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The Arabidopsis trichome is a polyploid epidermal cell resulting from multiple rounds of endocycles. The CYCLIN‐DEPENDENT KINASE INHIBITOR (CKI) family proteins are core cell cycle regulators that promote the endocycle. CONSTITUTIVE EXPRESSION OF PR GENES 5 (CPR5) is a plant‐specific nucleoporin. It has been found that two Arabidopsis CKI, SIAMESE (SIM) and SIAMESE‐RELATED 1 (SMR1), function downstream of CPR5 to activate plant effector‐triggered cell death. The sim smr1 double mutants form multicellular and clustered trichomes, while the cpr5 mutants produce dead and branchless trichomes. This study explored roles of the CPR5‐CKI signalling pathway in trichome cell cycle transition.To examine the underlying mechanism of how cell cycle transition is regulated in plant trichomes, Trypan blue staining, flow cytometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nuclear DNA measurement were conducted.The native promoter‐driven CKI and GUS fusion reporter showed that both SIM and SMR1 proteins were preferentially expressed in trichomes. The cpr5‐induced dead and branchless trichomes were fully suppressed by the sim smr1 double mutant, suggesting that SIM and SMR1 function downstream of CPR5 in trichome development. Flow cytometry analysis showed that as compared to the number of 2C (C = DNA content in a haploid nucleus) cells, the number of 4C cells significantly increased, whereas that of polyploidy cells (8C and 16C) dramatically decreased in the cpr5 mutant. The elevated 4C/2C ratio in the cpr5 mutant is consistent with de‐repression of pro‐endocycle regulators SIM and SMR1. The polyploidy cells (8C and 16C) may be selectively targeted to cell death, which is therefore attributed to the branchless trichomes in the cpr5 mutant. Nuclear DNA content analysis demonstrated that the nuclear DNA content of trichomes in the cpr5 sim mutant was significantly higher than in the sim mutant, indicating that CPR5 is a negative endocycle regulator in trichomes.This study reveals that the CPR5‐CKI signalling pathway controls trichome cell cycle transition and excessive endocycles are required for cell death in plant trichomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a novel dual broadband shared‐aperture perforated patch antenna is presented. The proposed antenna features dual broadband characteristics (S‐ and X‐bands) and relatively uncomplicated design consisting of a three‐layer structure without involving air gaps. The S‐band part of the antenna utilizes the aperture resonance and three‐section feed line to achieve a 26.5% bandwidth, while the X‐band part utilizes both aperture and stacked patch resonances to achieve a 25.6% bandwidth. The performance of the proposed dual broadband patch antenna is validated via numerical simulation and measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method of radiating circularly polarized (CP) impulse through a dispersive spiral antenna is presented. The proposed method utilizes time‐reversal‐based pulse compression to radiate a CP impulse without any modification to the existing antenna design, providing flexibility where the antenna can be used as a normal dispersive spiral antenna when TR is not applied. Using an Archimedean spiral antenna, the proposed method is validated with numerical simulation and measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is interest in designing UWB antennas with band‐notches to reject other narrowband communication frequencies to avoid interference. However, such band‐notched characteristics inherently cause ringing in the time‐domain, thereby distorting the transmitted (or received) UWB pulses. The level of distortion may depend on the bandwidth and strength of the band‐notch, and it may degrade the performance of a short‐pulse based UWB system. This letter examines the ringing effects of band‐notches in the time‐domain and proposes a method to mitigate the ringing effect in the received signal using the E‐pulse technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To identify factors other than socioeconomic status that influence participation in cervical cancer screening. Methods A prospective, questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among all female nurses working at Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, between November 1 and December 15, 2013. Characteristics assessed included age, knowledge score (0–10, on the basis of 10 true-or-false statements), perceived risk of cervical cancer, and health facility use. Results Among 2000 nurses, 1622 (81.1%) responded. The mean knowledge score was 4.70 ± 1.76. Among 1593 nurses who reported on self-perception of risk, 97 (6.1%) reported high risk, 675 (42.4%) reported low risk, and 821 (51.5%) reported uncertainty. Of the 815 nurses reporting on their history of screening, 344 (42.2%) were screened regularly, 103 (12.6%) underwent opportunistic screening, and 368 (45.2%) had never undergone screening. The likelihood of screening was increased among women aged 35–49 years, those who had recent experience of medical screening, those who had recently had a specialist consultation, or those who had recently had a consultation with a gynecologist ( P < 0.001 for all). Nurses undergoing