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Background Along with increasing research on acupuncture for chronic pain, the validity of sham acupuncture (SA) has also been argued. Methods Nine databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from the inception dates of the databases to July 5, 2022. With Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods, a Bayesian multiple-treatment network meta-analysis (NMA) with random-effects model was conducted. Results A total of 62 RCTs with 6,806 patients and four kinds of treatments (real acupuncture [RA], non-acupuncture [NA], penetrative SA [PSA], and non-penetrative SA [NPSA]) were included. The results indicated that both NPSA and PSA were not superior to NA in improving chronic pain (NPSA: mean difference [MD]= –4.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] –11.09 to 1.52; PSA: MD= –4.96, 95% CI –10.38 to 0.48). After NPSA and PSA were combined into the SA group, the weak trend of pain relief from SA was still not statistically significant (MD= –4.91, 95% CI –9.93 to 0.05). NPSA and PSA had similar effects (MD= 0.18, 95% CI –5.45 to 5.81). RA was significantly associated with pain relief, compared with NPSA and PSA (NPSA: MD= –12.03, 95% CI –16.62 to –7.41; PSA: MD= –11.85, 95% CI –15.48 to –8.23). The results were generally consistent regardless of pain phenotype, frequency, duration, acupuncture methods, analgesic intake, or detection bias. Conclusion These results suggested that acupuncture was significantly associated with reduced chronic pain. The two kinds of placebo acupuncture, NPSA and PSA, have similar effects. Both NPSA and PSA, with a weak but not significant effect, are appropriate to be inert placebo controls in RCTs for chronic pain.

Therapeutic irradiation is commonly used to treat brain cancers but can induce cognitive dysfunction, especially in children. The mechanism is unknown but likely involves alterations in dendritic spine number and structure.To explore the impact of radiation exposure on the alteration of dendritic spine morphology in the hippocampus of young brains, 21-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats received cranial irradiation (10 Gy), and changes in spine density and morphology in dentate gyrus (DG) granules and CA1 pyramidal neurons were detected 1 and 3 months later by using Golgi staining. Moreover, we analyzed synapse-associated proteins within dendritic spines after irradiation.Our data showed that cognitive deficits were detected in young rats at both time points postirradiation, accompanied by morphological changes in dendritic spines. Our results revealed significant reductions in spine density in the DG at both 1 month (40.58%) and 3 months (28.92%) postirradiation. However, there was a decrease in spine density only at 1 month (33.29%) postirradiation in the basal dendrites of CA1 neurons and no significant changes in the apical dendrites of CA1 neurons at either time point. Notably, among our findings were the significant dynamic changes in spine morphology that persisted 3 months following cranial irradiation. Meanwhile, we found that depletion of the synapse-associated proteins PSD95 and Drebrin coincided with alterations in dendritic spines.These data suggest that the decreased levels of PSD95 and Drebrin after ionizing radiation may cause changes in synaptic plasticity by affecting the morphological structure of dendritic spines, blocking the functional connectivity pathways of the brain and leading to cognitive impairment. Although the mechanism involved is unclear, understanding how ionizing radiation affects young brain hippocampal tissue may be useful to gain new mechanistic insights into radiation-induced cognitive dysfunction.

Sepsis-induced multiple organ dysfunction and inflammatory response are life-threatening symptoms without effective treatment. Fisetin, a dietary flavonoid extracted from berries and family Fabaceae, has displayed neuroprotective and anti-oxidant activities. In this study we investigated whether fisetin exerted a protective effect against sepsis-induced multiple organ dysfunction in mouse cecum ligation and puncture (CLP) model. The mice were injected with fisetin (10 mg/kg, ip) 0.5 h prior to CLP, and sacrificed 18 h after CLP. We found that fisetin administration significantly alleviated CLP-induced lung, liver and kidney injury, as well as the expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-1β in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs), application of fisetin (3–10 μM) dose- dependently inhibited the expression levels of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Furthermore, fisetin dose-dependently inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, MK2, and transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase (TAK) 1 via attenuating the interaction between TAK1 and TAK-binding proteins (TAB) 1. These results demonstrate that fisetin is a promising agent for protecting against sepsis-induced inflammatory response and organ injury via inhibiting macrophage activation.

