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Designing and synthesizing multifunctional hybrid copper halides with near ultraviolet (NUV) light‐excited high‐energy emission (<500 nm) remains challenging. Here, a pair of broadband‐excited high‐energy emitting isomers, namely, α‐/β‐(MePh3P)2CuI3 (MePh3P=methyltriphenylphosphonium), were synthesized. α‐(MePh3P)2CuI3 with blue emission peaking at 475 nm is firstly discovered wherein its structure contains regular [CuI3]2− triangles and crystallizes in centrosymmetric space group P21/c. While β‐(MePh3P)2CuI3 featuring distorted [CuI3]2− planar triangles shows inversion symmetry breaking and crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric space group P21, which exhibits cyan emission peaking at 495 nm with prominent near‐unity photoluminescence quantum yield and the excitation band ranging from 200 to 450 nm. Intriguingly, β‐(MePh3P)2CuI3 exhibits phase‐matchable second‐harmonic generation response of 0.54×KDP and a suitable birefringence of 0.06@1064 nm. Furthermore, β‐(MePh3P)2CuI3 also can be excited by X‐ray radioluminescence with a high scintillation light yield of 16193 photon/MeV and an ultra‐low detection limit of 47.97 nGy/s, which is only 0.87 % of the standard medical diagnosis (5.5 μGy/s). This work not only promotes the development of solid‐state lighting, laser frequency conversion and X‐ray imaging, but also provides a reference for constructing multifunctional hybrid metal halides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Noncarious cervical lesions (NCCLs) are multifactorial and can be caused by the anatomical structure of the teeth, erosion, abrasion and abnormal occlusion. The aim of this case–control study was to explore the risk factors for NCCLs. Methods: Cone‐beam computed tomography was used to determine whether a wedge‐shaped defect existed at the cementoenamel junction. We compared 63 participants with NCCLs with 63 controls without NCCLs, matched for sex, age (±1 year) and toothbrushing‐related factors (e.g., type of bristle and brushing patterns, frequency and strength). All participants were asked to complete a questionnaire about self‐administered daily diet habits and health condition. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the risk factors for NCCLs. Results: Significant variables in the univariate analysis (i.e., p <.2) included frequency of carbonated beverage consumption, sella‐nasion‐point B angle (SNB) and Frankfort‐mandibular plane angle (FMA). Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that the consumption frequency of carbonated beverages (odds ratio [OR] = 3.147; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.039–9.532), FMA (OR = 1.100; 95% CI, 1.004–1.204) and SNB (OR = 0.896; 95% CI, 0.813–0.988) was independent influencing factors. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value of regression Model 1 (established with the frequency of carbonated beverage consumption, FMA, SNB and sleep bruxism) was 0.700 (95% CI, 0.607–0.792; p <.001), and that of regression Model 2 (established using the frequency of carbonated beverage consumption, FMA and SNB) was 0.704 (95% CI, 0.612–0.796; p <.001). Conclusions: The consumption frequency of carbonated beverages and FMA was risk factors for NCCLs; the higher the frequency of carbonated beverage consumption and FMA, the higher was the probability of NCCLs. SNB was a protective factor for NCCL occurrence; the larger the SNB, the lower was the probability of NCCL occurrence. These findings have further clarified the aetiology of NCCLs and provided clinicians with valuable insights into strategies for preventing the loss of dental tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epidemiological studies have shown an association between periodontitis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)‐related diseases. However, a causal relationship between these two diseases remains unclear. To examine the causal relationship between these two diseases, we conducted a bidirectional two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using genetic markers as proxies. Methods: Statistical summary was obtained from a large genome‐wide association study (GWAS) on NAFLD (N = 342,499), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH, N = 342,499), fibrosis (N = 339,081), cirrhosis (N = 342,499), fibrosis/cirrhosis (N = 334,553), and periodontitis (N = 34,615) in the European ancestry. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the main method to estimate the bidirectional association. Sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the rigidity of the results. Results: Limited evidence indicated positive causal associations between genetically predicted NAFLD and periodontitis (IVW odds ratio [OR], 1.094; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006–1.189; p = 0.036) and between cirrhosis and periodontitis (IVW OR, 1.138; 95% CI, 1.001–1.294; p = 0.048). However, the opposite trend did not indicate a causative effect of periodontitis on NAFLD‐related diseases. The sensitivity analysis revealed no obvious pleiotropy or heterogeneity. Conclusions: Our MR analysis provides new evidence in favor of the moderate causal impact of NAFLD on periodontitis. The causal effects of periodontitis on NAFLD‐related diseases warrant further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antiferroelectrics (AFEs) are widely used for energy