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Active debris removal (ADR) technology is an effective approach to remediate the proliferation of space debris, which seriously threatens the operational safety of orbital spacecraft. This study aims to design a controller for a dual-arm space robot to capture tumbling debris, including capture control and detumbling control. Typical space debris is considered as a non-cooperative target, which has no specific capture points and unknown dynamic parameters. Compliant clamping control and the adaptive backstepping-based prescribed trajectory tracking control (PTTC) method are proposed in this paper. First, the differential geometry theory is utilized to establish the constraint equations, the dynamic model of the chaser-target system is obtained by applying the Hamilton variational principle, and the compliance clamping controller is further designed to capture the non-cooperative target without contact force feedback. Next, in the post-capture phase, an adaptive backstepping-based PTTC is proposed to detumble the combined spacecraft in the presence of model uncertainties. Finally, numerical simulations are carried out to validate the feasibility of the proposed capture and detumbling control method. Simulation results indicate that the target detumbling achieved by the PTTC method can reduce propellant consumption by up to 24.11%.

Background Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the most common endocrine disrupting chemical used as a plasticizer. DEHP is associated with the development of endometrium-related diseases through the induction of inflammation. The major therapeutic approaches against endometrial cancer and endometriosis involve the suppression of inflammatory response. Korean red ginseng (KRG) is a natural product with anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of KRG on DEHP-induced inflammatory response in endometrial cancer Ishikawa cells and a mouse model of endometriosis. Methods RNA-sequencing was performed and analyzed on DEHP-treated Ishikawa cells in the presence and absence of KRG. The effects of KRG on DEHP-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA levels in Ishikawa cells were determined by RT-qPCR. Furthermore, the effects of KRG on the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) pathway, COX-2, and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 after DEHP treatment of Ishikawa cells were evaluated by western blotting. In the mouse model, the severity of endometriosis induced by DEHP and changes in immunohistochemistry were used to assess the protective effect of KRG. Results According to the RNA-sequencing data, DEHP-induced inflammatory response-related gene expression was downregulated by KRG. Moreover, KRG significantly inhibited DEHP-induced ERK1/2/NF-κB/COX-2 levels in Ishikawa cells. In the mouse model, KRG administration significantly inhibited ectopic endometriosis growth after DEHP-induced endometriosis. Conclusions Overall, these results suggest that KRG may be a promising lead for the treatment of endometrial cancer and endometriosis via suppression of the inflammatory response.

On-skin stretchable electronic devices that can acquire electrophysiological signals for controllable human-machine interactions are of considerable importance in wearable robotics applications. The straightforward, large-area fabrication of structurally stretchable electronic sensors processed by ultrafast laser ablation techniques provides great insights into low-cost wearable stretchable sensors. In this study, a patch-based large-area frame-type stretchable sensor array system that covers a large portion (~20 cm wide) of the human armprocessed by a simple, ultrafast ( 100%)allows the sensor to conformally attach to the skin for long-term usage. The patch-based sensor exhibited robust electromechanical properties under significant mechanical loadings for 10 000 cycles, a promising characteristic for product commercialization. Moreover, the results suggest that the proposed method is suitable for the fabrication of diverse materials for stretchable electronic applications. We verified the application of electromyography (EMG) signals with human motion determination to control the movements of the robotic hand.

Due to the huge gap between the high dynamic range of natural scenes and the limited (low) range of consumer-grade cameras, a single-shot image can hardly record all the information of a scene. Multi-exposure image fusion (MEF) has been an effective way to solve this problem by integrating multiple shots with different exposures, which is in nature an enhancement problem. During fusion, two perceptual factors including the informativeness and the visual realism should be concerned simultaneously. To achieve the goal, this paper presents a deep perceptual enhancement network for MEF, termed as DPE-MEF. Specifically, the proposed DPE-MEF contains two modules, one of which responds to gather content details from inputs while the other takes care of color mapping/correction for final results. Both extensive experimental results and ablation studies are conducted to show the efficacy of our design, and demonstrate its superiority over other state-of-the-art alternatives both quantitatively and qualitatively. We also verify the flexibility of the proposed strategy on improving the exposure quality of single images. Moreover, our DPE-MEF can fuse 720p images in more than 60 pairs per second on an Nvidia 2080Ti GPU, making it attractive for practical use. Our code is available at https://github.com/dongdong4fei/DPE-MEF .

Objectives: To accurately differentiate clumpy artifacts from tophi with foot and ankle DECT. Methods and materials: In session 1, 108 clumpy artifacts from 35 patients and 130 tophi images from 25 patients were analyzed. Reviewers classified green pixelation according to anatomic location, shape (linear, stippled, angular, oval), and height and width ratio. In session 2, green pixelation confined to the tendon was evaluated (shape, height and width ratio, occupied area in the tendon, accompanied peritendinous green pixelation). Results: In session 1, while tophi were noted at various locations, almost all clumpy artifacts were located at the tendon (99%, p < 0.0001). Most clumpy artifacts were linear, stippled, and wide, while most tophi were angular and oval (p < 0.05). In session 2, the shape of green pixelation from clumpy artifacts and tophi was significantly different (p < 0.0001) and most clumpy artifacts occupied less than 50% of the tendon (p = 0.02), and most tophi were accompanied by peritendinous green pixelation (p < 0.0001). Univariant logistic regression showed that tophi were significantly correlated with peritendinous deposits, angular and oval shape, and more than 50% of the tendon (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Clumpy artifacts can be differentiated from tophi in DECT. Clumpy artifacts typically are located in the tendon with a linear or stippled shape, wide, and less than 50% of a tendon’s cross-section. Tophi, on the other hand, typically are oval, larger than 50% of the tendon’s cross-section, and associated with adjacent peritendinous green pixelation. Advances in knowledge: Clumpy artifacts can be differentiated from tophi in image findings by their location and shape.

