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Objective To understand the status quo of children's obesity health literacy among parents of primary school students in Yangzhou City, analyze related influencing factors, and put forward new ideas for optimizing health education of childhood obesity prevention and control. Methods Stratified cluster random sampling was used to randomly select 1 street from each of the 6 counties (cities and districts) in Yangzhou City, and then randomly select 4 primary schools from each street, and randomly select at least 1 class from each grade (grades 1-6) in each primary school. Questionnaire survey was conducted on parents of the students in the whole class. Results A total of 6 097 parents of primary school students were surveyed, among whom 3 615 reached the standard of health literacy, the rate of reaching the standard was 59.29%. The compliance rates of health cognition, health behavior, health knowledge, operation skills and health consciousness were 66.54%, 41.68%, 69.99%, 44.89% and 32.97%, respectively. According to χ² test, there were significant differences in parents' health literacy attainment rates among different places of residence, age, occupation, education level, family income, relationship with children, and student weight status (all P values < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that residence, educational level, occupation and students' weight status were the influencing factors of parents' childhood obesity health literacy. Living in towns and villages (OR = 1.223, 95%CI: 1.092-1.369), profession of production/manufacturing/repair industry (OR = 1.353, 95%CI: 1.059-1.729) and jobless person (OR = 1.514, 95%CI: 1.126-2.036) or others (OR = 1.404, 95%CI: 1.112-1.773), and students' weight status as obesity (OR = 1.203, 95%CI: 1.060-1.366) are risk factors for childhood obesity health literacy of primary school parents, and parents' education of high school or above (OR = 0.265-0.649, 95%CI: 0.133-0.752) are protective factors for childhood obesity health literacy of primary school parents. Conclusion The parents of primary school students in our city have a high level of obesity health literacy, but a low rate of health behavior, operation skills and health awareness. In the process of child obesity prevention and control education, it is necessary to pay attention to the parents of students living in towns and villages, with low education level, unemployment and parents of obese students, and carry out targeted health education activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interface properties between the surface and leaf surface of nano pesticide slow-release carriers not only affected plant growth, but also disturbed the cumulative release and absorption of pesticide application. As a result, it was tremendously challenging to develop the sustained release nanocarrier of pesticide with high drug loading and sustained release efficiency while completely detaching from the leaf surface after sustained release ending. In this study, we developed a novel nano-drug delivery system based on the MIL-100@HNTs nanocomposite (MIL-100 MOFs@halloysite nanotubes) with the higher drug loading capacity. The structure and morphology of nanocomposite were determined by a series of characterizations. The MIL-100 @HNTs nanocarrier had the specific surface area of 577.7 m2/g and the pore volume of 0.38 cm3/g. The drug loading tests of boscalid in the MIL-100 @HNTs nanocarrier indicated that the boscalid loading capacity attained 21.37 %, exhibiting the excellent drug loading ability. Moreover, the MIL-100 @HNTs as boscalid loading nanocarrier showed a cumulative release of approximately 60 % over 300 h at 25 °C, which exhibited the high antifungal activity and low biological toxicity. Most importantly, the removal amount of MIL-100 @HNTs nanocarrier on the leaf surface after release ending was superior to independent MIL-100 and HNTs. [Display omitted] • The tomatoe-on-stick-like MIL-100@HNTs nanocomposite was developed for sustained release. • The MIL-100@HNTs nanocomposite served as boscalid-loaded nano-system for inhibition of gray mold. • The MIL-100 @HNTs nanocarrier was of the boscalid loading capacity of 39.37%. • The MIL-100 @HNTs had a suitable interface interaction on the leaf surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The mace-shaped NH 2 -Uio-66-modified HNTs nanocarrier was fabricated by in-situ synthesis. • The NH 2 -Uio-66-modified HNTs nanocarrier as sustained release nano-system exhibited the higher pyraclostrobin loading. • The pyraclostrobin@NH 2 -Uio-66 MOFs@HNTs formulation had the profound merits against the strawberry gray mold. Owing to the high effective release and uptake merits, the ordered porous nanostructure as the drug-loaded delivery nano-systems is fascinating to the sustained release formulations enabled the multi-functional applications. For this reason, we successfully fabricate a novel hierarchal porous nanostructure incorporated with NH 2 -Uio-66 metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) that both own the innate lower biotoxicity and good antifungal ability. The composition and structure of the NH 2 -Uio-66 MOFs@HNTs nanocarrier are determined by a series of characterizations, of which the exclusive morphology manifests the nanosized octahedral structure NH 2 -Uio-66 MOFs grown on the external surface of HNTs nanotubes, thus looking like mace. As the pyraclostrobin(Pyr)-loaded nano-system, the release performance of Pyr onto NH 2 -Uio-66 MOFs@HNTs is intensively investigated, and that the release behavior is discussed by the fitting data of the release models. The mace-shaped NH 2 -Uio-66 MOFs@HNTs nanocarrier has the drug-loaded rate of 11.90% for Pyr by physical adsorption and can release cumulatively by ca.20% at 25 °C for a releasing time of 200 h. Eventually, the Pyr@NH 2 -Uio-66 MOFs@HNTs as the drug delivery system in the inhibition of strawberry gray mold is manifested to have not only the outstanding sustained release ability to control the grey mould, but also the preferable environment security, which profoundly exhibited the potential application foreground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The aim of this study was to develop an eco-friendly flexible SERS substrate. • Achieving an in-situ reduction of AgNO 3 to Ag NPs on paper without any additional chemical reducing agents. • The aim of this study was to develop an eco-friendly flexible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate. Over the past few decades, green analytical chemistry has gradually gained prominence worldwide due to its economic, low toxicity, and environmentally friendly characteristics. The aim of this study was to develop an eco-friendly flexible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate for in situ detection of thiabendazole (TBZ). We take advantage of the reduction ability of office paper itself, achieving an in-situ reduction of AgNO 3 to silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on paper without any additional chemical reducing agents. The investigation of the underlying mechanism reveals that aldehydes dissolved in paper play an important role in the reduction process. Reaction time, the concentration of AgNO 3 , and the heating temperature were optimized to achieve the best SERS performance. The prepared SERS paper had high SERS activity, good reproducibility, and stability, which was evaluated by the detection of model molecules R6G and MB. Finally, the as-prepared substrate was successfully applied to detect the TBZ residue on the surface of the apple based on a wipe sampling method. The results showed that the detection limit of TBZ was 0.097 ppm and the recoveries of TBZ in actual samples range from 91.5 % to 99.7 %. Therefore, this study could provide a new way for the green synthesis of paper-based SERS substrate to detect contaminants in fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The improvement of interface compatibility of nanomaterials as nanoadditives was conductive