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In this study, we present a straightforward and environmentally friendly electrochemical approach for achieving selective halogenation of N‐heteroarenes, including indoles, diazoles, pyrroles, quinolinone, and naphthols. Our method utilizes commercially available and affordable ammonium halides as halogen source. A library of valuable halogenated N‐heteroarenes can be synthesized in moderate to excellent yields under mild conditions (transition‐metal‐free, oxidant‐free, ethanol as solvent, atmospheric environment). The approach demonstrates a broad substrate scope, excellent tolerance towards various functional groups, and scalability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The potential anti-inflammatory bioactivities of b-hydroxyisovalerylshikonin (b-HIVS) remain largely unknown. Objective: This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects and underlying mechanisms of b-HIVS. Materials and methods: RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with LPS (100 ng/mL) for 24 h were treated with the non-cytotoxic doses of b-HIVS (0.5 or 1 lM, determined by MTT and Trypan blue staining), qRT-PCR and FCM assay were used to examine macrophage polarization transitions. Western blotting was used to evaluate the activation of the AMPK/Nrf2 pathway. In vivo, C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into vehicle control, LPS (10mg/kg), and b-HIVS (2.5 mg/kg) combined with LPS (10 mg/kg) groups, blood samples, BALF, and lung tissues of mice were subjected to ELISA, qRT-PCR, FCM, and H&E staining. Results: b-HIVS (1 lM) inhibited LPS-induced expression of M1 macrophage markers (TNF-a: 0.29-fold, IL-1b: 0.32-fold), promoted the expression of M2 macrophage markers (CD206: 3.14-fold, Arginase-1: 3.98-fold) in RAW 264.7 cells; mechanistic studies showed that b-HIVS increased the expression of nuclear Nrf2 (2.04-fold) and p-AMPK (3.65-fold) compared with LPS group (p<0.05). In vivo, b-HIVS decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-a: 1130.41 vs. 334.88 pg/mL, IL-1b: 601.89 vs. 258.21 pg/mL in serum; TNF-a: 893.07 vs. 418.21 pg/mL, IL-1b: 475.22 vs. 298.54 pg/mL in BALF), decreased the proportion of M1 macrophages (77.83 vs. 68.53%) and increased the proportion of M2 macrophages (13.55 vs. 19.56%) in BALF, and reduced lung tissue damage and septic mice survival (p<0.05). Conclusions: These results indicate that b-HIVS may be a new potential anti-inflammatory agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanizations impose increasing challenges on safety decompositions of those buildings that reached service life, so there is an urgent call for eco-friendly demolition methods. As a green demolition method, the technique of soundless cracking demolition agents (SCDAs) can effectively eliminate dust and noise pollution commonly encountered in conventional methods, and thus attract rising attention in light of increasing concerns for sustainable and low-carbon developments. Herein, this paper provides a state-of-art review of SCDAs and associated applications. SCDA, a powdery material, mainly consists of quicklime (CaO), which tends to expand significantly when mixed with water. The expansion properties of SCDAs are susceptible to internal and external factors, such as compositions, ambient temperature, mixing water temperature, and water/cement (W/C) ratio, restraint conditions, among others. Therefore, substantial efforts have been made to improve the expansion performance of SCDAs by regulating the abovementioned factors. The resulting expansion force from SCDA expansion can effectively crack brittle materials, e.g., concrete and rocks, the cracking process of which can be measured using strain gauges and Acoustic Emission (AE). More recently, digital image correlation and computed tomography have been employed to monitor the SCDA-induced cracking process, and the implementation of those new techniques promotes the observations of crack developments and underlying mechanisms. To gain a cost-effective application of SCDAs, extensive efforts have been undertaken to optimize the design in hole parameters. Accordingly, several empirical equations have been proposed for determinations of optimal hole parameters, but the application of the equations is restricted to particular conditions where they are proposed. Despite the successful usage of the SCDA technique in demolitions of construction structures, mining, unconventional gas and oil recovery, some limitations, namely hard rock fragmentation, precise numerical works and blowout, still need to be addressed for further applications. Overall, this paper gives a brief review of SCDAs, covering scopes of compositions, expansion properties, applications, inadequacies and prospects, deepening our understanding of SCDAs, and providing recommendations for future research priorities. • Factors influencing the expansion characteristics of SCDAs are analyzed. • Some new technologies for observing the process of crack development are presented. • The optimum usage of SCDA related to the hole design parameters is summarized. • Further work in the research and application of SCDA is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The optimum usage of SCDA in fragmentating SFRC is comprehensively investigated. • The cracking process is commonly controlled by hole parameters and SFRC properties. • Effectivecracked area is proposed to assess the cracking performance of SCDA. • An equation is formulated to quantitatively evaluate the fragmentation ability. A better application of Soundless Chemical Demolition Agents (SCDAs) in fragmentation is based on our knowledge on their expansive characteristics. In this study, an integration of experimental and modeling approaches was developed to investigate SCDA expansion and corresponding cracking processes of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete (SFRC). The expansive properties of the selected SCDA were first estimated by free volume expansion (FVE) tests and expansion pressure (EP) tests. Then, cracking experiments were performed on 150 mm cubic SFRC blocks with a predrilled hole, and the cracking process was monitored by using Acoustic Emission (AE) and Digital Image Correlation (DIC) techniques. Generally, the cracking process can be divided into three phases, termed micro-cracking phase, macro-cracking phase, and failure phase. It was observed the hole diameter and fiber content exert significant influences on the cracking process. The crack initiation time was shortened as the hole diameter increases, while it was prolonged with increasing fiber content. The cracked area ratio was further proposed and measured to assess the cracking performance of SCDA. The ratio increases from 2.73% to 8.293% as the hole diameter increases from 16 mm to 26 mm, while it decays from 9.75% to 1.823% as the fiber content increases from 0 to 2.4%. After verified with the experimental data, a modified Concrete Damaged Plasticity (CDP) model was adopted to extend the fragmentation of SFRC from the centimeter scale to the meter scale. The simulations were conducted on SFRC models with various hole diameters, spacings, and fiber contents. The simulated results show the fragmentation performance is related to both hole parameters (e.g., hole diameter, spacing, etc.) and SFRC properties (including elastic modulus, fiber content, etc.). In particular, the cracked area (DamageT > 0.9) varies directly with hole spacing, diameter, and fiber content. Built on the simulated results, an empirical equation was formulated to quantitatively evaluate the fragmentation ability of individual holes. In addition, extra simulations were conducted to assess the efficiency of SCDA in cracking PC/SFRC beams of various sizes. The obtained cracked area tends to decrease first and then approach a constant value with increasing beam sizes, indicating the existence of a size effect, which is primarily due to variations in concrete restraints