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Alternate day fasting (ADF; 75% restriction fast day alternated with ad libitum feed day) is effective for weight loss in obese individuals. Whether ADF can also be used for weight maintenance, is ...

The absolute {ital p}-{ital d} elastic-scattering differential cross sections were measured at 641.3 and 792.7 MeV beam energies over a range of c.m. angles from {similar to}35{degree} to {similar to}115{degree} and {similar to}35{degree} to {similar to}140{degree}, respectively. The longitudinally polarized ({ital L}-type) proton beam produced by the Lamb-shift ion source at LAMPF was used. The beam intensity was measured to high accuracy ({similar to}0.1%) by a scintillator-beam particle-counting system designed and developed prior to the experiment. Typical uncertainties in the absolute cross sections were about 2--3% total, somewhat larger at back angles. The present results were compared with the existing measurements and the controversy about the previous data at 800 MeV was resolved. The present data can be fit with a relativistic multiple-scattering theory which uses off-mass-shell extrapolations of the nucleon-nucleon amplitudes suggested by the structure of derivative meson-nucleon couplings. Relativistic-impulse-approximation calculations do not fit these data at either energy.

Studies on the hydrological response to continuous extreme and asymptotic climate change can improve our ability to cope with intensified water-related problems. Most of the literature focused on the runoff response to climate change, while neglecting the impacts of the potential variation in the active catchment water storage capacity (ACWSC) that plays an essential role in the transfer of climate inputs to the catchment runoff. This study aims to systematically identify the response of the ACWSC to a long-term meteorological drought and asymptotic climate change. First, the time-varying parameter is derived to reflect the ACWSC periodic and abrupt variations in both drought and non-drought periods. Second, the change points and varying patterns of the ACWSC are analyzed based on the Bayesian change point analysis with multiple evaluation criteria. Finally, various catchment properties and climate characteristics are used to explore the possible relationship between these variables and the temporal variation characteristics of the ACWSC. The catchments that suffered from a prolonged meteorological drought in southeast Australia were selected as the case study. Results indicate that: (1) the increase in amplitude change in the ACWSC is observed in 83/92 catchments during the prolonged drought period, and significant shifts in the mean value of the ACWSC are detected in 77/92 catchments; (2) the average response time of the ACWSC for all 92 catchments with significant changes is 641.3 d; (3) the values of the ACWSC changed significantly in the catchments with small areas, low elevations, small slope ranges, large forest coverage, and high soil water-holding capacities. This study could enhance our understanding of the variations in catchment property under climate change.

Herein, a novel biosorbent originated from sugar beet pulp (SBP) was synthesized by microwave-assisted esterification with maleic anhydride (MA) and further decorated with ferric hydroxide. Characterization methods including FT-IR, SEM, XRD, Zeta potential, BET, TG and XPS were used to determine anticipative modification of SBP. The co-modified product of SBP (FMSBP) was applied for the cationic methylene blue (MB) dye removal and the optimization of experimental parameters such as biosorbent dosage, initial pH, contact time, initial MB concentration and temperature were investigated. Biosorption equilibrium followed the Langmuir isotherm model with a theoretical maximum biosorption capacity of 641.3 mg g−1 and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model was more suitable to describe kinetic data, while thermodynamic calculations indicated a spontaneous and exothermic biosorption process. Surface complexation and electrostatic interactions were involved in biosorption mechanisms, and the superior biosorption performance of FMSBP was achieved within 150 min at pH 8. Furthermore, FMSBP was demonstrated for the successful application in simulated real wastewater treatment, and the removal efficiency of MB remained above 70% after six desorption-resorption cycles, indicating a stable and promising biosorbent for decontamination of wastewater containing cationic dye.

Multi-principal element alloys and high-entropy alloys (HEAs) are emerging metallic materials with unprecedented structures and properties for various applications. In this study, we tuned the microstructure and mechanical performance of a recently designed high-performance Co-rich TRIP-HEA via thermomechanical processing (TMP). The microstructures of the HEA after various TMP routines were characterized, and their correlation with room-temperature tensile performance was clarified. The results showed that grain refinement is an effective strategy for enhancing strength while retaining satisfactory ductility. The formation of incoherent precipitates slightly improves the strength but inevitably sacrifices the ductility, which needs to be considered for optimizing the TMPs. The room temperature tensile yield strength and ultimate tensile strength were increased from 254.6 to 641.3 MPa and from 702.5 to 968.4 MPa, respectively, but the tensile elongation retains a satisfactory value of 68.8%. We herein provide important insights into the regulation of the microstructure and mechanical properties of TRIP-HEAs.

Studies on the hydrological response to continuous extreme and asymptotic climate change can improve our ability to cope the intensified water-related problems. Most of the existing literature focused on the runoff response to different climate change patterns, while neglected the impacts by the potential variation in the catchment water storage capacity (CWSC) that plays an important role in the transfer of climate input to the catchment runoff. This study aims to identify the response of the CWSC to the long-term meteorological drought and asymptotic climate change systematically. Firstly, the time-varying parameter is derived to reflect the CWSC periodic/abrupt variations under both drought and non-drought periods. Secondly, the change points and varying patterns of the CWSC are analysed based on the Bayesian change point analysis with multiple evaluation criteria. Finally, multiple catchment properties and climate characteristics are used to explore the possible relationship between these variables and the temporal variation characteristic of the CWSC. The catchments suffered from prolonged meteorological drought in southeast Australia are selected as the case study. Results indicate that: (1) the increase of CWSC amplitude change has been observed in 83/92 catchments during the prolonged drought period and the significant shifts in the mean value of the CWSC are detected in 77/92 catchments; (2) the median response time of CWSC for all 92 catchments with significant changes is 641.3 days; (3) the values of CWSC are changed significantly in the catchments with small area\\low elevation\\small slope range\\large forest coverage and high soil water holding capacity. This study might enhance our understanding to the variations in catchment property under different climate-changing patterns.

