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We consider the following problem: given $d \times d$ rational matrices $A_1, \ldots, A_k$ and a polyhedral cone $\mathcal{C} \subset \mathbb{R}^d$, decide whether there exists a non-zero vector whose orbit under multiplication by $A_1, \ldots, A_k$ is contained in $\mathcal{C}$. This problem can be interpreted as verifying the termination of multi-path while loops with linear updates and linear guard conditions. We show that this problem is decidable for commuting invertible matrices $A_1, \ldots, A_k$. The key to our decision procedure is to reinterpret this problem in a purely algebraic manner. Namely, we discover its connection with modules over the polynomial ring $\mathbb{R}[X_1, \ldots, X_k]$ as well as the polynomial semiring $\mathbb{R}_{\geq 0}[X_1, \ldots, X_k]$. The loop termination problem is then reduced to deciding whether a submodule of $\left(\mathbb{R}[X_1, \ldots, X_k]\right)^n$ contains a ``positive'' element., Comment: 6 pages

We consider semigroup algorithmic problems in the Special Affine group SA(2,Z)=Z2⋊SL(2,Z), which is the group of affine transformations of the lattice Z2 that preserve orientation. Our paper focuses on two decision problems introduced by Choffrut and Karhumäki (2005): the Identity Problem (does a semigroup contain a neutral element?) and the Group Problem (is a semigroup a group?) for finitely generated sub-semigroups of SA(2,Z). We show that both problems are decidable and NP-complete. Since SL(2,Z)≤SA(2,Z)≤SL(3,Z), our result extends that of Bell, Hirvensalo and Potapov (SODA 2017) on the NP-completeness of both problems in SL(2,Z), and contributes a first step towards the open problems in SL(3,Z).

In this study, we investigate the position and momentum Shannon entropy, denoted as Sx and Sp, respectively, in the context of the fractional Schrödinger equation (FSE) for a hyperbolic double well potential (HDWP). We explore various values of the fractional derivative represented by k in our analysis. Our findings reveal intriguing behavior concerning the localization properties of the position entropy density, ρs(x), and the momentum entropy density, ρs(p), for low-lying states. Specifically, as the fractional derivative k decreases, ρs(x) becomes more localized, whereas ρs(p) becomes more delocalized. Moreover, we observe that as the derivative k decreases, the position entropy Sx decreases, while the momentum entropy Sp increases. In particular, the sum of these entropies consistently increases with decreasing fractional derivative k. It is noteworthy that, despite the increase in position Shannon entropy Sx and the decrease in momentum Shannon entropy Sp with an increase in the depth u of the HDWP, the Beckner–Bialynicki-Birula–Mycielski (BBM) inequality relation remains satisfied. Furthermore, we examine the Fisher entropy and its dependence on the depth u of the HDWP and the fractional derivative k. Our results indicate that the Fisher entropy increases as the depth u of the HDWP is increased and the fractional derivative k is decreased.

The ATLASPix sensor has been developed as a monolithic High Voltage CMOS sensor candidate for the ATLAS inner tracker upgrade. The ATLASPix3 is the third version, and is the first full reticle-sized sensor developed for multi-module compatibility. The detector is operational, and has been tested as a single chip, and as a 4-layer telescopes in an electron testbeam, with energies up to 6 GeV at DESY. First results of the testbeam data analysis are presented here.

Pengyun Yan, Kui Zhang, Jian Cao, Ran Dong Department of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ran DongDepartment of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-10-64456411Fax +86-10-64442234Email dongran6618@hotmail.comBackground: The relationship between abnormal left ventricular (LV) structure and adverse outcomes has been confirmed in diverse patient groups in previous studies. However, it remains uncertain whether LV structure has predictive implications in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).Methods: This study retrospectively enrolled patients who had HFrEF and underwent CABG between January 2013 and July 2019. According to LV hypertrophy (LVH) and LV enlargement (LVE) assessed by echocardiography, patients were classified into four LV structure types: (-)LVH/(-)LVE, (+)LVH/(-)LVE, (-)LVH/(+)LVE, and (+)LVH/(+)LVE.Results: A total of 435 consecutive patients (mean age: 59.4 ± 9.6 years; 14.9% female) were enrolled in the present study. Examined independently, either LVH (p < 0.001) or LVE (p < 0.001) was independently associated with postoperative mortality in multivariate analysis. When LVH and LVE were analyzed in combination, the risk of mortality after CABG was lowest in (-)LVH/(-)LVE and increased with (+)LVH/(-)LVE (odds ratio [OR]: 7.525; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.827– 30.679, p = 0.004), (-)LVH/(+)LVE (OR: 7.253; 95% CI: 1.950– 27.185, p = 0.003), and (+)LVH/(+)LVE (OR: 9.547; 95% CI: 2.726– 34.805, p < 0.001), independent of other risk factors. Adding LV structural types to the baseline model gained an incremental effect on the predictive value for postoperative mortality (AUC: baseline model, 0.838 vs baseline model + LV structural types, 0.901, p for comparison = 0.010; category‐free net reclassification improvement (NRI): 0.764, p < 0.001; integrated discrimination improvement (IDI): 0.061, p = 0.007).Conclusion: LVH and LVE were associated with an increased risk of postoperative mortality after CABG in patients with HFrEF. Categorizing LV structural patterns with LVH and LVE contributes to risk stratification and provides incremental predictive ability. Routine echocardiographic assessment of LVH and LVE is needed in clinical practice.Keywords: left ventricular hypertrophy, left ventricular enlargement, postoperative death, coronary artery bypass grafting, heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

The perturbation semigroup was first defined in the case of $*$-algebras by Chamseddine, Connes and van Suijlekom. In this paper, we take $\mathcal{E}$ as a concrete operator system with unit. We first give a definition of gauge group $\mathcal{G}(\mathcal{E})$ of $\mathcal{E}$, after that we give the definition of perturbation semigroup of $\mathcal{E}$, and the closed perturbation semigroup of $\mathcal{E}$ with respect to the Haagerup tensor norm. We also show that there is a continuous semigroup homomorphism from the closed perturbation semigroup to the collection of unital completely bounded Hermitian maps over $\mathcal{E}$. Finally we compute the gauge group and perturbation semigroup of the Toeplitz system as an example.

