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Recent investigations have demonstrated that the chronic stress-induced behavioral disorders can be ameliorated by probiotics including Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum) via the gut-brain-axis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of C. butyricum on brain remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated whether chronic foot shock stress (CFSS) paradigm used for a hypertensive animal model could induce mood disorders such as anxiety, depression and cognitive impairments. Then, we assessed the impact of C. butyricum RH2 on the behavior disorders and neurobiological alterations in the hippocampus. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats received intermittent electric shocks for consecutive 14 days and were treated with C. butyricum RH2 for 17 days. Anxiety- or depression-like behaviors were evaluated by open field test (OFT), and elevated plus maze (EPM). The Morris water maze test (MWM) was used to evaluate the cognitive functions. CFSS intervention led to mild anxiety- or depression-like behavior or cognitive impairment and C. butyricum RH2 treatment reversed the CFSS-induced symptoms. The serum ACTH or CORT was increased following CFSS but was completely reversed by C. butyricum RH2 treatment. In the hippocampus of CFSS rats, the expressions of BDNF and TrkB were downregulated but proBDNF and P75NTR were upregulated. These expression changes were partially reversed by C. butyricum RH2, suggesting a mode of action on BDNF and proBDNF balance. CFSS exposure resulted in downregulation of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) but upregulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1(PAI-1), which could contribute to the decrease in BDNF by reduced conversion from proBDNF to BDNF in the hippocampus. C. butyricum RH2 treatment reversed the upregulated PAI-1 but not the downregulated tPA, which was in parallel with the amelioration of behavioral abnormalities, suggesting a novel tPA independent mechanism for PAI-1 action. Our results demonstrate for the first time that C. butyricum RH2 attenuates stress-induced behavior disorders via inhibiting the expression of brain PAI-1.

Abstract Background Reduction in elevated serum cholesterol concentrations is important in the management of individuals at risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), such as myocardial infarction and thrombotic stroke. Although HMGCoA reductase inhibitors (“statins”) are frequently used for this purpose, a significant proportion of patients remain at increased residual risk of ASCVD as they do not adequately address some of the associated co-morbidities such as diabetes and fatty liver disease. Methods A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, dose ranging study was carried out that compared three doses of berberine ursodeoxycholate (BUDCA) to placebo in a cohort of subjects with a history of hypercholesterolemia and serum LDL cholesterol levels above 2.59 mmol/L (> 99.9 mg/dL). BUDCA was administered in two divided doses each day for 28 days. The primary endpoints of the study were safety and tolerability of this new compound, as well as its effect in lowering serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations. Results A total of 50 subjects were enrolled into three dose cohorts in this study. BUDCA was generally well tolerated, even at doses of 2000 mg per day (the highest dose group); there were no significant adverse effects reported and this highest dose was associated with significant reductions in LDL cholesterol. By day 28 and with the highest dose of BUDCA, there were significant reductions in the serum concentrations of total cholesterol by 8.2% (P = 0.0004) and LDL cholesterol by 10.4% (P = 0.0006), but no significant changes in triglyceride and HDL cholesterol concentrations. Conclusions BUDCA is a new single molecular entity that has a significant but modest effect in safely lowering serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations in individuals with a history of hypercholesterolemia. It has a potential use for treating hypercholesterolemia in individuals who cannot take statins, and possibly as adjunctive to other agents, such as ezetimibe or bempedoic acid. Trial registration The study was registered on Clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT03381287 ).

Abstract Background The increased bone marrow angiogenesis is involved in the progression of multiple myeloma (MM) with the underlying mechanism poorly understood. Cancer-released exosomes could play an important role in the pathological angiogenesis through exosomal microRNAs (miRs) delivery. It is reported that miR-29b played an important role in regulating the tumor angiogenesis. Methods In this study, we explored the role of C6-ceramide (C6-cer, a Ceramide pathway activator) in the angiogenic effect of MM exosomes and its potential mechanism. MM cells (OPM2 and RPMI-8226) treated with C6-cer were studied for its effects on the endothelial cell (EC) functions. Results Our results showed that exosomes released from MM cells treated by C6-cer (ExoC6-cer) significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and tube formation of ECs. For mechanism studies, we found that the level of miR-29b was increased in ECs treated by ExoC6-cer, while mRNA and protein expressions of Akt3, PI3K and VEGFA were decreased in ECs, indicating the involvement of Akt pathway. Furthermore, downregulation of miR-29b by inhibitor administration could prevent the ExoC6-cer-induced cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of ECs, accompanied with the increased expressions of Akt3, PI3K and VEGFA. Conclusions Collectively, our data suggest that ExoC6-cer-mediated miR-29b expression participates in the progression of MM through suppressing the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of ECs by targeting Akt signal pathway.

Many flatfish species, such as Scophthalmus maximus, Paralichthys olivaceus, Solea senegalensis, are extensively cultured worldwide. In flatfishes, eye migration varies among different species and even within the same species. The genetic mechanism underlying eye migration is still unclear, and it is the key to improve metamorphosis in flatfish aquaculture and understand flatfish evolution. In this study, the high frequency of eye location variants in an artificial S. senegalensis population allowed us to investigate the eye preference during migration; completeness of the eye migration; and other related left-right asymmetric characteristics, such as asymmetrical skull remodeling and lying down on one side. The different frequencies of eye preference during migration, completeness of the eye migration, and settling side suggest that they are determined by different genotypes and imply independent evolutionary events during flatfish evolution. We found that the swimming time may be related to the completeness of eye migration, and further the migration of the eye, the more time the fish spent at the sea bottom. The left-right asymmetric degrees of not only the frontal bones and lateral ethmoids but also the jaw bone, including the premaxillary, maxillary, and dentary bones, depend on the completeness of eye migration. Finally, we proposed a hypothesis for the asymmetric origin of flatfish that provides reasonable explanations for the selective advantages of primitive flatfish species.

Abstract Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an important part of the human innate immune system for protection against bacterial infections, however the AMPs display varying degrees of activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Previously, we showed that inactivation of the ATP synthase sensitizes S. aureus towards the AMP antibiotic class of polymyxins. Here we wondered if the ATP synthase similarly is needed for tolerance towards various human AMPs, including human β-defensins (hBD1-4), LL-37 and histatin 5. Importantly, we find that the ATP synthase mutant (atpA) is more susceptible to killing by hBD4, hBD2, LL-37 and histatin 5 than wild type cells, while no changes in susceptibility was detected for hBD3 and hBD1. Administration of the ATP synthase inhibitor, resveratrol, sensitizes S. aureus towards hBD4-mediated killing. Neutrophils rely on AMPs and reactive oxygen molecules to eliminate bacteria and the atpA mutant is more susceptible to killing by neutrophils than the WT, even when the oxidative burst is inhibited.These results show that the staphylococcal ATP synthase enhance tolerance of S. aureus towards some human AMPs and this indicates that inhibition of the ATP synthase may be explored as a new therapeutic strategy that sensitizes S. aureus to naturally occurring AMPs of the innate immune system.

