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This study presents a methodology for constructing a quasi-geoid model with millimeter-level accuracy over the Shangyu area in China, following the guidelines of the International Association of Geodesy Joint Working Group 2.2.2, known as "The 1 cm geoid experiment". Our approach combines two steps to ensure exceptional accuracy. First, we employ Molodensky's theory to model the gravity field, accounting for non-level surfaces and considering complex terrain effects. Through an exhaustive analysis of these influential factors, we implement a comprehensive suite of applicable formulae within Molodensky's series solution, enabling a thorough assessment of their impacts on height anomalies within the gravimetric quasi-geoid model. Second, we utilize a hybrid method that involves a multi-surface function using the least-squares method and a robust estimation technique. This approach enables the interpolation of quasi-geoid heights by incorporating ellipsoidal and leveling normal heights, as well as gravimetric quasi-geoid data. Through a numerical example, we demonstrate the efficiency of our solution concept, achieving an accuracy of 0.79 cm compared to independent global navigation satellite system (GNSS)/leveling measurements. By developing this methodology, our study contributes to the advancement of geodesy research and provides a valuable methodology for creating highly precise quasi-geoid models in geodetic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Square shaped twinned guanine microplatelets with high symmetry are assembled into highly ordered layered patterns and function as image-forming mirrors in scallop eyes. However, the twinning mechanism of twinned guanine microplatelets is still unclear. Herein, the eyes of juvenile Yesso scallops were investigated to understand the formation mechanism of the twinned β-form anhydrous guanine (β-AG) microplatelets exposing the (100) plane. We found α form anhydrous guanine (α-AG) and single-crystal β-AG nanoplatelets in the very early stage of the eyes of the juvenile scallops, while the α-AG was supposed to be formed via amorphous guanine during the sample preparation process. Besides β-AG and α-AG, amorphous guanine was found in the eyes of juvenile scallops with a size of 2.5 mm according to the Raman spectra. A formation mechanism was proposed for the biogenic twinned β-AG platelets. Firstly, amorphous guanine is formed as an intermediate phase, which transforms into single crystalline β-AG nanoplatelets, or dissolves and recrystallizes to single crystalline β-AG nanoplatelets. Then, a second layer of β-AG forms on the top of the original single crystalline β-AG nanoplatelets, forming twinned β-AG nanoplatelets with two c axes with a certain angle, 83° or 14°. Each layer of the β-AG nanoplatelets is calculated to be about 14 ± 2 nm. This is the first time the twinning mechanism of biogenic twinned β-AG microplatelets is reported. Uncovering the formation mechanism of twinned platelets of organic crystals may shed light on the formation of functional synthetic twinned organic crystals in laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate estimation of the zero-height geopotential level in a local vertical datum (LVD) is critical for linking traditional height reference systems to a global height system. In this paper, we investigate the theoretical and practical challenges involved in determining the offset between the North American vertical datum (NAVD) and the global vertical datum (GVD). Drawing on the classical theory of the vertical system in physical geodesy, we define the vertical datum offset and derive rigorous formulas for its calculation. We examine various factors that affect the determination of the offset, including the global gravitational models (GGMs), geodetic reference system, tide system, tilt error, and omission error. Using terrestrial gravity data and gravity anomalies from multiple GGMs in conjunction with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and orthometric heights, we estimate the vertical offset between the NAVD and GVD. Our results indicate that the geopotential difference approach and the geodetic boundary value problem (GBVP) approach yield consistent results. When the normal gravity geopotential of the geodetic reference system is selected as the gravity geopotential of the global height datum, the NAVD is approximately 0.04 m higher than the GVD relative to the GRS80 ellipsoid, and 0.97 cm higher than the GVD relative to the WGS84 ellipsoid. When the Gauss–Listing geopotential value is chosen as the gravity geopotential of the global height datum, the NAVD is roughly 1.45 m higher than the GVD relative to the GRS80 ellipsoid, and approximately 0.52 m higher than the GVD relative to the WGS84 ellipsoid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomimetic synthesis of guanine crystals has been focused on in the last years. However, multi‐functional guanine crystals occluded with fluorescent molecules have not been realized in the laboratory. Here, the controllable synthesis of guanine crystal microplatelets with fluorescence and pearlescence was achieved for the first time by incorporating Nile red (NR) or fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) molecules into guanine crystals. The synthesized fluorescent guanine crystals are pure β‐phase anhydrous guanine single crystals. Aqueous suspensions with NR‐ and FITC‐doped guanine crystals exhibit distinct pearlescence. The fluorescence intensities of NR and FITC were greatly enhanced after being doped into guanine crystals due to the inhibition of aggregation‐caused quenching. Moreover, films composed of fluorescent guanine microplatelets exhibit high diffuse reflection intensity (70 %). This work provides a strategy to synthesize multifunctional materials composed of organic crystals occluded with dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biogenic twinning β-phase anhydrous guanine nanoplatelets are utilized as optical materials in organisms. However, it is still a puzzle how to produce crystalline guanine platelets in aqueous solutions since guanine has a low solubility in water. Herein, the controlled synthesis of twinning guanine nanoplatelets was realized for the first time in an aqueous solution in the presence of poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl-acetate) via ammonia volatilization. The synthesized rectangular twinning guanine nanoplatelets with an exposed (100) face were β-form anhydrous guanine (β-AG), and the twinning angle of the two c-axes was about 83°, similar to the biogenic twinning β-AG nanoplatelets. The length and thickness of the twinning β-AG nanoplatelets were about 2 μm and 42 ± 3 nm, respectively. There were about five to seven layers observed for the synthesized twinning β-AG nanoplatelets, with each layer being as thin as 6 ± 2 nm. It was proposed that amorphous guanine particles are formed as intermediate precursors, which dissolve and recrystallize to single-crystalline β-AG nanoplatelets, and then multilayered twinning β-AG nanoplatelets are formed via π–π interaction with the assistance of the guanine-quartet assembly. The obtained twinning β-AG exhibited a high reflection intensity in the visible and near infrared region and a brilliant pearlescent luster, indicating that they could potentially be applied as optical materials. This work provides a new design strategy to synthesize particular organic molecular crystals with low solubility in water and a novel formation mechanism for twinning organic crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is critical for the safety monitoring of highway bridges that beam bridge damage can be identified from the dynamic response of passing vehicles. Numerical simulations of passing vehicles were conducted utilizing the vehicle–bridge coupling vibration theory and the indirect measurement method. Fast Fourier transform was performed on the time history response of vehicle acceleration, and the driving frequency component response and its instantaneous amplitude square value (IAS value) were obtained by band-pass filtering and Hilbert transform processing. The