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Abstract Background Increasing studies have shown that poor oral health contributes to the progression of dementia. It is meaningful to find out the role of oral health interventions in maintaining people’s cognition levels and delaying the progression of dementia. Thus, we conducted this review to summarize the present evidence on the effect of oral health interventions on the cognition change of people with dementia. Methods Literature search was conducted in the databases of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane library, and Dentistry and Oral Sciences by two independent reviewers from inception to 6 March 2024. Clinical studies such as randomized controlled trials reporting on the effect of oral health interventions on the cognition of people with dementia were included in this review. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores were used to measure cognition level. The mean deviation (MD), generated by subtracting the baseline MMSE score from the MMSE score at follow-up was used to assess the change in cognition. Studies with oral hygiene practice as an oral health intervention were further conducted with a meta-analysis. Results A total of 6646 references were identified by the literature search, and 5 studies were eligible to be included in this review. Among the included studies, 4 studies reported the cognition change after having various oral hygiene practice as oral health intervention, while the other study adopted oral exercises as the intervention. Two studies presented positive MD values after intervention provided, indicating improved cognition level at follow-up (MD = 0.6, MD = 0.9, respectively). Another two studies reported less cognition deterioration with smaller absolute MD values in the intervention group, (intervention vs. control, -0.18 vs. -0.75, p

This study aimed to discuss the differences in technical characteristics between the lunge-style and squat-style jerk techniques and to reveal the adaptability of these techniques for individual weightlifters. A total of 52 attempts by 32 male weightlifters were selected, and the video data were digitized manually using the SIMI Motion 7.50 three-dimensional analysis system. The technical characteristics of the lunge split and squat jerk were fundamentally consistent during the pre-squat, force exertion, and inertia ascent phases. The primary differences between the lunge split and squat jerk techniques were observed during the squatting and support phases, including the vertical descent velocity of the barbell at the end of the squat shoulder-locking phase and the stability angles in the sagittal and coronal axes. The vertical velocity of the barbell at the end of the squat shoulder-locking phase was significantly greater in the squat style (−0.41 ± 0.17 vs. −0.88 ± 0.14) compared to the lunge style (t = 6.393, p < 0.05). The stability angle on the sagittal axis at the end of the squat-supporting phase in the lunge style was significantly greater (46.99 ± 3.23 vs. 13.64 ± 0.51) than that of the squat style (t = 45.639, p < 0.05).

Objective: To construct and validate a physical fitness evaluation index system for elite male singles badminton players. Methods: Utilizing the Delphi method to establish a comprehensive evaluation system, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was employed to calculate the influence weights of various indicators. The validity of the comprehensive evaluation system was verified using testing methods. Results: After three rounds of expert selection, the physical fitness evaluation index system for elite male singles badminton players includes three primary indicators, nine secondary indicators, and twenty-one tertiary indicators. Among the primary indicators, specialized physical fitness holds a significant weight in the evaluation with a value of 0.651, whereas body morphology has a smaller weight of 0.077. Among the secondary indicators, specialized agility, strength, and endurance have higher weights of 0.223, 0.217, and 0.210, respectively. Among the tertiary indicators, four-corner ball touch, 400 m × 5 shuttle run, smash-and-rush, and vertical jump height hold higher weights of 0.119, 0.114, 0.104, and 0.096, respectively. The results after randomly selecting ten elite male singles badminton players and applying the evaluation index system demonstrated that this system has high feasibility and validity. It can not only comprehensively assess the physical fitness of athletes but also provide significant practical guidance for enhancing their competitive performance. Conclusions: The evaluation system and weight assignments constructed in this study can scientifically and comprehensively reflect the physical fitness status of athletes. It can guide coaches in formulating targeted training plans and optimizing training outcomes.

In this study, a new type of highly efficient and recyclable magnetic-fluorine-containing polyether composite demulsifier (Fe3O4@G-F) was synthesized by the solvothermal method to solve the demulsification problem of oil–water emulsion. Fe3O4@G-F was successfully prepared by grafting fluorinated polyether onto Fe3O4 and graphene-oxide composites. Fe3O4@G-F was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Taking the self-made crude-oil emulsion as the experimental object, the demulsification mechanism of the demulsifier and the influence of external factors, such as the temperature and pH value, on the demulsification performance of the demulsifier are discussed. The results show that the demulsification efficiency of the Fe3O4@G-F emulsion can reach 91.38% within 30 min at a demulsifier dosage of 750 mg/L, pH of 6, and a demulsification temperature of 60 °C. In neutral and acidic environments, the demulsification rate of the demulsifier is more than 90%. In addition, Fe3O4@G-F has been proven to have good magnetic effects. Under the action of an external magnetic field, Fe3O4@G-F can be recycled and reused in a two-phase system four times, and the demulsification efficiency is higher than 70%. This magnetic nanoparticle demulsifier has broad application prospects for various industrial and environmental processes in an energy-saving manner.