Few studies have evaluated the short-term association between hospital admissions and individual exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM2.5). Particularly, no studies focused on hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at individual level. We assessed the short-term effects of PM2.5 on hospitalization admissions for COPD in Guangzhou, China, during 2014–2015, based on satellite-derived estimates of ambient PM2.5 concentrations at 1-km resolution near the residential address as individual-level exposure for each patient. 40,002 patients with COPD admitted to 110 hospitals were included in this study. A time-stratified case-crossover design with conditional logistic regression models was applied to assess the effects of PM2.5 based on 1-km grid data of aerosol optical depth provided by National Aeronautics and Space Administration on hospital admissions for COPD. Further, we performed stratified analyses by individual demographic characteristics and season of hospital admission. 10 µg/m3 increase in individual-level PM2.5 was associated with an increase of 1.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.6%, 2.7%) in hospitalization for COPD at lag of 0–5 days. The impact of PM2.5 on hospitalization for COPD was greater significantly in male and patients admitted in summer and accordingly the impacts may be exacerbated in the context of global warming. Our study strengthened the evidence for the adverse effect of PM2.5 based on satellite-based individual-level exposure data.

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease resulting from subgingival microorganisms. Human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) can be applied in periodontal tissue regeneration. This study investigated the effect of hPDLSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) on periodontitis. hPDLSC-derived EVs were isolated and identified. The murine model of periodontitis was established by ligation, and the cell model of periodontitis was established by treatment of macrophages with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The effects of EVs on macrophage pyroptosis and periodontal inflammatory injury were measured by the means of HE staining, detection of LDH content, CCK-8 assay, Calcein-AM/PI staining, ELISA, Western blot, as well as measurement of caspase-1, SOD, and MDA. miR-590-3p expression was detected using RT-qPCR. miR-590-3p expression was then intervened to validate the effect of miR-590-3p on macrophage pyroptosis. The binding relationship between miR-590-3p and TLR4 was verified using dual-luciferase assay. Functional rescue experiment was performed to validate the role of TLR4 in macrophage pyroptosis. The results showed that inflammatory levels and macrophage pyroptosis were enhanced in the in vivo and in vitro models of periodontitis, evidenced by the increased NLRP3, GSDMD-N, caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, and MDA and decreased IL-10 and SOD. EVs alleviated periodontal inflammatory injury and macrophage pyroptosis. Physiologically, EVs carried miR-590-3p into macrophages to upregulate miR-590-3p expression and thereby suppress TLR4 transcription. miR-590-3p silencing or TLR4 overexpression reduced the inhibitory effect of EVs on macrophage pyroptosis. Collectively, EVs carried miR-590-3p into macrophages to subsequently inhibit TLR4 transcription, thereby reducing macrophage pyroptosis and alleviating periodontal inflammatory injury.

Background The incidence of bladder cancer (BCa) in male is approximately three to four times higher than in female, but the oncological outcomes in female patients with BCa are significantly worse than in male patients. Although many biomarkers have been identified in recent decades to predict the prognosis of BCa patients, few of them are able to distinguish the prognosis of BCa patients with gender difference. Aromatase encoded by the CYP19A1 gene catalyzes the conversion of androgens to estrogens. In this study, we investigate the prognosis significance of CYP19A1 expression considering the gender difference in BCa patients from four available public databases. Methods Four available public databases of BCa, including GSE13507, TCGA-BLCA, E-MTAB-4321, and E-MTAB-1803, were utilized in this analysis. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in different stages and genders were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier analysis based on the optimal cut-off values of CYP19A1 expression. Then, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were further performed to explore the potential biologic pathways by altering CYP19A1 expression in BCa patients. Results The results showed that patients with high CYP19A1 expression had a poorer outcome compared with those with low expression in both BCa cohorts in general. Higher CYP19A1 expression in male patients were significantly associated with shorter survival for either non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) or muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). However, female NMIBC patients with high CYP19A1 expression were identified to have a better prognosis, whereas high CYP19A1 expression in female MIBC patients were significantly associated with poorer survival. The result of the GSEA showed that different outcomes in female and male patients with NMIBC were related to the interaction of CYP19A1 and the cell-cycle-related pathways. Conclusions These findings demonstrated that CYP19A1 expression might have a potential role in distinguishing the prognosis of female BCa patients dependent on tumor stage. Our results provide new insights for aromatase-mediated BCa therapy.

A substantial proportion of prostatic adenocarcinoma (PRAD) patients experience biochemical failure (BCF) after radical prostatectomy (RP). The immune microenvironment plays a vital role in carcinogenesis and the development of PRAD. This study aimed to identify a novel immune‐related gene (IRG)‐based signature for risk stratification and prognosis of BCF in PRAD. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis was carried out to identify a BCF‐related module in a discovery cohort of patients who underwent RP at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The median follow‐up time was 70.32 months. Random forest and multivariate stepwise Cox regression analyses were used to identify an IRG‐based signature from the specific module. Risk plot analyses, Kaplan‐Meier curves, receiver operating characteristic curves, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, stratified analysis, and Harrell’s concordance index were used to assess the prognostic value and predictive accuracy of the IRG‐based signature in the internal discovery cohort; The Cancer Genome Atlas database was used as a validation cohort. Tumor immune estimation resource database analysis and CIBERSORT algorithm were used to assess the immunophenotype of PRAD. A novel IRG‐based signature was identified from the specific module. Five IRGs (BUB1B, NDN, NID1, COL4A6, and FLRT2) were verified as components of the risk signature. The IRG‐based signature showed good prognostic value and predictive accuracy in both the discovery and validation cohorts. Infiltrations of various immune cells were significantly different between low‐risk and high‐risk groups in PRAD. We identified a novel IRG‐based signature that could function as an index for assessing tumor immune status and risk stratification in PRAD., This study aimed to identify a novel immune‐related gene (IRG)‐based signature for risk stratification and prognosis of biochemical failure in prostatic adenocarcinoma (PRAD). We identified an IRG‐based signature using weighted gene coexpression network analysis and random forest and multivariable stepwise Cox regression analyses and assessed the prognostic value and predictive accuracy of the IRG‐based signature in both internal and external cohorts. This novel IRG‐based signature could function as an index for assessing tumor immune status and risk stratification in PRAD. In addition, we analyzed the immune microenvironment of PRAD and identified immune cell changes associated with high‐risk PRAD.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common heart rhythm disorder that elevates stroke risk. Stroke survivors undergo routine heart rhythm monitoring for AF. Smartwatches are capable of AF detection and potentially can replace traditional cardiac monitoring in stroke patients. Objective The goal of Pulsewatch is to assess the accuracy, usability, and adherence of a smartwatch-based AF detection system in stroke patients. Methods The study will consist of two parts. Part I will have 6 focus groups with stroke patients, caretakers, and physicians, and a Hack-a-thon, to inform development of the Pulsewatch system. Part II is a randomized clinical trial with 2 phases designed to assess the accuracy and usability in the first phase (14 days) and adherence in the second phase (30 days). Participants will be randomized in a 3:1 ratio (intervention to control) for the first phase, and both arms will receive gold-standard electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring. The intervention group additionally will receive a smartphone/smartwatch dyad with the Pulsewatch applications. Upon completion of 14 days, participants will be re-randomized in a 1:1 ratio. The intervention group will receive the Pulsewatch system and a handheld ECG device, while the control group will be passively monitored. Participants will complete questionnaires at enrollment and at 14- and 44-day follow-up visits to assess various psychosocial measures and health behaviors. Results Part I was completed in August 2019. Enrollment for Part II began September 2019, with expected completion by the end of 2021. Conclusion Pulsewatch aims to demonstrate that a smartwatch can be accurate for real-time AF detection, and that older stroke patients will find the system usable and will adhere to monitoring.