Yongan Wang,1,&ast; Na Li,1,&ast; Qiuyi Li,1 Zirui Liu,1 Yalan Li,1 Jingwei Kong,1 Ruijuan Dong,2 Dongyu Ge,2 Jie Li,3 Guiying Peng1 1Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Experimental Teaching Center, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Respiratory Medicine, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Guiying Peng; Jie Li Email penggy@bucm.edu.cn; lijie2007@126.comPurpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a prevalent obstructive airway disease, has become the third most common cause of death globally. Xuanbai Chengqi decoction (XBCQ) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription for the acute exacerbation of COPD. Here, we aimed to reveal the therapeutic effects of XBCQ administration and its molecular mechanisms mediated by Th17/Treg balance and gut microbiota.Methods: We determined the counts of Th17 and Treg cells in the serum of 15 COPD and 10 healthy subjects. Then, cigarette smoke extract-induced COPD mice were gavaged with low, middle, and high doses of XBCQ, respectively. Weight loss, pulmonary function and inflammation, Th17/Treg ratio, and gut microbiota were measured to evaluate the efficacy of XBCQ on COPD.Results: COPD patients had a higher Th17/Treg ratio in the serum than healthy controls, which was consistent with the results in the lung and colon of COPD mice. The middle dose of XBCQ (M-XBCQ) significantly decreased the weight loss and improved the pulmonary function (FEV0.2/FVC) in COPD mice. Moreover, M-XBCQ alleviated lung inflammation by rectifying the Th17/Treg imbalance, reducing the expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MMP-9, and suppressing inflammatory cells infiltration. Meanwhile, M-XBCQ greatly improved the microbial homeostasis in COPD mice by accumulating probiotic Gordonibacter and Akkermansia but inhibiting the growth of pathogenic Streptococcus, which showed significant correlations with pulmonary injury.Conclusion: Oral M-XBCQ could alleviate COPD exacerbations by reshaping the gut microbiota and improving the Th17/Treg balance, which aids in elucidating the mechanism through which XBCQ as a therapy for COPD.Keywords: XBCQ, COPD, intestinal microbiota, Th17/Treg, pulmonary inflammation

Jin Peng,1 Ruiying Dong,1 Jianfen Jiao,1 Min Liu,1 Xi Zhang,1 Hualei Bu,1 Ping Dong,2 Shasha Zhao,3 Naidong Xing,4 Shuai Feng,5 Xingsheng Yang,1 Beihua Kong1 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Clinical Nutrition, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Urology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 5Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xingsheng YangDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, No. 107 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250001, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail xingshengyang@sdu.edu.cnObjective: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol has widely gained acceptance in gynecological surgery. Its safety and efficacy should be evaluated fully via well-designed, randomized, control trials. The main objective of our study is to compare the ERAS protocol with the conventional perioperative care program after gynecological oncology. Furthermore, the secondary objectives of our study are the identification of markers that allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of the application of ERAS elements in the modulation of the body’s response to surgical stress.Methods: Patients with gynecological tumors indicated for surgery were randomly assigned to either the ERAS group or the conventional group. The ERAS protocol included short fasting time, fluid restriction, early oral feeding, reduced opioid consumption and immediate mobilization after surgery. The primary endpoint was the reduction of hospital stay in the ERAS group. The day of first flatus, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), maximum pain score by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and complication, readmission rate, reoperation rate, postoperative mortality, total hospital cost and systemic inflammatory response (SIR) were secondary endpoints.Results: A total of 130 patients in gynecological tumor surgery were enrolled (ERAS = 65, conventional = 65). The ERAS group had faster bowel function recovery, significantly less pain, less PONV, shorter hospital stay, and less total hospital costs. SIR markers were estimated and screened out that postoperative platelet, neutrophil-lymphocyte-ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte-ratio (PLR) were significantly lower in ERAS groups compared to conventional groups.Conclusion: The implementation of ERAS protocol is safe and enhances postoperative recovery after gynecological oncology surgery. We firstly reveal the beneficial effect of ERAS protocols on the alleviation of postoperative SIR, which is a reflection of the magnitude of surgical trauma. Postoperative platelet, NLR or PLR could be the novel and inexpensive markers to assess how ERAS protocols modulate gynecological oncology surgery.Trial Registration: The trial was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03629626).Keywords: ERAS, enhanced recovery after surgery, systemic inflammatory response, gynecological oncology surgery, NLR, neutrophil-lymphocyte-ratio, PLR, platelet-lymphocyte-ratio

Xu Lin,1,* Pei Wang,1 Ding-Wei Liu,2 Yu-Wei Guo,1 Chun-Hui Xie,3 Bin Wang,1,* Rui Dong,4 Li-Xin Sun,1 Ming-Shan Wang,1 Yan-Lin Bi1 1Department of Anesthesiology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Laboratory, Qingdao Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Anesthesiology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Anesthesiology, Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yan-Lin Bi; Ming-Shan WangDepartment of Anesthesiology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 186 6167 5610; +86 186 61675608Email yanlinbi68@sina.cn; wmsqingdao@163.comPurpose: Postoperative delirium (POD) is common in elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for gastric and colorectal malignancies. POD may be affected by different fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2). The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of different FiO2 on POD.Patients and Methods: A randomized, double-blind controlled trial was performed in Qingdao Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University. A total of 662 patients aged 65 to 85 years old underwent isolated laparoscopic radical gastrectomy, radical resection of colon cancer, or radical resection of rectal cancer only. A random number table method was used to divide the patients into two groups: 40% FiO2 (group A) and 80% FiO2 (group B). The primary endpoint was the incidence of POD, which was assessed by the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) twice daily during the first 7 postoperative days, and POD severity was measured by the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS). The secondary endpoints were the intraoperative regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2), Bispectral (BIS) index, invasive arterial blood pressure (IABP), oxygen saturation (SpO2), end-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure (PETCO2), the number of atelectasis cases and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores on days 1– 7 after surgery.Results: The incidence of POD was 19.37% (122/630), including 20.38% (64/314) in group A and 18.35% (58/316) in group B. No statistical significance was found in the incidence of POD between the two groups (P > 0.05); compared with group B, SpO2, rSO2 and PaO2 decreased at T2 to T4 time point (P < 0.01), and the incidence of postoperative atelectasis decreased (P < 0.05) in group A.Conclusion: The incidence of POD was not significantly affected by different FiO2 and the incidence of postoperative atelectasis was decreased at low FiO2.Keywords: intraoperative oxygen concentration, postoperative delirium, malignancy

