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Our aim was to determine whether a temporal deterioration in central or peripheral processing was related to a history of falls in older women and observe the relationship between muscular strength in the lower extremity and information processing speed. A population of 34 older women aged 65–84 years were classified into two groups, fallers (n = 15) and non-fallers (n = 19), based on their fall history and fall risk index. Surface EMG was collected from the tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius (GN), and peroneus longus (PL), which were activated in response to postural perturbation. The reaction time was fractionated into the premotor time (PMT) and motor time (MT). Three fast deep squats were performed on a force platform to record peak extensor force in the lower extremity. A 2 (Groups) × 3 (Trials) ANOVA with repeated measures for the trials revealed main group effects of MT on TA [F = 4.59, p < 0.05] and GN [F = 5.01, p < 0.05], and main trial effects of the PMT on TA [F = 3.50, p < 0.05]. A strong negative relationship was found between the motor time and peak extensor force of the left leg or both legs. The peak extensor force of the left leg was a reliable predictor for the motor time. Fallers faced a higher risk of falling and produced a longer motor time in response to the balance perturbation relative to non-fallers. Weaker explosive strength in the lower extremity, especially the non-dominant leg, was highly related to slower neuromuscular recruitment.

Background: Ischemic stroke is one of the most severe cerebrovascular diseases that leads to disability and death and seriously endangers health and quality of life. Insufficient oxygen supply is a critical factor leading to ischemic brain injury. However, effective therapies for ischemic stroke are lacking. Oxygen therapy has been shown to increase oxygen supply to ischemic tissues and improve prognosis after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. Normobaric hyperoxia (NBHO) has been shown to have neuroprotective effects during ischemic stroke and is considered an appropriate neuroprotective therapy for ischemic stroke. Evidence indicates that NBHO plays a neuroprotective role through different mechanisms in acute ischemic stroke. Recent studies have also reported that combinations with other drug therapies can enhance the efficacy of NBHO in ischemic stroke. Here, we aimed to provide a summary of the potential mechanisms underlying the use of NBHO in ischemic stroke and an overview of the benefits of NBHO in ischemic stroke. Methods: We screened 83 articles on PubMed and other websites. A quick review was conducted, including clinical trials, animal trials, and reviews of studies in the field of NBHO treatment published before July 1, 2023. The results were described and synthesized, and the bias risk and evidence quality of all included studies were assessed. Results: The results were divided into four categories: the mechanism of NBHO, animal and clinical trials of NBHO, the clinical application and prospects of NBHO, and adverse reactions of NBHO. Conclusion: NBHO is a simple, non-invasive therapy that may be delivered early after stroke onset, with promising potential for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. However, the optimal therapeutic regimen remains uncertain. Further studies are needed to confirm its efficacy and safety.

The spatial layout of traditional residential houses is closely related to national and regional characteristics and culture. The traditional village of Yi nationality is selected, and the organization structure of the outside village and the inside living space is studied through the graphical and quantitative analysis method of space syntax. The primary purpose of this study is to analyze the spatial characteristics of Yi dwellings and infer the cultural factors behind them. To explore how to integrate traditional spatial characteristics into contemporary design and promote the preservation and inheritance of architectural culture. The results show that 1) the outer village space of residential houses is characterized by weak identifiability, compact and loose organizational structure, weak permeability, and weak accessibility; 2) The interior space of dwellings presents a spatial layout with the main room and courtyard as the core as a whole. The interior space of dwellings is abundant and flexible, and the accessibility of ancillary functional space is weak. 3) The cultural causes of the formation of these spatial features include complex landforms, family systems, hierarchical systems, semi-agricultural and semi-pastoral production modes, the concept of valuing family harmony, the use of regional materials, respect for nature, fire worship, etc. 4) The spatial characteristics of traditional dwellings are inherited in contemporary dwellings. Fuzzy elements can be added in villages according to family relations, and characteristic Spaces such as courtyards and fire ponds in traditional dwellings can be preserved.

