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Objective • This study was to analyze and compare the clinical efficacy of open reduction and internal fixation through posterolateral and the posterior medial approach to treat Haraguchi Type II posterior malleolar fracture. Methods • The clinical data of 91 patients with trimalleolar fractures sent to our hospital from January 2018 to January 2020 were analyzed. All of the patients were the result of traumatic injuries, such as sprains or car accidents. All patients were treated with open reduction and internal fixation and divided into control group and observation group according to different surgical approaches. Forty-five cases were treated with the posterolateral approach(control group) and forty-six cases treated with the posteriormedial approach(observation group) . The operation status of the two groups (operating time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, and hospital stay), postoperative status (visual analogue scale (VAS) before the operation, 1d, 3d and 7d after operation), the score of patient’s American orthopedic foot and ankle society (AOFAS) at the time of discharge, fracture healing time and full weight-bearing time), efficacy and safety were recorded. Results • All cases underwent surgery, with no significant difference in the time from fracture to surgery between the control and observation groups (P > .05). Compared to the control group, the operating time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, and hospital stay in the observation group were significantly reduced (P < .05). One day after the operation, no significant difference was shown in VAS between 2 groups (P > .05), while AOFAS score in the observation group was significantly increased (P < .05). Three and 7 days after the operation, VAS, fracture healing time, and full weight-bearing time were significantly decreased in both groups (P < .05). In the control group, the cases with excellent, good, fair, and poor efficacy were 26, 8, 5, 6, with an acceptable rate of 86.67% (39/45). In the observation group, the cases with excellent, good, fair, and poor efficacy were 29, 10, 5, and 2, with an acceptable rate of 95.65% (44/46). There was no significant difference in efficacy between the 2 groups (P > .05). During the follow-up time of 12~27 months (the median time of 18.5 months), all patients showed first-stage grade A healing, and osseous union with good fixation position and no fracture, deformation, loosening or prolapse, and no sural nerve injury or incision infection occurred. Conclusion • Both the posterolateral approach and posterior medial approach open reduction and internal fixation can be used to treat Haraguchi type II posterior malleolus fractures, with good efficacy and safety. The posterior medial approach showed faster recovery and less damage than the posterolateral approach. Overall, the posterolateral approach is more dominant in the treatment of Haraguchi Type II posterior malleolar fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The perceptions and attitudes of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients towards pregnancy may affect their fertility plan and disease progression. We performed a nationwide multicenter survey of pregnancy‐related knowledge among gastroenterologists and IBD patients in China to investigate whether specific educational interventions could improve their understanding and broadly influence fertility plan. Methods: A cross‐sectional questionnaire regarding pregnancy‐specific knowledge was carried out among 63 IBD centers in China. Questionnaires were collected from 185 physicians and 609 patients. The patients then received education regarding pregnancy during IBD and filled in the same questionnaire again. Their knowledge regarding pregnancy during IBD was compared before and after education. Results: Compared to physicians, patients' knowledge regarding fertility (39.1% vs 70.8%), imaging examinations (22.8% vs 72.4%), endoscopy performed during pregnancy (19.9% vs 71.4%), and vaccination for infants (16.6% vs 46.5%) was significantly more limited (all P < 0.001). There was a lack of knowledge among gastroenterologists regarding the delivery mode (36.8%), medications (36.8%), and emergency surgery (26.5%) during pregnancy in patients with IBD. After education, the patients showed significant improvement in knowledge regarding medications (26.7% vs 51.7%), fertility (45.0% vs 63.3%), heritability (40.0% vs 58.3%), indications for emergency surgery (15.0% vs 53.3%), imaging examinations during pregnancy (20.0% vs 40.0%), and vaccinations for infants (26.7% vs 45.0%) (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: Pregnancy‐specific IBD knowledge needs to be improved among certain gastroenterologists and patients in China. Educational interventions can partially improve the knowledge levels of the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic visceral pain is a common symptom of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Exosomes are involved in the development of pain. Rab27a can mediate the release of exosomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate how Rab27a-mediated exosome secretion in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) regulates visceral hyperalgesia induced with neonatal maternal deprivation (NMD) in adult mice. The colorectal distension method was adopted to measure visceral pain. The BCA protein assay kit was applied to detect the exosome protein concentration. Western blotting, quantitative PCR, and immunofluorescence technique were adopted to detect the expression of Rab27a and the markers of exosomes. Exosomes extracted from ACC were more in NMD mice than in control (CON) mice. Injection of the exosome-specific inhibitor GW4869 in ACC attenuated colorectal visceral pain of NMD mice. Injection of NMD-derived exosomes produced colorectal visceral pain in CON mice. Rab27a was upregulated in ACC of NMD mice. Rab27a was highly expressed in ACC neurons of NMD mice, rather than astrocytes and microglia. Injection of Rab27a-siRNA reduced the release of exosomes and attenuated the colorectal visceral pain in NMD mice. This study suggested that overexpression of Rab27a increased exosome secretion in ACC neurons, thus contributing to visceral hyperalgesia in NMD mice. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This work demonstrated that the expression of Rab27a in the anterior cingulate cortex was upregulated, which mediated multivesicular bodies trafficking to the plasma membrane and led to the increased release of neuronal exosomes, thus contributing to colorectal visceral pain in neonatal maternal deprivation (NMD) mice. Blocking the release of exosomes or downregulation of Rab27a could alleviate colorectal visceral pain in NMD mice. These data may provide a promising strategy for the treatment of visceral pain in irritable bowel syndrome patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolutionary history of herbaceous species in the Northern Hemisphere remains poorly understood. The genus Cerastium is one of the most species-rich herbaceous genera in the Alsineae (Caryophyllaceae), and is mainly distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. Thus, it provides an ideal opportunity to explore the biogeographical history of herbs in the Northern Hemisphere. Here, we present a comprehensive phylogenetic tree for Cerastium with 75 species based on one nuclear and five plastid DNA markers. We then use an integrated phylogenetic, molecular dating, biogeographical, and diversification rate method to examine the spatiotemporal evolution of Cerastium. Cerastium is strongly supported as monophyletic and contains three major clades (Orthodon, Strephodon, and C. fragillimum). Cerastium originated from Europe in the middle Miocene (c. 13.45 million years ago), and subsequently colonized the New World, Africa, Asia, and Australasia through multiple intercontinental dispersal events. The dispersal of Cerastium from Europe (to both the East and West) and subsequent diversifications contributed to the formation of its contemporary Holarctic distribution pattern. The genus experienced rapid lineage accumulation during the late Miocene, possibly coinciding with a global decrease in temperature. These findings highlight the importance of the Northern Hemisphere in herbaceous species diversification in the late Miocene and Pliocene, and will deepen our understanding of the evolution of herbaceous plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the associations between particulate matter (PM), lung function and Impulse Oscillometry System (IOS) parameters in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and identity effects between different regions in Beijing, China. Methods: In this retrospective study, we recruited 1348 outpatients who visited hospitals between January 2016 and December 2019. Ambient air pollutant data were obtained from the central monitoring stations nearest the participants' residential addresses. We analyzed the effect of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5) exposure on lung function and IOS parameters using a multiple linear regression model, adjusting for sex, smoking history, education level, age, body mass index (BMI), mean temperature, and relative humidity. Results: The results showed a relationship between PM2.5, lung function and IOS parameters. An increase of 10 µg/m3 