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Diabetic nephropathy is derived from long-term effects of high blood glucose on kidney function in type 2 diabetic patients. Several antidiabetic drugs and herbal medications have failed to prevent episodes of DN. Hence, this study aimed to further investigate the renal injury-reducing effect of antidiabetic CmNo1, a novel combination of powders of fruiting bodies and mycelia of Cordyceps militaris. After being administered with streptozotocin-nicotinamide and high-fat-diet, the diabetic nephropathy mouse model displayed elevated blood glucose and renal dysfunction markers including serum creatinine and kidney-to-body weight ratio. These elevated markers were significantly mitigated following 8 weeks CmNo1 treatment. Moreover, the chronic hyperglycemia-induced pathological alteration in renal tissue were also ameliorated. Besides, immunohistochemical study demonstrated a substantial reduction in elevated levels of carboxymethyl lysine, an advanced glycation end product. Elevated collagenous deposition in DN group was also attenuated through CmNo1 administration. Moreover, the enhanced levels of transforming growth factor-β1, a fibrosis-inducing protein in glomerulus were also markedly dampened. Furthermore, auxiliary risk factors in DN like serum triglycerides and cholesterol were found to be increased but were decreased by CmNo1 treatment. Conclusively, the results suggests that CmNo1 exhibit potent and efficacious renoprotective action against hyperglycemia-induced DN., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Observations of quasiparticle interference have been used in recent years to examine exotic carrier behavior at the surfaces of emergent materials, connecting carrier dispersion and scattering dynamics to real-space features with atomic resolution. We observe quasiparticle interference in the strongly Rashba split 2DEG-like surface band found at the tellurium termination of BiTeBr and examine two mechanisms governing quasiparticle scattering: We confirm the suppression of spin-flip scattering by comparing measured quasiparticle interference with a spin-dependent elastic scattering model applied to the calculated spectral function. We also use atomically resolved STM maps to identify point defect lattice sites and spectro-microscopy imaging to discern their varying scattering strengths, which we understand in terms of the calculated orbital characteristics of the surface band. Defects on the Bi sublattice cause the strongest scattering of the predominantly Bi 6p derived surface band, with other defects causing nearly no scattering near the conduction band minimum.

The predictive modeling and design of biologically active RNA molecules requires understanding the energetic balance among their basic components. Rapid developments in computer simulation promise increasingly accurate recovery of RNA's nearest-neighbor (NN) free-energy parameters, but these methods have not been tested in predictive trials or on nonstandard nucleotides. Here, we present, to our knowledge, the first such tests through a RECCES-Rosetta (reweighting of energy-function collection with conformational ensemble sampling in Rosetta) framework that rigorously models conformational entropy, predicts previously unmeasured NN parameters, and estimates these values' systematic uncertainties. RECCES-Rosetta recovers the 10 NN parameters for Watson-Crick stacked base pairs and 32 single-nucleotide dangling-end parameters with unprecedented accuracies: rmsd of 0.28 kcal/mol and 0.41 kcal/mol, respectively. For set-aside test sets, RECCES-Rosetta gives rmsd values of 0.32 kcal/mol on eight stacked pairs involving G-U wobble pairs and 0.99 kcal/mol on seven stacked pairs involving nonstandard isocytidine-isoguanosine pairs. To more rigorously assess RECCES-Rosetta, we carried out four blind predictions for stacked pairs involving 2,6-diaminopurine-U pairs, which achieved 0.64 kcal/mol rmsd accuracy when tested by subsequent experiments. Overall, these results establish that computational methods can now blindly predict energetics of basic RNA motifs, including chemically modified variants, with consistently better than 1 kcal/mol accuracy. Systematic tests indicate that resolving the remaining discrepancies will require energy function improvements beyond simply reweighting component terms, and we propose further blind trials to test such efforts.

Purpose: The neurobehavior of neuropathic pain by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of sciatic nerve is very similar to that in humans, and it is accompanied by a profound local inflammation response. In this study, we assess the potentiality of human amniotic fluid derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAFMSCs) for alleviating the neuropathic pain in a chronic constriction nerve injury model., Methods and Methods: This neuropathic pain animal model was conducted by four 3-0 chromic gut ligatures loosely ligated around the left sciatic nerve in Sprague-Dawley rats. The intravenous administration of hAFMSCs with 5x105 cells was conducted for three consecutive days., Results: The expression IL-1β, TNF-α and synaptophysin in dorsal root ganglion cell culture was remarkably attenuated when co-cultured with hAFMSCs. The significant decrease of PGP 9.5 in the skin after CCI was restored by administration of hAFMSCs. Remarkably increased expression of CD 68 and TNF-α and decreased S-100 and neurofilament expression in injured nerve were rescued by hAFMSCs administration. Increases in synaptophysin and TNF-α over the dorsal root ganglion were attenuated by hAFMSCs. Significant expression of TNF-α and OX-42 over the dorsal spinal cord was substantially attenuated by hAFMSCs. The increased amplitude of sensory evoked potential as well as expression of synaptophysin and TNF-α expression was alleviated by hAFMSCs. Human AFMSCs significantly improved the threshold of mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia as well as various parameters of CatWalk XT gait analysis., Conclusion: Human AFMSCs administration could alleviate the neuropathic pain demonstrated in histomorphological alteration and neurobehavior possibly through the modulation of the inflammatory response.

Cadmium arsenide (Cd3As2) is known for its inverted band structure and ultra-high electron mobility. It has been theoretically predicted and also confirmed by ARPES experiments to exhibit a 3D Dirac semimetal phase containing degenerate Weyl nodes. From magneto-transport measurements in high quality single crystals of Cd3As2, a small effective mass m(*) ≈ 0.05 me is determined from the Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) oscillations. In certain field orientations, we find a splitting of the SdH oscillation frequency in the FFT spectrum suggesting a possible lifting of the double degeneracy in accord with the helical spin texture at outer and inner Fermi surfaces with opposite chirality predicted by our ab initio calculations. Strikingly, a large antisymmetric magnetoresistance with respect to the applied magnetic fields is uncovered over a wide temperature range in needle crystal of Cd3As2 with its long axis along [112] crystal direction. It reveals a possible contribution of intrinsic anomalous velocity term in the transport equation resulting from a unique 3D Rashba-like spin splitted bands that can be obtained from band calculations with the inclusion of Cd antisite defects.

Understanding how interprofessional education (IPE) works in learning clinical ethics via problem-based learning (PBL) and how different professions' perspectives influence each other in this setting may inform future IPE. Eighty-nine students participated in a clinical ethics PBL and were assigned into three study groups, i.e., medical, nursing, and interprofessional groups. This study applied an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. The quantitative phase involved observation of the learning process in PBL tutorial with checklists to code students' performance of learning behaviour, ethics discussion skills, learning content explored, and analysis through comparison of accumulative percentage of the coded performance between groups. Content analysis of post-PBL homework self-reflections from interprofessional group was conducted as the following explanatory qualitative phase. Quantitative results indicated that nursing students performed favourably on course engagement, caring, and communication while medical students performed positively on issue identification and the life science aspect. Interprofessional group showed the strength of the both professions and performed best through the learning process. Content analysis revealed that students in the interprofessional group achieved interprofessional learning from recognizing the differences between to appreciating learning from each other and to sense the need of future collaboration. With early exposure to IPE, undergraduate students may learn to balance their socialized viewpoints by seeing ethical dilemmas from each other's standpoint.

