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Coffee pulp wines were produced through the mixed fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the flavor and sensory characteristics were comparatively evaluated. A total of 87 volatile components were identified from five coffee pulp wines, of which 68 were present in all samples, accounting for over 99% of the total concentration. The sample fermented contained significantly higher levels of volatile metabolites (56.80 mg/g). Alcohols (22 species) and esters (26 species) were the main flavor components, with the contents accounting for 56.45 ± 3.93% and 31.18 ± 4.24%, respectively, of the total. Furthermore, 14 characteristic components were identified as potential odor-active compounds, contributing to sweet and floral apple brandy flavor. Although the characteristic components are similar, the difference in the content makes the overall sensory evaluation of the samples different. The samples formed by fermentation of four strains, which obtained the highest score (86.46 ± 0.36) in sensory evaluation, were further interpreted and demonstrated through the Mantel test. The results of the component analysis were effectively distinguished by OPLS-DA and PCA, and this validation was supported by sensory evaluation. The research results provided a technical reference for the production of coffee pulp wines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of polypectomy, a frequent endoscopic procedure, is to prevent colorectal cancer. Consequences of postpolypectomy care include minimizing complications, ensuring patient recovery, and preventing polyp recurrence. Besides monitoring polyp recurrence rates, this study assessed the effectiveness of post-polypectomy care protocols in managing patient comfort, adherence to dietary guidelines, and satisfaction with care. A cross-sectional analysis of 135 patients who underwent polypectomy at a tertiary care center was utilized in this study. Patient satisfaction, dietary adherence, postoperative comfort, and demographics were evaluated at one, three, and six months following the procedure. Recurrence of the polyp was monitored for one year. The research identified noteworthy enhancements in patient-reported comfort (P < 0.05), dietary adherence (P < 0.05), and overall satisfaction with care (P < 0.05). Additionally, complications such as infection (3.7%), bleeding (7.41%), and adherence to a prescribed diet decreased equivalently. Despite this, a trend toward increased polyp recurrence was observed that was not statistically significant, with rates increasing from 4.44% after three months to 12.59% after one year. Amid a gradual decline in dietary recommendation adherence, patient satisfaction with care remained consistently elevated. The results indicated that although prompt post-polypectomy care effectively improves patient comfort and satisfaction, long-term dietary adherence presents obstacles. Despite lacking statistical significance, the rising incidence of polyp recurrence emphasizes the criticality of diligent long-term surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an improved self-consistent field iteration scheme is introduced. The proposed method has essential applications in Kohn--Sham density functional theory and relies on an extrapolation scheme and the least squares method. Moreover, the proposed solution is easy to implement and can accelerate the convergence of self-consistent field iteration. The main idea is to fit out a polynomial based on the errors of the derived approximate solutions and then extrapolate the errors into zero to obtain a new approximation. The developed scheme can be applied not only to the Kohn--Sham density functional theory but also to accelerate the self-consistent field iterations of other nonlinear equations. Some numerical results for the Kohn--Sham equation and general nonlinear equations are presented to validate the efficiency of the new method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Advances in the design and manufacturing of novel synthetic bioactive scaffolds as bone substitute in bone reconstruction are at the forefront of orthopedic study due to their excellent biological performances. However, fabricating bioactive scaffolds with similar osteogenic and mechanical properties of a natural bone still remains a challenge. Our aim was to produce functional bioactive scaffolds with biologically interactive ions, microstructure for cell proliferation and a suitable biodegradation rate in critical-size bone defect. Methods: A homogenous strontium-doped calcium silicate (Sr-CaSi) bioactive granule with interconnected porous network was fabricated. Critical-size bone defect (Ø ~6.5 × 8.5 mm) was created at the distal femur of New Zealand rabbit and the animals were divided into two groups (blank group and implanted/Sr-CaSi group). The blank had no granules while the implanted group was grafted with Sr-CaSi granules at the defect. Bone repair was assed using investigations of micro-CT, 3D argumentation and histological evaluations. Results: The Sr-CaSi group had complete bone healing and reconstruction. The granule showed physiochemical tolerance and was able to biodegrade enhancing the formation of new bone matrix and remodeling. However, the blank group had limited proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of new bone tissue, hence there was retarded ingrowth of new bone tissues. Conclusion: The Sr-CaSi group saw excellent bone mineralization due to biostimulation effect of the bioceramic granules. The extensive stimulation and osteogenic factors in bone healing by the novel Sr-CaSi shows it is indispensable in bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context • For secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), physicians prefer conservative treatments, and surgical intervention has proven to be the best solution for some patients. Among the surgical interventions, total parathyroidectomy plus autotransplantation (TPTX+AT), using the forearm, is the major effective treatment. TPTX+AT, in conjunction with transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA), includes many advantages. Objective • The study intended to evaluate the clinical value of performing an endoscopic total parathyroidectomy TPTX+AT in conjunction with TOETVA in treating SHPT and to summarize and share the clinical experience. Design • The research team performed a prospective controlled study. Setting • The study took place at the Zhongshan Boai Hospital affiliated with Southern Medical University in Zhong Shan, Guangdong, China. Participants • Participants were 97 SHPT patients who were admitted to the hospital between March 2020 and March 2022. Intervention • The intervention group included 47 SHPT patients who received endoscopic TPTX+AT combined with the TOETVA, and the control group included 50 SHPT patients who received routine TPTX+AT. Outcome Measures • The research team performed comparisons between the groups regarding: (1) operating conditions, including intraoperative blood loss, operating time, and number of parathyroid glands detected intraoperatively; (2) clinical efficacy, (3) postoperative complications, (4) parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcium (Ca) levels, (5) psychological status using the Hamilton Anxiety (HAMA) and the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), and (9) life quality using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Results • The intervention group had significantly longer operation times and significantly greater intraoperative blood loss than the control group did, but the intervention group had fewer complications, lower PTH and Ca levels, and a higher efficacy (P<.05). The intervention group also had a significantly better psychological state and prognostic quality of life than