To observe the therapeutic effect of mild moxibustion on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) visceral hyperalgesia model rats and its regulatory effect on P2X3 receptors in the spinal cord, anterior cingutate cortex (ACC) and thalamic ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL). Thirty 8-day-old newborn rats were randomly divided into a normal group (n=6) and a modeling group (n=24) according to the completely random number table method. Rats in the normal group were bred routinely, and those in the modeling group were subjected to preparing IBS chronic visceral hyperalgesia model using colorectal distention (CRD) in stimulation method. Rats successfully modelled were re-divided into a model group, a mild moxibustion group, a P2X3 receptor antagonist group, and a normal saline group according to the completely random number table method with 6 rats in each group. Rats in each group received corresponding interventions from the 37-day old, once a day for 7 consecutive days. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot assays were used to detect P2X3 protein expressions in the spinal cord, ACC and VPL of rats. Under different intensities of CRD stimulation, the abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scores of the model group were significantly increased versus the normal group (all P

Objective To examine the treatment effects of repositioning maneuvers with the head turned 45° downwards (Gufoni maneuver) and 45° upwards (Appiani maneuver) in 25 patients with ageotropic horizontal semicircular canal (HSCC) benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). Methods Patients were randomly assigned to the Gufoni or Appiani maneuvers, and their immediate and short‐term efficacy was investigated. Results The immediate treatment response was successful in four of 16 patients who were treated with the Appiani maneuver and were not successful in any of the nine patients treated with the Gufoni maneuver. The patients who showed spontaneous resolution during follow‐up outnumbered the patients who showed resolution of ageotropic HSCC BPPV immediately after the repositioning maneuvers. Conclusion This study showed a very low immediate resolution rate of ageotropic HSCC BPPV after the Gufoni maneuver; this may be attributed to the less effectiveness of the Gufoni maneuver against debris that often exists in the canal side of the cupula. Another interesting finding was that the rate of spontaneous resolution during the follow‐up period was higher than that of immediate resolution after the repositioning maneuvers, which may support the recently proposed hypothesis that ageotropic positional nystagmus can also be evoked by causes other than the otolithic attachment on the cupula, such as a slight change in the biochemical composition of the inner ear fluids. Level of Evidence 3.

Aims The morbidity and mortality rates of calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) remain high while treatment options are limited. Here, we evaluated the role and therapeutic value of dual-specificity phosphatase 26 (DUSP26) in CAVD. Methods and results Microarray profiling of human calcific aortic valves and normal controls demonstrated that DUSP26 was significantly up-regulated in calcific aortic valves. ApoE−/− mice fed a normal diet or a high cholesterol diet (HCD) were infected with adeno-associated virus serotype 2 carrying DUSP26 short-hairpin RNA to examine the effects of DUSP26 silencing on aortic valve calcification. DUSP26 silencing ameliorated aortic valve calcification in HCD-treated ApoE−/− mice, as evidenced by reduced thickness and calcium deposition in the aortic valve leaflets, improved echocardiographic parameters (decreased peak transvalvular jet velocity and mean transvalvular pressure gradient, as well as increased aortic valve area), and decreased levels of osteogenic markers (Runx2, osterix, and osteocalcin) in the aortic valves. These results were confirmed in osteogenic medium-induced human valvular interstitial cells. Immunoprecipitation, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and functional assays revealed that dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) interacted with DUSP26 to mediate the procalcific effects of DUSP26. High N6-methyladenosine levels up-regulated DUSP26 in CAVD; in turn, DUSP26 activated DPP4 by antagonizing mouse double minute 2-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of DPP4, thereby promoting CAVD progression. Conclusion DUSP26 promotes aortic valve calcification by inhibiting DPP4 degradation. Our findings identify a previously unrecognized mechanism of DPP4 up-regulation in CAVD, suggesting that DUSP26 silencing or inhibition is a viable therapeutic strategy to impede CAVD progression.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is one of the many complications of diabetes. DCM leads to cardiac insufficiency and myocardial remodeling and is the main cause of death in diabetic patients. Abnormal lipid metabolism plays an important role in the occurrence and development of DCM. Huangqi Shengmai Yin (HSY) has previously been shown to alleviate signs of heart disease. Here, we investigated whether HSY could improve cardiomyopathy caused by type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and improve abnormal lipid metabolism in the diabetic heart. Streptozotocin (STZ) was used to establish the T1DM mouse model, and T1DM mice were subsequently treated with HSY for eight weeks. The changes in the cardiac conduction system, histopathology, blood myocardial injury indices, and lipid content and expression of proteins related to lipid metabolism were evaluated. Our results showed that HSY could improve electrocardiogram; decrease the serum levels of CK-MB, LDH, and BNP; alleviate histopathological changes in cardiac tissue; and decrease myocardial lipid content in T1DM mice. These results indicate that HSY has a protective effect against T1DM-induced myocardial injury in mice and that this effect may be related to the improvement in myocardial lipid metabolism.

