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Background: As an important downstream effector of various signaling pathways, mTOR plays critical roles in regulating many physiological processes including erythropoiesis. It is composed of two distinct complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, which differ in their components and downstream signaling effects. Our previous study revealed that the inhibition of mTORC1 by rapamycin significantly repressed the erythroid progenitor expansion in the early stage but promoted enucleation and mitochondria clearance in the late stage of erythroid differentiation. However, the particular roles and differences of mTORC1 and mTORC2 in the regulation of erythropoiesis still remain largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated the comparative effects of dual mTORC1/mTORC2 mTOR kinase inhibitor AZD8055 and mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin on erythroid differentiation in K562 cells induced by hemin and erythropoiesis in β‐thalassemia mouse model. Materials and Methods: In vitro erythroid differentiation model of hemin‐induced K562 cells and β‐thalassemia mouse model were treated with AZD8055 and rapamycin. Cell Counting Kit‐8 was used to detect cell viability. The cell proliferation, cell cycle, erythroid surface marker expression, mitochondrial content, and membrane potential were determined and analyzed by flow cytometry and laser scanning confocal microscopy. Globin gene expression during erythroid differentiation was measured by RT‐qPCR. The mTORC2/mTORC1 and autophagy pathway was evaluated using western blotting. Results: Both AZD8055 and rapamycin treatments increased the expression levels of the erythroid differentiation‐specific markers, CD235a, α‐globin, γ‐globin, and ε‐globin. Notably, AZD8055 suppressed the cell proliferation and promoted the mitochondrial clearance of hemin‐induced K562 cells more effectively than rapamycin. In a mouse model of β‐thalassemia, both rapamycin and AZD8055 remarkably improve erythroid cell maturation and anemia. Moreover, AZD8055 and rapamycin treatment inhibited the mTORC1 pathway and enhanced autophagy, whereas AZD8055 enhanced autophagy more effectively than rapamycin. Indeed, AZD8055 treatment inhibited both mTORC2 and mTORC1 pathway in hemin‐induced K562 cells. Conclusion: AZD8055 is more effective than rapamycin in inhibiting proliferation and promoting mitochondrial clearance in erythroid differentiation, which might provide us one more therapeutic option other than rapamycin for ineffective erythropoiesis treatment in the future. These findings also provide some preliminary information indicating the roles of mTORC1 and mTORC2 in erythropoiesis, and further studies are necessary to dissect the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperspectral images (HSIs) with abundant spectra and high spatial resolution can satisfy the demand for the classification of adjacent homogeneous regions and accurately determine their specific land-cover classes. Due to the potentially large variance within the same class in hyperspectral images, classifying HSIs with limited training samples (i.e., few-shot HSI classification) has become especially difficult. To solve this issue without adding training costs, we propose an ensemble of meta-optimizers that were generated one by one through utilizing periodic annealing on the learning rate during the meta-training process. Such a combination of meta-learning and ensemble learning demonstrates a powerful ability to optimize the deep network on few-shot HSI training. In order to further improve the classification performance, we introduced a novel update integration process to determine the most appropriate update for network parameters during the model training process. Compared with popular human-designed optimizers (Adam, AdaGrad, RMSprop, SGD, etc.), our proposed model performed better in convergence speed, final loss value, overall accuracy, average accuracy, and Kappa coefficient on five HSI benchmarks in a few-shot learning setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA-RNA interactions play a crucial role in regulating gene expression and various biological processes, but identifying these interactions on a transcriptomic scale remains a challenge. To address this, we have developed a new biochemical technique called pCp-biotin labelled RNA hybrid and ultraviolet crosslinking and immunoprecipitation (lhCLIP) that enables the transcriptome-wide identification of intra- and intermolecular RNA-RNA interactions mediated by a specific RNA-binding protein (RBP). Using lhCLIP, we have uncovered a diverse landscape of intermolecular RNA interactions recognized by hnRNPK in human cells, involving all major classes of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and mRNA. Notably, hnRNPK selectively binds with snRNA U4, U11, and U12, and shapes the secondary structure of these snRNAs, which may impact RNA splicing. Our study demonstrates the potential of lhCLIP as a user-friendly and widely applicable method for discovering RNA-RNA interactions mediated by a particular protein of interest and provides a valuable tool for further investigating the role of RBPs in gene expression and biological processes. Author summary: RBPs play a crucial role in post-transcriptional regulation of RNAs by modulating RNA-RNA interactions, encompassing processes like pre-mRNA splicing and mRNA degradation. Existing techniques for exploring RNA interactions associated with specific RBPs require some troublesome experimental procedures, including the use of radioisotopes to visualize RBP-RNA complexes and the introduction of exogenous expression of the target protein. In this context, we introduce lhCLIP, a novel method designed for capturing RNA-RNA interactions mediated by a specific protein. Diverging from other approaches reliant on radioisotopes, lhCLIP eliminates the need for their use. Moreover, its heightened sensitivity enables the capture of RNA-RNA interactions mediated by endogenously expressed RBPs, making it an intuitive and competitive option for researchers. We utilized lhCLIP to investigate RNA hybrids that are directly bound by hnRNPK, unveiling a complex array of intra- and intermolecular RNA interactions with the potential to exert influence over RNA splicing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a letter to the editor of the Clinical Orthopaedics & Related Research journal. The authors of the letter express their interest in a previous paper that discussed the association between anterior malreduction and lag screw cutout in intertrochanteric fractures. They provide some clarifications and comments on the terminology and evaluation methods used in the previous paper. The authors emphasize the importance of anteromedial cortical support reduction and suggest using a standardized technique for the oblique-lateral tangential view to improve patient outcomes and identify patients at risk for implant-related complications. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Irrespective of much research examining the effects of ego depletion on self-control related measures in social psychology, inadequate attention has been paid regarding whether ego depletion influences on logical reasoning performance. To address this gap, this experimental study randomly assigned Chinese college students (n = 112) to either an ego-depletion or control condition. After manipulating self-control strength through typing words without an e-task, they were instructed to work on logical reasoning questions as well as surveys assessing their cognitive, motivational, and metacognitive processes. The results supported our hypotheses regarding logical reasoning and monitoring accuracy, as depleted students were significantly outperformed by non-depleted students. Furthermore, mental effort was a significant mediator between the ego depletion manipulation and logical reasoning performance. Our findings contribute to the ongoing debate about the existence of the ego depletion effect. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed and more future research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is characterized by abnormal development of the blood vessels and alveoli in lungs, which largely occurs in premature infants. Exosomes (EXO) from very preterm infants (VPI) with BPD (BPD-EXO) impair angiogenic activities of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) via EXO-miRNAs cargo. This study aimed to determine whether and how BPD-EXO affect the development of BPD in a mouse model. We showed that treating BPD mice with BPD-EXO chronically and irreversibly aggravated lung injury. BPD-EXO up-regulated 139 and down-regulated 735 genes in the mouse lung tissue. These differentially expressed genes were enriched to the MAPK pathway (e.g., Fgf9 and Cacna2d3), which is critical to angiogenesis and vascular remodeling. BPD-EXO suppressed expression of Fgf9 and Cacna2d3 in HUVECs and inhibited migration, tube formation, and increased cell apoptosis in HUVECs. These data demonstrate that BPD-EXO aggravate lung injury in BPD mice and impair lung angiogenesis, plausibly leading to adverse outcomes of VPI with BPD. These data also suggest that BPD-EXO could serve as promising targets for predicting and treating BPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces a transmitarray antenna presenting excellent filtering and dual-polarization properties. Conventional transmitarrays resort to multilayered frequency-selective surfaces (FSSs) for filtering responses. In contrast, we propose a planar dual-polarized filtering antenna as an illumination source to enable a filtering transmitarray. The V-band dual-polarized filtering antenna is excited by a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) feeding structure. By a novel trisection feed and a well-design radiating element, up to four radiation nulls are produced, leading to an excellent filtering response validated with experimental results. Subsequently, the antenna is employed to illuminate a phase-shifting surface (PSS), achieving outstanding filtering response, stable dual-polarization characteristics, low profile, and ease of integration. The proposed antenna and transmitarray demonstrate significant potential in V-band millimeter-wave (mmW) applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Transmembrane and ubiquitin-like domain-containing protein 1 (TMUB1) is overexpressed in a large number of liver and esophageal tumors. However, only a few reports on the clinical significance of TMUB1 in colorectal cancer (CRC) exist. Methods. Here, we evaluated the clinical significance and potential biological role of TMUB1 using bioinformatics analysis. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship of TMUB1 with clinicopathological features. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to identify the biological function of TMUB1, while any associations between the expression of TMUB1 and the infiltration of 24 immune cells were analyzed using simple-sample GSEA. Results. TMUB1 was significantly overexpressed in CRC tissues compared with normal controls. The high expression of TMUB1 in CRC was associated with T stage, neotype, and residual tumor. Moreover, TMUB1 was identified as an independent factor of poor disease-free survival (DFS) and short overall survival (OS). GSEA demonstrated that TMUB1 was related to hypoxia, angiogenesis, adipogenesis, inflammatory response, IL6-JAK-STAT3 signaling, apoptosis, mitotic spindle, and IL2-STAT5 signaling. The expression of TMUB1 negatively correlated with the abundance of T helper cells, Tcm cells, macrophages, and Th2 cells, whereas it positively correlated with the abundance of several immune cell types, including CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells. Conclusions. The high expression of TMUB1 is closely related to a poor prognosis in patients with CRC. TMUB1 may be a potential prognostic biomarker and be used for therapeutic approaches in CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lupus nephritis (LN) is the most common serious complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The pathogenesis of LN is complex, and the majority causes of LN are the renal deposition of circulating or/and in situ-formed immune complexes. These immune complexes trigger glomerular and tubulointerstitial inflammation, which finally leads to proteinuria and loss of renal function. Despite the emergence of new biological agents, cyclophosphamide (CY), an alkylating agent, is still the first-line drug widely used to treat patients with severe LN. In this review, we outline the application history, molecular structure, and pharmacokinetics of CY in the treatment of LN. We also detail its latest known immunopharmacological mechanisms, with a focus on supplemental regulation and inhibition of CD4 and CD8 positive T cells, differences in the use of various guidelines, and the combination with other drugs. The side effects of CY are also mentioned in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lupus nephritis (LN) is the most common serious complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The pathogenesis of LN is complex, and the majority causes of LN are the renal deposition of circulating or/and in situ-formed immune complexes. These immune complexes trigger glomerular and tubulointerstitial inflammation, which finally leads to proteinuria and loss of renal function. Despite the emergence of new biological agents, cyclophosphamide (CY), an alkylating agent, is still the first-line drug widely used to treat patients with severe LN. In this review, we outline the application history, molecular structure, and pharmacokinetics of CY in the treatment of LN. We also detail its latest known immunopharmacological mechanisms, with a focus on supplemental regulation and inhibition of CD4 and CD8 positive T cells, differences in the use of various guidelines, and the combination with other drugs. The side effects of CY are also mentioned in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work introduces a new design of a Fabry–Perot cavity (FPC) antenna with great filtering response based on a novel filtering feeding scheme. Unlike the traditional method of adopting frequency selective surfaces to achieve filtering characteristic, the proposed strategy focuses on the feeding source. We can obtain an excellent filtering response by utilizing a performance-improved filtering antenna to act as the source of the FPC antenna. To validate the concept, we first propose a new substrate-integrated-waveguide-fed (SIW-fed) filtering antenna element working in a 60-GHz band. By using the slotted radiating patches, two radiation nulls are first generated, respectively, on each side of the operating band. We then design a stepped-impedance waveguide feeding structure and a pair of U-shaped hairpin lines to introduce another two radiation nulls to improve the suppression level in the stopband. The proposed filtering antenna prototype shows a −10-dB impedance bandwidth of 57.5–66.6 GHz as well