the control group did (P<.05). Conclusions • Endoscopic treatment of SHPT using TPTX+AT in combination with TOETVA can significantly relieve clinical symptoms and lower serum PTH and Ca levels. The results suggest that the operation is safe and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use/land cover (LULC) significantly affects groundwater quality. This study analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of groundwater hydrochemical parameters in the Guanzhong Basin and assessed the relationships between the groundwater parameters and LULC using statistical models and a curved streamline searchlight-shaped model (CS-SLM). The results showed that higher groundwater parameter concentrations were observed in the north of the plain than in the south. Forest and water bodies showed a positive effect on most hydrochemical parameters (Na+, Cl−, SO42−, F−, Cr6+), while bare land and cropland revealed a negative effect on them. In addition, the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model was used to predict the LULC patterns for 2030 and to qualitatively analyze the potential changes in groundwater quality associated with LULC changes. The simulation results highlighted a significant decrease in forest areas in the southern part of Guanzhong Plain by 2030, resulting in potential groundwater quality deterioration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The preparation of hydrogel-based wearable sensors for underwater application with high mechanical properties and electrical conductivity is an urgent challenge. Here, a supramolecular hydrogel based on polyionic liquids was designed and prepared for underwater sensing. The introduction of functional ionic liquid structures effectively increased the supramolecular interaction in the hydrogel network, which made the hydrogel successfully resist the interference of external water molecules. Depending on the effect of charge and hydrophobic interactions, this supramolecular hydrogel sensor exhibited high tensile (759 %), high tensile strength (0.23 MPa), high sensitivity (GF = 10.76) and extensive antibacterial properties, even in seawater environment. The obtained hydrogel sensor successfully monitored the swimming posture, which was helpful to digitally reflect the limb movement of athletes during underwater sports. This work made progress in the field of underwater wearable sensors based on hydrogels, and this design of multifunctional hydrogel provided a new idea for the development of functional sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, hydrogel sensors for health monitoring require external tapes, bandages or adhesives to immobilize them on the surface of human skin. However, these external fixation methods easily lead to skin allergic reactions and the decline of monitoring accuracy. A simple strategy to solve this problem is to endow hydrogel sensors with good adhesion. Inspired by the starch paste adhesion mechanism, a biomass-based hydrogel with good conductivity and high repetitive adhesion strength was prepared by introducing modified starch into polyacrylic acid hydrogel system. The properties of biomass-based hydrogels could be controlled by changing the proportion of amylose and amylopectin. The biomass-based hydrogel exhibited a variety of excellent properties, including good stretchability (1290 %), high adhesion strength (pig skin: 46.51 kPa) and conductivity (2.3 S/m). Noticeably, the repeated adhesive strength of biomass-based hydrogel did not decrease with the increase of adhesion times. The strain sensor based on the biomass-based hydrogel could accurately monitor the large-scale and small movements of the human body, and had broad application prospects in the field of flexible wearable devices. [Display omitted] • The biomass-based hydrogel exhibits excellent elongation at break (1290%), conductivity (2.3 S/m) and strain sensitivity. • The adhesion strength of biomass-based hydrogel does not decrease significantly with the increase of adhesion times. • The biomass-based hydrogel sensor can accurately monitor various subtle or large movements of the human body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The application of this pressure-sensitive hydrogel can effectively avoid the secondary injury of the wound. • This hydrogel dressing significantly promotes full-thickness skin wound healing. • The properties of hydrogel are improved through the regulation of chemical structure for Ionic liquid monomers. Pressure ulcer is a common chronic injury in the bedridden population. The wound is easily subjected to secondary pressure injury due to the inconvenient mobility of patients, which greatly prolongs the hospital stay of patients and is highly prone to wound infection or other complications. It is urgent to develop a multifunctional wound dressing with pressure sensing, real-time monitoring, and wound therapy to overcome the secondary pressure injury during treatment. Here, a polyvinyl alcohol/acrylamide-ionic liquid hydrogel dressing is designed based on the antibacterial property and electrical conductivity of imidazolidine ionic liquids. Compared with existing pressure-sensing hydrogels, the hydrogel exhibits extremely high pressure sensitivity (9.19 kPa−1). Meanwhile, the good real-time responsiveness, stable signal output as well as excellent mechanical properties enable the hydrogel to monitor human movement on a large scale, and transmit the pressure status of patient wounds to nursing staff in a timely manner to avoid secondary pressure injuries. In addition, this hydrogel dressing exhibits a wide range of antibacterial activities against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as fungi, and has a significant therapeutic effect on full-thickness skin wounds by inhibiting wound infection, rapidly eradicating inflammation, promoting proliferation and tissue remodeling. This multifunctional hydrogel dressing opens a therapeutic and regulatory two-pronged strategy avenue through chronic wound management and pressure sensing monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main challenge of rice bran oil (RBO) as a highly nutritional edible oil is the high content of free fatty acids. Biocatalytic esterification is an effective strategy to reduce acid value of RBO. In this study, polydopamine/hydroxyethyl methacrylate/acrylamide hydrogel microspheres (PHAMs) are designed and synthesized to immobilize lipase. The PHAMs have excellent water retention and provide an oil–water interface for the biocatalytic esterification of lipase. The catalytically active center of lipase is induced to open by the oil–water interface and its catalytic activity is fully developed. At the same time, the micro-water environment provided by hydrogel microspheres prevents hydrolysis of lipid products. Lipase-polydopamine/hydroxyethyl methacrylate/acrylamide hydrogel microspheres (L-PHAMs) exhibit strong immobilization capacity (enzymatic loading is 13.34 mg g−1), enhanced activity (1.11-fold that of free lipase), and excellent reusability (it maintained 37.8% of the free lipase activity after 10 cycles). The L-PHAMs still maintain 86.24% of the initial enzymatic activity after 15 days, while the free lipase activity is only 25.31%. In addition, kinetic determination shows an increased affinity between L-PHAMs and the substrate (Km is 1.07 μmol L−1). High-acid rice bran oil (HBRO) is successfully deacidified by an esterification reaction using L-PHAMs as catalysts. This process enabled an unprecedented deacidification efficiency of up to 98.19% in a short time (2 h). Overall, biocatalytic esterification by L-PHAMs is an economical and sustainable deacidification method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the first year of life, infants' word learning is slow, laborious, and requires repeated exposure to wordreferent