We investigated the incidence of tympanic membrane (TM) perforations induced after intratympanic steroid injection (ITSI) in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) through a systematic review and meta-analysis.PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE.Primary database searches were performed, and 1901 records were identified. After removal of 1802 articles through abstract screening, the remaining 99 full-text journals were assessed for eligibility to be included in the study. Fifty-eight studies that used either ventilation tubing (VT) or tympanocentesis (TC) for ITSI were selected for analysis. The subjects were divided into VT and TC groups. The rate of TM perforation after ITSI in 2 groups, sites of ITSI, needle gauge, and influence on residual hearing were investigated.The cohorts comprised patients who underwent VT (n = 257, 9.6%) and TC (n = 2415, 90.4%). The proportion of TM perforation after ITSI in each group was 0.073 (95% CI, 0.0469-0.1113) and 0.010 (95% CI, 0.0045-0.0215), respectively, which suggested that the VT group showed a significantly higher TM perforation rate than the TC group (ITSI via VT may have a significantly higher risk of TM perforation than ITSI via TC, although those are relatively small overall. ITSI should be performed in the direction to minimize possible adverse effects.

In this paper, we consider three ground-aircraft communication issues, namely, ground-centric connectivity, aircraft-centric connectivity, and link capacity analysis. Particularly, we propose the continuous connection probability over at least $\tau $ seconds, termed as $\tau $ -connectivity, for the ground-centric link and aircraft-centric link respectively, which are derived in the expression of several key parameters such as the aircraft/ground station density, the aircraft velocity, and the connectable elevation angle threshold. Theoretical tradeoff between ergodic outage capacity and the number of connected aircraft is analyzed for low and high transmit power regimes. The hypotheses in the ground-centric $\tau $ -connectivity model are tested, and we observe a good match between the theoretic probability and the real world data-based probability although some real world aircraft statistic characters do not match the ideal assumption perfectly. Next, the aircraft-centric $\tau $ -connectivity is analyzed theoretically. Approximate yet practically accurate closed form aircraft-centric connection probabilities are derived and verified with Monte Carlo simulations. Furthermore, considering atmospheric gas and cloud attenuation, we compare the link budget and capacity between the ground-centric ground-to-aircraft link and the ground-to-satellite link under the $\tau $ -connectivity and demonstrate the advantage of ground-aircraft communication.

The life preservers aboard airplanes play a critical role in ensuring occupant safety in water-related accidents. However, several airlines off-load life preservers to save fuel and costs. In this study, a cost–benefit analysis was performed considering the Life Quality Index to examine the necessity of life preservers aboard aircraft. It was noted that the placement of life preservers aboard airplanes was reasonable and beneficial in the recent 15 years. Although life preservers are primarily required for extended overwater (EOW) operations, the distance from the shoreline for most of the water-related accidents was considerably smaller than that of an EOW operation, and most water-related accidents occurred close to an airport. In other words, air passengers were at risk of water-related accidents, regardless of whether the flight was classified as an EOW flight. Thus, life preservers must be made available for all the occupants on all passenger flights, regardless of the flight path.

When a robot is teleoperated, its operator control is based on transmitted images. Network limitations and/or a remote distance usually cause delays or interruptions of the image transmission, which is one of the reasons for the instability of teleoperation systems. In this article, we propose a high-update-rate image generation method using past low update image and current grip position and electrical motor current of gripper received by sensors during teleoperation via a conditional generative adversarial network. The main challenge is that such a network can generate current high-update-rate images from past low-update-rate one, the current high-update-rate grip force, and the grip angle. We equipped a robot gripper with a camera and a grip force sensor and collected a large data set of robot vision, grip force, and grip angle sequences; objects with deformation, including irregular deformation, and rigid objects were tested in the experiment to verify the possibility of high-update-rate image generation under various grip conditions. We found that the proposed network allows the generation of current images with high update rate.

PURPOSE To introduce the experience of comprehensive 3-dimensional epicanthoplsty with upper blepharoplasty in Asian patients. METHODS The patients who underwent comprehensive 3-dimensional epicanthoplsty with upper blepharoplasty at the Shanghai Ninth People's hospital from January 2018 to January 2019 were included in our study. The interepicanthal distance was evaluated preoperatively and 6 months after the surgery, scar visibility and patient's satisfaction were documented 6 months after the surgery. RESULTS A total of 72 patients (144 eyelids) were included in this study with ages ranging from 18 to 37 years (mean, 23.83 ± 4.64 years) and follow-up duration ranging from 6 to 12 months (mean, 7.82 ± 1.92 months). All patients were female and achieved esthetically favorable results without serious complications. No patients required revision surgery showing high patient satisfaction (score, 4.4). The preoperative mean interepicanthal distance was 33.13 ± 2.25 mm and decreased to 29.28 ± 2.26 mm postoperatively showing statistical significance (P < 0.001). Twenty-nine (40.3%) patients had no visible scarring, and 42 (58.3%) patients had minimal scarring, which was accepted by the patients. CONCLUSIONS The comprehensive 3-dimensional epicanthoplasty with upper blepharoplasty is a surgical technique that is easy to perform, reliable, and effective in treatment of all types of epicanthal folds except type 4 with increase intercanthal distance, less visible scar, and high patient satisfaction in Asian patients.

Although American men of European ancestry represent the largest population of patients with prostate cancer, men of African ancestry are disproportionately affected by prostate cancer, with higher prevalence and worse outcomes. These racial disparities in prostate cancer are due to multiple factors, but variations in genomic susceptibility such as SNP may play an important role in determining cancer aggressiveness and treatment outcome. Using public databases, we have identified a prostate cancer susceptibility SNP at an intronic enhancer of the neural precursor expressed, developmentally downregulated 9 (NEDD9) gene, which is strongly associated with increased risk of patients with African ancestry. This genetic variation increased expression of NEDD9 by modulating the chromatin binding of certain transcription factors, including ERG and NANOG. Moreover, NEDD9 displayed oncogenic activity in prostate cancer cells, promoting prostate cancer tumor growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Together, our study provides novel insights into the genetic mechanisms driving prostate cancer racial disparities. Significance: A prostate cancer susceptibility genetic variation in NEDD9, which is strongly associated with the increased risk of patients with African ancestry, increases NEDD9 expression and promotes initiation and progression of prostate cancer. See related commentary by Mavura and Huang, p. 3764

Aim. The protection against ischemia/reperfusion injury mediated by remote limb ischemic postconditioning (RIPC) shows great clinical value in ischemic stroke therapy, but the particular mechanism of RIPC remains unclear. Methods. We carried out middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) surgery on C57BL/6 male mice. RIPC was generated by 10-minute occlusion followed by the same period of reperfusion of the bilateral hind limb femoral artery and repeated for 3 cycles. Infarct size and neurological score were performed to assess stroke outcomes. Ly6Chi monocytes were quantified in the blood and brain by flow cytometry. Real-time PCR, ELISA, and immunofluorescence were utilized to detect phenotype of proinflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2 microglia/macrophage. Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) levels were detected using Western blot. Results. At 24 and 72 h after MCAO, RIPC drastically attenuated infarct size and ameliorated the neurological deficits of mice and facilitated transmigration of Ly6Chi monocytes to the brain postischemia reperfusion. Furthermore, RIPC contributed to increased M2 and reduced M1 microglia/macrophage through inhibiting NF-κB and promoting PPARγ activation. Conclusion. Our results reveal pharmacological effect of RIPC in promoting microglia/macrophage transferring from M1 to M2 phenotype after MCAO/R in mice, which provides theoretical support for the therapeutic effect of RIPC in ischemic stroke.

