Search

Human and nonhuman primates are good at identifying an object based on its motion, a task that is believed to be carried out by the ventral visual pathway. However, the neural mechanisms underlying such ability remains unclear. We trained macaque monkeys to do orientation discrimination for motion boundaries (MBs) and recorded neuronal response in area V2 with microelectrode arrays. We found 10.9% of V2 neurons exhibited robust orientation selectivity to MBs, and their responses correlated with monkeys’ orientation-discrimination performances. Furthermore, the responses of V2 direction-selective neurons recorded at the same time showed correlated activity with MB neurons for particular MB stimuli, suggesting that these motion-sensitive neurons made specific functional contributions to MB discrimination tasks. Our findings support the view that V2 plays a critical role in MB analysis and may achieve this through a neural circuit within area V2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeting the problem of scheme ranking and indicator weighting that exist in grey incidence decision-making, a novel grey incidence decision-making method based on close degree is proposed, which can effectively distinguish evaluation results to the greatest extent. In this paper, we firstly define the concepts of the original and normative observation matrices, the vector normalization operator, and the data sequences of the positive and negative ideal systems' behavioral characteristics. Then, the synthetic grey incidence coefficient is represented by the areas enclosed by two adjacent points between the scheme and the ideal sequences. This area is utilized to measure the proximity of two sequences in distance and their geometric similarity. Guided by the traditional weighting methods, the subjective-objective combined weighting method that is based on level difference maximization is employed to assign weights to indicators. We also provide theoretical proof that the weighting method is more reasonable and interpretable than traditional methods. Subsequently, we propose the close degree of grey incidence by employing the synthetic grey incidence coefficient and the subjective-objective combined weighting method, so that we can implement the scheme ranking. Finally, we take the evaluation of the status of the manufacturing industry upgrading in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) as case analysis and explore the theoretical and practical value of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Data on relationship between lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) and non-ischemic heart dysfunction are limited. This study is aimed to assess the association between Lp(a) and left ventricular systolic dysfunction in a Chinese population of patients with hypertension and without coronary artery disease (CAD).Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1611 patients with hypertension and without CAD in China. The factors associated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analysis.Results: A higher percentage of hypertensive patients with LVEF < 50% were men, and had lower plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but higher plasma Lp(a), serum creatinine, and hemoglobin levels than those with LVEF ≥ 50% using univariate analysis. When participants were classified as four groups according to Lp(a) quartiles, LVEF was decreased with increased Lp(a) levels. The prevalence of LVEF < 50% was increased with Lp(a) quartiles. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that plasma Lp(a) levels, man, and serum creatinine levels were independently correlated with LVEF in hypertensive patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that plasma Lp(a) levels (OR = 5.566, 95% CI: 1.745-17.758, p = 0.004) or Lp(a) quartiles (quartile 4: OR = 3.234, 95% CI: 1.290-8.105, quartile 1 as reference, p = 0.012) was independently correlated with LVEF < 50% with adjustment for other potential confounders. Ordinal logistic regression analysis demonstrated that Lp(a) (OR = 5.760, 95% CI: 1.831-18.120, p = 0.003) was independently correlated with different LVEF categories (≥ 50%, 35-49%, and < 35%) in hypertensive patients.Conclusions: Left ventricular ejection fraction is decreased with increased plasma Lp(a) levels. Lipoprotein(a) is independently correlated with left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with hypertension and without CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Data on relationship between lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) and non-ischemic heart dysfunction are limited. This study is aimed to assess the association between Lp(a) and left ventricular systolic dysfunction in a Chinese population of patients with hypertension and without coronary artery disease (CAD). Material and methods: This cross-sectional study included 1611 patients with hypertension and without CAD in China. The factors associated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: A higher percentage of hypertensive patients with LVEF < 50% were men, and had lower plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but higher plasma Lp(a), serum creatinine, and hemoglobin levels than those with LVEF ≥ 50% using univariate analysis. When participants were classified as four groups according to Lp(a) quartiles, LVEF was decreased with increased Lp(a) levels. The prevalence of LVEF < 50% was increased with Lp(a) quartiles. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that plasma Lp(a) levels, man, and serum creatinine levels were independently correlated with LVEF in hypertensive patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that plasma Lp(a) levels (OR = 5.566, 95% CI: 1.745-17.758, p = 0.004) or Lp(a) quartiles (quartile 4: OR = 3.234, 95% CI: 1.290-8.105, quartile 1 as reference, p = 0.012) was independently correlated with LVEF < 50% with adjustment for other potential confounders. Ordinal logistic regression analysis demonstrated that Lp(a) (OR = 5.760, 95% CI: 1.831-18.120, p = 0.003) was independently correlated with different LVEF categories (≥ 50%, 35-49%, and < 35%) in hypertensive patients. Conclusions: Left ventricular ejection fraction is decreased with increased plasma Lp(a) levels. Lipoprotein(a) is independently correlated with left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with hypertension and without CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understanding of the adsorption and interfacial behavior of proteins is crucial to the development of novel biosensors and biomaterials. By using bottom-up atomistic multiscale simulations, we study here the adsorption of lysozyme on Au(111) surfaces in an aqueous environment. Atomistic simulations are used to calculate the inhomogeneous polarization of the gold surface, which is induced by the protein adsorption, and by the presence of an interfacial layer of water molecules and monovalent salts. The corresponding potential of mean force between the protein and the gold surface including polarization effects is used in Langevin Dynamics simulations to study the time dependent behavior of proteins at finite concentration. These simulations display a rapid adsorption and formation of a first-layer of proteins at the interface. Proteins are initially adsorbed directly on the gold surface due to the strong protein-surface attractive interaction. A subsequent interfacial weak aggregation of proteins leading to multilayer build-up is also observed at long times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding protein adsorption is a key to the development of biosensors and anti-biofouling