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BackgroundPost-stroke hemiparesis strongly affects stroke patients’ activities of daily living and health-related quality of life. Scalp acupuncture (SA) is reportedly beneficial for post-stroke hemiparesis. However, there is still no standard of SA for the treatment of post-stroke hemiparesis. Apriori algorithm-based association rule analysis is a kind of “if-then” rule-based machine learning method suitable for investigating the underlying rules of acupuncture point/location selections. This study aimed to investigate the core SA combinations for the treatment of post-stroke hemiparesis by using a systematic review and Apriori algorithm-based association rule analysis.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review to include relevant randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies investigating the effects of SA treatment in treating patients with post-stroke hemiparesis, assessed by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) score. We excluded studies using herbal medicine or manual acupuncture.ResultsWe extracted 33 SA locations from the 35 included RCT studies. The following SA styles were noted: International Standard Scalp Acupuncture (ISSA), WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations (SAPL), Zhu’s style SA, Jiao’s style SA, and Lin’s style SA. Sixty-one association rules were investigated based on the integrated SA location data.ConclusionsSAPL_GV20 (Baihui), SAPL_GV24 (Shenting), ISSA_MS6_i (ISSA Anterior Oblique Line of Vertex-Temporal, lesion-ipsilateral), ISSA_MS7_i (ISSA Posterior Oblique Line of Vertex-Temporal, lesion-ipsilateral), ISSA_PR (ISSA Parietal region, comprised of ISSA_MS5, ISSA_MS6, ISSA_MS7, ISSA_MS8, and ISSA_MS9), and SAPL_Ex.HN3 (Yintang) can be considered the core SA location combination for the treatment of post-stroke hemiparesis. We recommend a core SA combination for further animal studies, clinical trials, and treatment strategies.

Background: The role of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of EBV in the blood and intestinal mucosa of patients with IBD and evaluate the association between EBV positivity and IBD. Methods: Patients with IBD, hospitalized between January 2015 and April 2018, were enrolled. The EBV-DNA load in blood samples from each subject was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. EBV-encoded small-RNA 1 (EBER-1) was detected by in-situ hybridization in intestinal mucosa tissue sections of patients with IBD. Result: EBV-DNA was detected in 48 out of 568 patients with IBD (8.4%), and EBER-1 positivity was detected in 27 of these patients (56.3%). Refractory IBD and severe mucosal inflammation were more common in patients with detectable levels of EBER-1 than in those without; the number of EBER-1-positive cells positively correlated with mucosal inflammation (P value < 0.05). Age (≥60 years old) and use of azathioprine were risk factors for EBV infection. There was no significant difference in clinical remission rate and surgical rate between the EBER-1 positive group and EBER-1 negative group, antiviral group and the non-antiviral group, among IBD patients who tested positive for EBV-DNA. Conclusion: Elderly patients with IBD, treated with azathioprine, are more susceptible to EBV positivity. Further, EBV mucosal detection correlated with the severity of mucosal damage and refractoriness, but not prognosis.

Moiré pattern in twisted multilayers (tMLs) induces many emergent phenomena by subtle variation of atomic registry to modulate quasiparticles and their interactions, such as superconductivity, moiré excitons, and moiré phonons. The periodic superlattice potential introduced by moiré pattern also underlies patterned interlayer coupling at the interface of tMLs. Although this arising patterned interfacial coupling is much weaker than in-plane atomic interactions, it is crucial in moiré systems, as captured by the renormalized interlayer phonons in twisted bilayer transitional metal dichalcogenides. Here, we determine the quantitative relationship between the lattice dynamics of intralayer out-of-plane optical (ZO) phonons and patterned interfacial coupling in multilayer graphene moiré superlattices (MLG-MS) by the proposed perturbation model, which is previously challenging for MLGs due to their out-of-phase displacements of adjacent atoms in one atomic plane. We unveil that patterned interfacial coupling introduces profound modulations on Davydov components of nonfolded ZO phonon that are localized within the AB-stacked constituents, while the coupling results in layer-extended vibrations with symmetry of moiré pattern for moiré ZO phonons. Our work brings further degrees of freedom to engineer moiré physics according to the modulations imprinted on the phonon frequency and wavefunction.

