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Objective: This research was aimed at ascertaining the clinical effects of 595 nm pulsed dye laser (PDL) in combination with supramolecular salicylic acid (SSA) in the treatment of rosacea. Methods: Eighty-four patients with rosacea were selected, of which 42 patients treated with PDL alone were considered as the control group, and 42 patients treated with 595 nm PDL in combination with 30% SSA were regarded as the observation group. The treatment continued for 4 months in the two groups. Clinical symptom scores, skin barrier function indicators, serum inflammatory factors, Acne⁃QOL scores and adverse reactions between the two groups were compared. Results: After treatment, levels of inflammatory factors, clinical symptom scores, transdermal water loss, and oil volume were decreased, and epidermal water content and Acne-QOL scores were increased in both groups (all P < 0.05), and the changes in the observation group were more pronounced versus the control group (all P < 0.05). The difference in the incidence of adverse reactions was not statistically significant between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: 595 nm PDL in combination with SSA is safe in the treatment of rosacea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an emerging information device that adapts to development of the big data era, memristor has attracted much attention due to its advantage in processing massive data. However, the nucleation and growth of conductive filaments often exhibit randomness and instability, which undoubtedly leads to a wide and discrete range of switching parameters, damaging the electrical performance of device. In this work, a strategy of inserting carbon quantum dots (CQDs) into graphene oxide (GO) resistance layer is utilized to improve the stability of the switching parameters and the reliability of the device is improved. Compared with GO-based devices, GO/CQDs/GO-based devices exhibit a more stable resistance switching curve, low power, lower and more concentrated threshold voltage parameters with lower variation coefficient, faster switching speed, and more stable retention and endurance. The cause-inducing performance improvement may be attributed to the local electric field generated by CQDs in resistance switching that effectively guides the formation and rupture of conductive filaments, which optimizes the effective migration distance of Ag+, thereby improving the uniformity of resistance switching. Additionally, a convolutional neural network model is constructed to identify the CIFAR-10 data set, showing the high recognition accuracy of online and offline learning. The cross-kernel structure is used to further implement convolutional image processing through multiplication and accumulation operations. This work provides a solution to improve the performance of memristors, which can contribute to developing digital information processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Heterozygous STAT1 Gain-of-Function (GOF) mutations are the most common cause of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC) among Inborn Errors of Immunity. Clinically, these mutations manifest as a broad spectrum of immune dysregulation, including autoimmune diseases, vascular disorders, and malignancies. The pathogenic mechanisms of immune dysregulation and its impact on immune cells are not yet fully understood. In treatment, JAK inhibitors have shown therapeutic effectiveness in some patients. Methods: We analyzed clinical presentations, cellular phenotypes, and functional impacts in five Taiwanese patients with STAT1 GOF. Results: We identified two novel GOF mutations in 5 patients from 2 Taiwanese families, presenting with symptoms of CMC, late-onset rosacea, and autoimmunity. The enhanced phosphorylation and delayed dephosphorylation were displayed by the patients' cells. There are alterations in both innate and adaptive immune cells, including expansion of CD38+HLADR +CD8+ T cells, a skewed activated Tfh cells toward Th1, reduction of memory, marginal zone and anergic B cells, all main functional dendritic cell lineages, and a reduction in classical monocyte. Baricitinib showed therapeutic effectiveness without side effects. Conclusion: Our study provides the first comprehensive clinical and molecular characteristics in STAT1 GOF patient in Taiwan and highlights the dysregulated T and B cells subsets which may hinge the autoimmunity in STAT1 GOF patients. It also demonstrated the therapeutic safety and efficacy of baricitinib in pediatric patient. Further research is needed to delineate how the aberrant STAT1 signaling lead to the changes in cellular populations as well as to better link to the clinical manifestations of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor autoantibodies (anti-GM-CSF Abs) are implicated in the pathogenesis of Cryptococcus gattii (C. gattii) infection and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP). Their presence has also been noted in nocardiosis cases, particularly those with disseminated disease. This study delineates a case series characterizing clinical features and specificity of anti-GM-CSF Abs in nocardiosis patients. Methods: In this study, eight patients were recruited to determine the presence or absence of anti-GM-CSF Abs. In addition to the detailed description of the clinical course, we thoroughly investigated the autoantibodies regarding the characteristics, isotypes, subclasses, titers, and neutralizing capacities by utilizing the plasma samples from patients. Results: Of eight patients, five tested positive for anti-GM-CSF Abs, all with central nervous system (CNS) involvement; patients negative for these antibodies did not develop CNS nocardiosis. Distinct from previously documented cases, none of our patients with anti-GM-CSF Abs exhibited PAP symptoms. The titer and neutralizing activity of anti-GM-CSF Abs in our cohort did not significantly deviate from those found in C. gattii cryptococcosis and PAP patients. Uniquely, one individual (Patient 3) showed a minimal titer and neutralizing action of anti-GM-CSF Abs, with no relation to disease severity. Moreover, IgM autoantibodies were notably present in all CNS nocardiosis cases investigated. Conclusion: The presence of anti-GM-CSF Abs suggests an intrinsic immunodeficiency predisposing individuals toward CNS nocardiosis. The presence of anti-GM-CSF Abs helps to elucidate vulnerability to CNS nocardiosis, even with low titer of autoantibodies. Consequently, systematic screening for anti-GM-CSF Abs should be considered a crucial diagnostic step for nocardiosis patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many mental processes are reactive – they are altered as a result of introspection and monitoring. It has been documented that soliciting trial-by-trial confidence ratings (CRs) reactively improves decision accuracy and lengthens response times (RTs), but the cognitive mechanisms underlying CR reactivity in decision-making remain unknown. The current study conducted two experiments and employed the drift-diffusion model (DDM) to explore why reporting confidence reactively alters the decision-making process. The results showed that CRs led to enhanced decision accuracy, longer RTs, and higher response thresholds. The findings are consistent with an increased conservatism hypothesis which asserts that soliciting CRs provokes feelings of uncertainty and makes individuals more cautious in their decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies have demonstrated that exercise can mitigate the intensity of menstrual pain in primary dysmenorrhea, but the most effective type of exercise remains unclear. The objective of this systematic review and network meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of different exercise regimens in reducing pain associated with primary dysmenorrhoea. Methods: Randomized controlled trials investigating the relationship between menstrual pain and exercise were selected from major electronic databases until February 2, 2024. The primary outcome was the effect of exercise on pain intensity measured by the mean difference on a 10-cm visual analogue scale at 4 and 8 weeks after