Search

A star-shaped polymer (Star-PEG-PCL2) was synthesized to with PCL and PEG, and used as a stationary phase for gas chromatography. The statically coated Star-PEG-PCL2 column exhibited an efficiency of 2260 plates/m determined by naphthalene at 120 °C and moderate polarity. The Star-PEG-PCL2 column showed high resolution performance for isomers of a wide ranging polarity, including methylnaphthalenes, halogenated benzenes, nitrobenzene, phenols, and anilines, and displayed dual-nature selectivity for a mixture of 17 analytes. Also, the Star-PEG-PCL2 column exhibited good separation performance and column inertness for Grob test mixture and a series of cis-/trans-isomers. In addition, it exhibited advantageous separation performance over the commercial HP-35 and PEG-20M columns for chloroaniline and bromoaniline isomers through its unique three-dimensional framework. In conclusion, it has good potential as a new stationary phase for separating a variety of analytes because of its special structure and excellent separation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes the investigation of separation performance of the p-tert-butyl(tetradecyloxy)calix[6]arene (C6AC10-OH) as stationary phase for gas chromatography (GC) separations. Its structure was characterized by IR, ¹H NMR, 13C NMR, MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The C6A-C10-OH column shows good separation capacity for aliphatic, aromatic and cis-/trans- isomers. Especially, it exhibits multiple molecular recognition interactions for the analytes with a wide range of polarity, including dispersion, π-π, H-bonding and dipole-dipole interactions. The present work provides experimental and theoretical basis for the designing of the new calixarene stationary phases in GC analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication between plant cells and interacting microorganisms requires the secretion and uptake of functional molecules to and from the extracellular environment and is essential for the survival of both plants and their pathogens. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer–enclosed spheres that deliver RNA, protein, and metabolite cargos from donor to recipient cells and participate in many cellular processes. Emerging evidence has shown that both plant and microbial EVs play important roles in cross-kingdom molecular exchange between hosts and interacting microbes to modulate host immunity and pathogen virulence. Recent studies revealed that plant EVs function as a defense system by encasing and delivering small RNAs (sRNAs) into pathogens, thereby mediating cross-species and cross-kingdom RNA interference to silence virulence-related genes. This review focuses on the latest advances in our understanding of plant and microbial EVs and their roles in transporting regulatory molecules, especially sRNAs, between hosts and pathogens. EV biogenesis and secretion are also discussed, as EV function relies on these important processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title compound, 6-(3-chloropropoxy)-4-(2-fluorophenylamino)-7-methoxyquinazoline, was synthesized by selective nucleophilic attack at C-1 of 1-bromo-3-chloropropane by the potassium salt of 4-(2-fluorophenylamino)- 7-methoxyquinazolin-6-ol, which was prepared from 7-methoxy-4-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-6-yl acetate in three steps. The compound crystallized as an ethyl acetate complex (C20H21ClFN3O3, Mr = 405.85), and X-ray crystallography showed that the crystal belongs to the orthorhombic system, space group Pbca with a = 12.7407(4) Å, b = 14.0058(5) Å, c = 21.7726(7) Å, α = 90°, β = 90° and γ = 90°. The whole molecule is stacked into a three-dimensional structure via weak N-H…N hydrogen bonding between molecules. The compound acts as an effective inhibitor on the proliferation of a lung cancer cell line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new mechanism to achieve mode transformation. In a unidirectional air waveguide we place some metal slabs to form the unidirectional edge loop. Based on the effect of mode interference, the even mode or the odd mode can be completely canceled from their degenerated state through a precise adjustment of slab position, which leads to another mode to be released. By this mechanism, we have achieved continual transformations between even mode and odd mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new mechanism to achieve mode transformation. In a unidirectional air waveguide we place some metal slabs to form the unidirectional edge loop. Based on the effect of mode interference, the even mode or the odd mode can be completely canceled from their degenerated state through a precise adjustment of slab position, which leads to another mode to be released. By this mechanism, we have achieved continual transformations between even mode and odd mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a scheme for realizing femtosecond multi-filamentation with designable quantity and locations of filaments, based on the control of multi-focal spots formed by patterned optical fields (POFs) composed of multiple individual optical fields (IOFs). A computer-controlled spatial light modulator is used to engineer the POFs. In particular, we introduce a blazed phase grating in any IOF, which increases a degree of freedom, making the engineering of multi-focal spots becomes more flexible. We achieve experimentally the aim controlling femtosecond multi-filamentation in a K9 glass. Our scheme has great flexibility and convenience in controlling the multi-filamentation in quantity and locations of filaments and strength of interaction between filaments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke is one of the common causes of death and disability in the world. The intraluminal middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) model is a "gold standard" in surgical ischemic stroke models. Here, we optimized the procedure of this model by ligating on external carotid artery (ECA) stump and two ligatures prepared on internal carotid artery, which could improve the success and survival rate in mice. The results show that ECA approach was superior to common carotid artery approach. Meanwhile, we found that the exposure of pterygopalatine artery was not an essential step for MCAO/R model in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In plants, the copy number of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) can be much lower than the number of mitochondria. The biological significance and regulatory mechanisms of this phenomenon remain poorly understood. Here, using the pollen vegetative cell, we examined the role of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mtDNA-binding protein WHIRLY2 (AtWHY2). AtWHY2 