Abstract Carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide-hafnium carbide (C/SiC-HfC) composite was prepared by precursor infiltration and pyrolysis process. Then, ablation behavior of C/SiC-HfC was evaluated in plasma wind tunnel. It was found that oxide layer formed during ablation significantly influenced the surface temperature. Formation of dense HfO2-SiO2 layer under low heat flux led to stable surface temperature. Silica (SiO2) on the surface was gradually consumed when heat flux increased, resulting in conversion of HfO2-SiO2 on the surface to HfO2. Converted HfO2 with high catalytic coefficient absorbed more energy, causing gradual increase in the surface temperature. Formed oxide layer was destroyed at high heat flux and high stagnation point pressure. After carbon fiber lost the protection of HfO2-SiO2 layer, it burned immediately, leading to surface temperature jump.

Production development for asparagus has become an important research subject due to its low shelf life. In order to determine the content of flavonoids in asparagus tips and shoots, LC-MS-based method was performed for a targeted analysis of flavonoids in asparagus, and 34 peaks attributed to the targeted flavonoids were characterised. Twelve peaks corresponding to rutin, isoquercitrin, quercetin, naringin, taxifolin, vitexin, genistin, daidzein, luteolin, chrysin, and kaempferide were identified and quantified from the asparagus tips and shoots by the LC-MS-based detection with monitoring of parent/daughter ions. The results showed that rutin (> 99%) was the main flavonoid present in the asparagus tips and shoots. Although the tips and shoots contained almost similar compounds, the content of the major compounds, especially rutin, was significantly different. Therefore, the method established through this study could be used for quantitative analysis of flavonoids, especially rutins, in asparagus. The result will provide a theoretical basis for food development in asparagus.

Significant progress in natural gas exploration in the Middle Triassic Leikoupo Fm of the western Sichuan Basin have been achieved by Sinopec in recent years, and the western Sichuan gas field has become the key block for the increase of reserves and output of Sinopec in natural gas exploration and production in the 13th Five-Year Plan. For further understanding of the reservoir characteristics and the controlling factors of the Middle Triassic Leikoupo Fm reservoir in western Sichuan gas field, reservoir characteristics and the controlling factors of reservoir development in Shiyangchang–Jinma–Yazihe area were investigated based on detailed observation of rock slices and cores, utilizing porosity, permeability and intrusive mercury analysis in combination with well logging interpretation results. The research results show that: (1) the dolomite reservoirs of tidal flat facies were developed in the Leikoupo Fm of this area, which can be divided into an upper reservoir section, a lower reservoir section and an interlayer section; (2) the upper reservoir section is relatively simple in reservoir lithology, reservoir space type and pore–throat assemblage, and the main lithology is microcrystalline (crystal powder) dolomite with mainly pore-type reservoirs, and relatively high-quality micritic dolomite reservoirs with medium porosity and low permeability are locally developed; (3) the lithology, reservoir space type and pore structure of the lower reservoir section are complex and strongly anisotropic, and the reservoirs are mainly of fracture–pore type with (extremely) low porosity and permeability; (4) the reservoirs are vertically anisotropic, and different types of thin reservoirs are interbedded. The thickness of effective reservoirs is between 30 m and 56.6 m. The total thickness and overall physical properties of the lower reservoir section is superior to the upper section; (5) the distribution of dolomite is controlled by the flat and algae flat microfacies as well as dolomitization, which lays a lithological foundation for reservoir development; (6) multi-stage penecontemporaneous dissolution controlled by high-frequency intertidal cycles is the key factor for the development of high-quality reservoirs; (7) hydrocarbon charging during the burial stage inhibits the formation of scale cement, and makes the early-formed pores better preserved. Keywords: Sichuan basin, Western sichuan gas field, Middle triassic, Dolomite, Reservoir characteristics, Fracture–pore type reservoir, Pore-type reservoir, Controlling factors

Abstract Background Worldwide, hypertension is an important public health challenge because of its high prevalence and the concomitant risks of cardiovascular disease. It induces half of the coronary heart disease and approximately two-thirds of the cerebrovascular disease burden. Vascular endothelial dysfunction has important roles in the pathophysiology of essential hypertension. Types I and II hypertension can be treated with sang-qi granules (SQG), a Chinese herbal formula. Several experimental studies on animals have shown that SQG can lower blood pressure and myocardial fibrosis by suppressing inflammatory responses. However, no standard clinical trial has confirmed this. Whether SQG can improve endothelial cell function is unknown. Methods/design In this randomized double-blind double-simulation controlled trial, 300 patients with stage I or II hypertension will be recruited and randomly allocated in a 1:1:1 ratio to group A (treatment with SQG and placebo instead of Losartan), group B (treatment with Losartan and placebo instead of SQG), and group C (treatment with SQG and Losartan). In this study, 10 g of SQG (or its placebo) will be administrated twice a day and 50 mg of Losartan (or its placebo) will be administrated once in the morning. The primary endpoint is the drug efficiency for each of the three groups. The secondary endpoints are the change in average systolic and diastolic blood pressure during the day and the night, the change in the rate at which blood pressure drops at night, assessment of target organ damage (heart rate variability, ankle–brachial pressure index, and pulse wave velocity), assessment of any improvement in symptoms (Hypertension Symptom Scale, syndrome integral scale in traditional Chinese medicine, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Scale, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey), blood lipids, serum indicators of vascular function (changes in serum levels of ET-1, TXA2, NO, and PGI2), and safety indicators. Discussion This study aims to provide clinical evidence on the efficacy and safety of SQG in the treatment of hypertension. Moreover, the possible mechanism by which SQG may lower blood pressure will be explored by observing the protective effect of SQG on vascular endothelial function, as well as its effect on related clinical symptoms, risk factors, and the target organs of hypertension. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trials Registry, ChiCTR1800016427. Registered on 1 June 2018.

In rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM), the contactless energy transfer (CET) system based on the rotary transformer can replace the well-established slip ring technology to supply power for the revolving ultrasonic vibrator. However, the transfer efficiency and power output capability of the CET system is usually a pair of contradictions. The high voltage of the compensation element is prone to occur, especially in high power applications, which is dangerous. In this paper, for four basic compensation topologies, the mathematical models of the transfer efficiency, the load impedance and the compensation elements' voltages are presented. The compensation elements are optimized for improving the transfer efficiency. The effects of coil turns on the transfer efficiency, the load impedance and the compensation elements' voltages are researched. The coil turns are optimized to control the load impedance of the power supply and the voltages of the compensation elements. The experimental results basically agree with the theoretical results. The optimized CET system not only has high transfer efficiency, but also has high power output capability. At the same time, the high voltages of compensation elements are avoided effectively and the safety of the system is guaranteed.

BackgroundGuangdong is a hyperepidemic area of dengue, which has over 0.72 million cumulative cases within the last four decades, accounting for more than 90% of cases in China. The local epidemic of dengue in Guangdong is suspected to be triggered by imported cases and results in consequent seasonal transmission. However, the comprehensive epidemiological characteristics of dengue in Guangdong are still unclear.MethodsThe epidemiology, seroprevalence, molecular evolution of dengue virus, and the development of policies and strategies on the prevention and control of dengue were analyzed in Guangdong, China from 1978 to 2017.FindingsSeasonal transmission of dengue virus in Guangdong, China was mainly sustained from July to October of each year. August to September was the highest risk period of local dengue outbreaks. Most of the dengue cases in Guangdong were young and middle-aged adults. Five hundred and three fatal cases were recorded, which declined within the last two decades (n = 10). The serological test of healthy donors' serum samples showed a positive rate of 5.77%. Dengue virus 1–4 (DENV 1–4) was detected in Guangdong from 1978 to 2017. DENV 1 was the dominant serotype of dengue outbreaks from 1978 to 2017, with an increasing tendency of DENV 2 since 2010. Local outbreaks of DENV 3 were rare. DENV 4 was only encountered in imported cases in Guangdong, China. The imported cases were the main source of outbreaks of DENV 1–2. Early detection, management of dengue cases, and precise vector control were the key strategies for local dengue prevention and control in Guangdong, China.InterpretationDengue has not become an endemic arboviral disease in Guangdong, China. Early detection, case management, and implementation of precise control strategies are key findings for preventing local dengue transmission, which may serve for countries still struggling to combat imported dengue in the west pacific areas.

BackgroundHyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) and abdominal obesity are risk factors for metabolic syndrome (MetS) and death from cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recent studies have shown a correlation between HHcy and abdominal obesity, suggesting that they may have a combined effect on the risk of MetS and CVD mortality. However, this suspicion remains to be confirmed, particularly in the elderly population. We explored their combined effects on the risk of MetS and CVD mortality among the community population aged 65 and above in China.Methods and ResultsThis prospective study enrolled 3,675 Chinese community residents aged 65 and above in May 2013 with 7-year follow-up of all-cause and CVD mortality. HHcy was defined as the blood homocysteine (Hcy) level >15 μmol/L and abdominal obesity as waist circumference (WC) ≥90 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women (HWC). All participants were grouped into four categories by WC and the blood level of Hcy: NWC (normal WC) /HHcy(–), NWC/HHcy(+), HWC/HHcy(–), and HWC/HHcy(+). The relationship of combined HHcy and abdominal obesity with MetS and metabolic profile was evaluated by logistic regression analysis and the association of combined HHcy and abdominal obesity with CVD and all-cause mortality evaluated by Cox regression analysis. The prevalence of HHcy, abdominal obesity and MetS in elderly Chinese community residents was 40.1, 59.3, and 41.4%, respectively. Using group without HHcy and abdominal obesity [NWC/HHcy(–)] as reference, the participants of other three groups had significantly higher risk of MetS and its component abnormalities, with HWC/HHcy(+) group having the highest risk (OR = 13.52; 95% CI = 8.61–14.55). After a median of 6.94 (±1.48) years follow-up, 454 deaths occurred with 135 CVD deaths. Compared with NWC/HHcy(–) group, the risk of 7-year follow-up CVD mortality (HR = 1.75; 95% CI = 1.02–3.03) and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.04–2.18) of HWC/HHcy(+) group increased considerably after adjustment for major MetS and CVD risk factors.ConclusionsThere is high prevalence of HHcy, abdominal obesity, and MetS in the elderly Chinese community population. HHcy increases risk of MetS, CVD, and all-cause mortality, especially in the populations with abdominal obesity.

BackgroundAneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a life-threatening condition with high disability and mortality. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are reported to play a modulating role in aSAH. We investigated specific plasma microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with aSAH and gained comprehensive insight into its pathological mechanisms.MethodsThis is a prospective case–control study. We used a two-stage approach, with primary screening and ensuing two-step validation stages. Significantly differentially expressed plasma miRNAs between aSAH patients and neurologically healthy controls were initially screened by microarray analysis. These miRNAs were then validated in two groups of independent cohorts using reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assays. Functional annotation of these miRNA targets was performed by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses.ResultsIn the primary screening stage, 14 miRNAs were identified as differentially expressed at a significance level of P < 0.05 and fold change >2 between 5 aSAH patients and 5 neurologically healthy controls. In the two validation steps (20 patients vs. 20 control; 40 patients vs. 30 controls), miR-23b-3p, miR-590-5p, miR-20b-5p, miR-142-3p, and miR-29b-3p were found to be significantly down-regulated in patients with aSAH compared with controls. Through these 5 miRNAs, we obtained 32 overlapping target genes, including TGM2, EREG, EDN1, and COL4A1, in three databases that may affect the progression of aSAH. The results of functional annotation revealed mechanisms mainly related to inflammation, smooth muscle cell proliferation and cell adhesion, potentially contributing to the occurrence of aSAH.ConclusionWe demonstrate that specific miRNAs in plasma, including miR-23b-3p, miR-590-5p, miR-20b-5p, miR-142-3p, and miR-29b-3p, are significantly down-regulated in aSAH patients and may play a modulating role in its progression.

Growing body of research indicates that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) interact with gut microbiota (GM) after oral administration. Radix Rehmanniae and Cornus Officinalis (RR-CO), a well-known TCM pair, is often used to treat diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications. The current study aimed to explore the protective effects of RR-CO on DM induced testicular damage by modulating GM. The RR-CO treatments significantly reduced hyperglycemia, ameliorated testicular ultrastructural damage and inflammation in DM model to varying degrees. Additionally, 16S-ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequencing results showed that RR-CO treatment increased the amount of butyric acid-producing GM, such as Clostridiaceae_1 family, and decreased the abundance of Catabacter, Marvinbryantia, and Helicobacter genera. RR-CO fecal bacteria transplantation (RC-FMT) increased the abundance of Clostridiaceae_1 in the Model FMT (M-FMT) group and ameliorated testicular damage. Furthermore, treatment with RR-CO increased the fecal butyric acid level, serum Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) level, and testicular GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) expression compared to those in DM mice. Finally, intraperitoneal administration of sodium butyrate (SB) significantly improved the pathological damage to the testis and reduced inflammation in the DM group. These data demonstrated a protective effect of RR-CO on DM-induced testicular damage by modulation of GM, which may be mediated by the butyric acid/GLP/GLP-1R pathway.

The China’s economy is developing rapidly, and it affects the environment on several levels. Therefore, this study examines the effect of environmental management accounting, green human resource management (HRM), on green organisational behaviour (OB). We collected 383 questionnaires completed by human resource managers and accounting managers in the Chinese hospitality industry. We used a covariance-based structural equation model to test the hypotheses in this study. The empirical evidence shows a positive and significant effect between environmental management accounting (monetary environmental management accounting, and physical environmental management accounting) and green HRM (β = 0.262, p < 0.01, β = 0.378, p< 0.01). Green HRM mediates the influence of environmental management accounting (monetary environmental management accounting, β = 0.059, p < 0.01; physical environmental management accounting, β = 0.084, p< 0.01) on green OB. The analysis confirmed the importance of environmental management accounting (as opposed to green human resource management) in predicting green behaviour and the critical role of green human resource management in connecting environmental management accounting and green OB. Thus, this study extends the literature’s perspective on green OB to environmental management accounting and green HRM.

This paper further extends the existing GARCH-MIDAS model to deal with the effect of microstructure noise in mixed frequency data. This paper has two highlights. First, according to the estimation of the long-term volatility components of the GARCH-MIDAS model, rAVGRV is adopted to substitute for the RV estimator. rAVGRV uses the rich data sources in tick-by-tick data and significantly corrects the impact of the microstructure noise on volatility estimation. Second, besides introducing macroeconomic variables (i.e., macroeconomic consistency index (MCI), deposits in financial institutions (DFI), industrial value-added (IVA), and M2), Chinese Economic Policy Uncertainty (CEPU) index and Infectious Disease Equity Market Volatility Tracker (EMV) are introduced in the long-run volatility component of the GARCH-MIDAS model. As indicated by the results of this paper, the rAVGRV-based GARCH-MIDAS is slightly better than the RV model-based GARCH-MIDAS. In addition to the common macroeconomic variables significantly impacting stock market volatility, CEPU also substantially impacts stock market volatility. Nevertheless, the effect of EMV on the stock market is insignificant.