In the recent past, the COVID-19 epidemic has impeded global economic progress and, by extension, all of society. This type of pandemic has spread rapidly, posing a threat to human lives and the economy. Because of the growing scale of COVID-19 cases, employing artificial intelligence for future prediction purposes during this pandemic is crucial. Consequently, the major objective of this research paper is to compare various deep learning forecasting algorithms, including auto-regressive integrated moving average, long short-term memory, and conventional neural network techniques to forecast how COVID-19 would spread in Saudi Arabia in terms of the number of people infected, the number of deaths, and the number of recovered cases. Three different time horizons were used for COVID-19 predictions: short-term forecasting, medium-term forecasting, and long-term forecasting. Data pre-processing and feature extraction steps were performed as an integral part of the analysis work. Six performance measures were applied for comparing the efficacy of the developed models. LSTM and CNN algorithms have shown superior predictive precision with errors of less than 5% measured on available real data sets. The best model to predict the confirmed death cases is LSTM, which has better RMSE and R2 values. Still, CNN has a similar comparative performance to LSTM. LSTM unexpectedly performed badly when predicting the recovered cases, with RMSE and R2 values of 641.3 and 0.313, respectively. This work helps decisionmakers and health authorities reasonably evaluate the status of the pandemic in the country and act accordingly.

Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is effective in improving postural stability and balance in different clinical populations. However, there is no evidence of these effects in soccer players. A single-blind, two-arm (1:1), randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study on 14 soccer players was performed with the main aim of assessing the effect of IMT on static balance, and secondarily, of examining changes in the respiratory muscle function. The experimental group (EG) received an IMT program with progressive intensity, from 20% to 80%, of the maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP). The sham group (SG) performed the same program with a fixed load of 20% of the MIP. Static balance and respiratory muscle function variables were assessed. A two-factor analysis of variance for repeated measures was used to assess differences after training. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Significant increases were observed in the EG on length of sway under eyes open (from 2904.8 ± 640.0 to 3522.4 ± 509.0 mm, p = 0.012) and eyes closed (from 3166.2 ± 641.3 to 4173.3 ± 390.8 mm, p = 0.004). A significant increase in the maximal voluntary ventilation was observed for both groups (EG p = 0.005; SG p = 0.000). No significant differences existed between the groups. IMT did not improve the static balance in a sample of soccer players. Conducting a high-scale study is feasible and could refine the results and conclusions stemming from the current pilot study.

Background Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus are entomopathogenic bacteria that cause septicemia and toxemia in insects. They produce secondary metabolites to induce host immunosuppression. Their metabolite compositions vary among bacterial species. Little is known about the relationship between metabolite compositions and the bacterial pathogenicity. The objective of this study was to compare pathogenicity and production of secondary metabolites of 14 bacterial isolates (species or strains) of Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus. Results All bacterial isolates exhibited insecticidal activities after hemocoelic injection to Spodoptera exigua (a lepidopteran insect) larvae, with median lethal doses ranging from 168.8 to 641.3 CFU per larva. Bacterial infection also led to immunosuppression by inhibiting eicosanoid biosynthesis. Bacterial culture broth was fractionated into four different organic extracts. All four organic extracts of each bacterial species exhibited insecticidal activities and resulted in immunosuppression. These organic extracts were subjected to GC-MS analysis which predicted 182 compounds, showing differential compositions for 14 bacteria isolates. There were positive correlations between total number of secondary metabolites produced by each bacterial culture broth and its bacterial pathogenicity based on immunosuppression and insecticidal activity. From these correlation results, 70 virulent compounds were selected from secondary metabolites of high virulent bacterial isolates by deducting those of low virulent bacterial isolates. These selected virulent compounds exhibited significant immunosuppressive activities by inhibiting eicosanoid biosynthesis. They also exhibited relatively high insecticidal activities. Conclusion Virulence variation between Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus is determined by their different compositions of secondary metabolites, of which PLA2 inhibitors play a crucial role.

Background: Severe asthma treatment with oral corticosteroids (OCS) added to ICS-LABA combination, may imply poor control, elevated disease burden and increased adverse reactions Aims: Describe the medical burden in patients with severe uncontrolled asthma treated with high doses of ICS-LABA and frequent or chronic OCS use in Spain Methods: This 6-month observational, prospective, multicentre nation-wide study, included adults patients, with severe asthma treated with stable high-dose ICS-LABA, who received (1:2 proportion) OCS over 6 months (maintenance group, n=30, 33.7%) or ≥2 cycles in previous 12 months (course group, n=59, 66.3%) Results: Total N=89 included. Mean age(SD) 56.6(14.6) years, 75.3% female. Mean (SD) time from diagnosis 18.0(16.4) years. Main comorbidities: gastroesophageal reflux 24.7%, chronic rhinosinusitis 36% (nasal polyps 21.3%) and aeroallergen reactivity 33.7%, osteoporosis 10.1% After 6 months, mean(SD) cumulative prednisone equivalent dose in maintenance(n=27) and courses (n=35) were respectively 2169.2(1600.9) mg and 641.3(1029.5) mg Asthma burden in maintenance and courses groups: exacerbations (37.9% and 58.2%, p=0.078), hospitalizations (6.9% and 9.1%) emergency visits (17.2% and 32.7%p=0.130). Mean[SD] events in maintenance and courses: exacerbations (severe 2.0[1.7] and 1.3[1.6], p=0.137; moderate 0.5[1.2] and 1.2[1.5], p=0.097), hospitalizations (8.0[2.8] and 4.0[2.1], p=0.090), emergency visits (2.4[2.6] and 1.4[0.7], p=0.659) Conclusion: The burden of asthma persists without differences between patients receiving maintenance or OCS courses for 6-month follow up

Background: Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus are entomopathogenic bacteria that cause septicemia and toxemia in insects. They produce secondary metabolites to induce host immunosuppression. Their metabolite compositions vary among bacterial species. Little is known about the relationship between metabolite compositions and the bacterial pathogenicity. The objective of this study was to compare pathogenicity and production of secondary metabolites of 14 bacterial isolates of Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus. Results: All bacterial isolates exhibited insecticidal activities after hemocoelic injection to Spodoptera exigua (a lepidopteran insect) larvae, with median lethal doses ranging from 168.8 to 641.3 CFU per larva. Bacterial infection also led to immunosuppression by inhibiting eicosanoid biosynthesis. Bacterial culture broth was fractionated into four different organic extracts. All four organic extracts of each bacterial species exhibited insecticidal activities and resulted in immunosuppression. These organic extracts were subjected to GC-MS analysis which predicted 182 compounds, showing differential compositions for 14 bacteria isolates. There were positive correlations between total number of secondary metabolites produced by each bacterial culture broth and its bacterial pathogenicity based on immunosuppression and insecticidal activity. From these correlation results, 70 virulent compounds were selected from secondary metabolites of high virulent bacterial isolates by deducting those of low virulent bacterial isolates. These selected virulent compounds exhibited significant immunosuppressive activities by inhibiting eicosanoid biosynthesis. They also exhibited relatively high insecticidal activities. Conclusion: Virulence variation between Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus is determined by their different compositions of secondary metabolites, of which PLA2 inhibitors play a crucial role.