ABSTRACT: The Sinian Doushantuo Formation is the oldest shale gas reservoir discovered in the world, which contains good shale gas shows as the Eyangye-1 and Zidi-1 wells in the Yichang Region of western Hubei province, China. The shales in the Doushantuo Formation feature considerable thickness (135 m), high gas content (4.83 m3/t) and high fragile mineral content (up to 75%). Due to the influences of the sedimentary environment, the shale reservoirs here have high dolomitic content (54%) and abruptly changes in vertical lithofacies. Moreover, the characteristics of the shale sweet-spot differ significantly from that in the Wufeng Formation and Longmaxi Formation in southeast Sichuan Basin. A high-resolution sequence stratigraphic correlation was performed on the shales of the Doushantuo Formation at the Eyangye-1 well, Zidi-1 well, Zidi-2 well and some outcrop profiles in Yichang area for the identification of their sedimentary microfacies characteristics. A comprehensive comparative analysis was made by incorporating the elemental geochemistry, wireline and mud logging data of the well to further identify the sweet-spot interval therein. With the analysis of Eyangye-1 well, the sweet-spot interval of the Doushantuo Formation is 3360−3408 m, of which sedimentary microfacies is deepwater reduced environment with many pyrite laminaes, and the TOC is high to 3.42%, the Ro is 3.3%, the organic and matrix pore are well developed and the aperture more than 50 nm, the porosity is 2.7%, the desorption gas content average is 2.16%, and the main mineral is dolomitic (54%) and siliceous quartz (21%). Additionally, these parameters combined with previous studies will shed light on evaluating and characterizing the layers therein, also provide referential geological data for the following exploration and development activities of this shale system.

ABSTRACT: After the breakthrough of shale gas exploration and development in the Ordovician Wufeng Formation (Fm.) and Silurian Longmaxi Fm. of Chongqing Jiaoshiba area, Changning-Weiyuan area, etc. in Sichuan basin, a series of discovery and breakthrough were obtained by China Geological Survey in the Cambrian Niutitang Fm. and Sinian Doushantuo Fm. shale of the areas with complicated structure outside Sichuan basin. Based on the understanding of the law of shale gas enrichment in Longmaxi Fm. in the basin, this paper puts forward three elements of the formation and enrichment of shale gas, which are the “Source”, the “Diagenesis” and the “Accumulation”, after deeply studying the law shale gas enrichment and accumulation in Sinian-Cambrian reservoir of the complex structure area outside the basin. The “Source” means the sedimentary environment and petrological characteristics of organic shale. The “Diagenesis” means the basin tectonic subsidence and hydrocarbon generation and expulsion process of organic matter. The “Accumulation” means the tectonic uplift and shale gas preservation. It is proposed that the Sinian-Cambrian and Ordovician-Silurian black shale series in the middle and upper Yangtze region of southern China were both formed in the deep-water shelf environment of rift trough and foreland basin respectively. The dessert intervals were formed in the strong reduction environment under transgressive system tract. The shale lithology belongs to calcium-siliceous and charcoal-siliceous respectively. Based on the summary of structural evolution in Yangtze area, the correlation of structural burial depth with shale diagenesis and the coupling evolution of organic matter with pore structure are discussed. Combining with structural styles, the preservation conditions of shale gas are discussed. Five types of shale gas reservoir control models are further described. Two types of future exploration directions, which are reverse fault syncline and paleo-uplift margin in complex structural area outside the basin, are proposed.