Objective. The purpose of the study is to explore the effect of K5BW12O40, a polyoxometalate (POM), on the apoptosis of A549 cells and its underlying mechanism and to analyze the potential therapeutic effect of K5BW12O40 in non-small-cell lung cancer. Materials and Methods. A549 cells were treated with different concentrations of K5BW12O40 (0 mg/ml, 0.001 mg/ml, 0.01 mg/ml, and 0.1 mg/ml). The proliferation of A549 cells treated with different concentrations of K5BW12O40 was detected by MTT assay (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2 and 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide). The apoptosis of A549 cells induced by K5BW12O40 was detected by flow cytometry. Western blot was used to detect the changes in Bax and caspase-3 protein levels in A549 cells induced by K5BW12O40. Results. As the dose of the K5BW12O40 increases, the cell viability of A549 cells gradually decreases. The results of flow cytometry showed that the apoptotic rate of A549 cells increased with the increase of K5BW12O40 concentration. Western blot results showed that the expression of the apoptosis marker protein caspase-3 was increased in the three groups treated with K5BW12O40 whereas the protein level of Bax did not change significantly in A549 cells treated with K5BW12O40. Conclusions. K5BW12O40 increases the apoptotic rate of A549 cells by upregulating caspase-3.

In acute ischemic stroke patients with large vessel occlusion, the characteristics of the occluding thrombus on neuroimaging may be associated with recanalization after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT); however, the relationship between magnetic susceptibility of thrombus and clinical outcome remains unclear. We utilized quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) MRI to assess the magnetic susceptibility of thrombus in acute ischemic stroke patients undergoing EVT, and to evaluate its relationship with recanalization and functional outcomes. Patients with documented intracranial artery occlusion were consecutively recruited from one research center of the RESCUE-RE study (a registration study for Critical Care of Acute Ischemic Stroke After Recanalization). All the recruited patients underwent a 3D multi-echo MRI scan on a 3.0 T scanner for both susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) and QSM quantification of the thrombus. Among 61 patients included in the analyses, 51 (75.0 %) patients achieved thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) 2b/3 and 22 (36.1 %) patients had favorable functional outcomes. Successful recanalization was significantly associated with a higher thrombus magnetic susceptibility mean value (0.27 ± 0.09 vs 0.20 ± 0.09 ppm, p = 0.020) and lower coefficient of variation (0.42 ± 0.12 vs 0.52 ± 0.19, p = 0.024). ROC curve analysis showed the optimal cutoff value for thrombus susceptibility for predicting good clinical outcomes was 0.25 ppm (sensitivity 86.4 %, specificity 69.2 %). In multivariable logistic regression analyses, increased thrombus magnetic susceptibility was independently and significantly associated with good functional outcomes (adjusted odds ratio 15.11 [95 % confidence interval 2.64–86.46], p = 0.002). This study demonstrated that the increased thrombus magnetic susceptibility is associated with successful recanalization and favorable functional outcomes for intracranial artery occluded stroke patients.

With the high development of sports, football has attracted more and more attention from the public. However, the hot competition has made football players undergo high-intensity training, and the risk of injury caused by training is also increasing. Lateral incision knee ACL injury is one of the most common types of injuries in football players, which has a serious impact on the athlete’s physiology and daily training. The comprehensive, multi-level, convenient and fast medical system brought by the medical Internet of Things has become the growing demand of the medical industry. Based on the medical Internet of Things, this paper studies the rehabilitation nursing of football players’ ACL injury by lateral cutting and running combined with optical microscope. In this paper, 36 male and female football players were selected for group experiments, and the landing and peak torque indexes of the experimental group and the control group of male and female athletes were analyzed under the observation of an optical microscope. Group (P

Here, we experimentally demonstrate a straightforward-to-implement scheme that enables the rotating velocimetry of a noncooperative target at large deflection angles. This scheme is based upon the combination of digital modal decomposition with the rotational Doppler effect of orbital angular momentum (OAM)-carried light modes. To achieve this, we first theoretically analyzed the tilt effect of a rotating surface on the OAM complex spectra and rotational Doppler spectrum. Our findings validate that the tilted surface causes not only the broadening of OAM power and phase spectra, but also the broadening of the scattered Doppler spectrum. Furthermore, we introduce a compensation phase for tilted OAM light that effectively suppresses the sidebands of the OAM power spectrum, thereby restraining the sideband amplitudes of the Doppler spectrum. As a consequence, the rotating velocimetry can be extended to cover larger tilt angles (as large as 70 degrees) than those of existing systems. Our outcomes have the advantages of providing, in addition to profound insight into the interaction between OAM-carrying light and object motion, potential opportunities for noncontact optical metrology and the telemetry of angular speeds, particularly in meteorological applications.

The differential propagation phase (ΦDP) of X-band dual-polarization weather radar (including X-band dual-polarization phased-array weather radar, X-PAR) is important for estimating precipitation and classifying hydrometeors. However, the measured differential propagation phase contains the backscatter differential phase (δ), which poses difficulties for the application of the differential propagation phase from X-band radars. This paper presents the following: (1) the simulation and characteristics analysis of the backscatter differential phase based on disdrometer DSD (raindrop size distribution) measurement data; (2) an improved method of the specific differential propagation phase (KDP) estimation based on linear programming and backscatter differential phase elimination; (3) the effect of backscatter differential phase elimination on the specific differential propagation phase estimation of X-PAR. The results show the following: (1) For X-band weather radar, the raindrop equivalent diameters D > 2 mm may cause a backscatter differential phase between 0 and 20°; in particular, the backscatter differential phase varies sharply with raindrop size between 3.2 and 4.5 mm. (2) Using linear programming or smoothing filters to process the differential propagation phase could suppress the backscatter differential phase, but it is hard to completely eliminate the effect of the backscatter differential phase. (3) Backscatter differential phase correction may improve the calculation accuracy of the specific differential propagation phase, and the optimization was verified by the improved self-consistency of polarimetric variables, correlation between specific differential propagation phase estimations from S- and X-band radar and the accuracy of quantitative precipitation estimation. The X-PAR deployed in Shenzhen showed good observation performance and the potential to be used in radar mosaics with S-band weather radar.

X-band dual-polarization phased-array weather radars (X-PARs) have been used in South China extensively. Eliminating the attenuation and system bias of X-band radar data is the key to utilizing the advantage of X-PAR networks. In this paper, the disdrometer raindrop-size distribution (DSD) measurements are used to calculate the radar polarimetric variables and analyze the characteristics of precipitation attenuation. Furthermore, based on the network of S-band dual-polarization Doppler weather radar (S-POL) and X-PARs, an attenuation-correction method for X-PAR reflectivity is proposed with S-POL constraints in view of the radar-mosaic requirements of a multi-radar network. Linear programming is used to calculate the attenuation-correction parameters of different rainfall areas, which realizes the attenuation correction for X-PAR. The results show that the attenuation-correction parameters simulated based on the disdrometer DSD vary with different precipitation classification; the attenuation-corrected reflectivity of X-PARs is consistent with S-POL and can realize a more precise observation of the evolution of the convective system. Compared with previous attenuation-correction methods with constant correction parameters, the improved method can reduce the deviation between X-PAR reflectivity and that of S-POL in heavy rainfall areas and areas of strong attenuation. The method proposed in this paper is stable and effective. After effective quality control, it is found that the X-PAR network deployed in South China observes data accurately and is consistent with S-POL; thus, it is expected to achieve high temporal–spatial resolution within a radar mosaic.