storage capacitors. At present, there are two methods to evaluate the energy density of AFE: the recoverable energy density Wre calculated by the low‐frequency P–E loop and the dynamic discharge energy density Wdis calculated by the fast discharge current. It has been widely observed that the value of Wdis is lower than Wre but less attention was paid to how to increase Wdis. Compared with Wre, the value of Wdis is closer to the energy density of AFE pulse capacitors in practical applications. In this work, the effects of phase transition properties on the dynamic discharge energy density were studied from the aspect of domain switching mobility. Compositions with P–E loop varying from "square" to "slant" were fabricated. It was found that in AFEs with "square" P–E loops, the recoverable energy density Wre was remarkably higher than Wdis. By modifying the P–E loops to long slim, the value of Wdis tended to be close to Wre, resulting in higher dynamic discharge energy efficiency. This indicates that by adjusting the P–E loop, higher Wdis can be achieved in AFE with lower Wre. The AFEs with long slim P–E loops also have faster discharge speeds, leading to higher power density. The outstanding fast discharge performance of AFEs with long slim P–E loops originated from their faster domain mobility and less viscous force during domain switching. This work provides a new approach to designing the AFEs energy storage materials by tuning their dynamic phase‐transition properties and domain mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between ulcerative colitis (UC) and anxiety and explore its central mechanisms using colitis mice. Methods: Anxiety‐like behavior was assessed in mice induced by 3% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) using the elevated plus maze and open‐field test. The spatial transcriptome of the hippocampus was analyzed to assess the distribution of excitatory and inhibitory synapses, and Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) inhibitor TAK‐242 (10 mg/kg) and AAV virus interference were used to examine the role of peripheral inflammation and central molecules such as Glutamate Receptor Metabotropic 1 (GRM1) in mediating anxiety behavior in colitis mice. Results: DSS‐induced colitis increased anxiety‐like behaviors, which was reduced by TAK‐242. Spatial transcriptome analysis of the hippocampus showed an excitatory‐inhibitory imbalance mediated by glutamatergic synapses, and GRM1 in hippocampus was identified as a critical mediator of anxiety behavior in colitis mice via differential gene screening and AAV virus interference. Conclusion: Our work suggests that the hippocampus plays an important role in brain anxiety caused by peripheral inflammation, and over‐excitation of hippocampal glutamate synapses by GRM1 activation induces anxiety‐like behavior in colitis mice. These findings provide new insights into the central mechanisms underlying anxiety in UC and may contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for UC‐associated anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MXenes with unique physicochemical properties have shown substantial potential in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. However, the chemical instability and mechanical fragility of MXenes has become a major hurdle for their application. Abundant strategies have been dedicated to improving the oxidation stability of colloidal solution or mechanical properties of films, which always come at the expense of electrical conductivity and chemical compatibility. Here, hydrogen bond (H‐bond) and coordination bond are employed to achieve chemical and colloidal stability of MXenes (0.1 mg mL−1) by occupying the reaction sites of Ti3C2Tx attacking of water and oxygen molecules. Compared to the Ti3C2Tx, the Ti3C2Tx modified with alanine via H‐bond shows significantly improved oxidation stability (at room temperature over 35 days), while the Ti3C2Tx modified with cysteine by synergy of H‐bond and coordination bond can be maintained even after 120 days. Simulation and experimental results verify the formation of H‐bond and Ti‐S bond by a Lewis acid‐base interaction between Ti3C2Tx and cysteine. Furthermore, the synergy strategy significantly improves the mechanical strength of the assembled film (up to 78.1 ± 7.9 MPa), corresponding the increment of 203% compared to untreated one, almost without compromising the electrical conductivity and EMI shielding performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteomyelitis is an acute or chronic inflammatory bone disease with a high disability rate. As an anti‐inflammatory factor, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor‐γ (PPAR‐γ) is not only implicated in a variety of inflammatory responses but also regulates osteoblast differentiation and bone mass. However, the role of PPAR‐γ in osteomyelitis is not fully understood. In the present study, we demonstrated that PPAR‐γ showed a lower expression level in infected bone tissue of osteomyelitis patients as compared with uninfected bone tissue from nonosteomyelitis patients with fracture of the hip. We applied lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) in MC3T3‐E1 osteoblast precursor cell line as an in vitro model for osteomyelitis. LPS treatment increased osteomyelitis‐associated inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), whereas PPAR‐γ levels and cell viability in MC3T3‐E1 