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This study reports the antioxidant potential and L-asparaginase production of culturable fungal endophytes from Dendrobium orchids in Malaysia. Twenty-nine isolates were screened using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay to determine their free radical scavenging activities and antioxidant capacity (IC50 and AEAC). L-asparaginase production of fungal endophytes was detected by the qualitative plate assay, and the enzyme activities estimated via the Nesslerization method. All 29 endophytic isolates exhibited various degrees of radical scavenging activities (35.37%–77.23%), with Fusarium fujikuroi (D1) identified as having the highest antioxidant capacity (IC50 6.097 mg/mL) and the highest AEAC value (11.55  mg/g). For L-asparaginase production, the majority of the isolates (89.66%) showed positive results, especially among the culturable species of Fusarium, Trichoderma , and Daldinia. Most Fusarium spp. were able to produce L-asparaginase (80.77%), but the highest L-asparaginase activity was detected in Daldinia eschscholtzii (D14) with 2.128 units/mL. Results from this study highlighted the potential of endophytic fungi from medicinal orchids (Dendrobium sp.) as natural sources of bioactive compounds to be developed into novel antioxidants and anticancer drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endophytic Trichoderma asperellum (D7) from Dendrobium orchids was explored for its antimicrobial potential through characterization and identification of bioactive compounds. Bio-guided fractionation of crude extracts of T. asperellum (D7) afforded 7 fractions with antimicrobial activities against bacterial pathogens (Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and a plant pathogen (Ganoderma boninense). Among the fractionated extracts, fraction 1 was most effective towards P. aeruginosa (MIC: 1.25 mg/mL) while fraction 4 had the strongest inhibitory activities against B. cereus (MIC: 2.5 mg/mL) and G. boninense (50.62% inhibition). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) analysis led to the identification of antimicrobial compounds from fraction 1 (paeoniflorin, kanzonol N, 2-nonynoic acid, fenpropidin, (+)-tetrandrine, 12(13)-EpOME-d, rifamycin, linoleic acid(d4) and 3α,12α-dihydroxy-5β-chol-8(14)-en-24-oic acid) and fraction 4 (morpholine, epothilone A, tetroquinone, loperamide, 2,5-dimethoxycinnamic acid, 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl ethanol, pyropheophorbide A, streptomycin, 5-hydroxystreptomycin, rifamycin, leucomycin A1, sophoradiol, 5R-hydroxy-hexanoic acid, 2-undecanol, 3-methyl-2-quinoxalinone, scandenin and lumichrome) of T. asperellum (D7). Several of the antimicrobial compounds were revealed for the first time for endophytic T. asperellum (D7). The identification of bioactive compounds from T. asperellum (D7) would contribute to the development of natural antimicrobials, agrochemicals, fungicides and pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To report a novel corporoplasty technique with a urethral plate flap in hypospadias repair and evaluate its safety and efficacy for ventral lengthening. Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from consecutive patients with hypospadias who underwent urethral plate flap corporoplasty between July 2021 and March 2022. All patients underwent hypospadias repair using the Duckett technique. The corporoplasty procedure involved the following key steps: the half‐spongiosum of the urethral plate was harvested as a flap (with a pedicle attached to the corpus cavernosum); a transverse incision of the tunica albuginea was made adjacent to the pedicle; and the flap was patched onto the corporal defect. Results: The study included 10 patients, with a median age of 20 months. The initial meatal location was penile in two patients, penoscrotal in four patients, and scrotal in four patients. The median ventral curvature was 45° after degloving and urethral plate transection. The median ventral lengthening distance proportional to penis length was 0.21. During the median follow‐up of 13.8 months, complications occurred in three cases, including two cases of fistula and one case of urethral stricture with secondary diverticulum. No cases of recurrent ventral curvature, meatal stenosis, or urethral dehiscence were noted. Postoperative ultrasonography showed a good continuation of the tunica albuginea and integrity of the stratum spongiosum at the corporoplasty site. Conclusions: Urethral plate flap corporoplasty is a simple and effective ventral lengthening procedure. The novel corporoplasty technique allows for anatomical and architectural repair of corporal disproportion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cymbidium and Dendrobium orchids harbor diverse endophytic fungi. • These endophytic fungi have antimicrobial activities. • Fusarium was the dominant genus of endophytes from orchids. • Novel discovery of Buergenerula spartinae and Exserohilum rostratum from orchids. This study reports the isolation of fungal endophytes from common orchids in Malaysia (Cymbidium and Dendrobium sp.), their antimicrobial activities and phytochemical constituents. Culturable fungal endophytes were sampled from surface-sterilized root tissues of Cymbidium and Dendrobium orchids, then identified via molecular approaches. To establish their antibacterial and antifungal activities, the identified fungal endophytes were tested by the agar well diffusion assay and dual culture technique, respectively. Results revealed a total of 59 fungal endophytes were isolated, and they were represented in eight different genera (Fusarium, Nigrospora, Lasiodiplodia, Exserohilum, Curvularia, Buergenerula, Trichoderma and Daldinia). Fusarium was the most dominant genus among the pool of isolates, with high isolation frequencies of 62.7% (37 isolates). Rare genera such as Buergenerula and Exserohilum were also discovered at lower frequencies (3.33%, 1 isolate each). Among the 59 isolates, 8 isolates (13.56%) demonstrated antibacterial activities (5.67 ± 0.58 to 25 ± 0.00 mm) against all 4 pathogens tested (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). All endophytic isolates were, however, capable of inhibiting the growth of at least one pathogenic fungus (Ganoderma boninense, Pythium ultimum, Fusarium solani, Candida albicans) (1.16 to 91.86% inhibition). Prominent antimicrobial activities were displayed by Fusarium incarnatum (C4) and Trichoderma asperellum (D7). Phytochemical analysis of extracts from these endophytes revealed that antimicrobial activities may be attributed to constituents like alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, tannins and terpenoids. These results highlighted the potential of fungal endophytes from Orchidaceae as an alternative source for antimicrobial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal stability of enzymes dramatically limits their application in the industrial field. Based on the crystal structure, we conducted a semi-rational design according to the B-factor and free energy values to improve the stability of dextranase from Streptococcus mutans (SmdexTM). The B-factor values of Asn102, Asn503, Asp501 and Asp500 were the highest predicted by B-FITTER. Then Rosetta was used to simulate the saturation mutations of Asn102, Asn503, Asp501 and Asp500. The mutated amino acid was designed according to the change of acG. The results showed that the thermal stability of N102P, N102C, D500G, and D500T was improved, and the half-lives of N102P/D500G and N102P/D500T at 45 °C were increased to 3.14 times and 2.44 times, respectively. Analyzing the interaction of amino acids by using Discovery Studio 4.5, it was observed that the thermal stability of dextranase was improved due to the increase in hydrophobicity and the number of hydrogen bonds of the mutant enzyme. The catalytic efficiency of N102P/D500T was increased. Compared with the hydrolyzed products of SmdexTM, the mutant enzymes do not change the specificity of hydrolysates. • The study provides a useful method to improve the thermal stability of dextranase according to the B-factor and ΔΔG. • The thermal stability and hydrolysis efficiency of the mutant dextranase were successfully improved. • The thermal stability of mutant enzyme is improved due to the increase of hydrogen bond, hydrophobic force and the decrease of swing amplitude of N-terminal peptide chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that I GBA i , I TMEM175 i , and I SNCA i are risk genes for both LBD and PD, it is noteworthy to investigate whether I BIN1 i and I APOE i are also associated with the risk of PD. Keywords: APOE; BIN1; Parkinson's disease; rare variant EN APOE BIN1 Parkinson's disease rare variant 698 701 4 04/15/22 20220501 NES 220501 Abbreviations GWAS genome-wide association study LBD Lewy body dementia PD Parkinson's disease Dear Editor, Recently, Chia et al. identified five risk genes for Lewy body dementia (LBD) in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) [1]. Similarly, a previous study identified that the I BIN1 i variant rs13403026 was associated with later AAO in I GBA i -associated PD [4], suggesting the potential role of I BIN1 i in regulating AAO in PD. [Extracted from the article]