Predicting energies and forces using machine learning force field (MLFF) depends on accurate descriptions (features) of chemical environment. Despite the numerous features proposed, there is a lack of controlled comparison among them for their universality and accuracy. In this work, we compared several commonly used feature types for their ability to describe physical systems. These different feature types include cosine feature, Gaussian feature, moment tensor potential (MTP) feature, spectral neighbor analysis potential feature, simplified smooth deep potential with Chebyshev polynomials feature and Gaussian polynomials feature, and atomic cluster expansion feature. We evaluated the training root mean square error (RMSE) for the atomic group energy, total energy, and force using linear regression model regarding to the density functional theory results. We applied these MLFF models to an amorphous sulfur system and carbon systems, and the fitting results show that MTP feature can yield the smallest RMSE results compared with other feature types for either sulfur system or carbon system in the disordered atomic configurations. Moreover, as an extending test of other systems, the MTP feature combined with linear regression model can also reproduce similar quantities along the ab initio molecular dynamics trajectory as represented by Cu systems. Our results are helpful in selecting the proper features for the MLFF development.

To further enhance the application of dual-polarization radar in hail nowcasting, we develop an integrated convective characteristic extraction (ICCE) algorithm based on the storm cell identification and tracking (SCIT) algorithm using dual-polarization radar data and its secondary products (hydrometeor classification data and mesocyclone data). The ICCE identifies and tracks not storm cells but convective systems, and it adds other storm characteristics, such as storm microphysics (hail- and graupel-related) and storm dynamics (mesocyclone-related), to the original storm characteristics, such as storm structure (reflectivity-related) and storm tracking (motion-related). The data of four mesocyclonic hailstorms observed by the two S-band dual-polarization radars in Guangdong Province, China, are utilized, from which we draw the following conclusions: (1) ICCE excels in identifying, characterizing, matching, and tracking convective systems; and (2) the newly added storm microphysics and dynamics characteristics can more accurately quantify the relationship between mesocyclone development, hail growth, and convective system enhancement throughout the evolution of the convective system.

Arsenic (As) is enriched in wild edible fungi, which is one of the main important sources of As in humans’ diet. In this study, two wild edible fungi were employed for investigation: (1) Pleurotus citrinopileatusone, which contains a high content of inorganic As (iAs) and (2) Agaricus blazei Murill, which contains a high content of organic As. This study investigated the changes in As content and its speciation after different daily cooking methods. We found that the content of As in Pleurotus citrinipileatus and Agaricus blazei Murill reduced by soaking plus stir-frying by 55.4% and 72.9%, respectively. The As content in Pleurotus citrinipileatus and Agaricus blazei Murill decreased by 79.4% and 93.4%, respectively, after soaking plus boiling. The content of As speciation in dried wild edible fungi reduced significantly after different treatments. Among them, iAs decreased by 31.9~88.3%, and organic As decreased by 33.3~95.3%. This study also investigated the bioaccessibility of As in edible fungi after different cooking processes via an in-vitro physiologically based extraction test (PBET). The results showed that the bioaccessibility of As was relatively high if the edible fungi were uncooked, boiled, or stir-fried. The gastric (G) bioaccessibility of As ranged from 51.7% to 93.0% and the gastrointestinal (GI) bioaccessibility of As ranged from 63.5% to 98.1%. Meanwhile, the bioaccessibility of inorganic As was found to be as high as 94.6% to 151%, which indicates that further evaluation of the potential health risks of wild edible fungi is necessary.

Background Although the expression of RNA-binding protein (RBP) genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) varies and is associated with tumor progression, there has been no overview study with multiple cohorts and large samples. The HCC-associated RBP genes need to be more accurately identified, and their clinical application value needs to be further explored. Methods First, we used the robust rank aggregation (RRA) algorithm to extract HCC-associated RBP genes from nine HCC microarray datasets and verified them in The Cancer Genome Atlas Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (TCGA-LIHC) cohort and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) Japanese liver cancer (ICGC-LIRI-JP) cohort. In addition, the copy number variation (CNV), single-nucleotide variant (SNV), and promoter-region methylation data of HCC-associated RBP genes were analyzed. Using the random forest algorithm, we constructed an RBP gene–based prognostic score system (RBP-score). We then evaluated the ability of RBP-score to predict the prognosis of patients. The relationships between RBP-score and other clinical characteristics of patients were analyzed. Results The RRA algorithm identified 30 RBP mRNAs with consistent expression patterns across the nine HCC microarray datasets. These 30 RBP genes were defined as HCC-associated RBP genes. Their mRNA expression patterns were further verified in the TCGA-LIHC and ICGC-LIRI-JP cohorts. Among these 30 RBP genes, some showed significant copy number gain or loss, while others showed differences in the methylation levels of their promoter regions. Some RBP genes were risk factors or protective factors for the prognosis of patients. We extracted 10 key HCC-associated RBP genes using the random forest algorithm and constructed an RBP-score system. RBP-score effectively predicted the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of HCC patients and was associated with the tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) stage, α-fetoprotein (AFP), and metastasis risk. The clinical value of RBP-score was validated in datasets from different platforms. Cox analysis suggested that a high RBP-score was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in HCC patients. We also successfully established a combined RBP-score+TNM LASSO-Cox model that more accurately predicted the prognosis. Conclusion The RBP-score system constructed based on HCC-associated RBP genes is a simple and highly effective prognostic evaluation tool. It is suitable for different subgroups of HCC patients and has cross-platform characteristics. Combining RBP-score with the TNM staging system or other clinical parameters can lead to an even greater clinical benefit. In addition, the identified HCC-associated RBP genes may serve as novel targets for HCC treatment.

Summary: Inflorescence architecture is diverse in flowering plants, and two determinants of inflorescence architecture are the inflorescence meristem and pedicel length. Although the ERECTA (ER) signaling pathway, in coordination with the SWR1 chromatin remodeling complex, regulates inflorescence architecture with subsequent effects on pedicel elongation, the mechanism underlying SWR1-ER signaling pathway regulation of inflorescence architecture remains unclear. This study determined that SDG2 genetically interacts with the SWR1-ER signaling pathways in regulating inflorescence architecture. Transcriptome results showed that auxin might potentially influence inflorescence growth mediated by SDG2 and SWR1-ER pathways. SWR1 and ER signaling are required to enrich H2A.Z histone variant and SDG2 regulated SDG2-mediated H3K4me3 histone modification at auxin-related genes and H2A.Z histone variant enrichment. Our study shows how the regulation of inflorescence architecture is mediated by SDG2 and SWR1-ER, which affects auxin hormone signaling pathways.

