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AIM This study aimed to compare the level of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-17, IL-27, IL-35, and IL-37 in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and human plasma of subjects with periodontal disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this cross-sectional study conducted over a 3-month period at a primary dental clinic in Malaysia, 45 participants were recruited via consecutive sampling and assigned into three groups, namely healthy periodontium group (n = 15), gingivitis group (n = 15), and periodontitis group (n = 15). Gingival crevicular fluid and plasma samples were collected from each participant. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test was conducted to measure the concentration of IL-10, IL-17, IL-27, IL-35, and IL-37. Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare the interleukin levels between patient groups. RESULTS In GCF samples, IL-17 level was the highest in the periodontitis group (p

Background Neuroendocrine neoplasms are rarely located in the gallbladder (GB), and carcinoid syndrome is exceedingly rare in patients with GB neuroendocrine neoplasms. Case summary We report a case of GB neuroendocrine carcinoma (GB-NEC) in a 65-year-old man, who presented with flushing for 2 mo. Pathological specimens of the flushed skin revealed that mucin was deposited between the collagen bundles in the dermis. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging indicated neoplasm in the GB with liver invasion and enlarged lymph nodes in the portacaval space. High fluorodeoxyglucose uptake was detected in lymph nodes in the portacaval space, but distant metastasis was not seen by positron emission tomography. Ultrasound-guided needle biopsy of the GB neoplasm was suggestive of high-grade NEC. Because of the functional characteristics of poorly differentiated NEC, en bloc cholecystectomy, resection of hepatic segments IVb and V, pancreaticoduodenectomy, and regional lymphadenectomy were performed. A diagnosis of poorly differentiated NEC was made by pathological findings and immunohistochemical staining data. Ki-67 index was > 80%. The patient refused adjuvant therapy and passed away in the 7th month. Conclusion Distinctive manifestation combined with imaging helps make correct preoperative diagnosis. Radical surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy might improve prognosis.

Additional file 5: Electrophoretic gel, bioinformatic result, and result from non-treated control.

In order to realize the prediction of continuous casting billet inclusions and provide guidance for actual production, a slab quality prediction method based on genetic algorithm and random forest (GA-RF) is proposed. Taking the continuous casting production data as the object, the sequential backward selection algorithm (SBS) is used to perform feature selection to remove redundant features, and a random forest algorithm model with genetic algorithm parameter optimization is established to predict the quality of cast slabs. The results show that the accuracy of the GA-RF model in casting billet quality prediction is 89.24%, which is better than the prediction accuracy of 78.25% of SVM and 85.84% of BP neural network. At the same time, compared with the grid search algorithm and the random forest model optimized by the particle swarm algorithm, the GA-RF algorithm has higher prediction accuracy and prediction speed.

Supercapacitors are a new type of energy storage element that has been rapidly developed in recent years. The most important factor that determines the performance of supercapacitors is electrode materials. The development of low-cost, high-performance electrode materials is an important research direction for current supercapacitors. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous materials. The applications of MOFs in the supercapacitor have attracted more and more researchers due to their diverse composition and structure, large specific surface area, controllable structure and adjustable pore size. Recent researching application progress of pristine MOFs, MOFs-derived(porous carbon, metal oxides, porous carbon/metal oxides) and MOFs-composite materials for supercapacitors was summarized in this paper. The MOFs with different structural characteristics and their specific performance in the field of electrochemical energy storage were discussed. MOFs based supercapacitors are demonstrated to play an important role in the field of new energy storage and conversion. Finally, the current challenges, future trends and prospects of MOFs in the field of ultracapacitors were pointed out.