In this paper, a novel functional magnetic nano-demulsifier with efficient oil–water separation and recyclability was prepared by one-pot method. Magnetic fluorinated polyether composite demulsifier (Fe3O4@C-F) was prepared by combining Fe3O4 as magnetic matrix with carbon nanospheres and grafting fluorinated polyether. The morphology and structure of the composites were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that carbon nanospheres and fluorinated polyether were successfully compounded on Fe3O4, and the crystallinity of the composites was improved. The demulsification experiment and recovery performance test were carried out with the self-made crude oil emulsion. The main factors affecting the demulsification performance of demulsifier and its demulsification mechanism were discussed. The results showed that the demulsification effect of Fe3O4@C-F was the best when the dosage was 600 ppm, 65 °C, 120 min and pH value was 6. The demulsification rate could reach 96.68%, and the oil–water interface was clear. Fe3O4@C-F had magnetic response, and could be recycled and reused 5 times from two-phase system under external magnetic field. The application of carbon materials in the field of oil–water separation has injected a new power source for the application of carbon nanomaterials in the field of demulsifiers.

The single-chamber bio-electrical systems can degrade oily sludge in sediments while generating electricity from the microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and their characteristics in energy and environmental effects have attracted wide international attention in recent years. To explore the influence of the power generation period on the oily sludge bio-electrical system, an oily sludge bio-electrical system was constructed. The output voltage, polarization curve, power density curve, crude oil removal rate and microflora were detected during different power generation periods, respectively. The results of this study showed that under the stable power generation period, the power generation and oily sludge degradation performance of MFC are higher than the voltage rise period and voltage attenuation period. Besides, the oily sludge bio-electrical system during the stable period contained more electricity-producing bacteria than the other two periods. The voltage in the stable period of oily sludge bio-electrical system is about 280 mV, the electromotive force is 493.1 mV and the power density is 134.93 mW·m−3. It lays a foundation for the improvement of degradation of crude oil and power generation performance in oily sludge bio-electrical system. HIGHLIGHTS We explore the influence of power generation periods on the performance of oily sludge SMFC.; Oily sludge SMFC can effectively degrade crude oil and convert it into electricity.; Power generation, oil degradation performance and bacterial community morphology, diversity, bacterial composition and relative abundance of oily sludge SMFC during different power generation periods were systematically compared.;

The species and power generation performance of the original electrogenic bacteria determine the pollution control and power generation performance of the microbial fuel cells. However, there are few studies on the effect of original electrogenic bacteria on the performance of oily sludge microbial fuel cells. More importantly, the electron transfer mode of original electrogenic bacterial was explored. The results of this study showed that the addition of electrogenic bacteria No. 2 and No. 3 alone can improve the power generation performance of oily sludge microbial fuel cell, and the addition of electrogenic bacteria No. 2 has a more obvious improvement effect. The maximum output voltage, power density and crude oil removal rate are 384.90 mV, 1277.90 mW ⋅m−3 and 56.51%, respectively. And it also shorten the degradation time of petroleum hydrocarbons of microbial fuel cell, the half-life (16 d) was shorter than that of the control group microbial fuel cell. There are electron mediators in the secretion of bacteria No. 2, which can assist the electron transfer to the surface of the anode, and the electron transfer method is mainly electronic mediator transfer. The secretion of bacteria No. 3 exist few electronic mediators, and the electron transfer main method is “nanowire”​ transmission or direct contact transmission. The study of the functional bacteria will provide beneficial assistance for the improvement of oil removal and power generation performance of oily sludge microbial fuel cells.