Synapses are critical structures involved in neurotransmission and neuroplasticity. Their activity depends on their complete structure and function, which are the basis of learning, memory, and cognitive function. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is neuropathologically characterized by synaptic loss, synaptic disorder, and plasticity impairment. AD pathogenesis is characterized by complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Changes in various receptors on the postsynaptic membrane, synaptic components, and dendritic spines lead to synaptic disorder. Changes in epigenetic regulation, including DNA methylation, RNA interference, and histone modification, are closely related to AD. These can affect neuronal and synaptic functions by regulating the structure and expression of neuronal genes. Some drugs have ameliorated synaptic and neural dysfunction in AD models via epigenetic regulation. We reviewed the recent progress on pathological changes and epigenetic mechanisms of synaptic dysregulation in AD to provide a new perspective on this disease.

The increasing uncertainty of our world raises important questions for university students on how they should respond to the employment challenges caused by changing environments. One of the central topics is the development of graduate employability. However, most previous research on graduate employability was undertaken in a stable environment, limiting our understanding of how graduate employability develops in a dynamic context. We have advanced the literature by introducing action theory to investigate the process of personal initiative affecting graduate employability in a period of environmental uncertainty. Using a time-lagged research design, we collected data from a sample of 229 Chinese university students and tested the hypothesized relationships. We find that personal initiative positively affects graduate employability through human and psychological capital. We further show that environmental uncertainty plays a contingent role in the above processes. Specifically, when a high level of environmental uncertainty is perceived, the positive indirect effect of personal initiative on graduate employability through either human capital or psychological capital is more likely to be strengthened. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are also discussed.

Abstract Objectives As coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) continues to spread globally, we aimed to describe and compare changes in the immune and cardiovascular systems of patients with mild versus severe COVID‐19 at different time points during the course of disease. Methods One hundred and one patients diagnosed with COVID‐19 who underwent serial peripheral blood collection and chest computed tomography (CT) imaging were enrolled in this study and grouped by the severity of their illness. Changes in the immune and cardiovascular systems were analysed and compared between groups. Results The study included 43 women and 58 men, with a median age of 45 years (interquartile range [IQR], 16–71). We identified spleen shrinkage in 27.7% of study patients. Ratios of spleen volume to patient (skin) volume were compared, with evidence that severe patients had more splenic shrinkage than mild patients. Lymphopenia was observed in 65.3% of patients, and 27.3% of patients had persistently low levels of lymphocytes after discharge. Tachycardia occurred mainly during the first 2 days of hospitalisation, with increases in creatine kinase–myocardial band levels in 10 (9.9%) patients and arrhythmias in 16 (15.8%) patients. Conclusions In addition to pulmonary manifestations, our study demonstrated that other organ systems can also be affected during COVID‐19 infection, with evidence of immunosuppression and cardiovascular dysfunction, which may contribute to increased mortality rates in critically ill COVID‐19 patients.