co-occurrences. In contrast, by 14-18 months, infants learn words from just a few labeling events, use joint attention and eye gaze to decipher word meaning, and begin to use speech to communicate about absent things. We propose that this remarkable advancement in word learning results from attaining a referential understanding of words--that words are linked to mental representations and used intentionally to communicate about real-world entities. We suggest that verbal reference is supported by codeveloping conceptual, social, representational, and statistical learning capacities. We also propose that infants' recognition of this tri-directional link between words, referents, and mental representations is enabled by their experience participating in and observing socially contingent interactions. Understanding verbal reference signals a qualitative shift in infants' word learning. This shift enables infants to bootstrap word meanings from syntax and semantics, learn novel words and facts from nonostensive communication, and make inferences about speakers' epistemic competence based on their language production. In this paper, we review empirical findings across multiple facets of infant cognition and propose a novel developmental theory of verbal reference. Finally, we suggest new directions of empirical research that may provide stronger and more direct evidence for our theory and contribute to our understanding of the development of verbal reference and language-mediated learning in infancy and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which explores about the atomic Tin (Sn) enabled high-utilization, large-capacity, and long-life Sodium (Na) anode. It mentions that constructing robust nucleation sites with an ultrafine size in a confined environment as essential toward simultaneously achieving superior utilization, high capacity, and long-term durability in Na metal-based energy storage.

The article offers information about how atomic Tin (Sn) has enabled high-utilization, large-capacity, and long-life Sodium (Na) anode. It mentions that constructing robust nucleation sites with an ultrafine size in a confined environment is essential toward simultaneously achieving superior utilization, high capacity, and long-term durability in Na metal-based energy storage.

Background: Bioassessment and biomonitoring of meat products are aimed at identifying and quantifying adulter‑ ants and contaminants, such as meat from unexpected sources and microbes. Several methods for determining the biological composition of mixed samples have been used, including metabarcoding, metagenomics and mitochon‑ drial metagenomics. In this study, we aimed to develop a method based on next-generation DNA sequencing to estimate samples that might contain meat from 15 mammalian and avian species that are commonly related to meat bioassessment and biomonitoring. Results: In this project, we found the meat composition from 15 species could not be identifed with the meta‑ barcoding approach because of the lack of universal primers or insufcient discrimination power. Consequently, we developed and evaluated a meat mitochondrial metagenomics (3MG) method. The 3MG method has four steps: (1) extraction of sequencing reads from mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes); (2) assembly of mitogenomes; (3) map‑ ping of mitochondrial reads to the assembled mitogenomes; and (4) biomass estimation based on the number of uniquely mapped reads. The method was implemented in a python script called 3MG. The analysis of simulated data‑ sets showed that the method can determine contaminant composition at a proportion of 2% and the relative error was <5%. To evaluate the performance of 3MG, we constructed and analysed mixed samples derived from 15 animal species in equal mass. Then, we constructed and analysed mixed samples derived from two animal species (pork and chicken) in diferent ratios. DNAs were extracted and used in constructing 21 libraries for next-generation sequencing. The analysis of the 15 species mix with the method showed the successful identifcation of 12 of the 15 (80%) animal species tested. The analysis of the mixed samples of the two species revealed correlation coefcients of 0.98 for pork and 0.98 for chicken between the number of uniquely mapped reads and the mass proportion. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this study is the frst to demonstrate the potential of the non-targeted 3MG method as a tool for accurately estimating biomass in meat mix samples. The method has potential broad applications in meat product safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel highly sensitive ionic liquid enhanced conductive hydrogel for stretchable electronic sensor is prepared by one-pot method. • The introduction of ionic liquid can improve the elongation at break and the electrical conductivity of electrolyte hydrogels. • The hydrogel sensor has a wide strain range and can accurately detect various human activities in a wide temperature range (−20 °C to 25 °C). • Excellent biocompatibility and antibacterial properties are extremely conducive to the use of AAV hydrogel sensors on the surface of human skin. Strain-sensitive and conductive hydrogels have attracted extensive research interest due to their potential applications in various fields, such as healthcare monitoring, human–machine interfaces and soft robots. However, low electrical signal transmission and poor tensile properties still limit the application of flexible sensing hydrogels in large amplitude and high frequency motion. In this study, a novel ionic liquid segmental polyelectrolyte hydrogel consisting of acrylic acid (AAc), 1-vinyl-3-butylimidazolium bromide (VBIMBr) and aluminum ion (Al3+) was prepared by molecular design and polymer synthesis. The cationic groups and amphiphilicity of ionic liquid chain segments effectively improve the tensile behavior of the polyelectrolyte hydrogel, with a maximum tensile strength of 0.16 MPa and a maximum breaking strain of 604%. The introduction of ionic liquid segments increased the current carrying concentration of polyelectrolyte hydrogel, and the conductivity reached the initial 4.8 times (12.5 S/m), which is a necessary condition for detecting various amplitude and high frequency limb movements. The flexible electronic sensor prepared by this polyelectrolyte hydrogel efficiently detects the movement of different parts of the human body stably and sensitively, even in extreme environment (−20 °C). These outstanding advantages demonstrate the great potential of this hydrogel in healthcare monitoring and wearable flexible strain sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is not determined whether serum visfatin levels are related to the presence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in non-diabetic subjects. In this study, a total of 65 consecutive non-diabetic participants who underwent coronary angiography were enrolled. Serum visfatin and fasting glucose, as well as the serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride, were measured in all participants before the procedure. The extent of coronary artery lesions was determined by Gensini score. Serum visfatin levels were significantly lower in patients with CAD compared to participants with normal coronary arteries. Inversely, the circulating levels of fasting glucose were found to be elevated in patients with CAD compared with the control subjects. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that visfatin and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) were independently associated with the presence of CAD in non-diabetics. No significant relationship was found between serum visfatin and fasting glucose levels in IFG subjects. However, there was a negative association between visfatin concentrations and Gensini score in participants with IFG. Both circulating visfatin concentrations and IFG are independently associated with CAD in non-diabetics. Serum visfatin levels are negatively related to the angiographic severity of CAD in subjects with IFG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a type of adaptive multigrid method for eigenvalue problem based on the multilevel correction method and adaptive multigrid method. Different from the standard adaptive finite element method applied to eigenvalue problem, with our method we only need to solve a linear boundary value problem on each adaptive space and then correct the approximate solution by solving a low dimensional eigenvalue problem. Further, the involved boundary value problems are solved by some adaptive multigrid iteration steps. The proposed adaptive algorithm can reach the same accuracy as the standard adaptive finite element method for eigenvalue problem but evidently reduces the computational work. In addition, the corresponding convergence and optimal complexity analysis are derived theoretically and numerically, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alginate, which is mainly produced by brown algae and decomposed by heterotrophic bacteria, is an important marine organic carbon source. The genus Pseudoalteromonas contains diverse forms of heterotrophic bacteria that are widely distributed in marine environments and are an important group in alginate degradation. In this review, the diversity of alginate-degrading Pseudoalteromonas is introduced, and the characteristics of Pseudoalteromonas alginate lyases, including their sequences, enzymatic properties, structures, and catalytic mechanisms, and the synergistic effect of Pseudoalteromonas alginate lyases on alginate degradation are introduced. The acquisition of the alginate degradation capacity and the alginate utilization pathways of Pseudoalteromonas are also introduced. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of alginate degradation by Pseudoalteromonas, which will contribute to the understanding of the degradation and recycling of marine algal polysaccharides driven by marine bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the composition dependence of high-frequency magnetic properties for the oriented hcp-Co1-xIrx soft magnetic films with negative uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy (Kugrain) and in-plane uniaxial anisotropy field (Hu) is investigated. Both the saturation magnetization (Ms), Kugrain, and Hu are greatly affected by the composition of Ir. The (μi - 1) . fr of Co1-xIrx (with negative Kugrain) is larger than Acher's limit (without Kugrain) when x exceeds 0.14. The increasing percent of (μi - 1) . fr could get a maximum of 42% when x is 0.2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A map displaying the matching characteristics and absorption performance for the metallic carbonyl iron composite in microwave frequency band is developed based on the origin of absorption peaks. In this map, the dependence of matching frequency fm on absorber thickness, input impendence, and absorption peak value is achieved simultaneously from the complex permeability and permittivity spectra without any approximation. From this map, the perfect matching frequency fpm and perfect matching thickness tpm at input impendence Z=1 can be directly searched. Moreover, the required absorber thickness and the reflection loss value at any expected frequency where the absorption peak locates can be directly observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulvan is an important marine polysaccharide. Bacterial ulvan lyases play important roles in ulvan degradation and marine carbon cycling. Until now, only a small number of ulvan lyases have been characterized. Here, a new ulvan lyase, Uly1, belonging to polysaccharide lyase family 24 (PL24) from the marine bacterium Catenovulum maritimum, is characterized. The optimal temperature and pH for Uly1 to degrade ulvan are 40°C and pH 9.0, respectively. Uly1 degrades ulvan polysaccharides in the endolytic manner, mainly producing DRha3S, consisting of an unsaturated 4-deoxy-L-threo-hex-4-enopyranosiduronic acid and a 3-O-sulfated α-L-rhamnose. The structure of Uly1 was resolved at a 2.10-Å resolution. Uly1 adopts a seven-bladed β-propeller architecture. Structural and site-directed mutagenesis analyses indicate that four highly conserved residues, H128, H149, Y223, and R239, are essential for catalysis. H128 functions as both the catalytic acid and base, H149 and R239 function as the neutralizers, and Y223 plays a supporting role in catalysis. Structural comparison and sequence alignment suggest that Uly1 and many other PL24 enzymes may directly bind the substrate near the catalytic residues for catalysis, different from the PL24 ulvan lyase LOR_107, which adopts a two-stage substrate binding process. This study provides new insights into ulvan lyases and ulvan degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potential evapotranspiration (PET) is a comprehensive factor that characterises climate change, and considering the numerous methods to calculate PET, it is difficult to objectively select a method according to the requirements. In this study, the applicability of 12 commonly used PET estimation methods in China was studied. Based on temperature and humidity, China is divided into 11 temperature zones (TZ) and 5 arid and humid regions (AHRs). The study used the FAO Penman-Monteith (P-M) method as the standard, and the applicability of the 12 methods was analysed using four factors: correlation, annual mean values, seasonal distribution, and parameter characteristics. The results show that the radiation-based methods have the best monthly correlation with the P-M method, the temperature-based methods are second best, and mass-transfer-based methods perform the worst. Among these, the P-T method is the best, and the Hamon method is the worst. The Kharrufa and Abtew methods have the better applicability in higher TZs, whereas the Harg method has the least applicability. The seasonal distribution of radiation-based methods (excluding the Jensen method) in the different AHRs and different TZs is better than that of temperature-based and mass-transfer-based methods. According to the evaluation results of all factors, the Rohwer, P-T, and Mark methods are recommended when the data conditions are not conducive for the P-M method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify the density of TILs in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in terms of prognostic significance with recurrence and the benefit of whole breast irradiation (WBI). The clinicopathological data of DCIS patients from Jan 2009 to Dec 2016 who received breast-conserving surgery (BCS) were retrospectively reviewed. Cox regression analysis was used to confirm independent prognostic factors of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR). Kaplan-Meier method was utilized to analyze IBTR and values of WBI. Touching-tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were defined by TILs touching or within one lymphocyte cell thickness from the malignant ducts' basement membrane. In total, 129 patients were enrolled in this analysis with 98 patients who received WBI. After a median follow-up of 53.0 months, there were 16 IBTR events with five invasive IBTRs. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that touching-TILs >5 were an independent prognostic factor for higher IBTR (HR = 6.17, 95%CI 1.95-19.56, p < .01). The whole cohort was classified into two subgroups: dense group (>5 touching-TILs per duct) and sparse group (<5 touching-TILs per duct). Dense touching-TILs were associated with unfavorable biologic characteristics. The 5-y rate of IBTR between dense and sparse group was 29.0% versus 4.5% (p < .01). For the sparse group, WBI significantly reduced the rate of 5-y-IBTR risk from 13.2% to 1.7% (p = .02), but there was no benefit of WBI in the dense group. Touching-TILs density was heterogeneous in patients with DCIS. Sparse touching-TILs were associated with better prognosis and benefit from WBI. Dense touching- TILs not only were associated with a higher risk of IBTR but also lack of benefit from WBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alginate lyases play important roles in alginate degradation in the ocean. Although a large number of alginate lyases have been characterized, little is yet known about those in extremely cold polar environments, which may have unique mechanisms for environmental adaptation and for alginate degradation. Here, we report the characterization of a novel PL7 alginate lyase AlyC3 from Psychromonas sp. C-3 isolated from the Arctic brown alga Laminaria, including its phylogenetic classification, catalytic properties, and structure. We propose the establishment of a new PM-specific subfamily of PL7 (subfamily 6) represented by AlyC3 based on phylogenetic analysis and enzymatic properties. Structural and biochemical analyses showed that AlyC3 is a dimer, representing the first dimeric endo-alginate lyase structure. AlyC3 is activated by NaCl and adopts a novel salt-activated mechanism; that is, salinity adjusts the enzymatic activity by affecting its aggregation states. We further solved the structure of an inactive mutant H127A/Y244A in complex with a dimannuronate molecule and proposed the catalytic process of AlyC3 based on structural and biochemical analyses. We show that Arg82 and Tyr190 at the two ends of the catalytic canyon help the positioning of the repeated units of the substrate and that His127, Tyr244, Arg78, and Gln125 mediate the catalytic reaction. Our study uncovers, for the first time, the amino acid residues for alginate positioning in an alginate lyase and demonstrates that such residues involved in alginate positioning are conserved in other alginate lyases. This study provides a better understanding of the mechanisms of alginate degradation by alginate lyases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Unknown etiology. Background: Spinal cord arteriovenous fistula that only manifests as lower back pain is easily misdiagnosed as myofasciitis, lumbar spondylosis, and other diseases, and incorrect treatment such as glucocorticoid blockade might be given, leading to worsening of the condition. Case Report: We analyze the clinical characteristics of a patient with spinal dural arteriovenous fistula who presented with chronic-onset low back pain. A patient with spinal dural arteriovenous fistula presented with chronic-onset low back pain as the only symptom, and was misdiagnosed as having myofasciitis. We assessed the paraclinical data, clinical reasoning, and course of treatment. The patient was an elderly man with low back pain for 1 year. He was diagnosed with myofasciitis in a local hospital and received local blocking treatment using glucocorticoid, and left lower-limb weakness appeared after that. After he was admitted to our hospital, enhanced thoracic and lumbar magnetic resonance imaging and selective spinal angiography were performed, and the results indicated the diagnosis of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula. After surgical treatment, the low back pain and lower-limb weakness were alleviated, and the patient is still under follow-up. Conclusions: The possibility of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula should not be overlooked among patients with chronic low back pain, and caution should be taken when using glucocorticoids for treatment of chronic low back pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) post-stroke is often problematic, despite potential benefits. This study aimed to evaluate CPAP adherence in patients with OSA post-stroke based on the Andersen behavioral model of health services utilization. A total of 227 eligible participants were recruited from a Chinese hospital. After baseline assessment, participants were followed for 6 months to determine short-term CPAP adherence. Those with good short-term adherence were followed for an additional 6 months to explore long-term adherence and influencing factors. Short-term CPAP adherence rate was 33%. Being married or living with a partner, having an associate degree or baccalaureate degree or higher, and stronger health beliefs independently predicted short-term CPAP adherence. Only 25% of participants from the adherent group showed good long-term adherence. The factor associated with long-term CPAP adherence was participants not using alcohol. Adherence to CPAP is suboptimal among patients having OSA post-stroke. Addressing unfavorable predisposing factors and modifying health beliefs are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A type of parallel augmented subspace scheme for eigenvalue problems is proposed by using coarse space in the multigrid method. With the help of coarse space in the multigrid method, solving the eigenvalue problem in the finest space is decomposed into solving the standard linear boundary value problems and very-low-dimensional eigenvalue problems. The computational efficiency can be improved since there is no direct eigenvalue solving in the finest space and the multigrid method can act as the solver for the deduced linear boundary value problems. Furthermore, for different eigenvalues, the corresponding boundary value problem and low-dimensional eigenvalue problem can be solved in the parallel way since they are independent of each other and there exists no data exchanging. This property means that we do not need to do the orthogonalization in the highest-dimensional spaces. This is the main aim of this paper since avoiding orthogonalization can improve the scalability of the proposed numerical method. Some numerical examples are provided to validate the proposed parallel augmented subspace method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The involvement of cancer stem-like cells (CSC) in the tumor pathogenesis has profound implications for cancer therapy and chemoprevention. Lunasin is a bioactive peptide from soybean and other vegetal sources with proven protective activities against cancer and other chronic diseases. The present study focused on the cytotoxic effect of peptide lunasin in colorectal cancer HCT-116 cells, both the bulk tumor and the CSC subpopulations. Lunasin inhibited the proliferation and the tumorsphere-forming capacity of HCT-116 cells. Flow cytometry results demonstrated that the inhibitory effects were related to apoptosis induction and cell cycle-arrest at G1 phase. Moreover, lunasin caused an increase in the sub-GO/G1 phase of bulk tumor cells, linked to the apoptotic events found. Immunoblotting analysis further showed that lunasin induced apoptosis through activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of PARP, and could modulate cell cycle progress through the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21. Together, these results provide new evidence on the chemopreventive activity of peptide lunasin on colorectal cancer by modulating both the parental and the tumorsphere-derived subsets of HCT-116 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a cascadic adaptive finite element method for nonlinear eigenvalue equations arising from quantum physics following the multilevel correction strategy. Instead of the classical scheme, which requires solving nonlinear eigenvalue equations on a series of adaptive spaces directly, the new scheme consists of several smoothing processes on an adaptive space sequence and nonlinear eigenvalue equations being solved in a very low dimensional space. The main feature of the proposed scheme is that large-scale nonlinear eigenvalue problem solving is avoided, and