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Accurately analyzing the spatio-temporal pattern of impervious surface areas (ISA) and its effect on thermal environments is crucial in urban development planning. This research was aimed to explore the spatio-temporal distribution characteristics and correlation of ISA and land surface temperature (LST) in the built-up areas of Hefei from 2002 to 2017. LST and ISA data were retrieved using radiative transfer equations and the Biophysical Composition Index (BCI), respectively, and their relationship was quantitatively analyzed using multiple model regression. We found that from 2002 to 2017, the total ISA increased by 181.32 km2 and expanded from the central to the surrounding area. The Shushan and Baohe districts had the largest expansion area and intensity, respectively. Although the mean value, extreme value, and standard deviation of LST tended to decrease, the proportion of sub-high and high-temperature areas increased considerably. The ISA and LST showed a strong quadratic function relationship, with R2>0.68. LST increased with increasing ISA BCI value, and the average increase in LST was >1℃ for every 0.1 increase in the BCI value of ISA. Our findings can be valuable for urban planning and construction and promote the sustainable development of urban ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking Binhu New Area (BNA) as a case study, based on multi-period (2005, 2012, 2020) Landsat remote sensing images, the landscape pattern index and grey relational analysis (GRA) were chosen to quantitatively examine the dynamic change process and driving mechanism of green space landscape patterns. The results showed: (1) From 2005 to 2020, the green space area in BNA showed increases at first and decreases later with the highest degree of dynamic change found in regional green space. (2) Urban green space showed increased diversity and good connectivity, but its green patch was simple with a decreased degree of sprawl. The green patch also showed a tendency towards homogenization, aggregation, and simplification. The patch shapes of park green space, attached green space, and protective green space are relatively simple and there are blind spots in the distribution. (3) Population growth and industrial structure changes are the main driving forces of the changes in green space landscape patterns in BNA. Besides, urban planning and policies also play a big part in these changes. The research results can provide a reference for green space planning and construction in BNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a significant factor contributing to postoperative occurrences, and patients diagnosed with depression have a higher risk for postoperative complications. Studies on cardiovascular surgery extensively addresses this concern. Several studies report that people who undergo coronary artery bypass graft surgery have a 20% chance of developing postoperative depression. A retrospective analysis of medical records spanning 21 years, involving 817 patients, revealed that approximately 40% of individuals undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were at risk of perioperative depression. Patients endure prolonged suffering from illness because each attempt with standard antidepressants requires several weeks to be effective. In addition, multi-drug combination adjuvants or combination medication therapy may alleviate symptoms for some individuals, but they also increase the risk of side effects. Conventional antidepressants primarily modulate the monoamine system, whereas different therapies target the serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine systems. Esketamine is a fast-acting antidepressant with high efficacy. Esketamine is the S-enantiomer of ketamine, a derivative of phencyclidine developed in 1956. Esketamine exerts its effect by targeting the glutaminergic system the glutaminergic system. In this paper, we discuss the current depression treatment strategies with a focus on the pharmacology and mechanism of action of esketamine. In addition, studies reporting use of esketamine to treat perioperative depressive symptoms are reviwed, and the potential future applications of the drug are presented. • This review illustrates current concerns about cognitive impairment. • The review discusses the unpredictable potential value of the new drug esketamine. • The review cites a large number of studies, the most recent studies, and the most classical studies to prove the point. • The description of esketamine is comprehensive and detailed. • It has certain reference significance for the treatment of perioperative depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article informs about Sapium sebiferum, a perennial deciduous tree in the family Euphorbiaceae, has been cultivated and used in China for more than 1000 years. Topics include S. sebiferum is an adaptable to various environment and widely distributed in various areas south of the Yellow River Basin; and Lianjiu No. 1 is a new cultivar of Sapium sebiferum cultivated by Lianyungang Academy of Agricultural Sciences from seedlings.

Phaeobacter inhibens S4Sm acts as a probiotic bacterium against the oyster pathogen, Vibrio coralliilyticus. Here we report that P. inhibens S4Sm secretes three molecules that down regulate transcription of major virulence factors, metalloprotease genes, in V. coralliilyticus cultures. The effects of S4Sm culture supernatant on the transcription of three genes involved in protease activity, vcpA, vcpB, and vcpR (encoding metalloproteases A and B and their transcriptional regulator, respectively), were examined by qRT-PCR. Expression of vcpB and vcpR were reduced to 36% and 6.6%, respectively, compared to an untreated control. We constructed a V. coralliilyticus GFP-reporter strain to detect the activity of inhibitory compounds. Using a bioassay-guided approach, the molecules responsible for V. coralliilyticus protease inhibition activity were isolated from S4Sm supernatant and identified as three N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). The three AHLs are N-(3-hydroxydecanoyl)-L homoserine lactone, N-(dodecanoyl-2,5-diene)-L-homoserine lactone and N-(3-hydroxytetradecanoyl-7-ene)-L-homoserine lactone, and their half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) against V. coralliilyticus protease activity are 0.26 μM, 3.7 μM and 2.9 μM, respectively. Our qRT-PCR data demonstrated that exposure to the individual AHLs reduced transcription of vcpR and vcpB. Combinations of the three AHLs (any two or all three AHLs) on V. coralliilyticus showed additive