Search

Background: Kidney disease is an important comorbidity in people living with HIV(PLWH), and is associated with poor outcomes. However, data on renal function of PLWH are limited in China so far. In this study we assessed the prevalence of kidney disease in patients either on antiretroviral therapy (ART) or not respectively in a single center in China and explored the possible risk factors associated. Methods: In the cross-sectional study, we recruited hospitalized adult PLWH. Demographic characteristics, clinical information and laboratory variables were collected. Kidney disease was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, and/or isolated hematuria, proteinuria, microalbuminuria. We calculated the prevalence of kidney disease and used logistic regression to assess its associated risk factors. Results: A total of 501 adult PLWH were enrolled, 446 (89.0%) males and 55 (11.0%) females. The median age was 39 (IQR 30–50) years old. The prevalence of kidney disease was 19.0%, 22 (4.4%) patients with eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, 53 (10.6%) patients with hematuria, 11 (2.2%) patients with proteinuria, and 40 (8.0%) patients with microalbuminuria. 297 (59.3%) patients were receiving ART. The patients on ART had a higher prevalence of renal disease than those had not been administrated with ART (22.6% vs. 13.7%, P = 0.013). On the multivariate logistic regression analysis among patients not on ART, lower haemoglobin (OR 0.994, 95%CI: 0.902–0.988, P = 0.013) were significantly associated with kidney disease. While among those on ART, older age (OR 1.034, 95%CI: 1.003–1.066, P = 0.032), lower haemoglobin (OR 0.968, 95%CI: 0.948–0.988, P = 0.002) and lower albumin (OR 0.912, 95%CI: 0.834–0.997, P = 0.044) were significantly associated with kidney disease. Conclusions: The prevalence of kidney disease among hospitalized PLWH in China is high, especially in patients on ART. A larger scale study on Chinese outpatient PLWH should be conducted, so as to precisely assess prevalence of kidney disease in general Chinese PLWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Introducing ammonia fuel into diesel engines increases NH 3 , HC, CO and N 2 O emissions. • DOC can obviously reduce NH 3 emission of ammonia/diesel dual-fuel engine by over 90%. • There are multiple pathways for the oxidation of NH 3 to NOx and N 2 O in the DOC. • The conversion efficiency of SCR on N 2 O is only 35 ∼ 45 % by using Cu-ZSM-5 as catalyst. • DOC + SCR will further increase GHG effect of ammonia/diesel dual-fuel combustion mode. After-treatment device diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) were installed in the exhaust system of ammonia/diesel dual-fuel engine to remove harmful pollutants such as hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), ammonia (NH 3), nitrogen oxide (NOx), nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and other pollutants produced by the dual-fuel combustion mode. The results indicate that the HC, CO and N 2 O emissions of ammonia/diesel dual-fuel engine increase with the increment of ammonia fraction, whereas NOx emissions decrease. At 50 % load, the CO conversion efficiency of DOC decreases from 100 % at diesel-only mode to 18.9 % at 40 % ammonia fraction, while the HC conversion efficiency is independent of ammonia fraction. NOx can be reduced by NH 3 in the exhaust, while NH 3 will be oxidized to N 2 O and NOx in DOC. Moreover, at 50 % load, more NH 3 emission is oxidized to N 2 O compared to 75 % load. After SCR, the NOx, N 2 O and NH 3 emissions in the exhaust are further reduced, but due to the NH 3 /NOx ratio, there are still a large amount of NOx and NH 3 emissions at SCR outlet. The N 2 O conversion efficiency of SCR is relatively low, with a maximum value of only 47.8 % at 50 % load and 30 % ammonia fraction. Owing to the high N 2 O emission from dual-fuel engine, the direct introduction of ammonia cannot significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Furthermore, the massive amount of unburnt ammonia in the exhaust is oxidized to N 2 O by DOC, leading to a sharp increase in GHG emissions after DOC + SCR aftertreatment, and the GHG emissions at 50 % load and 40 % ammonia fraction are 6.2 times higher than those before the aftertreatment, and 9.2 times higher than those of diesel-only mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV-associated malignancies are responsible for morbidity and mortality increasingly in the era of potent antiretroviral therapy. This study aimed to investigate the distribution of HIV-associated malignancies among inpatients, the immunodeficiency and the effect of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on spectrum of HIV-associated malignancies. A total of 438 cases were enrolled from 2007 to 2020 in Beijing Ditan Hospital. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data, managements, and outcomes were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Of 438 cases, 433 were assigned to non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs) (n = 200, 45.7%) and AIDS-defining cancers (ADCs) (n = 233, 53.2%), 5 (1.1%) with lymphoma were not specified further. No significant change was observed in the proportion of NADCs and ADCs as time goes on. Of NADCs, lung cancer (n = 38, 19%) was the most common type, followed by thyroid cancer (n = 17, 8.5%). Patients with ADCs had lower CD4 counts(104.5/μL vs. 314/μL), less suppression of HIVRNA(OR 0.23, 95%CI 0.16–0.35) compared to those with NADCs. ART did not affect spectrum of NADCs, but affect that of ADCs (between patients with detectable and undetectable HIVRNA). ADCs remain frequent in China, and NADCs play an important role in morbidity and mortality of HIV positive population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone derivatives (1–2) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of artificial agarwood induced by holing method originating from Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Gilg, and they were isolated from this genus for the first time. The structures of these two new compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses, including UV, IR, one- and two-dimensional NMR and HRESIMS measurements. Bioassay tests of these two new compounds showed compounds 1 and 2 had weak inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase at a concentration of 50.0 μg/ml. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the difficulty in the diagnosis of compound faults in rolling bearings, the paper combines Intrinsic Time-scale Decomposition (ITD) and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) for extracting the characteristics of compound faults from rolling bearings. Rotational components obtained from ITD decomposition are denoised according to Singular Value Decomposition algorithm; signal is reconstructed by denoised rotational components; at last, characteristics of compound faults of rolling bearings are extracted by Hilbert spectrum envelope of reconstructed signal. In validation, the paper has made a comparative study on the proposed ITD-SVD method and conventional one based on ITD algorithm and PCA method, and the result shows that ITD-SVD method works better on noise control and thereby provides more precise extraction of characteristic frequency of compound faults from rolling bearings of aero-engine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an engineering practice, the faults of rolling bearing are mostly represented as being compound and hard to diagnose. For that, intrinsic time-scale decomposition (ITD) algorithm was combined with Auto-correlation Function (AF) to extract the characteristics of compound faults of rolling bearing in aviation engine. Firstly, ITD algorithm was used to decompose acceleration signal into multiple rotational and residual trend component; secondly, rotational components were reconstructed to figure out their AF; finally, characteristic frequency of rolling bearing under compound faults mode was extracted by Hilbert spectrum envelope. To validate the effectiveness of the method, a comparative study on sensor installation positions and vibration acceleration signal of different compound faults has been carried out. The result of study shows that the proposed ITD-AF method is capable to extract compound fault characteristics of rolling bearing in an effective and precise manner and the installation positions of sensors, rotation speed and fault type shows insensitivity to extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As it is difficult to extract the combined faults from rolling bearings of aero-engine in strong noise, a fault diagnosis method based on wavelet transform (WT), principal component analysis (PCA) and self-correlation noise reduction is proposed to solve this problem. The proposed method is then compared with the target matrix composed of maximum component of kurtosis, the largest and the second largest kurtosis value. The result of comparative analysis reveals that the 2D target matrix proposed in this paper works better to extract the characteristic frequency of combined faults of rolling bearings in terms of accuracy and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-layer neural networks (NNs) are combined with objective functions of matched-field inversion (MFI) to estimate geoacoustic parameters. By adding hidden layers, a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) is extended to adopt MFI objective functions. Specifically, shallow layers extract frequency features from the hydrophone data, and deep layers perform inverse function approximation and parameter estimation. A hybrid scheme of backpropagation and pseudo-inverse is utilized to update the RBFNN weights using batch processing for fast convergence. The NNs are trained using a large sample set covering the parameter interval. Numerical simulations and the SWellEx- 96 experimental data results demonstrate that the proposed NN method achieves inversion performance comparable to the conventional MFI due to utilizing big data and integrating MFI objective functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By virtue of the intrinsic safety and cost‐effectiveness, aqueous Zn‐ion batteries (AZIBs) have gained increasing attention in the realm of energy storage. In spite of the promise of Zn anode, challenges like dendrite growth and side reactions persist as hurdles to be overcome. Addressing this, the rational design of Zn anode current collectors (ZACCs) is an effective solution. Recent years have witnessed the significant strides in the construction of ZACCs, yet the precise pathways for ZACC development remain unclear, lacking a set of specific criteria to guide progress. In this comprehensive review, acknowledging the concerns surrounding Zn anodes, six criteria—electrical conductivity, zincophilicity, orientational deposition inducibility, chemical stability, mechanical durability, and scalability—are innovatively put forward as pivotal benchmarks for the design of ZACCs. Each criterion is accompanied by tailored optimization strategies and corresponding challenges. Furthermore, future trend in ZACCs development is envisaged, along with potential application scenarios for AZIBs. This review will expedite the advancement of ZACCs and contribute to the flourishing landscape of AZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study showed that feeding mice with vitamin D deficiency diet markedly alleviated high-fat-diet-induced overweight, hyperinsulinemia, and hepatic lipid accumulation. Moreover, vitamin D deficiency up-regulated the expression of uncoupling protein 3 (Ucp3) in white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT). The present study aimed to further investigate the effects of vitamin D and vitamin D receptor (Vdr) on Ucp1-3 (Ucps) expression in brown adipocyte and the mechanism involved in it. Rat primary brown adipocytes were separated and purified. The effects of the 1,25(OH)2D3 (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3; the hormonal form of vitamin D) and Vdr system on Ucps expression in brown adipocytes were investigated in basal condition and activated condition by isoproterenol (ISO) and triiodothyronine (T3). Ucps expression levels were significantly down-regulated by 1,25(OH)2D3 in the activated brown adipocyte. Vdr silencing reversed the down-regulation of Ucps by 1,25(OH)2D3, whereas Vdr overexpression strengthened the down-regulation effects. Hairless protein did express in brown adipocyte and was localized in cell nuclei. 1,25(OH)2D3 increased Hairless protein expression in the cell nuclei. Hairless (Hr) silencing notably elevated Ucps expression in activated condition induced by ISO and T3. Moreover, immunoprecipitation results revealed that Vdr could interact with Hairless, which might contribute to decreasing expression of Vdr target gene Ucps. These data suggest that vitamin D suppresses expression of Ucps in brown adipocyte in a Vdr-dependent manner and the corepressor Hairless protein probably plays a role in the down-regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectral observations indicated that the quasar SDSS J091613.60 + 292106.1 (simply called as J0916 + 2921, with the system redshift of z em = 1.1418 ± 0.0018) has a Milky-Way-like 2715 Å dust extinction feature, its strength is obviously greater than the average value of the Galaxy. At the same time, a plenty of gas absorption lines in association with dust were detected, their system redshift is determined to be z abs = 1.1413 ± 0.0002 , in consistence with the quasar redshift. The ratios of column densities of gaseous metal ions relative to the Solar metallicity are Al / Zn = − 1.68 ± 0.10 , Cr / Zn = − 0.49 ± 0.10 , and Fe / Zn = − 0.81 ± 0.18. The significant effect of dust dissipation indicates that the absorber is heavily dusty, supporting the detection of the 2175 Å dust extinction feature. The Milky-Way-like dust extinction was usually observed in the intervening quasar absorbers, but its existence in the quasar intrinsic absorber has never been confirmed before. The associated dust absorber toward the quasar SDSS J0916 + 2921 is one of the several intrinsic 2175 Å absorber candidates. The X-ray radiation of the quasar is greater than the average value. This may provide a natural laboratory for further studying the equilibrium of formation and dissociation of 2175 Å dust grains under the irradiation of strong high-energy radiations, so that their