intervention. The secondary outcome was the difference in risk of dropout at 8 weeks. The study protocol was registered as INPLASY202330050. Results: This systematic review and network meta-analysis included 29 randomized controlled trials, which involved 1808 participants with primary dysmenorrhea. Exercise interventions included relaxation exercise, strength training, aerobic activity, yoga, mixed exercise, and the Kegel maneuver. Relaxation exercise was the most effective in reducing menstrual pain in 4 weeks (− 3.56; 95% confidence interval: − 5.03 to − 2.08). All exercise interventions were effective in reducing menstrual pain at 8 weeks, with reductions ranging from − 3.87 (95% CI − 5.51 to − 2.22) for relaxation exercise to − 2.75 (95% CI − 4.00 to − 1.51) for yoga, compared to the control group. Relaxation exercises were found to have a significantly lower dropout risk (− 0.11; 95% CI − 0.20 to 0.02), while none of the exercise types was associated with a higher dropout risk than the control group. Conclusion: All exercise interventions were effective in reducing menstrual pain in primary dysmenorrhea after 8 weeks of intervention. However, relaxation exercise was found to be the most effective intervention at 4 and 8 weeks and had the lowest risk of dropout. Plain Language Summary: This analysis aimed to see how effective different types of exercise are in reducing pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea. The researchers looked at 29 studies involving 1808 participants and evaluated six different types of exercise. The main outcome was the effect of pain reduction after 4 and 8 weeks of exercise. The researchers found that all types of exercise were effective in reducing menstrual pain after 8 weeks, with relaxation exercises being the most effective at both 4 and 8 weeks. None of the exercise types were associated with higher dropout risks than the control group, and relaxation exercise had a lower dropout risk than the other types of exercise. Key Points: Exercise can be an effective way to reduce menstrual pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Different types of exercise, including relaxation exercise, strength training, aerobic activity, yoga, mixed exercise, and the Kegel maneuver, have been found to be effective in reducing menstrual pain after 8 weeks. Relaxation exercises, such as progressive muscle relaxation and self-administered massage, have been found to be the most effective interventions for reducing menstrual pain at both 4 and 8 weeks, and they also have a lower risk of dropout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rock mechanical property is significant for shale gas development and exploitation. Shale compressive strength, tensile strength, elastic deformation and so on, are necessary parameters for drilling, completion and fracturing work in shale formation. Among all these shale mechanical parameters, brittleness is a tricky and significant rock property, which has been widely used to hydraulic fracturing design. Currently, although so many works have been conducted to investigate shale brittleness, there is no precise definition of brittleness. In particular, there is no consensus on which method is the most reliable for shale brittleness evaluation. It is vital to figure out how to evaluate shale brittleness in a reliable method. Thus, this paper presents an experimental study on shale mechanical properties, analyzing mechanical features in stress strain curve, relation between mineral content and strength, mechanical parameters at varying confined stress. Based on shale mechanical characteristics and its brittle exhibition, stress strain curve from triaxial compression test is divided into 3 stages, namely, elastic stage, plastic stage and post peak stage. In combined with brittle characteristics in 3 stages of axial and radial stress–strain curves, a new brittleness index has been established for assessing shale brittleness. In order to prove the applicability of new brittleness index, its result is compared with shale failure sample after triaxial test and existing brittleness indexes based on mineral content, elastic deformation, energy, stress and strain, showing a good consistency and proving its practicability. Based on this brittleness index, influence factors of shale brittleness have been discussed. It is shown that elastic module is the most important factor of shale brittleness. Bedding plane makes shale brittleness have strong anisotropy. Brittleness is not only relied on its structure and mineral (like bedding plane, silicate and clay mineral content), but is also highly affected by external stress. Large confined pressure is able to impair shale brittleness. Outcome in this study can offer theoretical guidance for shale exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being closely relevant to resource assessment and exploitation, pore structures and methane storage behaviors of deep-marine shales remain poorly understood. In this work, systematic experimental characterization of pore structures and sorption in deep shales in the Wufeng–Longmaxi Formations was conducted. The pore structures were characterized intuitively and quantitatively by a combination of various experiments. High-pressure methane adsorption experiments were conducted at 110 °C and pressures up to 30 MPa. The governing factors of pore structures and sorption in deep shales were clarified. A novel method was proposed to quantify absolute adsorption and free gas contents at in situ deep shale conditions. In this method, absolute adsorption content is predicted by the fitted Langmuir volume and Langmuir pressure, and the free gas content is determined by the bulk gas density and the corrected void volume, taking into account the adsorbed phase volume and gas saturation. New insights on discrepancies between deep shales and shallow shales were discussed. The lower section of the Longmaxi Formation is proposed as the geological and engineering sweet spot. Compared with shallow shales, deep shales possess higher contents of micropores from organic matters and lower contents of macropores from clay minerals. Absolute adsorption does not reach the maximum at in situ deep shale conditions, and the proportion of adsorbed gas in deep shales is smaller than that in shallow shales. Total organic carbon (TOC) content is the primary controlling factor on pore structure and sorption capacity in deep shales. An increase in TOC content can lead to an increase in micropore and mesopore content and thus an increase in the absolute adsorption proportion in deep shales. The effect of clay minerals on gas sorption in deep shales is less pronounced in contrast to shallow shales. These findings facilitate the accurate reserve evaluation of deep shale gas and can guide the theoretical investigations on gas production mechanisms in deep shale gas reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases are currently the main cause of death. The study of the pathogenesis and treatment of these diseases is still a major challenge. Traditional 2D cultured cells and animal models have certain limitations. Heart organoids as models can simulate the structure and function of the body, providing a new research strategy. This paper mainly discusses the development of organoids and their application in the study of the cardiac developmental process, drug screening and treatment of genetic and non-genetic diseases, concluding with their strengths and weaknesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gesture recording, modeling, and understanding based on a robust electronic glove (E-glove) are of great significance for efficient human-machine cooperation in harsh environments. However, such robust edge-intelligence interfaces remain challenging as existing E-gloves are limited in terms of integration, waterproofness, scalability, and interface stability between different components. Here, we report on the design, manufacturing, and application scenarios for a waterproof E-glove, which is of low cost, lightweight, and scalable for mass production, as well as environmental robustness, waterproofness, and washability. An improved neural network architecture is proposed to implement