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Abstract Purpose: To investigate the impact of different hypoxia reoxygenation (HR) times on autophagy of rat cardiomyocytes (H9C2). Methods: Rat cardiomyocytes were randomly divided into normal control group (group A), hypoxia group (group B), 2 h HR group (group C), 12 h HR group (group D), and 24 h HR group (group E). LC3 II/LC3 I was determined via western blotting, and cell viabilities of cardiomyocytes were measured using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Results: Cell viabilities in HR model groups were significantly lower than those of group A (P

Blast resistance and grain quality are major problems in hybrid rice production in China. In this study, two resistance (R) genes, Pi46 and Pita, along with the gene Wxb, which mainly affects rice endosperm amylose content (AC), were introgressed into an elite indica restoring line, R8166, which has little blast resistance and poor grain quality through marker-assisted selection (MAS). Eight improved lines were found to have recurrent genome recovery ratios ranging from 88.68 to 96.23%. Two improved lines, R163 and R167, were selected for subsequent studies. R167, which has the highest recovery ratio (96.23%), showed no significant differences in multiple agronomic traits. In contrast, R163 with the lowest recovery ratio (88.68%) exhibited significant differences in heading date and yield per plant compared with the recurrent parent. At two developmental stages, R163 and R167 had greatly enhanced resistance to blast over the recurrent parent. Similar trends were also observed for agronomic traits and blast resistance in R163- and R167-derived hybrids when compared with the counterparts from R8166. In addition, R163, R167, and their derived hybrids significantly improved the grain quality traits, including amylose content (AC), gel consistency (GC), chalky grain rate (CGR), and degree of endosperm chalkiness (DEC). It confirmed the success of efficiently developing elite restoring lines using MAS in this study.

A novel hybrid PKS–NRPS alkaloid, xylarialoid A (1), containing a 13-membered macrocyclic moiety and [5,5,6] fused tricarbocyclic rings, together with ten known cytochalasins (2–11), was isolated from a plant-derived endophytic fungus, Xylaria arbuscula. The chemical structures of all compounds were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR, HR ESIMS spectroscopic analyses, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. Compounds 1–3 and 10 exhibited significant antitumor activities against A549 and Hep G2 cell lines, with IC50 values of 3.6–19.6 μM. In addition, compound 1 showed potent anti-inflammatory activity against LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in macrophage RAW 264.7 cells (IC50, 6.6 μM).

Rapid, non-destructive methods for determining the biochemical composition of straw are crucial in ruminant diets. In this work, ground samples of corn stover (n = 156) and wheat straw (n = 135) were scanned using near-infrared spectroscopy (instrument NIRS DS2500). Samples were divided into two sets, with one set used for calibration (corn stover, n = 126; wheat straw, n = 108) and the remaining set used for validation (corn stover, n = 30; wheat straw, n = 27). Calibration models were developed utilizing modified partial least squares (MPLS) regression with internal cross validation. Concentrations of moisture, crude protein (CP), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) were successfully predicted in corn stover, and CP and moisture were in wheat straw, but other nutritional components were not predicted accurately when using single-crop samples. All samples were then combined to form new calibration (n = 233) and validation (n = 58) sets comprised of both corn stover and wheat straw. For these combined samples, the CP, NDF, and ADF were predicted successfully; the coefficients of determination for calibration (RSQC) were 0.9625, 0.8349, and 0.8745, with ratios of prediction to deviation (RPD) of 6.872, 2.210, and 2.751, respectively. The acid detergent lignin (ADL) and moisture were classified as moderately useful, with RSQC values of 0.7939 (RPD = 2.259) and 0.8342 (RPD = 1.868), respectively. Although the prediction of hemicellulose was only useful for screening purposes (RSQC = 0.4388, RPD = 1.085), it was concluded that NIRS is a suitable technique to rapidly evaluate the nutritional value of forage crops.