Background: After spinal cord transection injury, the inflammatory microenvironment formed at the injury site, and the cascade of effects generated by secondary injury, results in limited regeneration of injured axons and the apoptosis of neurons in the sensorimotor cortex (SMC). It is crucial to reverse these adverse processes for the recovery of voluntary movement. The mechanism of transcranial intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) as a new non-invasive neural regulation paradigm in promoting axonal regeneration and motor function repair was explored by means of a severe spinal cord transection. Methods: Rats underwent spinal cord transection and 2 mm resection of spinal cord at T10 level. Four groups were studied: Normal (no lesion), Control (lesion with no treatment), sham iTBS (lesion and no functional treatment) and experimental, exposed to transcranial iTBS, 72 h after spinal lesion. Each rat received treatment once a day for 5 days a week; behavioral tests were administered one a week. Inflammation, neuronal apoptosis, neuroprotective effects, regeneration and synaptic plasticity after spinal cord injury (SCI) were determined by immunofluorescence staining, western blotting and mRNA sequencing. For each rat, anterograde tracings were acquired from the SMC or the long descending propriospinal neurons and tested for cortical motor evoked potentials (CMEPs). Regeneration of the corticospinal tract (CST) and 5- hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) nerve fibers were analyzed 10 weeks after SCI. Results: When compared to the Control group, the iTBS group showed a reduced inflammatory response and reduced levels of neuronal apoptosis in the SMC when tested 2 weeks after treatment. Four weeks after SCI, the neuroimmune microenvironment at the injury site had improved in the iTBS group, and neuroprotective effects were evident, including the promotion of axonal regeneration and synaptic plasticity. After 8 weeks of iTBS treatment, there was a significant increase in CST regeneration in the region rostral to the site of injury. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in the number of 5-HT nerve fibers at the center of the injury site and the long descending propriospinal tract (LDPT) fibers in the region caudal to the site of injury. Moreover, CMEPs and hindlimb motor function were significantly improved. Conclusion: Neuronal activation and neural tracing further verified that iTBS had the potential to provide neuroprotective effects during the early stages of SCI and induce regeneration effects related to the descending motor pathways (CST, 5- HT and LDPT). Furthermore, our results revealed key relationships between neural pathway activation, neuroimmune regulation, neuroprotection and axonal regeneration, as well as the interaction network of key genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence for emergency physicians and emergency trauma surgeons regarding the determinants of early and rapid assessment of older adult in-hospital mortality due to earthquakes. This study explored factors related to the early and rapid assessment of the mortality among older adult earthquake trauma patients (OAETPs) and created a screening model. METHODS: Data on 7,308 OAETPs from the West China Earthquake Patients Database were analyzed retrospectively. The 35 variables that can be obtained rapidly on arrival at the hospital were collected. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was performed. Then, the nomogram for assessing the mortality of OAETPs was constructed. RESULTS: We identified 10 independent mortality-related factors that contributed to the inhospital mortality of OAETPs. The 10 factors included age (odds ratio [OR]=1.061, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.031–1.090), dementia (OR=5.146, 95%CI: 1.169–17.856), coronary heart disease (CHD; OR=23.441, 95%CI: 4.799–83.927), malignant tumor (OR=8.497, 95%CI: 3.583–17.967), deep vein thrombosis (DVT; OR=7.110, 95%CI: 1.369–27.168), chronic kidney disease(CKD; OR=11.783, 95%CI: 5.419–24.407), pulse rate (PR; OR=1.036, 95%CI: 1.022–1.048), mean artery pressure (MAP; OR=0.960, 95%CI: 0.945–0.975), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS; OR=0.864, 95%CI: 0.760–0.972), and Triage Revised Trauma Score (T-RTS, OR=0.485, 95%CI: 0.351–0.696). CONCLUSION: The 10 mortality-related factors could be quickly obtained on hospital arrival and should be the focal point of future earthquake response strategies regarding hospitalized older adults with trauma. A nomogram was constructed based on the factors for screening OAETPs with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by transcriptome analysis to elucidate a potential mechanism by which governor vessel electroacupuncture (GV-EA) promotes neuronal survival, axonal regeneration, and functional recovery after complete transection spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: Sham, control, or GV-EA group adult female Sprague Dawley rats underwent a complete transection SCI protocol. SCI area RNA-seq investigated the DEGs of coding and noncoding RNAs 7 days post-SCI. Gene ontology (GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were used to classify DEGs functions, to explain a possible molecular mechanism. Immunofluorescence and BBB (Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan) score were used to verify a GV-EA treatment effect following SCI. Results: GV-EA treatment could regulate the expression of 173 mRNA, 260 lncRNA, and 153 circRNA genes among these DEGs resulted by SCI. GO enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were most enriched in membrane, actin binding, and regulation of Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. KEGG pathway analysis showed enriched pathways (e.g., Tolllike receptors, MAPK, Hippo signaling). According to the ceRNA network, miR-144-3p played a regulatory role by interacting with lncRNA and circRNA. GV-EA also promoted the injured spinal cord neuron survival, axonal regeneration, and functional improvement of hind limb locomotion. Conclusion: Results of our RNA-seq suggest that post-SCI GV-EA may regulate characteristic changes in transcriptome gene expression, potential critical genes, and signaling pathways, providing clear directions for further investigation into the mechanism of GV-EA in subacute SCI treatment. Moreover, we found that GV-EA promotes neuronal survival, nerve fiber extension, and motor function recovery in subacute SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNase I hypersensitive site (DHS) refers to the hypersensitive region of chromatin for the DNase I enzyme. It is an important part of the noncoding region and contains a variety of regulatory elements, such as promoter, enhancer, and transcription factor-binding site, etc. Moreover, the related locus of disease (or trait) are usually enriched in the DHS regions. Therefore, the detection of DHS region is of great significance. In this study, we develop a deep learning-based algorithm to identify whether an unknown sequence region would be potential DHS. The proposed method showed high prediction performance on both training datasets and independent datasets in different cell types and developmental stages, demonstrating that the method has excellent superiority in the identification of DHSs. Furthermore, for the convenience of related wet-experimental researchers, the user-friendly web-server iDHS-Deep was established at http://lin-group.cn/server/iDHS-Deep/ , by which users can easily distinguish DHS and non-DHS and obtain the corresponding developmental stage of DHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The translucent GGAG:Ce/glass composites are prepared successfully by ball-milling, tableting, and pressureless sintering. The thickness of composites is about 400 μm. The x-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), density of composite materials are measured and discussed systematically. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) elemental mapping are employed to analyze the particle size, the shape of powders, and the distribution of GGAG:Ce particles in the glass matrix, respectively. The decay time, ultraviolet, (UV), x-ray excitation luminescence spectra, and temperature spectra are studied. The results show that the composite materials have high light output, good thermostability, and short decay time. The method adopted in this work is an effective method to reduce the preparation time and cost of the sample. The ultralow afterglow indicates that the composite materials have an opportunity to be used for x-ray detection and imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T-cadherin functions as a suppressor gene, which is frequently inactivated by aberrant promoter methylation in several human cancers, but its methylation status in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been scarcely studied. Thus this study aimed at exploring the clinical significance and prognostic value of T-cadherin methylation in sera of patients with OSCC. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and bisulfate sequencing PCR (BSP) was performed to examine the methylation status of T-cadherin. Then, the associations between methylation status of T-cadherin and various clinicopathological variables or patient survival were investigated in 202 patients with OSCC and 68 controls. T-cadherin methylation was detected in 62 out of 202 (30.7%) patients with OSCC, and the methylation status of T-cadherin in corresponding tissues was confirmed by BSP. Methylation of T-cadherin was significantly associated with advanced tumor T-stage (p<0.001) and N-stage (p=0.003), positive lymphatic metastasis (p=0.004) and tumor recurrence (p=0.001). In addition, patients with methylation of T-cadherin had worse overall survival (p=0.018) and progression-free survival (p<0.001) than patients without, and methylation of T-cadherin in sera was an independent prognostic factor for worse overall survival (HR: 3.626, 95% CI: 1.112-9.624, p=0.007) and progression-free survival (HR: 4.201, 95% CI: 1.562-10.038, p<0.001) of patients with OSCC. These results demonstrated that methylation of T-cadherin was frequently detected in sera of patients with OSCC, which was associated with risk factors of poor outcomes, and