environment-adaptive learning and inference for hand gestures, which achieves an amphibious recognition accuracy of 100% in 26 categories by analyzing 2,600 hand gesture patterns. We demonstrate that the E-glove can be used for amphibious remote vehicle navigation via hand gestures, potentially opening the way for efficient human-human and human-machine cooperation in harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon-based anodes are promising for high-energy density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), while they are extremely constrained by serious volume expanding. Silicon oxycarbides (SiOC) can deliver milder volume change and acceptable theoretical capacity, but the electrochemical performance of most pure SiOC anodes is still limited by their volume expanding and poor electronic conductivity. Herein, a high-performance SiOC anode with bi-continuous macropores and robust skeletons derived from polyorganosiloxane aerogels was fabricated through a sol–gel method. The resultant SiOC material comprises free carbon phase, SiO4, SiO3C and SiO2C2 units. The specific capacity of bi-continuous macroporous SiOC anode can achieve 680 mAh g−1 after 350 cycles, possessing high reversibility and stability. The synergetic effect of robust skeletons, bi-continuous macropores, appropriate constitution of free carbon phase, SiO4 and SiO3C units endows the synthesized macroporous SiOC materials with such superior specific capacity and stable cycling performance. The bi-continuous macroporous SiOC with robust skeletons can provide a promising fundamental material to further achieve long-cycle SiOC anode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intermolecular interaction between 3 and 4-dinitropyrazole (DNP) and cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (HMX) was investigated at the level of M062X(D3)/6–311 + + G(d, p) in accordance with density functional theory. Six stable structures of DNP/HMX complex were obtained after optimization. Subsequently, electrostatic potential, electron density topology, reduced density gradient, and natural bond orbital were used to investigate the intermolecular interaction. Moreover, the effect of intermolecular interaction on the sensitivity of HMX was studied from different perspectives (e.g., the electron density at the critical point, the length of initiation bond, the bond order, the change of partial nitro charge, as well as the electron density difference). The results indicated that the interaction energy of the six complexes followed an order as follows: structure IV > structure I > structure III > structure VI > structure V > structure II. There were intermolecular hydrogen bonds of C–H·· O and N–H··O and weak van der Waals forces of O··O and N··O in DNP/HMX complexes. The above intermolecular interactions in the complex increased the electron density and strength of the initiation bond in HMX molecule, thus resulting in the decrease of its sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) represent one of the most promising ways to treat cardiovascular diseases. High-purity cardiomyocytes (CM) from different cell sources could be obtained at present. However, the immature nature of these cardiomyocytes hinders its further clinical application. From immature to mature state, it involves structural, functional, and metabolic changes in cardiomyocytes. Generally, two types of culturing (2D and 3D) systems have been reported to induce cardiomyocyte maturation. 2D culture mainly achieves the maturation of cardiomyocytes through long-term culture, co-culture, supplementation of small molecule compounds, and the application of biophysical cues. The combined use of biomaterial's surface topography and biophysical cues also facilitates the maturation of cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocyte maturation is a complex process involving many signaling pathways, and current methods fail to fully reproduce this process. Therefore, analyzing the signaling pathway network related to the maturation and producing hPSC-CMs with adult-like phenotype is a challenge. In this review, we summarized the structural and functional differences between hPSC-CMs and mature cardiomyocytes, and introduced various methods to induce cardiomyocyte maturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Anti-granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor autoantibodies (anti-GM-CSF Abs) are a predisposing factor for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) and Cryptococcus gattii cryptococcosis. This study aimed to investigate clinical manifestations in anti-GM-CSF Ab-positive patients with C. gattii cryptococcosis and analyze the properties of anti-GM-CSF Abs derived from these patients and patients with PAP. Methods: Thirty-nine patients diagnosed with cryptococcosis (caused by C. neoformans or C. gattii) and 6 with PAP were enrolled in the present study. Clinical information was obtained from medical records. Blood samples were collected for analysis of autoantibody properties. We also explored the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan to investigate the epidemiology of cryptococcosis and PAP. Results: High titers of neutralizing anti-GM-CSF Abs were identified in 15 patients with cryptococcosis (15/39, 38.5%). Most anti-GM-CSF Ab-positive cryptococcosis cases had central nervous system (CNS) involvement (14/15, 93.3%). Eleven out of 14 (78.6%) anti-GM-CSF Ab-positive CNS cryptococcosis patients were confirmed to be infected with C. gattii, and PAP did not occur synchronously or metachronously in a single patient from our cohort. Exploration of an association between HLA and anti-GM-CSF Ab positivity or differential properties of autoantibodies from cryptococcosis patients and PAP yielded no significant results. Conclusion: Anti-GM-CSF Abs can cause two diseases, C. gattii cryptococcosis and PAP, which seldom occur in the same subject. Current biological evidence regarding the properties of anti-GM-CSF Abs cannot provide clues regarding decisive mechanisms. Further analysis, including more extensive cohort studies and investigations into detailed properties, is mandatory to better understand the pathogenesis of anti-GM-CSF Abs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional graphene (3D GR) grown by chemical vapor deposition method was used as the anode of a miniaturized microbial fuel cell (mini-MFC), which was to be embedded in a 56-μL anode chamber for the formation of a thicker biofilm from Shewanella bacterial culture to promote high efficient extracellular electron transfer. Such 3D GR structure had fewer defects with few layers, and the framework showed significant high REDOX peak current density, high charge storage and low charge transfer resistance. Besides, the electron transport rate of 3D GR electrode was 0.0176 s−1, which was about two times faster than that of GR electrode with nickel foam substrate (GR/NF). Benefiting from the macroporous networks, high electron transfer rate and electrocatalytic activity, 3D GR anode facilitated efficient mass transfer and effective electron transport, further forming denser biofilm on the 3D GR. The maximum output voltage and power density of this mini-MFC were 820 mV and 23.8 mW/m2, which were much higher than those of the GR/NF anode at 590 mV and 12.8 mW/m2 and the bare NF anode at 450 mV and 4.6 mW/m2. The study demonstrated that 3D GR can be a promising anode material for improving MFC performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The factors that affect the prediction accuracy of monitoring models are the selection of environmental features, the optimization of model hyper-parameters, and the robustness of the model itself. For dam systems affected by multiple factors, there is usually a multi-collinear relationship between features. Eliminating the collinearity problem and selecting the optimal feature subset are the essential methods to affect the performance of the monitoring model. The super-parameters of the model do not depend on data-driven but need to be set artificially before training. Choosing an appropriate hyper-parameter optimization algorithm can optimize the training effect of the model. In this paper, a feature selection