effects upon protease inhibition activity. These AHL compounds may contribute to the host protective effects of S4Sm by disrupting the quorum-sensing pathway that activates protease transcription of V. coralliilyticus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Cell cycle checkpoint kinase 2 (CHK2) performs essential cellular functions and might be associated with tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Here, we explored the function and molecular mechanisms of CHK2 in the progression of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Methods: The expression levels of both total CHK2 and activated CHK2 (p-CHK2) in tissues from 100 PTC patients were detected and evaluated using immunohistochemistry. The roles of CHK2 on cell proliferation, invasion, migration, apoptosis and cancer stem cell (CSC) markers were investigated by CCK-8, Transwell, flow cytometry, western blot and ALDEFLOUR assay. PTC cells cultured in suspension conditions were assayed for anoikis. The anchorageindependent condition was further detected by soft agar colony formation assay. Furthermore, anoikis associated regulatory proteins were explored by western blot and verified by forced downregulation experiment, respectively. Results: We found that the levels of both CHK2 and p-CHK2 were significantly upregulated in PTC cancer tissues compared with those in tumoradjacent tissues. The overexpression of p-CHK2 in primary tumor tissues was associated with tumor aggressiveness and metastatic potential. However, the levels of both CHK2 and p-CHK2 were decreased in metastatic lymph nodes. Our results showed that CHK2 upregulated the levels of CSC markers with no effect on cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Interestingly, we revealed a previously undescribed anoikis-promoting role for CHK2 in PTC. Specifically, the detachment of PTC cells from the extracellular matrix (ECM) triggers CHK2 degradation. Then, the forced downregulation of CHK2 rescued PTC cells from anoikis, but no effect was observed on the apoptosis of adherent PTC cells. Additionally, as a novel regulator of anoikis, CHK2 can induce cell death in a p53-independent manner via the regulation of PRAS40 activation. Conclusion: High expression levels of CHK2 and p-CHK2 were associated with the progression of PTC. Our results defined an unexpected role for CHK2 as a mediator of anoikis that functions through the regulation of PRAS40 activation, which may be associated with the survival of circulating tumor cells and metastatic behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bacterial type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a nanomachine that delivers toxic effector proteins into target cells, killing them. In mice, we found that the Vibrio cholerae T6SS attacks members of the host commensal microbiota in vivo, facilitating the pathogen’s colonization of the gut. This microbial antagonistic interaction drives measurable changes in the pathogenicity of V. cholerae through enhanced intestinal colonization, expression of bacterial virulence genes, and activation of host innate immune genes. Because ablation of mouse commensals by this enteric pathogen correlated with more severe diarrheal symptoms, we conclude that antagonism toward the gut microbiota could improve the fitness of V. cholerae as a pathogen by elevating its transmission to new susceptible hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Seasonal influenza and other respiratory tract infections are serious public health problems that need to be further addressed and investigated. Internet search data are recognized as a valuable source for forecasting influenza or other respiratory tract infection epidemics. However, the selection of internet search data and the application of forecasting methods are important for improving forecasting accuracy. The aim of the present study was to forecast influenza epidemics based on the long short-term memory neural network (LSTM) method, Baidu search index data, and the influenza-like-illness (ILI) rate. Methods: The official weekly ILI% data for northern and southern mainland China were obtained from the Chinese Influenza Center from 2018 to 2021. Based on the Baidu Index, search indices related to influenza infection over the corresponding time period were obtained. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to explore the association between influenza-related search queries and the ILI% of southern and northern mainland China. The LSTM model was used to forecast the influenza epidemic within the same week and at lags of 1–4 weeks. The model performance was assessed by evaluation metrics, including the mean square error (MSE), root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). Results: In total, 24 search queries in northern mainland China and 7 search queries in southern mainland China were found to be correlated and were used to construct the LSTM model, which included the same week and a lag of 1–4 weeks. The LSTM model showed that ILI% + mask with one lag week and ILI% + influenza name were good prediction modules, with reduced RMSE predictions of 16.75% and 4.20%, respectively, compared with the estimated ILI% for northern and southern mainland China. Conclusions: The results illuminate the feasibility of using an internet search index as a complementary data source for influenza forecasting and the efficiency of using the LSTM model to forecast influenza epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing a highly accurate phase-to-height mapping relationship is very important in fringe projection profilometry, which guarantees the accuracy of final three-dimensional reconstruction. The influence coming from lens distortion, random noises, and the nontelecentric projecting and imaging of the measurement system is analyzed in detail, followed by the exhaustive discussion of a more accurate phase-to-height mapping method. The mapping tabulation between absolute phase and height information is set up by the piecewise linear fitting method within the whole measurement range for per-pixel. Our method is compared with the previously used methods, such as linear fitting (LF), quadratic fitting (QF), and cubic fitting (CF) methods. Computer simulations and experiments verify that the reconstructed height distribution employing our method is more accurate than either LF or QF methods when the random noise is obvious. In addition, if the random noise can be controlled to low level and the lens distortion is considered, the reconstruction accuracy of our method is better than that of the CF method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gemcitabine