chemical composition, physical structure, and origin can be revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine whether polydatin, a glucoside of resveratrol isolated from the root of Polygonum cuspidatum, warranted development as a potential therapeutic for ameliorating the pain originating from gallbladder spasm disorders and the underlying mechanisms. Guinea pig gallbladder smooth muscles were treated with polydatin and specific inhibitors to explore the mechanisms underpinning polydatin-induced relaxation of carbachol-precontracted guinea pig gallbladder. Our results shown that polydatin relaxed carbachol-induced contraction in a dose-dependent manner through the nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate/protein kinase G and the cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase A signaling pathways as well as the myosin light chain kinase and potassium channels. Our findings suggested that there was value in further exploring the potential therapeutic use of polydatin in gallbladder spasm disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new abietane diterpenoid glucosides, talienosides A and B (1 and 2), along with four known compounds (3 – 6), were isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble portion of 70% acetone extract of the underground parts of Isodon taliensis. Their structures were elucidated based on the analyses of extensive spectroscopic data and physicochemical properties. The two new compounds were tested for their bioactivities against malaria and diabetes by β-hematin formation inhibition and α-glycosidase inhibition experiments, respectively. However, only 2 showed weak β-hematin formation inhibitory activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A third species of the genus Sinhomidia is described from South China: S. uniseta sp. nov. This new species can be distinguished from the two other species of the genus by the following characters: colour pattern, single labial chaeta M, chaetotaxy on terga and ventral tube, unguis with three inner teeth, and 15 clypeal ciliated chaetae. Also, the chaetotaxy of the first instar of Sinhomidia is described for the first time in the present paper, and confirms the close relationship between Sinhomidia and Homidia. A key to species of Sinhomidia is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A coherent-noncoherent joint processing framework is proposed for active sonar to combine diversity gain and beamforming gain for detection of a small target in shallow water environments. Sonar utilizes widely-spaced arrays to sense environments and illuminate a target of interest from multiple angles. Meanwhile, it exploits spatial diversity for time-reversal focusing to suppress reverberation, mainly strong bottom reverberation. For enhancement of robustness of time-reversal focusing, an adaptive iterative strategy is utilized in the processing framework. A probing signal is firstly transmitted and echoes of a likely target are utilized as steering vectors for the second transmission. With spatial diversity, target bearing and range are estimated using a broadband signal model. Numerical simulations show that the novel sonar outperforms the traditional phased-array sonar due to benefits of spatial diversity. The effectiveness of the proposed framework has been validated by localization of a small target in at-lake experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The binary phase diagram of sodium sulfide clusters was constructed to determine the stability of nanoscale sodium sulfide species. • Low sulfur concentrations of sodium sulfide monomer were energetically unfavorable, aggregating to stable sub-nanoscale multimers. • Sodium sulfide multimers exhibit stronger adsorption to additives and better electrical conductivity compared with these monomer models. • B-doped carbon substrate demonstrates outstanding affinity to sodium sulfide clusters, facilitating to overcome the shuttle effect in applications. The nanosized sodium sulfide species greatly enhance the performance of Na-S batteries. However, as a typical ionic compound, the diminished stability with decreasing cluster size has been rarely considered. Numerous theoretical works only simulated the Na-S binary system based on quite small sodium sulfide clusters, with no account of the stability of the sub-nanoscale cluster. Here, by using an advanced structure search algorithm, we built a binary phase diagram of the sodium sulfide clusters (NSCs). The commonly studied monomer model with low sulfur concentrations is indeed energetically unfavorable, especially for the final discharge product, the Na 2 S monomer. Therefore, the aggregation of monomers should take place to form multimers. According to the energy, charge, and geometry, relatively stable clusters with low sulfur concentrations are located, including (Na 2 S 5) 2 , (Na 2 S 4) 2 , (Na 2 S 3) 3 , (Na 2 S 2) 4 , and (Na 2 S) 6 clusters. Furthermore, these multimers bind more intensely to four typical models of carbon-based substrates. The B-doped carbon material exhibits outstanding affinity to NSCs, which may facilitate overcoming the shuttle effect in applications. This work represents a significant step toward understanding the evolution mechanism of NSCs that may guide the future development of high-performance Na-S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new bi-phenylethylchromones ( 1 – 4 ) were isolated from the EtOAc extract of artificial agarwood induced by holing method originating from Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Gilg. The structures of new compounds were unambiguously elucidated by one- and two-dimensional NMR and HRESIMS measurements, and the absolute configuration was determined by analysis of circular dichroism (CD) spectra. All compounds were tested for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity using modified Ellman's colorimetric method and α -glucosidase inhibitory activity using PNPG method. Compounds 2 – 4 exhibited different levels of inhibitory activity against AChE with the inhibition ratios in the range of 10–45%. However, none of the compounds was active against the α -glucosidase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indium-oxide (In2O3) nanobelts coated by a 5-nm-thick carbon layer provide an enhanced photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO and CH4, yielding CO and CH4 evolution rates of 126.6 and 27.9 µmol h-1, respectively, with water as reductant and Pt as co-catalyst. The carbon coat promotes the absorption of visible light, improves the separation of photoinduced electron-hole pairs, increases the chemisorption of CO2, makes more protons from water splitting participate in CO2 reduction, and thereby facilitates the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO and CH4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urachal carcinoma is a rare tumor that most commonly occurs in ovaries and less often in the adnexal region and urinary system. We herein present two cases of urachal carcinoma: One case was a 32-year-old male patient who presented with painless hematuria with blood clots for 1 month, whereas the other case was a 50-year-old woman who presented with gross hematuria with