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Purpose: To evaluate the effect of immersion in water on deforma8on of maxillary denture bases created with CAD/CAM and heat-polymerized resin fabrica8on techniques under loading condi8ons. Materials and Methods: 2-mm-thick denture bases were fabricated using four techniques: CAD/CAM milling (CCM; Polywax PMMA blank, Yamachi PMMA disk Yamahachi Dental); 3D prin8ng (3DP; BV005, NextDent Base); compression molding (CM; Luciton 199, Dentsply Sirona); and injec8on molding (IM; Ivobase, Ivoclar; n = 5 per group). Three sta8c 49-N loads were applied perpendicular to each denture base, and the mean strain value (MSV) was recorded with strain gauges a[ached to the denture surface. The denture bases were stored at 37°C in dis8lled water for 14 and 28 days, and the MSVs under the same sta8c load were recorded. Results: The highest MSVs were observed at the posterior palatal seal, tuberosity, and labial notches of the dentures. The lowest MSVs were recorded for the CCM group and then the CM and IM groups. The highest MSVs were recorded for the 3DP group. No significant differences in regional MSVs (P > .05) were observed among the CCM, CM, and IM aber 14 and 28 days in water. Large devia8ons in MSVs were recorded for the 3DP group across the measurement sites aber water exposure (P < .05). Conclusions: CCM had the lowest denture deforma8on under sta8c loading. Aber immersion in water, the deforma8on changes under sta8c loading were stable for CCM, CM, and IM. However, varia8ons among the materials used in 3DP group influenced the mechanical performance and presented larger deformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional and folk medicine has used the placenta to treat a wide range of ailments. Fatigue is one of the frequent physiological reactions resulting from hard physical and mental work or severe life stress. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of sheep placental extract (SPE) on memory and exercise performance in aged mice. Senescence-accelerated mouse prone-8 (SAMP8) was used as an ageing model and mice were fed with 3 (low, medium, and high) doses of SPE. Passive and active avoidance tests were performed to assess the memory function, treadmill exercise, forelimb grip strength test, liver glycogen and serum lactate were measured to assess the exercise performance. The memory of the aged mice was improved after SPE administration. Further, SPE treatment increased exercise performance by increasing forelimb grip strength and liver glycogen levels and decreasing serum lactate levels. To conclude, feeding sheep placental extract improves learning, memory, and exercise performance in ageing mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-powered photoelectrochemical (PEC) ultraviolet photodetectors (UVPDs) are promising for next-generation energy-saving and highly integrated optoelectronic systems. Constructing a heterojunction is an effective strategy to increase the photodetection performance of PEC UVPDs because it can promote the separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers. However, both crystal defects and lattice mismatch lead to deteriorated device performance. Here, we introduce a structural regulation strategy to prepare TiO2 anatase-rutile heterophase homojunctions (A-R HHs) with oxygen vacancies (OVs) photoanodes through an in situ topological transformation of titanium metal–organic framework (Ti-MOF) by pyrolysis treatment. The cooperative interaction between A-R HHs and OVs suppresses carrier recombination and accelerates carrier transport, thereby significantly enhancing the photodetection performance of PEC UVPDs. The obtained device realizes a high on/off ratio of 10,752, a remarkable responsivity of 24.15 mA W−1, an impressive detectivity of 3.28 × 1011 Jones, and excellent cycling stability. More importantly, under 365 nm light illumination, a high-resolution image of “HUST” (the abbreviation of Harbin University of Science and Technology) was obtained perfectly, confirming the excellent optical imaging capability of the device. This research not only presents an advanced methodology for constructing TiO2 -based PEC UVPDs, but also provides strategic guidance for enhancing their performance and practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the "safety switch" of lithium batteries, the separator controls the electrochemical performance and safety performance of lithium batteries. However, highly flammable and easy to induce lithium dendrite generation of commercial polyolefin pose a huge safety hazard for current commercial lithium-ion batteries. Therefore, developing a flame-retardant, lithium dendrite-inhibiting separator can achieve further leap in the lithium battery industry. A "sandwich" separator (SPS-B) is designed by integrating silk fibroin (SF), decabromodiphenyl ethane, and polyvinyl alcohol through electrospinning. SPS-B shows excellent flame-retardant properties through a free radical trapping mechanism. Moreover, the SPS-B demonstrated satisfactory capability of suppressing lithium dendrites by constructing Li3N-SEI with high ionic conductivity and high strength, and the secondary structure β-sheets of SF can inhibit the "tip effect" of lithium dendrites, which enables efficient lithium plating/stripping in Li//Li and Li//Cu cells. In addition, the enhanced porosity, electrolyte affinity of SPS-B promotes excellent electrochemical performance with enhanced discharge capacity and reduced concentration polarization. Finally, fire risk of soft-pack batteries are evaluated by continuous external heating. Compared with commercial separator, soft-pack batteries with SPS-B show much lower heat release rate, peak temperature and flue gas release rate, further confirming the effectiveness of SPS-B in reducing fire risk. Overall, the SPS-B provides a satisfactory way to develop high-performance and superior safety lithium batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Analyzing the chemical composition and blood-entry components of Nourishing Blood Diuretic Formula (NBDF) by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), and analyzing the mechanism of NBDF in the treatment of chronic renal failure by combining network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. Methods: The prototype components were obtained by LC-MS, and the targets of the prototype components and the targets for the treatment of chronic renal failure (CRF) were predicted by network pharmacology to obtain the common targets of the drug and the disease, which were then subjected to gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses, and molecular docking was carried out between the compounds of the prototype components and the key targets, so as to screen out the active ingredients, the targets and the signaling pathways that were closely related to the efficacy of NBDF. Results: Synthesizing the test information, 125 compounds were identified