as a maximum gain of 7.9 dBi. Based on such feeding sources, an FPC antenna is developed and validated. It achieves a 3-dB gain bandwidth from 58 to 65.6 GHz, a peak gain of 15.8 dBi, and a suppression level of over 24 dB. The proposed antennas are good candidates in 60-GHz sensing or communications systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a wideband filtering antenna based on substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) structure for millimeter-wave (mm-wave) applications is proposed and studied. The proposed antenna is developed using multilayer printed circuit board (PCB) technology. It consists of an SIW feeding structure with a coupling slot, differential-fed $L$ -shaped probes as well as radiating patches. Such architecture provides wide impedance bandwidth along with good filtering characteristic in the lower stopband. Simultaneously, by introducing a pair of open slots on the individual radiating patch as well as two shorting loops on top of the coupling slot, good filtering response in the upper stopband is obtained. The suppression level in the lower stopband is then further improved by introducing a pair of shorted stubs in the coupling slot region. The proposed filtering antenna features no extra filtering circuits, but has wide bandwidth as well as low profile. To verify the proposed structure and design philosophy, antenna array prototypes have been designed, fabricated, and measured. It achieves a 29% bandwidth from 23.5 to 31.5 GHz. Good agreement is achieved between simulated and experimental results. The proposed antenna array is particularly suitable to be applied in 5G (the fifth generation) mm-wave backhaul communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Hao and Li [Fully coupled forward-backward SDEs involving the value function. Nonlocal Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equations, ESAIM: Control Optim, Calc. Var.22 (2016) 519–538] studied a new kind of forward-backward stochastic differential equations (FBSDEs), namely the fully coupled FBSDEs involving the value function in the case where the diffusion coefficient σ in forward stochastic differential equations depends on control, but does not depend on z. In our paper, we generalize their work to the case where σ depends on both control and z , which is called the general fully coupled FBSDEs involving the value function. The existence and uniqueness theorem of this kind of equations under suitable assumptions is proved. After obtaining the dynamic programming principle for the value function W , we prove that the value function W is the minimum viscosity solution of the related nonlocal Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation combined with an algebraic equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we prove an existence and uniqueness theorem and a comparison theorem for a class of anticipated mean-field backward stochastic differential equations with jumps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combinatorial optimization problems have been widely used in various fields. And many types of combinatorial optimization problems can be generalized into the model of unconstrained binary quadratic programming (UBQP). Therefore, designing an effective and efficient algorithm for UBQP problems will also contribute to solving other combinatorial optimization problems. Pointer network is an end-to-end sequential decision structure and combines with deep learning technology. With the utilization of the structural characteristics of combinatorial optimization problems and the ability to extract the rule behind the data by deep learning, pointer network has been successfully applied to solve several classical combinatorial optimization problems. In this paper, a pointer network based algorithm is designed to solve UBQP problems. The network model is trained by supervised learning (SL) and deep reinforcement learning (DRL) respectively. Trained pointer network models are evaluated by self-generated benchmark dataset and ORLIB dataset respectively. Experimental results show that pointer network model trained by SL has strong learning ability to specific distributed dataset. Pointer network model trained by DRL can learn more general distribution data characteristics. In other words, it can quickly solve problems with great generalization ability. As a result, the framework proposed in this paper for UBQP has great potential to solve large scale combinatorial optimization problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we prove a maximum principle of optimal control problem for a class of general mean-field forward-backward stochastic systems with jumps in the case where the diffusion coefficients depend on control, the control set does not need to be convex, the coefficients of jump terms are independent of control as well as the coefficients of mean-field backward stochastic differential equations depend on the joint law of (X(t), Y (t)). Since the coefficients depend on measure, higher mean-field terms could be involved. In order to analyse them, two new adjoint equations are brought in and several new generic estimates of their solutions are investigated. Utilizing these subtle estimates, the second-order expansion of the cost functional, which is the key point to analyse the necessary condition, is obtained, and where after the stochastic maximum principle. An illustrative application to mean-field game is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immune regulatory cell dysfunction is associated with many immune diseases including food allergy (FA). This study aims to investigate the role of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the maintenance of regulatory B cell (Br cell)'s immune suppressive functions by stabilizing thrombospondin (TSP1) expression. In this study, blood samples were collected from patients with food allergy (FA) and healthy control (HC) subjects. Br cells were isolated from the samples through flow cytometry cell sorting and analyzed by immunological approaches to determine the immune regulatory capacity. We found that the immune suppressive functions of Br cells were impaired in FA patients. The serum VIP levels were associated with the production of immune suppressive function-related mediators (interleukin-10, IL-10) of Br cells in FA patients. VIP counteracted IL-10 mRNA decay in Br cells by up regulating the TSP1 expression. TSP1 inhibited tristetraprolin (TTP) to prevent IL-10 mRNA decay in Br cells. Administration of VIP inhibited FA response through restoration of immune suppressive functions in Br cells. In conclusion, administration of VIP can alleviate FA response through up regulating expression of TSP1 to stabilize IL-10 expression in FA Br cells and recover the immune regulatory functions. The results have translational potential for the treatment of FA and other disorders associated with immune regulatory dysfunction of Br cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has not been fully elucidated, and there are currently no effective treatments for NASH. The aim of the present study was to explore the therapeutic effects of the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist liraglutide (LRG) on NASH and the underlying mechanisms. C57BL6J mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks to induce hepatic steatosis, and then LRG was injected subcutaneously for 4 weeks. The expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) as well as the phosphorylation of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6K) were