To ensure that the steel truss used in a super high-rise building in Xi’an remains in a safe and reliable state during the construction and jacking process, the jacking steel truss and the main column are studied. A finite element model of the steel truss and the main column is established by using finite element software. The stress values of the steel truss and the main column under various working conditions are simulated, and the stress and perpendicularity of the key points of the structure are monitored via the stress monitoring system under different working conditions. Through the monitoring system, the data on the operation of the steel truss are collected, and the monitoring data are compared with the finite element simulation data to ensure the safe operation of the steel truss. The results indicate that the inclination angle of the main column is easily disturbed by the external environment. The main column is inclined in two directions, but it does not exceed 0.3°, indicating good verticality. The stress monitoring values are generally close to the simulated values. The peak values of the stress at the measuring points during the construction stage are the same as the results obtained from the field test, and the error between the measured maximum stress value and the simulated value is controlled within 10%. In general, the simulated values are in good agreement with the measured values.

Water demand prediction is crucial for effective planning and management of water supply systems to handle the problem of water scarcity. Taking into account the uncertainties and imprecisions within the framework of water demand forecasting, the uncertain time series prediction method is introduced for water demand prediction. Uncertain time series is a sequence of imprecisely observed values that are characterized by uncertain variables and the corresponding uncertain autoregressive model (UAR) is employed to describe it for predicting future values. The main contributions of this paper are shown as follows. Firstly, by defining the auto-similarity of uncertain time series, the identification algorithm of UAR model order is proposed. Secondly, a new parameter estimation method based on the uncertain programming is developed. Thirdly, the imprecisely observed values are assumed as the linear uncertain variables and a ratio-based method is presented for constructing the uncertain time series. Finally, the proposed methodologies are applied to model and forecast Beijing's water demand under different confidence levels and compared with the traditional time series, i.e. ARIMA method. The experimental results are evaluated on the basis of performance criteria, which shows that the proposed method outperforms over the ARIMA method for water demand prediction. HIGHLIGHTS Considering the uncertainty of water demand, the uncertain time series method for demand estimation of water resources is presented.; The auto-similarity of uncertain time series is defined, and the identification algorithm of uncertain autoregressive model order is proposed.; An uncertain programming approach to estimate the parameters of model is proposed.; The construction of liner uncertain time series is investigated due to the interval-valued data frequently encountered in real life.;

As a novel market-based water-saving mechanism, the Water Saving Management Contract (WSMC) project faces interruption risk caused by emergencies like the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. An interruption risk assessment model of WSMC projects is established through a quantitative evaluation of the impact of emergencies on water users based on input-output theory. First, the concept of the interruption risk index (IRI) is defined as a function of the duration of enterprise shutdown (DES). Second, the DES is divided into two parts: the duration caused by COVID-19 and that under other types of emergencies. Third, the risk tolerance threshold is given to estimate the interruption result, and its different consequences are discussed. Finally, a WSMC project in China is taken as a case study, and its interruption risks are analysed. The results show that the IRIs of this WSMC in both 2020 and 2021 are theoretically greater than the risk tolerance thresholds, and the high pandemic prevention standards and conservative pandemic estimates are the main reasons for the above results. The model established in this study provides a reference for WSMC participants to deal with emergencies and provides the theoretical support for the extension of the WSMC. HIGHLIGHTS Firstly a quantitative interruption risk assessment model was established for WSMC.; The economic loss of water users can be estimated under COVID-19 pandemic.; Based on statistical data, the conditional expectation of shutdown time can be obtained under normal emergencies.;

The oral microbiome, associated with both oral disease and systemic disease, is in dynamic status along the whole life, and many factors including maternal microbiomes could impact the oral microbiome. While fewer studies have been conducted to study the characteristics of the oral microbiome in neonates and the associated maternal factors. Hence, we collected the microbiome of 15 mother-infant pairs across multiple body sites from birth up to 4 days postpartum and used high-throughput sequencing to characterize the microbiomes in mothers and their neonates. The oral microbiome in the neonates changed obviously during the 4 days after birth. Many bacteria originating from the vagina, skin, and environment disappeared in oral cavity over time, such as Prevotella bivia and Prevotella jejuni. Meanwhile, Staphylococcus epidermidis RP62A phage SP-beta, predominate bacterium in maternal skin microbiome and Streptococcus unclassified, main bacterium in vaginal microbiome, obviously increased in neonatal oral microbiome as time went on. Interestingly, as time progressed, the composition of the oral microbiome in the neonates was more similar to that of the milk microbiome in their mothers. Moreover, we found that the changes in the predominant bacteria in the neonates were in line with those in the neonates exposed to the environment. Together, these data described the sharp dynamics of the oral microbiome in neonates and the importance of maternal efforts in the development of the neonatal microbiome.

