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SPECPs are electrochromic polymers that contain special engineering plastic structural characteristic groups (SPECPs). Due to their high thermal stability, mechanical properties, and weather resistance, they are also known as high-performance electrochromic polymer (HPEP or HPP). Meanwhile, due to the structural characteristics of their long polymer chains, these materials have natural advantages in the application of flexible electrochromic devices. According to the structure of special engineering plastic groups, SPECPs are divided into five categories: polyamide, polyimide, polyamide imide, polyarylsulfone, and polyarylketone. This article mainly introduces the latest research on SPECPs. The structural design, electrochromic properties, and applications of these materials are also introduced in this article, and the challenges and future development trends of SPECPs are prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell counting in peripheral blood samples and their combinations have gained wide usage in clinical research due to their convenient and minimally invasive sampling method. This study aims to evaluate the predictive value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), systemic Immunoinflammatory Index (SII), and systemic Inflammatory Response Index (SIRI), and platelet distribution width (PDW) for the occurrence of non-arteritic Central retinal artery occlusion (NA-CRAO). We included 123 patients diagnosed with NA-CRAO and 120 age-, sex- and blood pressure-matched individuals in this study. All participants underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic assessment. Peripheral blood samples were retrospectively analysed to obtain patients' blood counts and platelet-related indices, and further NLR, SII and SIRI were calculated. NLR, SII, SIRI, and PDW were all found to be elevated and significantly different in NA-CRAO patients compared to controls (p < 0.05). Notably, elevated NLR and PDW were identified as independent influences on the development of NA-CRAO, with a combined predicted AUC of 0.876. The utilization of NLR and PDW in NA-CRAO prediction may prove to be more effective compared to SII and SIRI. • Centra lretinal artery occlusion • Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio • Systemic Inflammatory Response Index • Systemic Immune-inflammation Index • Platelet distribution width [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance donor-acceptor (D-A) polymers, as an important class of electrochromic (EC) materials, have attracted extensive attention. In this paper, a series of novel poly (aryl amino ketone) (PAAK) and poly (aryl amino sulfone) (PAAS) type high-performance polymers (HPP) with electrochromism were prepared by a simple C-N coupling reaction and were coated on an indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate as EC films. All four polymers were prepared by a nucleophilic substitution reaction using commercially purchased amine monomers with difluoride sulfone/ketone using potassium carbonate as a catalyst. A series of tests were performed to compare and analyze the effects of the different electron-withdrawing abilities of sulfone and carbonyl groups, and the different conjugation lengths of these two TPA structures were connected to the EC properties of the polymer. The different phenyl or biphenyl of the two TPA structures mainly affected the oxidation potential of the polymer, while the sulfone group and the carbonyl group, with a different electron absorption ability, had a greater influence on the energy band and cyclic stability. The optical contrast of PAAS−BT at 850 nm was up to 58% and maintained 450 cycles, indicating that this series of materials had a broad application prospect waiting for further research. In addition to the performance, the raw materials used in this work could be directly and commercially purchased for a low price; the two aniline monomers were priced at about $0.43 /g and $0.15 /g, respectively. This method significantly reduces the cost and provides a new idea for subsequent large-scale production and practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pouring time interval is the decisive factor of dual-liquid casting for bimetallic productions. Traditionally, the pouring time interval is fully determined by the operator's experience and on-site observation. Thus, the quality of bimetallic castings is unstable. In this work, the pouring time interval of dual-liquid casting for producing low alloy steel/high chromium cast iron (LAS/HCCI) bimetallic hammerheads is optimized via theoretical simulation and experimental verification. The relevancies of interfacial width and bonding strength to pouring time interval are, respectively, established. The results of bonding stress and interfacial microstructure indicate that 40 s is the optimum pouring time interval. The effects of interfacial protective agent on interfacial strength–toughness are also investigated. The addition of the interfacial protective agent yields an increase of 41.5% in interfacial bonding strength and 15.6% in toughness. The optimum dual-liquid casting process is used to produce LAS/HCCI bimetallic hammerheads. Samples cut from these hammerheads show excellent strength–toughness (1188 Mpa for bonding strength and 17 J/cm2 for toughness). The findings could be a reference for dual-liquid casting technology. They are also helpful for understanding the formation theory of the bimetal interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of biomolecular condensates via liquid‒liquid phase separation (LLPS) is an advantageous strategy for cells to organize their subcellular compartments for diverse functions. Recent findings suggest that RNA or RNA-related LLPS techniques have potential for the development of new cellular regulation strategies. However, manipulating RNA LLPS in living cells has great challenges. Herein, we report that cationic polymers (CPs) have strong RNA LLPS-inducing activity. By introducing CPs into living cells or RNA solutions, significant RNA LLPS was verified through confocal imaging, turbidity assays, and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) tests. Among them, turbidity kinetics determinations indicated that the hydrophilic positively charged amino groups on the CPs play essential roles in RNA phase separation. Moreover, the LLPS induced by the cationic polymers dramatically changed the gene expression patterns in the cells. Interestingly, we found that TGFβ1 mRNA was highly encapsulated in the RNA droplets, which lowered the immunosuppressive capability of the tumor cells and triggered marked antitumor reactions in a mouse breast cancer model. Thus, we present here the CP-based modulation of RNA LLPS as a novel transcriptional manipulation method with potential for cancer immunotherapy drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces an origami metastructure (OMST), which realizes the conversion of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) to electromagnetically induced absorption (EIA), and realizes the liquid crystal adjustable curvature sensing (CS) function using EIA. The OMST consists of an upper resonator (resonator 1) and a lower resonator (resonator 2). Resonator 1 achieves the EIT phenomenon when 0–2 THz is excited by an electromagnetic wave (EMW), and a transparent window appears at 0.883 THz. When resonator 2 is introduced, the phase of OMST is regulated and the EIT phenomenon changes to EIA. The absorption peak is 0.998 THz, and the peak value is 0.937. OMST uses the flexible material polyimide, and the liquid crystal injected between the resonators 1 and 2 layers is a nematic liquid crystal (HTW114200-100). The metastructure is used on cylindrical surfaces of CS to measure their curvature. In the initial liquid crystal state, when EMW incident, the OMST resonance frequency changes from 0.998 to 1.006 THz, and the corresponding absorptivity changes from 0.937 to 0.650 (from 0.924 to 0.613 in the bias liquid crystal state). Regarding CS, OMST can be used for curvature detection in the micrometer class, with a detection range of 0–0.02 μm. The maximum curvature measurement sensitivity is 32.230 (33.690), and the quality-factor is 41.859 (40.840). Traditional CS is usually made of optical fiber, but because of the fragility of optical fiber sensors, it is difficult to directly apply to the curvature measurement of various objects. However, OMST's design overcomes this shortcoming and is simple to manufacture. OMST has a high detection accuracy and can be used to detect the curvature of small objects, which has a potential application value in flatness detection and intelligent robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A blood pressure (BP) of 130-139/80-89 mmHg has been defined as stage 1 hypertension by the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association High Blood Pressure Clinical Practice Guidelines. This study was conducted to assess the association of cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) and newly defined stage 1 hypertension in China. We analyzed the data of 84,489 adults with a BP of <140/90 mmHg. The 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk score was calculated using the China-PAR equation. Logistic analysis was used to assess the association between CRFs and stage 1 hypertension. The mean values of CRFs, the proportion of metabolic abnormalities, the prevalence of ≥2 CRFs, and the 10-year CVD risk of individuals with a BP of 130-139/80-89 mmHg were significantly higher than those of the population with a BP of <130/80 mmHg. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and triglycerides were 1.362 (CI 95% = 1.081–1.715, p =.009), 1.264 (CI 95% = 1.093–1.462, p =.002), and 1.331 (CI 95% = 1.009–1.755, p =.043), respectively. Other CRFs were not significantly associated with stage 1 hypertension. Multidisciplinary and targeted interventions are required to manage the CRFs (especially abdominal obesity, elevated FPG, and hypertriglyceridemia) of the population with a BP of 130-139/80-89 mmHg in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate the association of several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, and additional gene–environment interaction with ischemic stroke (IS) risk. Methods: Testing for Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in controls was conducted using SNPstats (online software: http://bioinfo.iconcologia.net/SNPstats). Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) was used to screen the best interaction combination among four SNPs within MTHFR gene and smoking or alcohol drinking. Results: The frequency of the rs4846049-A allele was 28.6% in IS patients and 19.1% in normal controls, in addition, the frequency of the rs3737967-T allele was 27.9% in IS patients and 20.3% in normal controls, which was also indicating a statistically significant difference. The rs4846049-A and rs3737967-T were associated with an increased risk of IS risk; adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence interval [CI]) were 1.76 (1.28–2.13) and 1.51 (1.13–1.97), respectively. GMDR model found significant gene–alcohol drinking interaction combination, but no significant gene–tobacco smoking interaction combinations. In order to obtain the odds ratios and 95% CI for the joint effects of gene–alcohol drinking on IS, we conducted stratified analysis for interaction effect using logistic regression. We found that alcohol drinkers with rs4846049-CA/AA genotype also have the highest IS risk, compared with never drinkers with rs4846049-CC genotype, OR (95% CI) = 3.12 (1.83–4.45), after adjustment for age, smoke, and smoking status. Conclusions: The rs4846049-A and rs3737967-T, gene–environment interaction between rs1764391 and rs918592, gene–environment interaction between rs4846049 and alcohol drinking were all associated with increased IS risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Systemic inflammation may be involved in the formation and progression of thyroid nodule (TN). The aim of this large-scale study was to investigate the association of several simple inflammatory markers with the presence and size of TN. Methods: A total of 133,698 adults were included for the current analysis. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) were calculated. The logistic regression was used to explore the association of the four markers with the presence and size of TN. Results: The prevalence of TN was 55.1% among females and 44% among males; 13% of women and 8% of men had non-micronodule. In women, MHR and PLR were significantly associated with the presence of TN and non-micronodule; in men, MHR and NLR were significantly associated with the presence of TN and non-micronodule. Conclusions: As a low-cost, simple, and reproducible inflammatory marker, MHR is strongly associated with the presence and size of TN irrespective of the gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation has diagnostic and prognostic values in glioblastomas. Peritumoral invasion of glioma cells is a cardinal feature of glioblastomas.Purpose: To evaluate the contribution of DWI and DSC-PWI in the enhancing and peri-enhancing region for discriminating glioblastomas IDH genotypes, and the diagnostic values of combining two techniques in the peri-enhancing region compared with those in the enhancing region.Material and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the conventional MRI (cMRI), DWI and DSC-PWI obtained from 10 patients with IDH-mutated (IDH-m) glioblastomas and 65 patients with IDH wild-type (IDH-w) glioblastomas. Features of cMRI, relative minimum ADC in the enhancing region (rADCmin-t) and peri-enhancing area (rADCmin-p), and relative maximum CBV values in the enhancing region (rCBVmax-t) and peri-enhancing region (rCBVmax-p) were compared between two groups. Receiver operating characteristic curves and logistic regression analysis were used to assess diagnostic performance.Results: IDH-m glioblastomas tended to present in frontal lobes and younger patients. The rADCmin-t (P = 0.042) were significantly lower in IDH-w than IDH-m. Both rCBVmax-t and rCBVmax-p showed significant differences between two subgroups (all P < 0.001). The optimal cutoff values in prediction of IDH-m were >0.98 for rADCmin-t, <7.27 for rCBVmax-t, and < 0.97 for rCBVmax-p. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that the combination of rADCmin-t and rCBVmax-t yielded the highest sensitivity and specificity.Conclusion: The rCBVmax-t or rCBVmax-p may serve as preferable and comparable imaging biomarkers for evaluation of glioblastomas IDH status. The combination of rADCmin-t and rCBVmax-t may yield the maximum predictive power for differentiating IDH status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The association between hyperuricemia and insulin resistance (IR) has been demonstrated by many studies, but the traditional IR indexes are too impractical to be used in clinical practice for the recognition of the IR state in individuals with hyperuricemia. Therefore, we aimed to further investigate the association between hyperuricemia and three non-insulin-based IR indexes in this large-scale cross-sectional study. Methods: A total of 174,695 adults without self-reported use of antihyperuricemic agents, hypoglycemic agents, or lipid-lowering drugs were included in the current analysis. The triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDLc), the product of fasting triglycerides and glucose (TyG), and metabolic score for IR (METS-IR) were calculated. Then, logistic regression analyses were applied to explore their association with hyperuricemia. Results: The TG/HDLc, TyG, and METS-IR all had positive correlations with uric acid level. However, only TG/HDLc and TyG were significantly associated with hyperuricemia in both sexes and body mass index (BMI) classification (the ORs of the highest quartile for each were 6.751 and 1.505 in females and 6.487 and 1.646 in males, respectively). The AUC values of TG/HDLc and TyG to discriminate hyperuricemia were also statistically significant in both sexes and BMI classification (all greater than 0.7). Conclusions: TG/HDLc and TyG are strongly associated with hyperuricemia regardless of BMI classification. These two obtainable and cost-effective non-insulin-based IR indexes could be potential monitors during the management of hyperuricemia and prevention of its IR-driven comorbidities. Key Points • In this large-scale study, we identified TG/HDLc and TyG as indicators for identification of IR in patients with hyperuricemia. • These simple and practical IR indicators are of substantial clinical importance for implementing preventive strategies against IR-driven comorbidities of hyperuricemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress always occurs in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas when they are exposed to high temperature, which will eventually lead to serious summer mortalities. In the present study, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD), the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), as well as the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) in gill were employed as the oxidative stress indexes (OSIs) in oxidative stress process, and they were measured under indoor high temperature and during outdoor aquaculture period to investigate the induction of oxidative stress by high temperature. Two evaluation formulas were established to determine the oxidative stress level (represented by oxidative stress score, OSS) in oysters based on the data matrix of OSIs. In the indoor experiment at 12 h under different temperatures (18 °C, 20 °C, 22 °C, 24 °C, 26 °C, 28 °C, 30 °C, 32 °C, and 34 °C) with 16 °C as control group, the GSH content, activities of SOD, CAT and POD reached the bottom at 28 °C in the high-temperature treated groups, which were 1.15-fold, 0.61-fold, 0.68-fold and 0.26-fold of those in the control group, respectively. MDA content increased to 19.95 nmol/mgprot at 30 °C, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression levels of Cg Nrf2 and Cg Keap1 reached the bottom at 30 °C, which were 0.78-fold and 0.63-fold of those in the control group, respectively. The indoor OSS (OSS in) sharply decreased to 22.97 at 28 °C and then rebounded to 48.73 at 30 °C. In the outdoor aquaculture period from April to August, the temperature increased from 8.3 °C to 23.9 °C, which was significantly negatively correlated with MDA content (r = −0.743, p < 0.001). MDA content decreased significantly (p < 0.05) from 7.94 nmol/mgprot in April to the lowest value of 3.41 nmol/mgprot in August. The outdoor OSS (OSS out) increased and peaked in June (32.05) and decreased to the lowest value in September (21.64). OSS out of the replicated samples in July and August exhibited a significant larger range of variation compared with the other months, ranging from 22.70 to 41.00 and 20.73 to 37.00, respectively. An average high mortality rate of 33.93% was observed in the period from July to August, but not in the other months. Collectively, it is suggested that oxidative stress occurred around 28 °C after the treatment with indoor high temperature of 12 h, and in July and August 2021 during outdoor aquaculture period. These findings will be helpful to further understand and evaluate the oxidative stress in Pacific oyster exposed to high temperature. • The exposure to high temperature (around 28 °C) for 12 h induced oxidative stress in oysters. • Oxidative stress occurred in the outdoor cultured oysters in July and August with high temperature. • Two evaluation formulas were established to determine the oxidative stress level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin resistance (IR) plays a crucial role in the development of hypertension, so early recognition of IR is of substantial clinical importance for the management of hypertension. But traditional IR indexes are invasive, complex, and impractical. We aimed to evaluate the associations between three simple IR indexes and hypertension in different body mass index (BMI) categories. A total of 142 005 adults who did not take antihypertensive medication were included in this analysis. The ratio of triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDLc), the product of fasting triglycerides and glucose (TyG), and metabolic score for IR (METS-IR) were calculated according to the corresponding formulas. The associations between them and hypertension were analyzed by logistic regression. Among the three indicators, only METS-IR had positive correlations with blood pressure levels (all P < 0.001). After full adjustment, METS-IR was significantly associated with hypertension in the normal BMI group but not in the elevated BMI group. The OR for hypertension in the normal BMI group in the highest quartile of METS-IR was 2.884 (95% CI: 2.468-3.369) in the total sample, 1.915 (95% CI: 1.614-2.271) in females and 2.083 (95% CI: 1.717-2.527) in males. Our findings indicate that METS-IR, a simple and cost-effective IR index, was strongly associated with hypertension in normal-weight Chinese subjects. It could help monitor and manage hypertension in normal-weight individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of intra‐aortic balloon pump (IABP) combined with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA‐ECMO) in patients with cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest remains controversial. The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was to investigate the short‐term clinical outcomes of IABP combined with VA‐ECMO versus VA‐ECMO alone. We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for English language articles published from inception to August 18, 2018. Observational studies comparing IABP combined with VA‐ECMO with VA‐ECMO were considered eligible for the current study. Twelve observational studies with 3704 patients were included. In the IABP combined with VA‐ECMO group mortality was 59.7%, compared with 65.8% in the VA‐ECMO alone group. The risk ratio (RR) for this comparison was 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80–1.02; P = 0.107; 59.7% vs. 65.8%). In the one‐way sensitivity analysis for estimating the effect of each study on mortality, omission of each study did not make a significant difference. Furthermore, the proportion of patients weaned from VA‐ECMO was significantly higher in IABP combined VA‐ECMO group than in the VA‐ECMO alone group (RR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.21–1.35; P < 0.001; 77.9% vs. 61.2%). IABP combined with VA‐ECMO could improve success rate of weaning from VA‐ECMO, but did not reduce in‐hospital mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: With the hypothesis that the combination of CT, conventional, and functional MRI can indicate a possible diagnosis of skull lymphoma, this study aimed to systematically explore CT, conventional, and functional MRI features of this rare entity.Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included eight patients with pathologically confirmed skull lymphomas. CT and conventional MRI findings, including the location, size, attenuation/signal intensity, cystic/necrosis, hemorrhage, calcification, enhancement, skull change, brain parenchyma edema and adjacent structure invasion, were reviewed. We also reviewed multi-parametric functional MR imaging features obtained from diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI, n = 4), susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI, n = 3) and dynamic susceptibility-weighted contrast-enhanced perfusion-weighted imaging (DSC-PWI, n = 1).Results: The eight patients in this series consisted of five males and three females, with a mean age of 51.1 years. All skull lymphomas showed the tumors extending to extra- and intra-cranial spaces with permeative destruction of the intervening skull. Intratumoral cystic/necrosis was seen in one case. Hemorrhage or calcification was absent. Dural mater infiltration was detected in all cases. Two clivus lymphomas encased internal carotid artery without narrowing the lumen. Three cases invaded brain parenchyma with moderate edema. The tumors demonstrated high signal on DWI with low ADC values comparing to muscles. SWI images showed little intratumoral hemorrhage and vessel. Low relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) value was detected.Conclusions: Skull lymphomas commonly presented as a homogenous solid tumor extending either intra- or extra-cranially with permeative bone destruction. Restricted diffusion, little intratumoral susceptibility signal, and lower perfusion may indicate a specific diagnosis. Multi-parametric functional MRI may be a promising tool for the diagnosis of skull lymphomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The association between several novel adiposity indices and hyperuricemia is inconclusive. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this association so as to provide theoretical support for the management of hyperuricemia in overweight/obese individuals.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 174,698 adults. The values of body adiposity index (BAI), conicity index (CI), a body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP) index, and cardiometabolic index (CMI) were divided into four quartiles, and multivariate logistic analysis was used to analyze the association between them and hyperuricemia. Receiver operating characteristic curve and area under curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the power of predictions for hyperuricemia.Results: After adjusting for confounding variables, LAP and CMI exhibited stronger association with hyperuricemia than other indices. The odd ratio (OR) for hyperuricemia in the highest quartile of the LAP and CMI was 2.049 (CI 95% = 1.824-2.302) and 4.332(CI 95% = 3.938-4.765). The AUC value of LAP was 0.632 (95% CI = 0.626-0.637), p < 0.001; and the AUC value of CMI was 0.687 (95% CI = 0.682-0.692), p < 0.001. The optimal cutoff values of LAP and CMI were 26.21 and 0.485, respectively.Conclusions: LAP and CMI, combination of WC and lipid parameters and reliable visceral adiposity indices, were strongly associated with hyperuricemia than other indices. So they could be potential monitoring indicators for hyperuricemia management in overweight/obese individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The largest effective mode area reaches up to 2460 μm2 at the wavelength of 2 μm. • The fiber is applied at a small bend radius which is only 10 