provided by beams of different sizes. This work quantitatively evaluates expansive properties of SCDA and SCDA-induced cracks, and thus provides a reference for optimizing the field application parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virus replication and host cell growth require host cell metabolic networks to provide energy and precursors for the synthesis of macromolecules. The aim of this study was to investigate the most direct changes in energy metabolism and small-molecule metabolism of Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells infected with H3N2 canine influenza virus (CIV) and to determine whether small metabolites contribute to the pathogenesis of CIV. To study the metabolomics of MDCK cells infected with H3N2 CIV, we used liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry combined with multivariate statistical analysis. The results showed that 798 positive ions were detected, among which 33 were upregulated and 11 were downregulated, and 406 negative ions were detected, among which 33 were upregulated and 9 were downregulated. Through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, we found that these differentially expressed molecules were mainly concentrated in the steroid hormone biosynthesis, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, vitamin B6 metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism, vitamin digestion and absorption, arginine and proline metabolism, biosynthesis of amino acids, and folate biosynthesis metabolic pathways. These pathways are involved in energy metabolism and nucleic acid and protein synthesis, which are essential for virus replication. Our experimental data suggest that H3N2 CIV infection reconstitutes/influences cellular metabolic processes, which in turn may contribute to viral replication. These findings are important for the development of enzyme inhibitors or metabolites for the identification of antiviral drugs. In addition, understanding the metabolic interaction between CIV and host cells is also very important for the complex pathogenicity of CIV, providing certain guidance for the treatment of canine influenza. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the changes and clinical significance of thrombomodulin (TM) and plasma protein C (PC) in patients with cancer before and after peripherally inserted central catheter placement (PICC).Materials and Methods: The levels of plasma TM and PC in 35 patients with cancer before and after PICC were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the significance of the differences was analyzed.Results: TM was 3.57 ± 1.01 μg/L at 1 day after catheterization, which was significantly lower than the value of 4.41 ± 1.26 μg/L before catheterization; these values were 4.30 ± 1.81 and 4.73 ± 0.97 μg/L at 30 and 90 days after catheterization, respectively (F = 4.14,P < 0.05). PC was 3.32 ± 1.35 μg/L at 1 day after catheterization, which was significantly lower than the value of 5.32 ± 2.12 μg/L before catheterization; these values were 4.64 ± 2.44 and 5.83 ± 3.14 μg/L at 30 and 90 days after catheterization, respectively (F = 6.28,P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in platelet (PLT) counts, plasma D-D, and coagulation parameters among the four time points before and after catheterization. There was a positive correlation between TM and PC (r = 0.5420,P < 0.01) on day 1 after PICC line insertion. The levels of TM and PC were not related to PLT, plasma D-dimer, or various coagulation parameters.Conclusions: The levels of TM and PC in the patients 1 day after PICC were significantly decreased and showed a positive correlation, but were not related to PLT, plasma D-dimer, or coagulation function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An algorithm that combines a common source amplifier with the physics-based metal-oxidesemiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) model is proposed. By solving the coupled drift-diffusion model equations with spectral element time-domain (SETD) method, the distribution of electron quasi-Fermi potential, hole quasi-Fermi potential and the potential inside the MOSFET is obtained. The corresponding current densities and electric intensities distributed in the device can be used to couple the heat conduction equation. Furthermore, the Kirchhoff laws should be satisfied when the MOSFET device is inserted in the circuit. The Newton-Raphson method is used to solve the nonlinear circuit equations due to the existence of semiconductor devices. The transient electro-thermal characteristics of a common source amplifier circuit have been analyzed, and the numerical results demonstrate the validity of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subunit vaccines containing one or more target antigens from pathogenic organisms represent safer alternatives to whole pathogen vaccines. However, the antigens by themselves are not sufficiently immunogenic and require additives known as adjuvants to enhance immunogenicity and protective efficacy. Assembly of the antigens into virus-like nanoparticles (VLPs) is a better approach as it allows presentation of the epitopes in a more native context. The repetitive, symmetrical, and high density display of antigens on the VLPs mimic pathogen-associated molecular patterns seen on bacteria and viruses. The antigens, thus, might be better presented to stimulate host's innate as well as adaptive immune systems thereby eliciting both humoral and cellular immune responses. Bacteriophages such as phage T4 provide excellent platforms to generate the nanoparticle vaccines. The T4 capsid containing two non-essential outer proteins Soc and Hoc allow high density array of antigen epitopes in the form of peptides, domains, full-length proteins, or even multi-subunit complexes. Co-delivery of DNAs, targeting molecules, and/or molecular adjuvants provides additional advantages. Recent studies demonstrate that the phage T4 VLPs are highly immunogenic, do not need an adjuvant, and provide complete protection against bacterial and viral pathogens. Thus, phage T4 could potentially be developed as a "universal" VLP platform to design future multivalent vaccines against complex and emerging pathogens. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The solidified microstructure of SLM-fabricated IN718 was investigated from macroscopic to microscopic perspective in this study using optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy. Based on the experimental results and theoretical analysis, the solidification behavior, the characteristics of the primary dendrite spacing λ 1 and microsegregation were elucidated. In the present SLM-produced IN718, the solidification starts at the molten pool boundaries by the epitaxial growth. The solidification rate is estimated in the range of 0.1–1 m/s. The newly-formed crystals grow into cellular dendrites, the direction of which is either parallel to the original direction or changed by 90°. The primary dendrite spacing λ 1 varies over a wide range of 27.6 × 10−2 ∼147.3 × 10−2 μm due to dramatically changeable average cooling rate from 1.1 × 105–1.2 × 107 °C/s. There is a significant microsegregation of Nb in the inter-dendritic region, leading to the formation of Laves phases, the amount of which is about 9.0 ± 1.3%. Meanwhile, a solute trapping of Nb in the dendritic trunk occurs during rapid solidification. Highlights • The solidification rate during SLM of IN718 was estimated to be in range of 0.1–1 m/s. • The solidification mode was cellular-dendritic growth. • The inter-dendritic microsegregation of Nb and Mo resulted in the formation of Laves phases. • A solute trapping of Nb in dendritic cores was disclosed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies and reveals the relationship between brain development and sport exercise. The degree of brain development has a crucial influence on a person's cognitive learning ability and the development of the entire life trajectory. As we all