Objective High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is a deadly malignancy. Homeobox protein A9 ( HOXA9) is linked with serous papillary histotype differentiation, and inappropriate HOXA9 expression is a step in ovarian cancer that induces aberrant differentiation. This study aimed to reveal the significance of HOXA9 in HGSOC. Methods HOXA9 mRNA and protein expression were examined by quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The chi-square test was used to evaluate associations between HOXA9 expression and clinical characteristics. The prognostic value of HOXA9 was calculated by the Kaplan–Meier method. The Kaplan–Meier Plotter database was used to assess the prognostic value of HOXA9. Results The mRNA and protein expression of HOXA9 were significantly upregulated in chemotherapy-resistant HGSOC compared with chemotherapy-sensitive HGSOC. The chi-square test showed that high HOXA9 expression was significantly related with grade, clinical stage, and residual disease. High HOXA9 expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis. The Kaplan–Meier Plotter database further confirmed these results. Cox hazard regression showed that high HOXA9 expression was an independent prognostic factor for survival in HGSOC patients. Conclusion This study showed that HOXA9 expression was associated with chemotherapy resistance and poor outcomes in HGSOC patients. High HOXA9 expression might be a prognostic indicator for HGSOC.

Background The precise etiology of anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) infarction is difficult to identify because of the high anatomic variability of vertebrobasilar arteries and the limitations of conventional vascular examinations. Basi-parallel anatomic scanning magnetic resonance imaging (BPAS-MRI) can reveal the outer contour of the intracranial vertebrobasilar arteries, which may be helpful to distinguish the arteriosclerosis from congenital dysplasia and dissection. Case presentation In this study, we reported 3 cases of AICA infarction and discussed the diagnostic value of BPAS-MRI in the evaluation of vascular etiology. Conclusions The BPAS-MRI could be considered as an important supplementary in the diagnosis of vascular etiology of infarction in AICA territory.

A phytochemical investigation on the 75% EtOH extract of the aerial parts of Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides resulted in the isolation of three new lycodine alkaloids, 16-hydroxy-9-oxo-lycocasuarinine...

Breast cancer (BC) is the most malignant tumor in women. The molecular mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis still need to be further elucidated. It is necessary to investigate novel candidate genes involved in breast cancer progression and prognosis. In this study, we commit to explore candidate genes that associate with prognosis and therapy in BC by a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis. Four GEO datasets (GSE5764, GSE7904, GSE20711, and GSE29431) and the BC-related transcriptome data in TCGA database were downloaded and used to identify the differently expressed genes (DEGs). The function of DEGs was analyzed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways enrichment analysis. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs was constructed to identify hub genes. Prognostic candidate genes were identified through survival analysis. In addition, potential therapeutic targets were identified by constructed gene-drug interaction network through Comparative Toxicogenomics Database. A total of 547 DEGs (302 up and 245 down) were identified. Three core-subnetwork and 25 hub genes were identified in PPI network. Seven genes (namely COL12A1, QPRT, MRPL13, KRT14, KRT15, LAMB3, and MYBPC1) were identified as crucial prognostic candidate genes, which significantly associated with breast cancer overall survival. Furthermore, two representative candidate genes (COL12A1 and LAMB3) were optionally chosen for verification by reverse transcription and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). What's more, the gene-drugs interaction analysis indicates several antitumor drugs that could affect the expression of these prognostic markers, such as doxorubicin, cisplatin, and tamoxifen. These results identified seven crucial candidate genes that may serve as prognosis biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets of breast cancer, which may facilitate further understanding the molecular pathogenesis and providing potential therapeutic strategies for BC.

The in vivo determination of selenomethionine (SeMet) converted from selenium-enriched yeast (SeY) rather than the determination of in vitro hydrolyzed SeMet is a better parameter for the evaluation of SeY quality. A UPLC-MS/MS method was developed for the quantification of SeMet in rat plasma and the oral bioavailability of SeMet converted from SeY in rats. After a simple extraction with perchloric acid, SeMet and the internal standard methylselenocysteine (MSC) were separated on a C18 column with isocratic elution of water:acetonitrile:formic acid (99:1:0.1, v/v/v) and detected in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. The method was accurate (92.6-104.3%) and precise (1.8-11.0%), and the recovery was 79.4-95.4%. It was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic and bioavailability studies of SeY in rats following the intravenous administration of SeMet and intragastric administration of SeY. SeMet in vivo, converted from SeY, is reported for the first time, and the results suggested that the SeY bioavailability in rats is 87%.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common malignancy in men and in the absence of any effective treatments available. For the development of potential anticancer agents, 24 kinds of naftopidil-based arylpiperazine derivatives containing the bromophenol moiety were synthesized and characterized by using spectroscopic methods. Their pharmacological activities were evaluated against human PCa cell lines (PC-3 and LNCaP) and a1-adrenergic receptors (a1-ARs; α1a, α1b, and α1d-ARs). The structure–activity relationship of these designed arylpiperazine derivatives was rationally explored and discussed. Among these derivatives, 3c, 3d, 3h, 3k, 3o, and 3s exhibited the most potent activity against the tested cancer cells, and some derivatives with potent anticancer activities exhibited better a1-AR subtype selectivity than others did (selectivity ratio > 10). This work provided a potential lead compound for the further development of anticancer agents for PCa therapy.

