Search

The nonreciprocity between two signal fields is regarded as a key function in future quantum networks and modern communication technologies. Here, we theoretically propose a scheme of nonreciprocal devices between signal fields in two different arbitrarily frequency domains in a hybrid cavity opto-electromechanical system. The model consists of a microwave cavity and an optical cavity, respectively, coupled with two different mechanical oscillators, which are coupled together by the tunable Coulomb interaction and driven by the external electrical fields. We study the nonreciprocal response between two different frequency fields. Nonreciprocal transmission is based on multichannel quantum interference to break time-reversal symmetry. The perfect nonreciprocity is shown in the certain conditions. By adjusting the Coulomb interaction, the phase differences, and strength of the electrically driven fields on the mechanical oscillators, we find that nonreciprocity can be modulated and even transformed into perfect nonreciprocity and reciprocity. These results provide a new insight into the design of nonreciprocal devices and present the potential applications in quantum information processing and quantum networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAn electrochemiluminescent (ECL) aptasensor for lysozyme (Lyz) based on a graphene quantum dot (GQD)-ruthenium bipyridine (Ru(bpy)32+)-silica (GQDs-Ru(bpy)32+@SiO2) nanocomposite were prepared by encapsulating GQDs and the luminophore Ru(bpy)32+ in silica nanospheres (SiO2). The nanocomposite GQDs-Ru(bpy)32+@SiO2 with uniform size exhibited a strong and reproducible ECL response. The nanoprobe (DNA-GQDs-Ru(bpy)32+@SiO2) was obtained via amidation between GQDs-Ru(bpy)32+@SiO2 and the complementary DNA sequence. The ECL platform was constructed by hybridization between the aptamer and the complementary strand DNA. The specific recognition between aptamer and the target lysozyme maintained the nanoprobe DNA-GQDs-Ru(bpy)32+@SiO2 away from the electrode, which led to the decreasing ECL response. The aptasensor exhibited a linear relationship from 0.1 to 100 pg/mL with a detection limit of 1.7 × 10−11 mg/mL. This study provided a simple and sensitive analytical approach for lysozyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For practicable elastomeric polyethylene, achieving high catalyst thermal stability and activity, along with precise control of polymer properties such as branching density, molecular weights, and distribution, is crucial but challenging. In this study, two sets of symmetrical α-diimine nickel complexes, each comprising four nickel bromide or chloride complexes, were synthesized and investigated their performance for ethylene polymerization under various reaction conditions. Upon activation with either Et2AlCl or MMAO cocatalysts, these complexes displayed not only high activity but also generated high molecular weight polyethylenes with controlled polydispersity and a substantial number of branches. The catalyst with the least steric hindrance displayed the remarkable high activity (up to 1.2×107 g·mol−1·h−1). Notably, nickel bromides demonstrated higher activity compared to their chloride counterparts. The investigation into the effect of reaction temperature on catalytic performance revealed that NiBrMe-MMAO system displayed high thermal stability (activity up to 2.51×106 g·mol−1·h−1 at 100 °C) and consistently yielded high polymer molecular weights with narrow polydispersity over a broad temperature range of 30–100 °C. Of significant note, mechanical analysis of the resulting polyethylene demonstrated excellent ultimate tensile strength and high strain at break. Particularly, the polyethylene sample prepared at 100 °C exhibited ultimate tensile strength up to 10 MPa with 1863% maximum strain at break and a strain recovery of up to 54.9% after ten cycles at a fixed strain of 300%, indicating excellent material properties of prepared thermoplastic polyethylene elastomers (TPE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of deaths among adult populationinChina, whose incidence and mortality rates continue rising with a trend towards youngerages. Although numerous drugs are used to prevent and treat CVDs, the long-termprognosisof patients with CVDs is still not very satisfactory. Therefore, there is an urgent needtoexplore new safe and effective drugs for CVDs in clinical practice. As a traditional medicinein China, Ginkgo biloba has a history of more than 2,000 years in clinical practice experience, meanwhile its therapeutic role in CVDs has been revealed in more and more clinical studies. As a living fossil of traditional Chinese medicine, Ginkgo biloba, a deciduous tree plant of theGinkgo family and genus, contains active medicinal ingredients in its leaves, kernels, outerskins and roots. Ginkgo biloba leaves are the main medicinal part, which are mild innature, sweet, bitter and astringent in taste. Ginkgo biloba activates the circulation of blood, relievespains, and lowers lipids, which is mainly used to treat chest obstruction and heartaches, stroke hemiplegia, and asthma, as well as hyperlipidemia, etc. This paper aims to reviewthemedicinal properties of Ginkgo biloba and its active ingredients in the treatment of CVDs, with emphasis on the antioxidant, apoptosis-inhibiting, anti-inflammatory mechanismandother mechanisms, so as to provide a scientific basis for their clinical application as well asfurther development and utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To estimate the proportion of married women in China who intend to become pregnant given the country's pronatalist population policy and to investigate fecundity, with an emphasis on the influence of socioeconomic factors. Methods A nationally representative survey of 12 815 married women aged 20 to 49 years (mean: 36.8 years) was conducted during 2019 and 2020. All completed questionnaires, 10 115 gave blood samples and 11 710 underwent pelvic ultrasound examination. Fertility intention was the desire or intent to become pregnant combined with engagement in unprotected sexual intercourse. We defined infertility as the failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of unprotected intercourse. We considered an anti-Müllerian hormone level < 1.1 ng/ mL and an antral follicular count < 7 as indicating an abnormal ovarian reserve. Findings Fertility intentions were reported by 11.9% of women overall but by only 6.1% of current mothers (weighted percentages). Fertility intention was significantly less likely among women in metropolises (odds ratio, OR: 0.38; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.31--0.45) and those with a higher educational level (OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.62--0.88). Overall, 18.0% had experienced infertility at any time and almost 30% had an abnormal ovarian reserve on assessment. An abnormal ovarian reserve and infertility were less likely in women in metropolises (P < 0.05) but more likely in obese women (P < 0.05). Conclusion The willingness of Chinese married women to give birth remained low, even with relaxation of the one-child policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant viruses must move through plasmodesmata (PD) to complete their life cycles. For viruses in the Potyviridae family (potyvirids), three viral factors (P3N-PIPO, CI, and CP) and few host proteins are known to participate in this event. Nevertheless, not all the proteins engaging in the cell-to-cell movement of potyvirids have been discovered. Here, we found that HCPro2 encoded by areca palm necrotic ring spot virus (ANRSV) assists viral intercellular movement, which could be functionally complemented by its counterpart HCPro from a potyvirus. Affinity purification and mass spectrometry identified several viral factors (including CI and CP) and host proteins that are physically associated with HCPro2. We demonstrated that HCPro2 interacts with both CI and CP in planta in forming PD-localized complexes during viral infection. Further, we screened HCPro2-associating host proteins, and identified a common host protein in Nicotiana benthamiana–Rubisco small subunit (NbRbCS) that mediates the interactions of HCPro2 with CI or CP, and CI with CP. Knockdown of NbRbCS impairs these interactions, and significantly attenuates the intercellular and systemic movement of ANRSV and three other potyvirids (turnip mosaic virus, pepper veinal mottle virus, and telosma mosaic virus). This study indicates that a nucleus-encoded chloroplast-targeted protein is hijacked by potyvirids as the scaffold protein to assemble a complex to facilitate viral movement across cells. Author summary: Potyviridae is the largest family of RNA viruses in the plant kingdom, consisting of genetically diverse members that adversely affect agriculturally and economically important crops. However, viral and host components in the local movement of potyvirids, an essential step for viruses to spread through the whole plant, are still not fully understood. Thus far, three viral factors (P3N-PIPO, CI and CP) and several host proteins are known to be engaged coordinately in this event. Here, we found that another viral protein, HCPro2, also aids a potyvirid in the intercellular movement. HCPro2 facilitates the virus to move through plasmodesmata (PD), the gate between two plant cells, by forming a complex with CI and CP. More intriguingly, we found that NbRbCS, one of the most abundant proteins in a plant cell, interacts with all the above viral factors in mediating viral movement across plant cells. Reduction of NbRbCS levels greatly impairs the intercellular movement of four tested potyvirids. These data suggest that a common chloroplast protein is co-opted as a pro-viral factor in assembling a complex for viral movement. This finding provides a new insight in our understanding of potyvirids' movement in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients who receive extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support require substantial transfusions. Red blood cell (RBC) and platelet (PLT) transfusions have been reported to be associated with adverse outcomes in ECMO patients. However, little is known about whether the transfusion of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) is associated with mortality and morbidity among patients receiving ECMO. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between FFP transfusion and mortality in ECMO patients and assess risk factors for the transfusion of FFP. Methods: The clinical parameters of 116 ECMO patients were collected. The machine learning approach of the Boruta algorithm was employed to select the variables associated with ECMO patients' in-hospital mortality. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to identify the association between the selected variables and in-hospital mortality. Spearman correlation and backwards stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine parameters contributing to FFP transfusion. Results: Among the 116 patients who received ECMO support, the in-hospital mortality was 32.8%. The median FFP (mL/kg/d) transfusion was higher in dead patients (5.07, IQR 1.78–8.90) when compared to alive patients (2.16, IQR 0.79–4.66) (p = 0.007). After adjustment for confounders, FFP transfusion (mL/kg/d) was associated with in-hospital mortality (OR 1.09, 95% CI, 1.01–1.18; p = 0.035). Further analysis found that higher activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), higher levels of uric acid (UA) and lower PLT counts were significant risk factors for FFP transfusion, with estimated values of 0.06 (95% CI, 0.02–0.11; p = 0.009), 0.01 (95% CI, 0.00–0.02; p = 0.003) and −0.03 (95% CI, −0.05--0.01; p = 0.007), respectively. Conclusion: FFP transfusion is markedly associated with in-hospital mortality among patients receiving ECMO, and higher APTT, higher levels of UA and lower PLT counts are risk factors for FFP transfusion. This suggests that better management of patients' coagulation system and kidney function may reduce the utilization of FFP, thus improving ECMO patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Acetaminophen and topical diclofenac (AtopD) have complementary mechanisms of action and are therefore candidates for combination use in osteoarthritis (OA) pain. However, an evidence gap exists on their combination use in OA pain. This study aimed to assess the effects of this combination and compare its performance relative to monotherapies on pain score reduction and opioid-sparing effect by leveraging evidence from acute pain setting using a model-based meta-analysis (MBMA). Methods: A literature search was conducted using the MEDLINE database to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) studying the combination for acute pain. Subsequently, an MBMA of RCTs was implemented in conjunction with extrapolation principles to infer efficacy in the population of interest. Pain score reduction and opioid-sparing effect (OSE) were selected as the measures of efficacy. Results: A total of 11 RCTs encompassing 1396 patients were included. Exploratory evaluation revealed AtopD combination to show greater pain score reduction versus acetaminophen monotherapy. However, pain score reduction was more susceptible to confounding by opioid patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) than OSE. Therefore, a parsimonious MBMA evaluating OSE was developed from 5 of the 11 RCTs (n = 353 patients). The analysis revealed a statistically significant interaction coefficient, suggesting a reduction of 32% in opioid use with the combination versus acetaminophen monotherapy. Differences in the effect size of the combination were less conclusive versus diclofenac monotherapy. Conclusion: Our results indicate greater pain reduction and opioid-sparing efficacy for the AtopD combination versus acetaminophen monotherapy. Given the similar pain pathways and mechanisms of action of the two drugs in acute and mild-to-moderate OA pain, comparable beneficial effects from the combination therapy may be anticipated following extrapolation to chronic OA pain. Prospective RCTs and real-world studies in OA pain are needed to confirm the differences in the efficacy of the combination treatment observed in our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of combination therapy of oral acetaminophen and topical diclofenac, having complementary mechanisms of action, is an attractive strategy to enhance the analgesic response in osteoarthritis (OA) pain. While topical diclofenac is considered as well tolerated due to its low systemic exposure, concerns of liver toxicity with acetaminophen at standard analgesic doses remain. Thus, this study aimed to assess the liver safety profile of acetaminophen, particularly in OA management, using a model-based meta-analysis (MBMA). Methods: A literature review was conducted using the MEDLINE database to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs) reporting liver toxicity on acetaminophen use. An MBMA was implemented to assess the deviation from the upper limit of normal (ULN) of alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase, namely > 0–1 × ULN, > 1.5–2 × ULN, and > 3 × ULN representing mild, moderate, and severe risk of liver abnormality, respectively. Results: A total of 15 RCTs were included in the MBMA, encompassing over 4800 subjects and exposure to acetaminophen ranging from 2 to 26 weeks. Of the 15 included studies, eight involved patients with OA pain, four involved healthy subjects and three were in patients with conditions such as asthma, glaucoma, chronic pain, and cardiovascular disease. Acetaminophen 1500–4000 mg/day was found to exhibit 23% (95% confidence interval (CI): 17.74–29.20), 1.35% (95% CI: 0.17–2.51) and 0.01% (95% CI: 0.00–0.32) increased risk for mild, moderate, and severe liver injury, respectively, versus placebo. Moreover, at therapeutic doses, no correlation was identified between acetaminophen intake and liver abnormality risk. Conclusions: Overall, our analysis shows that short-term (~ 8–16 weeks) acetaminophen use at therapeutically recommended doses is associated with a low risk of clinically relevant changes in liver enzymes. Given the good tolerability of topical diclofenac, the findings support the safety of the combination of acetaminophen and topical diclofenac, at least over the short term, as treatment for mild-to-moderate OA pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We theoretically study the nonlinear optical phenomena including optical stability state and four-wave mixing (FWM) process in a hybrid opto-electromechanical system with the cross-Kerr (CK) effect. The hybrid system consists of an optomechanical cavity in which the cross-Kerr (CK) effect and Coulomb interaction are simultaneously introduced by the CK medium and the mechanical resonator capacitively coupling to an external circuit, respectively. The CK interaction induces a tristability behavior of the mean intracavity photon number, which can be modulated by the strength of the CK effect and electrically controlled by the voltage on the capacitor. In addition, we give the effects of the optomechanical, CK, and Coulomb coupling strengths on the FWM of the output field. The results show that the voltage can be employed to electrically engineer the optical nonlinear phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein phosphatases are post-translational regulators of Toxoplasma gondii proliferation, tachyzoite-bradyzoite differentiation and pathogenesis. Here, we identify the putative protein phosphatase 6 (TgPP6) subunits of T. gondii and elucidate their role in the parasite lytic cycle. The putative catalytic subunit TgPP6C and regulatory subunit TgPP6R likely form a complex whereas the predicted structural subunit TgPP6S, with low homology to the human PP6 structural subunit, does not coassemble with TgPP6C and TgPP6R. Functional studies showed that TgPP6C and TgPP6R are essential for parasite growth and replication. The ablation of TgPP6C significantly reduced the synchronous division of the parasite's daughter cells during endodyogeny, resulting in disordered rosettes. Moreover, the six conserved motifs of TgPP6C were required for efficient endodyogeny. Phosphoproteomic analysis revealed that ablation of TgPP6C predominately altered the phosphorylation status of proteins involved in the regulation of the parasite cell cycle. Deletion of TgPP6C significantly attenuated the parasite virulence in mice. Immunization of mice with TgPP6C-deficient type I RH strain induced protective immunity against challenge with a lethal dose of RH or PYS tachyzoites and Pru cysts. Taken together, the results show that TgPP6C contributes to the cell division, replication and pathogenicity in T. gondii. Author summary: Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite characterized by a highly spatially and temporally coordinated replication process. Some protein phosphatases are conserved among apicomplexan protozoa and regulate numerous cellular and biological processes, such as parasite proliferation, tachyzoite-bradyzoite differentiation and virulence. Here, we identify the role of the putative protein phosphatase 