Run Dong,1,2,* Min Liu,3,* Xiao-Xi Huang,4 Zheng Liu,4 Ding-Yuan Jiang,5 Hui-Juan Xiao,1 Jing Geng,5 Yan-Hong Ren,5 Hua-Ping Dai5 1Beijing Key Laboratory of Respiratory and Pulmonary Circulation Disorders, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Respiratory Medicine, Zhengzhou Central Hospital, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 4Beijing Key Laboratory of Respiratory and Pulmonary Circulation Disorders, Department of Medical Research, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases; Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hua-Ping DaiDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail daihuaping@ccmu.edu.cnBackground: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, fibrotic interstitial pneumonia. And, oxidation/antioxidant imbalance plays an important role in the progress of IPF. Fullerene is considered to be a novel “structural” antioxidant. This study aimed to explore if water-soluble C60 (C60(OH)22) can exhibit antifibrotic activity in its antioxidant role.Methods: Healthy C57BL/6J mice were randomly grouped and induced pulmonary fibrosis by intratracheal injection of bleomycin.Results: The survival rate of mice was observed and found that 10mg/kg was the optimal dose of water-soluble C60 for pulmonary fibrosis. We observed thatwater-soluble C60 can alleviate the severity of pulmonary fibrosis by observing the chest computed tomography, pulmonary pathology, and content of collagen, alpha smooth muscle actin and fibronectin in lung. Compared with bleomycin group, ROS, the content of TNF-α in BALF, and the number of fibroblasts was significantly decreased and the number of type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cells was increased after treatment with C60.Conclusion: Therefore, thanks to its powerful antioxidant action, water-soluble C60 can reduce the severity of pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin in mice.Keywords: pulmonary fibrosis, bleomycin, water-soluble C60, mice

Chunjie Liu, 1,* Siyu Tian, 2,* Jiangbo Bai, 2 Kunlun Yu, 2 Lei Liu, 3 Guoli Liu, 4 Ruiyi Dong, 5 Dehu Tian 2 1Department of Orthopedics, Tangshan Workers Hospital, Tangshan, Hebei 063000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Hand Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050051, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Orthopedics, Changping District Hospital, Beijing 102200, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Orthopedics, The Second Hospital of Tangshan, Tangshan, Hebei 063000,People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Orthopedics, Cangzhou Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, Cangzhou, Hebei 061001, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Dehu TianDepartment of Hand Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050017, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-151-3056-6366Fax +86-311-8860-3818Email tiandehu_1961@126.comBackground: Adhesion after tendon injury is a common complication in clinical practice. The lack of effective prevention mechanisms seriously affects the functional rehabilitation of patients. This research aimed to optimise the amniotic membrane and explain the mechanism of tendon–amniotic membrane by imitating the tendon sheath to construct a multilayer electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibre membrane.Materials and Methods: Fresh amnions were subjected to freezing and vacuum drying. The two surfaces of freeze-dried amnions were coated with PCL nanofibres by electrospinning, thereby forming a multilayer composite membrane and constructing a growth factor-sustained release system conforming to the tendon-healing cycle. The new materials were characterised, and the biological effects on tenocytes and fibroblasts were evaluated. The tendon injury model of New Zealand rabbits was constructed to observe the effects on tendon adhesion and healing.Results: After freezing and vacuum drying, fresh amnions were found to effectively remove most of the cell components but retained the active components TGF-β 1, bFGF, VEGF, and PDGF, as well as the fibrous reticular structure of the basement membrane. After coating with PCL nanofibres, a composite membrane mimicking the structure of the tendon sheath was constructed, thereby strengthening the tensile strength of the amnion. By up-regulating the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and SMAD2/3, the adhesion and proliferation of tenocytes and fibroblasts were promoted, and collagen synthesis was enhanced. In the rabbit tendon repair model, the composite membrane effectively isolated the exogenous adhesion tissue and promoted endogenous tendon healing.Conclusion: The composite membrane mimicking the structure of tendon sheath effectively isolated the exogenous adhesion tissue and achieved good tendon slip. By slowly releasing the growth factors TGF-β 1, bFGF, VEGF and PDGF, the ERK1/2 and SMAD2/3 pathways were regulated. Consequently, endogenous tendon healing was promoted. This strategy can alternatively address the clinical problem of tendon adhesion.Keywords: amniotic membrane, electrospinning, nanofibers, composite membrane, tendon adhesion

More than a dozen young stars host spiral arms in their surrounding protoplanetary disks. The excitationmechanisms of such arms are under debate. The two leading hypotheses – companion-disk interaction andgravitational instability (GI) – predict distinct motion for spirals. By imaging the MWC 758 spiral arm systemat two epochs spanning ∼5 yr using the SPHERE instrument on the Very Large Telescope (VLT), we test thetwo hypotheses for the first time. We find that the pattern speeds of the spirals are not consistent with the GIorigin. Our measurements further evince the existence of a faint “missing planet” driving the disk arms. Theaverage spiral pattern speed is 0.◦22 ± 0.◦03 yr−1, pointing to a driver at 172+18−14 au around a 1.9 M centralstar if it is on a circular orbit. In addition, we witness time varying shadowing effects on a global scale that arelikely originated from an inner disk

We report in detail the design process and performance of an auto-locking ultra-stable laser with sub-hertz linewidth at the first time. The laser frequency is automatically stabilized to an optical reference cavity with a home-made controller, which is based on a combination of digital circuit and analog circuit. The digital circuit is used for diagnosing and manipulating the state of the ultra-stable laser, and the analog circuit is used for demodulating the discriminate signal and servo control. A method of searching the transmission signal in the closed-loop state instead of the open-loop state is proposed to reduce the locking time and improve the reliable of the auto-locking ultra-stable laser. The median time of 16.6s is obtained after 157 times of relocking, and the probability of less than 20 s is more than 86%. The median linewidth of 1.08 Hz is obtained, and the fractional frequency instability is less than 3.4E-15 at integration time between 0.1 and 100 s. The performance of this system demonstrates that will be used as an important subsystem to transfer the optical clock signal., 6 pages, 3 figures

Dithiine linkage formation via a dynamic and self-correcting nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction enables the de novo synthesis of a porous thianthrene-based two-dimensional covalent organic framework (COF). For the first time, this organo-sulfur moiety is integrated as a structural building block into a crystalline layered COF. The structure of the new material deviates from the typical planar interlayer stacking of the COF to form undulated layers caused by bending along the C-S-C bridge, without loss of aromaticity and crystallinity of the overall COF structure. Comprehensive experimental and theoretical investigations of the COF and a model compound, featuring the thianthrene moiety, suggest partial delocalization of sulfur lone pair electrons over the aromatic backbone of the COF decreasing the band gap and promoting redox activity. Postsynthetic sulfurization allows for direct covalent attachment of polysulfides to the carbon backbone of the framework to afford a molecular-designed cathode material for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with a minimized polysulfide shuttle. The fabricated coin cell delivers nearly 77% of the initial capacity even after 500 charge-discharge cycles at 500 mA/g current density. This novel sulfur linkage in COF chemistry is an ideal structural motif for designing model materials for studying advanced electrode materials for Li-S batteries on a molecular level.

