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Simple Summary: In March 2020, a group of wild Asian elephants suddenly roamed north from China's Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve and subsequently arrived in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, which has aroused widespread concern in the society. Based on this event, this study attempted to identify the possible migration routes of Asian elephants according to the existing land conditions and the movement habits of Asian elephants if wild Asian elephants in China migrated again. It was found that the areas with a high probability of migration by Asian elephants were mainly concentrated in the gently undulating shrubs, bamboo forests, and grasslands. Moreover, dense forests with steep slopes and high altitudes, cultivated land, and construction land are less likely to be passed by Asian elephants. Our findings can not only provide valuable insights into suggestions and solutions for the current conservation of wild Asian elephant species but also be beneficial in biological protection and biological reserve planning. Humans overlap with Asian elephants, resulting in frequent costly human–elephant conflicts, which disturb and even threaten local residents. In this study, we treat provincial and national nature reserves where Asian elephants still exist and other alternative habitats suitable for Asian elephants in southern Yunnan, China, as ecological patches. By using this approach, we can treat the terrain and surface state factors that hinder the migration of Asian elephants as a form of ecological resistance surface. We can then use a circuit theory model and remote sensing data to construct an ecological network, which allows us to identify ecological corridors and ecological pinch points. Herein, the possible migration routes of wild Asian elephants were identified. The main results are as follows: (1) In the study area, dense forests with steep slopes and high altitudes, cultivated land, and building land have greater migration resistance, while the gently undulating shrubs, bamboo forests, and grasslands far away from the city have less migration resistance. (2) There are three ecological corridor groups in the study area, mainly composed of shrub and grassland. The ecological corridors identified in this paper are the most likely migration routes of wild Asian elephants in China, and areas with higher simulated current densities reflect a higher probability of Asian elephants passing through. (3) According to the analysis, the ecological pinch points in the study area are 602 km2 in total, and woodland and grassland account for 89.2% of the total ecological pinch area. The areas where the pinch points are located have a high probability of Asian elephants passing through and a narrow space. Our findings can provide suggestions and solutions for the current conservation of wild Asian elephant species, alleviate human–elephant conflicts, promote the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, and provide reference for biological protection and biological reserve planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive histiocytosis, a novel rare histiocytic proliferation, was first described in 2008; it occurs in early infancy with liver and hematopoietic involvement. The spectrum was subsequently broadened to include localized diseases in older children and young adults. However, its full clinicopathological features and molecular lineage have not been fully elucidated. Results: Here, we report four cases of multisystem ALK-positive histiocytosis without hematopoietic involvement. Clinically, three patients were adults aged between 32 and 51 years. Two patients’, whose main manifestations were intracranial mass and numerous micronodules in the thoracoabdominal cavity organs and skin papules respectively, had a partial response to ALK inhibitors after surgery. One patient presented with mediastinal neoplasm without surgical treatment, and progressive disease occurred after two years of ALK inhibitor therapy. The fourth patient was a 17-month-old male with a large intracranial mass and presented with a poor response to ALK inhibitor and chemoradiotherapy; he died eight months after surgery. Pathologically, the histiocytes were large, with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, and mixed with variable numbers of foamy cells and Touton giant cells. Interstitial fibrosis was also observed. Histiocytes were positive for macrophage markers (CD68 and CD163) and ALK. KIF5B-ALK fusions were detected in two cases, EML4-ALK in one, and both DCTN1-ALK and VRK2-ALK fusions were detected in one case. Conclusions: We observed that ALK inhibitors present robust and durable responses in adult patients but a poor response in young children with central nervous system involvement. There is no consensus on the optimal treatment regimen and long-term prognosis requires further observation. Moreover, every unusual histiocytic proliferative lesion, especially unresectable and multisystem involvement, should be routinely tested for ALK immunohistochemical staining to identify this rare disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-displacement corner deformation often occurs at the joints of towering structures and long-span space structures subjected to strong earthquake. In order to improve the energy dissipation capacity of structural joints, the Nitrile Butadiene Rubber/High Abrasion Furnace Black (NBR/HAF) high damping composite was fabricated by formulation optimization