cells were suppressed. PPAR‐γ antagonist GW9662 further enhanced IL‐6 and TNF‐α levels, and decreased cell viability in the presence of LPS treatment. In contrast, PPAR‐γ agonist pioglitazone antagonized the effect of LPS treatment in MC3T3‐E1 cells. These findings suggest that PPAR‐γ downregulation is associated with the inflammation and progression of osteomyelitis, and PPAR‐γ agonist could serve as a therapeutic strategy to attenuate inflammatory responses. This study provides novel insights into the physiopathogenesis of osteomyelitis and future study is required to validate the findings in animal model and uncover the molecular mechanism of PPAR‐γ‐dependent anti‐inflammation in osteoblasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA binding proteins (RBPs) play pivotal roles in breast cancer (BC) development. As an RBP, Processing of precursor 7 (POP7) is one of the subunits of RNase P and RNase MRP, however, its exact function and mechanism in BC remain unknown. Here, we showed that expression of POP7 was frequently increased in BC cells and in primary breast tumors. Upregulated POP7 significantly promoted BC cell proliferation in vitro and primary tumor growth in vivo. POP7 also increased cell migration, invasion in vitro, and lung metastasis in vivo. Through RNA immunoprecipitation coupled with sequencing (RIP‐seq), we found that POP7 bound preferentially to intron regions and POP7‐binding peak associated genes were mainly enriched in cancer‐related pathways. Furthermore, POP7 regulated Interleukin Enhancer Binding Factor 3 (ILF3) expression through influencing its mRNA stability. Knockdown of ILF3 significantly impaired the increased malignant potential of POP7‐overexpressing cells, suggesting that POP7 enhances BC progression through regulating ILF3 expression. Collectively, our findings provide the first evidence for the important role of POP7 and its regulation of ILF3 in promoting BC progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new foraminiferal fauna is reported from the upper part of the Xiala Formation in the Zhari Namco section in the central Lhasa Block, which contains three species of fusulines and 26 species of small foraminifers. The presence of Reichelina and Codonofusiella in the fauna suggests a Wuchiapingian age. A review of the Lopingian faunas in several localities in the Lhasa Block indicates that this block was under a shallow marine environment during the Lopingian, rather than an uplifted terrestrial environment as previously recognized. The Lopingian palaeobiogeography as well as the sequences of the Lhasa Block differs greatly from the adjacent South Qiangtang, Karakorum and South Pamir blocks, and the Tethys Himalaya region of the Indian Plate. It further suggests that the Lhasa Block was separated from the South Qiangtang Block in the north by the Bangong‐Nujiang Ocean and the Tethys Himalaya area in the south by the Neotethys Ocean during the Lopingian time. Furthermore, the dissimilarity of the Guadalupian and Lopingian strata and faunas between the Lhasa and Karakorum blocks and similarity between the Lhasa and Tengchong blocks, may suggest that the Lhasa and Tengchong blocks were linked together during the Permian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common joint disorders and debilitating diseases. Current evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of OA and have great potential as new biomarkers and therapeutic targets. We aimed to analyze the trends and research status on miRNAs in OA and further demonstrate the hotspot miRNAs in OA via CiteSpace and VOSviewer. Methods. Publications regarding miRNAs and OA were extracted from the Web of Science (WOS) database on October 30, 2021. We assessed the number of publications, institutions, countries, authors, journals, cited references, and keywords with the help of the software tools CiteSpace and VOSviewer. Results. A total of 1109 articles were included. Research related to miRNAs and OA began to appear in 2008, and the overall trend is increasing. Chinese institutions have a leading advantage in the number of publications but lack high-quality and high-cited research and are laggard in co-cited literature. Ten miRNAs including miR-140, miR-146, miR-34, miR-181, miR-27, miR-9, miR-29, miR-21, miR-26, and miR-155 and chondrocytes were revealed as the most obvious miRNAs and a potential target for OA based on bibliometric analysis. More focus will be placed on a comprehensive study on chondrocytes regulated by miRNAs, which may accelerate possible diagnostic biomarkers and diagnostic biomarkers of OA in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