know, the benefits of exercise are mainly in physical fitness, and the connection between it and the brain science is ignored by common people. By studying the relationship between students' cognitive learning ability and physical exercise, this paper reveals the influence of exercise method and exercise time on the cognitive learning ability such as academic achievement, and observes the effect of exercise behavior on the secretion of white matter cellulose in the brain. Through many examples and brain studies, it's shown that exercise can affect brain structure, enhance brain function, so this paper proposes how to positively and reasonably improve students' attention and academic performance through exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To optimize the investment casting process when producing high quality large-size titanium alloy thin-wall components is a time-consuming job due to the complicated metallurgical process. Numerical simulation is a high-efficiency method compared with trial and error, and therefore is introduced to the investment casting process optimization to shorten the new product development cycle and reduce the production cost. In this study, weakly compressible model (WCM) and ununiformed finite difference mesh (UFDM) was developed to reduce the memory consumption and ensure the simulation efficiency. The precision of the WCM and UFDM were verified by numerical simulation of cavity heat convection in a square cavity and hydraulics simulation of centrifugal filling in a transparent cavity. The numerical simulation of the investment casting process of a titanium alloy thin-wall casing under different process conditions was accomplished using a self-developed software, and the distribution characteristics of potential shrinkage defects were predicted. It was found that the predicted defects in the titanium alloy casing matched well with the actual X-ray experimental results. For the components investigated in this paper, more numerical simulation results show that the centrifugal casting process with respect to gravity casting had no obvious improvements in the concentrated shrinkage defects, and the gravity casting process can be more reasonable from the engineering point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria and bacteriophages arm themselves with various defensive and counterdefensive mechanisms to protect their own genome and degrade the other's. CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)-Cas (CRISPR-associated) is an adaptive bacterial defense mechanism that recognizes short stretches of invading phage genome and destroys it by nuclease attack. Unexpectedly, we discovered that the CRISPR- Cas system might also accelerate phage evolution. When Escherichia coli bacteria containing CRISPR-Cas9 were infected with phage T4, its cytosine hydroxymethylated and glucosylated genome was cleaved poorly by Cas9 nuclease, but the continuing CRISPR-Cas9 pressure led to rapid evolution of mutants that accumulated even by the time a single plaque was formed. The mutation frequencies are, remarkably, approximately six orders of magnitude higher than the spontaneous mutation frequency in the absence of CRISPR pressure. Our findings lead to the hypothesis that the CRISPR-Cas might be a double-edged sword, providing survival advantages to both bacteria and phages, leading to their coevolution and abundance on Earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use and land cover changes (LUCC) are thought to be amongst the most important impacts exerted by humans on climate. However, relatively little research has been carried out so far on the effects of LUCC on extreme climate change other than on regional temperatures and precipitation. In this paper, we apply a regional weather research and forecasting (WRF) climate model using LUCC data from Heilongjiang Province, that was collected between the 1900s and 2010s, to explore how changes in forest cover influence extreme temperature indexes. Our selection of extreme high, low, and daily temperature indexes for analysis in this study enables the calculation of a five-year numerical integration trail with changing forest space. Results indicate that the total forested area of Heilongjiang Province decreased by 28% between the 1900s and 2010s. This decrease is most marked in the western, southwestern, and northeastern parts of the province. Our results also reveal a remarkable correlation between change in forested area and extreme high and low temperature indexes. Further analysis enabled us to determine that the key factor explaining increases in extreme high temperature indexes (i.e., calculated using the number of warm days, warm nights, as well as tropical nights, and summer days) is decreasing forest area; data also showed that this factor caused a decrease in extreme low temperature indexes (i.e., calculated using the number of cold days and cold nights, as well as frost days, and ice days) and an increase in the maximum value of daily minimum temperature. Spatial data demonstrated that there is a significant correlation between forest-to-farmland conversion and extreme temperature indexes throughout most of our study period. Spatial data demonstrated that there is a significant correlation between forest-to-farmland conversion and extreme temperature indexes throughout most of our study period. Positive correlations are also present between decreasing forest area, the more frequent occurrence of extreme high temperature events, and a rise in the maximum value of daily minimum temperature. At the same time, we found clear negative correlations between decreasing forest area and less frequent occurrence of extreme low temperature events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization has occurred in northwestern China, threatening the sustainability of its fragile dryland ecosystems. A lack of precise urban land-cover information has limited our understanding on the urbanization in the dryland. Here, we examined urban land-cover changes from 2000 to 2014 in 21 major cities that comprise over 50% of the developed land in arid China, using Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus and Operational Land Imager data, and a hybrid classification method. The 15-m resolution urban land-cover products (including impervious surfaces, vegetation, bare soil, and water bodies) had an overall accuracy of 90.37%. Based on these new land use products, we found the urbanization in arid China was characterized by the dramatic expansion of impervious surface (+13.23%) and reduction of bare soil (-13.41%), while the proportions of vegetation (+0.27%) and water (-0.10%) remained stable. The observed dynamic equilibrium of vegetated ratio implies an increasing harmonization of urbanization and greening, which was particularly important for the sustainability of fragile urban ecosystems in arid regions. From an economic perspective, gross domestic product and population were significantly correlated with impervious surfaces, and oasis cities displayed a stronger ability to attract new residents than desert cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For estimating the annual mean of daily solar irradiation in plateau mountainous regions, observed data from 15 radiation stations were used to validate different empirical estimation methods over the Tibetan Plateau. Calibration indicates that sunshine-based site-dependent models perform better than temperature-based ones. Then, the highly rated sunshine-based Ångström model and temperature-based Bristow model were selected for regional application. The geographical models perform much better than the average models, but still not ideally. To achieve better performance, the Ångström-type model was improved using altitude and water vapor pressure as the leading factors. The improved model can accurately predict the coefficients at all the stations, and performs the best among all models with an average Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency value of 0.856. Spatial distribution of the annual mean of daily solar irradiation was then estimated with the improved model. It is indicated that there is an increasing trend of radiation from east to west, with a great center of the annual mean of daily solar irradiation on southwest Tibetan Plateau ranging from 20 to 24 MJ⋅m-2. The improved model should be further validated against observations before its applications in other plateau mountainous regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a rare life threatening inherited disorder that is triggered by drugs used for general anesthesia in susceptible persons. The symptoms include rapid increase of body temperature and severe muscle contractions. The present study includes 3 cases of MH and highlights the timely identification of symptoms for rescuing the patient. In case I, a 7-year-old male child underwent surgery with ketamine at a dose of 250 mg. After 4 h of operation, the child went through convulsions, high fever and succumbed within a few hours. High fever was not detected in a timely manner, which is one of the main symptoms of MH. In case II, a 12-year-old male child had convulsions and high fever after simple surgery caused by MH. Once confirmed, immediate measures were taken to lower the body temperature and the child was rescued. In case III, a male 57-year-old was admitted to hospital due to paraplegia. The patient underwent more critical conditions once symptoms of MH appeared. Additionally, antidote dantrolene was unavailable in the first and third case; thus, the progression of disease was not alleviated although active symptomatic and supportive treatment were employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-aligned ZnO nanorod arrays have been grown on metal-plated polymer fiber via a mild wet process in a newly-designed continuous reactor, aiming to provide wire-shaped photoanodes for wearable dye-sensitized solar cells. The growth conditions were systematically optimized with the help of computational flow-field simulation. The flow field in the reactor will not only affect the morphology of the ZnO nanorod ⧹ nanowire but also affect the pattern distribution of nanoarray on the electrode surface. Unlike the sectional structure from the traditional batch-type reactor, ZnO nanorods with finely-controlled length and uniform morphology could be grown from the continuous reactor. After optimization, the wire-shaped ZnO-type photoanode grown from the continuous reactor exhibited better photovoltaic performance than that from the traditional batch-type reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation is an innate immune response of the body against pathogens and other irritants. The NLRP3 (NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3) inflammasome is a major player in the inflammatory response against pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between the NLRP3 inflammasome and the influenza virus NS1 protein, which is involved in host immune escape. The canine influenza virus NS1 protein transcriptionally attenuated proinflammatory cytokines by inhibiting the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activator. NS1 also directly interacted with NLRP3 and blocked ASC (Apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD) oligomerization, which deactivated the NLRP3 inflammasome. In addition, NS1 inhibited pro-caspase 1 cleavage into caspase-1, which prevents maturation of IL-1β and IL-18 from their respective precursors, eventually reducing the inflammatory response. Taken together, the influenza NS1 protein evades host immunity, and our findings provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of canine influenza. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our objective was to identify activities that influence tinnitus and to determine if conditional probabilities exist among such variables. Method: Two hundred fifty-eight patients were asked the following two questions: "When you have your tinnitus, which of the following makes it worse?" and "Which of the following reduces your tinnitus?" Results: Things that made tinnitus better included noise (31%) and relaxation (15%). Things that made tinnitus worse included being in a quiet place (48%), stress (36%), being in a noisy place (32%), and lack of sleep (27%). Almost 6% of patients suggested coffee/tea and 4% said certain foods made their tinnitus worse. Conditional probabilities indicated that for those whose tinnitus is not worse in quiet, it is usually not reduced by noise. For those whose tinnitus is not worse in noise, it is usually not reduced in quiet. Conclusion: There are dramatic differences among patients. Such differences need to be considered in planning treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The primary purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between postimplant electrically evoked auditory brainstem response (EABR) measures (wave V threshold, wave V latency, input-output functions) and auditory performance and speech intelligibility outcomes measured using parental rating scales, such as Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP; Archbold, Lutman, & Marshall, 1995) and the Speech Intelligibility Rating scale (SIR; Allen, Nikolopoulos, Dyar, &O'Donoghue, 2001), respectively. The secondary purpose was to evaluate the relationship between age at implantation and ratings on the CAP and SIR. Method: Forty children with congenital sensorineural hearing loss participated. Preimplant parental ratings on the CAP and SIR were obtained, and all the children underwent cochlear implantation. Intracochlear EABRs were recorded postimplantation. Postimplant parental ratings on the CAP and SIR were obtained. The relationships between EABR parameters and auditory performance and speech intelligibility outcomes were studied. The effect of age at implantation on auditory performance and speech intelligibility outcomes was also investigated. Results: A significant negative correlation was found between EABR wave V thresholds and SIR growth (r = -.415, p = .016). Children with better CAP growths tended to have lower wave V thresholds than those with poorer CAP growths. Age at implantation had an effect on the auditory performance as measured using the CAP. Conclusions: The present study provides evidence for the relationship between wave V thresholds of the intracochlear EABR and auditory performance and speech intelligibility outcomes measured using parental rating scales in pediatric cochlear implant recipients. Data also indicate that early intervention has a positive impact on auditory performance outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six pentasaccharide resin glycosides from Ipomoea cairica, including four new acylated pentasaccharide resin glycosides, namely cairicoside I-IV (1-4) and the two known compounds cairicoside A (5) and cairicoside C (6), were isolated from the aerial parts of Ipomoea cairica. Their structures were established by a combination of spectroscopic, including two dimensional (2D) NMR and chemical methods. The core of the six compounds was simonic acid A, and they were esterfied the same sites, just differing in the substituent groups. The lactonization site of the aglycone was bonded to the second saccharide moiety at C-2 in 1-4, and at C-3 in 5-6. Compounds 1 and 5, 4 and 6 were two pairs of isomers. The absolute configuration of the aglycone in 1-6 which was (11S)-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid (jalapinolic acid) was established by Mosher's method. Compounds 1-4 have been evaluated for inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase, which all showed inhibitory activities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infantile rhabdomyofibrosarcoma is a rare form of soft-tissue tumor often associated with difficulties in diagnosis. The disease is positioned intermediately between rhabdomyosarcoma and infantile fibrosarcoma