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The polyacidic character of polyoxometalate (POM) clusters endows high ionic conductivity, making these clusters good candidates for solar and fuel cells. Covalent bonding of clusters to polymer chains creates poly(POM)s that are polyelectrolytes with both cluster functions and polymer performance. Thus, solution-processable poly(POM)s are expected to be used as key materials in advanced devices. Further understanding of poly(POM)s will optimize the preparation process and improve device performance. Herein, we report a study of the first linear poly(POM)s by directly visualizing the chains using scanning transmission electron microscopy. Compared with traditional polymers, individual clusters of poly(POM)s can be directly visualized because of the resistance to electron-beam damage and the high contrast of the tungsten POM pendants. Thus, cluster aggregates with diverse shapes were observed. Counting the number of clusters in the aggregates allowed the degree of polymerization and molecular weight distribution to be determined, and studying the aggregate shapes revealed the presence of a curved semirigid chain in solution. Further study of shape diversity revealed that strong interactions between clusters determine the diverse chain shapes formed during solution processing. Fundamental insight is critical to understanding the formation of poly(POM) films from solutions as key functional materials, especially for fuel and solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic polymers and inorganic clusters belong to two different disciplines and have completely different properties and structures. When a cluster is attached to the backbone of a polymer as a pendant, the resultant hybrid polymers (polyclusters) exhibit unique behaviours totally different from those of conventional polymers owing to the nanoscale size of the cluster and its particular interactions. Herein, the aggregation of a poly(polyoxometalate)—a polynorbornene backbone with inorganic polyoxometalate cluster pendants—upon addition of a non‐solvent to its dilute solution is reported. A three‐dimensional network of tangled and snake‐like nanothreads was observed. Direct visualisation of individual nanoscale clusters enabled identification of single chains within the nanothreads. These observations suggest that during the process of aggregation, the hybrid polymer forms curved or extended chains as a consequence of an armouring effect in which the collapsed cluster pendants wrap around the backbone. The collapse occurs because they become less soluble in the solvent/non‐solvent mixture. The extended chains then become entwined and form nanoropes consisting of multiple chains wound around each other. This study provides a deeper understanding of the nature of polyclusters and should also prove useful for their future development and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Length‐weight relationships (LWRs) were estimated for 11 fish species from the Min River Estuary and its adjacent waters, Fujian Province, China. All samples were collected using gillnets (mesh size 45 mm) and bottom trawls (mesh sizes 45 mm at the main webbing and 25 mm at the cod end) seasonally in 2017 and 2018. The parameters for the LWRs were estimated, along with the basic Statistical analyses for total length and weight ranges as well as the 95% confidence intervals for the intercept (a) and the slope (b) of the regression lines. Further, the coefficient of correlation indicated that the LWRs were highly significant (all r2 >.95, p <.001). This study provides the new maximum total lengths (TLmax) for Coilia grayii (33.0 cm), Johnius taiwanensis (20.9 cm), Johnius trewavasae (22.0 cm) and Cynoglossus sibogae (22.0 cm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motor imagery is the mental process of rehearsing or simulating a given action without overt movements. The aim of the present study is to examine plastic changes in relevant brain areas during motor imagery with increasing expertise level. Subjects (novices, intermediate and elite players) performed motor imagery of basketball throws under two experimental conditions (with-ball and without-ball). We found that all basketball players exhibited better temporal congruence (between motor imagery and motor execution) and higher vividness of motor imagery than novices. The vividness of motor imagery was higher for the with-ball than for the without-ball conditions in all three subject groups. The results from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) showed three different patterns of cortical activation. Activation in the left middle frontal gyrus increased and that in the left supplementary motor area decreased with increasing levels of motor expertise. Importantly, brain activation in the left postcentral gyrus was the highest in the intermediate players compared to both novices and elite players. For the elite group, these three areas showed higher activation in the without-ball condition than the with-ball condition, while the opposite trend was found in intermediate players. Our findings