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Background: The purpose of the study was to conduct a comprehensive genomic characterization of gene alterations, microsatellite instability (MSI), and tumor mutational burden (TMB) in submucosal-penetrating (Pen) early gastric cancers (EGCs) with varying prognoses. Methods: Samples from EGC patients undergoing surgery and with 10-year follow-up data available were collected. Tissue genomic alterations were characterized using Trusight Oncology panel (TSO500). Pathway instability (PI) scores for a selection of 218 GC-related pathways were calculated both for the present case series and EGCs from the TCGA cohort. Results: Higher age and tumor location in the upper-middle tract are significantly associated with an increased hazard of relapse or death from any cause (p = 0.006 and p = 0.032). Even if not reaching a statistical significance, Pen A tumors more frequently present higher TMB values, higher frequency of MSI-subtypes and an overall increase in PI scores, along with an enrichment in immune pathways. ARID1A gene was observed to be significantly more frequently mutated in Pen A tumors (p = 0.006), as well as in patients with high TMB (p = 0.027). Tumors harboring LRP1B alterations seem to have a higher hazard of relapse or death from any cause (p = 0.089), being mutated mainly in relapsed patients (p = 0.093). Conclusions: We found that the most aggressive subtype Pen A is characterized by a higher frequency of ARID1A mutations and a higher genetic instability, while LRP1B alterations seem to be related to a lower disease-free survival. Further investigations are needed to provide a rationale for the use of these markers to stratify prognosis in EGC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineered geopolymer composites (EGCs) exhibit excellent tensile ductility and crack control ability, making them promising for concrete structure repair. However, their widespread use is limited by high costs of reinforcement fiber and a lack of an EGC–concrete interface bonding mechanism. This study investigated a hybrid PE/PVA fiber-reinforced EGC using domestically produced unoiled PVA fibers to replace commonly used PE fibers. The bond performance of the EGC–concrete interface was evaluated through direct tensile and slant shear tests, focusing on the effects of PE fiber content (1%, 2%, and 3%), fiber hybrid ratios (2.0:0.0, 1.5:0.5, 1.0:1.0, 0.5:1.5, and 0.0:2.0), concrete substrate strength (C30, C50, and C70), and the ratio of fly ash (FA) to ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) (6:4, 7:3, and 8:2) on interface bond strength. Results showed that the EGCs' compressive strength ranged from 77.1 to 108.9 MPa, with increased GGBS content significantly enhancing the compressive strength and elastic modulus. Most of the specimens exhibited strain-hardening behavior after initial cracking. Interface bonding tests revealed that a PE/PVA ratio of 1.0 increased tensile bond strength by 8.5% compared with using 2.0% PE fiber alone. Increasing the PE fiber content, PVA/PE ratio, GGBS content, and concrete substrate strength all improved the shear bond strength. This improvement was attributed to the flexible fibers' ability to restrict thermo–hydro damage and deflect and blunt microcracks, enhancing the interface's failure resistance. Cost analysis showed that replacing 50% of the PE fiber in EGC with unoiled PVA fiber reduced costs by 44.2% compared with PE fiber alone, offering the best cost–performance ratio. In summary, hybrid PE/PVA fiber EGC has promising prospects for improving economic efficiency while maintaining tensile ductility and crack-control ability. Future optimization of fiber ratios and interface design could further enhance its potential for concrete repair applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A foodborne outbreak caused by Staphylococcus aureus harboring the enterotoxin gene cluster was investigated. • A novel sequence type, ST7591, was discovered. • The genetic relationship between CC72 S. aureus from foods and patients was analyzed. This paper presented a detailed analysis of the epidemiology and molecular characteristics of staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) that occurred in a hotel in Hangzhou. A total of 46 guests at the hotel underwent an epidemiological survey. Samples of stool from patients, vomit, swabs from the kitchen, leftover food items, and anal swabs from food handlers were taken and investigated for the presence of potential pathogenic bacteria. Molecular techniques and whole genome sequencing were performed to track the evolution of Staphylococcus aureus associated with the outbreak of SFP. Forty-six individuals displayed gastrointestinal symptoms. Seventeen isolates of S. aureus were discovered to carry the seg, sei, sem, sen, seo , and selu genes found in a specific enterotoxin gene cluster (egc) operon, but without the presence of classical enterotoxins such as SEA ∼ SEE. All egc -positive isolates shared identical pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles and were classified under new ST7591 (Clonal Complex 72) with identical spa typing t148. In addition, some isolates of S. aureus obtained from food sources sold in Hangzhou over the past 3 years and carrying egc genes were grouped under the ST72 lineage (CC72). Through whole genome sequencing, a strong genetic connection was revealed between these egc -positive isolates and clinical ST72 S. aureus found in China. S. aureus with non-classical egc enterotoxins was suggested to be a potential cause of SFP in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To improve the diagnosis of early gastric cancer (EGC), a train-the-trainer (TTT) course was developed. This trial aimed to investigate whether TTT courses from trained trainers could improve trainees' EGC detection. Methods: In this multi-center, retrospective study, the training was carried out 8 times in one year. Clinical records one year before ("2016"), during ("2017"), and after ("2018") the course were collected. The primary endpoint was the improvement of EGC detection rate after TTT courses. Results: Twenty-four trainees from 17 hospitals were included in this study. A total of 123,416 esophagogastroduodenoscopy and 65,570 colonoscopy procedures were analyzed. The early gastric cancer detection rate (EDR) was 0.101% in 2016, which significantly increased to 0.338% in 2018 (p = 0.015). The early gastric cancer ratio (ECR, ratio of newly detected EGCs to all newly detected gastric cancers) in 2016 was 8.440%, which consistently increased to 11.853% and 19.778% in 2017 and 2018 (p = 0.006), respectively. In contrast, the advanced gastric cancer detection rate (ADR) was similar before, during, or after the course (p = 0.987). The 3-year EDR, ECR, and ADR in esophageal and colorectal cancer were not significantly different. Conclusions: The systematic training course can improve EGC detection rate and may be an effective educational strategy to reduce gastrointestinal cancers mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, it was aimed to develop a fly ash+blast furnace slag (FA+BFS)-based engineered geopolymer composite (EGC) mixture having similar bearing strength and deformation capacity to the standard engineered cementitious composite (ECC) known with the M45 code in the literature. For this purpose, in addition to ECC, two different EGC mixtures incorporating different ratios of FA and BFS were produced. The compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, air dry unit volume weight, structural efficiency, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), fracture toughness and flexural performance were determined on the 7th and 28th day as well as the fresh and rheological properties of these three mixtures. Finally, an EGC mixture having much higher compressive strength and ductility was obtained than that of ECC. Moreover, it was determined that increasing amount of BFS improved mechanical strength and toughness, but decreased ductility. The reasons of these situations were investigated microstructurally by XRD, TGA/DTA and FTIR analyzes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arboviruses such as Dengue, yellow fever, West Nile, and Zika are flaviviruses vector-borne RNA viruses transmitted biologically among vertebrate hosts by blood-taking vectors. Many flaviviruses are associated with neurological, viscerotropic, and hemorrhagic diseases, posing significant health and socioeconomic concerns as they adapt to new environments. Licensed drugs against them are currently unavailable, so searching for effective antiviral molecules is still necessary. Epigallocatechin molecules, a green tea polyphenol, have shown great virucidal potential against flaviviruses, including DENV, WNV, and ZIKV. The interaction