method with PCA-RF is proposed, which employs principal component analysis (PCA) to reconstruct the feature with equal dimensional mapping to eliminate the collinearity of the feature set. Then, based on the feature importance evaluation method of random forest (RF) to eliminate the interference factors in the new feature set to improve the model's prediction accuracy. The Bayesian optimization algorithm is introduced to optimize the model hyper-parameters. Secondly, based on the idea of Stacking ensemble, the dam displacement monitoring models of support vector regression (SVR), MLP neural network (MLP), and Gaussian process regression (GPR) are integrated, and static and dynamic monitoring Stacking heterogeneous ensemble models are proposed, respectively. Based on the dynamic monitoring model, the dynamic monitoring index of the dam service status is realized by the confidence interval estimation method. Finally, an engineering example is given to verify the prediction ability of the method. The results show that the feature selection method with PCA-RF has good adaptability to deal with collinear feature selection, the Bayesian optimization algorithm can optimize parameters efficiently. The prediction performance of the dynamic Stacking ensemble monitoring model has higher accuracy and robustness. The monitoring indexes have the advantage of dynamic updating, which provides a more reliable basis for the dynamic safety warning of dam deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Character strengths could effectively prevent negative psychological outcomes in adults. However, there was little research conducted among early adolescents. The present study aimed to explore character strengths that were independently related to fewer behavior problems in early adolescents. In total, 521 early adolescents (mean age 10.92 ± 0.04, range 10–12 years) were recruited from primary schools in Sichuan, China. Character strengths were measured using the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths for Youth (VIA-Youth). Behavior problems were measured using the Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ). The results showed that behavior problems were negatively correlated with character strengths (r = −0.14 to −0.3, p < 0.05 Bonferroni corrected). Character strengths explained a significant proportion of additional variance (14–22%) in five types of behavior problems after controlling the effect of demographic factors (residence, left-behind experiences, maternal education level). Moreover, several specific character strengths showed an independent contribution (β = −0.34 to −0.14 for self-regulation, perseverance, zest, humility, and leadership; β = 0.21 to 0.34, for hope; all p < 0.05) to behavior problems. Our study revealed that character strengths were protective factors against behavior problems in early adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection still remains a major public health issue in the Asia–Pacific region. Most of the burden of HBV-related disease results from infections acquired in infancy through perinatal or early childhood exposure to HBV in Asia–Pacific. Hepatitis B during pregnancy presents unique management issues for both the mother and fetus. These APASL guidelines provide a comprehensive review and recommendations based on available evidence in the literature, for the management of females with HBV infection through every stage of pregnancy and postpartum. These also address the concerns, management challenges, and required follow-up of children born to hepatitis B-positive mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive pregnancy, which is a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality during pregnancy. L-Tryptophan (Trp) is an essential amino acid, which can be metabolized into various biologically active metabolites. However, the levels of many circulating Trp-metabolites in human normotensive pregnancies (NT) and PE are undetermined. This study quantified the levels of Trp-metabolites in maternal and umbilical vein sera from women with NT and PE. Paired maternal and umbilical blood samples were collected from singleton pregnant patients. Twenty-five Trp-metabolites were measured in serum samples using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The effects of L-kynurenine (Kyn) and indole-3-lactic acid (ILA), on function of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), were also determined. Twenty Trp-metabolites were detected. The levels of 9 Trp-metabolites including Kyn and ILA were higher (P < 0.05) in umbilical vein than maternal serum, whereas 2 (5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan and serotonin) were lower (P < 0.05) in umbilical vein compared to maternal serum. PE significantly (P < 0.05) elevated ILA levels in maternal and umbilical vein sera. Kyn dose-dependently decreased (P < 0.05) cell viability. Kyn and ILA dose- and time-dependently (P < 0.05) increased monolayer integrity in HUVECs. These data suggest that these Trp-metabolites are important in regulating endothelial function during pregnancy, and the elevated ILA in PE may antagonize increased endothelial permeability occurring in PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crowding in bus is an important factor affecting passenger satisfaction and bus dispatching level. However, how to use video images to detect crowding accurately is a difficult problem. In this paper, firstly, an image sample library is established based on the evaluation standard of crowding in bus, which contains 16346 sample images. Then, Local Binary Pattern (LBP) and Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) are used to extract the texture features of the image in bus. Then, a rough classification method of crowding based on Support Vector Machine (SVM) is proposed. At the same time, in order to improve the accuracy of rough classification of crowding, the optimization effects of grid search algorithm, particle swarm optimization algorithm and genetic algorithm on SVM parameters are compared. The results show that the optimization effect of genetic algorithm is the best, and the accuracy rate is 93.20%. Finally, for the problem that the SVM method is not ideal in the fine classification of crowding, this paper proposes a new method based on ResNet. SGD, Adadelta and Adam are selected to optimize the parameters of ResNet model. The accuracy of the optimal Adam algorithm reaches 96.22%, which effectively solves the problem of the fine classification of crowding in bus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geoelectric field (GEF) measurements have documented many pre-earthquake electromagnetic anomalies over the past few decades. However, the statistical characteristics between earthquakes and GEF are still unclear. In this paper, we use the shifting correlation method to analyze the statistical features of earthquake precursory information in GEF data recorded in the North–South seismic belt of Chinese mainland during 2010–2019. Three factors, seismic energy, epicentral distance (D), and the fault, were used to select the seismic events. In the analysis section, the results of two significance test methods were used as the anomaly standard. The results show that the GEF anomalies associated with seismic events appear about 30 days before the earthquakes, and the anomalies appear earlier at stations farther away from the epicenter. In addition, the selective characteristics of the GEF are strongly correlated with the location of stations and the geological-tectonic environment in which the epicenter is located. Moreover, the results approved the empirical conclusion that the larger the seismic energy is, the larger the impact area is. The statistical characteristics of the seismic GEF anomalies in the North–South seismic belt of Chinese mainland may provide technical support for exploring the phenomenon and mechanism of seismic GEF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of polymer and nanoparticles can create unique physicochemical properties, which is expected to be applied in the field of photodetection. Studies have found that synthetic polymer polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) can passivate