We have investigated the effective utilization potential of carbon nanomaterials in the field of pour point depressants, and reported three kind of carbon-based hybrid nano-pour-point depressants with different dimensions. In this paper, poly-α-olefins-acrylate high-carbon ester pour point depressant (PAA-18) was prepared by esterification and polymerization as the basic pour point depressant. Then, the basic pour point depressant PAA18 was modified by solvothermal method with graphene oxide (GO), carbon nanospheres (Cna) and carbon nanotubes (OCNTs). The morphology and structure of the composites were analyzed by SEM, FTIR and XRD. The results showed that PAA18 was successfully in situ polymerized on GO, Cna and OCNTs. We took the simulated oil as the experimental object, and evaluated its pour point, rheological properties and wax crystal morphology, and achieved excellent results. In the three carbon-based hybrid nano-pour-point depressants with different carbon contents, the oxidation carbon nanotubes composite pour point depressant (PAA18-1 % OCNTs) with carbon content of 1 % had the best pour point and viscosity reduction effect when the dosage was 1250 ppm, which could make the pour point of the simulated oil containing wax decrease by 16 °C. PAA18-1 % OCNTs reduced the pour point by 5 °C more than PAA18. This paper provides reference for the application of carbon nanomaterials in the field of pour point depressant.

Periodontitis is a worldwide oral disease induced by the interaction of subgingival bacteria and host response and is characterized by local inflammation, bone resorption, and tooth loss. Ginsenoside Rd (Rd) is a biologically active component derived from Panax ginseng and has been demonstrated to exert antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. This study aims to investigate the inhibitory efficiency of Rd towards Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), periodontal inflammatory response, and osteoclastogenesis in vitro and to further validate the results in a mouse periodontitis model, thus, evaluate the potential effects of Rd on the control and prevention of periodontitis. According to the results, Rd exerted excellent antibacterial activities against planktonic P. gingivalis, along with attenuating P. gingivalis virulence and inhibiting its biofilms. Meanwhile, the inflammatory cytokine production and osteoclastogenesis were remarkably inhibited by Rd both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, Rd efficiently ameliorated the subgingival P. gingivalis abundance and suppressed the alveolar bone resorption in vivo as well. In conclusion, Rd has the potential to be developed as a promising medication in the control and prevention of periodontitis.

After multiple rounds of steam huff-and-puff processes, an ultra-heavy oil reservoir is prone to excessive steam injection pressure, large heat loss, small sweep range of steam, and steam channeling, thus severely affecting the effective utilization of the oil reservoir. To solve these problems, one-dimensional and three-dimensional (3D) physical simulation tools were used to study the plugging performance of high-temperature composite foams by adding tanning extract and alkali lignin under the influence of some factors such as the reservoir temperature, salinity of formation water, and injection methods. The ultra-heavy oil used in the experiment comes from Shengli Oilfield. Under the condition of surface degassing, the viscosity of ultra-heavy oil could reach 145169 mPa.s at 60 °C. The experimental results show that the foam can produce a synergistic effect with both gel systems, indicating that the gel increases the stability of the foam. The foam can transfer more gel into the high-permeability formation, which can efficiently control the foam. The 3D physical simulation experiments indicated that both the systems enhance the recovery of heavy oil reservoir and reduce its moisture content significantly using steam injection. The method involving tannin extract foam and steam injection increased the recovery by 20% compared to the foam involving only steam injection. The method involving alkali lignin foam and steam injection increased the recovery by 11%.

Objective. The purpose of this research was to use a new method the human and bar combination barycenter to exposit the differences between successful and failed characteristics of snatch attempts in competition. Try to establish an effective biomechanical method that can uncover the main factors for the failed snatch. The obtained results will provide valuable information for weightlifters to improve the success rate in snatch by altering their technical issues accordingly. Methods. A 3-D video analysis method was used to compare the characteristics of the heaviest successful and failed attempts of ten elite weightlifters in the men’s 73 kg category. The video was captured under competitive conditions at the 2019 World Weightlifting Championships, the 2019 Asian Weightlifting Championships, and the 2020 China Olympic Trial. The video data were digitized using the SIMI°Motion7.50 3-D system (Germany). Results. Significant difference (P>0.05) was not found between the successful and failed attempts in the parameters, such as the maximal vertical rising velocity, the maximal vertical height, and the vertical displacement of the barbell. The maximal descending acceleration of the human body, the time duration, the angles of the hip, and knee joints were no significant difference. However, significant differences were found in the variation of the human and bar combination barycenter on the X-axis in the inertial ascent stage and the squat support stage (t=2.862,P