in this paper, where a nonlinear large-deformation viscoelastic joint damper was proposed. The damper consists of five layers of restrained steel plates and four layers of shear energy dissipating material, which can reach 60 mm shear displacement. In this paper, dynamic mechanical performance tests and static mechanical tests were firstly conducted on the core energy dissipating media of the damper. The loss factor of NBR/HAF composite reached a peak of 1.51 at about 8.2°C, while its wide damping temperature range was 27°C. Second, the accuracy of the simulation method was verified by comparing the simulated and experimental hysteresis curves. Then, the refined numerical simulation of this damper was carried out using ABAQUS finite element software with the high damping material as its core energy dissipating media. Finally, the magnitude and type of energy dissipation of each part of the viscoelastic joint damper under different loads were investigated. It was found that the large-deformation viscoelastic joint damper based on the composite had good damping capacity. Its dynamic characteristics were affected by the displacement amplitude and excitation frequency, which exhibited hardening nonlinear characteristics. As the frequency and load amplitude increased, the peak displacement in the loading direction gradually decreased, whereas the total energy input to the damper and the energy dissipated by the viscoelastic material increased monotonically. The input energy was only dissipated by the viscoelastic material, and no plastic loss occurred in the steel plate during the entire loading stage. Under high frequency and large loads, the damper can also have good energy dissipation characteristics. Because of the negative strain energy caused by plastic dilatancy, the energy dissipated by the material was gradually greater than the input energy with the load increasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the pregnancy outcomes of those patients with balanced reciprocal translocations after conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and to provide valuable reference for genetic counseling and assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. Methods: Forty- one patients with balanced reciprocal translocation (the study group) and 751 couples with normal karyotypes (the control group) were included. Clinical pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: In the study group, 24 patients were treated with IVF, while other patients treated with ICSI. Additionally, 28 patients were diagnosed as primary infertility, and 11 patients had a history of adverse pregnancy or childbearing. There were not significant differences in the maternal age, number of retrieved oocytes, number of M II oocytes, number of transferred embryo, clinical pregnancy rate, late abortion rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, fetal malformation rate, stillbirth rate, live birth rate, live birth rate per ovum pick-up (OPU) cycle between the two groups (P>0.05). However, there was significant differences in the embryo implantation rate and early miscarriage rate (P<0.05). Nineteen patients in the study group delivered a total of 22 babies in 27 pregnancy cycles. Conclusions: Those balanced reciprocal translocation carrier could achieve an ideal pregnancy outcome when treated with conventional IVF/ICSI and prenatal diagnosis which is an economical and effective treatment for those patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrated the interaction of a gold cone target with a femto second (fs) laser pulse above the relativistic intensity of 1.37×1018 μm2W/cm2. Relativistic electrons with energy above 2 MeV were observed. A 25%-40% increase of the electron temperature is achieved compared to the case when a plane gold target is used. The electron temperature increase results from the guiding of the laser beam at the tip and the intense quasistatic magnetic field in the cone geometry. The behavior of the relativistic electrons is verified in our 2D-PIC simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • PRP/chitosan/chondroitin sulfate immunomodulatory hydrogels are constructed. • The hydrogel has hemostatic and free radical scavenging effects. • Oxidative stress is reduced to enhance endothelial cell movement and tube formation. • Enhanced M2 macrophage polarization is realized via NF-κB pathway regulation. • Enhanced expression of key angiogenic factors promotes angiogenesis. Diabetic wound healing encounters numerous challenges including bacterial infection, macrophage dysfunction, excessive inflammation, and oxidative stress, causing delays in the overlapping processes of inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling and thus imposing a high burden on patients. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has demonstrated significant potential for diabetic wound treatment by promoting granulation tissue formation, collagen deposition, re-epithelialization, and angiogenesis. However, the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, immunomodulatory hydrogel co-networks based on PRP, with strong hemostatic, antibacterial, and free radical scavenging effects, are developed for diabetic wound treatment. In vitro and in vivo, the hydrogels can reduce endothelial cell apoptosis and promote tube formation by regulating the oxidative stress microenvironment. For anti-inflammatory and tissue repair, the hydrogels can facilitate the M2 macrophage polarization by inhibiting phosphorylation of p-IκBα and p-P65 in the NF-κB signaling pathway. Through increasing the expression of key angiogenic factors (HIF-1α, VEGF, and FGF2), the hydrogels can significantly promote angiogenesis and the formation of endothelial cell tubular structures. These findings offer new insight into the synergistic regulatory contributions of the PRP-based therapy throughout multiple stages of healing, thereby establishing a biomolecular and cellular foundation for advanced diabetic wound management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective; To investigate the effect of transvaginal injected recombinant IL-17 on the pregnancy outcome in the CBA/J mice model (CBA/JxBALB/c) and its role in feto-maternal immune rejection. Methods:Six to eight-week-old female CBA/J and male BALB/c were divided into three different experimental groups. Mice of normal pregnancy (CBA/Jx BALB/c) received no treatment were served as control group. 50 µL phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or 50 µL recombinant IL-17 (rIL-17) was administered in the vaginal vaults of anesthetized pregnant CBA/J mice on Day 1 of pregnancy served as PBS group and rIL-17 group individually. The numbers of surviving and reabsorbed fetuses in each group were counted, and the expression of TGF-β and IL-10 in decidua was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting on Day 14 of pregnancy. Results: In this in vivo model of normal pregnancy, exogenous rIL-17 resulted in increased spontaneous resorption of fetuses and decreased expression of TGF-β and IL-10 (P<0.05). And there was no statistical difference between PBS group and control group (P>0.05). Conclusions: Intravaginal rIL-17 can induce inflammation in feto - maternal interface resulting in abortion in normal pregnant CBA/J mice model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to prepare water resistant block from flue gas desulfurization gypsum [FGD]. A water resistant agent prepared from granulated blast-furnace slag (GBFS), high calcium fly ash (HCFA) and some additives, was mixed with calcined desulfurization gypsum to form modified gypsum powder which is used to produce water resistant block. The optimized proportioning was obtained by using orthogonal test. The softening coefficient of the product prepared is over 0.80 with thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.15W/(mK). The water resistance mechanism of this product was investigated by SEM and XRD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We describe a 28-year-old man with linear atrophoderma of Moulin ( LAM), whose serum immunological markers were abnormal (including antinuclear antibody, ribonucleoprotein, immunoglobulin M and anti- SM antibody). In addition, however, a histological analysis identified unexpected connective tissue disease changes in this patient. We speculate that the pathogenesis of LAM is associated with immunity or that LAM itself is a kind of connective tissue disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new polymer-modified adhesive mortar is prepared using the fine iron tailings, eco-cement, redispersible latex powder, additives, and water. In our study, the fine iron tailings are used to replace the natural river sand as the mortar aggregate and the opti-mal process conditions are determined by the orthogonal experiment. The obtained results are shown as follows: The ratios of cement-sand and polymer-cement are 1:2.5 and 4%, respectively, with the aggregate modulus 0.81 and water reducing agent 0.5% (cement-based). The properties of the polymer-modified adhesive mortar obtained under the optimal process conditions conform to JC/T 547-2005 (China Professional Standard: Ceramic Tile Adhesive). Moreover, the microstructure of the polymer-modified adhesive mortar is studied and discussed. The results show that the network formed by the intertwined polymer film can prevent the merger of micro-cracks and improve the adhesive mortars' overall cohesion. Therefore, adding polymer to the adhesive mortar can improve its failure stress and enhance its bonding strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The load-bearing brick is made from low-silicon tailings by pressing and autoclaving process, in the presence of alkali-activated slag/fly ash cementing material (AAFSC). Tailings accounts for 83% of the total mass of the brick. The compressive strength of the brick is up to 16.1MPa, bending strength 3.8MPa, and with low drying shrinkage and good freeze–thaw resistance. Some factors influencing the mechanical strength of the brick including forming pressure, forming water content and curing regime, are investigated. The hydration products, freeze–thaw durability and anti-carbonation characteristics of the products are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A case study of a 46‑year‑old woman who is diagnosed with Bowen's disease is presented. Topics discussed include physical examination revealed a red lobulated nodule in the perineal area; biopsied specimen was consistent with Bowen's disease; and limitations of surgical excision include scars, deformation of surrounding tissue, bleeding, and risk for infection.