in terms of clinical presentation, immunohistochemistry, behavior, morphology and ultrastructural features. Reports of rhabdomyofibrosarcoma cases are limited in the literature. The present case describes a 26-month-old female who presented with a slowly progressive, soft-tissue mass in the right chest wall. The mass was successfully treated with surgery. Using histopathology, the tumor was diagnosed and classified as infantile rhabdomyofibrosarcoma. The patient has been followed-up for 2 years and is currently in good condition. The present case demonstrates that early, radical, local surgery and multidisciplinary cooperation were successful for the treatment of rhabdomyofibrosarcoma, and close follow-up highly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new strategy for quantitative analysis of a major clinical biochemical indicator called glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was proposed. The technique was based on the simultaneous near-infrared (NIR) spectral determination of hemoglobin (Hb) and absolute HbA1c content (Hb • HbA1c) in human hemolysate samples. Wavelength selections were accomplished using the improved moving window partial least square (MWPLS) method for stability. Each model was established using an approach based on randomness, similarity, and stability to obtain objective, stable, and practical models. The optimal wavebands obtained using MWPLS were 958 to 1036 nm for Hb and 1492 to 1858 nm for Hb • HbA1c, which were within the NIR overtone region. The validation root mean square error and validation correlation coefficients of prediction (V-SEP, V-RP) were 3.4 g L-1 and 0.967 for Hb, respectively, whereas the corresponding values for Hb • HbA1c were 0.63 g L-1 and 0.913. The corresponding V-SEP and V-RP were 0.40% and 0.829 for the relative percentage of HbA1c. The experimental results confirm the feasibility for the quantification of HbA1c based on simultaneous NIR spectroscopic analyses of Hb and Hb • HbA1c. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The effect of cooling method after intercritical heat treatment on microstructure evolution was investigated. [•] Fracture mechanism of tensile and impact after different intercritical heat treatment has been analyzed. [•] The crack initiation and propagation after different intercritical heat treatment was compared in details. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper examines the case of "The Warmest Library in History" and discusses how the library rights ideology has been propagated in Mainland China in recent years, from the perspectives of the planning and promotion activities of professional organizations, advocacy and appeals of professional journals, the scholarship of academics, and the mass media's reporting and influence. This study reveals how the case and the attention it received reflect the progress and positive effect of the propagation of the library rights ideology in China. The people of China have begun to be awakened to those rights, but there is a long way to go until they are fully realized, and theoretical research and practice on library rights in Mainland China are still in their infancy. It is a long-term, arduous and historical mission, and there is an urgent duty for library professionals in China to advocate for making policies on library rights, to protect and preserve those rights, to make people more conscious of those rights, and to conduct more research on library rights theory and practice. Research methods employed in this paper include case study and historical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly sensitive mid-infrared evanescent wave sensor based on side-polished (SPF) chalcogenide fiber (ChG) was proposed in this work. The optimum optical fiber parameters were determined via numerical simulation by detecting the leakage intensity of evanescent waves from the optical fiber of different polish depths. The SPF remarkably enhanced the evanescent wave sensing while maintaining fiber loss and strength. Graphene oxide (GO) was coated on the fiber to enhance the sensitivity of SPF sensor for butane (C 4 H 10). GO has a great specific surface area and abundant oxygen-containing functional groups, which enlarges the contact area of GO with gas molecules and enables to adsorb gas. Results show that the GO-SPF sensor can be three and five times more sensitive than the original fiber optic sensor and SPF sensor for butane gas detection, and has a fast response time and good repeatability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pneumonic plague is a highly virulent infectious disease with 100% mortality rate, and its causative organism Yersinia pestis poses a serious threat for deliberate use as a bioterror agent. Currently, there is no FDA approved vaccine against plague. The polymeric bacterial capsular protein F1, a key component of the currently tested bivalent subunit vaccine consisting, in addition, of low calcium response V antigen, has high propensity to aggregate, thus affecting its purification and vaccine efficacy. We used two basic approaches, structure-based immunogen design and phage T4 nanoparticle delivery, to construct new plague vaccines that provided complete protection against pneumonic plague. The NH2-terminal β-strand of F1 was transplanted to the COOH-terminus and the sequence flanking the β-strand was duplicated to eliminate polymerization but to retain the T cell epitopes. The mutated F1 was fused to the V antigen, a key virulence factor that forms the tip of the type three secretion system (T3SS). The F1mut-V protein showed a dramatic switch in solubility, producing a completely soluble monomer. The F1mut-V was then arrayed on phage T4 nanoparticle via the small outer capsid protein, Soc. The F1mut-V monomer was robustly immunogenic and the T4-decorated F1mut-V without any adjuvant induced balanced TH1 and TH2 responses in mice. Inclusion of an oligomerization-deficient YscF, another component of the T3SS, showed a slight enhancement in the potency of F1-V vaccine, while deletion of the putative immunomodulatory sequence of the V antigen did not improve the vaccine efficacy. Both the soluble (purified F1mut-V mixed with alhydrogel) and T4 decorated F1mut-V (no adjuvant) provided 100% protection to mice and rats against pneumonic plague evoked by high doses of Y. pestis CO92. These novel platforms might lead to efficacious and easily manufacturable next generation plague vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic code underlying protein synthesis is a canonical example of a degenerate biological system. Degeneracies in physical and biological systems can be lifted by external perturbations, thus allowing degenerate systems to exhibit a wide range of behaviors. Here we show that the degeneracy of the genetic code is lifted by environmental perturbations to regulate protein levels in living cells. By measuring protein synthesis rates from a synthetic reporter library in Escherichia coil, we find that environmental perturbations, such as reduction of cognate amino acid supply, lift the degeneracy of the genetic code by splitting codon families into a hierarchy of robust and sensitive synonymous codons. Rates of protein synthesis associated with robust codons are up to 100-fold higher than those associated with sensitive codons under these conditions. We find that the observed hierarchy between synonymous codons is not determined by usual rules associated with tRNA abundance and codon usage. Rather, competition among tRNA isoacceptors for aminoacylation underlies the robustness of protein synthesis. Remarkably, the hierarchy established using the synthetic library also explains the measured robustness of synthesis for endogenous proteins in E. coli. We further found that the same hierarchy is reflected in the fitness cost of synonymous mutations in amino acid biosynthesis genes and in the transcriptional control of G-factor genes. Our study suggests that organisms can exploit