cm. • Good single mode properties are obtained with a loss ratio up to 886. • The fiber is insensitive to the bend direction for the circular symmetry. • This fiber structure can be applied at the wavelengths of 1.06 μm and 1.55 μm. A novel bend resistant large mode area fiber with step-index core and single trench in the cladding is proposed. Numerical results demonstrate that the largest effective mode area reaches up to 2460 μm2 at the wavelength of 2 μm when the bend radius is only 10 cm. To achieve the better performance of single mode, the loss ratio of the lowest loss of higher order mode to the highest loss of fundamental mode can reach up to 886 with a fundamental mode bend loss lower than 0.0083 dB/m through optimizing structure parameters. The circular symmetry of fiber structure makes it insensitive to the bending direction. Furthermore, this fiber structure can be also used to develop bend resistant large mode area fiber with high performance at the wavelengths of 1.06 μm and 1.55 μm. Due to large mode area, good single mode properties, small bend radius and insensitivity to bend direction, this fiber has the potential application for compact high power fiber lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A crosstalk between multiple biological pathways has been proposed in biological processes. However, the existence and degree of this phenomenon in patients with preeclampsia (PE) have not been strictly investigated. Thus, this study explored an dysregulated pathway set (DPS) for PE based on pathway crosstalk network (PCN) related analysis. In the present study, four steps were performed in the inference of DPS: acquiring data of gene expression, pathway and protein-protein interaction (PPI) construction; building a PCN through integrating the information in these datasets and Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC). A principal component analysis (PCA) approach was used to compute the activity of every pathway for selecting seed pathway of PCN. DPS was evaluated by measuring of an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) and seed pathway from PCN. Consequently, a total of 420 pathways and 6,032 crosstalks were mapped to the PCN, in which RIG-I/MDA5-mediated induction of IFN-α/β pathways was identified as the seed pathway that had the greatest changes in activity scores across PE patients and normal controls. DPS was composed of 15 dysregulated pathways and 46 crosstalks, in which CLEC7A (Dectin-1) signaling possessed the highest degree of 12, which indicated it exerted an important role in the DPS. Our results revealed crosstalk between pathways and the DPS crucial for PE pathogenesis, which aid in excavating potential biomarkers of PE therapy and unveil the underlying pathological mechanism of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to study the effect of Rho kinase inhibitor fasudil on the expression endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) in rats with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH). METHODS: Twenty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group, model group (HPH group) and HPH+fasudil group. The rat HPH model was established by intermittent hypoxia (IH) at atmospheric pressure. Mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI), ET-1 and NO levels, and pulmonary vascular structural changes were observed in all groups. RESULTS: MPAP, RVHI and ET-1 levels were significantly higher in HPH group than in control group, while NO was significantly lower than in control group. In addition, mPAP, RVHI and ET-1 were significantly lower in the HPH+fasudil group than in the HPH group. In the HPH group, ET-1 level was significantly and positively correlated with mPAP and RVHI, NO was negatively correlated with mPAP and RVHI levels, and ET-1 level was significantly and negatively correlated with NO level. In the HPH group, pulmonary arteriolar walls were generally thickened, and lumen stenosis was obvious; while after fasudil treatment, pulmonary arteriolar wall thickening and stenosis degree were significantly reduced. CONCLUSION: Fasudil can significantly reduce ET-l level and increase NO level in HPH rats, suppressing the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State-of-the-art capacity and stability of the silicon (Si) anode already meet the requirments of lithium ion batteries (LIBs). However, the high-cost techniques hinder its practical applications. Herein, we developed a facile strategy to greatly enhance the electrochemical performance of the recycled Si material worked with commercial carboxymethyl cellulose : styrene butadiene rubber and conductive material. In that, small amount of pyromellitic acid (PA) with multi-carboxylic groups as the additive played a key role by passivating the Si surface, forming 3-dimensional crosslink network structure and anchoring the electrode onto Cu current collector. Thus, the side-reactions between Si-electrolyte and volume expansion during charge-discharge process were effectively suppressed. Moreover, the addition of PA also increased the porosity of the electrode by altering the compositions distribution, and the introduction of Ni2+ as the complexant can further enhance these effects. As a matter of fact, the Si-anode exhibited outstanding electrochemical performance with an initial charge capacity of 2325.0 mAh g−1 and a charge capacity retention of 1268.8 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles at a current density of 1000 mA g−1, corresponding to an average decay rate of 0.091% per cycle. Additionally, a capacity of 1079.7 mAh g−1 can be still achieved at a high current density up to 10,000 mA g−1. The performance surpassed that reported in the literatures using similar Si-flakes and are comparable to that using nanoSi and complicated technique. Overall, our work enabled a simple and cost-effective way for the practical application of Si materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, cross-linked poly(4-vinylphenol) (PVP) was utilized in printed single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) thin-film transistors (TFTs) as the gate dielectric layer to achieve low operating voltage, environmental stability and high flexibility. The printed top-gate TFTs on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates exhibited effective mobility up to 8.4 cm 2 V −1 s −1 (based on device capacitances measured at 0.1 Hz), on/off ratio of 10 6 and subthreshold swing (ss) of 63.8 mV/dec at operation voltage of only 1 V. The printed TFTs exhibited excellent mechanical flexibility and stability under ambient conditions due to the use of cross-linked PVP as dielectric layers. No obvious discrepancies in electrical properties were observed after bending 15000 cycles at the radius of 5 mm. A photosensitive light-emitting diode (LED) circuit was constructed, which was composed of two commercial LEDs and the printed SWCNT TFTs. One LED was mounted on top of the gate electrode, acting as a photon sensor to modulate the gate voltage of TFT. The second LED was connected to the source electrode to act as an illuminating device. The circuit could drive the illuminating LED at V dd of −0.75 V and V ds  = −2 V with lighting intensity varying from 0 to 8.96 μW/cm 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metabolic characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or diabetes mellitus (DM) have been studied, but the metabolic abnormalities of RA patients complicated with DM are not completely understood. Therefore, we recruited RA patients with DM to investigate the metabolic abnormalities in these patients. We collected data of RA patients with DM and age- and sex-matched RA and DM patients from Changhai Hospital's electronic medical record system. Data of demographically matched healthy controls were also collected from the health management system of the Hangzhou Sanatorium of People's Liberation Army. Blood pressure, uric acid, glucose, and lipid levels were compared. The clinical data of RA with DM ( n = 104), DM ( n = 100), and RA ( n = 100) patients and healthy controls ( n = 100) were collected and compared. RA patients with DM had higher blood pressure and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels than the other three groups, a higher triglycerides (TG) level than healthy controls and RA patients, and a lower TG level than DM patients. RA patients with DM exhibited a relatively high proportion of metabolic abnormalities based on existing standards. Our study examined metabolic abnormalities in RA patients with DM for the first time, and our results suggest that clinicians should pay more attention to the metabolic abnormalities of RA patients with DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of electrochromic high-performance polymers (HPP) is very important for future electronic devices owing to unique electrochemical