Background Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus are entomopathogenic bacteria that cause septicemia and toxemia in insects. They produce secondary metabolites to induce host immunosuppression. Their metabolite compositions vary among bacterial species. Little is known about the relationship between metabolite compositions and the bacterial pathogenicity. The objective of this study was to compare pathogenicity and production of secondary metabolites of 14 bacterial isolates (species or strains) of Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus. Results All bacterial isolates exhibited insecticidal activities after hemocoelic injection to Spodoptera exigua (a lepidopteran insect) larvae, with median lethal doses ranging from 168.8 to 641.3 CFU per larva. Bacterial infection also led to immunosuppression by inhibiting eicosanoid biosynthesis. Bacterial culture broth was fractionated into four different organic extracts. All four organic extracts of each bacterial species exhibited insecticidal activities and resulted in immunosuppression. These organic extracts were subjected to GC-MS analysis which predicted 182 compounds, showing differential compositions for 14 bacteria isolates. There were positive correlations between total number of secondary metabolites produced by each bacterial culture broth and its bacterial pathogenicity based on immunosuppression and insecticidal activity. From these correlation results, 70 virulent compounds were selected from secondary metabolites of high virulent bacterial isolates by deducting those of low virulent bacterial isolates. These selected virulent compounds exhibited significant immunosuppressive activities by inhibiting eicosanoid biosynthesis. They also exhibited relatively high insecticidal activities. Conclusion Virulence variation between Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus is determined by their different compositions of secondary metabolites, of which PLA2 inhibitors play a crucial role. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12866-020-02042-9.

The Betare Oya and Woumbou–Colomine–Kette gold districts, located in the East Metallogenic Province of Cameroon, are characterized by a complex Neoproterozoic history of metamorphism, polyphase deformation, and widespread crustal anatexis and magmatism. Controversy exists on the timing of the metamorphic and magmatic events, particularly within the area of the Lom Belt, and accurate absolute ages and even geodynamic chronology pertaining to the tectono-magmatism are yet to be well constrained. New LA-ICP-MS U–Pb zircon ages, Lu-Hf isotope data, and whole-rock geochemistry of granitoids and metavolcanic-metasedimentary rocks from the Woumbou–Colomine–Kette and Betare Oya districts better constrain the tectonic evolution of eastern Cameroon. The U–Pb age data of 646.5 ± 2.0 Ma, 643.7 ± 1.8 Ma, 641.3 ± 4.4 Ma, 641.4 ± 3.5 Ma, and 620.9 ± 2.6 Ma revealed that the granitoids from the Woumbou–Colomine–Kette district were emplaced during two main magmatic events at ca. 650–635 Ma and ca. 620 Ma. The zircon Hf(t) values between −13.80 and −6.20 with HfTDM model ages of 1.9–2.4 Ga, coupled with geochemical signatures show that granitoids were generated by partial melting of Paleoproterozoic supracrustal metasedimentary units and meta-igneous rocks during subduction and orogenic convergence. Metamorphic zircons from the actinolite-chlorite schist of the Lom Belt gave ages between ca. 655 and 585 Ma, implying that the metavolcanic-metasedimentary rocks of the belt were deposited prior to 655 Ma, then metamorphosed and deformed between ca. 655 and 585 Ma. Two age peaks of detrital zircons were measured at ca. 1035 Ma and ca. 784 Ma with the eHf(t) values of –14.60 and –18.37 and +2.97 and +8.60, respectively. These data, coupled with those from previous studies, suggest that the Lom Belt may represent a suture zone between the Central and Southern Cameroon domains with an early rifting at ca. 784 Ma. In general, our U–Pb ages indicate compressional to transpressional deformational phases in the two districts at ca. 660–635 Ma (D1), 630–610 Ma (D2), and 600–580 Ma (D3). The latter D3 transpressional event was also associated with the formation of the widespread occurrences of orogenic gold, although the precise timing of gold deposition needs to be constrained.

Antimony (Sb) has been considered as a promising anode for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) because of its high theoretical capacity and moderate working potential but suffers from the dramatic volume variations (∼250%), an unstable electrode/electrolyte interphase, active material exfoliation, and a continuously increased interphase impedance upon sodiation and desodiation processes. To address these issues, we report a unique three-dimensional (3D) porous self-standing foam electrode built from core-shelled Sb@In2O3 nanostructures via a continuous electrodepositing strategy coupled with surface chemical passivation. Such a hierarchical structure possesses a robust framework with rich voids and a dense protection layer (In2O3), which allow Sb nanoparticles to well accommodate their mechanical strain for efficiently avoiding electrode cracks and pulverization with a stable electrode/electrolyte interphase upon sodiation/desodiation processes. When evaluated as an anode for SIBs, the prepared nanoarchitectures exhibit a high first reversible capacity (641.3 mA h g-1) and good cyclability (456.5 mA h g-1 after 300 cycles at 300 mA g-1), along with superior high rate capacity (348.9 mA h g-1 even at 20 A g-1) with a first Coulomb efficiency as high as 85.3%. This work could offer an efficient approach to improve alloying-based anode materials for promoting their practical applications.

