hand, surgical intervention for cervical disc disorders is indicated when symptoms are refractory to conservative treatments and neurological symptoms are progressive. Many patients use complementary and alternative medicine, including traditional Chinese medicine, to address their symptoms. The purpose of the present study is to examine the efficacy and safety of Qishe Pill, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, for neck pain in patients with cervical radiculopathy. Methods/design: A multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Qishe Pill is proposed. The study will include 240 patients from five sites across China and diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy, according to the following inclusion criteria: age 18 to 65 with pain or stiffness in the neck for at least 2 weeks (neck disability index score 25 or more) and accompanying arm pain that radiates distally from the elbow. Qualified participants will be randomly allocated into two groups: Qishe Pill group and placebo group. The prescription of the trial medications (Qishe Pill/placebo) are 3.75 g each twice a day for 28 consecutive days. The primary outcome is pain severity. Secondary outcomes are functional status, patient satisfaction, and adverse events as reported in the trial. Discussion: Qishe Pill is composed of processed Radix Astragali, Muscone, Szechuan Lovage Rhizome, Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae, Ovientvine, and Calculus Bovis Artifactus. According to modern research and preparation standards, Qishe Pill is developed to improve on the various symptoms of cervical radiculopathy, especially for neck pain. As it has a potential benefit in treating patients with neck pain, we designed a double-blind, prospective, randomized-controlled trial and would like to publish the results and conclusions later. If Qishe Pill can alleviate neck pain without adverse effects, it may be a unique strategy for the treatment of cervical radiculopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are localized surface electromagnetic waves that propagate along the interface between a metal and a dielectric. Owing to their inherent subwavelength confinement, SPPs have a strong potential to become building blocks of a type of photonic circuitry built up on 2D metal surfaces; however, SPPs are difficult to control on curved surfaces conformably and flexibly to produce advanced functional devices. Here we propose the concept of conformal surface plasmons (CSPs), surface plasmon waves that can propagate on ultrathin and flexible films to long distances in a wide broadband range from microwave to mid-infrared frequencies. We present the experimental realization of these CSPs in the microwave regime on paper-like dielectric films with a thickness 600-fold smaller than the operating wavelength. The flexible paper-like films can be bent, folded, and even twisted to mold the flow of CSPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven 7-hydroxycoumarin (C) acylation derivatives (C1--C7) were synthesized to determine the differences in antifeedant effects between these derivatives and tutin against Mythimna separata. The structural assignments of these semisynthetic compounds were examined based on their IR, ESIMS, and ¹H- and 13C-NMR spectral data. Compounds C2--C7, tutin, andrographolide and azadirachtin showed different antifeedant activities. Compared with tutin and andrographolide, the derivatives C3, C4, C5 and C7 presented greater antifeedant activities. It was concluded that the optimal insecticidal agent is C4 (7-methanesulfonyloxycoumarin). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optical illusion is an image of a real target perceived by the eye that is deceptive or misleading due to a physiological illusion or a specific visual trick. The recently developed metamaterials provide efficient approaches to generate a perfect optical illusion. However, all existing research on metamaterial illusions has been limited to theory and numerical simulations. Here, we propose the concept of a radar illusion, which can make the electromagnetic (EM) image of a target gathered by radar look like a different target, and we realize a radar illusion device experimentally to change the radar image of a metallic target into a dielectric target with predesigned size and material parameters. It is well known that the radar signatures of metallic and dielectric objects are significantly different. However, when a metallic target is enclosed by the proposed illusion device, its EM scattering characteristics will be identical to that of a predesigned dielectric object under the illumination of radar waves. Such an illusion device will confuse the radar, and hence the real EM properties of the metallic target cannot be perceived. We designed and fabricated the radar illusion device using artificial metamaterials in the microwave frequency, and good illusion performances are observed in the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Living ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of a hydrophilic norbornene monomer (M4) was performed successfully in air at room temperature using Grubbs’ third generation (G3) catalyst as the initiator. ROMP was then used to copolymerize M4with a hydrophilic difunctional norbornene cross-linker to develop a rapid and efficient method for preparing hydrogels. Although intramolecular cyclization was observed under dilute conditions, the critical gelation behavior was found to agree with the mean-field theory of Flory and Stockmayer (FS theory) more consistently