is a commonly used chemotherapy drug in pancreatic cancer. The function of activator protein 1 (AP-1) is cell-specific, and its function depends on the expression of other complex members. In the present study, we added gemcitabine to the media of Panc-1 and SW1990 cells at clinically achieved concentrations (10 µM). Compared with constitutive c-Fos expression, c-Jun expression increased in a dose-dependent manner upon gemcitabine treatment. c-Jun overexpression increased gemcitabine-induced apoptosis through Bim activation, while cell apoptosis and Bim expression decreased following c-Jun knockdown. Furthermore, gemcitabine-induced apoptosis and Bim levels decreased when c-Jun phosphorylation was blocked by SP600125. Our findings suggest that c-Jun, which is a member of the AP-1 complex, functions in gemcitabine-induced apoptosis by regulating its downstream target Bim in pancreatic cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant colour discrepancies between stereo images have severe impacts on stereo matching algorithms, which depend on colour similarity. To address this problem, a region-wise colour correction method is proposed in this study. First, the source image, which is to be corrected, is segmented into a set of regions using the mean-shift method. Scale invariant feature transform (SIFT) features are extracted from both the source image and the reference image, and then matched. The matched SIFT pairs are refined by exploiting epipolar geometry constraint. Based on the segmentation result and the refined SIFT matches, the regional correspondences between two stereo images are estimated. Then, each matched region pair is used to compute a local colour correction function. A set of colour weight maps is calculated for these functions. Finally, to alleviate the colour transformation discontinuities along the region boundaries and facilitate a smooth colour correction globally, the corrected colour is obtained by combining the colour correction functions using the colour weighting maps. The authors apply the proposed local colour correction method to stereoscopic images before conducting stereo matching. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm can effectively and robustly alleviate the colour discrepancies, and improve the accuracy of stereo matching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The probiotic bacterium Phaeobacter inhibens strain S4Sm, isolated from the inner shell surface of a healthy oyster, secretes the antibiotic tropodithietic acid (TDA), is an excellent biofilm former, and increases oyster larvae survival when challenged with bacterial pathogens. In this study, we investigated the specific roles of TDA secretion and biofilm formation in the probiotic activity of S4Sm. Results: Mutations in clpX (ATP-dependent ATPase) and exoP (an exopolysaccharide biosynthesis gene) were created by insertional mutagenesis using homologous recombination. Mutation of clpX resulted in the loss of TDA production, no decline in biofilm formation, and loss of the ability to inhibit the growth of Vibrio tubiashii and Vibrio anguillarum in co-colonization experiments. Mutation of exoP resulted in a ~60 % decline in biofilm formation, no decline in TDA production, and delayed inhibitory activity towards Vibrio pathogens in co-colonization experiments. Both clpX and exoP mutants exhibited reduced ability to protect oyster larvae from death when challenged by Vibrio tubiashii. Complementation of the clpX and exoP mutations restored the wild type phenotype. We also found that pre-colonization of surfaces by S4Sm was critical for this bacterium to inhibit pathogen colonization and growth. Conclusions: Our observations demonstrate that probiotic activity by P. inhibens S4Sm involves contributions from both biofilm formation and the production of the antibiotic TDA. Further, probiotic activity also requires colonization of surfaces by S4Sm prior to the introduction of the pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between dietary intake and glycemic control has been extensively investigated in type 2 diabetes. However, little is known about this association in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). We performed an observational study involving 263 adult KTRs with a functioning allograft for at least 1 year at the outpatient clinic of the Hospital from November 2020 to March 2021. Dietary intake was assessed by food frequency questionnaire. Linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between fruit and vegetable intake and fasting plasma glucose. The vegetable and fruit intake were 238.24 g/d (102.38-416.67) and 511.94 g/d (321.19-849.05), respectively. The fasting plasma glucose was 5.15 ± 0.95 mmol/L. The linear regressions revealed that vegetable intake, but not fruit intake was inversely associated with fasting plasma glucose in KTRs (adjusted R2 = 0.203, P <.001). The clear dose-response relation was observed. Moreover, each 100 g increase in vegetable intake was associated with 11.6% reduction of fasting plasma glucose. Vegetable intake, but not fruit intake, is inversely associated with fasting plasma glucose in KTRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pressure-exchange ejector transferring energy by compression and expansion waves has the potential Jot higher efficiency. The width and position of each port are essential in pressure-exchange ejector design. A dimensionless time τ expressing both port widths and the positions of port ends was introduced. A prototype was designed and the experimental system was set up. Many sets of experiment with different geometrical arrangements were conducted. The results suggest that the efficiency greatly changes with the geometrical arrangements. The efficiency is about 60% at propel port widths and positions, while at improper geometrical arrangements, the efficiency is much lower and the maximum deviation may reach about 20%. The propel dimensionless port widths and positions at different operating conditions are obtained. For a fixed overall pressure ratio, the widths of the high pressure flow inlet and middle pressure flow outlet increase as the outlet pressure increases and the low pressure flow inlet width is reduced with a larger outlet pressure. The middle pressure flow outlet (MO) opening end remains constant at different outlet pressures. The positions of the high pressure flow inlet (HI) closed end and the low pressure flow inlet (LI) open end increase with the elevation of outlet pressure, however, the distance between the HI closing end and the LI opening end is constant. The port widths and positions have a