There have been no reports regarding nystagmus observed immediately after the end of an acute vertiginous attack in patients with Meniere’s disease. The aim of this study was to demonstrate positional direction-changing nystagmus in patients with Meniere’s disease, and to discuss the mechanism that underlies this nystagmus. Video-nystagmography was recorded in two patients with definite Meniere’s disease, who showed positional direction-changing nystagmus during the period immediately after a vertigo attack. In one patient, video-nystagmographic recording was conducted 5 h after an episode of vertigo attack, and it showed very weak, persistent positional geotropic direction-changing nystagmus. In the other patient, video-nystagmographic recording was conducted 23 h after an episode of vertigo attack, and it showed very weak, persistent positional apogeotropic direction-changing nystagmus. Our patients exhibited very weak, persistent positional direction-changing nystagmus, which was geotropic in one and apogeotropic in the other. This type of positional nystagmus has been reported in other inner ear disorders and it cannot be clearly explained by typical benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The change in chemical composition and/or electrolyte concentration of the inner ear fluid, although still unclear, may underlie the production of this characteristic nystagmus in these patients.

Synthesis of high-quality graphene on insulating/semiconducting substrate is important in the development of future graphene-based electronic device technology. In this paper, an approach of ion implantation followed by annealing in a graphite enclosure was used to directly produce high-quality patterned graphene on 6H–SiC. Specifically, 5 keV argon ions were implanted in single-crystal 6H–SiC followed by thermal annealing in a graphite enclosure to synthesize graphene using the graphite enclosure as a carbon source. After annealing, carbon atoms, coming from graphite enclosure and SiC itself, migrate to the substrate surface and self-assemble into graphene. In contrast with present graphene production techniques, our approach requires a significantly lower temperature of ∼1100 °C and avoids the use of a large amount of gases, hydrogen etching and transfer process. Moreover, in this approach, patterned graphene can be synthesized by precisely controlling the growth site. To understand the growth mechanism, a brief model based on the influence of ion implantation, heat preservation time and graphite enclosure was established. Our work has established a convenient and economical approach of graphene production and expects to spark more interest in graphene-based electronic devices.

Background Accurate preoperative planning is an important step for accurate reconstruction in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Presently, preoperative planning is completed using either a two-dimensional (2D) template or three-dimensional (3D) mimics software. With the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, AI HIP, a planning software based on AI technology, can quickly and automatically identify acetabular and femur morphology, and automatically match the optimal prosthesis size. However, the accuracy and feasibility of its clinical application still needs to be further verified. The purposes of this study were to investigate the accuracy and time efficiency of AI HIP in preoperative planning for primary THA, compared with 3D mimics software and 2D digital template, and further analyze the factors that influence the accuracy of AI HIP. Methods A prospective study was conducted on 53 consecutive patients (59 hips) undergoing primary THA with cementless prostheses in our department. All preoperative planning was completed using AI HIP as well as 3D mimics and 2D digital template. The predicted component size and the actual implantation results were compared to determine the accuracy. The templating time was compared to determine the efficiency. Furthermore, the potential factors influencing the accuracy of AI HIP were analyzed including sex, body mass index (BMI), and hip dysplasia. Results The accuracy of predicting the size of acetabular cup and femoral stem was 74.58% and 71.19%, respectively, for AI HIP; 71.19% (P = 0.743) and 76.27% (P = 0.468), respectively, for 3D mimics; and 40.68% (P P = 0.021), respectively, for 2D digital templating. The templating time using AI HIP was 3.91 ± 0.64 min, which was equivalent to 2D digital templates (2.96 ± 0.48 min, P P P = 0.021), rather than sex and BMI, was an influential factor in the accuracy of AI HIP templating. Compared to patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), the accuracy of acetabular cup in the non-DDH group was better (P = 0.021), but the difference in the accuracy of the femoral stem between the two groups was statistically insignificant (P = 0.062). Conclusion AI HIP showed excellent reliability for component size in THA. Acetabular dysplasia may affect the accuracy of AI HIP templating.

Recently, nonvolatile systems with nonvolatile flip-flops (NVFFs) have gained prominence for their energy efficiency in energy-harvesting devices and battery-operated Internet of Things applications. They are normally-off instantly-on, and thus, can save energy effectively owing to their zero standby power consumption. An NVFF stores the computing state in nonvolatile memories (NVMs) when the power is off. A ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET) is one of the most promising NVMs owing to its high $\text{I}_{\mathrm {on}}/\text{I}_{\mathrm {off}}$ ratio and low write power. Three FeFET-based NVFFs (previous FeFET-out NVFF-1/-2 and FeFET-in NVFF) were recently proposed to improve the area, power, and speed; however, they still have their own problems. Previous FeFET-out NVFF-1 has large area overhead and previous FeFET-out NVFF-2 does not properly perform restore operation. Previous FeFET-in NVFF has a long clock-to-Q delay and high operating energy. This paper introduces two novel FeFET-based NVFFs (proposed FeFET-out and -in NVFFs). Proposed FeFET-out NVFF reduces the large area overhead of previous FeFET-out NVFF-1 and corrects the malfunction in the restore operation of previous FeFET-out NVFF-2. Proposed FeFET-in NVFF achieves a better clock-to-Q delay, operating energy, and area than the previous FeFET-in NVFF. Monte Carlo simulations based on an industry-compatible 10-nm FinFET model are performed for a comparative analysis. Proposed FeFET-out NVFF achieves 17.6% smaller area with slightly higher (6.3%) operating energy and only 0.8% slower clock-to-Q delay than previous FeFET-out NVFF-1. Proposed FeFET-in NVFF achieves 18.9% shorter clock-to-Q and 3.0% smaller operating energy with 8.7% smaller area than the previous FeFET-in NVFF.