materials. Hydration essentially controls the adsorption process on hydrophobic surfaces, but its effect is complicated by various factors. Here, we present an ideal model system to isolate hydration effects--lysozyme adsorption on a flat hydrophobic graphene surface. Our all-atom molecular dynamics and molecular-mechanics/Poisson-Boltzmann surface area computation study reveal that lysozyme on graphene displays much larger diffusivity than in bulk water. Protein's hydration free energy within the first hydration shell is dominated by the protein-water electrostatic interactions and acts as an energy barrier for protein adsorption. On the other hand, the surface tension, especially that from the hydrophobic graphene, can effectively weaken the barrier to promote adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to comparatively investigate the feasibility and safety of etomidate and propofol use following sevoflurane inhalation in autistic children during the intrathecal transplantation of stem cells. The patients selected were 60 autistic children with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I, who were aged between two and 12 years and scheduled for stem cell transplantation. The children received an inhalation induction of 8% sevoflurane, followed by intravenous injection of etomidate (0.2 mg/kg) in group E and propofol (2 mg/kg) in group P (n=30/group). Supplemental doses of 0.1 mg/kg etomidate or 1 mg/kg propofol were used until a deep sedation was obtained. The heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, Ramsay sedation score (RSS) and recovery time were monitored continuously. Following anesthesia, blood pressure and HR measurements were significantly decreased in group P compared with the baseline (P<0.01) and group E values at the same time-points (P<0.05). The occurrence of adverse effects, such as respiratory depression, bradycardia, hypotension and pain on injection, was significantly higher in group P than that in group E, whereas the incidence of myoclonus in group E was significantly higher than that in group P (P<0.01). No significant differences in anesthesia induction, surgery duration, recovery time, RSS and physician satisfaction were observed between the two groups. In conclusion, sevoflurane-etomidate combinations resulted in more stable hemodynamic responses and relatively fewer adverse effects compared with propofol injection following sevoflurane inhalation and may therefore be more suitable for the induction of short-term anesthesia in autistic children during stem cell transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ferroelectric field effect in the bulk heterojunction was found when an external electric field (EEF) was applied on the active layer of polymer solar cells (PSCs) during the annealing process of the active layer spin-coated with poly(3-hexylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester. For one direction field, the short circuit current density of PSCs was improved from 7.2 to 8.0 mA/cm², the power conversion efficiency increased from 2.4% to 2.8%, and the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency increased from 42% to 49% corresponding to the different EEF magnitude. For an opposite direction field, the applied EEF brought a minus effect on the performance mentioned above. EEF treatment can orientate molecular ordering of the polymer, and change the morphology of the active layer. The authors suggest a explanation that the ferroelectric field has been built in the active layer, and therefore it plays a key role in PSCs system. A needle-like surface morphology of the active film was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal obesity in pregnancy predisposes offspring to insulin resistance and associated cardiovascular disease. Here, we used a well-established sheep model to investigate the effects of maternal obesity on cardiac functions. Multiparous ewes were assigned to a control (CON) diet [100% of National Research Council (NRC) recommendations] or an obesogenic (OB) diet (150% of NRC recommendations) from 60 d before conception to necropsy on d 135 of pregnancy. Fetal blood glucose and insulin were increased (P<0.01, n=8) in OB (35.09±2.03 mg/dl and 3.40±1.43 µU/ml, respectively) vs. CON ewes (23.80±1.38 mg/dl and 0.769±0.256 µU/ml). Phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a cardioprotective signaling pathway, was reduced (P<0.05), while the stress signaling pathway, p38 MAPK, was up-regulated (P<0.05) in OB maternal and fetal hearts. Phosphorylation of c-Jun Nterminal kinase (JNK) and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) at Ser-307 were increased (P<0.05) in OB fetal heart associated with lower downstream PI3K-Akt activity (P<0.05), indicating impaired cardiac insulin signaling. Although OB fetal hearts exhibited a normal contractile function vs. CON fetal hearts during basal perfusion, they developed an impaired heart-rate-leftventricular-developed pressure product in response to high workload stress. Taken together, fetuses of OB mothers demonstrate alterations in cardiac PI3K-Akt, AMPK, and JNK-IRS-1 signaling pathways that would predispose them to insulin resistance and cardiac dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuronostatin, a newly identified peptide hormone sharing the same precursor with somatostatin, exerts multiple pharmacological effects in gastrointestinal tract, hypothalamus, and cerebellum. However, the cardiovascular effect of neuronostatin is unknown. The aim of this study was to elucidate the impact of neuronostatin on cardiac contractile function in murine hearts and isolated cardiomyocytes. Short-term exposure of neuronostatin depressed left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), maximal velocity of pressure development (±dP/dt), and heart rate in Langendorff heart preparation. Consistently, neuronostatin inhibited peak shortening (PS) and maximal velocity of shortening/relengthening (±dL/dt) without affecting time-to-PS (TPS) and time-to-90% relengthening (TR90) in cardiomyocytes. The neuronostatin-elicited cardiomyocyte mechanical responses were mimicked by somatostatin, the other posttranslational product of preprosomatostatin. Furthermore, the neuronostatin-induced cardiomyocyte mechanical effects were ablated by the PKA inhibitor H89 (1 μM) and the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor SP600 125 (20 μM). The PKC inhibitor chelerythrine (1 μM) failed to alter neuronostatin-induced cardiomyocyte mechanical responses. To the contrary, chelerythrine, but not H89, abrogated somatostatin-induced cardiomyocyte contractile responses. Our results also showed enhanced c-fos and c-jun expression in response to neuronostatin exposure (0.5 to 2 h). Taken together, our data suggest that neuronostatin is a peptide hormone with overt cardiac depressant action. The neuronostatin-elicited cardiac contractile response appears to be mediated, at least in part, through a PKAand/or JNK-dependent mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature dependence of dielectric constants and splay elastic constants for fluorinated phenyl bicyclohexane (PBC) binary liquid crystal (LC) mixtures is reported. The results show that the proportions of the constituent elements of binary mixtures strongly influence their anisotropic dielectric constants. For mixtures in which meta-para- and ortho-para-fluorine-substituted molecules are in equal proportion, the effectiveness of the anisotropic dielectric is equal to that with a single para-fluorine- substituted compound. The proportions of a mixture seldom affect the threshold voltage and splay elastic constants in an anti-parallel