6 of T. gondii (TgPP6), and found two of its subunits, TgPP6C and TgPP6R, to be vital for the parasite replication and virulence. RHΔpp6c and RHΔpp6r exhibited various degrees of asynchronous division and morphological deformation during endodyogeny compared to wild-type parasites. TgPP6C affected the phosphorylation status of proteins involved in the parasite cell division. We also demonstrated the protective efficacy of immunization of mice using RHΔpp6c against acute and chronic infection by wild-type RH, PYS and Pru strains, respectively. These findings reveal novel roles of TgPP6C in the replication and virulence of T. gondii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), a quantitative analysis method for sodium pentachlorophenol in feed was established to analyze the residual amount of sodium pentachlorophenol in feed. After the sample is pulverized, it is placed in a centrifuge tube, then 5% triethylamine-acetonitrile-aqueous solution is added for ultrasonic extraction. The extract was purified by MAX, eluted with 4% formic acid-methanol solution, and then blown with nitrogen to about 1 mL. Mix well with water to 2 mL, and the solution was taken for determination. The C18 (100 mm x 2.1 mm, 1.8 µm) chromatography column was used for separation. UPLC-MS/MS was used for determination, and the external standard method was used for quantification. The method showed a good linear relationship within the concentration of 0.5~20.0 µg/L (R²=0.999 1). The detection limit of the method was 1 µg/kg, the limit of quantification was 2 µg/kg. When the spiked concentration was within 1~20 µg/L, the average recoveries ranged from 72.4% to 109.6%, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 3.37%~6.24% (n = 6). The method is easy to operate, featuring good experimental repeatability, high accuracy and stability. It is suitable for the determination of sodium pentachlorophenol in feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Can Monte Carlo (MC) solvers be directly used in gradient-based methods for PDEconstrained optimization problems? In these problems, a gradient of the loss function is typically presented as a product of two PDE solutions, one for the forward equation and the other for the adjoint. When MC solvers are used, the numerical solutions are Dirac measures. As such, one immediately faces the difficulty in explaining the multiplication of two measures. This suggests that MC solvers are naturally incompatible with gradient-based optimization under PDE constraints. In this paper, we study two different strategies to overcome the difficulty. One is to adopt the discretizethen-optimize technique and conduct the full optimization on the algebraic system, avoiding the Dirac measures. The second strategy stays within the optimize-then-discretize framework. We propose a correlated simulation where, instead of using MC solvers separately for both forward and adjoint problems, we recycle the samples in the forward simulation in the adjoint solver. This frames the adjoint solution as a test function and hence allows a rigorous convergence analysis. The investigation is presented through the lens of the radiative transfer equation, either in the inverse setting from optical imaging or in the optimal control framework. We detail the algorithm development, convergence analysis, and complexity cost. Numerical evidence is also presented to demonstrate the claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital twin aims to create a virtual model for a physical structure by combining measurement data in structural health monitoring. The most important feature is to achieve the physical structure-monitoring data synchronization. For this purpose, a physics-data hybrid framework to develop the bridge digital twin model in structural health monitoring is proposed in the paper. The physical base is firstly formed by the finite element model of the digital representation for the physical bridge that can fully incorporate both structural geometry and structural state. The data base is then built by all measurement data of the monitored bridge. By defining the context that is common to both physical base and data base, the mirror relationship between physical base and data base for the specified context is formulated. To achieve the best matching of the mirror relationship by minimizing process, the digital twin model in terms of the specified context can be developed. In such a way, the proposed framework integrates physical knowledge and data intelligence into one model. A demonstration of a simulated simply supported beam is provided to show how the digital twin model is developed by using proposed physics-data hybrid framework. It is found that the generated digital twin model is consistent with the current structural state of the beam. The presented physics-data hybrid framework helps in clearer understanding of the realization of digital twin model in structural health monitoring, providing a new perspective for smart bridge solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The future quantum networks will require reversible coherent conversion and modulation between microwave and optical photons to link the quantum information-processing ability of microwave and long-distance distribution ability of optical photons. Here, we present a scheme of bi-directional phase controllable four-wave mixing (FWM) between microwave and optical fields in the hybrid opto-electromechanical system. As an intermediate interface, a nanomechanical resonator optomechanically couples both optomechanical cavities in the optical and microwave frequency domains by the radiation pressure forces. We can find the four peaks of FWM, study the effects of the phases of the driven fields on the total, absolute, and cross correlation FWMs, and achieve the laws of phase control FWM based on quantum interference. In particular, we believe that such a hybrid opto- and electro-mechanical device incorporating highly coherent and compact mechanical elements on a chip has some potential functions for electro-optic modulation. We expect that such a modulator will have a broad range of applications including in optical communications and further quantum networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expression of transmembrane protein 16 A (TMEM16A), a calcium activated chloride channel, is elevated in some human cancers and impacts tumor cell proliferation, metastasis, and patient outcome. Evidence presented here uncovers a molecular synergy between TMEM16A and mechanistic/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a serine-threonine kinase that is known to promote cell survival and proliferation in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a lethal cancer of the secretory cells of bile ducts. Analysis of gene and protein expression in human CCA tissue and CCA cell line detected elevated TMEM16A expression and Cl- channel activity. The Cl- channel activity of TMEM16A impacted the actin cytoskeleton and the ability of cells to survive, proliferate, and migrate as revealed by pharmacological inhibition studies. The basal activity of mTOR, too, was elevated in the CCA cell line compared with the normal cholangiocytes. Molecular inhibition studies provided further evidence that TMEM16A and mTOR were each able to influence the regulation of the other's activity or expression respectively. Consistent with this reciprocal regulation, combined TMEM16A and mTOR inhibition produced a greater loss of CCA cell survival and migration than their individual inhibition alone. Together these data reveal that the aberrant TMEM16A expression and cooperation with mTOR contribute to a certain advant-age in CCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetylhydrazine (AcHZ), a major human metabolite of the widely-used anti-tuberculosis drug isoniazid (INH), was considered to be responsible for its serious hepatotoxicity and potentially fatal liver injury. It has been proposed that reactive radical species produced from further metabolic activation of AcHZ might be responsible for its hepatotoxicity. However, the exact nature of such radical species remains not clear. Through complementary applications of ESR spin-trapping and HPLC/MS methods, here we show that the initial N-centered radical intermediate can be detected and identified from AcHZ activated by transition metal ions (Mn(III)Acetate and Mn(III) pyrophosphate) and myeloperoxidase. The exact location of the radical was found to be at the distal-nitrogen of the hydrazine group by 15N-isotope-labeling techniques via using 15N-labeled AcHZ we synthesized. Additionally, the secondary C-centered radical was identified unequivocally as the reactive acetyl radical by complementary applications of ESR spin-trapping and persistent radical TEMPO trapping coupled with HPLC/MS analysis. This study represents the first detection and unequivocal identification of the initial N-centered radical and its exact location, as well as the reactive secondary acetyl radical. These findings should provide new perspectives on the molecular mechanism of AcHZ activation, which may have potential biomedical and toxicological significance for future research on the mechanism of INH-induced hepatotoxicity. [Display omitted] • N-centered radical of AcHZ was identified by both ESR and HPLC/MS methods. • N-centered radical was identified on the distal-N by 15N-labeled technique. • The adduct of acetyl radical with biomolecules was identified by HPLC/MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with non-redundant manipulators, the self-motion of 7-DOF redundant