regular screening reported positive effects of a doctor’s recommendation, husband’s encouragement, people talking about screening, and people close to the respondent undergoing screening. Conclusion Advocacy and herd signaling positively influenced the cervical cancer screening rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic scanning photocurrent microscopy was applied to Sb2Se3 crystalline single nanowires (NWs) to analyze their transient photocurrent responses. These NWs exhibited switching behavior with rapid rise and decay times upon illumination by laser pulses. The estimated spectral responsivity and external quantum efficiency for a freshly-prepared NW at a bias voltage of 0.3 V and excitation wavelength of 488 nm were ∼16.9 mA/W and ∼42.9%, respectively. A pyroelectric-like current transient was observed with reduced spectral responsivity when nonpolar Sb2Se3 single-crystalline NWs were excited by laser pulses. Because Sb2Se3 NWs were nonpyroelectric or ferroelectric, the pyroelectric-like current could possibly be attributed to temperature dependent nonlinear space-charge distributions. Defects produced by the external electrical bias generated and re-distributed space charges in the NWs. As a result, the temperature dependent inhomogeneous electric field led to nonlinear expansions or contractions of the lattice (electrostriction) that can produce pyroelectric current. We obtained a lower bound of equivalent pyroelectric coefficient α ≥ 60.09 μC/m2 K from these materials by fitting the electrical transients. (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The use of tumor-specific resonances is investigated for more efficient microwave hyperthermia of breast cancer. This concept is based on the idea that an increased power coupling (or absorption) would take place at the resonance. For hyperthermia treatment, higher power absorption means faster temperature rise to a desired therapeutic level. The natural resonances would vary depending on the tumor size, shape, and breast tissue configuration. Therefore, by adaptively tuning the source frequency of an applicator corresponding to the tumor-specific natural resonance, it could improve the overall efficiency of hyperthermia treatment. In this article, we demonstrate this concept by applying the singularity-expansion method to estimate the natural resonances (poles) and using the frequency of the dominant pole as the tumor-specific frequency. The performance is evaluated via the power absorption density in the breast. Results from numerical simulations and a simple experiment shows that the optimal power absorption in the tumor takes place at the tumor-specific resonance frequency in comparison to other frequencies. Using a multielement array setup for focused microwave, we also demonstrate that the relative phase shift between the residues (of the poles) obtained at different array elements can be used for phasing the array to create a focus at the tumor. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2659-2665, 2013 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Cross-talk between inflammation and angiogenesis pathways has been recently reported. The objectives of this study were to: (i) examine whether amniotic fluid ( AF) concentrations of soluble endoglin (sEng), a protein with anti-angiogenic properties, change during pregnancy, parturition, or intra-amniotic infection and/or inflammation ( IAI); (ii) determine whether an increase in sEng in the AF of patients with preterm labor ( PTL) and preterm prelabor rupture of membranes ( PROM) is associated with adverse neonatal outcomes; and (iii) investigate potential sources of sEng in AF. Study design A cross-sectional study was conducted to include patients in the following groups: (i) mid-trimester ( n = 20); (ii) PTL with term delivery ( n = 95); (iii) PTL leading to preterm delivery with ( n = 40) and without IAI ( n = 46); (iv) preterm PROM with ( n = 37) and without IAI ( n = 37); (v) term in labor ( n = 48) and not in labor ( n = 44). AF concentrations of sEng were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Chorioamniotic membranes, umbilical cord blood, and AF macrophages were examined for the expression of endoglin. Results (i) Patients with IAI had a higher median AF concentration of sEng than those without IAI ( P = 0.02 for PTL and 0.06 for preterm PROM); (ii) AF concentrations of sEng in the 3rd and 4th quartiles were associated with IAI ( OR 2.5 and 7.9, respectively); (iii) an AF sEng concentration ≥779.5 pg/mL was associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) ( OR 7.9); (iv) endoglin was co-localized with CD14+ macrophages in AF pellets of patients with IAI by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry; and (v) the concentration of sEng in the supernatant was significantly increased after the treatment of macrophages with endotoxin or TNF-α. Conclusions Soluble endoglin participates in the host response against IAI. Activated macrophages may be a source of sEng concentrations in the AF of patients with IAI. An increase of sEng in the AF is associated with BPD and adverse neonatal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the impact of different strategies of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination on the burden of cervical cancer in Singapore. The incidence of cervical cancer was calculated using a Markov model with inputs based on Singapore data for the prevalence of HPV infection, socioeconomic characteristics and screening prevalence. The evaluation was performed for 10 scenarios: no screening, current opportunistic cytology screening, ideal optimal screening, universal adolescent HPV vaccination at 12-years old alone and with catch-up cohorts and combinations of screening and vaccination. (1) The model prediction showed that cervical cancer cases were reduced by 6.5% using opportunistic screening, by 34.3% using optimized screening and by 63.9% with a universal HPV vaccination at 12 years of age. (2) Adding optimized screening, but not opportunistic screening, to a universal adolescent HPV vaccination program caused a moderate further reduction in cervical cancer cases. (3) No difference was discernable in the impact of vaccination introduction between the age groups <20, 20-24 and 25-29 years old. (4) The time required to halve the incidence of cervical cancer was 42 years for universal vaccination at the age of 12 but could be shortened by including catch-up cohorts of women up to 40-years old. A universal HPV vaccination program introduced between the ages of 12-29 is superior to cytology screening in reducing the burden of cervical cancer. However, in the next four decades of post-vaccination era, optimizing the screening program remains the most important measure for cervical cancer prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oritavancin is a lipoglycopeptide with broad activity against gram-positive bacteria. To exclude an effect on cardiac repolarization, oritavancin was studied in a thorough QT study. In vitro assays have demonstrated a 10-fold safety margin between the concentration that resulted in 50% block of the cardiac potassium current and therapeutic plasma levels in patients and no safety margin for block of the sodium currents. In a parallel-group study, 240 male and female subjects received treatment with either the clinical dose (200 mg intravenously) or a supratherapeutic dose (800 mg intravenously) of oritavancin, placebo, or a positive control (400 mg of oral moxifloxacin). Electrocardiograms were recorded in triplicate at several time points after dosing. The primary end point was the largest baseline-adjusted, placebo-corrected QTcI observed at any point after oritavancin dosing. The study’s sensitivity to demonstrate a sufficiently small QTc change was confirmed by the moxifloxacin effect. The baseline-adjusted, placebo-corrected QTcI was between –3 milliseconds and 3 milliseconds after 800 mg of oritavancin, and an effect exceeding 6 milliseconds was confidently excluded. Other electrocardiographic parameters were unaffected by the treatment. It was concluded that oritavancin did not cause QTc prolongation in this thorough QT study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Initiation and maintenance of pro-inflammatory reactions elicited by bacterial lipopolysaccharide and/or cytokines in the macrophage lineage have been reported to play a crucial role in acute and chronic pathogenic effects. Whether pro-inflammatory responses triggered by lipopolysaccharide in growth arrested cells differ from those in proliferating cells remains unanswered. Materials and methods: Olomoucine and roscovitine are cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors that prevent progression through the cell cycle. After treatment with CDK inhibitors, expression of pro-inflammatory genes was analysed by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction. Protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) were determined by Western blotting. Promoter activity of iNOS was measured by the luciferase activity assay. Results: In this study we have demonstrated that both olomoucine and roscovitine inhibit cell proliferation and diminish nitric oxide production and cytokine gene expression, in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine RAW264.7 macrophages. In addition, olomoucine reduces iNOS promoter activity and alleviates NF-κB transcription activation. After co-transfection with E2F1 interference RNA, suppression of lipopolysaccharide-mediated iNOS promoter activity and NF-κB activation was observed. Furthermore, we demonstrated that olomoucine-induced growth arrested cells reduce expression of the p65 subunit of NF-κB. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that inhibition of cell-cycle progression is capable of reducing pro-inflammatory responses via down-regulation of NF-κB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glucocorticoid-induced tumour necrosis factor receptor family related gene (GITR) has been reported to be expressed on the activated T and CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg). Signalling triggered by GITR not only neutralizes the suppressive effect of Treg cells, but also augments activation, proliferation and cytokine production of effector T cells. To test the role of GITR in 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis − a murine model of mucosal inflammation − TNBS-injected Balb/c mice were treated with agonistic anti-GITR monoclonal antibody (mAb). Anti-GITR treatment increased the death rate compared to rat IgG-treated mice. Typically, death occurred within 4 days after the TNBS injection when the mice were treated with anti-GITR. The mice that survived anti-GITR treatment suffered from severe inflammation in their entire intestines. CD4+ T-depletion protected the mice from colitis; even an anti-GITR effect was not apparent. In contrast, CD8+ T depletion showed less protective than did CD4+ T depletion. Stimulation of GITR enhanced the production of proinflammatory cytokines including interferon (IFN)-γ, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-12. It also enhanced the humoral response such as serum levels of IgG2b and IgA, which was completely dependent on CD4+ T cells. Taken together, this study demonstrated that GITR signalling on CD4+ T cells is involved in the development and progress of colitis by enhancing both T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th2 type responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new dual-band planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) for ISM-band applications. The proposed antenna is designed using the Microwave Studio Software of Computer Simulation Technology (CST). The measured results of the antenna are compared with the simulated results. The effects of antenna parameters such as the slit geometry and ground plane are studied. Both lower and upper frequency bands can be determined independently, which is very useful for the design of dual-band antennas. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 39: 211–214, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.11172 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary In our previous reports, we found polyclonal anti‐double‐stranded DNA antibodies (anti‐dsDNA) purified from patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) exerted inhibitory effect on [3H]thymidine incorporation of human mononuclear cells (MNC). However, the other immunological effects of anti‐dsDNA on the functions of MNC have not yet been reported. In this study, two monoclonal antibodies, 12B3 and 9D7, with different anti‐dsDNA activity were evaluated for their effects on the expression and release of different cytokines from human MNC. We confirmed absence of endotoxin in the two monoclonal antibody preparations and the used medium as detected by Limulus amoebocyte lysate test. The mRNA expression and release of different cytokines including interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐2, IL‐4, IL‐6, IL‐8, IL‐10, tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) were measured. We found the two monoclonal anti‐dsDNA not only dose‐responsively suppressed the phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)‐induced thymidine uptake of human MNC but stimulated the mRNA expression of IL‐1β, IL‐6 and IL‐8 in normal human MNC detected by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR). Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) measurement of cytokines in MNC culture supernatants revealed that anti‐dsDNA enhanced IL‐1β, IL‐8, TNF‐α and IL‐10 release from resting MNC. These effects of anti‐dsDNA antibodies were not affected by polymyxin B, a potent binder and neutralizer of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). These in vitro studies suggest that anti‐dsDNA possess a dual effect on normal human MNC: (a) to enhance the release of proinflammatory cytokines (IL‐1β, IL‐8 and TNF‐α) from MNC to... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Different sheep breeds have evolved after initial domestication, generating various tail phenotypic patterns. The phenotypic diversity of sheep tail patterns offers ideal materials for comparative analysis of its genetic basis. Evolutionary biologists, animal geneticists, breeders, and producers have been curious to clearly understand the underlying genetics behind phenotypic differences in sheep tails. Understanding the causal gene(s) and mutation(s) underlying these differences will help probe an evolutionary riddle, improve animal production performance, promote animal welfare, and provide lessons that help comprehend human diseases related to fat deposition (i.e., obesity). Historically, fat tails have served as an adaptive response to aridification and climate change. However, the fat tail is currently associated with compromised mating and animal locomotion, fat distribution in the animal body, increased raising costs, reduced consumer preference, and other animal welfare issues such as tail docking. The developing genomic approaches provide unprecedented opportunities to determine causal variants underlying phenotypic differences among populations. In the last decade, researchers have performed several genomic investigations to assess the genomic causality underlying phenotypic variations in sheep tails. Various genes have been suggested with the prominence of several potentially significant causatives, including the BMP2 and PDGFD genes associated with the fat tail phenotype and the TBXT gene linked with the caudal vertebrae number and tail length. Although the potential genes related to sheep tail characteristics have been revealed, the causal variant(s) and mutation(s) of these high‐ranking candidate