significant influence on the performance of the pressure-exchange ejector. The dimensionless data obtained are very valuable for pressure-exchange ejector design and performance optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heparin and HS (heparan sulfate) exert their wide range of biological activities by interacting with extracellular protein ligands. Among these important protein ligands are various angiogenic growth factors and cytokines. HS binding to VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) regulates multiple aspects of vascular development and function through its specific interaction with HS. Many studies have focused on HS-derived or HS-mimicking structures for the characterization of VEGF165 interaction with HS. Using a heparinase 1-prepared small library of heparin-derived oligosaccharides ranging from hexasaccharide to octadecasaccharide, we systematically investigated the heparinspecific structural features required for VEGF binding. We report the apparent affinities for the association between the heparin-derived oligosaccharides with both VEGF165 and VEGF55, a peptide construct encompassing exclusively the heparin-binding domain of VEGF165. An octasaccharide was the minimum size of oligosaccharide within the library to efficiently bind to both forms of VEGF and a tetradecasaccharide displayed an effective binding affinity to VEGF165 comparable to unfractionated heparin. The range of relative apparent binding affinities among VEGF and the panel of heparin-derived oligosaccharides demonstrate that the VEGF binding affinity likely depends on the specific structural features of these oligosaccharides, including their degree of sulfation, sugar-ring stereochemistry and conformation. Notably, the unique 3-O-sulfo group found within the specific antithrombin binding site of heparin is not required for VEGF165 binding. These findings afford new insight into the inherent kinetics and affinities for VEGF association with heparin and heparin-derived oligosaccharides with key residue-specific modifications and may potentially benefit the future design of oligosaccharide-based anti-angiogenesis drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasonable design of the cavity shape of the damping hole effectively reduces the leakage rate of the hole-pattern damping seal (HPDS). A novel HPDS with dovetail-like diversion grooves was proposed, and the geometry outline of the dovetail-like diversion groove was described by using the hyperelliptic curve. Computational fluid dynamics commercial software was used to simulate the three-dimensional flow field of the dovetail-like hole-pattern damping seal (D-HPDS). The leakage characteristics of the damping seals with a typical circular hole, leaf-like hole, and dovetail-like hole were compared numerically and experimentally. The three-velocity zone model of HPDS was proposed to reveal the mechanism of leakage reduction effect of the D-HPDS compared with typical circular hole-pattern damping seal (C-HPDS). The influence of operating parameters and key geometric parameters on leakage characteristics of the D-HPDS was studied. The results show that the leakage rate of the D-HPDS can be reduced significantly in a wide range of operating conditions and seal clearance compared with the typical C-HPDS, and the maximum reduction amplitude of leakage rate reaches up to 25% at a relatively small pressure ratio. The main reasons for the leakage reduction of the D-HPDS can be explained by the fact that the change of outflow direction from the cavity induced by the interaction effect of adjacent cavities, further resulting in the formation of turbulent vortex in the cavity and the low-speed flow zone in the sealing gap. For the design goal of low leakage rate, the inclined angle of the dovetail-like diversion groove is appropriate between 45 deg and 55 deg, the tip extension ratio is appropriate between 0.8 and 0.95. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of thermal treatment temperature on the density of oxygen-related defects in the lattice of amorphous InGaZnO is investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results state that the oxygen-deficient defects are remarkably reduced and the quality of a-IGZO film is effectively improved after annealing under the appropriate temperature of 350 °C. With the help of synergistic effect of proper treatment temperature and high quality IGZO layer, the IGZO thin-film transistor exhibits outstanding electrical properties, including a field effect mobility of 8.70 cm2 V−1 s−1, a threshold voltage of 1.81 V, a subthreshold swing of 307 mV/dec., and a small hysteresis of 0.32 V. Moreover, the transmission line model clarifies that the suitable heating temperature is beneficial to alleviate the source/drain contact resistance as well as the effective channel length loss. More notably, the positive bias stress stability of a-IGZO TFTs is simultaneously improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many membrane receptors are regulated by nutrients. However, how these nutrients control a single receptor remains unknown, even in the case of the well-studied calcium-sensing receptor CaSR, which is regulated by multiple factors, including ions and amino acids. Here, we developed an innovative cell-free Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based conformational CaSR biosensor to clarify the main conformational changes associated with activation. By allowing a perfect control of ambient nutrients, this assay revealed that Ca2+ alone fully stabilizes the active conformation, while amino acids behave as pure positive allosteric modulators. Based on the identification of Ca2+ activation sites, we propose a molecular basis for how these different ligands cooperate to control CaSR activation. Our results provide important information on CaSR function and improve our understanding of the effects of genetic mutations responsible for human diseases. They also provide insights into how a receptor can integrate signals from various nutrients to better adapt to the cell response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the cardiac and kidney-related adverse effects of roxadustat for the treatment of anemia in CKD patients. 