measurement cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A synthetic investigation on oxidation of anilines to 2-amino-1,4-benzoquinone-4-phenylimides via Dess-Martin periodinane (DMP) was carried out. This facile protocol offered the advantage of short reaction times, mild reaction conditions, high yields and compatibility with a wide range of functional groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient approach for 2-D sheet part nesting, incorporating a novel space encoding scheme and a greedy method for placing parts, is presented. The space encoding scheme denotes the occupancy of the part and the vacancy of the material sheet by discrete strip segments with an equal width and utilizes real-number coordinates on each segment for representing the occupancy and the vacancy. The greedy method operates in an iterative fashion by generating a part sequence and searching for the best position and orientation of each part in the part sequence. The part sequences are generated by a genetic algorithm with appropriate operators. The searching, based on bound settings, results in a stable searching process that is independent of the number of the parts involved. Experimental results show that the approach proposed is able to operate in an efficient manner and the final placements for the parts are more economical in comparison with a benchmark. The greedy method is particularly efficient in cases containing parts with multiple pieces because the range of the bounds for searching is gradually reduced as the method progresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a linear-time algorithm for substitution decomposition on chordal graphs. Based on this result, we develop a linear-time algorithm for transitive orientation on chordal comparability graphs, which reduces the complexity of chordal comparability recognition from O(n[SUP2]) to O(n + m). We also devise a simple linear-time algorithm for interval graph recognition where no complicated data structure is involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passive radiant cooling is a potentially sustainable thermal management strategy amid escalating global climate change. However, petrochemical-derived cooling materials often face efficiency challenges owing to the absorption of sunlight. We present an intrinsic photoluminescent biomass aerogel, which has a visible light reflectance exceeding 100%, that yields a large cooling effect. We discovered that DNA and gelatin aggregation into an ordered layered aerogel achieves a solar-weighted reflectance of 104.0% in visible light regions through fluorescence and phosphorescence. The cooling effect can reduce ambient temperatures by 16.0°C under high solar irradiance. In addition, the aerogel, efficiently produced at scale through water-welding, displays high reparability, recyclability, and biodegradability, completing an environmentally conscious life cycle. This biomass photoluminescence material is another tool for designing next-generation sustainable cooling materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): Cardiac arrest is a crucial procedure in various cardiac surgeries, during which the heart is subjected to an ischemic state. The occurrence of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is inevitable due to aortic blockage and opening. The Histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution is commonly used as an organ protection liquid to mitigate cardiac injury during cardiac surgery. Despite its widespread use, there is significant potential for improving its protective efficacy. Materials and Methods: The cardioprotective effect of HTK solution with and without melatonin was evaluated using the isolated Langendorff-perfused mouse heart model. The isolated C57bL/6 mouse hearts were randomly divided into four groups: control, I/R, HTK solution treatment before reperfusion (HTK+I/R), and HTK solution combined with melatonin before reperfusion (HTK+M+I/R). Cardiac function and myocardial injury markers were then measured. AMP-activated protein kinase a2 (AMPKa2) KO mice were used to investigate the underlying mechanism. Results: In our study, we found that melatonin significantly improved the protective effects of HTK solution in an isolated Langendorff-perfused mouse model, mechanistically by reducing mitochondrial damage, improving energy metabolism, inhibiting cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and reducing myocardial infarction size. We also observed that the HTK solution alone was ineffective in inhibiting ER stress, but when melatonin was added, there was a significant reduction in ER stress. Furthermore, melatonin was found to alleviate carbonyl stress during cardiac I/R. Interestingly, our results showed that the cardioprotective properties of melatonin were dependent on AMPKa2. Conclusion: The findings presented in this study offer a valuable empirical foundation for the development of perioperative cardioprotective strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the conference paper "Myocardial perfusion MRI with SW-CG-HYPR: A comparison to conventional SR-Turbo-FLASH and x-ray angiography in patients with suspected coronary artery disease," by Heng Ma and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the paper "Adenosine-induced stress myocardial perfusion MRI using SW-CG-HYPR with whole left ventricular coverage: comparison of results with X-ray angiography in patients with suspected CAD," by Heng Ma and colleagues, from the 2011 SCMR/Euro CMR Joint Scientific Sessions, held in Nice, France, from February 3-6, 2011, is presented.

This paper investigates the impact of electrode geometry on the performance of polymer solar cells (PSCs). The negative electrodes with equal area (0.09 cm2) but different shape (round, oval, square and triangular) are evaluated with respect to short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage, fill factor and power conversion efficiency of PSCs. The results show that the device with round electrodes gives the best photovoltaic performance; in contrast, the device with triangular electrodes reveals the worst properties. A maximum of almost a 19% increase in power conversion efficiency with a round electrode is obtained in the devices compared with that of the triangular electrode. To conclude, the electrode boundary curvature has a significant impact on the performance of PSCs. The larger curvature, i.e. sharper electrodes edges, perhaps has a negative effect on exciton separation and carrier transport in photoelectric conversion processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context.--Alterations in the tumor microenvironment affect the response to immunotherapy and are associated with clinical outcomes. However, the role of B7 family checkpoint molecules in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains unclear. Objective.--To investigate the expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), B7 homolog 3 (B7-H3), and B7 homolog 4 (B7-H4) and the association of these molecules with pathologic features, DNA damage repair (DDR) molecules, immune infiltrates, and survival in PDAC. Design.--The expression of B7 family molecules, densities of immune cells, and DDR status were evaluated by using immunohistochemical assays in tissue microarrays. Results.--Positive PD-L1 expression on tumor cells (TCs) and stromal cells (SCs) was observed in 30.3% (80 of 264) and 20.5% (54 of 264) of patients, respectively, whereas B7-H3 showed positivity in 81.3% (195 of 240) and 87.9% (211 of 240) of patients, respectively. B7-H4 was detected exclusively in tumor cells, with a positivity rate of 76.0% (193 of 254). PD-L1 on TCs was an independent predictor of worse disease-free survival, whereas B7-H3 on TCs was an independent factor of improved survival. The prognostic significance of PD-L1 was more discriminative in lymph node--negative, p53--wild-type, and low-BRCA1/2-expression tumors. B7-H3 on SCs was negatively correlated with CD45RO T cells, whereas PD-L1 on SCs was related to high densities of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD45RO, and Foxp3 T cells and B7-H4 was more common in tumors with a low CD8 status. Conclusions.--We identified B7 family checkpoint molecules as potentially prognostic indicators, combined with different DDR molecular statuses and complex immune infiltrates, in PDAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the conference paper "Myocardial perfusion MRI using SW-CG-HYPR for the detection of coronary artery disease," by Jun Yang and colleagues is presented.

