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Urban night tourism is a new form o£ urban tourism development and an important driving force for the prosperity of urban night economy. As the most prestigious business card among many night tour projects in Guangzhou, the Pearl River water night tour has contributed to the development of Guangzhou's night economy, which cannot be underestimated. However, in the process of rapid development, there are also problems such as diversified operators, insufficient integration of intangible cultural elements, excessive commercial attributes, issues of tourism facilities and service facilities. Under the new stage of integrated development of culture and tourism, how to use mutual promotion of culture and tourism in the Pearl River night tour to seek innovative paths for high-quality development in the future is the main problem expected to be solved in this paper. Therefore, based on the perspective of culture and tourism integration, this paper analyzes the general situation and development status of the Pearl River night tour, and proposes five development strategies; the overall planning of culture and tourism integration, the deep integration of intangible cultural elements, the balance of commercial attributes and tourism attributes, the high integration of culture, business, tourism and education, and the creation of tourism atmosphere, in order to provide inspiration for the healthy, orderly and high-quality development of the Pearl River night tour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigating the digital divide is essential for the sustainable development of education. To provide distance access which ensures equality in education for both urban and rural students, online learning has been emphasized in the post COVID-19 period. However, some challenges to total online learning have been described, such as isolation and the lack of in-time interaction due to the separation between teachers and students. The mobile augmented reality (AR) learning approach has the potential to combine real-world and online objects to promote interaction in total online learning. However, researchers have found that teachers and students might feel frustrated while handling too much information to deal with complex tasks in AR learning without appropriate scaffolding, which might reinforce the digital divide. Therefore, there is a need to propose a dual scaffolding-embedded AR learning approach to mitigate the urban-rural digital divide rather than a single form of scaffolding for either teachers or students. A quasi-experiment was conducted by recruiting 173 sixth-grade students from four classes of urban and rural schools in southern China. The longitudinal results showed that the proposed approach effectively improved both urban and rural students' learning achievement, higher-order cognition, and self-efficacy. The comparison of the students' learning outcomes indicated that it was helpful to mitigate the digital divide between rural and urban students through the proposed approach. These findings provide insights for school administrators to provide relational and suitable scaffolding-embedded mobile AR learning to support total online education for mitigating the urban and rural digital divide in the post COVID-19 period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: No well-performing nomogram has been developed specifically to predict individual-patient cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) among patients with resectable colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) who undergo simultaneous resection of primary and hepatic lesions without neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). We aim to investigate the prognosis of patients with resectable CRLM undergoing simultaneous resection of primary and hepatic lesions without NAC. Methods: Data of patients with CRLM in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program (cohort, = 225) were collected as the training set, and data of patients with CRLM treated at the National Cancer Center (cohort, = 180) were collected as the validation set. The prognostic value of the clinicopathological parameters in the training cohort was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves and univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models, and OS and CSS nomograms integrated with the prognostic variables were constructed. Calibration analyses, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and decision curve analyses (DCAs) were then performed to evaluate the performance of the nomograms. Results: There was no collinearity among the collected variables. Three factors were associated with OS and CSS: the pretreatment carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) concentration, pathologic N (pN) stage, and adjuvant chemotherapy (each < 0.05). OS and CSS nomograms were constructed using these three parameters. The calibration plots revealed favorable agreement between the predicted and observed outcomes. The areas under the ROC curves were approximately 0.7. The DCA plots revealed that both nomograms had satisfactory clinical benefits. The ROC curves and DCAs also confirmed that the nomogram surpassed the tumor, node, and metastasis staging system. Conclusion: The herein-described nomograms containing the pretreatment CEA concentration, pN stage, and adjuvant chemotherapy may be effective models for predicting postoperative survival in patients with CRLM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Left‐behind children have become a particular concern in mainland China, and unintentional injury among these children has attracted increasing attention. This review aims to present the prevalence of unintentional injury among left‐behind children and subgroups in mainland China. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using four Chinese and two English databases. The included publications were cross‐sectional studies in mainland China, of which the population was recruited according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Information was collected using self‐administered questionnaires. The risk of bias was estimated using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology, and pooled prevalence was estimated through the DerSimonian‐Laird proportion method. Results: This review included 34 cross‐sectional studies consisting 58,348 left‐behind children in mainland China. Results showed that the pooled prevalence of unintentional injury was 38.24% (95% confidence interval (CI): 28.40–48.08) among left‐behind children. The prevalence was higher among left‐behind children (38.76%) than among non‐left‐behind children (27.94%), with an odds ratio of 1.65 (95% CI: 1.47–1.85). Furthermore, the prevalence of injury was higher among boys (39.12%) than among girls (28.61%), with an odds ratio of 1.58 (95% CI: 1.41–1.77). Falls had the highest prevalence of 20.79% among the types of unintentional injury. Furthermore, home was the occurrence location with the highest prevalence (16.20%). No significant difference in injury prevalence was observed among left‐behind children without accompanying parents and those with single parent accompanying them. Conclusions: This review showed a relatively high injury prevalence among left‐behind children in mainland China. Boys had a higher prevalence than girls. Falls had the highest prevalence, and home was the most common occurrence location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skilled forelimb movements are initiated by feedforward motor commands conveyed by supraspinal