of EGCG with the viral envelope protein and viral protease, mainly identified by computational studies, describes the interaction of these molecules with viral proteins; however, how the viral NS2B/NS3 protease interacts with epigallocatechin molecules is not yet fully deciphered. Consequently, we tested the antiviral potential of two epigallocatechin molecules (EGC and EGCG) and their derivative (AcEGCG) against DENV, YFV, WNV, and ZIKV NS2B/NS3 protease. Thus, we assayed the effect of the molecules and found that a mixture of the molecules EGC (competitive) and EGCG (noncompetitive) inhibited the virus protease of YFV, WNV, and ZIKV more effectively with IC50 values of 1.17 ± 0.2 µM, 0.58 ± 0.07 µM, and 0.57 ± 0.05 µM, respectively. As these molecules fundamentally differ in their inhibitory mode and chemical structure, our finding may open a new line for developing more effective allosteric/active site inhibitors to combat flaviviruses infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering geopolymer composites (EGC) are promising environmentally friendly building materials with excellent mechanical properties. However, the durability of EGC is compromised by gradual carbonation from atmospheric exposure. For the first time, this study provided an insight of the carbonation of EGC by comprehensively investigating the effect of mix design, such as fly ash/ground granulated blast furnace slag ratio (FA/GGBS ratio), alkali content, water/binder ratio (W/B ratio) and polyethylene (PE) fibre content, on its carbonation resistance. Our results showed the components in EGC affected the carbonation through the alternation of microstructures. An increase of FA content and W/B ratio significantly increased the carbonation depth by 206.6 % and 116.3 % respectively due to the increased porosity and transition pore fraction, resulting in more than 30 % reduction in tensile strength and 15 % reduction in compressive strength. However, increased alkali and fibre content prevent carbonation with around 60 % and 26 % decrease of the carbonation depth, leading to a less loss of the mechanical properties. Furthermore, we tested the pH values of the EGC along the carbonation depth, proposing a novel approach to assess the carbonation degree by dividing the area into completely carbonated area (pH around 9.21–10.44) and non-carbonated area (pH around 12.58–13.37). These findings provide insights for mitigating carbonation effects in EGC and facilitate the widespread use of this sustainable material in construction applications, ensuring long-term durability and reliability. • Effect of various components of EGC on its carbonation resistance. • An optimal mixed design of EGC for maximizing its carbonation durability. • Microscale characterization for investigating the mechanism of EGC carbonation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of nano-zinc oxide (ZnO) on the self-cleaning and microstructural performance of engineered geopolymer composites (EGC) for urban cleanliness enhancement. The research focuses on achieving homogeneous dispersion of nano-ZnO through ultrasonication to prevent agglomeration and assess its effects on workability, setting time, mechanical, and microstructural properties of EGC. Results show that incorporating ZnO nanoparticles at 5 % and 10 % concentrations as a surface coating on engineered geopolymer composite creates a highly effective photocatalytic material. This enhanced composite demonstrates significant capability in degrading Rhodamine B (RhB) under UV light exposure over a 15-day period, breaking down organic pollutants into simpler, potentially less toxic substances. The efficiency of degradation depends on factors such as nano-ZnO concentration, UV radiation intensity, and initial pollutant concentration. The optimal dosage of nano-ZnO in EGC is found to be 0.5 %, which enhances hydration and pozzolanic activity, promoting a densified microstructure at the nanoscale. This innovative composite material shows promise as a self-cleaning finishing material for urban buildings, offering potential improvements in both aesthetics and environmental sustainability. [Display omitted] • Optimum dosage of nano-Zinc oxide is found to be 0.5 %. • Eary age compressive strength is enhanced with the addition of 0.5 % nano-ZnO. • Nanoparticles can act as fillers and reduce the size of crystals at the interface at an early age. • With increasing the dosage of nano-ZnO, chances of agglomerations increase due to the intrinsic large surface area of NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Staphylococcal nuclease and Tudor domain containing 1 (SND1) has been identified as an oncoprotein. Our previous study demonstrated that SND1 impedes the major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) assembly by hijacking the nascent heavy chain of MHC-I to endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation. Herein, we aimed to identify inhibitors to block SND1-MHC-I binding, to facilitate the MHC-I presentation and tumor immunotherapy. Our findings validated the importance of the K490-containing sites in SND1-MHC-I complex. Through structure-based virtual screening and docking analysis, (−)-Epigallocatechin (EGC) exhibited the highest docking score to prevent the binding of MHC-I to SND1 by altering the spatial conformation of SND1. Additionally, EGC treatment resulted in increased expression levels of membrane-presented MHC-I in tumor cells. The C57BL/6J murine orthotopic melanoma model validated that EGC increases infiltration and activity of CD8+ T cells in both the tumor and spleen. Furthermore, the combination of EGC with programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody demonstrated a superior antitumor effect. In summary, we identified EGC as a novel inhibitor of SND1-MHC-I interaction, prompting MHC-I presentation to improve CD8+ T cell response within the tumor microenvironment. This discovery presents a promising immunotherapeutic candidate for tumors. • Targeting SND1-MHC-I interaction for tumor immunotherapy prevents immune evasion. • EGC prevents the binding of MHC-I to SND1 in tumor cells. • EGC enhances the CD8+ T cell-mediated antitumor immunity. • EGC works as a potential immunotherapeutic agent to enhance tumor immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, only 5 (SEA to SEE) out of 27 known staphylococcal enterotoxins can be analyzed using commercially available kits. Six genes (seg, sei, sem, sen, seo, and seu), encoding putative and undetectable enterotoxins, are located on the enterotoxin gene cluster (egc), which is part of the Staphylococcus aureus genomic island vSaβ. These enterotoxins have been described as likely being involved in staphylococcal food-poisoning outbreaks. The aim of the present study was to determine if whole-genome data can be used for the prediction of staphylococcal egc enterotoxin production, particularly enterotoxin G (SEG) and enterotoxin I (SEI). For this purpose, whole-genome sequences of 75 Staphylococcus aureus strains from different origins (food-poisoning outbreaks, human, and animal) were investigated by applying bioinformatics methods (phylogenetic analysis using the core genome and different alignments). SEG and SEI expression was tested in vitro using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Strains could be allocated to 14 different vSaβ types, each type being associated with a single clonal complex (CC). In addition, the vSaβ type and CC were associated with the origin of the strain (human or cattle derived). The amount of SEG and SEI produced also correlated with the vSaβ type and the CC of a strain. The present results show promising indications that the in vitro production of SEG and SEI can be predicted based on the vSaβ type or CC of a strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A severe water crisis was faced by Paraná in 2020 due to the low rainfall over that period. Metropolitan Curitiba was particularly affected by the scarcity of water, which led statecontrolled water company SANEPAR to adopt a rotating supply program and promote campaigns aimed at reducing water consumption by 20%. In this scenario, the present study aims to project the economic impacts of the reduction in water consumption in Metropolitan Curitiba using a dynamic computable general equilibrium model calibrated for the different mesoregions of Paraná. The results show that the water crisis might be responsible for a 0.58% GDP reduction in the mesoregion corresponding to Metropolitana Curitiba in addition to causing a 1.03% reduction in employment. The effects of the crisis were notable not only to the water supply sector, but also to other sectors for which the resource represents an important productive input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The volume and location