ABSTRACT: There are plenty of Sinian and Cambrian potential shale gas resources in South China, which is characterized by high thermal evolution degrees, poor drilling performances and only occurs in local areas. Taking the principle “high to find low” is the key issue to achieving a breakthrough in older shale. China Geological Survey drilled in the periphery of the Proterozoic basement, i.e. the Huangling anticline, in the western Hubei, and Hannan paleocontinent in the southern Shanxi. It received high-quality gas-bearing shale with relatively low Ro in the in Lower Cambrian Niutitang formation and Sinian Doushantuo formation. Based on geological conditions of shale gas reservoirs in the Huangling anticline, this paper puts forward the new model named “Control over reservoirs by periphery of basement” about shale gas accumulation, suggesting that the shale deposited in a deepwater continental shelf in the periphery of the basement is characterized by shallow burial, a short burial time, stable tectonics, relatively low thermal evolution degrees, and shale gas reservoirs in a good condition. The shale of the Sinian-Cambrian strata deposited in deepwater continental shelves in the periphery of Chuanzhong paleo-uplift in Sichuan, Hannan paleocontinent in the southern Shanxi, Huangling anticline in western Hubei and Jiangnang-Xuefeng paleo-uplift in Hunan and Guizhou province have good shale gas exploration potential.

Objective To report drug-induced oesophageal ulceration in adult patients treated with doxycycline for acne vulgaris. Methods This retrospective case series included data from adult patients treated with oral doxycycline therapy for acne vulgaris, who had presented with oesophageal ulceration at the Third People’s Hospital of Hangzhou between June 2016 and December 2017, and whose diagnosis was confirmed by gastroscopy. Clinicodemographic data were analysed, including symptom onset, endoscopy results, that were assessed for classic features of oesophageal ulceration. Patients were questioned regarding medication intake. Results A total of 12 patients were included (mean age, 23.50 ± 3.20 years), eight (66.67%) of whom were female. Based on history of medication and endoscopic findings, these patients were diagnosed with doxycycline-induced oesophageal ulceration. Most patients were found to have taken the medication at bedtime, just before lying down, and/or with insufficient water. Conclusion Doxycycline may cause oesophageal irritation when not taken with sufficient water, or taken just before lying down to sleep. Prescribing physicians should be aware of these issues, and instruct patients as to the correct method for intake of doxycycline.

ABSTRACT: There are three types of shale gas resources in China. The resources are present in large amounts and are widely distributed. Marine facies, transitional facies and continental facies resources each account for a third. Based on resource distributions, there are many wells penetrated into the Sinian, Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous and Permian strata of the Yangtze plate and its periphery, the North China Craton and the Tarim Basin. Many years of exploration have indicated that the marine Silurian Longmaxi shale gas is widely distributed in south China and has been industrialized in its production in the Sichuan basin. The shale gas from the Cambrian Niutitang Formation and the Sinian Doushantuo Formation are important discoveries in Yichang, Hubei and Zhenba, Shanxi. There are also shale gas resources found within transitional facies and continental facies in different areas in China. The “two element enrichment theory” has been summarized during the exploration process of Silurian marine shale gas in the Sichuan Basin. In addition, horizontal drilling and fracturing technologies up to 3500 m in depth have been developed. Based on the understanding of shale gas accumulation in a complex tectonic zone outside the Sichuan basin, a preliminary summary of the formation of the “converse fault syncline control reservoir” and “paleo uplift control reservoir” model has been constructed. The dominant theory of “Trinity” shale gas enrichment and the high yield of the “deep water Lu Pengxiang sedimentary facies belt, structural preservation conditions and overpressure” is summarized. Guided by the above theories. Anye1 well in Guizhou and Eyangye1 well in Hubei were drilled. “Four storey” oil and shale gas is found in the Permian Qixia group, the Silurian Shiniulan Formation, the Longmaxi Formation and the Ordovician Baota Formation in Anye1 well. Good shale gas has been gound in the Cambrian Niutitang formation inian Doushantuo formation in Eyangye 1well. This paper aims to summarize and review the main progress, theoretical technology and problems of shale gas exploration and development in recent years in China, and predicts the future exploration and development direction for shale gas and possible exploration areas.