the associated smoothing process can be executed efficiently based on the appropriate number of smoothing steps. Thus, efficiency can be enhanced by the proposed cascadic adaptive method. The good performance of the new finite element strategy is examined by various numerical experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subunit composition, and thermal and molecular conformation properties of arachin from six peanut varieties are characterized and compared. The thermal and molecular conformation properties including the thermal stability, steady flow properties, surface hydrophobicity, and sulfhydryl content were determined. Two groups of arachin were identified: one containing the 35.5 kDa subunit and the other one without this specific subunit. The results showed that arachin with the 35.5 kDa subunit was more heat-sensitive (Tonset <100°C), had a significant lower initial denaturation temperature, less disulfide bonds, and more hydrophobic groups. The arachin without the 35.5 kDa subunit was less heat-sensitive to temperature (Tonset >100°C), and a more compact globular structure. The presence or absence of 35.5 kDa subunit in arachin significantly influenced the thermal and molecular conformation properties of arachin. Furthermore, the 35.5 kDa subunit was sequenced by Q-TOF and identified as an isoform of Ara h3. This study can provide useful information for processing peanut protein products with good thermal stability and hypoallergenic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we integrate two constructionist approaches-the theory of constructed emotion and rational constructivism-to introduce several novel hypotheses for understanding emotional development. We first discuss the hypothesis that emotion categories are abstract and conceptual, whose instances share a goal-based function in a particular context but are highly variable in their affective, physical, and perceptual features. Next, we discuss the possibility that emotional development is the process of developing emotion concepts, and that emotion words may be a critical part of this process. We hypothesize that infants and children learn emotion categories the way they learn other abstract conceptual by observing others use the same emotion word to label highly variable events. Finally, we hypothesize that emotional development can be understood as a concept construction problem: a child becomes capable of experiencing and perceiving emotion only when her brain develops the capacity to assemble ad hoc, situated emotion concepts for the purposes of guiding behavior and giving meaning to sensory inputs. Specifically, we offer a predictive processing account of emotional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient multigrid method is proposed to compute the ground state solution of Bose-Einstein condensations by the finite element method based on the combination of the multigrid method for nonlinear eigenvalue problem and an efficient implementation for the nonlinear iteration. The proposed numerical method not only has the optimal convergence rate, but also has the asymptotically optimal computational efficiency which is independent from the nonlinearity of the problem. The independence from the nonlinearity means that the asymptotic estimate of the computational work can reach almost the same as that of solving the corresponding linear boundary value problem by the multigrid method. Some numerical experiments are provided to validate the efficiency of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent evidence has shown that cardiomyocytes (CMs) can proliferate at a low level after myocardial infarction (MI), but it is insufficient to reestablish heart function. Several microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proven to sufficiently induce rodent CM proliferation. However, whether miRNAs identified in rodents can promote human CM proliferation is unknown due to the poorly conserved functions of miRNAs among species. In the present study, we demonstrate that i) expression of microRNA-302d (miR-302d) decreased significantly during CM differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) from day 4 to day 18; ii) miR-302d efficiently promoted proliferation of hPSC-derived CMs; iii) miR-302d promoted CM proliferation by targeting LATS2 in the Hippo pathway; and iv) RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that overexpression of miR-302d induced changes in gene expression, which mainly converged on the cell cycle. Our study provides further evidence for the therapeutic potential of miR-302d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seipin deficiency is responsible for type 2 congenital generalized lipodystrophy with severe loss of adipose tissue and can lead to hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance (IR), and dyslipidemia in humans. Adipose tissue secretes many adipokines that are central to the regulation of metabolism. In this study, we investigated whether transplantation of normal adipose tissue could ameliorate severe hepatic steatosis, IR, and dyslipidemia in lipoatrophic seipin knockout (SKO) mice. Normal adipose tissue from wild-type mice was transplanted into 6-wk-old SKO mice. At 4 mo after adipose tissue transplantation (AT), the transplanted fat survived with detectable blood vessels, and the reduced levels of plasma leptin, a major adipokine, were dramatically increased. Severe hepatic steatosis, IR, and dyslipidemia in SKO mice were ameliorated after AT. In addition, abnormal hepatic lipogenesis and β-oxidation gene expression in SKO mice were improved after AT. Our results suggest that AT may be an effective treatment to improve lipodystrophy-associated metabolic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper reports a facile approach for the synthesis of alkaline protease nanoflowers–poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composite hydrogel (NPCH) from alkaline protease–Cu 3 (PO 4) 2 ·3H 2 O nanoflowers and PVA hydrogel through freezing–thawing. During continuous catalytic application, the PVA hydrogel network protected alkaline protease–Cu 3 (PO 4) 2 ·3H 2 O nanoflowers from damage and helped maintain enzymatic activity at high levels. The enzyme that had been immobilized in nanoflowers and NPCH demonstrated 1027% and 605% higher activity than the free alkaline protease derived from Bacillus licheniformis. When used in cyclic catalysis, NPCH exhibited better reusability than nanoflowers and was easily separated from the product. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Alkaline protease -Cu 3 (PO 4) 2 •3H 2 O nanoflowers were immobilized in PVA hydrogel. • The enzyme in composite hydrogel had higher enzymatic activity than free alkaline protease. • After 12 cycles, the catalytic activity of composite hydrogel is still higher than free enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immune response is a crucial factor in controlling HIV infection. However, oxidative stress poses a significant challenge to the HIV-specific immune response, compromising the body's ability to control viral replication. In this paper, we develop an HIV infection model to investigate the impact of immune impairment on virus dynamics. We derive the basic reproduction number (R0) and threshold (Rc). Utilizing the antioxidant parameter as a bifurcation parameter, we establish that the system exhibits saddle-node bifurcation backward and forward bifurcations. Specifically, when R0 > Rc, the virus will rebound if the antioxidant parameter falls below the post-treatment control threshold. Conversely, when the antioxidant parameter exceeds the elite control threshold, the virus remains under elite control. The region between the two thresholds represents a bistable interval. These results can explain why some HIV-infected patients experience rapid