Airborne SAR tomography (TomoSAR) 3D image reconstruction can be realized with combination of 2D imaging algorithms and compressed sensing (CS) algorithms. However, most typical CS algorithms cannot achieve a balance between algorithm efficiency and 3D reconstruction accuracy. Due to difficulties in flight path control of airborne SAR, it is hard to realize registration of SAR images with frequency-domain imaging algorithms because of time-varying baseline. To address these problems, an efficient 3D image reconstruction method for airborne TomoSAR based on back projection (BP) algorithm and improved adaptive iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm (IA-ISTA) is proposed. First, 2D images are achieved with BP algorithm on the ground plane. After registration of SAR images, 3D image reconstruction results in the elevation direction are realized with IA-ISTA. Selection criterion of IA-ISTA parameters are given in this paper. At last, final 3D image reconstruction results are achieved after geometrical transformation based on geometric relationship. Both simulated data and measured data of a P-band airborne TomoSAR system are used. 3D image reconstruction results show that the proposed method outperforms traditional methods regarding efficiency and accuracy, which proves the validity and practicality of the proposed method.

MicroRNA-24 (miR-24) is an apoptosis suppressor miRNA downregulated in cardiomyocytes after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, due to the lack of effective delivery strategies, the role of anti-apoptotic miR-24 in cardiomyocytes post-acute myocardial infarction remains unexplored. Here, we used a silica nanoparticle-based polyelectrolyte (polyethylenimine, PEI) delivery system to study the role of miR-24. These particles with good biocompatibility could be efficiently internalized into cells and release the loaded miR-24 into the cytoplasm. As a result, the overexpression of miR-24 resulted in the inhibition of the pro-apoptotic Bim, thereby inhibiting cardiomyocyte apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo experiments revealed that over-expressed miR-24 additionally significantly improves ventricular remodeling and cardiac function in Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats after coronary artery ligation. In summary, our novel delivery system serves as a therapeutic miRNA formulation for cardiovascular disease treatment.

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text., Ischemic stroke is the leading cause of globe death and permanent disability, but its therapeutic strategies are limited. Over the past decades, multiprotein complexes called inflammasomes have been shown as promising targets in ischemic stroke. Here, we examined vinpocetine (Vinp), a synthetic drug, playing a neuroprotective role against ischemic stroke in mice through regulating NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation. Middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) was applied to mimic ischemic stroke in vivo. Vinp was administrated by intraperitoneal injection with different dose (5 or 10 mg/kg) 1 hour after reperfusion. Then, neurological assessment and infarct size were performed, and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18 levels were evaluated using ELISA. The levels of NLRP3 inflammasome components and its upstream nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) were determined using real-time PCR or Western blot. The experimental results indicated that posttreatment with Vinp decreased cerebral infarct size, improved behavior recover, reduced NLRP3 inflammasome expression, and suppressed the transfer of NF-κB to nucleus and proinflammatory cytokine release in middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion mice. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Vinp alleviates ischemic stroke by regulating levels of NLRP3 inflammasome, NF-κB, and proinflammatory cytokines in vivo, offering an alternative medication for ischemic stroke associated with inflammation.

To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and accuracy of the new man-machine interactive robotic system in model experiment. The implantation of the 8 to 10 bone screws over the skull model obtained from real patient's digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM), three-dimensional spiral computed tomography (CT) scans were taken. The end of the robotic arm was replaced with standard parts (including marker ball) for cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanning. The marker ball and marker pin were segmented and marked and exported via txt format. The position of the robotic end and model was obtained through the conversion of spacious position of standard parts and the executive end was replaced eventually. The water balloon was placed inside the skull model to imitate the dura mater and the destruction was documented for the system's safety. The system accuracy was evaluated by the error between the actual drilling position and the virtual plan and selection of 14 points of the skull window of milling pathway, monitored intraoperatively via Micron Tracker system and the overall skull window overlapped percentage via Mimics. Five model experiments were successfully performed with the average registration time of 3 minutes without destruction of balloon. The error of the outer table was 0.85 ± 0.45 mm, the inner table was 0.78 ± 0.49 mm, the line segment error of milling cutter was 0.93 ± 0.50 mm and the overall skull window overlapped percentage was 97.37% ± 0.78%. The system shows safety, accuracy, and reliability which can be an optional assistant method for craniotomy in the future.

The challenges of developing a micro electromagnetic power generator are to increase the flux density from the thin permanent magnet and reduce the resistance of the micro high-winding-density coil. To overcome these challenges, we propose a novel MEMS power generator for low-frequency-vibration energy harvesting employing a 16-poles thin magnet plate and a high-aspect-ratio spiral micro array coil. Transient magnetic analysis has proved that the multi-pole magnet thin plate (8.9 × 8.9 × t0.5 mm) magnetized by laser assisted heating helps increase the output power from the generator compared with the unidirectional one. The high-aspect-ratio spiral micro array coil (width: 80 µm, thickness: 160 µm, total turns: 144) fabricated by the combination of multilayer SU-8 micro moldings, copper plating, and silver paste screen printing is beneficial for increasing coil density and reducing resistance, thus improving output power. The vibration experiment showed that in terms of no consideration of spring and guideway structure, when the magnet is directly vibrated by an actuator, the induced voltage, generated power, and power density were 1.63 mV, 0.12 µW and 1.03 µW/cm3, respectively at an excitation frequency of 10 Hz with an amplitude of 2 mm. When a 3D-printed cantilever beam was adopted as the spring and guideway structure for the resonant prototype, the counterparts were 8.48 mV, 3.34 µW and 5.22 µW/cm3, respectively at 38 Hz and 2 mm excitation (corresponding to a vibration acceleration peak of 11.6 g).