suggest that the level of motor expertise may be related to high-order brain functions that are linked to different activation patterns in different brain areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZSM-5 extrudates catalyst was modified by wet-impregnation using phosphoric acid with various mass concentration (5%, 10% and 15%) and their performances were respectively evaluated in the methanol to propylene (MTP) reaction. This work focused on the changes in property of the extrudates and the interplay of P species with zeolite ZSM-5 and γ-Al 2 O 3 binder before and after steam treatment. After introducing phosphorous acid, the surface P species was formed on the binder through P hydroxy bonding with Al hydroxy, thus allowed the decrease in number of Lewis acid sites (LAS) of binder. A small amount of P species interacted with TFAl in ZSM-5 powder, due to high silica ZSM-5 zeolite, leading to the reduction of Brønsted acid sites (BAS). For the P-modified extrudates, propylene selectivity and catalytic lifetime was improved compared to its pristine one, due to the increase of micropore area and the decrease of acid density with low ratio of strong acid sites/weak acid sites (S/W). After steaming at 500 °C, the ratio of S/W on the P-modified extrudates further decreased. For the unmodified extrudates, the decrease was mainly enabled by the reduction in acid density and strong BAS, while for P-modified extrudates, the change of strong LAS of the binder to weak acid was more significant and its total LAS amount is nearly unchanged. The steamed P-modified catalyst (10 wt%) showed high propylene selectivity of 47.5% and the longest lifetime of 218 h at WHSV of 6 h − 1 . The mechanism of regulating the acidity of extrudates by phosphorus modification has been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is the major abiotic stress with adverse effects on citrus, decreasing the agronomical yield and influencing the fruit quality. In this study, cDNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP) technique was used to investigate the transcriptional profile changes and identify drought-responsive genes in “Amakusa” tangor (C. reticulata × C. sinensis), a hybrid citrus sensitive to water stress. The 255 out of 6,245 transcript-derived fragments (TDFs) displayed altered expression patterns including (A) induction, (B) repression, (C) upregulation, and (D) downregulation. With BLAST search, the gene products of differentially expressed fragments (DEFs) could be classified into several categories: cellular processes, transcription, transport, metabolism, stress/stimuli response, and developmental processes. Downregulated genes were highly represented by photosynthesis and basic metabolism, while upregulated ones were enriched in genes that were involved in transcription regulation, defense, energy, and transport. Present result also revealed some transient and up- and then downregulated genes such as aquaporin protein and photosystem enzyme. Expression patterns of 17 TDFs among 18 homologous to function-known genes were confirmed by qRT-PCR analysis. The present results revealed potential mechanism of drought tolerance in fruit crop and also provided candidate genes for future experiments in citrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We theoretically explore the control of the wave-vector filtering (WVF) effect in a realistic magnetic-barrier nanostructure with a δ -doping, which can be experimentally realized by depositing a ferromagnetic stripe on the top of a GaAs / Al x Ga 1 − x As heterostructure. It is shown that an obvious WVF effect still exists when a δ -doping is introduced into the device. It is also shown that the degree of the WVF effect can be controlled by tuning the weight and/or the position of the δ -doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We theoretically investigate the modulation of the δ -doping to a semiconductor-based giant magnetoresistance (GMR) device, which can be realized experimentally by depositing two parallel ferromagnetic (FM) stripes on top and bottom of a GaAs / Al x Ga 1-x As heterostructure. It is shown that a considerable GMR effect still exists in this device with the δ -doping. It is also shown that the magnetoresistance ratio ( MR ) depends on not only the weight but also the position of the δ -doping. These interesting results will be useful in understanding and designing structurally-controllable GMR devices for magnetic information storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we have investigated the synergistic effect of quercetin administration and transplantation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (HUMSCs) following middle cerebral artery occlusion in rat. Combining quercetin treatment with delayed transplantation of HUMSCs after local cerebral ischemia significantly (i) improved neurological functional recovery; (ii) reduced proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-6), increased anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, and transforming growth factor-β1), and reduced ED-1 positive areas; (iii) inhibited cell apoptosis (caspase-3 