Temperature dependence of magnetic anisotropy of homologous nematic fluorinated phenyl bicyclohexane liquid crystals is measured by a magneto-electric method. The result shows that the diamagnetic property is slightly influenced by the positions and the numbers of fluorine atoms substituted at the phenyl ring. By investigating the correlation of the dielectric anisotropy with the magnetic anisotropy, a novel explanation is proposed for the behaviour of the molecular dipole-dipole dimerization in the polar liquid crystal compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prokineticin-2 is confirmed to be involved in the inflammatory process. Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome (MS). However, whether prokineticin-2 is associated with MS or not remains unknown. Thus, we present this study to explore the association between prokineticin-2 and MS in a Chinese population. Methods: This study included 162 middle-aged and elderly Chinese patients with cardiovascular risk factors. The relationship between serum prokineticin-2 levels and various cardiometabolic risk factors, and MS were evaluated. Results: The participants with serum prokineticin-2 levels >6.32 ng/ml had increased waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), plasma triglyceride, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), blood glucose, and serum uric acid, but decreased age, plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and HDL-C/total cholesterol (TC) (all P < 0.05). A higher percentage of them had history of lipid disorders (19.3 vs 2.5 %, P = 0.001) and MS (77.1 vs 48.1 %, P < 0.001). Prokineticin-2 was positively correlated with TC (partial correlation coefficient: 0.233, P = 0.011), triglyceride (partial correlation coefficient: 0.504, P < 0.001), fasting plasma glucose (partial correlation coefficient: 0.336, P < 0.001), HbA1c (partial correlation coefficient: 0.285, P = 0.002), and uric acid (partial correlation coefficient: 0.234, P = 0.011) respectively, but was negatively correlated with HDL-C/TC (partial correlation coefficient: -0.269, P = 0.003) with adjustment for age, man, and BMI. Prokineticin-2 was significantly elevated in participants with MS (7.72 ± 3.34 vs 5.56 ± 2.39 ng/ml, P < 0.001). Furthermore, prokineticin-2 was significantly elevated in participants with increased numbers of MS components (5.17 ± 2.29 vs 5.94 ± 2.47 vs 7.13 ± 3.33 vs 8.32 ± 2.81 vs 9.82 ± 4.37 ng/ml, P for trend <0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that prokineticin-2 was independently associated with MS (OR: 1.307, 95 % confidence interval: 1.127-1.515, P < 0.001) with adjustment for other potential confounders. If serum prokineticin-2 value can be considered as an indicator to discriminate MS, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis exhibited the area under the curve as 0.701. Conclusions: Prokineticin-2 is correlated with various cardiometabolic risk factors including blood lipid, blood glucose, blood pressure, BMI, and uric acid. And furthermore, the increased prokineticin-2 is independently associated with MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The upregulation of bone morphogenetic protein and activin membrane-bound inhibitor (BAMBI) has been observed in several types of malignant cancer, including thyroid, ovarian, liver and colorectal cancer. However, the pathological role and the regulatory mechanism of BAMBI in gastric cancer remain to be elucidated. The present study revealed that the expression of BAMBI was upregulated in gastric cancer tissue, and was correlated with tumor metastasis, disease recurrence and low survival rates in patients. Knockdown of BAMBI in aggressive gastric cancer cell lines significantly inhibited their malignant behavior, including in vitro invasion and cell proliferation. β-catenin expression was downregulated as a result of knocking down of BAMBI, and TGF-β was downregulated in a similar manner. These results demonstrated the association between BAMBI expression and gastric cancer progression, and indicate a promising direction for developing novel strategies to improve the prognosis and therapy of gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Anthrax infection is associated with devastating cardiovascular sequelae, suggesting unfavorable cardiovascular effects of toxins originated from Bacillus anthracis namely lethal and edema toxins. This study was designed to examine the direct effect of lethal toxins on cardiomyocyte contractile and intracellular Ca2+ properties. Methods: Murine cardiomyocyte contractile function and intracellular Ca2+ handling were evaluated including peak shortening (PS), maximal velocity of shortening/ relengthening (± dL/dt), time-to-PS (TPS), time-to-90% relengthening (TR90), intracellular Ca2+ rise measured as fura-2 fluorescent intensity (ΔFFI), and intracellular Ca2+ decay rate. Stress signaling and Ca2+ regulatory proteins were assessed using Western blot analysis. Results: In vitro exposure to a lethal toxin (0.05 - 50 nM) elicited a concentration-dependent depression on cardiomyocyte contractile and intracellular Ca2+ properties (PS, ± dL/dt, ΔFFI), along with prolonged duration of contraction and intracellular Ca2+ decay, the effects of which were nullified by the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin. The lethal toxin significantly enhanced superoxide production and cell death, which were reversed by apocynin. In vivo lethal toxin exposure exerted similar time-dependent cardiomyocyte mechanical and intracellular Ca2+ responses. Stress signaling cascades including MEK1/ 2, p38, ERK and JNK were unaffected by in vitro lethal toxins whereas they were significantly altered by in vivo lethal toxins. Ca2+ regulatory proteins SERCA2a and phospholamban were also differentially regulated by in vitro and in vivo lethal toxins. Autophagy was drastically triggered although ER stress was minimally affected following lethal toxin exposure. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that lethal toxins directly compromised murine cardiomyocyte contractile function and intracellular Ca2+ through a NADPH oxidase-dependent mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the function of p38MAPK and caspase-3 in DADS-induced apoptosis in human HepG2 cells, and discuss the signal transduetion mechanism of HepG2 cells in the apoptosis process induced by DADS by using the inhibitors of p38MAPK (SB203580) and caspase-3 (Z-DEVD-FMK). Methods: After the human HepG2 cells had been treated with the DADS and inhibitors for 24 h, cell viability was determined by the MTT method, apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry (FCM) and the expressions of p38MAPK and caspase-3 were measured by western-blot. Results: Our results indicated that DADS activities the p38MAPK and caspase-3, but the inhibitors, SB203580 and ZDEVD- FMK (for p38MAPKand for caspase-3, respectively), both have the effect of inhibitory activity on P38MAPK and caspase-3. Furthermore, a combination treatment with both DADS and inhibitor (SB203580 or Z-DEVD-FMK) decreases the inhibitory and apoptotic activity of HepG2 cells increased compared with DADS-treated. Conclusions: Our data indicate that p38MAPK and caspase-3 are involved in the process of DADS-induced apoptosis in human HepG2 cells and interact with each other [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a close association between hyperglycemia and increased risk of mortality after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, whether acute hyperglycemia exacerbates myocardial ischemialreperfusion (MI/R) injury remains unclear. We observed the effects of acute hyperglycemia on MI/R injury and on the cardioprotective effect of glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK). Male rats were subjected to 30 mm of myocardial ischemia and 6 h of reperfusion. Rats were randomly received one of the following treatments (at 4 ml·kg-1·h-1 iv): Vehicle, GIK (GIK during reperfusion; glucose: 200g/l, insulin: 60 U/I, KCL: 60 mmol/l), HG (high glucose during ischemia; glucose:500 g/l), GIK + HG (HG during I and GIK during R) or GIK + wortmannin (GIK during R and wortmannin 15 mm before R). Blood glucose, plasma insulin concentration and left ventricular pressure (LVP) were monitored throughout the experiments. Hyperglycemia during ischemia not only significantly increased myocardial apoptosis (23.6 ± 1.7% vs. 18.8 ± 1.4%, P < 0.05 vs. vehicle), increased infarct size (IS) (45.6 ± 3.0% vs. 37.6 ± 2.0%, P < 0.05 vs. vehicle), decreased Akt and GSK-3β phosphorylations (0.5 ± 0.2 and 0.6 ± 0.1% fold of vehicle, respectively, P < 0.05 vs. vehicle) following MI/R, but almost completely blocked the cardioprotective effect afforded by GIK, as evidenced by significantly increased apoptotic index (19.1 ± 2.0 vs. 10.3 ± 1.2%, P < 0.01 vs. GIK), increased myocardial IS (39.2 ± 2.8 vs. 27.2 ± 2.1%, P < 0.01 vs. GIK), decreased Akt phosphorylation (1.1 ± 0.1 vs. 1.7 ± 0.2%, P < 0.01 vs. GIK) and GSK-3β phosphorylation (1.4 ± 0.2 vs. 2.3 ± 0.2%, P < 0.05 vs. GIK). Hyperglycemia significantly exacerbates MI/R injury and blocks the cardioprotective effect afforded by GIK, which is, at least in part, due to hyperglycemia-induced decrease of myocardial Akt activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study developed a mobile app called Ubiquitous-Physics (U-Physics), which helps students explore inclined plane phenomena in authentic contexts and consolidates their physics learning in everyday contexts. The study investigated inquiry behaviors such as interpreting graphs, applying formulas, drawing conclusions, and peer sharing, and how these influenced learning achievements. The app's effects on learning perceptions and motivation were also analyzed. The study was conducted at a vocational senior high school and two activities (indoors and outdoors/authentic contexts). The results show that the experimental group using U-Physics significantly outperformed the control group, who used traditional tools such as a stopwatch for the inclined plane experiment in terms of learning achievements. Analysis of the correlations among inquiry behaviors and learning achievement revealed that the number of posts in authentic contexts had the greatest influence on learning achievement, confirming the importance of applying physics concepts in authentic contexts. Additionally, most students reported positive perceptions of the U-Physics app and were highly motivated to use it for future learning. The findings indicate that using U-Physics in authentic contexts is very meaningful and can contribute to physics learning, particularly when using mobile devices with sensors to facilitate inquiry learning in authentic physics scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an application (app) called ezTranslate was developed to aid English as foreign language (EFL) learning by assigning lessons that adapt to students' interests, in order to motivate them to engage concurrently in physical activity in a real context. ezTranslate was developed by combining state-of-the-art technologies--automatic speech recognition and a cloud translation service, which permit effortless language translation. ezTranslate also offers user-oriented, self-speaking practice opportunities via its speech shadowing function. This app is designed (1) as an effective support tool for EFL speaking in authentic contexts and (2) to engage students in exercise as they walk in their environment. Results suggest that using ezTranslate in familiar situations significantly promotes student cooperation, as evidenced by their increased listening and speaking. Furthermore, there were significant differences in English speaking performance and homework aptitude in participants when using ezTranslate with or without authentic contexts. Indeed, this study's findings emphasize the importance of authentic support for EFL speaking; namely, students' interests. The familiarity and fascination of students with real contexts can motivate them to communicate in English better and more frequently. As for the effect of exercise on EFL learning, statistical analysis revealed that the more steps students take, the more they practice speaking English. These results are very promising. Creating an interactive medium in which students not only acquire knowledge but also move their bodies promotes brain and body activity vital to their overall health. In the near future, we plan to extend activity design, executing authentic drama-play to sustain effective, healthy EFL learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: LncRNA ZEB1 Antisense 1 (ZEB1-AS1) has been suggested to be an oncogenic role in human hepatocellular carcinoma, osteosarcoma, glioma and esophageal carcinoma progression. However, the clinical significance and biological function of ZEB1-AS1 in gastric cancer is poorly understood. Methods: Levels of ZEB1-AS1 expression in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines were detected by qRT-PCR. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function studies were conducted to explore the biological function of ZEB1-AS1 in gastric cancer cells migration, invasion and EMT process. Rescued-function studies were performed to explore the association between ZEB1-AS1 and ZEB1 in gastric cancer cells migration, invasion and EMT process. Results: ZEB1-AS1 was overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines, and correlated with malignant status and prognosis in gastric cancer patients. ZEB1-AS1 regulated gastric cancer cells migration, invasion and EMT process. ZEB1-AS1 positively regulated ZEB1 expression in gastric cancer cells, and had a strongly positive correlation with ZEB1 expression in gastric cancer tissues. Rescued-function studies showed ZEB1 was critical for ZEB1-AS1 induced gastric cancer cells migration, invasion and EMT process. Conclusions: ZEB1-AS1 served as oncogenic roles in the regulation of gastric cancer cells migration, invasion and EMT process through modulating ZEB1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microtubule‑associated serine/threonine kinase like (Mastl) is deregulated in a number of types of human malignancy and may be a kinase target for cancer treatment. The aim of the present study was to determine the Mastl expression in gastric cancer and to clarify its clinical and prognostic significance. Immunohistochemistry was performed on a cohort