Water Resource Sustainability Management plays a vitally important role in ensuring sustainable development, especially in water-stressed arid regions throughout the world. In order to achieve sustainable development, it is necessary to study and monitor the water quality in the arid region of Central Asia, an area that is increasingly affected by climate change. In recent decades, the rapid deterioration of water quality in the Ebinur Lake basin in Xinjiang (China) has severely threatened sustainable economic development. This study selected the Ebinur Lake basin as the study target, with the purpose of revealing the response between the water quality index and water body reflectivity, and to describe the relationship between the water quality index and water reflectivity. The methodology employed remote sensing techniques that establish a water quality index monitoring model to monitor water quality. The results of our study include: (1) the Water Quality Index (WQI) that was used to evaluate the water environment in Ebinur Lake indicates a lower water quality of Ebinur Lake, with a WQI value as high as 4000; (2) an introduction of the spectral derivative method that realizes the extraction of spectral information from a water body to better mine the information of spectral data through remote sensing, and the results also prove that the spectral derivative method can improve the relationship between the water body spectral and WQI, whereby R2 is 0.6 at the most sensitive wavelengths; (3) the correlation between the spectral sensitivity index and WQI was greater than 0.6 at the significance level of 0.01 when multi-source spectral data were integrated with the spectral index (DI, RI and NDI) and fluorescence baseline; and (4) the distribution map of WQI in Ebinur Lake was obtained by the optimal model, which was constructed based on the third derivative data of Sentinel 2 data. We concluded that the water quality in the northwest of Ebinur Lake was the lowest in the region. In conclusion, we found that remote sensing techniques were highly effective and laid a foundation for water quality detection in arid areas.

The inter-blade passage vortex, the vortex rope of the draft tube, and the vortex in the guide apparatus are the characteristics of flow instability of the Francis turbine, which may lead to fatigue failure in serious cases. In the current study, in order to accurately capture the transient turbulent characteristics of flow under different conditions and fully understand the flow field and vortex structure, we conduct a simulation that adopts sliding grid technology and the large-eddy simulation (LES) method based on the wall-adapting local eddy viscosity (WALE) model. Using the pressure iso-surface method, the Q criterion, and the latest third-generation Liutex vortex identification method, this study analyzes and compares the inter-blade passage vortex, the vortex rope of the draft tube, and the outflow and vortex in the guide apparatus, focusing on the capture ability of flow field information by various vortex identification methods and the unique vortex structure under the condition of a small opening. The results indicate that the dependence of Liutex on the threshold is small, and the scale range of the flow direction vortex captured by Liutex is wider, but the ability of the spanwise vortex is relatively weak. The smaller the opening, the more disorderly the vortexes generated in each component and the more unstable the flow field. In the draft tube, the original shape of the vortex rope is destroyed due to the interaction between vortexes. Under the condition of a small opening, an inter-blade passage vortex is generated, affecting the efficient and stable operation of the turbine.

Abstract Background This study sought to prepare a new PVA/n-HA/PA66 composite to investigate the repair of articular cartilage and subchondral defects in rabbit knee joints. Methods A 5 × 5 × 5 mm-sized defect was created in the patellofemoral joints of 72 healthy adult New Zealand rabbits. The rabbits were then randomly divided into three groups (n = 24): PVA/n-HA+PA66 group, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) group, and control (untreated) group. Cylindrical PVA/n-HA+PA66, 5 × 5 mm, comprised an upper PVA layer and a lower n-HA+PA66 layer. Macroscopic and histological evaluations were performed at 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks, postoperatively. Type II collagen was measured by immunohistochemical staining. The implant/cartilage and bone interfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Results At 24 weeks postoperatively, the lower PVA/n-HA+PA66 layer became surrounded by cartilage, with no obvious degeneration. In the PVA group, an enlarged space was observed between the implant and the host tissue that had undergone degeneration. In the control group, the articular cartilage had become calcified. In the PVA/n-HA+PA66 group, positive type II collagen staining was observed between the composite and the surrounding cartilage and on the implant surface. In the PVA group, positive staining was slightly increased between the PVA and the surrounding cartilage, but reduced on the PVA surface. In the control group, reduced staining was observed throughout. Scanning electron microscopy showed increased bone tissue in the lower n-HA+PA66 layer that was in close approximation with the upper PVA layer of the composite. In the PVA group, the bone tissue around the material had receded, and in the control group, the defect was filled with bone tissue, while the superior aspect of the defect was filled with disordered, fibrous tissue. Conclusion The diphase biological composite material PVA/n-HA+PA66 exhibits good histocompatibility and offers a satisfactory substitute for articular cartilage and subchondral bone.