to raise the friction performances in oil. Herein, we successfully constructed a corncob-shaped Ni-BTC MOFs@HNTs nanocomposite through the controllable growth of nanospherical Ni-BTC MOFs on the external surface of HNTs nanotubes. The composition and structure of Ni-BTC MOFs@HNTs were determined by a catalog of characterization. Due to being the better interface compatibility of MOFs in organic compound, the existence of Ni-BTC MOFs on the external surface of HNTs evidently promoted the dispersibility of HNTs nanotubes in oil. The tribological behaviors of Ni-BTC MOFs@HNTs as nanoadditives in base oils were deeply studied by ball-on-ball contact friction. The experimental results showed that the average friction coefficient and wear scar diameter of Ni-BTC MOFs@HNTs -base oil were decreased by 39.7% and 29.4% at 0.04 wt% adding content relative to base oil, respectively. Meanwhile, the carrying capacity of Ni-BTC MOFs@HNTs-base oil was increased by 16.3%. Finally, the worn surfaces lubricated by Ni-BTC MOFs@HNTs-base oil were deeply characterized by a series of spectra analysis, thus revealing the synergistic lubrication effect of Ni-BTC MOFs and HNTs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were to apply integrative cardiopulmonary ultrasound (thoracic ultrasound) to the evaluation of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and to determine the relationship between lung ultrasound signs and echocardiographic parameters such as systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) and various right ventricular parameters. ILD patients and healthy controls underwent lung ultrasound (LUS) and echocardiographic tests. In addition to traditional echocardiographic parameters, right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain (RVLS_FW) was measured using 2-D speckle-tracking echocardiography. The degree of pulmonary fibrosis or the disease severity of each ILD patient was scored with a semiquantitative scoring method, taking into account multiple LUS signs. Statistical analyses were performed to compare various parameters between ILD patients with and those without pulmonary hypertension. Correlations between the different parameters were then evaluated, and the LUS scores were used to predict pulmonary hypertension using a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Among the 90 patients who qualified for entry into this study, 30% (n = 27) had pulmonary hypertension. The patients with pulmonary hypertension had larger right ventricular dimensions, lower RVLS_FW and higher LUS scores. An effective correlation was found between ILD LUS scores and echocardiographic parameters, especially SPAP (r = 0.735, p < 0.001). The groups were comparable with respect to most echocardiographic parameters, with mild, moderate and severe pulmonary fibrosis, whereas SPAP was significantly higher in the moderate and severe groups. RVLS_FW was obviously reduced in the group with severe pulmonary fibrosis. Although RVLS_FW in the mild pulmonary fibrosis group was in the normal range, it was slightly reduced compared with that of the controls. A cutoff of more than 16 LUS points had 85.2% sensitivity and 80.3% specificity in predicting elevated SPAP (>36 mm Hg). Thoracic ultrasound is useful in the assessment of ILD. As ILD progresses, the structure or function of the right ventricle gradually deteriorates. LUS not only detects lung conditions in ILD, but also indirectly reflects SPAP and right ventricular function. Integrated use of LUS and echocardiography will provide an invaluable point-of-care imaging modality to facilitate the diagnosis, management and treatment of patients with ILD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the highly dispersed ball-on-flake nanostructured ZIF-7/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposites were successfully constructed by two-step approach, i.e. the electrostatic adsorption (the first step) and in-situ preparation(the second step). The composition and structure of ZIF-7/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposites were determined by a series of characterizations (such as XRD, FT-IR, TGA, Zeta potential, XPS, SEM, TEM, etc). The dispersibility and interface compatibility of ZIF-7/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposites in base oil (150SN) were intensively probed by Uv-vis spectra and optical microscope, demonstrating that the ZIF-7/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposites had a superior interface compatibility in oil. Furthermore, the tribological properties of ZIF-7/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposites as additives in base oil were detailedly evaluated on a four-ball friction tester. The experimental results showed that the ZIF-7/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposites at 0.05 wt% optimum adding content exerted the reduction by 46.85% of average friction coefficient and 48.74% of wear scar diameter, while exhibiting the improvement by 18.37% of bearing capacity in base oil. In terms of the characterizations of the worn surface (such as FESEM, 3D profile, elemental mapping, XPS, etc), the lubrication mechanism of ZIF-7/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposites were deeply discussed and proposed, are attributed to its good dispersibility in base oil, assuming the existence of synergistic lubrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cornstalk liquefaction (CSL) in methanol, water or methanol/water mixed solvents was studied at 250–320°C. Each reaction mixture was separated into extract 1 (E1, including the solute in filtrate and methanol-extractable portion), extract 2 (E2, methanol-inextractable but isometric carbon disulfide/acetone-extractable portion) and residue (isometric carbon disulfide/acetone-inextractable portion) by filtration and sequential extraction with methanol and isometric carbon disulfide/acetone mixed solvent. The cornstalk, E1, E2 and the residues were analyzed using a Fourier transformation infrared spectrometer and each E1 was analyzed using a gas chromatography/mass spectrometer. The microstructures of the cornstalk and its derived residues were observed with a scanning electron microscope. The results show that methanol and water exhibited a synergic effect on the CSL. The isometric methanol and water mixed solvent was found to be most effective for CSL at 300°C for 30min. Under such conditions, the total yield of gases, E1 and E2 and the yield of E1 reached 88.1% and 52.4%, respectively. The yields decreased as the temperature or time was further increased, suggesting that some of the extractable species were repolymerized at higher temperatures or for prolonged time. E1 consisted of hydrocarbons, alkanols, tetrahydrofuranylmethanols, arenols, methoxyalkanes, methoxyarenes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, chloromethylbenzenes, nitrogen-containing species and several other species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The very recent observation of molecular oxygen in interstellar space appeals for the great need of mechanistic understanding of the oxidation processes of various interstellar species. In this article, we report for the first time, the oxidation mechanism of the chainlike l-C3H by molecular oxygen, which is known as one of the interesting carbon-chain hydrocarbon series CnH detected in space. This reaction is also relevant to the combustion processes where various carbon hydrides are involved. The detailed reaction pathways were identified at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ//B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p)+ZPVE level including various fragmentation channels. Three types of fragmentation channels are identified as the C-transfer product P2 (CO2+C2H) (−129.2kcal/mol), the C,O-exchange product P1 (CO+HC2O) (−154.7kcal/mol), and the O-transfer product P6 (3O+HC3O) (−44.8kcal/mol). The initially entered unstable dioxygen isomer 1a HCCCOO (−26.6 kcal/mol) would either undergo the direct O-extrusion to give P6 (the intrinsic barrier 7.5 