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Phosphorus (P) is essential for productivity of alpine grassland ecosystems, which are sensitive to global warming. We tested the hypotheses that (1) mobilized 'calcium-bound inorganic P' (Ca-Pi) is a major source of plant-available P in alpine meadows with alkaline soils after long-term warming, (2) mobilization of Ca-Pi is linked to effective plant carboxylate-releasing P-acquisition strategies under warming, and (3) the mobilization is also related to plant nitrogen (N)-acquisition. We conducted an 8-year warming experiment in an alpine meadow (4635 m above sea level) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. A significant increase in P concentration in both aboveground and belowground biomass indicates an increased mobilization and assimilation of P by plants under warming. We observed a significant decrease in Ca-Pi, no change in moderately-labile organic P, and an increase in highly resistant organic P after warming. There was no increase in phosphatase activities. Our results indicate that Ca-Pi, rather than organic P was the major source of plant-available P for alpine meadows under warming. Higher leaf manganese concentrations of sedges and forbs after warming indicate that carboxylates released by these plants are a key mechanism of Ca-Pi mobilization. The insignificant increase in Rhizobiales after warming and the very small cover of legumes show a minor role of N-acquisition strategies in solubilizing phosphate. The insignificant change in relative abundance of mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria related to P cycling after warming shows a small contribution of microorganisms to Ca-Pi mobilization. The significant increase in leaf N and P concentrations and N:P ratio of grasses and no change in sedge leaf N:P ratio reflect distinct responses of plant nutrient status to warming due to differences in P-acquisition strategies. We highlight the important effects of belowground P-acquisition strategies, especially plant carboxylate-releasing P-acquisition strategies on responses of plants to global changes in alpine meadows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Bacteriocins are regarded as important factors mediating microbial interactions, but their exact role in community ecology largely remains to be elucidated. Here, we report the characterization of a mutant strain, derived from Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst), that was incapable of growing in plant extracts and causing disease. Results showed that deficiency in a previously unannotated gene saxE led to the sensitivity of the mutant to Ca2+ in leaf extracts. Transposon insertions in the bacteriocin gene syrM, adjacent to saxE, fully rescued the bacterial virulence and growth of the ΔsaxE mutant in plant extracts, indicating that syrM‐saxE encode a pair of bacteriocin immunity proteins in Pst. To investigate whether the syrM‐saxE system conferred any advantage to Pst in competition with other SyrM‐sensitive pathovars, we compared the growth of a SyrM‐sensitive strain co‐inoculated with Pst strains with or without the syrM gene and observed a significant syrM‐dependent growth reduction of the sensitive bacteria on plate and in lesion tissues upon desiccation–rehydration treatment. These findings reveal an important biological role of SyrM‐like bacteriocins and help to understand the complex strategies used by P. syringae in adaptation to the phyllosphere niche in the context of plant disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the blow-up solution to the following semilinear pseudo-parabolic equation ut = Δut +Δu + |u|p−1u {1 < p < +∞, if n = 1, 2; 1 < p ≤ n+2 / n−2 , if n ≥ 3, and the lifespan for the initial energy J(u0) < 0 is considered. This paper generalizes the above results on the following two aspects: 1. a new blow-up condition is given, which holds for all p > 1; 2. a new lifespan is given, which holds for all p > 1 and possible J(u0) ≥ 0. Moreover, as a by product, we refine the lifespan when J(u0) < 0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a varactor-loaded slot-ring resonator (SRR) is investigated and applied in the design of tunable common-mode (CM) suppression filter for high-speed differential signals. Two tunable capacitors (realised by two kinds of varactors) with different values are symmetrically added to the SRR. Under the stepped-width structure of the SRR, the frequency-tuning principle is studied. It can be found that the fundamental resonant frequency ffund can be shifted up and down by properly controlling the respective values of the two loaded capacitors, i.e. bi-directional tuning. As a result, the tuning range of ffund can be greatly enlarged, approximately double that of the traditional tunable resonator. Meanwhile, the employed stepped-width SRR is useful not only for miniaturising the circuit size, but also further increasing the tuning range of ffund. By etching the proposed SRRs on the ground plane underneath the differential microstrip line, two wideband tunable CM-suppression filters using one and three SRR units, respectively, are designed, and their simulated and measured results showing good agreement are presented. It is found that the CM stopband frequency can be tuned from 0.78 to 1.52 GHz, while the differential signals still keep good signal integrity in eye-pattern observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim Controlled attenuation parameter ( CAP) is a novel ultrasound-based elastography method for detection of steatosis severity. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the performance of CAP. Methods Pub Med, the Cochrane Library, and the Web of Knowledge were searched to find studies, published in English, relating to accuracy evaluations of CAP for detecting stage 1 ( S1), stage 2 ( S2), or stage 3 ( S3) hepatic steatosis which was diagnosed by liver biopsy. Sensitivities, specificities, and hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic ( HSROC) curves were used to examine CAP performance. The clinical utility of CAP was also evaluated. Results Nine studies, with 11 cohorts were analyzed. The summary sensitivities and specificities values were 0.78 (95% confidence interval [ CI], 0.69-0.84) and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.68-0.86) for ≥ S1, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74-0.92) and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.71-0.85) for ≥ S2, and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.76-0.89) and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.68-0.87) for ≥ S3. The HSROCs were 0.85 (95% CI, 0.81-88) for ≥ S1, 0.88 (95% CI, 0.85-0.91) for ≥ S2, and 0.87 (95% CI, 0.84-0.90) for ≥ S3. Following a 'positive' measurement (over the threshold value) for ≥ S1, ≥ S2, and ≥ S3, the corresponding post-test probabilities for the presence of steatosis (pretest probability was 50%) were 78%, 80% and 80%, respectively; if the values were below these thresholds ('negative' results), the post-test probabilities were 22%, 16%, and 17%, respectively. Conclusions CAP has good sensitivity and specificity for detecting hepatic steatosis; however, based on a meta-analysis, CAP was limited in their accuracy of steatosis, which precluded widespread use in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have demonstrated a homemade high-efficient ytterbium-doped fiber laser with up to 1.75 kW of continuous-wave output power at 1.09 μm with a slope efficiency of 76%. The fiber is pumped by two laser diode array (LDA) sources launched through opposite ends. No undesirable effect is observed with increasing pump power, which suggests that the homemade fiber laser could produce higher power output by using more pump sources. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 1668–1671, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.25226 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to implement and validate a noninvasive, quantitative ultrasonic technique for accurate and reproducible measurement of normal-tissue toxicity in radiation therapy. The authors adapted an existing ultrasonic tissue characterization (UTC) technique that used a calibrated 1D spectrum based on region-of-interest analysis. They modified the calibration procedure by using a reference phantom instead of a planar reflector. This UTC method utilized ultrasonic radio-frequency echo signals to generate spectral parameters related to the physical properties (e.g., size, shape, and relative acoustic impedance) of tissue microstructures. Three spectral parameters were investigated for quantification of normal-tissue injury: Spectral slope, intercept, and midband fit. They conducted a tissue-mimicking phantom study to verify the reproducibility of UTC measurements and initiated a clinical study of radiation-induced breast-tissue toxicity. Spectral parameter values from measurements on two phantoms were reproducible within 1% of each other. Eleven postradiation breast-cancer patients were studied and significant differences between the irradiated and untreated (contralateral) breasts were observed for spectral intercept (p=0.003) and midband fit (p<0.001) but not for slope (p=0.14). In comparison to the untreated breast, the average difference in the spectral intercept was 2.99±0.75 dB and the average difference in the midband fit was 3.99±0.65 dB. The preliminary clinical study demonstrated the feasibility of using the quantitative ultrasonic method to evaluate normal-tissue toxicity in radiation therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional (3D) linear model for digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) was developed to investigate the effects of different imaging system parameters on the reconstructed image quality. In the present work, experimental validation of the model was performed on a prototype DBT system equipped with an amorphous selenium (a-Se) digital mammography detector and filtered backprojection (FBP) reconstruction methods. The detector can be operated in either full resolution with 85 μm pixel size or 2×1 pixel binning mode to reduce acquisition time. Twenty-five projection images were acquired with a nominal angular range of ±20°. The images were reconstructed using a slice thickness of 1 mm with 0.085×0.085 mm in-plane pixel dimension. The imaging performance was characterized by spatial frequency-dependent parameters including a 3D noise power spectrum (NPS) and in-plane modulation transfer function (MTF). Scatter-free uniform x-ray images were acquired at four different exposure levels for noise analysis. An aluminum (Al) edge phantom with 0.2 mm thickness was imaged to measure the in-plane presampling MTF. The measured in-plane MTF and 3D NPS were both in good agreement with the model. The dependence of DBT image quality on reconstruction filters was investigated. It was found that the slice thickness (ST) filter, a Hanning window to limit the high-frequency components in the slice thickness direction, reduces noise aliasing and improves 3D DQE. An ACR phantom was imaged to investigate the effects of angular range and detector operational modes on reconstructed image quality. It was found that increasing the angular range improves the MTF at low frequencies, resulting in better detection of large-area, low-contrast mass lesions in the phantom. There is a trade-off between noise and resolution for pixel binning and full resolution modes, and the choice of detector mode will depend on radiation dose and the targeted lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we report an all-fiber master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) system, which can provide high repetition rate and nanosecond pulse with diffraction-limit. The system was constructed using a (2 + 1) × 1 multimode combiner. The Q-Switched, LD pumped Nd:YVO4 solid-state laser was used as master oscillator. The 976-nm fiber-coupled module is used as pump source. A 10-m long China-made Yb3+-doped D-shape double-clad large-mode-area fiber was used as amplifier fiber. The MOPA produced as much as 20-W average power with nanosecond pulse and near diffraction limited. The pulse duration is maintained at about 15 ns during 50–175 kHz. The system employs a simple and compact architecture and is therefore suitable for the use in practical applications such as scientific and military airborne LIDAR and imaging. Based on this system, the amplification performances of the all-fiber amplifier is investigated. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 2546–2549, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23770 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease resulting in progressive cognitive decline. Amyloid plaque deposits consisting specifically of β-amyloid peptides that have formed fibrils displaying β-pleated sheet conformation are associated with activated microglia and astrocytes, are colocalized with C1q and other complement activation products, and appear at the time of cognitive decline in AD. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgenic mouse models of AD that lack the ability to activate the classical complement pathway display less neuropathology than do the APPQ+/+ mice, consistent with the hypothesis that complement activation and the resultant inflammation may play a role in the pathogenesis of AD. Further investigation of the presence of complement proteins C3 and C4 in the brain of these mice demonstrate that both C3 and C4 deposition increase with age in APPQ+/+ transgenic mice, as expected with the age-dependent increase in fibrillar β-amyloid deposition. In addition, while C4 is predominantly localized on the plaques and/or associated with oligodendrocytes in APPQ+/+ mice, little C4 is detected in APPQ−/− brains consistent with a lack of classical complement pathway activation because of the absence of C1q in these mice. In contrast, plaque and cell associated C3 immunoreactivity is seen in both animal models and, surprisingly, is higher in APPQ−/− than in APPQ+/+ mice, providing evidence for alternative pathway activation. The unexpected increase in C3 levels in the APPQ−/− mice coincident with decreased neuropathology provides support for the hypothesis that complement can mediate protective events as well as detrimental events in this disease. Finally, induced expression of C3 in a subset of astrocytes suggests the existence of differential activation states of these cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In breast tomosynthesis there is a compromise between resolution, noise, and acquisition speed for a given glandular dose. The purpose of the present work is to develop a simulation platform to investigate the potential imaging performance for the many possible tomosynthesis system configurations. The simulation platform