determined by western blot analysis. The intracellular distribution of SREBP1 was assessed by immunofluorescence staining. The results revealed that LRG treatment ameliorated HFD-induced hepatic lipid accumulation and inhibited body weight gain. In addition, LRG treatment significantly suppressed the expression of hepatic SREBP1 as well as the phosphorylation of mTOR and p70S6K; it also increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase. Furthermore, LRG treatment inhibited the hepatic nuclear translocation of SREBP1. It was suggested that the GLP-1 receptor agonist LRG may have ameliorated hepatic steatosis by activating the AMPK/mTOR/SREBP1 signaling pathway as opposed to inhibiting body weight gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The frequency of regulatory T cell (Treg) is not reduced in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). • The immune suppressive function of Treg is impaired in AR patients. • Signal of Toll like receptor is required in maintenance of Treg function. Dysfunction of immune regulatory cells has been recognized in a variety of immune diseases; the underlying mechanism remains to be further investigated. This study aims to investigate the critical role of Toll-like receptor (TLR) signal in the maintenance of function of regulatory T cells (Tregs). In this study, Tregs were isolated from patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and healthy control (HC) subjects. The role of TLR signal in the maintenance of Treg's function was tested with experiments of cell culture and an AR mouse model. We observed that the immune suppressive function of AR Treg (Tregs isolated from AR patients) was impaired, although the number of peripheral AR Treg was comparable with HC Treg. Expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β was lower in AR Tregs than that in HC Tregs that was positively correlated with expression of Mal in Tregs; the latter was lower in AR Tregs as compared to HC Tregs. TGF-β mRNA in Tregs decayed spontaneously in the culture. Activation of Mal counteracted TGF-β decay and maintained the Treg's immune regulatory function. Mal bound Tristetraprolin (TTP) to prevent TTP from inducing TGF-β mRNA decay. Absence of TLR signals resulted in Treg dysfunctional and worsened experimental AR response in a murine model. In conclusion, TLR signal is required in the maintenance of Treg function. Absence of TLR signal may result in Treg dysfunction and immune intolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A differential third-order Chebyshev filtering microstrip antenna array with high common-mode (CM) rejection is presented. The feeding structure consisting of one line resonator and one H-shaped resonator as well as the microstrip antenna elements together provide the three stages in the bandpass filter design. Under differential-mode excitation, the H-shaped resonator can be effectively coupled with the line resonator, and thus differential signals can be radiated. However, under CM excitation, the H-shaped resonator cannot be excited so that the CM suppression can be achieved. A prototype antenna array with center frequency at 3.5 GHz has been designed and fabricated to experimentally validate the principle and design approach. Experimental results exhibit that the proposed differential filtering antenna array features high CM rejection, low cross-polarization level, and good filtering response. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Anaberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is frequently implicated in tumorigenesis. However, whether the Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a role in resistance to antitumor chemotherapy drugs remains unknown. In the present study, the process of autophagy was assessed following overexpression of the autophagy-associated gene Beclin 1 in gemcitabine-induced MG63 human osteosarcoma cells. Autophagy-associated gene expression was measured following activation or inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in gemcitabine-induced MG63 cells using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In addition, the percentage of MG63 cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry following Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation or inhibition. The results demonstrated that Beclin 1 overexpression induced autophagy and reduced gemcitabine-induced apoptosis in MG63 human cell line. Furthermore, activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway attenuated autophagy and enhanced gemcitabine-induced apoptosis. Additionally, the expression of Beclin 1 was reduced following Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activation. The present study demonstrated that activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway may rescue chemotherapy drug resistance by downregulating the expression of Beclin 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrophyte decomposition is a critical process that affects carbon and nutrient cycling, and energy flow, although the majority of the details involved in the process remain unclear. For the present study, a litter bag experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of sediment-borne nutrient and litter quality on the decomposition rates and nutrient release of four macrophyte life forms (emergent macrophyte: Phragmites australis, free-floating macrophyte: Hydrocharis dubia, floating-leaved macrophyte: Nymphoides peltata, submerged macrophyte: Ceratophyllum demersum), and a species mixture. Our results indicated that litter quality significantly influenced macrophyte decomposition and nutrient release. High-quality litter species (high initial nitrogen and phosphorus contents, as well as low C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios) decomposed more rapidly than low-quality litter species, and the initial C:N and C:P ratios, rather than the initial N and P contents, were effective indicators of the decomposition rate of macrophytes. Sediment-borne nutrients had little effect on the decomposition rate, yet a strong effect on the release of N and P, although the interactions between litter quality and sediment-borne nutrients significantly affected the decomposition rate. Three-way ANOVA analysis revealed that the litter quality imparted a more potent effect on the macrophyte decomposition rate and release of N and P than sediment-borne nutrients. These results implied that litter quality interacts with sediment-borne nutrients and may control macrophyte decomposition in shallow lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the requirements of efficient integration and simple fabrication, a new codesign approach for a microstrip filter with an antenna array with reduced sidelobe level is introduced in this communication. The microstrip patch antennas and the stub-loaded resonators are used to illustrate the synthesis of a bandpass filtering antenna array. By controlling the coupling strength between the resonators, a uniform or nonuniform power divider network can be obtained. A nonuniform power division is used to reduce the sidelobe level. The equivalent lumped circuit model is developed and analyzed in detail. Two types of eight-element filtering antenna array with uniform and tapered power-distribution among the elements have been designed. Simulated and measured results provide a good verification for the theoretical concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this communication, a new design for the microstrip-fed slot antenna with a directive radiation pattern for WLAN/WiMAX application is presented. By utilizing a two-element array topology, a unidirectional radiation pattern is obtained. Without any directors and reflectors, the proposed slot antenna shows advantages in terms of compact size and high front-to-back gain ratio in the azimuthal plane. Four directional slot antennas are then placed in a square loop array to obtain nearly orthogonal patterns. Thus, a compact multiple input multiple output array with high isolation among those four elements is achieved. Simulated and measured results are presented to validate the practicality of the proposed antenna structures. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a simple and effective method to designing wide-stopband bandpass filters and diplexers using uniform impedance resonators. Microstrip terminated parallel coupled lines are utilized to generate the filtering functions. By adjustment of the electrical lengths of the parallel coupled lines and open-circuited stubs, multiple transmission zeros can be obtained. Appropriate positioning of these zeros enables the suppression of spurious frequencies. A complete analytic analysis is proposed to fully control the positions of transmission zeros, and the design equations and design rules for both homogeneous and inhomogeneous mediums are given in detail. Different combinations of the frequency position of the transmission zeros can provide various characteristics. To extend the stopband bandwidth, one or more transmission zeros can be distributed on different harmonic frequencies. To demonstrate the proposed method, two bandpass filters and a diplexer are designed and fabricated. The measured results are in good agreement with the simulated ones. The first filter provides a high attenuation of 40 dB up to 6.8 times the fundamental frequency $(f_{{{0}}})$ and the second filter provides a lower attenuation of 28 dB, but this time extending up to $14.9f_{{{0}}}$ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation has been investigated worldwide. However, few reports have addressed the survival status of human BMSCs in the intervertebral discs (IVDs) in vivo following transplantation. The current study aimed to observe the survival status of human BMSCs in rabbit IVDs. The IVDs of 15 New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups: Punctured blank control group (L1-2); punctured physiological saline control group (L2-3); and punctured human BMSCs transfected with green fluorescent protein (GFP) group (L3-4, L4-5 and L5-6). One, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after transplantation the IVDs were removed and a fluorescence microscope was used to observe the density of GFP-positive human BMSCs. The results indicated that in the sections of specimens removed at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks post-transplantation, no GFP-positive cells were observed in the control groups, whereas GFP-positive cells were apparent in the nucleus pulposus at all periods in the GFP-labeled human BMSCs group, and the cell density at 6 and 8 weeks was significantly less than that at 1, 2 and 4 weeks post-transplantation (P<0.001). Thus, it was identified that human BMSCs were able to survive in the rabbit IVDs for 8 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compact microstrip low-pass filters (LPFs) with ultrawide stopband based on a defected ground structure (DGS) and their design procedures are presented in this paper. A key merit of the filter configuration is that the selectivity of the LPFs can be conveniently controlled, whereas the bandwidth is fixed. The LPFs are realized using open-circuited uniform impedance stubs and stepped-impedance stubs (SISs). The position of the transmission zeros can be freely controlled by tuning the impedance ratio of the SISs. To expand the stopband, the dumbbell DGS is used to suppress the spurious passbands of the LPFs. Two demonstration filters with a cutoff frequency at 1 GHz have been designed, fabricated, and measured. The measured results indicate good performance: broad stopband ( >15 fc or 20~fc ), low passband insertion loss (<0.3 dB), compact size, and sharp skirt characteristic. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The magnetic separable iron oxide/carbon nanocomposites have been prepared with the two-phase hydrothermal–calcination method. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results of XRD and TEM illustrated that the as-prepared nanocomposites were quasi-spherical Fe 3 O 4 or γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles (∼20 nm) evenly dispersed on the surfaces of carbon membranes. The as-prepared products were used to investigate their promising adsorptive applications in Congo red (CR) removal. According to the Langmuir equation, the maximum adsorption capacities of the Fe 3 O 4 /C nanocomposite and the γ-Fe 2 O 3 /C nanocomposite for CR were calculated to be 48.1 and 105.3 mg g − 1 , respectively. This novel synthesis method has the potential to prepare magnetic separable iron oxide/carbon nanocomposites for the removal of CR from aqueous solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This article proposes a novel type of microstrip cascaded triplet filter with controllable electric and magnetic coupling. The electric coupling can be tuned by adjusting the gap between the resonators, while the magnetic coupling is dominated by the diameter of the via-hole. A transmission zero on the upper stopband is produced by the inductive cross-coupling. To further improve the selectivity of the filter, the source-load coupling is also proposed to introduce two tunable transmission zeros. To expand the stopband, proper feeding position is selected to suppress the third and fifth harmonics. Based on the proposed structure, a third-order filter are designed and fabricated. Good agreement between the measured and simulated data is obtained. Measured results indicate that a rejection level of 20 dB up to more than six times the passband frequency can be obtained. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2937-2940, 2014 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The iron oxide is gained via a facile, green, and economical synthesis process. [•] The promising adsorptive applications in water treatment are investigated. [•] Congo red removal capacity is 253.8mgg−1, and commercial α-Fe2O3 is 42.4mgg−1. [•] The maximum adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) is 17.0mgg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study a fractional differential equation dynamics model arising from the analysis of real estate asset securitization by using the generalized fixed point theorem for weakly contractive mappings in partially ordered sets. Based on the analysis for the existence and uniqueness of the solution and scientific numerical calculation of the solution, in further study, some optimization schemes for traditional risk control process will be obtained, and then the main results of this paper can be applied to the forefront of research of real estate asset securitization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Specific dietary and other lifestyle behaviors may affect the success of the straightforward-sounding strategy “eat less and exercise more” for preventing long-term weight gain. Methods: We performed prospective investigations involving three separate cohorts that included 120,877 U.S. women and men who were free of chronic diseases and not obese at baseline, with follow-up periods from 1986 to 2006, 1991 