from the solution of NBDF, and 48 blood-entry components were identified from rat plasma containing the drug, including 6 prototypical components, and 102 potential targets of action, 515 GO entries, and 133 KEGG pathways were obtained from the web-based pharmacological analyses, and molecular docking was performed to obtain the binding of the 6 prototypical component compounds and the 9 key targets, and the formononetin, emodin, epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, sennoside A, and astragaloside III were hypothesized to be the active components of NBDF in the treatment of CRF. Conclusion: This study initially demonstrated that Nourishing Blood and Diuretic Formula exert its therapeutic effects on CRF through multicomponents, multitargets, and multimethods, and elucidated its pharmacological material basis and therapeutic mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HS-173 is a specific inhibitor of the Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase a (PI3Ka) subtype. Although it was shown to potentially inhibit tumor angiogenesis, experimental validation studies are still needed. This study provides an experimental basis for the role of HS-173 in breast cancer. A mouse model of subcutaneous transplantation breast cancer was constructed. The mice were treated with different concentrations of HS-173. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect tumor microvessel density, and the appropriate concentration was determined. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the morphology integrity of tumor vessels' lumen, transmission electron microscopy to detect tight junctions between endothelial cells and the integrity of the basement membrane, Doppler ultrasound to detect tumor blood perfusion, and small animal live imaging to detect the penetration of doxorubicin in the tumor tissues. After HS-173 treatment, the number of tumor interstitial microvessels decreased, the lack of tumor vascular lumen was reduced, and the continuity and integrity of the vascular lumen were increased. Vascular endothelial cells showed complete morphology with good tight junctions. The extracellular matrix was rich in components and tended to form basement membranes. HS-173 also increased the blood perfusion in the tumor tissue compared with the doxorubicin treatment alone. Further, the fluorescence signal intensity of the tumor tissue doxorubicin was significantly enhanced after HS-173 treatment. The PI3K inhibitor HS-173 showed promising potential in inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and improving the structure and function of blood vessels in the tumor microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fenton reaction is an important method to remove NO from flue gas. • OH radicals generated in the Fenton reaction can effectively oxidize NO to NO2, which is absorbed and removed by alkali sorbent. To supply guidance for engineering research, numerical simulation of NO oxidation by • OH radical clusters in flue gas has been carried out using Fluent software. The average concentration of NO on the cross sections at various positions of a cylindrical pipe with a circular surface was calculated by simulation. Under various working conditions (temperature, • OH/NO molar ratio, NO concentration in flue gas, and jet velocity), NO oxidation efficiency by • OH radical was simulated and the key factors affecting NO oxidation were analyzed. The results show that temperature and • OH/NO molar ratio are the key factors affecting the oxidation of NO by • OH radicals. The injection velocity has also a significant effect on the oxidation efficiency while the moisture and oxygen content are minor factors influencing the process. The optimum oxidation efficiency of NO is obtained at 473-523 K, the molar ratio of • OH/NO ca. 1.4, the jet velocity 10 m/s, and the flue gas velocity of 3 m/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammals are frequently exposed to various environmental stimuli, and to determine whether to approach or avoid these stimuli, the brain must assign emotional valence to them. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the neural circuitry mechanisms involved in the mammalian brain's processing of emotional valence. Although the central amygdala (CeA) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) individually encode different or even opposing emotional valences, it is unclear whether there are common upstream input neurons that innervate and control both these regions, and it is interesting to know what emotional valences of these common upstream neurons. In this study, we identify three major brain regions containing neurons that project to both the CeA and the VTA, including the posterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (pBNST), the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg), and the anterior part of the basomedial amygdala (BMA). We discover that these neural populations encode distinct emotional valences. Activating neurons in the pBNST produces positive valence, enabling mice to overcome their innate avoidance behavior. Conversely, activating neurons in the PPTg produces negative valence and induces anxiety-like behaviors in mice. Neuronal activity in the BMA, on the other hand, does not influence valence processing. Thus, our study has discovered three neural populations that project to both the CeA and the VTA and has revealed the distinct emotional valences these populations encode. These results provide new insights into the neurological mechanisms involved in emotional regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical exercise as an intervention for improving cognitive function, especially executive function, is receiving increasing attention because it is easily accessible, cost-effective and promises many additional health-related benefits. While previous studies focused on aerobic exercise and resistance exercise, recent findings have suggested that exercise with high coordination demand elicits beneficial effects on executive function. We therefore examined the effects of an acute slackline exercise on the executive functions of young adults. Methods: In a crossover experimental design, 47 healthy participants (21 females), ranging in age from 18 to 27 years (M = 19.17, SD = 1.94) were randomly assigned to different sequences of two conditions (slackline exercise and film-watching). Before and after the 50 min intervention, a modified Simon task was used to assess participants' executive function (inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility). Results: College students showed better inhibitory control performance as indicated by shorter reaction times following acute slackline exercise than those who participated in the film-watching session. As there was no difference in accuracy between the slackline exercise and film-watching sessions, the shortened reaction time after slackline exercise provides evidence against