Reports on alterations in the oral mycobiome of HIV-infected patients are still limited. This study was designed to compare the salivary mycobiome between 30 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and 30 healthy controls and explore the effect of antiretroviral therapy (ART) administration on the oral mycobiome of HIV infections. Results showed that the diversity and richness of salivary mycobiome in HIV-infected individuals were higher than those of controls (P < 0.05). After ART, the diversity and richness of salivary mycobiome in HIV-infected patients were reduced significantly (P < 0.05). Candida, Mortierella, Malassezia, Simplicillium, and Penicillium were significantly enriched in the HIV group and dramatically decreased after ART. While the relative abundance of Verticillium, Issatchenkia, and Alternaria significantly increased in patients with HIV after ART. Correlation analysis revealed that Mortierella, Malassezia, Simplicillium, and Chaetomium were positively correlated with viral load (VL), whereas Thyrostroma and Archaeorhizomyces were negatively related to VL and positively related to CD4+ T-cell counts. All results showed that HIV infection and ART administration affected the composition of salivary mycobiome communities. Furthermore, differences of salivary mycobiome in HIV infections after ART were complex and might mirror the immune state of the body.

Abstract Background The periodic growth of hair follicles is regulated by the balance of activators and inhibitors. The BMP signaling pathway plays an important role during hair follicle regeneration, but the exact BMP protein that controls this process has not been revealed. Methods The expression of BMP6 was determined via in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence. The in vivo effect of BMP6 overexpression was studied by using a previously established adenovirus injection model. The hair follicle regeneration was assessed by gross observation, H&E staining and 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) tracing. The expression patterns of BMP6 signaling and Wnt10b signaling in both AdBMP6-treated and AdWnt10b-treated skins were determined by in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence. Results BMP6 was expressed differently in the stages of hair follicle cycle. The telogen-anagen transition of hair follicles was inhibited by adenovirus-mediated overexpression of BMP6. In the in vivo model, the BMP6 signaling was inhibited by Wnt10b and the Wnt10b signaling was inhibited by BMP6. The activation of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) was also competitively regulated by Wnt10b and BMP6. Conclusions Combined with previously reported data of Wnt10b, our findings indicate that BMP6 and Wnt10b are major inhibitors and activators respectively and their balance regulates the telogen-anagen transition of hair follicles. To the best of our knowledge, our data provide previously unreported insights into the regulation of hair follicle cycling and provide new clues for the diagnosis and therapies of hair loss.

In the original publication [...]

Objectives Empathy education is very important for medical students. There is little research on the influence of early clinical practice on the development of empathy and other aspects of professionalism in medical students. The aim of this study was to compare the self-reported empathy levels of first-year and second-year undergraduate medical students before and after their early clinical contact curriculum.Setting The study was conducted at the Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Shanghai, China.Participants A total of 257 undergraduate medical students participated in the study. The 154 first-year students were studying in 10 community-based teaching hospitals, and the 103 second-year students were studying in 3 university-affiliated hospitals.Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary measures: the Jefferson Scale of Empathy—Student version (JSE-S) was compared between students of different sexes and in different academic years before their early clinical contact course. Secondary measures: comparisons were made after they finished the curriculum 3 weeks later.Results A total of 219 of 257 students responded (85.21% response rate), and 214 answers could be analysed (135 first-year and 79 second-year students; 120 female and 94 male individuals). No significant differences in the empathy scores before early clinical contact were observed between students of different sexes and in different academic years. After early clinical contact, the mean JSE-S score of the participants was significantly higher than the mean score at the beginning of the curriculum.Conclusions Empathy-focused training during early clinical contact can improve the empathetic capacity of undergraduate medical students. Fostering empathetic attitudes among undergraduate medical students is necessary for the early stage of their medical education. Further research is needed on the long-term effects of empathy-focused education in entry-level medical students.

