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Agriophyllum squarrosum(L.) Moq (A. squarrosum) with high nutrition was first applied to food extrusion processing to produce rice powders. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to investigate the effects of processing variables, namely the screw speed (90–130 rpm), moisture content (27%–39%), and extrusion temperature (100–160°C) on system parameters, physicochemical properties, and antioxidant activity of rice extrudates with A. squarrosum addition. Twin‐screw extrusion cooking significantly (p <.05) improved the water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), color index a* and b* of extruded products, and made the crystalline pattern of blends change from A‐type to V‐type. The extrusion temperature showed the most significant effect on system parameters, physicochemical properties, and antioxidant activity. These findings that indicated appropriate conditions of twin‐screw extrusion to produce rice powders with A. squarrosum were 120 rpm screw speed, 31% moisture content, and 145°C extrusion temperature. The proximate composite of raw blend powder and extruded blend powder showed no evident changes except starch. Practical applications: In this study, we mixed rice and Agriophyllum squarrosum flour to produce high nutritional blends and investigated the function properties by response surface methodology. On one hand, the regularity effects of extrusion on the total content of phenolic, flavonoid, and DPPH (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picryhydrazyl) free radical scavenging activity were observed. On the other hand, we expanded the application of Agriophyllum squarrosum and provided a twin‐screw extrusion method for the production of high protein cereal products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ziyuglycoside I and ziyuglycoside II are important active components of Sanguisorba officinalis L., which have excellent pharmacological effects, such as antioxidant and anticancer effects. However, the bioavailability of ziyuglycoside I and ziyuglycoside II has not been reported. This work aims to establish a UPLC-MS/MS method to study the pharmacokinetics of ziyuglycoside I and ziyuglycoside II in rats under different administration routes (intragastric and intravenous administration) and to calculate the bioavailability. The concentration of ziyuglycoside I and ziyuglycoside II in rat plasma in the range of 2–2000 ng/mL showed a good linear relationship (r > 0.99). The intra-day accuracies of ziyuglycoside I and ziyuglycoside II ranged from 87% to 110%, and the inter-day accuracies ranged from 97% to 109%. The intra-day precision was less than 15% and the inter-day precision was less than 14%. The matrix effects ranged from 88% to 113%. The recoveries were all above 84%. The developed UPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of ziyuglycoside I and ziyuglycoside II in rat plasma was applied to pharmacokinetics. The bioavailability of ziyuglycoside I and ziyuglycoside II was measured at 2.6% and 4.6%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tibetan pigs from the Tibetan Plateau are characterized with a significant phenotypic difference relative to lowland pigs. In this study, a significant difference of the fatness and fatty acid composition traits was observed between the Tibetan and Yorkshire pigs. To uncover the involved mechanism, the expression profile of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and genes was compared between them. After serial filtered steps, 1,964 lncRNAs were obtained through our computational pipeline. In total, 63 and 715 lncRNAs and genes were identified to be differentially expressed. Evidence from cis- and trans-targeting analysis of lncRNAs demonstrated that some lncRNAs, such as MSTRG.14097 and MSTRG.8034, played important roles in the fatness and fatty acid composition traits. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that many candidate genes were responsible for the two traits. Of these, FASN, ACACA, SCD, ME3, PDHB, ACSS1, ACSS2, and ACLY were identified, which functioned in regulating the level of hexadecanoic acid, hexadecenoic acid, octadecenoic acid, and monounsaturated fatty acid. And LPGAT1, PDK4, ACAA1, and ADIPOQ were associated with the content of stearic acid, octadecadienoic acid, and polyunsaturated fatty acid. Candidate genes, which were responsible for fatness trait, consisted of FGF2, PLAG1, ADIPOQ, IRX3, MIF, IL-34, ADAM8, HMOX1, Vav1, and TLR8. In addition, association analysis also revealed that 34 and 57 genes significantly correlated to the fatness and fatty acid composition trait, respectively. Working out the mechanism caused by these lncRNAs and candidate genes is proven to be complicated but is invaluable to our understanding of fatness and fatty acid composition traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was firstly identified as a hormone that mediates the biological effects of growth hormone. Accumulating data have indicated the role of IGF-1 signaling pathway in lung development and diseases such as congenital disorders, cancers, inflammation, and fibrosis. IGF-1 signaling modulates the development and differentiation of many types of lung cells, including airway basal cells, club cells, alveolar epithelial cells, and fibroblasts. IGF-1 signaling deficiency results in alveolar hyperplasia in humans and disrupted lung architecture in animal models. The components of IGF-1 signaling pathways are potentiated