motor pathways. The accuracy of reaching and grasping relies on internal feedback pathways that update ongoing motor commands. In mice lacking the axon guidance molecule EphA4, axonal misrouting of the corticospinal tract and spinal interneurons is manifested, leading to a hopping gait in hindlimbs. Moreover, mice with a conditional forebrain deletion of EphA4, display forelimb hopping in adaptive locomotion and exploratory reaching movements. However, it remains unclear how loss of EphA4 signaling disrupts function of forelimb motor circuit and skilled reaching and grasping movements. Here we investigated how neural circuits controlling skilled reaching were affected by the loss of EphA4. Both male and female C57BL/6 wild-type, heterozygous EphA4+/-, and homozygous EphA4-/- mice were used in behavioral and in vivo electrophysiological investigations. We found that EphA4 knock-out (-/-) mice displayed impaired goal-directed reaching movements. In vivo intracellular recordings from forelimb motor neurons demonstrated increased corticoreticulospinal excitation, decreased direct reticulospinal excitation, and reduced direct propriospinal excitation in EphA4 knock-out mice. Cerebellar surface recordings showed a functional perturbation of the lateral reticular nucleus-cerebellum internal feedback pathway in EphA4 knock-out mice. Together, our findings provide in vivo evidence at the circuit level that loss of EphA4 disrupts the function of both feedforward and feedback motor pathways, resulting in deficits in skilled reaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crack behaviors of yttrium-stabilized zirconia during laser drilling in air, vacuum, and water environments were investigated. Due to the high stress and low fracture toughness induced by tetragonal-monoclinic phase transformation, tremendous cracks occur during drilling in air. Contrastly, cracks were reduced in vacuum drilling since the phase transformation was suppressed due to the generation of oxygen vacancies. By protection of water, no cracks were observed due to low stress and maintained fracture toughness. The crack mechanisms in different drilling media were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Moss coverage reduced runoff rate, and this effect gradually decreased as rock fragment coverage increased. • Moss coverage significantly slowed flow velocity, but rock fragment coverage increased flow velocity. • Moss coverage had a better sediment reduction performance than rock fragment cover. • The increasing of roughness was always stronger on bare slopes than the moss-covered slopes after rainfall events. Moss and rock coverage play important roles in the soil erosion processes of karst mountainous lands. We conducted simulated rainfall experiments to investigate the combined effects of moss colonization and rock fragment coverage (RC) on the sediment losses, flow hydraulics and surface microtopography of karst carbonate-derived laterite. Soil slopes with moss colonization and different rock fragment coverages (0, 30 % and 60 %) were subjected to simulated rainfall with intensities of 100 mm h−1 in 50 cm × 30 cm × 15 cm flumes. Two sequential soil erosion events, E1 and E2 , were induced with two rainstorm events; E2 was induced 24 h after E1. The results showed that the mean runoff rates (M R) of moss-covered slopes with 0 and 30 % RC were significantly lower than those of bare slopes (by 27.78 % and 24.06 %, respectively), and this effect gradually decreased as RC increased. Moss coverage also significantly decreased the mean flow velocity, and RC without moss coverage increased the flow velocities during rainfall. Moss-covered slopes showed significant decreases in mean sediment loss (M SL) (by 64.87 %, 78.89 % and 87.03 % for the 0, 30 % and 60 % RC in the E1 + E2 conditions, respectively) relative to bare slopes, and RC increases also decreased M SL. In addition, moss colonization significantly increased the initial slope roughness in both the horizontal (cl) and vertical (RR) directions. With moss coverage, slope roughness was less affected by slope erosion events due to protective effects. These results provide reference data for researching the mechanisms of moss and rock coverage for controlling and preventing karst slope erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Recent genome-wide association studies have identified a significant relationship between the NT5C2 variant rs11191580 and schizophrenia (SCZ) in European populations. This study aimed to validate the association of rs11191580 polymorphism with SCZ risk in a South Chinese Han population. The relationship of this polymorphism with the severity of SCZ clinical symptoms was also explored. Methods: A case-control study was performed in 462 patients with SCZ and 598 healthy controls. rs11191580 was genotyped by the Sequenom MassARRAY iPLEX platform. A total of 459 SCZ patients completed the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) evaluation. Data were analyzed by PLINK software. Results: We confirmed an association of the rs11191580 polymorphism with SCZ risk in South Chinese Han under a dominant genetic model (ORadj = 0.769; 95%CIadj = 0.600-0.984; padj = 0.037). PANSS scores showed a significant association between variant rs11191580 and total score (padj= 0.032), lack of response scale score (padj = 0.022) and negative scale score (additive: padj= 0.004; dominant: padj = 0.016; recessive: padj = 0.021) after data were adjusted for age and sex. Conclusion: NT5C2 variant rs11191580 conferred susceptibility to SCZ and affected the clinical symptoms of SCZ in a South Chinese Han population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the association of two polymorphisms (rs2844337 and rs11237200) in the P21 protein (cell division control protein 42/Rac)-activated kinase 1 gene with susceptibility to schizophrenia (SCZ) in Chinese Zhuang and Chinese Han populations. A total of 700 patients with SCZ and 700 healthy controls were recruited. Rs2844337 and rs11237200 polymorphisms were genotyped using Sequenom technology. A total of 591 patients completed the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) assessment. Data were statistically analyzed using PLINK version 1.07 and SPSS version 17.0. In the Chinese Han population, the genotypic (P=0.038) and allelic (P=0.033) frequencies of the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) genetic variation of rs2844337 in patients were significantly decreased compared to that in controls; these frequencies were significantly associated with SCZ susceptibility in the additive model (Padj=0.032) and in the recessive model (Padj=0.031). Moreover, the TG haplotype constructed by rs2844337 and rs11237200 polymorphisms remained significantly associated with SCZ risk following adjustment for gender and age and applying a Bonferroni correction in the Chinese Han population (Padj=0.003, PBC=0.009). The adjacent 5'-UTR genetic variation of rs11237200 was significantly associated with the total score (Padj=0.006), positive scale score (Padj=0.014) and general psychopathology scale scores (Padj=0.009) in the recessive model of the Chinese Han population. However, these polymorphisms were not significantly associated with SCZ susceptibility or the PANSS scores in the Chinese Zhuang population. In conclusion, variations in the PAK1 gene influenced the susceptibility and severity of the clinical symptoms of SCZ in the Chinese Han population investigated in the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microRNA (miR)-200 family has been found to be involved in the process of mesenchymal-epithelial