18 trials with a total of 8806 participants were identified for analysis. We employed a fixed-effects model for analysis. The pooled result revealed no significant difference in the risk of occurrence of cardiac disorders when comparing CKD patients receiving roxadustat with the placebo (RR = 1.049; CI [0.918 to 1.200]) or ESA (RR = 1.066; CI [0.919 to 1.235]), in both dialysis-dependent (DD) (RR = 1.094; CI [0.925 to 1.293]) or non-dialysis-dependent (NDD) (RR = 1.036; CI [0.916 to 1.171]) CKD patients. No significant difference was observed in the risk of kidney-related adverse events when comparing roxadustat with the placebo (RR = 1.088; CI [0.980 to 1.209]) or ESA (RR = 0.968; CI [0.831 to 1.152]), in DD (RR = 2.649; CI [0.201 to 34.981]) or NDD (RR = 1.053; CI [0.965 to 1.149]) CKD patients. A high risk of hyperkalemia was observed in the roxadustat group in DD (RR = 0.939; CI [0.898 to 0.981]). Incidence of hypertension was higher in the roxadustat for NDD patients (RR = 1.198; CI [1.042 to 1.377]), or compared to the placebo (RR = 1.374; CI [1.153 to 1.638]). In summary, the risk of cardiac or kidney-related events observed in the roxadustat was not significantly increase whether in DD or NDD patients. However, attention must be paid to the occurrence of hyperkalemia for DD patients and hypertension in NDD patients using roxadustat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To probe curcumin action on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and its possible molecular mechanism. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were osteogenic induced for 14 d. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting analysis were utilized for the detection of microRNA-148a, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and osteopontin levels in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells after curcumin incubation for 14 d. After curcumin treatment, the proliferation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells was notably rose, and contents of alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and osteopontin in osteogenic induced-human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were elevated. Curcumin treatment elevated microRNA-148a expression. Overexpression of microRNA-148a could boost human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells proliferation, and increased alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and osteopontin contents in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells during osteogenesis induction. Down-regulation of microRNA-148a reversed the promoting effect of curcumin on human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells proliferation and the levels of alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and osteopontin in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells during osteogenesis induction (p<0.05). Curcumin promoted the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by up-regulating microRNA-148a. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptostreptococcus anaerobius is an anaerobic bacterium, which has been found selectively en-riched in the fecal and mucosal microbiota of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Emerging evidence suggest P. anaerobius may contribute to the development of CRC in human. In this study, we designed a multi-epitope chimeric vaccine against P. anaerobius PCWBR2, a recently identified adhesin that interacts directly with colon cell lines by binding α2/β1 integrin frequently overexpressed in human CRC tumors and cell lines. Immunoinformatics tools predicted six cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes, five helper T lymphocyte epitopes, and six linear B lymphocyte epitopes. The predicted epitopes were joined with AAY or GPGPG linkers and a previously reported TLR4 agonist was added to the vaccine construct's N terminal as an adjuvant using EAAAK linkers and the order of epitopes was optimized. Further in silico analysis revealed that the vaccine construct possesses satisfactory antigenicity, allergenicity, solubility, physicochemical properties, adjuvant-TLR4 molecular docking, and immune profile characteristics. Our study provided a promising design for vaccines against P. anaerobius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies report that daily walking reduces the risk of pneumonia. However, the elderly often experience underlying chronic diseases such as myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke which also increase the risk of pneumonia; thus, the association of walking with pneumonia may merely be a result of confounding of the underlying conditions. Therefore, we explored the links between daily walking and pneumonia mortality stratified by the presence of medical histories in 22,280 Japanese elderly (9,067 men and 13,213 women) aged 65 to 79 years from 1988-1990. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for pneumonia mortality (ICD10: J9-18, J69) adjusted for age, sex, and possible confounders. P for trend was calculated across the categories of walking time. After a median of 11.9 years' follow-up, 1,203 participants died of pneumonia. In participants without a medical history of MI or stroke, the HR of pneumonia mortality in participants who had walked at baseline for ≥1 h/day was 0.73 (95% CI, 0.62-0.85; P for trend <0.001), compared with those who had walked for 0.5 h/day. Participants with a medical history of MI who walked for ≥1 h/day also showed significantly decreased risk of pneumonia mortality (HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.27-0.92; P for trend = 0.01). No significant associations were found among participants with a medical history of stroke (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.39-1.72), although P for trend was statistically significant (P for trend = 0.003). However, the HR of pneumonia mortality in participants who had walked at baseline for <0.5 h/day was 1.46 (95% CI, 1.19-1.78) in participants without a medical history of MI or stroke, 1.06 (95% CI, 0.46-2.25) in participants with a medical history of MI, and 2.83 (95% CI, 1.35-5.95) in participants with a medical history of stroke. Our findings suggest that longer walking time may be beneficial in reducing the risk of pneumonia mortality in elderly populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented about the examination of patients with type 2 diabetes for tuberculosis conducted in China.