In order to solve the problem of demulsification difficulties in Liaohe Oilfield, 24 kinds of demulsifiers were screened by using the interface generation energy (IFE) module in the molecular dynamics simulation software Materials Studio to determine the ability of demulsifier molecules to reduce the total energy of the oil–water interface after entering the oil–water interface. Neural network analysis (NNA) and genetic function approximation (GFA) were used as technical means to predict the demulsification effect of the Liaohe crude oil demulsifier. The simulation results show that the SDJ9927 demulsifier with ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) values of 21 (EO) and 44 (PO) reduced the total energy and interfacial tension of the oil–water interface to the greatest extent, and the interfacial formation energy reached −640.48 Kcal/mol. NNA predicted that the water removal amount of the SDJ9927 demulsifier was 7.21 mL, with an overall error of less than 1.83. GFA predicted that the water removal amount of the SDJ9927 demulsifier was 7.41mL, with an overall error of less than 0.9. The predicted results are consistent with the experimental screening results. SDJ9927 had the highest water removal rate and the best demulsification effect. NNA and GFA had high correlation coefficients, and their R2s were 0.802 and 0.861, respectively. The higher R2 was, the more accurate the prediction accuracy was. Finally, the demulsification mechanism of the interfacial film breaking due to the collision of fluorinated polyether demulsifiers was studied. It was found that the carbon–fluorine chain had high surface activity and high stability, which could protect the carbon–carbon bond in the demulsifier molecules to ensure that there was no re-emulsion due to the stirring external force.

Objective Experiments were conducted to clone the sequence of Wild Argali short palate, lung and nasal epithelium clone 1 (SPLUNC1) cDNA, and to lay the foundation for further study the biological function of Wild Argali SPLUNC1. Methods The complete sequence of Wild Argali SPLUNC1 cDNA was generated by rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The entire coding sequence was inserted into the pPIC9K vector and expressed in Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris) GS115. The recombinant SPLUNC1 protein was detected by Western blot and purified by Ni2+ chelate affinity chromatography. The test of effect of the protein on Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (MO) was performed with real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results The Wild Argali SPLUNC1 cDNA was 1,076 bp with an open reading frame of 768 bp, which encoded a 26.49 kDa protein composed of 255 amino acids. Its amino acid sequence shared 98.4%, 96.9%, 94.5%, 90.2%, 80.8%, 78.4%, 78.3%, 72.5%, 72.3%, 68.8% identity with those of SPLUNC1 cDNA from Ovis aries (accession no. NP_001288334.1), Capra hircus (accession no. XP_005688516.1), Pantholops hodgsonii (accession no. XP_005979709.1), Bos taurus (accession no. NP_776851.1), Felis catus (accession no. XP_006929910.1), Homo sapiens (accession no. NP_001230122.1), Sus scrofa (accession no. NP_001005727.1), Chinchilla lanigera (accession no. NP_001269294.1), Mus musculus (accession no. NP_035256.2), and Rattus norvegicus (accession no. NP_742028.1), respectively. The recombinant protein corresponded to the expected molecular mass of 25.47 kDa as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and it was detected in the supernatant of P. pastoris, and it could be purified. The results from the test of inhibition effect of argali recombinant SPLUNC1 protein on MO showed that the product could inhibit MO very well (p

Secreted Frizzled-related Protein 4 (sFRP4) belongs to Wnt inhibitors. Previously, we reported that sFRP4 inhibited the differentiation of melanocyte. Here, by using of immunostaining, we showed that sFRP4 is expressed in both human and mouse hair follicles, especially in the outer root sheath and inner root sheath. To reveal the role of sFRP4 in hair follicle growth and hair cycle, we induced synchronized hair cycle in the dorsal skin of mice by depilation, and injected sFRP4 intradermally into the skin. By hematoxylin and eosin staining, we found that the regeneration of hair follicles was inhibited by sFRP4. However, the structure of hair follicles remained complete. Compared with phosphate buffer saline-treated hair follicles, the sFRP4-treated hair follicles still had the same expression pattern of keratins. Our findings reveal that sFRP4 inhibits but not blocks the regeneration of hair follicles, and supply a potential therapeutic application to treat hair follicle regeneration disorders.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are spiking in Chinese young men who have sex with men (MSM). To explore alterations in the salivary microbiome and its correlation with demographic characteristics, CD4+ T cell count and viral load (VL) in HIV infections, samples of unstimulated whole saliva were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing using the Illumina MiSeq platform in 20 HIV newly infected patients before the initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and at three and six months after, and in 20 age- and gender-paired healthy Chinese people. The results showed that the alpha diversity of salivary microbiota in HIV infections did not show differences from the healthy controls, but was reduced after six months under ART treatment. Comparative analysis revealed that Streptococcus was enriched in HIV-infected individuals, while Neisseria was enriched in the healthy control group. After effective ART, the salivary microbiota composition was not completely restored, although some microbiota recovered. In addition, we found Provotella_7, Neisseria and Haemophilus were correlated negatively with CD4+ T cell count, while Neisseria was correlated positively with VL. We conclude that HIV infections experience a dysbiosis of the salivary microbiome. The salivary microbiome test could be a substitute for the blood tests in the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases.

