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Background: To evaluate the necessity of cycloplegia for epidemiological studies of refraction in Chinese young adults (aged 17-22 years) with dark irises, and to compare the cycloplegic effects of 1% cyclopentolate and 0.5% tropicamide in them. Methods: A total of 300 young adults (108 males and 192 females) aged 17 to 22 years ( mean 19.03±1.01 ) were recruited from Tianjin Medical University from November 2019 to January 2020. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. In the cyclopentolate group, two drops of 1% cyclopentolate eye drop were administrated (one drop every 5 min), followed by autorefraction and subjective refraction 30 to 45 min later. In the tropicamide group, four drops of 1% Mydrin P (Tropicamide 0.5%, phenylephrine HCl 0.5%) eye drop were given (one drop every 5 min), followed by autorefraction and subjective refraction 20 to 30 min later. The participants and the examiners were masked to the medication. Distance visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), non-cycloplegic and cycloplegic autorefraction (Topcon KR-800, Topcon Co. Tokyo, Japan), non-cycloplegic and cycloplegic subjective refraction and ocular biometry (Lenstar LS-900) were performed.Results: The values of spherical equivalent (SE) and sphere component were significantly different before and after cycloplegia in the cyclopentolate group and the tropicamide group (p0.05). In each group, no significant difference was found between autorefraction and subjective refraction after cycloplegia (p>0.05). We also found that more positive or less negative cycloplegic refraction was associated with the higher difference in SE in each group.Conclusions: Cycloplegic refractions were generally more positive or less negative than non-cycloplegic refractions. It is necessary to perform cycloplegia for Chinese young adults with dark irises to obtain accurate refractive errors. We suggest that cycloplegic autorefraction using tropicamide may be considered as a reliable method for epidemiological studies of refraction in Chinese young adults with dark irises.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an opportunistic virus, whereby recipients are most susceptible following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). With the development of novel immunosuppressive agents and antiviral drugs, accompanied with the widespread application of prophylaxis and preemptive treatment, significant developments have been made in transplant recipients with human (H)CMV infection. However, HCMV remains an important cause of short- and long-term morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients. The present review summarizes the molecular mechanism and risk factors of HCMV reactivation following allo-HSCT, the diagnosis of CMV infection following allo-HSCT, prophylaxis and treatment of HCMV infection, and future perspectives. All relevant literature were retrieved from PubMed and have been reviewed.

To facilitate in situ comparative culturing of budding yeast cells in a precisely controlled microenvironment, we developed a microfluidic single-cell array (MiSCA) with 96 traps (16 rows × 6 columns) for single-cell immobilization. Through optimization of the distances between neighboring traps and the applied flow rates by using a hydraulic equivalent circuit of the fluidic network, yeast cells were delivered to each column of the array by laminar focused flows and reliably captured at the traps by hydrodynamic forces with about 90% efficiency of cell immobilization. Immobilized cells in different columns within the same device can then be cultured in parallel while being exposed to different media and compounds delivered by laminar flows. For biological validation of the comparative cell-culturing device, we used budding yeast that can express yellow fluorescent protein upon the addition of β-estradiol in cell-culturing medium. Experimental results show successful induction of fluorescence in cells immobilized in desired columns that have been dosed with β-estradiol. The MiSCA system allows for performing sets of experiments and control experiments in parallel in the same device, or for executing comparative experiments under well-defined laminar-perfusion conditions with different media, as well as in situ monitoring of dynamic cellular responses upon different analytical compounds or reagents for single-cell analysis.

Purpose To identify an optimal cumulative cisplatin dose along with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CC-CCD) for children and adolescents with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (CALANPC) using real-world data. Materials and Methods Using an NPC-specific database at our center, 157 patients younger than 19 years old with non-disseminated CALANPC and receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) plus cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) were enrolled. Confounding factors were controlled by conducting propensity score matching analysis. Primary endpoints include disease-free survival (DFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). Results The optimal threshold for CC-CCD with respect to DFS was 160 mg/m2 based on recursive partitioning analyses (RPA). Therefore, a uniform threshold of 160 mg/m2 (≥160 vs. Conclusion CC-CCD exerts significant treatment effects and 160 mg/m2 CC-CCD may be adequate to provide antitumor effects for CALANPC receiving NAC plus CCRT.