To solve the problems in the existing fully homomorphic encryption (FHE)-based secure multi-party computation (SMC) protocols such as low efficiency, the FHE scheme that supports multi-bit encryption was modified during the generation of the public key so that the users could generate their public keys independently without the common random string (CRS) matrix. Further, a multi-bit Gentry-Sahai-Waters scheme (MGSW) scheme without CRS was constructed. The modified LinkAlgo algorithm was adopted to expand the single-key ciphertext into the multi-key ciphertext and simplify the way of generating the expanded ciphertext. In this way, a multi-key FHE (MFHE) scheme was achieved based on the MGSW scheme. Finally, a three-round SMC protocol without CRS was constructed using the MFHE scheme and the decisional learning with errors (DLWE) assumption, which was secure in the semi-malicious model. Compared to the existing protocols, the protocol proposed herein can support multi-bit encryption and is found with smaller ciphertext size and lower storage overhead and generate the expanded ciphertext in a simpler way. Overall performance is better than existing protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapies provide notable clinical benefits for patients with advanced cancers, the factors influencing the effectiveness of the treatment remain incompletely cataloged. Topics include immune checkpoint blockade therapies have improved the survival outcomes of patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer; and Ln-2 represent a useful biomarker to optimize clinical decisions and the response of cancer patients to treatment with anti–PD-1 drugs.

In addition, of the 232 patients who received DRT for more than 5 years, 69 patients (29.7%, 69/232) developed LIDs in the first 5 years of DRT. In a previous study, the incidence of LIDs has been reported to be 21.7% in Chinese LOPD patients [[5]], suggesting that the LIDs are common in EOPD, and EOPD patients are susceptible to the development of LIDs. Main text The levodopa-induced dyskinesias (LIDs) in Parkinson' disease (PD) patients during levodopa treatment can lead to significant disability. [Extracted from the article]

Objectives: To find a new appropriate evaluation for urethral plate quality in hypospadias repair, with particular interest in the width proportion of the urethral plate to the glans, serving as an appraisal index. Methods: Data were prospectively collected from prepubertal boys who underwent primary tubularized incised plate hypospadias repair between January 2014 and April 2016 in one center. Intrinsic parameters of the penis (meatal location, glans width, urethral plate width and curvature degree) were measured during the operation. Urethroplasty complications were recorded during follow up. The correlation between width proportion of the urethral plate to the glans and urethroplasty complications was analyzed. Results: Primary tubularized incised plate repair was carried out in 442 patients (mean age 2.8 years, range 0.5–12 years). At mean follow up of 26 months (range 12–38 months), urethroplasty complications occurred in 59 (13.3%) patients. The width proportion of the urethral plate to the glans was weakly correlated to both the glans width and meatal location. The width proportion of the urethral plate to the glans ranged from 0.18 to 0.73, with a mean of 0.39. The cut‐off value of width proportion of the urethral plate to the glans was determined to be 0.36 by the receiver operating characteristic curve. Urethroplasty complications occurred in 17 out of 254 patients (6.7%) with width proportion of the urethral plate to the glans >0.36, and 42 out of 188 patients (22.3%) with width proportion of the urethral plate to the glans ≤0.36. The width proportion of the urethral plate to the glans ≤0.36 showed an increased odds of 4.819‐fold (95% confidence interval 2.548–9.112, P < 0.001) risk of urethroplasty complications compared with width proportion of the urethral plate to the glans >0.36. Midshaft and proximal meatal location also increased the risk of urethroplasty complications. Conclusions: The present study highlights the value of the width proportion of the urethral plate to the glans for objectivity and accuracy in urethral plate evaluation, which in turn serves as an independent factor influencing outcomes in tubularized incised plate repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the renal tubulointerstitium is a key component of chronic renal damage in lupus nephritis (LN) and a critical determinant of the disease progression to renal failure. Detection of fibrosis requires renal biopsy and is therefore limited by high risks associated with an invasive procedure. This study explores whether a unique LN urinary peptidome can be identified and whether LN-specific alteration reflects the underlying fibrogenic process of altered ECMturnover. Method. Urinary peptides were analyzed for 36 LN and 35 nonrenal systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) subjects and 58 healthy volunteers (HVs). Results. In total, 70 collagen and 230 noncollagen peptides were significantly changed between LN and nonrenal SLE and between LN and HV and defined as 'LN peptides'; 14 proteases associated with observed LN collagen peptides were identified and activities in 9 proteases were significantly different between LN and nonrenal SLE; 28 collagen peptides were correlated with at least one parameter of clinical renal dysfunction or histolopathology. Conclusion. Urinary peptidomic alterations likely reflect pathogenic pathways involving ECM turnover in LN kidneys and potentially could be developed as biomarkers to monitor renal disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical properties of metal components are determined by the solidification behaviour and microstructure. A quantitative phase field model is used to investigate the microstructure evolution of fusedcoating additive manufacturing, by which to improve the quality of deposition. During the fused-coating process, the molten metal in a crucible flows out of a nozzle and then reaches the substrate. The solidification happens at the moment when the molten metal comes into contact with substrate moving in three-dimensional space. The macroscopic heat transfer model of fused-coating is established to get the temperature field considered as the initial temperature boundary conditions in the phase field model. The numerical and experimental results show that the morphology of grains varies with different solidification environments. Columnar grains are observed during the early period at the bottom of fused-coating layer and the equiaxed grains appear subsequently ahead of the columnar grains. Columnar dendrites phase field simulations about the grains morphology and solute distribution are conducted considering the solidification environments. The simulation results are in good agreement with experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/purpose: Adrenocortical tumors (ACTs) are rare in childhood. There are no recognized criteria to exactly distinguish between benign and malignant forms, or predict prognosis. The incidence of tumor varies across geographic regions or ethnicities, as well as malignant proportion. The aim of this study is to examine a single institution's experience with pediatric ACTs and to validate the prognostic value of the biologic/pathologic criteria of Wienecke.Methods: Records of 26 pediatric ACTs between 1994 and 2016 in our center were reviewed retrospectively. The data recorded of each patient included clinical characteristics, treatment, pathologic findings, disease stating, and outcome. Tumors were categorized according to the Wienecke criteria.Results: All patients underwent primary surgical excision, including negative margins in 20 cases. Stage distribution at diagnosis was: ST I 12, ST II 8, ST III 5, and ST IV 1. According to Wienecke scoring system, 13 cases were <3 criteria, 6 cases were =3 criteria, and 7 cases were >3 criteria. At median follow-up of 34.5 months, 18 