kcal/mol) or take a 1,2-O-shift (0.8 kcal/mol barrier) to give a stable isomer 5 HCCC(O)O (−139.2kcal/mol) that can either dissociate to P1 or to P2. The intrinsic barrier from 5 to P1 and P2 is 29.1 and 23.6 kcal/mol, respectively. Clearly, the entrance thermicity 26.6 kcal/mol of 1a can sufficiently initiate the subsequent formation of all the three products. To quantitatively evaluate the kinetic competition of the three products, we performed the master equation rate constant calculations. It was shown that at 298 K, the most favorable product is P2 (64.8%) followed by P6 (23.6%), and P1 (11.6%). Interestingly, at elevated temperatures, the ratio of P6 increases with the decrease of P2, whereas that of P1 is little changed. Notably, the thermodynamically most stable product P1 is kinetically the least favorable, indicative of the importance of considering the kinetics. The dominant formation of P2 (CO2+C2H) shows that the important carbyne radical l-C3H can be effectively degraded by O2 via the chain-shortening step. The reactivity of the cyclic c-C3H radical toward O2 is also discussed. The results are expected to enrich our understanding of the chemistry of the simplest C3-radical in both combustion and interstellar processes. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnostic criteria of gestational diabetes mellitus has being changed continuously. Based on the hyperglycemia and adverse pregnancy outcome study, most international academic organizations including World Health Orgnization and Ministry Heath of China published new criteria, while there are still some arguments. After introduced the development of the diagnostic criteria and risk factors, the article presented the study of metformin in gestational diabetes the offspring followup and proposed to adopt comprehensive intervention to face the challenges to our clinical management in China [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Pine and its liquefaction residue were liquefied in a methanol/water mixed solvent. [•] The mixed solvent showed significantly synergic effect on pine liquefaction. [•] The compositions of bio-oils obtained in different solvent are quite different. [•] The synergic effect is mainly ascribed to the interaction between the two solvents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, nano-TiO2was functionalizedby different methods, and its genotoxicity and cytotoxicity were studiedin detail. The genotoxicity of nano-TiO2was evaluatedby observing its interactions with pUC19 plasmid DNA at a single moleculelevel using atomic force microscopy. The results show that with theassistance of UVA radiation, RGDC functionalized nano-TiO2induced less damage to plasmid DNA than unmodified ones. The HeLacell-specific PDT effect was investigated by cytotoxicity assay correspondingly.RGDC-functionalized nano-TiO2shows the highest killingeffect to HeLa cells with the assistance of UVA radiation. The reasonsthat cause the contradiction between genotoxicity and cytotoxicitywere analyzed, and the molecular mechanisms of the PDT effects werediscussed. The results show that the genotoxicity of nano-TiO2to plasmid DNA and its cytotoxicity to HeLa cells are relatedbut also different. The RGDC functionalization is an effective methodto increase the cytotoxicity of nano-TiO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most important causes of end stage renal disease in the world. Its hallmark is proteinuria. Therefore, we set out to clarify the structural changes that occur in the glomerular filtration barrier in Chinese patients with true type 2 diabetic nephropathy, and to examine the relationship between these structural changes and proteinuria. Methods: 42 Chinese patients with true T2DN were divided into three groups according to urinary protein excretion. Glomerular volume, endothelial cell density, endothelial cell number, glomerular basement membrane (GBM) width, podocyte density, podocyte number and foot process width were evaluated using light and electron microscopic morphometry. Result: Glomerular volume and endothelial cell number were increased in diabetic patients, but there was no difference between patients with respect to the degree of proteinuria. As proteinuria progressed, endothelial cell density remained unchanged, while the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and podocyte foot process width increased, podocyte density and number decreased. Conclusions: Podocyte and GBM change more obviously during the development of proteinuria. Besides, proteinuria was inversely related to podocyte density, and directly related to GBM and glomerular volume. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A stannum film electrode has been developed for the simultaneous determination of trace levels of chromium(III) and cadmium(II) by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV). The stannum film electrode was generated in situ by depositing simultaneously the stannum film and the metals obtained by reduction of Cd(II) and Cr(III) at −1.4V on a glassy carbon electrode. Then, the reduced products were oxidized by scanning the potential of the electrode from −1.4 to −0.4V using DPASV. The electrode exhibited well-defined and separated stripping signals for both metals accompanied with a low background contribution. The possible mechanism of this design was proposed. Under the optimized working conditions, the detection limit was 2.0 and 1.1μgl−1 for Cr(III) and Cd(II) at a deposition time of 3min. Finally, the stannum film electrode was successfully applied to the determination of Cd(II) in tap water with satisfactory results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) at 24-28 weeks' gestation to screen for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Research Design and Methods: The medical records and results of a 75-g 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) of 24,854 pregnant women without known pre-GDM attending prenatal clinics in 15 hospitals in China were examined.Results: FPG cutoff value of 5.1 mmol/L identified 3,149 (12.1%) pregnant women with GDM. FPG cutoff value of 4.4 mmol/L ruled out GDM in 15,369 (38.2%) women. With use of this cutoff point, 12.2% of patients with mild GDM will be missed. The positive predictive value is 0.322, and the negative predictive value is 0.928.Conclusions: FPG at 24-28 weeks' gestation could be used as a screening test to identify GDM patients in low-resource regions. Women with an FPG between ≥4.4 and ≤5.0 mmol/L would require a 75-g OGTT to diagnose GDM. This would help to avoid approximately one-half (50.3%) of the formal 75-g OGTTs in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An ultrasensitive method for the determination of formaldehyde was established. • The self-assembled substrates of GNRs were prepared by ethanol modulation. • A highly selective derivatization method for formaldehyde detection was provided. Formaldehyde is a common poisonous and harmful substance in food. The detection of formaldehyde is of great significance in food analysis. In this study, a rapid and sensitive quantitative detection method for formaldehyde (HCHO) has been developed based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) using a 4-amino-3-hydrazino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazol (AHMT)-formaldehyde derivative reaction. Gold nanorods (GNRs) were synthesized by a seed growth method to facilitate the collection of the SERS spectra of the extracts. After optimizing several parameters, including the aspect ratios of the GNRs, the multi-hotspots formed by the solvent and microenvironment around the GNRs, the dosages of different reagents, and the selectivity and uniformity of the methods were explored. The SERS analysis of the pure formaldehyde solution used a wide dynamic concentration range from 1.089 nM to 1.089 mM, with the limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.86 nM and an enhancement factor of 3.9 × 107. The recovery of this quantification method was calculated to be between 89.45% and 