Communication between the primary and secondary sides is pivotal to the wireless power transfer (WPT) system. The system control commands and feedback information need simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT). In this paper, a FSK-based SWIPT system with full-duplex communication via a shared channel is provided. Considering the complexity of the coupling relationship in this kind of full-duplex SWIPT system, this paper proposes an analysis method based on the transmission channel, studies the crosstalk between the power channel and the information channel, and between the forward and reverse transfer of information. A design method of full-duplex communication SWIPT system based on shared coupling channels is provided. A 60 W SWIPT prototype with a full-duplex communication rate of 20 kbps is built to verify the proposed method. Web of Science 14 16 art. no. 4918

Background We aim to investigate the prognostic value of weight loss during radiotherapy (RT) among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods A total of 1149 NPC patients who received radical RT were retrospectively analyzed. Patients’ weight were measured at initiation of RT (WPre-RT) and every week during RT (WRT1,2,3,4,5,6,7). Percentage of weight loss (PWL) at 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th week of RT (RT-PWL1,2,3,4,5,6,7) were calculated using the following equation: (WPre-RT –WRT1,2,3,4,5,6,7)/WPre-RT × 100%. The optimal threshold of RT-PWL7 was determined by recursive partitioning analyses (RPAs). Our endpoints included disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS). Results The median RT-PWLs were 0, 0, 1.5, 2.9, 4.1, 5.5, 6.6% at 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th week of RT, respectively. RT-PWL7 optimal threshold with respect to DFS was 5.3% based on RPAs. Therefore, a consistent threshold of 5% ( ≥5%) was selected to classify NPC patients into low RT-PWL7 and high RT-PWL7 groups for survival analysis. Compared to high RT-PWL7 (≥5%), patients with low RT-PWL7 (P P = 0.007). However, no difference was observed between LRRFS groups (91.7% vs 94.3%; P = 0.173). In multivariate analysis, high RT-PWL7 was an independent risk factor for DFS (HR, 1.56; 95%CI, 1.19-2.03; P = 0.001), OS (HR, 1.54; 95%CI, 1.11-2.15; P = 0.011), and DMFS (HR, 1.47; 95%CI, 1.03-2.10; P = 0.033) in patients with NPC. In addition, treatment strategy, plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA, and N stage were associated with weight loss. Conclusions High RT-PWL7 was significantly associated with decreased DFS, OS, and DMFS for NPC patients. Clinicians should continuously inform patients on the health impact of minimizing RT-PWL7 under 5% during radiotherapy.

BackgroundTo investigate the new cornea biomechanical parameter stress-strain index (SSI) in Chinese healthy people and the factors associated with SSI.MethodsA total of 175 eyes from 175 participants were included in this study. Axial length was measured with the Lenstar LS-900. Pentacam measured curvature of the cornea and anterior chamber volume (ACV). Cornea biomechanical properties assessments were performed by corneal visualization Scheimpflug technology (Corvis ST). Student’s t-test, one-way ANOVA, partial least square linear regression (PLSLR) and linear mixed effects (LME) model were used in the statistical analysis.ResultsThe mean (±SD) SSI was 1.14 ± 0.22 (range, 0.66–1.78) in all subjects and affected by age significantly after age of 35 (P P P P P P > 0.05 for each).ConclusionsSSI increased with age after the age of 35. In addition to age, SSI was positively correlated with RsF and IOP, while negatively correlated with AL.

Maize is one of the most vital staple crops worldwide. G proteins modulate plentiful signaling pathways, and G protein-coupled receptor-type G proteins (GPCRs) are highly conserved membrane proteins in plants. However, researches on maize G proteins and GPCRs are scarce. In this study, we identified three novel GPCR-Type G Protein (GTG) genes from chromosome 10 (Chr 10) in maize, designated as ZmCOLD1-10A, ZmCOLD1-10B and ZmCOLD1-10C. Their amino acid sequences had high similarity to TaCOLD1 from wheat and OsCOLD1 from rice. They contained the basic characteristics of GTG/COLD1 proteins, including GPCR-like topology, the conserved hydrophilic loop (HL) domain, DUF3735 (domain of unknown function 3735) domain, GTPase-activating domain, and ATP/GTP-binding domain. Subcellular localization analyses of ZmCOLD1 proteins suggested that ZmCOLD1 proteins localized on plasma membrane (PM) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Furthermore, amino acid sequence alignment verified the conservation of the key 187th amino acid T in maize and other wild maize-relative species. Evolutionary relationship among plants GTG/COLD1 proteins family displayed strong group-specificity. Expression analysis indicated that ZmCOLD1-10A was cold-induced and inhibited by light. Together, these results suggested that ZmCOLD1 genes had potential value to improve cold tolerance and to contribute crops growth and molecular breeding.