identified IAS value detected the damage location of the bridge. The identification method of IAS value is used to analyze the applicability of a simply supported beam bridge, a continuous beam bridge, and an irregular skew beam bridge. The effects of vehicle speed, vehicle damping, bridge damping, and a social vehicle on damage identification are discussed. The results show that the effect of damage location is better when the vehicle speed is less than 4 m/s. In the presence of social vehicles, the excitation on the bridge increases, and the damage location can still be accurately determined by the IAS method. Vehicle damping and bridge damping have little effect on the results of damage identification. In structural health monitoring for bridges, this paper can provide a theoretical reference for the application of IAS motion sensing to identify the damage location indirectly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Type III polyketide synthases (PKSs) are key enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of a variety of plant specialized metabolites, including flavonoids, stilbenes, and sporopollenin, to name a few. These enzymes likely played vital roles in plant adaptation during their transition from aquatic to terrestrial habitats and their colonization of specific ecological environments. Members of this supergene family have diverse functions, but how type III PKSs and their functions have evolved remains poorly understood. Here, we conducted comprehensive phylogenomics analysis of the type III PKS supergene family in 60 species representing the major plant lineages and elucidated the classification, origin, and evolutionary history of each class. Molecular evolutionary analysis of the typical chalcone synthase and stilbene synthase types revealed evidence for strong positive natural selection in both the Pinaceae and Fabaceae lineages. The positively selected sites of these proteins include residues at the catalytic tunnel entrance and homodimer interface, which might have driven the functional divergence between the two types. Our results also suggest that convergent evolution of enzymes involved in plant flavonoid biosynthesis is quite common. The results of this study provide new insights into the origin, evolution, and functional diversity of plant type III PKSs. In addition, they serve as a guide for the enzymatic engineering of plant polyketides. Significance Statement: In this work, we sought to address the origin and evolution of the type III PKS supergene family in plants and better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying their functional diversification from an evolutionary and structural perspective. Our study provides new insights into flavonoid metabolism research and enzymatic engineering of plant polyketides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the effect of comprehensive nursing intervention based on ERAS's concept in laparoscopic gallbladder polyp (GP) surgery on patients' postoperative quality of life and nursing job satisfaction. Ninety patients with polyps were included in this article until October 2021. In this format, the 45 cases are divided into governing bodies and committees according to their processing time. As recommended by the ERAS committee, the committee provides daily and patient care, as well as training on the WeChat platform. The pain level (visual analogue scale (VAS) score), the quality of life (life quality index (GLQI) score), and the incidence of complications were compared between the two groups before and after the intervention. The VAS score of the control group at 2 h after operation was lower than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). After the intervention, the GLQI scores of the two groups were higher than those before the intervention, and the GLQI scores of the control group were higher than those of the control group, with significant differences (all P < 0.05). Studies have shown that comprehensive nursing intervention applied to patients with gallbladder polyps can reduce postoperative pain with less complications and can also improve nursing satisfaction, which is worthy of clinical promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the clinical efficacy of microscope combined with Wechat smart platform in patients with cholecystolithiasis and choledocholithiasis, this paper proposes the effect of microscope combined with Wechat smart platform intervention after laparoscopic lithotomy and choledocholithotomy on the clinical efficacy and gastrointestinal function of patients with cholecystolithiasis combined with choledocholithiasis. From February 2018 to March 2019, 78 patients with gastric cancer were selected by our clinic and included in the research team. Evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic biliary lithotomy (LBL) + bile duct lithotomy (TBL) + T-tube drainage therapy to provide reliable evidence for improved efficacy and efficacy in order to provide a strong reference for improving the effectiveness and safety of surgical treatment of choledocholithiasis. Safety of surgical treatment of diseases. Gallstone disease. The experiments did not show any significant differences between the two groups during surgery. Diabetes was lower in the control group, and hospital incidence was lower in the control group. There were no significant differences between the two groups for preoperative WHOQOL-100 scores. Two weeks and four weeks after surgery, the man-key-100 score was higher than that of the control group. Endoscopic cholecystectomy + choledocholithotomy + choledochoscopic lithotomy + T-tube fluid have been shown to be effective in promoting rapid intestinal function and improving patient quality of life and are appropriate for therapeutic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CRISPR/Cas system has developed a new technology to modify target genes. In this study, CasΦ2 is a newly Cas protein that we used for genome modification in Arabidopsis and tobacco. PDS and BRI1 of marker genes were chosen for targeting. CasΦ2 has the function to cleave pre-crRNA. In the presence of 10 mM Mg2+ irons concentration, sgRNA3 type guided CasΦ2 to edit target gene and generate mutation, and a mutant seedling of AtBRI1 gene with an expected male sterile phenotype was obtained. In the process of tobacco transformation, the gene editing activity of CasΦ2 can be activated by 100 nM Mg2+ irons concentration, and sgRNA1 type guided CasΦ2 to edit target gene. Mutant seedlings of NtPDS gene with an expected albino were obtained. The results indicate that CasΦ2 can effectively edit target genes under the guidance of different sgRNA type in the presence of Mg2+ ions. Together, our results verify that the CRISPR/CasΦ2 system is an effective and precise tool for genome editing in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed discussion of the adjustment problems used to combine GNSS/levelling/gravity network data is provided in this paper. The two primary problems inherent to heterogeneous data networks, namely, parametric models that describe the datums and systematic distortions among the available data sets and stochastic models that describe the observational residuals, are described. For parametric models, a relationship between the transformation parameters and the effects of datums and systematic distortions inherent among different height data types is established based on a least squares criterion. For stochastic models, the stochastic errors in GNSS/levelling/gravity data are evaluated, and a Helmert variance component estimation approach is introduced to refine weighting models. Finally, the proposed model is applied to determine the hybrid geoid in Linyi, China. The numerical results validate the capability and effectiveness of the proposed combined adjustment technique for hybrid geoid computations, revealing an achievable external accuracy of ±1.22 cm compared with GNSS/levelling measurements, which can be increased by 0.44 cm compared with classic adjustments of GNSS/levelling/geoid height data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sample pre-treatment plays an important role in sample analysis, which directly