Opioids are essential for use in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) that require multimodal analgesia or those unable to receive NSAID as part of their pain management plan. The current opioid epidemic has universally limited the availability of these vital analgesics, compelling clinicians to investigate other options including novel opioid formulations. A commercially available injectable, long-lasting, highly concentrated buprenorphine solution (HCBS) provides therapeutic plasma concentrations lasting 24 h after a single dose in cats ( Felis catus). We hypothesized that this same HCBS would achieve therapeutic concentrations (≥0.1 ng/mL) for at least 24 h in rhesus macaques. In the current study, 6 healthy, adult rhesus macaques were included in a randomized, 2-period, 2-treatment crossover study. The low dose (0.24 mg/kg SC) achieved a peak plasma concentration of 19.1 ± 5.68 ng/mL at 0.308 ± 0.077 h, with an AUC of 236.4 ± 22.5 h/ng/mL and terminal elimination half-life of 19.6 ± 4.02 h; for the high dose (0.72 mg/kg SC), these parameters were 65.2 ± 14.7 ng/mL, 0.034 ± 0.004 h, 641.3 ± 79.4 h/ng/mL, and 20.6 ± 2.30 h, respectively. The mean plasma concentrations for the low and high doses in rhesus macaques significantly exceeded the therapeutic threshold for 48 and 72 h, respectively. One macaque showed mild somnolence at both doses, and another showed mild pruritus at both doses. These findings show that subcutaneous administration of HCBS provides prolonged and long-lasting therapeutic plasma levels for 48 to 72 h dosing without problematic adverse effects and thus represents a potential new analgesic alternative.

Opioids are essential for use in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) that require multimodal analgesia or those unable to receive NSAID as part of their pain management plan. The current opioid epidemic has universally limited the availability of these vital analgesics, compelling clinicians to investigate other options including novel opioid formulations. A commercially available injectable, long-lasting, highly concentrated buprenorphine solution (HCBS) provides therapeutic plasma concentrations lasting 24 h after a single dose in cats (Felis catus). We hypothesized that this same HCBS would achieve therapeutic concentrations (≥ 0.1 ng/mL) for at least 24 h in rhesus macaques. In the current study, 6 healthy, adult rhesus macaques were included in a randomized, 2-period, 2-treatment crossover study. The low dose (0.24 mg/kg SC) achieved a peak plasma concentration of 19.1 ± 5.68 ng/mL at 0.308 ± 0.077 h, with an AUC of 236.4 ± 22.5 h/ng/mL and terminal elimination half-life of 19.6 ± 4.02 h; for the high dose (0.72 mg/kg SC), these parameters were 65.2 ± 14.7 ng/mL, 0.034 ± 0.004 h, 641.3 ± 79.4 h/ng/mL, and 20.6 ± 2.30 h, respectively. The mean plasma concentrations for the low and high doses in rhesus macaques significantly exceeded the therapeutic threshold for 48 and 72 h, respectively. One macaque showed mild somnolence at both doses, and another showed mild pruritus at both doses. These findings show that subcutaneous administration of HCBS provides prolonged and long-lasting therapeutic plasma levels for 48 to 72 h dosing without problematic adverse effects and thus represents a potential new analgesic alternative.

Recently cancer/testis antigens (CTA) have gained lots of attention as targets of immune therapy. However, the therapeutic efficacy of the CTAs single-antigen vaccines is not satisfying due to tumor heterogenicity. Therefore, many studies have focused on the enhancement of their efficacy by utilizing rich sources of tumor-associated antigens for anti-cancer vaccination. In the present study, the testicular germ cells and sperm cells as well-known sources of cancer/testis antigens were investigated for anti-4T1 breast cancer vaccination in BALB/c mice. The testicular germ cells (TGCs) and sperm cells were isolated from male BALB/c mice. The definite number of cells were homogenized and mixed with Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) for vaccination of female BALB/c mice. The treatment groups underwent 3 times of immunizations with one-week intervals and one week after the last injection, all groups were injected with 4T1 cancer cells. The TGCs + BCG (259.7 ± 39 mm3) and Sperm + BCG (426 ± 52 mm3) groups exhibited a significant decrease in the tumors' volume in comparison with BCG (641.3 ± 102 mm3) and no-treatment (788.1 ± 117 mm3) groups. Therefore, the TGCs + BCG immunized mice had the smallest tumors in comparison with all groups (P

Experiments on vacuum hot-roll bonding stainless steel clad plates with pure iron interlayers of different thicknesses were conducted at rolling temperatures of 1000 °C, 1100 °C, and 1200 °C and reduction ratios of 30 %, 50 %, and 70 %, respectively, to reduce the formation of brittle compounds at the bonding interface and improve the mechanical properties of the clad plates. The effects of pure iron interlayers with thickness of 1–3 mm on the microstructure and properties of the clad plates subjected to different rolling processes were studied via optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and tensile-shear and tensile tests. Results showed that the carbon chromium compound layer near the interface could seriously reduce the mechanical properties of the clad plates. The pure iron interlayer could also effectively prevent the diffusion of carbon elements in carbon steel to stainless steel and prevent the generation of carbon chromium compounds. At 1100 ℃, 2mm pure iron could effectively inhibit the formation of compounds and obtain good mechanical properties. The maximum elongation was 53.8 % at 50 % reduction, and the shear strength and tensile strength were 318.2 and 501.8 MPa, respectively. When the reduction was 70 %, the elongation decreased to 30 %, but the shear strength and tensile strength peaked at 392 and 641.3 MPa, respectively.

OBJECTIVE Despite advancement of surgical techniques, the attachments of petroclival meningiomas near the central clival depression (CCD) remain difficult to visualize. With existing methods, the amount of tumor near the CCD that is inaccessible through various approaches cannot be compared. Tumors distort the brainstem, changing the size of the operative corridor for some but not all approaches; therefore, using cadavers with normal posterior fossae makes it impossible to compare different approaches to the tumor. The authors used virtual reality (VR) models created from the imaging data of patients to compare various surgical approaches that have otherwise been incomparable in previous studies. METHODS CT and MRI data obtained in 15 patients with petroclival meningiomas were used to create anatomically accurate 3D VR models. For each model, various surgical approaches were performed, and the surgical freedom to 6 targets of the regions were measured. Furthermore, portions of the tumor that were visually blocked by the brainstem or bony structures were segmented and recorded as blinded volumes for comparison. RESULTS The extended retrosigmoid approach generated excellent exposure of the petroclival region, but for most specimens, there was inaccessible tumor volume adjacent to the brainstem (mean 641.3 mm3, SE 161.8). In contrast, the brainstem sides of the tumors were well-visualized by all the transpetrosal approaches. The blinded volume of the tumor was largest for the retrolabyrinthine approach, and this was statistically significant compared with all other approaches (mean 2381.3 mm3, SE 185.4). CONCLUSIONS The authors performed a novel laboratory study by using patient CT and MRI data to generate 3D virtual models to compare surgical approaches. Since it is impossible to perform various approaches in separate surgeries in patients for comparison, VR represents a viable alternative for such comparative investigations.