than that of conventional free radical polymerization systems. By changing the length of the primary polymer chains, the initial molar ratio between monomer and cross-linker, and the length of the cross-linker, the equilibrium swelling ratio and the corresponding mechanical properties of the resultant hydrogels were manipulated across a broad range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary carbohydrate sources on the growth performance and hepatic carbohydrate metabolic enzyme activities of juvenile cobia. Six experimental diets were formulated to contain 20% glucose, sucrose, maltose, dextrin, corn starch and wheat starch respectively. The results indicated that fish fed the wheat starch and dextrin diets showed significantly better weight gain, specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio compared with those fed the other diets. However, fish fed the glucose diet had a significantly lower survival and condition factor than those fed the other diets. There were significant differences in the total plasma glucose and triglyceride concentration in fish fed diets with different dietary carbohydrate sources. Haematocrit, haemoglobin, red blood cell and leucocytes were significantly affected by the dietary carbohydrate sources. The activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK) and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) were significantly affected by the dietary carbohydrate sources, while fish fed the glucose diet showed higher G6PD, PFK and FBPase activities than those fed the other diets. These data indicated that dextrin and wheat starch were the most optimal carbohydrate sources for juvenile cobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous lithium-ion batteries may solve the safety problem associated with lithium-ion batteries that use highly toxic and flammable organic solvents, and the poor cycling life associated with commercialized aqueous rechargeable batteries such as lead-acid and nickel-metal hydride systems. But all reported aqueous lithium-ion battery systems have shown poor stability: the capacity retention is typically less than 50% after 100 cycles. Here, the stability of electrode materials in an aqueous electrolyte was extensively analysed. The negative electrodes of aqueous lithium-ion batteries in a discharged state can react with water and oxygen, resulting in capacity fading upon cycling. By eliminating oxygen, adjusting the pH values of the electrolyte and using carbon-coated electrode materials, LiTi2(PO4)3/Li2SO4/LiFePO4 aqueous lithium-ion batteries exhibited excellent stability with capacity retention over 90% after 1,000 cycles when being fully charged/discharged in 10 minutes and 85% after 50 cycles even at a very low current rate of 8 hours for a full charge/discharge offering an energy storage system with high safety, low cost, long cycling life and appropriate energy density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To study the long-term changes of dendritic spine and synapse taking place in a mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Methods: Pregnant mice were intubated daily with ethanol (EtOH) from E5 to parturition. A DiI diolistic method was used to label dendritic spines of pyramidal cells in the visual cortex of EtOH-exposed and control pups over the period from postnatal (P) day P0 to P30; synaptic ultrastructure was also analyzed using transmission electron microscopy. Results: Prenatal alcohol exposure was associated with a significant decrease in the number of dendritic spines of pyramidal neurons in the visual cortex and an increase in their mean length. The changes were dose dependent and persisted to P30. Ultrastructural changes were also observed, with decreased numbers of synaptic vesicles, narrowing of the synaptic cleft and thickening of the postsynaptic density compared to controls; ultrastructural changes also persisted to P30. Conclusions: Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with long-term changes in dendritic spines and synaptic ultrastructure; these alterations probably reflect the developmental retardation of dendritic spines and synapses in visual cortex. These long-term changes are likely to contribute to lifelong mental retardation associated with childhood FASDs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

High resolution imaging in the terahertz (THz) frequency range is investigated theoretically in this paper through the use of the high frequency methods in computational electromagnetics (CEM). Physical optics (PO), shooting and bouncing ray (SBR) and truncated-wedge incremental length diffraction coefficients (TW-ILDCs) methods are combined together to compute the scattered fields, which are then used to construct the inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) images through two dimensional fast Fourier transform (2D-FFT). The corresponding ISAR images clearly show that high range and bearing resolution can be easily realized for THz carrier waves with broad bandwidth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The osmotic technique was calibrated at various temperatures (20–40 °C) using a high-capacity tensiometer. The effect of temperature on the calibration curve of the high-capacity tensiometer in the positive range has been found to be insignificant, i.e., about 0.03%/°C. The measurement at ambient temperature shows that the suction value is not significantly dependent either on the molar mass of polyethylene glycol (PEG) or on the molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) of the semipermeable