To investigate the effects of β-carboxyethyl germanium sequioxide (Ge-132) and germanium dioxide (GeO2) on improving salt tolerance of evening primrose (Oenothera biennis L.), seed germination, seedling growth, antioxidase and malondialdehyde (MDA) were observed under treatments of various concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, 30 μM) of Ge in normal condition and in 50 mM NaCl solution. The results showed that both Ge-132 and GeO2 treatments significantly increased seed germination percentage and shoot length in dose-dependent concentrations but inhibited early root elongation growth. 5–30 μM Ge-132 and 10, 20 μM GeO2 treatments could significantly mitigate even eliminate harmful influence of salt, representing increased percentage of seed germination, root length, ratio between length of root and shoot, and decreased shoot length. These treatments also significantly decreased peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities and MDA content. The mechanism is likely that Ge scavenges reactive oxygen species ...

With the development of high-performance fighters, the function of pilot helmets is also constantly upgrading, and helmet-mounted display (HMD) has become a future development trend. To solve the inter-restriction between the eye position control and the pressure comfort under high overloads of pilot helmets, this paper optimizes the helmet design by building a head-helmet finite element model: (1) Under a 10 G overload, the deformation of helmet soft liner should not exceed 2 mm; and (2) The combination of liner materials used in various areas should satisfy the requirements of most comfortable head pressure distribution (Pfront: Ptop: Pside: Pback = 2:2:1:3). The study on 46 different combinations of materials finds that the helmet can meet both the eye position maintenance requirement under overloads and the requirement of comfortable pressure distribution when linear elastic materials with Young's modulus of 1000 pa, 55000 pa and 65000 pa are used for the side, top and front parts of the head, and nonlinear elastic hyperfoam material with two-fold stress variation is used for the head back area.

Zinc (Zn) highly concentrates in the brain and plays a key role in memory formation and learning processes. Zn deficiency results in cognitive impairments, memory deficits, alterations of neuropsychological behavior, and motor development. Although Zn-enriched yeast (ZnY) is widely used for dietary fortification and supplementation of Zn, the effect of ZnY on cognition still remains unclear. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of ZnY on behavior in Zn-deficient and Zn-sufficient rats. Three-week-old rats were fed low Zn diets for 145 days to establish Zn-deficient rats. ZnY was orally administered to Zn-deficient rats at three dose levels of 1, 2, and 4 mg Zn/kg/day for 55 days. Rat appearance, body weight, plasma and brain Zn, Morris water maze test, and step-through passive avoidance test were observed. Compared to Zn-sufficient rats, body weight gain, plasma zinc level, resident time, and step-through time in Zn-deficient rats were significantly lower. Zn deficiency impaired functions of learning and memory, while ZnY as a plausible therapeutic intervention alleviated the cognitive impairments caused by Zn deficiency.

Background: Despite the rapid growth in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in China, there is limited information about patients' experiences after AMI hospitalization, especially on long-term adverse events and patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Methods: The China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (PEACE)-Prospective AMI Study will enroll 4000 consecutive AMI patients from 53 diverse hospitals across China and follow them longitudinally for 12 months to document their treatment, recovery, and outcomes. Details of patients' medical history, treatment, and in-hospital outcomes are abstracted from medical charts. Comprehensive baseline interviews are being conducted to characterize patient demographics, risk factors, presentation, and healthcare utilization. As part of these interviews, validated instruments are administered to measure PROs, including quality of life, symptoms, mood, cognition, and sexual activity. Follow-up interviews, measuring PROs, medication adherence, risk factor control, and collecting hospitalization events are conducted at 1, 6, and 12 months after discharge. Supporting documents for potential outcomes are collected for adjudication by clinicians at the National Coordinating Center. Blood and urine samples are also obtained at baseline, 1- and 12-month follow-up. In addition, we are conducting a survey of participating hospitals to characterize their organizational characteristics. Conclusion: The China PEACE-Prospective AMI study will be uniquely positioned to generate new information regarding patient's experiences and outcomes after AMI in China and serve as a foundation for quality improvement activities.

In order to improve the reliability and stability of the automobile suspension system, the important parts of automobile suspension control arm is studied. Reverse engineering technology is applied to reverse modeling according to the characteristics of complicated suspension control arm shape. At the same time, the automobile suspension control arm is analyzed under load condition to ensure that the automobile suspension control arm is safe in the process of driving. The control arm meshing and strength analysis are completed by ANSYS analysis software. Finally, ANSYS fatigue analysis module is used to verify that the automobile suspension control arm can meet the requirement of fatigue strength.