The T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (TIM-3) is selectively expressed on terminally differentiated T helper 1 (Th1) cells and acts as a negative regulator that terminates Th1 responses. The dysregulation of TIM-3 expression on T cells is associated with several autoimmune phenotypes and with chronic viral infections; however, the mechanism of this regulation is unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of DNA methylation on the expression of TIM-3. By analyzing the sequences of TIM-3 promoter regions in human and mouse, we identified a CpG island within the TIM-3 promoter and demonstrated that the promoter activity was controlled by DNA methylation. Furthermore, treatment with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine enhanced TIM-3 expression on mouse primary CD4(+) T cells under Th0-, Th1- or Th2-polarizing conditions. Finally, pyrosequencing analysis revealed that the methylation level of the TIM-3 promoter gradually decreased after each round of T-cell polarization, and this decrease was inversely correlated with TIM-3 expression. These data suggest that the DNA methylation of the TIM-3 promoter cooperates with lineage-specific transcription factors in the control of Th-cell development. In conclusion, DNA methylation-based regulation of TIM-3 may provide novel insights into understanding the dysregulation of TIM-3 expression under pathogenic conditions.

Although restoration of mitochondrial function in mitochondrial diseases through peptide-mediated allogeneic mitochondrial delivery (PMD) has been demonstrated in vitro, the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of PMD in Parkinson's disease (PD) has yet to be determined. In this study, we compared the functionality of mitochondrial transfer with or without Pep-1 conjugation in neurotoxin (6-hydroxydopamine, 6-OHDA)-induced PC12 cells and PD rat models. We injected mitochondria into the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) of the PD rats after subjecting the nigrostriatal pathway to a unilateral 6-OHDA lesion for 21 days, and we verified the effectiveness of the mitochondrial graft in enhancing mitochondrial function in the soma of the substantia nigra (SN) neuron through mitochondrial transport dynamics in the nigrostriatal circuit. The result demonstrated that only PMD with allogeneic and xenogeneic sources significantly sustained mitochondrial function to resist the neurotoxin-induced oxidative stress and apoptotic death in the rat PC12 cells. The remaining cells exhibited a greater capability of neurite outgrowth. Furthermore, allogeneic and xenogeneic transplantation of peptide-labeled mitochondria after 3 months improved the locomotive activity in the PD rats. This increase was accompanied by a marked decrease in dopaminergic neuron loss in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and consistent enhancement of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive immunoreaction of dopaminergic neurons in the SNc and striatum. We also observed that in the SN dopaminergic neuron in the treated PD rats, mitochondrial complex I protein and mitochondrial dynamics were restored, thus ameliorating the oxidative DNA damage. Moreover, we determined signal translocation of graft allogeneic mitochondria from the MFB to the calbindin-positive SN neuron, which demonstrated the regulatory role of mitochondrial transport in alleviating 6-OHDA-induced degeneration of dopaminergic neurons., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

PbCuTe_{2}O_{6} is a rare example of a spin liquid candidate featuring a three-dimensional magnetic lattice. Strong geometric frustration arises from the dominant antiferromagnetic interaction that generates a hyperkagome network of Cu^{2+} ions although additional interactions enhance the magnetic lattice connectivity. Through a combination of magnetization measurements and local probe investigations by NMR and muon spin relaxation down to 20 mK, we provide robust evidence for the absence of magnetic freezing in the ground state. The local spin susceptibility probed by the NMR shift hardly deviates from the macroscopic one down to 1 K pointing to a homogeneous magnetic system with a low defect concentration. The saturation of the NMR shift and the sublinear power law temperature (T) evolution of the 1/T_{1} NMR relaxation rate at low T point to a nonsinglet ground state favoring a gapless fermionic description of the magnetic excitations. Below 1 K a pronounced slowing down of the spin dynamics is witnessed, which may signal a reconstruction of spinon Fermi surface. Nonetheless, the compound remains in a fluctuating spin liquid state down to the lowest temperature of the present investigation.

In this paper, we report the optoelectronic properties of multi-layered GeS nanosheet (∼28 nm thick)-based field-effect transistors (called GeS-FETs). The multi-layered GeS-FETs exhibit remarkably high photoresponsivity of Rλ ∼ 206 A W(-1) under 1.5 μW cm(-2) illumination at λ = 633 nm, Vg = 0 V, and Vds = 10 V. The obtained Rλ ∼ 206 A W(-1) is excellent as compared with a GeS nanoribbon-based and the other family members of group IV-VI-based photodetectors in the layered-materials realm, such as GeSe and SnS2. The gate-dependent photoresponsivity of GeS-FETs was further measured to be able to reach Rλ ∼ 655 A W(-1) operated at Vg = -80 V. Moreover, the multi-layered GeS photodetector holds high external quantum efficiency (EQE ∼ 4.0 × 10(4)%) and specific detectivity (D* ∼ 2.35 × 10(13) Jones). The measured D* is comparable to those of the advanced commercial Si- and InGaAs-based photodiodes. The GeS photodetector also shows an excellent long-term photoswitching stability over a long period of operation (>1 h). These extraordinary properties of high photocurrent generation, broad spectral range, and long-term stability make the GeS-FET photodetector a highly qualified candidate for future optoelectronic applications.

Mn vacancy defect and grain size are shown to modify the magnetic phase diagram of MnSi significantly, especially near the critical regime of A-phase (skyrmion lattice) formation and the helimagnetic phase transition. Crystals grown using controlled nonstoichiometric initial precursors creates both grain boundaries and intrinsic Mn vacancy defect of various levels in MnSi. The results of combined transport, specific heat, and AC spin susceptibility measurements are compared for MnSi single crystal samples of various manganese deficiency levels and grain sizes. The finite-size effect and Mn vacancy level dependent helical phase transition temperature T(c) have been identified and verified. The stability of A-phase in H-T phase space has been examined through AC spin susceptibility data analysis.

Transferring exogenous mitochondria has therapeutic effects on damaged heart, liver, and lung tissues. Whether this protective effect requires the symbiosis of exogenous mitochondria in host cells remains unknown. Here xenogenic mitochondria derived from a hamster cell line were applied to ischemic rat brains and rat primary cortical neurons. Isolated hamster mitochondria, either through local intracerebral or systemic intra-arterial injection, significantly restored the motor performance of brain-ischemic rats. The brain infarct area and neuronal cell death were both attenuated by the exogenous mitochondria. Although internalized mitochondria could be observed in neurons and astrocytes, the low efficacy of mitochondrial internalization could not completely account for the high rate of rescue of the treated neural cells. We further illustrated that disrupting electron transport or ATPase synthase in mitochondria significantly attenuated the protective effect, suggesting that intact respiratory activity is essential for the mitochondrial potency on neural protection. These results emphasize that nonsymbiotic extracellular mitochondria can provide an effective cell defense against acute injurious ischemic stress in the central nervous system.