External fixation is a long-standing but well-established method, which has been widely used for the treatment of fractures. To obtain the maximum benefit from the mechanical stimulus, the stiffness of the external fixator should be adjusted properly throughout the treatment phase. Nevertheless, the lack of a valid dynamic adjustable fixation device impedes this possibility. Based on the stiffness adjustment tolerance of the healing callus, this paper proposes an active-dynamic stiffness adjustable external fixator design method to meet stiffness requirements at different stages of the tibial fracture healing process. A novel external fixator with an adjustable stiffness configuration was designed, and the finite element method was used to simulate the stress distribution between fixator and fracture gap. The stiffness adjustment tolerance was determined based on previous studies. According to this tolerance, the optimal block structure dismantling sequence was sought and the corresponding stiffness was calculated through topology optimization for the entire external fixator model. The appropriate amount of variable stiffness at the fracture gap was applied by dismantling the configuration of the block structure external fixator during the healing process. A novel patient-specific adjustable stiffness external fixator for mechanically stimulated tibial fracture reduction and therapy was proposed. This enables surgeons to tailor the construction of the external fixator frame to the clinical needs of each patient. The presented dismantling approach of the block structure to produce conformable stiffness provides a new clinical treatment strategy for tibial fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To the editor The cellular apoptosis susceptibility gene (CAS) (also named chromosomal segregation 1 like [CSE1L] and exportin-2) has been found to play crucial roles in cell proliferation/apoptosis and progression of various cancers. Of note, CDK2 was reported to be essential for the first meiotic division in germ cells,10 together with our results, indicating that the role of CAS in regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis is tissue/cell-specific. [Extracted from the article]

A hybrid AC/DC distribution network (HDN) is formed after multiple hybrid AC/DC microgrids (MGs) and distributed generators (DGs) are integrated into the distribution network. Voltage/var control (VVC) in this evolved system constitutes a big challenge to system operators as a large variety of voltage control devices with quite different control characteristics are expected to be co‐managed. This study proposes a coordinated VVC scheme to regulate voltage in an HDN by integrating power management model of hybrid AC/DC MGs into HDN's VVC model. The devices at HDN's level and those in MGs are allocated into two different models, and two models are linked via an approach called mathematical programmes with equilibrium constraints to achieve system‐wide coordination. In the proposed VVC, mechanical devices such on‐load‐tap changer (OLTC) and shunt capacitor (SC) are scheduled every 2 h to save their lifetime, while the electronically interfaced DGs and MGs are scheduled every 30 min to leverage their fast power support. Case studies on a modified IEEE 33 nodes distribution system validate that the proposed VVC can effectively coordinate MGs' power support with OLTC, SCs, and DGs, and it constitutes significant improvements on power loss reduction and voltage quality compared with traditional VVC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Bone regeneration is a frequent research topic in clinical studies, but macroscopic studies on the clinical application of bone regeneration are rare. We conducted a bibliometric analysis, using international databases, to explore the clinical application and mechanism of bone regeneration, to highlight the relevant research hotspots and prospects. Material and Methods. Scientific reports on bone regeneration published during 2009–2019 were retrieved from PubMed. VOSviewer for cooccurrence keywords and authorship analysis. BICOMB software was used to retrieve high-frequency words and construct a text/coword matrix. The matrix was inputted into gCLUTO software, managed by biclustering analysis, in order to identify hotspots, which could achieve mountain and matrix visualizations. The matrix was also analyzed by using Ucinet 6 software for social network analysis. A strategic diagram was used for further analysis of the research hotspots of bone regeneration by "SCIMAT" software. We searched the Web of Science for relevant articles. Results. Eighty-nine high-frequency major MeSH terms were obtained from 10237 articles and were divided into 5 clusters. We generated a network visualization map, an overlay visualization mountain map, and a social network diagram. Then, the MeSH terms were subdivided into 7 categories according to each diagram; current research hotspots were identified as scaffold, drug effect, osseointegration in dental implant, guided bone regeneration, factors impacting bone regeneration, treatment of bone and tissue loss, and bone regeneration in dental implants. Conclusion. BICOMB, VOSviewer, and other bibliometric tools revealed that dental implants, scaffolds, and factors impacting bone regeneration are hot research topics, while scaffolds also hold promise from the perspective of bone tissue regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