Magnesium Oxide (MgO) nanoparticles are known to play a significant role in lowering the production of lipids and serum glucose for diabetes treatment. Additionally, the emergence of aptamers has created new opportunities in the realization of smart drug delivery systems, mainly attributing to their abilities to be altered at the molecular level, and subsequently be conjugated onto biopolymers harbouring specific drugs, in order to navigate specific cellular sites. The current work reports the synthesis of a multifunctional aptamer-navigated particulate delivery system (DPAP), harbouring MgO (synthesized via chemical - MgO1 and green – MgO2 approaches) nanoparticles, to target 3T3-L1 diabetic cells. In vitro performance indicators, including encapsulation efficiency, targeting capability, cellular transfection efficiency, and insulin reversal capacity, were investigated. While the DLS analysis indicated hydrodynamic sizes of 766.6 nm and 641.3 nm for the DPAP-MgO1 and DPAP-MgO2 formulations, respectively; and zeta potentials of +5.28 mV and −0.025 mV, for the same formulations, respectively. Additionally, DPAP-MgO2 offered better encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of 93.69% and 0.03 mg MgO/mg PLGA, respectively. 3,5-Dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) assessment showed that both DPAP-MgO1 and DPAP-MgO2 particulate systems enhanced the in vitro cellular uptake, as well as the insulin resistance reversal ability of the 3T3-L1 cells. The outcomes from the current work demonstrate the potential of DPAP particulate system as an effective and promising carrier, for the delivery of MgO nanoparticles in diabetes treatment.

Honey is a natural sweet substance which is often mixed with other liquids for health purposes or as a sugar substitute in variety of food. Due to high commercial profit, many fraudulent acts have been around to add other substances to pure honeys. This study used two spectroscopic methods which are the laser induced fluorescence (LIF) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to differentiate pure and corn syrup adulterated honeys based on sugar content. LIF used a 405 nm diode laser as the excitation laser. Samples of 27 were prepared for this study. They composed of 15 pure honey and 2 non honeys, and 10 adulterated honeys which we coded from A to Q.. Non honey samples were pure date syrup and corn syrup which coded as K and L. The sugar contents were measured manually using a brix refractometer which resulted the honey sugar contents range of 69.5 % to 78 %. The peak wavelengths observed range from There is R2 = 0.80 correlation between peak wavelength of fluorescence colours to sugar contents. The results showed that the peak wavelengths range from 490.9 nm to 641.3 nm. LIF was able to differentiate between the pure honeys than the adulterated or mixed ingredient honeys except for sample C. The differences of FTIR spectrums were shown by honey samples which was not given corn syrup adulteration, where the difference begins to be seen clearly at the wave number range 1150 cm−1 to 650 cm−1.

In this article, we report a simple and general method for the synthesis of carbon buffered-metal oxidenanoparticle (NP)–graphene hybrid 2D nanosheets, which include C-SnO2–rGO and C-Fe2O3–rGO nanosheets. For the preparation of these anodes, tannic acid (TA), a kind of polyphenol extracted from plants, was used as a dispersing agent to introduce a metal precursor on the surface of rGO, and the metal precursor was subsequently converted to the corresponding metal oxide NPs by thermal annealing in a vacuum. During the thermal annealing process, TA was decomposed to form carbon materials, which acted as a buffering matrix to effectively suppress the aggregation and pulverization of the active NPs during the electrochemical performances. It is found that the as-prepared C-SnO2–rGO and C-Fe2O3–rGO nanosheets both exhibited high reversible capacity and rate capability. After 100 discharge/charge cycles, the C-SnO2–rGO nanosheet delivered the reversible capacity of 633.2 mA h g−1 at a current density of 200 mA g−1 with extremely low capacity fading (0.32 mA h g−1 per cycle), and it can deliver discharge capacities of 641.3, 526.5, 452.7, 408.1 and 379.5 mA h g−1 in the 10th cycle at current densities of 200, 400, 800, 1200 and 1600 mA g−1, respectively. Upon return to a cycling rate of 200 mA g−1, the C-SnO2–rGO can maintain a specific capacity of 607.0 mA h g−1 even after 35 cycles. As for the C-Fe2O3–rGO nanosheet, it can deliver 504.1 mA h g−1 at a current density of 500 mA g−1 after 100 cycles, and the corresponding discharge capacities in the 10th cycle at current densities of 1000, 1500 and 2000 mA g−1 are 365.9, 319.0 and 288.6 mA h g−1, respectively. Published version

Recent studies suggest that seaweed extracts are a significant source of bioactive compounds comparable to the dietary phytochemicals such as onion and tea extracts. The exploration of natural antioxidants that attenuate oxidative damage is important for developing strategies to treat obesity-related pathologies. The objective of this study was to screen the effects of seaweed extracts of 49 species on adipocyte differentiation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production during the adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and to investigate their total phenol contents and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities. Our results show that high total phenol contents were observed in the extracts of Ecklonia cava (see Table 1 for taxonomic authors) (681.1 ± 16.0 μg gallic acid equivalents [GAE] · g(-1) ), Dictyopteris undulata (641.3 ± 70.7 μg GAE · g(-1) ), and Laurencia intermedia (560.9 ± 48.1 μg GAE · g(-1) ). In addition, DPPH radical scavenging activities were markedly higher in Sargassum macrocarpum (60.2%), Polysiphonia morrowii (55.0%), and Ishige okamurae (52.9%) than those of other seaweed extracts (P < 0.05). Moreover, treatment with several seaweed extracts including D. undulata, Sargassum micracanthum, Chondrus ocellatus, Gelidium amansii, Gracilaria verrucosa, and Grateloupia lanceolata significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation and ROS production during differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Furthermore, the production of ROS was positively correlated with lipid accumulation (R(2) = 0.8149). According to these preliminary results, some of the seaweed extracts can inhibit ROS generation, which may protect against oxidative stress that is linked to obesity. Further studies are required to determine the molecular mechanism between the verified seaweeds and ROS, and the resulting effects on obesity. [Table: see text].