Due to the large-scale renewable energy connected to the power grid by power electronic converters, the inertia and stability of the power grid is declining. In order to improve the inertia and support the grid recovery, the three-phase converter works as a virtual synchronous generator (VSG) to respond to the frequency and voltage changes of the power grid. This paper proposes a model predictive control for the virtual synchronous generator (MPC-VSG) strategy, which can automatically control the converter output power with the grid frequency and voltage changes. Further consideration of fault-tolerant ability and reliability, the method based on improved voltage vector selection, and reconstructed current is used for MPC-VSG to ensure continuous operation for three-phase converters that have current-sensor faults, and improve the reconstruction precision. The proposed method can respond to the frequency and voltage changes of the power grid and has fault-tolerant ability, which is easy to realize without pulse width modulation (PWM) and a proportional-integral (PI) controller. The effectiveness of the proposed control strategy is verified by experiment.

BackgroundAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a dangerous type of leukemia. The emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR) and recurrence limits the prognosis and survival of patients. In recent studies, we have known that the bone marrow microenvironment was closely related to the poor prognosis of AML. However, the underlying mechanisms are still far from fully understood. By utilizing the bioinformatics analysis, we screened out integrin β1 (ITGB1) as the hub gene, which is associated with the bone marrow microenvironment mediated changes of AML cells, with expression profile GSE73157 downloaded from National Center for Biotechnology Information-Gene Expression Omnibus (NCBI-GEO) database.MethodsR studio software was used to screen out candidate hub genes and further visualize the differential expression. R package “limma” was to find out differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway were conducted by R package “cluster Profiler”. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was also performed by online tool STRING and software Cytoscape. Last but not least, online tool PrognoScan and GEPIA was utilized for the evaluation of clinical significance of the selected hub gene. P and Cox p value

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the benefit to be gained from the addition of local radiotherapy to systemic chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma in endemic areas of Southern China.Methods: The data of patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (n = 649) were retrospectively analyzed: 313 patients received only chemotherapy and 336 received chemotherapy plus radiotherapy. The characteristics of the radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy groups were compared using the chi-square test or Fisher exact test. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify the factors independently associated with survival.Results: Median follow-up was for 36 months. In univariate analysis, radiotherapy was significantly associated with improved survival (median OS 27 vs. 18 months; 5-year OS 36.4% vs. 20.1%; P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, radiotherapy was an independent predictor of survival (HR, 0.65; CI, 0.53-0.79; P < 0.001). Other independent prognostic factors included number of metastatic organs, smoking, body mass index, hemoglobin, and N stage. In subgroup analysis, chemoradiotherapy was associated with improved survival in both the single-organ metastasis group (5-year OS, 38.5% vs. 25.1%; P < 0.001) and the multiorgan metastases group (5-year OS, 25.0% vs. 9.7%; P = 0.003）.Conclusion: The addition of local radiotherapy to chemotherapy appears to improve survival in patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Even patients with multiorgan metastases may benefit from radiotherapy.

Background The present study aims to investigate the role of histogram analysis of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast lesions. Methods The magnetic resonance imaging and clinical data of 55 patients (63 lesions) were retrospectively analyzed. The multi-b-valued diffusion-weighted imaging image was processed using the MADC software to obtain the gray-scaled maps of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)-slow, ADC-fast and f. The MaZda software was used to extract the histogram metrics of these maps. Combined with the conventional sequence images, the region of interest (ROI) was manually drawn along the edge of the lesion at the maximum level of the gray-scale image, and the difference of the data was analyzed between the benign and malignant breast lesions. Results There were 29 patients with 37 benign lesions, which included 23 fibroadenomas, 6 adenosis, 1 breast cysts, 4 intraductal papillomas, and 3 inflammations of breast. Furthermore, 26 malignant lesions in 26 patients, which included 20 non-specific invasive ductal carcinomas, 5 intraductal carcinomas and 1 patient with squamous cell carcinoma. The ADC-slow (mean and the 50th percentile) and f (minimum, mean, kurtosis, the 10th percentile and 50th percentile) of these malignant breast lesions were significantly lower than those of benign lesions (P P Conclusion The histogram analysis of ADC-slow (mean and the 50th percentile), ADC-fast (kurtosis) and f (minimum, mean, kurtosis, the 10th percentile and 50th percentile. Variance, skewness) can provide a more objective and accurate basis for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast lesions.