[abridged] We present new scattered light and millimeter observations of the protoplanetary disk around LkH$\alpha\,330$, using SPHERE/VLT and ALMA, respectively. The scattered-light SPHERE observations reveal an asymmetric ring at around 45au from the star in addition to two spiral arms with similar radial launching points at around 90au. The millimeter observations from ALMA (resolution of 0.06''$\times$0.04'') mainly show an asymmetric ring located at 110au from the star. In addition to this asymmetry, there are two faint symmetric rings at 60au and 200au. The $^{12}$CO, $^{13}$CO, and C$^{18}$O lines seem to be less abundant in the inner disk (these observations have a resolution of 0.16''$\times$0.11''). The $^{13}$CO peaks at a location similar to the inner ring observed with SPHERE, suggesting that this line is optically thick and traces variations of disk temperature instead of gas surface-density variations, while the C$^{18}$O peaks slightly further away at around 60au. We compare our observations with hydrodynamical simulations that include gas and dust evolution, and conclude that a 10$M_{\rm{Jup}}$ mass planet at 60au and in an eccentric orbit ($e=0.1$) can qualitatively explain most of the observed structures. A planet in a circular orbit leads to a much narrower concentration in the millimeter emission, while a planet in a more eccentric orbit leads to a very eccentric cavity as well. In addition, the outer spiral arm launched by the planet changes its pitch angle along the spiral due to the eccentricity and when it interacts with the vortex, potentially appearing in observations as two distinct spirals. Our observations and models show that LkH$\alpha\,330$ is an interesting target to search for (eccentric-) planets while they are still embedded in their parental disk, making it an excellent candidate for studies on planet-disk interaction., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, minor changes after language edition

[abridged] We present new scattered light and millimeter observations of the protoplanetary disk around LkH$α\,330$, using SPHERE/VLT and ALMA, respectively. The scattered-light SPHERE observations reveal an asymmetric ring at around 45au from the star in addition to two spiral arms with similar radial launching points at around 90au. The millimeter observations from ALMA (resolution of 0.06''$\times$0.04'') mainly show an asymmetric ring located at 110au from the star. In addition to this asymmetry, there are two faint symmetric rings at 60au and 200au. The $^{12}$CO, $^{13}$CO, and C$^{18}$O lines seem to be less abundant in the inner disk (these observations have a resolution of 0.16''$\times$0.11''). The $^{13}$CO peaks at a location similar to the inner ring observed with SPHERE, suggesting that this line is optically thick and traces variations of disk temperature instead of gas surface-density variations, while the C$^{18}$O peaks slightly further away at around 60au. We compare our observations with hydrodynamical simulations that include gas and dust evolution, and conclude that a 10$M_{\rm{Jup}}$ mass planet at 60au and in an eccentric orbit ($e=0.1$) can qualitatively explain most of the observed structures. A planet in a circular orbit leads to a much narrower concentration in the millimeter emission, while a planet in a more eccentric orbit leads to a very eccentric cavity as well. In addition, the outer spiral arm launched by the planet changes its pitch angle along the spiral due to the eccentricity and when it interacts with the vortex, potentially appearing in observations as two distinct spirals. Our observations and models show that LkH$α\,330$ is an interesting target to search for (eccentric-) planets while they are still embedded in their parental disk, making it an excellent candidate for studies on planet-disk interaction., Accepted for publication in A&A, minor changes after language edition

Li Zhang1,2, Jingwen Huang1,2, Ran Dong3, Yun Feng1,2, Min Zhou1,2 1Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Respiratory Disease, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Min ZhouDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Respiratory Disease, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.197 Ruijin Er Road, Shanghai 200025, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 216 437 0045Fax +86 216 467 4301Email doctor_zhou_99@163.comPurpose: Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) is a major pro-inflammatory mediator that leads to the persistence of chronic inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate therapeutic potential of BLT1 antagonist for cigarette smoke (CS)-induced COPD and to explore the underlying mechanism.Materials and methods: In vitro, autophagy proteins were determined by Western blotting in RAW264.7 macrophages treated with U75302 (BLT1 antagonist) or autophagy inhibitor in cigarette smoke extract-induced inflammation. In vivo, C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into three groups: Control group, CS group and CS+U75302 group. After 12-week exposure, histological analysis and lung function tests were performed to evaluate the inflammatory infiltration and emphysema. The expression of inflammatory cytokines was measured by real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Immunohistochemical analysis and Western blotting detected the expression of autophagy-related proteins. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed the alterations of autophagosomes and lysosomes.Results: Lower levels of inflammatory factors and autophagy markers were detected in U75302-treated cells and mice after CS exposure than control. In vitro, LC3 mRNA expression was elevated when treated with U75302. Autophagy inhibition resulted in augmented inflammatory response and autophagy proteins even with U75302 treatment. Furthermore, BLT1 antagonist decreased the number of lysosomes and autophagosomes in alveolar macrophages of mice and potentially enhanced the expression of transcriptional activation of transcription factor-EB (TFEB) in vitro and vivo.Conclusion: Insufficient autophagy of macrophages was associated with LTB4-mediated inflammation in CS-exposure models. BLT1 antagonist ameliorated inflammatory response through inducing autophagy.Keywords: cigarette smoke, inflammation, autophagy, BLT1 antagonist, COPD

Lin Zhu, Zhifei Liu, Ruijia Dong, Xiaojun Wang, Mingzi Zhang, Xiao Guo, Nanze Yu, Ang ZengDepartment of Plastic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, People’s Republic of ChinaBackground: Cutaneous melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. It accounts for approximately 5% of all cutaneous malignancies and is currently responsible for the majority of skin cancer-related deaths. However, the exact mechanisms responsible for the occurrence of melanoma, in particular the invasive growth in normal skin or muscle tissue, remain unknown.Materials and methods: miR-3662, a microRNA is a potential tumor suppressor targeting zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), which functions as a key regulator of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. This microRNA was identified using an online database (miRDB) and expression was confirmed by Western blot analysis. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to examine whether miR-3662 inhibits the EMT process in the aggressive melanoma cell line, A375, through the modification of the expression of invasion-related genes in A375 cells. The effects of miR-3662 on the in vivo growth of A375 cells were examined in a nude mouse model.Results: Using virtual screening of the miRDB database, miR-3662 was shown to target the 3ʹ untranslated region (UTR) of the ZEB1 gene. Expression of miR-3662 via a lentivirus vector significantly decreased protein levels of ZEB1 and inhibited the growth of A375 cells in vitro and in vivo. The reduction in ZEB1 expression induced by miR-3662 resulted in EMT inhibition in A375 cells and decreased the relative expression of metastasis genes.Conclusion: Down-regulation of ZEB1’s expression via miR-3662 lentivirus vectors significantly decreased the in vitro and in vivo growth of the highly aggressive melanoma cell line A375.Keywords: melanoma, microRNA, proliferation, invasive growth, zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1