manipulators results in an infinite number of inverse kinematics solutions for a desired end-effector pose. This paper proposes an efficient and accurate analytical solution for inverse kinematics of SSRMS-type redundant manipulators. This solution is applicable to SRS-type manipulators with the same configuration. The proposed method involves introducing an alignment constraint to restrain the self-motion and to decompose the spatial inverse kinematics problem into three independent planar subproblems simultaneously. The resulting geometric equations depend on the part of the joint angles, respectively. These equations are then computed recursively and efficiently using the sequences of (θ 1 , θ 7) , (θ 2 , θ 6) , and (θ 3 , θ 4 , θ 5) , generating up to sixteen sets of solutions for a given desired end-effector pose. Additionally, two complementary methods are proposed for overcoming the possible singular configuration and judging unsolvable poses. Finally, numerical simulations are conducted to investigate the performance of the proposed approach in terms of average calculation time, success rate, average position error, and the ability to plan a trajectory with singular configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large-conductance, Ca2+-, and voltage-activated K+ (BK) channel consists of the pore-forming α (BKα) subunit and regulatory β and γ subunits. The γ1–3 subunits facilitate BK channel activation by shifting the voltage-dependence of channel activation toward the hyperpolarization direction by about 50–150 mV in the absence of Ca2+. We previously found that the intracellular C-terminal positively charged regions of the γ subunits play important roles in BK channel modulation. In this study, we found that the intracellular C-terminal region of BKα is indispensable in BK channel modulation by the γ1 subunit. Notably, synthetic peptide mimics of the γ1–3 subunits’ C-terminal positively charged regions caused 30–50 mV shifts in BKα channel voltage-gating toward the hyperpolarization direction. The cationic cell–penetrating HIV-1 Tat peptide exerted a similar BK channel–activating effect. The BK channel–activating effects of the synthetic peptides were reduced in the presence of Ca2+ and markedly ablated by both charge neutralization of the Ca2+-bowl site and high ionic strength, suggesting the involvement of electrostatic interactions. The efficacy of the γ subunits in BK channel modulation was reduced by charge neutralization of the Ca2+-bowl site. However, BK channel modulation by the γ1 subunit was little affected by high ionic strength and the positively charged peptide remained effective in BK channel modulation in the presence of the γ1 subunit. These findings identify positively charged peptides as BK channel modulators and reveal a role for the Ca2+-bowl site in BK channel modulation by positively charged peptides and the C-terminal positively charged regions of auxiliary γ subunits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The restricted posture and unrestricted compliance brought by the controller during human–exoskeleton interaction (HEI) can cause patients to lose balance or even fall. In this article, a self-coordinated velocity vector (SCVV) double-layer controller with balance-guiding ability was developed for a lower-limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robot (LLRER). In the outer loop, an adaptive trajectory generator that follows the gait cycle was devised to generate a harmonious hip–knee reference trajectory on the non-time-varying (NTV) phase space. In the inner loop, velocity control was adopted. By searching the minimum L2 norm between the reference phase trajectory and the current configuration, the desired velocity vectors in which encouraged and corrected effects can be self-coordinated according to the L2 norm were obtained. In addition, the controller was simulated using an electromechanical coupling model, and relevant experiments were carried out with a self-developed exoskeleton device. Both simulations and experiments validated the effectiveness of the controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The emergency of Omicron variants, spreading in China and worldwide, has sparked a new wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The high infectivity and persistence of the pandemic may trigger some degrees of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for nursing students experiencing indirect trauma exposure to the epidemic, which hinders the role transition from students to qualified nurses and exacerbates the health workforce shortage. Thus, it's well worth an exploration to understand PTSD and its underlying mechanism. Specifically, PTSD, social support, resilience, and fear of COVID-19 were selected after widely literature review. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between social support and PTSD among nursing students during COVID-19, to address the mediating role of resilience and fear of COVID-19 between social support and PTSD, and to provide practical guidance for nursing students' psychological intervention. Methods: From April 26 to April 30, 2022, 966 nursing students from Wannan Medical College were selected by the multistage sampling method to fill the Primary Care PTSD Screen for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), Brief Resilience Scale, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and Oslo 3 Items Social Support Scale. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, spearman's correlation analysis, regression analysis, and path analysis. Results: 15.42% of nursing students had PTSD. There were significant correlations between social support, resilience, fear of COVID-19, and PTSD (r =-0.291 ~ 0.353, P <0.001). Social support had a direct negative effect on PTSD (β =-0.216; 95% confidence interval, CI: -0.309~-0.117), accounting for 72.48% of the total effect. Analysis of mediating effects revealed that social support influenced PTSD through three indirect pathways: the mediated effect of resilience was statistically significant (β =-0.053; 95% CI: -0.077~-0.031), accounting for 17.79% of the total effect; the mediated effect of fear of COVID-19 was statistically significant (β =-0.016; 95% CI: -0.031~-0.003), accounting for 5.37% of the total effect; the chain mediating effect of resilience and fear of COVID-19 was statistically significant (β =-0.013; 95% CI: -0.022~-0.006), accounting for 4.36% of the total effect. Conclusion: The social support of nursing students not only directly affects PTSD, but also indirectly affects PTSD through the separate and chain mediating effect of resilience and fear of COVID-19. The compound strategies targeted at boosting perceived social support, fostering resilience, and controlling fear of COVID-19 are warranted for reducing PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purposes: The purposes of this discrete choice experiment are as follows: (1) quantify the relevant characteristics that may affect the follow-up selection of gastric cancer patients after surgery and (2) explore the differences in follow-up preferences of gastric cancer patients at different stages and reveal the change trend of preferences over time, thereby providing references for the formulation and optimization of follow-up strategies. Methods: A survey instrument that was developed using the design principle of a discrete choice experiment investigated gastric cancer patients on the day of discharge, and at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after discharge. In Stata 15.0, a mixed logit model was used to explore the preferences of gastric cancer patients after surgery at different stages, the willingness to pay was calculated, and the NLCOM command was used to simulate the follow-up uptake rates of different attribute levels at different stages. Results: On the day of discharge, and 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after discharge, the most important attribute levels of gastric cancer patients after surgery were “thoroughness-very thorough,” “method-face-to-face,” “thoroughness-very thorough,” and “provider-specialist nurse,” respectively, and patients were willing to pay more for these services. Patients’ preference for the attribute level “very thorough” decreased over time, while their preferences for “specialist doctors” as follow-up providers remained relatively stable. Furthermore, the attribute levels with the greatest effect on receiving the baseline follow-up program varied across stages. Conclusion: The gastric cancer patients’ preferences for follow-up change over time, and the time factor should be considered when developing follow-up strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical diagnosis has high requirements for the resolution of medical images, but most existing medical images super‐ resolution (SR) methods are performed under a known or specific degradation kernel. However, the difference between the actual degradations and their assumed degradation kernels results in a severe performance drop for the advanced SR methods in real applications. This paper proposes a medical image blind super‐resolution model (Med‐BSR) based on an improved degradation process to handle this issue. The model makes each of the degradation factors in medical image blind SR, such as blur, noise, and downsampling, more complex and practical. Specifically, the authors use the random select/combine strategy to randomly arrange and combine the type and order of each degradation factor, which significantly expands the degradation space. The authors also improved the