Aims Chronic heart failure (CHF) is frequently associated with a decreased haemoglobin level, whereas the mechanism remains largely unknown. Methods and results One hundred consecutive CHF patients without anaemia or renal dysfunction based on non-cardiac reasons were enrolled. We explored determinants of anaemia (as iron parameters, erythropoietin, hepcidin and kidney function) including red cell volume (RCV) (by a 51 Cr assay) as well as related markers and plasma volume. The influence of each factor on haemoglobin concentrations was determined in a multiple regression model. Mean haemoglobin concentrations were 11.7 +/- 0.8 mg/dL in anaemic CHF patients and 14.4 +/- 1.2 mg/dL in non-anaemic patients. Corrected reticulocytes were lower in anaemic patients (35.1 +/- 15.7 vs. 50.3 +/- 19.2 G/L, P = 0.001), but the RCV was not reduced (1659.3 +/- 517.6 vs. 1826.4 +/- 641.3 mL, P = 0.194). We found that plasma volumes were significantly higher in anaemic CHF patients (70.0 +/- 2.4 vs. 65.0 +/- 4.0%, P0.001). Plasma volume was the best predictor of haemoglobin concentrations in the regression model applied (B = -0.651, P0.001, R(2) = 0.769). Conclusion Haemodilution appears to be the most potent factor for the development of low haemoglobin levels in patients with CHF. Our data support an additional independent, but minor influence of iron deficiency on haemoglobin concentrations in CHF patients.

Integrated petrographic and chemical analysis of zircon, garnet and rutile from ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) granulites in the Anapolis–Itaucu Complex, Brazil, is used to constrain the significance of zircon ID-TIMS U–Pb geochronological data. Chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) profiles of zircon cores have positive-sloping heavy-REE patterns, commonly inferred to be magmatic, whereas unambiguous metamorphic grains and overgrowths have flat to slightly negatively sloping heavy-REE patterns. However, in one sample, a core of zircon interpreted as having formed prior to garnet crystallization and a metamorphic zircon formed within microstructures involving garnet breakdown both display elevated heavy-REE (and Y) with positive-sloping patterns. DREE(zrc/grt) partition coefficients suggest an approximation to equilibrium between zircon and garnet cores, although progressive enrichment in heavy REE towards garnet rims occurs in two of the samples investigated. Titanium-in-zircon thermometry indicates zircon growth during both the prograde and post-peak evolution, but not at peak temperatures of the UHT metamorphism. By contrast, zirconium-in-rutile thermometry of inclusions armoured by garnet records crystallization temperatures, based on the upper end of the interquartile range of the data, of ∼890 to 870 °C and maximum temperature around 980 °C, indicating prograde and retrograde growth close to and after peak conditions. Rutile located in retrograde microstructures records crystallization temperatures of 850 to 820 °C. Rutile intergrown with ilmenite and included within orthopyroxene, which is associated with exsolved zircon, records temperatures ∼760 °C, consistent with Ti-in-zircon crystallization temperatures. ID-TIMS U–Pb geochronological data from two of the four samples investigated define upper intercept ages of 641.3 ± 8.4 Ma (MSWD 0.91) and 638.8 ± 2.5 Ma (MSWD 1.03) that correlate with periods of zircon growth along the prograde segment of the P–T path. Individual zircon U–Pb dates retrieved from all samples range from 649 to 634 Ma, indicating a maximum duration of c. 15 Myr for the UHT event. This period is interpreted as recording modest thickening of hot backarc lithosphere located behind the Arenopolis Arc at the edge of the Sao Francisco Craton consequent upon terminal collision of the Parana Block with the arc during the amalgamation of West Gondwana.

Bisher unbekanntes K4{Na2[Tl2O6]} wurde durch Oxydation von NaTl mit KO1,08 (1:1,3; geschlossener Ag-Zylinder; 450°C; 30 Tage) in Form transparenter, gelber Einkristalle dargestellt. Die Strukturaufklarung (Vierkreisdiffraktometerdaten, MoKα, 1 280 von 1 523 Io(hkl), R = 5,75%, Rw = 4,58%) erfolgte in der Raumgruppe P21/c mit a = 641,3 pm, b = 691,1 pm, c = 1 188,5 pm, β = 95,69° und Z = 2. Charakteristisches Motiv sind uber Kanten verknupfte, von ihresgleichen „isolierte” Tetraederdoppel [Tl2O6] und [Na2O6]. Die Verbindung ist isotyp zu Cs6[In2O6] und Rb6[Tl2O6]. Der Madelunganteil der Gitterenergie, MAPLE, die Mittleren fiktiven Ionenradien, MEFIR, Effektive Koordinationszahlen, ECoN, sowie die Ladungsverteilung, CHARDI, werden berechnet. Oxidation of Intermetallic Phases: K4{Na2[Tl2O6]} from NaTl and K2O2 The hitherto unknown K4{Na2[Tl2O6]} was prepared in form of transparent, yellow single crystals from NaTl and KO1,08 (molar ratio 1:1.3; sealed Ag-cylinder; 450°C, 30 d). The structure determination (four-circle diffractometer, MoKα, 1 280 out of 1 523 Io(hkl), R = 5.75%, Rw = 4.58%) confirms the space group P21/c with a = 641.3 pm, b = 691.1 pm, c = 1188.5 pm, β = 95.69° and Z = 2. As characteristic building units of the structure there are doubles of tetrahedra of [Tl2O6] and [Na2O6]. The compound is isotypic with Cs6[In2O6] and Rb6[Tl2O6]. The Madelung Part of Lattice Energy, MAPLE, the Mean Fictive Ionic Radii, MEFIR, Effective Coordination Numbers, ECoN, and Charge Distribution, CHARDI, are calculated.

