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Previous research has revealed associations between childhood maltreatment (CM) and adverse health behaviors. However, little is known about the relationship between CM and adolescent murderous ideation and behaviors. A total of 5726 middle and high school students completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form and the Murderous Ideation and Behaviors Questionnaire. The findings revealed that the prevalence rates for murderous ideation, plans, preparation, and attempts were 9.9%, 2.8%, 1.3%, and 0.6%, respectively. The results of multinomial logistic regression models indicated that adolescents who experienced CM were more likely to exhibit murderous ideation and behaviors, with adjusted odds ratios (AORs) ranging from 2.55 to 22.31. Additionally, a significant dose-response relationship was found between the number of CM types experienced and murderous ideation and behaviors (AORs ranging from 1.52 to 2.45). The odds of participants who had experienced three or five types of CM were significantly associated with murderous ideation and behaviors, with AORs ranging from 4.55 to 28.30 and from 5.26 to 85.45, respectively. The findings highlighted that adolescents who engaged in murderous ideation and behaviors were more likely to have a personal history of CM and revealed a dose-response relationship between the number of CM types and murderous ideation and behaviors.

Geometrical Hong Kong is an interactive virtual reality (VR) documentary that provides the audience an immersive touring experience of the lesser-known but visually stunning and highly functional architectural design of Hong Kong public housing estates. In a first-person view, the audience can navigate a series of buildings by changing positions, view the interior and exterior, and listen to brief audio introductions of the architecture. In the design and production of this piece, we formed an indie VR production model that aimed to architect an immersive and interactive experience at an affordable cost. To realize this goal, we chose a simple interaction model and consumer technologies, but emphasized quality cinematography and script writing.

Staphylococcus xylosus (S. xylosus) is an AT-rich and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS). It is normally regarded as non-pathogenic, however, recent studies have demonstrated that it is related to human opportunistic infections and bovine mastitis. In addition, S. xylosus strains have the ability to form biofilm. Biofilms are also involved in chronic infections and antibiotic resistance, there are only a few reports about cefquinome inhibiting S. xylosus biofilm formation and the protein targets of cefquinome. In our study, we found that sub-MICs of cefquinome were sufficient to inhibit biofilm formation. To investigate the potential protein targets of cefquinome, we used iTRAQ for the analyses of cells at two different conditions: 1/2-MIC (0.125 μg/mL) cefquinome treatment and no treatment. Using iTRAQ technique and KEGG database analysis, we found that proteins differently expression in histidine metabolism pathway may play a role in the process by which 1/2-MIC (0.125 μg/mL) cefquinome inhibits S. xylosus biofilm formation. Interestingly, we found a sharply down-regulated enzyme [A0A068E9J3 imidazoleglycerol-phosphate dehydratase (IGPD)] involved in histidine metabolism pathway in cefquinome-treated cells. We demonstrated the important role of IGPD in sub-MICs cefquinome inhibiting biofilm formation of S. xylosus by gene (hisB) knockout, IGPD enzyme activity and histidine content assays. Thus, our data sheds light on important role of histidine metabolism in S. xylosus biofilm formation; especially, IGPD involved in histidine metabolism might play a crucial role in sub-MICs cefquinome inhibition of biofilm formation of S. xylosus, and we propose IGPD as an attractive protein target of cefquinome.

The cAMP responsive element binding protein 1 (CREB1) is a ubiquitous transcription factor that contributes to the regulation of gluconeogenesis. The mechanisms of the CREB1 function remain largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to explore genetic variations in CREB1 promoter region and determine whether these loci affect transcriptional activity and risk on type 2 diabetes (T2D). Three polymorphisms were identified and designated as MU1, MU2 and MU3, respectively. Genotypic distribution analysis revealed that MU1 genotypes presented similar distribution between T2D and healthy controls (P > 0.05), while the MU2 and MU3 showed significant differences (P