loss function of the primary enhanced super‐resolution generative adversarial networks (ESRGAN) network. The extensive experimental results demonstrate that the authors' designed model can accurately restore the natural degradation process, which can reconstruct high‐quality SR medical images. It also has a good generalization ability to realistic images simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insomnia has become an important issue in recent years. Insomnia is affected by many factors. Previous research has shown that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there would be a long-term negative effect on the mental health of medical college students. The state of medical college students' insomnia directly determines the results of medical education and the career development prospects of the medical students themselves. Therefore, it is very important to understand the insomnia situation of medical students in the post-epidemic era. Methods: This study was conducted 2 years after the global COVID-19 pandemic (April 1-April 23, 2022). The study used an online questionnaire, administered through a web-based survey platform. The Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Fear of COVID‐19 Scale (FCV-19S), GAD-2, PHQ-2, and socio-demographic information were surveyed by the Questionnaire Star platform. Results: The prevalence of insomnia was 27.80% (636/2289). Grade(P < 0.05), age(P < 0.001), loneliness(P < 0.001), depression(P < 0.001), anxiety(P < 0.001), fear of COVID-19 was highly correlated with insomnia (P < 0.001). Adapting to online class(P < 0.001) was a protective factor of smartphone addiction. Conclusions: This survey shows that Insomnia was highly prevalent among the Chinese medical college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments and schools should through psychological interventions to address the current situation of insomnia among medical students, and formulate targeted programs and strategies to reduce their psychological problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupled electron-proton transfer dominates the activity and selectivity of electrochemical CO 2 reduction (CO 2 RR), still the concern on proton-feeding is far from satisfied especially in nitrogen-doped carbonaceous catalysts. Here, we report that pyridinic N cooperated with electron-donating BC 3 provides with strengthened Lewis basicity for favorably electrophilic attack of CO 2 and beneficial electron transfer, while implanted BC 3 trigger water activation for availably proton-feeding, conducting to superior CO production rate on two-step synthesized B and N co-doped porous graphene (t BNPG) over single N-doped reference. Inspired by such cognition, oxygen-containing groups applauded by their charge induced effect, were further decorated on t BNPG but elevating the competitive H 2 evolution (HER). Mechanistic studies illustrate that lateral oxygen functionalities, especially –COOH, deliver BC 3 sites much lower limiting potentials for H 2 O transition to *H, determining whose fate branches to HER versus CO 2 RR. The atomic-level insight paves the cornerstone for the catalysts design of proton-involved electrochemical reactions. [Display omitted] Pyridinic N cooperated with electron-deficient BC 3 is beneficial for accelerating the CEPT process of CO 2 RR by favorably electron-transfer and proton-feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With natural texture and high performance, bamboo scrimber is one of the artificial lignocellulosic composites widely used in construction, furniture and other structural applications. However, it is vulnerable to the actions of water, ultraviolet radiation and fungus, which affect its durability, especially in the open. Here, bamboo was treated with superheated steam in an attempt to improve the durability of bamboo scrimbers. The chemical composition, mechanical properties, dimensional stability, aging resistance, decay resistance and anti-mildew properties were investigated at different temperatures (160~200 °C). After superheated steam treatment, the relative contents of holocellulose and α-cellulose in bamboo decreased. The bending strength and short-beam shearing strength slightly decreased as the temperature was raised while the modulus was essentially retained. The aging resistance in terms of thickness swelling rate (≤9.38%) was substantially improved. The decay resistance reached to the level of Grade I and can be dramatically enhanced by elevating temperature. The anti-mildew properties were also improved. To take together, superheated steam treatment remarkably improves the resistance of bamboo scrimbers to water, ultraviolet radiation, rot fungi and mildew with some concomitant reduction in mechanical properties. The results will permit outdoor construction using bamboo scrimbers more resistant to environmental damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has insidious onset, late clinical diagnosis and high recurrence rate, which leads to poor quality of patient life. Therefore, it is necessary to further explore the pathogenesis and therapy targets of NPC. BUB1 mitotic checkpoint serine/threonine kinase B (BUB1B) was found to be up-regulated in a variety of cancers, but only two previous study showed that BUB1B was overexpressed in NPC and the sample size was small. The clinical role of BUB1B expression and its underlying mechanism in NPC require more in-depth research. Immunohistochemical samples and public RNA-seq data indicated that BUB1B protein and mRNA expression levels were up-regulated in NPC, and summary receiver operating characteristic curve indicated that BUB1B expression level had a strong ability to distinguish NPC tissues from non-NPC tissues. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of genes and genomes were performed and revealed that BUB1B and its related genes were mainly involved in cell cycle and DNA replication. Protein- Protein Interaction were built to interpret the BUB1B molecular mechanism. Histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) could be the upstream regulation factor of BUB1B, which was verified by Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Sequencing samples. In summary, BUB1B was highly expressed in NPC, and HDAC2 may affect cell cycle by regulating BUB1B to promote cancer progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most diazotrophs fix nitrogen only under nitrogen-limiting conditions, for example, in the presence of relatively low concentrations of NH4 + (0 to 2 mM). However, Paenibacillus sabinae T27 exhibits an unusual pattern of nitrogen regulation of nitrogen fixation, since although nitrogenase activities are high under nitrogen-limiting conditions (0 to 3 mM NH4 +) and are repressed under conditions of nitrogen sufficiency (4 to 30 mM NH4 +), nitrogenase activity is reestablished when very high levels of NH4 + (30 to 300 mM) are present in the medium. To further understand this pattern of nitrogen fixation regulation, we carried out transcriptome analyses of P. sabinae T27 in response to increasing ammonium concentrations. As anticipated, the nif genes were highly expressed, either in the absence of fixed nitrogen or in the presence of a high concentration of NH4 + (100 mM), but were subject to negative feedback regulation at an intermediate concentration of NH4 + (10 mM). Among the differentially expressed genes, ald1, encoding alanine dehydrogenase (ADH1), was highly expressed in the presence of a high level of NH4 + (100 mM). Mutation and complementation experiments revealed that ald1 is required for nitrogen fixation at high ammonium concentrations. We demonstrate that alanine, synthesized by ADH1 from pyruvate and NH4 +, inhibits GS activity, leading to a low intracellular glutamine concentration that prevents feedback inhibition of GS and mimics nitrogen limitation, enabling activation of nif transcription by the nitrogen-responsive regulator GlnR in the presence of high levels of extracellular ammonium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustained-release formulations of decoquinate were evaluated for the long-term prophylaxis of malaria. In the initial experiment, mice were protected from liver-stage Plasmodium infection by intramuscular administration of a lipids-based formulation at a dose of decoquinate 200 mg/kg. The mice that were inoculated with Plasmodium berghei sporozoites 34 days after the administration of a one-time drug dose were continuously monitored for 60 days and shown to be free of Plasmodium parasites. The optimized formulation for the sustained release of decoquinate was prepared by hot melt extrusion, constructed by lipids including cholesterol and mono or diglycerides, and had a drug load of 20 to 40% and particle size of 30 to 50 μm. Decoquinate of the lipids-based formulation was slowly released in vitro at a constant rate for the duration of two months, and was examined and continuously exposed at a therapeutic level in the blood for as long as 4 to 6 months. Further evaluation showed that the lipids-based formulation at doses of decoquinate 100 to 150 mg/kg could protect mice from Plasmodium infection for a period of 120 days. It is the first time that cholesterol has been used for a controlled drug delivery system of decoquinate. The results may provide useful information, not only for preparing a formulation of long-acting decoquinate but also in general for developing a controlled drug release system. The one-time administration of pharmaceutical agents in such a slow-release system may serve patients with no concerns about compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report a strategy to prepare a novel ternary dual Z-scheme PCN/BiOCl/CdS photocatalyst by in-situ introducing bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) on porous carbon nitride (PCN) and then depositing cadmium sulfide (CdS). The synthesized PCN/BiOCl/CdS not only has the porous structure of PCN and the wide visible-light absorption range of CdS, but a special morphology and abundant oxygen vacancies of BiOCl under the action of the structure-directing agent ethylene glycol. Through the modulation of oxygen vacancies, the BiOCl in the PCN/BiOCl/CdS can be excited under visible light, thereby further improving its optical properties. The PCN/BiOCl/CdS exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity in oxidative coupling reaction of benzylamine under visible light. The excellent catalytic performance of PCN/BiOCl/CdS photocatalyst was due to high charge separation efficiency, oxygen vacancies and visible light absorption. Finally, we proposed a feasible photocatalytic mechanism for the PCN/BiOCl/CdS in oxidative coupling reaction of benzylamine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Muscle afferent nerve-activated reflex sympathetic nervous and blood pressure responses are exaggerated during exercise in peripheral artery diseases (PAD). However, the precise signaling pathways and molecular mediators responsible for these abnormal autonomic responses in PAD are poorly understood. Our previous study suggests that A-type voltage-gated K+ (KV4) channels regulate the excitability in muscle dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons of PAD rats; however, it is still lacking regarding the effects of PAD on characteristics of KV4 currents and engagement of bradykinin (BK) subtype receptors. Thus, we examined KV4 currents in two distinct muscle DRG neurons, namely isolectin B4-positive and B4-negative (IB4þ and IB4) DRG neurons. IB4þ neurons express receptors for glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), whereas IB4 DRG neurons are depending on nerve growth factors for survival. Our data showed that current density in muscle DRG neurons of PAD rats was decreased and this particularly appeared in IB4þ DRG neurons as compared with IB4 DRG neurons. We also showed that stimulation of BK B1 and B2 receptors led to a greater inhibitory effect on KV4 currents in IB4þ muscle DRG neurons and siRNA knockdown of KV4 subunit KV4.3 decreased the activity of KV4 currents in IB4þ DRG neurons. In conclusion, our data suggest that limb ischemia and/or ischemia-induced BK inhibit activity of KV4 channels in a subpopulation of the thin fiber muscle afferent neurons depending on GDNF, which is likely a part of signaling pathways involved in the exaggerated blood pressure response during activation of muscle afferent nerves in PAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.), known as a traditional soy food which has been used both as nutritional food and herbal medicine over 2000 years. Mung bean polysaccharide, as one of the main active substances of mung bean, has antioxidant, immunomodulatory, hypoglycemic and antibacterial biological activities, which makes it a hot spot for research. This paper reviews the research progress on the extraction methods, structure and biological activities of mung bean polysaccharides. Several commonly used methods for the extraction and purification of mung bean polysaccharides were compared, focusing on the structure and activity of mung bean polysaccharides and the relationship between them. This study can provide references for the subsequent research, production and application of mung bean polysaccharides, and provide a theoretical basis for further development and utilization of mung bean polysaccharides. • Extraction and purification methods of mung bean polysaccharides (MBP) are compared. • Physicochemical properties and structure of MBP are analyzed. • The immunological, antioxidant and anti-diabetes activities of MBP are discussed. • Structure-activity relationship of MBP affected by extraction method are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Little is known the effects of dietary quality (DQ) on kidney transplantation (KTR). We explored the associations between DQ assessed by the Chinese Diet Balance Index 2016 (DBI-16) and overweight or obesity in KTR. Methods and Study Design: KTR aged 18-65 years from Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital were participated in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometric measurements such as body weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and biochemical parameters were measured by standard methods. Dietary intake was assessed by 3-day, 24-hour food records and DQ by DBI-16. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% Cl) for leading to overweight in KTR by the components of DBI-16 and DQ scores. Results: 97 KTR were enrolled and divided into overweight group (BMI ≥24 kg/m², n=35) and non-overweight group (BMI <24 kg/m², n=62) in the study. Compared with non- overweight individuals, overweight individuals took excessive grains, cooking oils, salts and didn't meet the recommended levels of vegetable and fruit intake (p<0.05) assessed by DBI-16. The lower bound score (LBS) was positively associated with overweight (29.7±5.42) in KTR (LBS: OR: 1.099, 95% CI: 1.019-1.185, p=0.014), and the higher bound score (HBS) score was negatively related with overweight (16.0±4.85) in KTR (HBS: OR: 0.903, 95% CI: 0.822-0.992, p=0.034). Combination of LBS and HBS predicted the occurrence of overweight in KTR (AUC: 0.705, p<0.001). Conclusions: Unfavorable DQ, including overall excessive consumption, excessive intake of grains, cooking oils, salts and insufficient intake of vegetable and fruit, was significantly associated with the occurrence of overweight or obesity in KTR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T cell immunoglobulin domain, and mucin domain-3 (Tim-3) is associated with immunosuppression, immune tolerance, and rejection after organ transplantation, but there are no reports of rejection after human liver transplantation. This study aimed to detect Tim-3 expression after liver transplantation to determine whether Tim-3 can be used as a noninvasive index to predict immune rejection. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed on healthy people and patients with liver transplantation to detect Tim-3 and cytokines. Hepatic biochemical test was used to detect liver function. The study conforms to the provisions of the Declaration of Helsinki and Istanbul. The expression of Tim-3, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase increased first and then decreased, whereas the cytokines showed upward trend. There was no significant difference in the expression of Tim-3 between preoperative patients and normal people (P >.05), whereas the expression of Tim-3 was significantly higher on the third day after operation than that before operation (P <.05). The expression of Tim-3, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase peaked only once in most liver transplantation patients, but there were 3 patients that were exceptions. Tim-3 could be used as a potential biomarker to predict rejection after liver transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients with hypertension (pSS-HT) have a significantly increased risk of cardio-cerebrovascular events. Serum uric acid (SUA), a potential inflammatory substance, is considered to be closely related to hypertension in the general population. Our aim is to assess the association between SUA and pSS-HT. This is a retrospective cohort study. The diagnosis of pSS is based on the American European Consensus Classification criteria. Primary outcome was incident hypertension in pSS patients. Cox regression model was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CI of SUA in pSS-HT. The authors also plotted Kaplan-Meier plots to assess the cumulative risk of first hypertension in patients with hyperuricemia and normal uric acid. In addition, the dose-response curve was also used to discuss the relationship between SUA and pSS-HT. Finally, three hundred and fifty-one pSS patients were enrolled from May 2011 to May 2020, of which 166 cases developed hypertension within a mean follow-up of 3.91 years. Univariate Cox regression demonstrated that SUA was associated with the onset of hypertension in pSS (HR: 1.005 95%Cl: 1.002-1.009). After adjusting for the potential risk factors, the relationship remained unchanged (HR: 1.003, 95%Cl: 1.001-1.005). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a statistically significant difference of hypertension risk between hyperuricemia patients and normal uric acid patients (P = .026). There was also a significant dose-effect relationship between SUA and hypertension in pSS in dose-response model. In this study, the authors find that SUA may be closely associated with the development of hypertension in pSS, which is also confirmed by our dose-response model. Therefore, SUA could be considered in the management of pSS-HT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More and more evidence suggests the oncogenic function of overexpressed CDC28 protein kinase regulatory subunit 2 (CKS2) in various human cancers. However, CKS2 has rarely been studied in cervical cancer. Herein, taking advantage of massive genetics data from multicenter RNA-seq and microarrays, we were the first group to perform tissue microarrays for CKS2 in cervical cancer. We were also the first to evaluate the clinical significance of CKS2 with large samples (980 cervical cancer cases and 422 noncancer cases). We further excavated the mechanism of the tumor-promoting activities of CKS2 in cervical cancer through analysis of genetic mutation profiles, Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) significant enrichment of genes coexpressed with CKS2. According to the results, expression data from multilevels unanimously supported the overexpression of CKS2 in cervical cancer. Patients with cervical cancer in stage II from inhouse microarrays had significantly higher expression of CKS2, and CKS2 overexpression had an adverse impact on the disease-free survival status of cervical cancer patients in GSE44001. Both mutation types of mRNA high and mRNA low appeared in cervical cancer cases from the TCGA Firehose project. Gene coexpressed with CKS2 participated in pathways including the cell cycle, estrogen signaling pathway, and DNA replication. In summary, upregulated CKS2 is closely associated with the malignant clinical development of cervical cancer and might serve as a valuable therapeutic target in cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coinfection with HIV and Plasmodium parasites is fairly common, but the sequence of infection with these two pathogens and their impact on disease progression are poorly understood. Methods: A Chinese rhesus macaque HIV and Plasmodium coinfection model was established to compare the impact of pre-existing and subsequent malaria on the progression of SIV infection. Results: We found that a pre-existing malaria caused animals to produce a greater number of CD4+CCR5+ T cells for SIV replication, resulting in higher viral loads. Conversely, subsequent malaria induced a substantially larger proportion of CD4+CD28highCD95high central memory T cells and a stronger SIV-specific T cell response, maintained the repertoire diversity of SIV-specific T cell receptors, and generated new SIV-specific T cell clonotypes to trace SIV antigenic variation, resulting in improved survival of SIV-infected animals. Conclusion: The complex outcomes of this study may have important implications for research on human HIV and malaria coinfection. The infection order of the two pathogens (HIV and malaria parasites) should be emphasized. 41xUPjAsGDR_p5XJNXr9fi Video abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe an efficient domain decomposition-based framework for nonlinear multiscale PDE problems. The framework is inspired by manifold learning techniques and exploits the tangent spaces spanned by the nearest neighbors to compress local solution manifolds. Our framework is applied to a semilinear elliptic equation with oscillatory media and a nonlinear radiative transfer equation; in both cases, significant improvements in efficacy are observed. This new method does not rely on a detailed analytical understanding of multiscale PDEs, such as their asymptotic limits, and thus is more versatile for general multiscale problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence indicate that neuroinflammation triggered by glial cells plays a significant role in epileptogenesis. To this effect, the overexpression of translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) in activated microglia and astrocytes has been identified as an inflammatory biomarker in epilepsy. It is now possible to quantify neuroinflammation using non-invasive positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of TSPO. With the advancement of radiotracers, TSPO PET has become an innovative tool in elucidating the "neuroinflammatory machinery" of drug-resistant epilepsy. Furthermore, TSPO PET has demonstrated potential in detecting MRI-negative epileptogenic zones (EZ) and provided an innovative perspective in epileptic medical treatment. This manuscript presents a comprehensive exploration of the neuroinflammatory mechanisms of epilepsy, alongside a thorough review of TSPO PET studies conducted in clinical and preclinical settings. The primary objective is to deepen our understanding of epilepsy progression and to establish TSPO PET as an effective monitoring tool for treatment efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch is a copolymer with unique physicochemical characteristics, is known for its low cost, easy degradability, renewable and easy availability. However, natural starches have some undesirable properties such as poor solubility, poor functional properties, lower resistant starch content with reduced retrogradation, and poor stability under various temperatures, pH, which limit their application in food. Different modification methods are used to improve its performance and expand its application. Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate why the addition of small amounts of polysaccharides affects the properties of starch pastes and gels. The application of polysaccharide-modified starch can be seen in the pasting, rheology, texture and in vitro digestive properties of starch gels. The main influencing factors include different starches, different specific polysaccharides, and different methods of preparation of composite pastes and gels. This paper reviews the changes in the properties of starch in terms of pasting, rheology, texture and in vitro digestion after modification with polysaccharides and the mechanism of polysaccharide action on starch. • Advances of polysaccharides on improving the undesirable properties of starch are reviewed. • Mechanism of polysaccharides-starch hybrid system interactions is presented. • Trends in the in vitro digestion of starch by polysaccharides are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lysine malonylation is a post-translational modification (PTM), which regulates many cellular processes. Limited information is available about the level of lysine malonylation variations between Toxoplasma gondii strains of distinct genetic lineages. Yet, insights in such variations are needed to understand the extent to which lysine malonylation contributes to the differences in the virulence and repertoire of virulence factors between T. gondii genotypes. In this study, we profiled lysine malonylation in T. gondii using quantitative liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and immuno-affinity purification. This analysis was performed on three T. gondii strains with distinctive pathogenicity in mice, including RH strain (type I), PRU strain (type II), and VEG strain (type III). In total, 111 differentially malonylated proteins and 152 sites were upregulated, and 17 proteins and 17 sites were downregulated in RH strain versus PRU strain; 50 proteins and 59 sites were upregulated, 50 proteins and 53 sites were downregulated in RH strain versus VEG strain; and 72 proteins and 90 sites were upregulated, and 7 proteins and 8 sites were downregulated in VEG strain versus PRU strain. Differentially malonylated proteins were involved in key processes, such as those mediating the regulation of protein metabolism, stress response, glycolysis, and actin cytoskeleton. These results reveal an association between lysine malonylation and intra-species virulence differences in T. gondii and offer a new resource for elucidating the contribution of lysine malonylation to energy metabolism and virulence in T. gondii. Author summary: Lysine malonylation has been shown to play important roles in various biological processes in Toxoplasma gondii. Here, we used quantitative liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and immuno-affinity purification to test the hypothesis that lysine malonylation underpins the inter-genotype differences in the virulence of T. gondii. Several up-regulated and down- regulated malonylated proteins were identified in the tachyzoites of RH (type I) strain, PRU (type II) strain, and VEG (type III) strain. Differentially regulated malonylated proteins were enriched in many biological and metabolic pathways, and were found to contribute T. gondii energy metabolism, stress response, and infectivity, suggesting the role of lysine malonylation in the regulation of T. gondii virulence. These findings expand our knowledge of lysine malonylation in T. gondii and provide more insight into the mechanisms mediating the virulence differences between T. gondii strains of different genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In computational PDE-based inverse problems, a finite amount of data is collected to infer unknown parameters in the PDE. In order to obtain accurate inferences, the collected data must be informative about the unknown parameters. How to decide which data is most informative and how to efficiently sample it is the notoriously challenging task of optimal experimental design (OED). In this context, the best, and often infeasible, scenario is when the full input-to-output (ItO) map, i.e., an infinite amount of data, is available: This is the typical setting in many theoretical inverse problems, which is used to guarantee the unique parameter reconstruction. These two different settings have created a gap between computational and theoretical inverse problems, where finite and infinite amounts of data are used, respectively. In this article we aim to bridge this gap while circumventing the OED task. This is achieved by exploiting the structures of the ItO data from the underlying inverse problem, using the electrical impedance tomography (EIT) problem as an example. To accomplish our goal, we leverage the rank structure of the EIT model and formulate the ItO matrix-the discretized ItO map-as an scrH-matrix whose off-diagonal blocks are low rank. This suggests that, when equipped with the matrix completion technique, one can