decreases during pollen development, in parallel with the rapid degradation of mtDNA; to examine the importance of this decrease, we used the pollen vegetative cell-specific promoter Lat52 to express AtWHY2. The transgenic plants (LWHY2) had very high mtDNA levels in pollen, more than 10 times more than in the wild type (ecotype Columbia-0). LWHY2 plants were fertile, morphologically normal, and set seeds; however, reciprocal crosses with heterozygous plants showed reduced transmission of LWHY2-1 through the male and slower growth of LWHY2-1 pollen tubes. We found that LWHY2-1 pollen had significantly more reactive oxygen species and less ATP compared with the wild type, indicating an effect on mitochondrial respiration. These findings reveal that AtWHY2 affects mtDNA copy number in pollen and suggest that low mtDNA copy numbers might be the normal means by which plant cells maintain mitochondrial genetic information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the clinical and computed tomography (CT) findings related to reactive thymic hyperplasia in order to improve the recognition of this phenomenon and avert over-treatment. METHODS: Fifty-two children with pathologically proven lymphoma developed reactive thymic hyperplasia following chemotherapy, which was confirmed with long-term review and follow-up. The clinical and CT findings of these 52 children were retrospectively analysed. RESULTS: The median follow-up period for the whole study group was 32.9 months. Fifty-one children survived free of disease; 23 of these had been with tumour invasion and the remaining 29 without. The median period from complete remission (CR) of the mediastinal lesions to the date of recurrent mediastinal masses was 8.6 months, which was not statistically significantly different from that of 9.5 months from commencement of treatment to the date of newly developed mediastinal masses (P = 0.495). The median maximal diameters of the recurrent and newly developed mediastinal masses were not significantly different (P = 0.091). All of the 52 cases presented with a single mediastinal mass; 42 masses (42/52, 81%) of those showed trapezoidal or triangular shapes and were well-circumscribed; 10 masses (10/52, 19%) manifested diffuse shapes and were ill-circumscribed. Forty-two masses (42/52, 81%) showed homogeneous density. All of the masses revealed mild enhancement after contrast administration. Forty-two masses (42/52, 81%) slightly displaced and 10 masses (10/52, 19%) partly surrounded adjacent vessels. After long-term follow-up, 42 masses (42/52, 81%) shrank naturally, and 10 (10/52, 19%) remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Reactive thymic hyperplasia can, and often does, occur in children receiving regular chemotherapy for lymphoma, regardless of whether the tumour initially invades the mediastinum. Knowing the characteristic CT findings of this benign entity is helpful in differentiating it from residual or recurrent lymphoma and averting unnecessary treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the development of oil field, well operation fluids will inevitably invade the formation, and insoluble is produced when contaminant ions contained in operation fluids react with formation fluids, which will easily plugs the pores, consequently affecting the flow of formation fluids. It is of remarkable significance for formation damage evaluation to study the laws of contaminant ions transportation and distribution near wellbore. In this study, the characteristics of high-speed percolation and contaminant ions diffusion near wellbore are reasonably considered, and then we established the non-Darcy flow reaction-diffusion equations, from which the contaminant ions distribution and transportation will be illustrated, thereby, the effects of pollutants migration and reaction on porosity and permeability are further studied. Thus, the newly developed model can provide theoretical basis and practical reference for plug removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The CYP7A1 gene polymorphism has been reported to be associated with gallbladder stone disease (GSD) and serum lipid levels, but the results were inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the influence of the -204A > C polymorphism in the promoter of CYP7A1 gene on the GSD and serum lipid levels. Methods: According to inclusion/exclusion criteria, eligible studies on CYP7A1 gene -204A > C polymorphism of serum lipid levels and the risk of GSD were retrieved. Depending on the between-study heterogeneity, the fixed- or random-effects model was applied, and the data were analyzed using the RevMan software (V5.2). Results: Five studies totaling 830 GSD patients and 882 healthy controls were used to evaluate the relation of CYP7A1 -204A > C polymorphism with GSD. Overall comparison of alleles A with C in all study population yielded 5% but non-significant increased risk of GSD (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.91 - 1.22, P = 0.48). Subgroup analysis by ethnic differences did not show any association between CYP7A1 -204A > C polymorphism and GSD either. Four studies totaling 802 cases and 691 controls were used to assess the relation of CYP7A1 -204A > C polymorphism with serum lipid levels. All the subjects were from the Asian population. The pooled effects indicated that AC genotype had higher levels of TG than AA (MD = -0.42, 95% CI: -0.76 - -0.08, P = 0.01). CC genotype in cases had higher levels of TC (MD = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.25 - 1.05, P = 0.001) and LDL-C (MD = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.06 - 0.73, P = 0.02) than AA, AA (MD = -0.35, 95% CI: -0.60 - -0.10, P = 0.007) and AC (MD = -0.35, 95% CI: -0.61 - -0.08, P = 0.01) genotypes in controls had higher levels of TC than CC, and AA genotype in controls had higher levels of HDL-C than CC (MD = -0.15, 95% CI: -0.21 - -0.09, P < 0.00001). Conclusions: The CYP7A1 -204A > C polymorphism is significantly associated with serum lipid levels in Asian population, but not gallbladder stone disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new 4,5-diaryl-1H-imidazole compound, C30H33N3O3, was synthesized and then its crystal structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal symmetry is monoclinic, space group P21/c, with a = 9.0395 (18) Å, b =21.726 (4) Å, c = 13.042 (3) Å, α = 90°, β = 93.30° (3), γ = 90°, V = 2557.0 (9)Å3, Mr = 483.59, Z = 4. Data suggested the conformation of this compound was cup-like by generating centro-symmetric dimers through two NᑛH---N hydrogen bonds interactions and intermolecular Π-Π interaction. The anti-cancer activity of this compound showed significant anti-cancer activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our