a simple speed-accuracy trade-off. Conclusion: Compared with film-watching, acute slackline exercise provides favorable effects on executive function necessitating inhibition in young adults. These findings provide insight into exercise prescription and cognition, and further evidence for the beneficial effects of coordination exercise on executive functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic has had an unprecedented and persistent impact on oncological practice, especially for patients with lung cancer, who are more vulnerable to the virus than the normal population. Indeed, the onset, progression, and prognosis of the two diseases may in some cases influence each other, and inflammation is an important link between them. The original chronic inflammatory environment of lung cancer patients may increase the risk of infection with COVID-19 and exacerbate secondary damage. Meanwhile, the acute inflammation caused by COVID-19 may induce tumour progression or cause immune activation. In this article, from the perspective of the immune microenvironment, the pathophysiological changes in the lungs and whole body of these special patients will be summarised and analysed to explore the possible immunological storm, immunosuppression, and immune escape phenomenon caused by chronic inflammation complicated by acute inflammation. The effects of COVID-19 on immune cells, inflammatory factors, chemokines, and related target proteins in the immune microenvironment of tumours are also discussed, as well as the potential role of the COVID-19 vaccine and immune checkpoint inhibitors in this setting. Finally, we provide recommendations for the treatment of lung cancer combined with COVID-19 in this special group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The occurrence of ischemic stroke (IS) is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The cancer burden of NAFLD complicated by IS also warrants attention. This study aimed to identify candidate immune biomarkers linked to NAFLD and IS and analyze their association with cancer. Methods: Two of each of the NAFLD and IS datasets were downloaded, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and module genes were screened via weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA). Subsequently, utilizing machine learning (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, random forest and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination) and immune cell infiltration analysis, immune-related candidate biomarkers for NAFLD with IS were determined. Simultaneously, a nomogram was established, the diagnostic efficacy was assessed, and the role of candidate biomarkers in cancer was ascertained through pan-cancer analyses. Results: In this study, 117 and 98 DEGs were identified from the combined NAFLD and IS datasets, respectively, and 279 genes were obtained from the most significant modules of NAFLD. NAFLD module genes and IS DEGs were intersected to obtain nine genes, which were enriched in the inflammatory response and immune regulation. After overlapping the results of the three machine learning algorithms, six candidate genes were obtained, based on which a nomogram was constructed. The calibration curve demonstrated good accuracy, and the candidate genes had high diagnostic values. The genes were found to be related to the immune dysregulation of stroke, and RRS1 was strongly associated with the prognosis, immune cell infiltration, microsatellite instability (MSI), and tumor mutation burden (TMB). Conclusion: Six common candidate immune-related genes (PTGS2, FCGR1A, MMP9, VNN3, S100A12, and RRS1) of NAFLD and IS were identified, and a nomogram for diagnosing NAFLD with IS was established. RRS1 may serve as a candidate gene for predicting the prognosis of patients with cancer who have NAFLD complicated by IS, which could aid in their diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alteration of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in serum may cause sleep disturbance, circadian rhythm disorder, and/or even emotional illness. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter and has been widely used for reduction of depression, anxiety, and/or psychological stress since it can raise the total or parasympathetic nerve activities in the mammalian central nervous system. However, drawbacks including short half-life in vivo and low absorption efficiency make synthetic GABA less usability in drug formulation, while it is more effective to uptake GABA through long term/regular daily diet. In this study, we successfully produced GABA-enriched rice by inoculating grain seeds of Taiwanese rice with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (B. amyloliquefaciens) during germination, and demonstrated that the B. amyloliquefaciens-inoculated rice (BAR) can grow with a normal root/sprout length but significantly increased germination ratio compared to the rice without B. amyloliquefaciens treatment. Based on the animal study in association with the hole board test, our data showed that the level of serum NPY as well as the number of head-dips of the mice treated with the BAR for 8 days significantly enhanced 2 folds (P < 0.01) compared to the mice without GABA, but such BAR-induced efficacies dramatically vanished as their gastrointestinal GABAB receptor and/or vagus nerves were removed through use of GABA receptor antagonist or vagotomy, respectively. These results manifested the potential of the BAR on anxiolytic applications and unveiled likely mediators for GABA-induced anxiolytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have demonstrated that SOX9 was highly expressed and played critical roles in increasing cancer stem cell expansion as well as decreasing sensitivity to the sorafenib therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, the potential functions and mechanisms of SOX9 in promoting hepatocellular carcinoma progression were investigated through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. We found that SOX9 mainly participated in heat stress response, protein folding as well as metabolism and biosynthesis of amino acid. SOX9 correlated with HSPA1B were negative to the progression in hepatocellular carcinoma patients. These results suggest that SOX9 participated in hepatocellular carcinoma progression through targeted regulation of HSPA1B that might provide novel insights in hepatocellular carcinoma therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Ferroptosis plays important roles in tumorigenesis and cancer therapy. Zoledronic acid is known to inhibit the activity of farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase, a key enzyme in the mevalonate pathway. We examined whether zoledronic acid can inhibit the growth of osteosarcoma cells by inducing ferroptosis. Methods: Cell viability was analyzed by using CCK8 reagent and counting cells with trypan blue exclusion. Ferroptosis markers including lipid