Objectives To compare hospital treatments for major stroke types in Chinese adults by stroke pathological types, sex, age, calendar year, hospital tier, region and other factors.Design Cross-sectional analysis of medical records retrieved from 20 229 stroke cases in the China Kadoorie Biobank.Setting Ten diverse areas (five urban, five rural) in China.Participants First-incident stroke cases who were recruited during an 11-year follow-up of 0.5M participants in the China Kadoorie Biobank.Methods Electronic copies of medical records of stroke cases were retrieved for clinical adjudication by local neurologists. Stroke cases were classified as ischaemic stroke (IS) (including lacunar infarction (LACI) and non-LACI (non-LACI)), intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH), subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and unspecified stroke types.Results Among 20 299 first-ever stroke cases, 17 306 (85%) had IS, 7123 had non-LACI, 6690 had LACI, 3493 had silent LACI, 2623 (13%) had ICH and 370 (2%) had SAH. Among IS cases, antiplatelet treatment was used by 64% (65% non-LACI, 66% LACI, 56% silent LACI), lipid-lowering by 50% (52% non-LACI, 53% LACI, 43% silent LACI) and blood pressure-lowering by ~42% of all IS types, with positive trends in the use of these treatments by calendar year and hospital tier. Among ICH cases, 53% used blood pressure-lowering and 10% used lipid-lowering treatments, respectively. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) were used by 59% of IS (50% non-LACI, 62% LACI, 74% silent LACI), 38% of ICH and 30% of SAH cases, with positive trends by calendar year and by hospital tier.Conclusions Among IS cases, use of antiplatelet and lipid-lowering medications increased in recent years, but use of TCM still exceeded use of blood pressure-lowering treatment. In contrast, blood pressure-lowering treatment was widely used for ICH, but only half of all ICH cases used blood pressure-lowering treatment.

From solar supergranulation to salt flats in Bolivia, from veins on leaves to cells on Drosophila wing disks, polygon-based networks exhibit great complexities, yet similarities and consistent patterns emerge. Based on analysis of 99 polygonal tessellations with a wide variety of physical origins, this work demonstrates the ubiquity of an exponential distribution in the squared norm of the deformation tensor E^{2}, which directly leads to the ubiquitous presence of gamma distributions in the polygon aspect ratio, as recently demonstrated by Atia et al. [Nat. Phys. 14, 613 (2018)10.1038/s41567-018-0089-9]. In turn an analytical approach is developed to illustrate its origin. E^{2} relates to most energy forms, and its Boltzmann-like feature allows the definition of a pseudotemperature that promises utility in a thermodynamic ensemble framework.

ObjectiveTo assess the ultrasound (US) features of partially cystic thyroid nodules (PCTNs) and to establish a scoring system to further improve the diagnostic accuracy.MethodsA total of 262 consecutive nodules from September 2017 to March 2020 were included in a primary cohort to construct a scoring system. Moreover, 83 consecutive nodules were enrolled as an validation cohort from May 2018 to August 2020. All nodules were determined to be benign or malignant according to the pathological results after surgery or ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (US-FNA). The US images and demographic characteristics of the patients were analyzed. The ultrasound features of PCTNs were extracted from primary cohort by two experienced radiologists. The features extracted were used to develop a scoring system using logistic regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were applied to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the scoring system in both the primary cohort and validation cohort. In addition, the radiologists evaluated the benign and malignant PCTNs of the validation cohort according to the ACR TI-RADS guidelines and clinical experience, and the accuracy of their diagnosis were compared with that of the scoring system.ResultsBased on the eight features of PCTNs, the scoring system showed good differentiation and reproducibility in both cohorts. The scoring system was based on eight features of PCTNs and showed good performance. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.876 (95% CI, 0.830 - 0.913) in the primary cohort and 0.829(95% CI, 0.730 - 0.903) in the validation cohort. The optimal cutoff value of the scoring system for the diagnosis of malignant PCTNs was 4 points, with a good sensitivity of 71.05% and specificity of 87.63%. The scoring system (AUC=0.829) was superior to radiologists (AUC= 0.736) in diagnosing PCTNs and is a promising method for clinical application.ConclusionsThe scoring system described herein is a convenient and clinically valuable method that can diagnose PCTNs with relatively high accuracy. The use of this method to diagnose PCTNs, which have been previously underestimated, will allow PCTNs to receive reasonable attention, and assist radiologist to confidently diagnose the benignity or malignancy.

Objective: Cystatin C, a marker of atherosclerosis, is encoded by CST3. We aimed to evaluate whether two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CST3 are correlated with large-artery atherosclerotic stroke (LAAS) and prognosis.Methods: This subgroup analysis of the Third China National Stroke Registry (CNSR-III) enrolled acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients within 7 days from August 2015 to March 2018 in China. rs13038305 and rs911119 of CST3 were selected based on the strong association with cystatin C concentration.Results: Two loci of CST3 (rs13038305 and rs911119) were analyzed in 3,833 ischemic stroke patients. Carriers of T allele in rs13038305 and C allele in rs911119 tend to have lower serum cystatin C levels (p < 0.05). Compared with C/C as a reference in rs13038305, odds ratio (OR) of T/T was 0.486, 95% CI 0.237–0.994, p = 0.048. Per C allele of rs13038305 also showed an increased level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), β (95% CI) was 1.335 (1.008–1.250), p = 0.044. No correlation was found between the selected SNPs and stroke prognosis (functional outcome, recurrence, and mortality).Conclusions: Carriers of the T allele in rs13038305 tend to have a lower proportion of LAAS. rs13038305 and rs911119 polymorphisms were likely to affect cystatin C concentration independently of kidney function.

To solve the problem of fault signals of wind turbine bearings being weak, not easy to extract, and difficult to identify, this paper proposes a fault diagnosis method for fan bearings based on Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (CEEMDAN) and Grey Wolf Algorithm Optimization Kernel Extreme Learning Machine (GWO-KELM). First, eliminating the interference of noise on the collected vibration signal should be conducted, in which the wavelet threshold denoising approach is used in order to reduce the noise interference with the vibration signal. Next, CEEMDAN is used to decompose the signal after a denoising operation to obtain the multi-group intrinsic mode function (IMF), and the feature vector is selected by combining the correlation coefficients to eliminate the spurious feature components. Finally, the fuzzy entropy for the chosen IMF component is input into the GWO-KELM model as a feature vector for defect detection. After diagnosing the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) dataset by the method presented in this research, it is found that the method can identify 99.42% of the various bearing states. When compared to existing combination approaches, the proposed method is shown to be more efficient for diagnosing wind turbine bearing faults.

Rabbit astrovirus (RAstV) is a pathogen that causes diarrhea in rabbits, with high infection rate at various stages, which can often cause secondary or mixed infections with other pathogens, bringing great economic losses to the rabbit industry. In this study, 10 samples were collected from cases of rabbits with diarrhea on a rabbit meat farm in the Shandong area of China. The positive sample for astrovirus detected by RT-PCR was inoculated into an RK 13 cell line. A rabbit astrovirus strain named Z317 was successfully isolated, which produced an obvious cytopathic effect 48 h post-inoculation in the RK 13 cell line. The genome structure of this isolate was studied by high-throughput sequencing, showing that the Z317 strain had the highest similarity with the American strain TN/2208/2010, with 92.43% nucleotide homology, belonging to group MRAstV-23. The basic properties of the Z317 capsid (Cap) protein were analyzed, and 10 liner B cell epitopes were screened with the online biosoft Bepipred 2.0 and SVMTriP, including 445–464, 186–205, 655–674, 88–107, 792–811, 45–64, and 257–276 amino acids. This is the first contribution concerning RAstV genomes in China; more studies are needed to understand the diversity and impact of RAstV on rabbit health.