was used to investigate the dependence of image blur and signal difference to noise ratio (SDNR) for several different tomosynthesis acquisition configurations. Simulated projections of a slanted thin tungsten wire placed in different object planes were modified according to the detector’s modulation transfer function (MTF), with or without pixel binning. In addition, the focal spot blur (FSB), which depends on the location of the wire, the system geometry, the source-detector movement speed, and the exposure time, was also incorporated into the projections. Both expectation maximization (EM) and filtered back projection (FBP) based algorithms were used for 3D image reconstruction. The in-plane MTF was calculated from the reconstructed image of the wire. To evaluate the noise performance, simulated noiseless projections of calcification and tumor in uniform breast tissue were modified with the noise power spectrum (NPS) calculated from a cascaded linear system model for the detector for a given x-ray dose. The SDNR of the reconstructed images was calculated with different tomosynthesis configurations, e.g., pixel binning, view number, and angular range. Our results showed that for a source-to-imager distance (SID) of 66 cm, pixel binning (2×2) caused more degradation to the in-plane MTF than the blur caused by the moving focal spot and reconstruction. The in-depth resolution can be improved by increasing the angular range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bumo gold deposit is a low-sulfide quartz vein type deposit, situated in the west of Hainan Island, approximately 25 km southeast of Dongfang City (termed Basuo in alias). Tectonically, the SW-NE-oriented Gezhen Ductile-Shearing Zone was largely attenuated in Bumo. It is hosted by gneisses and schists of Proterozoic age (locally called the Baoban Group), but the radiometric age of ores mainly is Jurassic–Cretaceous, being coeval to the regional metallogenesis along the Eurasian margin. The affinity with the Phanerozoic orogenic gold deposits is indicated by low salinity (2.4 wt% NaCl–10.3 wt% NaCl), intermediate temperature (150–300°C) and appropriate δ18O value (approximately 7–11‰). The gold metal tonnage, proved previously, within an area smaller than 1.0 km2 in the gold belt II amounted to 11.59 t, with the average gold grades for the major Au quartz veins (7 and 8) in this belt of 52.7 and 71.1 g/t, respectively. This shows significant enrichment of gold and an unusual “nugget effect”. A ring structure, mainly represented by ridges, valleys, dikes, big bull quartz veins and lithological borders or pertinent faults, marks the gold field, and its origin was linked to a possible magmatic diapir. It was viewed as macroscopic evidence that the dip angles of strata tend to decline gradually from deeper ones in the center area to nearly horizontal in the outskirts, and certain intrusion-affiliated elements such as Bi, As and W are considerably abundant in soil samples. Two areas, namely the area A (3.06 km2) in the outskirts of the ring structure or in northeastern Bumo and the area B (1.32 km2) in the field center or to the west of the gold belts I and II, were selected for the geochemical survey in a 50 × 50-m sampling grid. The analytical results of the samples from horizon C and in a −80 mesh size showed that the average contents of Bi, As and W amounted to 0.55, 19.3 and 3.67 ppm in the area A (1225 samples) and to 0.79, 68.3 and 4.14 ppm in the area B (529 samples), respectively. This geochemical exploration led to the discovery of several Au quartz veins in both areas A and B, which also manifested an Au nugget effect (the average Au grades between 50 and 100 g/t) in spite of their limited scales (from a couple of centimeters to 50 cm wide and from several meters to 15 m long). A mylonite zone in area A was also found by this study. An intimate spatial correlation between a lithological border (gneiss and schist or pegmatite) or the mylonite zone and Au anomalies indicates an important prospect for further gold exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress can alert innate immunity by inducing stress proteins such as heat-shock proteins (HSPs). However, it remains unclear whether heat stress affects the activation of antigen-presenting cell (APC) in response to pathogen-associated molecule patterns (PAMPs) by directly regulating pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs). As an important kind of PRRs, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play critical roles in the activation of immune system. In this study, we demonstrated that heat shock up-regulated the expression of HSP70 as well as TLR2 and TLR4 in monocytes. The induction of TLRs was prior to that of HSP70, which suggesting the up-regulation of TLR2 and TLR4 might be independent of the induction of HSP70. Heat shock activated p38 kinase, extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signal pathways in monocytes. Pretreatment with specific inhibitor of p38 kinase, but not those of ERK and NF-κB, inhibited heat shock-induced up-regulation of TLR2 and TLR4. This indicates that p38 pathway takes part in heat shock-induced up-regulation of TLR2 and TLR4. Heat shock also increased lipoteichoic acid- or lipopolysaccharide-induced interleukin-6 production by monocytes. These results suggest that the p38 kinase-mediated up-regulation of TLR2 and TLR4 might be involved in the enhanced response to PAMP in human monocytes induced by heat shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapidly delayed rectifier current (IKr) has been described in ventricular myocytes isolated from many species, as well as from neonatal mice. However, whether IKr is present in the adult mouse heart remains controversial. We used cell-attached patch-clamp recording in symmetrical K+ solutions to assess the presence and behaviour of single IKr channels in adult mouse cardiomyocytes (mIKr). Of 314 patches, 158 (50.1%) demonstrated mIKr currents as compared with 131 (42.3%) for the IK1 channel. Single mIKr channel activity was rarely observed at potentials positive to -10 mV. The slope conductance at negative potentials was 12 pS. Upon repolarization, ensemble-averaged mIKr showed slow deactivation with a biexponential time course. A selective IKr blocker, E-4031 (1 µm), completely blocked mIKr channel activity. Extracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+ at physiological concentrations shifted the activation by ∼30 mV, accelerated deactivation kinetics, prolonged long-closed time, and reduced open probability without affecting single-channel conductance, suggesting a direct channel-blocking effect in addition to well-recognized voltage shifts. HERG subunits expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells produced channels with properties similar to those of mIKr, except for the more-negative activation of the HERG channels. Despite the abundant expression of mIKr, single-channel events were rarely observed during action-potential clamp and 5 µm E-4031 had no detectable effect on the action potential parameters, confirming that mIKr plays at best a minor role in repolarization of adult mouse cardiomyocytes, probably because the modulatory effects of divalent cations prevent significant mIKr opening under physiological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1: The effect of preconditioning with U50,488?H (UP), a selective kappa-opioid receptor (?