miR‐134 has been shown to be associated with angiogenesis and the progression of osteosarcoma. This study further assessed the effects of miR‐134 expression on osteosarcoma cell migration, invasion, and metastasis in vitro and in a nude mouse xenograft model, exploring the underlying molecular events. Luciferase reporter assays revealed that miR‐134 directly targets the 3′‐UTRs of MMP1 and MMP3 to reduce their expression in osteosarcoma cells. In conclusion, overexpression of miR‐134 suppresses osteosarcoma cell invasion and metastasis through the inhibition of MMP1 and MMP3 expression. We propose miR‐134 as an attractive novel therapeutic target for the treatment of osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although referred pain or hypersensitivity has been repeatedly reported in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and experimental colitis rodents, little is known about the neural mechanisms. Spinal long-term potentiation (LTP) of nociceptive synaptic transmission plays a critical role in the development of somatic hyperalgesia in chronic pain conditions. Herein, we sought to determine whether spinal LTP contributes to the referral hyperalgesia in colitis rats and particularly whether electroacupuncture (EA) is effective to alleviate somatic hyperalgesia via suppressing spinal LTP. Rats in the colitis group (induced by colonic infusion of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid, TNBS), instead of the control and vehicle groups, displayed evident focal inflammatory destruction of the distal colon accompanied not only with the sensitized visceromotor response (VMR) to noxious colorectal distension (CRD) but also with referral hindpaw hyperalgesia indicated by reduced mechanical and thermal withdrawal latencies. EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Shangjuxu (ST37) attenuated the severity of colonic inflammation, as well as the visceral hypersensitivity and referral hindpaw hyperalgesia in colitis rats. Intriguingly, the threshold of C-fiber-evoked field potentials (CFEFP) was significantly reduced and the spinal LTP was exaggerated in the colitis group, both of which were restored by EA treatment. Taken together, visceral hypersensitivity and referral hindpaw hyperalgesia coexist in TNBS-induced colitis rats, which might be attributed to the enhanced LTP of nociceptive synaptic transmission in the spinal dorsal horn. EA at ST36 and ST37 could relieve visceral hypersensitivity and, in particular, attenuate referral hindpaw hyperalgesia by suppressing the enhanced spinal LTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La3‐xTe4 is a very promising high‐temperature candidate applied in next‐generation Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs). Conventional synthesis of such materials is based on the mechanochemical method, which makes the sample difficult to purify due to the high‐energy ball milling. In this report, a novel synthetic method is developed, which utilizes Te‐vapor transport and solid‐phase diffusion to efficiently produce the RE3‐xTe4 phases (RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd). Notably, this method obviates the requirement for high‐energy ball‐milling instruments, conventionally indispensable in the mechanochemical syntheses. For as‐synthesized La2.74Te4 material, a high figure of merit of 1.5 is achieved at 1073 K, owning to the reduced electronic thermal conductivity with metal impurities well eliminated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims: Long‐term oral chronic inflammatory process is closely related to systemic inflammation, which is a main mechanism involved in non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Tooth loss could reflect the accumulation of oral local inflammation, implying that number of missing teeth may associate with NAFLD. This study evaluated the association between missing teeth and presence of NAFLD in a general population. Materials and Methods: A cross‐sectional study of 24,470 adults was carried out from the Tianjin Chronic Low‐grade Systemic Inflammation and Health Cohort Study. The self‐reported number of missing teeth (excluding third molars) was recorded and classified into four categories: 0, 1–2, 3–5, and ≥6. The NAFLD was diagnosed by the liver ultrasonography. Associations were analysed by adjusted multivariable logistic regression. Results: The multivariable‐adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of NAFLD across the categories of missing teeth were as follows: in males, 1.00 (reference), 1.04 (0.93–1.16), 1.06 (0.90–1.24), and 1.40 (1.09–1.81) (p for trend = 0.04); in females, 1.00 (reference), 0.98 (0.83–1.15), 1.11 (0.90–1.37), and 1.07 (0.77–1.48) (p for trend = 0.45). Conclusions: The number of missing teeth was associated with a higher presence of NAFLD in males but not females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction of light with a single gold nanorod (GNR) depends strongly on the polarization and wavelength of the light. For isolated GNRs, the maximum of the polarization (wavelength)-dependent linear and nonlinear absorption appear at the same excitation polarization (wavelength). Here, it is demonstrated that these relationships can be manipulated in a GNR assembly composed of randomly distributed and oriented GNRs by controlling the plasmonic coupling strength between GNRs. It is revealed that the strongly localized modes resulting from the plasmonic coupling of GNRs play a crucial role in determining these relationships. For a GNR tetramer, it is shown by numerical simulation that the maximum two-photon absorption achieved at a particular polarization can be switched to the minimum absorption and vice versa by controlling the coupling strength. More importantly, it is demonstrated both numerically and experimentally that the two-photon-absorption peak of a GNR assembly can be made to be different from its single-photon-absorption peak by increasing the coupling strength. Both properties are distinct from previous experimental observations. Our findings provide a useful guideline for engineering the interaction of light with complex