Federal law requires restoration of surface-mined prime farmland to original productivity. Thus, excessive soil compaction by heavy machinery during reconstruction is problematic. Fulton et al. (2002) described a mechanical system capable of reconstructing severely disturbed soil without exposing the soil to any machine traffic. This system was modified to improve productivity and tested by fully excavating and reconstructing approximately 0.6 ha of clay loam subsoil and silt loam topsoil in 2007. The mean deviation from prescribed surface elevation of reconstructed soil was 1.75 cm. The mean soil reconstruction rate was 641.3 m3/hr, equivalent to 0.05 ha/hr constructed 1.2 m deep. Soil cone index was measured in March 2008 and March 2009 and dry bulk density was measured in March 2008, November 2008 and March 2009, with both measurements taken at 5 cm depth increments between 10 and 60 cm. Mean cone index varied from approximately 038 to 0.70 MPa in March 2008 and from 0.70 to 1.20 MPa in March 2009. Mean dry soil bulk density varied from approximately 1.17 to 1.33 Mg/m3 in March 2008, from 1.42 to 1.60 Mg/m3 in March 2009. These results indicate that physical properties consistent with successful row crop production can be achieved with reconstructed soil. A 3-year study to compare corn yield to pre-disturbance measurements for this site was initiated in 2009.

The eriococcid species, Eriococcus araucariae (Muskell) is considered as an economic pest of Araucaria excelsa at Montazah garden, in Alexandria Governorate, Egypt. This study was carried out from June, 1998 till May, 1999. The obtained data revealed that the numbers of this insect were relatively low in autumn and winter months, then increased from the beginning of May to a total number/tree 72.0 +/- 1.60; continued its increase to reach 200.3 +/- 36.9/tree from the 2nd half of May and during June, July and August, with the highest number of inspected individuals (641.3 +/- 76.8/tree) in the 1st half of July. Thereafter, population began to decrease again from the beginning of September up to the end of April, decreased numbers 51.3 +/- 2.5/tree in the 1st half of September and (1.3 +/- 0.1/tree) in the 2nd half of October. Similarly, the occurrence of both immature stages and adults was also month-dependant all the year round. Adult males appeared three times in June, January and late March. There was a positive and significant relationship between the total population of E. araucariae and the daily mean temperature, wind speed and day light. This relation was negatively significant with the relative humidity.

Background To describe HIV Prevention with Positives training for healthcare providers in the USA Virgin Islands (USVI). Methods The Caribbean region has the world9s second highest adult HIV prevalence after Africa. In 2007, the prevalence rate of HIV among adults and adolescents in the USVI was 641.3 per 100 000 population. In the USVI, HIV clinical care is provided by three physicians at the USVI Department of Health or at community health centers. Due to a shortage of trained clinicians, non-clinical providers play a crucial role in the delivery of comprehensive HIV care. Ask Screen Intervene (ASI), a training curriculum, was developed by the National Network of STD/HIV Prevention Training Centers and the AIDS Education and Training Centers with support from Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. ASI was designed for clinical HIV providers and discusses risk assessment, STD screening, prevention messages and partner services for HIV+ patients. In June 2010, the Region II STD/HIV Prevention Training Center offered ASI in the USVI, in St. Croix and St. Thomas. ASI was targeted to clinical and non-clinical providers to encompass the range of providers caring for HIV+ patients. Participants completed an evaluation rating the training and a retrospective self-assessment of their confidence to perform learning objectives on a 5 point Likert Scale; 1=not at all confident and 5=very confident. Results A total of 37 providers attended training in St. Croix and 42 in St. Thomas. Non-clinical providers represented a significant proportion of attendees; 62.2% in St. Croix, (23/37) and 40.5% in St. Thomas (17/42). Among all participants, course satisfaction ratings ranged from 4.28 to 4.59 (1=strongly disagree; 5=strongly agree), with high ratings for relevance of learning objectives and appropriateness of content. Participants reported post-training gains in confidence ranging from +0.69 to +1.24 Likert scale interval per each learning objective, including increased knowledge of STD screening and prevention counselling for HIV+ patients. The most frequently reported intended practice changes included asking more detailed questions routinely about sex practices and taking a more thorough sexual history. Discussion ASI training reached the intended target audience and resulted in gains in provider confidence and intention to change practice, and can be expected to positively impact patient outcomes. Further dissemination of ASI training appears warranted.

To determine the short-term results of the Bicarbon (Sorin Biomedica, Saluggia, Italy) heart valve prosthesis at our institution.Between November 1991 and December 1995, 256 patients (mean age 59.9 +/- 9.8 years) underwent valve replacement with a Bicarbon valve prosthesis. The mean ejection fraction was 60 +/- 14.8% and the mean left ventricular end-diastolic pressure 15.9 +/- 8.7 mmHg. Redo (n = 61) and combined procedures (n = 72) were included in this study; mixed types of prostheses were excluded. The procedures were divided into groups: aortic valve replacement (n = 163), mitral valve replacement (n = 60) and aortic-mitral (double) valve replacement (n = 33). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed and predictors for survival were tested univariately and multivariately.The mean follow up was 30 +/- 25.1 months with a total of 7,696 patient-months (641.3 patient-years) and was 100% complete. The Kaplan-Meier survival rate at 48 months was 87 +/- 2%. The valve-related morbidity expressed as linearized incidence rate (% per patient-year) was: anticoagulation bleeding 2.3 +/- 0.6; thromboembolic event 1.0 +/- 0.4; periprosthetic leak 0.6 +/- 0.3; and endocarditis 0.3 +/- 0.2. Univariate significant factors for worse survival were: higher preoperative New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, valve implantation site, presence of associated operation, increasing age, decreasing ejection fraction, longer aortic cross-clamp time, and longer cardiopulmonary bypass time. In multivariate analysis longer aortic cross-clamp time and higher preoperative NYHA classification were significant independent predictors.These good short-term results after Bicarbon valve replacement are encouraging and comparable with those obtained with other bileaflet mechanical heart valves. However, further follow up is mandatory.