103.2%, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was not >6.74% for intentionally contaminated rice noodles, steamed buns, and liquor. Compared to that in previous reports, this analytical method made full use of the enhanced function of GNRs to further reduce the detection limit of formaldehyde. In summary, the developed method has the advantages of simplicity, rapid performance, and cost effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the mechanisms of crocin against glycocalyx damage and inflammatory injury in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) mice and LPS-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Methods: Mice were randomly divided into control, LPS, and crocin + LPS (15, 30, and 60 mg/kg) groups. HUVECs were separated into eight groups: control, crocin, matrix metalloproteinase 9 inhibitor (MMP-9 inhib), cathepsin L inhibitor (CTL inhib), LPS, MMP-9 inhib + LPS, CTL inhib + LPS, and crocin + LPS. The potential cytotoxic effect of crocin on HUVECs was mainly evaluated through methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay. Histological changes were assessed via hemotoxylin and eosin staining. Lung capillary permeability was detected on the basis of wet–dry ratio and through fluorescein isothiocyanate-albumin assay. Then, protein levels were detected through Western blot analysis, immunohistochemical staining, and immunofluorescence. Results: This study showed that crocin can improve the pulmonary vascular permeability in mice with LPS-induced ARDS and inhibit the inflammatory signaling pathways of high mobility group box, nuclear factor κB, and mitogen-activated protein kinase in vivo and in vitro. Crocin also protected against the degradation of endothelial glycocalyx heparan sulfate and syndecan-4 by inhibiting the expressions of CTL, heparanase, and MMP-9 in vivo and in vitro. Overall, this study revealed the protective effects of crocin on LPS-induced ARDS and elaborated their underlying mechanism. Conclusion: Crocin alleviated LPS-induced ARDS by protecting against glycocalyx damage and suppressing inflammatory signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Linezolid (LZD) is an efficient addition antibiotic against multidrug‐resistant strains. However, clinicians should pay attention to the adverse reactions such as hypoglycemia and anemia in using LZD, especially in elderly patients and patients with abnormal liver and kidney function who need to use LZD for a long time. Severe hypoglycemia and anemia caused by linezolid (LZD) are rare, with potentially serious adverse effects. The report of LZD‐induced hypoglycemia and anemia is extremely rare. Thus far, this is the first report. We presented LZD‐induced recurrent hypoglycemia and anemia in a 93‐year‐old patient who has been prescribed LZD 600 mg once daily for 42 days for treatment of tuberculosis (TB) pleurisy and pneumonia. The patient began to experience recurrent hypoglycemic episodes and anemia 5 days and 2 weeks after LZD medication, respectively. Using Naranjo's Adverse Drug Reaction Assessment Scale, the patient scored 8 points with the category of "probable". His hypoglycemia and anemia gradually improved 1 month after LZD withdrawal. Clinicians should pay attention to the adverse reactions such as hypoglycemia and anemia in using LZD, especially in elderly patients and patients with abnormal liver and kidney function who need to use LZD for a long time. Patients should regularly monitor blood routine, blood glucose, and liver and kidney functions during LZD exposure, which may avoid adverse reactions and improve their prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasound lung comets (ULCs) are a nonionizing bedside approach to assess extravascular lung water. We evaluated a protocol for grading ULC score to estimate pulmonary congestion in heart failure patients and investigated clinical and echocardiographic correlates of the ULC score. Ninety-three patients with congestive heart failure, admitted to the emergency department, underwent pulmonary ultrasound and echocardiography. A ULC score was obtained by summing the ULC scores of 7 zones of anterolateral chest scans. The results of ULC score were compared with echocardiographic results, the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification, radiologic score, and N-terminal pro-b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Positive linear correlations were found between the 7-zone ULC score and the following: E/e′, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, severity of mitral regurgitation, left ventricular global longitudinal strain, NYHA functional classification, radiologic score, and NT-proBNP. However, there was no significant correlation between ULC score and left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricle diameter, left ventricular volume, or left atrial volume. A multivariate analysis identified the E/e′, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, and radiologic score as the only independent variables associated with ULC score increase. The simplified 7-zone ULC score is a rapid and noninvasive method to assess lung congestion. Diastolic rather than systolic performance may be the most important determinant of the degree of lung congestion in patients with heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the relationship between platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). We enrolled 5719 patients in 3 tertiary hospitals from January 2005 to December 2010. The PLR was calculated as the ratio of platelet to lymphocyte counts on admission. Serum creatinine level was measured before and within 72 hours after contrast medium administration. To evaluate the relation between PLR and CIN, the 5719 patients were divided into a CIN group and a non-CIN group. Contrast-induced nephropathy occurred in 252 (4.4%) patients. Patients in the CIN group had significantly higher PLR than those in the non-CIN group (173.8 [62.3] and 116.2 [51.7], respectively; P < .001). In logistic regression analysis, PLR was an independent predictor of CIN (odds ratio: 1.432, 95% confidence interval: 1.205-1.816, P = .031), along with age, diabetes mellitus, creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio. In conclusion, a higher PLR was an independent risk factor for the development of CIN in patients with STEMI undergoing pPCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been proved an effective analytical technique due to its high sensitivity, however, how to identify and extract useful information from raw SERS spectra is still a problem that needs to be resolved. In this work, a composite SERS substrate was prepared by encapsulating Ag nanoparticles within dialdehyde starch (Ag@CDS) to obtain dense "hot spot", and then a novel spectral preprocessing algorithm namely lineshape correction algorithm (LCA) was developed to separate the characteristic peaks of analytes from the original SERS spectra. Based on Ag@CDS and LCA, thiram residues in different beverages were quantitatively detected using back propagation (BP) neural network regression model. It was found that LCA provided an easy-to-use method for improving prediction ability of BP model. The R p 2 of BP model was improved from 0.2384, 0.3647 and 0.5581 to 0.9327, 0.9127 and 0.9251 for the quantitative detection of thiram residue in apple juice, grape juice and milk, respectively, while LCA was used for SERS spectra preprocessing. The optimal model can accurately detect thiram residue with a low limit of detection at 1.0 × 10−7 M, which is far below the maximum residue limit of thiram (2.9 × 10−5 M) regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency. This study demonstrated that the proposed LCA can be used as a simple and valid spectra-preprocessing method in SERS quantitative detection. This paper aims to propose a rapid chemometrics algorithm, namely lineshape correction algorithm, coupled with a composite SERS substrate to detect the thiram residues in apple juice, grape juice, and milk. [Display omitted] • A dialdehyde starch-base SERS substrate (Ag@CDS) was