The final step of RNA crystallography involves the fitting of coordinates into electron density maps. The large number of backbone atoms in RNA presents a difficult and tedious challenge, particularly when experimental density is poor. The ERRASER-Phenix pipeline can improve an initial set of RNA coordinates automatically based on a physically realistic model of atomic-level RNA interactions. The pipeline couples diffraction-based refinement in Phenix with the Rosetta-based real-space refinement protocol ERRASER (Enumerative Real-Space Refinement ASsisted by Electron density under Rosetta). The combination of ERRASER and Phenix can improve the geometrical quality of RNA crystallographic models while maintaining or improving the fit to the diffraction data (as measured by R free). Here we present a complete tutorial for running ERRASER-Phenix through the Phenix GUI, from the command-line, and via an application in the Rosetta On-line Server that Includes Everyone (ROSIE).

Magnetic, thermodynamic, and dielectric properties of Li2Ni(WO4)2 of S  =  1 system have been studied using magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, and dielectric constant measurements. The magnetic orderings can be identified in three stages, including a short range magnetic ordering indicated by the rounded χ(T) peak with maximum at  ∼20 K, and signatures of two successful antiferromagnetic long range orderings near T(N1) ~ 18 K and T(N2) ~ 13 K revealed by the d(χ(T)) /d(T) peaks. The successive long range magnetic orderings are related to the quasi triangular symmetry breaking in the ac- and bc-planes and to the change of the dielectric constant, suggesting the presence of spin-phonon coupling. The specific heat and magnetic entropy analysis for Li2Ni(WO4)2 shows the existence of a significant low dimensional magnetic correlations at high temperature and confirms the long range three-dimensional (3D) behavior of magnetic orderings below T(N1) and T(N2).

Background/purpose: Indigenous populations suffer from disparities in socioeconomic resources and health status. One approach to addressing these disparities is by targeting modifiable risk factors such as leisure physical activity (LPA). This study investigated and compared factors related to LPA among urbanized indigenous and nonindigenous adolescent students., Methods: This cross-sectional survey comprised fifth to ninth grade indigenous and nonindigenous students (n = 733). The nonindigenous students were matched with indigenous students on sex and academic achievement and used as a reference group. Data were collected through telephone interviews using structured questionnaires. Major items included: demographic characteristics; average time spent watching television per bout; participation in LPA; and stress and depression experiences., Results: With the exception of the duration of television watching per bout, Chi-square and independent t tests demonstrated that there were no significant differences between indigenous and nonindigenous adolescents in the selected LPA-related factors. Multiple logistic regression analysis including terms investigating interaction between ethnicity and the contextual factors included in this study indicated that the following factors were correlated with LPA participation: age [odds ratio (OR) = 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.71-0.94], male sex (OR = 1.77, 95%CI = 1.19-2.61), total hours spent watching television in the past 2 weeks (OR = 0.79, 95%CI = 0.63-0.99), life satisfaction (OR = 2.25, 95%CI = 1.04-4.90), and exercise enjoyment (OR = 3.40, 95%CI = 1.71-6.74). However, neither indigenous status (OR = 1.03, 95%CI = 0.19-5.79) nor any of the interaction terms reached the significant level., Conclusion: No significant ethnic differences were found in LPA participation. LPA was significantly correlated with age, male sex, total time spent watching television, life satisfaction, and enjoyment of exercise., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

We investigate the magnetic, thermal, and dielectric properties of SrCuTe2O6, which is isostructural to PbCuTe2O6, a recently found, Cu-based 3D frustrated magnet with a corner-sharing triangular spin network having dominant first and second nearest neighbor (nn) couplings (Koteswararao et al 2014 Phys. Rev. B 90 035141). Although SrCuTe2O6 has a structurally similar spin network, the magnetic data exhibit the characteristic features of a typical quasi-1D magnet, which mainly resulted from the magnetically dominant third nn coupling, uniform chains. The magnetic properties of this system are studied via magnetization (M), heat capacity (C p ), dielectric constant ([Formula: see text]), and measurements along with ab initio band structure calculations. The magnetic susceptibility [Formula: see text] data show a broad maximum at 32 K and the system orders at low temperatures [Formula: see text] K and [Formula: see text] K, respectively. The analysis of the [Formula: see text] data gives an intra-chain coupling, [Formula: see text], to be about  ≈  -  42 K with non-negligible frustrated inter-chain couplings ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]). The hopping parameters obtained from the LDA band structure calculations also suggest the presence of coupled uniform chains. The observation of simultaneous anomalies in [Formula: see text] at [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] suggests the presence of a magneto-dielectric effect in SrCuTe2O6. A magnetic phase diagram is also built based on the M, C p , and [Formula: see text] results.

Perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA)/Bi2Se3 and Fe/PTCDA/Bi2Se3 heterointerfaces are investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. The close-packed self-assembled PTCDA monolayer possesses big molecular band gap and weak molecule-substrate interactions, which leaves the Bi2Se3 topological surface state intact under PTCDA. Formation of Fe-PTCDA hybrids removes interactions between the Fe dopant and the Bi2Se3 surface, such as doping effects and Coulomb scattering. Our findings reveal the functionality of PTCDA to prevent dopant disturbances in the TSS and provide an effective alternative for interface designs of realistic TI devices.

We aimed to investigate expression of magnesium transporter genes in patients with head and neck cancer who underwent cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy and their association with serum magnesium level. Head and neck cancer patients scheduled to undergo neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy were eligible for enrollment. Blood samples were obtained at three time points: prior to, during, and after completion of chemotherapy. Expression levels of magnesium transporter genes were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. A total of 23 patients were included in the final analysis. The average serum magnesium levels dropped 6.98 and 5.20% during and after completion of chemotherapy. There were neither significant associations between serum magnesium level and demographic variables nor tumor-related variables. SLC41A1 expression level was positively correlated with serum magnesium whereas TRPM6 expression level was negatively correlated with serum magnesium. Serum magnesium level decreased during cisplatin-based chemotherapy in head and neck cancer patients. Further studies are warranted to investigate optimal magnesium measurement and substitution protocol.

Topological insulators (TIs) are interesting quantum matters that have a narrow bandgap for bulk and a Dirac-cone-like conducting surface state (SS). The recent discovered second Dirac surface state (SS) and bulk bands (BBs) located ~1.5 eV above the first SS are important for optical coupling in TIs. Here, we report on the time-domain measurements of THz radiation generated from TIs n-type Cu(0.02)Bi2Se3 and p-type Bi2Te3 single crystals by ultrafast optical pulse excitation. The observed polarity-reversal of the THz pulse originated from transient current is unusual, and cannot be reconciled with the photo-Dember effect. The second SS and BBs are found to be indispensable for the explanation of the unusual phenomenon. Thanks to the existence of the second SS and BBs, TIs manifest an effective wide band gap in THz generation. The present study demonstrates that time-domain THz spectroscopy provide rich information of the optical coupling and the electronic structure of TIs.