affects the accuracy and reliability of the results. In this work we studied the influence of three common sample pre-treatment methods (direct injection, microwave digestion and wet digestion) on the determination of lead (Pb) content of Chinese health-care wines by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). Six different brands of Chinese health wines were selected for the research. After each Chinese health-care wine was digested by three digestion methods, GFAAS was used to detect the Pb content of the samples. For the selected six different health-care wines, the results showed that the Pb content obtained by GFAAS with different pre-treatment methods were different. Microwave digestion had the best recovery, and was proposed to be applied to the pre-treatment of many kinds of health-care wines, while the direct injection method might be suitable only for health-care wine with lesser amounts of ingredients such as sugar. In the practical work, due to the complexity of the base composition of Chinese health-care wines, currently there is no relevant standard analysis method for the pre-treatment of Chinese health wines. According to the accuracies of the three chosen common pre-treatment methods, it was proposed that microwave digestion might be more suitable as a standard digestion method for the determination of Pb in Chinese health-care wines. This work could provide theoretical support for the further establishment of a standard analytical method for the determination of lead and other (heavy) metal elements in Chinese health wines by GFAAS and other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To obtain an in‐depth understanding of women's decision‐making experiences related to mastectomy. Design: A descriptive qualitative interview study. Methods: Individual semi‐structured interviews were conducted face‐to‐face with 27 Chinese women with breast cancer who underwent mastectomy at two tertiary hospitals in mainland China between September 2020 and December 2021 after obtaining the appropriate ethical approvals. Interviews were conducted in Mandarin. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Results: Mean age of participants was 48 years (range 31–70). Most participants had low education, low monthly family income, had a partner and health insurance, had been diagnosed with early breast cancer, and had not undergone reconstructive surgery. Six categories related to decision‐making experiences emerged: (1) Emotions affecting decision‐making, (2) Information seeking for decision‐making, (3) Beliefs about mastectomy and the breast, (4) Participation in decision‐making, (5) People who influence decision‐making, and (6) Post‐decision reflection. Participants did not mention the role of nurses in their decision‐making process for mastectomy. Conclusions: This study adds valuable insights into the limited evidence on women's experience with decision‐making about mastectomy from a Chinese perspective, which is important given the continuing high prevalence of mastectomy in many regions. Future studies from other countries and ethnic groups are recommended to gain diverse knowledge. Impact: The findings of this study are useful for nurses and other healthcare professionals in the multidisciplinary team to better support women with breast cancer in their decision‐making process regarding mastectomy. The findings could inform future interventions to support treatment decision‐making and may be relevant to women living in similar socio‐medical contexts to those in mainland China. Reporting Method: The study was reported following the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel self-mixing grating interferometer (SMGI) with dual laser diodes (LDs) is proposed for 2-D dynamic displacement measurement. The light beams emitted from the LDs are incident onto a reflection grating with ±1st order auto-collimation diffraction angles and then diffracted back into the lasers, respectively, which can cause self-mixing interference effect in each LD. Theoretical analysis on the SMGI signals corresponding to 2-D displacement is presented and verified with the experimental observations. Measurement results of 2-D dynamic displacement demonstrate that the proposed system can achieve the measurement resolution better than 10 nm. The proposed SMGI sensing system has the advantages of high stability, compact mechanical structure, and relatively straightforward operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurosarcoidosis is relatively rare and has diverse manifestations. The clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome for neurosarcoidosis in China are poorly understood. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features, laboratory and imaging results, treatment, and outcomes in patients who met the criteria for definite or probable neurosarcoidosis in Xuan Wu Hospital of Capital Medical University from 2000 to 2015. Eight patients were included in this study, accounting for 5.84% of all cases with sarcoidosis. The mean age at onset was 50.25 years, and 75% of the patients were female. Five cases had a prior diagnosis of extraneurologic sarcoidosis, leading to a shorter lag time between onset of symptoms and diagnosis (3.4 vs. 16.2 months). Neurological symptoms were the first clinical feature of sarcoidosis in three cases, and no patients presented isolated nervous system manifestation. The most common symptom was sensory disturbance, and the most common site of nervous system involvement was brain parenchyma and meninges. Disturbance of consciousness, seizures, hydrocephalus, and abnormal CSF assays were associated with poor prognosis. All patients were treated with corticosteroids and one was also given azathioprine. Five patients had complete or partial improvement, one remained stabilized, and two deteriorated and died. Neurosarcoidosis is difficult to diagnose early and might be associated with a poor prognosis. Tissue biopsy for a definitive diagnosis and aggressive therapy with corticosteroids plus other alternative immunosuppressive treatment should be recommended in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Precise staging of hepatic fibrosis with MRI is necessary as it can assist precision medicine. Computer aided diagnosis (CAD) system with distinguishing radiomics features and radiologists domain knowledge is expected to obtain 5‐grade meta‐analysis of histological data in viral hepatitis (METAVIR) staging. Purpose: This study aims to obtain the precise staging of hepatic fibrosis based on MRI as it predicts the risk of future liver‐related morbidity and the need for treatment, monitoring and surveillance. Based on METAVIR score, fibrosis can be divided into five stages. Most previous researches focus on binary classification, such as cirrhosis versus non‐cirrhosis, early versus advanced fibrosis, and substantial fibrosis or not. In this paper, a comprehensive CAD system TMM is proposed to precisely class hepatic fibrosis into five stages for precision medicine instead of the common binary classification. Methods: We propose a novel hepatic fibrosis staging CAD system TMM which includes three modules, Two‐level Image Statistical Radiomics Feature (TISRF), Monotonic Error Correcting Output Codes (MECOC) and Monotone Multiclassification with Deep Forest (MMDF). TISRF extracts radiomics features for distinguishing different hepatic fibrosis stages. MECOC is proposed to encode monotonic multiclass by making full use of the progressive severity of hepatic fibrosis and increase the fault tolerance and error correction ability. MMDF combines multiple Deep Forest network to ensure the final five‐class classification, which can achieve more precise classification than the common binary classification. The performance of the proposed hepatic fibrosis CAD system is tested on the hepatic data collected from our rabbits models of fibrosis. Results: A total of 140 regions of interest (ROI) are selected from MRI T1W of liver fibrosis models in 35 rabbits with F0(n = 16), F1(n = 28), F2(n = 29), F3(n = 44) and F4(n = 23). The performance is evaluated by five‐fold cross‐validation. TMM can achieve the highest total accuracy of 72.14% for