peroxide and PTGS2 expression were examined by flow cytometry, western blot, and quantitative PCR analyses. Cellular ubiquinone content was determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Ferrostatin-1 and RSL3 were used as the ferroptosis inhibitor and inducer respectively. Results: Zoledronic acid treatment decreased cell viability and promoted the increase in lipid peroxide content and PTGS2 expression. Addition of ferrostatin-1 reverted these effects of zoledronic acid on osteosarcoma cells, supporting a role of zoledronic acid in inducing ferroptosis. Mechanistically, zoledronic acid significantly decreased ubiquinone, a metabolite of the mevalonate pathway. Treating cells with exogenous ubiquinone prevented zoledronic acid-induced ferroptosis and decrease in the growth of osteosarcoma cells. In addition, zoledronic acid enhanced the expression of HMOX1, whereas knockdown of HMOX1 inhibited the zoledronic acid-induced increase in lipid peroxide level and decrease in cell growth. Finally, zoledronic acid together with RSL3 significantly enhanced the inhibitory effect on the growth of osteosarcoma cells. Conclusion: Our results indicate that zoledronic acid induces ferroptosis by decreasing ubiquinone content and promoting HMOX1 expression in osteosarcoma cells. Zoledronic acid together with ferroptosis inducer may be a promising new strategy for the treatment of osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. It is a progressive disorder that arises from multiple genetic and environmental factors. Dysregulated expression of vesiclemediated transport-related genes (VMTRGs) have been reported in several cancers. However, the prognostic significance of VMTRGs in LUAD has yet to be established. Methods: The VMTRG profiling data for 482 LUAD patients and 59 normal controls were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Altas (TCGA). Univariate Cox regression and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression analyses were performed to construct and optimize the risk model. Several GEO datasets were used to validate the risk model. The roles of these genes were investigated via the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analyses. Differences in immune cell infiltrations between risk groups were evaluated using five algorithms. “pRRophetic” was used to investigate anti-cancer drug sensitivities in two groups. Expression of these five genes in LUAD samples and adjacent normal tissues were evaluated by qRT-PCR. Colony formation and wound healing assays were performed to assess the significance of CNIH1 and AP3S1 in LUAD cells. Results: We identified 85 prognosis-associated VMTRGs that could be constructed a risk model for LUAD patients, indicating their potential importance in LUAD development. The risk model including the five VMTRGs (CNIH1, KIF20A, GALNT2, GRIA1, and AP3S1) was associated with clinical outcomes. Tumor stage and risk score were found to be independent prognostic factors for LUAD patients. The five VMTRGs were also correlated with activation of the Notch and p53 signaling pathways. The risk model was significantly associated with immune responses and with high-level expression of immune checkpoints. High-risk group patients were more sensitive to several chemotherapeutic drugs and Lapatinib. Furthermore, CNIH1 and AP3S1 promoted LUAD cell growth and migration in vitro. Conclusion: We constructed a VMTRG-based risk model for effective prediction of prognostic outcomes for LUAD patients. The risk model was associated with immune infiltration levels. These five hub genes are potential targets for immune therapy combined with chemotherapy in LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As for complex engineering structures, their single deterministic solutions need to be calculated with the help of computationintensive finite element software, and the corresponding computation time always lasts very long. When referring to robust design optimization of complex engineering structures, the above expensive job should be repeatedly carried out for a considerable amount of time during the full optimization process. Hence, such repetitive jobs may be difficult to complete for most engineering applications. Aiming at this problem, the paper proposes a general methodology for reliability-based robust design optimization (RBRDO). Firstly, the improved formulation of the RBRDO problem is proposed based on the conventional RBRDO form, and the original probabilistic constraint functions in the improved formulation are changed into the deterministic ones by means of employing the performance measure approach (PMA). Secondly, the above-mentioned improved RBRDO problem is approximately replaced by a new sequence of approximate suboptimizations. For each suboptimization, its original PMA functions are replaced by the approximate explicit form only concerning the deterministic design variables rather than random variables. In this way, each suboptimization is deterministic. Furthermore, the trust-region method is adopted to ensure that the new sequence of suboptimization converge to the original improved RBRDO problem. Lastly, a test problem and three applications are adopted to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the above-proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Management & Business Research (2521-4306) is the property of Chinese Management Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The effects of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) concept combined with postoperative leg pad elevation on knee enhancement, quality of life, and pain in sufferers after high tibial osteotomy (HTO) are investigated. A total of 98 sufferers who underwent high tibial osteotomy in our hospital from January 2020 to May 2021 were selected as the study subjects. Two sets of sufferers are randomly divided into the study set and the routine set by the random number table method, with 49 cases in each set. The contrast set is given routine nursing intervention, and the ERAS concept combined with self-made raising leg pad nursing is given to the study set on the basis of the contrast set. E;cacy, joint pain, knee function, SF-36 fraction, quality of life fraction, and psychological status fraction are observed in 2 sets. Experimental results show that for sufferers after HTO surgery, the application of the ERAS concept combined with leg pad nursing therapy can effectively enhance postoperative knee function and adverse mood, reduce postoperative pain, and enhance postoperative quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of hyperuricemia (HUA) and gout continuously increases and has become a major public health problem. The gut microbiota, which colonizes the human intestine, has a mutually beneficial and symbiotic relationship with the host and plays a vital role in the host's metabolism and immune regulation. Structural changes or imbalance in the gut microbiota could cause metabolic