-OR) agonist, on infarct size and intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in the heart subjected to ischaemic insults were studied and evaluated. U50,488?H administered intravenously reduced the infarct size 18-48?h after administration in isolated hearts subjected to regional ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R). The effect was dose dependent. A peak effect was reached at 10?mg?kg-1 U50,488?H and at 24?h after administration. The effect of 10?mg?kg-1 U50,488?H at 24?h after administration was abolished by nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI), a selective ?-OR antagonist, indicating the effect was ?-OR mediated. 2: The infarct reducing effect of U50,488?H was attenuated when a selective blocker of mitochondrial (5-hydroxydecanoic acid, 5-HD) or sarcolemmal (HRM-1098) ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP) was coadministered with U50,488?H 24?h before ischaemia or when 5-HD was administered just before ischaemia. 3: U50,488?H also attenuated the elevation in [Ca2+]i and reduction in electrically induced [Ca2+]i transient in cardiomyocytes subjected to ischaemic insults. The effects were reversed by blockade of KATP channel, which abolished the protective effect of preconditioning with U50,488?H. 4: The results indicated that mitochondrial KATP channel serves as both a trigger and a mediator, while sarcolemmal KATP channel as a trigger only, of delayed cardioprotection of ?-OR stimulation. The effects of these channels may result from prevention/attenuation of [Ca2+]i overload induced by ischaemic insults.British Journal of Pharmacology (2003) 140, 750-758. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705475 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 The role of protein kinase C-epsilon (PKC-ε) in the development of k-opioid receptor (k-OR) tolerance to the effects of trans-(±)-3,4-dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-[I-pyrrolidinylkcyclohexyl) (U50,488H). the selective agonist of k-OR, was determined in rat ventricular myocytes. 2 Incubation of ventricular myocytes with 1 μM U50,488H for 24 h significantly attenuated the inhibitory effects of 30 μM U50.488H on the electrically-induced [Ca[sub2+]] transient and forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation, indicating the development of tolerance to the k-OR agonist. Chronic treatment of ventricular myocytes with U50,488H also induced translocation of PKC-ε to the paniculate fraction. On the other hand, administration of 30 μM U50,488H for 10 min induced translocalion of PKC-α to the particulate fraction in naïve ventricular myoeytes, but not in cells pretreated with 1μM U50.488H for 24 h. 3 In ventricular myocytes incubated for 24 h with 1 μM U50.488H together with 1μM chelerythrine or 1 μM GF109203X. PKC inhibitors, or 0.1 μM εVI-2 peptide, a selective inhibitor of PKC-ε. 30 μM U50.488H still produced the inhibitory effect on the electrically-induced [Ca[sup2+][sub1] transient as it did in naïve ventricular myoeytes. Chronic treatment of ventricular myoeytes with U50.488H and chelerythrine also attenuated the development of tolerance to acute U50.488H on cyclic AMP accumulation. Cells exposed to chelerythrine. GF109203X. or &epsilonVI-2 peptide alone did not show an altered (Ca[sup2+][sub1] response to U50.488H. 4 These results indicate that activation of PKC-ε is a critical step in the development of tolerance in the k-OR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal process and characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope techniques. The effects of reaction temperature, holding time, and RH ratio (isopropyl alcohol/water) were discussed. The NiFe2O4 nanoparticles could be obtained at 60°C within 3 h. The crystallization of the spinel ferrites was promoted by the increase in reaction temperature, holding time, and RH ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the crystallization of the compound tetraaquaphenanthrolinemanganese(II) sulfate dihydrate. In the crystal structure the manganese atom is coordinated by two nitrogen atoms of 1,10-phenanthroline and four water oxygen atoms. The compound was prepared by reacting manganese sulphate with 1,10-phenanthroline and 5-Fluorouracil. The hydrogen atoms of water were located in difference Fourier syntheses.

A novel microfluidically tunable bandpass filter (BPF) is proposed and it consists of a second-order microstrip BPF with five plastic tubes placed above the coupled quarter-wavelength resonators. The tubes can be filled with high-permittivity water. By properly choosing the locations of the tubes and the water-filling sequence, the electrical length of the resonator can be tuned, and thus the passband centre frequency of the filter can be precisely adjusted. A demonstration example is designed, and the simulated and measured results of the filter are given for verifying the theoretical prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the mol­ecule of the title compound, C10H8N2O, the ring is nearly planar, but the molecule as a whole is not planar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title compound, C20H16N6, consists of electron-delocalized trans–planar mol­ecules possessing a crystallographically imposed centre of symmetry. In the crystal packing, the mol­ecules are stacked along the c axis by van der Waals forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title compound, C11H12N4, was synthesized by the reaction of N, N-1,3-bis­(hydroxy­methyl)-5-fluoro­uracil with 2-amino­pyridine in ethanol in the absence of a catalyst. The pyridine rings are approximately perpendicular to one another and are linked in the crystal structue via intermolecular N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whether atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) increases the risk of cerebrovascular ischemic events in patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) remains controversial. Objective: We constructed a detailed meta-analysis to assess the effect of ASA on risk of cerebrovascular ischemic events in patients with PFO. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies (cohort studies and case-control studies) that compared PFO-ASA against PFO alone were included. Pooled odds ratios (OR) estimates and 95% CI were calculated using the fixed-effect and random-effect models. Results: Four RCTs and twelve observational studies (five cohort studies and seven casecontrol studies) contributed to the meta-analysis. The pooled results of casecontrol studies showed that ASA increased the risk of cerebrovascular ischemic events in patients with PFO (fixed-effect model: OR = 3.69; 95% CI: 2.67-5.09; p < 0.01, random-effect model: OR = 3.63; 95% CI: 2.51-5.24; p < 0.01). However, poole results from RCTs (fixed-effect model: OR = 1.24; 95% CI: 0.78-1.95; p = 0.36, random-effect model: OR = 1.27; 95% CI: 0.78-2.08; p = 0.34) and cohort studies (fixed-effect model: OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 0.81-2.23; p = 0.25, random-effect model: OR = 1.40; 95% CI: 0.84-2.33; p = 0.20) found no evidence. Overall analysis showed that ASA increased the risk of cerebrovascular ischemic events (fixed-effect model: OR = 2.30; 95% CI: 1.84-2.87; p < 0.01, random-effect model: OR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.48-3.01; p < 0.01). The sensitivity analysis confirmed the stability of all results. Conclusions: Although casecontrol studies support ASA to increase the risk of cerebrovascular ischemic events in patients with PFO, RCTs and cohort studies challenged the credibility. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm the effect of ASA on patients with PFO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each of the six Br atoms in the title compound, C15H12Br6, connects to an α-C atom; a pair of adjacent Br atoms connecting to the same five-membered ring extends to one side of the molecular framework and the other two pairs to the other side. The β-C atoms extend in the opposite direction with respect to the pairs of Br atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feeding resistant starch is a breakthrough for the treatment of obesity and diabetes because it is a way to naturally increase endogenous GLP-1 and PYY. Resistant starch (RS) is a dietary starch that resists digestion in the small intestine and ferments in the large intestine. We previously showed that RS fed rats significantly increased GLP-1 and PYY levels in the plasma and gene expression in the large intestine when samples were taken in the morning. To determine if such increases are due to changes in rhythm of secretion, we tested plasma GLP-1 and PYY levels in RS fed rats over a 24 hour period. Male Sprague Dawley rats were fed either control diet or RS diet (30% RS) for ten days (n=51 per group) and then were killed before the dark cycle (time 0) and 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 hours post. RS fed rats increased PYY and GLP-1 levels at all time points (p<0.01). Their body weight and body fat were also significantly reduced. The mechanism of such sustained increases might be due to fermentation of RS, as indicated by additional experiments using intestinal cell lines. Conclusion: RS fed rats have sustained increases of PYY and GLP-1 over 24 hours. Such increases are independent of any patterns of secretion influenced by meals, but they are associated with decreased body fat. Thus, endogenous GLP-1 and PYY expressions were constantly up regulated by dietary intervention throughout the day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title compound, C11H12O3, was synthesized from 4-hydr­oxy-3-methoxy­benzaldehyde and acetone. The mol­ecule has a high degree of conjugation throughout the system and inter­molecular hydrogen bonds connect adjacent mol­ecules to form one-dimensional chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasonable design of induced holes on thin‐walled structure is beneficial to enhance the crashworthy performance of the structure. In order to improve the crashworthiness of Al/carbon fiber‐reinforced polymer (CFRP) tube, the effect of induced holes on the Al/CFRP thin‐walled structure was studied, and the Al/CFRP tube configuration with better overall crashworthiness was obtained by multi‐objective optimization design method. First, the quasi‐static axial compression tests were carried out on the intact Al/CFRP tube and the Al/CFRP tube with induced holes, and a numerical model validated by the experiment was established. Second, the parameters of the induced hole were studied numerically to explore the influence of the induced holes on the crashworthiness of the Al/CFRP tube. It was found that the diameter and number of the induced hole had a great influence on the crashworthiness and energy absorption (EA) capacity. Finally, the multi‐objective optimization was performed to optimize the parameters of the induced holes by integrating the Kriging model technique and the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA‐II). Compared the optimal design with the intact Al/CFRP tube, the first peak load is reduced by 24.32% and the specific EA is slightly improved by 0.68%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Interpretation of the growing body of global literature on health care risk is compromised by a lack of common understanding and language. This series of articles aims to comprehensively compare laws and regulations, institutional management, and administration of incidence reporting systems on medical risk management in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Taiwan, so as to provide evidence and recommendations for health care risk management policy in China. Methods We searched the official websites of the healthcare risk management agencies of the four countries and one district for laws, regulatory documents, research reports, reviews and evaluation forms concerned with healthcare risk management and assessment. Descriptive comparative analysis was performed on relevant documents. Results A total of 146 documents were included in this study, including 2 laws (1.4%), 17 policy documents (11.6%), 41 guidance documents (28.1%), 37 reviews (25.3%), and 49 documents giving general information (33.6%). The United States government implemented one law and one rule of patient safety management, while the United Kingdom and Australia each issued professional guidances on patient safety improvement. The four countries implemented patient safety management policy on four different levels: national, state/province, hospital, and non-governmental organization. Conclusion The four countries and one district adopted four levels of patient safety management, and the administration modes can be divided into an 'NGO-led mode' represented by the United States and Canada and a 'government-led mode' represented by the United Kingdom, Australia, and Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly transparent Tm:YAG ceramic was fabricated by a solid-state reaction and vacuum sintering. The optical properties, the microstructure, and the laser performance of the Tm:YAG ceramic were investigated. A Tm:YAG ceramic with an average grain size of ∼10 μm was obtained by sintering at 1750°C for 10 h. The in-line transmittance was 84.0% at 2015 nm. The absorption coefficients at 681 and 785 nm were 8.23 and 3.27 cm−1, respectively. The grain boundaries were clean and no secondary phase was observed. The 6 at.% Tm:YAG ceramic slab (1.2 mm × 5 mm × 6 mm) was end-pumped by a laser diode at 792 nm, and the maximum output power of 4.5 W was obtained with a slope efficiency of 20.5% at 2015 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) develops in response to chronic alcohol intake and it is hypothesized that activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and disorders in energy metabolism may play important roles in its onset. Given that the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARα and PPARγ) changes with alterations in cardiac metabolism and myocardial remodeling, this study was designed to test the hypothesis that protein expression of PPARα and PPARγ is correlated with RAS activation in ACM. Methods: For the first experiment, rats were divided into 3 groups: 30 received alcohol (intragastric administration with ad libitum drinking), 30 received alcohol and irbesartan (5 mg/kg/d, p.o.), and 30 served as controls. RAS activity and protein expression of PPARα and PPARγ were evaluated in rats following 6 months of alcohol feeding using radioimmunoassay, reverse transcriptase PCR, and Western blot methods. For the second experiment, rats were divided into 4 groups: 10 rats received alcohol/irbesartan (5 mg/kg/d, p.o.)