In this paper, based on the requirements of standards system of distribution automation, standardized testing method and testing process of performance index of distribution automation system (DAS) is proposed according to the characteristics of implementation, and the technology of automatic test is studied. The paper also brings forward a set of feasible evaluation method and system of DAS to ensure the safe and stable running of distribution automation (DA), combining with a common information model (CIM) import and export function test based on feedback principle and a function test of feeder automation based on predefined fault model.

In order to have a real-time 3-D imaging of the attitude motion simulator model and to design a multiple views interface in the display and control software of the attitude motion simulator, Firstly, 3D Model of the attitude motion simulator model has been transformed to STL file; Secondly, the functions on the VC++6.0 platform have been written to read the STL file, and 3-D Image display from STL file has been realized by the programming technique of the triangle mesh renderingin OpenGL.Meanwhile, the real-time synchronization has been realized between the 3-D Imageand real angle of attitude motion simulator model.Finally, in order to meet the demands ofcontrol and display software, a multiview control interface in which a real-time data interchange amongthe multiple views is designed.

The concept of smart substations has been widely used in power systems. Since the variation in interfaces and communication manner, the operating& maintenance methods for smart stations have changed a lot compared with the traditional substations. In this paper , a training system based on virtual substation primary equipment combined with real secondary devices is developed for accident management and operating work in smart substations. The training system is also used to test the relay protection algorithms、Ethernet switch functions、fault recorder actions ,and so on.

Purpose The aims of this study were to present an uncommon intracranial germinoma manifesting as skull base extension and analyze its clinical characteristics to give valuable insight into such uncommon radiologic variant. Methods This is a clinical study of a 15-year-old girl with intracranial germinoma manifesting as skull base extension. Clinical characteristics, magnetic resonance imaging scan observations, pathologic findings, and flow of the treatment procedure were presented and analyzed. Results She had a 5-month history of diuresis and diplopia. magnetic resonance imaging observation displayed a neoplasm located in the right-side central skull base and suprasellar area with wide extension into the cavernous sinus, intraorbital region, ethmoidal sinus, sphenoid sinus, and pituitary fossa. After administration of contrast medium, strong and heterogeneous enhancement of the mass was observed, with a dural tail sign along the right cerebellar tentorial. Right pterional approach was performed, and intraoperative histologic examination suspected the diagnosis of germinoma; partial resection was achieved, and postoperative radiotherapy was administered. Cranial nerve palsy improved greatly 6 months postoperatively. Conclusions Although highly unusual, germinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of all masses with extension along the midline region of skull base, especially when it happens in young female patients.

To investigate the association of LIG1 with the risk of lung cancer, all subjects of unrelated ethnic Han Chinese in Liaoning Province were involved in a hospital-based case-control study. The case group consisted of 370 histologically diagnosed lung cancer patients; 314 controls were selected from cancer-free patients during Dec. 2009 to Dec. 2011. LIG1 rs1050298SNP were analyzed by TaqMan real-time PCR method. All statistical analyses were performed with Statistical Product and Service Solution sv13.0 (SPSS). The genotype distribution frequency of LIG1 rs1050298 SNP displayed significant difference between the case and the control group. Individuals carrying the LIG1 rs1050298 T genotype had higher risks of lung cancer, especially those with squamous cell carcinoma.

This paper uses a mathematical model Virtual Identity Particles, developed by the author, to simulate conjugated motion of complex particles in a fluid. Assimilated the advantages of Eulerian and Lagrangian approaches, this model treats each particle as a variable source term to the fluid and is designed for simulating numerous particles in two-phase flows. The economic formulation in this model is the salient feature. Considering both precision and computational cost, this model maintains an excellent balance between accuracy and efficiency in modeling particulate flows with complex particles. Simulation results demonstrate that this model is viable for investigating complex particulate flows, especially at a moderately high particle number density.

Based on the disadvantages and problems of current detect ways, come up the testing system which using numerical controlled oscillator (NOC), Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) and digital down-covert to intermediate frequency (IF) processing, introduce the background information, main functions, total structure and design implementation.

Reverse modeling of vehicle suspension control arm is studied. Firstly, the data of vehicle suspension control arm is acquired. Secondly, the scanning point cloud data is processed. Then 3D model of vehicle suspension control arm is reconstructed. Finally, models deviation is analyzed to find out the deficiencies and to improve the accuracy of the model. Reverse modeling based on CATIA can make up the shortage of traditional modeling method and solve the problem of gaining the data of complex curved surface parts. It also can shorten the innovation and improvement cycle of the vehicle suspension control arm and reduce the production cost and enhance enterprise competitiveness.