disorders and participate in the synthesis of purinemetabolizing enzymes and the release of inflammatory cytokines, which is closely related to the occurrence and development of the metabolic immune disease HUA and gout. The gut microbiota as an entry point to explore the pathogenesis of HUA and gout has become a new research hotspot. This review summarizes the characteristics of the gut microbiota in patients with HUA and gout. Meanwhile, the influence of different dietary structures on the gut microbiota, the effect of the gut microbiota on purine and uric acid metabolism, and the internal relationship between the gut microbiota and metabolic endotoxemia/inflammatory factors are explored. Moreover, the intervention effects of probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbial transplantation on HUA and gout are also systematically reviewed to provide a gut flora solution for the prevention and treatment of related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Urine-soluble CD163 (usCD163) is released from alternatively activated macrophages involved in the resolution of inflammation in glomeruli and plays an important role in glomerulonephritis. This study explored the role of usCD163 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Materials and Methods: usCD163 concentrations were measured cross-sectionally in 261 SLE patients in Taiwan. Clinical and laboratory data were collected, and SLE disease activity scores were calculated to assess the correlation with usCD163. Results: SLE patients with high usCD163 levels tended to be younger, with a higher hospital admission rate, higher prednisolone dose, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, higher urine protein creatinine ratio (UPCR), more pyuria and hematuria, higher levels of inflammatory markers, higher rates of anemia, neutropenia, and lymphopenia, lower complement 3 (C3) levels, higher anti-double-stranded DNA antibody (anti-dsDNA Ab) levels, and higher disease activity scores (p < 0.05). usCD163 levels were significantly higher in patients with active lupus nephritis (LN) than in those with extrarenal or inactive SLE and correlated with UPCR, disease activity, and anti-dsDNA Ab levels. SLE patients with high usCD163 levels tended to have a higher chronic kidney disease stage. Discussion and conclusion: The usCD163 level correlates with the severity of LN and disease activity in renal SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn stover, an underutilized agricultural residue, is a promising lignocellulosic feedstock for producing biofuels. To fully utilize it, pretreatment is needed. Typically, pretreatments are rapidly assessed using extracellular enzymes that release sugars from cellulose and hemicellulose. In contrast, this study uses methane‐arrested anaerobic digestion (MAAD) to assess pretreatments. Although time consuming, MAAD is a more accurate assessment technique when lignocellulose is employed in the carboxylate platform, a promising approach that utilizes nearly all biomass components. Using recommended pretreatment conditions identified from a previous study, three corn stover pretreatments were compared using MAAD: (1) shock‐only, (2) NaOH‐only, and (3) shock + NaOH. Air‐dried sewage sludge was used as nutrient source. At 100 g/L initial substrate concentration, compared to untreated corn stover, shock‐only decreased conversion (amount of biomass digested) by 14%, NaOH‐only increased conversion by 82%, and shock + NaOH increased conversion by 104%. Using batch MAAD data, the continuum particle distribution model simulated four‐stage countercurrent fermentation. At an industrial non‐acid volatile solids (NAVS) concentration of 300 g/Lliq, for both NaOH‐only and shock + NaOH, the model predicts total carboxylic acid concentration of about 58 g/L and conversion of about 0.85 g NAVSdigested/g NAVSfed at liquid retention time of 35 days and volatile solid loading rate of 4 g/(Lliq⋅day). At this long solid residence time, shock is not necessary; however, with short solid residence times, shock acts synergistically to aid NaOH pretreatment. Shock treatment offers a way to reduce pretreatment costs without sacrificing pretreatment efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Studies have shown that Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) effectively improved the response rate and reduced the maximum nodule diameter of benign thyroid nodules (BTN). (is study aimed at systematically reviewing all related studies to assess the clinical efficacy of CHM and Western medicine in the treatment of BTN. Methods. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang databases were searched for randomized controlled trials, published between 2000 and 2021, on CHM for treating BTN. The control group comprised patients treated with Western medicine (oral thyroxine tablets or microwave ablation), while the treatment group was treated with CHM combined with Western medicine. Meta-analysis was performed using the Stata 16.0 software. Results. A total of 264 articles were retrieved, of which 12 were finally selected for analysis after screening. The results showed that combined therapy was associated with a higher response rate (OR = 3.35, 95% CI (2.40, 4.68), P <0.05). After treatment, the maximum nodule diameter (SMD = -0.76, 95%, CI (-0.98, -0.53), P <0.05) and thyroid volume (SMD = -1.14, 95%, CI (-1.94, -0.35), P <0.05) of the treatment group were smaller than those of the control group. Furthermore, the combined treatment was associated with lower levels of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the serum of patients and lower traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score (SMD = -1.87, 95%, CI (-3.16, -0.58), P <0.05). Conclusion. CHM combined with thyroid hormone/microwave improved the response rate of BTN. The combined treatment was also associated with reducing the maximum nodule diameter, thyroid volume, levels of FT3, FT4, and TSH, and TCM syndrome score. (erefore, combining CHM with WM could be considered as an alternative and effective treatment for treating BTN, suggesting promising integration of Chinese medicine with Western medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the mechanism of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) in appetite regulation based on network pharmacology. Methods. The active components and action targets of jujube were retrieved through the TCMSP and TCMID databases. GeneCards, DisGeNet, Therapeutic Target Database, and OMIM were used to screen the related targets for appetite, appetite suppression, and appetite regulation, and the intersection target of the two was selected. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. Important protein nodes and subnets were predicted based on the cytoHubba plug-in, and the hub gene was screened. Additionally, GO and KEGG pathway analyses were performed to obtain potential biological processes and signaling pathways of key targets. And the active ingredient-target-action pathway diagram was constructed. Results. A total of 16 active components were screened from jujube, including 131 action targets related to appetite and appetite regulation. Three key targets (MAOA, MMP2, and HSPB1) were screened out by MCODE analysis. KEGG enrichment analysis was mainly enriched in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, serotonin-containing synapse, gap junction, cAMP signaling pathway, and dopaminergic synapse. Molecular docking results showed that the components coclaurine, (-)-catenin, (+)-stepholidine, berberine, cianidanol, coclaurine, and moupinamide in jujube had strong binding activity to the main targets (ESR1, ADRA2C, and MMP2). Conclusion. Based on network pharmacology, the appetite modulating effects of jujube on multiple components, targets, and channels were explored, and the main active components of jujube were predicted to act on multiple signaling pathways to regulate appetite. The molecular docking results showed that the components in jujube had strong binding activity to the main targets, which provided new ideas and methods to further investigate the mechanisms of appetite regulation by jujube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Physical Education Journal is the property of National Society of Physical Education of the Republic of China and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study investigates digestibility enhancements of lignocellulose from shock pretreatment, alkaline pretreatment, and combination. Shock pretreatment subjects aqueous slurries of lignocellulose to shock waves, which disrupts its structure rendering it more susceptible to hydrolysis. Alkaline pretreatment submerges the biomass in aqueous alkali (NaOH, Ca(OH)2), which removes lignin and acetyl groups. As indicators of digestibility, cellulase (CTec3) and hemicellulase (HTec3) were used to saccharify the pretreated corn stover and the resulting filtrate which contains about 10% of the sugars. Shock is most effective when it precedes alkaline pretreatment, presumably because it opens the biomass structure and enhances diffusion of pretreatment chemicals. Lignocellulose digestibility from calcium hydroxide treatment improves significantly with oxygen addition. In contrast, sodium hydroxide is a more potent alkali, and thereby eliminates the need for oxygen to enhance pretreatment. At low hydroxide loadings (<4 g OH−/100 g dry biomass), both NaOH and Ca(OH)2 provide similar increases in digestibility; however, at high hydroxide loadings, NaOH is superior. For animal feed, Ca(OH)2 treatment is recommended, because residual calcium ions are valuable nutrients. In contrast, for methane‐arrested anaerobic digestion, NaOH treatment is preferred because NaHCO3 is a stronger buffer. At 50°C, shock pretreatment improves sugar yields at all NaOH loadings. The effect of shock is most pronounced when the no‐shock control employed the same soaking‐and‐drying procedure as the shock treatment. The recommended conditions are shock treatment (5.52 bar [abs] initial H2/O2 pressure) followed by 50°C alkaline treatment with NaOH loading of 4 g OH−/100 g dry biomass for 1 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of minimal invasive mastectomy has allowed surgeons to perform nipplesparing mastectomy via a shorter, inconspicuous incision under clear vision and with more precise hemostasis. However, it poses new challenges in microsurgical breast reconstruction, such as vascular anastomosis and flap insetting, which are considerably more difficult to perform through the shorter incision on the lateral breast border. We propose an innovative technique of transcutaneous medial fixation sutures to help in flap insetting and creating and maintaining the medial breast border. The sutures are placed after mastectomy and before flap transfer. Three 4-0 nylon suture loops are placed transcutaneously and into the pocket at the markings of the preferred lower medial border of the reconstructed breast. After microvascular anastomosis and temporary shaping of the flap on top of the mastectomy skin, the three corresponding points for the sutures are identified. The three nylon loops are then sutured to the dermis of the corresponding medial point of the flap. The flap is placed into the pocket by a simultaneous gentle pull on the three sutures and a combined lateral push. The stitches are then tied and buried after completion of flap inset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) activity has been related to automaticity during skilled action execution. However, few studies have bridged the causal link between SMR activity and sports performance. This study investigated the effect of SMR neurofeedback training (SMR NFT) on golf putting performance. We hypothesized that preelite golfers would exhibit enhanced putting performance after SMR NFT. Sixteen preelite golfers were recruited and randomly assigned into either an SMR or a control group. Participants were asked to perform putting while electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded, both before and after intervention. Our results showed that the SMR group performed more accurately when putting and exhibited greater SMR power than the control group after 8 intervention sessions. This study concludes that SMR NFT is effective for increasing SMR during action preparation and for enhancing golf putting performance. Moreover, greater SMR activity might be an EEG signature of improved attention processing, which induces superior putting performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psychiatric patients are affected by diseases and mental symptoms that may worsen their ability to adjust emotionally. Being unable to respond to the emptiness, increases the risk of suicidal behaviors. Purpose: This study was designed to translate the Experienced Level of Existential Emptiness (ELEE) scale, developed by Hazell in 1984, from the original English into Chinese and then to test its reliability and validity. Methods: This research adopted a cross-sectional design and collected data using convenience sampling and a structured questionnaire. The subjects of this study were psychiatric outpatients in the acute and chronic wards of a psychiatric hospital in Taiwan. The instruments used in this research included a demographic datasheet; the ELEE; the University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, version 3; the Beck Depression Inventory-II; the State- Trait Anxiety Inventory Y form; and the Oxford Happiness Inventory. After the data were obtained, the reliability and validity of the Chinese-version scale was tested. Results: Three hundred subjects were surveyed. The content validity index value of the ELEE was between .88 and 1, and the retest reliability and intrinsic consistency were good. From the analysis of criterion-related validity, a higher degree of emptiness was shown to correlate with more-obvious