Millimeter-to-centimeter scale vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) arrays are widely studied because of their immense potential in a range of applications. Catalyst control during chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is key to maintain the sustained growth of VACNT arrays. Herein, we achieved ultrafast growth of VACNT arrays using Fe/Al2O3 catalysts by ethanol-assisted two-zone CVD. One zone was set at temperatures above 850 degrees C to pyrolyze the carbon source and the other zone was set at 760 degrees C for VACNT deposition. By tuning synthesis parameters, up to 7 mm long VACNT arrays could be grown within 45 min, with a maximal growth rate of similar to 280 mu m/min. Our study indicates that the introduction of alcohol vapor and separation of growth zones from the carbon decomposition zone help reduce catalyst particle deactivation and accelerate the carbon source pyrolysis, leading to the promotion of VACNT array growth. We also observed that the catalyst film thickness did not significantly affect the CNT growth rate and microstructures under the conditions of our study. Additionally, the ultralong CNTs showed better processability with less structural deformation when exposed to solvent and polymer solutions. Our results demonstrate significant progress towards commercial production and application of VACNT arrays. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Background Cysteinyl leukotriene (LT) has been proposed in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). This study sought to examine the expression of the LT receptor (LTR) in CRSwNP patients and evaluate the potential role of LTR antagonist (LTRA) in the management of eosinophilic CRSwNP (ECRS) patients. Methods Nasal polyps and uncinate process tissues were collected from 18 ECRS patients, 13 non-eosinophilic CRSwNP (non-ECRS) patients, and 16 control subjects. The messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression of LTR (cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 [CysLT1R] and cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 2 [CysLT2R]) was examined using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), immunohistochemistry, and Western blot analysis. Moreover, the effects of LTRA and steroids on total nasal symptom scores (TNSS) of uncontrolled ECRS patients were evaluated. Results The mRNA and protein expression of CysLT1R and CysLT2R was significantly increased in polyp tissues compared with healthy controls (p < 0.05). Compared with the non-ECRS subset, the ECRS subset showed significantly increased expression of CysLT1R and CysLT2R, as well as leukotriene C4 (LTC4) and leukotriene D4 (LTC4) levels (p < 0.05). Moreover, combined LTRA and steroids significantly decreased TNSS more than steroids alone in uncontrolled ECRS patients (p < 0.01). Conclusion Our findings indicate that LTR was differentially expressed between ECRS and non-ECRS patients, and that LTRA may be used as an additional therapy for ECRS patients.

Background Oxidative stress is characteristic of chronic airway inflammatory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 has been proposed to be a cytoprotective enzyme against oxidative stress in CRSwNP. However, the expression and regulation of HO-1 in eosinophilic CRSwNP (ECRS) and non-eosinophilic CRSwNP (non-ECRS) subsets has not been well documented. Methods Nasal polyps and uncinate process tissues were enrolled from 40 CRSwNP patients (ECRS, 17; non-ECRS, 23) and 20 control subjects, respectively. The messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression of HO-1 was examined using qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot staining. Moreover, the stimulatory effects of several cytokines (interferon γ [IFN-γ], interleukin [IL]-5, and IL-13, etc.) on HO-1 mRNA expression in cultured nasal explants were evaluated. Results The mRNA and protein expression of HO-1 was significantly increased in polyp tissues compared with healthy controls (p < 0.05), and the non-ECRS subset showed significantly increased HO-1 expression compared with the ECRS subset (p < 0.05). Moreover, in cultured nasal explant, HO-1 mRNA was significantly upregulated in the presence of IFN-γ, IL-27, IL-5, IL-13, and IL-17A, but was significantly inhibited by transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) (p < 0.05). Conclusion Our findings indicate that HO-1 was differentially expressed and regulated in ECRS and non-ECRS patients.