patients survived without evidence of disease and 8 patients had lethal outcome. There was a strong association between high Wienecke score and both high stage and adverse outcome.Conclusions: Wienecke criteria can be an appropriate points-scoring system to predict prognosis for adrenocortical tumors in children. Complete surgical resection with negative margins is optimal for survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional quantum billiards are one of the most important paradigms for exploring the connection between quantum and classical worlds. Researchers are mainly focused on nonintegrable and irregular shapes to understand the quantum characteristics of chaotic billiards. The emergence of the scarred modes relevant to unstable periodic orbits (POs) is one intriguing finding in nonintegrable quantum billiards. On the other hand, stable POs are abundant in integrable billiards. The quantum wavefunctions associated with stable POs have been shown to play a key role in ballistic transport. A variety of physical systems, such as microwave cavities, optical fibers, optical resonators, vibrating plates, acoustic waves, and liquid surface waves, are used to analogously simulate the wave properties of quantum billiards. This article gives a comprehensive review for the subtle connection between the quantum level clustering and the classical POs for three integrable billiards including square, equilateral triangle, and circular billiards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We designed a study for photodynamic therapy (PDT) using chitosan coated Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticles as the delivery system. A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dye, indocyanine green (ICG) with photoactive properties was intercalated into amine modified LDH interlayers by ion-exchange. The efficient positively charged polymer (chitosan (CS)) coating was achieved by the cross linkage using surface amine groups modified on the LDH nanoparticle surface with glutaraldehyde as a spacer. The unique hybridization of organic-inorganic nanocomposites rendered more effective and successful photodynamic therapy due to the photosensitizer stabilization in the interlayer of LDH, which prevents the leaching and metabolization of the photosensitizer in the physiological conditions. The results indicated that the polymer coating and the number of polymer coats have a significant impact on the photo-toxicity of the nano-composites. The double layer chitosan coated LDH-NH2-ICG nanoparticles exhibited enhanced photo therapeutic effect compared with uncoated LDH-NH2-ICG and single layer chitosan-coated LDH-NH2-ICG due to the enhanced protection to photosensitizers against photo and thermal degradations. This new class of organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites can potentially serve as a platform for future non-invasive cancer diagnosis and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bottom-simulating reflectors (BSRs) in seismic profile always indicate the bottom of gas hydrate stability zone, but is difficult to determine the distribution and features of gas hydrate sediments (GHS). In this study, based on AVA forward modeling and angle-domain common-image gathers we use prestack AVA parameters consistency inversion in predicting gas hydrate sediments in the Shenhu area at northern slope of South China Sea, and obtain the vertical and lateral features and saturation of GHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CFS-1686 (chemical name (E)-N-(2-(diethylamino)ethyl)-4-(2-(2-(5-nitrofuran-2-yl)vinyl)quinolin-4-ylamino)benzamide) inhibits cell proliferation and triggers late apoptosis in prostate cancer cell lines. Comparing the effect of CFS-1686 on cell cycle progression with the topoisomerase 1 inhibitor camptothecin revealed that CFS-1686 and camptothecin reduced DNA synthesis in S-phase, resulting in cell cycle arrest at the intra-S phase and G1-S boundary, respectively. The DNA damage in CFS-1686 and camptothecin treated cells was evaluated by the level of ATM phosphorylation, γH2AX, and γH2AX foci, showing that camptothecin was more effective than CFS-1686. However, despite its lower DNA damage capacity, CFS-1686 demonstrated 4-fold higher inhibition of topoisomerase 1 than camptothecin in a DNA relaxation assay. Unlike camptothecin, CFS-1686 demonstrated no activity on topoisomerase 1 in a DNA cleavage assay, but nevertheless it reduced the camptothecin-induced DNA cleavage of topoisomerase 1 in a dose-dependent manner. Our results indicate that CFS-1686 might bind to topoisomerase 1 to inhibit this enzyme from interacting with DNA relaxation activity, unlike campothecin's induction of a topoisomerase 1-DNA cleavage complex. Finally, we used a computer docking strategy to localize the potential binding site of CFS-1686 to topoisomerase 1, further indicating that CFS-1686 might inhibit the binding of Top1 to DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three parameters of P-wave velocity, S-wave velocity, and density have remarkable differences in conventional prestack inversion accuracy, so study of the consistency inversion of the 'three parameters' is very important. In this paper, we present a new inversion algorithm and approach based on the in-depth analysis of the causes in their accuracy differences. With this new method, the inversion accuracy of the three parameters is improved synchronously by reasonable approximations and mutual constraint among the parameters. Theoretical model calculations and actual data applications with this method indicate that the three elastic parameters all have high inversion accuracy and maintain consistency, which also coincides with the theoretical model and actual data. This method has good application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Certain indeno[1,2-c]quinolines were synthesized and evaluated for antiosteoclastogenic activities. Among them, 6,9-dimethoxy-11H-indeno[1,2-c]quinolin-11-one (8a) and 9-methoxy-6-(methylthio)-11H-indeno[1,2-c]quinolin-11-one (16a) inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast formation in Raw 264.7 cells with an IC50of 2.00 and 2.58 μM, respectively. Compound 8awas only weakly active in the inhibition of the RANKL-induced NFAT activation, while 16awas inactive. These results indicated that the antiosteoclastogenic effect of 8ais only partly related while 16ais not related to the suppression of NFAT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Target-based metabolomics, focused on a subset of metabolites representative of key pathways, is a valuable tool for assessing metabolic changes resulting from genetic mutation, altered gene expression, and protein dysfunction in a given disease state or as a consequence of an environmental perturbation, such as a pharmaceutical. However, simultaneously analyzing hundreds of endogenous metabolites presents a challenge because of their diverse chemical structures and properties. In this study, we report a high-throughput, sensitive, and reproducible method for target-based metabolomics studies. It combines different separation conditions, optimal ionization polarities, and the most sensitive triple-quadrupole MSbased data acquisition mode (MRM). In 10 mm, 205 endogenous metabolites, divided into three subgroups (amino acids, sugar and nucleic acids, and organic acids), are sequentially analyzed on a LC/MS/MRM system. Low picogram sensitivity is achieved for more than half of the metabolites. A 3-4 order of linearity and assay coefficient of variation less than 15% are observed for ∼80% of the metabolites. hi summary, we have established a multiplex LC/MS/MRM method for quantitatively profiling hundreds of known metabolites from complex biological samples. The methodology is generally applicable and easily expandable to include more endogenous or drug metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: People who regularly drink tea have been found to have a higher bone mineral density (BMD) and to be at less risk of hip fractures than those who do not drink it. Green tea catechins such as (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) have been reported to increase osteogenic functioning in mesenchymal stem cells. However, its effect on osteoclastogenesis remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of EGCG on RANKL-activation osteoclastogenesis and NF-κB in RAW 264.7, a murine preosteoclast cell line. EGCG (10–100μM) significantly suppressed the RANKL-induced differentiation of osteoclasts and the formation of pits in murine RAW 264.7 cells and bone marrow macrophages (BMMs). EGCG appeared to target osteoclastic differentiation at an early stage but had no cytotoxic effect on osteoclast precursors. In addition, it significantly inhibited RANKL-induced NF-κB transcriptional activity and nuclear translocation. We conclude that EGCG inhibits osteoclastogenesis through its activation of NF-κB. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Emerging metabolomic tools have created the opportunity to establish metabolic signatures of myocardial injury. We applied a mass spectrometry-based metabolite profiling platform to 36 patients undergoing alcohol septal ablation treatment for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, a human model of planned myocardial infarction (PMI). Serial blood samples were obtained before and at various intervals after PMI, with patients undergoing elective diagnostic coronary angiography and patients with spontaneous myocardial infarction (SMI) serving as negative and positive controls, respectively. We identified changes in circulating levels of metabolites participating in pyrimidine metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid cycle and its upstream contributors, and the pentose phosphate pathway. Alterations in levels of multiple metabolites were detected as early as 10 minutes after PMI in an initial derivation group and were validated in a second, independent group of PMI patients. A PMI-derived metabolic signature consisting of aconitic acid, hypoxanthine, trimethylamine N-oxide, and threonine differentiated patients with SMI from those undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography with high accuracy, and coronary sinus sampling distinguished cardiac-derived from peripheral metabolic changes. Our results identify a role for metabolic profiling in the early detection of myocardial injury and suggest that similar approaches may be used for detection or prediction of other disease states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effect of inter-grain exchange-coupling interaction on the anisotropy of grain in nanoscaled magnets has been investigated by putting forward an expression of anisotropy at grain boundary, , which is suitable for different coupling conditions, and expresses well the coherency between soft and hard grains. The average anisotropy of grain has been calculated based on and the theory of partial exchange-coupling interaction. It has been found that the average anisotropy of hard or soft grain, or , increases with increasing grain size monotonously when hard–hard or soft–soft grains couple. When soft–hard grains touch each other, with increasing , the variation of average anisotropy of soft–hard grain depends on the anisotropy at grain interface , which denotes the affection degree of hard grain on the anisotropy of soft grain. Compared with other results, it is more reasonable that ranges from to . The variations of anisotropy with we calculated are consistent with those of coercivities given by other authors when is fixed in a certain range. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects of intergranular phase with different thickness, , on the exchange-coupling interaction and effective anisotropy in nanocrystalline Nd2Fe14B material have been investigated by adopting a cube model of grain and putting forward two assumed expressions of anisotropy, (), in the coupled part of the grain interface. The results showed that both the average anisotropy of the grain, , and the effective anisotropy of the material, , increase with increasing grain size, . calculated based on the two expressions increases with increasing . However, the variations of with based on the two expressions are different. Based on the first expression, , increases firstly and decreases subsequently with increasing , and shows maximum value at certain . Based on the second expression, , decreases monotonously with increasing . The variation tendency of effective anisotropy is basically similar to that of other authors’ calculated and experimental coercivity. The existence of intergranular phase with suitable thickness may result in an increase of effective anisotropy and coercivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To be useful in elucidating structure–property relationships for the planar fused ring bearing metal π-complexation, the structures of (acenaphthylene)Cr(CO)3 (3) and (acenaphthene)Cr(CO)3 (4) were determined by X-ray crystal analyses, and their nonlinear optical activities investigated by using density functional theory calculations. The title molecules exhibit the intense electronic absorptions characteristic of charge-transfer capability and moreover, the observed negative solvochromicity in the low-energy transition is proposed to be associated with the organometallic modification of the electronic structure. These results are compared with the behavior of the corresponding free ligands, indicating that chromium tricarbonyl complexation can be used to create an unique non-centrosymmetric metal-organic architecture with the more extensive π-delocalization and, therefore, improve the nonlinear optical response. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STP) is a composite formula of traditional Chinese medicine that is widely used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. It consists of seven medicinal extracts thereof or materials, including Bufonis venenum , synthetic Moschus, Panax ginseng , Bovis calculus artifactus , Bear bile powder, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge and synthetic borneol. However, it is considerably difficult to evaluate the quality of STP due to its complex chemical compositions. This paper was designed to explore a comprehensive and systematic method combining fingerprints and chemical identification for quality assessment of STP samples. Twenty batches of STP samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry. Ten common peaks were detected by HPLC fingerprint similarity evaluation system. Meanwhile, 100 compounds belonging to 4 structural characteristics, including 23 bufadienolides, 36 organic acids, 34 saponins and 7 other types, were systematically identified as the basic components in STP. This study could be used for clarifying the multiple bioactive substances and developing a comprehensive quality evaluation method of STP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disorders of sex development (DSD) are congenital disorders in which the development of the chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex is atypical. Mutations in various genes can impede gonadal development, hormone synthesis, or hormone function and cause DSD. Methods: Exome sequencing was performed for two siblings with 46,XY DSD. All mutations identified by exome sequencing were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Results: The 13-month-old younger sibling had a female appearance of the external genital with a clitoris that was assessed as Prader III and scored 2 in the external masculinization score evaluative test. The 16-year-old elder sibling had severe hypospadias. Exome sequencing revealed compound heterozygous mutations in exon 3 of DHH in the siblings with 46,XY DSD. The frameshift mutation (NM_021044.3: c.602delC) was derived from the father and was predicted to be deleterious. The (c.937G > T) substitution mutation was derived from the mother. Conclusions: Novel compound heterozygous mutations of DHH led to 46,XY DSD in two siblings. This study expands the phenotypic mutation spectra of DHH in patients with 46,XY DSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper proposes a steel frame assembled with a concrete-filled steel tube (CFST)-bordered composite wall structure. • The seismic behaviors of five full-sized specimens were investigated under low cyclic loading. • A simple superposition method was applied to evaluate the bearing capacity of the proposed structures. This paper proposes a steel frame assembled with a concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST)-bordered composite wall structure. The composite wall was fabricated as an assembled seismic member to improve the seismic performance of the steel frame. Therefore, on the basis of a full-sized bare steel frame as a contrast specimen, four full-sized steel frames assembled with CFST-bordered composite wall specimens were designed. The differences among these four specimens include the use of inclined braces in the CFST-bordered composite walls and the different designs of the inclined braces, and these differences are to investigate the influence of the inclined braces on the proposed structures. Low cyclic loading was applied to the specimens, and the seismic behavior of each specimen was analyzed. The