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Background: A considerable number of individuals infected with COVID-19 experience residual symptoms after the acute phase. However, the correlation between residual symptoms and psychological distress and underlying mechanisms are scarcely studied. We aim to explore the association between residual symptoms of COVID-19 and psychological distress, specifically depression, anxiety, and fear of COVID-19, and examine the role of risk perception and intolerance of uncertainty in the association. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted by online questionnaire-based approach in mid-January 2023. Self-reported demographic characteristics, COVID-19-related information, and residual symptoms were collected. Depression, anxiety, fear, risk perception and intolerance of uncertainty were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), COVID-19 Risk Perception Scale and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-12 (IUS-12), respectively. Linear regression analyses were conducted to explore the associations. A moderated mediation model was then constructed to examine the role of risk perception of COVID-19 and intolerance of uncertainty in the association between residual symptoms and psychological distress. Results: 1735 participants effectively completed the survey. 34.9% of the patients experienced residual symptoms after acute phase of COVID-19. Psychological distress was markedly increased by COVID-19 infection, while residual symptoms had a significant impact on psychological distress (Ps < 0.001), including depression (β = 0.23), anxiety (β = 0.21), and fear of COVID-19 (β = 0.14). Risk perception served as a mediator between residual symptoms and all forms of psychological distress, while intolerance of uncertainty moderated the effect of risk perception on depression and anxiety. Conclusion: A considerable proportion of patients experience residual symptoms after acute phase of COVID-19, which have a significant impact on psychological distress. Risk perception and intolerance of uncertainty play a moderated-mediation role in the association between residual symptoms and depression/anxiety. It highly suggests that effective treatment for residual symptoms, maintaining appropriate risk perception and improving intolerance of uncertainty are critical strategies to alleviate COVID-19 infection-associated psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyroptosis is a type of programmed cell death and plays a dual role in distinct cancers. It is elusive to evaluate the activation level of pyroptosis and to appraise the involvement of pyroptosis in the occurrence and development of diverse tumors. Accordingly, we herein established an indicator to evaluate pyroptosis related gene transcription levels based on the expression level of genes involved in pyroptosis and tried to elaborated on the association between pyroptosis and tumors across diverse tumor types. We found that pyroptosis related gene transcription levels could predict the prognosis of patients, which could act as either a favorable or a dreadful factor in diverse cancers. According to signaling pathway analyses we observed that pyroptosis played a significant role in immune regulation and tumorigenesis and had strong links with other forms of cell death. We also performed analysis on the crosstalk between pyroptosis and immune status and further investigated the predictive potential of pyroptosis level for the efficacy of immunotherapy. Lastly, we manifested that pyroptosis status could serve as a biomarker to the efficacy of chemotherapy across various cancers. In summary, this study established a quantitative indicator to evaluate pyroptosis related gene transcription levels, systematically explored the role of pyroptosis in pan-cancer. These results could provide potential research directions targeting pyroptosis, and highlighted that pyroptosis may be used to develop a novel strategy for the treatment of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyroptosis is a type of programmed cell death and plays a dual role in distinct cancers. It is elusive to evaluate the activation level of pyroptosis and to appraise the involvement of pyroptosis in the occurrence and development of diverse tumors. Accordingly, we herein established an indicator to evaluate pyroptosis related gene transcription levels based on the expression level of genes involved in pyroptosis and tried to elaborated on the association between pyroptosis and tumors across diverse tumor types. We found that pyroptosis related gene transcription levels could predict the prognosis of patients, which could act as either a favorable or a dreadful factor in diverse cancers. According to signaling pathway analyses we observed that pyroptosis played a significant role in immune regulation and tumorigenesis and had strong links with other forms of cell death. We also performed analysis on the crosstalk between pyroptosis and immune status and further investigated the predictive potential of pyroptosis level for the efficacy of immunotherapy. Lastly, we manifested that pyroptosis status could serve as a biomarker to the efficacy of chemotherapy across various cancers. In summary, this study established a quantitative indicator to evaluate pyroptosis related gene transcription levels, systematically explored the role of pyroptosis in pan-cancer. These results could provide potential research directions targeting pyroptosis, and highlighted that pyroptosis may be used to develop a novel strategy for the treatment of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] To determine the optimal reflux extraction process conditions for Compound Coptis Ointment. [Methods] The study employed the orthogonal experimental design method and drug-sensitive disc agar diffusion method to evaluate the extraction rate, berberine hydrochloride content, and bacteriostatic ring diameter of the extract as comprehensive indices, and optimized the extraction process conditions of Compound Coptis Ointment using ethanol reflux. [Results] Based on the results of comprehensive indices, the optimal reflux extraction conditions for Compound Coptis Ointment were determined to be soaking in 1.5 times the amount of 70% ethanol for 2 h, followed by two extractions with 6 times the amount of 70% ethanol for 1 h each time. Three verification tests were conducted under the optimal process conditions. The yield of the extract was 28.32% ±0. 53%, the content of berberine hydrochloride was 4. 68% ±0.45%, and the diameter of the bacteriostatic ring was (2.5 ±0.2) cm. [Conclusions] The extract had higher drug content and exhibited better antibacterial effects. The optimized extraction process is simple, stable, and reliable, and can be effectively used to optimize the extraction process of Compound Coptis Ointment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Delayed child skill development is a common phenomenon in low- and middle-income countries. Effective and low-cost strategies suitable for application to less-developed countries are needed. We summarize empirical findings from recent papers that study a replication of the Jamaica Reach Up and Learn home visiting program in China, China REACH, and compare child skill growth profiles in the China Reach Up and Jamaica interventions. METHODS: Different interventions often use different measures for assessing early childhood skill development. To estimate the growth of underlying skills across programs, we address the challenge that different programs use different assessments. We use a modified version of the Rasch model to anchor scores on common items to estimate skill development. RESULTS: Language skill growth curves are comparable for both interventions. This pattern is consistent for the treatment and control groups across the interventions. Skill growth curves are not statistically significantly different between China REACH and Jamaican interventions. We find evidence of the importance of early investment. CONCLUSIONS: The China REACH intervention significantly improves the development of multiple skills. At the same ages, treatment effect sizes and skill growth curves are comparable across the Jamaica and China REACH interventions, despite differences in scale and cultural settings. The scale of the program is much greater in China than in Jamaica, showing that the Jamaican curriculum can be effectively expanded to larger populations. Annual costs per child are roughly $500 (2015 US dollars). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to fibre-dominated behaviour, a response dominated by the matrix under shear loading can considerably limit the load-bearing capability and restrict the utilisation of composite materials. It is therefore practically significative to understand the shear response of composite materials. This paper presents a detailed experimental and numerical investigation on the fracture behaviour of composite laminates subjected to shear-dominated loading. Composite specimen with a lay-up of [(0/90)4/0]S are tested using the V-Notched Rail (VRS) shear test method. Subsequently, the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) investigation is also conducted on the fracture surfaces of the tested specimens to get insights into the damage mechanisms due to shear loading. In addition, a high-fidelity computational damage model is developed to predict the shear fracture behaviour of fibre-reinforced composites. Simulation results, including loading response, strain distribution and shear fracture, well correlated with experimental results, which demonstrates the predictive capability of the developed elastic-plastic damage model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Migration can be linked to the transmission of COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccine uptake and hesitancy among rural-to-urban migrant workers in China, the largest group of internal migrants in the world, has not been characterized. Objective: To investigate COVID-19 vaccine uptake and identify vaccine hesitancy-associated factors among rural-to-urban migrant workers in the first round of COVID-19 vaccination in China. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted, including 14,917 participants. Socio-demographics, COVID-19 vaccine uptake, vaccine hesitancy and its associated factors based on Vaccine Hesitancy Determinants Matrix (VHDM) were applied for the survey. Data were principally analyzed by logistic regression analysis. Results: The COVID-19 vaccine uptake and vaccine hesitancy rates were 7.1% and 57.7%, respectively. Vaccine hesitancy was strongly associated with VHDM, including individual factors (female, higher annual income and fewer medical knowledge), group factors (less family support, friend support and public opinion support), COVID-19 epidemic factors (lower fatality, infection and emotional distress) and vaccine factors (less vaccine necessity, vaccine safety, vaccine efficacy, vaccine importance and vaccine reliability). Conclusion: The VHDM model has the potential utility in efforts to reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Greater efforts should be put into addressing positive predictors associated with vaccine hesitancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgery is the only cure for many solid tumors, but positive resection margins, damage to vital nerves, vessels and organs during surgery, and the range and extent of lymph node dissection are significant concerns which hinder the development of surgery. The emergence of fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) means a farewell to the era when surgeons relied only on visual and tactile feedback, and it gives surgeons another eye to distinguish tumors from normal tissues for precise resection and helps to find a balance between complete tumor lesions removal and maximal organ function conservation. However, the existing synthetic fluorescence contrast agent has flaws in safety, specificity and biocompatibility to various extents. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a group of heterogeneous types of cell-derived membranous structures present in all biological fluids. EVs, especially engineered targeting EVs, play an increasingly important role in drug delivery because of their good biocompatibility, validated safety and targeting ability. Nevertheless, few studies have employed EVs loaded with fluorophores to construct fluorescence contrast agents and used them in FGS. Here, we systematically reviewed the current state of knowledge regarding FGS, fundamental characteristics of EVs, and the development of engineered targeting EVs, and put forward a novel strategy and procedures to produce EVs-based fluorescence contrast agent used in fluorescence-guided surgery. The definition, design, and application scheme of EVs-base fluorescence-guided surgery. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telomere length, a biomarker of human aging, is related to adverse health outcomes. Growing evidence indicates that oxidative stress and inflammation contributes to telomere shortening, whereas social support may protect from telomere shortening. Despite sex differences in telomere length and social support, little is known about whether there are sex differences in the relationship between oxidative stress/inflammation and telomere length, and sex-specific moderating roles of social support in older adults. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2002, this study assessed whether the associations between oxidative stress/inflammation and telomere length vary with sex and explored social support as a moderator in these associations among 2289 older adults. Oxidative stress was measured based on serum Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and inflammation was measured based on C-reactive protein (CRP). After adjusting for the covariates, GGT was significantly associated with telomere length in females only (β =  − 0.037, 95% CI =  − 0.070, − 0.005), while CRP was associated with telomere length in males only (β =  − 0.019, 95% CI =  − 0.035, − 0.002). Moreover, high social support mitigated the negative association between GGT and telomere length, which was more evident in females. Furthermore, social support moderated the association between CRP and telomere length in males aged 70 and above. Our findings indicated that biological mechanisms related to telomere length may vary with sex, while social support plays a sex-specific moderating role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effects of punctate skin grafting combined with or without irrigation on skin graft survival, redness and swelling score and pain in the treatment of large-area residual burn wounds. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 102 patients with large-area burns treated in Huangshi Central Hospital from May 2017 to May 2020. According to different treatment methods, they were divided into combination group (treated with punctate skin grafting combined with irrigation) and grafting group (mainly treated with punctate skin grafting). The positive rate of bacterial culture of wound secretions, pain score and redness and swelling score were analyzed and compared between the two groups. Additionally, linear logistic analysis of the influencing factors was carried out. Results: The positive rate of bacterial culture of wound secretions decreased to 29.4% in the combination group and 49.0% in the grafting group (p< 0.05). The skin graft survival rate of the combination group was (82.17 ± 7.44) %, which was higher than that of the grafting group (61.53 ± 7.46) %, the wound healing time was (14.56 ± 3.51) d, which was shorter than that of the grafting group (21.36 ± 4.69) d, and the pain score (3.26 ± 0.36) and redness and swelling score (1.16 ± 0.68) were lower than those of the grafting group (4.79± 0.46) and (2.56 ± 0.85), respectively (all p< 0.05). The wound healing time was positively correlated with pain score (r = 0.767, p< 0.05) and redness and swelling score (r = 0.672, p< 0.05), while negatively correlated with skin graft survival rate (r= -0.289, P<0.01), meeting linear equation y = -8.451 + 4.542a + 0.087b + 1.012c (a, pain score; b, skin graft survival rate; c, redness and swelling score). Conclusions: Punctate skin grafting combined with irrigation in the treatment of large-area residual burn wounds presents great effects on skin graft survival, redness and swelling score and pain, and is worthy of clinical application and promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work is to investigate the creep damage mechanism of granite from a nuclear power station. A series of multi-step loading and unloading cycles creep tests of granite were carried out under different confining pressures. For the creep test, the creep differential stresses (i.e., 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100% and even larger than 100% of σp) were applied according to the instantaneous peak deviatoric stress σp. To study the elastic-visco-plastic creep deformations of the granite specimens, the total strain was divided into instantaneous and creep strains, including the instantaneous elastic strain, plastic strain, visco-elastic strain, and visco-plastic strain. The results show that the short-term strength, crack damage threshold, and Young's modulus all increased with the increasing of confining pressure. Due to an existing critical stress, the creep strain stabilizes when the applied stress is less than the stress level. An exponential function is proposed, which can well describe the relationship between the visco-plastic strain and stress ratio. The long-term strength of the granite corresponds to the stress level at the stress ratio range from 0.86 to 0.95. Besides, the damage mechanism of the failed granite specimens is analyzed using an X-ray micro-CT scanning system. Finally, a time-dependent damage model is proposed to quantitatively characterize the creep damage and deformation behaviors of granite. Highlights: Investigate long-term creep mechanical behavior of granite under different confining pressure Explore the internal damage fracture behavior by X-ray micro-CT observation Propose a time-dependent damage model to describe the creep damage evolution of granite [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of cardiometabolic disease is increasing globally, with a trend toward younger age of onset. Among these, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Despite the efficacy of traditional lipid-lowering drugs, such as statins, in reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, a significant residual risk of cardiovascular events remains, which is closely related to unmet triglyceride (TG) targets. The clinical application of current TG-lowering Western medicines has certain limitations, necessitating alternative or complementary therapeutic strategies. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and plant-derived natural products, known for their safety owing to their natural origins and diverse biological activities, offer promising avenues for TG regulation with potentially fewer side effects. This review systematically summarises the mechanisms of TG metabolism and subsequently reviews the regulatory effects of TCM and plant-derived natural products on TG metabolism, including the inhibition of TG synthesis (via endogenous and exogenous pathways), promotion of TG catabolism, regulation of fatty acid absorption and transport, enhancement of lipophagy, modulation of the gut microbiota, and other mechanisms. In conclusion, through a comprehensive analysis of recent studies, this review consolidates the multifaceted regulatory roles of TCM and plant-derived natural products in TG metabolism and elucidates their potential as safer, multi-target therapeutic agents in managing hypertriglyceridemia and mitigating cardiovascular risk, thereby providing a basis for new drug development. • Hypertriglyceridemia is a residual risk factor for cardiovascular events. • TCM and plant-derived natural products can regulate overall triglyceride metabolism. • Current Research Focus on Endogenous Synthesis and Catabolism of Triglycerides. • Regulating lipophagy and gut microbiota are emerging focal points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exopolysaccharide produced by lactic acid bacteria has various functions. In the present study, one anti-oxidant polysaccharide fraction, namely S1-EPS, was extracted and purified from Pediococcus acidilactici S1, and its structure and its potential effect on the gel properties of fat substitute meat mince were investigated. The results showed that S1-EPS, one of homogeneous polysaccharides, was mainly composed of Gal, Glc, and Man in molar ratio of 7.61: 15.25: 77.13 and molecular weight of 46.975 kDa. The backbone of EPS-S1 contained →2,6)-α-D-Manp-(1→，→2)-α-D-Manp-(1→,→3)-α-D-Glcp-(1 → and a small amount of→6)-β-D-Manp-(1→. The linkages of branches in EPS-S1 were mainly composed of α-D-Man p -(1→ attached to a sugar residue →2,6)-α-D-Man p -(1→ O -2 or β-D-Gal p -(1→ attached to a sugar residue →2,6)-α-D-Man p -(1→ O -6. Furthermore, as S1-EPS increased, the meat minced gel pores decreased, and the surface became smooth. A remarkable inhibitory effect on the lipid oxidation of meat minced gel was found as S1-EPS concentration increased. Overall, S1-EPS was found to have substantial potential in low-fat meat products by serving as a natural, anti-oxidant, and functional additive. • The exopolysaccharides S1 presented better gel of fat substituted meat minced. • The exopolysaccharides S1 could prevent fat oxidation. • The exopolysaccharides S1 showed good water holding capacity for fat substituted meat mince. • The exopolysaccharides S1 could be set as a good probiotic stabilizer substitute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a test rig supported by active magnetic bearings (AMBs), this paper focuses on the study of the nonlinear dynamic characteristics and the factors affecting the operation of a rotor system under the coupling of magnetic bearing force and Alford force. In order to solve the nonlinear dynamic response of rotor system, a dynamic equation of the rotor which introduces Alford force and the electromagnetic force of the AMBs controlled by PID is established. By changing the control parameters (kP and kD), operation parameters (rotational speed), and structural parameters (clearance between impeller and volute), the equation is solved by using Runge--Kutta method. The results show that the rotor system exhibits complex nonlinear dynamic characteristics under the coupling action of Alford force and magnetic bearing force. The rotor system appears different dynamic behaviors such as single period, multi multi-period, and quasi quasi-period when changing the control parameters. Among all the control parameters, adjusting kD is more effective to ensure system stability. The amplitude of rotor increases from 8.2 µmto 11.9 µm with the increase of speed from 6000 rpm to 10,000 rpm, while that decreases from 9.6 µm to 8.2 µm with the increase of clearance between impeller and volute from 1mm to 4 mm. Therefore, under the influence of Alford force, apart from the control parameters, the operation parameters and structural parameters of magnetic bearings also affect the operation of the rotor system supported by the AMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanics behaviors, failure modes and acoustic emission characteristics of rectangular green sandstone specimens containing a single joint with various inclination degree under different confining pressure have been determined in this article. The samples were tested over a confining pressure range of 0 to 40 MPa, and the inclination of the joint was varied between 0° and 50°. The test results indicated that: Mohr–Coulomb criterion is fit to peak strength of intact samples and residual strength of jointed samples with 40°. But the peak strength of jointed sample with 40° increases nonlinearly with confining pressure, which can be fitted by Hoek–Brown criterion. And the confining pressure has a reduction effect on anisotropy for jointed rock. When the inclination angle was less than 40°, the joint has a small negative influence on the strength and deformation of the jointed sample, as the inclination angle increased from 40° to 50°, a drop decrease in peak strength and Young's modulus can be observed. The failure modes can be classified into T-mode, S-mode and SD-mode. Finally, the evolution laws of AE count for green sandstone specimens has been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The disorder of LINC01207 has a significant regulatory effect on cancers, nevertheless its role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been illustrated. This study investigated the regulatory effect of LINC01207 on NSCLC and clarify its molecular mechanism. METHODS: Bioinformatics analysis was used to find the target lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA. LncBase and TargetScan databases predicted the relationship between LINC01207, miR-525-5p and ARHGAP11A. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation assay were used to verify the binding relationship between genes. Fluorescence in situ hybridization assay was used to localize the expression of LINC01207 in NSCLC tissue. qRT-PCR and Western blot assays were used to measure the expression of LINC01207, miR-525-5p and ARHGAP11A. CCK-8 assay, Transwell assay and flow cytometry assay were used to detect NSCLC cell abilities. Mouse xenograft models further determined the effect of LINC01207 on the growth of NSCLC in vivo. RESULTS: LINC01207 was up-regulated in NSCLC tissue and cells, which was mainly localized in the cytoplasm. LINC01207 knockdown could inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of cancer cells and induce cell apoptosis. In addition, silencing LINC01207 could suppress tumor growth in vivo. LINC01207 could sponge and inhibit the expression of miR-525-5p in NSCLC cells, and inhibiting LINC01207 and miR-525-5p simultaneously could reverse the effect of miR-525-5p on the progression of NSCLC cells. Further study on downstream target genes showed that miR-525-5p could restrain the expression of ARHGAP11A, and then affect the progression of NSCLC. LINC01207 acting as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) could regulate the expression of ARHGAP11A by competitively binding with miR-525-5p. CONCLUSION: LINC01207 regulates the progression of NSCLC by regulating the miR-525-5p/ARHGAP11A axis as a ceRNA and plays a carcinogenic role. In conclusion, our study elucidates the mechanism of LINC01207 regulating the progression of NSCLC, and provides a new idea for the diagnosis and treatment of NSCLC guided by lncRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is the predominant pathological subtype of kidney cancer and is categorized