This study was designed to assess any changes in the plasma concentrations of adrenomedullin (ADM) and atrial and brain natriuretic peptide (ANP and BNP, respectively), and to investigate their pathophysiological roles in patients with essential hypertension (EH). The plasma ADM, ANP and BNP concentrations were measured in 64 patients with untreated EH and 35 normotensive control subjects. After 4 weeks of effective antihypertensive therapy with oral drugs for the hypertensive patients, the plasma concentrations of ADM, ANP and BNP in the hypertensive patients were measured again. The plasma concentrations of ADM, ANP and BNP were significantly higher in the hypertensive patients than those in the control subjects, and the concentrations increased with the clinical stage. Furthermore, the hypertensive patients exhibited increased mean arterial pressure (MAP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr) and decreased glomerular filtration rates (GFRs) compared with the control subjects. The plasma ADM concentration was not only correlated with BUN, Scr and the GFR, but was also associated with the MAP and the plasma levels of ANP and BNP. Following effective antihypertensive therapy with oral medication for 4 weeks, the plasma concentrations of ADM, ANP and BNP were significantly, but not sharply, decreased. In conclusion, ADM, along with ANP and BNP, may be involved in the mechanisms acting against a further increase in blood pressure and may be useful biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertensive patients.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is characterized by inflammation of the mucosa of the nose and paranasal sinuses with a duration of at least 12 consecutive weeks and is a common otorhinolaryngologic disease that is frequently encountered in everyday practice (1). Although CRS is not a life-threatening disease, not all patients are cured or achieve control of their symptoms, even with maximal medical management or surgical intervention. The symptoms in CRS patients with (CRSwNP) and without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) are considerably overlapping, while patients with CRSwNP have higher symptom scores and more nasal symptoms (2). Patients with CRSwNP are particularly recalcitrant to usual therapies, and this type of CRS is increasingly prevalent (3). The persistent symptoms can result in facial pain/headache, impairments in general health, vitality and social functioning, stress disorders and other problems that affect patients’ lives and work (4–7). The European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps (EP3OS) group proposed clear guidelines for a symptom-based definition of rhinosinusitis that has been validated and accepted in epidemiological studies (1,8,9). The European postal survey of 57 128 adults in 12 countries reported that the overall prevalence of EP3OS-defined CRS was 10.9% and ranged from 6.9% to 27.1% in 19 centres (10). A recent survey reported a prevalence of EP3OS-defined CRS of 5.51% in Sao Paulo, Brazil (11). Some authors have used the data from the National Population Health Survey to estimate the prevalence of CRS and found prevalences of 6.95% in Korea (12) and 5.7% among female and 3.4% among male Canadians (13). The 2012 National Health Interview Survey of 34 525 adults found that 12% of adults have been told by a doctor or other health professional that they have sinusitis, and these self-reported doctor-diagnosed prevalences of sinusitis were 15% and 9% among males and females, respectively. The vital health statistic data revealed that CRS is more prevalent than other common chronic respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (3%) and asthma (8%) (14). Based on this high prevalence, some studies in the USA have claimed that CRS poses an enormous health and economic burden to individuals, the community and society (15). When accounting for the entire population into account, the health burden of CRS is speculated to be huge in Asia; nevertheless, little is known about the actual situation. A survey of 4554 Danes reported a CRS prevalence of 7.8% compared to the overall prevalence of 10.9% in 19 European centres (10,16). The National Health Interview Survey of US adults revealed a decreasing trend in CRS from 16% in 1997 to 14% in 2006 and 12% in 2012 (14,17,18). The literature suggests that the prevalence and patterns of CRS might vary by region and population and change over time due to environmental changes and the development of health care. The previous epidemiological data regarding CRS are mainly from western studies, and little is known regarding the potential socio-economic disparities. In Asia, large-scale epidemiological studies are required to update information about the prevalence of CRS, and such studies would provide information for the assessment of the disease burden and the development and promotion of public health policies associated with CRS. We conducted a cross-sectional investigation in seven major Chinese cities. This study aimed to provide a better understanding of the epidemiological characteristics of CRS, including its prevalence and associations with socio-economic factors and tobacco smoke.

The interlaminar defect is a major form of damage in metal layer composite pipes which are widely used in petroleum and chemical industry. In this paper, a Stoneley wave method is presented to detect interlaminar damage in laminated pipe structure. Stoneley wave possesses some good characteristics, such as high energy and large displacement at the interface and non-dispersive in the high-frequency, so the sensitivity of detecting interlaminar damage can be improved and the higher frequency can be used in damage detection compared with Lamb waves. Additionally, as the frequency increases, the wavelength of the Stoneley wave reduces. Thus, its ability to detect small defects at the interface is enhanced. Finite element model of metal layer composite pipe with interlaminar damage is used to simulate wave propagation of Lamb waves and Stoneley wave, respectively. The damage location is calculated by using the Stoneley wave signal obtained from finite element model, and then the results are compared with the actual damage locations. The simulation examples demonstrate that the Stoneley wave method can better identify the interlaminar damage in laminated pipe structure compared with Lamb waves.