in PM2.5 was associated with a decline of 2.083% (95% CI: −3.047 to − 1.103) in forced expiratory volume in one second /predict (FEV1%pred), a decline of 193 ml/s (95% CI: −258 to − 43) in peak expiratory flow (PEF), a decline of 0.932% (95% CI: −1.518 to − 0.342) in maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF); an increase of 0.732 Hz (95% CI: 0.313 to 1.148) in resonant frequency (Fres), an increase of 36 kpa/(ml/s) (95% CI: 14 to 57) in impedance at 5 Hz (Z5) and an increase of 31 kpa/(ml/s) (95% CI: 2 to 54) in respiratory impedance at 5 Hz (R5). Compared to patients in the central district, those in the southern district had lower FEV1/FVC, FEV1%pred, PEF, FEF75%, MMEF, X5, and higher Fres, Z5 and R5 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Short-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with reductions in lung function indices and an increase in IOS results in patients with COPD. The heavier the PM2.5, the more severe of COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to clarify the association between air pollution and hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and mortality in Beijing, China. Methods: In this retrospective study, we recruited 510 COPD patients from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2009. The patient data were obtained from the electronic medical records of Peking University Third Hospital in Beijing. Air pollution and meteorological data were obtained from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Monthly COPD hospital admissions, mortality and air pollution data were analysed using Poisson regression in generalised additive models adjusted for mean temperature, pressure and relative humidity. Results: There were positive correlations between sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM10) and COPD hospital admissions in the single‐pollutant model. An increase of 10 μg/m3 in SO2 and PM10 were associated with an increase of 4.053% (95% CI: 1.470–5.179%) and 1.401% (95%CI: 0.6656–1.850%) in COPD hospital admissions. In the multiple‐pollutant model [SO2 and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) combinations], there was only a positive correlation between SO2 and COPD hospital admissions. An increase of 10 μg/m3 in SO2 were associated with an increase of 1.916% (95% CI: 1.118–4.286%) in COPD hospital admissions. There was no correlation between three pollutant combinations and COPD hospital admissions. We did not find correlations between air pollution and COPD mortality in either single‐ or multiple‐pollutant models. Conclusions: SO2 and PM10 may be important factors for the increase in COPD hospital admissions in Beijing, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational engineering active sites and vantage defects of catalysts are promising but grand challenging task to enhance photoreduction CO2 to high value‐added C2 products. In this study, we designed an N,S‐codoped Fe‐based MIL‐88B catalyst with well‐defined bipyramidal hexagonal prism morphology via a facile and effective process, which was synthesized by addition of appropriate 1,2‐benzisothiazolin‐3‐one (BIT) and acetic acid to the reaction solution. Under simulated solar irradiation, the designed catalyst exhibits high C2H4 evolution yield of 17.7 μmol g−1⋅h, which has been rarely achieved in photocatalytic CO2 reduction process. The synergistic effect of Fe‐N coordinated sites and reasonable defects in the N,S‐codoped photocatalyst can accelerate the migration of photogenerated carriers, resulting in high electron density, and this in turn helps to facilitate the formation and dimerization of C−C coupling intermediates for C2H4 effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational engineering active sites and vantage defects of catalysts are promising but grand challenging task to enhance photoreduction CO2 to high value‐added C2 products. In this study, we designed an N,S‐codoped Fe‐based MIL‐88B catalyst with well‐defined bipyramidal hexagonal prism morphology via a facile and effective process, which was synthesized by addition of appropriate 1,2‐benzisothiazolin‐3‐one (BIT) and acetic acid to the reaction solution. Under simulated solar irradiation, the designed catalyst exhibits high C2H4 evolution yield of 17.7 μmol g−1⋅h, which has been rarely achieved in photocatalytic CO2 reduction process. The synergistic effect of Fe‐N coordinated sites and reasonable defects in the N,S‐codoped photocatalyst can accelerate the migration of photogenerated carriers, resulting in high electron density, and this in turn helps to facilitate the formation and dimerization of C−C coupling intermediates for C2H4 effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) related chronic visceral pain affects 20% of people worldwide. The treatment options are very limited. Although the scholarly reviews have appraised the potential effects of the intestinal microbiota on intestinal motility and sensation, the exact mechanism of intestinal microbiota in IBS-like chronic visceral pain remains largely unclear. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether Folic Acid (FA) attenuated visceral pain and its possible mechanisms. Chronic visceral hyperalgesia was induced in rats by neonatal colonic inflammation (NCI). 16S rDNA analysis of fecal samples from human subjects and rats was performed. Patch clamp recording was used to determine synaptic transmission of colonic-related spinal dorsal horn. Alpha diversity of intestinal flora was increased in patients with IBS, as well as the obviously increased abundance of Clostridiales order (a main bacteria producing hydrogen sulfide). The hydrogen sulfide content was positive correlation with visceral pain score in patients with IBS. Consistently, NCI increased Clostridiales frequency and hydrogen sulfide content in feces of adult rats. Notably, the concentration of FA was markedly decreased in peripheral blood of IBS patients compared with non-IBS human subjects. FA supplement alleviated chronic visceral pain and normalized the Clostridiales frequency in NCI rats. In addition, FA supplement significantly reduced the frequency of sEPSCs of neurons in the spinal dorsal horn of NCI rats. Folic Acid treatment attenuated chronic visceral pain of NCI rats through reducing hydrogen sulfide production from Clostridiales in intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) related chronic visceral pain affects 20% of people worldwide. The treatment options are very limited. Although the scholarly reviews have appraised the potential effects of the intestinal microbiota on intestinal motility and sensation, the exact mechanism of intestinal microbiota in IBS-like chronic visceral pain remains largely unclear. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether Folic Acid (FA) attenuated visceral pain and its possible mechanisms. Chronic visceral hyperalgesia was induced in rats by neonatal colonic inflammation (NCI). 16S rDNA analysis of fecal samples from human subjects and rats was performed. Patch clamp recording was used to determine synaptic transmission of colonic-related spinal dorsal horn. Alpha diversity of intestinal flora was increased in patients with IBS, as well as the obviously increased abundance of Clostridiales order (a main bacteria producing hydrogen sulfide). The hydrogen sulfide content was positive correlation with visceral pain score in patients with IBS. Consistently, NCI increased Clostridiales frequency and hydrogen sulfide content in feces of adult rats. Notably, the concentration of FA was markedly decreased in peripheral blood of IBS patients compared with non-IBS human subjects. FA supplement alleviated chronic visceral pain and normalized the Clostridiales frequency in NCI rats. In addition, FA supplement significantly reduced the frequency of sEPSCs of neurons in the spinal dorsal horn of NCI rats. Folic Acid treatment attenuated chronic visceral pain of NCI rats through reducing hydrogen sulfide production from Clostridiales in intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the most common renal malignancy, kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) has a high prevalence and death rate as well as a poor response to treatment. Developing an efficient prognostic model is essential for accurately predicting the outcome and therapeutic benefit of KIRC patients. Methods: Gene expression profiles of podocyte‐associated genes (PAGs) were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and GEO datasets. Cox regression and Lasso regression analyses were then used for filtering prognosis‐associated PAGs. Risk score (RS) was computed from these genetic characteristics. Kaplan–Meier analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were applied for ascertaining the prognostic value. Stratified analysis was used to sufficiently validate model performance. Concordance index was used to compare the predictive ability of different models. Immuno‐infiltration analysis and immunophenoscore were utilized for the prediction of patient reaction to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Results: WT1, ANLN, CUBN, OSGEP, and RHOA were significantly associated with KIRC prognosis. Prognostic analysis indicated that high‐RS patients have a significantly poorer outcome. Cox regression analysis demonstrated a potential for RS to be an independent prognostic factor. Pathway enrichment results indicated a lower enrichment of