of EGC is calculated to simplify the gas cloud dispersion scenarios based on the Gaussian model. • The impact of changing in external conditions on EGC is analyzed. • The flexible alarming mechanism is proposed based on EGC, to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of alarming. Gas detection system (GDS) is critical for identifying and suppressing the flammable or hazardous gas leaked by incidents. The spread of a flammable gas cloud is susceptible to external factors and highly uncertain, but the GDSs deployed today often raise alarms based on certainty. It means that the threshold value set in a GDS for triggering alarms is a constant. Such an approach sometimes cannot accurately determine the leakage location, and so it may result in a great delay of gas detection. To reduce the risk of gas leakage, this paper proposes a flexible triggering mechanism for GDSs, where an alarm is raised or not depending on the number of sensors whose reading are reaching or closing to the preset threshold. An equivalent gas cloud (EGC) model is introduced here to provide design inputs for such a flexible triggering GDS. The volume and location distribution of an EGC are estimated with the Gaussian dispersion model, based on the changes of wind speed and direction. A case study in a terminal station of LNG is conducted, to illustrate the effectiveness of the new approach. The findings show that the flexible triggering mechanism is able to make alarms of a GDS more accurate, and meanwhile avoiding unnecessary measures, which can effectively optimize alarming thresholds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reduce the utilization of cement and promote the low-carbon development of construction materials, engineered geopolymer composites (EGC) offer an alternative to engineered cement composites (ECC). In this study, slag, fly ash and steel slag were innovatively combined as precursor materials to prepare EGC. The focus was laid on the influence of sodium silicate modulus (Ms) and alkali content on the mechanical and tensile properties of ternary solid waste based EGC. Four levels of Ms (1.2, 1.5, 1.8, and 2.1) and three groups of alkali content (6 %, 8 %, and 10 %) were designed in the experiments. The flowability, setting time, compressive strength, flexural strength, uniaxial-tensile performance, and carbon emissions were comprehensively studied. Results revealed that as the Ms decreased and the alkali content increased, the setting time and flowability showed a decreasing trend. With an increase in Ms, the compressive strength and flexural strength initially increased and then decreased, indicating an optimal dosage of sodium silicate modulus. Moreover, alkali content showed a positive correlation with compressive strength and flexural strength. At Ms 1.5 and alkali content 8 %, the 28-day compressive strength reached a maximum of 83.9 MPa, the 28-day flexural strength was 14.7 MPa, and the ultimate tensile strain reached 11.31 %. The environmental benefit analysis indicated that compared with high-ductility cement-based materials, EGCs had lower carbon emissions and energy consumption, and the carbon emissions of EGCs were approximately 50.6 % lower than that of ECC. • Slag, fly ash and steel slag were innovatively combined as precursor materials to prepare EGCs. • The workability, mechanical performance, and sustainability analysis were comprehensively studied. • The optimal modulus and Na 2 O content of alkali activators for mechanical and uniaxial tensile properties were decided. • EGC in this study showed lower carbon emissions, energy consumption, and economic costs, compared with traditional ECC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Aberrant expression of miR-106b is a specific symptom of many solid carcinomas. Overexpression of miR-106b has been observed in gastric cancer. The effect of miR-106b on gastric cancer has been investigated in different cell culture models. However, the effect of miR-106b on metastasis of early gastric cancer (EGC) remains unknown. Methods: In the study, qRT-PCR, FISH, western blot, luciferase reporter assay, migration and invasion assays, flow cytometry and TUNEL staining were used to investigate the effect of miR-106b on metastasis of EGC. Results: To explore the function of miR-106b in EGC, we investigated the downstream signaling of miR-106b and found that ALEX1 was a direct target of miR-106 in gastric cancer cells. Up-regulation of ALEX1 effectively rescued the cell apoptosis induced by miR-106b inhibitor and promoted the expression levels of phosphorylation of JAK1 and STAT3. Moreover, overexpression of JAK1 reduced the cell apoptosis induced by miR-106b inhibitor and decreased the expression levels of the apoptotic proteins in gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, down-regulation of miR-106b promoted apoptosis of gastric cancer cells via inhibiting JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo. In addition, GLPG0643, a JAK1 inhibitor, enhanced the inhibitory effect of miR-106b inhibitor on gastric cancer growth in vivo. Conclusion: These findings provided a potential therapeutic manner for the treatment of metastasis of EGC in clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Aberrant expression of miR-106b is a specific symptom of many solid carcinomas. Overexpression of miR-106b has been observed in gastric cancer. The effect of miR-106b on gastric cancer has been investigated in different cell culture models. However, the effect of miR-106b on metastasis of early gastric cancer (EGC) remains unknown. Methods: In the study, qRT-PCR, FISH, western blot, luciferase reporter assay, migration and invasion assays, flow cytometry and TUNEL staining were used to investigate the effect of miR-106b on metastasis of EGC. Results: To explore the function of miR-106b in EGC, we investigated the downstream signaling of miR-106b and found that ALEX1 was a direct target of miR-106 in gastric cancer cells. Up-regulation of ALEX1 effectively rescued the cell apoptosis induced by miR-106b inhibitor and promoted the expression levels of phosphorylation of JAK1 and STAT3. Moreover, overexpression of JAK1 reduced the cell apoptosis induced by miR-106b inhibitor and decreased the expression levels of the apoptotic proteins in gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, down-regulation of miR-106b promoted apoptosis of gastric cancer cells via inhibiting JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo. In addition, GLPG0643, a JAK1 inhibitor, enhanced the inhibitory effect of miR-106b inhibitor on gastric cancer growth in vivo. Conclusion: These findings provided a potential therapeutic manner for the treatment of metastasis of EGC in clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhibition of excessive fructose intake in the small intestine could alleviate fructose-induced diseases such as hypertension and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. We examined the effect of phytochemicals on fructose uptake using human intestinal epithelial-like Caco-2 cells which express the fructose transporter, GLUT5. Among 35 phytochemicals tested, five, including nobiletin and epicatechin gallate (ECg), markedly inhibited fructose uptake. Nobiletin and ECg also inhibited the uptake of glucose but not of L-leucine or Gly-Sar, suggesting an inhibitory effect specific to monosaccharide transporters. Kinetic analysis further suggested that this reduction in fructose uptake was associated with a decrease in the apparent number of cell-surface GLUT5 molecules, and not with a change in the affinity of GLUT5 for fructose. Lastly, nobiletin and ECg suppressed the permeation of fructose across Caco-2 cell monolayers. These findings suggest that nobiletin and ECg are good candidates for preventing diseases caused by excessive fructose intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Altered visceral sensation is common in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and nerve growth factor (NGF) participates in visceral pain development. Sodium butyrate (NaB) could induce colonic hypersensitivity via peripheral up‐regulation of NGF in animals. Enteric glial cells (EGCs) appear to be an important source of NGF. Whether butyrate could induce visceral hypersensitivity via increased EGC‐derived NGF is still unknown. Methods: CRL‐2690 cells were used for transcriptome analyses after butyrate treatment. Rats received butyrate enemas to induce colonic hypersensitivity. Colorectal distention test was performed to assess visceral sensitivity. Immunofluorescence studies were used to evaluate the co‐expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and NGF or growth associated protein 43 in animal model. NGF expression in rat colon was also investigated. In vitro, CRL‐2690 cells were stimulated with NaB or