viral rebound after treatment cessation while others achieve post-treatment control for a longer time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the adhesive hydrogels have gained progress and popularity, it is still an enormous challenge to develop a smart adhesion hydrogel for clinical medicine, which is an asymmetric adhesion hydrogel with on-demand detachment. Motivated by the thermal phase transition mechanism of gelatin, we have synthesized a Janus supramolecular hydrogel dressing with skin temperature-triggered adhesion by a simple one-pot process. This hydrogel has asymmetric and controllable adhesion, which not only can become the external objects barrier but also can achieve repeated adhesion and on-demand detachment triggered by temperature in tens of seconds. This hydrogel presents great mechanical performance (compressive strain of 65 %, 1.38 MPa) owing to the presence of supramolecular interactions in the hydrogel. Additionally, this hydrogel exhibits excellent antibacterial activity and biocompatibility. The synergistic effect of modified gelatin and ionic liquid greatly facilitates wound healing of full-thickness skin with high wound healing efficiency (98.45 %). Therefore, thanks to all these advantages, the Janus supramolecular hydrogel can be applied for wound management and treatment, which has huge potential in healing skin wounds. • A novel Janus supramolecular hydrogel for wound dressing is prepared by simple one-pot method. • The Janus supramolecular hydrogel has asymmetric adhesion property. • The Janus supramolecular hydrogel dressing can achieve painless separation at low temperature. • The synergistic effect of modified gelatin and ionic liquid endows the hydrogel with good wound healing efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal effects and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) are two main factors in the design of high-power and high-energy laser amplifiers. The temperature distribution and the lateral ASE of the face-pumped active-mirror Yb:YAG amplifiers are analyzed with finite element analysis software. An amplifier with an output energy of 100 J was designed to illustrate energy scaling of the face-pumped active-mirror structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzyme–inorganic hybrid nanoflowers have drawn extensive research interest for enzyme immobilization owing to their enhanced enzymatic activity, high surface area, and excellent chemical stability. However, their low mechanical stability and challenging separation hinder their application. Herein, we report a facile and effective strategy to construct nanoflowers–PVA–chitosan composite (NPC) hydrogels that have excellent mechanical strength, high catalytic activity, and are easy to separate. Lipase–Cu3(PO4)2·3H2O nanoflowers were uniformly immobilized in hydrogel networks, and the substrate and the product can travel freely. The excellent mechanical properties of the hydrogels effectively protect the fragile nanoflowers from external stress, ensuring enzyme activity. Compared with free lipase (97.28 U g−1), NPC3 exhibited a higher enzymatic activity (146.12 U g−1) at 37 °C and pH 7.4. Furthermore, hydrogels as bulk materials can be processed into various physical forms, such as thin films and spheres. The product can easily flow out without the need for a separation process. It is expected that this immobilization method would have great potential in industrial catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Rare disease Background: Cardiac calcified amorphous tumors (CAT) are rarely presented and featured as calcification and eosinophilic amorphous material in dense collagenous fibrous tissue. Case Report: Our case report describes a 47-year-old man presenting cardiac CAT with only chronic cough and occasional dizziness. Preoperative multi-modality imaging was used to evaluate it and postoperative histological study was used to confirm the diagnosis. The mass was resected and the patient was fully recovered and discharged on the 7th postoperative day. In the 1-year follow-up, transthoracic echography showed no further pathological changes. Conclusions: Cardiac CAT is a non-neoplastic cardiac tumor of unknown etiology. The tumor is commonly an incidental finding and the treatment of choice is complete surgical resection. In this case, we found that that multi-modality images were helpful in evaluating and diagnosing the cardiac CAT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photodynamic treatment combining light and a photosensitizer molecule can be an effective method to inactivate pathogenic bacteria. This study identified vitamin K5 as an efficient photosensitizer for ultraviolet light A (UVA)-induced bacterial inactivation. Six bacterial species, Bacillus cereus (vegetative form), Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and two species of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa* and Staphylococcus aureus*, were suspended in aqueous solutions with or without vitamin K5 and exposed to UVA irradiation. UVA irradiation (5.8 J cm-2) with vitamin K5 (1600 μmol l-1) reduced the colony forming units (CFU) of these bacteria by three to seven logs. Antibiotic resistant bacteria were also susceptible to the bactericidal effects of UVA and vitamin K5 combination treatment. Inactivation of bacteria in human plasma required higher doses of UVA light and vitamin K5. UVA irradiation (30 J cm-2) with vitamin K5 (2000 μmol l-1) reduced E. coli and S. aureus spiked into human plasma by seven logs CFU/ml. Reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide anion radicals and hydroxyl radicals, were found to be generated in vitamin K5 aqueous solution after UVA irradiation, suggesting these oxygen species may mediate the inactivation of the bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alginate is a linear polysaccharide produced mainly by brown algae in marine environments. Alginate consists of a linear block copolymer made up of two monomeric units, β-D-mannuronate (M) and its C-5 epimer α-L-guluronate (G). Alginate lyases are polysaccharide lyases (PL) that degrade alginate via a β-elimination reaction. These enzymes play an important role in marine carbon recycling and also have widespread industrial applications. So far, more than 1,774 alginate lyase sequences have been identified and are distributed into 7 PL families. In this review, the folds, conformational changes during catalysis, and catalytic mechanisms of alginate lyases are described. Thus far, structures for 15 alginate lyases have been solved and are divided into 3 fold classes: the β-jelly roll class (PL7, -14, and -18), the (α/α)n toroid class (PL5, -15, and -17), and the β-helix fold (PL6). These enzymes adopt two different mechanisms for catalysis, and three kinds of conformational changes occur during this process. Moreover, common features in the structures, conformational changes, and catalytic mechanisms are summarized, providing a comprehensive understanding on alginate lyases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have shown that high level of TILs in invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is associated with poor prognosis, contrary to that in TNBC and HER2-positive breast cancer. Methods: The densities of six immune cell markers and three immune checkpoints in the ILC microenvironment were detected by computational pathology analysis. Then, the LASSO cox regression model was used to construct an immune score (IS) and further evaluate its prognostic value. Results: In our ILC cohort, the low density of CD4, CD8, CD20, CD56, CD68, FOXP3, PD-1, and PD-L1 had significantly longer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS); however, the low density of CTLA-4 was associated with shorter DFS and OS. Based on this, an IS was constructed, and patients with