The Emotional Inhibition Scale (EIS) is a brief measure based on a four-factor model with documented validity in a mood disorder sample that may be useful for assessing emotional inhibition in patient populations, such as individuals with cancer. The present study adapted the EIS to Chinese conditions and examined the psychometric characteristics of the EIS in patients with cancer. The recruited participants comprised a sample of 100 patients (sample 1) and a sample of 202 patients (sample 2) with cancer. The two samples (sample 1 and sample 2) with cancer completed surveys including the EIS. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 was completed by the two sample groups to assess criterion validity. Statistical analyses included internal consistency (sample 1), exploratory factor analyses (EFAs; sample 1), and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs; sample 2). The results showed that EFA and CFA confirmed the four-factor solution proposed by the original authors (verbal inhibition, self-control, disguise of feelings, and timidity). The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the EIS were satisfactory. In conclusion, the EIS demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity for assessing emotional inhibition in Chinese-speaking patients with cancer and may be a useful measure for assessing the level of emotional inhibition and the effect of emotional disclosure interventions.

Expressed prostatic secretions (EPS), also called post digital rectal exam urines, are proximal fluids of the prostate that are widely used for diagnostic and prognostic assays for prostate cancer. These fluids contain an abundant number of glycoproteins and extracellular vesicles secreted by the prostate gland, and the ability to detect changes in their N-glycans composition as a reflection of disease state represents potential new biomarker candidates. Methods to characterize these N-glycan constituents directly from clinical samples in a timely manner and with minimal sample processing requirements are not currently available. In this report, an approach is described to directly profile the N-glycan constituents of EPS urine samples, prostatic fluids and urine using imaging mass spectrometry for detection. An amine reactive slide is used to immobilize glycoproteins from a few microliters of spotted samples, followed by peptide N-glycosidase digestion. Over 100 N-glycan compositions can be detected with this method, and it works with urine, urine EPS, prostatic fluids, and urine EPS-derived extracellular vesicles. A comparison of the N-glycans detected from the fluids with tissue N-glycans from prostate cancer tissues was done, indicating a subset of N-glycans present in fluids derived from the gland lumens. The developed N-glycan profiling is amenable to analysis of larger clinical cohorts and adaptable to other biofluids.

Objective: Serum cystatin C (CysC) is a sensitive marker of renal function to predict cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to investigate the predictive value of CysC for clinical outcomes independent of renal function in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).Methods: We measured serum CysC levels in 10,256 AIS patients from Third China National Stroke Registry (CNSR-III). The primary outcome was a combination of all-cause mortality and major disability (modified Rankin scale score, 3–6). Secondary outcomes included stroke recurrence and combined vascular events at 1 year. Outcomes were analyzed using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models, respectively.Results: The median CysC of included patients was 0.95 mg/l (interquartile range, 0.83–1.10 mg/l). A U-shaped association was observed between CysC and primary outcome (all-cause mortality or major disability) [quartile (Q)1 vs. Q2: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.29, 95% CI 1.06–1.58, p = 0.012; Q3 vs. Q2: aOR 1.12, 95% CI 0.93–1.35, p = 0.242; Q4 vs. Q2: aOR 1.35, 95% CI 1.10–1.65, p = 0.004]. A similar trend also existed in “preserved renal function” patients. Adding CysC to a model containing conventional risk factors improved the model performance with integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) of 0.13% (p = 0.016) and net reclassification index (NRI) of 13.10% (p

Accumulating evidences have revealed the dysregulated expressions and critical roles of non-coding RNAs in various malignancies, including cervical cancer. Nevertheless, our knowledge about the vast majority of non-coding RNAs is still lacking. Here we identified long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) SPINT1-AS1 as a novel cervical cancer-associated lncRNA. SPINT1-AS1 was increased in cervical cancer and correlated with advanced stage and poor prognosis. SPINT1-AS1 was a direct downstream target of miR-214, a well-known tumor suppressive microRNA (miRNA) in cervical cancer. Intriguingly, SPINT1-AS1 was also found to repress miR-214 biogenesis via binding DNM3OS, the primary transcript of miR-214. The interaction between SPINT1-AS1 and DNM3OS repressed the binding of DROSHA and DGCR8 to DNM3OS, blocked DNM3OS cleavage, and therefore repressed mature miR-214 biogenesis. The expression of SPINT1-AS1 was significantly negatively correlated with miR-214 in cervical cancer tissues, supporting the reciprocal repression between SPINT1-AS1 and miR-214 in vivo. Through downregulating mature miR-214 level, SPINT1-AS1 upregulated the expression of β-catenin, a target of miR-214. Thus, SPINT1-AS1 further activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling in cervical cancer. Functionally, SPINT1-AS1 drove cervical cancer cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, and also tumorigenesis in vivo. Deletion of the region mediating the interaction between SPINT1-AS1 and DNM3OS, overexpression of miR-214, and inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling all reversed the roles of SPINT1-AS1 in cervical cancer. Collectively, these findings identified SPINT1-AS1 as a novel cervical cancer-associated oncogenic lncRNA which represses miR-214 biogenesis and activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling, highlighting its potential as prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for cervical cancer.

The competition in the field of information is a kind of system competition.Aiming at the problem that a single defense method cannot cope with the comprehensive attack,an independent and controllable information system based on natural immune system and trusted computing was constructed.The system includes trusted network basic function subsystem,user behavior measurement subsystem,software behavior measurement subsystem and fault-tolerant subsystem.The advantage of this way of adding security mechanisms to basic functionality is the extension of the chain of trust,integration of trusted network access control model and role-based access control model and trusted access of trusted terminal throughout life cycle can be achieved.

To better understand the partitioning of trace elements between spinels and silicate melts at high P, a series of experiments have been conducted in the system CaO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2–K2O–CO2 at the P-T conditions of 3–6 GPa and 1500–1650 °C. These experiments successfully produced large MgAl2O4-spinel crystals coexisting with large carbonatitic silicate melt pools (plus large crystals of olivine and garnet in some cases). The experimental products were analyzed by using an electron microprobe in the wavelength-dispersive mode and an Agilent 7500 Ce laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry, which led to high-P partition coefficients for 34 elements. The results suggest that pressure may have nominal significant impacts on the partition coefficients of some trace elements such as Nb, Ta, Ti, and nearly all rare earth elements (REEs), with the partition coefficients varying in several orders of magnitudes, but may play negligible roles in the partitioning of U, Mn, Fe, Sr, Ba, Na, K, Rb, and etc. Further analyses have revealed that much of the nominal P effects can be assigned to the Mg–Al cation order-disorder reaction. Cation exchange reactions are common in many geologically important minerals such as olivine, garnet, pyroxene, and plagioclase, and their effects on trace element partitioning should be extensively investigated in the near future before better understanding of the trace element partitioning systematics can be achieved. As one example, our experimental results have clearly demonstrated that due to much larger degrees of the Mg–Al cation order-disorder triggered by high P, spinel can strongly fractionate the REEs (with some heavy REEs compatible in the spinels and thus depleted in the relevant magmas), a phenomenon conventionally attributed to the presence of garnet. Some other important conclusions from our experiments include that Cr (or Ni) in the spinel structure at Cr-poor (or Ni-poor) conditions may be not as compatible as conventionally thought for Cr-rich (or Ni-rich) conditions, and Fe isotopes may be fractionated by spinels at high P. Keywords: Cation order-disorder, High pressure experiment, Partition coefficient, Silicate magma, Spinel, Trace element