AIM: To investigate the probably mechanism of amniotic extraction inhibiting haze formation after epipolis laser in situ keratomileusis(Epi-LASIK)in rabbit cornea. METHODS: Thirty rabbit corneas were performed with Epi-LASIK. All eyes were randomly divided into three groups: eyes treated with amniotic extraction(AE group), eyes treated with 1g/L dexamethasone(hormone group)and eyes treated with solvent(solvent control group). Haze grade evaluation was performed under the slit lamp after Epi-LASIK for 1, 4 and 8wk. The repair of corneal epithelium was observed by using HE staining, and the expression of NF-kB protein P65 was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines(TNF-α, TGF-β1 and IL-1)and anti-inflammatory cytokines(IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13)were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: HE staining showed that the basal cells of corneal epithelium were more uniform and arranged regularly in AE groups after Epi-LASIK for 1wk as compared with the hormone group and the solvent control group. After 4wk, there were a few of new collagen fibers in the superficial stroma of AE group, forming a small amount of scar. After 8wk, the corneal stroma of AE group showed a small amount of new collagen fibers, arranged regularly, and rarely formed scar. At the early stage(1 and 4wk), AE treatment has an obviously effect on inhibiting the secretion of inflammatory factors(TNF-α, TGF-β1 and IL-1)and anti-inflammatory factors(IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13), and the difference was statistically significant(PCONCLUSION: Amniotic extraction may reduce the inflammatory response in corneal epithelial cells by inhibiting the NF-kB signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting the formation of collagen and scar and the occurrence of haze.

C24H18N6O4Zn, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 13.7579(8) Å, b = 8.5684(6) Å, c = 19.7973(10) Å, β = 96.500(6)°, V = 2318.8(2) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0521, wRref(F2) = 0.1297, T = 288 K.

Dissolved iron exerts significant effects on mineral leaching, impurity removal, and solution purification in the zinc hydrometallurgy process. To date, iron oxidation and migration behaviors are yet to be fully understood and further research on effective regulation mechanisms of iron is required. In this paper, zinc sulfide concentrate was used as the research object. The behaviors of both Zn and Fe during pressure leaching were investigated for varying temperature, acid addition, and leaching time. At temperature of 100~160 °C, H2SO4/Zn ratio of 0.9:1−1.25:1, and leaching time of 0.5−2.5 h, the zinc extraction increased with temperature, acidity and leaching time. The iron extraction, however, varied differently with increasing temperature, acidity and leaching time: (A) it increased with temperature to 150 °C and then decreased at higher temperature, and (B) displayed an initial increase followed by a decrease with respect to the leaching time. Based on the characteristics of the residue phase, chemical phase analysis was used to analyze the residue in detail. The extent of dissolution of iron-containing minerals and the extent of precipitation of ferric ions during the leaching process were quantitatively calculated.

Objective We aimed to evaluate the association between serum uric acid levels at the onset and prognostic outcome in patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Methods We retrospectively analysed the outcomes of 1166 patients with ischaemic stroke who were hospitalized in our centre during August 2008 to November 2012. Correlations of serum uric acid levels and prognostic outcomes were analysed. Results Men had higher serum uric acid levels and better neurological functional outcomes compared with women. There was a strong negative correlation between serum uric acid levels and unfavourable neurological functional outcomes. Generalized estimated equation analysis showed that a higher serum uric acid level (>237 µmol/L) was a protective factor for neurological functional outcome in male, but not female, patients. Among five trial of ORG 10172 in acute stroke treatment classification subtypes, only patients with the large-artery atherosclerosis subtype had a significant protective effect of serum uric acid levels on neurological outcome. Conclusions Our study shows that high serum uric acid levels are a significant protective factor in men and in the large-artery atherosclerosis subtype in patients with ischaemic stroke. This is helpful for determining the prognostic value of serum uric acid levels for neurological outcome of acute ischaemic stroke.