synthesized. • Proposed a new data preprocessing algorithm named lineshape correction algorithm (LCA). • The LCA model use Ag@CDS to quantitative detect the residue of thiram in apple juice, grape juice and milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) has the advantages of non-destructive detection and high sensitivity, however, low hotspots utilisation and inhomogeneous distribution limit its application. In response to the problem of underutilization of hotspots in most SERS substrates, a crosslinking of chitosan with dialdehyde chitosan aerogels loaded with Ag NPs (CDSA) as SERS substrates with chitosan (CS) as the main body and dialdehyde chitosan (DACS) as the reducing and cross-linking agent were prepared. Unlike other 3D structures such as hydrogels, CDSA can capture probe molecules in a much shorter period of time and enhance SERS signals by collapse. The SERS performance of CDSA was evaluated by rhodamine 6 G (R6G) and methylene blue (MB), indicating that the CDSA substrate has good stability (90 days), repeatability (RSD=4.15 %) and reproducibility (RSD=4.86 %). The enhancement factors (EFs) was 1.3×108 for R6G and 9.2×107 for MB. Both gas sample and liquid sample were detected to evaluate the performances of CDSA in practical application. 4-Aminothiophenol (4-ATP) was utilized to test the efficacy of CDSA on gas-phase to-be-tested substances and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.59 mg/L. The tests performed on sildenafil (SD) in real samples showed recoveries ranging from 97.5 % to 103.4 % with a LOD of 0.055 mg/L. It was indicated that the CDSA substrate could serves as a satisfactory SERS sensor for sensitive and rapid detection for both gas phase and liquid samples. • The amino and hydroxyl groups of chitosan were used to immobilise Ag NPs on aerogels. • Dialdehyde chitosan acts as both a reducing and cross-linking agent. • Water evaporation causes the aerogel to collapse, which enhances the SERS signal. • Rapid SERS tests for gas-phase contaminants and illegal additives in energy drinks were performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel ternary rare-earth chalcogenides, Yb6Ga4S15 and Lu5GaS9, have been prepared by solid-state reactions of an elemental mixture at high temperatures. Their structures were determined on the basis of single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Yb6Ga4S15 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m (no.12) [a = 23.557(2) Å, b = 3.7664(4) Å, c = 12.466(1) Å, β = 90.915(9)°, V = 1105.9(2) Å3 and Z = 2], whereas Lu5GaS9 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1̅ (no.2) [a = 7.735(3) Å, b = 10.033(4) Å, c = 10.120(4) Å, α = 106.296(4)°, β = 100.178(5)°, γ = 101.946(3)°, V = 714.1(5) Å3 and Z = 2]. Both the structures feature complicated three dimensional frameworks with the unique interlinkages of GaS4 as basic building units. Significantly, photo-electrochemical measurements indicated that title compounds were photoresponsive under visible-light illumination. Furthermore, the UV–visible–near IR diffuse reflectance spectra, thermal stabilities, electronic structures, physical properties as well as a structure change trend of the ternary rare-earth/gallium/sulfur compounds have been evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the association between platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and clinical outcomes (including all-cause mortality, recurrent myocardial infarction, heart failure, serious cardiac arrhythmias and ischemic stroke) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Based on PLR quartiles, 5886 patients with STEMI were categorized into 4 groups: <98.8 (n = 1470), 98.8 to 125.9 (n = 1474), 126.0 to 163.3 (n = 1478), >163.3 (n = 1464), respectively. We used Cox proportional hazards models to examine the relation between PLR and clinical outcomes. Mean duration of follow-up was 81.6 months, and 948 patients (16.1%) died during follow-up. The lowest mortality occurred in the lowest PLR quartile group (P = 0.006), with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.18 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.55), 1.31 (95% CI, 1.18-1.64), and 1.59 (95% CI, 1.33-1.94) in patients with PLR of 98.8 to 125.9, 126.0 to 163.3, >163.3, respectively. Higher levels of PLR were also associated with recurrent myocardial infarction (Ptrend = .023), heart failure (Ptrend = .018), and ischemic stroke (Ptrend = .043). In conclusion, a higher PLR was associated with recurrent myocardial infarction, heart failure, ischemic stroke, and all-cause mortality in patients with STEMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-chamber perforated resonator (MCPR) is a kind of typical silencer element which can both attenuate broadband noise and satisfy specific installation requirements. The one-dimensional transfer matrix method (TMM) and finite element method (FEM) are widely used to predict the transmission loss of the resonators. This paper mainly focuses on the comparison between 1D TMM and FEM in which detailed perforation modeling is applied for the acoustic modeling of MCPRs. Five resonators with different acoustic attenuation frequency ranges are built for simulation and test. In order to verify the results of the above methods, a transmission loss test facility is designed based on two-load method. Through adjusting the distance between microphones, the facility’s effective measurement frequency can be changed. The results show that despite of the complex modeling and calculation, FEM with detailed perforation modeling shows good consistency with test results in both frequency and amplitude within entire frequency range. In comparison, TMM is limited by the cut-off frequency when calculating transmission losses. Besides, accuracy of TMM in low frequency range is also affected by perforation conditions. However, TMM is time-saving in calculation and structure optimization. In MCPRs’ development process, TMM can be used to quickly design and optimize structure parameters while FEM can be used to verify the acoustic performance before prototyping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To estimate the risk of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in women with different pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI).Methods: We conducted a cohort study with 14 451 singleton pregnancies in 15 medical centers in Beijing between 20 June 2013 and 30 November 2013 using cluster random sampling. We divided participants into four groups based on pre-pregnancy BMI: Group A (underweight): BMI < 18.5 kg/m(2), Group B (normal): 18.5-23.9 kg/m(2), Group C (overweight): 24-27.9 kg/m(2), Group D (obesity): ≥28 kg/m(2). We used multivariate analysis to evaluate the association of the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and pre-pregnancy BMI.Results: The prevalence of maternal overweight and obesity was 14.82% (2142/14 451) and 4.71% (680/14 451) in the study population, respectively. Higher pre-pregnancy BMI is associated with higher prevalence of gestational diabetes (GDM), macrosomia, Cesarean section (C-section), preeclampsia and postpartum hemorrhage. Pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, regardless of GDM status.Conclusions: Pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity is associated with increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Nutrition counseling is recommended before pregnancy in women who have overweight or obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolutions of a neutron star's rotation and magnetic field (B-field) have remained unsolved puzzles for over half a century. We ascribe the rotational braking torques of pulsar to both components, the standard magnetic dipole radiation (MDR) and particle wind flow (MDR + Wind, hereafter named MDRW), which we apply to the Crab pulsar (B0531 + 21), the only source with a known age and long-term continuous monitoring by radio telescope. Based on the above presumed simple spin-down torques, we obtain the exact analytic solution on the rotation evolution of the Crab pulsar, together with the related outcomes as described below: (1) unlike the constant characteristic B-field suggested by the MDR model, this value for the Crab pulsar increases by a hundred times in 50 kyr while its real B-field has no change; (2) the rotational braking index evolves from ∼3 to 1 in the long-term, however, it drops from 2.51 to 2.50 in ∼45 years at the present stage, while the particle flow contributes approximately 25% of the total rotational energy loss rate; (3) strikingly, the characteristic age has the maximum limit of ∼10 kyr, meaning that it is not always a good indicator of a real age. Furthermore, we discussed the evolutionary path of the Crab pulsar from the MDR to the wind domination by comparing with the possible wind braking candidate pulsar PSR J1734-3333. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate pregnancy outcomes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) diagnosed by the IADPSG criteria at 24-28 weeks of gestation but with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) less than 4.4 mmol/L. Research design and methods: A retrospective study was conducted. Medical records of 25 674 pregnant women attending the Peking University First Hospital (PUFH) were analyzed. Women with FPG value <4.4 mmol/L were segregated into those with and without GDM based on the IADPSG criteria. Pregnancy outcomes in the form of birth weight, neonatal hypoglycemia and cesarean delivery were compared between the two groups. Results: The incidence of macrosomia between GDM 7.1% (treated 6.9%; untreated 7.2%) was not different from the non GDM group 6.3%, similarly neonatal hypoglycemia 1.9% (treated 2.0%; untreated 1.7%) was were not significantly different from the non GDM group 1.1%. Rate of cesarean delivery in the untreated GDM group 59.7% was significantly higher compared to both with treated GDM (48.4%) and the non GDM group (47.6%). Conclusions: There is no difference in the incidence of select adverse pregnancy outcomes amongst Chinese women with mild GDM (FPG<4.4 mmol/L) with or without intervention compared to women without GDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are extremely strong radio flares lasting several micro- to milliseconds and come from unidentified objects at cosmological distances, most of which are only seen once. Based on recently published data in the CHIME/FRB Catalog 1 in the frequency bands 400–800 MHz, we analyze 125 apparently singular FRBs with low dispersion measure (DM) and find that the distribution of their luminosity follows a lognormal form according to statistical tests. In our luminosity measurement, the FRB distance is estimated by using the Macquart relation that was obtained for 8 localized FRBs, and we find it still applicable for 18 sources after adding the latest 10 new localized FRBs. In addition, we test the validity of the luminosity distribution up to the Macquart relation and find that the lognormal-form feature decreases as the uncertainty increases. Moreover, we compare the luminosity of these apparent nonrepeaters with that of the previously observed 10 repeating FRBs also at low DM, noting that they belong to different lognormal distributions with the mean luminosity of nonrepeaters being two times greater than that of repeaters. Therefore, from the two different lognormal distributions, different mechanisms for FRBs can be implied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Advanced glycation end-products (AGE) and their receptors (RAGE) have been implicated in renal damage in diabetes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of benazepril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), on the formation of AGE, the expression RAGE and other associated components in the oxidative stress pathway in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). 2. Groups of SHR were treated with or without 10 mg/kg per day benazepril for 12 weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and angiotensin (Ang) II levels were evaluated in SHR and control Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Renal function was investigated by determining levels of proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis. Furthermore, reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the rat renal cortex were analysed using an H2O2-based hydroxyl radical-detection assay and the renal content of AGE, RAGE, NADPH oxidase p47phox, nuclear factor (NF)-κB p65, phosphorylated (p-) NF-κB p65, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 was determined by immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. 3. Treatment with benazepril inhibited the formation of AngII, reduced SBP and alleviated renal lesions in SHR compared with both untreated SHR and control WKY rats. Benazepril treatment significantly suppressed the accumulation of AGE and expression of RAGE in the kidney of SHR. In addition, benazepril treatment reduced the upregulation of NADPH oxidase p47phox, ROS generation and NF-κB p65, p-NF-κB p65, VCAM-1 and TGF-β1 expression in the kidney of SHR compared with both untreated SHR and control WKY rats. 4. The results of the present study provide new insights into the regulation by the renin–angiotensin system of AGE–RAGE, oxidative stress and nephropathy, increasing our understanding of the role of the RAS in nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Siraitia grosvenorii (LHG) is widely used as a medicinal and edible material around the world. The objective of this study was to develop an effective method for the authentication of the geographical origin of LHG in its main producing area Guangxi, China, which is identified as Chinese Protected Designation of Origin product, against other producing regions in China. The content of 14 elements (K, Na, Ca, P, Mg, Al, B, Ba, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Sr) of 114 LHG samples was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Multivariate analysis was then performed to classify the geographical origin of LHG samples. The contents of multielement display an obvious trend of clustering according to the geographical origin of LHG samples based on radar plot and principal component analysis. Finally, three supervised statistical techniques, including linear discriminant analysis (LDA), k-nearest neighbours (k-NN), and support vector machine (SVM), were applied to develop classification models. Finally, 40 unknown LHG samples were used to evaluate the predictive ability of model and discrimination rate of 100%, 97.5% and 100% were obtained for LDA, k-NN, and SVM, respectively. This study indicated that it is feasible to attribute unknown LHG samples to its geographical origin based on its multielement content coupled with chemometric techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Right ventricular (RV) contractile reserve reflects the ability of RV to accommodate the increased afterload and may play an essential role in the evaluation of precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH). This study aimed to assess RV contractile reserve based on exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) and to determine the echocardiographic determinants of exercise capacity in patients with precapillary PH. Methods: A total of 31 patients with precapillary PH and 15 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy control subjects were prospectively recruited. All subjects underwent ESE to assess RV function at rest and under peak exercise. Changes in these parameters during exercise were calculated to quantify the RV contractile reserve. Patients with precapillary PH also underwent cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), and data pertaining to peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) and minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO2) were collected. Results: Right ventricular contractile reserve including change in tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (∆TAPSE), change in RV fractional area change (∆RVFAC), and change in Doppler‐derived