The dynamic interface rendering technology of smart home App was analyzed,and a dynamic interface rendering method based on SWE (smart widget engine) was proposed.Based on an actual case,a smart home App was developed to verify SWE.It shows the method of SWE is a useful exploration for optimization of dynamic interface rendering technology.

In the future smart home,intelligent network high-speed home networking become the trend.Based on this,firstly the modulation and bandwidth of G.hn protocol and the current frequency coaxial cable usage were analyzed.Then the key technology of the G.hn spread spectrum technology was studied.Finally the key points and direction of spread spectrum technology were put forward.

Abstract: In the rice cytoplasmic-genetic male sterility (CMS) system, the combination of a CMS line, maintainer line and restorer line carrying the restorer gene to restore fertility, is indispensable for the development of hybrids. However, the process of screening for the trait of fertility restoration is laborious and time-consuming. In the present study, we analyzed the nucleotide sequence of the Rf4 gene, which is the major locus controlling fertility restoration, to identify allele-specific variation. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) A/C at +474 in the coding sequence (CDS) was found to be capable of strictly distinguishing groups of alleles Rf4 (A) and rf4 (C). Using KASP genotyping, this valuable SNP was converted to an allele-specific PCR marker. We evaluated and validated the marker among three-line parents with different backgrounds, and the results revealed a complete correlation between SNP alleles and the fertility restoration phenotype. Molecular screening was subsequently carried out for the presence of alleles of Rf4 and Rf3 among 328 diverse rice cultivars with worldwide distribution. The results demonstrate that this SNP marker could be the optimal choice for the molecular identification of potential restorers.

Abstract Zirconium phosphide (ZrP) powders were synthesized by elemental combination method via the direct reaction of zirconium powders with red phosphorus, and characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS, XRF, SAED and TEM measurements. The obtained ZrP powders were found to exhibit apparent activity in the ready eliminateion of nitric oxide (NO) via facile redox reactions, and the elimination dynamics was evaluated within the context of various important experimental parameters, such as reaction temperature and gas concentration. At a fixed amount of ZrP powders, an increasing amount of NO would be eliminated with increasing reaction temperature, and complete conversion of NO to N2 could be reached in the range of 700 to 800 °C. The addition of NH3 also facilitated NO elimination at a fixed reaction temperature. Furthermore, of the products of the elimination process, zirconia (ZrO2) powder is a kind of biocompatible material, red phosphorus can be used to produce safety matches, organophosphorous pesticide and phosphor bronze, and the produced N2 might be collected and used as a protective gas or be converted into liquid nitrogen for other purposes.