expression); and (iv) improved the survival rate of HUMSCs in the injury site. Altogether, our results demonstrate that combined HUMSC transplantation and quercetin treatment is a potential strategy for reducing secondary damage and promoting functional recovery following cerebral ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We studied the distribution of polycystine radiolarians in the northern South China Sea (SCS) in September 2005 in order to document the relation between radiolarian assemblages and environmental parameters. Vertical plankton tows were collected at depth-intervals from 0 to 250 m at thirteen stations, using a closing net (62 µm mesh). The highest abundance of polycystine radiolarians generally occurred at depths of 0–75 m, i.e., above the chlorophyll-a maximum and thermocline. In contrast, the maximum polycystine abundance occurred below the chlorophyll-a maximum at station E105 (75–150 m), possibly as a result of down-welling of warm waters, and the maximum fell within the chlorophyll-a maximum at station E702, as a result of upwelling of intermediate cold waters. During our sampling period, the southwestern monsoon caused upwelling in the northern SCS (the Taiwan Bank region), as shown by the high abundance of Tetrapyle octacantha, Acanthodesmia vinculata, Cladococcus cervicoris, Octopyle octospinosa, Spongaster tetras, Streblacantha circumtexta and Spongotrochus glacialis. The patterns of distribution and the abundances of the species Botryocyrtis scutum, Pterocorys hertwigii, Collosphaera tuberosa and Didymocyrtis tetrathalamus tetrathalamus suggested that western Equatorial Pacific waters did not yet influence the region at the time of sampling; the first two species were dominant in the northern SCS during our sampling. The species Cornutella profunda and Cyrtopera laguncula were rare at depths of 150–250 m in the tropical region of the SCS, and assemblages in northern and southern SCS were very similar. The relative abundance of B. scutum and P. hertwigii is an indicator for seasonal changes in monsoonal circulation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We report on a theoretical investigation of the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect in hybrid ferromagnetic-Schottky-metal and semiconductor nanosystem. Experimentally, this GMR device can be realized by the deposition of two ferromagnetic (FM) stripes and one Schottky normal metal (NM) in parallel way on the top of a semiconductor GaAs heterostructure. The GMR effect emanates from the significant transmission difference for electrons tunneling through parallel and antiparallel magnetization configurations of the device, and its magnetoresistance ratio (MR) can reach the order of . Furthermore, it is also shown that the MR of the device depends strongly on the relative location of the Schottky NM stripe between two FM stripes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Motor practice combined with motor imagery enhances motor skills. • This combination also increases corticospinal excitability and cortical plasticity. • All these increases depend on a match between hand posture in imagery and practice. • Increased cortical plasticity is associated with disinhibition of cortical activity. Motor imagery (MI), the mental rehearsal of a movement without muscle activation, combined with motor practice (MP) improves the performance of athletes and promotes rehabilitation of motor function among patients with brain injury. The actual hand posture influences the mental simulation of hand movements such that the ability of MI to affect corticospinal excitability is enhanced when the actual hand posture is consistent with the imagined movement of the hand. However, how MP combined with matched or mismatched hand posture MI modulates hand motor skill performance and the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Thus, we first investigated whether MI hand posture that was compatible or incompatible with the actual MP influenced motor performance and corticospinal excitability induced by MI combined with MP. Twenty-eight healthy young adults repeatedly imagined either (1) closing their right hand into a fist with the thumb on top of the fingers and then opening the hand before actually performing that exact motor action or (2) performing the same motor skill but first imagining the right thumb touching the little finger before opening the hand. Changes in the peak acceleration of the hand grasp were measured to assess motor performance. The amplitudes of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) in a target muscle were obtained using transcranial magnetic stimulation to assess corticospinal activation, a measure of primary cortex stimulation, before, immediately after, and 20 min after the performance. When the results of two-way repeated-measures analyses of variance assessing the effects of the protocols and time on the various measurements were found to be significant, post hoc paired t tests with Bonferroni corrections for multiple comparisons were applied. The results showed that both peak grasp acceleration and corticospinal