cancer‐related biological pathways in the low‐RS subgroup. Immune infiltration analysis and IPS demonstrated greater responsiveness to ICIs in the high RS group. Conclusions: This podocyte‐associated KIRC prognostic model can effectively predict KIRC prognosis and immunotherapy response, which may help to provide clinicians with more effective treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Durvalumab consolidation therapy is the standard treatment after concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with surgically unresectable stage IIIA (N2) non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery could reduce locoregional and distant recurrence and improve the survival rate for surgically resectable NSCLC. However, the value of neoadjuvant therapy in locally advanced potentially resectable NSCLC remains controversial. Herein, we report a locally advanced potentially resectable NSCLC case with a history of breast cancer who achieved a pathologic complete response (pCR) after preoperative treatment with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy. A 50-year-old woman developed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (left lower lobe of the lung, stage IIIA-N2) after two years of chemotherapy and anti-HER2 therapy following a diagnosis of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer. Surgical resection was attempted despite an MDT classification as unamenable to curative surgical resection. After two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with anti-PD1 immunotherapy, the tumor significantly shrank, then the patient underwent a left lower lobectomy. Complete resection with negative margins (R0 resection) was achieved in the patient. The patient experienced grade 1–2 adverse effects and no grade 3 or worse adverse effects occurred. Cardiotoxicity did not occur in the patient despite prior anti-HER2 treatment for breast cancer. Our case study contributes to the existing evidence on the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in locally advanced unresectable NSCLC. Furthermore, future studies are needed to determine which patients can benefit from immunoadjuvant therapy and the duration and course of preoperative and postoperative immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Liobagrus is unearthed in the Nan‐Jiang flowing into the Jialing‐Jiang of the upper Chang‐Jiang basin in which currently recognized Chinese congeners have a concentrated distribution. This small‐sized (less than 100.0 mm LS) torrent fish belongs to the species group defined by the presence of a smooth posterior edge of the pectoral‐fin spine and upper and lower jaws of equal length or a lower jaw slightly longer than the upper jaw in length. It is distinct from Liobagrus aequilabris and Liobagrus formosanus by the presence of a pectoral‐fin spine extending short of (vs. beyond) the vertical through the dorsal‐fin origin, maxillary barbels reaching the middle of the pectoral fin (vs. pectoral‐fin insertion or slightly beyond), 17–19 anal‐fin rays (vs. 15–16 in L. formosanus), 39–41 (vs. 35–37 in L. aequilabris) post‐Weberian vertebrae and the pectoral‐fin spine length 3.6%–7.4% of LS (vs. 7.6–10.5 in L. aequilabris). It differs from Liobagrus marginatoides by the presence of upper and lower jaws of equal length (vs. a lower jaw slightly longer than the upper jaw in length) and a rounded or unevenly rounded (vs. subtruncate) caudal fin. The validity of the new species is confirmed by its monophyly recovered in a cytochrome b gene‐based phylogenetic analysis and its significant genetic distance with sampled congeneric species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two 3d transition metal mononuclear complexes, [(Fe L 2)(ClO4)2]2·CH3CN (1) and (Co L 2)(ClO4)2·2CH3CN (2), have been prepared from a rigid tetradentate bpybox (L = 6,6′-bis(2,5-dihydrooxazol-4-yl)-2,2′-bipyridine) ligand. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses together with the help of calculations show that both compounds are octa-coordinate. Direct current magnetic studies reveal their significant magnetic anisotropy. Impressively, field-induced relaxation of magnetism is observed in the two complexes and the apparent anisotropy barriers are 14.1 K for 1 and 21.6 K for 2, respectively. Theoretical calculations reveal that two Fe(II) centers in 1 have small negative D values of −4.897 and −4.825 cm−1 and relatively small E values of 0.646 and 0.830 cm−1, indicating a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. In contrast, the D and E values in the Co(II) center of 2 are 46.42 cm−1 and 11.51 cm−1, featuring a rhombic anisotropy. This work demonstrates that field-induced slow magnetic relaxation in 3d transition metal complexes with high coordination numbers can be manipulated through rigid ligand design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is limited evidence on the association between different dimensions of socioeconomic status and mental health on adolescents in developing nations. The aim of this study was to examine this association among adolescents in East China. A school-based study that recruited 6902 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years was conducted in Suzhou, Hefei and Hangzhou. Multiple of indicators of socioeconomic status and mental health in adolescents were examined. Results revealed that girls showed significantly higher score of the global severity index, obsessive-compulsive, depression, anxiety, hostility, and phobic anxiety symptoms than boys. As expected, there was a slightly negative correlation between different dimensions of socioeconomic status to different domains of mental health problems (r ranged from −0.044 to 0.124). Furthermore, we found that maternal education and occupation were significantly associated with mental health for both boys and girls, while subjective socioeconomic status only was significantly associated with girls. In conclusion, adolescents in families with socioeconomic disadvantage, in the form of lower educational level and occupational prestige of mothers, had greater risk of mental health problem. Meanwhile, higher subjective socioeconomic status positively affects the mental health of female adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke is an acute cerebrovascular disease and the third most common cause of death aȻter ischemic heart disease. Increasing attention is being paid to finding effective treatments through traditional medicine. Thus, studying the traditional medicine for the treatment of ischemic stroke is of great importance. Traditional medicine in China includes traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and other ethnic medicines, which is rich in variety and resources. This review first introduces the treatment mechanisms associated with ischemic stroke, such as antioxidant nitrification, antiexcito-toxic, antiapoptotic, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet and anticoagulation mechanisms. Then, we calculated the frequency of prescription use for ischemic stroke and summarized the treatments for ischemic stroke by investigating 13 drug monographs and standards. We found 192 prescriptions from the traditional medical system for ischemic stroke, including Angong Niuhuang pill, Qishiwei Zhenzhu Pills, Ginkgo biloba leaf, and other traditional Chinese patent medicines and national medicines. There were 398 kinds of traditional medicine, including 301 kinds of plant-based medicines, 54 kinds of animal-based medicines, 28 kinds of mineral based medicines, and 15 kinds of other medicines. We introduced the names, families, medicinal components, traditional uses, phytochemical information, and pharmacological activities of the commonly used Chinese patent medicines and TCMs. In addition, some chemicals were introduced. These medicines may be potential candidates for the treatment of ischemic stroke. This work provides a reference for the research and clinical use of new drugs for ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the effects of non-pharmacological therapies (NPTs) on improving the cognition of people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by performing a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA).Methods: We searched eight databases for potentially eligible studies. Physical exercise (PE), cognitive stimulation (CS), cognitive training (CT), cognitive rehabilitation (CR), musical therapy (MT) and multi-domain interventions (MI). Pairwise meta-analyses were performed by estimating the weighted mean differences with 95% confidence interval (CI) for mini-mental state examination. The NMA was undertaken to compare different interventions.Results: CS, PE, MI, MT and CT may all be effective in improving the cognition of patients with MCI. CR was unable to show a significant efficacy. Our NMA ranking results suggest the effectiveness of the six NPTs to be ranked from best to worst as follows: CS, PE, MI, MT, CT and CR.Conclusions: NPT has great potential to improve the cognition of the elderly with MCI. CS has the highest probability of being the optimal NPT. However, the result should be interpreted with cautions given the limited number and small samples of included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in this field, large diversity existing in different study designs and potential risk of bias. Future RCTs with high quality and large sample sizes are required to confirm our