tricuspid lateral annular peak systolic velocity (∆S′) was significantly depressed in precapillary PH patients compared with control subjects (P < 0.05). Parameters of RV function and RV contractile reserve were markedly associated with maximal exercise capacity (P < 0.05). ∆RVFAC was an independent predictor of peak VO2 (r2 = 0.601, P < 0.05). Conclusions: Assessment of RV contractile reserve facilitates identification of subclinical dysfunction and evaluation of clinical status and severity of precapillary PH. ESE as a noninvasive method may provide a comprehensive clinical assessment and facilitate therapeutic decision‐making for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • In this study, we proposed a novel strategy the concept of controlled-release hotspots. On the one hand, Ag NPs were encapsulated in the dialdehyde starch granules to prevent oxidation and aggregation, which effectively prolongs the storing period time of the substrate. On the other hand, Ag NPs were released from dialdehyde starch granules, and abundant hotspots were generated at the same. Therefore, the as-prepared substrate can achieve high stability and sensitivity by means of controlled-release hotspots. • In particular, a flexible paper-based substrate based on Ag@CDS was also fabricated and successfully applied to detect the TBZ residues on the surface of the apple by simply wiping sampling. Pesticide residues have long been a major concern for food safety. In this study, a dialdehyde starch-encapsulated silver nanoparticles composite with controlled-release "hotspots" was developed as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate. At room temperature, most of the Ag NPs were encapsulated in dialdehyde starch, which is beneficial for improving stability, and when heated to the gelatinization point, Ag NPs are completely released and abundant hot spots are formed. We demonstrated sensitive detection of thiabendazole (TBZ) in or on the surface of an apple by means of two ways, i.e., detecting the analyte in solution after pretreatment and in-situ detecting the analyte by using a flexible paper-based substrate. The results showed that the detection limits of TBZ by the two ways were 0.052 ppm and 0.051 ppm respectively, and the recoveries of TBZ range from 96.80 % to 105.46 %. Overall, this SERS substrate shows great potential for pesticide residue detection in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mortality rate linked with nephrotic syndrome (NS) is quite high. The renal tubular injury influences the response of NS patients to steroid treatment. KN motif and ankyrin repeat domains 2 (KANK2) regulates actin polymerization, which is required for renal tubular cells to maintain their function. In this study, we found that the levels of KANK2 in patients with NS were considerably lower than those in healthy controls, especially in NS patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). To get a deeper understanding of the KANK2 transcriptional control mechanism, the core promoter region of the KANK2 gene was identified. KANK2 was further found to be positively regulated by E2F Transcription Factor 1 (E2F1), Transcription Factor AP-2 Gamma (TFAP2C), and Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1 (NRF1), both at mRNA and protein levels. Knocking down E2F1, TFAP2C, or NRF1 deformed the cytoskeleton of renal tubular cells and reduced F-actin content. EMSA and ChIP assays confirmed that all three transcription factors could bind to the upstream promoter transcription site of KANK2 to transactivate KANK2 in renal tubular epithelial cells. Our study suggests that E2F1, TFAP2C, and NRF1 play essential roles in regulating the KANK2 transcription, therefore shedding fresh light on the development of putative therapeutic options for the treatment of NS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reduced metabolic equivalents (METs) are an indicator of exercise intolerance, which predicts poor prognosis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients. We sought to evaluate the changes in left ventricular (LV) mechanics and functional reserves, as well as their association with functional capacity in HCM patients. Methods: Seventy HCM patients and thirty controls were included in this study. LV mechanics were evaluated at rest and during exercise by echocardiography and two‐dimensional speckle‐tracking imaging to obtain parameters of functional reserve, LV global longitudinal strain (LVGLS), strain rate (SR), and circumferential strain. Results: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients had lower LVGLS, systolic SR, early and late diastolic SR at rest and during exercise, and reduced absolute and relative systolic and diastolic reserve compared to controls. LV circumferential strain was significantly higher at rest but lower during exercise in HCM patients. Exercise capacity was markedly reduced in HCM patients, and peak exercise LVGLS (LVGLS‐exe) significantly correlated with exercise capacity. Multivariate regression analyses showed that LVGLS‐exe, LV filling pressure during exercise (E/e'‐exe), and LV mass index (LVMI) were independent predictors of exercise capacity. Moreover, LVGLS‐exe displayed incremental predictive value over E/e'‐exe and LVMI for exercise intolerance. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed LVGLS‐exe had optimal accuracy for predicting exercise intolerance in HCM patients. Conclusions: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients have reduced LV mechanics at rest and during exercise and impaired mechanical reserve. LVGLS‐exe is associated with exercise capacity and is an optimal predictive value for reduced exercise capacity in HCM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors for hypertensive disorders and to study the main pregnancy outcomes in the Beijing area of China.Study Design: This study randomly sampled 15 hospitals in Beijing from Jun 2013 to Nov 2013 and evaluated 15 194 deliveries. Logistic regression analysis was used to study the association between risk factors and hypertensive disorders. Pregnancy outcomes included preterm birth, cesarean delivery and small for gestational age (SGA).Results: The prevalence of hypertensive disorders, preeclampsia (PE) and severe PE was 4.4, 2.7 and 1.8%, respectively. The risk factors for hypertensive disorders and severe PE were maternal body mass index before pregnancy, gestational weight gain (GWG), gestational diabetes and pre-gestational diabetes, and third trimester cholesterol (CHOL) levels. First trimester high-density lipoprotein was a protective factor for severe PE. The incidence of hypertensive disorders increased with maternal age. Preterm delivery, cesarean delivery and small infant size for gestational age were more prevalent in the severe PE group compared with the non-hypertensive group.Conclusions: In the Beijing area of China, maternal body mass index before pregnancy, GWG, maternal complications of gestational diabetes and pre-gestational diabetes, and third trimester CHOL levels are risk factors for both hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and severe PE. First trimester high-density lipoprotein is a protective factor for severe PE. Severe preeclampsia leads to a higher incidence of preterm delivery, cesarean delivery and SGA infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Saikosaponin a (SSa), which is one major bioactive compound isolated from radix bupleuri, has been demonstrated to exhibit the properties of anticonvulsant and antiepileptic in few reports. This study aims to clarify the molecular mechanism by which SSa protects against pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) induced epileptic seizure. Methods PTZ induced rat and hippocampal neuron were established. Treated rats or hippocampal neuron with SSa, and mTOR, P70S6K, IL-1β and TNF-α were then determined. Results In PTZ induced rat, SSa significantly reduced seizure severity and duration while markedly elevated seizure latency, and it also down-regulated hippocampal p-mTOR, p-70S6K, L-1β