The imidazole glycerophosphate dehydratase (IGPD) protein is a therapeutic target for herbicide discovery. It is also regarded as a possible target in Staphylococcus xylosus (S. xylosus) for solving mastitis in the dairy cow. The 3D structure of IGPD protein is essential for discovering novel inhibitors during high-throughput virtual screening. However, to date, the 3D structure of IGPD protein of S. xylosus has not been solved. In this study, a series of computational techniques including homology modeling, Ramachandran Plots, and Verify 3D were performed in order to construct an appropriate 3D model of IGPD protein of S. xylosus. Nine hits were identified from 2,500 compounds by docking studies. Then, these nine compounds were first tested in vitro in S. xylosus biofilm formation using crystal violet staining. One of the potential compounds, baicalin was shown to significantly inhibit S. xylosus biofilm formation. Finally, the baicalin was further evaluated, which showed better inhibition of biofilm formation capability in S. xylosus by scanning electron microscopy. Hence, we have predicted the structure of IGPD protein of S. xylosus using computational techniques. We further discovered the IGPD protein was targeted by baicalin compound which inhibited the biofilm formation in S. xylosus. Our findings here would provide implications for the further development of novel IGPD inhibitors for the treatment of dairy mastitis.

Staphylococcus xylosus (S. xylosus) is an AT-rich and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS). It is normally regarded as non-pathogenic, however, recent studies have demonstrated that it is related to human opportunistic infections and bovine mastitis. In addition, S. xylosus strains have the ability to form biofilm. Biofilms are also involved in chronic infections and antibiotic resistance, there are only a few reports about cefquinome inhibiting S. xylosus biofilm formation and the protein targets of cefquinome. In our study, we found that sub-MICs of cefquinome were sufficient to inhibit biofilm formation. To investigate the potential protein targets of cefquinome, we used iTRAQ for the analyses of cells at two different conditions: 1/2-MIC (0.125 μg/mL) cefquinome treatment and no treatment. Using iTRAQ technique and KEGG database analysis, we found that proteins differently expression in histidine metabolism pathway may play a role in the process by which 1/2-MIC (0.125 μg/mL) cefquinome inhibits S. xylosus biofilm formation. Interestingly, we found a sharply down-regulated enzyme [A0A068E9J3 imidazoleglycerol-phosphate dehydratase (IGPD)] involved in histidine metabolism pathway in cefquinome-treated cells. We demonstrated the important role of IGPD in sub-MICs cefquinome inhibiting biofilm formation of S. xylosus by gene (hisB) knockout, IGPD enzyme activity and histidine content assays. Thus, our data sheds light on important role of histidine metabolism in S. xylosus biofilm formation; especially, IGPD involved in histidine metabolism might play a crucial role in sub-MICs cefquinome inhibition of biofilm formation of S. xylosus, and we propose IGPD as an attractive protein target of cefquinome.

The imidazole glycerophosphate dehydratase (IGPD) protein is a therapeutic target for herbicide discovery. It is also regarded as a possible target in Staphylococcus xylosus (S. xylosus) for solving mastitis in the dairy cow. The 3D structure of IGPD protein is essential for discovering novel inhibitors during high-throughput virtual screening. However, to date, the 3D structure of IGPD protein of S. xylosus has not been solved. In this study, a series of computational techniques including homology modeling, Ramachandran Plots, and Verify 3D were performed in order to construct an appropriate 3D model of IGPD protein of S. xylosus. Nine hits were identified from 2,500 compounds by docking studies. Then, these nine compounds were first tested in vitro in S. xylosus biofilm formation using crystal violet staining. One of the potential compounds, baicalin was shown to significantly inhibit S. xylosus biofilm formation. Finally, the baicalin was further evaluated, which showed better inhibition of biofilm formation capability in S. xylosus by scanning electron microscopy. Hence, we have predicted the structure of IGPD protein of S. xylosus using computational techniques. We further discovered the IGPD protein was targeted by baicalin compound which inhibited the biofilm formation in S. xylosus. Our findings here would provide implications for the further development of novel IGPD inhibitors for the treatment of dairy mastitis.