feelings of loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Conversely, a higher sense of happiness was shown to correlate with less-obvious feelings of these three variables. After the construct validity test, which used confirmatory factor analysis and regarded the co-variation coefficient of association and model fit index as the basis of consideration, the scale was reduced to two sub-scales of seven questions each. After the deletion of items, the scale retained good retest reliability and intrinsic consistency, supporting the retention of the 14 questions in the scale. Conclusions/ Implications for Practice: The findings of this study support using the Chinese version of the ELEE to measure emptiness in patients with mental illness and then providing appropriate medical assistance based on the measured results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays online shopping is widespread. Consumer behaviors are affected by attractive product pages in online stores. However, there are a number of marketers providing irrelevant evidence for advertising claims like fancy diagrams or temping stories to mislead online shoppers. In particular, health food often claims to be good for the human body, but it may not be able to express relevant evidence nor clear information to support such a statement. This study uses two experiments to probe the interaction of the evidence (high vs. low relevance to health claims and clear vs. unclear information) and consumers’ product knowledge. The results found that consumers who have high product knowledge are more concerned about evidence whereas those having low product knowledge are not sensitive about how evidence is presented. Moreover, the interaction effect of the evidence and product knowledge has a significant effect on consumers’ evaluation through persuasion knowledge as mediation. In conclusion, this study suggests that marketers should express evidence that is highly relevant to advertising claims and provide clear information to enhance consumers’ overall evaluation of health food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Direct-to-implant (DTI) breast reconstruction after nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) with the use of acellular dermal matrix (ADM) provides reliable outcomes; however, the use of ADM is associated with a higher risk of complications. We analyzed our experiences of post-NSM DTI without ADM and identified the predictive factors of adverse surgical outcomes. Methods Patients who underwent NSM and immediate DTI or two-stage tissue expander (TE) breast reconstruction from 2009 to 2020 were enrolled. Predictors of adverse endpoints were analyzed. Results There were 100 DTI and 29 TE reconstructions. The TE group had a higher rate of postmastectomy radiotherapy (31% vs. 11%; P=0.009), larger specimens (317.37±176.42 g vs. 272.08±126.33 g; P=0.047), larger implants (360.84±85.19 g vs. 298.83±81.13 g; P=0.004) and a higher implant/TE exposure ratio (10.3% vs. 1%; P=0.035). In DTI reconstruction, age over 50 years (odds ratio [OR], 5.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.50–19.74; P=0.010) and a larger mastectomy weight (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.08–2.51; P=0.021) were associated with a higher risk of acute complications. Intraoperative radiotherapy for the nipple-areolar complex increased the risk of acute complications (OR, 4.05; 95% CI, 1.07–15.27; P=0.039) and the likelihood of revision surgery (OR, 5.57; 95% CI, 1.25–24.93; P=0.025). Conclusions Immediate DTI breast reconstruction following NSM is feasible in Asian patients with smaller breasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) was initially applied to locally advanced breast cancer to convert advanced lesions to an operable status. Currently, its application has been expanded to enhance overall oncological results, especially in patients with triple-negative or HER-2-positive breast cancer. With more NACT being applied, the role and impact of this approach on breast reconstruction needs to be determined. This study aimed to perform a complete reconstructive outcome analysis of patients receiving NACT who underwent immediate breast reconstruction.Methods: A retrospective review of a single reconstructive surgeon's immediate breast reconstructions performed from July 2008 to December 2018 was undertaken. The results were stratified by the use of NACT. Patient demographics, delivery of NACT, adjuvant treatment, incidence of surgical complications, and postoperative photographs were analyzed.Results: A total of 269 patients were included. The mean follow-up was 46.3 months. Forty-six out of 269 patients received NACT and were included in the NACT group. The other patients were included in the non-NACT group. When implant-based reconstruction was planned, the NACT group had a higher rate of two-stage tissue expander-implant reconstruction than direct-to-implant reconstruction (p < 0.001). The requirement for postmastectomy radiotherapy was higher in the NACT group (p < 0.001). The surgical complication rates were similar between groups after adjusting for confounding factors. The objective aesthetic outcomes assessed by 6 plastic surgeons were also similar between groups.Conclusions: Immediate breast reconstruction is a safe and reliable procedure, with an acceptable reconstructive complication rate and satisfactory aesthetic outcomes, for patients treated with NACT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine whether frontal midline theta activity (Fmθ), an indicator of topdown sustained attention, can be used to distinguish an individual’s best and worst golf putting performances during the pre-putt period. Eighteen golfers were recruited and asked to perform 100 putts in a self-paced simulated putting task. We then compared the Fmθ power of each individual’s 15 best and worst putts. The results indicated that theta power in the frontal brain region significantly increased in both best and worst putts, compared with other midline regions. Moreover, the Fmθ power significantly decreased for the best putts compared with the worst putts. These findings suggest that Fmθ is a manifestation of sustained attention during a skilled performance and that optimal attentional engagement, as characterized by a lower Fmθ power, is beneficial for successful skilled performance rather than a higher Fmθ power reflecting excessive attentional control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between motor ability and response inhibition using behavioral and electrophysiological indices in children with ADHD. A total of 32 participants were recruited and underwent a motor ability assessment by administering the Basic Motor Ability Test-Revised (BMAT) as well as the Go/No-Go task and event-related potential (ERP) measurements at the same time. The results indicated that the BMAT scores were positively associated with the behavioral and ERP