The three dimensional (3D) Dirac semimetal is a new quantum state of matter that has attracted much attention recently in physics and material science. Here, we report on the growth of large plate-like single crystals of Cd3As2 in two major orientations by a self-selecting vapor growth (SSVG) method, and the optimum growth conditions have been experimentally determined. The crystalline imperfections and electrical properties of the crystals were examined with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and transport property measurements. This SSVG method makes it possible to control the as-grown crystal compositions with excess Cd or As leading to mobilities near 5-10(5) cm(2)V(-1)s(-1). Zn-doping can effectively reduce the carrier density to reach the maximum residual resistivity ratio (RRRρ300K/ρ5K) of 7.6. A vacuum-cleaved single crystal has been investigated using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) to reveal a single Dirac cone near the center of the surface Brillouin zone with a binding energy of approximately 200 meV.

Human neural stem cells (NSCs) are particularly valuable for the study of neurogenesis process and have a therapeutic potential in treating neurodegenerative disorders. However, current progress in the use of human NSCs is limited due to the available NSC sources and the complicated isolation and culture techniques. In this study, we describe an efficient method to isolate and propagate human NSCs from the amniotic fluid with diagnosed neural tube defects (NTDs), specifically, anencephaly. These amniotic fluid-derived NSCs (AF-NSCs) formed neurospheres and underwent long-term expansion in vitro. In addition, these cells showed normal karyotypes and telomerase activity and expressed NSC-specific markers, including Nestin, Sox2, Musashi-1, and the ATP-binding cassette G2 (ABCG2). AF-NSCs displayed typical morphological patterns and expressed specific markers that were consistent with neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and dopaminergic neurons after proper induction conditions. Furthermore, grafted AF-NSCs improved the physiological functions in a rat stroke model. The ability to isolate and bank human NSCs from this novel source provides a unique opportunity for translational studies of neurological disorders.

The sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) is responsible for glucose uptake in intestinal epithelial cells. Its expression is decreased in individuals with intestinal inflammatory disorders and is correlated with the pathogenesis of disease. The aim of this study was to understand the regulatory mechanism of the SGLT1 gene. Using the trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced mouse models of intestinal inflammation, we observed decreased SGLT1 expression in the inflamed intestine was positively correlated with the mucosal level of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and activated CREB. Overexpression of EGF demonstrated that the effect of EGF on intestinal glucose uptake was primarily due to the increased level of SGLT1. We identified an essential cAMP binding element (CRE) confers EGF inducibility in the human SGLT1 gene promoter. ChIP assay further demonstrated the increased binding of CREB and CBP to the SGLT1 gene promoter in EGF-treated cells. In addition, the EGFR- and PI3K-dependent CREB phosphorylations are involved in the EGF-mediated SGLT1 expression. This is the first report to demonstrate that CREB is involved in EGF-mediated transcription regulation of SGLT1 gene in the normal and inflamed intestine, which can provide potential therapeutic applications for intestinal inflammatory disorders., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The general picture established so far for the links between superconductivity and magnetic ordering in iron chalcogenide Fe1+y(Te(1-x)Sex) is that the substitution of Se for Te directly drives the system from the antiferromagnetic end into the superconducting regime. Here, we report on the observation of a ferromagnetic component that developed together with the superconducting transition in Fe-excess Fe1.12Te(1-x)Sex crystals using neutron and x-ray diffractions, resistivity, magnetic susceptibility and magnetization measurements. The superconducting transition is accompanied by a negative thermal expansion of the crystalline unit cell and an electronic charge redistribution, where a small portion of the electronic charge flows from around the Fe sites toward the Te/Se sites. First-principles calculations show consistent results, revealing that the excess Fe ions play a more significant role in affecting the magnetic property in the superconducting state than in the normal state and the occurrence of an electronic charge redistribution through the superconducting transition.

Graphene-like two-dimensional (2D) materials not only are interesting for their exotic electronic structure and fundamental electronic transport or optical properties but also hold promises for device miniaturization down to atomic thickness. As one material belonging to this category, InSe, a III-VI semiconductor, not only is a promising candidate for optoelectronic devices but also has potential for ultrathin field effect transistor (FET) with high mobility transport. In this work, various substrates such as PMMA, bare silicon oxide, passivated silicon oxide, and silicon nitride were used to fabricate multilayer InSe FET devices. Through back gating and Hall measurement in four-probe configuration, the device's field effect mobility and intrinsic Hall mobility were extracted at various temperatures to study the material's intrinsic transport behavior and the effect of dielectric substrate. The sample's field effect and Hall mobilities over the range of 20-300 K fall in the range of 0.1-2.0 × 10(3) cm(2)/(V s), which are comparable or better than the state of the art FETs made of widely studied 2D transition metal dichalcogenides.

Accelerating discoveries of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) in myriad biological processes pose major challenges to structural and functional analysis. Despite progress in secondary structure modeling, high-throughput methods have generally failed to determine ncRNA tertiary structures, even at the 1-nm resolution that enables visualization of how helices and functional motifs are positioned in three dimensions. We report that integrating a new method called MOHCA-seq (Multiplexed •OH Cleavage Analysis with paired-end sequencing) with mutate-and-map secondary structure inference guides Rosetta 3D modeling to consistent 1-nm accuracy for intricately folded ncRNAs with lengths up to 188 nucleotides, including a blind RNA-puzzle challenge, the lariat-capping ribozyme. This multidimensional chemical mapping (MCM) pipeline resolves unexpected tertiary proximities for cyclic-di-GMP, glycine, and adenosylcobalamin riboswitch aptamers without their ligands and a loose structure for the recently discovered human HoxA9D internal ribosome entry site regulon. MCM offers a sequencing-based route to uncovering ncRNA 3D structure, applicable to functionally important but potentially heterogeneous states.

This paper is a report of a second round of RNA-Puzzles, a collective and blind experiment in three-dimensional (3D) RNA structure prediction. Three puzzles, Puzzles 5, 6, and 10, represented sequences of three large RNA structures with limited or no homology with previously solved RNA molecules. A lariat-capping ribozyme, as well as riboswitches complexed to adenosylcobalamin and tRNA, were predicted by seven groups using RNAComposer, ModeRNA/SimRNA, Vfold, Rosetta, DMD, MC-Fold, 3dRNA, and AMBER refinement. Some groups derived models using data from state-of-the-art chemical-mapping methods (SHAPE, DMS, CMCT, and mutate-and-map). The comparisons between the predictions and the three subsequently released crystallographic structures, solved at diffraction resolutions of 2.5-3.2 Å, were carried out automatically using various sets of quality indicators. The comparisons clearly demonstrate the state of present-day de novo prediction abilities as well as the limitations of these state-of-the-art methods. All of the best prediction models have similar topologies to the native structures, which suggests that computational methods for RNA structure prediction can already provide useful structural information for biological problems. However, the prediction accuracy for non-Watson-Crick interactions, key to proper folding of RNAs, is low and some predicted models had high Clash Scores. These two difficulties point to some of the continuing bottlenecks in RNA structure prediction. All submitted models are available for download at http://ahsoka.u-strasbg.fr/rnapuzzles/., (© 2015 Miao et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.)