Abstract Background Infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is closely associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The osmoregulatory transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T-cells 5 (NFAT5) has been shown to play an important role in the development of many types of human cancers. The role of NFAT5 in HBV-associated HCC has never previously been investigated. Methods We compared expression profiles of NFAT5, DARS2 and miR-30e-5p in HCC samples, adjacent nontumor tissues and different hepatoma cell lines by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and /or Western blot. Clinical data of HCC patients for up to 80 months were analyzed. The regulatory mechanisms upstream and convergent downstream pathways of NFAT5 in HBV-associated HCC were investigated by ChIP-seq, MSP, luciferase report assay and bioinformation anaylsis. Results We first found that higher levels of NFAT5 expression predict a good prognosis, suggesting that NFAT5 is a potential tumor-suppressing gene, and verified that NFAT5 promotes hepatoma cell apoptosis and inhibits cell growth in vitro. Second, our results showed that HBV could suppress NFAT5 expression by inducing hypermethylation of the AP1-binding site in the NFAT5 promoter in hepatoma cells. In addition, HBV also inhibited NFAT5 through miR-30e-5p targeted MAP4K4, and miR-30e-5p in turn inhibited HBV replication. Finally, we demonstrated that NFAT5 suppressed DARS2 by directly binding to its promoter. DARS2 was identified as an HCC oncogene that promotes HCC cell cycle progression and inhibits HCC cell apoptosis. Conclusion HBV suppresses NFAT5 through the miR-30e-5p/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway upstream of NFAT5 and inhibits the NFAT5 to enhance HCC tumorigenesis via the downstream target genes of DARS2.

Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains difficult to cure due to lack of effective treatment and the molecular mechanisms are complex and not completely understood. In this study, We investigated the role of CDK16 in tumor progression of HCC. Methods We interrogated the expression level of CDK16 by polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry(IHC) and studied its clinical significance. The functional role of CDK16 on HCC was studied via gain and loss of function in vitro and in vivo. Luciferase reporter assay and Chromatin immunoprecipitation(ChIP) assay were performed to investigate the transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms involved in the regulation of CDK16. Results CDK16 expression was significantly up-regulated in HCC and higher expression of CDK16 was positively correlated with aggressive clinicopathological phenotype and poorer survival rates. Functionally, knockdown of CDK16 suppressed proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Inactivation of CDK16 also induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Most importantly, CDK16 promoted epithelial mesenchymal transition and tumor invasion by activating β-catenin signaling. In addition, We identified E2F1 as a positive transcriptional regulator of CDK16. Moreover, down regulation of miR-125b-5p enhanced CDK16 expression at post-transcriptional level. Conclusion We provided the first evidence that CDK16 is an bona fide oncogene in HCC, and multiple activating mechanisms at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels together contributes to CDK16 up-regulation in HCC.

In the study, we present the case of a 65-year-old male with rupture of right SVA into the right atrium that caused pleural effusion and acute right-sided heart failure (ARHF), which corrected by surgical intervention.

Physical mutagens, such as carbon-ion beams (CIBs) and gamma rays (GRs), induce mutations with high frequency at a relatively low dose and are more user-friendly and environment-friendly in mutation breeding. Previous studies showed that CIBs induced large sized deletions and insertions, and chromosomal rearrangements, whereas GRs induce shorter deletions and insertions, and more frequent base substitutions. However, the difference on the genomic level between CIB- and GR-induced mutations remains to be clarified. In the present study, we re-sequence six mutagenized lines derived from CIB irradiation and four mutagenized lines derived from GRs. A total of 283 and 381 variations are induced in these mutants by CIBs and GRs, respectively, including single base substitutions (SBSs), small insertion and deletions (InDels), multiple nucleotide variants (MNVs). SBSs are the most abundant type of mutation and single base transition is the main form for SBSs. CIB-induced InDels accounted for 25.44% of the total variations, while GR-induced InDels accounted for 17.85%. On the contrary, the frequency of MNVs induced by GRs was approximately 2.19 times that induced by CIBs, which indicates CIBs induced increased InDels, whereas GRs induced increased MNVs. Notably, multiple base deletions (≥5 bp) were induced at a much higher frequency by CIBs than by GRs. We also find mutations induced by CIBs and GRs are unevenly distributed on chromosomes. Unusual high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) mutation regions are discovered by analyzing mutations per 1Mb along the genome. The mutation frequency within the HF regions were significantly higher than the LF regions (P < 0.05). A large majority of SBSs, InDels, and MNVs induced by CIBs and GRs occurred in upstream and downstream regions. Our study compares difference of mutation profiles induced by the CIB irradiation and GR on rice genomes, and give some clues for understanding the mutagenesis mechanism of physical radiation and improving the mutagenesis efficiency.