Recently, model predictive control (MPC) methods have been widely used to achieve the control of two-level voltage source inverters due to their superiorities. However, only one of the eight basic voltage vectors is applied in every control cycle in the conventional MPC system, resulting in large current ripples and distortions. To address this issue, a dual-vector modulated MPC method is presented, where two voltage vectors are selected and utilized to control the voltage source inverter in every control cycle. The duty cycle of each voltage vector is figured out according to the hypothesis that it is inversely proportional to the square root of its corresponding cost function value, which is the first contribution of this paper. The effectiveness of this assumption is verified for the first time by a detailed theoretical analysis shown in this paper based on the geometrical relationship of the voltage vectors, which is another contribution of this paper. Moreover, further theoretical analysis shows that the proposed dual-vector modulated MPC method can also be extended to control other types of inverters, such as three-phase four-switch inverters. Detailed experimental results validate the effectiveness of the presented strategy.

Homocysteine (Hcy) induced vascular endothelial dysfunction is known to be closely associated with oxidative stress and impaired NO system. 1,8-Dihydroxy-3-methoxy-6-methylanthracene-9,10-dione (physcion) has been known to has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties.The purpose of the present study was to define the protective effect of physcion on Hcy-induced endothelial dysfunction and its mechanisms involved.Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) rat model was induced by feeding 3% methionine. A rat thoracic aortic ring model was used to investigate the effects of physcion on Hcy-induced impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxation. Two doses, low (L, 30 mg/kg/day) and high (H, 50 mg/kg/day) of physcion were used in the present study. To construct Hcy-injured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) model, the cells treated with 3 mM Hcy. The effects of physcion on Hcy-induced HUVECs cytotoxicity and apoptosis were studied using MTT and flow cytometry. Confocal analysis was used to determine the levels of intracellular CaIn the HHcy rat model, plasma levels of Hcy and malondialdehyde (MDA) were elevated (20.45 ± 2.42 vs. 4.67 ± 1.94 μM, 9.42 ± 0.48 vs. 3.47 ± 0.59 nM, p0.001 for both), whereas superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nitric oxide (NO) levels were decreased (77.11 ± 4.78 vs. 115.02 ± 5.63 U/ml, 44.51 ± 4.45 vs. 64.18 ± 5.34 μM, p0.001 and p0.01, respectively). However, treatment with physcion significantly reversed these changes (11.82 ± 2.02 vs. 20.45 ± 2.42 μM, 5.97 ± 0.72 vs. 9.42 ± 0.48 nM, 108.75 ± 5.65 vs. 77.11 ± 4.78 U/ml, 58.14 ± 6.02 vs. 44.51 ± 4.45 μM, p0.01 for all). Physcion also prevented Hcy-induced impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxation in HHcy rats (1.56 ± 0.06 vs. 15.44 ± 2.53 nM ECPhyscion prevents Hcy-induced endothelial dysfunction by activating Ca

Purpose We aim to examine nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) characteristics and survival outcomes in patients aged 70 years and older in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) era. Materials and Methods From 2006 to 2013, 126 non-metastatic NPC patients aged ≥ 70 years who were treated with IMRT +/‒ chemotherapy were included. Adult Comorbidity Evaluation 27 (ACE-27) was used to measure patient comorbidities. The overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS)were calculatedwith the Kaplan-Meier method, and differenceswere compared using the log-rank test. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to carry out multivariate analyses. Results For the entire group, only two patients (1.6%) presented stage I disease, and up to 84.1% patients had stage III-IVB disease. All patients had a comorbidity score of 0 in 24 (19.0%), 1 in 45 (35.7%), 2 in 42 (33.3%), and 3 in 15 (11.9%) patients. The main acute grade during radiotherapy was 3-4 adverse events consisting of mucositis (25.4%), bone marrow suppression (16.7%), and dermatitis (8.7%). After treatment, four patients (3.2%) developed temporal lobe injury. Five-year CSS and OS rates were 67.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 58.6% to 77.4%) and 54.0% (95% CI, 45.6% to 63.9%), respectively. Five-year OS was significantly higher for ACE-27 score 0-1 than ACE-27 score 2-3 (72.9% and 39.9%, respectively; p < 0.001). Multivariate analyses showed ACE-27 score 0-1 was significantly associated with superior OS (hazard ratio [HR], 3.02; 95% CI, 1.64 to 5.55; p < 0.001). In addition, the rate of OS was higher for stage I-III than that of stage IV, with borderline significance (HR, 1.67; 95% CI, 0.99 to 2.82; p=0.053). But no significant advantage was observed in OS when chemotherapy was used (p > 0.05). Conclusion Our findings suggest IMRT +/– chemotherapy has a manageable toxicity and provides an acceptable survival in patients aged ≥ 70 years with NPC. ACE-27 score was significantly associated with survival outcomes in this group population.