trichostatin A (TSA). NGF or GFAP expression was also examined. Key Results: Transcriptome analyses showed that butyrate induced marked changes of genes expression related to neurotrophic signaling pathways. NaB‐treated rats showed increased visceral sensitivity. An improved NGF expression level was observed in NaB‐treated rats. Meanwhile, a 2.1‐fold increase in co‐expression of GFAP and NGF was also determined in rats received NaB enemas. In cultured cells, both NaB and TSA treatment could cause obvious NGF expression. Thus, butyrate might regulate EGC function via histone deacetylase inhibition. Conclusions & Inferences: Butyrate‐EGC interplay may play a pivotal role in regulation of NGF expression and the development of colonic hypersensitivity in IBS‐like animal model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing number of antennas are closely packed in emerging multiantenna systems and correlation among them can no longer be ignored. In this paper, such a multiantenna spectrum sensing system is investigated considering dual, triple, four and up to infinite number of correlated antenna branches. Constant, arbitrary and exponential correlation among the antenna branches are considered. Closed form expressions for the detection probability, in terms of the confluent hypergeometric function, is derived assuming maximal ratio combining (MRC) and equal gain combining (EGC) diversity techniques in Nakagami-$m$ multipath fading channel. Numerical results quantify the interbranch correlation that impacts the detector performance significantly. However, results also show that this effect could be compensated by employing the appropriate diversity combining technique and by increasing the diversity branches. Furthermore, we find that at high $m$ values (Rician like channel), low false alarm probability and highly correlated environments, EGC which is a simpler scheme performs as good as MRC which is a more complex scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed analysis of interdiffusion processes in emitter shells of electrogenerating channels (EGC) of reactors for space application after long term reactor irradiation is performed. Interdiffusion of Mo and W in the mono- and polycrystalline manufacturing technology with the W layer applied over them with thickness on the order of 10-4 m with irradiation time from 3000 to 12 350 h and at temperatures from 1350 to 1670°C is studied. One of the mechanisms which facilitate the pore-formation process in the W layer and its separation is demonstrated. A method of calculating the activation energy, temperature, and residual thickness of the W layer on the basis of which the state of the shells can be estimated for a long time from the start of irradiation is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes RSS-based multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) receiver diversity-combining techniques for identity-based attack detection. The diversity-combining techniques considered for identity-based attack detection using MIMO systems include selection combining (SLC), equal gain combining (EGC), and maximal ratio combining (MRC). First, we exploit the spatial correlation of the RSS hereditary from wireless nodes to detect identity-based attacks. Analytical expressions of the proposed method for the spatial correlation of the RSS hereditary using MIMO-combining diversities are provided and validated through simulation results. Second, we propose unsupervised machine learning (ML) algorithms such as k -means and k -medoids for the detection of identity-based attacks using RSS with different MIMO-combining diversities. Complete statistical derivations for the detection of identity-based attacks using k -means and k -medoids algorithms were performed. The simulation results confirm that the proposed techniques exploiting MIMO diversity-combining techniques for identity-based attack detection using unsupervised ML algorithms outperform the previously proposed techniques in terms of the false positive rate (FPR) and detection rate (DR). Furthermore, the simulation showed that the EGC-combining diversity with k -means and k -medoids outperformed the SLC- and MRC-combining techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After water, the most consumed drink is tea. Green tea is one of the most ancient cultivated medicinal plants with a wide variety of therapeutic benefits. Also it is found to be more beneficial than black tea. Green tea is produced form leaves of Camellia sinensis plant which also yields variety of white and black tea. Research is done and available for the health benefits of green tea including anti-carcinogenic effect, anti-inflammatory effect, anti-microbial effect, anti-oxidant property and beneficial in cardiovascular diseases, oral health, diabetes, skin disorders, hair loss, obesity, iron load. Most of these beneficial effects are related to its constituents particularly catechins including epigallocatechin, epicatehin, epicatechin gallate. These are viewed as the most significant active constituents. These are members of the class of polyphenols known as flavonoids. The objective of this review is to illustrate various health benefits of green tea on the basis of research and clinical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we found that catechins found in green tea (EGCG, EGC, and EC) differentially interfere with the IL-1β signaling pathway which regulates the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators (IL-6 and IL-8) and Cox-2 in primary human rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASFs). EGCG and EGC inhibited IL-6, IL-8, and MMP-2 production and selectively inhibited Cox-2 expression. EC did not exhibit any inhibitory effects. When we looked at the expression of key signaling proteins in the IL-1β signaling pathway, we found all the tested catechins could inhibit TAK-1 activity. Therefore, the consumption of green tea offers an overall anti-inflammatory effect. Molecular docking analysis confirms that EGCG, EGC, and EC all occupy the active site of the TAK1 kinase domain. However, EGCG occupies the majority of the TAK1 active site. In addition to TAK1 inhibition, EGCG can also inhibit P38 and nuclear NF-κB expression whereas EC and EGC were not effective inhibitors. Our findings suggest one of the main health benefits associated with the consumption of green tea are due to the activity of EGCG and EGC which are both present at higher amounts. Although EGCG is the most effective catechin at inhibiting downstream inflammatory signaling, its effectiveness could be hindered by the presence of EC. Therefore, varying EC content in green tea may reduce the anti-inflammatory effects of other potential catechins in green tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) and some countries have gradually strengthened the laws regulating ship exhaust emissions. The aim of this paper is to estimate the impact of an after-treatment technology exhaust gas cleaning (EGC) system on marine diesel engine emissions and the cost advantage compared to using low-sulfur fuel oil. The emission characteristics of SO2 and particulate matter (PM) produced from high sulfur oil and low sulfur oil in a low-speed two-stroke marine diesel engine were also presented. The removal efficiency of SO2 has been tested and the PM removal efficiency was also predicted in this study. When using high sulfur oil, the emission factor of SO2 and PM were from 8.73 g/kWh to 11.6 g/kWh and 2.0 g/kWh to 2.7 g/kWh, respectively. These values are significantly higher than the emission values from using low sulfur oil. The fuel sulfur content (FSC) was the key factor affecting the emission factors of SO2 and PM. The fuel change could reduce the mass emission factor of PM, which is above 90% for the total particle emission with the two fuels. When using the EGC system, the desulfurization efficiencies were above 99%. The pH values at a 25, 39, 53, and 67% load were also stabilized to be around 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, and 8, respectively. The EGC system can also capture part of the primary PM and secondary PM formed from SO2. The EGC system was more effective for PM of the size larger than 1 μm. Thus, according to this study, the usage of low sulfur oil and EGC will also substantially decrease the emission of currently unregulated hazardous chemical species in the exhaust gas of ships in addition to satisfying future emissions regulations of ship. Furthermore, the EGC system also had a significant cost advantage compared to using low-sulfur fuel oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) is a major foodborne illness caused by staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs). It is a well known fact that foodborne outbreak investigations are solely characterized by