experimental results indicated that the seismic performance of the bare frame was greatly enhanced by the assembled CFST-bordered composite wall. The setting of the rebar braces or the CFST braces can significantly increase the yield load, peak load, and dissipation energy capacity, and the inverted V-shaped braces are efficient. The rebar braces can also delay concrete cracking and release strength degeneration. As the first line of defense, the damage of the CFST-bordered composite wall occurs earlier than that of the steel frame, and the damage of the steel frame is slight when the CFST-bordered composite wall is broken. The steel frame can still work as the second line of defense to prevent the collapse of the structure. Furthermore, calculation methods were proposed for determining the bearing capacities of the bare steel frame and the CFST-bordered composite wall based on the failure modes identified during testing and finite element analysis. The calculated results were in good agreement with the test results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents fabricated concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) frame sandwich-insulation composite wall structures, which comprise CFST columns, H-shaped steel beams and a sandwich-insulation composite wall with or without openings. The seismic behaviors of four full-size specimens were investigated under low-cyclic loading, including the failure mode, hysteretic behavior, strength, ductility, strength and stiffness degradation, energy dissipation capacity and strains. The experimental results indicated that the proposed fabricated structures had good seismic behavior. The fabricated composite wall had a significant effect on the bearing capacity of the structures and the stiffness and energy dissipation capacity. The ductility of the fabricated CFST frame sandwich-insulation composite wall structure can meet the requirements of the elastic-plastic inter-story drift limit of seismic design in practical engineering. Although the tested structures had the same opening ratio, the structure with window openings had better seismic performance than the structure with door openings. Furthermore, the equivalent compression strut model was used to calculate the bearing capacity of the proposed structures. The errors between the test and calculation results were within 10%. The equivalent compression strut model can provide useful design guidance for fabricated CFST frame sandwich-insulation composite wall structures. • This paper presents fabricated concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) frame sandwich-insulation composite wall structures. • The seismic behaviors of four full-size specimens were investigated under low-cyclic loading. • The equivalent compression strut model was used to calculate the bearing capacity of the proposed structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the axial compressive behavior and the confinement mechanism of high-strength concrete-filled circular steel tube with multiple confinement effects, five large size samples with horizontal stiffeners, longitudinal stiffeners, multilayer reinforcement cages, inner steel tube and separation steel plates were designed. The influences of these structures on the bearing capacity, ductility, stiffness, and residual deformation were then analyzed. Combining the strain analyses and finite element model analysis, the confinement mechanism of different structures and the coupling mechanism of different confinement effects were investigated. The results showed that the confinement effect of the horizontal stiffeners was similar to that of the stirrups. The longitudinal stiffeners did not provide a significant confinement effect on the concrete. The multilayer reinforcement cages had an effective confinement effect on the concrete, where the confinement effect increased from the outside to the inside, while the reinforcement cages had a slight influence on the concrete outside the reinforcement cages. The inner steel tube had an effective confinement effect on the core concrete and had a slight influence on the concrete outside the inner steel tube. The multicell steel tube showed the best confinement effect compared to the other structures and showed the best axial compressive behavior. In the confinement mechanism analyses, the calculation method of the stress–strain relationship of concrete with multiple confinement effects was proposed. The calculated F-Δ curves showed a good agreement with the test results. • Five large-size high-strength concrete-filled circular steel columns were designed. • Experimental study on axial compressive behaviors of five specimens was conducted. • FEM was established to analyze the confinement mechanism of different structures. • The confinement effects of proposed structures can superimpose with each other. • The sample with inner steel tube and steel plate showed the best performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epidemiological and clinical studies have suggested comorbidity between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and autoimmune disorders. However, little is known about their shared genetic architecture.Methods: To examine the relation between ALS and 10 autoimmune diseases, including asthma, celiac disease (CeD), Crohn's disease (CD), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), multiple sclerosis (MS), psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), type 1 diabetes (T1D), and ulcerative colitis (UC), and identify shared risk loci, we first estimated the genetic correlation using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies, and then analyzed the genetic enrichment leveraging the conditional false discovery rate statistical method.Results: We identified a significant positive genetic correlation between ALS and CeD, MS, RA, and SLE, as well as a significant negative genetic correlation between ALS and IBD, UC, and CD. Robust genetic enrichment was observed between ALS and CeD and MS, and moderate enrichment was found between ALS and UC and T1D. Thirteen shared genetic loci were identified, among which five were suggestively significant in another ALS GWAS, namely rs3828599 (GPX3), rs3849943 (C9orf72), rs7154847 (G2E3), rs6571361 (SCFD1), and rs9903355 (GGNBP2). By integrating cis-expression quantitative trait loci analyses in Braineac and GTEx, we further identified GGNBP2, ATXN3, and SLC9A8 as novel ALS risk genes. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the shared risk genes were involved in four pathways including membrane trafficking, vesicle-mediated transport, ER to Golgi anterograde transport, and transport to the Golgi and subsequent modification.Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate a specific genetic correlation between ALS and autoimmune diseases and identify shared risk loci, including three novel ALS risk genes. These results provide a better understanding for the pleiotropy of ALS and have implications for future therapeutic trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Daily 3 min SPEMF exposure significantly reversed bone loss of osteopenic mice in 6 weeks. • Daily 8 h PEMF exposure significantly increased BMD of osteopenic mice in 8 weeks. • Daily 3 min SPEMF restored the bone mass of osteopenic mice to the levels of healthy mice in 12 weeks. • SPEMF appears to be more therapeutic than PEMF in the treatment of osteopenia. Pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) have been proposed to treat bone loss. However, time-consuming is the main complaint. A time-saving and effective treatment is of expectation. Previously, we showed a 3 min daily of single pulsed electromagnetic field (SPEMF) accelerated bone formation of long bone defect in mice. Here we compared the effect of SPEMF with PEMF for treating denervation/disuse osteopenic mice. Healthy mice were divided into 3 groups: intact mice (INT), INT + PEMF, and INT + SPEMF. Induced osteopenic mice were divided to osteopenia (IOP), IOP + PEMF, and IOP + SPEMF groups. The PEMF treated groups were subjected to daily 8 h PEMF(15 Hz, 18 G) exposure, while SPEMF treated groups were daily 3 min SPEMF(0.2 Hz, 1 T) exposure. BMD was evaluated every two weeks during the 12 weeks of treatment. Microarchitecture was evaluated on week 12. SPEMF significantly reversed bone loss in IOP mice as early as 6 weeks post-treatment, while PEMF reversed bone loss after 8 weeks. Bone volume was significantly increased in the IOP + PEMF and IOP + SPEMF group. Besides, bone volume and trabecular number of IOP + SPEMF mice were restored to the levels of INT mice in 12 weeks. Our finding suggests SPEMF increased