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We explore the impact of the Sandage-Loeb (SL) test on the precision of cosmological constraints for f( T) gravity theories. The SL test is an important supplement to current cosmological observations because it measures the redshift drift in the Lyman-α forest in the spectra of distant quasars, covering the 'redshift desert' of 2 ≤ z ≤ 5. To avoid data inconsistency, we use the best-fit models based on current combined observational data as fiducial models to simulate 30 mock SL test data. We quantify the impact of these SL test data on parameter estimation for f( T) gravity theories. Two typical f( T) models are considered, the power-law model f( T) and the exponential-form model f( T). The results show that the SL test can effectively break the existing strong degeneracy between the present-day matter density Ω and the Hubble constant H in other cosmological observations. For the considered f( T) models, a 30-year observation of the SL test can improve the constraint precision of Ω and H enormously but cannot effectively improve the constraint precision of the model parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the integrated assessment methods of ecological quality status (EcoQS) in coastal waters abroad as well as the domestic related research status, 11 indices were selected from the biotic and physicochemical elements of water and sediment to built an integrated EcoQS assessment index system, and, with the comprehensive consideration of domestic and international evaluation standards, 5 levels of EcoQS classified as "high, good, moderate, poor, and bad" were determined. Then, an integrated assessment method of EcoQS in coastal waters was established by using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy mathematics method, and tested by the analysis of the correlations between the EcoQS grade and the major anthropogenic disturbances and pollutant concentrations of Tong-an Bay. The EcoQS of Tong-an Bay was assessed as moderate, i. e. , the Bay was moderately disturbed and in transitional to poor status. The established integrated assessment method could not only reflect the major anthropogenic environmental pressure and risk factors, but also give an early warning of the pollutants satisfied by law in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent results from the first-year baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) data released by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), combined with cosmic microwave background (CMB) and Type Ia supernova (SN) data, have shown a detection of significant deviation from a cosmological constant for dark energy. In this work, we utilize the latest DESI BAO data in combination with the SN data from the full 5 yr observations of the Dark Energy Survey and the CMB data from the Planck satellite to explore potential interactions between dark energy and dark matter. We consider four typical forms of the interaction term Q. Our findings suggest that interacting dark energy (IDE) models with Q ∝ ρ de support the presence of an interaction where dark energy decays into dark matter. Specifically, the deviation from ΛCDM for the IDE model with Q = β H 0 ρ de reaches the 3 σ level. These models yield a lower value of Akaike information criterion than the ΛCDM model, indicating a preference for these IDE models based on the current observational data. For IDE models with Q ∝ ρ c, the existence of interaction depends on the form of the proportionality coefficient Γ. The IDE model with Q = β H ρ c yields β = 0.0003 ± 0.0011, which essentially does not support the presence of the interaction. In general, whether the observational data support the existence of interaction is closely related to the model. Our analysis helps to elucidate which type of IDE model can better explain the current observational data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative pain has well defined and is perceived by patients as one of the most obnoxious aspects of surgical pain. The aim of this study was to determine whether the combination of Therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) and Curcumin (CUR) resulted in an enhancement of their pain relieving activities in a rat model of postoperative pain. Methods: We explored the effect of these treatment and their interaction with signal transduction pathways involved in inflammatory. In this study, TUS and CUR alone or in combination were administered prior to or simultaneously with or after the incisional surgery. Results: At the start time of administration, we observed that the TUS plus CUR treatment reduced the mean paw withdrawal threshold more efficiently than CUR alone. Then we demonstrated that TUS potentiates the antinociceptive effect of CUR in a rat model of chronic postoperative pain and that the combination could facilitate the recovery of surgical pain. However, preventive value was not statistically significant when the treatments were given prior to the incisional surgery. We provide evidence that TUS plus CUR administrations were safe and significantly reduced the ED50 compared to treatment with the single CUR treatment in rats. TUS plus CUR administrations decreases incisional surgery induced activation of inflammatory cells and down-regulation of chemokines and proinflammatory cytokines, MCP-1, MIP-1α, IL-1β, and TNF-α through regulating Sirt1/NF-κB signaling pathway. Conclusions: Taken together, our results indicate that the combinations of TUS and CUR can be more effective in the anti-nociceptive effects than the treatment with CUR alone., Competing Interests: None.