properties including colorless-to-color switching under applied voltage. Here, two novel HPP named PES-TPPA and PES-STPPA with colorless-to-color switching were successfully synthesized by a low-cost and simple synthesis method. Notably, PES-STPPA not only exhibits high cycle stability (1.4% attenuated after 300 cycles at 952 nm) and reasonable switching time (2.9s for coloration and 1.9s for bleaching at 709 nm) but also exhibits outstanding coloration efficiency (515 cm2 C−1 at 709 nm). Finally, electrochromic devices based on PES-STPPA and cathodic coloring ethyl viologen (EV) were fabricated, which exhibited stable color switching (400 cycles with optical contrast reduction of 5%). According to the analysis of the fast EC behavior of PES-STPPA, the larger side chain volume is conducive to the rapid diffusion of counterions in the polymer, thus improving the polymer's EC stability, switching speed, and coloration efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equus Linnaeus animals, as large non-ruminant herbivores, harbor a diverse array of microorganisms in their gastrointestinal tract, and the microbial composition varies across different segments of the gut. These microorganisms play a crucial role in the efficient utilization of feed, especially for nutrients that cannot be readily degraded by endogenous enzymes or are minimally susceptible to endogenous enzymatic breakdown. The intestinal microbiota of Equus Linnaeus animals interacts with the host, participating in energy metabolism and immune regulation. External factors (such as diet composition and environmental conditions) and internal factors (including age, gender, and genetic background) can disrupt the balance of intestinal microorganisms, leading to digestive system disorders such as diarrhea, colic, and colitis. The article provides an overview of core microbial communities in the Equus Linnaeus animals intestinal tract, community structures in different gut segments, factors influencing gut microbiota, and the relationship between gut microbiota and overall health. The aim is to serve as a reference for research related to the intestinal microbiota of Equus Linnaeus animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Currently, isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation and 1p/19q co-deletion are proven diagnostic biomarkers for both grade II and III oligodendrogliomas (ODs). Non-invasive diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), and dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion-weighted imaging (DSC-PWI) are widely used to provide physiological information (cellularity, hemorrhage, calcifications, and angiogenesis) of neoplastic histology and tumor grade. However, it is unclear whether DWI, SWI, and DSC-PWI are able to stratify grades of IDH-mutant and 1p/19q co-deleted ODs. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the conventional MRI (cMRI), DWI, SWI, and DSC-PWI obtained on 33 patients with IDH-mutated and 1p/19q co-deleted ODs. Features of cMRI, normalized ADC (nADC), intratumoral susceptibility signals (ITSSs), normalized maxim CBV (nCBV), and normalized maximum CBF (nCBF) were compared between low-grade ODs (LGOs) and high-grade ODs (HGOs). Receiver operating characteristic curve and logistic regression were applied to determine diagnostic performances. Results: HGOs tended to present with prominent edema and enhancement. nADC, ITSSs, nCBV, and nCBF were significantly different between groups (all P < 0.05). The combination of SWI and DSC-PWI for grading resulted in sensitivity and specificity of 100.00 and 93.33%, respectively. Conclusions: IDH-mutant and 1p/19q co-deleted ODs can be stratified by grades using cMRI and advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques including DWI, SWI, and DSC-PWI. Combined ITSSs with nCBV appear to be a promising option for grading molecularly defined ODs in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic inflammation, which can be induced by metabolic endotoxemia, and corresponding high-fat diet-mediated metabolic disorders are associated with gut microbiota. In the present study reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence, pyrosequencing, ELISA and Oil Red O staining were performed to assess whether berberine can protect against diet-induced obesity, through modulating the gut microbiota and consequently improving metabolic endotoxemia and gastrointestinal hormone levels. Alterations in the gut microbiota induced by berberine resulted in a significant reduction in bacterial lipopolysaccharide levels in portal plasma. Levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, as well as the mRNA expression levels of macrophage infiltration markers in visceral adipose tissue, were also reduced by berberine. Inhibition of the inflammatory response was associated with a reduction in intestinal permeability and an increase in the expression of tight junction proteins. In addition, berberine was reported to restore aberrant levels of gut hormones in the portal plasma, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 and -2, peptide YY, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and pancreatic polypeptide. The present findings indicated that berberine, through modulating gut microbiota, restored the gut barrier, reduced metabolic endotoxemia and systemic inflammation, and improved gut peptide levels in high-fat diet-fed rats. The present study suggests that berberine may be an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of obesity and insulin resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel oxazole derivatives 4-(6-(4,5-diphenyloxazol-2-yl)pyridin-3-yl)-N,N-diphenylaniline (TPA-PPO) and 2-(5-(4-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)pyridin-2-yl)-4,5-diphenyloxazole (CzPh-PPO) have been designed and synthesized. The photophysical, electrochemical and thermal characters of the compounds were systematically investigated, which consistent well with the theoretical DFT calculations. TPA-PPO and CzPh-PPO exhibit high photoluminescent quantum yield of 0.63 and 0.59, respectively. The device using TPA-PPO as the dopant showed deep blue emission with a high EQE of 1.77%. A white OLED was obtained using the single emitter of CzPh-PPO with an EQE of 1.24%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An organocatalytic asymmetric functionalization of C(3) S bond of indolone by naphthol is described. It provided a new and simple method for the construction of 3,3-disubstituted indolones containing a fresh-formed chiral quaternary carbon center with high yield and good enantioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Noninvasive detection of molecular status of astrocytoma is of great clinical significance for predicting therapeutic response and prognosis. We aimed to evaluate whether morphological MRI (mMRI), SWI, DWI, and DSC-PWI could predict Ki-67 labeling index (LI), ATRX mutation, and MGMT promoter methylation status in IDH mutant (IDH-mut) astrocytoma. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed mMRI, SWI, DWI, and DSC-PWI in 136 patients with IDH-mut astrocytoma.The features of mMRI and intratumoral susceptibility signals (ITSS) were compared using Fisher exact test or chi-square tests. Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare the minimum ADC (ADCmin), and minimum relative ADC (rADCmin) of IDH-mut astrocytoma in different molecular markers status. Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare the rCBVmax of IDH-mut astrocytoma with different molecular markers status. Receiver operating characteristic curves was performed to evaluate their diagnostic performances. Results: ITSS, ADCmin, rADCmin, and rCBVmax were significantly different between high and low Ki-67 LI groups. ITSS, ADCmin, and rADCmin were significantly different between ATRX mutant and wild-type groups. Necrosis, edema, enhancement, and margin pattern were significantly different between low and high Ki-67 LI groups. Peritumoral edema was significantly different between ATRX mutant and wild-type groups. Grade 3 IDH-mut astrocytoma with unmethylated MGMT promoter was more likely to show enhancement compared to the methylated group. Conclusions: mMRI, SWI, DWI, and DSC-PWI were shown to have the potential to predict Ki-67 LI and ATRX mutation status in IDH-mut astrocytoma. A combination of mMRI and SWI may improve diagnostic performance for predicting Ki-67 LI and ATRX mutation status. Clinical relevance statement: Conventional MRI and functional MRI (SWI, DWI, and DSC-PWI) can predict Ki-67 expression and ATRX mutation status of IDH mutant astrocytoma, which may help clinicians determine personalized treatment plans and predict patient outcomes. Key Points: • A combination of multimodal MRI may improve the diagnostic performance to predict Ki-67 LI and ATRX mutation status. • Compared