The relation between tumor mutation burden (TMB) and outcome of cancer patients receiving immunotherapy has been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic role of TMB in cancer patients receiving immunotherapy. Databases including Embase, PubMed, and the Cochrane library were systematically searched to identify potentially eligible studies until Sep 2018 without language limitation. Studies assessing high versus low TMB in predicting survival of various cancer patients were selected. The pooled analyses were conducted using hazard ratio (HR) of high versus low TMB for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and the odds ratio (OR) for overall response rate (ORR). The primary endpoint was OS. Secondary outcomes were PFS and ORR. A total of 45 studies consisting of 103078 cancer patients were included. The combined results showed that high TMB was associated with better OS (HR = 0.40; 95% confidence interval (CI):0.30–0.53; p< .00001), PFS (HR = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.26–0.53; p< .00001) and ORR (OR = 4.62; 95%CI: 2.90–7.34; p< .0001) when treated with immunotherapy. In studying patients with high TMB, these patients had improved OS (HR = 0.69; 95%CI: 0.47–1.03; p= .07) when comparing immunotherapy to chemotherapy. Subgroup analyses suggested that the prognostic role of TMB was independent of cancer types and TMB detection methods (all p< .05). Our findings suggest that high TMB is associated with better survival in cancer patients receiving immunotherapy. For cancer patients with high TMB, immunotherapy could be considered.

Sepsis, as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, is characterized by the extensive release of cytokines and other mediators. Sini decoction (SND), a traditional Chinese prescription medicine, has been used clinically for the treatment of sepsis. But its explicit mechanism of action is still unclear.The present study aims to evaluate the potential protective effects of SND on sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI). After SND intervention, the lung tissues of each experimental group were collected. H&E sections were used to observe the pathological changes of lung tissue, and alveolar lavage fluid was collected to detect the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Level of inflammatory factors in lung tissue were analyzed by qRT-PCR. The change of Renin angiotensin system (RAS), as well as downstream MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways were measured by Western blot. For in vitro experiments, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were pretreated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and treated with SND. Subsequently, the expression levels of RAS and MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways were measured by Western blot.In vivo, we found that SND significantly attenuated sepsis-induced pathological injury in the lung. SND also inhibited LPS-mediated inflammatory cell infiltration, the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins and the production of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α and MCP-1. In vitro, experiments using a co-culture of HUVECs with SND showed that there was a decrease in pro-apoptotic protein and pro-inflammatory mediator. In this research, we also found that SND protective action could be attributed to the regulation of renin-angiotensin system (RAS). MAPKs and NF-κB pathways.To conclude, our study demonstrated that SND ameliorates sepsis-induced-ALI via regulating ACE2-Ang (1-7)-Mas axis and inhibiting the MAPK signaling pathway.

Abstract To enhance the microbial fuel cell (MFC) for wastewater treatment and chemical oxygen demand degradation, TiO2 nanotubes arrays (TNA) are successfully synthesized on Ti foil substrate by the anodization process in HF and NH4F solution, respectively (hereafter, denoted as TNA‐HF and TNA‐NF). The differences between the two kinds of TNA are revealed based on their morphologies and spectroscopic characterizations. It should be highlighted that 3D TNA‐NF with an appropriate dimension can make a positive contribution to the high photocatalytic activity. In comparison with the TNA‐HF, the 3D TNA‐NF sample exhibits a significant enhancement in current generation as the MFC anode. In particular, the TNA‐NF performs nearly 1.23 times higher than the TNA‐HF, and near twofold higher than the carbon felt. It is found that the two kinds of TiO2‐based anodes have different conductivities and corrosion potentials, which are responsible for the difference in their current generation performances. Based on the experimental results, excellent stability, reliability, and low cost, TNA‐NF can be considered a promising and scalable MFC bioanode material.