Lactobacillus helveticus strain H10 was isolated from traditional fermented milk in Tibet, China. We sequenced the whole genome of strain H10 and compared it to the published genome sequence of Lactobacillus helveticus DPC4571. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing and maintaining beneficial interactions between the host and associated gut microbiota are pivotal requirements for host health. Autophagy is an important catabolic recycling pathway that degrades long-lived proteins and some organelles by lysosome to maintain cellular homeostasis. Although impaired autophagy is thought to be closely correlated with Crohn's disease (CD), the functional role of autophagy in the maintenance of gut microbiota is poorly understood. As autophagy-related 5 (Atg5) is a key gene associated with the extension of the phagophoric membrane in autophagic vesicles, we established a gut-specific Atg5 knockout mouse model, and we found that the disruption of autophagic flux in the intenstinal epithelium cells dramatically altered the composition of the gut microbiota and reduced alpha diversity. Microbial function prediction indicated that the pathway allocated for infectious diseases was enriched in Atg5-/- mice. "Candidatus Arthromitus" and the Pasteurellaceae family were increased in Atg5-/- mice, whereas Akkermansia muciniphila and the Lachnospiraceae family were reduced. Transcriptome analysis revealed that two key inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-related transcription factors, RORC and TBX21, of host cells were upregulated in Atg5-/- mice, thus elevating the Muc2-related immunological response. The findings suggest that intestinal autophagy plays a vital role in modulating the diversity and composition of gut microbiota. IMPORTANCE The homeostasis of host-microbiota interactions is of great importance to host health. Previous studies demonstrated that disruption of autophagy was linked to inflammatory bowel disease. However, the interaction mechanism of gut microbiota regulated by autophagy was obscure. In an intestinal epitheliumspecific autophagy-related 5 (Atg5) knockout mouse model, we observed a significant alteration and decreased diversity in the gut microbiota of Atg5-deficient mice compared with that of wild-type mice. Although the numbers of some organisms (e.g., Akkermansia muciniphila and members of the Lachnospiraceae family) associated with the control of inflammation decreased, those of proinflammationory bacteria (e.g., "Candidatus Arthromitus") and potential pathogens (the Pasteurellaceae family) increased in Atg5-/- mice. Differential gene expression analysis revealed that two key genes, RORC and TBX21, involved in inflammatory bowel disease were upregulated in Atg5-/- mice. Our study suggests that Atg5 deficiency results in an imbalance of the host-microbe interaction and deterioration of the gut microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two kinds of modified codewords for space-time block coded spatial modulation (STBC-SM) are presented in this study. The first modified codeword introduces a concept of flexible coefficients into the M-ary phase shift keying STBC-SM. A method is proposed to obtain the optimal flexible coefficients. Moreover, the first modified codewords can also be applied to the systems developed from the STBC-SM. In the second provided codewords, super-orthogonal space-time trellis codes are applied in STBC-SM. Therefore, a higher spectral efficiency is obtained compared with the original STBC-SM. Finally, the simulation results and theoretical analysis demonstrate these performance advantages of the two kinds of modified codewords for STBC-SM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three kinds of pore-forming agents (corn flour, starch, and biochar) were selected to prepare dolomite-based porous ceramic catalyst carriers with good mechanical properties. Pore-forming agents occupy space within preformed agglomerates, such that after the pyrolysis and sintering have been completed there are spaces within the resulting ceramic material. Porous ceramic samples prepared with biochar exhibited high apparent porosity and water absorption. By contrast, the apparent porosity of the porous ceramic samples prepared with starch as the pore-forming agent was low. When the ratio of the dolomite to quartz sand in the ceramic aggregate was changed from 4:6 to 3:7, the change of the apparent porosity of the porous ceramic samples made with starch as a poreforming agent was very small, with high bulk density and compressive strength. Compared with corn flour and biochar, starch was less suitable as a pore-forming agent for porous ceramics. The apparent porosity and water absorption of the porous ceramics prepared with biochar as a poreforming agent decreased slightly. But its bulk density and thermal conductivity were increased. This is mainly attributable to the fact that biochar is lighter, but it performs well in terms of mechanical strength and thermal conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The host-guest type molecular size matching strategy, which embodied intramolecular hydrogen bond, aromatic nucleophilic substitution and nucleophilic addition, was utilized to develop a fluorescent probe for GSH specific detection and in situ imaging in organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accuracy control of oxygen-correlated defect densities in the lattice of metal oxide semiconductors is one of the remaining issues restricting the performance of metal oxide-based devices and their commercialization process. This study has successfully realized the gradient control of defects in amorphous InGaZnO through various strategies. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results reveal that the 350 °C thermal annealing accompanied with 300 °C pre-treatment is more conducive to improve the quality of a-IGZO and suppress the density of oxygen vacancy defects. Correspondingly, the initial electrical properties of a-IGZO thin-film transistor treated by gradient annealing procedures is superior to those of the devices with one-step 350 °C routine annealing or combined with an intermediate N2O plasma treatment. It is demonstrated that the gradient annealing procedures effectively improve the quality of a-IGZO bulk and its adjacent interfaces. More importantly, the notorious instability induced by the negative bias and illumination stress is significantly suppressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Life Microscope is a new wristband-based life recorder system that can identify various human movements. We aimed to compare physical activity data captured using the Life Microscope with data from a commonly used accelerometer. Results: Twenty-nine participants (34.6 ± 12.5 years) wore both the Life Microscope and an Active Style Pro accelerometer for 7 days. Physical activity categories were calculated by converting daily accelerometer data output into time spent at sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity. Correlations between the physical activity category and step count data obtained from the two accelerometers were assessed using Pearson correlations, paired t-tests, intra-class coefficients, and