miR-519d inhibits cell growth, migration, and invasion, but its role in gastric cancer (GC) cells is obscure. We showed that miR-519d-3p was lowly expressed in GC tissues and was associated with the clinical stage and lymph node metastasis of GC tissues. We found that miR-519d-3p repressed cell proliferation and invasion of MGC803 cells and delayed the G1/S phase transition, resulting in decreased cyclin B1 and MMP2 and increased E-cadherin levels. Furthermore, miR-519d-3p targeted and downregulated B-cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) expression. BCL6 overexpression partially abrogated the suppressive function of miR-519d in MGC803 cells. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that miR-519d-3p functions as a tumor suppressor by targeting and downregulating the expression of BCL6 in GC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lymphatic malformation is a benign lesion, seldom affecting the gingiva. Gingival lesions are characterized by pebbly hyperplasia, occasional pain, and bleeding. The treatment for large and exceptional areas of involvement may face difficulties. Herein we report a rare case of gingival lymphatic malformation in a 10-year-old girl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Duck circovirus (DuCV) is classified in the genus Circovirus of the Circoviridae family. Two major open reading frames (ORFs), encoding the replicase (ORF1/rep) and the capsid protein (ORF2/cap), have been recognized for DuCV. Sequence analysis show that another major conserved ORF (named ORF3) is located in the complementary strand of ORF1/rep of DuCV, and its function remains to be investigated. In this study, the ORF3 of DuCV was expressed in recombinant baculovirus-infected Sf9 cells. By IFA and Western blot analysis, the ORF3 protein was positive for the sera from ducks infected with DuCV. The percentages of apoptotic cells of the Sf9 cells infected with the recombinant baculovirus encoding ORF3 of DuCV were significantly higher than (P <0.05) that of the Sf9 cells infected with wild-type baculovirus at 24, 48 and 72h postinfection. Based on our knowledge, we deduced that the ORF3 protein of DuCV might play an important role in viral pathogenesis via its apoptotic activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The reaction of isoprene and methacrolein with ozonewas investigatedat different stages in the condensed phase at temperatures from 15to 265 K by IR spectroscopy. The results revealed the following overallreaction process: the generation of primary ozonide (POZ), then itsdecomposition, and finally conversion into secondary ozonide (SOZ),which supported the Criegee mechanism. In the POZ and SOZ of isoprene, ozone cyclo-added preferentially to the double-bond that is notsubstituted by the methyl group. For methacrolein, the mainly detectedSOZ is claimed to be MACSII formed by recombination of the intermediateCH2OO radical with aldehyde carbonyl of methylglyoxal instead of the ketone carbonyl group. Theoretical calculations wereperformed at the B3LYP//MP2/6-311 (2d, 2p) level to analyze theresulting spectrum. The good agreement between the calculated infraredspectra of POZ and SOZ and the experimental spectra supports the above-describedfindings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemokines are involved in the pathogenesis of various vascular inflammations. However, information about chemokines in Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is limited. Herein, we investigated the serum CCL5, CXCL16, and CX3CL1 levels in HSP patients with controls and the ability of sera from HSP patients on chemokine production in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detected serum CCL5, CXCL16, and CX3CL1 levels in patients with HSP. Human dermal microvascular endothelial cell line (HMEC-1) was treated with sera from patients with HSP at different stages, patients with acute spontaneous urticaria, or controls. Serum levels of CCL5, CXCL16, and CX3CL1 were elevated in HSP patients at acute stage, which correlated with the severity of this disease. Sera from patients with active HSP markedly induced CCL5, CXCL16, and CX3CL1 production at both mRNA and protein levels. In addition, patients' sera-stimulated HMEC-1 supernatants enhanced HL-60 or THP-1 cells migration. Furthermore, patients' sera increased the phosphorylation of inhibitor of κB-α (IκBα) and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 protein levels, upregulated the translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 to the nucleus. Taken together, we show firstly that CCL5, CXCL16, and CX3CL1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of HSP. Factors present in sera from patients with active HSP may act as an inducer of inflammatory response in HMEC-1 cells and contribute to chemokine production through NF-κB and ERK 1/2 pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Performance analysis and verification of safety communication protocol are important techniques during protocol development process. In order to meet the requirement of safety, an advanced safety communication protocol is proposed to improve the protocol in EURORADIO. Among the improved protocol, the following two elements are added: (1) advanced scheme of establishment of safety connection. (2) double serial number replaces time stamp. The performance analysis related to safety of the advanced protocol and protocol in EURORADIO is given by Colored Petri Net (CPN) model through simulation. The analysis results verify that the advanced protocol has superior performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Peoniflorin (PF) extracted from the root of Paeonia lactiflora pall displays anti-inflammation and antioxidant properties in several animal models. Chemokines are vital for directing the movement of circulating leukocytes to the sites of inflammation and are involved in the pathogenesis of various inflammatory skin diseases. Herein, we investigated the effects and potential