Furosine (Nε-(2-furoylmethyl)-l-lysine) is formed during the early stages of the Maillard reaction from a lysine Amadori compound and is frequently used as a marker of reaction progress. Furosine is toxic, with significant effects on animal livers, kidneys, and other organs. However, reports on the formation of furosine in processed velvet antler are scarce. In this study, we have quantified the furosine content in processed velvet antler by using UPLC-MS/MS. The furosine contents of velvet antler after freeze-drying, boiling, and processing without and with blood were 148.51–193.93, 168.10–241.22, 60.29–80.33, and 115.18–138.99 mg/kg protein, respectively. The factors affecting furosine formation in processed velvet antler, including reducing sugars, proteins, amino acids, and process temperature, are discussed herein. Proteins, amino acids, and reducing sugars are substrates for the Maillard reaction and most significantly influence the furosine content in the processed velvet antler. High temperatures induce the production of furosine in boiled velvet antler but not in the freeze-dried samples, whereas more furosine is produced in velvet antler processed with blood, which is rich in proteins, amino acids, and reducing sugars, than in the samples processed without blood. Finally, wax slices rich in proteins, amino acids, and reducing sugars produced more furosine than the other parts of the velvet antler. These data provide a reference for guiding the production of low-furosine velvet antler and can be used to estimate the consumer intake of furosine from processed velvet antler.

Nε-(Carboxymethyl) lysine (CML) and Nε-(carboxyethyl) advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and are frequently used as markers of AGE formation. AGEs, such as CML and CEL, have harmful effects in the human body and have been closely linked to many diseases such as diabetes and uremia. However, details on the contents of CML and CEL after applying different antler velvet processing methods are lacking. In this research, a robust lysine (CEL) are two typical UPLC-MS/MS method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of CML and CEL in various sections of antler velvet processed with different methods. In addition, factors affecting the CML and CEL contents are discussed. The CML contents of antler velvet after freeze-drying, boiling, processing without blood, and processing with blood were 74.55⁻458.59, 119.44⁻570.69, 75.36⁻234.92, and 117.11⁻456.01 μg/g protein, respectively; the CEL contents were 0.74⁻12.66, 11.33⁻35.93, 0.00⁻6.75, and 0.00⁻23.41 μg/g protein, respectively. The different contents of CML and CEL in the different samples of antler velvet result from the different interactions of the protein and lysine at different temperatures. These data can be used to estimate the potential consumer intake of CML and CEL from antler velvet and for guiding producers on how to reduce the production of CML and CEL.

This study investigated adverbial clauses in spoken as well as written Chinese discourse. The adverbial clauses in the spoken data were categorized into (i) initial clauses that occur in the initial position with respect to their linked material across continuing intonation, (ii) final clauses that occur in the final position with respect to their linked material across continuing intonation, and (iii) final clauses that occur in the final position with respect to their linked material across final intonation. Those in the written data were classified into (i) initial and (ii) final clauses that occur in the initial or final clauses that occur in the initial or final position, respectively, with respect to their main clauses. An analysis of the spoken and written data shows that the temporal, conditional, and concessiveclauses are quite different from the other adverbial clauses. Specifically, the causal clauses commonly appear in the final position with respect to their associated material in the spoken data, while the initial and final causal clauses are nearly evenly distributed in the written data. The data suggest that temporal, conditional, and concessive clauses, like topics, are presupposed parts of their sentences; i.e., all of them may be thought of as establishing frameworks for the interpretation of propositions that follow, which seem to be prototypically textual in their functioning. By contrast, causal clauses in Chinese are noticeably distinct from other adverbial clauses not only in spoken data, but also in written data; they play interactional as well as textual roles in discourse linking.

The molecule of the title compound, [Ni(C68H76N4O4)], is located on a crystallographic inversion center. The Ni—N distances within the square-shaped coordination environment are 1.951 (2) and 1.954 (2) Å. Three terminal C atoms in one of the hexyl groups are disordered over two sets of sites, with site-occupancy factors of 0.615 (13) and 0.385 (13).

In the zwitterionic title compound, C17H14N2O, the dihedral angle between the naphthalene and pyridine ring systems is 3.56 (9)° and an intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond generates an S(6) ring. In the crystal, molecules are linked by C—H...O interactions.