results.Summary: NPT, as a whole definition, has great potential to improve the cognition of the elderly with MCI. Our NMA ranking results suggest the effectiveness of the six NPTs to be ranked from best to worst as follows: CS, PE, MI, MT, CT and CR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hydrogen-plasma-etching-based plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) synthesis route without metal catalyst for preparing the graphene films on flexible glass is developed. The quality of the prepared graphene films is evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and electrochemical measurements. In a radio frequency (RF) power range of 50 W–300 W, the graphene growth rate increases with RF power increasing, while the intensity ratio of D- to G-Raman peak (ID/IG) decreases. When the RF power is higher than 300 W, the ID/IG rises again. By optimizing experimental parameters of hydrogen plasma etching and RF power, the properties of as-prepared flexible graphene on glass are modulated to be able to achieve the graphene's transparency, good electrical conductivity, and better macroscopic uniformity. Direct growth of graphene film without any metal catalyst on flexible glass can be a promising candidate for applications in flexible transparent optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STING (stimulator of interferon genes) also known as transmembrane protein 173 (TMEM173) is a cytoplasmic DNA sensor which can be activated by the upstream cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs). This activation produces cytokines such as interferons and pro-inflammatory factors via the downstream IRF3 and NF-κB pathways, triggering an innate immune response and adaptive immunity to maintain homeostasis. STING is mainly expressed and activated in non-parenchymal cells, thus exerting a corresponding effect to maintain the homeostasis of the liver. In viral hepatitis, interferons and pro-inflammatory factors produced after STING activation initiate the immune response to inhibit virus replication and assembly. In the case of metabolic diseases of the liver, the activation of STING in kupffer cells and hepatic stellate cells leads to inflammation, the proliferation of connective tissue, and metabolic disorders in the hepatocytes, promoting the occurrence and development of the disease. In hepatocellular carcinoma, STING has two contradictory roles. When STING is activated in dendritic cells and macrophages, a large number of cytokines can be produced to initiate innate immune effects directly and to exert adaptive immunity through the recruitment and activation of T cells; however, aberrant activation of the STING pathway leads to a weakening of immune function and promotes oncogenesis and metastasis. Here, we summarize the interactions between STING and liver disease that have currently been identified and how to achieve therapeutic goals by modulating the activity of the STING pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial autophagy plays an important role in maintaining the complexity of mitochondrial functions and removing damaged mitochondria, of which the PINK1-Parkin signal pathway is one of the most classical pathways. Thus, a comprehensive and in-depth interpretation of the PINK1-Parkin signal pathway might deepen our understanding on the impacts of mitochondrial autophagy. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a classical example of neurodegenerative disease. Research on the pathogenesis and treatments of AD has been a focus of scientific research because of its complexity and the limitations of current drug therapies. It was reported that the pathogenesis of AD might be related to mitochondrial autophagy due to excessive deposition of Aβ protein and aggravation of the phosphorylation of Tau protein. Two key proteins in the PINK1-Parkin signaling pathway, PINK1 and Parkin, have important roles in the folding and accumulation of Aβ protein and the phosphorylation of Tau protein. In addition, the intermediate signal molecules in the PINK1-Parkin signal pathway also have certain effects on AD. In this paper, we first described the role of PINK1-Parkin signal pathway on mitochondrial autophagy, then discussed and analyzed the effect of the PINK1-Parkin signal pathway in AD and other metabolic diseases. Our aim was to provide a theoretical direction to further elucidate the pathogenesis of AD and highlight the key molecules related to AD that could be important targets used for AD drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial activities discharge a large amount of wastes containing hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] into the environment, which poses a threat to human health. Microorganisms can be used as efficient tools for Cr(VI) remediation. In this study, the Cr(VI) removal capacity of Aspergillus niger was evaluated. A. niger could tolerate and reduce Cr(VI) by nearly 100% at concentrations ranging from 10 to 50 mg/L. Overall, almost 97% of the Cr(VI) removal was caused by extracellular reduction whereas 3% was caused by accumulation. Extracellular reduction was mediated by non-enzymatic cell secretions, whereas extracellular accumulated Cr formed precipitates on the hyphal surfaces and was partially absorbed on the cell wall. Cr(VI) also entered the cell and was reduced by the strong chromate reductase activity in cell-free extracts and then accumulated within the cell. These data suggest that A. niger, which has the capacity to remove Cr(VI) by reduction and accumulation, can be a useful tool for Cr(VI) remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider preconditioned iterative methods for numerical solution of the convective FitzHugh–Nagumo equations. By eliminating the symmetric indefinite matrix derived from the single nonlinear term of the convective FitzHugh–Nagumo equations, a preconditioner that is robust with respect to the involved model parameters is proposed to solve the arising discretized linear system. Spectral properties of the corresponding preconditioned system are analyzed. Numerical experiments are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed preconditioner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the factors associated with table tennis performance may provide training information for competitive athletes and guide the general population for active participation. The purpose was to compare the joint, racket, and ball kinematics between the shakehand and penhold grips in table tennis forehand and backhand strokes when returning topspin and backspin balls in advanced male players. Nine penhold-grip players and 18 matched shakehand-grip players performed forehand and backhand strokes when returning topspin and backspin balls using their habitual grip styles, while the kinematics of the trunk, upper extremities, racket, and ball were collected. Racket angles were calculated as the relative motion of the racket to the forearm. For the forehand strokes, no significant differences were observed for ball or racket velocities between the two grips. The shakehand grip tended to demonstrate greater shoulder external rotation angles compared to the penhold grip. The shakehand grip resulted in racket flexion angular velocity compared to racket extension velocity for the penhold grip. For the backhand strokes, greater ball and racket velocities were observed for the shakehand grip. The shakehand grip generally demonstrated decreased final trunk left rotation angles, increased trunk right rotation angular velocities, decreased final shoulder abduction angles, increased shoulder adduction angular velocities, and increased forearm supination angular velocities. The two grips demonstrated similar peak racket and ball velocities but different shoulder rotation range of motion and racket motion in forehand strokes. The penhold grips resulted in decreased peak racket and ball velocities in backhand strokes, likely due to its decreased shoulder, elbow, and forearm motion and less aligned longitudinal axes between the racket and forearm. These findings may help understand the dominance of the shakehand grip over the penhold grip in elite athletes and provide information for grip selection, technique improvements, and exercise training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prospect of α-Ga2O3 in optical and electrical devices application is fascinating. In order to obtain better performance, Ge and F elements with similar electronegativity and atomic size are selected as dopants. Based on density functional theory (DFT), we systematically research the electronic structure and optical properties of doped α-Ga2O3 by GGA+U calculation method. The results show that Ge atoms and F atoms are effective n-type dopants. For Ge-doped α-Ga2O3, it is probably obtained under O-poor conditions. However, for F-doped α-Ga2O3, it is probably obtained under O-rich conditions. The doping system of F element is more stable due to the lower formation energy. In this investigation, it is found that two kinds of doping can reduce the α-Ga2O3 band gap and improve the conductivity. What is more, it is observed that the absorption edge after doping has a blue shift and causes certain absorption effect on the visible region. Through the whole scale of comparison, Ge doping is more suitable for the application of transmittance materials, yet F doping is more appropriate for the application of deep ultraviolet