of 126 postoperative gastric cancer samples to detect the expression of Mastl and two epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, epithelial‑cadherin and Vimentin. The χ2 test, Kaplan‑Meier estimator analysis and Cox's regression model were used to analyze the data. Upregulated Mastl protein expression was observed in the gastric cancer tissues compared with that in the adjacent non‑cancerous gastric tissues. Increased Mastl expression was identified in 54/126 (42.9%) gastric cancer samples, and was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, tumor relapse, EMT status and poor overall survival. Additional analysis demonstrated that the Mastl expression level stratified the patient outcome in stage III, but not stage II tumor subgroups. Cox's regression analysis revealed that increased Mastl expression was an independent prognostic factor for patients with gastric cancer. Mastl expression may be a valuable prognostic marker and a potential target for patients with gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: This study aimed to evaluate pulmonary vein (PV) anatomy using 256-slice computed tomography (CT), which may be necessary for electrophysiologists to know before radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) therapy. Materials and methods: A total of 102 patients with paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation underwent 256-slice cardiac CT angiography prior to catheter ablation. PV morphology, ostial diameter, ostial orientation, and distance from ostium to first bifurcation were evaluated using three-dimensional volume-rendering and multiplanar-reformatting technology. Results: We found that 72.5% of patients had four conventional PVs. On the right, 22.5% of patients had one accessory PV, 4.9% had 2 accessory PVs, 1% had one common PV, and 1% had one top vein. On the left, 27.5% of patients had one common PV. Additionally, 9.8% of patients had bilateral PV variation. Ostial size was larger for superior PVs than inferior PVs and larger for right PVs than left PVs. PV ostia on the right tended to be more circular. There was a rather wide variation of projective angle and distance from ostium to first bifurcation. Early branching occurred more often in the right inferior PV. Conclusion: 256-Slice CT can depict PV anatomy and afford substantial data, which will help electrophysiologists conduct the RFCA procedure safely and efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: microRNA (miR)-1290 was previously indicated to promote esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) progression via regulating its target gene nuclear factor I/X (NFIX). OBJECTIVE: To investigate clinical significance of miR-1290 and NFIX in ESCC. METHODS: Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to detect miR-1290 and NFIX mRNA expression in ESCC tissues. Associations of miR-1290 and/or NFIX mRNA expression with various clinicopathological features and prognosis in ESCC patients were statistically evaluated. RESULTS: Compared to noncancerous esophageal mucosa, miR-1290 expression was upregulated, while NFIX mRNA expression was downregulated in ESCC tissues. There was a significantly negative correlation between miR-1290 and NFIX expression in ESCC tissues (r = -0.427, P = 0.01). Interestingly, miR-1290-high and/or NFIX-low expression were all significantly associated with positive lymph node metastasis and advanced tumor-node-metastasis stage of ESCC patients (all P < 0.05). Moreover, miR-1290 upregulation and NFIX downregulation both correlated short overall and disease-free survivals of ESCC patients. Importantly, the prognostic value of combined miR-1290 and NFIX expression was more significant than those considered alone. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the dysregulation of miR-1290-NFIX axis may play crucial roles in esophageal carcinogenesis and progression.We also confirmed miR-1290 and its target gene NFIX as independent prognostic factors for ESCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyamide (PA) membrane-based reverse-osmosis (RO) serves as one of the most important techniques for water desalination and purification. Fundamental understanding of PA RO membranes at the atomistic level is critical to enhance their separation capabilities, leading to significant societal and commercial benefits. In this paper, a fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulation was performed to investigate PA membrane. Our simulated cross-linked membrane exhibits structural properties similar to those reported in experiments. Our results also reveal the presence of small local two-layer slip structures in PA membrane with 70% cross-linking, primarily due to short-range anisotropic interactions among aromatic benzene rings. Inside the inhomogeneous polymeric structure of the membrane, water molecules show heterogeneous diffusivities and converge adjacent to polar groups. Increased diffusion of water molecules is observed through the less cross-linked pathways. The existence of the fast pathways for water permeation has no effect on membrane's salt rejections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two incongruent images viewed by the two eyes cause binocular rivalry, during which observers perceive continuous alternations between these two visual images. Previous studies in both humans and monkeys have shown that the primary visual cortex (V1) plays a critical role in the rivalry perception. However, it is unclear whether the rivalry activity observed in VI relies on conscious influences. Here, we examine the responses of VI in monkeys under general anesthesia. With intrinsic signal optical imaging and single-trial analysis, alternating activation of ocular dominance columns in V1 was observed during binocularly incongruent stimulation. Left- and right-eye columns exhibited counterphase activation, which were modulated by stimulus features in ways similar to those found in conscious human observers. These observations indicated that binocular rivalry occurs in V1 without consciousness, suggesting that the low-level automatic mechanisms play a more important role than previously believed in handling visual ambiguities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seismic performance of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) composite shear walls with different expandable polystyrene (EPS) configurations was investigated. Six concrete shear walls were designed and tested under cyclic loading to evaluate the effect of fine RAC in designing earthquake-resistant structures. Three of the six specimens were used to construct mid-rise walls with a shear-span ratio of 1.5, and the other three specimens were used to construct low-rise walls with a shear-span ratio of 0.8. The mid-rise and low-rise shear walls consisted of an ordinary recycled concrete shear wall, a composite wall with fine aggregate concrete (FAC) protective layer (EPS modules as the external insulation layer), and a composite wall with sandwiched EPS modules as the insulation layer. Several parameters obtained from the experimental results were compared and analyzed, including the load-bearing capacity, stiffness, ductility, energy dissipation, and failure characteristics of the specimens. The calculation formula of load-bearing capacity was obtained by considering the effect of FAC on composite shear walls as the protective layer. The damage process of the specimen was simulated using the ABAQUS Software, and the results agreed quite well with those obtained from the experiments. The results show that the seismic resistance behavior of the EPS module composite for shear walls performed