the Bland–Altman method. Our results showed good reliability between the physical activity patterns and daily step counts obtained using both devices. Bland–Altman analysis showed good agreement between data from both accelerometers. In conclusion, both accelerometers were comparable in their measurement of step counts and time spent in different physical activity intensities under free-living conditions, and either could be used for population studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few data are available regarding the use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) during pregnancy for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV).Methods: In this trial, we included 200 mothers who were positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and who had an HBV DNA level higher than 200,000 IU per milliliter. Participants were randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to receive usual care without antiviral therapy or to receive TDF (at an oral dose of 300 mg per day) from 30 to 32 weeks of gestation until postpartum week 4; the participants were followed until postpartum week 28. All the infants received immunoprophylaxis. The primary outcomes were the rates of mother-to-child transmission and birth defects. The secondary outcomes were the safety of TDF, the percentage of mothers with an HBV DNA level of less than 200,000 IU per milliliter at delivery, and loss or seroconversion of HBeAg or hepatitis B surface antigen at postpartum week 28.Results: At delivery, 68% of the mothers in the TDF group (66 of 97 women), as compared with 2% in the control group (2 of 100), had an HBV DNA level of less than 200,000 IU per milliliter (P<0.001). At postpartum week 28, the rate of mother-to-child transmission was significantly lower in the TDF group than in the control group, both in the intention-to-treat analysis (with transmission of virus to 5% of the infants [5 of 97] vs. 18% [18 of 100], P=0.007) and the per-protocol analysis (with transmission of virus to 0 vs. 7% [6 of 88], P=0.01). The maternal and infant safety profiles were similar in the TDF group and the control group, including birth-defect rates (2% [2 of 95 infants] and 1% [1 of 88], respectively; P=1.00), although more mothers in the TDF group had an increase in the creatine kinase level. After the discontinuation of TDF, alanine aminotransferase elevations above the normal range occurred more frequently in mothers in the TDF group than in those in the control group (45% [44 of 97 women] vs. 30% [30 of 100], P=0.03). The maternal HBV serologic outcomes did not differ significantly between the groups.Conclusions: In a cohort of HBeAg-positive mothers with an HBV DNA level of more than 200,000 IU per milliliter during the third trimester, the rate of mother-to-child transmission was lower among those who received TDF therapy than among those who received usual care without antiviral therapy. (Funded by Gilead Sciences; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01488526.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture in He's three pass method on simple obesity of the spleen deficiency dampness and stomach heat dampness stagnation types. Methods: The random, single blind, controlled study method was used. 84 patients were randomly divided into two groups, 44 cases in the three pass method group and 40 cases in the acupuncture method group. Treatment was administered once a day, 10 days as 1 course, for 3 courses of treatment. Results: The total efficiency was 81.8% (44 cases) in the three pass method group, of which 14 cases were cured (31.8%) 7 cases (15.9%) were excellent, 15 cases (34.1%) effective, 8 cases (18.2%) invalid. The three pass method group (81.8%) performed better than the acupuncture group (65%). The stomach heat dampness syndrome was significantly less than spleen dampness type in both groups. The clinical curative effect in the spleen dampness type was obviously better than that the stomach heat dampness syndrome in both groups. Conclusion: Weight loss was significantly better when using He's three pass method compared to acupuncture alone. The effect of weight loss in spleen deficiency dampness types was better than in stomach heat dampness syndrome types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gallic acid (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid; GA) is a naturally occurring plant polyphenol, isolated from water caltrop, which has been reported to exert anticancer effects. The present study investigated the antiproliferative effects of GA on the HepG2 and SMMC-7721 human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines using MTT and colony formation assays. In particular, the underlying mechanism of GA-induced apoptosis in SMMC-7721 cells was studied in vitro by flow cytometry and western blotting. The results of the present study indicated that GA was capable of inhibiting the proliferation of HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner, as well as inducing the apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells. GA induced caspase-3, caspase-9 and reactive oxygen species activity, elevated the expression of apoptosis regulator Bcl-2-like protein 4 and reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential in SMMC-7721 cells. When compared with HL-7702 normal human hepatocytes, GA demonstrated selective toxicity for HCC cells. In conclusion, GA is able to induce apoptosis in SMMC-7721 cells in vitro via mitochondrial-mediated pathways, and may possess the potential to be a novel therapeutic compound for use in the treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in hydrologic optics provide a potential tool for extracting maps of optical properties of optically significant constituents. During summer experiments in the northern South China Sea, a procedure for inverting optical properties in optically complex coastal upwelling waters was performed. We tested an optical inversion model (OIM) that provides estimates of the absorption attributable to optically significant constituents (including phytoplankton, non-algal particles (NAP), colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM)), as well as the chlorophyll a concentration and the phytoplankton size class, from the total spectral absorption. The OIM provided reasonable estimates of these bio-optical products, and attempts to invert the bio-optical properties in the coastal upwelling were successful. Several bio-optical parameters displayed robust relationships to the hydrologic characteristics. The biomass was strongly enhanced in the upwelling, where the phytoplankton