may act as a potential independent prognostic marker for patients with OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a prototypical transition-metal dichalcogenide semiconductor, MoS2 possesses strong spin–orbit coupling, which provides an ideal platform for the realization of interesting physical phenomena. Here, we report the magnetotransport properties in NbN–MoS2–NbN sandwich junctions at low temperatures. Above the critical temperature around ∼11 K, the junction resistance shows weak temperature dependence, indicating a tunneling behavior. While below ∼11 K, nearly zero junction resistance is observed, indicating the superconducting state in the MoS2 layer induced by the superconducting proximity effect. When a perpendicular magnetic field ∼1 T is applied, such proximity effect is suppressed, accompanying with insulator-like temperature-dependence of the junction resistance. Intriguingly, when further increasing the magnetic field, the junction conductance is significantly enhanced, which is related to the enhanced single particle tunneling induced by the decrease of the superconducting energy gap with increasing magnetic fields. In addition, the possible Majorana zero mode on the surface of MoS2 can further lead to the enhancement of the junction conductance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a lower extremity exoskeleton CUHK-EXO that is developed to help paraplegic patients, who have lost the motor and sensory functions of their lower limbs to perform basic daily life motions. Since the sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit (STS) motion is the first step for paraplegic patients toward walking, analysis of the exoskeleton's applicability to the STS motion assistance is performed. First, the human-exoskeleton system (HES) is modeled as a five-link model during the STS motion, and the center of pressure (COP) on the ground and center of gravity of the whole system are calculated. Then, a description of the CUHK-EXO hardware design is presented, including the mechatronics design and actuator selection. The COP position is an important factor indicating system balance and wearer's comfort. Based on the COP position, a trajectory online modification algorithm (TOMA) is proposed for CUHK-EXO to counteract disturbances, stabilize system balance, and improve the wearer's comfort in the STS motion. The results of STS motion tests conducted with a paraplegic patient demonstrate that CUHK-EXO can provide a normal reference pattern and proper assistive torque to support the patient's STS motion. In addition, a pilot study is conducted with a healthy subject to verify the effectiveness of the proposed TOMA under external disturbances before future clinical trials. The testing results verify that CUHK-EXO can counteract disturbances, and help the wearer perform the STS motion safely and comfortably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the magnetoconductance in a topological insulator BiSbTeSe2 with different probe lengths. The magnetoconductance correction reduces by a factor of 2 when the probe length is comparable to the phase coherence length, Lφ, and the related weak antilocalization prefactor, α , reduces by a factor of 2. Lφ is independent of the probe length and follows the T-0.5, corresponding to the two-dimensional electron-electron interaction. α shows similar back-gate voltage dependence and Lφ is almost the same in both short and long channels. This indicates that the widely reported surface-to-bulk coupling is not the dominant mechanism of the α reduction. Moreover, non-saturating magnetoresistances are observed and coincided with each other in the short and long channels. The reduced α is deemed to be due to the quantum correction effect caused by the geometries and electrode distribution. The finding here will further the understanding of the transport properties of the topological insulators and unveil exotic quantum phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luminescent cuprous complexes are an important class of coordination compounds due to their relative abundance, low cost and ability to display excellent luminescence. The title ionic trinuclear Cu3I2 complex, tris[μ2-diphenyl(pyridin-2-yl)phosphane-κ2 P: N]di-μ3-iodido-tricopper(I)(3 Cu- Cu) hexafluoridophosphate, [Cu3I2(C39H32NP)3]PF6, conventionally abbreviated as [Cu3I2(Ph2PPy)3]PF6, is described. Each CuI atom is coordinated by two μ3-iodide ligands and by a P and an N atom from two Ph2PPy ligands, giving rise to a CuI2PN tetrahedral coordination geometry about each CuI centre. The electronic absorption and photoluminescence properties of this trinuclear cluster have been studied on as-synthesized samples, which had been examined previously by powder X-ray diffraction. A detailed time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) study was carried out and showed a green emission derived from a halide-to-ligand charge transfer and metal-to-ligand charge transfer 3( X+ M)LCT excited state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luminescent CuI complexes have emerged as promising substitutes for phosphorescent emitters based on Ir, Pt