2D conjugated metal-organic frameworks (2D c-MOFs) are emerging as a novel class of conductive redox-active materials for electrochemical energy storage. However, developing 2D c-MOFs as flexible thin-film electrodes have been largely limited, due to the lack of capability of solution-processing and integration into nanodevices arising from the rigid powder samples by solvothermal synthesis. Here, the synthesis of phthalocyanine-based 2D c-MOF (Ni2[CuPc(NH)8]) nanosheets through ball milling mechanical exfoliation method are reported. The nanosheets feature with average lateral size of ≈160 nm and mean thickness of ≈7 nm (≈10 layers), and exhibit high crystallinity and chemical stability as well as a p-type semiconducting behavior with mobility of ≈1.5 cm2 V−1 s−1 at room temperature. Benefiting from the ultrathin feature, the nanosheets allow high utilization of active sites and facile solution-processability. Thus, micro-supercapacitor (MSC) devices are fabricated mixing Ni2[CuPc(NH)8] nanosheets with exfoliated graphene, which display outstanding cycling stability and a high areal capacitance up to 18.9 mF cm−2; the performance surpasses most of the reported conducting polymers-based and 2D materials-based MSCs.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are emerging as an appealing class of highly tailorable electrically-conducting materials with potential applications in opto-electronics. Yet, the realization of their proof-of-concept devices remains a daunting challenge, attributed to their poor electrical properties. Following our recent report on a semiconducting Fe3(THT)2(NH4)3 (THT, 2,3,6,7,10,11-triphenylenehexathiol) two-dimensional MOF with record-high mobility and band-like charge transport, here, we demonstrate Fe3(THT)2(NH4)3 MOF-based photodetector operating in photoconductive mode capable of detecting a broad wavelength excitation of charge carriers. The narrow IR bandgap of the active layer (~0.45 eV) constrains the performance of the photodetector at room temperature by band-to-band thermal. At 77 K, the device performance is significantly improved; two orders of magnitude higher voltage responsivity, lower noise equivalent power, and higher specific detectivity of 7×108 cm Hz1/2 W–1 are achieved under 785 nm excitation. These figures of merit are retained over the analyzed spectral region (400–1575 nm) and are commensurate to those obtained with the first demonstrations of graphene and black phosphorus based photodetectors. This work demonstrates the feasibility of integrating conjugated MOFs as an active element into broadband photodetectors, thus bridging the gap between materials’ synthesis and technological applications.

FeNi Hydroxides (FeNi-HD) have been considered as promising substitutes to noble metal electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In this work, we design and realize FeNi-HD nanotube arrays (FeNi-HDNAs) on Ni foam via an in-situ reaction and Kirkendall effect. The obtained catalysts possess higher specific surface area, more catalytic active sites and better chemical stability for OER. Electron migrations from the Fe 3d orbitals to Ni sites in the FeNi-HDNAs lead to more unoccupied Fe 3d states and a higher oxidation state. As expected, FeNi-HDNAs exhibit lower overpotential as well as lower Tafel slope and better durability than the Fe- or Ni-HD peers. DFT calculations elucidate that FeNi hydroxides lower the energy barrier of rate-determining step in OER. Moreover, a high current density of 10 mA cm−2 is obtained at a low potential of 1.49 V using FeNi-HDNAs as the bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting in basic solution.

Despite the recent progress in the synthesis of crystalline boronate ester covalent organic frameworks (BECOFs) in powder and thin‐film through solvothermal method and on‐solid‐surface synthesis, respectively, their applications in electronics, remain less explored due to the challenges in thin‐film processability and device integration associated with the control of film thickness, layer orientation, stability and crystallinity. Moreover, although the crystalline domain sizes of the powder samples can reach micrometer scale (up to ~1.5 µm), the reported thin‐film samples have so far rather small crystalline domains up to 100 nm. Here we demonstrate an efficient synthesis of crystalline two‐dimensional (2D) BECOF films composed of porphyrin macrocycles and phenyl or naphthyl linkers (named as 2D BECOF‐PP or 2D BECOF‐PN ) by employing a surfactant‐monolayer‐assisted interfacial synthesis (SMAIS) on the water surface. The achieved 2D BECOF‐PP is featured as free‐standing thin film with large single‐crystalline domains up to ~60 µm 2 and tunable thickness from 6 to 16 nm. The molecular‐level structures are clearly resolved by high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM) and selected‐area electron diffraction (SAED) which are supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Due to the high crystallinity, facile thin‐film processability, high mechanical stability as well as the incorporation of electroactive porphyrin monomers, a hybrid memory device composed of 2D BECOF‐PP film on silicon nanowire‐based field‐effect transistor is demonstrated as a bio‐inspired system to mimic neuronal synapses, displaying a learning‐erasing‐forgetting memory process. Pulsed voltage input induces the polarization of the film that is critical to emulate the potentiation of the neuronal membrane. This work paves the way to develop highly crystalline 2D COF thin film as an easy‐to‐fabricate active component applicable for CMOS‐compatible neuromorphic computing.

Despite the recent progress in the synthesis of crystalline boronate ester covalent organic frameworks (BECOFs) in powder and thin‐film through solvothermal method and on‐solid‐surface synthesis, respectively, their applications in electronics, remain less explored due to the challenges in thin‐film processability and device integration associated with the control of film thickness, layer orientation, stability and crystallinity. Moreover, although the crystalline domain sizes of the powder samples can reach micrometer scale (up to ≈1.5 mm), the reported thin‐film samples have so far rather small crystalline domains up to 100 nm. Here we demonstrate a general and efficient synthesis of crystalline two‐dimensional (2D) BECOF films composed of porphyrin macrocycles and phenyl or naphthyl linkers (named as 2D BECOF‐PP or 2D BECOF‐PN ) by employing a surfactant‐monolayer‐assisted interfacial synthesis (SMAIS) on the water surface. The achieved 2D BECOF‐PP is featured as free‐standing thin film with large single‐crystalline domains up to ≈60 mm2 and tunable thickness from 6 to 16 nm. A hybrid memory device composed of 2D BECOF‐PP film on silicon nanowire‐based field‐effect transistor is demonstrated as a bio‐inspired system to mimic neuronal synapses, displaying a learning-erasing-forgetting memory process.