mild dysuria, urgency and frequent urination for 1 year. Following surgical resection, the two patients were diagnosed with urachal adenocarcinoma (mixed type) and urachal mucinous adenocarcinoma, respectively, based on the histopathological examination. A review of previously published cases and relevant literature is also presented. The aim of the present study was to help understand this disease better, in order to reduce the rate of clinical and pathological misdiagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A broadband signal model is proposed for a distributed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) sonar system consisting of two transmitters and a receiving linear array. Transmitters are widely separated to illuminate the different aspects of an extended target of interest. The beamforming technique is utilized at the reception ends for enhancement of weak target echoes. A MIMO detector is designed with the estimated target position parameters within the general likelihood rate test (GLRT) framework. For the high signal-to-noise ratio case, the detection performance of the MIMO system is better than that of the phased-array system in the numerical simulations and the tank experiments. The robustness of the distributed phased-MIMO sonar system is further demonstrated in localization of a target in at-lake experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP), a common allergic hemorrhagic disease, occurs frequently in children affecting kidney, joint and skin. While interleukin-8 (IL-8) plays an important role in inflammation, the association between IL-8 gene +781 C/ T polymorphism and HSP remains unclear. Interleukin-8, an important chemokine related to the initiation and amplification of acute inflammatory responses, has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of some autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether IL-8 gene +781 C/T (rs2227306) polymorphism has an influence on susceptibility and clinical manifestations of patients to HSP. This hospital-based case-control study comprised 192 patients with HSP and 202 healthy controls. The genotypes of IL-8 gene +781 C/T polymorphism were identified using PCRTaqMan method. All genotype frequencies of both groups (patients and controls) conformed to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. No significant differences in allele or genotype frequencies of IL-8 gene +781 C/T polymorphism were observed between patients with HSP and controls (p=0.98, χ2=0.000 and p=0.49, χ2=1.432, respectively). When patients were stratified for the presence of joint, gastrointestinal and renal manifestations, genotype frequencies of IL-8 gene polymorphism were found no statistically significant differences (p>0.05). Our findings do not support that IL-8 gene +781 C/T polymorphism has an effect on the susceptibility to HSP in Chinese children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a new random vibration-based assessment method for coupled vehicle-track systems with uncertain parameters when subjected to random track irregularity. Design/methodology/approach – The uncertain parameters of vehicle are described as bounded random variables. The track is regarded as an infinite periodic structure, and the dynamic equations of the coupled vehicle-track system, under mixed physical coordinates and symplectic dual coordinates, are established through wheel-rail coupling relationships. The random track irregularities at the wheel-rail contact points are converted to a series of deterministic harmonic excitations with phase lag by using the pseudo excitation method. Based on the polynomial chaos expansion of the pseudo response, a chaos expanded pseudo equation is derived, leading to the combined hybrid pseudo excitation method-polynomial chaos expansion method. Findings – The impact of uncertainty propagation on the random vibration analysis is assessed efficiently. According to GB5599-85, the reliability analysis for the stability index is implemented, which can grade the comfort level by the probability. Comparing to the deterministic analysis, it turns out that neglect of the parameter uncertainty will lead to potentially risky analysis results. Originality/value – The proposed method is compared with Monte Carlo simulations, achieving good agreement. It is an effective means for random vibration analysis of uncertain coupled vehicle-track systems and has good engineering practicality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumour stem cells has been shown to be highly correlated with tumour occurrence, metastasis, recurrence, and drug resistance. However, current clinical methods for the identification and specific treatment of tumour stem cells are limited, complicated and ineffective. Herein, we rationally developed a novel cyclometalated iridium (III) complex, having free rotational pyridine units, with the capability in generating singlet oxygen in living cells as well as showing sensitive fluorescence lifetime response towards in situ microenvironment. In addition, we have successfully demonstrated that it can be used to distinguish tumour stem cells from tumour tissue and self-report the anti-tumour effect via fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). • FGP-Ir exhibits microenvironmental responsiveness and excellent ROS generation capacity. • FGP-Ir demonstrated the difference in fluorescence lifetime at different intracellular viscosities. • FGP-Ir enables quantitative detection the fluorescence lifetime of different areas through FLIM. • FGP-Ir can perform precise photodynamic therapy on tumor stem cell regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) are at high risk of developing brain metastases (BM). Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) alone or combined with whole brain radiation therapy can be used to treat intracranial metastases. This study was aimed to explore FSRT for BM from SCLC. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 45 patients with BM from SCLC treated with fractionated linear accelerator FSRT. Multivariate analysis was used to determine independent risk factors of overall survival (OS). Results: There were 35 patients treated with salvage FSRT and 10 patients treated with primary FSRT. The median OS was 10 months from the beginning of FSRT and 19 months from diagnosis of BM. The median OS of salvage FSRT group and primary FSRT group was 22 and 10 months from the diagnosis of BM, respectively (P = 0.011); 11 and 8 months from FSRT, respectively (P = 0.828). Recursive partitioning analysis class and the stage of the primary tumor were independent predictors of increased OS (relative risk [RR] = 2.634, P = 0.021 and RR = 2.324, P = 0.0210, respectively). Conclusions: Salvage and primary FSRT were both effective treatment options for BM from SCLC. Salvage and primary FSRT may have different OS from the time of diagnosis of BM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taibai Mountain is the highest peak of Qinling Mountain Ridge, a climate and geographical demarcation of the southern and northern China. Collembolan species of family Entomobryidae are reported from this region for the first time in this paper. Two new species, Homidia taibaiensis