Background: Good's syndrome (GS) is an immunodeficiency disease, causing thymoma, low or absent B-cells, hypogammaglobulinemia, and defects in cell-mediated immunity. The most common clinical presentation is recurrent infection, followed by refractory diarrhea, due to the immunodeficiency. However, there are only few reports on intestinal endoscopy and pathology. Case summary: We report here two typical GS cases with diarrhea as the prominent manifestation. Both cases presented with thymoma combined with immunodeficiency, characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia, low or absent B lymphocytes, and decreased T-cells with inverted CD4+/CD8+ T-cell ratio, while two GS patients were evaluated by endoscopy revealed mucosal edema and fine-granular or nodular appearance changes in the small intestine. Histological examination showed chronic inflammation and villous atrophy. A very interesting finding is that the inflammatory cell infiltration in the two GS cases was different. In one case, predominantly CD138+ plasma cells with only scattered CD3+ T-cells infiltration were revealed, while in another, it showed predominantly T-cells infiltration without plasma cells in the lamina propria. Although GS cases shared various clinical characteristics with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) cases, they still differed from CVID cases in terms of its late onset, lack of familial clusters, low or absent peripheral blood B lymphocytes, absence of lymphoid hyperplasia, and plasma cells infiltration in the lamina propria in some patients. Although both patients had been diagnosed previously with recurrent diarrhea, respiratory infection, and thymoma, the association between these conditions and the possibility of GS was not recognized. The patients had remained misdiagnosed for 2 and 4 years, respectively, even after receiving the diagnosis of thymoma. The rarity of GS was likely the primary cause for the lack of disease recognition. Reporting of these cases will help to alert clinicians and raise awareness of this disease. Conclusion: GS should be considered among the differential diagnoses for patients with unexplained recurrent diarrhea and opportunistic infection. Although it was regarded as a subset of CVID with thymoma, GS had a different clinical-pathological feature from CVID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using corpus analysis and error analysis，this study investigates Englishspeaking, Japanese-speaking，and Ko re an-speaking Chinese learners' acquisition of various meanings of hat in Mandarin Chinese，including its temporal meaning still, yet' as well as its abundant atemporal meanings involving addition, comparison and counter-expectation. We found a preponderance of misselection errors across the three groups of learners. The next most common error type for the Japanese-speaking and Koreanspeaking learners was omission，while omission and over-inclusion were equally challenging for the English-speaking learners. Further analysis of errors in misselection shows that many learners failed to distinguish the temporal hat from the atemporal haishi required in a concessive sentence for the counter-expectation meaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C26H26N6O9Ni, triclinic, P 1 ‾ $‾{1}$ (no. 2), a = 11.2329(5) Å, b = 11.7535(5) Å, c = 12.1109(7) Å, α = 70.936(5)°, β = 75.684(4)°, γ = 63.266(4)°, V = 1340.13(13) Å3, Z = 2, Rgt(F) = 0.0314, wRref(F2) = 0.0743, T = 290 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Mucosal healing is associated with improved long-term clinical outcomes in patients with ulcerative colitis. This population-based study assessed endoscopic and histological mucosal healing within the first year of diagnosis. Methods: Consecutive patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis from six countries in Asia were prospectively enrolled. Clinical demographics, blood markers and inflammatory activity were assessed at baseline. Mayo score and Nancy index were used to assess endoscopic and histological activities, respectively. Clinical, endoscopic and histological evaluations were repeated at 1 year. Logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of mucosal healing. Results: Of 433 ulcerative colitis patients, 202 [46.7%] underwent colonoscopy at 1 year. In total, 68 [38.2%] achieved endoscopic mucosal healing and 35 [23.1%] achieved histological mucosal healing. On multivariate analysis, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR] at diagnosis (odds ratio [OR], 0.332; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.133-0.830; p = 0.018) was a significant negative predictor of endoscopic mucosal healing at 1 year, while histological features of ulceration [OR, 0.156; 95% CI, 0.028-0.862; p = 0.033] and being an ex-smoker [OR, 0.067; 95% CI, 0.005-0.965; p = 0.047] were significant negative predictors of histological healing at 1 year. Both endoscopic and histological mucosal healing were associated with less steroid use [p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively] and hospitalization [p = 0.002 and p = 0.01, respectively]. Conclusions: Mucosal healing was achieved in fewer than half of patients with ulcerative colitis in the first year of diagnosis. An elevated ESR predicted less likelihood of endoscopic mucosal healing, while histological features of ulceration and being an ex-smoker at diagnosis predicted less likelihood of histological healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing in Asia, but little is known about disease progression in this region. The Asia-Pacific Crohn's and Colitis Epidemiology Study was initiated in 2011, enrolling subjects from 8 countries in Asia (China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand) and Australia. We present data from this ongoing study. METHODS: We collected data on 413 patients diagnosed with IBD (222 with ulcerative colitis [UC], 181 with Crohn's disease [CD], 10 with IBD unclassified; median age, 37 y) from 2011 through 2013. We analyzed the disease course and severity and mortality. Risks for medical and surgical therapies were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: The cumulative probability that CD would change from inflammatory to stricturing or penetrating disease was 19.6%. The cumulative probabilities for use of immunosuppressants or anti-tumor necrosis factor agents were 58.9% and 12.0% for patients with CD, and 12.7% and 0.9% for patients with UC, respectively. Perianal CD was associated with an increased risk of anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy within 1 year of its diagnosis (hazard ratio, 2.