Model predictive control (MPC) strategies have been frequently studied in recent years. To reduce the common-mode voltage (CMV) as well as the current total harmonic distortions (THDs) of the 2-level voltage sources (2L-VSIs), a new MPC strategy is proposed in this study considering both the dead-time and the one-step delay effects. First, the reference voltage vector (VV) prediction based MPC strategy is utilised as it is simple and accurate. Next, the VV preselection strategy is studied in detail to remove the CMV spikes. The effects of the dead time on the CMV are analysed, and an improved VV preselection strategy is presented to reduce the CMV spikes. Then, the one-step delay effects are also analysed, and further improvements are made to completely remove the CMV spikes. Moreover, the maximum variation of the current during one control period is studied in-depth to provide a solid theory foundation for dividing the current sector more accurately. As the six non-zero VVs of the 2L-VSI are fully used in the proposed method, not only the CMV but also the current THDs are reduced. Finally, comparative simulation and experimental studies are carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Background Membrane-associated fibrinogen-like protein 2 (FGL2 prothrombinase, p FGL2) is abundantly expressed in activated microvascular endothelial cells (MVECs) and plays a crucial role in microthrombus formation in microcirculatory vasculature. It has been widely reported that coronary microvascular obstruction (CMVO) contributes to adverse outcomes following myocardial ischemia/reperfusion. However, the role of p FGL2 in CMVO is poorly understood. Methods and results We aimed to identify the effect of MVECs- p FGL2 in CMVO using FGL2 knockout mice. As results, the MVECs- p FGL2 expression progresses significantly over 3 days and then gradually decreases, which is positively correlated with the extent of CMVO as detected by HE staining in wild type mice. Furthermore, FGL2 deficiency is correlated with decreased areas of no-reflow and necrosis as detected by Evans Blue and TTC staining and that it ameliorates cardiac dysfunction detected by hemodynamics in the early stage of CMVO. Moreover, fibrin deposition in microvasculature is significantly reduced in FGL2-deficient mice as evidenced by immunohistochemistry, MSB and Carstairs staining, along with the down-regulation of leukocyte adhesion and infiltration. Additionally, we observed that the FGL2 deficiency decreases macrophage infiltration and shifts the macrophage phenotype from pro-inflammatory (M1,) to anti-inflammatory (M2,) pattern in the early stage of CMVO. Conclusion These findings highlight the MVECs- p FGL2-fibrin pathway in the early stage of CMVO and provide insights into coagulation and inflammation for the coronary artery disease therapeutics.

Here we synthesize silica-coated NaYF4:Yb/Er nanocomposites with a photosensitizer hypericin covalently bound to silica shells (UCNPs@SiO2@hypericin) successfully, exhibiting precise size-control, good water dispersity and excellent biocompatibility. Under near-infrared light (NIR) irradiation, UCNPs convert NIR light to strong green light which agrees well with the absorbance peak of the photosensitizer hypericin, and triggers hypericin to generate singlet oxygen effectively. The cell apoptosis studies by flow cytometry, fluorescence microscope imaging with Annexin V-FITC/PI and caspase-3 western blotting demonstrate that UCNPs@SiO2@hypericin-FA displays outstanding performance in the induction of apoptosis of Hela cells and HepG2 cells under NIR light irradiation for a short time. At the same time, UCNPs@SiO2@hypericin-FA nanocomposites are proved to exhibit little cytotoxicity by cell viability experiments. By the use of confocal microscopy, cell uptake results show that folate receptor FR(+) cell lines such as Hela cells could internalize more UCNPs@SiO2@hypericin-FA than FR(−) cell lines, such as 293T cells, with highly selective cellular uptake. All the results indicate that UCNPs@SiO2@hypericin-FA nanocomposites have a promising potential in the application of PDT and other diseases in deep tissues.