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors reported that they would like to correct the second last sentence of “Authors’ information” section as PW is an undergraduate, but was incorrectly described as a Ph.D. in the sentence. The sentence should read “PW is an undergraduate. YZ, YX, WX, HG, FD and YL are Ph.D.”. The authors sincerely apologize for having this unintentional error in the article, and apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Dermal papilla (DP) plays important roles in hair follicle regeneration. Long-term culture of mouse DP cells can provide enough cells for research and application of DP cells. We optimized the culture strategy for DP cells from three dimensions: stepwise dissection, collagen I coating, and optimized culture medium. Based on the optimized culture strategy, we immortalized primary DP cells with SV40 large T antigen, and established several immortalized DP cell strains. By comparing molecular expression and morphologic characteristics with primary DP cells, we found one cell strain named iDP6 was similar with primary DP cells. Further identifications illustrate that iDP6 expresses FGF7 and α-SMA, and has activity of alkaline phosphatase. During the process of characterization of immortalized DP cell strains, we also found that cells in DP were heterogeneous. We successfully optimized culture strategy for DP cells, and established an immortalized DP cell strain suitable for research and application of DP cells.

Wnt signaling plays crucial role in regulating melanocyte stem cells/melanocyte differentiation in the hair follicle. However, how the Wnt signaling is balanced to be overactivated to control follicular melanocytes behavior remains unknown. Here, by using immunofluorescence staining, we showed that secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (sFRP4) is preferentially expressed in the skin epidermal cells rather than in melanocytes. By overexpression of sFRP4 in skin cells in vivo and in vitro, we found that sFRP4 attenuates activation of Wnt signaling, resulting in decrease of melanocytes differentiation in the regenerating hair follicle. Our findings unveiled a new regulator that involves modulating melanocytes differentiation through a paracrine mechanism in hair follicle, supplying a hope for potential therapeutic application to treat skin pigmentation disorders.

Peer victimization can have a profound effect on children’s wellbeing and is a known risk factor for depression in childhood. Migrant children experience peer victimization at higher rates than non-migrant peers; however, limited research has examined psychological factors that may serve to reduce depression risk for this group. In particular, no studies have yet investigated whether resilience, including personal characteristics and a strong social support network, may moderate the relationship between peer victimization and depressive symptoms for migrant children. This study utilized a latent interaction model to examine the effect of resilience on the relationship between peer victimization and depressive symptoms among 721 rural-to-urban migrant children in Beijing, China. Results indicated that peer victimization was positively associated with depressive symptoms. Resilience was found to be a protective factor for depressive symptoms and also mitigated the effects of peer victimization on depressive symptoms. Exploratory analyses suggest that enrollment in private migrant schools may be linked with poorer psychosocial outcomes for Chinese migrant children. Strengthening the internal resilience and social supports for all migrant children may be an effective strategy to lower their risk for depression. Implications for intervention are discussed.

In this paper, crystalline iron-nickel alloy nanostructures were successfully prepared from two cationic pyridinium derivatives as soft templates in solution. The crystal structure and micrograph of FeNi alloy nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and the content was confirmed by energy-dispersive spectrometry. The results indicated that the as-prepared nanostructures showed slightly different diameter ranges with the change of cationic pyridinium derivatives on the surface. The experimental data indicated that the adsorption of cationic pyridinium compounds on the surface of particles reduces the surface charge, leading to an isotropic distribution of the residual surface charges. The magnetic behaviours of as-prepared FeNi alloy nanostructures exhibited disparate behaviours, which could be attributed to their grain sizes and distinctive structures. The present work may give some insight into the synthesis and character of new alloy nanomaterials with special nanostructures using new soft templates.