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) tomography (TomoSAR) technique can eliminate severe overlap in 2D images, and improve target recognition and 3D modeling capabilities, which has become an important trend in SAR development. In recent years, rapid progress has been made and various algorithms were proposed. The Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences produced the first airborne array TomoSAR system in China. In this paper an airborne TomoSAR experiment using this system and the overall processing flow considering the characteristics of this system are introduced. So far, most of the 3D imaging algorithms used in TomoSAR processing are conducted pixel by pixel, which ignore the structural connections among adjacent pixels. The results will be corrupted by outliers and artifacts due to noise or other uncertainties during processing. To solve this problem, the contextual information of SAR images are explored and utilized by means of the Local Gaussian Markov Random Field (LGMRF) in our 3D reconstruction method. Comparisons with traditional methods are presented to verify the effectiveness of proposed method. The overall processing methods are applied to the data acquired in this experiment and a large scale urban 3D point cloud is obtained, which verifies the ability of the entire system in 3D imaging. This paper presents both the algorithms and experimental results of airborne TomoSAR system, which will contribute in several ways to our understanding of SAR 3D imaging and provide a basis for further research.

Objective Hearing loss is a highly penetrant phenotype in NLRP3 (Nod-Like-Receptor-Pyrin containing 3) gene-related autoinflammatory disorders. A recent study revealed potential medical treatment of hearing loss with anakinra (anti-interleukin 1 receptor antagonist) in selected cases. However, for severely aggravated hearing loss not responsive to anakinra, cochlear implantation (CI) would be the last resort for hearing rehabilitation. Outcome of CI is not clearly elucidated yet in this emerging type of hearing loss related to NLRP3-related autoinflammatory disorders, which has a systemic nature and ubiquitous distribution of resident macrophages involving the spiral ganglion neuron and the cochlear nerve. Here, we report the successful outcome of CI in NLRP3-related autoinflammatory disorder. Patients Three subjects representing each type of NLRP3-related autoinflammatory disorder: chronic infantile, neurological, cutaneous, and articular syndrome; Muckle-Wells syndrome; and DFNA34, who underwent CI for auditory rehabilitation, were recruited. Interventions Phenotypes as well as genotypes were reviewed in the subjects. Main outcome measures Audiologic performances before/after CI over time were evaluated. Results All three subjects showed excellent audiological outcomes with rapid improvement of speech perception test result reaching plateau at 3 months after CI, although distribution of the disease predicted poor outcome based on theoretical analysis. Conclusions This is the first report to present outcome of CI among subjects with a confirmed NLRP3 genetic etiology and resultant systemic inflammation, and suggests that CI is a viable treatment option in this disease entity.

Target capture is a fundamental and essential task of space robots for on-orbit servicing in the future. Accordingly, it is important to study the method for space robot stabilization after impact during target capture. In this paper, the stabilization control problem of a combined spacecraft after multiple impacts during target capture is studied. A dual-integral sliding mode (DISM) control method based on the reconfiguration of the reaction wheels is proposed. The stability control of the combined spacecraft is achieved by controlling the reaction wheels of the space robot to absorb the angular momentum arising from the impact. First, given the structure of the gripper, the contact detection algorithm and contact dynamics model are established, and then multiple impacts are simulated during the target capturing operation. Second, an improved sliding mode control method is proposed to overcome the influence of multiple impacts, and the stability of the controller is confirmed by the Lyapunov method. Third, through an optimization method, the configuration of the reaction wheels of the space robot is reconstructed to avoid control torque saturation. The validity and availability are eventually verified by simulations and experiments. The results show that the proposed method can achieve the stability of the combined spacecraft after the target capture, and the algorithm is robust and has engineering applicability.

Integrated Energy System (IES) is able to collaborate various energy systems and boost energy supply efficiency. To further facilitate the energy scheduling in IES, load forecasting model of the system is required to describe the conditions continuously on a future time span. While the IES is a service model with frequent in-and-out users which are always dynamically changed, thus the dataset for some new users is always not enough sufficient to build the predicting model. Most of present researches focus on model refinement and accuracy boosting but rarely consider such data lack problem in IES. To tackle this issue, an integrated load forecasting model based on Bidirectional Generative Adversarial Networks (BiGAN) data augmentation and transfer learning techniques is proposed in this paper. Ten different types of data-driven models including the proposed model have been compared on two cases, resident and commercial users, in order to carry out the ablation and contrast experiment. Accuracy with the presented model is 2.08% and 1.50% higher than the original model averagely on resident and commercial users respectively, proving the effectiveness of the new model. And impact of sample size is analyzed and disclosed the effect patterns of the two modules. Result shows that the two modules can flexibly couple with different predictive models and boost their efficiency on both resident and commercial cases on data missing problem. And load forecasting becomes feasible for users with fewer samples or even zero samples when adopting the proposed framework.

The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is an important determinant of cancer prognosis and treatment efficacy. To identify immune-related prognostic biomarkers of lung adenocarcinoma, we used the ESTIMATE algorithm to calculate the immune and stromal scores of 517 lung adenocarcinoma patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We detected 985 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between patients with high and low immune and stromal scores, and we analyzed their functions and protein-protein interactions. TRIM28 was upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma patients with low immune and stromal scores, and was associated with a poor prognosis. The TISIDB and TIMER databases indicated that TRIM28 expression correlated negatively with immune infiltration. We then explored genes that were co-expressed with TRIM28 in TCGA, and investigated DEGs based on TRIM28 expression in GSE43580 and GSE7670. The 429 common DEGs from these analyses were functionally analyzed. We also performed a Gene Set Enrichment Analysis using TCGA data, and predicted substrates of TRIM28 using UbiBrowser. The results indicated that TRIM28 may negatively regulate the TIME by increasing the SUMOylation of IRF5 and IRF8. Correlation analyses and validations in two lung adenocarcinoma cell lines (PC9 and H1299) confirmed these findings. Thus, TRIM28 may worsen the TIME and prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells that play a critical immunosuppressive role in the tumour micro-environment. Although biological research on MDSCs has made progress, the relationship between the secretion of cytokines by MDSCs and poor prognosis is not clear, and there are no criteria to measure the functional status of MDSCs. Here, we detected the mRNA expression of IL-10, IL-12, TGF-β and TNF-α in MDSCs and the levels of these cytokines in MDSC culture supernatants of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes, and quantified the functional status of MDSCs by IL-10/IL-12 ratio and TGF-β/TNF-α ratio. We found that the ratio of IL-10/IL-12 and TGF-β/TNF-α was significantly higher in higher-risk MDS than in lower-risk MDS and normal control groups. The TGF-β/TNF-α ratio in MDSCs was positively correlated with the percentage of blast cells and was negatively correlated with the percentage of CD3+CD8+ T lymphocytes. Meanwhile, the TGF-β/TNF-α ratio was higher in patients with a lower absolute neutrophil count. It suggested that MDSCs in higher-risk MDS have a stronger immunosuppressive effect and might be related to poor prognosis. Quantifying the functional status of MDSCs with IL-10/IL-12 and TGF-β/TNF-α ratio might help to evaluate the balance of cellular immunity of MDSCs in MDS.