Purpose: The skeletal muscle develops various degrees of atrophy and metabolic dysfunction following nerve injury. Neurotrophic factors are essential for muscle regeneration. Human amniotic fluid derived stem cells (AFS) have the potential to secrete various neurotrophic factors necessary for nerve regeneration. In the present study, we assess the outcome of neurological function by intramuscular injection of AFS in a muscle denervation and nerve anastomosis model., Materials and Methods: Seventy two Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200-250 gm were enrolled in this study. Muscle denervation model was conducted by transverse resection of a sciatic nerve with the proximal end sutured into the gluteal muscle. The nerve anastomosis model was performed by transverse resection of the sciatic nerve followed by four stitches reconnection. These animals were allocated to three groups: control, electrical muscle stimulation, and AFS groups., Results: NT-3 (Neurotrophin 3), BDNF (Brain derived neurotrophic factor), CNTF (Ciliary neurotrophic factor), and GDNF (Glia cell line derived neurotrophic factor) were highly expressed in AFS cells and supernatant of culture medium. Intra-muscular injection of AFS exerted significant expression of several neurotrophic factors over the distal end of nerve and denervated muscle. AFS caused high expression of Bcl-2 in denervated muscle with a reciprocal decrease of Bad and Bax. AFS preserved the muscle morphology with high expression of desmin and acetylcholine receptors. Up to two months, AFS produced significant improvement in electrophysiological study and neurological functions such as SFI (sciatic nerve function index) and Catwalk gait analysis. There was also significant preservation of the number of anterior horn cells and increased nerve myelination as well as muscle morphology., Conclusion: Intramuscular injection of AFS can protect muscle apoptosis and likely does so through the secretion of various neurotrophic factors. This protection furthermore improves the nerve regeneration in a long term nerve anastomosis model.

By both experimental measurements and theoretical calculations, we investigated the magnetic and electronic properties of Li2Cu(WO4)2 as a tungstate-bridged quasi-one-dimensional (1D) copper spin-(1/2) chain system. Interestingly, magnetic susceptibility χ(T) and specific heat measurements show that the system undergoes a three-dimensional antiferromagnetic (AF)-like ordering at TN ≈ 3.7 K, below a broad χ(T) maximum at ∼8.9 K indicating a low-dimensional short-range AF spin correlation. Bonner-Fisher model fitting of χ(T) leads to an AF intrachain exchange constant of J/kB = 15.8 ± 0.1 K, and mean-field theory estimation gives an interchain coupling constant of J⊥/kB = 1.6 K, which supports the quasi-1D nature of this spin system. Theoretical evaluation of exchange coupling constants within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) plus on-site Coulomb interaction (U) shows that the dominant AF exchange interaction is of ∼13.9 K along the a-axis with weak interchain coupling, in agreement with the experimental result of a quasi-1D spin-(1/2) chain system. The GGA+U calculations also predict that Li2Cu(WO4)2 is a charge transfer-type AF semiconductor with a direct band gap of 1.5 eV.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between stuttering loci and lexical tone in Mandarin-speaking preschoolers. Conversational samples from 20 Taiwanese children who stutter (CWS; M = 4:9; range = 3:2-6:4) were analysed for frequency and type of speech disfluency and lexical tone associated with stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs). Results indicated that SLDs were significantly more likely to be produced on Mandarin syllables carrying Tone 3 and Tone 4 syllables compared to syllables carrying either Tone 1 or Tone 2. Post-hoc analyses revealed: (1) no significant differences in the stuttering frequencies between Tone 1 and Tone 2, or between Tone 3 and Tone 4, and (2) a higher incidence of stuttering on syllables carrying Tone 3 and Tone 4 embedded in conflicting (as opposed to compatible) tonal contexts. Results suggest that the higher incidence of stuttering on Mandarin syllables carrying either Tone 3 or 4 may be attributed to the increased level of speech motor demand underlying rapid F0 change both within and across syllables.

The topology of the electronic structure of a crystal is manifested in its surface states. Recently, a distinct topological state has been proposed in metals or semimetals whose spin-orbit band structure features three-dimensional Dirac quasiparticles. We used angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to experimentally observe a pair of spin-polarized Fermi arc surface states on the surface of the Dirac semimetal Na3Bi at its native chemical potential. Our systematic results collectively identify a topological phase in a gapless material. The observed Fermi arc surface states open research frontiers in fundamental physics and possibly in spintronics., (Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.)

Reliable modeling of RNA tertiary structures is key to both understanding these structures' roles in complex biological machines and to eventually facilitating their design for molecular computing and robotics. In recent years, a concerted effort to improve computational prediction of RNA structure through the RNA-Puzzles blind prediction trials has accelerated advances in the field. Among other approaches, the versatile and expanding Rosetta molecular modeling software now permits modeling of RNAs in the 100-300 nucleotide size range at consistent subhelical (~1 nm) resolution. Our laboratory's current state-of-the-art methods for RNAs in this size range involve Fragment Assembly of RNA with Full-Atom Refinement (FARFAR), which optimizes RNA conformations in the context of a physically realistic energy function, as well as hybrid techniques that leverage experimental data to inform computational modeling. In this chapter, we give a practical guide to our current workflow for modeling RNA three-dimensional structures using FARFAR, including strategies for using data from multidimensional chemical mapping experiments to focus sampling and select accurate conformations., (© 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of serum Mg on bone mineral metabolism in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with or without diabetes. A total of 56 CKD patients not receiving dialysis were recruited and divided into two groups, one group of 27 CKD patients with diabetes and another group of 29 CKD patients without diabetes. Biochemical determinations were made, and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was measured. Bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum Mg was inversely correlated with serum Ca (P = 0.023) and positively correlated with serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) (P = 0.020), alkaline phosphatase (P = 0.044), and phosphate (P = 0.040) in the CKD patients with diabetes. The CKD patients with diabetes had lower serum albumin and a higher proportion of hypomagnesemia and osteoporosis than the nondiabetic patients did (P < 0.05). Serum Mg was inversely correlated with eGFR in the CKD patients with or without diabetes (P < 0.05). Serum Mg showed an inverse correlation with 25-hydroxyvitamin D in CKD patients without diabetes (P = 0.006). Furthermore, the diabetic CKD patients with low serum Mg had a lower iPTH (P = 0.007) and a higher serum Ca/Mg ratio (P < 0.001) than the other CKD patients. The lower serum Mg subgroup showed a higher incidence of osteoporosis than the moderate and higher serum Mg subgroups did (66.7%, 39.4%, and 29.4%, resp.). In conclusion, low serum Mg may impact iPTH and exacerbates osteoporosis in CKD patients, particularly with diabetes.