degeneracy lifting as a general strategy to adapt protein synthesis to their environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five decades of research have identified more than 100 ribonucleosides that are post-transcriptionally modified. Many modified nucleosides are conserved throughout bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes, while some are unique to each branch of life. However, the cellular and functional dynamics of RNA modification remain largely unexplored, mostly because of the lack of functional hypotheses and experimental methods for quantification and large-scale analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating actual crop evapotranspiration (ETc) variations and their determining factors under changing climates is crucial for agricultural irrigation management and crop productivity improvement in nonhumid regions. This study analyzed the spatiotemporal characteristics and detected the determining factors of ETc for winter wheat and summer maize rotation system from 2000 to 2017 in the North China Plain (NCP), by combining the FAO-56 dual crop coefficient approach with remotely sensed vegetation indices (VIs). The results indicated that daily air temperature increased in varying degrees while wind speed and sunshine hours decreased slightly during the growing season of winter wheat and summer maize over the study period. The trends of relative humidity and effective precipitation varied in crop growing seasons. Based on the validated relationship of dual crop coefficients and VIs, the estimated multi-year average ETc of winter wheat (370.29 ± 31.28 mm) was much higher than summer maize (281.85 ± 20.14 mm), and the rotation cycle was 652.43 ± 27.67 mm. Annual ETc of winter wheat and the rotation cycle increased by 2.96 mm a-1 and 1.77 mm a-1, respectively. However, the ETc of summer maize decreased with distinct spatial variation. Spatially, winter wheat ETc increased significantly in the northeast NCP, covering the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei areas. Meanwhile, significant increases in summer maize ETc were detected in the southwest NCP. The sensitivity and contribution analysis showed that ETc of winter wheat and summer maize was positively sensitive to temperature, wind speed, and sunshine hours while negatively to relative humidity. Moreover, wind speed and sunshine hours contributed most to changes in ETc (around 20%-40%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical properties of the Au–Ag alloy nanowire coated with a cylindrical shell with radial dielectric anisotropy are investigated based on quasistatic theory. Numerical results show that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak is redshifted with increasing the component ratio of Au in the alloy, while the intensity of extinction section at the SPR increases with increasing the component ratio of Ag in the alloy. In addition, as the extent of anisotropy of the shell increases, the extinction section at SPR wavelength decreases and the SPR wavelength is redshifted, but compared with the isotropic shell consisting of comparable dielectric constant materials, the SPR has a distinct blueshift for anisotropic shell. We also find that the field enhancement can be completely concentrated inside the anisotropic shell and the electromagnetic transparency can be exhibited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extractive microbial fermentation for production of lipase by Serratia marcescens ECU1010 has been carried out in cloud point system. The cloud point system is composed of mixture nonionic surfactants with a ratio of Triton X-114 to Triton X-45 4:1 in aqueous solution. The lipase prefers to partition into the surfactant rich phase (coacervate phase) whereas the cells and other hydrophilic proteins retain in the dilute phase of cloud point system. Thus, a concentration factor 4.2-fold and a purification factor 1.3-fold of the lipase have been achieved in the extractive fermentation process. This is the first report about extractive fermentation of proteins in cloud point system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial infections are common but have become increasingly resistant to drugs. The aim of the present study was to examine the combined treatment of traditional Chinese and Western medicine in 30 cases of pulmonary infection with multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Patients were divided into groups A and B according to drug treatments. Cefoperazone or sulbactam and tanreqing were administered in group A, and cefoperazone or sulbactam in group B. The curative effect and prognosis of the two groups were recorded and the remaining treatments were performed routinely in the clinic. For the combined therapy group, which was administered sulperazone and tanreqing, 8 patients were recovered, 6 patients had significant effects, 3 patients exhibited some improvement and 1 patient had no response. One of the patients did not survive after 28 days. By contrast, there were 4 patients that were successfully treated, 3 patients with significant effects, 2 patients with some improvement and 2 patients had no response in the sulperazone group, and 4 patients did not survive after 28 days. In conclusion, the combined therapy of cefoperazone or sulbactam supplemented with tanreqing was identified to be more effective than cefoperazone or sulbactam as monotherapy, for treating multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine (a) changes in the Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire (THQ) for patients using cochlear implants, (b) differences between patients who receive total or partial relief, and (c) identifiable characteristics of those who report tinnitus after implantation. Method: Pre- and postoperatively, 244 adults were administered the THQ when they reported tinnitus. Results: Of the 153 patients who had tinnitus preoperatively, 94 (61%) patients reported total suppression and 59 (39%) reported a partial reduction. In 91 patients who did not have tinnitus before implantation, 11 (12%) reported tinnitus postimplantation. The THQ score decreased from 41% preimplant to 30% postimplant. The largest reductions involved social handicap and hearing. Patients with a more severe hearing loss might be more likely to experience an exacerbation of their tinnitus. We were not able to clearly identify differences between patients who received total or partial relief and the characteristics of patients who reported tinnitus after implantation. Those who acquired tinnitus had the shortest duration hearing loss (5.6 years) and were the oldest (63 years). The average THQ score of patients getting tinnitus was 29%. Conclusions: Most tinnitus patients benefit from receiving a cochlear implant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