study was to observe the occurrence rate and morphological characteristics of Infra-Lamina ridge (ILR) in Chinese population and provide a comprehensive reference for its clinical implication. Vertebrae columns of 82 sets of Chinese adult skeletons were collected. The shape of ILR was classified into three types; the occurrence of it in different sides and sexes were counted. The length, width, thickness of ILR were measured using a caliper with 0.02 mm accuracy. The ILR was usually found to occur from C7 to L5, with its frequency higher from T8 to 12, and highest at T10-being up to 80.5%. There was significant statistical difference to the occurrence rate by side, sex and vertebral level. The largest values in its length and width were from T9 to T12. The ILR at T10 was largest in dimensions, being 4.1±2.1 mm in length and 4.4±2.3 mm in width. The ILR is more frequently detected in female and at the left side, at the lower thoracic spine with a larger dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Monoventricular hydrocephalus (MH) is a rare condition in which the site of obstruction is located around one of the interventricular foramen. In this paper, the authors offer their experiences in the neuroendoscopic management of this uncommon type of hydrocephalus. Patients and methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed 12 neuroendoscopic procedures performed between July 2003 and June 2011 with MH. Clinical and radiological charts were reviewed and analysed. Results: The operative course is a simple and successful procedure, and the postoperative complaints are mild. The postoperative radiological findings showed maintenance of ventricular enlargement in four cases and a significant decrease in enlargement in eight patients. However, upon shifting of the septum pellucidum, the periventricular transudation disappeared in all patients. Conclusions: Fenestration of the septum pellucidum by neuroendoscope is the best treatment for patients with monoventricular hydrocephalus. The approach for fenestration of the septum pellucidum is based on the experience of the neurosurgeon and the preoperative planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The refined topological vertex of Iqbal-Kozçaz-Vafa has been investigated from the viewpoint of the quantum algebra of type W1+∞ by Awata, Feigin, and Shiraishi. They introduced the trivalent intertwining operator Φ which is normal ordered along with some prefactors. We manage to establish formulas from the infinite operator product of the vertex operators and the generalized ones to restore this prefactor, and obtain an explicit formula for the vertex realization of the topological vertex as well as the refined topological vertex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myofibroblasts are implicated in pathological stromal responses associated with lung fibrosis. One prominent phenotypic marker of fully differentiated myofibroblasts is the polymerized, thick cytoplasmic filaments containing newly synthesized α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). These α-SMA-containing cytoplasmic filaments are important for myofibroblast contractility during tissue remodeling. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating the formation and maturation of α-SMA-containing filaments have not been defined. This study demonstrates a critical role for neuronal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) in regulating the formation of α-SMA-containing cytoplasmic filaments during myofibroblast differentiation and in myofibroblast contractility. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is activated by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and is required for phosphorylation of tyrosine residue 256 (Y256) of N-WASP. Phosphorylation of Y256 of N-WASP is essential for TGF-β1-induced formation of α-SMA-containing cytoplasmic filaments in primary human lung fibroblasts. In addition, we demonstrate that actin-related protein (Arp) 2/3 complex is downstream of N-WASP and mediates the maturation of α-SMA-containing cytoplasmic filaments. Together, this study supports a critical role of N-WASP in integrating FAK and Arp2/3 signaling to mediate formation of α-SMA-containing cytoplasmic filaments during myofibroblast differentiation and maturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a method for building a simple and reproducible electronic nose based on commercially available metal oxide sensors (MOS) to monitor the freshness of hairtail fish and pork stored at 15, 10, and 5 °C. After assembly in the laboratory, the proposed product was tested by a manufacturer. Sample delivery was based on the dynamic headspace method, and two features were extracted from the transient response of each sensor using an unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA) method. The compensation method and pattern recognition based on PCA are discussed in the current paper. PCA compensation can be used for all storage temperatures, however, pattern recognition differs according to storage conditions. Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) and aerobic bacterial counts of the samples were measured simultaneously with the standard indicators of hairtail fish and pork freshness. The PCA models based on TVBN and aerobic bacterial counts were used to classify hairtail fish samples as "fresh" (TVBN ≤ 25 g and microbial counts ≤ 106 cfu/g) or "spoiled" (TVBN ≥ 25 g and microbial counts ≥ 106 cfu/g) and pork samples also as "fresh" (TVBN ≤ 15 g and microbial counts ≤ 106 cfu/g) or "spoiled" (TVBN ≥ 15 g and microbial counts ≥ 106 cfu/g). Good correlation coefficients between the responses of the electronic nose and the TVBN and aerobic bacterial counts of the samples were obtained. For hairtail fish, correlation coefficients were 0.97 and 0.91, and for pork, correlation coefficients were 0.81 and 0.88, respectively. Through laboratory simulation and field application, we were able to determine that the electronic nose could help ensure the shelf life of hairtail fish and pork, especially when an instrument is needed to take measurements rapidly. The results also showed that the electronic nose could analyze the process and level of spoilage for hairtail fish and pork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study concerning the measurement of indandione rodenticides in human serum using liquid chromatography, electrospray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry. It states that measuring indandione rodenticides plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of accidental rodenticide ingestion. It mentions that a novel and selective method for the determination, clinical diagnosis and forensic toxicology of indandione rodenticides was developed.