sp. n. and Sinella triseta sp. n. of Entomobryinae are described. Illustrations and differences with similar species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Acrocrytus is reported from Chinese mainland for the first time, with description of two new species Acrocyrtus zhujiensis sp. n. and Acrocyrtus finis sp. n. from Zhejiang Province, East China. They can be separated from other species of this genus by colour pattern, unscaled appendages (antennae, legs and ventral tube), interocular chaetae, labial basal chaetae, bothriotrichal complex chaetae on Abd. II-IV, microchaeta a2 on Abd. II, im on Abd. III and C1p on Abd. IV. Illustrations and a table showing main differences with closest Acrocyrtus species are provided [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphology of the first instar larvae of Collembola has considerably taxonomical and phylogenetic significance. We describe the first instar larvae for the first time in Homidia. External morphology of first instar larvae and adults of Homidia jordanai sp. n. is described based on observations under light and scanning electron microscopes. Most organs of adults bear considerably more setae than the first instar larvae; in addition, first instar larval Homidia lack labial seta R, seta on tenaculum, mucronal spine, and dental spines. The new species is characterized by weakly pigmented body, long antennae subequal to body in length, 1+1 inner macrochaetae on Abd. III, few inner macrochaetae on posterior Abd. IV, and spiny and short seta pi on dental base. Differences between new species and other two similar ones, taxonomical significance of the first instar larvae and the position of Homidia are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argon glow discharge plasma was applied for drying the impregnated Ni/SiO2 catalyst instead of the drying thermally. Such plasma treated catalyst significantly inhibits the coke formation from methane decomposition. The methane-derived carbon shows an improved reactivity against CO2. This can result in a better balance of coke formation and gasification by CO2 when the plasma-treated Ni/SiO2 catalyst is used for the CO2 reforming of methane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mammalian amino acid response (AAR) pathway is up-regulated by protein or amino acid depletion. This pathway involves detection of uncharged tRNA by the GCN2 kinase, phosphorylation of the translation initiation factor eIF2α (eukaryotic initiation factor 2α), and, through subsequent translational control, enhanced de novo synthesis of the transcription factor ATF4. The present studies demonstrate that inhibition of MEK activation in HepG2 human hepatoma cells by PD98059 or U0126 blocked the increased phosphorylation of eIF2α and ATF4 synthesis triggered by amino acid limitation, showing that the AAR requires activation of the MEK-ERK pathway. Inhibitors of the JNK or p38 MAPK pathways were ineffective. Consequently, inhibition of MEK activation blocked transcriptional induction of ATF4 target genes, but the induction was rescued by overexpression of ATF4 protein. Furthermore, the enhanced ERK phosphorylation following amino acid deprivation required GCN2 kinase activity and eIF2α phosphorylation. Inhibition of protein phosphatase 1 action on phospho-eIF2α by knockdown of GADD34 did not block the sensitivity to PD98059, suggesting that MEK functions to enhance GCN2-dependent eIF2α phosphorylation rather than suppressing dephosphorylation. Collectively, these results document a critical interdependence between the MEK-ERK MAPK signaling pathway and the amino acid stress-activated pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expression of ATF3 (activating transcription factor 3) is induced by a variety of environmental stress conditions, including nutrient limitation. In the present study, we demonstrate that the increase in ATF3 mRNA content following amino acid limitation of human HepG2 hepatoma cells is dependent on transcriptional activation of the ATF3 gene, through a highly co-ordinated amino acid-responsive programme of transcription factor synthesis and action. Studies using transient over-expression and knockout fibroblasts showed that several ATF and C/EBP (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein) family members contribute to ATF3 regulation. Promoter analysis showed that a C/EBP-ATF composite site at −23 to −15 bp relative to the transcription start site of the ATF3 gene functions as an AARE (amino acid response element). Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that amino acid limitation increased ATF4, ATF3, and C/EBPβ binding to the ATF3 promoter, but the kinetics of each was markedly different. Immediately following histidine removal, there was a rapid increase in histone H3 acetylation prior to an enhancement in ATF4 binding and in histone H4 acetylation. These latter changes closely paralleled the initial increase in RNA pol II (RNA polymerase II) binding to the promoter and in the transcription rate from the ATF3 gene. The increase in ATF3 and C/EBPβ binding was considerably slower and more closely correlated with a decline in transcription rate. A comparison of the recruitment patterns between ATF and C/EBP transcription factors and RNA polymerase II at the AARE of several amino acid-responsive genes revealed that a highly co-ordinated response programme controls the transcriptional activation of these genes following amino acid limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a combined source/channel coding scheme for transmission of images over fading channels. The proposed scheme employs rate-compatible low-density parity-check codes along with embedded image coders such as JPEG2000 and set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT). The assignment of channel coding rates to source packets is performed by a fast trellis-based algorithm. We examine the performance of the proposed scheme over correlated and uncorrelated Rayleigh flat-fading channels with and without side information. Simulation results for the expected peak signal-to-noise ratio of reconstructed images, which are within 1 dB of the capacity upper bound over a wide range of channel signal-to-noise ratios, show considerable improvement compared to existing results under similar conditions. We also study the sensitivity of the proposed scheme in the presence of channel estimation error at the transmitter and demonstrate that under most conditions our scheme is more robust compared to existing schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rate-compatible low-density parity-check (RC-LDPC) codes are used to provide unequal error protection for the robust and efficient transmission of JPEG2000 compressed images over noisy channels. The total bit budget is partitioned between the source and the channel coding by using a Viterbi algorithm (VA) applied to a search trellis, and appropriate channel code rates are assigned to the source blocks. The performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated on binary symmetric channels (BSCs). Experimental results indicate that the proposed scheme compares favorably with other combined source/channel coding schemes over a variety of channel conditions