mechanisms of PF on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) induced chemokine production in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells. Human dermal microvascular endothelial cell line (HMEC-1) was treated by TNF-α with or without PF. PF markedly attenuated TNF-α-induced chemokines (including CCL2, CCL5, CCL20, CXCL8, CXCL16 and CX3CL1) mRNA expression in HMEC-1. PF also reduced the secretion of these chemokines in culture supernatants. In addition, endothelial activation in the presence of PF markedly blocked the chemotactic activities of TNF-α-stimulated HMEC-1 supernatant on promyelocytic leukemia cell line (HL-60) or the acute mature monocytic leukemia cell line (THP-1) cell migration. Furthermore, Western blot data revealed TNF-α upregulated phosphorylation of inhibitor of κB-α (IκBα) and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, which was almost completely reversed by PF. Finally, PF inhibited nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) nuclear translocation to the nucleus. Taken together, our data provide the first evidence that PF has an anti-inflammatory ability against TNF-α-induced chemokine production and leukocyte migration, which may be at least partly related to the inhibition of NF-κB and ERK pathway. PF may be a candidate medicine for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peoniflorin (PF) extracted from the root of Paeonia lactiflora pall displays anti-inflammation and antioxidant properties in several animal models. Chemokines are vital for directing the movement of circulating leukocytes to the sites of inflammation and are involved in the pathogenesis of various inflammatory skin diseases. Herein, we investigated the effects and potential mechanisms of PF on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) induced chemokine production in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells. Human dermal microvascular endothelial cell line (HMEC-1) was treated by TNF-α with or without PF. PF markedly attenuated TNF-α-induced chemokines (including CCL2, CCL5, CCL20, CXCL8, CXCL16 and CX3CL1) mRNA expression in HMEC-1. PF also reduced the secretion of these chemokines in culture supernatants. In addition, endothelial activation in the presence of PF markedly blocked the chemotactic activities of TNF-α-stimulated HMEC-1 supernatant on promyelocytic leukemia cell line (HL-60) or the acute mature monocytic leukemia cell line (THP-1) cell migration. Furthermore, Western blot data revealed TNF-α upregulated phosphorylation of inhibitor of κB-α (IκBα) and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, which was almost completely reversed by PF. Finally, PF inhibited nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) nuclear translocation to the nucleus. Taken together, our data provide the first evidence that PF has an anti-inflammatory ability against TNF-α-induced chemokine production and leukocyte migration, which may be at least partly related to the inhibition of NF-κB and ERK pathway. PF may be a candidate medicine for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peoniflorin (PF), extracted from the root of Pall., has been reported to have anti-inflammation and antioxidant effects in several animal models. Herein, we investigated the protective effects of PF against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative damage in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). HUVECs were treated by H2O2 (240 µmol/L) with or without PF. PF significantly increased the percent cell viability of HUVECs injured by H2O2 using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. By flow cytometric analysis, PF markedly attenuated H2O2-induced apoptosis and intracellular reactive oxygen species production. In addition, PF also displayed a dose-dependent reduction of lactate dehydrogenase leakage, malondialdehyde formation, and caspase-3 proteolytic activities in H2O2-treated cells, which was accompanied with a restoration of the activities of endogenous antioxidants, including total superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. Finally, Western blot data revealed that H2O2 upregulated phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 in HUVECs, which was almost completely reversed by PF. Taken together, our data provide the first evidence that PF has a protective ability against oxidative damage in HUVECs. PF may be a candidate medicine for the treatment of vascular diseases associated with oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astatotilapia burtoniis a species of fish in the Cichlidae family.Astatotilapia burtonihas been used as a model organism to research the behaviors and physical systems of cichlids. Here, we reported the complete mitogenome sequence ofA. burtoni, which was 16,583 bp and composed of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes and 1 control region, with a base composition of lower G + C content (45.5%). Similar toAstatotilapia calliptera, all genes were located on H-strand except for eight tRNAs andND6genes. Most protein-coding genes started with an ATG codon except forCOX1, ATP6andND3, which initiated with GTG or ATC instead, and terminated with the typical stop condon (TAA/TAG)or a single T. In this article, 12 protein-coding genes of other 10 closely species were used to construct the species phylogenetic tree to convince the mitogenome sequences. These results provided basic information for researchingA. burtonion genetics, phylogeny and adaptive evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]