population was dominated by the microphytoplankton. The inherent optical properties in the surface waters delivered distinct responses to the coastal upwelling. The distribution of backscattering ratios and particulate size distribution slopes indicated that the offshore surface waters were mainly dominated by small organic NAP, while the upwelling surface water was characterized by larger particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soy milk is regarded as a substitute for milk and has become popular in varied diets throughout the world. It has been shown that a newly characterized probiotic bacterium (Lactobacillus casei Zhang) actually grows faster in soy milk than in bovine milk. To elucidate the mechanism involved, we carried out a proteomic analysis to characterize bacterial proteins that varied upon growth in soy milk and bovine milk at 3 different growth phases, and compare their expression under these conditions. A total of 104 differentially expressed spots were identified from different phases using a peptide mass fingerprinting assay. Functional analysis revealed that a major part of these identified proteins is associated with transport and metabolism of carbohydrates, nucleotides, and amino acids as well. The results from our proteomic analysis were clarified by real-time quantitative PCR assay, which showed that Lb. casei Zhang loci involved in purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis were transcriptionally enhanced during growth in soy milk at lag phase (pH 6.4), whereas the loci involved in carbohydrate metabolism were upregulated in bovine milk. Particularly, our results showed that L-glutamine might play an important role in the growth of Lb. casei Zhang in soy milk and bovine milk, perhaps by contributing to purine, pyrimidine, and amino sugar metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic cancer is considered a lethal and treatment-refractory disease. To obtain a potent anticancer drug, the cytotoxic effect of 2-(benzo[d]oxazol-3(2H)-ylmethyl)- 5-((cyclohexylamino)methyl)benzene-1,4-diol, dihydrochloride (NSC48693) on human pancreatic cancer cells CFPAC-1, MiaPaCa-2, and BxPC-3 was assessed in vitro. The proliferation of CFPAC-1, MiaPaCa-2, and BxPC-3 is inhibited with IC50 value of 12.9±0.2, 20.6±0.3, and 6.260.6 μM at 48 h, respectively. This discovery is followed with additional analysis to demonstrate that NSC48693 inhibition is due to induction of apoptosis, including Annexin V staining, chromatins staining, and colony forming assays. It is further revealed that NSC48693 induces the release of cytochrome c, reduces mitochondrial membrane potential, generates reactive oxygen species, and activates caspase. These results collectively indicate that NSC48693 mainly induces apoptosis of CFPAC-1, MiaPaCa-2, and BxPC-3 cells by the mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic pathway. Excitingly, the study highlights an encouraging inhibition effect that human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) and liver (HL-7702) cells are more resistant to the antigrowth effect of NSC48693 compared to the three cancer cell lines. From this perspective, NSC48693 should help to open up a new opportunity for the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven pharmaceutical heparins were investigated by oligosaccharide mapping by digestion with heparin lyase 1, 2, or 3, followed by high performance liquid chromatography analysis. The structure of one of the prepared mapping standards, ΔUA-Gal-Gal-Xyl-O-CH2CONHCH2COOH (where ΔUA is 4-deoxy-α-l-threo-hex-4-eno-pyranosyluronic acid, Gal is β-d-galactpyranose, and Xyl is β-d-xylopyranose) released from the linkage region using either heparin lyase 2 or heparin lyase 3 digestion, is reported for the first time. A size-dependent susceptibility of site cleaved by heparin lyase 3 was also observed. Heparin lyase 3 acts on the undersulfated domains of the heparin chain and does not cleave the linkages within heparin’s antithrombin III binding site. Thus, a novel low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is afforded on heparin lyase 3 digestion of heparin due to this unique substrate specificity, which has anticoagulant activity comparable to that of currently available LMWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the first reversible, heat-set organogel based on the supramolecular interactions of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). The gel was prepared by interaction of diphenylamine (DPA) with β-CD and lithium chloride in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). In this gel system, DPA could be gelated in DMF as the temperature increased and then dissolved again as the temperature decreased. In the microscopic structure of gel, β-CDs play a key role in the formation of nanorods and microfibers. Some important features of the gel were observed. (1) The system is a multicomponent solution, in which each of the four components is required for the organogelation property. (2) The system is a reversible, thermo-responsive organogel composed of small organic molecules. When the temperature is lower than Tgel, the gel transforms back into a solution. The reversible thermo-transition was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The gel system is responsive to the concentration of LiCl. No gel was formed without LiCl. The stimuli responses of the system with other salts such as KCl and NaCl were weaker than with LiCl. (4) The system is responsive to the addition of guest molecules. The structures and sizes of the guest molecules could influence the gel formation. Generally, Tgeldecreased by adding guest molecules in the gel system, but some guest molecules, whose structures are exactly fitted to the cavity of CDs, could prevent gel formation. This work may provide new avenues in delivery of functional molecules as well as design of intelligent materials and biomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus thermophilus strain ND03 is a Chinese commercial dairy starter used for the manufacture of yogurt. It was isolated from naturally fermented yak milk in Qinghai, China. We present here the complete genome sequence of ND03 and compare it to three other published genomes of Streptococcus thermophilus strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strain ND02 is a Chinese commercial dairy starter used for the manufacture of yoghurt. It was isolated from naturally fermented yak milk in Qinghai, China. Here, we report the main genome features of ND02 and several differences with two other published genomes of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]