plasmonic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sensitive and efficient mixed cloud point extraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography was developed for the simultaneous separation and determination of four alkaloids (strychnine, strychnine N-oxide, brucine, and brucine N-oxide) in plasma after the oral administration of processed semen strychni extract. Tergitol TMN-6 and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide were chosen as the mixed surfactants, and ultrasound was employed to enhance the extraction efficiency. Some important parameters affecting the mixed cloud point extraction efficiency, such as the content of Tergitol TMN-6 and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide, pH, salt effect, extraction temperature, and ultrasound time were studied and optimized. Under optimum conditions, the linear range of four alkaloids was from 1.0 to 1000 ng/mL. All correlation coefficients of the calibration curves were higher than 0.9993. The intraday and interday precision were below 8.65% and the limits of detection for the four alkaloids were less than 1.0 ng/mL (S/N = 3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improvement of grain yield is an essential long-term goal of maize ( Zea mays) breeding to meet continual and increasing food demands worldwide, but the genetic basis remains unclear., We used 10 different recombination inbred line ( RIL) populations genotyped with high-density markers and phenotyped in multiple environments to dissect the genetic architecture of maize ear traits., Three methods were used to map the quantitative trait loci ( QTLs) affecting ear traits. We found 17-34 minor- or moderate-effect loci that influence ear traits, with little epistasis and environmental interactions, totally accounting for 55.4-82% of the phenotypic variation. Four novel QTLs were validated and fine mapped using candidate gene association analysis, expression QTL analysis and heterogeneous inbred family validation., The combination of multiple different populations is a flexible and manageable way to collaboratively integrate widely available genetic resources, thereby boosting the statistical power of QTL discovery for important traits in agricultural crops, ultimately facilitating breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate and reliable method of high-performance liquid chromatographic fingerprint combining with multi-ingredient determination was developed and validated to evaluate the influence of sulfur-fumigated Paeoniae Radix Alba on the quality and chemical constituents of Si Wu Tang. Multivariate data analysis including hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis, which integrated with high-performance liquid chromatographic fingerprint and multi-ingredient determination, was employed to evaluate Si Wu Tang in a more objective and scientific way. Interestingly, in this paper, a total of 37 and 36 peaks were marked as common peaks in ten batches of Si Wu Tang containing sun-dried Paeoniae Radix Alba and ten batches of Si Wu Tang containing sulfur-fumigated Paeoniae Radix Alba, respectively, which indicated the changed fingerprint profile of Si Wu Tang when containing sulfur-fumigated herb. Furthermore, the results of simultaneous determination for multiple ingredients showed that the contents of albiflorin and paeoniflorin decreased significantly (P<0.01) and the contents of gallic acid and Z-ligustilide decreased to some extent at the same time when Si Wu Tang contained sulfur-fumigated Paeoniae Radix Alba. Therefore, sulfur-fumigation processing may have great influence on the quality of Chinese herbal prescription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some new fixed point theorems are established in the setting of complex valued G-metric spaces. These new results improve and generalize Kang et al.'s results, the Banach contraction principle, and some well-known results in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During Drosophila melanogaster eye development, signaling through receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) leads to activation of a mitogen activated protein tyrosine kinase, called Rolled. Key nuclear targets of Rolled are two antagonistic transcription factors: Yan, a repressor, and Pointed-P2 (Pnt-P2), an activator. A critical regulator of this process, Mae, can interact with both Yan and Pnt-P2 through their SAM domains. Although earlier work showed that Mae derepresses Yan-regulated transcription by depolymerizing the Yan polymer, the mechanism of Pnt-P2 regulation by Mae remained undefined. We find that efficient phosphorylation and consequent activation of Pnt-P2 requires a three-dimensional docking surface on its SAM domain for the MAP kinase, Rolled. Mae binding to Pnt-P2 occludes this docking surface, thereby acting to downregulate Pnt-P2 activity. Docking site blocking provides a new mechanism whereby the cell can precisely modulate kinase signaling at specific targets, providing another layer of regulation beyond the more global changes effected by alterations in the activity of the kinase itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the electrochemically synthesized polythiophene films with self-organized microstructure. Use of the scanning electron microscope; Consideration of the instability of the nanowires; Adjustment of the integrated current to control the thickness of the films.