The article focuses on the development of a selective and sensitive method to identify and quantify rodenticide valone in serum using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-tandem mass spectrometry (TMS). Analysis of six extracts of blank human serum samples and an extract spiked only with the internal standard (IS) were used to examine the specificity of the method. Electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry in the negative multiple reaction monitoring mode was used to detect valone in serum. Results show that the identification and quantification of valone in both clinical and forensic specimens was enabled in the proposed method since it combines a rapid solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure with an extremely fast chromatographic analysis.

The article reports on the result of the study which determines the presence of triptolide, tripdiolide and tripterine in the serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, who were administered with plant Tripterygium wilfordii Hook (TWHF). The study has utilized the analytical method of liquid chromatography coupled with atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization ion trap mass spectrometry with the use of hydrocortisone as the internal standard (IS). Assessment of interference, calibration curve, recovery, precision and accuracy and stability of the three compounds were also measured. The study found that serum samples of the patients contain 2.6-32.9 nanogram (ng)/milligram (mL) of triptolide, 0-3.5 ng/mL of tripterine and 1.3-12.3ng/mL of tripdiolide.

Abstract   Background and objectives Reflux esophagitis is a common disease. Erosive reflux esophagitis is a more advanced stage of reflux esophagitis. Although death from reflux disease is uncommon, significant morbidity and mortality from complications, such as esophageal ulcer, stricture, and cancer, are not uncommon. Proton pump inhibitors are the popular medication for reflux esophagitis. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of continuous intravenous infusion of pantoprazole in the treatment of severe erosive esophagitis. Methods From February 2005 to November 2006, all patients with grade 4 erosive reflux esophagitis were screened for the study. Eligible patients were randomized into two groups. Each patient in the study group received intravenous pantoprazole 80 mg loading dose over 5 min, followed by 8 mg/h intravenous infusion for 72 h, then 40 mg orally once a day for 4 days. Each patient in the control group received 40 mg pantoprazole intravenously once a day for 72 h, then orally once a day for 4 days. A second endoscopic gastrointestinal examination (EGD) was performed on treatment days 6–8 (±1 day if day 7 was on a weekend) to document any healing of esophagitis in either the study or the control group. Results In the study group, severe erosive esophagitis healed completely in three patients and significantly in the other three by the time of the second endoscopy. In the control group, severe erosive esophagitis healed partially in five patients, and no improvement was seen at all in one patient by the time of second endoscopy. The difference in the intervention between those two groups was statistically different (P = 0.015). There were no significant complications in either group. Conclusions Severe erosive esophagitis can be completely healed in a few days if pantoprazole is given intravenously and continuously for 72 h. It is safe to give pantoprazole intravenously and continuously for treatment of severe erosive esophagitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter subtype 1 (GAT1), which transports extracellular GABA into presynaptic neurons, plays an important regulatory role in the function of GABAergic systems. However, the contributions of the GAT1 in regulating mental status are not fully understood. In this paper, we observed the behavioral alterations of GAT1 knockout (GAT1−/−) mice using several depression- and anxiety-related models (eg, the forced-swimming test and the tail-suspension test for testing depression-related behaviors; the open-field test, the dark–light exploration test, the emergence test, and the elevated plus maze (EPM) test for anxiety-related behaviors). Here we found that GAT1−/− mice showed a lower level of depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in comparison to wild-type mice. Furthermore, GAT1−/− mice exhibited measurable insensitivity to selected antidepressants and anxiolytics such as fluoxetine, amitriptyline, buspirone, diazepam, and tiagabine in the tail-suspension test and/or the EPM test. Moreover, the basal level of corticosterone was found to be significantly lower in GAT1−/− mice. These results showed that the absence of GAT1 affects mental status through enhancing the GABAergic system, as well as modifying the serotonergic system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity in mice.Neuropsychopharmacology (2007) 32, 1531–1539; doi:10.1038/sj.npp.1301281; published online 13 December 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research is to compute population estimates by age and sex for small areas whose boundaries are different from those for which the population counts were made. In our approach, population surfaces and age-sex proportion surfaces are separately estimated. Age-sex population estimates for small areas and their confidence intervals are then computed using a binomial model with the two surfaces as inputs. The approach was implemented for Iowa using a 90 m resolution population grid (LandScan USA) and U.S. Census 2000 population. Three spatial interpolation methods, the areal weighting (AW) method, the ordinary kriging (OK) method, and a modification of the pycnophylactic method, were used on Census Tract populations to estimate the age-sex proportion surfaces. To verify the model, age-sex population estimates were computed for paired Block Groups that straddled Census Tracts and therefore were spatially misaligned with them. The pycnophylactic method and the OK method were more accurate than the AW method. The approach is general and can be used to estimate subgroup-count types of variables from information in existing administrative areas for custom-defined areas used as the spatial basis of support in other applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the feasibility for therapy of spinal cord injury (SCI) by genetic engineering neural stem cell (NSC) modified