With the development of automobile industry, more and more people need automotive information. Meanwhile, there’s a great deal of network information which makes people gather information hard. To make people acquire the automotive information more efficiently, an Automotive News Push System is desperately needed. A distributed focused crawler is proposed for the system to assure that the information is accurate and timely. In this paper, distributed system framework and webpage classification are analyzed. Experimental results show that the frameworkare effective, the accuracy and efficiency of crawling are both improved.

This paper examined the mechanical property of rubber mortars with different amount of rubber granules addition and the influence of fly ash, slag and silica fume. The increase of rubber granules results in the decrease in compressive and flexural strength of rubber mortar, but increases the ratio of flexural to compressive strength. The fly ash, slag and silica fume are useful for improving the mechanical property of mortar. The examined contact angle of water against rubber is 99.5°, which suggests the rubber surface is hydrophobic, and the hydrophobic surface interprets the weak interface between rubber and cement matrix.

Slope stability analysis is an important content in geotechnical engineering designing. And the safety factor is still the main index to evaluate the safety status of the whole slope, but the stability of each element of rock mass can not be reflected by the whole safety factor. Some scholars introduce the concept of point safety factor (PSF) to evaluate the stability of each element in rock-soil mass. However, the present work about PSF is remaining in the field of linear model, instead of nonlinear model. But in real situation, the nonlinear failure criterions are more adaptable used to describe the characteristic of rock mass, such as nonlinear failure characteristic of rock strength, structural characteristic and the effect of the stress to the strength of rock mass. So in this paper, the PSF based on the Hoek-Brown nonlinear mechanics model is founded, followed by calculation PSF for one rock mass element stability.

This paper proposed a novel mechanism for an unmanned electric vehicle with four-wheel independent driving (4WID), independent steering (4WIS), independent suspending and independent braking. This unmanned electric vehicle adopted the technologies of driving by wire, steering by wire and braking by wire. Which improved the maneuverability of the vehicle greatly and made it achieving straight, oblique, lateral movement, zero radius turning and other movement patterns. Detailed implementation mechanism and virtual prototype of the vehicle were given in this paper. The hydraulic circuit schematic diagram and control method of the braking system were given also.

According to the failure of wind turbines in operation, the failure cause and phenomenon of wind turbines is analyzed, combined with the reliability of wind turbine subsystems, measures aiming at cooperation parts and purchased parts are proposed, the reliability of the whole wind turbines is improved in a certain extent. At the same time, condition monitoring system can carry through the early detecting and diagnosing to potential component failure maintain. Besides, automatic lubrication system can realize accurate and timeliness lubrication, also can reduce maintenance workload, preserve correct lubrication and smooth running of all parts.

Papillary meningioma is an uncommon meningioma subtype of World Health Organization grade III. It could show some radiologic profiles pointing to malignant behavior, such as a cystic change, a heterogeneous enhancement, and an ill- defined border. However, to date, the radiologic profile described in this article has not been reported in previous literatures, and it is just the characteristic being considered as the major cause for patients’ death. A 16-year-old adolescent boy with a 6-month history of headache was admitted to our department on June 28, 2012. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a giant well-defined mass in the left temporal region, with a severe flow void on T2-weighted image and an abundant stripelike enhancement on T1-weighted contrast-enhanced scan. In view of its middle cranial fossa location (one predilection site for meningioma), meningioma was suspected preoperatively. A regular left frontotemporal craniotomy was performed. Unexpectedly, extreme hemorrhage happened intraoperatively, and it was difficult to stop the bleeding. After identification of no hemorrhage in the operative cavity through intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging, the operation was finished, with an overall blood loss of 15,000 mL. The patient died of brain stem dysfunction the second day after the operation.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pulsatile flow on cerebral blood flow (CBF) in infants with the use of a mild hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Thirty infants scheduled for open heart surgery were randomized to the pulsatile group (Group P, n = 15) and nonpulsatile group (Group NP, n = 15). In Group P, pulsatile perfusion was applied during the aortic cross-clamping period, whereas nonpulsatile perfusion was used in Group NP. The systolic peak velocity (Vs), the end of diastolic velocity (Vd), the mean velocity (Vm), and the pulsatility index (PI) and the resistance index (RI) of the middle cerebral artery were measured by a transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound after anesthesia (T1; baseline), at the beginning of CPB (T2), 10 min after aortic cross-clamping (T3), 3 min after declamping (T4), at the cessation of CPB (T5), and at the end of the operation (T6). During T3 and T4, the Vs in Group P was significantly higher than in Group NP. However, there were no statistically significant differences between Vd and Vm. The PI and RI in Group P were also higher than those in Group NP (both P < 0.05). During T5, Vd and Vm were higher in Group P (P < 0.05), whereas there was no difference in Vs. Additionally, PI and RI in Group P were significantly lower than those in Group NP (P < 0.05). However, there was no difference during T6. Pulsatile perfusion may increase CBF and decrease cerebral vascular resistance in the early period after mild hypothermic CPB.