Aims: To explore the risk of subsequent ischemic events in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients who had lower extremity amputations (LEAs) were compared with DM patients without LEAs., Methods: A population-based cohort study was conducted utilizing the data of 2011 patients with newly diagnosed DM with and without LEAs sourced from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 (LHID 2000) of the Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI) program between 1996 and 2008., Main Outcome Measures: Relative risks (RRs), hazard ratios (HRs), and disease-free rates for various ischemic events., Results: In contrast with the comparison group, subjects with LEAs were more likely to reside in less urbanized areas, be white collar workers, and have higher DM-related costs (p<0.05). Subjects with LEAs also had significantly higher risks of developing ischemic diseases, except intestinal ischemia. In the multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis, the HR of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was highest (HR=3.91, 95% CI=2.38-6.42), followed by embolism and thrombosis (HR=3.47, 95% CI=2.12-5.67), other peripheral vascular diseases (HR=3.11, 95% CI=2.11-4.57), atherosclerosis (HR=2.64, 95% CI=1.60-4.35), retinopathy (HR=2.24, 95% CI=1.79-2.80), cerebral ischemia (HR=1.61, 95% CI=1.25-2.06), and coronary artery disease (HR=1.44, 95% CI=1.18-1.74)., Conclusions: DM patients with LEAs had significantly higher risks for subsequent ischemic events, particularly among men. The greatest risk detected among DM patients with LEA's was for end-stage renal disease. Disease free survival rates also indicated that the course of generalized DM ischemia proceeded despite treatment., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

RNA plays myriad roles in the transmission and regulation of genetic information that are fundamentally constrained by its mechanical properties, including the elasticity and conformational transitions of the double-stranded (dsRNA) form. Although double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) mechanics have been dissected with exquisite precision, much less is known about dsRNA. Here we present a comprehensive characterization of dsRNA under external forces and torques using magnetic tweezers. We find that dsRNA has a force-torque phase diagram similar to that of dsDNA, including plectoneme formation, melting of the double helix induced by torque, a highly overwound state termed "P-RNA," and a highly underwound, left-handed state denoted "L-RNA." Beyond these similarities, our experiments reveal two unexpected behaviors of dsRNA: Unlike dsDNA, dsRNA shortens upon overwinding, and its characteristic transition rate at the plectonemic buckling transition is two orders of magnitude slower than for dsDNA. Our results challenge current models of nucleic acid mechanics, provide a baseline for modeling RNAs in biological contexts, and pave the way for new classes of magnetic tweezers experiments to dissect the role of twist and torque for RNA-protein interactions at the single-molecule level.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the trabecular bone microarchitecture and cortical bone morphology by using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and dental cone-beam computed tomography (dental CT)., Materials and Methods: Sixteen femurs and eight fifth lumbar vertebrae were collected from eight male Sprague Dawley rats. Four trabecular bone microarchitecture parameters related to the fifth lumbar vertebral body (percent bone volume [BV/TV], trabecular thickness [TbTh], trabecular separation [TbSp], and trabecular number [TbN]) were calculated using micro-CT. In addition, the volumetric cancellous bone grayscale value (vCanGrayscale) of the fifth lumbar vertebral body was measured using dental CT. Furthermore, four cortical bone morphology parameters of the femoral diaphysis (total cross-sectional area [TtAr], cortical area [CtAr], cortical bone area fraction [CtAr/TtAr], and cortical thickness [CtTh]) were calculated using both micro-CT and dental CT. Pearson analysis was conducted to calculate the correlation coefficients (r) of the micro-CT and dental CT measurements. Paired-sample t tests were used to compare the differences between the measurements of the four cortical bone morphology parameters obtained using micro-CT and dental CT., Results: High correlations between the vCanGrayscale measured using dental CT and the trabecular bone microarchitecture parameters (BV/TV [r = 0.84] and TbTh [r = 0.84]) measured using micro-CT were observed. The absolute value of the four cortical bone morphology parameters may be different between the dental CT and micro-CT approaches. However, high correlations (r ranged from 0.71 to 0.90) among these four cortical bone morphology parameters measured using the two approaches were obtained., Conclusion: We observed high correlations between the vCanGrayscale measured using dental CT and the trabecular bone microarchitecture parameters (BV/TV and TbTh) measured using micro-CT, in addition to high correlations between the cortical bone morphology measured using micro-CT and dental CT. Further experiments are necessary to validate the use of dental CT on human bone.

Transition metal dichalcogenides [corrected] have attracted much attention recently due to their potential applications in spintronics and photonics because of the indirect to direct band gap transition and the emergence of the spin-valley coupling phenomenon upon moving from the bulk to monolayer limit. Here, we report high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy on MoSe2 single crystals and monolayer films of MoS2 grown on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite substrate. Our experimental results resolve the Fermi surface trigonal warping of bulk MoSe2, and provide evidence for the critically important spin-orbit split valence bands of monolayer MoS2. Moreover, we systematically image the formation of quantum well states on the surfaces of these materials, and present a theoretical model to account for these experimental observations. Our findings provide important insights into future applications of transition metal dichalcogenides in nanoelectronics, spintronics and photonics devices as they critically depend on the spin-orbit physics of these materials.

Single-molecule tweezers measurements of double-stranded nucleic acids (dsDNA and dsRNA) provide unprecedented opportunities to dissect how these fundamental molecules respond to forces and torques analogous to those applied by topoisomerases, viral capsids, and other biological partners. However, tweezers data are still most commonly interpreted post facto in the framework of simple analytical models. Testing falsifiable predictions of state-of-the-art nucleic acid models would be more illuminating but has not been performed. Here we describe a blind challenge in which numerical predictions of nucleic acid mechanical properties were compared to experimental data obtained recently for dsRNA under applied force and torque. The predictions were enabled by the HelixMC package, first presented in this paper. HelixMC advances crystallography-derived base-pair level models (BPLMs) to simulate kilobase-length dsDNAs and dsRNAs under external forces and torques, including their global linking numbers. These calculations recovered the experimental bending persistence length of dsRNA within the error of the simulations and accurately predicted that dsRNA's "spring-like" conformation would give a two-fold decrease of stretch modulus relative to dsDNA. Further blind predictions of helix torsional properties, however, exposed inaccuracies in current BPLM theory, including three-fold discrepancies in torsional persistence length at the high force limit and the incorrect sign of dsRNA link-extension (twist-stretch) coupling. Beyond these experiments, HelixMC predicted that 'nucleosome-excluding' poly(A)/poly(T) is at least two-fold stiffer than random-sequence dsDNA in bending, stretching, and torsional behaviors; Z-DNA to be at least three-fold stiffer than random-sequence dsDNA, with a near-zero link-extension coupling; and non-negligible effects from base pair step correlations. We propose that experimentally testing these predictions should be powerful next steps for understanding the flexibility of dsDNA and dsRNA in sequence contexts and under mechanical stresses relevant to their biology.