by lentiviral vector. Methods Following the construction of the genetic engineering NSC modified by lentivirus to secrete both neurotrophic factor-3 (NT-3) and green fluorescence protein (GFP) , hemisection of spinal cord at the level of T10 was performed in 56 adult Wistar rats that were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 14), namely 3 therapeutic groups and 1 control group. The therapeutic groups were dealed with NSC, genetic engineering NSC, and concentrated lentiviral supernatant which carries both GFP and NT-3, respectively. Then used fluorescence microscope to detect the transgenic expression in vitro and in vivo, migration of the grafted cells in vivo, and used the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) open-field locomotor test to assess the recovery of function. Results The transplanted cells could survive for long time in vivo and migrate for long distance. The stable transgenic expression could be detected in vivo. The hindlimb function of the injured rats in 3 therapeutic groups, especially those dealed with genetic engineering NSC, improved obviously. Conclusion It is feasible to combine NSC with lentivirus for the repair of SCI. NSC modified by lentivirus to deliver NT-3, acting as a source of neurotrophic factors and function cell in vivo, has the potential to participate in spinal cord repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the layered visco-elastic soil model, according to the Terzaghi's one dimensional consolidation theory, by the method of Laplace transform and matrix transfer technique, the problems about the consolidation of layered and saturated visco-elastic soils under arbitrary loading were solved. Through deductions, the general solution, in the terms of layer thickness, the modulus and the coefficients of permeability and Laplacian transform's parameters was obtained. The strain and deformation of the layered and saturated visco-elastic soils under arbitrary loading can be calculated by Laplace inversion. According to the results of several numerical examples, the consolidation of visco-elastic soils lags behind that of elastic soils. The development of effective stress and the displacement is vibrant process under cyclic loading. Finally, an engineering case is studied and the results prove that the methods are very effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a new model for fluid movement around the wellbore by introducing a Dirac function, which simplifies a water-injection well as a point source. The effect of porosity on the reaction and diffusion of contaminant ions is also taken into account in the model, making it more reliable in theoretical prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to survey data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, from 2011 to 2022, the total output value of China's construction industry showed an increasing trend year by year. From 2018 to 2021, infrastructure investment has always maintained a positive growth, indicating that the current construction industry is in a rapid development stage. In order to improve the development quality of the construction industry as much as possible, it is of great significance to develop the whole Process engineering consulting service model. The quality evaluation of whole process engineering consulting service modes is MAGDM. The single-valued neutrosophic sets (SVNSs) is useful tool to cope with uncertain information during the quality evaluation of whole process engineering consulting service modes. In this paper, the single-valued neutrosophic number combined TOPSIS (SVNN-CTOPSIS) model based on single-valued neutrosophic number Hamming distances (SVNNHD) and single-valued neutrosophic number Euclidean distance (SVNNED) is formed to cope with the MAGDM. The CRITIC model is utilized to obtain the weight numbers in light with the SVNNHD and SVNNED under SVNSs. Finally, numerical example and comparative analysis for quality evaluation of whole process engineering consulting service modes is utilized to verify SVNN-CTOPSIS model. The main contributions of this study are formed: (1) the CRITIC model is formed to obtain the weight numbers in light with SVNNHD and SVNNED; (2) the SVNN-CTOPSIS model is formed in light with SVNNHD and SVNNED under SVNNs; (3) Finally, numerical example and comparative analysis for quality evaluation of whole process engineering consulting service modes is employed to verify SVNN-CTOPSIS model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title compound, [Cu2II(C7H3O6S)2(C10H9N3)2][CuI(C10H9N3)2]2·2H2O, consists of anionic CuII moieties, cationic CuI species and uncoordinated water molecules. The anionic dimeric unit consists of one crystallographically independent fully deprotonated 5-sulfosalicylate (2-oxido-5-sulfonatobenzoate) anion, a di-2-pyridylamine group and a CuII atom. Each CuII atom is five-coordinate within a square-pyramidal geometry. The anion lies on a special position of &1macr; site symmetry. In the cationic monomer, the CuI atom adopts tetrahedral geometry. The cations and anions are connected by O—H···O and N—H···O hydrogen bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel 4-arylaminoquinazoline derivatives were synthesized by five-step reactions, the structure was characterized by IR, 1H NMR, MS and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The result of 5aX crystal was as follows: the crystal belongs to the monoclinic system, space group P21/c with a = 12.3637(4) Å, b = 12.7902(2) Å, c = 13.2240(5) Å, α = 90°, β = 117.030(5)°, γ = 90°, V = 1862.75(12) Å3, Z = 2, F(000) = 804.0, µ = 0.095 mm-1, S = 1.039, R = 0.0569, wR = 0.1535 for 8417 observed reflections with I > 2σ(I). The compound 5cX exhibited an excellent inhibitory effect on the cell line A549 (IC50 < 2.5 µM) and the drug-resistant cell line H1975 (IC50 < 2.5 µM) by the biological activity, which were superior to the positive control Zorifertinib (against A549: IC50 = 31.08 µM; against H1975: IC50 = 64.17 µM). Molecular docking revealed that the better inhibitory activity of compound 5cX was owing to the combining EGFRWT and EGFRL858R/T790M by hydrogen bonding. The physicochemical properties of the compounds were predicted by using ADME data analysis, and the results showed that the compounds all obeyed Lipinski's five rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article on intraduodenal Hydrochloric Acid Infusion for patients with pancreas divisum, in previous issue.