nanoparticles and enhance the optical properties of the composite. In this paper, carbon nanodots (CNDs) mixed with PVA were used as the active layer film to prepare a metal–semiconductor–metal (MSM)-structured solar-blind ultraviolet (UV) photodetector. The responsivity and external quantum efficiency reached 267.1 mAW−1 and 158%, respectively. Compared with pure CNDs' photodetector, the photocurrent of the PVA/CNDs' photodetector was obviously improved. The enhanced performance could be attributed to the surface passivation by PVA, which modified surface functional groups of CNDs and attenuated the H2O absorption on the film surface. Moreover, the concentration of the active layer had great influence of the photocurrent; the optimal volume ratio of CNDs to PVA was 2.2% according to the comparison of the three devices with different concentrations. This work provided a promising way to fabricate high-performance, low-cost solar-blind UV photodetectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inborn errors of the IL-17-mediated signaling have been associated with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC). We describe a patient with CMC, atopic dermatitis, enamel dysplasia, and recurrent parotitis harboring a novel compound heterozygous mutation of TRAF3IP2, leading to autosomal recessive ACT1 deficiency and deficient IL-17 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases have consistently been one of the leading causes of mortality, despite investigations by many scientists and clinicians. Animal models are versatile platforms to illustrate various mechanisms of different diseases, but are lacking in accurately portraying cardiovascular disease phenotypes. The advent of human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) has led to much development in the construction of cardiovascular disease models. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the history and utilization of PSCs for cardiovascular precision medicine, including disease modeling, drug screening, and gene editing, and elaborate on the current updated research status of patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based disease models for cardiac channelopathies, cardiomyopathies, and other cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, we highlight the development of novel human iPSC-derived engineered heart tissues for cardiovascular disease modeling. Finally, we put forward our own views on the existing advantages and difficulties for moving forward in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser directed energy deposition (DED) is a multi-physics process that accompanies mass flow, energy transfer, and complex phase transitions. The printing characteristics of small size parts are significantly affected by the progressive variations of the temperature fields and the fluid flow within the molten pool. In this work, the deposition characteristics during multi-layer and multi-track laser DED were explored through a well-tested phenomenological model and corresponding experimental results. The variations of the build profiles and the decoupled track and layer profiles were systematically examined. Moreover, the printing characteristics of the builds with different scanning lengths were compared. Results showed that the multi-layer and multi-track transient deposition processes generated a significantly wavy surface profile. Compared with the long scanning length part, the beginning region of the short build produced an obvious bulge followed by sharply decreased height along the scanning direction. The transverse section of the short build varied significantly at different positions. Two adjacent columns of tracks were extracted from the overall build, demonstrating that the tracks tilted outwards and the angle increases along the scanning direction. The 3D numerical model was validated with corresponding experiments for builds with various layers. The scientific findings from this work can provide useful insights for the understanding of the additive mechanisms during laser DED for the precise shape control of small size parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a highly contagious pathogen that afflicts over a third of the world's population, resulting in close to a million deaths annually. The formation and persistence of the HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) is the root cause of HBV chronicity. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of cccDNA formation from relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA) remains opaque. Here we show that the minus and plus-strand lesions of HBV rcDNA require different sets of human repair factors in biochemical repair systems. We demonstrate that the plus-strand repair resembles DNA lagging strand synthesis, and requires proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), the replication factor C (RFC) complex, DNA polymerase delta (POLδ), flap endonuclease 1 (FEN-1), and DNA ligase 1 (LIG1). Only FEN-1 and LIG1 are required for the repair of the minus strand. Our findings provide a detailed mechanistic view of how HBV rcDNA is repaired to form cccDNA in biochemical repair systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The well-developed preform-to-fiber thermal drawing technique owns the benefit to maintain the cross-section architecture and obtain an individual micro-scale strand of fiber with the extended length up to thousand meters. In this work, we propose and demonstrate a two-step soluble-core fabrication method by combining such an inherently scalable manufacturing method with simple post-draw processing to explore the low viscosity polymer fibers and the potential of soft fiber electronics. As a result, an ultra-stretchable conductive fiber is achieved, which maintains excellent conductivity even under 1900% strain or 1.5 kg load/impact free-falling from 0.8-m height. Moreover, by combining with triboelectric nanogenerator technique, this fiber acts as a self-powered self-adapting multi-dimensional sensor attached on sports gears to monitor sports performance while bearing sudden impacts. Next, owing to its remarkable waterproof and easy packaging properties, this fiber detector can sense different ion movements in various solutions, revealing the promising applications for large-area undersea detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tradeoff between cost and efficiency is omnipresent in organisms. Specifically, how the evolutionary force shapes the tradeoff between biosynthetic cost and translation efficiency remains unclear. In the cancer community, whether the adjustment of cost-efficiency tradeoff acts as a strategy to facilitate tumor proliferation and contributes to oncogenesis is uninvestigated. To address this issue, we retrieved the gene expression profile in various cancer types and the matched normal samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We found that the highly expressed genes in cancers generally have higher tAI/nitro ratios than those in normal samples. This is possibly caused by the higher tAI/nitro ratios observed in oncogenes than tumor suppressor genes (TSG). Furthermore, in the cancer samples, derived mutations in oncogenes usually lead to higher tAI/nitro ratios, while those mutations in TSG lead to lower tAI/nitro. For a special case of kidney cancer, we investigated several crucial genes in tumor samples versus normal samples, and discovered that the changes in tAI/nitro ratios are correlated with the changes in translation level. Our study for the first time revealed the optimization of cost-efficiency tradeoff in cancers. The cost-efficiency dilemma is optimized by the tumor cells, and is possibly beneficial for the translation and production of oncogenes, and eventually contributes to proliferation and oncogenesis. Our findings could provide novel perspectives in depicting the cancer genomes and might help unravel the cancer evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood is a critical stage for the foundation and development of the gut microbiome, large amounts of essential nutrients are required such as vitamin D. Vitamin D plays an important role in regulating calcium homeostasis, and deficiency