and transmission bit rates. In particular, the proposed scheme outperforms similar schemes based on turbo codes and irregular repeat-accumulate codes by up to about 1.1 and 1 dB in the expected peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of reconstructed images, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a fast trellis-based rate-allocation algorithm for robust transmission of progressively coded images over noisy channels. The algorithm, which is an improved version of a similar algorithm by Banister et al., is based on the application of the Viterbi algorithm to a search trellis. This trellis is a substantially trimmed version of the one used by Banister et al.. The proposed algorithm is applied to images encoded by the set partitioning in hierarchical trees and the Joint Photographers Expert Group 2000 for transmission over binary symmetric channels. For different total bit budgets and channel parameters, speed-up factors of up to about three orders of magnitude are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATF3 expression is induced in cells exposed to a variety of stress conditions, including nutrient limitation. Here we demonstrated that the mechanism by which the ATF3 mRNA content is increased following amino acid limitation of human HepG2 hepatoma cells is mRNA stabilization. Analysis of ATF3 mRNA turnover revealed that the half-life was increased from about 1 h in control cells to greater than 8 h in the histidine-deprived state, demonstrating mRNA stabilization in response to nutrient deprivation. Treatment of HepG2 cells with thapsigargin, which causes endoplasmic reticulum stress, also increased the half-life of ATF3 mRNA. HuR is an RNA-binding protein that regulates both the stability and cytoplasmic/nuclear localization of mRNA species containing AU-rich elements. Another RNA-binding protein, AUF1, regulates target mRNA molecules by enhancing their decay. Amino acid limitation caused a slightly elevated mRNA level for HuR and AUF1 mRNA. The nuclear HuR protein content was unchanged, and AUFI protein increased slightly after amino acid limitation, whereas the cytoplasmic levels of both HuR and AUF1 protein increased. Immunoprecipitation of HuR-RNA complexes followed by reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis showed that HuR interacted with ATF3 mRNA in vivo and that this interaction increased following amino acid limitation. In contrast, the interaction of AUF1 with the ATF3 mRNA is decreased in histidine-deprived cells relative to control cells. Suppression of HuR expression by RNA interference partially blocked the accumulation of ATF3 mRNA following amino acid deprivation. The results demonstrated that coordinated regulation of mRNA stability by HuR and AUF1 proteins contributes to the observed increase in ATF3 expression following amino acid limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the consensus behind disputes in Hong Kong's transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997. Analysis of the media coverage on the right of abode issue in postcolonial Hong Kong. Examination of the differences of the coverage between China Daily and several newspapers; Formation of corpus of analysis.

Presents a study which investigated the kinetics of peptide transport by peptide transporter, PepT1, in a mammalian cell line. Physiological background on peptide transport; Materials and methods used; Results and discussion.

To analyze the therapeutic effect of bevacizumab on radiation-induced brain necrosis. Four radiation-induced brain necrosis patients, administered with bevacizumab at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg every 3 weeks, 2 times. One case of brain metastasis of lung cancer and one case of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with brain necrosis after radiotherapy. However, their physical signs disappeared after the treatment with bevacizumab. One case of brainstem lesion and one case of brain glioma patient showed a transient improvement in signs and symptoms after treatment with bevacizumab. Bevacizumab can significantly alleviate the radiation-induced brain edema, and can improve the symptoms successively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Organo-photoredox catalyzed defluoroacetalation of α -trifluoromethyl alkenes. • The easily accessible glyoxylic acid acetal was the formyl-radical equivalent. • The protocol could enable access to masked γ , γ -difluoroallylic aldehydes/ketones. • Capable of late-stage functionalization and versatile derivatization. An organo-photoredox catalyzed defluoroacetalation of α -trifluoromethyl alkenes with easily accessible glyoxylic acid acetal being the formyl-radical equivalent has been achieved, affording a great variety of masked γ , γ -difluoroallylic aldehydes with good yields and varied functionality tolerance. This mild and transition-metal-free protocol not only allows the incorporation of both an acetal functionality and gem -difluoroalkene moiety into one molecule in a single catalytic cycle, but also offers a straightforward access to masked γ , γ -difluoroallylic ketones. Furthermore, the applicability of the proposed protocol is demonstrated by the late-stage functionalization of biologically active molecules and versatile derivatization of newly generated products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six new dimeric 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones (1 – 6) were isolated from the EtOAc extract of artificial agarwood originating from Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Glig. Their structures were unambiguously elucidated by spectroscopic techniques (UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR), and HRESIMS analysis, as well as by comparison with the literature. The absolute configurations were determined by ECD spectra. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IRAS F11119+3257 is a quasar-dominated ultraluminous infrared galaxy, with a partially obscured narrow-line Seyfert 1 nucleus. In this paper, we present the near-IR (NIR) spectroscopy of F11119+3257, in which we find unusual Paschen emission lines and metastable He i* λ10830 absorption associated with the previously reported atomic sodium and molecular OH mini-BAL (broad absorption line) outflow. Photoionization diagnosis confirms previous findings that the outflows are at kiloparsec scales. Such large-scale outflows should produce emission lines. We indeed find that high-ionization emission lines ([O III], [Ne III], and [Ne V]) are dominated by blueshifted components at similar speeds to the mini-BALs. The blueshifted components are also detected in some low-ionization emission lines, such as [O II] λ3727 and some Balmer lines (Hα, Hβ, and Hγ), even though their cores are dominated by narrow (FWHMNEL = 570 ± 40 km s−1) or broad components at the systemic redshift of z = 0.18966 ± 0.00006. The mass flow rate (230–730 M⊙ yr−1) and the kinetic luminosity ( erg s−1) are then inferred jointly from the blueshifted emission and absorption lines. In the NIR spectrum of F11119+3257, we also find that the Paschen emission lines are unique, in which a very narrow (FWHM = 260 ± 20 km s−1) component is shown in only Paα. This narrow component