and Os due to their abundance and low cost. The title heteroleptic cuprous complex, [9,9-dimethyl-4,5-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)-9 H-xanthene-κ2 P, P](2-methylquinolin-8-ol-κ2 N, O)copper(I) hexafluorophosphate, [Cu(C10H9NO)(C39H32OP2)]PF6, conventionally abbreviated as [Cu(Xantphos)(8-HOXQ)]PF6, where Xantphos is the chelating diphosphine ligand 9,9-dimethyl-4,5-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)-9 H-xanthene and 8-HOXQ is the N, O-chelating ligand 2-methylquinolin-8-ol that remains protonated at the hydroxy O atom, is described. In this complex, the asymmetric unit consists of a hexafluorophosphate anion and a whole mononuclear cation, where the CuI atom is coordinated by two P atoms from the Xantphos ligand and by the N and O atoms from the 8-HOXQ ligand, giving rise to a tetrahedral CuP2NO coordination geometry. The electronic absorption and photoluminescence properties of this complex have been studied on as-synthesized samples, whose purity had been determined by powder X-ray diffraction. In the detailed TD-DFT (time-dependent density functional theory) studies, the yellow emission appears to be derived from the inter-ligand charge transfer and metal-to-ligand charge transfer ( M+ L′)→LCT excited state (LCT is ligand charge transfer). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When performing a goal-directed action with a tool, it is generally assumed that the point of control of the action system is displaced from the hand to the tool, implying that body and tool function as one system. Studies of how actions with tools are performed have been limited to studying either end-effector kinematics or joint-angle coordination patterns. Because joint-angle coordination patterns affect end-effector kinematics, the current study examined them together, with the aim of revealing how body and tool function as one system. Seated participants made point-to-point movements with their index finger, and with rods of 10, 20, and 30cm attached to their index finger. Start point and target were presented on a table in front of them, and in half of the conditions a participant displacement compensated for rod length. Results revealed that the kinematics of the rod's tip showed higher peak velocity, longer deceleration time, and more curvature with longer rods. End-effector movements were more curved in the horizontal plane when participants were not displaced. Joint-angle trajectories were similar across rod lengths when participants were displaced, whereas more extreme joint-angles were used with longer rods when participants were not displaced. Furthermore, in every condition the end-effector was stabilized to a similar extent; both variability in joint-angle coordination patterns that affected end-effector position and variability that did not affect end-effector position increased in a similar way vis-à-vis rod length. Moreover, the increase was higher in those conditions, in which participants were not displaced. This suggests that during tool use, body and tool are united in a single system so as to stabilize the end-effector kinematics in a similar way that is independent of tool length. In addition, the properties of the actual trajectory of the end-effector, as well as the actual joint-angles used, depend on the length of the tool and the specifics of the task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Severe spinal cord injury often causes temporary or permanent damages in strength, sensation, or autonomic functions below the site of the injury. So far, there is still no effective treatment for spinal cord injury. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used to repair injured spinal cord as an effective strategy. However, the low neural differentiation frequency of MSCs has limited its application. The present study attempted to explore whether the grafted MSC-derived neural-like cells in a gelatin sponge (GS) scaffold could maintain neural features or transdifferentiate into myelin-forming cells in the transected spinal cord. Methods: We constructed an engineered tissue by co-seeding of MSCs with genetically enhanced expression of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and its high-affinity receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase C (TrkC) separately into a three-dimensional GS scaffold to promote the MSCs differentiating into neural-like cells and transplanted it into the gap of a completely transected rat spinal cord. The rats received extensive post-operation care, including cyclosporin A administrated once daily for 2 months. Results: MSCs modified genetically could differentiate into neural-like cells in the MN + MT (NT-3-MSCs + TrKC-MSCs) group 14 days after culture in the GS scaffold. However, after the MSC-derived neural-like cells were transplanted into the injury site of spinal cord, some of them appeared to lose the neural phenotypes and instead transdifferentiated into myelin-forming cells at 8 weeks. In the latter, the MSC-derived myelin-forming cells established myelin sheaths associated with the host regenerating axons. And the injured host neurons were rescued, and axon regeneration was induced by grafted MSCs modified genetically. In addition, the cortical motor evoked potential and hindlimb locomotion were significantly ameliorated in the rat spinal cord transected in the MN + MT group compared with the GS and MSC groups. Conclusion: Grafted MSC-derived neural-like cells in the GS scaffold can transdifferentiate into myelin-forming cells in the completely transected rat spinal cord. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidermal growth factor-like domain-containing protein 7 (EGFL7) is upregulated in human epithelial tumors and so is a potential biomarker for malignancy. Indeed, previous studies have shown that high EGFL7 expression promotes infiltration and metastasis of gastric carcinoma. The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) initiates the metastatic cascade and endows cancer cells with invasive and migratory capacity; however, it is not known if EGFL7 promotes metastasis by triggering EMT. We found that EGFL7 was overexpressed in multiple human gastric cancer (GC) cell lines and that overexpression promoted cell invasion and migration as revealed by scratch wound and transwell migration assays. Conversely, shRNA-mediated EGFL7 knockdown reduced invasion and migration. Furthermore, EGFL7-overexpressing cells grew into larger tumors and were more likely to metastasize to the liver compared to underexpressing CG cells following subcutaneous injection in mice. EGFL7 overexpression protected GC cell lines against anoikis, providing a plausible mechanism for this enhanced metastatic capacity. In excised human gastric tumors, expression of EGFL7 was positively correlated with expression levels of the mesenchymal marker vimentin and the EMT-associated transcription repressor Snail, and negatively correlated with expression of the epithelial cell marker E-cadherin. In GC cell lines, EGFL7 knockdown reversed morphological signs of EMT and decreased both vimentin and Snail expression. In addition, EGFL7 overexpression promoted EGF receptor (EGFR) and protein kinase B (AKT) phospho-activation, effects markedly suppressed by the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG1478. Moreover, AG1478 also reduced the elevated invasive and migratory capacity of GC cell lines overexpressing EGFL7. Collectively, these results strongly suggest that EGFL7 promotes metastasis by activating EMT through an EGFR−AKT−Snail signaling pathway. Disruption of EGFL7−EGFR−AKT−Snail signaling may a promising therapeutic strategy for gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: As a proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-17 (IL-17) contributes to the inflammation of many autoimmune diseases. We examined IL-17 levels in serum and tissues from patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (HBV), and especially evaluated the role of IL-17 in the pathogenesis and progression of liver fibrosis. Materials and methods: Whole venous blood was obtained from four patient groups: chronic hepatitis B (CHB, n = 47), liver cirrhosis (LC, n = 49), primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC, n = 44), chronic liver failure (CLF, n = 33), and a normal control group (n = 20). HBsAg was positive in all patients. Liver biopsy samples were acquired from asymptomatic HBsAg carriers (ASC, n = 35), CHB (n = 57), and LC (n = 31) patients. We performed ELISA to measure IL-17 levels in serum samples, and used reverse RT-PCR to measure IL-17 mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). IL-17 protein expression was detected in liver biopsy tissues by immunohistochemistry. Results: Compared to normal controls, serum IL-17 protein and mRNA levels were significantly higher in the four infection groups. LC patients exhibited the highest serum IL-17 and PBMC mRNA levels. No significant differences were found between the other three groups. High levels of IL-17 were also observed in tissues from CHB and LC patients, compared to ASC. IL-17 expression was mainly located in the portal area and was positively correlated with inflammation grade and fibrosis stage. Conclusions: IL-17 expression was found to be increased with increasing degrees of liver fibrosis. This suggests that IL-17 may not only induce the inflammation, but also contribute to disease progression and chronicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unambiguous and rapid sarcosaphagous insect species identification is an essential requirement for forensic investigations. Although some insect species are difficult to classify morphologically, they can be effectively identified using molecular methods based on similarity with abundant authenticated reference DNA sequences in local databases. However, local databases are still relatively incomplete in China because of the large land area with distinct regional conditions. In this study, 75 forensically important blow flies were collected from 23 locations in 16 Chinese provinces, and a 278-bp segment of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene of all specimens was successfully sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequenced segments showed that all Calliphorid specimens were properly assigned into nine species with relatively strong supporting values, thus indicating that the 278-bp cytochrome oxidase subunit one region is suitable for identification of Calliphorid species. The clear difference between intraspecific threshold and interspecific divergence confirmed the potential of this region for Calliphorid species identification, especially for distinguishing between morphologically similar species. Intraspecific geographic variations were observed in Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826) and Lucilia caesar (Linnaeus, 1758). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