Scopoletin is a promising acaricidal botanical natural compound against Tetranychus cinnabarinus, and its acaricidal mechanism maybe involve calcium overload according to our previous study. To seek potential candidate target genes of calcium overload induced by scopoletin in T. cinnabarinus, RNA-seq was utilized to detect changes in transcription levels. 24 and 48 h after treatment, 70 and 102 differentially expressed genes were obtained, respectively. Target genes included 3 signal transduction genes, 4 cell apoptosis genes, 4 energy metabolism genes, and 2 transcription factor genes. The role of 3 calcium signaling pathway-related genes, namely, G-protein-coupled neuropeptide receptor, Bcl-2 protein and guanylate kinase (designated TcGPCR, TcBAG, and TcGUK, respectively) in the calcium overload were investigated in this study. RT-qPCR detection showed that scopoletin treatment upregulated the expression level of TcGPCR and downregulated the expression level of TcBAG and TcGUK. The result of RNAi indicated that downregulation of TcGPCR decreased susceptibility to scopoletin, and downregulation of TcBAG and TcGUK enhanced susceptibility to scopoletin. Functional expression in Chinese hamster ovary cells showed that scopoletin induced a significant increase in intracellular free calcium [Ca2+]i levels by activating TcGPCR. These results demonstrated that the acaricidal mechanism of scopoletin was via disrupting intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and calcium signaling pathway mediated by GPCR, BAG, and GUK.

Background: Posture instability gait difficulty-dominant (PIGD) and tremor-dominant (TD) are two subtypes of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The thalamus is involved in the neural circuits of both subtypes. However, which subregion of the thalamus has an influence on the PD subtypes remains unclear.Objective: To explore the core subregion of the thalamus showing a significant influence on the PD subtypes and its directional interaction between the PD subtypes.Methods: A total of 79 PD patients (43 TD and 36 PIGD) and 31 normal controls (NC) were enrolled, and the gray matter volume and perfusion characteristics in the thalamus were compared between the three groups. The subregion of the thalamus with significantly different perfusion and volume among three groups was used as the seed of a Granger causality analysis (GCA) to compare the causal connectivity between different subtypes.Results: Perfusion with an increased gradient among the three groups (TD > PIGD > NC) in the bilateral ventral intermediate nucleus (Vim) was observed, which was positively correlated with the clinical tremor scores. The GCA revealed that TD patients had enhanced causal connectivity from the bilateral Vim to the bilateral paracentral gyrus, M1 and the cerebellum compared with the NC group, while the PIGD subtype revealed an increased causal connectivity from the bilateral Vim to the bilateral premotor cortex (preM) and putamen. Additionally, there were positive correlations between the tremor scores and a causal connectivity from the Vim to the cerebellum. The connectivity from the right Vim to the right preM and the right putamen was positively correlated with the PIGD scores.Conclusion: This multilevel analysis showed that the Vim had a significant influence on the PD subtypes and that it differentially mediated the TD and PIGD-related causal connectivity pattern in PD.

In this work, the effect of CuO addition into the high-energy combustion agent of Al/MnO2 system was studied. First, the combustion experiments of five samples with different contents had been carried out, in which CuO was found capable of influencing the flame ejection to a great extent. Then, in order to find out the underlying reasons, CuO effects on the thermal behavior of Al/MnO2 system were analyzed via theoretical calculations of Gibbs free energy and enthalpy changes. In addition, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) that could characterize the mixture morphology and thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) that could indentify the exothermic and endothermic reactions and measure mass change were carried out. Finally, on the basis of all experimental findings, it was suggested that addition of CuO into Al/MnO2 system could result in dramatic increase of gas content throughout the reaction and the consequent high pressure. Also, speed of flame injection and heat released in the high-temperature area would thus be conducive to the continuous exothermic behavior of the reaction.