MnOx/wasted rock dust catalyst (WZ01) and modified wasted rock dust catalyst (WZ02) were prepared by impregnation method and hydrothermal method as the wasted rock dust (WRD) generated in stone processing plants was used as carriers. The structure of the two catalysts were characterized by energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Their removal efficiencies and reaction mechanisms of oxalic acid were compared and analyzed, which could provide an innovative perspective for catalytic efficiency improvement and cost reduction. The results showed that the WRD contained O, Si, Al, K, Mg, Fe, Ca and Na elements. Mn was amorphous in WZ01 and loaded on the surface of WRD, and Mn was in the form of orthorhombic Mn2O3 in WZ02. WZ02's surface morphology showed obvious changes and was wrinkled with many microchannels. The specific surface area, total pore volume and average pore size of WZ02 had been improved. After 30 minutes of reaction at room temperature, the removal efficiencies of oxalic acid with an initial concentration of 500 mg·L-1 were 40.6% and 54.6% by using WZ01 and WZ02 as catalysts with catalyst dosages of 2 g·L-1 and O3 concentration of 4.92 mg·L-1, respectively. The removal efficiency of oxalic acid decreased greatly after WZ01 recycling and Mn, which acted as active components, was massively washed out. The removal efficiency of oxalic acid was stable after WZ02 was triply recycled as only a small amount of Mn was washed out. The removal efficiency of oxalic acid reduced after tert butanol was introduced into the two reaction systems, and a large amount of •OH was detected by using coumarin fluorescence technology. The removal of oxalic acid by WZ01 and WZ02 catalyzed ozonation were achieved by the combination of adsorption and hydroxyl radical reaction.

The allergy-protective capacity of raw cow's milk was demonstrated to be abolished after heat treatment. The heat-sensitive whey protein fraction of raw milk is often implied to be the source of this allergy-protective effect, but a direct link between these proteins and the protection against allergic diseases is missing. This study therefore aimed at investigating the mechanistic relation between heat damage to whey proteins and allergy development. Raw cow's milk was heated for 30 min at 50, 60, 65, 70, 75, or 80 °C and the native whey protein profile of these differentially heated milk samples was determined using LC-MS/MS-based proteomics. Changes in the native protein profile were subsequently related to the capacity of these milk samples to prevent the development of ovalbumin-induced food allergy in a murine animal model. A substantial loss of native whey proteins, as well as extensive protein aggregation, was observed from 75 °C. However, whey proteins with immune-related functionalities already started to denature from 65 °C, which coincided with the temperature at which a loss of allergy protection was observed in the murine model. Complement C7, monocyte differentiation antigen CD14, and polymeric immunoglobulin receptor concentrations decreased significantly at this temperature, although several other immunologically active whey proteins also showed a decrease around 65 °C. The current study demonstrates that immunologically active whey proteins that denature around 65 °C are of importance for the allergy-protective capacity of raw cow's milk and thereby provides key knowledge for the development of microbiologically safe alternatives to raw cow's milk.

This paper proposes a state identification method of centrifugal pump based on algorithms of wavelet transform, principal component analysis (PCA), and support vector machine (SVM), and provides concrete steps of the fault diagnosis model establishment of marine centrifugal pump using the method. The analysis object is the pressure pulsation signal at the exit of the centrifugal pump, and the characteristic set is constructed by the wavelet packet algorithm. The test data of the centrifugal pump in the normal state is regarded as the sample data. After PCA, the dimension of the feature set is reduced, and the feature extraction model is established. Finally, the state identification and fault diagnosis of the marine centrifugal pump are realized by applying SVM. In the practical application, the method improves the limitation of the traditional state intelligent identification method and the difficulty of setting the threshold, and its validity has been verified in the experiment.

Optical manipulation and label-free characterization of nanoscale structures open up new possibilities for assembly and control of nanodevices and biomolecules. Optical tweezers integrated with Raman spectroscopy allows analyzing a single trapped particle, but is generally less effective for individual nanoparticles. The main challenge is the weak gradient force on nanoparticles that is insufficient to overcome the destabilizing effect of scattering force and Brownian motion. Here, we present standing-wave Raman tweezers for stable trapping and sensitive characterization of single isolated nanostructures with a low laser power by combining a standing-wave optical trap with confocal Raman spectroscopy. This scheme has stronger intensity gradients and balanced scattering forces, and thus can be used to analyze many nanoparticles that cannot be measured with single-beam Raman tweezers, including individual single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), graphene flakes, biological particles, SERS-active metal nanoparticles, and high-refractive semiconductor nanoparticles. This would enable sorting and characterization of specific SWCNTs and other nanoparticles based on their increased Raman fingerprints.