transition during renal development. Deregulation of miR-200c has been suggested to be involved in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). However, the precise role of miR-200c in the regulation of ccRCC metastasis has not been previously reported. In the present study, it was observed that miR-200c was frequently downregulated in ccRCC tissue compared with matched adjacent normal tissue. The expression of miR-200c was additionally reduced in ccRCC cell lines when compared with levels in normal renal cells. The DNA demethylation drug 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (Aza) was used to treat several ccRCC cell lines, and it was observed that the expression of miR-200c was significantly increased following Aza treatment. Furthermore, treatment with Aza markedly inhibited ccRCC cell invasion and migration, while treatment with miR-200c inhibitor significantly enhanced invasion and migration of ccRCC cells. In addition, Aza treatment significantly promoted expression of E-cadherin and inhibited the expression of N-cadherin, while the inhibition of miR-200c downregulated E-cadherin and upregulated the expression of N-cadherin, suggesting that miR-200c has a suppressive role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of ccRCC cells. In conclusion, it was suggested that demethylation drug Aza-induced upregulation of miR-200c may inhibit migration, invasion and EMT in ccRCC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solubility isotherms of the ternary Ca(NO3)2-LiNO3-H2O system were elaborately determined at T = (273.15, 298.15, and 323.15 K) by an isothermal equilibrium method, and the results showed that there are two stable solubility branches for the solid phases Ca(NO3)2·4H2O and LiNO3·3H2O at 273.15 K, and four stable solubility isotherms for the solid phases Ca(NO3)2·4H2O, Ca(NO3)2·3H2O, LiNO3·3H2O, and LiNO3 at 298.15 K, and solubility data corresponding to solid phases Ca(NO3)2·3H2O, Ca(NO3)2·2H2O, and LiNO3 at 323.15 K. The experimental data were correlated by a modified Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) model to obtain the complete phase diagram of the ternary system over the temperature range from 273 to 373 K. On the basis of the simulated polytherms, an eutectic point Ca(NO3)2·4H2O + LiNO3·3H2O was recognized, and the melting temperature and fusion heat are 290.5 K and 139.8 J·g-1, respectively, measured by differential scanning calorimetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRs) have been demonstrated to be associated with the development, progression and prognosis of gastric cancer. However, the exact role of miR-27b in the regulation of gastric cancer cells and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the current study, it was demonstrated that miR-27b was significantly upregulated in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines, compared with their matched normal adjacent tissues and normal gastric epithelial cells, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay data indicated that sprouty2 (SPRY2) is a direct target of miR-27b, and miR-27b binds to the 3'-untranslated region of SPRY2 mRNA. Overexpression of miR-27b led to a significant reduction in the protein expression of SPRY2, while knockdown of miR-27b enhanced the SPRY2 protein expression in gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, knockdown of miR-27b promoted migration and invasion in gastric cancer cells, exhibiting similar effects to those of SPRY2 overexpression on the migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Investigation of the molecular mechanisms identified that the activity of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) signaling was mediated by miR-27b and SPRY2 in gastric cancer cells. In addition, it was observed that SPRY2 was frequently downregulated in gastric cancer tissues compared with their matched normal adjacent tissues. In summary, it was suggested that miR-27b promotes the migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells via inhibition of SPRY2-mediated ERK signaling. Therefore, miR-27b/SPRY2 may be used as a potential target for the treatment of gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to examine the expression of Silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1) in colorectal cancer and peritumoral normal mucosa tissue, and therefore analyze the role and molecular mechanism of Sirt1 in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer tissue specimens were employed as the experimental group, and adjacent normal mucosa tissues >5 cm from tumor lesions were used as the control group. The expression of Sirt1 was detected by the immunohistochemical streptavidin peroxidase detection method in paraffin-embedded sections, whilst Sirt1 protein expression was examined by western blot analysis in the fresh tissues. Sirt1 protein was primarily expressed in the nuclei of the tumor cells, and positive staining was brownish-yellow in color. The relative expression quantities of Sirt1 in the peritumoral normal rectal mucosa and rectal carcinoma were 1.15 and 2.62, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). The expression level of Sirt1 in colorectal carcinoma was significantly associated with the depth of tumor invasion, differentiation and tumor size (P<0.05). Sirt1 expression was also found to be associated with tumor tissue type, lymph node metastasis, Duke's stage and patient age. These characteristics combined may therefore be used as markers for the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the perturbed elliptic system with critical exponents -ε²Δu + V(x)u =f(x,u) + α/α+β K(x)|u|α-2u|v|β-2, x ∈ RN, -ε²Δv + V(x)v = g(x,v) + β/α+β K(x)|u|α|v|β-2v, x ∈ RN, is considered, where α > 1, β > 1 satisfy α + β = 2*, and 2* = 2N/(N-2) (N ≥ 3) is the Sobolev critical exponent. Under proper conditions on V, f, g, and K, the existence result is obtained by using variational methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of the nuclear tensor interaction in the covariant energy density functional (EDF) is presented in this work, associated with the Fock diagrams of Lorentz scalar and vector couplings. With this newly obtained relativistic formalism of the nuclear tensor interaction, more distinct tensor effects are found in the Fock diagrams of the Lorentz scalar and vector couplings, as compared to the Lorentz pseudovector and tensor channels. A unified and self-consistent treatment of both the nuclear tensor and spin-orbit interactions, which dominate the spin-dependent features of the nuclear force, is then achieved by the relativistic models. Moreover, careful analysis of the tensor strengths indicates the reliability of the nuclear tensor interaction in the covariant EDF for exploring the nuclear structure, excitation, and decay modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general view is that both glycine (Eccles, 1964) and GABA (Curtis and Felix, 1971) evoke postsynaptic inhibition in spinal motor neurons. In newborn or juvenile animals, there are conflicting results showing postsynaptic inhibition in motor neurons by corelease of GABA and glycine (Jonas et al., 1998) or by glycine alone (Bhumbra et al., 2012). To resolve the relative contributions of GABA and glycine to postsynaptic inhibition, we performed in vivo intracellular recordings from forelimb motor neurons in adult mice. Postsynaptic potentials evoked from segmental, propriospinal, and bulbospinal systems in motor neurons were compared across four different conditions: control, after gabazine, gabazine followed by strychnine, and strychnine alone. No