commercially available immunoassay kits. However, these assays encompass only few enterotoxins such as SEA-SEE which are renowned as “classical” enterotoxins and unable to detect any other novel enterotoxins even though their involvement is predicted. In this context, the present study involved development of a sandwich ELISA immunoassay for the specific detection of “non-classical” enterotoxin G (SEG). The toxin belongs to enterotoxin gene cluster ( egc ) which comprises a bunch of five toxin genes that are known to co-express. Thus, the developed assay might indirectly speculate the presence of other toxins in the cluster. The efficiency of ELISA was compared with PCR analysis where all strains possessing seg were found positive for toxin production. Additionally, analogous to other studies which reported the co-occurrence of seg and sei , the PCR analysis accomplished in the study evinced the same. The sandwich format allowed sensitive detection with a detection limit of 1 ng/mL. High specificity was achieved in presence of non-target protein as well as bacteria. Likewise, staphylococcal protein A (SpA) interference that is inevitably associated with immunoassays was eliminated by implementation of anti-SEG IgY in our study. Consequently, chicken IgY were used to capture target antigen in developed sandwich ELISA. Further, spiking studies and analysis on natural samples emphasized the robustness as well as applicability of developed method. Altogether, the established assay could be a reliable detection tool for the routine investigation of SEG as well as to predict other egc toxins in samples from food and clinical sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is it possible to increase GDP, reduce unemployment and improve income distribution by providing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) better access to capital markets? In this study, we used a CGE model of Argentina to address this question and to evaluate the economy-wide net impact accounting for the reallocation of resources from other sectors. We find that although the benefits in question could be attained, SMEs should also be expected to self-exclude from programs that provide access to capital markets if that access is contingent upon higher formalization. Formalization can be expensive for SMEs. Additionally, this model estimated the gains in productivity necessary to incentivize SMEs to formalize and to voluntarily access capital markets; however, after gaining productivity, the SMEs created fewer jobs than initially expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Our aim was to define whether the early granulocyte cell marker (EGC%_DxH) parameter might replace immature granulocytes counts obtained by HematoFlow (IG%_HF) and/or manual differential count (IG%_manual).Methods: We conducted a study over a 10-day period in February 2014 whereby 402 samples were analyzed for the IG flag. We correlated the EGC%_DxH vs IG%_HF and IG%_manual, identified any discrepant results and finally looked at the impact on our workflow by incorporation of the EGC% into our WBC differential algorithm.Results: On an initial training set, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed a threshold of 0.9% for EGC%_DxH (sensitivity of 91.7%, specificity of 93.5% and an area under the curve of 0.965). Further analysis of the dataset (259 samples) found a correlation of the EGC%_DxH to all our IG% counting methods (r = 0.963). Incorporation of the EGC%_DxH into the WBC HematoFlow differential resulted in a 36% reduction of samples requiring HematoFlow and/or slide review.Conclusions: The EGC% generated by the DxH 800 can be easily incorporated into existing HematoFlow and slide review algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate a frequency domain approach for eigenvalue-based detection of a primary user, based on equal gain combining (EGC) and spectrum estimation with Bartlett’s method. This paper considers two techniques for eigenvalue detection which are Maximum Eigenvalue Detection (MED) and the Maximum-Minimum Eigenvalue (MME) detector. We exploit the eigenvalues that are associated with the Hermitian form representation of Bartlett’s estimate to assess the performance of the aforementioned eigenvalue techniques in the frequency domain. For each case, we quantify the performance based on the probabilities of false alarm and missed detection over Rayleigh and Rician fading. A bivariate Mellin transform approach is employed to obtain the probability distribution function for the ratio of the extreme eigenvalues under each hypothesis. All obtained formulas are validated via Monte-Carlo simulations, and the results give a clear insight into the performance of the investigated methods. In frequency domain, MED outperforms both the MME detector and Periodogram-based energy detection even in a worst case scenario of noise uncertainty, while the MME detector exhibits heavy-tailed statistical characteristics and thus its receiver operating characteristics tend to stay on the line of no-discrimination. The performance of MED is further enhanced by careful choice of combinations of the total length of the sensing frame and number of sub-slots. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

• The ambient cured EGC with local PVA fiber was developed. • The impact behaviors of EGC was investigated under cold temperatures. • The influences of different parameters were discussed. This paper was intended to investigate the impact resistance of engineered geopolymer composite (EGC) in cold temperatures. The ambient cured EGC based on local PVA fibers, which has favorable environmental and economic benefits, was first developed and tested under uniaxial compressive and tensile loading conditions. The drooping hammer test machine retrofitted with a liquid nitrogen canister was applied to conduct the impact tests of EGC specimens under different cold temperatures, i.e., −10 ℃, −20 ℃ and −50 ℃. The conventional engineered cementitious composite (ECC) specimens and the corresponding cement mortar were also tested as the control groups. The influences of alkali concentrations on the compressive, tensile and impact behaviors of EGC were investigated. According to the experimental results, it was found that the developed EGC could have comparable compressive strength and tensile behaviors with ECC. For both EGC, ECC and their corresponding matrixes, the impact load increased while the ultimate displacement decreased when the temperature dropped from −10 ℃ to −50 ℃. It was also found that the energy dissipation coefficient of EGC specimens increased with the decrease of temperature, indicating that EGC materials have preferable impact resistance under low or ultra-low temperature environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The ambient cured EGC with local PVA fiber was developed. • The impact behaviors of EGC was investigated under cold temperatures. • The influences of different parameters were discussed. This paper was intended to investigate the impact resistance of engineered geopolymer composite (EGC) in cold temperatures. The ambient cured EGC based on local PVA fibers, which has favorable environmental and economic benefits, was first developed and tested under uniaxial compressive and tensile loading conditions. The drooping hammer test machine retrofitted with a liquid nitrogen canister was applied to conduct the impact tests of EGC specimens under different cold temperatures, i.e., −10 ℃, −20 ℃ and −50 ℃. The conventional engineered cementitious composite (ECC) specimens and the corresponding cement mortar were also tested as the control groups. The influences of alkali concentrations on the compressive, tensile and impact behaviors of EGC were investigated. According to the experimental results, it was found that the developed EGC could have comparable compressive strength and tensile behaviors with ECC. For both EGC, ECC and their corresponding matrixes, the impact load increased while the ultimate displacement decreased when the temperature dropped from −10 ℃ to −50 ℃. It was also found that the energy dissipation coefficient of EGC specimens increased with the decrease of temperature, indicating that EGC materials have preferable impact resistance under low or ultra-low temperature environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Green tea containing polyphenols exerts antidiabetic and antiobesity effects, but the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. In this study, we first analyzed and compared polyphenol compounds [epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC)] in decoction of green tea leaves versus usual green tea extracts. Second, the effects of acute (30 min) or chronic (6 weeks) oral administration of green tea decoction (GTD) on intestinal glucose absorption