devices. We expect that our research can provide guidance and reference for preparation of α-Ga2O3 thin films and photoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with fast solver of distributed optimal control problems constrained by a nonlocal Cahn-Hilliard equation. By eliminating the control variable, a linear system on four-by-four block matrix form is obtained after discretization. Deforming the corresponding coefficient matrix into a form with special structure, an efficient preconditioner that can be utilized in an inner-outer way is designed, which leads to a fast Krylov subspace solver, that is robust with respect to mesh sizes, model parameters, and regularization parameters. Moreover, we prove that the eigenvalues of the corresponding preconditioned system are all real. Numerical experiments are presented to illustrate the robustness of the proposed solution methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the stability of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) after microencapsulation and its effect on the preservation of chilled fresh pork for 24 days. The single‐factor experiment and the orthogonal experiment were used to study the best experimental conditions (homogenizing time 4 min, stirring rate 900 rpm, Tween 80: core material volume ratio 1:20, and olive oil: AITC volume ratio 25:75). Then, the microencapsulation was prepared using these experimental conditions to study the characterization and stability. The experimental results showed that the stability of the AITC microencapsulation prepared by the complex coacervation method was significantly better than that of the free‐state AITC. The AITC microencapsulation was used for in vitro antibacterial experiments and chilled fresh pork preservation experiments. When the concentration of AITC was the same as that of bacteria in the environment, there is significant difference in the total number of colonies of Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella treated with free AITC and AITC microencapsulation, but there is no significant difference in the number of Staphylococcus aureus. The results confirmed that AITC microencapsulation produced significant effectively extended the shelf life of chilled fresh pork to 24 days compared with the control. Practical applications: The objective of this study was to explore the use of sustained‐release AITC microencapsulation as food‐borne, natural, and long‐acting preservatives to prolong the shelf life of pork tenderloin (M. psoas major). In this study, gelatin and chitosan and AITC were used to form microencapsulation by the complex coacervation method. The EE of AITC microencapsulation was 90.63%, which could effectively control AITC release and reduce irritant odor. The preparation method was simple and fast, and the instrument was not strictly required. In practical application, the microencapsulation prepared by this method was convenient to use and had a good effect. They effectively doubled the shelf life of pork tenderloin (M. psoas major) and did not come in contact with food directly. They also had a higher level of security guarantee, and thus, better prospects in the future market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lightning Mapping Imager (LMI) equipped on the FY-4A (FengYun-4A) geostationary satellite achieves lightning positioning through optical imaging and has the advantages of high temporal resolution, high stability, and continuous observation. In this study, FY-4A LMI lightning event, group and flash data from April to August 2018 are selected, and their quality are assessed through qualitative and quantitative comparison with the ground-based Advanced Time of Arrival and Direction system (ADTD) lightning observation network data and the American International Space Station (ISS) lightning imaging sensor (LIS) data. The results show that the spatial distributions of FY-4A lightning are consistent with those of the ground-based ADTD and ISS LIS. The temporal variation in FY-4A lightning group frequency is consistent with that of ADTD stroke, which reflects that FY-4A LMI can capture the lightning occurrence in inland China. Quantitative statistics show that the consistency rate of FY-4A LMI and ISS LIS events is relatively high but their consistency rate is lower in terms of lightning group and flash data. Compared with the lightning observations by the ISS LIS and the ground-based ADTD, FY-4A LMI reports fewer lightning events in the Tibetan Plateau. The application of Tibetan Plateau lightning data requires further processing and consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary sodium butyrate (SB) supplementation on growth performance, the development of gastrointestinal tract and immune organs (thymus, spleen and bursa of fabricius), and serum antibody titer after Newcastle disease (ND) vaccination in broilers. The total of 288 1‐day‐old broilers were randomly allocated to four groups with six replications according to initial body weight. Four treatment groups were designed as follows and fed the indicated diets: CON, basal diet; T1, basal diet supplemented with 0.3 g/kg SB; T2, basal diet supplemented with 0.6 g/kg SB; T3, basal diet supplemented with 1.2 g/kg SB. During days 1–21, broilers fed the T2 diet had higher (p <.05) average daily gain (ADG) than broilers fed the CON diet. On day 21, dietary SB supplementation showed linear increase (p <.05) in relative weight of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, small intestine (the sum weight of duodenum, jejunum and ileum), pancreas and thymus, and linear increase (p <.05) in relative length of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, small intestine (the sum length of duodenum, jejunum and ileum) and caeca. Meanwhile, dietary SB supplementation showed linear increase in the antibody titer against ND on days 14, 21, 28 and 35. In conclusion, dietary SB supplementation improved the development of gastrointestinal by increasing the relative weight and length, as well as enhanced the immune response of ND vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder, but its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood, particularly the involvements of central nervous system sensitization in colorectal visceral pain. Our study was to investigate whether the paraventricular thalamus (PVT) projected to the insular cortex (IC) to regulate colorectal visceral pain in neonatal colonic inflammation (NCI) mice and underlying mechanisms. Methods: We applied optogenetic, chemogenetic, or pharmacological approaches to manipulate the glutamatergicPVT‐IC pathway. Fiber photometry was used to assess neuronal activity. Electromyography activities in response to colorectal distension (CRD) were measured to evaluate the colorectal visceral pain. Results: NCI enhanced c‐Fos expression and calcium activity upon CRD in the ICGlu, and optogenetic manipulation of them altered colorectal visceral pain responses accordingly. Viral tracing indicated that the PVTGlu projected to the ICGlu. Optogenetic manipulation of PVTGlu changed colorectal visceral pain responses. Furthermore, selective optogenetic modulation of PVT projections in the IC influenced colorectal visceral pain, which was reversed by chemogenetic manipulation of downstream ICGlu. Conclusions: This study identified a novel PVT‐IC neural circuit playing a critical role in colorectal visceral pain in a mouse model of IBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, based on the structural properties of the coefficient matrix obtained through the discretization of constrained optimal control problems under the time-harmonic parabolic equation, we propose and compare two types of algorithms, namely the Optimized PU (OPU) method and the optimized double-step (ODS) method. It can be theoretically proven that both of these iterative methods have a convergence rate of 0.1716, which can even be optimized to reach 0.0396. Additionally, we demonstrate that these two methods avoid the common drawback of many methods in terms of parameter selection, where the parameters often depend on the matrix's eigenvalues. The convergence rate of 0.1716 can be easily achieved through a single constant setup in the proposed two methods. Furthermore, we also compare the algorithmic complexity of the OPU method, the ODS method, and the latest RSS-like method in each step of the iterative process, which demonstrates that the OPU method and ODS method exhibit advantages in computational storage or calculation complexity. Finally, to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed optimized iterative methods and the validity of our theoretical findings, we conduct numerical experiments. The results provide strong empirical support for the efficiency and reliability of these methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders. It is featured by abdominal pain in conjunction with altered bowel habits. However, the pathophysiology of the syndrome remains largely unknown. Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) has been reported to be involved in neuropathic pain. The aim of this study was to investigate roles and mechanisms of TRAF6 in the chronic visceral hypersensitivity. Methods: Visceral hypersensitivity was induced by neonatal colonic inflammation and was identified by colorectal distention. The protein level, RNA level, and cellular distribution of TRAF6 and its related molecules were detected with Western blot, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and immunofluorescence. In vitro spinal cord slice recording technique was performed to determine the synaptic transmission activities. Results: Neonatal colonic inflammation rats displayed visceral hypersensitivity at the age of six weeks. The expression of TRAF6 was obviously upregulated in spinal cord dorsal horn of neonatal colonic inflammation rats at the age of six weeks. Immunofluorescence study showed that TRAF6 was dominantly expressed in spinal astrocytes. Intrathecal injection of TRAF6 small interfering RNA (siRNA) significantly reduced the amplitude of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents at the spinal dorsal horn level. Furthermore, knockdown of TRAF6 led to a significant downregulation of cystathionine β synthetase expression in the spinal dorsal horn of neonatal colonic inflammation rats. Importantly, intrathecal injection of TRAF6 siRNA remarkably alleviated visceral hypersensitivity of neonatal colonic inflammation rats. Conclusions: Our results suggested that the upregulation of TRAF6 contributed to visceral pain hypersensitivity, which is likely mediated by regulating cystathionine β synthetase expression in the spinal dorsal horn. Our findings suggest that TRAF6 might act as a potential target for the treatment of chronic visceral pain in irritable bowel syndrome patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data from the lightning mapping imager on board the Fengyun-4 meteorological satellite (FY-4) were used to study the assimilation of lightning data and its influence on precipitation predictions. We first conducted a quality control check on the events observed by the first Fengyun-4 satellite (FY-4A) lightning mapping imager, after which the noise points were removed from the lightning distribution. The subsequent distribution was more consistent with the spatial distribution and range of ground-based observations and precipitation. We selected the radar reflectivity, which was closely related to the lightning frequency, as the parameter to assimilate the lightning data and utilized a large sample of lightning frequency and radar reflectivity data from the eastern United States provided by Vaisala. Based on statistical analysis, we found the empirical relationship between the lightning frequency and radar reflectivity and established a look-up table between them. We converted tire lightning event data into radar reflectivity data and found that the converted reflectivity and composite reflectivity of ground-based radar observations showed high consistency. We further assimilated the lightning data into the model, adjusted the model cloud analysis process and adjusted the model hydrometeor field by using the lightning data. A rainstorm weather process that occurred on August 8, 2017 in south China was used for the numerical forecast experiment, and three experiments were designed for comparison and analysis: a control experiment, an experiment without the assimilation of FY-4 lightning data (NoLig), and an experiment with the assimilation of FY-4 lightning data (Lig). The results show that after assimilating the FY-4A lightning data, the accuracies of the intensity, central location and range of the precipitation predicted by the Lig experiment were obviously superior to those predicted by the control and NoLig experiments, and the effect was especially obvious in the short-term (1 -2 hour) forecast. The studies in this paper highlight the application value and potential of FY-4 lightning data in precipitation predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine the prevalence of dementia in the past two decades and provide updated estimates about older people (aged ≥60 years) with dementia in China from 2015 to 2050. Methods: The English and Chinese databases were retrieved. Published epidemiology surveys of dementia from 1990–2018 were screened. Meta‐analysis was used to calculate their pooled prevalence. The age‐moving method was used to estimate the population aged ≥60 years in 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050 based on the data of the sampling survey of 1% of the population in 2015 released by the National Bureau of Statistics. The pooled prevalence of three age groups (60–69, 70–79, ≥80 years) from 2015 to 2018 was used as the basis to estimate the number of older people with dementia. Results: The pooled prevalence rate of dementia in Mainland China from 1985 to 2018 was 4.9% (95% CI 4.3–5.4), and the prevalence rate from 2015 to 2018 among them was 7.4% (95% CI 5.3–9.5). In 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050, the number of people with dementia will be 16.93 million, 24.25 million, 31.98 million and 35.98 million, respectively. Furthermore, people with dementia aged ≥60 years in 2050 will be 2.13‐fold than that of 2015. Conclusion: The number of dementia patients in China will increase dramatically in the next 30 years without preventive measures. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 1096–1100. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We investigated the correlation between the expression of IL-17A in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and cells and the occurrence and development of NPC was also investigated. Methods: Forty-five NPC biopsy specimens from January 2014 to January 2016 were selected. Forty-five NPC tissue specimens and 45 chronic nasopharyngitis tissue samples were detected by immunohistochemistry. Statistical methods were used to analyze the correlation between IL-17A expression and the clinicopathological variables of NPC. The NPC patients were followed up. The levels of IL-17A mRNA in 40 NPC tissue specimens and 45 chronic nasopharyngitis tissue samples were detected by real-time PCR. IL-17A expression in 15 NPC tissue specimens and chronic nasopharyngitis tissue samples was further detected by Western blotting assays. Results: IL-17A expression in NPC tissues was significantly higher than that of chronic nasopharyngitis tissues (P < 0.05). IL-17A was expressed in the nucleus and cytoplasm of both NPC tissues and chronic nasopharyngitis tissues. Stage III + IV NPC, tumor volume ≥ 50 mm, and hepatic envelope invasion and cervical lymph node metastasis were associated with significantly higher IL-17A levels versus stage I + II NPC, tumor size < 50 mm, no membrane invasion and lack of cervical lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). IL-17A was statistically associated with tissue differentiation, serum EBV-lgA levels, and EBV infection. IL-17A-positive patients had significantly longer median survival versus IL-17A-negative patients (21.0 vs. 13.0 months, log-rank test: P < 0.05). Furthermore, 65% (26/40) of NPC tissue samples had significantly higher IL-17A mRNA levels than chronic nasopharyngitis (P < 0.05). IL-17A expression was significantly higher in NPC ≥ 50 mm, stage III + IV NPC and NPC with cervical lymph node invasion than its corresponding chronic nasopharyngitis tissue. Conclusion: IL-17A may be involved in the regulation of various malignant biological behaviors of NPC, which is closely related to the occurrence and development of NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead is a major source of environmental pollution that has recently been the focus of a great deal of research. Bioremediation has been shown to be effective in remediation of lead pollution. Penicillium polonicum is a fungus with highly efficient adsorption of lead. In this study, the influence of electric current on the growth characteristics and adsorption of lead by the strain were investigated through applying different external voltages (1.5, 1.25, 1.0, 0.75, and 0.5 V). The results indicated that the electric current with voltage ranges from 1.0 to 1.25 V could promote the adsorption of lead. In addition, morphological characteristics and the quantity of lead-containing minerals formed on the surface of P. polonicum differed greatly under different experimental conditions. Further, the electric current intensity and electric energy consumption at voltages of 1.0, 1.25, and 1.5 V were higher than the blank control group, suggesting that the strain could utilize the energy supplied by an external electrochemical workstation to improve lead adsorption. After applying an external current, the lead adsorption of P. polonicum was affected by electric current changing the growth environment of the fungus and the electron transfer reaction between electrodes and P. polonicum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic Core-shell nanoparticles coated with an adenine-imprinted polymer layer were successfully synthesized. The morphology of the nanoparticles was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The nanoparticles have a definite core-shell structure and an imprinted polymer layer. The adsorption, recognition and reusability of the molecularly imprinted nanoparticles were analyzed by static/dynamic adsorption, competitive adsorption and reproducibility experiment. The magnetic molecularly imprinted nanoparticles exhibit fast adsorption, high adsorption capacity, strong specificity and satisfactory recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead pollution is rapidly becoming a serious concern, and remediation of lead contamination is a major challenge. Biological remediation is both environmentally friendly and sustainable process. In