measures. Specifically, the BMAT average score was associated with a faster reaction time and higher accuracy, whereas higher BMAT subset scores predicted a shorter P3 latency in the Go condition. Although the association between the BMAT average score and the No-Go accuracy was limited, higher BMAT average and subset scores predicted a shorter N2 and P3 latency and a larger P3 amplitude in the No-Go condition. These findings suggest that motor abilities may play roles that benefit the cognitive performance of ADHD children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dual-band microstrip rectenna for wireless local area network (WLAN) applications is presented. It consists of a dual-band dual-polarized receiving antenna and a dual-band high efficiency rectifier. The receiving antenna includes a circular loop, a coplanar waveguide (CPW), and a microstrip line. To minimize mutual interference and ensure high isolation of more than 20 dB between the dual-polarized ports, a CPW is used to produce vertical polarization modes, and the horizontal polarization modes are fed by a microstrip line. The horizontal excitation port is used for information receiving, while the vertical feeding port transfers enough wireless energy for rectifying. A co-simulation of HFSS and ADS is used for analysing the performance of rectenna. Measured results show that it has the −10 dB reflection coefficient bandwidths of 510 MHz (2.39–3.09 GHz) and 920 MHz (5.16–6.08 GHz) for rectifying Port 1, where the isolation between the ports is higher than 25 dB, and the cross polarization is less than −15 dB in two bands. The maximum microwave-direct current (mw-dc) conversion efficiencies of 67.7% and 57.03% at 2.45 GHz and 5.8 GHz are achieved with a 300 Ω load and 16 dBm receiving power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Sodium aescinate (SA) is a vital salt of sodium escin from Aesculus wilsonii Rehd seeds. SA injection (SAI) has received great success in treating cerebral edema, venous reflux disease and other inflammatory conditions. Recently, high incidences of immediate hypersensitivity reactions were reported after SA infusion, which raised questions on safety and risk associated with its clinical application. This study was designed to check whether SAI and its four components induce degranulation using RBL-2H3 mast cells. For this purpose, we evaluated different treatment levels of SAI (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 μg ml-1) and its four characteristic components, SA-A, SA-B, SA-C and SA-D, at 60 μg ml-1 in different tests including cell viability test, β-hexosaminidase and histamine assays, oxidative stress indices, apoptosis analysis and intracellular calcium ions in RBL-2H3 cells. Our results demonstrated that SAI at 80 μg ml-1 and 100 μg ml-1, and its two components (SA-B and SA-D) at 60 μg ml-1 were responsible for disturbing cell morphology and cell viability, elevated levels of β-hexosaminidase, histamine, modulation of oxidative stress indices, induced apoptosis and increase in intracellular calcium ions in RBL-2H3 cells, when compared with the control. Our results demonstrated for the first time that SAI was more likely to induce immediate hypersensitivity reactions attributable to degranulation via oxidative stress caused by SA-B and SA-D components. These results would not only be useful for the safety of end user but also for the industry to improve the quality of SA infusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) for treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA) using a systemic review and meta-analysis. Methods. An extensive search of relevant articles from electronic databases Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library from inception to March 2019 was conducted. The treatment outcomes (visual analog scale [VAS] and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index [WOMAC]) of the included articles were pooled to calculate effect sizes. The assessment of heterogeneity among articles was evaluated using I2 . Statistical analyses were conducted using RevMan software. Results. The results showed that the ESWT group had significant improvement in pain relief compared with the control group through 12 months based on WOMAC and VAS scores. Compared with the baseline level, the patients had significant improvement in pain relief at most follow-up points (one week to 12 months) based on WOMAC and VAS scores. The patients showed significant improvement in physical function at six- and 12-month follow-up when compared with the control group and for all follow-up (one to 12 months) when compared with the baseline level. Additionally, only minor complications were observed after ESWT treatment. Conclusions. The use of ESWT for treatment of knee OA had a beneficial effect on pain relief and physical function improvement for up to 12 months, and only minor complications occurred after ESWT treatment. However, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the frequency and dosage levels of ESWT required to achieve the maximum improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives We studied the characteristics of patient and visitor violence (PVV) and the workload of doctors and nurses, and identified the correlation between the incidence of PVV and healthcare worker (HCW) workload in China. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting 288 public health institutions in a city in northern China. Participants Data on 87 998 HCWs were extracted from the 2015 database of the Medical Quality and Safety Notification System. Measures The data included characteristics of the healthcare institution, types of services provided, information about each complaint and reported PVV incidents by hospital level. Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression modelling were used to identify the correlation between the incidence of PVV and HCW workload. Results Three types of institutions were identified as being at particularly high risk for PVV: tertiary hospitals, specialised hospitals and institutions in a downtown district. Incidence rates of PVV at tertiary hospitals, specialised hospitals and institutions in a downtown district were 16.6%, 17.6% and 22.8%, respectively. All three types of institutions had a high inpatient workload (admissions per doctor per day): 0.15, 0.17 and 0.12, respectively. After controlling for scale, type and location, it was found that the overall incidence rate of PVV increased with increasing outpatient workload (β=0.236, p<0.01). Conclusions PVV poses a significant challenge to public health institutions in China, and the high workload of HCWs likely contributes to higher risk of PVV. Prevention and intervention of PVV may be targeted to HCWs at specific institutions. The patient complaint notification system needs improvement and could be, for example, a better source of PVV information for future interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]