Background: Faced with epidemic conditions, healthcare workers infection (HWI) has become a serious issue which reflects the severity of pandemic conditions and has an important pact on the healthcare system. Hereby, we compared the differences of HWI during the COVID-19 epidemic in two countries, Italy and South Korea, which have similar population and demographic distribution. Methods: We collected the open data updated on the official website about the confirmed cases of healthcare workers (HCWs) and the total population, and then explored the factors contributing to the reduction of HWI, including the basic medical index, initiatives to combat COVID-19, and the changes in healthcare pressure after the outbreak of the disease in the two countries. Finally, we investigated the correlation between indicators on "healthcare pressure" and HWI by computing the death and active cases combined with ICU beds and the number of HCWs. Findings: The results indicated that HWI presented a same trend with total infection in both Italy and South Korea, meanwhile, Italy had a higher proportion of HWI among the general population. And the intensity approach to assess the healthcare pressure was correlated with cumulative HWI (both number and rate) and the magnitude approach performed correlation with increased cases only in Italy. Interpretation: The intensity approach to assess the healthcare pressure expected to be a predictor and had the potential to warn the public of risks of an overload of the healthcare system and the consequent HWI, and that magnitude approach could be correlated to the increased HWI and total cases only when the healthcare system overloaded. This study attempts to explore the current condition of HWI and its related influence factors in two countries, aiming to draw more attention to HWI worldwide and give insight for the policy-making of medical system to provide better protection for HCWs in healthcare emergency. Funding Statement: This article was supported by a grant from National Science and Technology Major Project [Grant Number:2018ZX10101004003003] Declaration of Interests: No potential conflicts of interest were reported.

To compare the effects of conventional core stabilization and dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) on anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) time, balance performance, and fear of falls in chronic hemiparetic stroke.Two-group randomized controlled trial with pretest-posttest design.Hospital rehabilitation center.Adults with chronic hemiparetic stroke (N=28).Participants were randomly divided into either conventional core stabilization (n=14) or DNS (n=14) groups. Both groups received a total of 20 sessions of conventional core stabilization or DNS training for 30 minutes per session 5 times a week during the 4-week period.Electromyography was used to measure the APA time for bilateral external oblique (EO), transverse abdominis (TrA)/internal oblique (IO), and erector spinae (ES) activation during rapid shoulder flexion. Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Falls Efficacy Scale (FES) were used to measure trunk movement control, balance performance, and fear of falling.Baseline APA times were delayed and fear of falling was moderately high in both the conventional core stabilization and DNS groups. After the interventions, the APA times for EO, TrA/IO, and ES were shorter in the DNS group than in the conventional core stabilization group (P.008). The BBS and TIS scores (P.008) and the FES score (P.003) were improved compared with baseline in both groups, but FES remained stable through the 2-year follow-up period only in the DNS group (P.003).This is the first clinical evidence highlighting the importance of core stabilization exercises for improving APA control, balance, and fear of falls in individuals with hemiparetic stroke.

Jiayu Li,1 Rong Dong,2 Jiali Yu,2 Sun Yi,2 Jingjing Da,2 Fuxun Yu,3Yan Zha2 1Guizhou University School of Medicine, Guizhou University, 2Department of Nephrology, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, 3Department of Central Laboratory, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, China Objective: To explore the anti-inflammatory mechanism of IGF1R inhibitor in diabetic nephropathy.Methods: C57/BL6 mice were reared with high-fat diet for 8 weeks, then were injected 30 mg/kg streptozotocin intraperitoneally to induce type 2 diabetes. After 8 weeks, the type 2 diabetes nephropathy model was successfully set up the different drugs were administrated to mice with diabetes (insulin 1–2 U/day, benazepril 10 mg/kg per day intragastrically, IGF-1R inhibitor 30 mg/kg per day intragastrically). After 8 weeks drugs administration, all mice were collected the kidney tissue, measured levels of inflammatory factor (F4/80, TLR4and CD68) and fibrosis markers(αSMA, E-cadherin and SR) using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.Results: The type 2 diabetes nephropathy model was built successfully, which along with increased urinary protein excretion rate and increased inflammatory infiltration, and the correlation was characterized by increased CD68+, F4/80+ cells and increased TLR4, αSMA, SR expression. IGF-1R inhibitors reversed this changes, but benazepril and insulin were without significant changes. The insulin decreased the expression level of IGF-1, and increased the levels of suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2). Benazepril and IGF-1R inhibitor were no significant changes like insulin.Conclusion: Inhibition of IGF1R was a more effective choice for inflammation treatment than Ben or Ins in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). The IGF1R inhibitor blocked pathological changes induced by the over-expression of IGF1 in DKD without up-regulating SOCS2 protein levels. Keywords: diabetes kidney disease, IGF1R inhibitor, insulin, SOCS2

Liang Xie,1,* Qingmin Li,2,* Ran Dong,3,* Kaishun Zhao,4 Yun Feng,1 Zhiyao Bao,1 Min Zhou1 1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Respiratory Disease, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; 2Department of Cardiology, Henan Provincial Peoples Hospital, Zhengzhou, China; 3Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; 4Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jiading Central Hospital, Shanghai, China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Inflammation is an important cause of COPD. Alveolar macrophages are the major innate immune cells that have an important role in COPD pathology. Class A scavenger receptor (SR-A) is a pattern recognition receptor expressed on macrophages. This study investigates the role of SR-A in COPD progression via regulation of inflammation.Patients and methods: SR-A expression in COPD patients and control subjects (smokers and nonsmokers without COPD) was measured by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and real-time PCR. The cytokine levels in BAL were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To further prove our hypothesis, we treated RAW264.7 cells that overexpress SR-A with lipopolysaccharides, poly(I:C), cigarette smoke extract, and H1N1 influenza separated from patients for 24 h and examined the levels of inflammatory cytokines.Results: In both groups, COPD and smokers without COPD, SR-A expression level was upregulated in alveolar macrophages. SR-A mRNA level was positively correlated with inflammatory cytokines and negatively correlated with FEV1% predicted in COPD patients. In RAW-SR-A cells, level of inflammatory cytokines was significantly higher when compared with control ones.Conclusion: SR-A could increase inflammation stimulated by cigarette smoke extracts, bacteria, and virus, leading to long-term inflammation in COPD, and thus might be used as a new therapeutic target for COPD treatment. Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, class A scavenger receptor, inflammation, cigarette smoke extract, lipopolysaccharides, poly(I:C), H1N1 influenza&nbsp

Yang Qu, Zhengming Wang, Haohan Zhou, Mingyang Kang, Rongpeng Dong, Jianwu Zhao Department of Orthopedics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Degenerative lumbar disease (DLD) is a significant issue for public health. Posterior lumbar intervertebral fusion with cages (PLIFC) has high-level fusion rate and realignment on DLD. However, there are some complications following the surgery. Alginate oligosaccharides (AOS) have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and may be suitable for infection therapy. MiR-155 is a biomarker associated with inflammatory and oxidative stress. AOS may promote PLIFC therapy by regulating miR-155. Pluronic nanoparticles and oligosaccharide nanomedicine of alginate sodium (ONAS) were prepared with ampicillin at size

Human behavior and emotions have always been of interest to scientists. In order to investigate the grade three students psychoemotional state, the vibraimage technology was used to collect data in the senior high school. The mean parameters of all students are within the reference range. 32 students (89) maximum in tension is higher than the reference maximum. Girls stress level is significantly higher than that of the boys (p0.05).