BMD and restored microarchitecture of disuse osteopenic mice to healthy level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advantages of simple structure, good energy dissipation effect and so on, the sky jump energy dissipation is widely used in energy dissipation of water conservancy project. But at present, the prediction about the range of the free nappe is not complete. The studies show that the ejection angle is different at different locations of the outlet section, but the specific distribution of the outlet section velocity is still unclear. The measurement of free nappe range is mostly the direct measurement, how to accurately control is still difficult, and no systematic study has been made. Especially, the studies on the diffusion width of free nappe are few, the understanding of free nappe diffusion is not enough. In this article, the deflection degree of flow velocity at the outlet section in the lateral direction is quantified by the spread angle. Studied the distribution characteristic of spread angle through numerical simulation. The results show that the distribution characteristics and the maximum value of spread angle are affected by the change of flip bucket size and approach flow condition, and presented a set of equations for calculating the maximum angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG repeats expansion. Cognitive decline contributes to the loss of daily activity in manifest HD. We aimed to examine the cognition status in a Chinese HD cohort and explore factors influencing the diverse cognitive domains. Methods: A total of 205 participants were recruited in the study with the assessment by neuropsychological batteries, including the mini–mental state examination (MMSE), Stroop test, symbol digit modalities test (SDMT), trail making test (TMT), verbal fluency test (VFT), and Hopkins verbal learning test–revised, as well as motor and psychiatric assessment. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression models were applied to investigate the correlation. Results: Only 41.46% of patients had normal global function first come to our center. There was a significantly difference in MMSE, Stroop test, SDMT, TMT, and VFT across each stage of HD patients (p <.05). Apathy of PBA‐s was correlated to MMSE, animal VFT and Stroop‐interference tests performance. Severity of motor symptoms, functional capacity, age, and age of motor symptom onset were correlated to all neuropsychological scores, whereas education attainment and diagnostic delay were correlated to most neuropsychological scores except TMT. Severity of motor symptoms, functional capacity, and education attainment showed independent predicting effect (p <.05) in diverse cognitive domains. Conclusion: Cognitive impairment was very common in Chinese HD patients at the first visit and worse in the patients in advanced phase. The severity of motor symptoms and functional capacity were correlated to the diverse cognitive domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Losartan was reported to inhibit the progression of acute kidney injury (AKI), but little is known about the underlying pharmacological mechanisms. In the present study, the mRNA expression profiles in ischemic AKI rat kidney altered by losartan treatment were analyzed by next-generation deep sequencing technology. Methods: Ischemia and reperfusion treatment was applied to induce AKI in Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats. The urea and creatinine contents in rat blood were measured. H&E staining was performed to evaluate the histological alteration of rat kidney tissues under a microscope. The TUNEL method was applied to analyze apoptosis in rat kidney tissues. The mRNA profiles in rat kidney were analyzed using next-generation deep sequencing. Differential gene expression was confirmed by quantitative qRT-PCR. Results: The rat model of AKI induced by ischemia and reperfusion showed significant increases in urea and creatinine levels, accompanied by a disrupted kidney tubular structure and renal cell apoptosis. Losartan treatment effectively inhibited the changes in urea and creatinine, tubular structure, and apoptosis in AKI rat kidney. A large number of mRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in the kidneys of AKI rats treated with losartan, which are involved in multiple processes and signaling pathways. The expression of nine differentially expressed genes such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (CCL2) and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) was confirmed by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Conclusion: Losartan caused significant alterations in the gene expression profile in AKI rat kidney, which mediated its anti-AKI effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Facile Synthesis of Phthalan Derivatives via a Pd-Catalyzed Tandem Hydroalkynylation, Isomerization, Diels-Alder Cycloaddition and Aromatization Reaction" by Ru-Wei Shen and colleagues is presented.

Background and purpose: Recent genetic progress has shown many causative/risk genes linked to Parkinson's disease (PD), mainly in patients of European ancestry. The study aimed to investigate the PD‐related genes and determine the mutational spectrum of early‐onset PD in ethnic Chinese. Methods: In this study, whole‐exome sequencing and/or gene dosage analysis were performed in 704 early‐onset PD (EOPD) patients (onset age ≤45 years) and 1866 controls. Twenty‐six PD‐related genes and 20 other genes linked to neurodegenerative and lysosome diseases were analysed. Results: Eighty‐two (11.6%, 82/704) EOPD patients carrying rare pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in PD‐related genes were identified. The mutation frequency in autosomal recessive inheritance EOPD (42.9%, 27/63) was much higher than that in autosomal dominant inheritance EOPD (0.9%, 12/110) or sporadic EOPD (8.1%, 43/531). Bi‐allelic mutations in PRKN were the most frequent, accounting for 5.1% of EOPD cases. Three common pathogenic variants, p.A53V in SNCA, p.G284R in PRKN and p.P53Afs*38 in CHCHD2, occur exclusively in Asians. The putative damaging variants from GBA, PRKN, DJ1, PLA2G6 and GCH1 contributed to the collective risk for EOPD. Notably, the protein‐truncating variants in CHCHD2 were enriched in EOPD, especially for p.P53Afs*38, which was also found in three patients from an independent cohort of patients with late‐onset PD (n = 1300). Functional experiments confirmed that truncated CHCHD2 variants cause loss of function and are linked to mitochondrial dysfunction. Conclusions: Our study reveals that the genetic spectrum of EOPD in Chinese, which may help develop genetic scanning strategies, provided more evidence supporting CHCHD2 in PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Because the prevalence of connective tissue disease (CTD)-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD; CTD-ILD) in China is unknown, we wanted to analyze the clinical characteristics of this disease in Chinese patients.Methods: The medical records of patients who received a diagnosis of ILD and treated in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from January 1999 to January 2013 were reviewed. Based on the records, patients who also received a diagnosis of CTD were identified, and their records of follow-up examinations for a minimum of 12 months until the end of December 2013 were reviewed.Results: Of the 2,678 patients who received a diagnosis of ILD, 1,798 (67%) were identified as having CTD-ILD; 299 (11.2%) had idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Complete clinical data were available for 1,044 patients with CTD-ILD and 178 with IPF. We found that 332 of the 1,044 patients with CTD-ILD (32%) did not receive an accurate diagnosis at the initial hospital admission, 195 (18.7%) of the 1,044 patients showed persistent negative test results for autoantibodies, and 262 (25.1%) of the 1,044 patients had negative autoantibodies at the initial hospital admission and then became positive at follow-up examinations. Of the 288 patients who had confirmed CTD-ILD, 41 (14%) showed pulmonary symptoms as the initial clinical manifestation (PSIM) and 247 (86%) showed extrapulmonary symptoms as the initial clinical manifestation (EPSIM). For the 756 patients who had undifferentiated CTD-ILD, the proportion of PSIM and EPSIM was 44% and 56%, respectively. For patients who presented with PSIM, 23 who had confirmed CTD-ILD (56%) and 216 who had unconfirmed CTD-ILD (65%) did not receive an accurate diagnosis at the initial visit but were ultimately diagnosed at subsequent follow-up examinations.Conclusions: Patients with CTD-ILD do not receive