as immunotherapy responsive. Hence, immunotherapy has become a worthwhile therapy for KIRC. Furthermore, tumor mutation burden (TMB) has been regarded as the most prevalent biomarker to predict immunotherapy response. Accordingly, we spent the effort to characterize the status and the predictive potential for immunotherapy response of gene mutations in KIRC. In this study, we identified common somatic mutations in KIRC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), and UTokyo cohorts in cBioportal database. BRCA1-related protein 1 (BAP1) was identified as the only common gene mutation related to TMB and overall survival. We finally explored whether mutation of BAP1 was related to immune response and immune infiltration. In brief, we identified and demonstrated that BAP1 mutations commonly occurred in KIRC patients, associated with lower TMB, and indicating a poorer prognosis. Furthermore, BAP1 mutation reversed its function as a tumor suppressor via influencing Mast cells' quantity. These findings cast light on the predictive value of BAP1 to evaluate immunotherapeutic sensitivity and presented a potential target for KIRC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective·To explore independent risk factors of rebleeding and construct a prediction model and risk scoring system of acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (ANVUGIB). Methods·A total of 686 patients with ANVUGIB admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019 were collected. The general conditions, clinical characteristics, laboratory results, endoscopic findings and prognosis were recorded. The Baylor score, Rockall score, Glasgow Blatchford Score (GBS), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Predictive Index (CSMCPI), AIMS65 and MAP (ASH) for each patient were calculated. The collected data were randomly divided into a training set (n=481) and a validation set (n=205). A new prediction model for rebleeding was established by binary Logistic regression based on the training set data. The discrimination and calibration of the training and validation set were evaluated respectively, and then the model was transformed into a risk scoring system. The comparisons between the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were based on the Delong test. Results·Binary Logistic regression analysis showed that low systolic blood pressure, low hemoglobin level, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade>3, and endoscopic findings of clots, visible vessels and active bleeding were independent risk factors for rebleeding. The area under the curve (AUC) of the prediction model was 0.892 (95% CI 0.838 - 0.946, P=0.001), Hosmer-Lemeshow test P=0.934. The validation set AUC=0.915 (95% CI 0.851 - 0.980, P=0.001), Hosmer- Lemeshow test P=0.871. The scoring system (AUC=0.882, 95% CI 0.823 - 0.942) was better at predicting rebleeding than all other scores mentioned except MAP (ASH) score (P<0.05). Conclusion·The scoring system could predict rebleeding after ANVUGIB, which could be an option in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region is an important economic center of China but has the problem of severe environmental pollution. Urbanization prompts the household energy consumption growth and then deteriorates the environmental conditions in this region. Based on panel data of the BTH region from 2000 to 2017, this research uses a dynamic threshold model with per capita disposable income as the threshold variable to investigate the non-linear impact of urbanization on household energy consumption. The empirical results show that: 1) In the process of urbanization, per capita resident disposable income has a significant threshold effect on household energy consumption, and their relationship presents an inverted U-shaped trend. 2) The change of household energy consumption habits can significantly improve the household energy consumption level. 3) Industrial structure adjustment, urban population density, and education level of residents have restraining effects on household energy consumption growth. 4) Technical advance and GDP per capita growth opposite effects. The empirical analysis also shows that the regional government can consider increasing the disposable income of the residents in Hebei Province to alleviate the imbalance in energy consumption. At the same time, efforts should be made to develop high-tech industries and high-end service industries, and adopt a more intensive urban planning development model to increase urban population density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low profile and dual-polarized fixed-frequency beam scanning leaky wave antenna for 5G communication is presented, which is based on a corrugated microstrip line (CML) called spoof surface plasmons transmission line. The antenna radiates horizontally polarized electromagnetic wave and vertically polarized electromagnetic wave using two different periodic antennas elements. The fabricated antenna is measured and the results show that the operating frequency of the antenna is 3.4-3.7 GHz. The measured main beam angle scans from -9° to -30°. The measured gain is from 8.3 dB to 9.7 dB over the working band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Prepared a water-stable PNCs probe by dual-supersaturated recrystallization method. • The as-prepared fluorescent CsPbBr 3 PNCs probe can be used for folic acid detection. • The selectivity of the method can be improved by tuning the FL emission of the PNCs. As an excellent fluorescent material, cesium lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) is rarely used for analytical purposes because the PNCs are unstable in polar solvents, especially water. Developing a new synthesis method to prepare water-stable PNCs makes it promising for the detection of analytes in aqueous solutions. Herein, by using the solubility difference of the precursors in different solvents, we successfully synthesized water-stable CsPbBr 3 PNCs by a dual-supersaturated recrystallization method at room temperature. We also found that the fluorescence of the as-prepared CsPbBr 3 PNCs could be quenched by some small organic molecules, such as folic acid (FA) and dopamine (DA). By using a chloride-induced anion exchange reaction method, the fluorescence emission peak of the CsPbBr 3 PNCs could be tuned from 518 to 418 nm and the emission color changed from green to blue. The blue emission chloride-exchanged PNCs have a good selectivity for only FA and a good linear relationship is established between the fluorescence quenching rate of the PNCs and concentration of FA from 10.0 to 140.0 μM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.9 μM. This work expanded the applications of PNCs in the field of analytical chemistry and also proposed a new strategy for improving selectivity by tuning the emission spectrum of a fluorescent probe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dinoflagellates, which are responsible for more than 80% of harmful algal blooms in coastal waters, are competitive in low-phosphate environments. However, the specific acclimated phosphorus strategies to adapt to phosphorus deficiency in dinoflagellates, particularly through intracellular phosphorus metabolism, remain largely unknown. Comprehensive physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic analyses were conducted to investigate intracellular phosphorus modulation in a model dinoflagellate, Prorocentrum shikokuense , with a specific focus on membrane lipid remodeling and autophagy in response to phosphorus deficiency. Under phosphorus deficiency, P. shikokuense exhibited a preference to spare phospholipids with nonphospholipids. The major phospholipid classes of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine decreased in content, whereas the betaine lipid class of diacylglyceryl carboxyhydroxymethylcholine increased in content. Furthermore, under phosphorus deficiency, P. shikokuense induced autophagy as a mechanism to conserve and recycle cellular phosphorus resources. The present study highlights the effective modulation of intracellular phosphorus in P. shikokuense through membrane phospholipid remodeling and autophagy and contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the acclimation strategies to low-phosphorus conditions in dinoflagellates. [Display omitted] • P. shikokuense effectively modulates cellular P resources under P deficiency. • P. shikokuense spares and recycles phospholipids under P deficiency. • PC and PE increase whereas DGCC decreases in content under P deficiency. • P. shikokuense triggers autophagy under P deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central nervous system (CNS) disorders represent the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide, and impose a substantial economic burden on society. In recent years, emerging evidence has found that beta2 -microglobulin (B2M), a subunit of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules, plays a crucial role in the development and progression in certain CNS diseases. On the one hand, intracellular B2M was abnormally upregulated in brain tumors and regulated tumor microenvironments and progression. On the other hand, soluble B2M was also elevated and involved in pathological stages in CNS diseases. Targeted B2M therapy has shown promising outcomes in specific CNS diseases. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary and discussion of recent advances in understanding the pathological processes involving B2M in CNS diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, aging, stroke, HIV-related dementia, glioma, and primary central nervous system lymphoma). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We intercompare highly constrained physical experiments with a three-dimensional bonded-particle discrete element model. The models incorporate a single inclined rough joint at various inclinations to simulate the mechanical response of fractured-rock from micro-scale cracking through crack-coalescence and culminating in macro-scale rupture. This approach combines the scanned 3D surface morphology of the real joints with a smooth-joint contact DEM model to overcome the problem of using a simplified geometry that cannot truly reflect the effects of joints on rock mass response. In both the physical samples and in the modeling, the inclination angle of the joint was varied between 0° and 50°, and the samples were tested under confining stresses in the range 0–40 MPa. The numerical test results indicate that: (1) confining stress has a significant strengthening effect on the jointed sandstone; (2) a threshold angle of ~ 40° of the inclined joint controls failure; (3) when the inclination angle is less than ~ 40°, failure is through the intact rock with some tensile fracturing around the joint and when greater than ~ 40° slip occurs on the joint with shear fracturing concentrated near the joint surface; (4) the 3D numerical approach replicates the deformation history and evolving texture of the jointed sample response with high fidelity, including the evolution of micro-scale features of progressive failure. The three-dimensional bonded-particle discrete element modeling represents a systematic verification of, and extension to, laboratory tests, presenting a viable model to emulate the mechanical behavior of jointed rocks with the potential to enhance the predictive capability of modeling while still maintaining reasonable computational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a multidirectional frequency splitter with band-stop plasmonic filters, in which a double-period grating structure is adopted to produce band-stop filtering features. The multidirectional frequency splitter consists of three specially designed metallic gratings with finite thickness. Better isolation between different metallic gratings is achieved at the lower frequencies. The experimental verification of the frequency splitter is implemented at the microwave frequencies with excellent agreements to full-wave simulations. A four-way THz frequency splitter excited by the cylindrical wire is also proposed and simulated to show how the design can be scaled down to the THz frequencies for the potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses pyroptosis, an inflammatory form of programmed cell death, has implicated in eliminating pathogenic infections. Topics include Tuberculosis, has caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has the leading cause of death by an infectious disease worldwide; and a vaccine based on an attenuated live strain of Mycobacterium bovis, termed bacille Calmette-Guérin.

Sn anode materials with high specific capacity are an appealing alternative to graphite for next-generation advanced lithium-ion batteries. However, poor electrochemical performance originating from fracture and pulverization due to the enormous volume changes during lithium alloying/dealloying hinders their commercial applications. Here, we propose the synthesis of a novel 3D structured Sn anode material by a facile method: heat treatment of nanosized SnO 2 spheres in a tube furnace with a flowing mixed atmosphere of C 2 H 2 /Ar at 400 °C. After the heat treatment, the nanosized SnO 2 spheres convert into pure Sn bulk material (~20 μm), which consists of Sn nanowires (~50 nm in diameter and several microns in length). This unique 3D structure with sufficient voids between the nanowires effectively mitigates the volume expansion of Sn bulk material and ensures good electrical contact between the anode material and conducting additives. As a consequence, the 3D structured Sn anode material exhibits a specific reversible capacity of ~600 mA h/g and no significant capacity degradation (compared with that of the 20th cycle) over 500 cycles at 0.2 C. Image 1 • 3D structured Sn anode material. • Sn bulk material consists of Sn nanowires. • Excellent cycling performance over 500 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a series of model tests performed to study the shaft capacity of pre-bored grouted planted nodular (PGPN) pile in dense sand. The influence of the vertical overburden pressure on the shaft capacity of the PGPN pile is also investigated based on the test results. The test piles were equipped with strain gauges to measure the axial loads during the loading process, moreover, a foam plate was buried beneath pile tip to eliminate the influence of tip resistance on the shaft capacity. Some conclusions can be drawn based on the test results: the peak skin friction of PGPN pile increases with the increase of vertical overburden pressure applied on the foundation soil, while the rate of increase decreases with the increasing overburden pressure; the surface of the pile–soil interface of PGPN pile is relatively rough, and significant dilatant increase in lateral stress occurs during the loading process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, iron/biochar composite materials have been developed and efficiently used for pollutant removal in environmental matrices due to their excellent capability of absorbing pollutants, optimized structures, and flexible application properties. In this review, we evaluated the application value and benefits of iron/biochar composites in soil, hydrology, climate, and energy. The key factors affecting the important iron/biochar composite properties for various applications were analyzed. Besides, the advantages and disadvantages of current iron/biochar composite characterization methods were also summarized. We found that iron/biochar composite materials have been efficiently used for soil remediation, water treatment, carbon sequestration, and long-term storage, as well as energy storage due to their better physicochemical, surface properties, and storage capacity when compared with biochar. The feedstock, pyrolysis temperature, C/Fe mass ratio, and preparation method were crucial to the properties of iron/biochar composite materials. The N 2 -BET, XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, EDS, FTIR, and NMR provide information including surface area, structure, functional groups, and chemical elements, which facilitate their beneficial production and potential utilization. [Display omitted] • Iron/biochar composites are widely applied in the environment and energy fields. • Factors influencing the properties of iron/biochar composites were investigated. • The characterization methods for iron/biochar composites are elucidated in detail. • Challenges and future prospects of iron/biochar composites are also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hull-engine-propeller matching is one of the key issues of ship design. It plays an important role in improving the economy and safety of ship navigation. The hull-engine-propeller matching is generally based on the Factory Acceptance Test of engine and the Sea Acceptance Test of ship. These conventional methods cost money and time. To overcome these defects, this paper proposes a simulation method based on the quasi-steady model of engine and CFD for ship hydrodynamics to study the interaction among the hull, engine and propeller, which provides the basis for ship-engine-propeller matching. Taking the PA6 diesel engine and the ONR tumblehome ship as the study objects, the quasi-steady model of engine is constructed by using simulation software and applied to carry out simulation under the operation conditions; the ship resistance test, propeller open-water test and self-propulsion test are simulated by using CFD method. Based on the simulation results, an integrated simulation platform is established for studying the hull-engine-propeller interaction. Further, the external characteristics of diesel engine under the effects of hull-engine-propeller interaction are predicted for the ship sailing straight ahead at different speeds. This paper provides a new method for studying the characteristics of hull-engine-propeller interaction. • The