Objective. To investigate the clinical effects of different reperfusion techniques in liver transplantation based on network meta-analysis. Method. Literature retrieval was conducted in globally recognized databases, namely, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central, to address relative randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the clinical effects of respective reperfusion techniques in liver transplantation. Short- and long-term parametric data, including ICU stay, dysfunction rate (DFR), biliary complications (BC), 1-year graft survival (GS), and patient survival (PS), were quantitatively pooled and estimated based on the Bayesian theorem. The P values of surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) probabilities regarding each parameter were calculated and ranked by various techniques. The Grades of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria were utilized for the recommendations of evidence from pairwise direct comparisons. Results. Seven RCTs containing 6 different techniques were finally included for network meta-analysis. The results indicated that retrograde vena cava (RVC) reperfusion possessed the highest possibility of revealing the best clinical effects on DFR (SUCRA, P=0.93), ICU stay (SUCRA, P=0.76), and GS (SUCRA, P=0.44), while portal-arterial reperfusion (simultaneous initialize) seemed to exhibit the most benefits in reducing BC (SUCRA, P=0.67) and enhancing PS rate (SUCRA, P=0.48). Moreover, sensitivity analysis with the inconsistency approach clarified the reliability of the main results, and the evidence of the most direct comparisons was ranked low or very low. Conclusions. Current evidence demonstrated that RVC and portal-arterial reperfusion (simultaneously initialized) revealed superior clinical effects, compared to other interventions. Investigation of these 2 techniques should be a future research direction, and more high-quality RCTs are expected.

Background and Aim. It has been documented that angiogenesis is a largely unstudied component of the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC). Under narrow-band imaging (NBI) colonoscopy, the mucosal vascular pattern (MVP) can be visualized without the use of dyes. The aim of this study was to assess the grade of mucosal angiogenesis based on the MVP in UC. Methods. A total of 119 colorectal segments taken from 42 patients with UC were observed using NBI colonoscopy. The MVP was classified as follows: clear, obscure, or absent. Quantification of the degree of inflammation was performed using histological colitis scoring. Potent angiogenic activity was assessed by immunohistochemical staining for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Microvascular density was assessed using vessel counts as revealed by CD31 staining. The correlation between the MVP and histological grades of inflammation and angiogenesis was evaluated. Results. The MVP correlated well with the histological severity of inflammation. We also demonstrated an increasing level of microvascular density and VEGF staining along with the ordered types of MVPs. In addition, a statistically strong association existed between microvascular density and VEGF staining. Conclusions. NBI colonoscopy might be a useful tool for the in vivo assessment of the grade of mucosal angiogenesis in UC.

Urban growth and development can be interpreted as a combined process of “urban spillover” and “local urban sprawl”, from overall urban–rural development to urban–rural integration (URI). The process of suburban development in western China is a complex system, which reflects the characteristics of industrialization and urbanization in western China. Chengdu is the most representative of the big cities for economic and social structure change in western China. To analyze the changes on URI degree based on the built-up land change, and to explore the practical URI paths in both the suburbs and exurbs of Chengdu, we use land-use remote-sensing monitoring data from 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015 in this paper, whereafter URI indexes are built from space, economy, and society. The land-use change of the suburbs and exurbs of Chengdu from 2000 to 2015 are analyzed by ArcGIS. Results indicate that the biggest growth part of built-up land is other built-up land, followed by commercial/industrial land, and the last is residential land. The built-up land spreads quickly from 2000 to 2005, and shows distinct separation characteristics in the suburbs of Chengdu. It is relatively slow in the exurbs. Moreover, built-up land connects better in the suburbs than in the exurbs. Based on the change of built-up land in Chengdu from 2000 to 2015, spatial integration data are calculated, economic integration and social integration data are chosen from statistics, and the change of URI levels in the suburbs and exurbs of Chengdu is calculated. The results show that first, economic integration and social integration have great influence on URI, and their effects are increasing. The significance of spatial integration in URI has gradually reduced. Second, URI levels in counties of the suburbs and exurbs of Chengdu rose from 2000 to 2015, more highly in the suburbs than in the exurbs. URI in counties of the exurbs showed a marked difference. URI in the southeast counties of the exurbs is generally high. The foundation of URI is weaker in the counties and districts in the southwest counties of the exurbs in Chengdu, but it is growing steadily in URI, and the northern counties in the exurbs of Chengdu are in the process of rapid URI. The paths of URI in the suburbs and exurbs in Chengdu can be roughly divided into an industry-developing model in the suburbs, service-industry-developing model in the suburbs, agriculture-developing model in the exurbs, service-industry-developing model in the exurbs and infrastructure-developing model in the exurbs.