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-8.09). The cumulative probabilities for surgery 1 year after diagnosis were 9.1% for patients with CD and 0.9% for patients with UC. Patients with CD and penetrating disease had a 7-fold increase for risk of surgery, compared with patients with inflammatory disease (hazard ratio, 7.67; 95% confidence interval, 3.93-14.96). The overall mortality for patients with IBD was 0.7%. CONCLUSIONS: In a prospective population-based study, we found that the early course of disease in patients with IBD in Asia was comparable with that of the West. Patients with CD frequently progress to complicated disease and have accelerated use of immunosuppressants. Few patients with early stage UC undergo surgery in Asia. Increasing our understanding of IBD progression in different populations can help optimize therapy and improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of the current meta.analysis was to assess the arterial spin labeling. (ASL) perfusion imaging measurement of cerebral blood flow. (CBF) in patients with brain tumors, and assessing preoperative tumor grade in brain. Materials and Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China BioMedicine (CBM), CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases were chosen to evaluate the associations between ASL and brain cancer. Two reviewers separately evaluated the quality of the included trials. Standardized mean difference (SMD) at 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was also calculated. Results: Finally, 475 patients were enrolled into this meta-analysis from 12 eligible studies and were selected for statistical analysis. Results showed that relative tumor blood flow (rTBF) and relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in high-grade brain cancer patients were faster than those in low-grade brain cancer patients. Subgroup analysis stratified by country implied that ASL may be the main prediction of increased rTBF in high-grade brain cancer patients among USA, Korea and China; and rCBF was faster in high-grade brain cancer using ASL in USA and China. Further reference by tissue-stratified analysis revealed a positive association of rTBF with high-grade brain cancer by utilization of ASL in all the experimental subgroups, while rCBF was only correlated in white subgroups. Conclusion: These results showed that rTBF and rCBF were faster in high-grade brain cancer patients, suggesting that ASL may provide suitable measurement for the differential diagnosis of tumor grade in brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores Mandarin Chinese yaoshi and yaobushi constructions in both spoken and written discourse from the perspective of grammaticalization. Although the conditional markers yaoshi and yaobuhsi seem antonymous, there are some asymmetries between them in conditional constructions. Adopting a synchronic approach, this study discusses the semantic-pragmatic uses of yaoshi and yaobushi. In addition, we also show their semantic development from the propositional domain, to the textual domain, and from there to the expressive domain, viz. a semantic development whereby the meanings of the lexical items change from less to more situated in the speaker's mental belief and attitude. By investigating the development of yaoshi and yaobushi, we can describe more accurately their various usages in contemporary Chinese and explain the asymmetries between their uses in conditionals. It is concluded in this study that the differences in their grammaticalization, subjectification and intersubjectification included, influence not only their occurrences in conditionals but also their pragmatic functions in discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The rising incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in Asia supports the importance of environmental risk factors in disease aetiology. This prospective population-based case-control study in Asia-Pacific examined risk factors prior to patients developing IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twonew pressure-dependent pseudo-polymorphism complexes, a 2D polymeric{[Cu2(TBA)]·2H2O}n(1) and a dinuclear [Cu2(TBA)(H2O)2]·2H2O (2), weresuccessfully obtained and demonstrated to possess weak antiferromagneticproperties. The synthesis has been achieved through a novel one-potreaction where four DMBA (DMBA = 1,3-dimethyl-barbitiric acid) moleculestetramerized in situ with EtOH to give (TBA)4-(H4TBA = 1,1',2,2'-tetra-barbiturate-ethene) ligand. This unprecedented tetramerization involves one-pot formation of onenew CC bond and four new C-C bonds. It was shown thatthe formation of 1strictly relied on the use of Cu(II)ion and EtOH and that reactions of oxidation, Knoevenagel condensation, and Michael addition probably induce the tetramerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article outlines the developments of natural taxanes since 1828, specifically the potential of paclitaxel. It notes the evolution of diverse strategy and various approaches to study the synthesis of taxane framework as well as for paclitaxel. It also mentions the necessity of detailed understanding on the steps of taxane biosynthesis and the determination of related genes.