can impair bone mineralization. In addition, most people know that breastfeeding is advocated to be the best thing for a newborn; however, exclusively breastfeeding infants are not easily able to absorb an adequate amount of vitamin D from breast milk. Understanding the effects of vitamin D supplementation on gut microbiome can improve the knowledge of infant health and development. A total of 62 fecal sample from healthy infants were collected in Taiwan. Of the 62 infants, 31 were exclusively breastfed infants and 31 were mixed- or formula-fed infants. For each feeding type, one subgroup of infants received 400 IU of vitamin D per day, and the remaining infants received a placebo. In total, there are 15 breastfed and 20 formula-fed infants with additional vitamin D supplementation, and 16 breastfed and 11 formula-fed infants belong to control group, respectively. We performed a comparative metagenomic analysis to investigate the distribution and diversity of infant gut microbiota among different types of feeding regimes with and without vitamin D supplementation. Our results reveal that the characteristics of infant gut microbiota not only depend on the feeding types but also on nutrients intake, and demonstrated that the vitamin D plays an important role in modulating the infant gut microbiota, especially increase the proportion of probiotics in breast-fed infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing acidification of soil, aluminum (Al) toxicity has become one of the most important stress factors affecting seed germination quality and crop yield. To investigate the Al tolerance on seed germination, genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) of 19,949 SNPs with genome-wide coverage was used to identify the candidate genes, which were potentially related to germinate traits of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) under Al stress. In the experiment, 169 rapeseed cultivars (lines) were treated with AlCl3 solution of 90 ppm, and distilled water was added to the control. At the 7th day, the phenotype data, including root length and dry weight, were measured and calculated. Using the TASSEL software, Al tolerance related traits were explored in rapeseed under germination with a 60 K Brassica Illumina® Infinium SNP array. Then, the structure of the population was analyzed with the STRUCTURE software, and the genetic relationship and LD attenuation were analyzed with the software TASSEL, respectively. The GWAS of relative root length (RRL) and relative dry weight (RDW) with SNP markers were carried out under the optimal model. Meanwhile, the candidate genes were predicted based on the LD interval sequence of the associated SNP locus. Subsequently, the homologous genes of rapeseed related to Al tolerance in the target genome region were screened in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. The results showed that 13 SNPs were significantly associated with these two traits. Among them, 8 SNPs were significantly associated with RRL and located on chromosomes A03, A07, A09, A10, C05, C06, and C09, respectively. Five SNPs were significantly associated with RDW and located on chromosomes A03, A04, A10, C05, and C07, respectively. Afterward, fifty-nine candidate genes related to Al tolerance were identified in the LD region of these SNP loci. Four of these genes were involved in the growth regulation about organic acid, ten were involved in growth-regulating substance, eleven were related to oxidative stress, and nineteen were involved in carbon and nitrogen metabolism. The results of this study provided a theoretical basis for Al tolerance in rapeseed and laid out a foundation for further functional verification of genes and cultivation of new Al tolerant rapeseed varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder with childhood onset characterized by chronic motor and vocal tics; however, the current diagnosis of TS patients is subjective, as it is mainly assessed based on the parents' description alongside specific evaluations. The early and accurate diagnosis of TS based on its potential symptoms in children would be of benefit in their future therapy, but reliable diagnoses are difficult due to the lack of objective knowledge of the etiology and pathogenesis of TS. In this study, resting–state electroencephalograms were first collected from 36 patients and 21 healthy controls (HCs); the corresponding resting–state functional networks were then constructed, and the potential differences in network topology between the two groups were extracted by using the topology of the spatial pattern of the network (SPN). Compared to the HCs, the TS patients exhibited decreased frontotemporal/occipital/parietal connectivity. When classifying the two groups, compared to the network properties, the derived SPN features achieved a much higher accuracy of 92.31%. The intrinsic long-range connectivity between the frontal and the temporal/occipital/parietal lobes was damaged in the patient group, and this dysfunctional network pattern might serve as a reliable biomarker to differentiate TS patients from HCs as well as to assess the severity of tic symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational design of highly active and stable atomically dispersed M-X4 (M = Fe, Co, Ni, etc., X = C, N) -based catalysts holds promises for wide application in almost all realms of catalysis. Despite great effort in the construction of specific M-X4 centers, the possible effect of non-coordinated heteroatoms on the catalytic activity of metal centers has been rarely explored. Herein, we develop a new type of M-X4 catalyst composed of Fe-N4 centers and non-coordinated B heteroatoms (FeNC+B) and find the key role of non-coordinated B adjacent to Fe-N4 centers in tailoring their electron density and final catalytic selectivity. The experimental and theoretical results demonstrated that non-coordinated boron atoms could decrease the electron density of Fe-N4 centers to a suitable level and thus boost the selective production of nitriles from amine oxidation by depressing the formation of imines due to the flattened energy barrier of the reversible conversion of imines back to amines. As a reusable heterocatalyst, the state-of-the-art FeNC+B catalyst provides a turn-over frequency (TOF) value of 21.6 molbenzonitrile·molFe−1·h−1 (100 °C), outpacing that of bench-marked nonnoble-metal-based homogeneous catalyst by a factor of 3.4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most challenging issue for breast cancer (BC) patients is metastasis to other organs because current therapies do not prevent or eliminate metastatic BC. Here, we show that SM-164, a small molecule inhibitor, which degrades inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs), eliminated early-stage metastases and reduced progression of advanced BC metastasis from MDA-MB-231 BC cells in bones and lungs of nude mice. Mechanistically, SM-164-induced BC cell death is TNFα-dependent, with TNFα produced by IL-4-polarized macrophages triggering MDA-MB-231 cell apoptosis in combination with SM-164. SM-164 also inhibited expression of RANKL, which mediates interactions between metastatic BC and host microenvironment cells and induces osteoclast-mediated osteolysis. SM-164 did not kill adriamycin-resistant BC cells, while adriamycin inhibited SM-164-resistant BC cell growth, similar to parental cells. We conclude that SM-164 is a promising therapeutic agent for early stage bone and lung metastasis from triple-negative breast cancer that should be given prior to conventional chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: RGA/GAI and NAP interacted with each other, and NAP was involved in GA signaling as a role of regulating age-dependent and dark-induced leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. Leaf senescence is a significant biological process which is beneficial for plant growth, development, and generation alternation in Arabidopsis. Recent researches have shown gibberellins (GAs) could accelerate leaf senescence. Nevertheless, the GA signaling involved in leaf senescence process remains elusive. Here, we reported a new potential regulation mechanism of GA-mediated chlorophyll degradation and leaf