interaction among hull, engine and propeller during self-propulsion of a ship is numerically studied. • The PA6 diesel engine and the ONR tumblehome ship are taken as the study objects. • A simulation platform composed of quasi-steady model of engine and predicting model of ship power performance is built. • The numerical study on the hull-engine-propeller interaction is carried out on the simulation platform. • The external characteristics of diesel engine under the effects of hull-engine-propeller interaction are predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hull-engine-propeller matching is one of the key issues of ship design. It plays an important role in improving the economy and safety of ship navigation. The hull-engine-propeller matching is generally based on the Factory Acceptance Test of engine and the Sea Acceptance Test of ship. These conventional methods cost money and time. To overcome these defects, this paper proposes a simulation method based on the quasi-steady model of engine and CFD for ship hydrodynamics to study the interaction among the hull, engine and propeller, which provides the basis for ship-engine-propeller matching. Taking the PA6 diesel engine and the ONR tumblehome ship as the study objects, the quasi-steady model of engine is constructed by using simulation software and applied to carry out simulation under the operation conditions; the ship resistance test, propeller open-water test and self-propulsion test are simulated by using CFD method. Based on the simulation results, an integrated simulation platform is established for studying the hull-engine-propeller interaction. Further, the external characteristics of diesel engine under the effects of hull-engine-propeller interaction are predicted for the ship sailing straight ahead at different speeds. This paper provides a new method for studying the characteristics of hull-engine-propeller interaction. • The interaction among hull, engine and propeller during self-propulsion of a ship is numerically studied. • The PA6 diesel engine and the ONR tumblehome ship are taken as the study objects. • A simulation platform composed of quasi-steady model of engine and predicting model of ship power performance is built. • The numerical study on the hull-engine-propeller interaction is carried out on the simulation platform. • The external characteristics of diesel engine under the effects of hull-engine-propeller interaction are predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were to explore the prescription and medication rules of famous and old Chinese medicine practitioners in the treatment of hyperuricemia (HUA) and the targets and pathways of high-frequency medication in combination with network pharmacology, so as to provide ideas for clinical justification and prescription. We searched CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and CBM for literatures related to famous and old Chinese medicine practitioners and "hyperuricemia" and performed association rule analysis and cluster analysis with the help of SPSS Modeler18 and SPSS Statistics21. TCMSP was used to screen the active ingredients of HF medicines, GeneCards and OMIM databases were used to collect disease targets, and STRING and DAVID websites were used to analyze protein interactions (PPI) and GO and KEGG enrichment pathways. A total of 25 papers were included in the study including 58 prescriptions and involving 170 flavors of traditional Chinese medicine. The highfrequency drugs included Coix seed, Rhizona atractylodes macrocephala, Indian bread, Poria cocos, and Rhizoma dioscoreae tokoro. The core constituents were quercetin, naringenin, loksinoside, stigmasterol, and steroidal alcohol. The core targets were TNF, IL6, TP53, and IL-1. The efficacy of the drug is to diuretic and seepage of dampness, while the medicinal properties are cold and bitter, and most medicines are attributed to the liver meridian. The combination of drug pairs was the strongest with the association of Rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae-Poria cocos, Radix clematidis-Rhizoma dioscoreae tokoro, Indian Bread-Rhizoma dioscoreae tokoro, Indian bread-Coix seed, and Rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae-Astragalus. The results showed that treatment of HUA by famous Chinese medicine practitioners was based on diuresis and seepage of dampness, clearing heat, and removing toxins. Coix seed, Atractylodes macrocephala, and Poria cocos were the most commonly used in the treatment process. The core components were quercetin, naringenin, and luo xinwuoside, which agonized the lipid and atherosclerotic pathways, TNF signaling, and other pathways, and worked together to treat HUA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probabilistic load flow (PLF) is an important tool in power system planning and operation. One limitation of conventional PLF is that only the probability information of random variables is obtained as a reference for related analyses. Frequency and duration information often plays an important role in power system assessment. In this study, a frequency and duration method for PLF with correlated wind power sources and loads is proposed based on Latin hypercube sampling (LHS), Nataf transformation, and Markov chains. In the proposed method, the spatial and temporal correlations among wind power sources and loads are addressed using Nataf transformation and Markov chains, which are incorporated into the LHS framework to solve the PLF problem with frequency and duration quantities. With the proposed method, not only the probability information but also the frequency and duration information of the random output variables in a PLF problem can be efficiently and accurately obtained. The performance of the proposed PLF method is verified using comparative tests on three modified test systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using magnetic levitation technology to implement a reference signal can avoid fluid mechanical surge and better control the movement of motorized spindle-mounted cutting tools. Magnetic levitation has the advantages of no friction, no mechanical wear, and high efficiency. In this paper, the performance of axial trajectory tracking control of active magnetic bearings with a classical proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller is studied. First, the principles of trajectory tracking with an active magnetic bearing system are expounded, and the mechatronics models of such a system are established. Then, a PID controller is designed and trajectory tracking performance using different reference signals is verified by simulation and experiment. The results show that PID-based control of magnetic bearings can meet the requirements of tracking position control. In the experiments, the tracking errors were all within 18 µm in the rotating state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the ecological significance of microorganisms in algal blooming events, it is critical to understand the mechanisms regarding their distribution under different conditions. We tested the hypothesis that microbial community succession is strongly associated to algal bloom stages, and that the assembly mechanisms are co-controlled by deterministic and stochastic processes. Community structures and underlying ecological processes of microbial populations (attached and free-living bacteria) at three algal bloom stages (pre-, during-, and post-bloom) over a complete dinoflagellate Scrippsiella trochoidea bloom were investigated. Both attached and free-living taxa had a strong response to the bloom event, and the latter was more sensitive than the former. The contribution of environmental parameters to microbial variability was 40.2%. Interaction analysis showed that complex positive or negative correlation networks exist in phycosphere microbes. These relationships were the potential drivers of mutualist and competitive interactions that impacted bacterial succession. Null model analysis showed that the attached bacterial community primarily exhibited deterministic processes at pre- and during-bloom stages, while dispersal-related processes contributed to a greater extent at the post-bloom stage. In the free- living bacterial community, homogeneous selection and dispersal limitation dominated in the initial phase, which gave way to more deterministic processes at the two later stages. Relative contribution analyses further demonstrated that the community turnover of attached bacteria was mainly driven by environmental selection, while stochastic factors had partial effects on the assembly of free-living bacteria. Taken together, this data demonstrated that a robust link exists between bacterioplankton community structure and bloom progression, and phycosphere microbial succession trajectories are co-governed by both deterministic and random processes. IMPORTANCE Disentangling the mechanisms shaping bacterioplankton communities during a marine ecological event is