significant differences were observed in the proportion of IPSPs and EPSPs between control and gabazine conditions. In contrast, EPSPs but not IPSPs were recorded after adding strychnine with gabazine or administering strychnine alone, suggesting an exclusive role for glycine in postsynaptic inhibition. To test whether the injected (intraperitoneal) dose of gabazine blocked GABAergic inhibitory transmission, we evoked GABAA receptormediated monosynaptic IPSPs in deep cerebellar nuclei neurons by stimulation of Purkinje cell fibers. No monosynaptic IPSPs could be recorded in the presence of gabazine, showing the efficacy of gabazine treatment. Our results demonstrate that, in the intact adult mouse, the postsynaptic inhibitory effects in spinal motor neurons exerted by three different systems, intrasegmental and intersegmental as well as supraspinal, are exclusively glycinergic. These findings emphasize the importance of glycinergic postsynaptic inhibition in motor neurons and challenge the view that GABA also contributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the relativistic representation of the nuclear tensor force that is included automatically by the Fock diagrams, we explored the self-consistent tensor effects on the properties of a nuclear matter system. The analysis was performed within the density-dependent relativistic Hartree-Fock (DDRHF) theory. The tensor force is found to notably influence the saturation mechanism, the equation of state, and the symmetry energy of nuclear matter, as well as the neutron star properties. Without introducing any additional free parameters, the DDRHF approach is a natural way to reveal the tensor effects on the nuclear matter system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early trials have demonstrated great potential for the use of duckweed (family Lemnaceae) as the next generation of energy plants for the production of biofuels. Achieving this technological advance demands research to develop novel bioengineering microorganisms that can ferment duckweed feedstock to produce higher alcohols. In this study, we used relevant genes to transfer five metabolic pathways of isoleucine, leucine and valine from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae into the bioengineered microorganism Corynebacterium crenatum. Experimental results showed that the bioengineered strain was able to produce 1026.61 mg/L of 2-methyl-1-butanol by fermenting glucose, compared to 981.79 mg/L from the acid hydrolysates of duckweed. The highest isobutanol yields achieved were 1264.63 mg/L from glucose and 1154.83 mg/L from duckweed, and the corresponding highest yields of 3-methyl-1-butanol were 748.35 and 684.79 mg/L. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of using bioengineered C. crenatum as a platform to construct a bacterial strain that is capable of producing higher alcohols. We have also shown the promise of using duckweed as the basis for developing higher alcohols, illustrating that this group of plants represents an ideal fermentation substrate that can be considered the next generation of alternative energy feedstocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycobacterium gordonae is often regarded as a weak pathogen that only occasionally causes overt disease. We report a case of M. gordonae infection in the facial skin, nasal mucosa, and paranasal sinus in an immunocompetent patient and review previous cases. The T-SPOT.TB test might be useful in diagnosing such cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel fluorescent probe (L) based on acridine was rationally designed and synthesized. The fluorescent probe exhibited good selectivity and sensitivity toward Cr3+ in methanol. Meanwhile, the L-Cr3+ solution also displayed excellent selectivity to PO43- by a displacement approach. Moreover, the probe L could be used in neutral methanol aqueous medium, which had potential applications in biological and environmental systems. More importantly, both L and the L-Cr3+ complex had cell permeability and were successfully demonstrated in living MGC-803 cells for the detection of Cr3+ and PO43-, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The present article aimed to provide accurate estimate of the control rate of hypertension and the influencing factors in hospitals of different grades in Chongqing. Methods In this survey, hypertensive outpatients were recruited from 5 tertiary hospitals, 6 secondary hospitals and 5 primary hospitals in 9 districts of Chongqing from November 2011 to May 2012. Outpatients were investigated by clinical interview with BP measurement and questionnaire. Univariate analyses and logistic regression analysis was used to assess the effect of variables on control of hypertension. Result A total of 2742 hypertensives were studied, of which 820 were from primary hospitals, 901 from secondary hospitals and 1021 from tertiary hospitals. The total control rate for hypertensive outpatients in Chongqing was 46.0%. The control rate of the primary,secondary and tertiary hospitals were 38.7%, 46.7%, 51.1%. Multinomial Logistic Regression showed that the control rate was positively correlated with mastery of knowledge of hypertension, normal BMI;whereas it was positively correlated with peasantry,the dissatisfactory with doctor's manner and the distrust to doctor. Conclusion Blood pressure control rate of hypertensive outpatients in Chongqing was low.High BMI, peasantry, lack of knowledge of hypertension, doctors' manners, distrust to doctor were the key reasons for low BP control rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A water-soluble rhodamine-based derivative (L) has been rationally designed for selective recognition of Al3+ in aqueous medium with good sensitivity. The addition of Al3+ to the aqueous solution of L induces a remarkable fluorescence enhancement along with obvious color change detected by the naked eye, due to the ring-opening mechanism of the rhodamine spirolactam, which has been proved by single crystal diffraction analyses directly. The recognizing behavior has been investigated both experimentally and computationally. Furthermore, the fluorescent probe can also be used as a bioimaging reagent for detection of Al3+ in living cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Mutations in the GJB2 gene encoding connexin 26 (Cx26) are major causes of hereditary deafness. This study aimed to characterize the mutation profiles of the GJB2 gene in a Chinese family with sensorineural hearing loss. Methods A Chinese family that included three individuals with sensorineural hearing loss and palmoplantar keratoderma underwent complete physical examinations, audiological examinations including pure tone audiometry and auditory brainstem response, skin pathological examination, and temporal CT scans. The entire coding region of GJB2, GJB3, GJB6, and the coding exons (exon7 + 8 and 19) of SLC26A4, mitochondrial 12SrRNA, and tRNA Ser (UCN) were sequenced. Structural analysis was performed to detect the effects of mutation on the tertiary structure of Cx26. Results A dominant GJB2 mutation, c.224G>A (p.Arg75Gln, p.R75Q), was detected in the family. No other mutation was identified in GJB2, GJB3, GJB6, or the coding exons (exon7 + 8 and 19) of SLC26A4, mitochondrial 12SrRNA, and tRNA Ser (UCN). Structural analysis revealed that the p.R75Q mutation likely affects the structural stability and permeation properties of the Cx26 gap junction channel. Conclusion Our findings provide further evidence of a correlation between the p.R75Q mutation in Cx26 and a syndromic hearing impairment with palmoplantar