To examine the effectiveness of using meibomian gland (MG) dropout and distortion for dry eye disease (DED) diagnosis in a young population with long-term contact lens (CL) wear.Seventy-three CL-wearers and 68 non-CL-wearers (20-28 years old) participated in the study. The diagnosis of DED was based on an ocular surface disease index ≥ 13, and a noninvasive breakup time10 seconds or positive corneal fluorescein staining. The MG dropout and distortion in each subject were quantified with non-invasive meibography. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were created to evaluate the effectiveness of using MG dropout and distortion to determine the presence of DED in CL-wearers and non-CL-wearers.In non-CL-wearers, the MG distortion was significantly higher in DED subjects than in normal subjects (3.83 ± 1.81 versus 1.59 ± 1.04). In CL-wearers, MG distortion was not significantly different (5.12 ± 4.11 versus 5.51 ± 3.15 in normal and DED subjects respectively). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for MG distortion was 0.783 in the non-CL-wearers, but 0.507 in CL-wearers. In non-CL-wearers, MG dropout was significantly higher in DED subjects than in normal subjects (0.22 ± 0.08 versus 0.15 ± 0.06). In CL-wearers, MG dropout was also significantly higher in DED subjects than in normal subjects (0.29 ± 0.11 versus 0.22 ± 0.08). The AUC for MG dropout used to classify DED was 0.740 in the non-CL-wearers and 0.715 in CL-wearers.MG dropout was effective in distinguishing subjects with DED from normal subjects in both CL wearers and non-CL wearers. MG distortion can only distinguish DED subjects from normal ones in non-CL wearers, but not in CL wearers.

Single immunoglobulin and Toll-interleukin-1 receptor domain-containing molecule (SIGIRR) is a specific inhibitor of IL-1R and Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling and considered a potential target for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Pathogenic mechanisms associated with the TLR4 signaling pathway have a critical role in the development of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). The aim of the present study was to determine the role of SIGIRR in the regulation of TLR4 signaling during the progression of SAP. Pancreatitis-associated ascitic fluid (PAAF) was collected from patients with SAP. Murine RAW264.7 macrophages were transfected with a SIGIRR overexpression plasmid and co-cultured with the PAAF from the donors in order to evaluate the effect of SIGIRR in vitro. The mRNA expression of TLR4, SIGIRR and other key downstream signaling molecules was quantified using semi-quantitative PCR with agarose gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the culture supernatant were detected using ELISA. In contrast to SIGIRR, the mRNA expression levels of TLR4, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), IL-1R-associated kinase-1 (IRAK-1) and TNF receptor-associated factor-6 (TRAF-6) were significantly increased in RAW264.7 cells following treatment with PAAF. Furthermore, TLR4, MyD88, IRAK-1 and TRAF-6 mRNA levels were significantly downregulated following SIGIRR overexpression and PAAF treatment in RAW264.7 cells. The levels of IL-2, IL-12, IL-17 and IFN-γ in the culture supernatant were also significantly decreased, while IL-10 levels were increased. Overall, SIGIRR negatively regulated the TLR4 signaling pathway to protect against the development of SAP in an in vitro model. Therefore, SIGIRR may represent a promising therapeutic target for SAP.

Tight junctions (TJs) of brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) play a pivotal role in maintaining the blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity; however, precise regulation of TJs stability in response to physiological and pathological stimuli remains elusive. Here, using RNA immunoprecipitation with next-generation sequencing (RIP-seq) and functional characterization, we identify SNHG12, a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), as being critical for maintaining the BBB integrity by directly interacting with TJ protein occludin. The interaction between SNHG12 and occludin is oxygen adaptive and could block Itch (an E3 ubiquitin ligase)-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of occludin in human BMECs. Genetic ablation of endothelial Snhg12 in mice results in occludin reduction and BBB leakage and significantly aggravates hypoxia-induced BBB disruption. The detrimental effects of hypoxia on BBB could be alleviated by exogenous SNHG12 overexpression in brain endothelium. Together, we identify a direct TJ modulator lncRNA SNHG12 that is critical for the BBB integrity maintenance and oxygen adaption.