genes are still elusive and need further investigation. The review discusses the potential genes, sheds light on a knowledge gap, and provides possible investigative approaches that could help determine the specific genomic causatives of sheep tail patterns. Besides, characterizing and revealing the genetic determinism of sheep tails will help solve issues compromising sheep breeding and welfare in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affinity-purified polyclonal anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibodies from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) exert a cytostatic effect on cultured rat glomerular mesangial cells (MC). The cognate antigens expressed on the surface of MC have been proved to be acidic ribosomal phosphoproteins (P proteins) in our previous study. The mesangial cytostatic effect of anti-dsDNA antibodies is attributed to the cross-reactivity of the antibodies with membrane-expressed P proteins, but not to the effect of minute amounts of anti-ribosomal P proteins antibodies contained in the anti-dsDNA preparations. Immunofluorescence staining of the native cells demonstrated that anti-dsDNA antibodies bound to the surface of rat mesangial cells, rat brain astrocytes (RBA-1) and mouse fibroblasts (3T3). Anti-dsDNA antibodies also exert potent cytostatic effects on these cells in a dose-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affinity-purified human polyclonal anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies (anti-dsDNA) exerted a cytostatic effect towards human and rat glomerular mesangial cells (MC). In order to identify the cognate antigens for anti-dsDNA on the surface of MC, we used these autoantibodies to probe a human renal λg11 cDNA expression library. Two cDNA clones encoding the cognate proteins for the autoantibodies were isolated. Sequencing analysis of the two cDNA showed that they had 98.6% homology with the gene of the P0 and 99.2% homology with the gene of the Pi human acidic ribosomal phosphoproteins (P protein). Two galactosidase fusion proteins (125 000 and 150 000 MW) derived from the two cDNA inserts expressed in lysogenic Escherichia coli Y1089 could react with the original screening antibodies in an immunoblotting analysis. After transformation and expression of the full-length P1 clone in prokaryotic cells, the purified P1 protein was able to react with anti-dsDNA. In a cross-inhibition experiment, the dsDNA binding activity of anti-dsDNA was inhibited by a synthetic polypeptide corresponding to the carboxyl terminal 20 amino acids of P protein and purified P1 protein in a dose-dependent manner, but this was less potent than the inhibition caused by calf thymus dsDNA. By use of well-defined systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) sera, we found only sera containing a high titre of anti-dsDNA activity (>300 IU/ml) reacted with P1 of rat MC lysate. Furthermore, the 38000 and 19000 MW macromolecules were proved to be the cognate antigens for anti-dsDNA expression on the surface of the MC, by Western blot of the MC plasma membrane lysates. These results suggest that antidsDNA may cross-react with ribosomal P proteins expressed on the surface of the MC and exert cytostasis towards these cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel ultrawideband planar bow‐tie antenna with curved directive strips for gain enhancement is presented. The strips direct radiation to the plane perpendicular to the antenna, increasing the broadside gain over the antenna's impedance bandwidth with no increase to the radius of the sphere containing the antenna. To facilitate the use of the proposed antenna in various application scenarios, three different feeding mechanisms are presented. Accordingly, three antennas, each with their respective feeding structures are designed and tested via simulation and measurement with the results for each showing enhanced broadside gain over the antenna bandwidth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the emergence of novel targeted treatments for atopic dermatitis (AD), there is a lack of guidelines on standardizing analysis of clinical trial data. To define and estimate meaningful treatment comparisons, several factors, including intercurrent events, must be taken into account. Intercurrent events are defined as events occurring after treatment initiation that affect either the interpretation or existence of the measurements associated with clinical questions of interest. Due to the relapsing, unpredictable nature of AD, intercurrent events frequently occur in AD trials, such as use of rescue therapy for intense itch and sleep deprivation. Despite the impact of intercurrent events in AD, they are often handled in an inconsistent manner across trials, which limits results interpretation. The estimand framework is increasingly used to estimate treatment effects while accounting for intercurrent events. This review explores how guidance from the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) on the use of estimands can be applied to support AD clinical trial design and analysis. We propose that estimands are used in AD trials and defined early during trial design. The use of estimands can provide clinicians with interventional trial results