cellulose membrane. On the other hand, the matric suction measured in the present work by tensiometer was lower than the total suction found in the literature measured by psychrometer. This shows that the so-called membrane effects must be characterized by not only the crossing of PEG molecules but also other complex phenomena. The calibration at controlled temperatures showed a slight suction decrease of 1%/°C. One possible explanation for this decrease is that increasing the temperature decreases the viscosity of PEG solutions, possibly accelerating the crossing of PEG molecules. It is also possible that increasing the temperature changes the physicochemical properties of the PEG solutions, resulting in a suction decrease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the transformation optics, we propose a kind of transformation method of compress or stretching. With the method, we design two kind of transparent structures, one is cylinder mode, the other is elliptical mode. A numerical simulation confirms the good perform of the transparent structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  In this paper, we have shown a imaging system using negative refraction and reflection by Left-Handed materials (LHM) slab coated by a metal layerat one side. In this imaging system, one image is within the LHM by refraction, the other is at same side of source by reflection and refraction, which is different from the imaging only by refraction. If the LHM is slight loss and mismatch, the LHM slab can also be regarded as a perfect imaging system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we design triple-band parallel-coupled bandpass filters by using asymmetric parallel-coupled lines which have more degrees of freedom to satisfy the coupling rules in the triple bands. Stepped-impedance resonator is used with its controllable high-order resonance frequencies. Two examples of filters are presented, in which simulation and measurement results have good agreements. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 2054–2058, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23553 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The complex interplay between B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family proteins constitutes a crucial checkpoint in apoptosis. Its detailed molecular mechanism remains controversial. Our former modeling studies have selected the 'Direct Activation Model' as a better explanation for experimental observations. In this paper, we continue to extend this model by adding interactions according to updating experimental findings. Methodology/Principal Findings. Through mathematical simulation we found bistability, a kind of switch, can arise from a positive (double negative) feedback in the Bcl-2 interaction network established by anti-apoptotic group of Bcl-2 family proteins. Moreover, Bax/Bak auto-activation as an independent positive feedback can enforce the bistability, and make it more robust to parameter variations. By ensemble stochastic modeling, we also elucidated how intrinsic noise can change ultrasensitive switches into gradual responses. Our modeling result agrees well with recent experimental data where bimodal Bax activation distributions in cell population were found. Conclusions/Significance. Along with the growing experimental evidences, our studies successfully elucidate the switch mechanism embedded in the Bcl-2 interaction network and provide insights into pharmacological manipulation of Bcl-2 apoptotic switch as further cancer therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel and compact triple-mode resonators have been investigated and designed using split-ring resonator (SRR) to obtain three controllable resonant frequencies. An even/odd-mode method is proposed. The current distributions are computed by commercial software. Several triple-mode resonators are designed and fabricated. Both simulation and measurement results are presented to show the good performance of the resonators, which have excellent agreements. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 49: 2918–2922, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.22955 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel method for capturing and characterizing high-temperature phases of metallic-alloys in thin-film composition spreads has been developed. A high-vacuum (10−8 Torr) high-temperature annealing and quenching furnace system has been developed that allows formation of high-temperature phases in thin-film composition-spread samples deposited on 3in. silicon wafers. Scanning SQUID microscopy and magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements were used to map the remnant magnetization and the hysteresis loops of the spreads of magnetic materials quenched at high temperatures. The combination of these techniques can be used to obtain comprehensive information on the magnetic properties of various metallic-alloy systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A four-port cascaded circuit model, which we call as chiral cascaded circuit, is presented to represent an isotropic and lossless chiral media. Such a model is based on the concept of transmission line and characteristic transformers. Detailed analysis is given to the chiral cascaded circuit and constitutive parameters for the effective chiral media are derived. Both the theoretical calculations for the effectively isotropic chiral media and circuit simulation results for the real chiral cascaded circuit are given, which have excellent agreements. Such a circuit model provides an efficient way to realize chiral media using transmission-line circuits and may find potential applications in microwave technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have proposed a fast algorithm to study the electromagnetic (EM) scattering problems involving three-dimensional dielectric targets with inhomogeneous permittivity and permeability. Based on the volume equivalence principle, coupled volume integral equations are derived for the equivalent electric and magnetic current densities. Such integral equations are then solved using the conjugate gradient method combined with the fast Fourier transform (FFT), where the memory requirement is of the order N - the number of unknowns and the computational complexity is of the order N log N. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed algorithm are verified by comparing numerical results with analytical results from the Mie series for dielectric spheres. We have applied the algorithm to investigate the EM scattering by small dielectric particles with high permittivity and permeability, which may be important to realize the artificial left-handed materials. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 49: 305–310, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.22116 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An acceleration technique to the fast multipole method (FMM) has been proposed to handle large-scale problems of periodic structures in free space with finite sizes based on the accurate sub-entire-domain basis functions. In the proposed algorithm, only nine (or 27) elements in the whole impedance matrix are required to be computed and stored for a two-dimensional (or three-dimensional) periodic structure, and the matrix-vector multiply can be performed efficiently using the combination of fast Fourier transform and FMM. The theoretical analysis and numerical results show that both the memory requirement and computational complexity are only of the order of O(N) with small constants, where N is the total number of unknowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LC-loaded transmission lines and composite right/left-handed (CRLH) LC circuits have been applied to generate equivalent left-handed materials (LHM). In this paper, we propose a general representation of LHM using the mixture of CRLH circuits and transmission lines, along with the corresponding design formulations. The proposed structure can be easily used to produce an equivalent medium with the permittivity -ℇ0 and permeability -μ0 consisting of a small loss and retardation, which cannot be realized by previous structures with the microstrip lines in practice. This is very important to verify some LHM experiments such as the LHM superlens and electromagnetic-wave localization. Circuit simulations have been conducted to test the validity of the general structure. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2167–2171, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21883 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many amazing properties of a novel electromagnetic (EM) structure, consisting a conducting grating backed with a left-handed material (LHM) slab, are studied. High-directivity, high-power emission and narrow-beam scanning can be easily realized when this structure acts as an antenna. Simultaneously, if it works as an imaging system, extremely high resolution can also be obtained with the unique EM behaviors of the LHM. Proper usage of surface waves on apertures opened in the conducting screen makes this structure possess such attractive capabilities. In order to investigate such phenomena, a more general EM model is first developed through the equivalence principle, and then the method of moments is implemented to obtain the interesting results. All these amazing properties are clearly observed through the numerical results. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48:2359–2365, 2006;Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com).DOI 10.1002/mop.21944 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of the idealized structure of an atomic medium described by an assembly of independent oscillators, expressions for the stored electric and magnetic energy densities in absorptive and dispersive medium are derived. Such formulas are also valid for a left-handed medium (LHM), where the permittivity and permeability are simultaneously less than zero within a frequency band. These formulas are completely equivalent to those derived from a general definition of electromagnetic energy density using the classical electromagnetics. It has been shown that the stored energy densities, no matter in a right-handed medium or in a left-handed medium, are always positive. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2288–2291, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21899 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two low-energy minima of (H2O)21with very different H-bonding arrangements have been investigated with the B3LYP density functional and RIMP2 methods, as well as with the TIP4P, Dang−Chang, AMOEBA, and TTM2-F force fields. The AMOEBA and TTM2-F model potentials give an energy ordering that agrees with the results of the electronic structure calculations, while the TIP4P and Dang−Chang models give the opposite ordering. Insight into the role of many-body polarization for establishing the relative stability of the two isomers is provided by an n-body decomposition of the energies calculated using the various theoretical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]