keratoderma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the perturbed nonlinear elliptic system -ε² Δu + V(x)u = K(x)|u|²* -2u + Hu(u, v), x ∈ ℝN, -ε² Δv + V(x)v = K(x)|v|²* -2v + Hv(u, v),x ∈ ℝN, where N ≥ 3,2* = 2N/(N - 2) is the Sobolev critical exponent. Under proper conditions on V, H, and K, the existence result and multiplicity of the system are obtained by using variational method provided ε is small enough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in-plane resistivity anisotropy has been studied with the Montgomery method on the detwinned parent compound of the iron-based superconductor FeTe. The observed resistivity in the antiferromagnetic (AFM) direction is larger than that in the ferromagnetic (FM) direction, which is different from that observed in BaFe2As2 before. We show that the opposite resistivity anisotropy behavior in FeTe could be attributed to the strong Hund's rule coupling effects, which should be understood in a localized picture: Hund's rule coupling makes hopping along the FM direction easier than along the AFM direction in FeTe, similar to the colossal magnetoresistance observed in some manganites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective reduction of supported CuO to Cu2O was realized using the strategy of vapor-induced reduction, in which HCHO/H2O vapor diffuses into the pores of the support and interacts with predispersed CuO. This new strategy allows the fabrication of supported cuprous sites at much lower temperatures within a short time, avoids the formation of Cu(0) with a Cu(I) yield of nearly 100%, and results in materials with good adsorption performance, which is impossible to achieve by conventional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The vertebrate protocadherins are a subfamily of cell adhesion molecules that are predominantly expressed in the nervous system and are believed to play an important role in establishing the complex neural network during animal development. Genes encoding these molecules are organized into a cluster in the genome. Comparative analysis of the protocadherin subcluster organization and gene arrangements in different vertebrates has provided interesting insights into the history of vertebrate genome evolution. Among tetrapods, protocadherin clusters have been fully characterized only in mammals. In this study, we report the identification and comparative analysis of the protocadherin cluster in a reptile, the green anole lizard (Anolis carolinensis). Methodology/Principal Findings: We show that the anole protocadherin cluster spans over a megabase and encodes a total of 71 genes. The number of genes in the anole protocadherin cluster is significantly higher than that in the coelacanth (49 genes) and mammalian (54-59 genes) clusters. The anole protocadherin genes are organized into four subclusters: the d, a, b and c. This subcluster organization is identical to that of the coelacanth protocadherin cluster, but differs from the mammalian clusters which lack the d subcluster. The gene number expansion in the anole protocadherin cluster is largely due to the extensive gene duplication in the cb subgroup. Similar to coelacanth and elephant shark protocadherin genes, the anole protocadherin genes have experienced a low frequency of gene conversion. Conclusions/Significance: Our results suggest that similar to the protocadherin clusters in other vertebrates, the evolution of anole protocadherin cluster is driven mainly by lineage-specific gene duplications and degeneration. Our analysis also shows that loss of the protocadherin d subcluster in the mammalian lineage occurred after the divergence of mammals and reptiles. We present a model for the evolutionary history of the protocadherin cluster in tetrapods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Angelica sinensis polysaccharides (ASP) and Tai Chi exercise on free radical generation and lipid peroxidation and its modulatory effect on immunity activity in middle-aged women subjects at a dosage levels of 125mg/kg. ASP was characterized by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). HPLC analysis showed that ASP was composed of eight kinds of monosaccharides, namely mannose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose, arabinose and fucose in molar ratios of 1.2:4.5:1:10.5:17.8:37.5:8.7:4.9. Antioxidant activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and reduced glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation levels in both ASP and Tai Chi exercise groups were significantly enhanced or reduced compared to the control group. In addition, immunity activities such as serum vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (s-VCAM-1), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) levels in both ASP and Ta Chi exercise groups were significantly reduced compared to the control group. It can be concluded that ASP intake and Tai Chi exercise decrease oxidant stress induced injury and improve immunity activities in middle-aged women subjects, indicating a obvious healthy promotion effect. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A family of new coordination polymers based on a V-shaped flexible dicarboxyl building block 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)bis(benzoic acid) and familiar metal ions (MnII, CoII, NiII, CuII, ZnII, and AgI) have been prepared and structurally characterized. Their thermal stability and solid state luminescent properties of the ZnIIand AgIcomplexes have also been investigated. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals a significant structural diversity of these coordination frameworks, such as the 1-D zigzag chain, 2-fold interpenetrating layer composed of 21helical arrays, and 3-D open network with 42helicity and pcutopology based on the rod-shaped secondary building units (SBUs). Additionally, hydrogen bonding interactions are found in these structures to further extend or stabilize the coordination motifs. A comprehensive analysis of the coordination systems based on this dicarboxyl tecton also demonstrates that it is an excellent candidate for the design and construction of multiform metal–organic frameworks (especially helical arrays), which can be dominated by metal ions and/or synthetic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-crystallization of a versatile building module 4-amino-3,5-bis(4-pyridyl)-1,2,4-triazole (4-bpt) with isophthalic acid (H2ip) and its 5-substituted derivatives R–H2ip (R = –NH2, –SO3H, and –CO2H) affords a series of supramolecular solids 1–5. All compounds have been characterized by IR, microanalysis, and powder X-ray diffraction, and their thermal stability has been investigated by TG-DTA technique. Single crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that compounds 1and 2with the formula [(H2ip)·(4-bpt)] exhibit polymorphism, which can be isolated viaa similar synthetic procedure without or with the metal ion as structure-directing reagent, and display distinct hydrogen-bonding assemblies of 3-D and double-layer networks, respectively. Multifarious 3-D supramolecular architectures are observed for compounds [(NH2–H2ip)·(4-bpt)] (3), [(SO3–H2ip)−·(H-4-bpt)+]·2H2O (4), and [(CO2H–H2ip)·(4-bpt)]·2H2O (5), in which the substituent groups of isophthalic acid are involved in different hydrogen-bonding interactions. The results clearly display the substituent effect on the structural assembly of organic co-crystals, which will be significant in the rational design and construction of such crystalline materials with specific hydrogen-bonding networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new