that are more reflective of clinical practice, help facilitate comparisons across clinical trials, and are more informative to enable improved treatment selection for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes two achievements to a key data set. First, we present version 2 of the Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor‐1 Hybrid Solar Reference Spectrum (TSIS‐1 HSRS), which has recently been recognized as a new solar irradiance reference standard (https://calvalportal.ceos.org/). Second, we present a new "full spectrum extension" of the TSIS‐1 HSRS. The TSIS‐1 HSRS observational composite solar irradiance reference spectrum spans 0.202–2.730 μm and encompasses more than 97% of the energy in the total solar irradiance (TSI). Version 2 is an incremental update that corrects the radiometric baseline between 0.202 and 0.210 μm and updates the solar lines at wavelengths longward of 0.743 μm to those listed in the most recent database. The full spectrum extension builds off version 2 of the TSIS‐1 HSRS and supports applications that require a solar spectrum encompassing nearly 100% of the energy in the TSI. It spans 0.115–200 μm and was developed by incorporating additional observations and theoretical knowledge where no direct observations currently exist. Plain Language Summary: The Sun's irradiance spectrum is used in many applications such as constraining the solar forcing in climate models. Recently, the TSIS‐1 Hybrid Solar Reference Spectrum (HSRS), a spectrum developed by adjusting high spectral resolution solar line data to the irradiance scale of the more accurate, but lower spectral resolution, Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor‐1 (TSIS‐1) Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) and Compact SIM observations, was formally recognized as a new standard. In this work, we provide an incremental update to that reference spectrum. Furthermore, we extend it to the "full spectrum," beyond the wavelength range of direct observations of the Sun's irradiance spectrum. The HSRS Extension differs by less than 0.1% in its integral quantity to observations of the total solar irradiance. Above the range of the SIM observations, the solar line data are normalized to the irradiance scale of a theoretical spectrum and then adjusted in magnitude to match the SIM observations at their long wavelength cut‐off. Below the range of the SIM observations, Solar Stellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment observations from the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment mission are incorporated. Key Points: Version 2 of the Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor‐1 (TSIS‐1) Hybrid Solar Reference Spectrum (HSRS) is an incremental update from the original release in 2021The HSRS Extension builds upon the TSIS‐1 HSRS with independent observations and theoretical knowledge where no observations existThe HSRS Extension has at least 0.1 nm spectral resolution, spans 0.115–200 μm, and integrates to the total solar irradiance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new solar irradiance reference spectrum representative of solar minimum conditions between solar cycles 24 and 25. The Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor‐1 (TSIS‐1) Hybrid Solar Reference Spectrum (HSRS) is developed by applying a modified spectral ratio method to normalize very high spectral resolution solar line data to the absolute irradiance scale of the TSIS‐1 Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) and the CubeSat Compact SIM (CSIM). The high spectral resolution solar line data are the Air Force Geophysical Laboratory ultraviolet solar irradiance balloon observations, the ground‐based Quality Assurance of Spectral Ultraviolet Measurements In Europe Fourier transform spectrometer solar irradiance observations, the Kitt Peak National Observatory solar transmittance atlas, and the semi‐empirical Solar Pseudo‐Transmittance Spectrum atlas. The TSIS‐1 HSRS spans 202–2730 nm at 0.01 to ∼0.001 nm spectral resolution with uncertainties of 0.3% between 460 and 2365 nm and 1.3% at wavelengths outside that range. Plain Language Summary: The Sun's irradiance spectrum is used in many applications, such as constraining the solar forcing in climate models and converting measured satellite radiance to reflectance. A growing body of literature has provided evidence that the currently available solar reference spectra differ by more than their reported uncertainties. Such differences lead to biased results when different reference spectra are adopted in the aforementioned applications. This motivates our work to provide a new high‐resolution solar reference spectrum at higher accuracy than any previously reported. Our ability to produce such a data set is due to the state‐of‐the‐art measurements of the Sun's irradiance spectrum made since March 2018 by the next‐generation Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) instrument on the Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor‐1 (TSIS‐1) satellite mission and the Compact SIM (CSIM) technology demonstration mission. The TSIS‐1 SIM and CSIM have order‐of‐magnitude reduction in uncertainty relative to predecessor instruments primarily because of a first‐of‐its‐kind