The method of state space model fitting is carried out by using the linear relation of the variable of the differential equations and separating the steady process and instant process to eliminate the steady errors course by instant errors. The improved fitting method is without solving the linear differential equations or using any iterative methods. The coefficient of the state space model can be solve simply using matrix operation under the premise of high accuracy, so it has a higher computational efficiency than former least square method. And this method can also be used with other fitting method. Finally, to illustrate the validity and accuracy of the improved method, a small perturbation state space model of a certain turboshaft engine model has been established by this method, and the simulation result between state space model and nonlinear model was also compared. Also, the state space model could be applied to fault diagnosis and control system design for aeroengines.

A new nortriterpenoid, 20-hydroxymicrandilactone D (1) and a novel lignan glycoside, lancilignanside A (2) were isolated from leaves and stems of Schisandra lancifolia, together with three known nortriterpenoids (3-5) and nine known phenolics (6-14). The structures of new compounds 1 and 2 were determined by detailed analysis of their 1D and 2D NMR spectra, and chemical evidences. In addition, compounds 1-2, 6-7, and 9-11 showed anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 activities with 50% effective concentration (EC(50)) in the range of 3.0-99.0 microg/ml. Compound 12 was not bioactive in this assay with EC(50) more than 200 microg/ml.

Net photosynthetic rates (Pns) in leaves were compared between rice plants grown in ambient air control and free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE, about 200 micromol mol(-1) above ambient) treatment rings. When measured at the same CO2 concentration, the Pn of FACE leaves decreased significantly, indicating that photosynthetic acclimation to high CO2 occurs. Although stomatal conductance (Gs) in FACE leaves was markedly decreased, intercellular CO2 concentrations (Ci) were almost the same in FACE and ambient leaves, indicating that the photosynthetic acclimation is not caused by the decreased Gs. Furthermore, carboxylation efficiency and maximal Pn, both light and CO2-saturated Pn, were decreased in FACE leaves, as shown by the Pn-Ci curves. In addition, the soluble protein, Rubisco (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate caboxylase/oxygenase), and its activase contents as well as the sucrose-phosphate synthase activity decreased significantly, while some soluble sugar, inorganic phosphate, chlorophyll and light-harvesting complex II (LHC II) contents increased in FACE leaves. It appears that the photosynthetic acclimation in rice leaves is related to both ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylation limitation and RuBP regeneration limitation.

There is increasing concern about neurologic injury due to deep hypothermia with low flow during repair of complex congenital heart defects in neonates and infants. Twenty infants with ventricular septal defect and pulmonary hypertension were randomly assigned to cardiac repair under deep hypothermia with circulatory arrest or deep hypothermia with low flow. Measurements of static pulmonary compliance, airway resistance, and respiratory index were performed before institution of cardiopulmonary bypass and at 5 minutes and 2 hours after cessation of cardiopulmonary bypass. Both groups had significant pulmonary dysfunction in terms of static pulmonary compliance, airway resistance, and respiratory index. There was greater impairment of pulmonary compliance and respiratory index after deep hypothermia with low flow, and this group required longer intensive care unit stay.

In order to explore the relationship between the phosphorylation of D1 protein and the function of PSII reaction center, the changes in chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, PSII electron transport activity and D1 protein amount were observed after dephosphorylation of phosphorylated D1 proteins caused by FSBA (5′- p -fluorosulfonylbenzoyl adenosine, an inhibitor of protein kinase) treatment. Also, phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated D1 proteins (D1* and D1, respectively) were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western Blotting. The following results were obtained. (1) D1* could be up to 74% of the total D1 proteins in dark-adapted soybean leaves and could be completely dephosphorylated by FSBA (1 mM) treatment for 2 h. (2) Dephosphorylation of D1* resulted in neither substantial net loss of D1 proteins nor the significant changes in value of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. (3) The electron transport activity of PS II (H 2 O→1,4-BQ) was not changed significantly after D1* was completely dephosphorylated. Based on these results, it is concluded that D1 protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation alone has no significant effect on the function of PS II reaction center in soybean leaves.