Studies have demonstrated that curcumin (CUR) exerts its tumor suppressor function in a variety of human cancers including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the exact underlying molecular mechanisms remain obscure. Here, we aim to test whether CUR affects ATM/Chk2/p53 signaling pathway, leading to the induction of cell cycle arrest, inhibition of angiogenesis of HNSCC in vitro and in vivo . To this end, we conducted multiple methods such as MTT assay, Invasion assay, Flow cytometry, Western blotting, RT-PCR, and transfection to explore the functions and molecular insights of CUR in HNSCC. We observed that CUR significantly induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, inhibited angiogenesis in HNSCC. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that CUR markedly up-regulated ATM expression and subsequently down-regulated HIF-1α expression. Blockage of ATM production totally reversed CUR induced cell cycle arrest as well as anti-angiogenesis in HNSCC. Moreover, our results demonstrated that CUR exerts its antitumor activity through targeting ATM/Chk2/p53 signal pathway. In addition, the results of xenograft experiments in mice were highly consistent with in vitro studies. Collectively, our findings suggest that targeting ATM/Chk2/p53 signal pathway by CUR could be a promising therapeutic approach for HNSCC prevention and therapy., Competing Interests: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Objective: To explore the potential relationship of cytomegalovirus (CMV), Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in inflammation and preeclampsia., Methods: Fifty-two pregnant women with preeclampsia and 34 with uncomplicated pregnancy in the third trimester were recruited. The exclusions included uterine contractions, multiple pregnancies, rupture of membranes, symptomatic infectious diseases, medical diseases and antibiotics or hormones users. Samples of maternal blood were harvested from two groups. Serum levels of CMV, CP, and HSV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies as well as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in preeclampsia and normal pregnancy controls., Results: (1) Recent infections of CMV, CP and HSV-2 were not more common in patients with preeclampsia versus normal pregnancy. The prevalence rates of long-dated CMV, CP and HSV-2 infection were 94.2% (49/52), 53.9% (28/52) and 3.9% (2/52) in preeclampsia group versus 100.0% (34/34), 55.9% (19/34) and 5.9% (2/34) in control group. No significant difference existed between two groups (P > 0.05). (2) Maternal serum concentrations of IL-6 and hs-CRP in patients with preeclampsia were significantly higher than that in normal pregnancy women ((7.2 ± 2.1) ng/L and (6.8 ± 5.6) mg/L vs (6.2 ± 1.8) ng/L and (4.6 ± 3.0) mg/L, both P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Excessive inflammatory reactions are present in women with preeclampsia. But previous infections, as measured by IgM and IgG antibody seropositivity to CMV, CP and HSV-2, are not correlated with preeclampsia in the third trimester.

Objective: To observe the injury and repair of the subepithelial cordectomy by CO2 laser in different power., Methods: Thirty dogs were randomly divided into 5 groups according to different laser power such as A(1 W), B(3 W), C(5 W), D(8 W), E(cold instruments), 6 dogs in each group. Subepithelial cordectomy was performed on the dogs and the tissue damage and wound recovery were observed in different time after operation., Results: The mucosa reaction in group C, D was heavier than those in group A, B, E, and the wounds healed slowly with visible pathological scars. The densities of fibroblast and blood capillary were determined with optical microscope. It was found that those in group C, D were higher than those in group A, B, E. The difference was statistically significant (average P < 0.05). Observation by electron microscope showed that the injuries were lighter in group A, B, E and there was no significant difference in vocal cord repair process, while the injuries were more serious in group C, D with few elastic fibers in lamina propria and collagen fibers increased significantly after vocal cord repairing., Conclusions: The tissue repair after subepithelial cordectomy by CO2 laser with low power (1 - 3 W) was similar to that by cold instrument surgery.

Objective: To analyze the prevalence and clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients with cervical cancer over the last two decades in Beijing so as to provide scientific rationales for the management of cervical cancer., Methods: Stratified cluster sampling was employed to analyze a total of 1399 invasive cervical cancer cases from different class hospitals in Beijing during the period of 1990 - 2009., Results: (1) The number of cervical cancer cases had been rising over the last 2 decades. (2) The age of onset ranged from 17 to 88 years old; the number of patients with stages I, II, III and IV was 772 (57.1%), 380 (28.1%), 182 (13.5%) and 18 (1.3%) respectively; 1135 (83.1%) patients were of squamous cell carcinoma while 182 (13.3%) adenocarcinoma. The last two decades was divided into 4 groups of 5 years each. The average age gradually decreased from 58.2 to 46.0 years old (P < 0.01). The proportion of patients with stages I and II also increased from 69.6% (16/23) to 89.4% (530/856); There was no significant change in histopathologic type of cervical cancer. And squamous cell carcinoma of cervix remained the predominant type (P > 0.05). (3) About 26.0% (364/1399) of cases received no vagino-recto-abdominal examination while 3.4% (48/1399) of cases were not staged., Conclusion: Over the last two decades, the number of newly diagnosed cervical cancer cases has showed a rising trend in Beijing. And the proportions of young patients and patients with early disease have both increased. Some irregularities still exist in the diagnosis of cervical cancer. So we should pay more attention to the screening program and standardize the diagnosis, therapy and follow-up of cervical cancer.

Based on the integrated assessment methods of ecological quality status (EcoQS) in coastal waters abroad as well as the domestic related research status, 11 indices were selected from the biotic and physicochemical elements of water and sediment to built an integrated EcoQS assessment index system, and, with the comprehensive consideration of domestic and international evaluation standards, 5 levels of EcoQS classified as "high, good, moderate, poor, and bad" were determined. Then, an integrated assessment method of EcoQS in coastal waters was established by using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy mathematics method, and tested by the analysis of the correlations between the EcoQS grade and the major anthropogenic disturbances and pollutant concentrations of Tong' an Bay. The EcoQS of Tong' an Bay was assessed as moderate, i.e., the Bay was moderately disturbed and in transitional to poor status. The established integrated assessment method could not only reflect the major anthropogenic environmental pressure and risk factors, but also give an early warning of the pollutants satisfied by law in the study area.

The effects of copper (Cu2+) and Cu-EDTA complex on the induction of HSP70 in the fish brain were studied. After the fish (Carassius auratus) were exposed to the experimental concentrations for forty days, the SDS-PAGE and Western Blotting techniques were used to detect the expression level of HSP70 in the fish brain. The results showed that Cu2+ and Cu-EDTA complex can induce the expression of HSP70 significantly. Comparing with the test groups exposed to Cu2+, the Cu-EDTA complex had changed the bioavailability and decreased the toxicity of the heavy metal. It was found that the fish exposed to the concentration of Cu2+ which below the national fishery water quality standard of 0.01 mg/L , also had a significant increase in the expression level of HSP70. Therefore, HSP70 as an environmental biomarker can be a more sensitive and rapid indicator than conventional end points in the aquatic ecosystem.