recover the full ItO matrix, with high probability, from a subset of its entries sampled following the rank structure: The data in the diagonal blocks is informative and should be fully sampled, while data in the off-diagonal blocks can be subsampled. This recovered ItO matrix is then utilized to present the full ItO map up to a discretization error, paving the way to connect with the problem in the theoretical setting where the unique reconstruction of parameters is guaranteed. This strategy achieves two goals: (I) it bridges the gap between the finite- and infinite-dimensional settings for numerical and theoretical inverse problems and (II) it improves the quality of computational inverse solutions. We detail the theory for the EIT model and provide numerical verification to both EIT and optical tomography problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerald is among the most valuable gems in the world. Over the past decade, its commercial value and geographic origin have been the focus of gemological and geological research. In this study, emerald samples from India were examined by UV-Vis-NIR, FTIR, Raman spectra analysis, EPMA, and LA-ICP-MS. Hexagonal three- and multi-phase inclusions are first reported in Indian emeralds, containing gas bubbles (CO2 or CO2 + CH4), water or liquid mixtures of H2O + CO2, and solid phases inclusions (rounded crystals of siderite and dolomite, platelets of phlogopite, and magnesite). Mineral inclusions in Indian emeralds typically included phlogopite, quartz, talc, aragonite, and albite. The representative UV-Vis-NIR spectra show a distinct Fe absorption band, and one of the more typical characteristics of Indian emeralds is that the absorption strength of Fe3+ (369 nm) and Fe2+ (851 nm) is greater than that of Cr3+ (426, 606, 635, and 680 nm). Infrared spectra show that the absorption of type II H2O is stronger than that of type I H2O. LA-ICP-MS results show that Indian emeralds contain high alkali metals (10,503–16,964 ppmw; avg. 13,942 ppmw), moderate Fe (2451–4153 ppmw; avg. 3468 ppmw), low V (37–122 ppmw; avg. 90 ppmw), and the content of Cr (106–6310 ppmw) varies in a wide range. From a greenish-white core to a medium-green rim, the content of Fe, V, Cr, Sc, Cs, Rb, and Ga gradually increases in emerald with color band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpine snowfall is an important source of water for arid areas. To investigate the history of alpine snowfall beyond instrumental records, we developed a tree-ring α-cellulose oxygen isotope (δ18O) chronology of Schrenk spruce (Picea schrenkiana Fisch. et Mey) for the period 1850–2015 using samples from timberline in southern Kazakhstan. We find that the tree-ring δ18O chronology is significantly negatively correlated with alpine snowfall of the previous year. The δ18O chronology accounts for 46.4% of the observed variance in winter precipitation (1977–2014), and was therefore used to reconstruct alpine snowfall of the previous winter (WP). The alpine snowfall reconstruction reveals that the WP has increased significantly in southern Kazakhstan over the past 166 years, at a rate of 1.7 mm/decade. Prior to the 1910s, there was relatively less alpine snowfall; since the 1920s, there has been more. The WP reconstruction indicates that alpine snowfall increased during the 1860–1880s, 1910–1920s, 1940–1950s, and from the 1980s to present, and decreased during the other decades. Since the 1980s, alpine snowfall of southern Kazakhstan continues and increases rapidly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The subcutaneous (S-) implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is an alternative to the transvenous (TV-) ICD that is increasingly implanted in younger patients; data on the safety and effectiveness of the S-ICD in older patients are lacking.Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes among older patients who received an S- or TV-ICD.Methods: The authors compared S-ICD and single-chamber TV-ICD implants in Fee-For-Service Medicare beneficiaries using the National Cardiovascular Data Registry ICD Registry. Outcomes were ascertained from Medicare claims data. Cox regression or competing-risk models (with TV-ICD as reference) with overlap weights were used to compare death and nonfatal outcomes (device reoperation, device removal for infection, device reoperation without infection, and cardiovascular admission), respectively. Recurrent all-cause readmissions were compared using Anderson-Gill models.Results: A total of 16,063 patients were studied (age 72.6 ± 5.9 years, 28.4% women, ejection fraction 28.3 ± 8.9%). Compared with TV-ICD patients (n = 15,072), S-ICD patients (n = 991, 6.2% overall) were more often Black, younger, and dialysis dependent and less likely to have history of atrial fibrillation or flutter. In adjusted analyses, there were no differences between device type and risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 1.020; 95% CI: 0.819-1.270), device reoperation (subdistribution [s] HR: 0.976; 95% CI: 0.645-1.479), device removal for infection (sHR: 0.614; 95% CI: 0.138-2.736), device reoperation without infection (sHR: 0.975; 95% CI: 0.632-1.506), cardiovascular readmission (sHR: 1.087; 95% CI: 0.912-1.295), or recurrent all-cause readmission (HR: 1.072; 95% CI: 0.990-1.161).Conclusions: In a large representative national cohort of older patients undergoing ICD implantation, risk of death, device reoperation, device removal for infection, device reoperation without infection, and cardiovascular and all-cause readmission were similar among S- and TV-ICD recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As high-conductance calcium- and voltage-dependent potassium channels, BK channels consist of pore-forming, voltage-, and Ca2+-sensing α and auxiliary subunits. The leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain-containing auxiliary γ subunits potently modulate the voltage dependence of BK channel activation. Despite their dominant size in whole protein masses, the function of the LRR domain in BK channel γ subunits is unknown. We here investigated the function of these LRR domains in BK channel modulation by the auxiliary γ1-3 (LRRC26, LRRC52, and LRRC55) subunits. Using cell surface protein immunoprecipitation, we validated the predicted extracellular localization of the LRR domains. We then refined the structural models of mature proteins on the membrane via molecular dynamic simulations. By replacement of the LRR domain with extracellular regions or domains of non-LRR proteins, we found that the LRR domain is nonessential for the maximal channel-gating modulatory effect but is necessary for the all-or-none phenomenon of BK channel modulation by the γ1 subunit. Mutational and enzymatic blockade of N-glycosylation in the γ1-3 subunits resulted in a reduction or loss of BK channel modulation by γ subunits. Finally, by analyzing their expression in whole cells and on the plasma membrane, we found that blockade of N-glycosylation drastically reduced total expression of the γ2 subunit and the cell surface expression of the γ1 and γ3 subunits. We conclude that the LRR domains play key roles in the regulation of the expression, cell surface trafficking, and channel-modulation functions of the BK channel γ subunits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. This study was aimed at elucidating the molecular biological mechanisms of microRNA-1 (miR-1) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Method. In this study, we performed a pooled analysis of miR-1 expression data derived from public databases, such as GEO, ArrayExpress, TCGA, and GTEx. The miRWalk 2.0 database, combined with the mRNA microarray datasets, was used to screen the target genes, and the genes were then subjected to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis using the DAVID 6.8 database. We then used the STRING 11.0 database and Cytoscape 3.80 software to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network for screening hub genes. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was further used to validate the expression of hub genes. Finally, potential therapeutic agents for NPC were screened by the Connectivity Map (cMap) database. Results. Pooled analysis showed that miR-1 expression was significantly decreased in NPC (SMD = − 0.57 ; P < 0.05). The summary receiver operating characteristic curve suggested that miR-1 had a good ability to distinguish cancerous tissues from noncancerous tissues (AUC = 0.78). The results of GO analysis focused on mitotic nuclear division, DNA replication, cell division, cell adhesion, extracellular space, kinesin complex, and extracellular matrix (ECM) structural constituent. The KEGG analysis suggested that the target genes played a role in key signaling pathways, such as cell cycle, focal adhesion, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, ECM-receptor interaction, and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The PPI network suggested that cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) was the hub gene, and the CDK1 protein was subsequently confirmed to be significantly upregulated in NPC tissues by IHC. Finally, potential therapeutic drugs, such as masitinib, were obtained by the cMap database. Conclusion. miR-1 may play a vital part in NPC tumorigenesis and progression by regulating focal adhesion kinase to participate in cell mitosis, regulating ECM degradation, and affecting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. miR-1 has the potential to be a therapeutic target for NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]