/PD98059 (methyl ethyl ketone [MEK]-1 inhibitor) (0.3 mg/kg/d, p.o.), 10 rats received alcohol/PD98059, 10 rats received alcohol/irbesartan, and 10 rats received alcohol alone. Myocardial PPARα and PPARγ protein expression was detected following 6 months of alcohol feeding using Western blot method. Results: Compared with controls, myocardial angiotensin (Ang) I, Ang II, and renin levels were progressively increased at 2, 4, and 6 months of alcohol intake. mRNA expression of renin, angiotensinogen, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), and AT1 was increased at 6 months. Moreover, activated RAS downregulated PPARα and upregulated PPARγ protein expression as ACM progressed. Finally, extracellular signal regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) was shown to play a key role in the regulation of protein expression of PPARα and PPARγ. Conclusion: These results suggest that RAS is activated during the development of ACM. Moreover, ERK1/2 plays a key role in the regulation of protein expression of PPARα and PPARγ by RAS in ACM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moiré deviation tomography is proposed in this article to measure the infrared radiation temperature field generated by the burning pyrotechnic compositions. High-speed photography is used as the sampling method in this measurement. The results indicate that, due to its unique merits of noncontact, strong antiinterference, and large range, moiré deviation tomography provides a new way for the measurement of high-temperature, high-brightness, and transient field. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 49: 2761–2763, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.22879 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To search for pharmacologically active constituents of folk medicine, a new pregnane, 2α,3α,15β-trihy-droxy-20(S)-tigloyl-pregnane (compound 1), and nine known compounds, geranylgeraniol (compound 2), β-daucosterol (compound 3), 6-hydroxystigmast-4-en-3-one (compound 4), sitoindoside I (compound 5), sitoindoside II (compound 6), β-sitosterol (compound 7), kaempferol (compound 8), quercetin (compound 9), and rutin (compound 10), were isolated from the ethanol extract of whole plants of Munronia delavayi Franch using chromatographic methods. The structures of compounds 1–10 were elucidated on the basis of spectral data. (Managing editor: Wei Wang) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Rice grain filling rate contributes largely to grain productivity and accumulation of nutrients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of development and physiology in plants and become a novel key target for engineering grain size and crop yield. However, there is little studies, so far, showing the miRNA regulation of grain filling and rice yield, in consequence. Here, we show that suppressed expression of rice miR1432 (STTM1432) significantly improves grain weight by enhancing grain filling rate and leads to an increase in overall grain yield up to 17.14% in a field trial. Molecular analysis identified rice Acyl‐CoA thioesterase (OsACOT), which is conserved with ACOT13 in other species, as a major target of miR1432 by cleavage. Moreover, overexpression of miR1432‐resistant form of OsACOT (OXmACOT) resembled the STTM1432 plants, that is, a large margin of an increase in grain weight up to 46.69% through improving the grain filling rate. Further study indicated that OsACOT was involved in biosynthesis of medium‐chain fatty acids. In addition, RNA‐seq based transcriptomic analyses of transgenic plants with altered expression of miR1432 demonstrated that downstream genes of miR1432‐regulated network are involved in fatty acid metabolism and phytohormones biosynthesis and also overlap with the enrichment analysis of co‐expressed genes of OsACOT, which is consistent with the increased levels of auxin and abscisic acid in STTM1432 and OXmACOT plants. Overall, miR1432‐OsACOT module plays an important role in grain filling in rice, illustrating its capacity for engineering yield improvement in crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors investigated the effect of the insulator hydrophilic fraction on the pollution flashover performance by the up-and-down method. The hydrophobicity of parts subjected to a high electric field intensity such as two ends of an insulator, may be weakened by corona discharge. In this study, they simulated the behaviour of composite insulator surfaces at six hydrophilic fractions. Furthermore, arc discharge was recorded using a high-speed camera and the probability of arc discharge was analysed. They found that as the hydrophilic fraction was increased, the 50% probable flashover voltage first decreased and then increased. The wetting process and discharge type could be classified into two types and the flashover process could be divided into two stages by a clear hydrophilic fraction boundary through leakage current characteristic, discharge probability, and arc shape analysis. The results indicated that uneven hydrophobicity loss might lead to further flashover voltage reduction, up to 26.5% lower, than that with uniform hydrophilicity. This should be considered in transmission line design and maintenance of composite insulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a major cause of renal failure, transient renal ischemia and reperfusion induce both acute kidney injury and late fibrosis, which are the common pathological manifestations of end‐stage renal disease. Curcumin is a biologically active polyphenolic compound found in turmeric. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that curcumin has a protective action against renal fibrosis, whereas mechanisms underlying the anti‐fibrosis role of curcumin remain poorly defined. Here, we found that APPL1, an important intracellular binding partner for AdipoR, was involved in the pathogenesis of acute injury or fibrosis and was significantly upregulated by curcumin in a mouse model of ischemia reperfusion‐induced late kidney fibrosis. Moreover, Akt signaling was the specific signaling pathway identified downstream of APPL1 in the pathogenesis of fibrosis. Our in vitro experiment demonstrated that curcumin alleviates ischemia reperfusion‐induced late kidney fibrosis via the APPL1/Akt pathway. These data are helpful for understanding the anti‐fibrosis mechanism of curcumin in the pathogenesis of AKI‐induced late fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RING finger protein 4 (RNF4) is a multifunctional small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO)-targeted ubiquitin E3 ligase (STUbL) ubiquitously expressed in all tissues, and which mainly participates in DNA repair and in chromatin and transcriptional regulation. Although RNF4 has been implicated in hematopoietic disorders, its ontogenic role during hematopoietic development remains undiscovered. We generated a zebrafish rnf4 knockout line by using transcription activator-like effector nucleases technology to address the impact of rnf4 during hematopoiesis. Rnf4-deficient zebrafish embryos exhibited sharply decreased neutrophils numbers during both primitive and definitive hematopoiesis. Mechanistic studies revealed that repression of the key granulocytic activator, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein a (c/ebpa), via promoter hypermethylation by SUMOylated DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) was the main cause of impaired granulopoiesis in rnf4-deficient zebrafish. In addition, for the first