as biomarkers as they are dysregulated locally or systemically in lung diseases, whereas data may be inconsistent or even paradoxical among different studies. The usage of IGF-1-based therapeutic agents urges for more researches in developmental disorders and inflammatory lung diseases, as the majority of current data are collected from limited number of animal experiments and are generally less exuberant than those in lung cancer. Elucidation of these questions by further bench-to-bedside researches may provide us with rational clinical diagnostic approaches and agents concerning IGF-1 signaling in lung diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact horizontally polarized omnidirectional slot antenna with a wide working band is presented in this article. The proposed antenna consists of 4 shorter driven cross-shaped slots, 4 longer parasitic cross-shaped slots, and a feeding network. Four shorter slots, placed on the same side of a circular substrate, are fed by a feeding network printed on the other side with uniform phase and magnitude. To enhance the bandwidth of the antenna, 4 longer cross-shaped slots are inserted between adjacent longer slots to produce an additional resonant frequency. All 8 slot radiators placed symmetrically along the circumference results in an omnidirectional horizontal polarized radiation pattern. By utilizing cross-shaped slots, a compact size of 0.53γL × 0.53γL × 0.005γL (γL is the free space wavelength at the lowest operational frequency) is achieved. The prototype of the proposed antenna is fabricated and measured. The measured results reasonably agree with the simulated results. The measured working band for ∣S11∣<-10dB is from 1.62 to 2.81 GHz which successfully covers the 1.7 to 2.7 GHz 2G/3G/LTE bands. The measured gain variation in azimuthal angle is <1.7 dB within 1.7 to 2.7 GHz, and the cross polarization level is <-27 dB in the horizontal plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is more widely known and used globally. This study was the first to investigate undergraduates' attitude toward CAM, and influencing factors and barriers for students to use CAM. Students of five different grades in six universities of China were selected for this study from February to May 2019. First, the participants were divided into two groups based on their majors and fulfilled a previously validated 10-item CAM Health Belief Questionnaire (CHBQ) to evaluate their attitudes toward CAM. Second, the chi-square test was used to analyze the differences between the groups, and correlation analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship of the data between the two groups. Third, we used frequency analysis to identify the types that students wanted to study and the barriers to use CAM. The overall mean score of the CHBQ was 48.87 ± 8.594, which was higher than that in other countries. The students in lower grades had a stronger desire to learn CAM than those in higher grades (89% vs 83%, p < 0.05). "Too time-consuming and bad tastes," "Western medicine was enough," and "lack of relevant knowledge" were found to be the main interruptions for students to use CAM. 82.3% of students wanted CAM to be incorporated into the curriculum and desired to learn more about CAM. 72.3% of the students who had never learned CAM wanted to know more about CAM. 55.5% of the students were willing to recommend CAM. Most undergraduates desired to learn more about CAM. It is necessary to introduce or integrate CAM courses into the present curriculum, and it should be started in the lower grades. We hope this study can provide evidence for the authority in China to make appropriate changes and integrate CAM into the college curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims. The underlying mechanisms of differential responsiveness to IFN remain poorly understood. The elongation factor Tu GTP binding domain-containing protein 2 (EFTUD2), involved in RNA splicing and pre-mRNA processing, was recognized as a novel innate immune regulator of the IFN antihepatitis C virus (HCV) effect. The aim of this study is to elucidate the mechanisms underlying EFTUD2's involvement in IFN-mediated anti-HBV responses. Methods. Using a CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system, EFTUD2 single allele knockout HepG2.2.15 cells were constructed. Subsequently, the HBV biomarkers in EFTUD2+/– HepG2.2.15 cells and wild-type (WT) cells with or without IFN-α treatment were detected. And the EFTUD2-regulated genes were then identified using mRNA sequence. Selected gene mRNA variants and their proteins were examined by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. To confirm the effects of EFTUD2 on HBV replication and IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression, a rescue experiment in EFTUD2+/– HepG2.2.15 cells was performed by EFTUD2 overexpression. Results. IFN-induced anti-HBV activity was found to be restricted in EFTUD2+/– HepG2.2.15 cells. The mRNA sequence showed that EFTUD2 could regulate classical IFN and virus response genes. Mechanistically, EFTUD2 single allele knockout decreased the expression of ISG-encoded proteins, comprising Mx1, OAS1, and PKR (EIF2AK2), through mediated gene splicing. However, EFTUD2 did not affect the expression of Jak-STAT pathway genes. Furthermore, EFTUD2 overexpression could restore the attenuation of IFN anti-HBV activity and the reduction of ISG resulting from EFTUD2 single allele knockout. Conclusion. EFTUD2, the spliceosome factor, is not