were studied in vitro in Ussing chamber, ex vivo using isolated jejunal loops and in vivo through glucose tolerance tests. Finally, we explore in rat model fed normal or high-fat diet the effects of GTD on body weight, blood parameters and on the relative expression of glucose transporters SGLT-1, GLUT2 and GLUT4. GTD cooked for 15 min contained the highest amounts of phenolic compounds. In fasted rats, acute administration of GTD inhibited SGLT-1 activity, increased GLUT2 activity and improved glucose tolerance. Similarly to GTD, acute administration of synthetic phenolic compounds (2/3 EGCG+1/3 EGC) inhibited SGLT-1 activity. Chronic administration of GTD in rat fed high-fat diet reduced body weight gain, circulating triglycerides and cholesterol and improved glucose tolerance. GTD-treated rats for 6 weeks display significantly reduced SGLT-1 and increased GLUT2 mRNA levels in the jejunum mucosa. Moreover, adipose tissue GLUT4 mRNA levels were increased. These results indicate that GTD, a traditional beverage rich in EGCG and EGC reduces intestinal SGLT-1/GLUT2 ratio, a hallmark of regulation of glucose absorption in enterocyte, and enhances adipose GLUT4 providing new insights in its possible role in the control of glucose homeostasis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Tannase was used less than 1% tea extract as substrate because of substrate inhibition. [•] Tannase reaction was inhibited by the addition of 1% EGCG. [•] Sequential addition of substrate might solve the substrate inhibition of Tannase. [•] Sequential addition of substrate is appropriate process for the enrichment of active components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The effect of sand-to-binder (S/B) ratio on the bond performance of EGC with concrete and steel reinforcement is reported. • Increasing the S/B ratio improves the bond strength of EGC/concrete substrates. • Direct correlation exists between elastic modulus of EGC and their bond strength with concrete substrates. Engineered geopolymer composites (EGC) have recently emerged as a greener and more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional engineered cementitious composites (ECC), achieving excellent mechanical and durability properties. This study investigated the effect of sand to binder (S / B) ratio on the bond performance of EGC repair material with concrete and steel reinforcement. The S / B ratio of EGC mixes was varied from 0.3 to 1.0, and its effect on the physical and mechanical properties was evaluated. It was found that increasing the S / B ratio decreased the micro-cracks at the EGC-concrete interface and, increased the bond strength. A direct correlation was observed between the elastic modulus of EGC and its bond strength with concrete substrate. The EGC-steel rebar pull-out strength initially increased and then decreased with the S / B ratio. The EGC repair material with S / B ratio more than or equal to 0.8 achieved the minimum EGC-concrete bond strength value of 1.5 MPa, as recommended by the BSI code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevention and early diagnosis of gastric cancer permit clinicians to discover the tumor in the initial phase, during which time it can be completely eradicated, endoscopically or surgically. Since Murakami gave the definition of early gastric cancer (EGC) in 1971, many authors have identified various subtypes of EGC with different morphological characteristics and clinical behaviour. Methods: We evaluated retrospectively 530 patients: the median follow-up time was 10.4 months (range 0.3-29.2). All tumors were classified according to the macroscopic and microscopic criteria proposed by the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy and Lauren, respectively. The infiltrative growth pattern was evaluated according to Kodama's classification. Only tumor-related death was considered as an endpoint of interest for the survival analysis. Results: The overall survival rates of our patients were 94 % (95 % CI, 92-96) and 90 % (95 % CI, 87-93) at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Only 44 patients (8.3 %) died of the disease. Kodama's type ( p < 0.0001), lymph node status, both for number and pathological stage according to the 7th Edition of TNM ( p < 0.0001), and depth of infiltration ( p = 0.0006) were significant prognostic factors in univariate analysis. The multivariate analysis identified Kodama's PENA type (HR, 3.91; 95 % CI, 2.08-7.33; p < 0.0001) and lymph node status for more than three positive nodes versus negative nodes (HR, 12.78; 95 % CI, 5.37-30.43; p < 0.0001) as the only independent prognostic factors in our series. Conclusion: Lymph node status, especially when more than three lymph nodes are involved, is the most important prognostic factor in EGC. However, it is also important to evaluate the infiltrative growth pattern of the cancers in their early phase according to Kodama's classification, considering PEN A type lesions to be more aggressive than the other EGC types. Then, we propose new elements for an updated definition and classification of EGC, with an important clinical impact on the treatment of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Genes encoding staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) are carried by mobile genetic elements, and enterotoxin gene clusters (egc) are pathogenicity island-borne structures comprising several SE genes, which are frequently found among clinical Staphylococcus aureus isolates. In the present study, we investigated the distribution and the genetic variability of egc loci in S. aureus strains isolated from raw milk and soft cheese in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Ninety-two isolates were submitted to PCR detection of individual egc-borne SE genes (seg, sei, sem, sen, seo, seu), and egc loci were typed using PCR-RFLP. PCR products of egc positive isolates were sequenced. Ninety-one isolates harbored at least one SE gene, which generated 14 different genotypes. The sei gene was the most widely distributed (97.8%), and was found in combination with seg in 49 isolates (53.3%). Altogether, a complete set of individual egc genes was detected in 37 isolates (40%). However, egc loci were detected by PCR-RFLP in only 4 isolates, and classified as egc1 (n=2), egc3 (n=1), and egc4 (n=1). This investigation demonstrated the low occurrence of the egc in S. aureus isolated from dairy products. However, the frequency of complete sets of individual egc-borne genes reflects either the presence of these SE genes outside egc or the existence of new egc types in these strains. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Benthic foraminiferal assemblages from a core southwest of Disko Bugt provide a Holocene perspective (last ~7 ka BP) on ice-sheet/ocean interactions between the West Greenland Current (WGC) and the West Greenland ice sheet. Changes in the fauna reveal significant variations in the water mass properties (temperature and salinity) of the WGC through time. From 7.3 to 6.2 ka BP, a relatively warm/strong WGC influences ice-sheet melt in Disko Bugt and causes enhanced meltwater production, resulting in low surface-water productivity. The most favourable oceanographic conditions occur from 5.5 to 3.5 ka BP, associated with ‘thermal optimum-like’ conditions, encompassing minimum ice sheet extent in the Disko Bugt area. These conditions are attributed to: (1) reduced meltwater influence as the ice sheet is land based and (2) enhanced contribution of warm/saline water masses from the Irminger Current to the WGC. The transition into the late Holocene (last ~3.5 ka BP) is characterized by a cooling of oceanographic conditions, caused by increased advection of cold/low-salinity water masses from the East Greenland Current. A longer-term late-Holocene cooling trend within the WGC is attributed to the onset of Neoglacial cooling within the North Atlantic region. Superimposed on this cooling trend, multicentennial-scale variability within the WGC matches reconstructions from a nearby coring site in Disko Bugt as follows: (1) cooling at ~2.5 ka BP, linked to the 2.7 ka BP ‘cooling event’; (2) a warm phase centred at 1.8 ka BP, associated with the ‘Roman Warm Period’; (3) slight warming between 1.4 and 0.9 ka BP, linked to the ‘Medieval Climate Anomaly’; (4) severe cooling of the WGC after 0.9 ka BP, culminating at 0.3 ka BP during the ‘Little Ice Age’. We show that multicentennial-scale palaeoceanography variability along the West Greenland margin is driven by ocean forcing, i.e. variations in the relative contribution of Atlantic (Irminger Current) and Polar (East Greenland Current) water masses to the WGC during the last ~7 ka BP, influencing ice sheet dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The degree of intratumoral microvascular density is thought to affect tumor metastasis and prognosis in various human cancers, including gastric cancer. Despite recent medical advancements, gastric adenoma or adenocarcinoma remains a considerable therapeutic challenge. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a more recent approach that is now commonly used for radical resection of gastric adenoma and adenocarcinoma.Aim and Methods: The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are related to the prognosis of gastric adenocarcinoma. However, the expression of these factors in gastric adenoma/adenocarcinoma following ESD has not been clearly evaluated. Here, we report on our study of the expression of VEGF, EGFR, and IL-6 by immunohistochemical staining in extracted tissue from adenoma or adenocarcinoma of the stomach by ESD and subsequent evaluation of the correlation of VEGF, EGFR, and IL-6 with other clinicopathological parameters. The patient cohort consisted of 102 patients with adenoma or adenocarcinoma of the stomach.Results: Immunohistochemical staining for VEGF and IL-6 was significantly higher in both high grade dysplasia and adenocarcinoma than in low grade dysplasia (P < 0.05). There was significant correlation between histological grade and intensity of immunohistochemical staining of VEGF (P = 0.039). Histological differentiation of adenocarcinoma was related to IL-6 expression (P = 0.028). The immunoreactivity of VEGF and IL-6 increased significantly in lesions >2 cm compared to lesions <2 cm (P < 0.05).Conclusion: The immunohistochemical expression of IL-6 and VEGF can be considered to be useful for clinical diagnosis and follow-up of adenoma or adenocarcinoma of the stomach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking human pancreatic α-amylase (HPA) inhibitor 1 as the lead, the influence of methylation of caffeic acid, the length of a liker, a double bond of a linker on the inhibition activity and selectivity of EGC-based conjugates was explored. Accordingly, conjugate 2a-1 with a superior inhibition activity and higher selectivity toward HPA held great potentials in developing the anti-diabetes mellitus drugs. [Display omitted] • Design and synthesis of 21 new EGC-based analogues selective to inhibit HPA. • Summary of EGC-based analogues' SAR for HPA inhibition from three aspects. • Conjugate 2a-1 with an obviously increased selectivity towards HPA over α-glucosidase. Natural products are a promising and underappreciated reservoir for the preferred chemical scaffolds in the search of antidiabetic drugs. In this study twenty-one EGC-based derivatives selective to inhibit human pancreatic α-amylase (HPA), the enzyme at the top of the starch digestion pyramid, have been designed and synthesized in terms of the lead myricetin-caffeic acid conjugate 1 reported ever. We focus on methylation of caffeic acid, length of a liker, a double bond contained in the linker on the inhibition activity and selectivity of EGC-based conjugates. As a result, methylation of caffeic acid and the length of a linker affect significantly the activity and selectivity of EGC-based conjugates, but the effect of a double in caffeic acid is limited. Conjugate 2a-1 having a six-carbon-atom linker fused to EGC and caffeic acid demonstrates the most ponent inhibitory activity to HPA and its selectivity towards HPA over α-glucosidase by far superior to that construct 1. Molecular docking studies reveal that conjugate 2a-1 accommodates well to the active site of HPA with four hydrogen bonds in the form of the preorganization of two moieties EGC and caffeic acid via π-stacking interaction. Collectively, conjugating caffeic acid and EGC with an appropriate linker possibly provides a new strategy for finding the specific HPA inhibitors in the discovery of anti-diabetes mellitus drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication can prevent metachronous gastric cancer (MGC) after the performance of an endoscopic resection for early gastric cancer (EGC). However, 50% of infections persist after eradication, and the identification of MGC protective factors is important. The anti-tumor activity of aspirin has been demonstrated, but its efficacy in preventing MGC remains controversial. We evaluated the effect of aspirin on metachronous recurrence in H. pylori-negative patients. Methods: A total of 4351 patients were evaluated between January 2007 and December 2016, and 2151 patients who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. The primary outcome was the cumulative incidence of MGC after an endoscopic resection for EGC. Results: During a 5-year median follow-up (interquartile range, 3.5–6.2), MGC developed in 176 (7.7%) patients, with a cumulative incidence of 89.4% in aspirin users and 92.7% in non-users; this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.64). The duration of aspirin uses and the occurrence of MGC in both groups were not significantly different. There was no significant difference between groups when the duration of aspirin use was categorized into ≤1 year (hazard ratio (HR), 0.64; 0.20–2.01, p = 0.45), 1–4 years (HR, 1.35; 0.66–2.76, p = 0.41), and >4 years (HR, 1.17; 0.67–2.03, p = 0.58). Conclusions: Aspirin use was not associated with a lower risk of MGC in H. pylori-negative patients. Further prospective studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The ambient cured EGC with local PVA fiber was developed. • The impact behaviors of EGC under elevated temperatures was investigated. • The influences of different parameters were discussed. Engineered geopolymer composite (EGC) is a novel fiber reinforced geopolymeric material with ultra-high ductility, which is more eco-friendly than engineered cementitious composite (ECC) due to the substitution of cement. This paper was intended to investigate the impact behaviours of EGC exposed to elevated temperatures. The ambient cured EGC with local PVA fibers was first designed and tested under compressive and flexural loading conditions. The comparisons between ECC and EGC were made concerning the compressive and flexural behaviours. Then, the drooping hammer tests of EGC, ECC, cement and geopolymer matrixes were conducted under different environment temperatures, i.e., 50 °C, 100 °C and 150 °C. As the temperature increased from 50 °C to 150 °C, the impact resistance of cement decreased while the impact resistance of geopolymer increased gradually. It was also found that EGC has higher maximum impact load and impact duration than ECC as the environment temperature increased, indicating that EGC may be more suitable for the impact protection of structures under high temperatures. At the environment temperature of 50 °C, the energy dissipation capacity of EGC increased with the increase of alkali concentration, while the alkali concentration was recommended to be lower than 12 mol/L when the environment temperature is above 100 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Catechin content of green tea drinks commercially available is reported to be very low in comparison with tea traditionally prepared, due to catechins conversion to their corresponding epimers during production. The purpose of this present study was to produce catechin-enriched tea drinks according to a two-step brewing procedure and to verify the catechin stability of those enriched drinks during storage. Those results confirmed that it is possible to produce EGC- and EGCG-enriched tea drinks regardless of the green tea used. Good extraction efficiencies were reached for the first and second extraction steps with catechin extraction yields ranging from 63.6% to 84.8%. Furthermore, it appeared that the catechin content in the two enriched tea drinks demonstrated a great stability since no significant degradation occurred within 8 weeks of storage. This simple two-step extraction procedure could be considered as an interesting way to produce enriched green tea drinks with more potent and stable bioactive catechins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A multiplex PCR assay that allows for the rapid screening of the 19 genes that encode staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) (sea to see, and seg to sei), SE-like (SEl) toxins (sej to ser, and seu), and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) (tst) was developed in this study. These toxins are included in the pyrogenic toxin superantigen (PTSAg) family and are responsible for many diseases such as staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) and TSS. The primers were designed based on dual priming oligonucleotide (DPO) technology to detect all of the 19 SAg genes in three sets of PCR. The developed multiplex PCR was applied to 143 Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from pork and chicken meat in Korea. Almost 50% of the strains possessed at least one of the 19 