Objectives Gradually progressive sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a prevalent sensory defect. It is generally untreatable, making rehabilitation by hearing aid or cochlear implantation the only option. However, SNHL as one of the symptoms of the hereditary autoinflammatory systemic disease cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome, or as the only symptom of the cochlea-specific form (DFNA34), was suggested to respond to IL-1 antagonist (anakinra) therapy, which ameliorates NLRP3 variants-induced over-secretion of IL-1β. We analysed genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome or DFNA34, specifically focusing on the responsiveness of SNHL to anakinra. Methods Seventeen families diagnosed with either cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome or DFNA34 were recruited. Genotyping and phenotyping including audiogram, MRI findings, and in vitro IL-1β assay were performed. Results Our cohort had an etiologic homogeneity of 94.1% to NLRP3 variants and a high de novo occurrence (84.6%). We identified the second DNFA34 pedigree worldwide with a novel NLRP3 variant supported by in vitro analysis. Significant improvement of hearing status against the natural course, showing response to anakinra, was identified in three probands, one of whom used to have severe SNHL. Hearing threshold worse than 60 dB at the start of anakinra and cochlear enhancement on brain MRI seemed to be related with poor audiologic prognosis and responsiveness to anakinra therapy despite stabilized systemic symptoms and inflammatory markers. Conclusion We propose a constellation of biomarkers comprising NLRP3 genotypes, hearing status at diagnosis, and cochlear radiological findings as prognostic factors of hearing status after anakinra treatment and possibly as sensitive parameters for treatment dosage adjustment.

After acute ischemic stroke (AIS), peripheral monocytes infiltrate into the lesion site within 24 h, peak at 3 to 7 days, and then differentiate into macrophages. Traditionally, monocytes/macrophages (MMs) are thought to play a deleterious role in AIS. Depletion of MMs in the acute phase can alleviate brain injury induced by ischemia. However, several studies have shown that MMs have anti-inflammatory functions, participate in angiogenesis, phagocytose necrotic neurons, and promote neurovascular repair. Therefore, MMs play dual roles in ischemic stroke, depending mainly upon the MM microenvironment and the window of time post-stroke. Because activated microglia and MMs are similar in morphology and function, previous studies have often investigated them together. However, recent studies have used special methods to distinguish MMs from microglia and have found that MMs have properties which differ from microglia. Here, we review the unique role of MMs and the interaction between MMs and neurovascular units, including neurons, astrocytes, microglia, and microvessels. Future therapeutics targeting MMs should regulate the polarization and subset transformation of the MMs at different stages of AIS rather than comprehensively suppressing MM infiltration and differentiation. In addition, more studies are needed to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of MM subsets and polarization during ischemic stroke.

Background: Although the existence of proteasomes in human blood, termed circulating proteasomes (c-proteasomes), has been reported previously, their origin and pathophysiological functions remain largely unknown. Objective: Given that c-proteasome activity was significantly reduced in Alzheimer’s disease model mice and relatively high frequency of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is accompanied by chronic tinnitus in aged patients, we examined whether c-proteasome activity in human plasma was associated with cognitive function in patients with chronic tinnitus. Methods: c-Proteasome activity in the plasma of tinnitus patients (N = 55) was measured with fluorogenic reporter substrate, suc-LLVY-AMC. To assess MCI, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment was conducted with a cut-off score of 22/23. All patients underwent audiological and psychoacoustic analyses. Levels of c-proteasomes, Aβ42, and Aβ40 were measured using ELISA, and their association with c-proteasome activity was evaluated. Results: The activity of circulating proteasomes was significantly lower in patients with chronic tinnitus and MCI (p = 0.042), whereas activities of other plasma enzymes showed little correlation. In addition, c-proteasome activity was negatively associated with the level of plasma Aβ and was directly dependent on its own concentration in the plasma of patients with chronic tinnitus. Conclusion: Our current work provides a new perspective for understanding the potential relationship between circulating proteasomes in the plasma and cognitive dysfunction, suggesting a novel, non-invasive biomarker in the context of MCI diagnosis.

The WHO Regional Verification Commission certified in 2017 that Korea was the first country in the WHO Western Pacific Region to achieve rubella elimination. A suspected congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) was reported to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in August 2017. The mother of a new-born had visited Vietnam during her pregnancy. CRS was confirmed based on the detection of rubella-specific IgM and rubella RNA in the urine and throat swab. Rubella virus isolated from the throat swab was classified as genotype 2B, and a phylogenetic analysis indicated that this genotype had been imported from Vietnam. This is the first report of CRS confirmed using virus isolation in Korea. Laboratory surveillance plays a critical role in the elimination of rubella through the provision of laboratory testing data, and characterisation of circulating strains.

UV-LIGA process has manifested its potential in the fabrication of high-aspect-ratio metallic microstructures. However, how to attain the complete, fast, and non-swelling removability of the crosslinked SU-8 micromolds remains a grand challenge. To address this challenge, we propose an effective and efficient removing method utilizing CO2 laser ablation followed by O2/CF4 plasma finishing for the fabrication of metallic microstructures in UV-LIGA. As the focused CO2 laser beam with a specific wavelength ablates the non-metal polymers but does not react with the electroformed nickel, it is used as the primary step to remove most of crosslinked SU-8 without swelling in a very short time. As the finishing step, the O2/CF4 plasma is then implemented to remove the residues and keep the metallic structures clean. We quantitatively investigate the effects of laser power, laser scanning speed, and laser pass numbers on the SU-8 ablation thickness to obtain the proper removal conditions. Utilizing the UV-LIGA fabricated micromolds and the proposed removal method, we successfully fabricate the metallic microstructures with aspect ratio up to five. Also, we evaluate the performance of the proposed method by changing various shapes, grating widths, and space intervals for the grating structure. These results prove that our method is effective and efficient in removing the SU-8 micromolds in UV-LIGA for the fabrication of metallic microstructures.