Pre-treatment of citrus leaves and leaf explants (Citrus sinensis [L.] Osbeck cv. Shamouti), with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), induced endogenous ethylene production when leaves were further incubated in air. The induction of ethylene production was 1-MCP concentration-dependent. Abscission was concomitantly delayed. In leaves pre-treated with 1-MCP followed by exposure to ethylene, abscission was significantly delayed in comparison with those without 1-MCP pre-treatment. When leaf explants were co-treated for 24 h with ethylene and 1-MCP, abscission was delayed quite efficiently. The Lineweaver-Burke plot yielded a half-maximal value of 0.234 μl l-1 for the effect of ethylene on abscission. 1-MCP-1 competed kinetically with ethylene with a Ki value of approximately 1.4-5.5 nl l-1 1-MCP. Under these experimental conditions there was some competition between 1-MCP and ethylene. However, ethylene was not able to completely counteract the inhibitory effect of 1-MCP. Pre-treatment with 1-MCP, followed by exogenous ethylene treatment, suppressed the induction of endo-β-glucanase (EG) activity at the laminar abscission zone. The ethylene-dependent accumulation of the hydrolyse gene was demonstrated by blocking the accumulation of CsCel a1 mRNA by 1-MCP. Six hours of exposure of leaves to 1-MCP at various times during a total of 24 h ethylene treatment efficiently reversed ethylene induction of CsCel a1 gene at mRNA level up to 18 h. The results demonstrate that the induction of abscission by ethylene is controlled at mRNA level at the abscission zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cohesive damage zone model is presented for a circular crack in a quasi-brittle material. Analytical expressions are derived for the size of the cohesive zone, the opening displacement under loading and the residual displacement after unloading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Corticosteroids are the standard first‐line treatment for primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), with a high initial response but unsatisfactory sustained response (SR). Additionally, corticosteroids usually lead to hyperglycaemia especially in patients with pre‐existing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Besides reducing the blood glucose levels, metformin was found to have immunomodulatory effects. We hereby conducted a multicentre propensity score matching analysis of corticosteroids plus metformin versus corticosteroids for newly diagnosed ITP patients with pre‐existing T2DM. After matching at a ratio of 1:1, there were 57 patients in each group. Baseline characteristics, comorbidities and other medications including concurrent hypoglycaemic medications were balanced between the two groups. No statistical difference was observed in the initial response rate at day 14. It was notable that patients in the metformin group had a significantly higher SR rate and longer duration of response compared to the non‐metformin group. Metformin inclusion was associated with a higher incidence of stomach upset, which were generally tolerable. Our study provided evidence that the addition of metformin to corticosteroids might be a promising front‐line treatment for newly diagnosed ITP patients with pre‐existing T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the title compound, C(20)H(22)N(2)O(5), a photo-degradation product of the hypertension drug nisoldipine, the dihedral angle between the nitro-sophenyl ring and the pyridine ring is 75.7 (3)°. In the crystal structure, weak C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds help to establish the packing.

In the title compound, C(18)H(17)Cl(2)NO(4), an oxidation product of felodipine, the dihedral angle between the benzene and pyridine rings is 75.3 (4)°. The crystal structure is stabilized by intermolecular C-H⋯O interactions.