spectral radiometric calibration facility capable of characterizing the instruments to higher fidelity. We develop this new, high‐resolution, solar irradiance reference spectrum by adjusting high spectral resolution solar line data to the irradiance scale of the more accurate, but lower spectral resolution, TSIS‐1 SIM and CSIM observations. Key Points: The TSIS‐1 Spectral Irradiance Monitor and Compact SIM instruments observe the Sun's irradiance spectrum at high accuracyThe TSIS‐1 Hybrid Solar Reference Spectrum consists of high resolution solar line data normalized to the TSIS‐1 SIM irradiance spectrumThe TSIS‐1 Hybrid Solar Reference Spectrum has at least 0.01 nm spectral resolution, spans 202–2730 nm, and is accurate to 0.3%–1.3% [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article on the mutation in the bone morphogenetic protein type II receptor gene, BMPR2 in Chinese patient suffering from idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) published in the previous issue.

The NKG2D is an activating immunoreceptor expressed by NK cells and CD8+ T cells. Engagement of NKG2D by its ligands is critical for both innate and adoptive immunity. While the overexpression of NKG2D ligands on certain tumour cells has previously been demonstrated, little is known about NKG2D ligand expression on human laryngeal tumour cells. In this study, we first verified that the interaction between NKG2D and its ligands was critical for NK cell-based immune response to human laryngeal squamous carcinoma cells Hep-2. This NKG2D-mediated effect was observed by transfecting the recombinant eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-N1/NKG2D as well as the NKG2D blockade. The mRNA and protein expression of NKG2D ligands, MHC class I-related chain molecules A (MICA) and UL16-binding proteins (ULBPs), in human laryngeal carcinoma cell line Hep-2 and fresh tumour tissues were evaluated. Compared with non-tumour tissues of vocal cords polyps, MICA and ULBP-3 were strongly overexpressed on both the human laryngeal carcinoma cell line Hep-2 and fresh human laryngeal carcinoma tissues. The mechanism and impact of NKG2D ligands overexpression on NK cell-mediated anti-laryngeal cancer immune response would require further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystallochemical changes of (Pb5Ca5)(VO4)6F2 apatite under electron irradiation were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The apatite, a synthetic analog of vanadinite, was moderately stable towards a less intense 300-keV LaB6 source, while it changed rapidly in structure when exposed to the higher flux of a 200-keV field emission gun. The electron beam induced transformation of vanadinite proceeds sequentially by (i) migration and loss of fluorine, (ii) lead volatilization and conversion to 2-5-nm platelets of a glaserite-type structure, and (iii) the reduction of V5+ to V4+ with the removal of lead and calcium oxide that leads to single-crystal CaVO3 perovskite as the ultimate product. The phase transformations are interpreted based on the crystallographic relations among the CaVO3 perovskite, the (Pb5Ca5)(VO4)6F2 apatite and the glaserite-type structures, and compositional changes under electron irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a new dual-band antenna for applications of the ISM band. The proposed antenna is designed to operate at 2.4 and 5.8 GHz. The lower-frequency band (2.4 GHz) can be obtained by using the meandering technique, and the upper-frequency band (5.8 GHz) for dual-band operation was achieved by embedding a backed microstrip line. Details of the proposed antenna design and experimental results are presented and discussed. The measured radiation patterns at 2.4 and 5.8 GHz and antenna gain across the respective frequency bands are also presented. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 41: 457–460, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20170 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a new ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna for UWB applications. The proposed antenna is designed to operate from 3.2 to 12 GHz. It consists of a rectangular patch with two steps, a single slot on the patch, and a partial ground plane. Details of the proposed antenna design and measured results are presented and discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 40: 399–401, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.11392 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular ATP ( eATP) can function as a signalling molecule to regulate a wide range of cellular processes. This present work investigated the role of eATP in mediating the change of PSII (photosystem II) photochemistry of the tissues of Phaseolus vulgaris leaves infected with Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli (Xcp). Infection of the leaves with Xcp caused a significant decrease in the the PSII maximal photochemical efficiency ( Fv/ Fm), the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry at illumination ( Fv′/ Fm′), the PSII operating efficiency (Φ PSII), the rate of non-cyclic electron transport through PSII ( ETR), photochemical quenching ( qP), and eATP level in the tissues of the infected leaves. At the same time, the levels of non-photochemical