4mC is a type of DNA alteration that has the ability to synchronize multiple biological movements, for example, DNA replication, gene expressions, and transcriptional regulations. Accurate prediction of 4mC sites can provide exact information to their hereditary functions. The purpose of this study was to establish a robust deep learning model to recognize 4mC sites in Geobacter pickeringii. In the anticipated model, two kinds of feature descriptors, namely, binary and k-mer composition were used to encode the DNA sequences of Geobacter pickeringii. The obtained features from their fusion were optimized by using correlation and gradient-boosting decision tree (GBDT)-based algorithm with incremental feature selection (IFS) method. Then, these optimized features were inserted into 1D convolutional neural network (CNN) to classify 4mC sites from non-4mC sites in Geobacter pickeringii. The performance of the anticipated model on independent data exhibited an accuracy of 0.868, which was 4.2% higher than the existing model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrocephalic (n = 19) and normal (n = 20) children in two age groups (averaged at 10 and 14 years old) were asked to learn 5 predetermined timing rhythm interval tasks (including timing duration and relative timing pattern) by pressing keys on a computer keyboard. In the acquisition phase, visual and auditory goal timing intervals, as well as visualized feedback were presented to all participants before and after their key presses, respectively. A retention test without the auditory information and visualized feedback was administered 1 day later. By using the computerized timing test, we demonstrated in this study that the hydrocephalic group had significantly (ANOVA analysis) increased relative timing errors; this function depends on the formation of an internal model or a motor program related to long-term memory disorders. These findings could lead to the formulation of training procedures with simplified movements that may help hydrocephalic children improve their motor skill learning.Copyright © 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the effects of modeled auditory information on a sequential timing task. Enhancement of relative or absolute timing; Extent to which the reduced frequency presentation of the model enhanced retention; Factors contributing to decrements of performance.

Examines a generalized motor program and parameter learning. Analysis of the results of bandwidth knowledge of results about relative timing in constant and variable practice; Timing requirements for constant and variable practice; Refinement of parameter learning.

As a voluntary motor skill, balance is significantly affected by cognitive factors and mental status. Recently, research demonstrated that there were significant attentional requirements for postural control (Woollacott & Shumway-Cook, 2002) and that increased anxiety would cause an increase of instability (Ohno, Wada, Saitoh, Sunaga, & Nagai, 2004). The previous studies manipulated mental status e.g., anxiety) before experiments, and balance was assessed at a relatively static form. In the present experiment, we take it a step further by looking at the relationship between different levels of stress and the concurrent acquisition of balance. Participants (n = 30), placed in either a low-, medium-, or high-stress group, were asked to stand on a balance board and face a 19" monitor located 6' directly in front of them. To assess the balance performance, a Biopac MP100 system was used to record the board movements at an acquisition rate of 50 Hz for angular displacement. The primary task is to keep the balance board parallel with the floor for 30 s on each of the 12 practice trials. The secondary task is to focus on the Chinese characters paired with their English equivalents that the subjects, based on which group they are in, will be required to remember. A three-trial retention test on the primary task was conducted 2 days after the initial acquisition practice. The results showed that all the groups increased their balance performance with practice, F(11, 297) = 26.39, p < .01, during the acquisition; and the medium-stress group had the lowest RMS error compared with the low- and high-stress groups, F(2, 27) = 3.65, p < .5. These findings suggest that a moderate level of stress will enhance balance performance, whereas a low to none and a high level of stress will compromise one's performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]