deterministic secure quantum communication protocols are proposed in this paper. In these protocols, utilizing auxilians, no particle is transported between two authorized parties, who guarantee the safety of the protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of nine mixed-ligand metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been prepared by the combination of a bent dipyridyl linker 4-amino-3,5-bis(4-pyridyl)-1,2,4-triazole (bpt) and three benzenedicarboxylate isomers (pa = phthalate, ip = isophthalate, and tp = terephthalate), respectively, with different metal ions such as CoII, NiII, CuII, ZnII, and CoII. The framework structures of these neutral polymeric complexes have been determined by the X-ray single- crystal diffraction technique. Structural analysis reveals that the benzenedicarboxylate isomers display versatile coordination modes to manage the metal ions to form 1-D chain or ribbon arrays, which are further extended via the exo-bidentate bpt connectors to give rise to a variety of coordination networks, such as a simple (4,4) layer, 2-D double layer with decorated (4,4) topology, 2-D layer with decorated (3,6) topology, 2-D bilayer with 8².10 topology (2-fold interpenetration), 3-D polythreaded architecture (1-D + 2-D), and 2-fold interpenetrating porous lattice of (4,4) layers. The accessorial secondary interactions such as hydrogen bonding and/or aromatic stacking are also helpful for the extension and stabilization of the final supramolecular aggregates. This work evidently indicates that the isomeric effect of the anionic benzenedicarboxylate is significant in the construction of these network structures, which are also well regulated by the metal centers. The ZnII and CdII MOFs exhibit strong solid-state luminescence emissions at room temperature, which originate differently from intraligand transition or ligand-to-metal charge transfer. Thermal stability of these crystalline materials has been explored by thermogravimetric analysis of mass loss. The 3-D host frameworks of MOFs 8 and 9 show similar porous cavities, and their desorption/ adsorption behaviors of guest solvents have also been investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of new metal-organic polymeric complexes, {[Co(bpt)(Htma)(H2O3]·2.25H2O}n (1), [Co(bpt)(Htma)(H2O)]n (2), [Ni(bpt)(Htma)(H2O)]n (3), [Zn(bpt)2(H2tma)2·6H2O (4), {[Cd(bpt)(Htma)(H2O)]·(C2H5OH)(H2O)1.5}n (5), and {-[Cd(bpt)(Htma)(H2O)2]·5.5H2O}n (6), was prepared from solution reactions of 4-amino-3,5-bis(4-pyridyl)-1,2,4-triazole (bpt) and trimesic acid (H3tma) with different metal salts under diverse conditions. All these compounds were structurally determined by X-ray single-crystal diffraction, and the bulk new materials were further identified by X-ray powder diffraction. Complexes 1 and 6 show 1-D zigzag or linear Htma-bridged polymeric chains, with the terminal bpt ligands as pendants, which are extended to 2-D hydrogen-bonded arrays with 4.82 or (6,3) network topology. Coordination polymers 2 and 3, in which the 2-D corrugated metal-organic frameworks make the interdigitated 3-D packing, are isostructural. Complex 4 has a mononuclear structure, and its subunits are hydrogen-bonded to each other to give a 2-D gridlike net. For complex 5, the CdII centers are linked by bpt/Htma ligands to form a 2-D (4,4) coordination layer, and these layers are interdigitated in pairs. Notably, secondary noncovalent forces, such as hydrogen bonds, play an important role in extending and stabilizing these structural topologies. Interestingly, distinct products are obtained for CoII (1 and 2) and CdII (5 and 6) under ambient or hydrothermal conditions; however, for NiII and ZnII, single products, 3 and 4, are generated. The thermal stabilities of 1-6 were studied by thermogravimetric analysis of mass loss. The desorption/adsorption properties of the porous material 5 are also discussed. Solid-state luminescent spectra of the ZnIIand CdII complexes, 4-6, indicate intense fluorescent emissions at ca. 380 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HS1 (hematopoietic lineage cell-specific protein 1), a substrate of protein tyrosine kinases in lymphocytes, binds to F-actin, and promotes Arp2/3 complex-mediated actin polymerization. However, the mechanism for the interaction between HS1 and F-actin has not yet been fully characterized. HS1 contains 3.5 tandem repeats, a coiled-coil region, and an SH3 domain at the C terminus. Unlike cortactin, which is closely related to HS1 and requires absolutely the repeat domain for F-actin binding, an HS1 mutant with deletion of the repeat domain maintains a significant F-actin binding activity. On the other hand, deletion of the coiled-coil region abolished the ability of HS1 to bind to actin filaments and to activate the Arp2/3 complex for actin nucleation and actin branching. Furthermore, a peptide containing the coiled-coil sequence only was sufficient for F-actin binding. Within cells overexpressing green fluorescent protein-tagged HS1 proteins, wild type HS1 co-localizes with cortical F-actin at the cell leading edge, whereas mutants with deletion of either the coiled-coil region or the repeat domain diffuse in the cytoplasm. Immunoprecipitation analysis reveals that the coiled-coil deletion mutant binds poorly to F-actin, whereas the mutant without the repeat domain fails to bind to both Arp2/3 complex and F-actin. These data suggest that the HS1 coiled-coil region acts synergistically with the repeat domain in the modulation of the Arp2/3 complex-mediated actin polymerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new C3-symmetric Schiff-base fluorescent probe (L) based on 8-hydroxy-2-methylquinoline has been developed. As expected, the probe L can display high fluorescent selectivity for Cd2+ over Zn2+ and most other common ions in neutral ethanol aqueous medium. Moreover, the mechanism of the L--Cd2+ complex has been confirmed by X-ray crystallography and density functional theory calculation results. More importantly, L could be used to image Cd2+ within living cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of γ-aminopropyltriethoxy silane coupling agent on electrical properties in multiwall carbon nanotube/methylvinyl silicone rubber nanocomposites were studied. The results showed that the modified nanotubes could be dispersed homogeneously and that they had a tight bonding with the rubber matrix. The concentration of coupling agent played a crucial role in deciding the conductivity and the electrical properties of the nanocomposites exhibited strong dependences on temperature and pressure. Dependences of electrical properties on temperature and pressure were also improved by increasing the content of coupling agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the title neutral mononuclear complex, [Cd(H2IDC)2(H2O)3]·H2O (H2IDC is the 4-carb­oxy-1 H-imidazole-5-carboxyl­ate anion, C5H3N2O4), the CdII atom is trans-coordinated by two H2IDC ligands and three aqua mol­ecules, displaying a distorted trigonal-bipyrimidal geometry. Inter­estingly, H2IDC coordinates in an N-monodentate fashion to the central CdII atom, which is unprecedented. A three-dimensional supramolecular network is generated through N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mol­ecular structure of the neutral mononuclear title complex, [Mn(NCS)2(C12H8N4O)2(H2O)2], is centrosymmetric; the MnII atom lies on an inversion center and is six-coordinate (MnN4O2), with an octa­hedral geometry comprising two trans monodentate 2,5-di-3-pyrid­yl-1,3,4-oxadiazole ligands, two thio­cyanate ligands and two bound water