this study, we investigated the application of Aspergillus niger (Bpb1) for removing lead ion from a liquid medium by using photoelectron generated from a light-semiconductor mineral-microbial system. Synthetic anatase electrodes were systematically characterized and used as a photoelectron provider. Under light irradiation, the adsorption rates of Pb(II) by A. niger in the experimental groups increased by 204% (the maximum) on the fourth day, while the total adsorption rates remained the same. Further study of lead products revealed that lead ion combines with organic acids to form extracellular lead-containing products, which wrap around the fungal hyphae and combine with the cell wall. The anatase photoelectron enhanced the adsorption rate of Pb(II) by A. niger by forming larger lead-containing products, and by accelerating the transportation of Pb(II) into the inner cell. This novel approach provides newer insights into the application of biological degradation for environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the effect of fatigue on the biomechanical contribution of the lower extremity joints during a typical stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) task. Methods: 15 male athletes completed drop jump (DJ) under pre- and post-fatigue. Vicon motion capture system and 3D Kistler force plates were used to collect kinematics and ground reaction force data simultaneously. Results: Under fatigue condition, 1) the DJ height decreased; the touchdown angle of knee and ankle reduced and the range of motion increased; 2) the maximum push-off moment and power of knee was reduced; 3) the stiffness of knee, ankle, and legs was reduced; 4) the energy generation and the net energy of the ankle decreased; 5) the energy contribution of knee decreased during the eccentric phase. Conclusions: Fatigue altered biomechanical contribution of the lower extremity joints by changing the movement pattern during DJ. The control ability of the knee and ankle were decreased. Eventually, the jump performance was reduced. In addition, the decrease of stiffness as well as the energy contribution of these joints can be used as sensitive indices to evaluate the performance of DJ after fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new organic molecule-based compounds, ethyl-trimethyl-phosphonium picrate (1, [ETtmp][picrate]), hydroxymethyl-trimethyl-phosphonium picrate (2, [HMtmp][picrate]), and cyclopentyl-trimethyl-phosphonium picrate (3, [CPtmp][picrate]), have been corroborated as high-temperature phase transition materials possessing switchable dielectric behaviors. Compounds 1, 2 and 3 undergo dielectric anomalies which could be tuned in two pronounced dielectric states and switched by reversible phase transitions at 320.8 K, 393.9 K and 398.1 K, respectively. For compounds 1, 2 and 3, not only the phase transition temperatures but also the magnitudes of the dielectric anomalies presented variations by regulating the guest cations. The respective dielectric constants in the high dielectric states are 1.6, 2.7 and 3.6 times those in the low dielectric states for compounds 1, 2 and 3. And considering the big entropy changes (ΔS) in the three title compounds, we predicted the sensitivities of the phase transition temperatures (Tc) to the applied pressure. And the estimated barocaloric coefficients (δTc/δP) in the three title compounds indicate that they potentially perform barocaloric effects of interest for cooling applications under adequate pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective procedure for the synthesis of α-hydroxyphenylacetic acid with cyclodextrin (CD) catalysts was developed. The phase-transfer catalyst types, catalyst loadings, reaction times, reaction temperatures, and substrate molar ratios were investigated to optimize the reaction conditions. In addition, the factors that affect the reaction were studied, and the relationship between benzaldehyde and β -cyclodextrin (β -CD) was analyzed through 2D-ROESY. The equilibrium constant when β -CD was used as the catalyst was calculated. The results indicated that β -CD is the optimal catalyst for the reported reaction (yield: 69.08%). Furthermore, the mechanism underlying the reported reaction was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of two fatigue protocols on lower-limb joint mechanics, stiffness and energy absorption during drop landings. Fifteen male athletes completed landing tasks before and after two fatigue protocols (constant speed running [R-FP] and repeated shuttle sprint plus vertical jump [SJ-FP]). Sagittal plane lower-limb kinematics and ground reaction forces were recorded. Compared with R-FP, SJ-FP required significantly less intervention time to produce a fatigue state. The ranges of motion (RoM) of the hip were significantly greater when the athletes were fatigued for both protocols. Knee RoM significantly increased after SJ-FP but not after R-FP (p > 0.05), whereas the RoM of the ankle was significantly greater after R-FP but lower after SJ-FP. When fatigued, the first peak knee extension moment was significantly greater in R-FP but lower in SJ-FP; the second peak ankle plantar flexion moment was lower, regardless of protocols. After fatigue, vertical, hip, and knee stiffness was lower, and more energy was absorbed at the hip and knee for both protocols. Hip and knee extensors played a crucial role in altering movement control strategies to maintain similar impact forces and to dissipate more energy through a flexed landing posture when fatigued compared to when non-fatigued. Furthermore, SJ-FP seems to be a more efficient method to induce fatigue due to less intervention time than R-FP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an efficient preconditioner is proposed for the discrete Ohta–Kawasaki system. We show that the eigenvalues of the new preconditioned matrix are the same as that of the recently published block triangular preconditioner in [P. E. Farrell, J. W. Pearson, SIAM J. Matrix Anal. Appl. 38(1) (2017) 217–225]. Numerical experiments are presented to illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the new preconditioner to accelerate GMRES method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holey graphene oxide (HGO) has been synthesized by one step hydrothermal method and applied to construct a highly sensitive acetylcholinesterase (AChE) biosensor. The developed system is characterized by using SEM, TEM, nitrogen adsorption‐desorption, Raman, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It is proved that HGO can effectively immobilize AChE and accelerate electron transfer rate. The prepared biosensor AChE/HGO/glass carbon electrode (GCE) shows excellent affinity to the acetylthiocholine chloride (ATCl) with a Michaelis‐Menten constant value of 0.23 mM. Under optimum conditions, AChE/HGO/GCE can effectively detect paraoxon with a linear ranged from 10 to 45 ng/mL and a detection limit of 1.58 ng/mL. Furthermore, the prepared AChE/HGO/GCE biosensor demonstrates excellent stability and reproducibility, which provides a reliable method for the detection of organophosphate pesticides. The developed biosensor is used for detecting paraoxon in real samples of lettuce and cabbage and shows a satisfactory recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background High level of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has been associated with adverse outcomes in coronary artery disease patients. We aimed to investigate the relationship between RDW and the risk of myocardial injury in chest pain patients. Methods and Results We retrospectively reviewed 2078 chest pain patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction. Myocardial injury was defined as high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) >14 ng/L. RDW was associated with hs-cTnT (r = 0.607) and the risk of myocardial injury stepwise increased across increasing RDW quartiles in all subgroups based on age and sex. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was calculated to assess the elevated RDW to predict myocardial injury, with the cutoff value of 13.25%. RDW had a high sensitivity (78.10%), specificity (87.44%), as well as positive predictive value (77.48%). The area under the curve (AUC) for all patients was 0.88 (95%CI 0.87, 0.90) and there is no statistical significant in AUCs for all subgroups. Conclusions Elevated RDW was significantly associated with a higher risk of myocardial injury in chest pain patients with potential acute myocardial infarction. The RDW may be helpful to identify myocardial injury in such patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel complexes [Fe 2 ( μ -SC 3 H 6 S)(CO) 5 ][Fc(PPh 2 )CHO] ( 3 ) and 5-{[Fe 2 ( μ -SC 3 H 6 S)(CO) 5 ](PPh 2 Fc)}-10, 15, 20-triphenylporphyrin ( 4 ), which contain ferrocene-based ligand to simulate the role of the active site of [FeFe]-hydrogenases (H-Cluster), are synthesized and characterized successfully. A graphene-mediated [FeFe]-hydrogenases biomimetic nanohybrid (TPP-NHCO-GO-[3Fe2S]) 6 is fabricated by linking organic photosensitizer tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) and complex 3 to graphene oxide (GO) via the covalent bond. The new nanohybrid 6 is characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). By comparing the ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption, fluorescence emission and time-resolved fluorescence, it can be found