excitability significantly increased immediately and 20 min after task completion (p < 0.05 for all) only when the MI hand posture matched with that of the actual MP. We then determined whether this increased corticospinal activity was associated with decreased short-interval intracortical inhibition, as measured using paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation. Similar to our previous results, we found that short-interval intracortical inhibition was significantly decreased immediately and 20 min after task completion (p < 0.05 for both) only when MI matched MP. We concluded that the increased motor performance and corticospinal excitability induced by MI and MP depended on the match between the hand posture in the MI and MP, and that this increased corticospinal excitability was associated with disinhibition of the primary motor cortex activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We read with interest about the report from Rao and colleagues of a case of herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis in a 4-year-old girl receiving dupilumab.1 We regard the changes in the type 2 immune response to HSV in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients pre- and post-treatment with dupilumab worthy of further discussion. Keywords: atopic; child; dermatitis; dupilumab; encephalitis; herpes simplex virus EN atopic child dermatitis dupilumab encephalitis herpes simplex virus 848 849 2 10/13/22 20220901 NES 220901 DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Research data are not shared. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Patients with neutrophil-mediated asthma have poor response to glucocorticoids. The roles and mechanisms of group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) in inducing neutrophilic airway inflammation and glucocorticoid resistance in asthma have not been fully clarified. Methods: ILC3s in peripheral blood were measured by flow cytometry in patients with eosinophilic asthma (EA) and non-eosinophilic asthma (NEA). ILC3s were sorted and cultured in vitro for RNA sequencing. Cytokines production and signaling pathways in ILC3s after IL-1β stimulation and dexamethasone treatment were determined by real-time PCR, flow cytometry, ELISA and western blot. Results: The percentage and numbers of ILC3s in peripheral blood was higher in patients with NEA compared with EA, and negatively correlated with blood eosinophils. IL-1β stimulation significantly enhanced CXCL8 and CXCL1 production in ILC3s via activation of p65 NF-κB and p38/JNK MAPK signaling pathways. The expression of neutrophil chemoattractants from ILC3s was insensitive to dexamethasone treatment. Dexamethasone significantly increased phosphorylation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) at Ser226 but only with a weak induction at Ser211 residues in ILC3s. Compared to human bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE cells), the ratio of p-GR S226 to p-GR S211 (p-GR S226/S211) was significantly higher in ILC3s at baseline and after dexamethasone treatment. In addition, IL-1β could induce Ser226 phosphorylation and had a crosstalk effect to dexamethasone via NF-κB pathway. Conclusions: ILC3s were elevated in patients with NEA, and associated with neutrophil inflammation by release of neutrophil chemoattractants and were glucocorticoid (GC) resistant. This paper provides a novel cellular and molecular mechanisms of neutrophil inflammation and GC-resistance in asthma. Trial registration The study has been prospectively registered in the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ChiCTR1900027125) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) plays an important role in many plant growth and development processes. In order to evaluate the effect of GA 3 on plant growth, return bloom, and fruit quality of rabbiteye blueberry, three representative cultivars (Powder blue, Garden blue, Climax) were treated by 500 mg/L GA 3 . Foliar application of GA 3 dramatically increased return bloom for three cultivars. Compared to the untreated control plants, ‘Powder blue’, ‘Garden blue’, and ‘Climax’ treated with GA3 increased inflorescences number by 54.3%, 69.7%, and 60.0% in the next year, respectively ( p < 0.05). Foliar GA 3 application also increased leaf area, leaf fresh weight, leaf dry weight, chlorophyll content, the level of chlorophyll a and b, individual fruit weight, and number of fertile seeds. However fruit ripening and the harvest date of all three cultivars were delayed in the following year. GA 3 application did not significantly change length/diameter ratio of rabbiteye blueberry fruits. All the results suggest that GA 3 application is potentially promising for enhancing plant growth and fruit quality of rabbiteye blueberry with delayed ripening time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes on the success of bronchial arterial embolization (BAE) in patients with and without systemic artery-to-pulmonary vessel fistula (SA-PF) and to evaluate the feasibility of CTA in the assessment of SA-PF. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 420 consecutive patients that underwent BAE for hemoptysis control in our hospital from September 2011 to May 2019. The clinical characteristics, preprocedural CTA findings, BAE procedural findings, and follow-up outcomes were collected. Patients were divided into two groups according to DSA findings: patients with SA-PF and those without. Results: A total of 184 (43.7%) patients presented with SA-PF. Pneumonia was less likely to be the concomitant condition in patients with SA-PF (p < 0.001). The mean number of culprit arteries per patient was significantly higher in patients with SA-PF compared to that in patients without SA-PF (p = 0.017). The SA-PF patients saw a greater probability of recurrence (HR: 2.782, 95% CI: 1.617–4.784, p < 0.001). SA-pulmonary venous fistula (SA-PVF) favored lower hemoptysis recurrence rate (HR: 0.199, 95%CI: 0.052–0.765, p = 0.019). SA-pulmonary artery fistula (SA-PAF) can be detected by optimized CTA protocol with a detection rate of 65.3% (49/75). Conclusions: The presence of SA-PF is an independent risk factor predicting early recurrence of hemoptysis after BAE. SA-PVF seems to be a protective factor for longer hemoptysis control compared to SA-PAF. Optimized preprocedural CTA is a reliable examination to identify SA-PAF. Key Points: • The appearance of SA-PF is associated with a greater probability of early recurrent hemoptysis after bronchial artery embolization. • The presence of SA-PVF seems to be a protective factor for longer hemoptysis control after BAE compared to SA-PAF. • Optimized CTA protocol seems to be a promising auxiliary examination to detect SA-PAF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To avoid winter frost, Ponkan (Citrus reticulata Blanco cv. Ponkan) fruit in Zhejiang Province, China, is frequently harvested early, while chlorophylls are still present in the peel. Postharvest degreening of Ponkan fruit, through either ethylene fumigation or ethephon dipping, was carried out to study the effects of both treatments on color development and carotenoid accumulation. An earlier and deeper orange color development after treatments was indicated by a decline in hue angle (H°) and an increase in the citrus color index (CCI). Total carotenoid content increased, while chlorophyll content decreased during storage at 10°C, and these changes were accelerated by both treatments. The treatments stimulated preferential accumulation of carotenoids with orange color (β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin) while reducing the abundance of carotenoids with yellow color (lutein, violaxanthin and 9-cis-violaxanthin). Gene expression of β-carotene hydroxylase (BCH) was inhibited by both treatments, which could be related to the changes in composition of these differently colored carotenoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER (NRT1/PTR) family (NPF) members are essential transporters for many substrates in plants, including nitrate, hormones, peptides, and secondary metabolites. Here, we report the global characterization of NPF in the important oil crop Brassica napus, including that for phylogeny, gene/protein structures, duplications, and expression patterns. Results: A total of 199 B. napus (BnaNPFs) NPF-coding genes were identified. Phylogenetic analyses categorized these genes into 11 subfamilies, including three new ones. Sequence feature analysis revealed that members of each subfamily contain conserved gene and protein structures. Many hormone−/abiotic stress-responsive cis-acting elements and transcription factor binding sites were identified in BnaNPF promoter regions. Chromosome distribution analysis indicated that BnaNPFs within a subfamily tend to cluster on one chromosome. Syntenic relationship analysis showed that allotetraploid creation by its ancestors (Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea) (57.89%) and small-scale duplication events (39.85%) contributed to rapid BnaNPF expansion in B. napus. A genome-wide spatiotemporal expression survey showed that NPF genes of each Arabidopsis and B. napus subfamily have preferential expression patterns across developmental stages, most of them are expressed in a few organs. RNA-seq analysis showed that many BnaNPFs (32.66%) have wide exogenous hormone-inductive profiles, suggesting important hormone-mediated patterns in diverse bioprocesses. Homologs in a clade or branch within a given subfamily have conserved organ/spatiotemporal and hormone-inductive profiles, indicating functional conservation during evolution. qRT-PCR-based comparative expression analysis of the 12 BnaNPFs in the NPF2–1 subfamily between high- and low-glucosinolate (GLS) content B. napus varieties revealed that homologs of AtNPF2.9 (BnaNPF2.12, BnaNPF2.13, and BnaNPF2.14), AtNPF2.10 (BnaNPF2.19 and BnaNPF2.20), and AtNPF2.11 (BnaNPF2.26 and BnaNPF2.28) might be involved in GLS transport. qRT-PCR further confirmed the hormone-responsive expression profiles of these putative GLS transporter genes. Conclusion: We identified 199 B. napus BnaNPFs; these were divided into 11 subfamilies. Allopolyploidy and small-scale duplication events contributed to the immense expansion of