SAg genes. The most frequently found genes were seg, sei, sem, and sen (53 isolates, 37%), which were often found simultaneously in the same isolate. In those isolates, the seo (39 isolates, 27%) or seu (6 isolates, 4%) genes were frequently found together and this combination (seg, sei, sem, sen, and seo or seu) was considered to be a part of the enterotoxin gene cluster (egc). The sea gene (10 isolates, 7%) was the gene most frequently detected out of all the classical SE genes (sea to see). Although these classical SEs are considered to be major etiological factors in SFP, newly described SE or SEl genes (seg to ser, and seu) were more frequently detected than the classical SE genes in this study. There was no isolate detected containing the seb, sec, sek, sel, or seq genes. S. aureus possessing mobile genetic elements known to encode these SAg genes, such as egc, were presumed to be widely distributed among pork and chicken meats in Korea. The multiplex PCR developed in this study could be applied to the investigation of SAg genes in S. aureus strains isolated from various sources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The teleost gill is considered to be of significant immunological importance, as it is one of the first tissues exposed to environmental or pathogenic challenge and thus should be well equipped to mount an effective immune response. This study characterizes ultrastructurally and immunocytochemically a tissue granulocyte (eosinophilic granular cell) from the winter flounder gill that was previously determined to be involved in the gene expression and synthesis of a known antimicrobial peptide (pleurocidin). The cell is irregular in shape with a cytoplasm characterized by numerous large, electron-dense, membrane-bounded granules. The nucleus is euchromatic and closely associated with a prominent rough endoplasmic reticulum. The cytoplasm typically contains two to three mitochondria and a centralized Golgi apparatus surrounded by numerous electron-lucent vesicles. Immunogold staining of the cells with an anti-pleurocidin antibody shows large number of gold particles in direct association with the electron-dense granules. These data provide the first evidence definitively showing storage of an antimicrobial peptide in the cytoplasmic granules of an eosinophilic granule cell resident in gill tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In comparison to the well-recognized adaptogenic herb Rhodiola rosea, phytochemical constituents of two other Rhodiola species (R. heterodonta and R. semenovii) were elucidated and characterized. Two major phytochemical groups; phenolic and/or cyanogenic glycosides and proanthocyanidins, were isolated and identified in the three species. Chemical similarities among the three species were observed; however, each species displayed differences in phytochemical constituents. R. heterodonta contained a newly detected phenylethanoid glycoside, heterodontoside, in addition to the known compounds tyrosol, viridoside, salidroside, and rhodiocyanoside A. Both R. heterodonta and R. rosea contained phenylethanoid/propanoid compounds that were not detected in R. semenovii. For R. semenovii, the cyanogenic glucosides rhodiocyanoside A and lotaustralin were detected. Although the three species have proanthocyanidins composed of (−)-epigallocatechin and its 3-O-gallate esters in common, the degree of polymerization greatly differed between them. In contrast to R. heterodonta and R. semenovii, R. rosea has higher molecular weight polymeric proanthocyanidins. This study resulted in the identification and isolation of phytochemical constituents for direct cross-comparison between three Rhodiola species of medicinal and pharmacological value. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tea polyphenols have inhibitive effects for carcinogenesis. A reporter system controlled by hTERT promoter was constructed to evaluate the effects of tea polyphenols, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and (−)-epigallocatechin (EGC) on the repression of hTERT transcription. The hTERT promoter activity was selectively repressed by 20–40μM EGCG and EGC in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Real-time RT-PCR confirmed that the endogenous hTERT mRNA level was decreased in H1299, OECM-1 and SAS cells treated with EGCG or EGC. Our results identified the repression activities of EGCG and EGC toward telomerase expression that might be linked to inhibition of carcinoma cell growth. This cell-based reporter system is useful for screening drugs targeting hTERT repression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Previous studies suggested that naturally occurring EGCG primarily acted on the bacterial cell membrane then damaged the membrane and the gallate moiety in EGCG was very important to its anti-bacterial activity. However, the detailed mechanisms were still poorly understood. In this paper, EGCG and EGC were selected to study the great contribution of gallate moiety on the anti-bacterial activities of polyphenols. The results indicated that EGCG could penetrate deeper into the POPG lipid bilayer and possess more potent structure-perturbing potency on the POPG lipid bilayer than EGC. We also found that EGCG had the ability to form hydrogen bonds with the deeper inside oxygen atoms in the POPG lipid bilayer and the gallate moiety was the key functional group for EGCG forming hydrogen bonds with the POPG lipid bilayer. Moreover, results from the binding free energy analysis demonstrated that the gallate moiety made great contribution to the high affinity between EGCG and the POPG lipid bilayer. We believed that these findings could yield useful insights into the influence mechanisms of gallate moiety on the anti-bacterial activities of polyphenols. [Display omitted] • The influence mechanisms of gallate moiety on the anti-bacterial activities of polyphenols were studied by MD simulation. • EGCG could penetrate deeper into the POPG bilayer than EGC. • EGCG possessed more potent structure-perturbing potency on POPG bilayer than EGC. • Gallate moiety was key functional group for EGCG forming h-bonds with POPG bilayer. • Gallate moiety greatly contributed to the affinity between EGCG and POPG bilayer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiotensin II (Ang II) regulates colon contraction, acting not only directly on smooth muscle but also indirectly, interfering with myenteric neuromodulation mediated by the activation of AT1 /AT2 receptors. In this article, we aimed to explore which mediators and cells were involved in Ang II-mediated colonic contraction in the TNBS-induced rat model of colitis. The contractile responses to Ang II were evaluated in distinct regions of the colon of control animals or animals with colitis in the absence and presence of different antagonists/inhibitors. Endogenous levels of Ang II in the colon were assessed by ELISA and the number of AT1/AT2 receptors by qPCR. Ang II caused AT1 receptor-mediated colonic contraction that was markedly decreased along the colons of TNBS-induced rats, consistent with reduced AT1 mRNA expression. However, the effect mediated by Ang II is much more intricate, involving (in addition to smooth muscle cells and nerve terminals) ICC and EGC, which communicate by releasing ACh and NO in a complex mechanism that changes colitis, unveiling new therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the major polyphenol in green tea and has been considered a natural agent that can help to reduce the risk of obesity. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of EGCG on thermogenesis and mitochondrial biogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT) of diet-induced obese mice. Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice were provided a high-fat diet for 8 weeks to induce obesity, following which they were divided into two groups: one on a high-fat control diet and the other on a 0.2% EGCG (w/w)-supplemented high-fat diet for another 8 weeks. Results: The EGCG-supplemented group showed decreased body weight gain, and plasma and liver lipids. EGCG-fed mice exhibited higher body temperature and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content in BAT. The messenger RNA levels of genes related to thermogenesis and mitochondrial biogenesis in BAT were increased by EGCG. Moreover, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity in BAT was stimulated by EGCG. Conclusions: The results suggest that EGCG may have anti-obesity properties through BAT thermogenesis and mitochondria biogenesis, which are partially associated with the regulation of genes related to thermogenesis and mitochondria biogenesis, and the increase in mtDNA replication and AMPK activation in BAT of diet-induced obese mice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]