an accurate diagnosis at the initial hospital admission possibly because of negative serologic test results for autoantibodies and the absence of obvious extrapulmonary symptoms. Thus, patients with ILD should be examined for extrapulmonary symptoms and tested for autoantibodies at follow-up examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new prefabricated concrete filled steel tube-bordered monolayer reinforced shear wall structure, which is composed of concrete filled steel tube borders and reinforced concrete wallboard. The shear wall can be assembled conveniently by connecting with the beams of the main frame via high-strength bolts, and it can resist horizontal earthquake forces with the frame. Six shear wall specimens were designed and tested under lateral cyclic loads. The effects of the axial compression ratio and rebar support on the seismic performance were analyzed. The test results indicated that the concrete filled steel tube borders and the concrete wallboard work well with each other. The peak load of each specimen increased with increasing axial compression ratio. With rebar support in the wallboard, the peak load, initial stiffness and energy dissipation capacity of the specimens increased. In addition, the deformation capacity of the proposed shear wall structure can meet the requirement of the elastic–plastic interstory drift ratio (1/100) of seismic design in practical engineering. A finite element method analysis was conducted, and the simulation results showed good agreement with the test results. Finally, based on the test and finite element simulation results, a calculation model of the normal section was proposed to predict the bearing capacity of the structures, which was verified by the small errors with calculation results. • This paper proposed a new prefabricated concrete filled steel tube-bordered monolayer reinforced shear wall structure. • Experimental study on seismic behaviors of six shear wall specimens was conducted. • Finite element analysis model and calculation model of peak bearing capacity were established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • SFE with peanut oil as modifier was used to extract tanshinones from danshen. • RSM was used to optimize parameters (flow rate, modifier and pressure). • Results of SFE with peanut oil surpassed that of traditional extractions. • Time of SFE was more efficient than Soxhlet and ultrasonic extraction. Identifying an appropriate experimental design and modeling approach is key in achieving optimal extraction of dihydrotanshinone, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I, and tanshinone IIA from danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) through supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with peanut oil as a modifier. Three factors and levels were evaluated, namely flow rate (2–6 L/min), modifier concentration (40%–80%), and pressure (35–45 MPa). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was applied to quantify the four compounds, and accuracy and precision tests were conducted to verify the HPLC. The predicted optimal conditions were 3.23 L/min, 52.21%, and 38.50 MPa for flow rate, modifier concentration, and pressure, respectively; in total, 1.472, 3.690, 12.095, and 17.125 mg/g of dihydrotanshinone, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I, and tanshinone IIA were obtained, respectively. The current results reveal SFE to be more efficient and (with a peanut oil as modifier) requiring a shorter extraction time than Soxhlet and ultrasonic extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Genetic studies have indicated that variants in several lysosomal genes are risk factors for idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the role of lysosomal genes in PD in Asian populations is largely unknown. Objective: This study aimed to analyze rare variants in lysosomal related genes in Chinese population with early-onset and familial PD. Methods: In total, 1,136 participants, including 536 and 600 patients with sporadic early-onset PD (SEOPD) and familial PD, respectively, underwent whole-exome sequencing to assess the genetic etiology. Rare variants in PD were investigated in 67 candidate lysosomal related genes (LRGs), including 15 lysosomal function-related genes and 52 lysosomal storage disorder genes. Results: Compared with the autosomal dominant PD (ADPD) or SEOPD cohorts, a much higher proportion of patients with multiple rare damaging variants of LRGs were found in the autosomal recessive PD (ARPD) cohort. At a gene level, rare damaging variants in GBA and MAN2B1 were enriched in PD, but in SCARB2, MCOLN1, LYST, VPS16, and VPS13C were much less in patients. At an allele level, GBA p. Leu483Pro was found to increase the risk of PD. Genotype-phenotype correlation showed no significance in the clinical features among patients carrying a discrepant number of rare variants in LRGs. Conclusion: Our study suggests rare variants in LRGs might be more important in the pathogenicity of ARPD cases compared with ADPD or SEOPD. We further confirm rare variants in GBA are involve in PD pathogenecity and other genes associated with PD identified in this study should be supported with more evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the direct effect of leptin on the secretion of GH from the anterior pituitary gland of the sheep. Using primary cultures of ovine pituitary cells, leptin (10[sup –9] –10[sup –7] M) treatment for 30 min did not affect basal or GHRH (10[sup –7] M)-stimulated GH secretion. Following treatment for 24 h, a dose of 10[sup –7] M leptin stimulated basal GH secretion. In contrast, doses of 10[sup –7] and 10[sup –8] M leptin inhibited GHRH-stimulated GH secretion after 24 h of treatment. These results suggest that leptin can have long-term effects on the somatotropes, but no acute effect. Furthermore, leptin appears to have opposite effects on basal and GHRH-stimulated GH secretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Camptocormia is common in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA). The current study was aimed at assessing the frequency of camptocormia and its related factors in MSA patients with different disease durations. Also, the impact of camptocormia on disability was evaluated.Methods: A total of 716 patients were enrolled in the study. They were classified into three groups based on disease duration (≤ 3, 3-5, ≥ 5 years). Specific scales were used to evaluate the motor and non-motor symptoms. Disease severity was assessed using the Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale (UMSARS). The binary logistic regression model was used to explore the factors related to camptocormia. To analyze the impact of camptocormia on disability in patients with disease duration less than 5 years, propensity score matching (PSM) and stratified Cox regression analysis were used.Results: In the current study, we found that the frequency of camptocormia was 8.9, 19.7 and 19.2% when the disease duration was ≤3, 3-5, ≥ 5 years, respectively. In the disease duration ≤3 years group, we found that MSA-parkinsonian subtype (MSA-P) (OR = 2.043, P = 0.043), higher total UMSARS score (OR = 1.063, P < 0.001), older age of onset (OR = 1.047, P = 0.042), and lower score on the frontal assessment battery (FAB) (OR = 0.899, P = 0.046) were associated with camptocormia. Only greater disease severity was associated with camptocormia in the group of patients with disease duration 3-5 years (OR = 1.494, P = 0.025) and in the group of patients with disease duration ≥5 years (OR = 1.076, P = 0.005). There was no significant impact of camptocormia on disability in patients with a disease duration of < 5 years (HR = 0.687, P = 0.463).Conclusion: The frequency of camptocormia increased with prolonged disease duration. Disease severity was related to camptocormia at different stages of the disease. The MSA-P subtype, older age of onset, and lower FAB score were associated with camptocormia in the early stage of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Experimental study of eight hexagonal multicell CFST columns were conducted. • The effects of various parameters to hexagonal multicell CFST columns were analysed. • A FBM model was established considering the differences among the different cells. • Several stress-strain relationships of concrete and codes were were discussed. Multicell concrete-filled steel tubulars (MCFSTs) have been widely utilized in super-high-rise buildings. Hexagonal six-cell CFST columns have received attention from scholars, and a series of investigations have been conducted. However, investigations on their behavior under lateral cyclic