IFN-inducible but is an IFN effector gene. EFTUD2 mediates IFN anti-HBV effect through regulation of gene splicing for certain ISGs, including Mx1, OAS1, and PKR. EFTUD2 does not affect IFN receptors or canonical signal transduction components. Therefore, it can be concluded that EFTUD2 regulates ISGs using a novel, nonclassical mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine serum cytokine profiles in Graves’ disease (GD) patients with or without active and inactive thyroid associated ophthalmopathy (TAO), we recruited 65 subjects: 10 GD only (without TAO), 25 GD + active TAO, 20 GD + TAO, and 10 healthy controls. Liquid chip assay was used to measure serum Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines including IFN-γ (interferon-gamma), TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-alpha), IL-1α (interleukin-1 alpha), IL-1Ra (IL-1 receptor antagonist), IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-17 and two chemokines: RANTES (regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) and IP-10 (IFN-γ-induced protein 10). Serum levels of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) receptor autoantibodies (TRAb) were measured using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Compared with healthy controls, TAO patients showed significantly elevated serum levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-17, and IP-10. Comparing active and inactive TAO, serum Th1 cytokines IFN-γ and TNF-α were elevated in active TAO, while serum Th2 cytokine IL-4 was elevated in inactive TAO. Serum Th17 cytokine IL-17 was elevated in GD but reduced in both active and inactive TAO. A positive correlation was found between TRAb and IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-6. Taken together, serum Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines and chemokines reflect TAO disease activity and may be implicated in TAO pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a low‐profile ultra‐wideband (UWB) circularly polarized (CP) antenna array with metasurface is presented. The antenna array consists of a 2 × 2 polarization conversion metasurfaces (PCMs) and a sequential feeding network. The PCM is composed of 4 × 4 polarization conversion unit‐cells. The unit‐cell is obtained by putting an ellipse patch into a rectangular ring, connecting the ellipse and the ring with two stubs, and then rotating it by 45°. A linear polarization (LP) slot antenna with a PCM can achieve a CP antenna, which has an impedance bandwidth of about 33.8% (5.4‐7.6 GHz) of |S11| < −10 dB and a 3‐dB axial ratio (AR) bandwidth of about 24.8% (5.8‐7.3 GHz), respectively. The UWB CP characteristics can be achieved when a UWB sequential feeding network is added to the 2 × 2 PCMs. Simulated and measured results show that the proposed antenna array has an impedance bandwidth of about 117% (1.75‐6.75 GHz) of |S11| < −10 dB and a 3‐dB axial ratio (AR) bandwidth of about 105.7% (2.24‐7.35 GHz), respectively. The usable bandwidth can reach 100.3% (2.24‐6.75 GHz). Besides, the proposed antenna array achieves a higher gain compared to the traditional slot array and the peak gain of 12.5 dBic at 6 GHz. The overall size of the antenna is 0.6λ × 0.6λ × 0.03λ (λ refers to the wavelength of the lowest operating frequency in free space). The proposed antenna array can be widely applied to various wireless communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have described beneficial effects of an infusion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from Wharton’s jelly tissue, for the treatment of acute liver failure (ALF). However, data on the therapeutic potential of culture-expanded MSCs are lacking. We examined the therapeutic potential of passage five (P5) and ten (P10) human umbilical cord- (hUC-) MSCs via their transplantation into Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with D-galactosamine (D-GalN) and LPS-induced acute liver failure (ALF). SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group, P5 hUC-MSCs group, and P10 hUC-MSCs group. After transplantation, P5 hUC-MSCs provided a significant survival benefit. The analysis of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total bilirubin (TBIL) levels showed that transplantation with P5 hUC-MSCs was more effective than treatment with P10 hUC-MSCs. P5 hUC-MSCs also successfully downregulated the hepatic activity index (HAI) scores. Compared to P10 hUC-MSCs in vivo, P5 hUC-MSCs significantly enhanced the regeneration and inhibited the apoptosis of hepatocytes. CM-Dil-labeled hUC-MSCs were found to engraft within the recipient liver, whereas the homing of cells to the recipient liver in the P10 hUC-MSCs group was less effective compared to the P5 hUC-MSCs group. Previous studies have shown that the concentration of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in the injured liver was significantly increased. HGF is commonly known as the ligand of c-Met. The level of c-Met in hUC-MSCs as detected by Western blotting indicated that at a higher passage number, there is a decrease in c-Met. These data suggest that direct transplantation of P5 hUC-MSCs can more efficiently home to an injured liver. Subsequently, the P5 hUC-MSCs can rescue ALF and repopulate the livers of rats through the stimulation of endogenous liver regeneration and inhibition of hepatocellular apoptosis for compensated liver function, which is dependent on the higher level of c-Met than P10 hUC-MSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]