The article presents a study that evaluates a rare 2(3→20) abeotaxane and a novel 6/8/6-membered taxane with a rare C-12(13)-double bond, which were isolated from the needles of Taxus canadensis. The study was conducted through visualizing the compounds on thin layer chromatography (TLC) plates with 10% sulfuric acid in ethanol. The results of the study implies that the chemical shifts of the olefinic carbon indicates the presence of rare cyclic olefinic bond in ring A.

The study reported here, building on the research methods of Conversation Analysis (Sacks et al., 1974), Politeness Theory (Brown and Levinson, 1987), and Relevance Theory (Sperber and Wilson, 1986/1995), attempts to examine the distribution of Mandarin qishi ('actually') and shishishang ('in fact') across two different discourse modes in formal speech settings: formal lectures and TV panel news discussions. The results indicate that qishi is prevalent in TV panel news discussion data, which fall into the interactional mode, whereas shishishang is more prevalent in formal speech data, which fall into the transactional mode. The study shows that in interaction, qishi is addressee-oriented and signals alignment (agreement) or divergence (disagreement), whereas shishishang is message-oriented and asserts a proposition with a tone of certainty. In addition, the study suggests that although the literal meanings of qishi ('it's fact') and shishishang ('in the aspect of fact'), which are concerned with factuality, are seemingly unrelated to emotive expressivity, they offer a rhetorical strategy for expressing the speaker's attitudinal position, and can both serve to indicate the speaker's epistemic inference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study draws on Relevance Theory (Sperber and Wilson, 1986/1995), Conversation Analysis (Sacks et al., 1974), and Politeness Theory (Brown and Levinson, 1987) in investigating a full range of discourse functions for hao and dui with reference to recurrent patterns, distributions, and forms of organization in a large corpus of talk. Special emphasis is placed on a comparison of hao and dui in combination with a small subset of discourse particles: in particular hao/hao le/hao la/hao a/hao ba and dui/dui a/dui le in spoken discourse. We find that both of the markers signal special sequential relatedness in talk and carry information which is relevant in determining the boundaries of conversational exchange. However, in interaction hao is used for expressing acceptance of the other speaker's move or act, whereas dui conveys acknowledgment of the propositional content of the utterance produced by the other speaker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]