BnaNPFs in B. napus. The BnaNPFs had preferential expression patterns in different tissues/organs and wide hormone-induced expression profiles. Four BnaNPFs in the NPF2–1 subfamily may be involved in GLS transport. Our results provide an abundant gene resource for further functional analysis of BnaNPFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • High temperature and high light intensity induced bayberry photoinhibition. • D1 protein, Deg and FtsH proteases were destroyed by these stresses. • Photosystem II dysfunction was the main cause of photoinhibition. • Bayberry cultivar 'Dongkui' was more resistant to these stresses than 'Tanmei'. Abstract High temperature and high light intensity have negative effects on photosynthetic capacity. Bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.) photosynthesis is prone to decline under these stresses; however, the mechanisms underlying the low capacity of bayberry photosynthesis induced by these stresses remain largely unknown. The responses of two bayberry cultivars, 'Dongkui' and 'Tanmei', to stress were studied. At the optimum temperature (25 °C), high light intensity of 1500 μmol m−2s−1 (HL1500) strikingly decreased the values of effective quantum yield of photosystem II (Φ PS II), maximal quantum yield of PS II, photochemical quenching, and induced increases in non-photochemical quenching compared to the values of these fluorescence parameters at low light intensity of 500 μmol m−2s−1, while medium light intensity had less effect. Combining high temperature of 40 °C (HT40) and high light intensities (HL1500) enhanced this negative effect. Thus, both HT40 and HL1500 induced bayberry photoinhibition. Changes in the amounts of D1 protein and the proteases Deg1 and FtsH, as well as inhibitor experiments, suggested that D1 turnover was disrupted by both HT40 and HL1500. Analysis of the physiological changes in response to the above stresses implied that 'Dongkui' was more resistant than 'Tanmei' to both HT40 and HL1500. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-linked lymphoproliferative disease type 1 (XLP1) is a rare primary immunodeficiency characterized by a clinical triad consisting of severe EBV-induced hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, B-cell lymphoma, and dysgammaglobulinemia. Mutations in SH2D1A gene have been revealed as the cause of XLP1. In this study, a pregnant woman with recurrence history of birthing immunodeficiency was screened for pathogenic variant because the proband sample was unavailable. We aimed to clarify the genetic diagnosis and provide prenatal testing for the family. Next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based multigene panel was used in carrier screening of the pregnant woman. Variants of immunodeficiency related genes were analyzed and prioritized. Candidate variant was verified by using Sanger sequencing. The possible influence of the identified variant was evaluated through RNA assay. Amniocentesis, karyotyping, and Sanger sequencing were performed for prenatal testing. We identified a novel de novo frameshift SH2D1A pathogenic variant (c.251_255delTTTCA) in the pregnant carrier. Peripheral blood RNA assay indicated that the mutant transcript could escape nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) and might encode a C-terminal truncated protein. Information of the variant led to success prenatal diagnosis of the fetus. In conclusion, our study clarified the genetic diagnosis and altered disease prevention for a pregnant carrier of XLP1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The integration of ecosystem model and management strategy evaluation for fisheries management. • An evaluation of effects of fisheries management procedures on ecosystem dynamics. • An assessment of ecological carrying capacity of Larimichthys crocea. Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) evaluates the performance of alternative management strategies. However, the potential ecosystem effects of the management procedures (MPs) are less evaluated. As one of the four top commercial marine fisheries of China, the fishery of the large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea (LYC) collapsed in the late 1980s due to the exceeded fishing pressure on spawning and over-wintering aggregations. Long-term and large scale restocking programs for the recovery of LYC fishery have been conducted widely along the eastern coast of China, but its ecosystem impacts and ecological carrying capacity (ECC) were not well understood and assessed. The species-specific assessment and management for LYC fishery were lack due to limited data availability. In this study, an Ecopath model was built as the operating model in MSE to evaluate the effects of MPs for the LYC fishery and estimate the LYC ECC in the Min River Estuary to explore the optimal management measure. A total of 12 candidate MPs were identified and tested, including 5 input controls (2 fishing-effort-based and 3 length-based) and 7 catch-based output controls. A 20-year simulation showed that only 4 MPs fully achieved the performance criteria in maintaining biomass and avoiding