five fibrosis stages compared with other popular classifications. To make a comprehensive comparison, a binary classification experiment have been carried out. Conclusions: T1WI can obtain precise staging of hepatic fibrosis with the help of comprehensive CAD including radiomics features extraction inspired by radiologists, monotonic multiclass according to the severity of hepatic fibrosis, and deep learning classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It remains a daunting challenge to determine ecotoxicological risks of exposure to mixtures of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in environmental toxicology. In the present study, we investigated acute and endocrine disruptive toxicities of cypermethrin (CPM), malathion (MAL), prochloraz (PRO) and their binary mixtures of MAL + CPM and MAL + PRO to the early life stages of zebrafish. In the acute lethal toxicity test, three pesticides exhibited different levels of toxicity to zebrafish larvae, and the order of toxicity was as follows: CPM > PRO > MAL. The binary mixture of MAL + CPM displayed a synergistic effect on zebrafish larvae after exposure for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. However, binary mixture of MAL + PRO showed an antagonistic effect. To evaluate the estrogenic effect, the expression of genes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis was assessed after zebrafish embryos were exposed to CPM, MAL, PRO and their binary mixtures from blastula stage (1 h post-fertilization, 1 hpf) to 14 dpf (14 d post-fertilization). Our data indicated that the transcription patterns of many key genes ( vtg1 , vtg2, era, erβ1 , erβ2, cyp19a1a and cyp19a1b ) were affected in hatched zebrafish after exposure to CPM, MAL and PRO. Moreover, following exposure to binary mixtures of 1000 μg/L MAL +4 μg/L CPM and 1000 μg/L MAL +900 μg/L PRO, the gene expressions were significantly changed compared with the individual pesticides. Our data provided a better understanding of bidirectional interactions of toxic response induced by these pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functionally graded material (FGM) sandwich shallow spherical shells are promising composite sandwich structures for modern engineering applications. In this paper, the axisymmetric snap-through buckling of spherical shells under uniform external pressure and non-uniform temperature rise along the shell thickness was studied. Based on the classical shell theory and the Sanders nonlinear kinematics equations, we established a two-point boundary value problem (BVP) posed by the displacement-type nonlinear ordinary differential equations governing the axisymmetric buckling of the FGM sandwich shallow spherical shells and the clamped boundary conditions. Then, the solutions of the above BVP were obtained using the numerical shooting method. The influence of initial term numbers of the infinite series defining the non-uniform temperature field on the accuracy of the solution was examined. Numerical calculations showed that a considerable initial term number of the series were needed to obtain the applicable solutions for engineering. Some valuable conclusions were drawn through detailed parameter studies. As the radius of the bottom circle increases, the lower critical load of shells decreases, the jump amplitude of buckling increases, and the upper critical load remains almost unchanged. The upper and lower critical loads and the jump amplitude increase as the circle radius of the middle surface of shells decreases. When the thickness of shells increases, their upper and lower critical loads increase, whereas the jump amplitude of buckling reduces. The gradient index has a significant effect on the steady-state response of pre-buckling spherical shells but little effect on that of post-buckling spherical shells. When the temperature rises, the upper critical load and the buckling jump amplitude of shells increase, but the lower critical load decreases. When the gradient index is greater (less) than about 0.35, the upper critical load decreases significantly (increases slightly) with the increase in the relative thickness of the FGM core. The present numerical results are well consistent with the finite element results and those in the available literature. • The governing equation of FGM sandwich shallow spherical shell is derived and solved. • The present model avoids the inherent error caused by the shape function assumed. • The convergence rate of the temperature field series along the thickness is investigated. • High-precision solution of the two-point boundary value problem is obtained. • The snap-through buckling of the shell under thermomechanical loads is studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we detected the expression profiles of microRNAs (miRNAs) packaged within microvesicles (MVs) from blood samples of HCC patients and healthy donors. Using microarray analysis, there were 83 down-regulated and 92 over-expressed miRNAs in HCC circulation-derived MVs relative to control group. Then potential functions of the dysregulated MVs miRNAs were investigated with bioinformatic tools. We found that 664 Corf genes were targeted by 72 altered MVs miRNAs and some of these target genes were reported to be associated with tumorous activities. Gene Ontology annotation demonstrated that biological roles of the target Corf genes mainly contained the regulation of growth, cell death, macromolecule metabolism, etc. As regulated by abnormal MVs miRNAs, functions of target Corf genes might be interrupted, which were much likely to contribute to HCC occurrence and progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the impact of transitory random disturbances to cognitive performance and a minimum‐passing‐score policy on access to graduate education among students who took a series of high‐stakes exams. Exploiting thermal inversions and individual fixed effects, we document significant adverse cognitive effects of transitory exposure to air pollution during the exam. The harmful cognitive effects permanently reduce students' chances of getting into graduate school, especially for marginal students who scored just below the cutoff score. Marginal students would be less affected by random disturbances and have more equal access to graduate education had such an exam policy not been adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sensing interface with porous cluster-like nanocomposite films has been fabricated by electrochemical polymerization of l-cysteine on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (PLC/MWCNTs), and it was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The nanocomposite films have been used to interact with tryptophan enantiomers (d- and l-Trp), and an obvious difference was achieved in the oxidation peak currents between d-Trp and l-Trp, suggesting that the PLC/MWCNTs could be used as a chiral selector to discriminate the Trp enantiomers. Under the optimum conditions, d-Trp and l-Trp presented a detection limit of 33 μM (S/N = 3), with a linear range of 1.0 × 10−4 M to 1.0 × 10−3 M. The simple method with rapid recognition, excellent stability and reproducibility provided a new perspective to recognize and determine Trp enantiomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: ZnIn2S4/K2La2Ti3O10 composite photocatalysts were synthesized via a hydrothermal route. The photocatalysts were characterized by the X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) diffuse reflection spectra and photoluminescence measurements. The UV–vis results indicated that ZnIn2S4/K2La2Ti3O10 has a strong absorption in the visible light region. The compositions of ZnIn2S4/K2La2Ti3O10 composite photocatalysts were optimized according to the photocatalytic activity for hydrogen production from aqueous Na2S/Na2SO3. The composite photocatalyst loading 25wt.