PURPOSE: Accumulation of PIK3CA, ESR1, and GATA3 mutations results in resistance to endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients; however, the response of these genes to chemotherapy is unclear. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the genetic response of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer patients. METHODS: The mutation frequency of 1021 genes was examined prior to chemotherapy in ctDNA of 44 estrogen receptor–positive metastatic breast cancer patients. These genes were evaluated again in a subset of patients (n=24) following chemotherapy. Mutation frequency was defined as the percentage of mutations found in ctDNA compared to total cell-free DNA. RESULTS: Prior to chemotherapy, PIK3CA was the most commonly mutated gene, with mutation found in 22 of the metastatic breast cancer patients. Following chemotherapy, 16 patients exhibited progressive disease (PD), and 8 patients experienced no progression (non-PD). PIK3CA mutation frequency increased in 56.25% (9/16) of the PD patients but decreased in 62.5% (5/8) of the non-PD patients. As a result, more PD patients exhibited increased PIK3CA mutation frequency than non-PD patients (56.25% vs 0%, P=.002). Further, ESR1 and GATA3 mutations correlated with PIK3CA mutation. Interestingly, patients receiving the mTOR inhibitor everolimus exhibited a lower progression rate (0% vs 62.5%, P=.001), and the combination of everolimus and chemotherapy effectively suppressed PIK3CA, ESR1, and GATA3 gene mutations. CONCLUSION: Together, these results suggest that mTOR inhibition may be a useful chemotherapy adjuvant to suppress chemotherapy-induced gene mutations that render tumors resistant to endocrine therapy in metastatic breast cancer patients with PD.

Background To date, few studies have evaluated the impact of lobectomy versus sublobar resection for early small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We investigated the survival rates of patients with pathological stage T1‐2N0M0 SCLC who underwent lobectomy or sublobar resection. Methods We identified 548 SCLC patients in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database who underwent lobectomy or sublobar resection. Propensity score matching (PSM) and Cox regression analysis were used to adjust for baseline characteristics. Results The three‐year overall survival (OS) of patients treated with lobectomy (n = 376, 60%) was significantly higher than those treated with sublobar resection (n = 172, 38%). PSM and Cox multivariable analysis further confirmed this result (hazard ratio [HR] 0.543, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.421–0.680; P

With the development of society, intelligent urban construction is drawing attention globally. It embed sensors and equipment into various environmental monitoring target objects to achieve environmental management and decision-making wisdom in a more granular and dynamic manner. However, how to achieve target objects' recognition in the dynamic environment is of essential importance for intelligent urban construction. Due to the shape, color and other characteristics for target objects are more similar, which make it difficult to identify the target types based on the low-level features such as color, shape, etc. In this paper, we attempt to apply the deep neural network composed of sparse autoencoders based unsupervised feature learning to identify the various types of target objects. On the other hand, due to the fact that the quantities of target objects which are obtained by environmental monitor may be not sufficient, cannot get more high-level visual feature through feature training, which affects the accuracy of the subsequent target recognition. A cross-domain feature learning scheme for target objects recognition using convolutional sparse auto-encoder has been presented. In order to improve the recognition speed, feature weights selection method based on a correlation analysis is further proposed for the purpose of reducing the amount of global features which are taken from target-domain images. Experimental results show that compared with non-transfer feature learning algorithm and underlying visual feature recognition algorithm, the new algorithm proposed in this paper has higher accuracy and robustness. Feature selection can reduce the computational time of global feature extraction and recognition by about 30% while improving recognition performance.

Abstract Background Single acute infarction (SAI) usually had lower risk of stroke recurrence than multiple acute infarctions (MAIs) in minor stroke. To evaluate whether all SAI had lower risk of stroke recurrence than MAIs in minor stroke. Methods We derived data from the imaging subgroup of the Clopidogrel in High-risk Patients with Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events (CHANCE) trial. Minor stroke were categorized into SAI and MAIs by infarction numbers in diffusion weighted imaging. SAI were classified as lacunar infarction and non-lacunar infarction. The outcome was stroke recurrence within one-year follow-up. We assessed the associations between infarction patterns and stroke recurrence using multivariable Cox regression models. Results Overall, 834 patients with minor stroke were included in this subgroup, 553 SAI (381 lacunar infarction, 172 non-lacunar infarction) and 281 MAIs. The rate of stroke recurrence was 7.6%, 15.1% and 15.3% in lacunar infarction of SAI, non-lacunar infarction of SAI and MAIs at one year, respectively. Compared with MAIs, lacunar infarction of SAI had lower risk of stroke recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] 0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.21–0.80, P = 0.009), but not in non-lacunar infarction of SAI (HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.60–1.69, P = 0.98). Conclusions Lacunar infarction of SAI have lower risk of stroke recurrence than MAIs, while non-lacunar infarction of SAI might have similar risk as MAIs. Except for the number of infarctions, size and location should also be considered to stratify risk of stroke recurrence in minor stroke. Trial registration http://www.clinicaltrials.gov Unique identifier: NCT00979589. Date of registration: September 2009.

Compared with the deeply buried marine gas hydrate deposits, gas hydrates in the shallow subsurface, close to and at the seafloor, have attracted more attention owing to their concentrated distribution, high saturation, and easy access. They accumulate at relatively shallow depths

Purpose: The new non-invasive arterial stiffness indices, arterial velocity pulse index (AVI) and arterial pressure volume index (API) are known to be associated with cardiovascular disease risk. The present study aimed to examine the “dose-response” associations between AVI, API and Framingham cardiovascular disease risk score (FCVRS). Methods: This survey included individuals with arterial stiffness indices collected at age 18 years and older. We used Pearson’s correlation coefficients and multivariate linear analyses to evaluate associations of AVI and API to other variables. The associations between FCVRS and AVI, API were analyzed by restrictive cubic spline. Results: 4311 people were included in the full study population, including 2091 males and 2220 females. In restricted cubic spline regression models, AVI or API had significant U-shaped associations with FCVRS, with the lowest risk score of cardiovascular disease was 8 units or 18 units, respectively. After AVI increased to 12 units, FCVRS increased rapidly until AVI was 27 units, and the FCVRS increased relatively flat afterward. For API, results were similar. When API increased to 23 units, the FCVRS increased rapidly, and after API was 52 units, FCVRS increased relatively flat. Conclusions: AVI or API had U-shaped associations with FCVRS. The associations may provide a new perspective for early treatment or lifestyle modifications to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

During pregnancy, the maternal immune system undergoes major adaptive modifications that are necessary for the acceptance and protection of the fetus. It has been postulated that these modifications are temporary and limited to the time of pregnancy. Growing evidence suggests that pregnancy has a long-term impact on maternal health, especially among women with pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia (PE). In addition, the presence of multiple immunological-associated changes in women that remain long after delivery has been reported. To explain these long-term modifications, we hypothesized that pregnancy induces long-term immunological memory with effects on maternal well-being. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the immunological phenotype of circulating immune cells in women at least 1 year after a normal pregnancy and after pregnancy complicated by PE. Using multiparameter flow cytometry (FCM) and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), we demonstrate that pregnancy has a long-term effect on the maternal immune cell populations and that this effect differs between normal pregnancy and pregnancy complicated by PE; furthermore, these modifications are due to changes in the maternal methylation status of genes that are associated with T cell and NK cell differentiation and function. We propose the existence of an “immunological memory of pregnancy (IMOP)” as an evolutionary advantage for the success of future pregnancies and the proper adaptation to the microchimeric status established during pregnancy. Our findings demonstrate that the type of immune cell populations modified during pregnancy may have an impact on subsequent pregnancy and future maternal health.