Using the electrophoretic method, the changes in the catalytic activities of three CK-MM isoforms in multiple sequential serum samples of 12 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were monitored for 3 days after the onset of chest pain. In post-AMI period, MM3 reached a peak (518.6 U/L) first, on the average 14.0 hours after AMI, followed by MM2 (19.8 h, 640.5 U/L) and MM1 (28.7 h, 641.3 U/L). According to their faster decay from circulation, MM3 had higher fractional disappearance and appearance rates, followed by MM2 and MM1. The MM3/MM1 activity ratio rose beyond the upper limit, found in health subjects, about 3.5 hours after onset of symptom and peaked on an average 10.6 hours after AMI, even earlier than the peaks of all isoforms, CK and CK-MB. On the other hand, our findings indicated these changes in isoform composition can be of value in estimating the time elapsed since the onset of tissue damage; MM3 is the predominant isoform when the tissue necrosis is of relatively recent origin (5-15 h); MM2 is the dominant subband between 15 and 24 hours after AMI, whereas a predominant MM1 band would indicate a significantly longer time period since the injury occurred (24 hours or more). Thus, these characteristics make CK-MM isoforms an earlier and more sensitive indicator of acute release from necrotic myocardium and an effective mean of predicting the time of the onset of AMI.

A new complementary interface charge island structure of SOI high voltage device (CNI SOI) and its model are presented. CNI SOI is characterized by equidistant high concentration n+ -regions on the top and bottom interfaces of dielectric buried layers. When a high voltage is applied to the device, complementary hole and electron islands are formed on the two n+-regions on the top and bottom interfaces. The introduced interface charges effectively increase the electric field of the dielectric buried layer (EI) and reduce the electric field of the silicon layer (ES), which result in a high breakdown voltage (BV). The influence of structure parameters and its physical mechanism on breakdown voltage are investigated for CNI SOI. EI = 731 V/μm and BV = 750 V are obtained by 2D simulation on a 1-μm-thick dielectric layer and 5-μm-thick top silicon layer. Moreover, enhanced field EI and reduced field ES by the accumulated interface charges reach 641.3 V/μm and 23.73 V/μm, respectively.

Applying the generalized centroid-shift method new half-lives were measured for the following 123, 125I levels excited in (α, 2n) reactions: T 1 2 = 0.8 ± 0.1 ns (E lev = 302.2 keV ), 0.2 ± 0.1 ns (641.3 keV ), 0.2 ± 0.1 ns (943.5 keV ) and 0.4 ± 0.1 ns (2000.7 keV ) in 123 I ; 0.2 ± 0.1 ns (935.8 keV ), 1.6 ± 0.3 ns (2350.6 keV ) and 0.3 ± 0.1 ns (2791.0 keV ) in 125 I . Further, the known half-lives of the levels at 178.0 keV in 123I and 188.4 keV 125I have been confirmed. The lifetimes of the 9+ 2 intruder states in 123, 125I are compared to calculations within the core-quasiparticle coupling model. Indications for 3QP configurations in 125I are found.

X-ray photoelectron spectra have been recorded from 5 series of characterised iron-chromium containing spinels. MnFexCr2−xO4, Mn1−xFexCr2O4, FexCr3−xO4, CoFexCr2−xO4 and NiFexCr2−xO4. Mn 2p32 peak binding energies in the range of 640.0 to 641.3 eV were recorded from samples taken from both series of manganese spinels. Significant changes were noted in the Ni2p photoelectron spectra and attributed to the displacement of the nickel(II) cation from octahedral to tetrahedral lattice positions. These changes included large shifts in the Ni2p32 peak binding energy plus intensity and positional changes in the associated satellite structure. Shifts were also observed in the Cr2p spectra which were related to the variation in sample composition. These shifts followed two distinct trends. For the manganese, iron, nickel spinels: [Mn, Fe, Ni]Cr2O4 < Cr2O3 < [Mn, Fe, Ni][Fe, Cr]2O4, For the cobalt spinels: Co[Fe, Cr]2O4 ≤ Cr2O3 < CoCr2O4. Quantitative XPS analysis identified the surface segregation of chromium ions during the preparation of cobalt spinels and the segregation of both iron and chromium in the nickel containing compounds.

The crystal structure of the title compound (NiC24H28O8N2) has been determined by X-ray diffraction methods in order to ascertain the positions of coordination of the nickel atom and the organic moiety. Crystals are triclinic, space group P[unk] with a = 8.309(1), b = 8.756(1), c = 10.600(1)Å, α = 99.21(1), β = 107.21(1), γ = 113.40(1)°, V = 641.3(2)Å3, Z = 1, D = 1.375 g·cm−3, λ (CuKα) = 1.5418 Å, μ = 14.77 cm−1, F(000) = 278, T = 293°K. The final R was 0.062 for 1548 observed reflections. The structure is monomeric with slightly distorted octahedral coordination geometry. The configuration is trans. The coordination of the polyketide moieties is established by the two ketonic oxygens. The nickel is center of symmetry.

The 1:1 reaction between PRCl2(R = C6H2Me3-2,4,6) and (Me3Si)2S in toluene yields (RPS)4(1) which slowly disproportionates under mild conditions (35–40 °C, 3 d) to (RPS2)2(2). Both structures have been determined by X-ray diffraction. Compound (1) is monoclinic, space group Cc, with a= 2 299.3(7), b= 1 167.9(3), c= 1 937.8(6) pm, β= 130.65(2)°, and Z= 4; R= 0.050 for 3 209 unique observed reflections. The eight-membered (PS)4 ring adopts the crown conformation but is disordered. Compound (2) is monoclinic, space group P21/c, with a= 890.1 (2), b= 1 845.2(12), c= 641.3(1) pm, β= 98.74(1)°, and Z= 2; R= 0.062 for 904 unique observed reflections. The four-membered ring with two trans exocyclic sulphurs possesses a crystallographic centre of symmetry.

Natural radiative lifetimes and the signs of previously determined hyperfine coupling constants were determined for the 4s26p2P32,12 levels of gallium. The lifetimes were found to be 167(4) and 172(9) ns, respectively. In addition, the quadrupole moments of 69Ga [0.17(3) b] and 71Ga [0.10(2) b] were deduced, and the isotope shifts in the 639.7 and 641.3 nm Ga lines were determined.