The interplay between self‐assembly and surface chemistry of 2,3,6,7,10,11‐hexaminotriphenylene (HATP) on Cu(111) was complementarily studied by high‐resolution Scanning‐Tunneling‐Microscopy (STM) and X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) under ultra‐high vacuum conditions. To shed light on competitive metal‐coordination, comparative experiments were carried out on pristine and nickel‐covered Cu(111). Directly after room temperature deposition of HATP onto pristine Cu(111) self‐assembled aggregates were observed by STM, while XPS indicated non‐deprotonated amino groups. Annealing up to 200 °C activated the progressive single deprotonation of all amino groups as indicated by chemical shifts of both N 1s and C 1s core levels in the XP spectra. This enabled the formation of topologically versatile π‐d conjugated coordination networks with intrinsic copper adatoms. The basic motif of these networks was a metal‐organic trimer, where three HATP molecules were coordinated by Cu3 clusters, as corroborated by accompanying Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations. Additional deposition of more reactive nickel atoms resulted in both chemical and structural changes with deprotonation and formation of bis(diimino)‐Ni bonded networks already at room temperature. Even though fused hexagonal pores were observed, extended honeycomb networks remained elusive, as tentatively explained by a restricted reversibility of these metal‐organic bonds.

Bimodal mesoporous silica is prepared by co-templating method using PEO-b-PLA diblock copolymer and F127 triblock copolymer. The pore size distribution of the mesoporous silica is bimodal, based on small angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms analyses, and can be divided into the larger pores, originating from PEO-b-PLA, and the smaller pores, originating from F127. In addition, we are able to ascertain that the F127 triblock copolymer not only produces the smaller pores, but also acts as a swelling agent in the formation of the larger pores. This novel bimodal mesoporous silica is further successfully employed as a drug-carrier for doxorubicin in ambient conditions.

Ran Dong,1,* Liang Xie,1,* Kaishun Zhao,2,* Qiurui Zhang,1 Min Zhou,1 Ping He3 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 2Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jiading Central Hospital, 3Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Evidence suggests that suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) is crucial for the negative regulation of inflammation. We investigated the relationship between smoking, SOCS1, and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) in vitro and in clinical samples of COPD; besides which we detected the impact of LTB4 receptor 1 (BLT1) antagonist on inflammation.Methods: SOCS1 expression in bronchial mucosa was determined by immunohistochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction. We also detect SOCS1 and BLT1 expression in alveolar macrophages from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) by real time-PCR, in addition to measuring the level of cytokines in BALF using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In vitro, we investigated the expression of SOCS1 in cigarette smoke extract-induced mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7 by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, and detected the level of cytokines in the supernatant by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Then, we investigated the effects of BLT1 antagonist U-75302 on SOCS1 expression in these cells.Results: We obtained endobronchial biopsies (15 COPD patients and 12 non-COPD control subjects) and BALF (20 COPD patients and 20 non-COPD control subjects), and our results showed that SOCS1 expression significantly decreased in lung tissues from COPD patients. Inflammatory cytokines in BALF were higher in COPD and these inflammatory cytokines negatively correlate with SOCS1 levels. Further, the BLT1 antagonist restored SOCS1 expression and in turn inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in vitro.Conclusion: Long-term cigarette smoke exposure induced SOCS1 degradation and LTB4 accumulation, which was associated with emphysema and inflammation. A BLT1 antagonist might be a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of COPD. Keywords: treatment, LTB1 antagonist, endobronchial biopsies, BALF, inflammatory cytokines

BACKGROUND Antenatal care smartphone apps are increasingly used by pregnant women, but studies on their use and impact are scarce. OBJECTIVE This study investigates the use of antenatal care apps in pregnant women and explores the association between the use of these apps and antenatal depression. METHODS This study used a convenient sample of pregnant women recruited from Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital in November 2015. The participants were surveyed for their demographic characteristics, use of antenatal care apps, and antenatal depression. Factors that influenced antenatal pregnancy were analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS Of the 1304 pregnant women, 71.31% (930/1304) used antenatal care apps. Higher usage of apps was associated with urban residency, nonmigrant status, first pregnancy, planned pregnancy, having no previous children, and opportunity to communicate with peer pregnant women. The cutoff score of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was 10, and 46.11% (601/1304) of the pregnant women had depression. Logistic regression showed that depression was associated with the availability of disease-screening functions in the apps (odds ratio (OR) 1.78, 95% CI 1.03-3.06) and spending 30 minutes or more using the app (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.19-3.52). Using apps with social media features was a protective factor for antenatal depression (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.12-0.89). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of the use of prenatal care apps in pregnant women is high. The functions and time spent on these apps are associated with the incidence of antenatal depression.

We present H- and K s-bands observations of the LkHα 330 disk with a multi-band detection of the large gap and spiral-like structures. The morphology of the outer disk (r ̃ 0.″3) at PA = 0°-45° and PA° = 180-290° is likely density wave-induced spirals, and comparison between our observational results and simulations suggests a planet formation. We have also investigated the azimuthal profiles at the ring and the outer-disk regions as well as radial profiles in the directions of the spiral-like structures and semimajor axis. Azimuthal analysis shows a large variety in wavelength and implies that the disk has non- axisymmetric dust distributions. The radial profiles in the major-axis direction (PA = 271°) suggest that the outer region (r ≥ 0.″25) may be influenced by shadows of the inner region of the disk. The spiral-like directions (PA = 10° and 230°) show different radial profiles, which suggests that the surfaces of the spiral-like structures are highly flared and/or have different dust properties. Finally, a color map of the disk shows a lack of an outer eastern region in the H-band disk, which may hint at the presence of an inner object that casts a directional shadow onto the disk.

In order to solve the problem of high costs and low efficiency caused by manual inspection, an automatic inspector for foreign substances in bottles with inhomogeneous structures based on machine vision technology is proposed in this paper. First, we extract the region of interest based on meanshift segmentation and align the images by registration and rectification. Then an adaptive image variation detection method is established to locate the potential foreign substances. To avoid the brightness disturbances caused by inhomogeneous structures on the bottles, an occurrence probability image which models the probability of each changed pixel to be true foreign substance is learned and candidate foreign substances are obtained by taking into account both the probability distribution and brightness variation. Finally, SVM classifier is applied to further identify foreign substances based on their appearance features. Experiments show that this inspection algorithm has satisfactory detection accuracy and can greatly inhibit false detection caused by inhomogeneous structures.