senescence. In this study, we confirmed that NAP positively regulated age-dependent and dark-induced leaf senescence and NAP knockout mutant nap was hyposensitive to GA3 (an active form of GA) treatment. DELLA family proteins with highly conserved structural domain function as master growth repressors that integrated GA signaling and leaf senescence. We validated RGA and GAI could interact with NAP in vitro and in vivo, and subsequently impaired the transcriptional activities of NAP to induce SAG113 and AAO3 expression in nap protoplasts. Taken together, we suggest that NAP is a novel component of the regulatory network that modulates the progress of leaf senescence in GA signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Good mechanical properties and excellent pitting corrosion resistance for 0.8 mm-thick 27Cr-4Mo-2Ni super-ferritic stainless steels produced by one-stage cold rolling or two-stage cold rolling together with intermediate annealing processes are achieved. The microstructural evolution, precipitation and their effects on mechanical properties and corrosion resistance are investigated in terms of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction pattern and transmission electron microscopy. The results demonstrated that the as-received hot-rolled plates consist of single ferrite grains characterized by α-fiber and γ-fiber orientations. A few Laves phases close to Nb(C, N) are formed in the recrystallized sheets solution-treated at 1050°C. After cold-rolling and finally annealing, fine recrystallized grains characterized by weaken γ-fiber orientation, are accomplished. The formation of Laves phases near the spherical Nb(C, N) makes large Nb(C, N) particles change into small granules. Corrosion resistance is more sensitive to Laves phases than mechanical properties. Small grain size improves strength and ductility, while it has a negative influence on resistance to pitting corrosion. Finer grains and a few more Laves phases are gained in steels processed by a one-stage cold-rolling process. The percentage elongation, yield strength (0.2% proof stress), ultimate tensile strength and average corrosion rate of final sheets produced by a one-stage cold-rolling process are 27.3%, 520 MPa, 641 MPa and 0.033 mm/a, respectively, and the values for two-stage cold-rolling process are 24.4%, 494 MPa, 610 MPa and 0.022 mm/a, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To build a mathematical model which could calculate the desired laminoplasty opening size (LOS) based on the target sagittal canal diameter (SCD) before single-door cervical laminoplasty (SDCL) when taking the effects of surgery drill into consideration.Methods: The model was based on geometric analysis on deformation of spinal canal; the formula was derived and characterized as: y (mm) = 2 [Formula: see text] × sin(β/2) = c - d (y is the size of LOS, [Formula: see text] the size of transverse canal diameter, β the size of laminoplasty opening size, c the size of mini-plate and d the diameter of the drill bit used during the surgery operation). The parameters of pre- and postoperative computed tomography scans of 20 patients who had undergone SDCL were measured by the picture archiving and communication system (PACS) software and a new instrument named as Lei's ruler, respectively.Results: The effects of surgery SDCL were very significant; for each patient, the SCD was enlarged dramatically after the surgery (P < 0.01). The differences between the data obtained by PACS and Lei's ruler were no statistically significant (P > 0.05). According to the derived formula, the 95% confidence intervals of SCD after the surgery were within the range of 14 mm and 14.5 mm.Conclusion: Applying the mathematical model and derived formula, the desired LOS could be calculated according to the target SCD which could help the surgeon select an optimum mini-plate before SDCL. At the same time, a new measuring device named Lei's ruler is designed for the convenience of the derived formula. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Platinum-based doublet chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the standard treatment option in advanced squamous cell carcinoma patients. However, few agents could be selected for subsequent post-second-line treatment. As a small molecule inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 tyrosine kinase, apatinib had been proved in advanced gastric cancer. Here, we showed its efficacy and safety in lung squamous cell carcinoma.Methods: In this retrospective study, 13 advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma patients were enrolled. They received doublet chemotherapy or docetaxel as the first-line treatment. After disease progressed, all patients were administrated apatinib monotherapy (250-425 mg/day) for second-line or fourth-line therapy.Results: After apatinib monotherapy, two patients achieved partial response, four patients achieved stable disease, and seven patients achieved progression disease. The medium PFS was 3.1 months. The median OS had not yet been reached. The objective remission rate was 15.4% (2/13). The total disease control rate was 46.2% (6/13). The main advert effects were vomiting and hypertension.Conclusion: Apatinib might be an option as rescue treatment in advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient sexing of the globally vulnerable Saunders's Gull (Saundersilarus saundersi) is urgently needed in the conservation research and practical management. The universal P2/P8 molecular sexing method has been proved to be invalid for this gull. Here, the improved molecular sexing procedure of Saunders's Gull is described. The gene sequences of chromo-helicase-DNA binding protein (CHD)-Z and CHD-W were first obtained. Based on conserved regions inside the CHD-Z and CHD-W sequences, a sex-specific primer was designed. PCR products exhibited two bands (about 260 bp derived from CHD-ZW and 150 bp from CHD-W) for female gulls, while males exhibited only the 260 bp band. These findings suggest that the procedure represents a reliable method for sex identification of Saunders's Gull. The shorter target fragments imply that non-destructive genetic samples might be used with our approach, which will facilitate further researches on the sex of this vulnerable species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, cardiovascular diseases have become the greatest health threat to human beings, and thus it is particularly important to explore the subtle underlying pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Although many molecular pathways have been explored to be essential in the development of cardiovascular diseases, their clinical significances are still uncertain. With the emergence of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), a unique platform for cardiovascular diseases has been established to model cardiovascular diseases on specific genetic background in vitro. This review summarizes current progresses of iPSCs in cardiovascular disease modeling and drug testing. This review highlighted iPSC-based cardiovascular disease modeling and drug testing. The technical advances in iPSC-based researches and various clinically relevant applications are discussed. With further intensive research, iPSC technology will shape the future of clinical translational research in cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetylation of microtubules (MT) confers mechanical stability necessary for numerous functions including cell cycle and intracellular transport. Although αTAT1 is a major MT acetyltransferase, how this enzyme is regulated remains much less clear. Here we report TGF-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) as a key activator of αTAT1. TAK1 directly interacts with and phosphorylates αTAT1 at Ser237 to critically enhance its catalytic activity, as mutating this site to alanine abrogates, whereas a phosphomimetic induces MT hyperacetylation across cell types. Using a custom phospho-αTAT1-Ser237 antibody, we screen various mouse tissues to discover that brain contains some of the highest TAK1-dependent αTAT1 activity, which, accordingly, is diminished rapidly upon intra-cerebral injection of a TAK1 inhibitor. Lastly, we