a core concern for ecologists. Harmful algal bloom (HAB) is a typical ecological disaster, and its formation is significantly influenced by algae-bacteria interactions. Microbial community shifts during the HAB process are relatively well known. However, the assembly processes of microbial communities in a HAB are not fully understood, especially the relative influences of deterministic and stochastic processes. We therefore analyzed the relative contributions of deterministic and stochastic processes during a HAB event. Both free-living and attached bacterial groups had a dramatic response to the HAB, and the relative importance of determinism versus stochasticity varied between the two bacterial groups at various bloom stages. Environmental factors and biotic interactions were the main drivers impacting on the microbial shift process. Our results strengthen the understanding of the ecological mechanisms controlling microbial community patterns during the HAB process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the prevalence of synchronization analysis on complex dynamical networks, little attention was paid to the problem of estimating their regions of attraction. This paper addresses the issue of estimating the region of attraction of an equilibrium point of a complex dynamical network, and briefly analyzes the network stability. A sufficient condition and a necessary condition are first established for the asymptotical stability of the network equilibrium point. Then, a general technique for region-of-attraction estimation is developed by combining the network structure and the node dynamics. In order to avoid the troublesome parameter selection in general region-of-attraction estimation, second-order estimation is solved under a mild additional condition. Examples are provided to verify the theoretical estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiologic studies showed that low birth weight is associated with high cholesterol and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. This study aimed to elucidate the intrauterine programming mechanisms of adult hypercholesterolemia. The results showed that prenatal nicotine exposure (PNE) caused intrauterine growth retardation and hypercholesterolemia in male adult offspring rats. Hepatic cholesterol synthesis and output were deceased in utero but increased in adults; hepatic reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) persistently deceased before and after birth. Meanwhile, PNE elevated serum corticosterone level and decreased hepatic IGF1 pathway activity in male fetuses, whereas converse changes were observed in male adults. The chronic stress model and cortisol-treated HepG2 cells verified that excessive glucocorticoid (GC)-induced GC-IGF1 axis programming enhanced hepatic cholesterol synthesis and output. In addition, PNE decreased the expression of specific protein 1 and P300 enrichment and H3K27 acetylation at the promoter region of genes responsible for RCT both in fetal and adult, male livers and reduced expression of those genes, similar alterations were also confirmed in cortisol-treated HepG2 cells, suggesting that excessive GC-related programming induced continuous RCT reduction by epigenetic modification. Taken together, the "2-programming" approach discussed above may ultimately contribute to the development of hypercholesterolemia in male adult offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the important components in the rotating machinery, the condition of rolling element bearing has a great impact on the system performance. Therefore, the fault detection for the rolling element bearing is important and many methods have been proposed. Following our previous work on the outer race defect diagnosis, in this paper, the active magnetic bearing (AMB) is employed as an exciter to apply electromagnetic force to detect the inner race defects. The theoretical model of a nonlinear bearing-pedestal system model with the inner race defect under the electromagnetic force is developed and investigated. The simulation and experimental results show that the characteristic signal of inner race defect is amplified under the electromagnetic force through the AMBs, which is helpful for improving the diagnosis accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of oblique detonation waves and the thermodynamic efficiency of the oblique detonation wave cycles are studied systematically. The stability of oblique detonation waves is investigated with two-dimensional simulations based on the open-source program AMROC (from "Adaptive Mesh Refinement in Object-Oriented C++"). The results show that the oblique detonation waves with a smooth transition are more resistant to upstream disturbances, requiring less time than the abrupt ones to recover their stable state. Subsequently, a theoretical analysis based on the ideal thermodynamic cycle is carried out to investigate the thermodynamic efficiency of the oblique detonation cycles under different inflow conditions. The efficiency loss is introduced to measure the difference in thermodynamic efficiency between the oblique detonation waves and Chapman-Jouguet detonations. In addition, the influence of initial compression, inflow velocity, equivalence ratio, and wedge angle on the efficiency loss are studied. Finally, the optimum working condition is analyzed based on the stability of oblique detonation waves and the thermodynamic efficiency of oblique detonation wave cycles, indicating that the oblique detonation waves in an oblique detonation wave engine should be maintained in the shift area between the abrupt and the smooth transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously showed that glucose potentiated kanamycin to kill multidrug-resistant Edwardsiella piscicida through activation of the TCA cycle. However, whether other regulatory mechanism is involved requires further investigation. By quantitative proteomics technology, iTRAQ, we systematically mapped the altered proteins in the presence of glucose and identified 94 differentially expressed proteins. The analysis of the altered proteins by pathways, amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism were enriched. And the most significantly altered eight amino acids tyrosine, phenylalanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, glycine, serine and threonine were investigated for their potentiation of kanamycin to kill EIB202, where glycine, serine and threonine showed the strongest efficacy than the others. The combinations of glycine and serine or glucose with glycine, serine or threonine had the best effects. Moreover, pyruvate dehydrogenase, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase activities were increased as well as the proton motive force (PMF) and intracellular kanamycin. Finally, inhibitors that disrupt PMF production abolished the potentiation. These results shed light on the mechanism of how glucose promoting the amino acids biosynthesis and metabolism to potentiate kanamycin to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria. More importantly, our results suggested that adjusting amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism might be a strategy to become phenotypic resistance to antibiotics in bacteria. Significance Tackling antibiotic resistance is an emerging issue in current years. Despite the efforts made toward developing new antibiotics, the progress is still lagged behind expectation. Novel strategies are required. The use of metabolite to revert antibiotic resistant is highly appreciated in recent years due to the less toxicity, more economic and high efficacy. As a continued study of our previous report on glucose potentiating kanamycin to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The current study further expands the previous discovery on the mechanism of how glucose potentiate this effect. This result provides more basis on the action of glucose in reverting antibiotic resistance. And more importantly, we may derive more metabolites other than glucose to manage antibiotic resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethanol is an efficient disinfectant, but long-term and wide usage of ethanol leads to microbial tolerance. Bacteria with the tolerance are widely identified. However, mechanisms of the tolerance are not elucidated. To explore the mechanisms of outer membrane (OM) proteins underlying ethanol tolerance in bacteria, functional proteomic methodologies were utilized to characterize OM proteins of E. coli suddenly exposed to 3.125% ethanol. Of eleven proteins altered significantly, seven were OM proteins, in which LamB, FadL and OmpC were up-regulated, and OmpT, OmpF, Tsx and OmpA were down-regulated. The alterations were validated using Western blot. Then, functional characterization of the altered abundance of OM proteins was investigated in gene-deleted and gene-complemented mutants cultured in 1.56–6.25% ethanol. Higher inhibiting rate was detected in Δ ompC than