In this study, a high-energy planetary mill was used to perform mechanical activation of chalcopyrite in dry-, moist-, and wet-milling modes. Granulometric and microstructural changes of chalcopyrite were characterized, and their effects on Cu dissolution were distinguished. Although water was added during milling to reduce agglomeration, it led to the inhibition of energy transmission. The maximum Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area of 8.382 m2/g was obtained in samples subjected to 7 h of moist milling. Dry milling resulted in considerable microstructural changes; the amorphization degree, grain size, and lattice strain of the chalcopyrite were 66.4%, 10 nm, and 0.427 × 10−2, respectively. Samples that had undergone 7 h of dry milling exhibited the highest copper extraction efficiency of 48.9%, which was 81.5 times higher than that for the nonactivated samples. The results of kinetics analysis revealed that the degree of amorphization exhibited a greater reactivity of chalcopyrite than the surface area did, and the enhancement in the leaching efficiency was highly consistent with the mechanical activation parameter. In addition, because of the selective rupturing of the chalcopyrite lattice, a “sulfur channel” appeared on the surface of the dry- and moist-milling samples, which proved that passivation decreased and leaching was enhanced. The results of this study can provide considerable insight on chalcopyrite leaching.

Objective To define the effects of Xanthoceras sorbifolia (EXS) on vascular inflammation and the mechanisms in endothelial cells. Methods Vascular protective effects of an ethanol extract of seeds from EXS (1-50 μg/mL) against tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced vascular inflammation were examined in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Results EXS significantly decreased TNF-α-induced expression of cell adhesion molecules, such as intracellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and endothelial cell selectin, in a dose-dependent manner. Pre-treatment with EXS significantly inhibited translocation and transcriptional activity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) increased by TNF-α. EXS also significantly inhibited formation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, the vascular protective effects of EXS were linked to up-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 (Nrf-2) expression. EXS-induced HO-1 expression was significantly decreased in SnPP (HO-1 inhibitor)- and HO-1 siRNA-treated cells, whereas an increase was found in cobalt protoporphyrin IX (CoPP) (HO-1 inducer)-treated cells. In addition, pretreatment with EXS increased HO-1 and Nrf-2 expression under TNF-α stimulation with or without N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of EXS on TNF-α-induced vascular inflammation were partially reversed in SnPP- and of HO-1 siRNA-treated cells but increased by CoPP. Conclusion These results suggest that EXS may have important implications for prevention of vascular complications associated with vascular inflammation by inhibition of the NF-¦EB/ROS pathway and activation of the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway.

The hybrid electric bus (HEB) presents an emerging solution to exhaust gas emissions in urban transport. This paper proposes a multiport bidirectional switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive for solar-assisted HEB (SHEB) powertrain, which not only improves the motoring performance, but also achieves flexible charging functions. To extend the driving miles and achieve self-charging ability, photovoltaic (PV) panels are installed on the bus to decrease the reliance on fuelsbatteries and charging stations. A bidirectional front-end circuit with a PV-fed circuit is designed to integrate electrical components into one converter. Six driving and five charging modes are achieved. The dc voltage is boosted by the battery in generator control unit (GCU) driving mode and by the charge capacitor in battery driving mode, where the torque capability is improved. Usually, an extra converter is needed to achieve battery charging. In this paper, the battery can be directly charged by the demagnetization current in GCU or PV driving mode, and can be quickly charged by the PV panels and GCUAC grids at SHEB standstill conditions, by utilizing the traction motor windings and integrated converter circuit, without external charging converters. Experiments on a three-phase 128 SRM confirm the effectiveness of the proposed drive and control scheme.

Aim To determine the prevalence of vision impairment (VI) and refractive error in first year university students at the Tianjin Medical University. Methods This is a cross-sectional observational cohort study of VI and refractive error among first year university students at the Tianjin Medical University. The first year university students were involved in this study and were given a detailed questionnaire including age, birth date, and spectacle wearing history. A standardized ophthalmologic examination including visual acuity (VA), slit-lamp examination, non-cycloplegic auto-refraction, objective refraction, fundus photography, and examination of their spectacles were recorded. Results A total of 3654 participants were included in this study. Totally 3436 (94.03%) individuals had VI in this population. Totally 150 (4.10%) individuals had VI due to ocular disease, including amblyopia, congenital cataract, retinal atrophy or degeneration, strabismus, congenital nystagmus, refractive surgery orthokeratology. Totally 3286 (89.93%) subjects had VI due to refractive error. Only 218 (5.97%) students were emmetropia. Moreover, refractive error was the main cause for the VI (95.63%). Totally 3242 (92.52%) students were myopia and the prevalence of mild, moderate, and high myopia subgroup was 27.05%, 44.35%, and 21.26% respectively. Totally 44 (1.29%) subjects were hyperopic. The rates of uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), presenting visual acuity (PVA) and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) which better than 20/20 in both eyes were 5.65%, 22.32% and 82.13% respectively. The rates of correction, under correction and well correction in myopia subjects were 82.73%, 84.39% and 15.61%, respectively. Conclusion We present a high prevalence of refractive errors and high rates of under correction refractive error among first year university students. These results may help to promote vision protection work in young adults.