better than ordinary recycled concrete for shear walls. Shear walls with sandwiched EPS modules had a better seismic performance than those with EPS modules lying outside. Although the FAC protective layer slightly improved the seismic performance of the structure, it undoubtedly slowed down the speed of crack formation and the stiffness degradation of the walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A unique feature of the pathological change after spinal cord injury (SCI) is the progressive enlargement of lesion area, which usually results in cavity formation and is accompanied by reactive astrogliosis and chronic inflammation. Reactive astrocytes line the spinal cavity, walling off the lesion core from the normal spinal tissue, and are thought to play multiple important roles in SCI. The contribution of cell death, particularly the apoptosis of neurons and oligodendrocytes during the process of cavitation has been extensively studied. However, how reactive astrocytes are eliminated following SCI remains largely unclear. Results: By immunohistochemistry, in vivo propidium iodide (PI)-labeling and electron microscopic examination, here we reported that in mice, reactive astrocytes died by receptor-interacting protein 3 and mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (RIP3/MLKL) mediated necroptosis, rather than apoptosis or autophagy. Inhibiting receptorinteracting protein 1 (RIP1) or depleting RIP3 not only significantly attenuated astrocyte death but also rescued the neurotrophic function of astrocytes. The astrocytic expression of necroptotic markers followed the polarization of M1 microglia/macrophages after SCI. Depleting M1 microglia/macrophages or transplantation of M1 macrophages could significantly reduce or increase the necroptosis of astrocytes. Further, the inflammatory responsive genes Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88) are induced in necroptotic astrocytes. In vitro antagonizing MyD88 in astrocytes could significantly alleviate the M1 microglia/macrophagesinduced cell death. Finally, our data showed that in human, necroptotic markers and TLR4/MyD88 were coexpressed in astrocytes of injured, but not normal spinal cord. Conclusion: Taken together, these results reveal that after SCI, reactive astrocytes undergo M1 microglia/ macrophages-induced necroptosis, partially through TLR/MyD88 signaling, and suggest that inhibiting astrocytic necroptosis may be beneficial for preventing secondary SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capability of the photoresponsive isomerization of azobenzene derivatives in self-assembled monolayer (SAM) surfaces to control protein adsorption behavior has very promising applications in antifouling materials and biotechnology. In this study, we performed an atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulation in combination with free-energy calculations to study the morphology of azobenzene-terminated SAMs (Azo-SAMs) grafted on a silica substrate and their interactions with lysozyme. Results show that the Azo-SAM surface morphology and the terminal benzene rings' packing are highly correlated with the surface density and the isomer state. Higher surface coverage and the trans-isomer state lead to a more ordered polycrystalline backbone as well as more ordered local packing of benzene rings. On the Azo-SAM surface, water retains a high interfacial diffusivity, whereas the adsorbed lysozyme is found to have extremely low mobility but a relative stable secondary structure. The moderate desorption free energy (~60 kT) from the trans-Azo-SAM surface was estimated by using both the nonequilibrium-theorem-based Jarzynski's equality and equilibrium umbrella sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key issue for perovskite solar cells is the stability of perovskite materials due to moisture effects under ambient conditions, although their efficiency is improved constantly. Herein, an improved CH3NH3PbI3-xClx perovskite quality is demonstrated with good crystallization and stability by using water as an additive during crystal perovskite growth. Incorporating suitable water additives in N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) leads to controllable growth of perovskites due to the lower boiling point and the higher vapor pressure of water compared with DMF. In addition, CH3NH3PbI3-xClx·nH2O hydrated perovskites, which can be resistant to the corrosion by water molecules to some extent, are assumed to be generated during the annealing process. Accordingly, water additive based perovskite solar cells present a high power conversion efficiency of 16.06% and improved cell stability under ambient conditions compared with the references. The findings in this work provide a route to control the growth of crystal perovskites and a clue to improve the stability of organic-inorganic halide perovskites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer is one of the most malignant diseases and one of the leading causes of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. Although advances have been made in surgical techniques, perioperative management and the combined use of surgery with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, patients with advanced stage gastric cancer continue to face poor outcomes. Furthermore, it was reported that MET gene amplification and overexpression predicted the sensitivity to MET inhibitors in gastric cancer. However, the identification of drug-resistant tumors has encouraged the pre-emptive elucidation of the possible mechanisms of clinical resistance. The current study assessed a number of patient-derived gastric cancer models with MET amplification and overexpression, including CNGAS028. The tumor tissues were subjected to microarray analysis (using single nucleotide polymorphism 6.0 and human genome U133 arrays) followed by western blotting. The results demonstrated that CNGAS028 xenograft tumors did not respond to treatment with a selective MET inhibitor. Additional analysis indicated that FGFR2 overexpression contributed to the resistance to MET inhibitors. Furthermore, treatment with a combination of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 and MET inhibitors inhibited the growth of CNGAS028 xenograft tumors in vivo. In conclusion, the current results aid in understanding the mechanism of inherent resistance to selective MET inhibitors as well as provide important information for patient selection and clinical treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in-situ TiB2/A356 composites were successfully synthesized through the mixed salt reaction method. The advantage of this technique was that the particle sizes and morphology can be controlled by the melt reaction. Therefore, the technique can be designed to obtain expected properties, such as high strength at high and room temperatures, high damping capacity, high modulus and good fatigue life. Results showed that in the as-cast state of A356 alloy and TiB2/A356 composites, the eutectic Si phase is normally in the needle shape, and TiB2 particles are mostly in the cubic or near spherical shape, with the size ranging from 30 to 500 nm uniformly distributed in the grains. Also, TiB2 particle clusters are observed in composites. With an increase in TiB2 particles, the average grain size of composites decreases both in as-cast and T6 state. It is found that both the yield stength and ultimate tensile strength increase with an increase in the TiB2 volume fraction. On the contrary, the elongation reduces with the addition of TiB2 particles. Based on the experimental results and Clyne's report, a revised model related to particle strengthening mechanism was proposed to fairly predict yield strengths of TiB2/A356 composites. The satisfactory agreement between the calculated values and experimental data reported in the literature was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using DFT/B3LYP/6-311++G** method, the molecular structure and absorption spectra in terahertz (THz) range of liquid crystal 5CB are investigated. In a frequency range 0–15 THz, an assignment of the vibrational modes corresponding to absorption frequencies is performed using potential energy distribution for the first time. It is found that the cyano group radical (–CN) do actively take part in the strongest THz absorption of 1.743, 3.942, 5.169 and 14.769 THz in different vibration modes. The results suggest that the strong polar group should be avoided in designing liquid crystal molecule and mixtures in order to reduce the absorption intensity in THz range. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study, based on total physical response and cognitive psychology, proposed a Kinesthetic English Learning System (KELS), which utilized Microsoft's Kinect technology to build kinesthetic interaction with life-related contexts in English. A subject test with 39 tenth-grade students was conducted following empirical research method in order to compare the effectiveness of KELS on both learning and motivation. In addition, we developed one questionnaire to study the perception learning style of the students involved in the experiment in order to determine whether students with different perception styles experienced any difference in learning while using the proposed KELS. Finally, we investigated students' acceptance of and motivation toward using KELS. The result showed that there was a significant difference between the control group and the experimental group regarding long-term retention. Moreover, the experimental group's learning was significantly affected by using kinesthetic interaction between peers to facilitate learning to speak and listen in English. The study also found that KELS was effective across perceptual learning styles. Finally, most participants in the experimental group agreed that KELS would effectively increase their motivation to learn English and expressed a strong intention to continue using the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ghrelin has been reported to protect the cardiovascular system; however, the cardioprotective effect of ghrelin against cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) induced myocardial injury are unclear. In this study, the protective effect of ghrelin on CPB induced myocardial injury and the underlying mechanisms were investigated. Methods and Results: Adult male rats were subjected to CPB and randomly to receive vehicle (n = 8), ghrelin (n = 8), ghrelin plus [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6, a GHSR-1a inhibitor (n = 8), or ghrelin plus wortmannin, a phosphoinositide 3'-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor (n = 8). In vitro study was performed on cultured cardiomyocytes subjected to simulated cardiopulmonary bypass (SCPB). Ghrelin attenuated the inammatory response, as evidenced by reduced induction of TNF-α, IL-6 and myocardial myeloperoxidase activity and concurrent reduction in apoptosis, oxidative stress, and levels of myocardial injury markers following CPB. Moreover, ghrelin significantly increased cardiac function after CPB. In cultured cardiomyocytes subjected to simulated CPB, ghrelin increased cell viability and decreased the percentage of apoptotic myocytes. Inhibition of ghrelin downstream signaling blocked the cardioprotective effects both in vivo and vitro. Conclusions: Ghrelin could provide an effective approach to the attenuation of CPB induced myocardial injury. The cardioprotective effects elicited by ghrelin may contribute to the inhibition of inflammatory response through the Akt-activated pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper constructs the interaction potential of the SH(X2?) radical by using the coupled-cluster singles-doubles-approximate-triples theory combining the correlation-consistent quintuple basis set augmented with the diffuse functions, aug-cc-pV5Z, in the valence range. Employing the potential, it accurately determines the spectroscopic parameters. The present De, Re, oe, oekhe, ae and Be values are of 3.7767eV, 0.13424 nm, 2699.846 cm[?]1, 47.7055cm[?]1, 0.2639cm[?]1 and 9.4414cm[?]1, respectively, which are in excellent agreement with those obtained from the measurements. A total of 19 vibrational states has been found when J = 0 by solving the radial Schrödinger equation of nuclear motion. The complete vibrational levels, classical turning points, initial rotation and centrifugal distortion constants when J = 0 are reported for the first time, which are in good accord with the experimental results. The total and various partial-wave cross sections are computed for the elastic collisions of sulfur and hydrogen in their ground states at low temperatures when two atoms approach each other along the SH(X2?) potential energy curve. Over the impact energy range from l.0 × 10[?]11 to 1.0 × 10[?]4 a.u., eight shape resonances have been found in the total elastic cross sections. For each shape resonance, the resonant energy is accurately calculated. Careful investigations have pointed out that these resonances result from the l = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 partial-wave contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular hypertrophy is regulated by coordinated pro- and antigrowth machineries. Foxo transcription factors initiate an atrophy-related gene program to counter hypertrophic growth. This study was designed to evaluate the role of Akt, the forkhead transcription factor Foxo3a, and atrophy genes muscle-specific RING finger (MuRF)-1 and atrogin-1 in cardiac hypertrophy and contractile dysfunction associated with high-fat diet-induced obesity. Mice were fed a low- or high-fat diet for 6 mo along with a food-restricted high-fat weight control group. Echocardiography revealed decreased fractional shortening and increased end-systolic diameter and cardiac hypertrophy in high-fat obese but not in weight control mice. Cardiomyocytes from high-fat obese but not from weight control mice displayed contractile and intracellular Ca2+ defects including depressed maximal velocity of shortening/relengthening, prolonged duration of shortening/relengthening, and reduced intracellular Ca2+ rise and clearance. Caspase activities were greater in high-fat obese but not in weight control mouse hearts. Western blot analysis revealed enhanced basal Akt and Foxo3a phosphorylation and reduced insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt and Foxo3a without changes in total protein expression of Akt and Foxo3a in high-fat obese hearts. RT-PCR and immunoblotting results displayed reduced levels of the atrogens atrogin-1 and MuRF-1, the upregulated hypertrophic markers GATA4 and ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor-α, as well as the unchanged calcineurin and proteasome ubiquitin in high-fat obese mouse hearts. Transfection of H9C2 myoblast cells with dominant-negative Foxo3a adenovirus mimicked palmitic acid (0.8 mM for 24 h)-induced GATA4 upregulation without an additive effect. Dominant-negative Foxo3a-induced upregulation of pAkt and repression of phosphatase and tensin homologue were abrogated by palmitic acid. These results suggest a cardiac hypertrophic response in high-fat diet-associated obesity at least in part through inactivation of Foxo3a by the Akt pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]