Collecting evidence has shown that type 2 diabetes mellitus is a high risk factor of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD); the energy metabolic dysfunction is thought to be a convergent point of the two diseases. However, the underlying mechanisms of diabetes-associated AD are still unclear. In the current study, we investigated the roles of AMPK in diabetes-related AD-like pathologic features in models of intracerebroventricular-streptozotocin (ICV-STZ) animals. Rats infused with STZ (3 mg/kg, once) were followed by injection of AICAR (AMPK activator) or vehicle via ICV. We found that the level of p-AMPK (active type of AMPK) and SIRT1 activity were decreased and the level of phosphorylated tau was increased at Ser396 and Thr231 sites in ICV-STZ rats when compared with control rats. Mitochondria from ICV-STZ rats displayed a significant decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, complex I activity, ATP level, and superoxide dismutase activity as well as an increase of reactive oxygen species production when compared with that from control rats. Meanwhile the number of apoptotic cell confirmed by cleaved caspase-3 (active type of caspase-3) staining was also stronger in ICV-STZ rats than control rats. All pathological changes including biochemistry and cognitive function could be mitigated through rescuing AMPK activity with its specific activator (AICAR) in ICV-STZ rats. Taken together, these results suggested that AMPK activation improves AD-like pathological changes via repairing mitochondrial functions in ICV-STZ rats.

Zinc-enriched yeast (ZnY) and zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) are considered zinc (Zn) supplements currently available. The purpose of the investigation was to compare and evaluate pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of ZnY and ZnSO4in rats. ZnY or ZnSO4were orally administered to rats at a single dose of 4 mg Zn/kg and Zn levels in plasma and various tissues were determined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Maximum plasma concentration values were 3.87 and 2.81 μg/mL for ZnY and ZnSO4, respectively. Both ZnY and ZnSO4were slowly eliminated with a half-life of over 7 h and bone had the highest Zn level in all tissues. Compared to ZnSO4, the relative bioavailability of ZnY was 138.4%, indicating that ZnY had a significantly higher bioavailability than ZnSO4.

The purpose of this prospective study is to investigate the predictive and prognostic significance of the Raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP) in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Immunohistochemical assays were performed to detect the RKIP protein expression of samples from 212 patients with locoregionally advanced NPC. All patients were assigned randomly into the inductive chemotherapy plus radiation therapy (IC + RT) group, the concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) group, the inductive chemotherapy plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy (IC + CCRT) group, and the radiation therapy alone (RT) group. The patients in the IC + RT group were treated with IC using 2-3 cycles of cisplatin (80 mg/m(2)) and fluorouracil (500 mg/m(2)), repeated every 3 weeks, followed by radiotherapy. Those in the CCRT group were treated with weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m(2)) for 6-7 cycles during radiotherapy. In the IC + CCRT group, the chemotherapy prior to radiation was similar to the cisplatin-fluorouracil regimen in the IC + RT group, whereas it cisplatin regimen was identical to that in the CCRT group. The results show that RKIP is an independent prognostic factor for 5-year distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS). Patients with high RKIP expression benefited more from reduced metastasis in the IC + RT and the IC + CCRT group, with improved OS and PFS in each treatment group compared with that among patients with low RKIP expression. In the high RKIP expression subgroup, chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy improved the DMFS when compared with the RT group, but this effect was not observed in the low RKIP expression subgroup. RKIP was predictive of distant metastasis with good sensitivity and specificity. Clinically, high RKIP expression inhibited distant metastasis in advanced NPC, and its detection might be used to predict distant metastasis with good sensitivity and specificity. The effect of chemotherapy on distant metastasis in combined chemoradiotherapy might be related to the RKIP expression level. Patients with high RKIP expression showed more improved OS and PFS than their low RKIP expression counterparts. Higher RKIP expression improves the DMFS of patients who receive inductive high-dose cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy, with or without concurrent cisplatin. Low RKIP expression is also a predictive marker for cancer progression and metastasis, which could be used to stratify patients with high risk of metastasis and death.

The new nortriterpenoid, 20-hydroxymicrandilactone D (I), and the novel lignan glycoside, lancilignanside A (II) are isolated from the leaves and stems of Schisandra lancifolia along with three known nortriterpenoids and nine known phenolics.

A pot experiment was conducted to examine the activity of antioxidant enzymes, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), proline and protein, and Cd uptake in different rice cultivars exposed to Cd (0, 1 and 5 mg/kg) in the presence of organic acids and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). The results showed the increase in activity of dismutase (SOD), contents of proline and protein but a decline in activities of peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT), and MDA content for cultivars Xiushui63 and IIyou527. The resistance to Cd was higher in Xiushui63 than that in IIyou527 under the same Cd treatment. Cadmium contents in grain, straw and roots of both cultivars were markedly reduced in the presence of organic acids and EDTA. Grain Cd contents was the highest for plants treated with organic acids, followed by organic acids + 1/2EDTA, and the lowest with EDTA; Cd contents in straw and root were the lowest for plants treated with organic acids, followed by organic acids + 1/2EDTA, and the highest with EDTA treatment when exposed to Cd.