to 2003, and 1986 to 2006. The relationships between changes in lifestyle factors and weight change were evaluated at 4-year intervals, with multivariable adjustments made for age, baseline body-mass index for each period, and all lifestyle factors simultaneously. Cohort-specific and sex-specific results were similar and were pooled with the use of an inverse-variance–weighted meta-analysis. Results: Within each 4-year period, participants gained an average of 3.35 lb (5th to 95th percentile, −4.1 to 12.4). On the basis of increased daily servings of individual dietary components, 4-year weight change was most strongly associated with the intake of potato chips (1.69 lb), potatoes (1.28 lb), sugar-sweetened beverages (1.00 lb), unprocessed red meats (0.95 lb), and processed meats (0.93 lb) and was inversely associated with the intake of vegetables (−0.22 lb), whole grains (−0.37 lb), fruits (−0.49 lb), nuts (−0.57 lb), and yogurt (−0.82 lb) (P≤0.005 for each comparison). Aggregate dietary changes were associated with substantial differences in weight change (3.93 lb across quintiles of dietary change). Other lifestyle factors were also independently associated with weight change (P<0.001), including physical activity (−1.76 lb across quintiles); alcohol use (0.41 lb per drink per day), smoking (new quitters, 5.17 lb; former smokers, 0.14 lb), sleep (more weight gain with <6 or >8 hours of sleep), and television watching (0.31 lb per hour per day). Conclusions: Specific dietary and lifestyle factors are independently associated with long-term weight gain, with a substantial aggregate effect and implications for strategies to prevent obesity. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and others.) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Cyanine dye Cy5 was used to be a probe for highly selective detection of trace cyanide in water by using a convenient two-phase strategy. The detection limit of both the fluorescent and colorimetric assay for cyanide is below 1.9μM, the maximal allowance level for drinking water set by the World Health Organization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Disperse Orange 3 (4-(4-nitrophenylazo)aniline)-based chemosensor 1 has been prepared. This structurally simple receptor displays great selectivity for the cyanide anion over other common inorganic anions in aqueous environment and can detect cyanide in water sample at micromolar concentrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A series of structurally novel anion receptors 3, 4, and 5 in which a ferrocene unit and a fluorescent moiety are linked to two imidazolium rings have been designed and prepared from 1,1′-bis(imidazolylmethyl)ferrocene. Their crystal structures revealed that these receptors are capable of incorporating anions such as PF6− and Br−. Consequently, the anion binding studies were carried out using various techniques including electrochemistry (CV and OSWV), fluorescence, UV-vis, and 1H NMR spectroscopy. All the receptors showed a special electrochemical response to the F− anion with a remarkable cathodic shift of more than 260 mV and displayed a unique selectivity for F− and AcO− anions with fluorescence enhancement over various other anions of present interest (Cl−, Br−, I−, HSO4−, H2PO4−). In addition, for receptor 5, obvious absorption changes were observed when the H2PO4− anion was added while other anions (F−, Cl−, Br−, I−, AcO−, HSO4−) showed only a minor influence on the UV-vis spectra. 1H NMR titrations demonstrated that receptors 3 and 4 can bind anions through (C–H)+⋯X− hydrogen bonds and showed strong affinity and high selectivity for the AcO− anion in acetonitrile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cyclic and acyclic ferrocene derivatives bearing two imidazolium rings have been synthesized and characterized by NMR, elemental analysis, mass spectra, and X-ray crystallography. Electrochemical measurements revealed that all the receptors displayed a significant anodic shift response for F−. In addition, for receptors 1, 2, and 4, addition of HSO4 − induced quite different electrochemical behavior with dramatic cathodic peak current increase on CV. 1H NMR titrations demonstrated that receptors 1, 2, and 4 showed selectivity for AcO− while receptor 3 exhibited high affinity toward Cl− among the anions investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It is known that the immune tolerance can be naturally established in the intestine, while the mechanism by which the immune tolerance development in the intestine is not fully understood yet. Vasoactive intestinal peptides (VIP) has the immune regulatory functions. This study aims to investigate the role of VIP in the immune tolerance development in the intestine. Intestinal epithelial cell (IEC)-derived exosomes were prepared. The exosomes carried IL-10 and antigen/MHC II complexes. VIP-deficient (VIPd) mice and wild type mice were employed to test the role of VIP in the development of immune tolerance in the intestine. VIPd mice failed to induce type 1 regulatory T cells (Tr1 cells) in the intestine and retarded the establishment of antigen (Ag)-specific immune tolerance. Exposure to VIP in the culture induced IL-10 expression in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Exosomes derived from ovalbumin (OVA, used as a specific Ag)/VIP-primed IECs carried IL-10 and OVA/MHC II complexes; these exosomes were designated IL10CARs (IL-10/chimeric antigen receptor-carrying exosomes). IL10CARs could recognize OVA-specific CD4+ T cells and converted OVA-specific CD4± T cells to OVA-specific Tr1 cells. Administration of IL10CARs suppressed experimental food allergy. The data show that IL10CARs are capable of suppressing experimental FA by inducing antigen-specific Tr1 cells, which has the translation potential for FA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) accounts for approximately 50% of heart failure cases. The molecular mechanisms by which HFpEF leads to impaired diastolic function of the heart have not been clarified, nor have the drugs that target the clinical symptoms of HFpEF patients. Methods: HFpEF chip data (GSE180065) was downloaded from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were filtered by the limma package in R and processed for GO and KEGG pathway analyses. Then, ferroptosis-related genes in HFpEF were identified by taking the intersection between DEGs and ferroptosis-related genes. CytoHubba and MCODE were used to screen ferroptosis-related hub DEGs in the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network. Establishment of a mouse HFpEF model to validate the transcript levels of ferroptosis-related hub DEGs and ferroptosis-related phenotypes. Transcript levels of ferroptosis-related hub DEGs and HFpEF phenotypic changes in the hearts of HFpEF mice were further examined after the use of ferroptosis inhibitors. Results: GO and KEGG enrichment analyses suggested that the DEGs in HFpEF were significantly enriched in ferroptosis-related pathways. A total of 24 ferroptosis-related DEGs were identified between the ferroptosis gene dataset and the DEGs. The established PPI network was further analyzed by CytoHubba and MCODE modules, and 11 ferroptosis-related hub DEGs in HFpEF were obtained. In animal experiments, HFpEF mice showed significant abnormal activation of ferroptosis. The expression trends of the 11 hub DEGs associated with ferroptosis, except for Cdh1, were consistent with the results of the bioinformatics analysis. Inhibition of ferroptosis alters the transcript levels of 11 