Δ lamB and Δ ompA , but no difference was found between Δ tsx , Δ ompF , Δ fadL or Δ ompT and control. Furthermore, EnvZ/OmpR two-component signal transduction system, which regulates OmpC and OmpF expression, was determined to participate in the tolerance. Finally, our results show that absence of envZ , ompR or ompC and ompA led to elevated and reduced intracellular ethanol, respectively. These findings indicate EnvZ-dependent phosphotransfer signaling pathway of the OmpR-mediated expression of OmpC plays a crucial role in ethanol tolerance. Biological significance Ethanol tolerance is an adaptation strategy of bacteria. In the present study, we used the proteomic approaches involving 2-DE and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) to determined outer membrane (OM) protein changes in E. coli K-12 after 2 h of 1/2 MIC of ethanol exposure. Under ethanol stress, seven differential OM proteins were found, which were validated by Western blot. Functions of these seven OM proteins were compared using their genetically modified strains. Furthermore, the role of EnvZ/OmpR two-component signal transduction system was identified in ethanol tolerance of E. coli . Finally, Loss of ompC , envZ or ompR increases intracellular ethanol, while absence of ompA reduces reversal effect. This is the first report of OM proteomics in E. coli exposed to ethanol. Our findings reveal an unknown OmpC-dependent mechanism of ethanol tolerance in a manner of EnvZ/OmpR regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural phenolic compounds have been drawn a wide attention to replace the synthesis antioxidants due to the food safety issues, while, natural phenolic compounds are usually polyhydroxy derivatives which exhibit hydrophilic capacity, limiting their applications directly in lipid systems. In this work, olive leaf phenolics (OLP) are extracted by ultrasound from five cultivars and the optimal cultivar is chosen to prepare W/O nano‐emulsions of Sacha Inchi oil (SIO, containing more than 90% polyunsaturated fatty acids). The droplet size could reach 2.15 ± 0.13 nm and remaines stable without phase separation during 30‐day storage. Oxidative stabilities of SIO containing 0.02%, 0.05%, and 0.1% OLP (w/w) are evaluated by Rancimat test and accelerated storage test. The release of OLP by preparation of W/O nano‐emulsions is capable of controlling the oxidative progress of SIO, by prolonging the induction time, preventing the production of primary and secondary oxidative products and also the deterioration of polyunsaturated fatty acids and tocopherols. Practical Applications: Sacha Inchi oil (SIO) contains approximately 90% of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) associated with poor oxidative stability. Olive leaf phenolics (OLP) are considered as a great and cheap source of natural phenolic compounds. This study aimes to select the optimum source of OLP from five cultivars and to prepare a W/O nano‐emulsion of OLP. By diluting the W/O nano‐emulsion of OLP into SIO, effect of different concentrations OLP on the oxidative stability of SIO is evaluated through thermal oxidative stability and storage oxidative stability in an accelerated storage test. Results indicate that the capacity of OLP to retard the SIO oxidation depends on the incorporated concentration, which means that it is doable to adopt OLP, an abundant and cheap material, to improve the stability of edible oil with high PUFAs in the industry. Olive leaf phenolics are extracted and detected to prepare an efficient and stable W/O nano‐emulsion; By diluting W/O nano‐emulsion into Sacha Inchi oil, oxidative stability of the high content PUFAs oil is improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since current literature does not explain how children aged 3-6 reacted when the walking direction was reversed or what its mechanism is, the aim of this study was to understand the mechanism of their 'Neuro-musculo-skeletal' systems in the process of direction changes, as well as its coordination features. The kinematics of forward walking (FW) and backward walking (BW) of 96 subjects were measured by the Coda motion system and their Euler angles in lower limb joints were first collected. According to the coordination algorithm, the phase angle (PA) in the knee and ankle and the continuous relative phase angle (CRP) between the two joints were calculated; further the mean, standard deviation (SD) and range of data for variables of PA and CRP were contrasted between FW and BW. All the statistical models were executed under SPSS with a significance level of 0.05 and a confidence interval of 95%. The results show that children in BW first had an unstable velocity in their ankles; further, PA in both their ankles and knees were distributed in a limited range. Meanwhile the key gait events were not obtained in BW in all age groups. A similar CRP was seen between FW and BW, but a significant difference existed between the two types of gait. The majority of the mean and range of PA and CRP were recorded with significant distinctions between FW and BW in each age group. Finally, significant gender differences existed in all variables of BW in each age group. Overall, although achieving the BW was easy for preschool toddlers (aged 3-6), but their coordination in lower-limb were still in developing and further fine tuning; moreover, their clues in backwarding also tell the detail of development in the 'Neuro-musculo-skeletal' system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Branch length and density have critical effects on membrane performances; however, it is regarded to be traditionally difficult to investigate the relationship due to the uncontrolled membrane modification methods. In this study, zwitterionic polymer with controlled grafting branch chain length (degree of polymerization) and grafting density (grafting chains per membrane area) was tethered to the microporous polypropylene membrane surface based on the combination of reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization technique with click reaction. The modified membranes were tested by filtrating protein dispersion to highlight the correlations of branch chain length and grafting density with the membrane permeation performances. The pure water flux, the flux recovery ratio are positively and significantly, and the irreversible fouling negatively and significantly correlated with grafting density. These results demonstrate that the larger the coverage of the membrane with poly{[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]-dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide} (PMEDSAH), the higher the pure water flux and the higher the flux recover ratio, and the lower the irreversible fouling, which shows that high grafting density is favorable to fouling reducing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the effects of TLR3 and TLR9 signaling pathway on brain injury during CPB in rats pretreated with sevoflurane and its possible molecular mechanism. Methods. SD rats were randomly assigned to sham group, CPB group, and Sev group. Brain tissue was obtained at before CPB (T0), at CPB for 30 minutes (T1), 1 hour after CPB (T3), and 3 hours after CPB (T5). ELISA was used to measure S100-β and IL-6. Western blot was utilized to determine TLR3 and TLR9 expression. TUNEL was applied to detect neuronal apoptosis. Results. Compared with CPB group, at T1, at termination after 1 hour of CPB (T2), T3, 2 hours after CPB (T4) and T5, S100-β and IL-6 decreased in Sev group. Compared with CPB group, IFN-β were increased in Sev group, except T0. Compared with CPB group, TLR3 expression increased, and TLR9 and NF-κB decreased in Sev group. The apoptotic neurons were less in Sev group than in CPB group (P<0.05). Conclusion. Sevoflurane intervention can activate TLR3 and TLR9 signaling pathway, upregulate TLR3 expression and downstream TRIF expression, decrease TLR9 expression, and downregulate downstream NF-κB expression in CPB rat models, thereby mitigating brain injury induced by inflammatory response during CPB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of InN films were grown on GaN-on-sapphire template with H2 pulse flow by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. The scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy observations demonstrate that the smooth surface has been achieved. The X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra measurements indicate that InN layers experience stronger accommodated compressive stress, resulting in a larger fraction of (002) oriented InN grains. On the basics of the first-principles calculations, these features can be understand as competition between N-penetrating effect with the assistance of the H atom and the etching effect of H2. Finally, the absorption spectra in conjunction with simulated results reveal that the band gap energy predominantly increase with increasing compressive strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]