lowIS had significantly prolonged DFS (p<0.0001) and OS (p<0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that IS was an independent prognostic indicator for DFS and OS. Further analysis showed that IS may increase the prognostic value of TNM stage. We further explored the prognostic role of CD68 and FOXP3 in the transcriptional level and the corresponding ISm in the METABRIC dataset, and found that low proportion of CD68 and FOXP3 and their ISm were associated with longer OS, and ISm was also an independent prognostic factor for OS. Conclusion: IS was a promising biomarker to distinguish the prognosis in ILC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant neoplasm with a high mortality rate. Therapeutic agents that activate TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis have shown promising efficacy, but many pancreatic cancers are resistant to TRAIL therapy. Epigenetic regulation plays important roles in tumor pathogenesis and resistance, and a recent study indicated that the long non-coding RNA HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer. However, the role of HOTAIR in pancreatic cancer resistance to anticancer agents is unknown. The present study determined the role of HOTAIR in pancreatic cancer TRAIL resistance and investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms. We observed that TRAIL-resistant pancreatic cancer cells had higher levels of HOTAIR expression, whereas TRAIL-sensitive pancreatic cancer cells had lower HOTAIR levels. Overexpressing HOTAIR in TRAIL-sensitive cells attenuated TRAIL-induced apoptosis, and shRNA-mediated HOTAIR knockdown in TRAIL-resistant PANC-1 cells sensitized them to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. These results support a causative effect of HOTAIR on TRAIL sensitivity. Mechanistically, we found that increased HOTAIR expression inhibited the expression of the TRAIL receptor death receptor 5 (DR5), whereas HOTAIR knockdown increased DR5 expression. We further demonstrated that HOTAIR regulates DR5 expression via the epigenetic regulator enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and that EZH2 controls histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation on the DR5 gene. Taken together, these results demonstrate that high HOTAIR levels increase the resistance of pancreatic cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis via epigenetic regulation of DR5 expression. Our study therefore supports the notion that targetingHOTAIR function may represent a strategy to overcome TRAIL resistance in pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suo Quan Wan (SQW) has been used to treat lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in elderly patients for hundreds of years in China. β-adrenoceptors (β-ARs), particularly β3-adrenoceptor (β3-AR), was reported to be important in the bladder dysfunction of the elderly. The present study was conducted to explore the effect of β-AR, and particularly the β3-adrenoceptor, in aging rat bladder function in vitro and to test the therapeutic effect of SQW on LUTS in an aging rat model based on the β3-adrenoceptor. Briefly, the bladder detrusor muscles of young (age, 3 months) and aging (age, 15 months) female rats were separated. A β-AR non-selective agonist, isoprenaline (ISO), subtype β3-AR agonist (BRL37344A) and β3-AR antagonist (SR59230A) were used to define the tension change of detrusor muscles between young and aging rats in vitro. For blank controls, 12 young rats were marked, and 48 aging female rats were randomly divided into four groups as follows: Model, SQW high, SQW middle and SQW low. Following oral administration of SQW for 6 weeks in aging rats, urodynamic and bladder detrusor tests were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of SQW. The expression of β3-AR mRNA was investigated using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Using ISO and BRL37344A in vitro, maximum relaxation (Emax), intrinsic activity (IA), and log (50% effective concentration) (PD2) were significantly decreased in aging rats compared with that in young rats (P<0.05). Significant changes were also observed in the β3-AR antagonist experiment, which blocked ISO-induced relaxation, with significant decreases observed in Emax, IA and PD2, and a significant increase observed in PA2 for the aging rats compared with the young controls (P<0.05). SQW was demonstrated to enhance bladder control, storage and contraction ability. Furthermore, SQW was able to increase the sensitivity and expression of β3-AR in an aging rat. In conclusion, the decrease in β3-AR sensitivity in aging rats and the expression resulted in bladder detrusor dysfunction. In addition, the therapeutic effect of SQW against LUTS relies on the former's effect on the urethral sphincter, bladder detrusor and β3-AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gain and loss of genes encoding transcription factors is of importance to understanding the evolution of gene regulatory complexity. The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) genes encode a large superfamily of transcription factors. We systematically classify the bHLH genes from five mollusc, two annelid and one brachiopod genomes, tracing the pattern of bHLH gene evolution across these poorly studied Phyla. In total, 56-88 bHLH genes were identified in each genome, with most identifiable as members of previously described bilaterian families, or of new families we define. Of such familiesonly one, Mesp, appears lost by all these species. Additional duplications have also played a role in the evolution of the bHLH gene repertoire, with many new lophotrochozoan-, mollusc-, bivalve-, or gastropod-specific genes defined. Using a combination of transcriptome mining, RT-PCR, and in situ hybridization we compared the expression of several of these novel genes in tissues and embryos of the molluscs Crassostrea gigas and Patella vulgata, finding both conserved expression and evidence for neofunctionalization. We also map the positions of the genes across these genomes, identifying numerous gene linkages. Some reflect recent paralog divergence by tandemduplication, others are remnants of ancient tandem duplications dating to the lophotrochozoan or bilaterian common ancestors. These data are built into a model of the evolution of bHLH genes in molluscs, showing formidable evolutionary stasis at the family level but considerable within-family diversification by tandem gene duplication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructivist views of cognitive development often converge on 2 key points: (a) the child's goal is to build large conceptual structures for understanding the world, and (b) the child plays an active role in developing these structures. While previous research has demonstrated that young children show a precocious capacity for concept and theory building when they are provided with helpful data within training settings, and that they explore their environment in ways that may promote learning, it remains an open question whether young children are able to build larger conceptual structures using selfgenerated evidence, a form of active learning. In the current study, we examined whether children can learn high-order generalizations (which form the basis for larger conceptual structures) through free play, and whether they can do so as effectively as when provided with relevant data. Results with 2- and 3-year-old children over 4 experiments indicate robust learning through free play, and generalization performance was comparable between free play and didactic conditions. Therefore, young children's self-directed learning supports the development of higher-order generalizations, laying the foundation for building larger conceptual structures and intuitive theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]