ferroptosis-related hub DEGs and ameliorates HFpEF phenotypes. Conclusions: The present study contributes to a deeper understanding of the specific mechanisms by which ferroptosis is involved in the development of HFpEF and suggests that inhibition of ferroptosis may mitigate the progression of HFpEF. In addition, eleven hub genes were recognized as potential drug binding targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Cancer is one of the life-threatening diseases of human beings; the pathogenesis of cancer remains to be further investigated. Toll like receptor (TLR) activities are involved in the apoptosis regulation. This study aims to elucidate the role of Mal (MyD88-adapter-like) molecule in the apoptosis regulation of lung cancer (LC) cells. Methods: The LC tissues were collected from LC patients. LC cells and normal control (NC) cells were isolated from the tissues and analyzed by pertinent biochemical and immunological approaches. Results: We found that fewer apoptotic LC cells were induced by cisplatin in the culture as compared to NC cells. The expression of Fas ligand (FasL) was lower in LC cells than that in NC cells. FasL mRNA levels declined spontaneously in LC cells. A complex of FasL/TDP-43 was detected in LC cells. LC cells expressed less Mal than NC cells. Activation of Mal by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increased TDP-43 expression in LC cells. TDP-43 formed a complex with FasL mRNA to prevent FasL mRNA from decay. Reconstitution of Mal or TDP-43 restored the sensitiveness of LC cells to apoptotic inducers. Conclusions: LC cells express low Mal levels that contributes to FasL mRNA decay through impairing TDP-43 expression. Reconstitution of Mal restores sensitiveness of LC cells to apoptosis inducers that may be a novel therapeutic approach for LC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic, devastating disease primarily occurring in premature infants. To date, intervention strategies to prevent or treat BPD are limited. We aimed to determine the effects of umbilical cord blood‐derived exosomes (UCB‐EXOs) from healthy term pregnancies on hyperoxia‐induced lung injury and to identify potential targets for BPD intervention. A mouse model of hyperoxia‐induced lung injury was created by exposing neonatal mice to hyperoxia after birth until the 14th day post birth. Age‐matched neonatal mice were exposed to normoxia as the control. Hyperoxia‐induced lung injury mice were intraperitoneally injected with UCB‐EXO or vehicle daily for 3 days, starting on day 4 post birth. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were insulted with hyperoxia to establish an in vitro model of BPD to investigate angiogenesis dysfunction. Our results showed that UCB‐EXO alleviated lung injuries in hyperoxia‐insulted mice by reducing histopathological grade and collagen contents in the lung tissues. UCB‐EXO also promoted vascular growth and increased miR‐185‐5p levels in the lungs of hyperoxia‐insulted mice. Additionally, we found that UCB‐EXO elevated miR‐185‐5p levels in HUVECs. MiR‐185‐5p overexpression inhibited cell apoptosis, whereas promoted cell migration in HUVECs exposed to hyperoxia. The luciferase reporter assay results revealed that miR‐185‐5p directly targeted cyclin‐dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), which was downregulated in the lungs of hyperoxia‐insulted mice. Together, these data suggest that UCB‐EXO from healthy term pregnancies protect against hyperoxia‐induced lung injuries via promoting neonatal pulmonary angiogenesis partially by elevating miR‐185‐5p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate safety and practicality in clinical application for better guidance of single segmental osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures treatment. From May 2012 to September 2013, a total of 188 cases of patients with fractures, who received different treatment, were incorporated in the study and then divided into: group A (n=59), conventional pusher-type vertebroplasty; group B (n=54), balloon kyphoplasty; group C (n=60), new-type hydraulic delivery vertebroplasty treatment. The overall follow-up rate was 92.02%. Postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores were significantly improved more than those of the preoperative scores in the three groups. Bone cement injection volumes in group A were significantly lower than those in group B and group C. Vertebral height recovery rates among groups were obviously different, showing statistical significance. After a year of follow-up, the vertebral height recovery outcome in group A was obviously poorer than that in group B and group C. A poorer outcome in group B was also found when compared with group C. In addition, the vertebral height restoration had a certain degree of loss, with the loss rate of 20.5, 14.0 and 7.5% in the three groups, respectively. Three operation methods have equivalent effects in the improvement of symptoms and functional recovery. Therefore, the new-type hydraulic delivery vertebroplasty provides a relatively more concise operation and shorter operation time, displaying more outstanding performance of clinical efficacy in spinal reconstruction and reduction of complications risks by evaluating the diffusion of the bone cement, vertebral height restoration rate and postoperative complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Alterations in leptin expression contributes to the progression of various diseases, including cancers. This meta-analysis investigated the clinical significance of leptin levels in osteoarthritis (OA) patients, with the goal of building a leptin-based diagnostic criterion for OA. Method: Multiple scientific databases in English and Chinese languages, such as the Cochrane Library Database, CINAHL, Chinese Biomedical (CBM), EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science, were exhaustively searched, without any language restrictions, to identify high-quality studies relevant to leptin and OA. Version 12.0 STATA software was used for data analysis. We used odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to test the correlation between serum leptin levels and OA progression. Results: A total of 11 clinical studies were finally selected for their high quality and relevance to the topic in this meta-analysis. The 11 case-control studies contained a combined total of 3,625 subjects. The meta-analysis results showed that leptin expression was significantly increased in OA patients, compared with the controls (SMD = 0.87, 95%CI: 0.72-1.02, P < 0.001), and there was also a strong association between leptin expression levels and gender (SMD = 8.55, 95%CI: 4.74-12.35, P < 0.001). In ethnicity-stratified subgroup analysis, all the study populations, irrespective of ethnicity, showed remarkably high leptin expression levels in females and in OA patients (all P < 0.05), compared to their respective counterparts. Conclusion: The present study revealed that increased leptin expression levels are associated with disease severity in OA patients, especially among the female OA patients. Based on our results, we propose that leptin level may be a useful biomarker for the assessment of the clinical status in OA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Compact microstrip triband bandpass filters are proposed and designed based on asymmetrically loaded resonators in this letter. By attaching single open-circuited stub or short-circuited stub at the proper position of the microstrip line and adjusting their lengths, the first three resonant modes of the proposed resonators can be usefully allocated within the three passbands of the triband filter. Two alternative triband filters with compact size are designed and measured. The measured results provide successful verification for the theoretical analysis. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1862-1865, 2014 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the existence and uniqueness of the positive solution for the fractional differential system involving the Riemann-Stieltjes integral boundary conditions ..., where 1 < α, β < 2, and... are the standard Riemann-Liouville derivatives, A and B are functions of bounded variation, and ... denote the Riemann-Stieltjes integral. Our results are based on a generalized fixed point theorem for weakly contractive mappings in partially ordered sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of dual binding site acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors have been designed, synthesized, and tested for their ability to inhibit AChE, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), AChE-induced and self-induced β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation. The new hybrids consist of a unit of 1-azabenzanthrone and a tacrine or its congener, connected through an oligomethylene linker containing an amine group at variable position. These hybrids exhibit high AChE inhibitory activity with IC50 values in the nanomolar range in most cases. Moreover, five out of the 12 hybrids of this series, particularly those bearing a tetrahydroacridine moiety, exhibit a significant in vitro inhibitory activity toward the AChE-induced and self-induced Aβ aggregation, which makes them promising anti-Alzheimer drug candidates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Quantum key distribution endows people with information-theoretical security in communications. Twin-field quantum key distribution (TF-QKD) has attracted considerable attention because of its outstanding key rates over long distances. Recently, several demonstrations of TF-QKD have been realized. Nevertheless, those experiments are implemented in the laboratory, and therefore a critical question remains about whether the TF-QKD is feasible in real-world circumstances. Here, by adopting the sending-or-not-sending twin-field QKD (SNS-TF-QKD) with the method of actively odd parity pairing (AOPP), we demonstrate a field-test QKD over 428 km of deployed commercial fiber and two users are physically separated by about 300 km in a straight line. To this end, we explicitly measure the relevant properties of the deployed fiber and develop a carefully designed system with high stability. The secure key rate we achieved breaks the absolute key rate limit of repeaterless QKD. The result provides a new distance record for the field test of both TF-QKD and all types of fiber-based QKD systems. Our work bridges the gap of QKD between laboratory demonstrations and practical applications and paves the way for an intercity QKD network with measurement-device-independent security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of stable isotope composition is an important tool in research on plant physiological ecology. However, large‐scale patterns of leaf‐stable isotopes for aquatic macrophytes have received considerably less attention. In this study, we examined the spatial pattern of stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) of macrophytes leaves collected across the arid zone of northwestern China (approximately 2.4 × 106 km2) and attempted to illustrate its relationship with environmental factors (i.e., temperature, precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, sediment total carbon and nitrogen). Our results showed that the mean values of the leaf δ13C and δ15N in the macrophytes sampled from the arid zone were −24.49‰ and 6.82‰, respectively, which were far less depleted than those measured of terrestrial plants. The order of averaged leaf δ13C from different life forms was as follows: submerged > floating‐leaved > emergent. Additionally, our studies indicated that the values of foliar δ13C values of all the aquatic macrophytes were only negatively associated with precipitation, but the foliar δ15N values were mainly associated with temperature, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration. Therefore, we speculated that water‐relation factors are the leaf δ13C determinant of macrophytes in the arid zone of northwestern China, and the main factors affecting leaf δ15N values are the complex combination of water and energy factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, and its etiology and pathogenesis are not fully understood. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) has many pharmacological activities, but there are few reports about its role in AD. Using the common AD model APP/PS1 mice, it was found that the expression of Keap1 (a negative regulatory factor of Nrf2), the protein level of cytoplasmic Nrf2 and the content of MDA were increased significantly, while the mRNA level of Nrf2, the expression of Nrf2 in nucleus and the contents of SOD and GSH-Px were decreased significantly. APS treatment significantly increased the expression of Nrf2 in the nucleus but decreased its expression in the cytoplasm, and restored the expression levels of Keap1, SOD, GSH-Px and MDA. When APP/PS1 mice were treated with APS and injected with Nrf2 siRNA, the down-regulation of Nrf2 expression significantly blocked the regulation of APS on oxidative stress. Continuing to test the physiological function of AD mice showed that the spatial learning and memory abilities of APP/PS1 mice were impaired, the apoptosis of brain cells and the content of β-amyloid (Aβ) were significantly increased. APS treatment significantly improved the cognitive ability of APP/PS1 mice, reduced apoptosis and the accumulation of Aβ, but the above effects of APS were blocked by Nrf2 siRNA injection. Therefore, APS can activate Nrf2 pathway to improve the physiological function of AD mice, which may have important clinical application value. • APS activates Nrf2 pathway in AD mice. • APS activates Nrf2 pathway to regulate oxidative stress in AD mice. • APS activates Nrf2 pathway to improve apoptotic level and cognitive ability of AD mice. • APS activates Nrf2 pathway to reduce the accumulation of Aβ in AD mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the complete process of constructing 3D digital core by full convolutional neural network is described carefully. A large number of sandstone computed tomography (CT) images are used as training input for a fully convolutional neural network model. This model is used to reconstruct the three-dimensional (3D) digital core of Berea sandstone based on a small number of CT images. The Hamming distance together with the Minkowski functions for porosity, average volume specific surface area, average curvature, and connectivity of both the real core and the digital reconstruction are used to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed method. The results show that the reconstruction achieved relative errors of 6.26%, 1.40%, 6.06%, and 4.91% for the four Minkowski functions and a Hamming distance of 0.04479. This demonstrates that the proposed method can not only reconstruct the physical properties of real sandstone but can also restore the real characteristics of pore distribution in sandstone, is the ability to which is a new way to characterize the internal microstructure of rocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]