Background: We investigated the effects of dietary calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) intakes on cardiovascular disease risks in older patients with diabetes., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 197 patients with type 2 diabetes aged 65 years and above were recruited. The 24-h dietary recalls and 1-week self-reported typical dietary intake patterns were collected. The Ca and Mg intakes of <67% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA), 67%-100% of RDA, and >100% of RDA were defined as low, moderate, and high Ca and Mg intakes, respectively. Anthropometric measurements were determined and biochemical analysis of blood and urine was performed., Results: Our data indicated that 60.9% and 87.3% of our patients were Ca and Mg intakes below RDA, respectively. Patients whose Ca intake was high or low (81.2%) had significantly higher C-reactive protein (CRP) than those whose Ca intake was moderate (p = 0.043). Furthermore, patients whose Mg intake was low (87.3%) had significantly higher CRP than that of those who took adequate Mg (p = 0.025). The dietary Ca:Mg intake ratios were highly correlated with CRP, platelet counts, and red blood cell distribution (p < 0.05). A dietary Ca:Mg intake ratio of 2.0-2.5 was significantly correlated to lower CRP levels (p = 0.013)., Conclusions: High or low calcium intake increases cardiovascular disease risks. We suggest that "moderate" intake of 402-600 mg Ca/day (approximately 67%-100% of Taiwan RDA for Ca) and adequate Mg intake (or meeting RDA for Mg) with Ca:Mg intake ratio of 2.0-2.5 are important for reducing cardiovascular disease risks in older patients with diabetes.

Aims/introduction: The aim of the present study was to investigate an appropriate level of physical activity and optimal dietary intake in older type 2 diabetes patients., Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study enrolled 210 older type 2 diabetes patients. Participants were interviewed to obtain information on physical activity, 24-h dietary recall and typical weekly dietary patterns. Anthropometric measurements, and biochemical analysis of blood and urine were determined., Results: Moderate physical activity (either moderate leisure-time physical activity or moderate physical activity level) and diet with protein intake of ≥0.8 g/kg/day were associated with lower glycated hemoglobin and triglyceride, higher high-density lipoprotein, lower waist circumference, body mass index and body fat, as well as better serum magnesium and albumin levels in older diabetic patients. In contrast, inadequate protein intake was correlated with higher glycated hemoglobin, triglyceride, body fat percentage, waist circumference and body mass index. In addition, high physical activity with inadequate protein and magnesium intake might exacerbate magnesium deficiency, resulting in poor glycemic control in older diabetic patients. Furthermore, low physical activity and inadequate protein intake were linked with poor glycemic control, and lower high-density lipoprotein, and higher triglyceride, body fat percentage, waist circumference and body mass index., Conclusions: Moderate physical activity and adequate dietary protein intake (≥0.8 g/kg/day) might be the optimal recommendation for better metabolic control in older adults with type 2 diabetes.

Serum magnesium (Mg) levels are closely controlled through a variety of Mg transporters and ionic channels during physiological conditions. These levels have been shown to increase during exercise. However, the effect of Mg transporter expression during exercise remains to be determined. The purpose of this study was to examine the gene expression of SLC41A1, a Na + /Mg 2+ exchanger, during exercise. In the present study, male C57BL/6JNarl mice (n=16, 8 weeks old) were subjected to 3 h forced exercise on a treadmill. The mice in the control and Mg groups were injected with saline and Mg (MgSO 4 , 90 mg/kg, intraperitoneal), respectively. Blood samples were obtained at three time points: prior to, following and 24 h after exercise. The gene expression levels of SLC41A1 were significantly downregulated to 23.6±4.6 and 12.6±10.2% following exercise in the control and Mg groups, respectively. The expression levels returned to the basal levels 24 h after exercise in the two groups and there was no significant difference found between the two groups. The downregulated role of SLC41A1 expression and its interaction with the Mg status in exercise requires further investigation.

Surfaces of semiconductors with strong spin-orbit coupling are of great interest for use in spintronic devices exploiting the Rashba effect. BiTeI features large Rashba-type spin splitting in both valence and conduction bands. Either can be shifted towards the Fermi level by surface band bending induced by the two possible polar terminations, making Rashba spin-split electron or hole bands electronically accessible. Here we demonstrate the first real-space microscopic identification of each termination with a multi-technique experimental approach. Using spatially resolved tunnelling spectroscopy across the lateral boundary between the two terminations, a previously speculated on p-n junction-like discontinuity in electronic structure at the lateral boundary is confirmed experimentally. These findings realize an important step towards the exploitation of the unique behaviour of the Rashba semiconductor BiTeI for new device concepts in spintronics.

Two-dimensional crystals with a wealth of exotic dimensional-dependent properties are promising candidates for next-generation ultrathin and flexible optoelectronic devices. For the first time, we demonstrate that few-layered InSe photodetectors, fabricated on both a rigid SiO2/Si substrate and a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, are capable of conducting broadband photodetection from the visible to near-infrared region (450-785 nm) with high photoresponsivities of up to 12.3 AW(-1) at 450 nm (on SiO2/Si) and 3.9 AW(-1) at 633 nm (on PET). These photoresponsivities are superior to those of other recently reported two-dimensional (2D) crystal-based (graphene, MoS2, GaS, and GaSe) photodetectors. The InSe devices fabricated on rigid SiO2/Si substrates possess a response time of ∼50 ms and exhibit long-term stability in photoswitching. These InSe devices can also operate on a flexible substrate with or without bending and reveal comparable performance to those devices on SiO2/Si. With these excellent optoelectronic merits, we envision that the nanoscale InSe layers will not only find applications in flexible optoelectronics but also act as an active component to configure versatile 2D heterostructure devices.