loads are rare. Hence, 8 samples were designed, and an experimental study was conducted under lateral cyclic loads. The parameters included 3 loading directions (strong axis, 45 degrees, and weak axis), 2 axial loads (750 kN and 1500 kN), and 2 types of cross-sectional structures (angle steel-reinforced type and basic type). Analysis was conducted on bearing capacity, the failure mode, ductility, residual deformation, accumulated energy dissipation and strain development. The experimental results indicate that the angle steel can decrease the residual deformation and improve the accumulated energy dissipation and bearing capacity of samples. The performances of samples under different loading directions were significantly different. With the loading directions changing from the strong axis to the weak axis, the accumulated energy dissipation and bearing capacity decreased. The influence of the axial load ratio was related to the loading direction. A calculation model using the fiber-based method was established considering the differences among the different cells. According to the calculation results of this method, the limit axial load ratio decreased with the loading directions changing from the strong axis to the weak axis. The stress-strain relationships of plain concrete and confined concrete based on single-cell CFSTs were conservative in predicting the F - Δ curves, and the error increased with an increasing axial load ratio, while the separation model showed the best agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron stores at birth are essential to meet iron needs during the first 4-6 months of life. The present study aimed to investigate iron stores in normal birth weight, healthy, term neonates. Umbilical cord blood samples were collected from apparently normal singleton vaginal deliveries (n=854). Subjects were screened and excluded if C-reactive protein (CRP) > 5 mg/l or a1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) > 1 g/l, preterm (<37 complete weeks), term < 2500g or term > 4000g. In total, 762 samples were included in the study. Serum ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), hepcidin, and erythropoietin (EPO) were measured in umbilical cord blood samples; total body iron (TBI) (mg/kg) was calculated using sTfR and ferritin concentrations. A total of 19.8% newborns were iron deficient (ferritin 35 µg/l) and an additional 46.6% had insufficient iron stores (ferritin < 76 µg/l). There was a positive association between serum ferritin and sTfR, hepcidin, and EPO. Gestational age was positively associated with ferritin, sTfR, EPO, and hepcidin. In conclusion, we demonstrate a high prevalence of insufficient iron stores in a Chinese birth cohort. The value of cord sTfR and TBI in the assessment of iron status in the newborn is questionable, and reference ranges need to be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Testicular torsion (TT) is a serious surgical emergency. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of TT are essential to improve the incidence of salvaged testes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the historical features, physical examination findings, laboratory tests, and ultrasound examinations in children with TT, as well as to identify the predictors of testicular salvage in children. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 136 males who presented with TT to our institution. Clinical findings, physical examinations, laboratory data, color Doppler ultrasound findings, operating results, and the results of follow-up were collected and analyzed. Patients with neonatal torsion, negative scrotal exploration, or testicular appendix torsion were excluded. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify predictors of testicular salvage. Receiver operator characteristics analyses were performed to determine the probability of a non-salvageable torsed testis based on time and degree of twisting. Results: A total of 136 children with TT were identified. Patients were aged from 1 to 16 years, with a mean age of 9.7 years (median, 12; range, 1–16 years). The peak incidences of TT were found between ages of 12 and 14 years. Acute TT is significantly more common in the winter. Testicular salvage occurred in 49 (36%) cases. Of the 49 cases of testicular salvage, 5 patients developed subsequent testicular atrophy. Cutoff values of 13.5 h and 530 degrees of torsion would provide sensitivities of 96 and 61%, with specificity of 80 and 70%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that time to surgery and degree of testicular twist were correlated with the risk of a non-salvageable testis. Conclusions: Testicular salvage can be predicted by the duration of symptoms along with degree of twisting. Early scrotal exploration based on careful physical examination decreases the risk of misdiagnosis of spermatic cord torsion. A certain percentage of children with TT presenting with lower abdominal pain should have their testicles checked to make sure that they do not have torsion, especially those visitors in cold season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SPEMF exposure significantly up-regulated tenogenic gene expression and down-regulated inflammatory gene expression in tenocytes. • SPEMF stimulation daily for 3 min significantly increased the protein synthesis of collagen type I and total collagen in 5 days. • Under pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-1β) irritation, the decreased expression of Col1a1/Col3a1 was up-regulated by SPEMF treatment, and the increased expression of Mmp1 was also reversed. • SPEMF that enhances matrix synthesis and reduces matrix degeneration may counteract the imbalance in tendinopathy and be developed as a potential future strategy in tendon disorders. Tendinopathy is a progressive pathology of tendon that is characteristic of imbalance between matrix synthesis and degeneration and is often caused by failure to adapt to mechanical loading. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) are used as a conventional treatment to alleviate pain and swelling in the short term, but the ideal treatment for tendinopathy remains unclear. Here, we show a single pulsed electromagnetic field (SPEMF, 0.2 Hz) that up-regulated tenogenic gene expression (Col1a1, Col3a1, Scx, Dcn) and down-regulated inflammatory gene expression (Mmp1) in vitro. After five days of SPEMF stimulation (3 min/day), the collagen type I and total collagen synthesis protein levels were significantly increased. Under pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-1β) irritation, the decreased expression of Col1a1/Col3a1 was up-regulated by SPEMF treatment, and the increased expression of Mmp1 was also reversed. From the above, it can be inferred that SPEMF that enhances matrix synthesis and reduces matrix degeneration may counteract the imbalance in tendinopathy. SPEMF application may be developed as a potential future strategy for therapeutic intervention in tendon disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spastic paraplegia type 11 (SPG11) mutations are the most frequent cause of autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia (ARHSP). We are aiming to identify the causative mutations in SPG11 among families referred to our center with ARHSP in a Chinese population.Methods: Targeted next-generation sequencing was performed on the patients to identify disease-causing mutations. Variants were analyzed according to their predicted pathogenicity and their relevance to the clinical phenotypes. The segregation in the family members was validated by Sanger sequencing.Results: A total of 12 mutations in SPG11 gene from 9 index cases were identified, including 6 frameshift mutations, 3 missense mutations, 1 nonsense mutation, 1 splicing mutation, and 1 intron deletion mutation. In 6 of these patients, the mutations were homozygous, and the other 3 patients carried two compound heterozygous mutations. Six mutations were novel; 2 were classified as pathogenic, 1 were considered as likely pathogenic, and the other 3 were variants of unknown significance. Additionally, 1 missense heterozygous variant we found was also carried by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patient. Clinically and electrophysiologically, some of our ARHSP patients partially shared various features of autosomal-recessive juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ARJALS), including combination of both UMN and LMN degeneration.Conclusions: The results contribute to extending of the SPG11 gene mutation spectrum and emphasizing a putative link between ARHSP and ARJALS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]