and TNF-α expression. In hippocampal neurons exposed to PTZ, p-mTOR and p-70S6K expression levels were also decreased by SSa. Pre-incubated hippocampal neurons with leucine, an mTOR agonist, reversed the effects of SSa on decreasing cytokines expression and inhibiting cell apoptosis. The treatment of mTOR inhibitor rapamycin prevented against the increase of cytokines expression and hippocampal neuron apoptosis induced by PTZ. Leucine also canceled the alleviation of seizures and induction of hippocampal caspase-3 activity in PTZ induced rat with the treatment of SSa. Conclusion SSa protects against PTZ induced epileptic seizure and hippocampal neuron apoptosis through inhibiting mTOR signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanidin-3- O-glucoside (C3G), an anthocyanin belonging to the flavonoid family and commonly present in food and vegetables in human diet, has exhibited anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. This study aimed to investigate the protective ability of C3G against inflammatory and oxidative injuries, as well as to clarify the possible mechanism in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro and acute respiratory distress syndrome mouse model in vivo. HUVECs or male Kunming mice were pretreated with C3G 1 h before LPS stimulation. C3G significantly inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL) -6, and IL-1β) in cell supernatants and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Histopathologic examination with hematoxylin and eosinstaining showed that C3G pretreatment substantially suppressed inflammatory cell infiltration, alveolar wall thickening, and interstitial edemain lung tissues. C3G markedly prevented LPS-induced elevation of malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase levels in lung tissue homogenates, wet to dry ratio of lung tissues, total cells, and inflammatory cells (neutrophils and macrophages) in BALF. Moreover, C3G reduced superoxide dismutase activity in the lung tissue homogenates. Western blot assay also showed that C3G pretreatment significantly suppressed LPS-induced activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways by blocking the phosphorylation of inhibitor κB-α, NF-κB/P65, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38, and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase in the lung tissues. In summary, C3G may ameliorate LPS-induced injury, which results from inflammation and oxidation, by inhibiting NF-κB and MAPK pathways and playing important anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Two epimers, 20S, 24R-epoxy dammarane-3β, 12β, 25-triol (3) and 20S, 24S-epoxy dammarane-3β, 12β, 25-triol (4) are prepared. [•] The configuration of C-24 of 3 and 4 are R-form and S-form, respectively. [•] 3 Generate a H-bonded tube with left-handed chiral channel. [•] 4 Extend into 2D H-bonded network with right-handed and left-handed chiral channels. [•] This study provides a facile way to synthesize and separate new types of chiral medicinal derivatives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is a major cause of morbidity in the recipients of organ transplants and in the congenitally infected infants. HCMV vaccine has emerged as an effective approach to prevent HCMV infection particularly for the development of multiple viral antigens vaccination and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-restricted polyepitope technology. As the Chinese population makes up more than one fifth of the population worldwide, it is important to develop HCMV vaccines more specific for the Chinese population by targeting Chinese-restricted HLA alleles and antigens. In the present study, we designed a novel chimeric polyepitope vaccine based on the replication-deficient adenovirus Ad5F35, which encodes 83 HCMV T cell epitopes from 15 different HCMV antigens, restricted to 14 HLA I and 7 HLA II alleles that cover 92% of the Chinese population. Our results show that the recombinant adenovirus vaccine Ad5F35-CTL·Th can be efficiently transfected and expressed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with little cytopathic activity. Ad5F35-CTL·Th can also be endogenously processed and presented by PBMCs. Ad5F35-CTL·Th-stimulated HCMV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) showed strong cytolytic activity against HCMV polyepitope-sensitized target cells. The CTL activity was accompanied by high levels of IFN-γ production after Ad5F35-CTL·Th stimulation. The specificity and vigorous response to the recombinant adenovirus vaccine in vitro makes it a potential candidate to be used for transplantation recipients or congenitally infected infants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Quercetin is widely distributed in plants and has been reported to have effects of anti-inflammation and anti-thrombosis. In this study, we evaluated the protective effect of quercetin on LPS-induced experimental DIC in rabbits, and tried to clarify its mechanism against DIC. Materials and Methods: LPS-induced DIC model in rabbits was established through continuous infusion of 100 ug·kg-1 ·h-1 LPS for a period of 6h. Six groups were divided: quercetin-treated groups (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0mg·kg-1 ·h-1, respectively), LPS-control group, heparin-control group (100IU·kg-1 ·h-1), and saline-control group. APTT, PT, and plasma FIB level were measured, the plasma levels of ALT, BUN, and TNF-α were detected, and the activity of Protein C and ATIII was recorded. Results: A continuous injection of LPS induced a gradual impairment of hemostatic parameters, a rise in plasma level of TNF-α, and damage in renal and hepatic function. The intravenous administration of quercetin significantly attenuated the increase of APTT, PT, ALT, BUN, and TNF-α, and the decrease of plasma FIB level and activity of Protein C and ATIII. Conclusion: Quercetin may have a protective effect against LPS-induced DIC in rabbits through anti-inflammation and anticoagulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been confirmed to be involved in sepsis-induced organ injury. Here, we first investigated the functional role and the underlying mechanism of lncRNA LINC00472 in sepsis-induced acute hepatic injury (AHI). Human liver THLE-3 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mimic sepsis-induced AHI in vitro; intraperitoneal injection of LPS in rats were used as an in vivo model of AHI induced by sepsis. The expressions of LINC00472, miR-373-3p, and TRIM8 mRNA were detected by qRT-PCR. The effects of LINC00472 and miR-373-3p on the viability of THLE-3 cells were assessed by CCK-8 assay. Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were performed to determine the binding relationship between LINC00472 and miR-373-3p as well as between miR-373-3p and TRIM8. The expressions of apoptosis-related proteins and TRIM8 were detected by Western blot; the levels of ALT, AST, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 in the serum of rats were measured using ELSA assay. LINC00472 and TRIM8 were significantly upregulated in liver tissues and THLE-3 cells in sepsis-induced AHI models, while miR-373-3p was downregulated. Silencing of LINC00472 promoted cell viability and suppressed cell apoptosis in LPS-treated THLE-3 cells, whereas upregulation of LINC00472 had the opposite effect. Moreover, LINC00472 served as a sponge for miR-373-3p and negatively regulated its expression. miR-373-3p mimics could promote THLE-3 cell viability and suppress cell apoptosis. Additionally, TRIM8 was a direct target of miR-373-3p, which was downregulated in LINC00472-silenced cells and upregulated by the miR-373-3p inhibitor. Further, the co-transfection of miR-373-3p inhibitor reversed the effects of LINC00472 knockdown on cell viability and apoptosis. Downregulation of LINC00472 in rats restored the levels of ALT, AST, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α. Downregulation of LINC00472 ameliorates sepsis-induced AHI by regulating the miR-373-3p/TRIM8 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]