We develop an equivalence between the diagonal slices and the perpendicular slices of 3D Young diagrams via Maya diagrams. Furthermore, we construct the fermion representation of quantum toroidal algebra on the 3D Young diagrams perpendicularly sliced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric peroral endoscopic pyloromyotomy (G-POEM or POP) is an endoscopic therapeutic modality for treatment of refractory gastroparesis. Since the first case reported in 2013, there are more than 200 papers published on G-POEM. In this narrative review, we summarize the short-term and long-term outcomes and review other important studies. The technical success rate is 100% and the short-term (within 1 year) success rate is about 50-80%. The procedure time is between 50 and 70min while the average length of hospital stay was 2-3days. The adverse event rate was around 10%. Few patients need further intervention. Three studies showed that at the 4-year follow-up, the response to G-POEM was durable, but there was a yearly recurrence rate of 13% or more. Redo G-POEM is feasible and can be of benefit for some patients. Most of the studies showed that long duration of illness is associated with poor outcomes. However, reliable predictors for successful outcomes are still unknown. Current literature indicates G-POEM is superior to gastric electric stimulator and surgical pyloroplasty. Endoflip has been used at G-POEM to predict the outcome, but the result is very preliminary. A recent sham study confirms the short-term efficacy of G-POEM. G-POEM is safe and about 50% of patients can be discharged to home on the same day. G-POEM allows for direct biopsy of the gastric muscle, which is the location of the pacemaker cells, the interstitial cells of Cajal; therefore, G-POEM may provide a new path for further research on the pathogenesis of gastroparesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the title mononuclear complex, [Cd(C7H4O5S)(C12H8N2)2(H2O)]·4H2O, the CdII atom is coordinated in a capped trigonal–prismatic geometry by four N atoms and three O atoms. The 3-sulfonatobenzoate ligand chelates the CdII atom only via the carboxyl group. In the crystal structure, extensive O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds generate a three-dimensional network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Endoscopic resection has become the preferred treatment approach for select early esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC); however, the epidemiology of early stage disease has not been well defined. Methods: Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data were analyzed to determine age-adjusted incidence rates among major epithelial carcinomas, including EAC, from 1973 to 2017. The percent change in incidence over time was compared according to tumor subtype. Early T-stage, node-negative EAC without metastasis was examined from 2004 to 2017 when precise T-stage data were available. Results: The percent change in annual incidence from 1973 to 2017 was 767% for EAC. Joinpoint analysis showed that the average annual percent change in EAC from 1973 to 2017 was 5.11% (95% confidence interval, 4.66%-5.56%). The annual percent change appeared to plateau between 2004 and 2017; however, early EAC decreased from 2010 to 2017, with an annual percent change of -5.78%. Conclusions: There has been a 7-fold increase in the incidence of EAC, which was significantly greater than that of the other major epithelial malignancies examined. More recently, the incidence of early EAC has been decreasing. Approximately one in five patients has node negative, potentially resectable early stage disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Realistic prognostic tools are essential for effective condition-based maintenance systems. In this paper, a Duration-Dependent Hidden Semi-Markov Model (DD-HSMM) is proposed, which overcomes the shortcomings of traditional Hidden Markov Models (HMM), including the Hidden Semi-Markov Model (HSMM): (1) it allows explicit modeling of state transition probabilities between the states; (2) it relaxes observations' independence assumption by accommodating a connection between consecutive observations; and (3) it does not follow the unrealistic Markov chain's memoryless assumption and therefore it provides a more powerful modeling and analysis capability for real world problems. To facilitate the computation of the proposed DD-HSMM methodology, new forward-backward algorithm is developed. The demonstration and evaluation of the proposed methodology is carried out through a case study. The experimental results show that the DD-HSMM methodology is effective for equipment health monitoring and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: The Thai Association for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy published recommendations on safe endoscopy during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to assess the practicality and applicability of the recommendations and the perceptions of endoscopy personnel on them. Methods: A validated questionnaire was sent to 1290 endoscopy personnel globally. Of these, the data of all 330 responders (25.6%) from 15 countries, related to the current recommendations on proper personal protective equipment (PPE), case selection, scope cleaning, and safety perception, were analyzed. Ordinal logistic regression was used to determine the relationships between the variables. Results: Despite an overwhelming agreement with the recommendations on PPE (94.5%) and case selection (95.5%), their practicality and applicability on PPE recommendations and case selection were significantly lower (p=0.001, p=0.047, p<0.001, and p=0.032, respectively). Factors that were associated with lower sense of safety in endoscopy units were younger age (p=0.004), less working experience (p=0.008), in-training status (p=0.04), and higher national prevalence of COVID-19 (p=0.003). High prevalent countries also had more difficulty implementing the guidelines (p<0.001) and they considered the PPE recommendations less practical and showed lower agreement with them (p<0.001 and p=0.008, respectively). A higher number of in-hospital COVID-19 patients was associated with less agreement with PPE recommendations (p=0.039). Conclusions: Using appropriate PPE and case selection in endoscopic practice during a pandemic remains a challenge. Resource availability and local prevalence are critical factors influencing the adoption of the current guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve real-time updating of the domain knowledge graph and improve the relationship extraction ability in the construction process, a domain knowledge graph construction method is proposed. Based on the structured knowledge in Wikipedia's classification system, we acquire concepts and instances contained in subject areas. A relationship extraction algorithm based on co-word analysis is intended to extract the classification relationships in semi-structured open labels. A Bi-GRU remote supervised relationship extraction model based on a multiple-scale attention mechanism and an improved cross-entropy loss function is proposed to obtain the non-classification relationships of concepts in unstructured texts. Experiments show that the proposed model performs better than the existing methods. Based on the obtained concepts, instances and relationships, a domain knowledge graph is constructed and the domain-independent nodes and relationships contained in them are removed through a vector variance algorithm. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by constructing a food domain knowledge graph based on Wikipedia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two typical ionic liquids (ILs), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C4MIM]Cl) and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C8MIM]Cl), are demonstrated to associate strongly with dissolved organic matter (DOM) with distribution coefficients (KDOC) in the range of 104.2 to 104.6 for Aldrich humic acid (used as model DOM). With the increase of humic acid concentration to 11 μg/mL DOC (dissolved organic carbon), the free fraction (ratio of freely dissolved to total concentration) of [C4MIM]Cl and [C8MIM]Cl reduced to about 0.85 and 0.79, respectively. This reduction of freely dissolved concentration gave rise to remarkable reduction of bioavailability and toxicity of the two ILs. MTT assay with HepG2 cell lines showed that the EC50 values were 459 μmol/L for [C4MIM]Cl and 12 μmol/L for [C8MIM]Cl, respectively, and the cell viability increased about 50% in the presence of trace amount of humic acid (1 μg/mL DOC). The SOS/umu test indicated mutagenicity for [C4MIM]Cl at levels above 664 μmol/L, and the genotoxicity was diminished with the addition of trace humic acid (0.00000374-0.374 μg/mL DOC). The studied ILs showed acute toxicity toward model fish medaka with a 96 h median lethal concentration (LC50) of 2254 μmol/L for [C4MIM]Cl and 366 μmol/L for [C8MIM]Cl. The addition of humic acid (5.49 μg/mL DOC for [C8MIM]Cl, 1.37 μg/mL DOC for [C4MIM]Cl) to IL solutions reduced the death rate of medaka to a minimum value of 25% of that at zero DOC. Our results suggest that DOM may play an important role in determining the environmental fate and toxicity of imidazolium-based ILs, and its effects should be taken into account in assessing the environmental risk of ILs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The network oscillation and synaptic plasticity are known to be regulated by GABAergic inhibition, but how they are affected by changes in the GABA transporter activity remains unclear. Here we show that in the CA1 region of mouse hippocampus, pharmacological blockade or genetic deletion of GABA transporter-1 (GAT1) specifically impaired long-term potentiation (LTP) induced by theta burst stimulation, but had no effect on LTP induced by high-frequency stimulation or long-term depression induced by low-frequency stimulation. The extent of LTP impairment depended on the precise burst frequency, with significant impairment at 3-7 Hz that correlated with the time course of elevated GABAergic inhibition caused by GAT1 disruption. Furthermore, in vivo electrophysiological recordings showed that GAT1 gene deletion reduced the frequency of hippocampal theta oscillation. Moreover, behavioral studies showed that GAT1 knock-out mice also exhibited impaired hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Together, these results have highlighted the important link between GABAergic inhibition and hippocampal theta oscillation, both of which are critical for synaptic plasticity and learning behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much attention has been paid to the processing of inorganic whisker, especially calcium carbonate whisker, which can be used as reinforcement materials of polymer composite due to its low price. Unfortunately, the present synthesis technique of calcium carbonate whisker starts from calcinations of limestone, which involves high energy consumption and furthermore is a highly environment polluting reaction. In this report, needle-like aragonite was synthesized with a reversible solution reaction from limestone without calcination. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used to characterize the morphology and crystal structure of intermediates as well as that of the product, aragonite. GCC (grinding calcium carbonate) powder was dissolved in an aqueous solution of magnesium sulfate with reflux and air flush. EDTA titration was used to evaluate reaction rate of the dissolution. A kinetics equation of the dissolution reaction was constructed, which displayed second-order kinetics with respect to the concentration of magnesium sulfate. A rate constant of 0.0015 l–3 · mol–1 · h–1 was obtained. The dissolution reaction gave fiber-like magnesium hydroxide sulfate and gypsum crystal. Then needle-like aragonite with a length of 9.13 ± 1.02 μm and an aspect ratio of 5.64 ± 1.37 was synthesized from the dissolution product with CO2 bubbling at 70°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disease associated with mitochondrial oxidative stress. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) are important for cell homeostasis by regulating mitochondrial dynamics. Here, we show that IPF BAL cells exhibited increased mitochondrial biogenesis that is, in part, due to increased nuclear expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-ɣ (PPARɣ) coactivator (PGC)-1α. Increased PPARGC1A mRNA expression directly correlated with reduced pulmonary function in IPF subjects. Oxidant-mediated activation of the p38 MAPK via Akt1 regulated PGC-1α activation to increase mitochondrial biogenesis in monocyte-derived macrophages. Demonstrating the importance of PGC-1α in fibrotic repair, mice harboring a conditional deletion of Ppargc1a in monocyte-derived macrophages or mice administered a chemical inhibitor of mitochondrial division had reduced biogenesis and increased apoptosis, and the mice were protected from pulmonary fibrosis. These observations suggest that Akt1-mediated regulation of PGC-1α maintains mitochondrial homeostasis in monocyte-derived macrophages to induce apoptosis resistance, which contributes to the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is an effective modality for the management of achalasia. Tension pneumoperitoneum is a significant complication that causes hemodynamic instability, generally within the periprocedural period. METHODS: Here, we report 2 cases of delayed tension pneumoperitoneum that was recognized and treated several hours after uncomplicated POEM. RESULTS: These cases illustrate the importance of continued vigilance for this complication outside of the immediate periprocedural period as well as the utility of computed tomography-guided aspiration in managing it. DISCUSSION: When discharging patients after POEM, caregivers should be aware of this rare complication