% ZnIn2S4 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, the amount of H2 production was 6.29mmol/g after 3h irradiation under visible light irradiation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper we study a backward stochastic differential equation (BSDE for short) driven by a Brownian motion and a jump martingale in a defaultable setting, with a polynomial growth generator. This kind of BSDE has important applications to the defaultable market. To demonstrate this in a strict way, we first prove the existence, uniqueness and uniform estimate of its solution. Then two examples are given to illustrate its applications to recursive utility and contingent claim hedging. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new, to the best of our knowledge, signal processing method based on quadrature demodulation technique is presented for laser diode self-mixing interferometry(LDSMI) displacement sensor. Phase modulation of the laser beam is obtained by an electro-optic modulator (EOM) in the external cavity. Detection of the target''s displacement can be easily achieved by sampling the interference signal at those times which satisfied certain conditions. The major advantage of the technique is that it does not involve any complicated calculation and insensitive to the sampling error. Experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the displacement measurement resolution of the laser diode self-mixing displacement sensor to a few nanometers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Activating mutations in NOTCH1 consitute the most prominent genetic abnormality in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). However, most T-ALL cell lines with NOTCH1 mutations are resistant to treatment with γγ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs). The spotlight is now shifting to the phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway as another key potential target. These two signaling routes are deregulated in many types of cancer. In this review we discuss these two pathways with respect to their signaling mechanisms, functions during T-cell development, and their mutual roles in the development of T-ALL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to realize real-time displacement measurement with high resolution, sinusoidal phase modulation and integrating-bucket method are introduced in the self-mixing interference (SMI) system firstly. The phase of the laser beam is modulated by an electro-optic modulator (EOM) in the external cavity. Theoretical analysis, simulation results and error evaluation are presented. Experimentally, the micro-displacement of a high-precision commercial PZT is reconstructed and the reconstruction accuracy is on the order of nanometers for displacements of a few micrometers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, a computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) system for the classification of rat liver lesions from MR imaging is presented. The proposed system consists of two modules: the feature extraction and the classification modules. 40 rats are used for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induction with Diethylnitrosamine via drinking water. After Resovist is administrated by tail vein the animals are scanned by a 1.5-T MR scanner with T2-weighted FRFSE sequence. SPIO-enhanced images of 106 nodules (RNs: 24, HCCs: 82) are acquired, and 161 regions of interest (ROIs) are taken from the MR images .Six parameters of texture characteristics including Angular Second Moment, Contrast, Correlation, Inverse Difference Moment, Entropy, and Variance of 161 ROIs are calculated and assessed by gray-level co-occurrence matrices, then fed into a BP neural network (NN) classifier to classify the liver tissue into two classes: cirrhosis and HCC. Difference of each texture parameter between cirrhosis and HCC group is significant. The accuracy of classification of HCC nodules from cirrhosis is 91.67%. It indicates the ANN classifier based on texture is effective for classifying HCC nodules from cirrhosis on rat SPIO-enhanced imaging. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Gain-of-function mutations in Notch-1 are common in T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), making this receptor a promising target for drugs such as gamma-secretase inhibitors (GSIs). However, GSIs seem to be active in only a small fraction of T-ALL cell lines with constitutive Notch-1 activity and the downstream response of Notch signaling is only partially understood. To further investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying proliferation suppression and apoptosis and explore effective downstream target genes, we used RNA interference (RNAi) technology to down-regulate the expression of Notch-1 in GSIs-resistant T-ALL cell lines. Results showed that down-regulation of Notch-1 by transfection of a small interfering RNA (siRNA) could cause SupT1 cells proliferation inhibition by inducing G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The proliferation inhibitory and apoptotic effects resulting from down-regulation of Notch-1 may be mediated through regulating the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins cyclin D1, CDK2 and p21 and the activity of Akt signaling. In addition, our results demonstrated that down-regulation of Notch-1 signaling could sensitize SupT1 cells to adriamycin. Taken together, cell cycle regulatory proteins and Akt signaling may be attractive targets in T-ALL. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The bone marrow (BM) microenvironment plays a critical role in malignant cell growth, patient survival and response to chemotherapy in hematologic malignancies. However, the molecular mechanisms of BM stromal cells (BMSCs)-mediated survival of tumor cell remain unclear. In this study, to further evaluate the role of Notch-1 in vivo microenvironment, we investigated the influence of inhibiting Notch-1 pathway by Notch-1 siRNA on Jurkat cells in the co-culture system. We found that Notch-1 signaling in Jurkat cells was further activated by interaction with BMSCs, which inhibited drug-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells. Notch-1 siRNA down-regulated Notch-1 and restored drug-induced apoptosis in co-cultured Jurkat cells. The possible mechanism of restoration of sensitivity to chemotherapy could be associated with repressed Akt signaling. The results indicated that Notch-1 may be a potential mechanism of BMSCs involvement in the protection of hematopoietic malignant cells from drug-induced apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel self-mixing interferometer based on temporal-carrier phase-shifting technique is presented. The phase of the laser beam is modulated with a triangular wave by an electro-optic modulator (EOM) in the external cavity. Phase demodulation of the interference signal is achieved by five-step Schwider–Hariharan algorithm combined with a special sampling technique. Theoretical analysis and simulation results are presented. Some errors of the technique have been discussed. Experimentally, the new interferometer is applied to measure the displacement of a high precision commercial PZT and a displacement measurement accuracy of λ/60 can be obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aim. If gastric cancer can be detected through early screening, and scientific and reasonable intervention methods can be selected in time, the condition can be effectively controlled. Routine nursing has been unable to obtain satisfactory results, and the effect on improving the compliance of the examiner is not outstanding. The research aims to estimate the outcome of nursing based on health belief combined with knowledge, belief, and practice on gastroscopy in patients with gastric cancer. Methods. 