time, we identified DNMT1 as a potential new STUbL substrate of RNF4, with knockdown of dnmt1 largely restoring primitive and definitive granulopoiesis in rnf4-deficient zebrafish. Collectively, RNF4 is indispensable for zebrafish granulopoiesis through regulation of the DNMT1-C/EBPa functional axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solution-processed metal nanowire networks have attracted substantial attention as clear transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) to replace metal oxides for low-cost and flexible touch panels and displays. While targeting photovoltaic applications, TCEs are expected to be more hazy for enhancing light absorption in the active layer, but are still required to retain high transmittance and low sheet resistance. Balancing these properties (haze, transmittance, and conductivity) in TCEs to realize high performance but high haze simultaneously is a challenge because they are mutually influenced. Here, by precisely tailoring the diameter of thick-long silver nanowires using rapid radial electrochemical etching, high hazy flexible TCEs are fabricated with high figure of merit of up to 741 (4 Ω sq-1 at 88.4% transmittance with haze of 13.3%), surpassing those of commercialized brittle hazy metal oxides and exhibiting superiority for photovoltaic applications. Laminating such TCEs onto the perovskite solar cells as top electrodes, the obtained semitransparent devices exhibit power efficiencies up to 16.03% and 11.12% when illuminated from the bottom and top sides, respectively, outperforming reported results based on similar device architecture. This study provides a simple strategy for flexible and hazy TCEs fabrication, which is compatible with mild solution-processed photovoltaic devices, especially those containing heatsensitive or chemical-sensitive materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable electrical potential of tens of millivolts can be induced by water vapor adsorption on a piece of porous carbon film that has two sides with different functional group contents. Integrated experiments, and Monte Carlo and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the induced potential originates from the nonhomogeneous distribution of functional groups along the film, especially carboxy groups. Sufficient adsorbed water molecules in porous carbon facilitate the release of protons from the carboxy groups, resulting in a potential drop across the carbon film because of the concentration difference of the released free protons on the two sides. The potential utilization of such a phenomenon is also demonstrated by a self-powered humidity sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioassay-guided phytochemical investigation on the 90% EtOH extract of Perovskia atriplicifolia resulted in the isolation of eight abietane diterpenoids, including three new ones (1-3). Based on spectroscopic methods involving 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy techniques, mass spectrometry, and optical rotation, the structures of the new compounds (1-3) were unambiguously characterized. Compounds 1-2 and 4-8 were evaluated for their anti-HBV (hepatitis B virus) activity in HepG 2.2.15 cell line. Results suggested rosmadial (8) had the most anti-HBV potency, suppressing the secretion of HBsAg and HBeAg, with IC50 values of 0.09 and 0.34 mM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title compound, C17H16O4, was synthesized by the reaction of 2,3-dimethoxy­benzaldehyde and 2-hydroxy­acetophenone in 20% NaOH solution for 2 h, followed by crystallization from eth­yl acetate. The pyrone ring adopts a chair conformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shen Q, Xu H, Cao Q, Zhou L-J, Xu J, Fang X-Y, Ge J. Long-term remission of recurrent severe anemia as a result of parvovirus B19 infection in a pediatric renal transplant recipient. Pediatr Transplantation 2011: 15: E76-E79. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. We studied a case of recurrent PV-B19-associated anemia in a renal transplant child with long-term remission induced by baseline immunosuppression adjusted and intensive IVIG therapy. This was a 15-yr-old boy. Seven wk after transplantation, he experienced acute rejection, which was treated with high-dose steroids, ATG, and plasmapheresis. Ten wk after transplantation (three wk after rejection), his hemoglobin dropped to 54 g/L and serum PV-B19 PCR was positive. After therapy with IVIG and conversion from mycophenolate mofetil to rapamycin, anemia resolved. But the patient had fever on the fourth day of IVIG with mild pulmonary edema and rise in serum creatinine. Two months after the first course of IVIG, anemia recurred and a second course of IVIG (preadministration methylprednisolone) was given, which was followed by the resolution of anemia without side effect and recurrence two months later again. Baseline immunosuppression was adjusted with dual immunosuppression and low doses including prednisolone and tacrolimus. At the same time, monthly course of IVIG was repeated four times. Within the next 23 months, anemia did not recur and renal function remained stable. In conclusion, PV-B19-associated anemia can be recurrent in immunocompromised children and baseline immunosuppression should be carefully adjusted to control PV-B19 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To compare administration of incidence reporting systems for healthcare risk management in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Taiwan, and to provide evidence and recommendations for healthcare risk management policy in China. Methods We searched the official websites of the healthcare risk management agencies of the four countries and one district for laws, regulatory documents, research reports, reviews, and evaluation forms concerned with healthcare risk management and assessment. Descriptive comparative analysis was performed on relevant documents. Results (1) A total of 142 documents were included in this study. The United States had the most relevant documents (68). (2) The type of incidents from reporting systems has expanded from medication errors and hospital-acquired infections to near-misses, and now includes all patient safety incidents. (3) The incidence-reporting systems can be grouped into two models: government-led and legal/regulatory/NGO-collaborative. (4) In two cases, reporting systems were established for specific incident types: One for death or serious injury events (the sentinel events database in Britain, SIRL), and one for healthcare-associated infections (NHSN in America). (5) Compared to the four countries, Taiwan's system put more emphasis on public welfare, confidentiality, and information sharing. The contents of reporting there covered every aspect of risk management to create a more secure environment. Conclusion (1) Britain's national reporting and learning system was representative of a government-led model; (2) The United States was the earliest country to have a reporting system, which included a limited range of incident types. Management of incidents became more reliable with increased application of laws, regulations, and guidances; (3) Both the Canadian and the Australian systems drew from the American experience and are still developing; (4) The Taiwanese system was comprehensive and is an instructional case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric metaplasia (GM) of the duodenum is difficult to assess because of its patchy distribution, and the role of GM in functional dyspepsia (FD) is not clear. The aims of this study were to determine if endomicroscopy could identify GM of the duodenum and whether GM has associations with FD. A series of 51 patients with FD and 25 asymptomatic controls were enrolled. Confocal laser endomicroscopy was performed to evaluate villi changes in vivo. Targeted biopsy specimens were then compared with histopathological results. The accuracy of the endomicroscopy diagnosis of GM during endoscopy was 92.8%, and the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 86.2%, 97.4%, 89.3%, and 96.6%, respectively. The mean κ-value for interobserver agreement was 0.89. GM in the duodenal bulb was more frequent in patients with FD than in the controls (33.3% vs 12%, P < 0.05), especially in patients with epigastric pain syndrome (47.6% vs 12%, P < 0.01). Endomicroscopy is useful for identifying GM, and GM might be related to FD. These findings could have potential applicability for duodenal screening, and suggest a possible targeting therapy in FD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is a new endoscopy technique for subsurface analysis of the gastric mucosa and in vivo histology examination during endoscopy. We aimed to compare the clinical applicability and predictive power of CLE with the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms. Methods: A total of 103 consecutive patients scheduled to undergo endoscopy were enrolled. CLE image criteria for H. pylori infection were established in a pilot study of 20 patients, then images for 83 consecutive patients were prospectively evaluated, and data were correlated with the final diagnosis of H. pylori infection in a blinded manner. Results: We found good association between histopathology and CLE findings. H. pylori infection was identified by CLE with any of the following three features: white spots, neutrophils and microabscesses. The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of CLE diagnosis of H. pylori infection were 92.8%, 89.2% and 95.7%, respectively. The mean κ-value for interobserver agreement in the prediction of H. pylori infection was 0.78. Neutrophils were the best diagnostic feature and had good sensitivity (83.8%) and specificity (97.8%). H. pylori-associated changes were more common in the antrum than in the corpus among infected patients ( P < 0.001). Conclusions: H. pylori infection can be identified by specific cellular and subcellular changes of the surface gastric mucosa with CLE. CLE is a novel, useful method for predicting H. pylori infection in vivo during endoscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates the feasibility of using a novel 2D spectrum ultrasonic tissue characterization (UTC) technique for prostate-cancer diagnosis. Normalized 2D spectra are computed by performing Fourier transforms along the range (beam) and the cross-range directions of the digital radio-frequency echo data, then dividing by a reference spectrum. This 2D spectrum method provides axial and lateral information of tissue microstructures, an improvement over the current 1D spectrum analysis which only provides axial information. A pilot study was conducted on four prostate-cancer patients who underwent radical prostatectomies. Cancerous and noncancerous regions of interest, identified through histology, were compared using four 2D spectral parameters: peak value and 3 dB width of the radially integrated spectral power (RISP), slope and intercept of the angularly integrated spectral power (AISP). For noncancerous and cancerous prostatic tissues, respectively, our investigation yielded 23±1 and 26±1 dB for peak value of RISP, 7.8±0.5° and 7.6±0.6° for 3 dB of RISP, -2.1±0.2 and -2.7±0.4 dB/MHz for slope of AISP, and 92±5 and 112±6 dB for intercept of AISP. Preliminary results indicated that 2D spectral UTC has the potential for identifying tumor-bearing regions within the prostate gland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Porokeratosis (PK) represents a heterogeneous group of disorders of keratinization and has a wide variety of clinical manifestations. PK may exhibit similarities with psoriasis at both clinical and molecular levels. The genetic basis and pathogenesis for PK remain elusive. Methods: We studied the transcriptional profiles of three pairwise lesional and uninvolved skin biopsies from patients with different subtypes of PK using the Illumina® BeadArray™ platform. Results: A total of 37 upregulated genes were identified in our study, including wound-induced keratins, S100 calcium-binding protein genes involved in epidermal differentiation, as well as genes involved in mediating intercellular communication and the immune response. To our knowledge, this is the first study that characterizes the immune profile of PK lesions. Conclusions: Here, we report that keratinocytes (KCs)-harboring lesions have activated and overexpressed wound-induced keratin genes, which appear to be coregulated with other genes involved in mediating epidermal differentiation, intercellular communication and immunity. This study, from the perspective of gene profiling, supports that gene misregulation in PK mimics that of psoriasis. Our data indicate that the genes implicated in the T-cell-mediated immune response pathway and activation of KCs play a key role in the pathogenesis of PK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new stilbene derivatives, gnetumelin A (1), gnetumelin B (2), and gnetumelin C (3), along with the nine known stilbene derivatives 4–12 were isolated from Gnetum montanumMarkgr. f. megalocarpumMarkgr. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis and comparison of the data with reported ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano-crystalline LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 with a unique powder characterization has been successfully synthesized by a soft combustion reaction method, using lithium nitrate, manganese nitrate, and nickel nitrate as the starting materials, and no organic materials being introduced in the whole process. The LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 powders synthesized by the soft combustion reaction method were investigated by differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry, X-ray diffractometer, and transmission electron microscopy. The resultant product was a pure phase of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 without any other impurities. Electrochemical measurements were also performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the chemical constituents from traditional Chinese herb Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker-Gawl., a new steroidal glycoside, named ophiopojaponin C ( 1), together with two known ones, was isolated by column chromatography. Spectroscopic and chemical evidence revealed the structures to be ophiopogenin 3-O-[α- L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)]-β- D-xylopyranosyl(1→4)-β- D-glucopyranoside ( 1), diosgenin 3-O-[2-O-acetyl-α- L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)]-β- D-xylopyranosyl(1→3)-β- D-glucopyranoside( 2), and ruscogenin 1-O-[2-O-acetyl-α- L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)]-β- D-xylopyranosyl(1→3)-β- D-fucopyranoside ( 3). (Managing editor: Wei WANG) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]