and alert patients to return for immediate care when it happens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rice is an important staple food that is consumed around the world. Like many foods, the price of rice varies considerably, from very inexpensive for a low-quality product to premium pricing for highly prized varieties from specific locations. Therefore, like other foods it is vulnerable to economically motivated adulteration through substitution or misrepresentation of inferior-quality rice for more expensive varieties. Objective: In this article we describe results of a research project focused on addressing potential food fraud issues related to rice supplies in China, India, Vietnam, and Ghana. Rice fraud manifests differently in each country; therefore, tailored solutions were required. Method: Here we describe a two-tiered testing regime of rapid screening using portable Near Infrared technology supported by second tier testing using mass spectrometry-based analysis of suspicious samples. Results: Portable Near Infrared spectroscopy models and laboratory-based Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry methods were developed to differentiate between: high-value Basmati rice varieties and their potential adulterants; six Geographic Indicated protected rice varieties from specific regions within China; various qualities of rice in Ghana and Vietnam; and locally produced and imported rice in Ghana. Furthermore, an Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry method was developed to support the Chinese rice varieties methods as well as a Liquid Chromatography Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry method for quality differentiation in Vietnam. Conclusions/Highlights: This two-tier approach can provide a substantially increased level of testing through rapid screening outside of the laboratory with the reassurance of corroborating mass spectrometry-based laboratory analysis to support decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: There are conflicting opinions regarding the management of recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP). While some physicians recommend endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in this setting, others consider it to be contraindicated in patients with RAP. The aim of this study was to assess the practice patterns and clinical features influencing the management of RAP in the US. Methods: An anonymous 35-question survey instrument was developed and refined through multiple iterations, and its use was approved by our Institutional Review Board. The survey was distributed via email to 408 gastroenterologists to assess the practice patterns in the management of RAP in multiple clinical scenarios. Results: The survey was completed by 65 participants representing 36 of the top academic/tertiary care centers across the country. Approximately 90.8% of the participants indicated that they might offer or recommend ERCP in the management of RAP. Multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that ductal dilatation and presence of symptoms were the most predictive variables (p<0.001) for offering ERCP. Conclusions: A preponderance of the respondents would consider ERCP among patients with RAP presenting to tertiary care centers in the US. Ductal dilatation, presence of symptoms, and pancreas divisum significantly increased the likelihood of a recommendation for ERCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrophages are important in mounting an innate immune response to injury as well as in repair of injury. Gene expression of Rho proteins is known to be increased in fibrotic models; however, the role of these proteins in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is not known. Here, we show that BAL cells from patients with IPF have a profibrotic phenotype secondary to increased activation of the small GTPase Rac1. Rac1 activation requires a posttranslational modification, geranylgeranylation, of the C-terminal cysteine residue. We found that by supplying more substrate for geranylgeranylation, Rac1 activation was substantially increased, resulting in profibrotic polarization by increasing flux through the mevalonate pathway. The increased flux was secondary to greater levels of acetyl-CoA from metabolic reprogramming to β oxidation. The polarization mediated fibrotic repair in the absence of injury by enhancing macrophage/fibroblast signaling. These observations suggest that targeting the mevalonate pathway may abrogate the role of macrophages in dysregulated fibrotic repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil moisture (SM) varies greatly in the soil profile. We developed a low-cost sensor for SM monitoring at three vertical depths. The sensor function was based on dielectric theory to monitor SM. Three linear calibration models were established using different soils. The sensor for each depth showed acceptable statistics of validations. The linear fit coefficient of determination (R2) ranged from 0.95 to 0.99. Root mean square error (RMSE) ranged from 1.35 to 4.30. The sensor performed consistently for at least 4 months, and is suitable for continuous monitoring of in situ SM and irrigation scheduling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Study Aims: Localized approaches are being increasingly used in the management of early gastric adenocarcinoma; however, there are limited data on lymph node metastasis in the US population. This study examined the incidence and predictors of lymph node involvement for early-stage gastric adenocarcinomas in the USA.Patients and Methods: Data were abstracted from the national SEER database from 2004 to 2013. Exclusion criteria included: cases with unknown tumor characteristics, unknown patient characteristics, metastatic disease, neoadjuvant radiation, and lack of surgical resection or lymph node evaluation. Univariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to assess the relationship of tumor stage, grade, and size, and patient sex, race, and age with nodal involvement.Results: 43 769 cases of gastric adenocarcinoma were initially abstracted. After exclusions, 1577 patients remained for analysis. Multivariable analysis revealed that tumor stage (P < 0.001), grade (P = 0.008), and size (P < 0.001) were independent predictors of nodal metastasis. For low grade T1a tumors, nodal metastasis was present in 1.7 %, 1.7 %, 4.5 %, 4.1 %, and 20 % of tumors 0 - 1 cm, 1 - 2 cm, 2 - 3 cm, 3 - 4 cm, and ≥ 4 cm in size, respectively (P < 0.001), and in 8.4 %, 18.0 %, 19.5 %, 22.0 %, and 35.8 % of T1b tumors, respectively (P < 0.001).Conclusions: Low grade T1a tumors < 4 cm in size have low rates of nodal metastasis in the US population and may warrant consideration for local resection. Larger, higher grade T1b tumors have high rates of nodal metastasis in the US population and lymph node dissection may be indicated for patients who are surgical candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]