further overfishing, including curE75 (75 % of current fishing effort levels), minlenLopt1 (the minimum length of retention for maximizing biomass), matlenLim (fishing retention-at-length related to the maturity curve: 100 %) and matlenLim2 (fishing retention-at-length related to the maturity curve: 110 %). The Min River Estuary ecosystem could support up to 17 kg/km2 of LYC. The Ecosim model projects that the LYC biomass increased over 20 % after the application of curE75, and over 37 % with the combination of curE75 and national fishing moratorium policy after the 20-year simulation. The combination of releasing, fishing effort reduction and fishing moratorium is the optimal measure within current management systems for the recovery of LYC fishery in the Min River Estuary. This study provides an ecosystem-based fishery management approach to plan and evaluate restocking programs using data-limited methods and MSE for the LYC and other fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a serious medical problem worldwide. As a holistic therapy, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) may have a potential in obesity management. In this controlled trial, we evaluated the safety and effectiveness of Xin-Ju-Xiao-Gao-Fang (XJXGF), a TCM herbal formulation, in 140 obese subjects over a 24-week period. The XJXGF formula mainly consists of rhubarb, coptis, semen cassia, and citrus aurantium. Subjects with body mass index (BMI) 28-40 kg/m2 were recruited at 5 centers in China. We assessed the changes in subjects' body weight, its related parameters, and the reduction of insulin resistance (IR) after administration of XJXGF formula or low-dose XJXGF (10% of the XJXGF formula, as control). After 24-week treatment, among participants in the XJXGF formula group and low-dose XJXGF group, the mean ± SE changes in the body weight were -3.58 ± 0.48 and -1.91 ± 0.38 kg, respectively (p < 0.01). The changes in the IR-index of two groups were -2.65 ± 1.04 and -1.58 ± 1.3, respectively (p < 0 .05). There were no serious adverse events reported during the 24-week trial. Participants reported 7 minor adverse events, 4 in the XJXGF formula group and 3 in the low-dose XJXGF group (p = 0.578). Future studies are needed to investigate the clinical utility of this TCM formulation in the treatment of obese subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study firstly proved that miR-124-3p targeting PDE4B had an anti-inflammation protective effect on LPS-induced ALI by inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. • This study provides novel insights into miR-124-3p-directed therapeutic strategies for ARDS patients. • This study provides novel insights that miR-124-3p could be a novel, promising and specific method to inhibit PDE4B. • The potential therapeutic effect of miR-124-3p will need to be evaluated based on further clinical experiments. A large number of studies have found that microRNAs (miRNAs) and phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) are crucial regulators of inflammatory responses in acute lung injury (ALI). This study will explore the protective effect of miR-124-3p on ALI and its related mechanism. The ALI mouse model was established by intratracheal administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and evaluated by haematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, lung injury score, inflammation factors, polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) count, total protein and lung wet weight/dry weight (W/D) ratio. MiR-124-3p was overexpressed in vivo by intratracheal administration of miR-agomir, and PDE4B was expressed at low level in vivo by intratracheal administration of a PDE4B inhibitor. The mRNA expression level was detected by qRT–PCR, and the protein expression level was detected by Western blot. The relationship between miR-124-3p and PDE4B was detected by dual-luciferase activity assay. We found that miR-124-3p was downregulated in LPS-induced ALI. Overexpression of miR-124-3p alleviated lung injury by inhibiting the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Furthermore, we confirmed that miR-124-3p suppressed the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway by directly targeting PDE4B. miR-124-3p targeting PDE4B had a protective effect on LPS-induced ALI by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The buds of Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt (Compositae) are used in the treatment of hypertension in the Uyghur folk medicine in China. Objective: To investigate vasorelaxant properties of extracts and some flavonoids from C. tinctoria (CT) and their underlying mechanisms in isolated rat thoracic aortic rings. Materials and methods: Vasorelaxant effects of ethanol extracts of CT (CTA) and its flavonoids as well as water-ethanol eluates from CTA by AB-8 resins (CTAA∼CTAF) were evaluated on rat aortic rings pre-contracted with phenylephrine (PE, 1 µM) or high KCl (60 µM). We evaluated the effect of CTA, CTAD and CTAE on PE-induced contraction in a Ca2+-free medium and a dose-effect curve of Ca2+ in pre-contracted ring with high KCl. Results: Endothelial removal did not modify the effect of CTAD and CTAE (3.00 g/L) neither on PE-pre-contracted rings (164.78 ± 21.44 and 191.47 ± 16.75%) nor on KCl-pre-contracted rings (75.68 ± 10.76 and 125.14 ± 17.41%) compared with intact-endothelium rings pre-contracted with high KCl (100.49 ± 17.30 and 110.81 ± 16.33%). CTAD and CTAE (3.00 g/L) down-regulated the dose-effect curve of Ca2+ in pre-contraction with high KCl, and inhibited the pre-contraction with PE in a Ca2+-free medium ( p < 0.05). Seven flavonoids were obtained from CTAD, of which luteolin ( 5) and quercetin ( 6) were found to be the most effective relaxation in rings precontracted with PE (EC50: 0.006 and 0.039 g/L, p < 0.05) or high KCl (EC50: 0.023 and 0.045 g/L, p < 0.05). Discussion and conclusion: These data demonstrated the vasorelaxant effect of CT, and its mechanism is likely due to an inhibitory effect on calcium movements through cell membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ginsenoside Rc (GRc) is a potential pharmacologically active ingredient isolated from ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, Araliaceae). A simple, rapid and sensitive method for determination of GRc in rat plasma was developed based on liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The analyte and internal standard (IS), ginsenoside Rb1 (GRb1), were extracted from plasma with n-butanol and chromatographied on a C18 column eluted with a mobile phase of methanol and water containing 0.1% formic acid. The detection was performed by positive ion electrospray ionization in selective reaction monitoring mode (SRM), monitoring the transitions m/z 1101.6→789.3 and m/z 1131.7→364.7 for GRc and IS, respectively. The assay was linear over the concentration range of 5–5000ng/mL with a limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 5ng/mL. The accuracy was between 86.7% and 114.9%, and the precision was less than 9.7%. This method was successfully applied to investigate the pharmacokinetic study of GRc in rats after intravenous (2mg/kg) and oral (20mg/kg) administration, and the result showed that the ginsenoside was poorly absorbed with an absolute bioavailability being approximately 0.17%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A prospective multicenter clinical trial was conducted to compare the beneficial effects of a Chinese herbal medicine formula Jiangzhuoqinggan (JZQG) and western antihypertension drug irbesartan. JZQG is mainly composed of rhubarb, coptis, cassia, and uncaria. A total of 240 patients with mild to moderate hypertension were enrolled in the trial. Patients were assigned into two groups after screening: JZQG group and the irbesartan group. After four weeks of treatment, we compared the changes in routine blood pressure, 24 h ambulatory blood pressure, and waist circumference. There was a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in the JZQG group (both p < 0.01). There were no significant differences between the reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the two treatment groups. From the 24 h ambulatory blood pressure measurement, the JZQG group showed a greater reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures (in both daytime and nighttime) than the irbesartan group. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in waist circumference in the JZQG group (1.51 cm reduction; P < 0.05) but not the irbesartan group (0.42 cm). Thus, the JZQG formula may have therapeutic value in patients with both hypertension and metabolic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence is inconsistent regarding the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on negative symptoms of schizophrenia. In this study, 47 patients were randomized to receive either active rTMS over left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (n=25) or sham stimulation (n=22). Negative symptoms were assessed with the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) at baseline, 4 weeks and 8 weeks. At 4 weeks, there was no difference in SANS scores between 2 groups. By 8 weeks, patients with active rTMS had significantly reduced SANS score than controls. Our findings suggest a delayed effect of rTMS on negative symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitochondrial genome of Hebomoia glaucippe (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) is a circular molecule of 15,701 bp in length, containing 37 typical mitochondrial genes and an AT-rich region. Its gene arrangement pattern is identical with those of other butterfly species. All protein-coding genes start with ATN start codon except for the cox1 gene, which uses CGA as the initiation codon. A total of 109 bp intergenic spacers and a total of 38 bp overlapping sequences are interspersed throughout the whole genome. The 899-bp long AT-rich region is the second longest among the completely sequenced lepidopteran insects, and contains the motif ATAGA followed by an 19-bp poly-T stretch, two microsatellite-like (AT)10 elements, a duplicated 271-bp repeat element, and two extra tRNALeu(UUR)-like genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]