17β-19-nortestosterone (17β-NT) has been illegally used in antifatigue functional foods to promote muscle growth and improve endurance. A rapid and sensitive solid-phase extraction–enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (SPE-ELISA) method was developed and successfully applied to analyze the levels of 17β-NT in antifatigue functional foods. A polyclonal antibody against 17β-NT was produced from rabbits immunized with the 17β-NT-BSA conjugate, and a competitive direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed for the rapid detection of 17β-NT. The concentration causing 50% inhibition ( IC50) and the limit of detection (LOD) were found to be 0.08 and 0.0055 ng/mL, respectively; this was better than methods previously reported that had a LOD of 2.4 ng/mL. C18 cartridges were investigated for use in removing the effects of matrix in foods, and the sample purification protocol was optimized. Using the developed SPE-ELISA method, recoveries of functional food samples were obtained in the range of 71% to 91.5%. Moreover, 2 kinds of antifatigue functional foods were analyzed using the established ELISA and HPLC methods. The correlation coefficient of the results obtained using the 2 methods was greater than 0.98. Thus, the preliminary evaluation of the SPE-ELISA method proved that it is a specific, sensitive, and precise tool that can be used for the practical detection of 17β-NT in various antifatigue functional food samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The objectives of this paper were to look into the possible incidence of obvious soft tissue extension from Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis (LCH) of the spine in children and to evaluate the effects of chemotherapy for those patients. Eighteen patients with histopathological diagnosis of LCH were reviewed and nine with obvious paravertebral soft tissue extension were included in this study. Soft tissue extension was involved in the spinal canal and/or around the vertebral body in eight cases and posterior involvement was prevalent in one case. Eight patients experienced neurological symptoms. All received chemotherapy and one had surgical treatment. The mean follow-up time was 30.3 months. Soft tissue extension disappeared completely in all patients. No clinical evidence of disease was observed at the most recent follow-up. The incidence of LCH of the spine in children with obvious soft tissue extension was up to 50%. Chemotherapy is safe and effective, and surgical decompression was probably not necessary for most patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have numerically studied the characteristics of a slab waveguide loaded with dispersive anisotropic metamaterials. For two typical-structured metamaterials, we have analyzed the tensor expressions of frequency-dependent permittivity and permeability and discussed influences of the resonant cell structures on waveguiding characteristics. Numerical results show that the slab waveguide loaded with anisotropic metamaterials may, to some extent, behave as the slab waveguides of isotropic left-handed metamaterials (LHMs) core and conventional right-handed materials core. To one’s interest, some unusual properties are revealed in this paper, such as the coexistence of the fundamental guided mode and negative group velocity, and extraordinarily large normal or anomalous group velocity dispersion. Our results may find some potential applications in both linear and nonlinear optical technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: DNA vaccination is an effective means of eliciting both humoral and cellular immune responses. The hemagglutinin (HA) surface protein of influenza A virus is a major target of protective antibody responses induced by virus infection or by vaccination and is widely considered to be the antigen of choice for an influenza vaccine. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses directed against the conserved nucleoprotein (NP) are thought to play an important role in clearing virus and promoting survival and recovery from influenza. In this study, we developed a novel DNA vaccine approach using a chimeric plasmid consisting of the HA of H5N1 influenza virus in which an MHC class I-restricted NP-specific CTL epitope (NP147–155) was inserted. Immunogenicity and antiviral efficacy of this vaccine was assessed in mouse models. A similar level of HA expression was achieved in 293T cells transfected with pHA/NP147–155 compared to that with pHA. Besides eliciting the specific anti-HA antibody responses, vaccination using pHA/NP147–155 in mice induced NP epitope-specific CD8+ T cell responses, which are generally not inducible by vaccination with pHA alone. After H5N1 influenza virus challenge, BALB/c mice vaccinated with pHA/NP147–155 exhibited reduced inflammation severity and lung viral titers compared to those vaccinated with pHA. Our work may contribute to improvement of HA-based influenza DNA vaccines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper investigates robust filter design for linear discrete-time impulsive systems with uncertainty under H∞ performance. First, an impulsive linear filter and a robust H∞ filtering problem are introduced for a discrete-time impulsive systems. Then, a sufficient condition of asymptotical stability and H∞ performance for the filtering error systems are provided by the discrete-time Lyapunov function method. The filter gains can be obtained by solving a set of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Finally, a numerical example is presented to show effectiveness of the obtained result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: DNA vaccination is an effective means of eliciting both humoral and cellular immunity. Most of influenza vaccines targeted at hemagglutinin (HA) show efficient immunogenicity for protecting subjects against influenza virus infection. However, major antigenic variations of HA may facilitate the virus in developing resistance against such vaccines. DNA vaccines encoding conserved antigens protect animals against diverse viral subtypes, but their potency requires further improvement. In the present study, a DNA vaccine encoding the conserved nucleoprotein (NP) with a tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) signal sequence (ptPAs/NP) was generated, and immune responses were examined in vaccinated mice. A higher level of NP expression and secretion was observed in lysates and supernatants of the cells transfected with ptPAs/NP when compared to a plasmid encoding the wild-type full-length NP (pflNP). Immunofluorescence studies showed the cytoplasmic localization of the NP protein expressed from ptPAs/NP, but not from pflNP. In mice, the ptPAs/NP vaccine elicited higher levels of the NP-specific IgG and CD8+ T cell-stimulating responses than that of pflNP. Vaccination with ptPAs/NP efficiently cleared the homologous H5N1 influenza virus in the infected lungs and induced partial cross-protection against heterologous, highly pathogenic H5N1 strains in mice. Our results may contribute to the development of protective immunity against diverse, highly pathogenic H5N1 virus subtypes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

BACKGROUND: The long-standing goal of a preclinical diagnostic test for transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) has recently become urgent because of the discovery that humans with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease can transmit disease via blood transfusions. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The misfolded protein diagnostic (MPD) assay employs a pyrene-labeled palindromic sequence of prion peptides that undergoes a cascade of coil to β-sheet conversion in the presence of the misfolded prion protein (PrPTSE). The ability of the assay to detect PrPTSE in brain, serum, and plasma was tested. The basic protocol involved a several-hour incubation of 200-µL sample volumes with the peptide reagent in 96-well plates, after which fluorescence was monitored by a fluorescence plate reader with an excitation wavelength of 350 nm and emission scanning wavelength range of 365 to 600 nm. RESULTS: Target specificity for PrPTSE was documented by correlation of assay signal with Western blot signals in brain tissue from TSE-infected, normal, and knockout mice and negative assay signals by use of reagents with different peptide sequences. When applied to plasma or serum, the assay discriminated between samples from a variety of experimental and natural TSE infections compared to uninfected controls, with a sensitivity threshold of approximately 1 infectious dose per mL in pooled plasma from TSE-infected mice. CONCLUSIONS: The MPD assay is a sensitive and specific test for the detection of PrPTSE that may be useful in both preclinical and clinical diagnosis of TSE diseases of animals and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with an initial boundary value problem for strictly convex conservation laws whose weak entropy solution is in the piecewise smooth solution class consisting of finitely many discontinuities. By the structure of the weak entropy solution of the corresponding initial value problem and the boundary entropy condition developed by Bardos–Leroux–Nedelec, we give a construction method to the weak entropy solution of the initial boundary value problem. Compared with the initial value problem, the weak entropy solution of the initial boundary value problem includes the following new interaction type: an expansion wave collides with the boundary and the boundary reflects a new shock wave which is tangent to the boundary. According to the structure and some global estimates of the weak entropy solution, we derive the global L 1–error estimate for viscous methods to this initial boundary value problem by using the matching travelling wave solutions method. If the inviscid solution includes the interaction that an expansion wave collides with the boundary and the boundary reflects a new shock wave which is tangent to the boundary, or the inviscid solution includes some shock wave which is tangent to the boundary, then the error of the viscosity solution to the inviscid solution is bounded by O(ε1/2) in L 1–norm; otherwise, as in the initial value problem, the L 1–error bound is O(ε| ln ε|). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of additional bedtime H2-receptor antagonists (H2RAs) in suppressing nocturnal gastric acid breakthrough (NAB) via a systematic review. METHODS: Eligible trials were identified by searching the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (Cochrane Library Issue 2, 2004), MEDLINE (January 1966–June 2004), EMBASE (January 1980–June 2004) and CINAHL (January 1982–June 2004). Additional hand-searching was conducted on the proceedings of correlated conferences, eight important Chinese journals and references of all included trials. All randomized controlled trials evaluating H2RAs for the control of NAB were eligible for inclusion. The systematic review was conducted using methods recommended by The Cochrane Collaboration. RESULTS: Only two randomized crossover studies, comprising 32 participants, met the inclusion criteria. Because the design, dosage and duration of the treatments were different between the studies, it was not possible to conduct meta-analysis. There were no consistent conclusions found between the two included studies in evaluating H2RAs for the control of NAB. CONCLUSIONS: No implications for practice at this stage can be concluded. Appropriately designed large-scale randomized controlled trials with long-term follow up are needed to determine the effects of additional bedtime H2RAs in suppressing NAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of RNA sequence needs to satisfy three requirements: folding, structure, and function. Studies on folding during transcription are related directly to folding in the cell. Understanding RNA folding during transcription requires the elucidation of structure formation and structural changes of the RNA, and the consideration of intrinsic properties of the RNA polymerase and other proteins that interact with the RNA. This review summarizes the research progress in this area and outlines the enormous challenges facing this field. Significant advancement requires the development of new experimental methods and theoretical considerations in all aspects of transcription and RNA folding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conversion of the normal cellular prion protein, PrPC, into the protease-resistant, scrapie PrPSc aggregate is the cause of prion diseases. We developed a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that is specific for PrP aggregate by screening 30 anti-PrP monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) for their ability to react with recombinant mouse, ovine, bovine, or human PrP dimers. One MAb that reacts with all four recombinant PrP dimers also reacts with PrPSc aggregates in ME7-, 139A-, or 22L-infected mouse brains. The PrPSc aggregate is proteinase K resistant, has a mass of 2,000 kDa or more, and is present at a time when no protease-resistant PrP is detectable. This simple and sensitive assay provides the basis for the development of a diagnostic test for prion diseases in other species. Finally, the principle of the aggregate-specific ELISA we have developed may be applicable to other diseases caused by abnormal protein aggregation, such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infection with any one of three strains of mouse scrapie prion (PrPSc), 139A, ME7, or 22L, results in the accumulation of two underglycosylated, full-length PrP species and an N-terminally truncated PrP species that are not detectable in uninfected animals. The levels of the N-terminally truncated PrP species vary depending on PrPSc strain. Furthermore, 22L-infected brains consistently have the highest levels of proteinase K (PK)resistant PrP species, followed by ME7- and 139A-infected brains. The three strains of PrPSc are equally susceptible to PK and proteases papain and chymotrypsin. Their protease resistance patterns are also similar. In sucrose gradient velocity sedimentation, the aberrant PrP species partition with PrPSc aggregates, indicating that they are physically associated with PrPSc. In ME7-infected animals, one of the underglycosylated, full-length PrP species is detected much earlier than the other, before both the onset of clinical disease and the detection of PK-resistant PrP species. In contrast, the appearance of the N-terminally truncated PrP species coincides with the presence of PK-resistant species and the manifestation of clinical symptoms. Therefore, accumulation of the underglycosylated, full-length PrP species is an early biochemical fingerprint of PrPSc infection. Accumulation of the underglycosylated, full-length PrP species and the aberrant N-terminally truncated PrP species may be important in the pathogenesis of prion disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymeric materials have emerged as appealing alternatives to conventional inorganic substrates for the fabrication of microscale analytical systems; however, native polymeric surfaces typically require covalent modification to ensure optimum biocompatibility. 2-Bromoisobutyryl bromide was immobilized on poly(methyl methaciylate) (PMMA) substrates activated using an oxygen plasma. Atom-transfer radical polymerization was then performed to graft poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) on the PMMA surface. PMMA microcapillary electrophoresis (μCE) devices made with the covalently modified surfaces exhibited substantially reduced electroosmotic flow and nonspecific adsorption of proteins on microchannel surfaces. Experiments using fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated bovine serum albumin indicated that both column efficiency and migration time reproducibility were I order of magnitude better with derivatized compared to untreated PMMA FACE chips. Fast, reproducible, and efficient separations of proteins and peptides were demonstrated using the PEG-grafted PMMA μCE chips. All analyses were completed in less than 60 s, and separation efficiencies as high as 5.2 × 104 plates for a 3.5-cm-long separation channel were obtained. These results demonstrate the general applicability of surface-grafted PMMA microdevices for a broad range of protein analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the asymptotic behaviors of solutions for (IBVP) compressible viscous gas, which are related to those for the corresponding Cauchy problem and hence the corresponding Reimann problem. Overview of the boundary and initial conditions; Discussion on the convergence to the 2-rarefaction wave; Explanation for the convergence to the 2-viscous shock wave.

Analyzes the thermodynamic states and cooperativity of tertiary folding of RNA under isothermal conditions. Use of the Mg2+ binding model to quantify the folding free energy; Discussion on the folding free energy to identify the thermodynamic reference state; Utilization of urea denaturation in protein folding.