Background: A new version of the CatWalk XT system was evaluated as a tool for detecting very subtle alteration in gait based on higher speed sample rate; the system could also demonstrate minor changes in neurological function. In this study, we evaluated the neurological outcome of sciatic nerve injury intervened by local injection of hyaluronic acid. Using the CatWalk XT system, we looked for differences between treated and untreated groups and differences within the same group as a function of time so as to assess the power of the Catwalk XT system for detecting subtle neurological change., Methods: Peripheral nerve injury was induced in 36 Sprague-Dawley rats by crushing the left sciatic nerve using a vessel clamp. The animals were randomized into one of two groups: Group I: crush injury as the control; Group II: crush injury and local application with hyaluronic acid. These animals were subjected to neurobehavior assessment, histomorphology evaluation, and electrophysiology study periodically. These data were retrieved for statistical analysis., Results: The density of neurofilament and S-100 over the distal end of crushed nerve showed significant differences either in inter-group comparison at various time points or intra-group comparison from 7 to 28 days. Neuronal structure architecture, axon counts, intensity of myelination, electrophysiology, and collagen deposition demonstrate significant differences between the two groups. There was significant difference of SFI and angle of ankle in inter- group analysis from 7 to 28 days, but there were no significant differences in SFI and angle of ankle at time points of 7 and 14 days. In the Cat Walk XT analysis, the intensity, print area, stance duration, and swing duration all showed detectable differences at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days, whereas there were no significant difference at 7 and 14 days with CatWalk 7 testing. In addition, there were no significant differences of step sequence or regularity index between the two versions., Conclusion: Hyaluronic acid augmented nerve regeneration as early as 7 days after crush injury. This subtle neurological alteration could be detected through the CatWalk XT gait analysis but not the SFI, angle of ankle, or CatWalk 7 methods.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Shin-I essential oil inhalation on blood lactate changes in rats subjected to treadmill exercise., Methods: : Adult male Sprague Dawley rats (n=12) were randomly divided into the control or the Shin-I group. Rats were subjected to a treadmill exercise program (15 m/min for 30 min). After exercise, rats were exposed to 200 µL of water or Shin-I essential oil, respectively, using a nebulizer for 180 min during the recovery period. Blood samples were collected every 15 min. Blood glucose and lactate concentrations were determined in a CMA 600 analyzer., Results: : The basal glucose and lactate levels were no significantly different between two groups. After exercise, glucose levels were slightly increased to about 110%-120% of the basal level in both groups. Lactate levels of both groups reached to 110%-140% of basal levels during exercise. In the recovery period, lactate levels further increased to 180% of the basal level and were maintained at a plateau in the control group. However, lactate levels gradually decreased to 60%-65% of the basal level in the Shin-I group. Lactate clearance was significantly enhanced after Shin-I essential oil inhalation., Conclusions: : Our results provide evidence that Shin-I essential oil inhalation may accelerate recovery after exercise in rats.

Glucose mobilization and utilization in the periphery and central nervous system are important during exercise and are responsible for exercise efficacy. Magnesium (Mg) is involved in energy production and plays a role in exercise performance. This study aimed to explore the effects of Mg on the dynamic changes in glucose and lactate levels in the muscle, blood and brain of exercising rats using a combination of auto-blood sampling and microdialysis. Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with saline or magnesium sulfate (MgSO4, 90 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min before treadmill exercise (20 m/min for 60 min). Our results indicated that the muscle, blood, and brain glucose levels immediately increased during exercise, and then gradually decreased to near basal levels in the recovery periods of both groups. These glucose levels were significantly enhanced to approximately two-fold (P<0.05) in the Mg group. Lactate levels in the muscle, blood, and brain rapidly and significantly increased in both groups during exercise, and brain lactate levels in the Mg group further elevated (P<0.05) than those in the control group during exercise. Lactate levels significantly decreased after exercise in both groups. In conclusion, Mg enhanced glucose availability in the peripheral and central systems, and increased lactate clearance in the muscle during exercise.

Object: Neuropathic pain is debilitating, and when chronic, it significantly affects the patient physically, psychologically, and socially. The neurobehavior of animals used as a model for chronic constriction injury seems analogous to the neurobehavior of humans with neuropathic pain. However, no data depicting the severity of histomorphological alterations of the nervous system associated with graded changes in neurobehavior are available. To determine the severity of histomorphological alteration related to neurobehavior, the authors created a model of chronic constrictive injury of varying intensity in rats and used the CatWalk XT system to evaluate neurobehavior., Methods: A total of 60 Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 250-300 g each, were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 groups that would receive sham surgery or 1, 2, 3, or 4 ligatures of 3-0 chromic gut loosely ligated around the left sciatic nerve. Neurobehavior was assessed by CatWalk XT, thermal hyperalgesia, and mechanic allodynia before injury and periodically after injury. The nerve tissue from skin to dorsal spinal cord was obtained for histomorphological analysis 1 week after injury, and brain evoked potentials were analyzed 4 weeks after injury., Results: Significant differences in expression of nerve growth factor existed in skin, and the differences were associated with the intensity of nerve injury. After injury, expression of cluster of differentiation 68 and tumor necrosis factor-α was increased, and expression of S100 protein in the middle of the injured nerve was decreased. Increased expression of synaptophysin in the dorsal root ganglion and dorsal spinal cord correlated with the intensity of injury. The amplitude of sensory evoked potential increased with greater severity of nerve damage. Mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia did not differ significantly among treatment groups at various time points. CatWalk XT gait analysis indicated significant differences for print areas, maximum contact maximum intensity, stand phase, swing phase, single stance, and regular index, with sham and/or intragroup comparisons., Conclusions: Histomorphological and electrophysiological alterations were associated with severity of nerve damage. Subtle neurobehavioral differences were detected by the CatWalk XT system but not by mechanical allodynia or thermal hyperalgesia. Thus, the CatWalk XT system should be a useful tool for monitoring changes in neuropathic pain, especially subtle alterations.

In this study, we analyzed the key parameters of modified transcutaneous lower blepharoplasty based on multidisciplinary principles (biochemical findings and biophysical wrinkling theory). A total of 408 female patients received our subciliary lower blepharoplasty between March 2002 and January 2010. The severity of the eyebags (dynamic wrinkle numbers and prolapse) was evaluated through preoperative and postoperative photography, whereas the excised lower eyelid skin specimens from 56 patients were investigated with hematoxylin and eosin staining. The modified techniques produced significant improvements in the severity of eyebags in all age groups (P < 0.001). Poor surgical outcome was found to correlate significantly with preoperative dynamic wrinkle numbers (P < 0.001). Age, dynamic wrinkle numbers, and prolapse correlated significantly with dermal fiber density (P = 0.004, 0.000, and 0.000, respectively) but not epidermal, rete ridge, and dermal thickness or the number of rete ridges. In conclusion, modified transcutaneous lower blepharoplasty provides significant improvement to dynamic wrinkles and prolapse in the eyebags. Periorbital aging progressively disturbs the dermal compactness (fiber density) until the structure can no longer hold its integrity at the critical age (around the age of 40).

The electrical and magnetic properties of slightly Cu-deficient BiOCu(0.96)Se have been investigated using neutron and X-ray diffraction, ac magnetic susceptibility, magnetization and electric resistivity measurements. The layered BiOCu(0.96)Se crystallizes into a tetragonal lattice with a P4/nmm symmetry. Thermal profiles of the electrical resistivity reveal a semiconductor type behavior, but depart from its course at low temperatures when antiferromagnetic coupling becomes thermally loosened at 140 K. Positive magnetoresistances are obtained at all temperatures studied. With an applied magnetic field of 0.5 kOe, the magnetoresistance reaches 235% at 2 K. It decreases with increasing temperature, but stabilizes to 70% above 60 K. Both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic coupling are detected between the Cu spins in the SeCu4 pyramidal blocks, which results in a non-collinear spin arrangement at low temperatures. The antiferromagnetic component becomes disordered above T(N) = 140 K, whereas the ferromagnetic moment persists up to T(C) = 300 K. Interlayer charge transfer between the conduction and magnetic electrons gives rise to an anomaly in the magnetic order parameter.