We demonstrate the generation of supercontinuum (SC) spectrum covering S+C+L band of optical communication by injecting 1.4 ps optical pulses with center wavelength of 1 552 nm and repetition rate of 10 GHz into an all-normal dispersion photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with length of 80 m. The experimental results are in good agreement with the numerical simulations, which are used to illustrate the SC generation dynamics by self-phase modulation and optical wave breaking (WB).

We study the dynamics of dissipative spatial solitons by using antisymmetric-type spatially inhomogeneous loss that locally modulates an optical medium described by the complex Ginzburg–Landau model. We reveal soliton dynamics by launching input solitons at different positions of the spatial modulation loss profile, including its zero value and positive value. The soliton transverse drift exhibits tilt straightaway propagation except for the oscillation in initial stage. The tilt angle of the soliton drift can be controlled by the modulation parameters. We also investigate the dependences of the tilt angle of the soliton drift on the amplitude of the inhomogeneous loss and the linear loss coefficient.

Multiwavelength operation of a linear cavity erbium-doped fibre laser (EDFL) is proposed and demonstrated. A 3-dB fibre loop mirror and a high birefringence (HiBi) fibre loop mirror are utilized as the cavity reflectors. By utilizing the wavelength-dependent polarization rotation induced by the HiBi fibre loop mirror and by using a fibre polarizer to control the intracavity polarization state, the polarization states of different wavelengths are diversified. Therefore, the polarization hole burning (PHB) effect has been greatly enhanced and the homogeneous broadening of erbium-doped fibre is suppressed to a large extent. By simply tuning a polarization controller, we experimentally obtained simultaneous lasing of four and five wavelengths with wavelength spacing of ~1.8 nm and less than 2 nm at room temperature, respectively. The repeated scans show that all of these lasers have good stability.

A simple actively mode-locked fibre ring laser is proposed and successfully demonstrated to generate switchable dual-wavelength picosecond pulses using a Bragg grating in a polarization-maintaining fibre. The wavelength spacing specified by the grating is only 0.52 nm. The proposed laser can be made to operate in stable dual-wavelength or switch between wavelengths at room temperature, by simple adjustment of a polarization controller.

Starting from “incentive effects” and “encroachment effects” of the largest shareholders, this article analyzes how the largest shareholder’s changes of stake and nature affect cash value. Empirical studies show that, when financing constraints, caused by the largest shareholder’s moral hazard, do not exist, the relationship between stake and cash value is significant inverted U-shaped, and while the largest shareholder is government, it will weaken the positive effect of cash holdings on firm value; relative to non-government-controlled companies, the government-controlled company’s cash value is lower. When the above-mentioned financing constraints exist, the largest shareholder’s influences on cash value is not significant, but it can be seen the largest shareholder has negative effect on cash value in company with a high degree of financing constraints, which indicates that in the financing constrained company, largest shareholder’s “encroachment effects” is on the performance.

With a sample of listed companies from 2000 to 2010 and using Generalized method of moment (GMM), the paper researches the impacts of firms characteristics and macroeconomic factors on capital structure dynamic adjustment towards target leverage. Using integrated dynamic partial adjustment capital structure model, we find evidence that, relative to in bad macroeconomic states, firms adjust their leverage towards target faster in good states, and that large size firms adjust their leverage towards target faster than small size firms. So dose high growth firms. Our result also prove that, since small size firms are unable to adjust their leverage in time, especially in period of economic recession, they are more likely to face financial difficulties and capital chain ruptures.

This paper examines the impacts of government intervention and ownership structure on the level of corporate diversification. Using the income data of Chinese listed companies between 2008 and 2010, we find that the diversification of listed companies is caused by the government internalizing its public objects such as employment and revenue into its local enterprises. We also find that the stake of the largest shareholder and diversification degrees are conversely relevant, and shareholders play a regulatory role for government intervention in corporate diversification only in the non-state-owned enterprises. These findings further support the institution-based view of business strategy.