quenching ( qN) and the quantum yield of regulated energy dissipation of PSII (Y( NPQ)) were significantly increased. Application of exogenous ATP at 0·2 m m to uninfected leaves had no significant effect on any of the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters being measured. However, in the tissues of infected leaves, the application of exogenous ATP alleviated the decreases of the Fv/ Fm, Fv′/ Fm′, Φ PSII, ETR, qP and eATP level, and also abolished the increases of qN and Y( NPQ). These results suggest that the change of PSII photochemistry by pathogen infection could be mediated by eATP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We measured heating of isotonic saline by three fluid warmers in six experiments: saline at 5 °C or 20 °C delivered at 30, 50 or 100 ml.min−1. At the three flow rates, the enFLOW®, buddy lite™ and ThermoSens® systems heated 5 °C saline to mean ( SD) temperatures of: 41.1 (0.5) °C, 37.7 (0.6) °C and 39.1 (0.6) °C; to 40.3 (0.8) °C, 33.9 (1.6) °C and 39.3 (0.7) °C; and to 37.1 (0.8) °C, 24.0 (1.3) °C and 37.6 (1.0) °C, respectively, p < 0.0001 for each experiment. The mean ( SD) times taken to heat 5 °C saline were: 16.6 (1.7) s, 258.4 (58.9) s and 134.2 (79.6) s; 16.9 (1.8) s, 256.2 (62.2) s and 182.5 (74.5) s; and 21.5 (1.5) s, 275.9 (49.3) s and 313.5 (18.0) s, respectively, p < 0.0003 for each experiment. The results for saline at 20 °C were similar. The enFLOW system heated saline above 36 °C faster than the ThermoSens system, whereas the buddy lite often failed to achieve 36 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lam TP, Mak KY, Goldberg D, Lam KF, Sun KS. Western mental health training for Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners. Objective: To investigate the impact of a Western mental health training course for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners. Method: A combined qualitative and quantitative approach was applied to examine the changes in the TCM practitioners' clinical practice characteristics and attitudes. Focus groups and structured questionnaire surveys were conducted to compare their responses before and after the Course. Results: After a 10-week training course conducted by psychiatrists and family physicians, there were significant changes in confidence of the TCM practitioners for diagnosis (33% being confident before the Course vs. 76% after the Course) and management (24% vs. 55%) of common mental health problems. The causal effects of better classifications to recognition of mental health problems were explained by the qualitative responses. Proportion of TCM practitioners being confident of referring mental health patients to other healthcare professionals doubled from 25% to 50% after the Course. Nonetheless, there was no significant change in percentage of these patients being recommended to Western doctors owing to a lack of formal referral channel. Conclusions: Western mental health training for TCM practitioners has positive impact on their clinical practice. However, the practical barriers in making referrals highlight the need of closer collaboration between conventional and traditional medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, gastric cancer and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Different genotypes of H. pylori are confirmed from diverse geographical areas. Its association with clinical diseases remains controversial. The aim of the present study was to investigate the H. pylori vacuolating cytotoxin ( vacA) alleles, cytotoxin-associated gene ( cagA) and iceA, in patients with peptic ulcer and gastritis. We enrolled patients with peptic ulcer and chronic gastritis. Biopsy specimens were obtained from the antrum and lower body of the stomach. DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used to detect the presence or absence of cagA and to assess the polymorphism of vacA and iceA. A total of 133 patients (57 gastric ulcer, 52 duodenal ulcer, 24 chronic gastritis) had positive PCR results from biopsy specimens. Concerning genotypes, we found cagA (79% in the antrum, 92% in the body) and iceA1 (73% in the antrum, 82.8% in the body) strains in the majority of patients. The dominant vacA subtype was s1a (74.4% in the antrum, 75% in the body), followed by s1c (51.1% in the antrum, 60.5% in the body). In the middle region, the m2 strain dominated (49.6% in the antrum, 41.4% in the body), followed by m1T (19.5% in the antrum, 9.5% in the body). Mixed infection occurred in 89 patients (67%). There was no statistical difference in genotypes among the three groups. In Taiwan, H. pylori with positive cagA and iceA1 was found in the majority of cases. H. pylori with v acA s1a strains was the most common vacA subtype, followed by s1c, while s1b was rare. In the middle region, the m2 subtype was predominant followed by m1T. There was no significant association between genotypes and clinical diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to an article on the stability of CoaguChek XS test strip, which is not effected by frequency of air exposure that was published in a previous issue.

A dense fluorite-like form of U3O8 is prepared from α-U3O8 at pressures greater than 8.1 GPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]