Staphylococcus xylosus is an opportunistic pathogen that causes infection in humans and cow mastitis. And S. xylosus possesses a strong ability to form biofilms in vitro. As biofilm formation facilitates resistance to antimicrobial agents, the discovery of new medicinal properties for classic drugs is highly desired. Aspirin, which is the most common active component of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory compounds, affects the biofilm-forming capacity of various bacterial species. We have found that aspirin effectively inhibits biofilm formation of S. xylosus by Crystal violet (CV) staining and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. The present study sought to elucidate possible targets of aspirin in suppressing S. xylosus biofilm formation. Based on an isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) fold-change of > 1.2 or < 0.8 (P-value < 0.05), 178 differentially expressed proteins, 111 down-regulated and 67 up-regulated, were identified after application of aspirin to cells at a 1/2 minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated enrichment in metabolic processes for the majority of the differentially expressed proteins. We then used the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway database to analyse a large number of differentially expressed proteins and identified genes involved in biosynthesis of amino acids pathway, carbon metabolism (pentose phosphate and glycolytic pathways, tricarboxylic acid cycle) and nitrogen metabolism (histidine metabolism). These novel proteins represent candidate targets in aspirin-mediated inhibition of S. xylosus biofilm formation at sub-MIC levels. The findings lay the foundation for further studies to identify potential aspirin targets.

With the development of computer network technology and new media technology, network video business continued to expand the coverage. Micro video is used as an important form of network video and its content is more extensive, more diverse characteristics have gradually become the mainstream of network video service. According to the current micro video network transmission characteristics and processing technology, this paper research and design the micro video authorization management system applied to micro video service platform. Through the authorization operations of micro video, realize the copyright protection function of the micro video.

Currently, video has become the most popular form of media, traditional video field is facing simulated to digital transformation. Using the computer to process the video information has a broad application prospect in many areas. This paper proposes an approach of real-time video acquisition and frame compression processing technology by using the FFmpeg and PHP function to achieve the effect of time-lapse photography. Finally, through the Apache log test the system running status.

Background Herbal remedies predate written history and continue to be used frequently for many common ailments. The essential oil mixture standardized is a phytopharmaceutical with a distillate of a mixture of rectified essential oils of eucalyptus, sweet orange, myrtle, and lemon as active ingredients used to treat respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and rhinosinusitis. We evaluated the pharmacologic effects of a distillate of rectified essential oils standardized on primary human upper respiratory epithelial cultures specifically addressing electrolyte transport, cilia beat frequency (CBF), airway surface liquid (ASL) hydration, and mucus transport velocity. Methods Well-differentiated primary human sinonasal epithelial cultures grown at an air–liquid interface were treated on the apical or basolateral surface with varying concentrations of a distillate of rectified essential oils standardized. Changes in CBF were determined using the Sissons-Ammons Video Analysis system while changes in chloride flux were determined using the fluorescent dye 6-methoxy-N-(3-sulfopropyl)quinolinium. ASL hydration was quantified using Texas red dextran and mucociliary transport velocity was measured using fluorescent microspheres and time lapse photography. Results When applied to the basolateral surface, a distillate of rectified essential oils standardized activated chloride efflux and ciliary beat in a dose-dependent fashion, increasing ASL height and accelerating mucociliary transport velocity. The ancillary apical application of a distillate of rectified essential oils standardized had minimal effects on the CBF. Conclusion Basolateral application of a distillate of rectified essential oils standardized stimulates both chloride efflux and cilia beat frequency resulting in a synergistic effect dramatically augmenting mucociliary transport velocity. These in vitro data support the clinical efficacy of this phytopharmaceutical in respiratory inflammatory disorders.