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Objectives Empathy education is very important for medical students. There is little research on the influence of early clinical practice on the development of empathy and other aspects of professionalism in medical students. The aim of this study was to compare the self-reported empathy levels of first-year and second-year undergraduate medical students before and after their early clinical contact curriculum. Setting The study was conducted at the Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Shanghai, China. Participants A total of 257 undergraduate medical students participated in the study. The 154 first-year students were studying in 10 community-based teaching hospitals, and the 103 second-year students were studying in 3 university-affiliated hospitals. Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary measures: the Jefferson Scale of Empathy—Student version (JSE-S) was compared between students of different sexes and in different academic years before their early clinical contact course. Secondary measures: comparisons were made after they finished the curriculum 3 weeks later. results A total of 219 of 257 students responded (85.21% response rate), and 214 answers could be analysed (135 first-year and 79 second-year students; 120 female and 94 male individuals). No significant differences in the empathy scores before early clinical contact were observed between students of different sexes and in different academic years. After early clinical contact, the mean JSE-S score of the participants was significantly higher than the mean score at the beginning of the curriculum. Conclusions Empathy-focused training during early clinical contact can improve the empathetic capacity of undergraduate medical students. Fostering empathetic attitudes among undergraduate medical students is necessary for the early stage of their medical education. Further research is needed on the long-term effects of empathy-focused education in entry-level medical students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrocarbon emulsions have a number of drawbacks, such as ecological unfriendliness to environment, instability to pollution by produced water and a great quantity of solids, dispersed phase thickening, as well as high hydraulic characteristic compared to water-based emulsions. Suizhong crude oil was divided into four components by the method of polarity separation. The interfacial dilational rheology parameters in the interface of polymer solution and simulated oil were measured by the way of small amplitude period oscillation using the DSA100 interface expansion rheometer produced by German Krüss Company. The influence of polymer on the macroscopic phase separation of the crude oil and components simulated oil emulsion was researched by the means of bottle test. The adsorption behavior of polymer in oil-water interface was studied using dual polarization interference technique (DPI). The result showed that the stability of simulated oil emulsion is asphaltene > crude oil > gelatin > oil separation. The stability of simulated oil emulsion was increased with the increase of polymer concentration. With the concentration of the polymer increasing, Oil-water interfacial tension of crude oil and components increased first and decreased later. The interfacial dilatational modulus increased and the phase angle decreased. Polymer adsorbing on crude oil and components surface enhanced the elasticity of the interfacial film, which improved the stability of the oil-water interface. And as the concentration of polymer increased, the adsorption capacity of crude oil and components increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, microbial fuel cell (MFC) was used for simultaneous denitrification and carbon removal to ascertain their electricity generation performance. The results showed that strengthening domestication and enrichment of electrogenic bacteria had the best start-up effect. An increase in volumetric loading reduced the rate of pollutant removal but promoted the output voltage. The changes of working conditions such as influent concentration, sludge concentration and temperature had a great influence on the electricity generation performance of MFC, and their optimum values were 500 mg/L, 2 000 mg/L and 35°C, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New benzimidazole/benzothiazole imide derivatives with different alkyl substituent chains were designed and synthesized. Their gelation behaviors in 22 solvents were tested as novel low-molecular-mass organic gelators. The test showed that the alkyl substituent chains and headgroups of benzimidazole/benzothiazole residues in gelators played a crucial role in the gelation behavior of all compounds in various organic solvents. More alkyl chains in molecular skeletons in present gelators are favorable for the gelation of organic solvents. SEM and AFM observations revealed that the gelator molecules self-assemble into different aggregates from wrinkle, lamella and belt to dot with change of solvents. Spectral studies indicated that there existed different H-bond formation between imide groups and hydrophobic force of alkyl substituent chains in molecular skeletons. The present work may give some insights into design and character of new organogelators and soft materials with special molecular structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To demonstrate ultrasound contrast agents to be important potentiators of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), we prospectively assessed the effectiveness of HIFU combined with nanoscale ultrasound contrast agents for the treatment of breast VX2 tumors in rabbits. We found that the change of grayscale value in the target area in the HIFU+nanobubble group was significantly higher than that in the HIFU+phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) group after irradiation (P<.01). The size of coagulation necrosis was also significantly larger in the HIFU+nanobubble group when compared to that in the HIFU+PBS group (P<.001). In conclusion, our study suggested that adding nanoscale ultrasound contrast agents may improve the treatment efficacy of HIFU for breast VX2 tumors in rabbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]