most probably comes from heavily obscured star formation. Based on the Paα and Paβ emissions, we obtain an extinction at the H band, AH > 2.1 (or a reddenning of > 3.7), and a star formation rate of SFR > 130 M⊙ yr−1 that resembles the estimates inferred from the far-IR emissions (SFRFIR = 190 ± 90 M⊙ yr−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mucinous adenocarcinoma of the bladder is rare. The most common symptoms are hematuria, suprapubic pain and dysuria. The patient in the present case was a 59‑year‑old female who presented with a tumor sized ~5.0x3.4 cm, located in the anterior bladder wall, which was pathologically diagnosed as mucinous bladder adenocarcinoma. The stage at presentation was considered to be advanced and inoperable, due to extensive local invasion. For this type of cancer, early diagnosis is crucial. If the cancer is limited to the bladder, the survival rate may exceed 75%. Thus, for patients with confirmed or highly suspicious bladder mucinous adenocarcinoma, radical bladder cancer resection is required. The 5‑year survival rate of this type of cancer is 35‑55%. In the present case, the cancer of the patient was considered inoperable and 3 months later she succumbed to the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterometallic binuclear Ru–Pt and trinuclear Zn–Pt complexes were prepared via self-assembly by attaching PtII-tpy (tpy = 2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine) onto the RuII-tpy and ZnII-bis(tpy) moiety. The visible absorption bands for Ru–Pt complexes are primarily due to RuII → tpy MLCT transitions with some overlap from PtII → tpy MLCT, while no MLCT transition is observed for the Zn–Pt complex. The emission intensity of the Ru–Pt complexes was improved relative to the mononuclear RuII precursor; however, the emission of Zn–Pt was decreased when compared with strongly emissive ZnII-bis(tpy). Z-scan results revealed relatively high two-photon absorption (TPA) cross sections σ2, with maximal values of 962 GM for Ru–Pt and 200 GM for Zn–Pt. All the heterometallic complexes were proved to localize preferably into lysosomes by confocal fluorescence imaging results, which also showed improved cell-free 1O2 quantum yield compared to their mononuclear precursor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present spectropolarimetric and spectrophotometric observations of the peculiar active galactic nucleus (AGN) SDSS J120300.19+162443.7 (hereafter J1203+1624) at z = 0.1656. Its optical total flux spectra clearly show broad emission lines (BELs) in Hα and Hβ. After removal of narrow emission lines (NELs), the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the Lorentzian BEL is ≈ 1270 , fulfilling the conventional definition of a narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxy. However, its NELs are unprecedentedly strong when compared to type 1 AGNs. This, together with its large MIR excess ( mag), implies that the observer and the NEL region might see a different ionization continuum. Our optical spectropolarimetry confirms its type 2 nature by detecting a polarized blue continuum and Balmer BELs ( ), with a high polarization degree of >20% in the blue wing. The mass and Eddington rate of the central black hole are estimated based on both transmitted and scattered AGN radiation, which is and . Severe extinction of the AGN emission also enables a clear view of the compact host galaxy. The discovery of J1203+1624 suggests that NLS1 follows the AGN unification scheme, and studying its analogs could blaze a new trail for exploring the connection between black hole growth and star formation in the host galaxy. The interesting features of J1203+1624, like the peculiar NELs and inflowing scattering clouds within the sublimation radius, are worth detailed follow-ups in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We identified a peculiar proximate subdamped Lyα absorption system (sub-DLA) at z = 3.234 with a neutral hydrogen column density of toward the quasar SDSS J125903.26+621211.5 in two epoch optical spectra of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We detected Lyα residue in the proximate sub-DLA trough at a >8σ level. To our surprise, significant (>4σ) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) continuum emission was detected in the corresponding Lyman limit absorption edge at both of the FUV and NUV bands by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer. The high neutral hydrogen column density should allow a negligible transmission of both the Lyα line photons and EUV continuum photons due to the high optical depth of the gas. The possible scenarios of foreground galaxy contamination, partial coverage, emission from the quasar host galaxy, and extended Lyα emission are excluded in turn, and we speculate that the residual Lyα and EUV emissions are due to photon scattering (broad Lyα and the continuum emission) of electrons residing at a spatial scale larger than that of the proximate sub-DLA. Electron scattering is wavelength-independent, and the scattered light is therefore a copy of the incident spectrum that might originate in the accretion disk. With assistance from the neutral hydrogen absorbers as the “natural coronagraph” and the scatterers as the “natural mirror,” we yielded a very hard EUV spectral index of α = 0.65 ± 0.25 (), consistent with the standard picture of the locally heated accretion disk in the inner EUV-emitting radii, as well as in the outer near-infrared-emitting radii suggested by Kishimoto et al. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the outcome and prognostic factors of recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) Class III brain metastatic patients treated with stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT).Materials and Methods: Fifty-six consecutive patients with metastatic brain tumors and Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) scores <70 treated with SRT from January 2008 to October 2013 were involved in the analysis. Twenty-five patients (44.6%) were with symptomatic extracranial lesions (SELs), and the other 31 patients (55.4%) were without SELs. The detailed follow-up data of KPS scores were available in 44 patients. The KPS score drop time (KDT) was calculated as the time between SRT and 10 points drop of KPS scores compared to the baseline. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed for univariate and multivariate analyses.Results: The median overall survival time was 5.