PURPOSE Specific immunotherapy (SIT) is a suitable but uncommon treatment option for allergic rhinitis (AR) in China. The current understanding and attitude of Chinese ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialists in regards to SIT is unclear. This study investigates current trends in the awareness and application status of SIT among Chinese ENT specialists. METHODS We performed a nationwide, cross-sectional survey with a specially designed questionnaire given to 800 ENT specialists in China. A member of the trained research group conducted face-to-face interviews with each respondent. RESULTS Most of the respondents considered AR (96.0%) and allergic asthma (96.0%) the most suitable indications for SIT. Of all respondents, 77.0% recommended the application of SIT as early as possible; in addition, SIT was considered 'relatively controllable and safe' by most respondents (80.6%). The highest allergen-positive rate in AR was associated with house dust mite (47.7%) and obvious differences existed among geographical regions. Conventional subcutaneous immunotherapy was the most highly recommended treatment option (96.2%). 'The high cost of SIT' (86.6%) and 'lack of patient knowledge of SIT' (85.2%) were probably the main reasons for the lower clinical use of SIT in China. CONCLUSIONS Most cases showed that the opinions of Chinese ENT specialists appeared to be in agreement with recent SIT progress and international guidelines; however, many areas still need to enhance the standardization and use of SIT in China. Clinical guidelines for SIT require improvement; in addition, Chinese ENT specialists need continuing medical education on SIT.

Objective: To evaluate the regulatory effect of corticosteroid on occludin expression in polyp tissues of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) patients and in vitro. Methods: Twenty CRSwNP patients were enrolled and subjected to prednisone (30 mg/day for 14 days). The expression of occludin in polyp tissues was examined before and after treatment using immunohistochemical staining and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Moreover, the expression of occludin in polyp-derived epithelial cells (PECs) and human bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) was examined using Western blot analysis in the presence of corticosteroid and/or MKP-1 siRNA, respectively. Results: mRNA and protein expression of occludin in polyp tissues was significantly upregulated after prednisone administration (p < 0.05). Corticosteroids significantly increased MKP-1 and occludin expression in cultured PECs (p < 0.05), and MKP-1 siRNA significantly decreased occludin expression in cultured BECs (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that corticosteroid can promote epithelial occludin expression in nasal polyps through a MKP-1-dependent pathway. i 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

Background The prevalence of bronchial asthma (BA) and the underlying risk factors in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) in China are largely unknown. Thus, this study is designed to assess the BA comorbidity in AR patients in two cities (Guangzhou and Zhuhai) of southern China and to determine the risk factors of BA in these AR patients. Methods We performed a cross-sectional, hospital-based survey in two modernized cities in southern China. The BA prevalence was evaluated in 1931 AR patients. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire containing specific items for AR and BA. A logistic regression analysis was used to assess the risk factors of BA comorbidity in AR patients. Results The prevalence of concomitant BA in AR patients is 5.33% (103/1931). Most of the participants (98.4%) were sensitized to more than one allergen, and the most common sensitization was to house-dust mites. The strongest risk factor of BA determined by a multiple logistic regression analysis was a duration of AR of >5 years (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 8.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.74–20.06), followed by smoking (adjusted OR, 7.21; 95% CI, 1.86–8.23) and self-medication with antibiotics (adjusted OR, 6.35; 95% CI, 3.43–11.78). Conclusion Our findings suggested the risk factors of concomitant BA in AR patients may be helpful to establish preventive strategies.