Objective Although extensive evidence indicates the hyperinsulinemia directly contributes to reproductive dysfunction in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), influence of insulin resistance (IR) on assisted reproductive technology outcomes is poorly understood. In this study we aimed to evaluate the effects of IR on in vitro maturation-in vitro fertilization–embryo transfer (IVM-IVF-ET) in patients with PCOS. Design Prospective observational study. Patients Women with PCOS (n = 115) commencing IVM. Measurments IR (n = 51) and non-IR (n = 64) women with PCOS ready to commence an IVM cycle were recruited. IR was diagnosed using the glucose tolerance test (GTT) and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index. Patients with an abnormal GTT and/or HOMA index >2·4 were considered IR. Patients underwent 115 cycles of unstimulated hCG-primed IVM. Results Maturation, fertilization, cleavage rates, the number of good-quality embryo, and blastocyst formation rates were not significantly different between groups. However, implantation (11·6% vs 28·7%, P = 0·001, respectively), clinical pregnancy (23·5% vs 53·1%, P = 0·002, respectively), and ongoing pregnancy rates (21·6% vs 46·9%. P = 0·006, respectively) were significantly decreased in the IR group. The negative effect of IR on pregnancy outcomes remained after controlling for age, body mass index (BMI) and lipid profiles (OR 4·928, 95% CI 1·735–13·991, P = 0·003). Conclusions Pregnancy rate after IVM is impaired in IR patients with PCOS. Oocyte development and embryo quality are not affected, suggesting that the effects of hyperinsulinemia on endometrial function and implantation process underlie the decreased pregnancy rate.

Purpose Systemic and local immune environments in human biliary atresia (BA) were analyzed. Methods Plasma concentrations of 19 inflammatory components in 16 preoperative BA patients (median age, 51 days), 13 normal controls (NCs) (44 days), and 15 cholestatic controls (CC) (23 days) were measured using flow cytometry, and compared according to post-Kasai outcomes in BA patients. Hepatic mRNA levels of representative helper T (Th) cell cytokines and forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3) quantified by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were compared between BA and non-BA. Results No significant differences were observed between BA and control in serum Th1, Th2, or macrophage markers, while soluble cellular adhesion molecule (CAM) levels were significantly higher in BA (p Conclusions A skewed bias toward specific Th-oriented immunity was not demonstrated in either the systemic or local environment in the early stage of human BA, with patient prognoses not necessarily revealed by preoperative plasma inflammatory component levels. CAM and regulatory T cell roles and functions warrant further investigation.

BackgroundAntenatal care smartphone apps are increasingly used by pregnant women, but studies on their use and impact are scarce. ObjectiveThis study investigates the use of antenatal care apps in pregnant women and explores the association between the use of these apps and antenatal depression. MethodsThis study used a convenient sample of pregnant women recruited from Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital in November 2015. The participants were surveyed for their demographic characteristics, use of antenatal care apps, and antenatal depression. Factors that influenced antenatal pregnancy were analyzed using logistic regression. ResultsOf the 1304 pregnant women, 71.31% (930/1304) used antenatal care apps. Higher usage of apps was associated with urban residency, nonmigrant status, first pregnancy, planned pregnancy, having no previous children, and opportunity to communicate with peer pregnant women. The cutoff score of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was 10, and 46.11% (601/1304) of the pregnant women had depression. Logistic regression showed that depression was associated with the availability of disease-screening functions in the apps (odds ratio (OR) 1.78, 95% CI 1.03-3.06) and spending 30 minutes or more using the app (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.19-3.52). Using apps with social media features was a protective factor for antenatal depression (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.12-0.89). ConclusionsThe prevalence of the use of prenatal care apps in pregnant women is high. The functions and time spent on these apps are associated with the incidence of antenatal depression.

The multiple scattering effects present in grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) data and interference between them are addressed theoretically as well as experimentally with measurement of a series of patterns at different incident angles, referred to as `incident-angle-resolved GISAXS' (IAR-GISAXS). X-ray reflectivity (XR), GISAXS and IAR-GISAXS of virus particles on Si-substrate supported-polystyrene films have been measured and all the data have been analyzed with appropriate formalisms. It was found that under certain conditions it is possible to extract the correct structural features of the materials from the GISAXS/IAR-GISAXS data using the kinematic SAXS formalisms, without the need to use the distorted-wave Born approximation. Furthermore, the Kiessig fringes in GISAXS enable the measurement of the average distance between the particle and the substrate, similar to the measurement of film thickness using the fringes in the XR data. It is believed that the methods developed here will expand the application of GISAXS as they enable the application of model-independent and kinematic SAXS theories to nanostructured two-dimensional ordered films.

Directly detecting thermal emission from young extrasolar planets allows measurement of their atmospheric compositions and luminosities, which are influenced by their formation mechanisms. Using the Gemini Planet Imager, we discovered a planet orbiting the ∼20-million-year-old star 51 Eridani at a projected separation of 13 astronomical units. Near-infrared observations show a spectrum with strong methane and water-vapor absorption. Modeling of the spectra and photometry yields a luminosity (normalized by the luminosity of the Sun) of 1.6 to 4.0 × 10-6and an effective temperature of 600 to 750 kelvin. For this age and luminosity, "hot-start" formation models indicate a mass twice that of Jupiter. This planet also has a sufficiently low luminosity to be consistent with the "cold-start" core-accretion process that may have formed Jupiter.

© 2014 American Chemical Society. Artificial micromotors, operating on locally supplied fuels and performing complex tasks, offer great potential for diverse biomedical applications, including autonomous delivery and release of therapeutic payloads and cell manipulation. Various types of synthetic motors, utilizing different propulsion mechanisms, have been fabricated to operate in biological matrices. However, the performance of these man-made motors has been tested exclusively under in vitro conditions (outside the body); their behavior and functionalities in an in vivo environment (inside the body) remain unknown. Herein, we report an in vivo study of artificial micromotors in a living organism using a mouse model. Such in vivo evaluation examines the distribution, retention, cargo delivery, and acute toxicity profile of synthetic motors in mouse stomach via oral administration. Using zinc-based micromotors as a model, we demonstrate that the acid-driven propulsion in the stomach effectively enhances the binding and retention of the motors as well as of cargo payloads on the stomach wall. The body of the motors gradually dissolves in the gastric acid, autonomously releasing their carried payloads, leaving nothing toxic behind. This work is anticipated to significantly advance the emerging field of nano/micromotors and to open the door to in vivo evaluation and clinical applications of these synthetic motors.

Liver cirrhosis is an important risk factor for morbidity and mortality in any type of surgical procedure. For these patients, a distinct and tailored patient optimization approach prior to surgery is required in order to best risk mitigate towards avoiding decompensation and related complications, especially with the chronicity of this disease. This review is to enhance understanding of surgical risks in these patients in selecting patients for elective surgery, or managing those following emergency surgery.