the efficiency of electron transfer has been obviously improved with the presence of GO, and the efficiency of electron transfer in intramolecular system is higher than that in intermolecular system. These results are also supported by the photo-induced H 2 production experiments with corresponding catalytic systems in water. Besides, the cystine is used as the sacrificial electron donor for light catalytic reaction in aqueous solution, which improves the efficiency of photocatalytic H 2 production compared with the common electron donors, such as ascorbic acid (H 2 A), triethanolamine (TEOA), glucose or Na 2 S 2 O 3 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetrandrine (TET), a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid has been used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. This study was to investigate whether tetrandrine exerts cardioprotection in ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury and the mechanisms involved. The cardioprotection effect and mechanisms of tetrandrine was evaluated by I/R injury cardiac cell model. Hexokinase II (HKII) is the critical regulators of mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiac I/R injury and it participate in the regulation of glycolysis and energy metabolism. The effect of tetrandrine on HKII and Janus kinase (JAK), (Protein kinase B)Akt as well as hypoxia inducible factor α (HIF-α) which are HKII's regulator was also investigated. We found that tetrandrine significantly reduced lactate dehydrogenase, caspase 3 level and apoptosis in I/R injury cardiac cell, meanwhile restored mitochondrial energy metabolism and enhanced glycolysis in model cell. Tetrandrine up-regulated the expression of p-STAT3 and HKII, but has no effect on p-akt and HIF-α. The cardioprotection effect significantly attenuated after tetrandrine combined with JAK3 inhibitor. The expression of p-STAT3 and HK II were also significantly decreased simultaneously. On the contrary, combined with JAK1/2 inhibitor, there was no significant influence. In addition, tetrandrine increased the JAK3 in model cells, but have no impact on the expression of JAK1, JAK2. Taken together, these data revealed that the cardioprotection effect of tetrandrine appears to be involved in the JAK3/STAT3 /HK II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assimilating satellite radiances into Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models has become an important approach to increase the accuracy of numerical weather forecasting. In this study, the assimilation technique scheme was employed in NOAA's STMAS (Space-Time Multiscale Analysis System) to assimilate AMSU-A radiances data. Channel selection sensitivity experiments were conducted on assimilated satellite data in the first place. Then, real case analysis of AMSU-A data assimilation was performed. The analysis results showed that, following assimilating of AMSU-A channels 5-11 in STMAS, the objective function quickly converged, and the channel vertical response was consistent with the AMSU-A weighting function distribution, which suggests that the channels can be used in the assimilation of satellite data in STMAS. With the case of the Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan Island in August 2009 as an example, experiments on assimilated and unassimilated AMSU-A radiances data were designed to analyze the impact of the assimilation of satellite data on STMAS. The results demonstrated that assimilation of AMSU-A data provided more accurate prediction of the precipitation region and intensity, and especially, it improved the 0-6h precipitation forecast significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Candidemia is the worldwide life-threaten disease, especially in cancer patients. This study was aimed to identify and evaluate the risk factors of candidemia in cancer patients, which will prompt the improvement on current therapeutic strategies and prognosis.Methods: A retrospective, case-control study was conducted from inpatients of Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, during 2006 to 2013. Analyses were performed between cancer patients with candidemia as study case, and patients with bacterial bloodstream infections as control. Each case was matched up with two controls, for gender and inpatient duration. Candida species, clinical characteristics, risk factors and outcomes were reviewed in details.Results: Total number of 80 cases and 160 controls were enrolled and analyzed in this study. Candida albicans was identified as the most prevalent species and account for 55.0% candidemia, followed by Candida parapsilosis complex (21.3%), Candida tropicalis (8.8%), Candida glabrata complex (7.5%), Candida lusitaniae (3.8%), and Candida famata (3.8%). The crude mortality at 30-days of candidemia was up to 30.0%, which is significantly higher than bacterial bloodstream infections (p = 0.006). Logistical analysis demonstrated that total parenteral nutrition >5 days (p = 0.036), urinary catheter >2 days (p = 0.001), distant organ metastasis of cancer (p = 0.002) and gastrointestinal cancer (p = 0.042) were the independent risk factors for candidemia.Conclusions: Candidemia showed significant higher mortality than bacterial bloodstream infections, C. albicans was cited as the primary pathogen. Total parenteral nutrition, urinary catheter, distant organ metastasis of cancer and gastrointestinal cancer are independent predictors for candidemia, this findings provides potential therapeutic targets for improving the outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of intestinal endotoxemia (IETM) in a rat model of aluminum neurotoxicity established by D-galactose and aluminum trichloride (AlCl3). Adult Wistar rats were administered D-galactose and AlCl3 to create the aluminum neurotoxicity model. The learning and memory abilities of the rats were subsequently observed using a Morris water maze test and the serum levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1, diamine oxidase (DAO), glutamine (Gln) and glutaminase were measured. The expression of S-100β in the serum was detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression levels of the amyloid β-protein (Aβ) precursor (APP), presenilin 1 (PS1), β-site APP-cleaving enzyme (BACE), zona occludens protein (ZO)-1 and Aβ 1-40 in the brain of rats were detected via reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The levels of LPS, TNF-α, IL-1, DAO, Gln and S-100β in serum and the mRNA and protein expression levels of APP, PS1, BACE and Aβ1-40 in the brain were markedly increased in the model rats compared with controls. The level of glutaminase in the serum and the expression of ZO-1 in the brain were decreased in the model rats compared with controls. IETM was present in the rat model of aluminum neurotoxicity established by D-galactose and AlCl3 and may be important in the development of this neurotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saikosaponin a (Ssa) is an active ingredient of the Chinese herbal plant Radix Bupleuri (RB) and has severe hepatotoxicity. However, biomolecular mechanisms involved in Ssa-induced hepatotoxicity are not yet entirely clear. Previous studies reported that Ssd (an isomer of Ssa) as a sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) inhibitor can induce autophagy in apoptotic defective cells, leading to autophagy-dependent cell death. Therefore, we speculate that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and autophagy may also play an important role in Ssa-induced hepatocyte death. This study aimed to explore the connection between ER stress and autophagy and Ssa-induced hepatotoxicity. Experiments in vitro showed that the cell viability of L-02 cells in the Ssa treatment group decreased, the level of autophagy marker LC3-II/LC3-I and Beclin1 increased, the level of p62 decreased, the colocalization of autophagosome and lysosome increased, and the cell viability was significantly increased after the application of autophagy inhibitors 3-MA. In addition, SSa can induce ER stress in L-02 cells in vitro. Further studies demonstrated that SSa activated the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP pathway, IRE1-TRAF2 pathway, ATF6 pathway, and AMPK/mTOR pathway associated with ER stress. Application of ER stress inhibitors 4-PBA can significantly down-regulate the level of autophagy and improve cell viability. Results of in vivo experiments showed that treatment with 150 and 300 mg/kg Ssa significantly elevated the liver/body weight ratio and caused histological injury in mice liver. Furthermore, Ssa treatment induced significantly downregulated p62 expression but upregulated LC3-II, CHOP, and GRP78 expression in mice livers. Taken together, our results showed that SSa can activate endoplasmic reticulum stress, promote toxic autophagy, and then induce cell death. We revealed an alternative mechanism involving autophagy and ERs, by which Ssa induced hepatotoxicity. • Ssa exposure causes cellular cytotoxicity and autophagic response in L02 cells. • Ssa initiates autophagy and induces autophagosomal-lysosomal fusion in L02 cells. • 3-MA diminished the cytotoxicity induced by Ssa. • Ssa activates unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway and classic autophagic pathway (AMPK/mTOR) in L-02 cells. • 4-PBA diminished the autophagic response and cytotoxicity induced by Ssa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]