ELMO3 is a member of the engulfment and cell motility (ELMO) protein family, which plays a vital role in the process of chemotaxis and metastasis of tumor cells. However, remarkably little is known about the role of ELMO3 in cancer. The present study was conducted to investigate the function and role of ELMO3 in gastric cancer (GC) progression. The expression level of ELMO3 in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines was measured by means of real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and Western blot analysis. RNA interference was used to inhibit ELMO3 expression in gastric cancer cells. Then, wound-healing assays, Transwell assays, MTS assays, flow cytometry, and fluorescence microscopy were applied to detect cancer cell migration, cell invasion, cell proliferation, the cell cycle, and F-actin polymerization, respectively. The results revealed that ELMO3 expression in GC tumor tissues was significantly higher than in the paired adjacent tissues. Moreover, knockdown of ELMO3 by a specific siRNA significantly inhibited the processes of cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, regulation of the cell cycle, and F-actin polymerization. Collectively, the results indicate that ELMO3 participates in the processes of cell growth, invasion, and migration, and ELMO3 is expected to be a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker for GC.

This paper proposes a simplified and improved model predictive current control (MPCC) scheme for grid-connected bidirectional voltage source converter (GC-BVSC) when the unbalanced grid voltages occur. In conditions of unbalanced grid voltage, the current harmonic components of the GC-BVSC increase significantly, and twice grid-frequency ripple exist in both active power and reactive power, which influence the output power quality. To reduce harmonic currents and power fluctuations, an improved MPCC (IMPCC) method is proposed, and a two-step predictive model of GC-BVSC is put forward. The current compensation values are expressed by grid voltages and their quadrature signals that lag 90 electrical degrees in the αβ stationary coordinates system. The cost function reducing both the power ripple and current distortion is designed. Compared to conventional methods, phase-locked loop, pulse width modulation, and complex positive and negative sequence extraction of grid voltage are not required. In addition, IMPCC presents a better performance by reducing both grid-connected current harmonics and power ripple of GC-BVSC with flexible bidirectional power regulation capability. Simulation and experimental results on power electronics-professional (PE-PRO) platform verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme under both single-phase and three-phase unbalanced grid voltages.

Aerosol properties, including aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and fine-mode fraction (FMF), are important physical data and are fundamental for climate studies. A minimum albedo aerosol retrieval method (MAARM) was developed for the retrieval of aerosol properties based on the new-generation geostationary meteorological satellite Himawari-8. This method is based on the albedo data which is directly obtained from the Himawari-8 and can successfully output AOT, FMF, and the Angstrom exponent (AE) directly. As part of the MAARM, a modified radiative transfer equation was proposed that considers the impact of aerosol multiple scattering. Through comparisons with output from the Second Simulation of a Satellite Signal in the Solar Spectrum (6S) radiative transfer code, the modified radiative transfer equation achieved a high accuracy for the aerosol reflectance calculation (~5%). Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) data from three sites in Beijing and its surrounding area for the year 2016 were used to validate MAARM aerosol retrievals. Fifty-seven percent, 57%, and 56% of derived AOT values fell within the estimated error envelope at the Beijing, the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (CAMS), and Xianghe AERONET stations, respectively. In addition, 36% (58%) of MAARM-derived FMF values fell within the ±10%AERONET FMF envelope (the ±25%AERONET FMF envelope). Overall, an improvement was achieved by the MAARM in retrieving AOT, FMF, and AE compared with Himawari-8 standard aerosol property retrievals; however, there remains a distinct lack of skills in determining FMF and AE and their use from the MAARM retrieval is not recommended at this time. Given that the Himawari-8 satellite provides observations at 10-min intervals, the MAARM is capable of monitoring the spatial distribution of and variation in AOT with a high temporal resolution.

By virtue of the method of integration within ordered product (IWOP) of operators we find the normally ordered form of the optical wavelet-fractional squeezing combinatorial transform (WFrST) operator. The way we successfully combine them to realize the integration transform kernel of WFrST is making full use of the completeness relation of Diracʼs ket–bra representation. The WFrST can play role in analyzing and recognizing quantum states, for instance, we apply this new transform to identify the vacuum state, the single-particle state, and their superposition state.