We substituted autologous lung for the artificial oxygenator to assess reduction of lung injury after conventional cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Twelve piglets were randomly divided into two groups. Experimental animals (n = 6) underwent bilateral CPB with autologous lungs perfusion, whereas control animals (n = 6) underwent conventional CPB with artificial oxygenator. Bypass and aortic cross clamping time were 135 and 60 minutes, respectively, for each animal. Lung static compliance (Cstat), alveolus-artery oxygen difference (PA-aO2), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin-6, and wet to dry lung weight ratio (W/D) were measured. A single senior pathologist evaluated the lung specimens after experiments. Cstat of experimental group and control group decreased from 14.31 +/- 1.58 to 12.88 +/- 1.92 ml/cmH2O and from 14.80 +/- 2.32 to 10.48 +/- 1.66 ml/cmH2O, respectively; PA-aO2 increased from 15.71 +/- 1.35 to 62.30 +/- 24.29 mm Hg and from 15.23 +/- 2.87 to 77.85 +/- 11.45 mm Hg, respectively; serum concentration of TNF-alpha increased from 0.40 +/- 0.07 ng/ml to 0.56 +/- 0.15 and from 0.41 +/- 0.06 to 0.75 +/- 0.14 ng/ml, respectively; and the w/d were 6.18 +/- 0.55 vs 6.84 +/- 0.30. Pathological examination also confirmed that structural changes of lung specimens were less in experimental group than in control group. Autologous lung may tolerate nonpulsatile perfusion and be used clinically as a substitute for the artificial oxygenator to reduce lung injury after CPB.

The Michael reactions of indole and pyrrole compounds to α,β‐unsaturated ketones catalyzed by triflic acid (HOTf, 0.1–1 mol%) were performed in water to give alkylated indoles (3a–m) and dialkylsubstituted pyrroles (6a–b) in good to excellent yields.

To investigate the association of LIG1 with the risk of lung cancer, all subjects of unrelated ethnic Han Chinese in Liaoning Province were involved in a hospital-based case–control study. The case group consisted of 370 histologically diagnosed lung cancer patients; 314 controls were selected from cancer-free patients during Dec. 2009 to Dec. 2011. LIG1 rs1050298SNP were analyzed by TaqMan real-time PCR method. All statistical analyses were performed with Statistical Product and Service Solution sv13.0 (SPSS). The genotype distribution frequency of LIG1 rs1050298 SNP displayed significant difference between the case and the control group. Individuals carrying the LIG1 rs1050298 T genotype had higher risks of lung cancer, especially those with squamous cell carcinoma.

Solvent- and catalyst-free Friedel–Crafts alkylation reactions of aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds with methyl trifluoropyruvate ( 2 ) were carried out at room temperature and finished in several minutes with good to excellent yields of the addition products (69→99%), which provided a rapid and convenient method to synthesize aryl- and heteroaryl-α-hydroxy-α-triflouromethyl acetates.

A highly efficient direct coupling of indole compounds with 1,4-benzoquinones was developed “on water” in the absence of any catalyst, organic co-solvent, or additives. The “on-water” conditions provided the best yields of the corresponding products and the only system to produce bis(coupling) products. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)

Solvent-free and catalyst-free three-component reactions of indoles, amines, and ethyl glyoxylate gave alkylation products in good to high yields (61-93%), providing a convenient synthesis of (3-indolyl)glycine derivatives.

Objective: To observe the effect of Shenfu injection (SFI) in treating non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients on quality of life with gemcitabine (GEM) plus cisplatin (GP) regimen.Methods: Thirty-four patients were ready to receive GP regimen chemotherapy for treating NSCLC disease, according to lot-drawing, they were divided into SFI pre-treatment group (18 cases) and SFI post-treatment group (16 cases). SFI pre-treatment group: During the first treatment course, chemotherapy was begun with SFI 60 ml, intravenous dripping on the 3rd day, once daily, consecutively for 10 days; on the 1st day, GP regimen (GEM 1250 mg/m2, intravenous dripping, on the 1st and 8th day; cisplatin 70 mg/m2 on the 2nd day; 21 days as one cycle) was carried out; in the second treatment course GP regimen was merely given to serve as the self-control. SFI post-treatment group: the medicament sequence order was reversed from that of pre-treatment group. Using dual international quality of life (QOL) scores, the effect of SFI on the patients’ QOL was observed through randomized self preand postcrossover control.Results: The QOL in the 34 patients after being treated by SFI in combination with GP chemotherapy regimen in one group, and GP chemotherapy regimen alone in the other, was improved in different degrees, with significant difference (P< 0.01); comparision of SFI combined with GP chemotherapy regimen with GP chemotherapy alone showed that QOL in patients was significantly different (P