126 patients with clinically diagnosed gastric cancer in the Number Two Hospital of Baoding from May 2020 to May 2022 were randomly divided into belief guidance group and mode group, with 63 instances each. The mode group was intervened via the mode of knowledge, belief, and practice, and the belief guidance group was intervened via the nursing based on health belief on the basis of the mode group. Before and after the nursing, the health belief, examination compliance, inappropriateness, and negative emotion in different time periods were contrasted between the two groups. Results. After the nursing, the scores of health belief scale in the belief guidance group were enhanced than those in the mode group; the compliance rate of the belief guidance group was markedly enhanced than that of the mode group, and the inappropriateness during the insertion and examination was lower than that of the mode group; the scores of self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) in the two groups preinsertion and postnursing were markedly lower than those in the mode group. Conclusion. Nursing based on health belief guidance united with knowledge, belief, and practice mode nursing can advance the health belief and compliance of gastroscopy in patients with gastric cancer, reduce discomfort, and effectively advance the negative emotions of patients. It is worthy of clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cypermethrin (CYP) and malathion (MAT) have been widely used and are frequently detected in surface waters. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the endocrine disrupting toxicity of CYP, MAT, and CYP + MAT to 5-month-old male zebrafish (Danio rerio). After exposure, the hepatosomatic index (HSI) and gonadosomatic index (GSI) did not change significantly. Following exposure to the combination of 0.1 μg/L CYP +25 μg/L MAT, the E2 and VTG levels of male zebrafish were significantly increased compared to those after individual pesticide treatments. The molecular level of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in zebrafish was studied; it was found that the expression of the estrogen-related genes, especially the vtg1 gene, was significantly altered in 0.1 μg/L CYP + 25 μg/L MAT. Overall, our observation indicated that CYP or MAT could disturb the hormonal balance, and their combination of 0.1 μg/L CYP +25 μg/L MAT could significantly enhance the estrogenic effect. • The E2 and VTG levels and the expression of genes of the HPG axis were significantly increased in the 1 μg/L cypermethrin +25 μg/L malathion treatment group. • Treatment with 1 μg/L cypermethrin +25 μg/L malathion significantly increased the estrogenic effect by altering the regulatory mechanism of the HPG axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A 85-gene classifier was constructed that had the ability to recognize MDD patients • The anterior cingulate should be a notable region in the study of MDD pathogenesis • The inflammatory factors were correlated with MDD onset. Because the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD) is still unclear and the accurate diagnosis remains unavailable, we aimed to analyze its molecular mechanisms and develop a gene classifier to improve diagnostic accuracy. We extracted differentially expressed genes from two datasets, GSE45642 (from brain tissue samples) and GSE98793 (from blood samples), and found three key modules to have a significant correlation with MDD traits by weighted gene coexpression network analysis. Hub genes were identified from the key modules according to the connectivity degree in the network and subjected to least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis. A total of eighty-five hub genes were selected to construct the gene classifier, which had considerable ability to recognize MDD patients in the training set and test set. In addition, the relationship between the key MDD modules and brain tissues indicated that the anterior cingulate should be a notable region in the study of MDD pathogenesis. The results of Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses reiterate the relationship between depression and immunity. Therefore we identified MDD hub genes in the InnateDB database, and found 14 genes involved in both MDD and the inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guo, D. and Xiang, Y., 2020. Optimization research on maintenance strategy model for coastal highway bridge based on durability and reliability. In: Liu, X. and Zhao, L. (eds.), Today's Modern Coastal Society: Technical and Sociological Aspects of Coastal Research. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 111, pp. 187–191. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Affected by the environment and load, the durability and bearing capacity of highway bridges in coastal areas have declined to varying degrees, which seriously affects the remaining service life of the bridge. To make optimal use of the maintenance funds of highway bridges in the whole life cycle, this paper studies and optimizes the maintenance plan of the bridge in the long-term service. Considering the coupling effect of marine environment and load, the degradation model of durability index and reliability index is established. The deterioration of highway bridges in coastal areas is studied based on the degradation model with durability and reliability index. The optimization results show that the remaining service life of the engineering example is extended by 6.6 years and 13.8 years, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eucommia ulmoides , a plant native to China, is valued for its medicinal properties and has applications in food, health products, and traditional Chinese medicine. Processed Eucommiae Cortex (EC) has historically been a highly valued medicine. Ancient doctors had ample experience processing EC, especially with ginger juice, as documented in traditional Chinese medical texts. The combination of EC and ginger juice helps release and transform the active ingredients, strengthening the medicine's effectiveness and improving its taste and shelf life. However, the lack of quality control standards for Ginger- Eucommiae Cortex (G-EC), processed from EC and ginger, presents challenges for its industrial and clinical use. This study optimized G-EC processing using the CRITIC and Box-Behnken methods. Metabolomics showed 517 chemical changes between raw and processed G-EC, particularly an increase in coniferyl aldehyde (CFA). Explainable artificial intelligence techniques revealed the feasibility of using color to CFA content, providing insights into quality indicators. [Display omitted] • Optimization of Ginger- Eucommiae Cortex Processing by Box-Behnken Design. • Non-targeted metabolomics to study changes in Eucommiae Cortex composition before and after processing. • A total of 517 differential expressed chemical compounds were identified. • Automated procedure accurately and efficiently extracts color information from images. • SHAP was applied to interpret the XGBoost model for desirable information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PSFBG-enhanced achieves an impressive enhancement of up to 800 times compared to unenhanced signals. • PSFBG is applied to detect surfaces with lower reflectivity. • The spatial measurement range has been improved, achieving long-distance detection. • Application of PSFBG-enhanced signal in non-contact Doppler measurement. In this paper, phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating (PSFBG) is introduced in an all-fiber laser self-mixing interferometry (SMI) for signal enhancement. PSFBG is used as an optical filter to enhance the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of SMI signal. When the laser wavelength locates at the edge of the filter, the frequency modulation (FM) can be mapped to the easy-to-detect amplitude modulation (AM) to enhance the SMI signal. Simulation and experimental comparison of unenhanced SMI signal, FBG-enhanced SMI signal and PSFBG-enhanced SMI signal are presented. The enhancement effects of different reflectivity surfaces are comparatively analyzed and the maximum spatial test ranges of lower reflectivity surfaces are compared between unenhanced and PSFBG-enhanced. As well as applying the PSFBG-enhanced to the Doppler effect experiment. Due to the extremely narrow linewidth of PSFBG, the PSFBG-based SMI has the better performance in longer detection range and lower backscattering light. PSFBG-enhanced achieves an impressive enhancement of up to 800 times compared to unenhanced signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy is an inherited disease caused by abnormal accumulation of very long chain fatty acids. The diagnosis of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy can be confirmed with the mutation of ABCD1 gene. The main symptom of the X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy is spastic paraparesis, and autonomic dysfunction is rare in X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. Here, we presented an X-ALD case of a 46-year-old Asian male with severe autonomic dysfunction. Impairment of the autonomic nervous system may closely relate to mitochondrial defect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Exploration (GOCE) has changed the global contribution in the determination of high-accuracy global geopotential models (GGMs). In this paper, a spectral expansion method is used to determine the combined GGMs, using the high-resolution EGM2008 model and residual terrain model (RTM) to effectively bridge the spectral gap between the satellite and terrestrial data. The accuracy of the combined GGMs shows improvement compared with GOCE/GRACE-based GGMs and EGM2008 in determining the geopotential of the Hong Kong Principal Datum (HKPD). As a result of the DIR_R5/EGM2008/RTM model and GNSS/levelling, the geopotential value of HKPD is estimated to be 62,636,860.52 m2s−2 with respect to the global geoid W0 = 62,636,853.4 m2s−2. Therefore, the vertical offset between the HKPD and global geoid is about −72.8 cm, which means that the HKPD is 72.8 cm below the global height datum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The East China Sea, situated at the intersection of the Eurasian, Philippine Sea, and Pacific plates, is characterized by complex geology influenced by tectonic phenomena such as plate movements, volcanism, faults, and uplifts. Crustal density structure inversion provides a thorough understanding of the region's geological history as well as Earth's dynamical evolution, providing critical insights into seismic disaster mitigation, resource exploration, marine environmental protection, and maritime safety. The inversion process, on the other hand, presents challenges in data quality, quantity, model complexity, uncertainty, and computational resources. With the advancement of next-generation satellite gravity measurements and developing inversion techniques, the inversion of marine crustal density structures promises to be more precise and comprehensive. We explored the density distribution in the East China Sea and surrounding areas using an innovative wavenumber domain three-dimensional density imaging method along with high-precision global satellite gravity data. By overcoming data quality and computing resource constraints, wavenumber domain three-dimensional density imaging has transformed the discipline of marine geophysics, successfully delivering accurate density distributions in the study area. We were able to get a more precise and comprehensive characterization of the crustal density structure by combining high-precision satellite gravity data and cutting-edge imaging methods. Our investigation has unveiled previously unknown details about density distribution in the East China Sea and its environs. The East China Sea shelf displays smooth low-density perturbations at 18 km depth, whereas the trench–arc–basin region exhibits increasing density perturbations. Notably, the Okinawa Trough, which is surrounded by the Tokara Volcanic Ridge and the Ryukyu Trench, displays strong positive anomalies with a north–northeastern to northeastern orientation. In contrast, the Ryukyu Ridge and the Philippine Sea Basin exhibit smaller negative values and substantial northwestward positive density trends, respectively. These findings indicate diverse material distribution, which provides important insights into the area's geological evolution and tectonic processes. This study adds new insights into density distribution in the East China Sea and adjacent regions, offering information on the geological complexity of the region. The research lays the groundwork for future research on crustal dynamics and enhances the field of marine geophysics and related disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The medical community has recognized overweight as an epidemic negatively affecting a large proportion of the pediatric population, but few studies have been performed to investigate the relationship between overweight and failure of conservative treatment for distal radius fractures (DRFs). This study was performed to investigate the effect of overweight on the outcome of conservative treatment for DRFs in children. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of children with closed displaced distal metaphyseal radius fractures in our hospital from January 2015 to May 2020. Closed reduction was initially performed; if closed reduction failed, surgical treatment was performed. Patients were followed up regularly after treatment, and redisplacement was diagnosed on the basis of imaging findings. Potential risk factors for redisplacement were collected and analyzed. Results: In total, 142 children were included in this study. The final reduction procedure failed in 21 patients, all of whom finally underwent surgical treatment. The incidences of failed final reduction and fair reduction were significantly higher in the overweight/obesity group than in the normal-weight group (P = 0.046 and P = 0.041, respectively). During follow-up, 32 (26.4%) patients developed redisplacement after closed reduction and cast immobilization. The three risk factors associated with the incidence of redisplacement were overweight/obesity [odds ratio (OR), 2.149; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.320–3.498], an associated ulnar fracture (OR, 2.127; 95% CI, 1.169–3.870), and a three-point index of ≥ 0.40 (OR, 3.272; 95% CI, 1.975–5.421). Conclusions: Overweight increases the risk of reduction failure and decreases the reduction effect. Overweight children were two times more likely to develop redisplacement than normal-weight children in the present study. Thus, overweight children may benefit from stricter clinical follow-up and perhaps a lower threshold for surgical intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-speed railway (HSR) station in a city can make a significant change to the way a city receives and transmits information, thus increasing its "borrowed size." How does an intercity passenger transport system shape the pattern of urban connection? To provide an answer to this question, a study is conducted to investigate the impact of the HSR project rolled out across China, which is known as the world's largest railway network, on intercity media attention as constructed from the information of local media coverage. A staggered difference-in-differences (DID) regression approach is taken to find out that the opening of a new HSR station increases the media attention drawn by a city from other cities by 1.88%, and that the direct link between two cities through HSR improves intercity attention by approximately 0.90%. To further explore the underlying mechanism, heterogeneity analysis is conducted to indicate that HSR has augmented the intercity connection network by reinforcing the cooperation between various cities, and this power has diminished with distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses Baker et al. (2016) to construct China's economic policy uncertainty index (EPU) and China's economic policy uncertainty index based on Chinese newspaper text keyword search (CEPU). Using monthly import data of about 5000 kinds of products in China from January 2010 to April 2016, we estimate the impact of EPU and CEPU on these products' import and find that economic policy uncertainty has different effects on imports of different products, both negative and positive. Further, we use BEC classification, differentiated products and homogeneous products, the number and concentration of countries in global trade, and the elasticity of import demand to characterize the heterogeneity of products and explain the differences in the impact of economic uncertainty on different products. We find that when the uncertainties of China's economic policy increase, capital goods and transport equipment are more negatively affected by imports than intermediate inputs and differentiated products are homogeneous products; the smaller the elasticity of demand substitution, the more countries imported globally, the lower the concentration of global importing countries, and the higher the concentration of global exporting countries, the negative reaction of product imports the bigger. In addition, we compare the performance of EPU and CEPU indices. CEPU index is more reasonable than the EPU index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A recent study reported a novel long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) E2F-mediated cell proliferation enhancing lncRNA (EPEL, human chromosome 4, intergenic region) plays an oncogenic role in lung cancer.Aims: We aimed to investigate the role of lncRNA EPEL in gastric cancer.Methods: Gene expression was analyzed by RT-qPCR and western blot. Survival analysis was performed by comparing survival curves. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were analyzed by CCK-8 and Transwell assays.Results: We found that lncRNA EPEL and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) were both upregulated in gastric cancer. EPEL and RUNX2 were positively correlated in tumor. Patients with high expression level of lncRNA EPEL showed poor survival. LncRNA EPEL and RUNX2 overexpression promoted, while lncRNA EPEL siRNA silencing inhibited the migration, proliferation, and invasion of gastric cancers. In addition, RUNX2 overexpression completely rescued the inhibited cancer cell migration, proliferation, and invasion caused by lncRNA EPEL siRNA silencing. Consistently, EPEL overexpression resulted in upregulated RUNX2 expression, while RUNX2 overexpression did not affect lncRNA EPEL expression.Conclusions: Therefore, lncRNA EPEL may regulate cancer cell behaviors and affect prognosis of gastric cancer by interacting with RUNX2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by autonomic failure and motor dysfunction in parkinsonism and/or cerebellar ataxia. Patients with MSA usually present with depression and anxiety symptoms. This observational study of patients with MSA-cerebellar subtype (MSA-C) with subthreshold depression/anxiety symptoms aimed to compare the efficacy of escitalopram oxalate (an antidepressant drug) and tandospirone citrate (an anxiolytic drug). Fifty-six MSA-C patients were included, with 28 patients in each treatment group. One group received escitalopram oxalate 10 mg/day and the other group received tandospirone citrate 30 mg/day. The patients were evaluated at baseline and after 4 weeks. Several psychiatric and neurological tests were performed, including the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA), and the Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease for Autonomic Symptoms (SCOPA-AUT). Furthermore, post-void residual urine volume (PVR) and blood pressure were measured. There was a more substantial reduction in the HAMA/HAMD, scores of stance, finger tracking, and finger nose test in the SARA, and PVR in the tandospirone group. There was a more substantial reduction in scores of dysuria, light-headed when standing up, syncope and hyperhidrosis in the SCOPA-AUT in the escitalopram group (p 's < 0.05). Tandospirone citrate was more effective in improving depression/anxiety and some cerebellar ataxia symptoms, whereas escitalopram was more effective in improving some autonomic symptoms in MSA-C patients over a short-term period in an open-label observational study without a control group. Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term effects of tandospirone and escitalopram in MSA-C in long-term placebo controlled trials. • Tandospirone showed more efficacy than escitalopram in improving depression/anxiety symptoms in MSA-C. • Tandospirone showed efficacy in improving some cerebellar ataxia symptoms. • Escitalopram showed efficacy in improving some autonomic symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Some previous studies have sought to investigate the roles of excision repair cross complementation group 1 (ERCC1), ERCC2, ERCC4, and ERCC5 gene polymorphisms in the prognosis of osteosarcoma patients. However, their results were inconclusive. Here, we performed a meta-analysis to determine the strength of the association between eight polymorphisms in the ERCC genes (rs11615, rs3212986, rs2298881, rs13181, rs1799793, rs1800067, rs2296147, and rs1047768) and prognosis of osteosarcoma patients treated with chemotherapy. Materials and methods: We retrieved the relevant studies from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science in human osteosarcoma published prior to July 2017. Primary outcomes included overall survival (OS) and event-free survival, expressed by hazard ratios (HRs) with their corresponding 95% CIs. STATA software (version 12.0) was utilized to perform data synthesis. Results: A total of 13 eligible follow-up studies involving 2,303 patients met all the inclusion criteria, conducted in two populations of ethnic descent: 11 Asians and two Caucasians. In the present meta-analysis, we demonstrated that the homozygous variant genotypes in ERCC2 rs1799793 and ERCC5 rs2296147 were significantly associated with OS in osteosarcoma (TT vs GG for rs1799793: HR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.41–0.93, Pheterogeneity = 0.310, I2 = 15.3%, P = 0.020; TT vs CC for rs2296147: HR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.23–0.78, Pheterogeneity = 0.708, I2 = 0.0%, P = 0.006). In addition, no evidence of association was observed between prognosis in osteosarcoma and ERCC1 rs11615, ERCC1 rs3212986, ERCC1 rs2298881, ERCC2 rs13181, ERCC4 rs1800067, and ERCC5 rs1047768 polymorphisms. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis indicated that TT genotype in the ERCC2 rs1799793 and ERCC5 rs2296147 might prolong the survival time of patients with osteosarcoma, suggesting that the rs1799793 and rs2296147 polymorphisms can be used as predictors for prognosis of osteosarcoma patients treated with chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parylene-C (PC) is one of the most frequently used materials for flexible implantable electrode. Its interface with metal or other PC layer is critical in PC–metal-PC “sandwich” implantable neural electrodes in relation to their long-term reliability. In this study, we aim to develop a method to improve metal-PC and PC–PC adhesion in PC-based neural electrodes. “Nano-forest” structure, composed of nanopillar array is fabricated on the surface of bottom PC by oxygen reactive ion etching (RIE). The contribution of this layer of nano-structure to mechanical adhesion and sealing property are evaluated respectively. The results verify that for PC based “sandwich” electrode, not only the mechanical adhesion among three layers, but also the sealing ability between PC layers are significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper selects improved maximum likelihood method to conduct parameter estimation of Heston model, and results show that the share option pricing performance of Hang Seng Index is better and pricing error of at-the-money options is the smallest. By comparing parameter estimation of samples in different intervals, it has been found that parameter estimated results of two-year market data are obviously inferior to estimated effect of one-year data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure high frequency periodic triangle phase shift is introduced into optical interference, calculates nine data points in each period and obtains discrete phase values. This paper proposes a novel phase demodulation technology analyzing phase information with a symmetric linear method for depressing sampling error. Traditional low finesse Fabry–Perot interferometer produces typical cosine interference signal, performance of which is greatly improved by proposed technology. In experimental configuration we situate an electro-optics crystal to induce phase shift. The variation of Fabry-Perot cavity length is measured with a resolution much higher than the fringe counting or frequency modulation techniques. Simulation and experimentation both demonstrate feasibility and robustness of proposed algorithm. Reconstructed deviation and noise sources are discussed in detail. Various vibration formats are measured as deeper verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]