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.42-6.59) for the whole group. In multivariate analysis, the presence of SELs (P = 0.007, relative risk = 4.44, 95% CI 1.036-20.818) was the independent prognosis factor for survival. Median survival time was 3 months for the patients with SELs, 8 months for the patients without SELs. The median KDT of the 44 patients was 3.0 months (95% CI, 1.927-4.073 months). Again only the presence of SELs (P = 0.001, OR = 6.622, 95% CI, 2.108-20.801) was significantly related to KDT in multivariate analysis. The median KDT of the patients with SELs was 1.5 months, which was 5 months for the patients without SELs.Conclusion: The presence of SELs was a negative prognosis factor for the survival of RPA Class III brain metastatic patients. If RPA Class III brain metastatic patients were without SELs, SRT may be a reasonable treatment option, but if they had SELs, SRT may not be a reasonable treatment due to the short overall survival time and KDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with critical illness due to infection with the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) show rapid disease progression to acute respiratory failure. The study aimed to screen the most useful predictive factor for critical illness caused by COVID-19.Methods: The study prospectively involved 61 patients with COVID-19 infection as a derivation cohort, and 54 patients as a validation cohort. The predictive factor for critical illness was selected using LASSO regression analysis. A nomogram based on non-specific laboratory indicators was built to predict the probability of critical illness.Results: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was identified as an independent risk factor for critical illness in patients with COVID-19 infection. The NLR had an area under receiver operating characteristic of 0.849 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.707 to 0.991) in the derivation cohort and 0.867 (95% CI 0.747 to 0.944) in the validation cohort, the calibration curves fitted well, and the decision and clinical impact curves showed that the NLR had high standardized net benefit. In addition, the incidence of critical illness was 9.1% (1/11) for patients aged ≥ 50 and having an NLR < 3.13, and 50% (7/14) patients with age ≥ 50 and NLR ≥ 3.13 were predicted to develop critical illness. Based on the risk stratification of NLR according to age, this study has developed a COVID-19 pneumonia management process.Conclusions: We found that NLR is a predictive factor for early-stage prediction of patients infected with COVID-19 who are likely to develop critical illness. Patients aged ≥ 50 and having an NLR ≥ 3.13 are predicted to develop critical illness, and they should thus have rapid access to an intensive care unit if necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quasar SDSS J151653.22+190048.2 (J1516+1900) exhibits very peculiar spectral characters in the observed ultraviolet, optical, and infrared bands: the full widths at half maximum (FWHM) of its optical H α , H β , and infrared Pa α and Pa β emission lines are all larger than 5000 km/s, and the equivalent widths of these emission lines also approach to those of normal quasars; while the ultraviolet emission lines (Ly β , OVI, Ly α , NV, SiIV, and CIV) are dominated by intermediate-width emission lines (IELs) with a FWHM of ∼ 1700 km/s. This phenomenon can be explained as the effect of partial obscuration: the broad emission lines (BELs) in the ultraviolet waveband are heavily suppressed by the dust extinction, and thus the IELs become prominent; while the dust extinction is not significant in optical and infrared bands, and the IELs can hardly be detected due to the brightness of BELs. Using the IEL width and central supermassive black hole mass M BH ∼ 5.75 × 10 8 M ⊙ of J1516+1900, and assuming that the intermediate-width emission line region (IELR) is virialized, we estimate the distance of the IEL region to the central black hole is about 1.6 pc. On the other side, by combining the photoionization model calculations and observed IELs, we find that the IELR has a density of ∼ 10 12 cm − 3 , and the ionization parameter of ∼ 10 − 0.65 , and that its distance to the central region is ∼ 0.016 pc, which is only one percent of the virialized distance. This contradiction can provide an important clue for studying the geometry, physical condition, and origin of the IELRs in active galactic nuclei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Chemical structures of polysaccharides from okra (OPPs) varied by different drying methods. • Different drying methods also obviously influenced bioactivities of OPPs. • OPPs dried by hot air drying (OPP-H) exerted obvious antioxidant activity and binding capacities. • OPPs dried by vacuum drying (OPP-V) exerted obvious antioxidant activity and binding capacities. • OPP-H and OPP-V also exerted strong inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase in vitro. In this study, in order to evaluate the influences of drying methods on the chemical structures and bioactivities of polysaccharides from okra (OPPs), four drying methods, including microwave drying at 400 W, 600 W, and 800 W, freezing drying, hot air drying, and vacuum drying, were applied to dry okra fruits. Six different OPPs were extracted from okra dried by different drying methods. Results showed that physicochemical characteristics and bioactivities of OPPs varied by different drying methods. Noticeable variations in extraction yields, molecular weights, rheological properties, molar ratios of constituent monosaccharides, contents of uronic acids, degrees of esterification, and contents of total phenolics were observed in OPPs obtained by different drying methods. In addition, results showed that OPPs, especially OPP-H and OPP-V obtained by hot air drying and vacuum drying, respectively, exhibited remarkable antioxidant activities (ABTS, DPPH, and nitric oxide radical scavenging activities, and ferric reducing antioxidant powers), strong in vitro binding capacities (fat, cholesterol, and bile acids binding capacities), and obvious inhibitory activities on α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Results suggested that the hot air and vacuum drying techniques could be appropriate drying methods before extraction of OPPs with high bioactivities for applications in the functional food and medicine industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the glass transition behavior, crystallization kinetics and the microstructural change of Zr[sub 41]Ti[sub 14]Cu[sub 12.5]Ni[sub 10]Be[sub 22.5] bulk metallic glass in ambient, annealing and high pressure conditions. Structural relaxation induced by pre-annealing and high pressure annealing.

We present a detailed analysis of the unusual damped Lyα absorption line system (DLA) toward the quasar SDSS J170542.91+354340.2 at a redshift of 2, previously reported by Noterdaeme et al. as one of the very few CO absorbers known to date at high z. This DLA is exceptional in that: (1) its extinction curve is similar to peculiar Milky Way sightlines penetrating star formation regions; (2) its absorption components are redshifted at a speed of several hundred km s−1 compared to broad Balmer emission lines; (3) its gas-phase metallicity is super-solar as evaluated from more than 30 absorption lines; (4) detection of residual flux in the DLA trough and variability of absorption is possible. Based on these facts, we argue that this dusty DLA is a good candidate for an intrinsic quasar 2175 Å absorber, and can originate from star formation regions of the quasar’s host galaxy. We discuss in detail the gas and dust properties, and the dust depletion. Follow-up observations, such as spectropolarimetry and optical/infrared spectroscopy, will help to confirm the system’s intrinsic nature and to explore how dust grains behave in the extreme environments proximate to quasars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]