In this study, a new method is introduced for fabricating carbon nanotube (CNT) paper, in which the solvent is sprayed on the CNT sheet while it is wound on a rotating mandrel. As the solvent evaporated, the capillary force pulls CNT closer together, resulting in a CNT paper with a high degree of alignment and a high packing density. Three batches of multi-walled CNTs with different wall thicknesses, tube diameters and lengths are utilized for synthesizing highly orientedCNT papers. It is found that CNTs with smallest diameter of 8 nm form strongest CNT paper with a tensile strength of 563 MPa and a tensile modulus of 15 GPa, while that made with CNTs of 10 nm diameter shows the highest electrical conductivity of 5.5 x 10(4) S/m. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Angiogenesis is an important mechanism that protects tissue against necrosis following acute ischemic injury. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) signaling pathway is involved in angiogenesis following ischemic injury by cell migration and lymphocyte invasion assays in vitro, and a mouse model of hindlimb ischemia by ligation in vivo, respectively. To assess the potential role of TLR2 activation in endothelial cell permeability, HUVECs were pretreated with Pam3CSK4 and analyzed using wound repair and transwell assays. The results showed that the TLR2 agonist induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) migration and increased the permeability of HUVECs to lymphocyte. The lymphocyte invasion of TLR2 knockout (TLR2-/-) mice was inhibited as compared to that of wild-type (WT) mice. In the mouse model of hindlimb ischemia by ligation, blood perfusion of operated limbs was significantly lower in TLR2-/- compared to WT mice, 7 and 14 days after ligation. TLR2-/- mice showed a decreased CD31 expression in ischemic gastrocnemius at 7 and 14 days after ligation, reduced interleukin-6 (IL-6) level and lowered tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels. These findings demonstrated that TLR2 activation promotes cell migration, cell permeability and the lymphocyte invasion of endothelial cells. TLR2 activation promotes angiogenesis in vivo, which may be associated with the serum of TNF-α levels and IL-6 release.

Aims The present study was to assess the accuracy of automatic atrial and ventricular capture management (ACM and VCM) in determining pacing threshold and the performance of a second-generation automatic atrioventricular (AV) interval extension algorithm for reducing unnecessary ventricular pacing. Methods and results A total of 398 patients at 32 centres who received an EnPulse dual-chamber pacing/dual-chamber adaptive rate pacing pacemaker (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA) were enrolled. The last amplitude thresholds as measured by ACM and VCM prior to the 6-month follow-up were compared with manually measured thresholds. Device diagnostics were used to evaluate ACM and VCM and the percentage of ventricular pacing with and without the AV extension algorithm. Modelling was performed to assess longevity gains relating to the use of automaticity features. Atrial and ventricular capture management performed accurately and reliably provided complete capture management in 97% of studied patients. The AV interval extension algorithm reduced the median per cent of right ventricular pacing in patients with sinus node dysfunction from 99.7 to 1.5% at 6-month follow-up and in patients with intermittent AV block (excluding persistent 3° AV block) from 99.9 to 50.2%. On the basis of validated modelling, estimated device longevity could potentially be extended by 1.9 years through the use of the capture management and AV interval extension features. Conclusion Both ACM and VCM features reliably measured thresholds in nearly all patients; the AV extension algorithm significantly reduced ventricular pacing; and the use of pacemaker automaticity features potentially extends device longevity.

Background Real-world data of the subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) with semi-depot house-dust mite (HDM) allergen extract (a HDM allergen extract that contains a 50%-50% mixture of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farina) for allergic rhinitis and asthma was unavailable in China until recently. Aim To investigate the effectiveness and safety of a HDM-SCIT for allergic rhinitis and asthma in Chinese patients. Methods A multicenter, single-arm, open-label, self-controlled study. Chinese patients with allergic rhinitis or allergic asthma and with a history of symptoms from HDM exposure were included and received allergen-specific immunotherapy for 1 year by subcutaneous injection of HDM-SCIT. The primary outcome measure was the percentage of patients with an improvement in symptom severity assessed at 12 months after initiation of the treatment. The occurrence of adverse events and compliance of treatment were also evaluated. Results A total of 272 outpatients were included for effectiveness analysis. The subject-evaluated improvement rate in the visual analog scale (VAS) was 76.1% and 71.3% at 6 and 12 months, respectively; corresponding values for investigator-evaluated VAS were 77.9% and 71.7%, respectively (p < 0.0001). Symptom score changes were -2.43 and -3.79 at 6 and 12 months, respectively (both p < 0.0001); the VAS improvement rate and symptom score change did not differ significantly between children and adolescents and/or adults. Good injection schedule adherence was found in 98.8% of the patients. No study drug–related serious adverse events or serious systemic allergic reactions occurred. Conclusion HDM-SCIT was safe and effective in the treatment of allergic rhinitis and asthma in a Chinese population, with good compliance.