with IDH-mutant astrocytoma with low Ki-67 LI, IDH-mutant astrocytoma with high Ki-67 LI was more likely to show necrosis, edema, enhancement, poorly defined margin, higher ITSS levels, lower ADC, and higher rCBV. • ATRX wild-type IDH-mutant astrocytoma was more likely to show edema, higher ITSS levels, and lower ADC compared to ATRX mutant IDH-mutant astrocytoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the special geographical conditions of Tibet, the plant species applied in local landscaping have been limited. In the landscaping project of Fujian Park, 59 woody landscape plant species were introduced from the hinterland, and the survival rate and growth vigor of these species had been observed for 15 years. In terms of growth vigor and ornamental character, about 32 species showed good performance such as Prunus cerasi&ra f. atropurpurea and Dendtobenthemia japonica; 8 species showed moderate growth performance such as Metasequak gjyptosttobaides Hu et Cheng and Magnolia denudata Desr.; 14 species showed poor growth vigor such as Ginkgo biloba L. and Osmanthus bagrans Lour., and 5 species died such as Albizzia julibrissin Durazz. and Hibiscus mutabilis L. Moreover, the paper explored key factors that influence the introduction of woody landscape plants in linzhi City, and pointed out that wind damage and low temperature were 2 key factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) in gastric banding (SI-LAGB) has been reported to be a safe and technically feasible procedure among various operating methods. However, there is little evidence with regard to the question whether SI-LAGB has more advantages and should be recommended compared with conventional LAGB (CLAGB). Thus, this study was performed to assess the safety and efficacy of SI-LAGB. Material and methods: A computerized search of the electronic databases PubMed and EMBASE was performed. Data regarding operative parameters, postoperative recovery parameters, follow-up time, percentage of excess weight loss, and postoperative complication were pooled and analyzed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations. Results: Ten comparative studies including 2,073 patients (1,038 patients who received SI-LAGB and 1,035 patients who received CLAGB) were included and analyzed. Compared with CLAGB, a similar weight loss could be obtained using SI-LAGB. The postoperative complications of SI-LAGB were within the acceptable range, but one study reported one perioperative death. SI-LAGB required a longer operative time. Other outcome variables, such as blood loss, days of hospitalization, pain score, and hospitalization costs, were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions: SI-LAGB might be a safe and effective alternative to C-LAGB when performed by experienced surgeons, but available data do not allow to give a definitive answer and randomized controlled trials are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the passivity and passification problems for Markov jump genetic regulatory networks with time-varying delays. A sampled-data control approach with non-uniform sampling period is taken into account. By invoking the input-delay approach and employing the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional method, delay-dependent sufficient conditions on passivity are first given, upon which a mode-dependent passification controller design procedure is then presented. Finally, two numerical examples are provided to illustrate the applicability and effectiveness of the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Compound filter mechanisms including Lyot filter and multimode interference filter are achieved simultaneously by compact structure. • The proposed multiwavelength erbium-doped fiber laser achieves excellent interval adjustable property. • The proposed multiwavelength erbium-doped fiber laser has simpler structure compared with other works. We propose and experimentally demonstrate a multiwavelength erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) based on a compound filter. The compound filter is composed of polarization controllers (PCs), polarizers and a piece of home-made polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber (PM-PCF). Due to the high birefringence and few-mode properties of the PM-PCF, Lyot filter and multimode interference filter can be realized simultaneously in the compact structure. Hence, the EDFL can achieve flexible lasing output. By adjusting PCs, the lasing can obtain single-, dual-, triple- and quad-wavelength output, respectively. The tuning range of single-wavelength lasing output can exceed 20 nm with side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) above 40 dB. For dual-wavelength lasing output, the tuning range with fixed interval can reach 16 nm. Besides, the wavelength interval can be adjusted from 2.5 nm to 17.4 nm. The great interval adjustability is also observed in triple-wavelength output. The wavelength interval can be adjusted from 8.2 nm to 14.7 nm. Compact structure, flexible lasing output, and good stability make our proposed EDFL more convenient and practical to the applications such as sensing and wavelength division multiplexing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary lncRNAs are known to regulate a number of different developmental and tumorigenic processes. Here, we report a role for lncRNA BCAR4 in breast cancer metastasis that is mediated by chemokine-induced binding of BCAR4 to two transcription factors with extended regulatory consequences. BCAR4 binding of SNIP1 and PNUTS in response to CCL21 releases the SNIP1’s inhibition of p300-dependent histone acetylation, which in turn enables the BCAR4 -recruited PNUTS to bind H3K18ac and relieve inhibition of RNA Pol II via activation of the PP1 phosphatase. This mechanism activates a noncanonical Hedgehog/GLI2 transcriptional program that promotes cell migration. BCAR4 expression correlates with advanced breast cancers, and therapeutic delivery of locked nucleic acids (LNAs) targeting BCAR4 strongly suppresses breast cancer metastasis in mouse models. The findings reveal a disease-relevant lncRNA mechanism consisting of both direct coordinated protein recruitment and indirect regulation of transcription factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Conventional MRI is often difficult to distinguish between primary central nervous system lymphomas ( PCNSLs), high-grade gliomas and brain metastases due to the similarity of their appearance. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the susceptibility-weighted imaging ( SWI) has higher sensitivity than conventional MRI in detecting hemorrhage between PCNSLs, high-grade gliomas and brain metastases, and can be used to differentiate the diagnosis between these tumors. Methods The number of lesions with hemorrhage was quantified by both the conventional MR imaging and SWI. The number of micro-hemorrhage and vessels within lesions were counted on SWI. Results The detection rate of hemorrhage on SWI was significantly higher than that on the conventional MR imaging. The intralesional hemorrhagic burden and the number of the vessels within lesions detected by SWI were significantly higher in high-grade gliomas and brain metastases than those in PCNSLs. There was no significant difference in these two parameters between high-grade gliomas and brain metastases. The best predictor to differentiate PCNSLs from high-grade gliomas and brain metastases was intralesional vessel number that yielded the best ROC characteristics and highest classification accuracy. Conclusions SWI is useful in differentiating of PCNSLs from high-grade gliomas and brain metastases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting slope deformation is an important issue in engineering. Timely deformation detection can effectively avoid catastrophic slope failure and ensure the safety of a project and engineering personnel. In this study, deformation detection for a quarry slope is implemented using the integration of subpixel offset tracking (sPOT) and unsupervised change detection algorithms based on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) image datasets. The sPOT algorithm is used to give the surface displacement field of the slope with subpixel accuracy, and the unsupervised change detection algorithm yields the ground object reconstruction area of the slope to verify and explain the sPOT result. The integrated analysis method in this paper is highly applicable and only requires a minimum of two UAV datasets as raw data. Combining the advantages of the sPOT and unsupervised change detection algorithms, the proposed method has the ability to detect and analyse slow and rapid slope deformation with good accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of steam activation on the pore structure evolution and surface chemistry of activated carbon (AC) obtained from bamboo waste were investigated. Nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms revealed that higher steam activation temperatures and/or times promoted the creation of new micropores and widened the existing micropores, consequently decreasing the surface area and total pore volume. Optimum conditions included an activation temperature of 850 °C, activation time of 120 min, and steam flush generated from deionized water of 0.2 cm 3 min −1 . Under these conditions, AC with a BET surface area of 1210 m 2 g −1 and total pore volume of 0.542 cm −3 g −1 was obtained. Changes in surface chemistry were determined through Boehm titration, pH measurement, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Results revealed the presence of a large number of basic groups on the surface of the pyrolyzed char and AC. Steam activation did not affect the species of oxygen-containing groups but changed the contents of these species when compared with pyrolyzed char. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the surface morphology of the products. AC obtained under optimum conditions showed a monolayer adsorption capacity of 330 mg g −1 for methylene blue (MB), which demonstrates its excellent potential for MB adsorption applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To prospectively determine the repeatability of noncontrast-enhanced renal arterial angiography with steady-state free precession (SSFP) and time-spatial labeling inversion pulse (Time-SLIP), and to compare the visibility of renal artery and its branches when different locations of tagging pulse were placed. Methods: Thirty-six young healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study and were twice examined by noncontrast-enhanced renal arterial angiography with SSFP and Time-SLIP in 1.5T MR scanner. Measurement error and repeatability were assessed for each of the five major parameters [vessel-to-kidney ratio (VKR), grade of renal arterial branching, grading of image quality, diameter and area of the main renal artery] using the Bland-Altman plot. Two independent observers recorded the values of the parameters; Inter- and intra-observer agreement was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). The same parameters, acquired at the tagging pulse placed just above the superior poles of both kidneys or closer to the main renal arteries, were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: Grading of arterial branching by the Time-SLIP SSFP was satisfactorily reproducible with the mean score of greater 3.83 indicating the visibility of branches within the renal parenchyma. The image quality was excellent for Segment I (the main trunk of renal artery) and good for Segment II (segmental branches pre renal parenchyma) and III (vessels within the renal parenchyma) with a satisfying repeatability between two examinations and a good inter- and intra-observer agreement. The ICCs for the inter- and intra-observer measurements of both diameter and area of the main arteries ranged from 0.781 to 0.934, indicating very good agreement. The repeatability of VKR was poor between the two examinations and at the two different tagging pulse locations. The position of tagging pulse in the origination of the main renal arteries was better than in the superior poles of kidneys as it provided a better visualization of arterial branches. Conclusion: Noncontrast-enhanced renal artery angiography with SSFP and Time-SLIP yields reliable and reproducible visualization of normal renal arteries. Localization of the tagging pulse closer to the main renal arteries provides better visibility of renal artery and its branches than the tag placement just above the superior poles of both kidneys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, donor-acceptor (D-A)-type conjugated polymers have been widely used in the field of organic solar cells (OSCs) and electrochromism (EC). Considering the poor solubility of D-A conjugated polymers, the solvents used in material processing and related device preparation are mostly toxic halogenated solvents, which have become the biggest obstacle to the future commercial process of the OSC and EC field. Herein, we designed and synthesized three novel D-A conjugated polymers, PBDT1-DTBF, PBDT2-DTBF, and PBDT3-DTBF, by introducing polar oligo (ethylene glycol) (OEG) side chains of different lengths in the donor unit benzodithiophene (BDT) as side chain modification. Studies on solubility, optics, electrochemical, photovoltaic and electrochromic properties are conducted, and the influence of the introduction of OEG side chains on its basic properties is also discussed. Studies on solubility and electrochromic properties show unusual trends that need further research. However, since PBDT-DTBF-class polymers and acceptor IT-4F failed to form proper morphology under the low-boiling point solvent THF solvent processing, the photovoltaic performance of prepared devices is not ideal. However, films with THF as processing solvent showed relatively desirable electrochromic properties and films cast from THF display higher CE than CB as the solvent. Therefore, this class of polymers has application feasibility for green solvent processing in the OSC and EC fields. The research provides an idea for the design of green solvent-processable polymer solar cell materials in the future and a meaningful exploration of the application of green solvents in the field of electrochromism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and duodenal ulcer (DU), but the results remain inconclusive. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis to investigate a more authentic association between TNF-α SNPs and DU. Methods: We performed the meta-analysis by searching PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases from the first available year to Sep. 5, 2012. Additionally, checking reference lists from identified articles, reviews, and the abstracts presented at related scientific societies meetings were also performed. All case-control studies investigating the association between TNF-α SNPs and DU risk were included. The association was assessed by odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Publication bias was analyzed by Begg's funnel plot and Egger's regression test. Results: A total of sixteen studies reporting TNF-α −308G/A, −1031T/C, −863C/A, −857C/T, and −238G/A polymorphism were included in our final meta-analysis. There was no statistically significant association between −308G/A polymorphism and DU in the overall study population, as well as subgroup analyses by ethnicity, study design, and H. pylori status. As for −1031T/C, −863C/A, −857C/T, and −238G/A, results of our meta-analyses showed no statistical evidence of significant association. Power calculation on the combined sample size showed that the statistical powers were all lower than 80% for all the meta-analyses. Conclusions: The data suggests that there is no statistical evidence of significant association between the studied TNF-α SNPs and DU. However, this conclusion should be interpreted with caution as low statistical powers were revealed by power calculations. In future, larger sample-size studies with homogeneous DU patients and well-matched controls are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usually the quantum fluctuation characteristic of a non-degenerate optical parametric amplifier is analysed under the assumption of monochromatic pumping. However, in experiments, a driving beam with finite bandwidth is used to obtain the non-degenerate signal and idler beam amplifications. On account of that, we derive an analytical solution for the non-degenerate optical parametric amplification system with finite bandwidth laser pumping, and evaluate the associated quantum fluctuation. Finally, the application of the V1 criterion to bipartite entanglement is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The human lissencephaly-1 gene (LIS1) is a disease gene responsible for Miller–Dieker lissencephaly syndrome (MDL). LIS1 gene is located in the region of chromosome 17p13.3 that is frequency deleted in MDL patients and in human liver cancer cells. However, the expression and significance of LIS1 in liver cancer remain unknown. Here, we investigated the expression of LIS1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues by real-time PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. The results indicated that the mRNA and protein levels of LIS1 were downregulated in about 70% of HCC tissues, and this downregulation was significantly associated with tumor progression. Functional studies showed that the reduction of LIS1 expression in the normal human liver cell line QSG7701 or the mouse fibroblast cell line NIH3T3 by shRNA resulted in colony formation in soft agar and xenograft tumor formation in nude mice, demonstrating that a decrease in the LIS1 level can promote the oncogenic transformation of cells. We also observed that the phenotypes of LIS1-knockdown cells displayed various defective mitotic structures, suggesting that the mechanism by which reduced LIS1 levels results in tumorigenesis is associated with its role in mitosis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that ectopic expression of LIS1 could significantly inhibit HCC cell proliferation and colony formation. Our results suggest that LIS1 plays a potential tumor suppressor role in the development and progression of HCC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