show that TAK1 selectively inhibits AKT to suppress mitogenic and metabolismrelated pathways through MT-based mechanisms in culture and in vivo. Collectively, our findings support a fundamental new role for TGF-β signaling in MT-related functions and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work contributes to the statistical approach to unitedly characterize the random variation and size effect of brittle fracture strength of materials. Current practices rely on the conventional Weibull statistics and more recently on the weakest-link statistical model conforming to the uniform spatial distribution of microcracks. Based on the understanding that the weakest-link postulate is built on the mutual independence of microcracks and is not necessarily bounded to the uniform spatial distribution of microcracks, this work develops a generic weakest-link statistical formulation pertaining to a power-law spatial distribution of mutually non-interactive microcracks to synchronize the random variation and size effect of brittle fracture strength. The formulation encompasses both Weibull statistics and the uniform spatial distribution law-based weakest-link model as its subordinate members. A resultant master curve behavior between a compound parameter and the nominal fracture strength is identified for size scaling of strength and is validated by the strength data of a wide spectrum of quasi-brittle materials including wood, concrete, coal, gamma titanium aluminum alloy, nuclear-grade graphite and aluminum foam on geometrically self-similar specimens under same loading conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium has been investigated as a biodegradable metallic material. Increased concentrations of Mg around magnesium implants due to biodegradation contribute to its satisfactory osteogenic capacity. However, the mechanisms underlying this process remain elusive. We propose that activation of the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway plays a role in the Mg-enhanced biological behaviours of osteoblasts. To test this hypothesis, 6, 10 and 18 mM Mg was used to evaluate the stimulatory effect of Mg on osteogenesis, which was assessed by evaluating cell adhesion, cell viability, ALP activity, extracellular matrix mineralisation and RT-PCR. The expression of p-Akt was also determined by western blotting. The results showed that 6 and 10 mM Mg elicited the highest stimulatory effect on cell adhesion, cell viability and osteogenic differentiation as evidenced by cytoskeletal staining, MTT assay results, ALP activity, extracellular matrix mineralisation and expression of osteogenic differentiation-related genes. In contrast, 18 mM Mg had an inhibitory effect on the behaviour of osteoblasts. Furthermore, 10 mM Mg significantly increased the phosphorylation of Akt in osteoblasts. Notably, the aforementioned beneficial effects produced by 10 mM Mg were abolished by blocking the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway through the addition of wortmannin. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that 6 mM and 10 mM Mg can enhance the behaviour of osteoblasts, which is at least partially attributed to activation of the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. Furthermore, a high concentration (18 mM Mg) showed an inhibitory effect on the biological behaviour of osteoblasts. These findings advance the understanding of cellular responses to biodegradable metallic materials and may attract greater clinical interest in magnesium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and dyspepsia are highly prevalent in the general population with significant symptom overlap, while the interaction between both remains poorly understood.Aim: To examine whether GERD overlapping dyspepsia would have an impact on clinical and psychological features as compared with GERD alone.Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study in a GERD cohort (n = 868) that was previously recruited from a population-based GERD survey (n = 2752). We compared the clinical and psychological factors between patients with and without dyspeptic symptoms "epigastric pain or burning." All participants were evaluated with Reflux Disease Questionnaire score, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score, Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire score, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score. Endoscopic findings were classified according to the Los Angeles classification.Results: Among the GERD population, 107 subjects had overlapping "epigastric pain or burning" (GERD-D), and 761 did not have these symptoms (GERD alone). GERD-D subjects had more severe GERD symptoms and were more often associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (OR 3.54, 95% CI 1.92-6.52) as compared subjects with GERD alone. In addition, GERD-D subjects had lower quality of sleep (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.01-1.21), higher depression (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.10), lower blood pressure (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.22-0.95), and higher serum total cholesterol levels (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.36-5.67) than GERD alone.Conclusions: GERD-D subjects are characterized with worsening clinical symptoms as well as higher psychosocial, IBS, and metabolic comorbidities, but less erosive esophagitis. Our results indicate that clinical awareness of such overlapping condition would help optimize the management of GERD in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The azole pharmacophore is still regarded as a viable lead structure for the synthesis of more efficacious and broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents. In this study, a novel series of triazole derivates that are structurally related to the famous antimicrobial azole pharmacophore were synthesized and the structures of them were characterized by spectral (IR, H NMR, C NMR, and MS spectra) analysis. Antimicrobial activity was measured against both bacteria and fungus. In vitro antimicrobial evaluation showed that five compounds had growth inhibitory effects on the tested Gram-positive bacteria and fungus with special efficacy. Potential antibacterial and antifungal activities are incorporated in these triazole compounds. Results of antimicrobial activities also revealed that compounds ( 5a-i) were the potent antibacterial and antifungal agents as compared to standard drugs (ciprofloxacin and itraconazole), and thus could be promising new lead molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are excellent markers for the study of adaptive genetic variation occurring over different geographical scales. The Chinese egret ( Egretta eulophotes) is a vulnerable ardeid species with an estimated global population of 2600-3400 individuals. In this study, we sampled 172 individuals of this egret (approximately 6 % of the global population) from five natural populations that span the entire distribution range of this species in China. We examined their population genetic diversity and geographical differentiation at three MHC class II DAB genes by identifying eight exon 2 alleles at Egeu- DAB1, eight at Egeu- DAB2 and four at Egeu- DAB3. Allelic distributions at each of these three Egeu- DAB loci varied substantially within the five populations, while levels of genetic diversity varied slightly among the populations. Analysis of molecular variance showed low but significant genetic differentiation among five populations at all three Egeu- DAB loci (haplotype-based ϕ: 0.029, 0.020 and 0.042; and distance-based ϕ: 0.036, 0.027 and 0.043, respectively; all P < 0.01). The Mantel test suggested that this significant population genetic differentiation was likely due to an isolation-by-distance pattern of MHC evolution. However, the phylogenetic analyses and the Bayesian clustering analysis based on the three Egeu- DAB loci indicated that there was little geographical structuring of the genetic differentiation among five populations. These results provide fundamental population information for the conservation genetics of the vulnerable Chinese egret. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]