mol­ecules. Inter­molecular O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds between these monomeric units result in two-dimensional supramolecular layers with a parallel arrangement, which are stabilized by intra­layer aromatic stacking and further extended to a three-dimensional network via inter­layer weak C—H⋯S inter­actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the fundamental equations of piezoelasticity of quasicrystal material, we investigated the interaction between a screw dislocation and a wedge-shaped crack in the piezoelectricity of one-dimensional hexagonal quasicrystals. Explicit analytical solutions are obtained for stress and electric displacement intensity factors of the crack, as well as the force on dislocation. The derivation is based on the conformal mapping method and the perturbation technique. The influences of the wedge angle and dislocation location on the image force are also discussed. The results obtained in this paper can be fully reduced to some special cases already available or deriving new ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) contains complex molecular compounds that dominate its heterogeneous dynamics and behaviors in aquatic environments. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) with ultra-high resolution has proven to be effective in characterizing aquatic DOM. However, a systematic summary of molecular-level compositions and behaviors of DOM in natural and engineered water systems remains insufficient. This study provides a critical review of DOM characterization by FTICR-MS, with emphasis on composition diversity, chemical properties, transformation, and dynamics in the natural and engineered water systems. First, FTICR-MS strategies for DOM characterization are introduced on data interpretation and collaborative analysis of complementary datasets (e.g. spectroscopic data). Second, DOM characteristics, including spatiotemporal distribution, photochemical activity, microbial modification, and interface adsorption in natural water environments were comprehensively summarized based on current FTICR-MS findings. Third, DOM molecular changes caused by different engineered treatment methods were reviewed to highlight the molecular variation, reaction, and transformation by focusing on the FTICR-MS results. Finally, we summarized current limitations, biases, and future directions of FTICR-MS, and future extended studies of natural/engineered-derived DOM behavior. This FTICR-MS application review provides favorable strategies for understanding the molecular chemistry and behaviors of aquatic DOM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the safety profiles of salbutamol and levosalbutamol reported in the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database. Methods: Retrospective pharmacovigilance disproportionality analysis for drug-related ADRs reported in the FAERS database was performed from October 1, 2003 to March 31, 2020. The proportion of report ratio (PRR), proportional reporting ratio (PRR), and reporting odds ratio (ROR) were calculated and used for the determination of safety signals. The definition was based on system organ class (SOCs) and Standardized Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities Queries (SMQ) by the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA). Results: A total of 83,166 and 3,133 adverse event reports were identified for albuterol and levalbuterol, respectively, and were linked mainly with 12 SOCs, i.e., cardiac, vascular disorders, respiratory, thoracic, mediastinal disorders, and immune system disorders. The largest ROR among the 20 most frequent SMQs was asthma/bronchospasm for reports both in salbutamol group (ROR: 13.585, 95% CI: 13.254, 13.923) and levosalbutamol group (ROR: 16.225, 95% CI: 14.575, 18.063). Conclusion: Data mining of the FAERS may be considered a useful approach for identifying salbutamol and levosalbutamol-related adverse events, which might provide additional information to guide their use in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation therapy is a typical treatment for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), especially middle and upper segment esophagus, and inoperable patients. However, how to promote radiation sensitivity in radio-resistant cancer cells is a conundrum. Here, our study investigated the radiosensitizing effect of bortezomib, a specific and reversible dipeptide boronic acid analog, in ESCC cells. Human esophageal squamous carcinoma cell lines Eca109 and TE-13 were exposed to hypoxia and/or ionizing radiation (IR) with or without treatment of bortezomib. Cell proliferation assay was performed with CCK8. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle assay were performed with flow cytometry. The radiosensitization effect of was assessed by clonogenic survival and progression of tumor xenograft. The expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, and apoptosis proteins was evaluated byWestern blot. Radiation-induced DNA double strand break and homologous recombination repair were assessed by immunofluorescence. Our results showthat bortezomib efficiently radiosensitizes ESCC cells by decreasing the expression of HIF- 1α and VEGF, inducing apoptosis by activating caspase, and delaying DNA damage repair after radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trimethylation of lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27ME3) is a transcription-suppressive histone mark mediated by enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2). We have previously suggested that EZH2-mediated H3K27ME3 plays a critical oncogenic role in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) aggressiveness. However, the direct downstream targets of EZH2-H3K27ME3 and the molecular mechanisms by which regulates HCC pathogenesis remain unclear. In this study, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation together with high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) and gene expression profiling by microarray analysis to assess genome-wide chromatin occupancy of H3K27ME3 in HCC cells. We identified that claudin14 (CLDN14) is a potentially direct target for EZH2-mediated H3K27ME3 in HCC. In a large cohort of clinical HCC tissues, we found that low expression of CLDN14 was significantly associated with advanced tumor stage and determined to be an independent predictor of shortened survival of HCC patients. Next, functional experiment demonstrated that depletion of CLDN14 substantially restored EZH2-silenced HCC cells motility and invasive capacities and supported cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, downregulation of CLDN14 dramatically re-enhanced the wnt/β-catenin signaling activity in EZH2-silenced HCC cells by increasing the levels of active β-catenin and promoting the nuclear localization of β-catenin. These results, collectively, uncover that CLDN14 is a novel direct target of EZH2-mediated H3K27ME3, and provide an explanation for the aggressive nature of HCC with downregulation of CLDN14 and the underling mechanism that links the tumor suppressor CLDN14 to the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil nitrogen (N) transformation rates are mostly likely related to chemical composition and element ratio of plant residues while contradictory results are also reported. We conducted a laboratory incubation experiment for 100 days under controlled conditions (25 °C and 50% water holding capacity) to investigate the relationship between N mineralization and initial chemical characteristics of 11 diverse plant residues from riparian buffer strip