TRPP2, also called polycystin-2, the gene product of PKD2, is a membrane protein defective in 10–15% of cases of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Mutations in PKD2 are also associated with extrarenal disorders, such as hepatic cystogenesis and cardiovascular abnormalities. TRPP2 is a Ca-permeable nonselective cation channel present in the endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane, as well as in cilia of renal epithelial and embryonic nodal cells, in which it likely forms part of a flow sensor. Recent studies have identified a number of TRPP2-interacting proteins, of which many are cytoskeletal components. Work from our and other laboratories indicates that cytoskeletal partner proteins seem to play important, albeit highly complex, roles in the regulation of TRPP2 expression, localization and channel function. This minireview covers current knowledge about cytoskeletal interactions with TRPP2, and suggests that mutations in proteins of the TRPP2-cytoskeleton complex may be implicated in the pathogenesis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unconjugated high-performance polymers have been developing rapidly in the field of optoelectronics, due to the effective donor-acceptor (D-A) structure design strategy. Poly (ether sulfone) (PES) shows tremendous application potential in the field of optoelectronics by combining with optoelectronic units. Herein, an isolated D-A structure was constructed in the side chain of PES, in which the triphenylamine (TPA) structure was the donor and the imide structure was the acceptor. Electrochemical test showed that the onset potential of PES-TPAs was low (0.55 V). The PES-TPAs as a kind of electrochromic materials could improving their EC cycling stabilities from single-digit cycle times to 52 cycles (20% contrast reduction). To the best knowledge, no detail data was reported on the EC cycling stability of PES-type polymers before this work. Meanwhile, PES-TPAs as a kind of memory storage polymers exhibited a low threshold voltage (−3.03 V). These performances showed a wide application prospect of PES in the field of optoelectronics. More importantly, designing the molecular structure in this way would provide a new select for creating more types of optoelectronic polymers. [Display omitted] • An isolated D-A structure was constructed in the side chain of PES. • They exhibited low onset potential, good EC cycling stability, fast switching time and high optical contrast. • They showed low threshold voltage and non-volatile WORM memory characteristic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents experimental findings which show that polycystin-L is a calcium-modulated nonselective cation channel that is permeable to sodium, potassium, and calcium ions. Increase of channel activity through the raising of extracellular and intracellular calcium-ion concentration.

Describes the molecular genetics of cystinuria. Effects of cystinuria on the luminal transport of cystine and dibasic amino acids; Expression of mutations in Xenopus oocytes; Identification of phenotypes.

Background: Heterogeneity of gliomas challenges the neuronavigated biopsy and oncological therapy. Diffusion and perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can reveal the cellular and hemodynamic heterogeneity of tumors. Integrated positron emission tomography (PET)/MRI is expected to be a non-invasive imaging approach to characterizing glioma. Purpose: To evaluate the value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and spatially co-registered maximal standard uptake value (SUVmax) for tissue characterization and glioma grading. Material and Methods: Thirty-seven consecutive patients with pathologically confirmed gliomas were retrospectively investigated. The relative minimum ADC (rADCmin), relative maximal ADC (rADCmax), relative maximal rCBV (rCBVmax), the relative minimum rCBV (rCBVmin), and the corresponding relative SUVmax (rSUVmax) were measured. The paired t- test was used to compare the quantitative parameters between different regions to clarify tumor heterogeneity. Imaging parameters between WHO grade IV and grade II/III gliomas were compared by t -test. The diagnostic efficiency of multiparametric PET/MRI was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: The values of rSUVmax were significantly different between maximal diffusion/perfusion area and minimum diffusion/perfusion area (P < 0.001/ P < 0.001) within tumor. The values of rADCmin (P < 0.001), rCBVmax (P = 0.002), and corresponding rSUVmax (P = 0.001/ P < 0.001) could be used for grading gliomas. The areas under the ROC curves of rSUVmax defined by rADCmin and rCBVmax were 0.89 and 0.91, respectively. Conclusion: Diffusion and perfusion MRI can detect glioma heterogeneity with excellent molecular imaging correlations. Regions with rCBVmax suggest tissues with the highest metabolism and malignancy for guiding glioma grading and tissue sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The New Zealand sea sand ore is a kind of vanadia–titania magnetite formed by erosion in the coastal zone. Because of its coarse particle size, smooth spherical particles, complex chemical composition, it has been added to sinter as an auxiliary material. Based on the principle of optimizing ore blending to strengthen advantages and weaken disadvantages, this paper used New Zealand sea sand raw ore that has not undergone any pretreatment as the main material and prepared it into oxidized pellets using a disc pelletizer and explored the influence of high-proportion unground sea sand ore on the preparation process and reduction performance of oxidized pellets. The influence of unground sea sand ore on the falling strength, compressive strength, reduction swelling index, and reduction degree of pellets was analyzed by the ICPAES, XRF, XRD, SEM-EDS, and other detection methods, and the change laws and influencing factors of oxidized pellets were analyzed. With the increase of the amount of unground sea sand ore used, the falling strength and compressive strength of the green pellets first decreased and then gradually increased, while the compressive strength of the oxidized pellets first increased and then decreased. At the same time, as the amount of sea sand ore used increased, the reduction process of pellets was restricted. The reduction swelling index and the reduction degree index generally show a downward trend. However, the compressive strength of the pellets gradually increased after reduction. Through the research on the pellet-forming performance and reduction properties of unground sea sand ore, it is shown that when the amount of unground sea sand ore used was 40%, it can still be used as raw material for blast furnace ironmaking. Thus, this research provided specific data support for iron and steel enterprises to improve the ratio of unground sea sand ore and reduce production cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 85% of all lung cancers, with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway exhibiting robust activation in this particular subtype. The expression of FAM83A (family with sequence similarity 83, member A) has been found to be significantly upregulated in lung cancer, leading to the stabilization of β-catenin and activation of the Wnt signaling pathway. In this study, we conducted a screening of down-regulated miRNAs in lung cancer with FAM83A as the target. Ultimately, we identified miR-1 as a negative regulator of FAM83A and confirmed that FAM83A is a direct target gene of miR-1 through dual luciferase reporter assays. The overexpression of miR-1 significantly attenuated the expression level of FAM83A and suppressed the Wnt signaling pathway, leading to a reduction in the expression levels of downstream target genes AXIN2, CyclinD1, and C-MYC. Additionally, it decreased the nuclear translocation of β-catenin. In addition, overexpression of miR-1 accelerated the degradation of β-catenin by inhibiting FAM83A, promoted the assembly of β-catenin degradation complex, and inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells. In summary, miR-1 may be a potential candidate miRNA for the treatment of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]