Can financial constraints affect stock return? And can financial constraints be a factor for asset pricing in China? There are many empirical results show that financial constraints have an implication of asset pricing from American market. This paper mainly studies the effect of financial constraints in China stock market. Similar to index of KZ, which measure the financial constraints and was constructed by Kaplan and Zingales, we also construct a LFC index using Chinese data to measure financial constraints, then first examine whether financial constraints factor have generally existed in China's stock market. We then examine whether financial constraint can improve the interpretation of three-factor asset pricing model. We last examine whether financial constraint influence stock returns. The evidence in this paper points to financial constraints be an independent factor that affecting asset returns.

By using the data concerning China's urban-rural residents' income gap from 1978 to 2010, this paper mainly researches the application of several kinds of models in predicting China's urban-rural residents' income gap. By conducting empirical analysis, we establish ARIMA prediction model, grey prediction model and quadratic-polynomial prediction model and conduct accuracy comparison. The results show that quadratic-polynomial prediction model has excellent fitting effect. By using quadratic- polynomial prediction model, this paper conducts prediction on trend of China's urban-rural residents' income gap from 2011 to 2013, and the prediction value of income gap of urban-rural residents in China from 2011 to 2013 is 14 173.20, 15 212.92 and 16 289.67 yuan respectively. Finally, on the basis of analysis, corresponding countermeasures are put forward, in order to provide scientific basis for energy planning and policy formulation: first, strengthen governments function of public service, coordinate resources, and strive to provide an equal opportunity of development for social members, so as to promote people's welfare and promote social equality; second, breach industrial monopoly and bridge income gap between employees in monopoly industry and general industry; last but not the least, support, encourage and call for government to establish social relief fund, adjust residents' income distribution from the non-governmental perspective, and endeavor to promote the income level of low-income class.

By using the data concerning China's urban-rural residents' income gap from 1978 to 2010, this paper mainly researches the application of several kinds of models in predicting China's urban-rural residents' income gap. By conducting empirical analysis, we establish ARIMA prediction model, grey prediction model and quadratic-polynomial prediction model and conduct accuracy comparison. The results show that quadratic-polynomial prediction model has excellent fitting effect. By using quadratic- polynomial prediction model, this paper conducts prediction on trend of China's urban-rural residents' income gap from 2011 to 2013, and the prediction value of income gap of urban-rural residents in China from 2011 to 2013 is 14 173.20, 15 212.92 and 16 289.67 yuan respectively. Finally, on the basis of analysis, corresponding countermeasures are put forward, in order to provide scientific basis for energy planning and policy formulation: first, strengthen governments function of public service, coordinate resources, and strive to provide an equal opportunity of development for social members, so as to promote people's welfare and promote social equality; second, breach industrial monopoly and bridge income gap between employees in monopoly industry and general industry; last but not the least, support, encourage and call for government to establish social relief fund, adjust residents' income distribution from the non-governmental perspective, and endeavor to promote the income level of low-income class.

Recovery rates play an important role in Nth CDS pricing, while, it's difficult to get realistic recovery rates. Assuming that the recovery rates are stochastic and follow different Copulas with corresponding default times. Under this assumption, we develop a simulation Algorithm to price the Nth CDS. According to the result of simulation pricing, the prices of Nth CDS are different under the condition of constant recovery rates, stochastic independent recovery rates and Copula structure recovery rates.

The existence and stability of multipeaked solitons are investigated in a parity-time symmetric superlattice with dual periods under both self-focusing and self-defocusing nonlinearity. For self-defocusing nonlinearity dipole solitons with low power and all the odd-peak solitons can exist stably in the first gap, while dipole solitons with high power and even-peak (except two) solitons are unstable. For self-focusing nonlinearity, even-peak out-of-phase solitons can propagate stably in the infinite gap, while odd-peak in-phase solitons are unstable.

Based on the non-paraxial diffraction theory and experimental results of the far-field distributions of diode lasers and by means of the amplitude-phase retrieval algorithm，a novel method for simulating source-field distribution of the diode laser is proposed. The simulation procedure is described and illustrated by the example of a double-heterostructure diode. It is shown that this method is precise enough so long as acurate experimental data are available，and would find some practical applications.