of Danjiangkou Reservoir. The plant residues had a wide range of N, cellulose (CE), hemicellulose (HC) and lignin (LG) contents, and carbon/N (C/N), N/phosphorus (N/P), LG/N and CE/N ratios. A principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the mean N content of the residues was negatively associated with LG and LG + CE contents and LG content was highly positive correlated with C/N and CE/N ratios. Net N mineralization ranged widely (5.1–120.3 mg N kg −1 soil) and was highly correlated with plant N content ( r 2 = 0.71, P < 0.01), LG content ( r 2 = 0.72, P < 0.001) and N/P ratio ( r 2 = 0.76, P < 0.001). The critical levels, i.e. the break point between net N mineralization and net N immobilization were 9.4 g kg −1 for N content, 212.9 g kg −1 for LG content, 343.3 g kg −1 for LG + CE content, 4.1 for N/P ratio, 43.8 for C/N ratio, 16.5 for LG/N ratio, 19.9 for CE/N ratio and 34.6 for (LG + CE)/N ratio of the plant residues, respectively. A multiple regression model demonstrates N/P ratio of the plant residues to be the most important factor for predication of the net effects of plant residue on soil mineral N dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An On-Off-On type fluorescent sensor (HL) has been developed, which exhibited high selectivity and sensitivity for Cu2+ over other common ions in 100% aqueous solution. Once HL combined with Cu2+, blue fluorescence was almost completely quenched and the L-Cu ensemble was formed. Moreover, the ensemble showed high specificity for S2- based on the displacement approach, and no interferences were observed in the presence of other anions. Such fluorescence modulation behavior simulates the performance of an IMPLICATION logic gate. In addition, the fluorescent sensor was successfully applied to fluorescent cellular imaging implying potential applications in physiological and environmental systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antioxidant properties of crude acetone extract and its fractions separated using n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and butanol ofCynomorium songaricumRupr. were examined by 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity assay. The activity of the crude acetone extract was significantly higher than that of vitamin E and lower than that of ascorbic acid. The ethyl acetate fraction had the highest activity among the four fractions. Catechins and proanthocyanidins were identified as the predominant components in ethyl acetate fraction by high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Catechin was demonstrated as the major phenolic compound in ethyl acetate fraction ofC. songaricumafter high-speed counter-current chromatography isolation. In summary,C. songaricumexhibiting high antioxidant activity and abundant procyanidins might be considered as a potential source of antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with a non-linear barotropic vorticity equation in a shear flow, the model is applied to get the non-linear Rossby solitary wave with the effects of topography and other external forcing. Basing on the perturbation method, the variable coefficient KdV equation is derived for Rossby waves. The periodic-like solution for the equation is obtained with the help of Jacobi elliptic functions, the solitary solutions can also be obtained in the limit case. The analysis indicates that the wave amplitude and velocity will be related to the topography effect. It is also shown that the external forcing plays an important role in evolution of the waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to evaluate growth and development and difference between size and weights of three quail species namely China yellow quail, Beijing white quail and Korea quail. Various parameters in respect of these species like shank length, chest width, chest depth, breastbone length, shank circumference, body length, daily weight gain and weight were recorded under similar feeding conditions. The data so obtained was analysed statistically using SPSS. It was revealed that the body weight, shank length, chest width, chest depth, breastbone length, body length, shank circumference and daily gain of Korea quail are significantly higher (P≤0.05) than those of China yellow quail and Beijing white quail. It was concluded the Korea quail grows fastest, followed by China yellow quail and Beijing white quail, successively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the significant complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), and CASR plays an important role in cellular antiapoptosis and NO production in the vascular endothelium by activating PKC. The present study was aimed to investigate the efficacy of Leech and Centipede Granules (LCG) through the CaSR/PLC/PKC signaling. Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with streptozotocin to induce the DM model. After 10 weeks, an apomorphine test was used to confirm DMED. Rats with DMED were administrated with LCG and U73122 for 4 weeks. Fasting blood glucose, body weight, insulin and glucagon levels were measured. Erectile function in rats was assessed by apomorphine. Serums were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry, and penile tissues were harvested for histologic and the expression of related targets analyses. After treatment, fasting blood glucose, body weight, insulin, glucagon levels, and erectile function were significantly ameliorated in the LCG groups. The LOX-1, NOX, and EMPs concentrations were significantly decreased with LCG treatment. LCG also continuously increased NO and decreased ET-1 content in penile tissues. LCG and U73122 administration also improved penile fibrosis by significantly decreasing VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and CD62P. The data also showed that LCG reduced the apoptosis level in the penis. Furthermore, the inhibited activation of the CaSR/PLC/PKC pathway was observed in DMED rats with LCG treatment. Collectively, LCG significantly ameliorated erectile function of DMED rats via increased NO generation, inhibiting endothelial cells apoptosis and penile fibrosis, which might benefit from the suppression of CaSR/PLC/PKC pathway in DMED rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a nuclear receptor that has emerged as a key regulator in the maintenance of hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. However, the role of FXR in renal fibrosis remains to be established. Here, we investigate the effects of the FXR agonist EDP-305 in a mouse model of tubulointerstitial fibrosis via unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Male C57Bl/6 mice received a UUO on their left kidney. On postoperative d 4, mice received daily treatment by oral gavage with either vehicle control (0.5% methylcellulose) or 10 or 30 mg/kg EDP-305. All animals were euthanized on postoperative d 12. EDP-305 dose-dependently decreased macrophage infiltration as measured by the F4/80 staining area and proinflammatory cytokine gene expression. EDP-305 also dose-dependently reduced interstitial fibrosis as assessed by morphometric quantification of the collagen proportional area and kidney hydroxyproline levels. Finally, yes-associated protein (YAP) activation, a major driver of fibrosis, increased after UUO injury and was diminished by EDP-305 treatment. Consistently, EDP-305 decreased TGF-β1-induced YAP nuclear localization in human kidney 2 cells by increasing inhibitory YAP phosphorylation. YAP inhibition may be a novel antifibrotic mechanism of FXR agonism, and EDP-305 could be used to treat renal fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]