Performing high-temperature measurements on the rotating parts of aero-engine systems requires wireless passive sensors. Surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors can measure high temperatures wirelessly, making them ideal for extreme situations where wired sensors are not applicable. This study reports a new SAW temperature sensor based on a langasite (LGS) substrate that can perform measurements in environments with temperatures as high as 1300 °C. The Pt electrode and LGS substrate were protected by an AlN passivation layer deposited via a pulsed laser, thereby improving the crystallization quality of the Pt film, with the function and stability of the SAW device guaranteed at 1100 °C. The linear relationship between the resonant frequency and temperature is verified by various high-temperature radio-frequency (RF) tests. Changes in sample microstructure before and after high-temperature exposure are analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The analysis confirms that the proposed AlN/Pt/Cr thin-film electrode has great application potential in high-temperature SAW sensors.

Earth Observation (EO) data is a critical information source for mapping and monitoring water resources over large inaccessible regions where hydrological in-situ networks are sparse. In this paper, we present a simple yet robust method for fusing optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data for mapping surface water dynamics over mainland China. This method uses a multivariate logistic regression model to estimate monthly surface water extent over a four-year period (2017 to 2020) from the combined usages of Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 imagery. Multi-seasonal high-resolution images from the Chinese Gaofen satellites are used as a reference for an independent validation showing a high degree of agreement (overall accuracy 94%) across a diversity of climatic and physiographic regions demonstrating potential scalability beyond China. Through inter-comparison with similar global scale products, this paper further shows how this new mapping technique provides improved spatio-temporal characterization of inland water bodies, and for better capturing smaller water bodies (< 0.81 ha in size). The relevance of the results is discussed, and we find this new enhanced monitoring approach has the potential to advance the use of Earth observation for water resource management, planning and reporting.

To study the effect of the addition of potassium perchlorate (KClO _4 ) on the performance of nano thermites, Al/Bi _2 O _3 nano thermites with different mass fraction (wt%) of KClO _4 was made by ultrasonic dispersion method. Then, all samples were tested by SEM, DSC and rapid excitation ignition. DSC results showed Al/Bi _2 O _3 /10 wt%KClO _4 had the highest heat release. Compared with Al/Bi _2 O _3 , the heat release increased by 28.32%. The results of activation energy calculations showed Al/Bi _2 O _3 /30 wt%KClO _4 had the lowest activation energy (Ea). Its activation energy was reduced by 30%, mere about 149.17 KJ mol ^−1 . Finally, it can be seen from the combustion situation that the addition of KClO _4 reduced the intensity of burning. This work found a way to increase the heat release or reduce the activation energy of nano thermites by controlling the amount of KClO _4 added.

Utilization of R (resistance) genes to develop resistant cultivars is an effective strategy to combat against rice blast disease. In this study, R genes Pi46 and Pita in a resistant accession H4 were introgressed into an elite restorer line Hang-Hui-179 (HH179) using the marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB) procedure. As a result, three improved lines (e.g., R1791 carrying Pi46 alone, R1792 carrying Pita alone and R1793 carrying both Pi46 and Pita) were developed. The three improved lines had significant genetic similarities with the recurrent parent HH179. Thus, they and HH179 could be recognized as near isogenic lines (NILs). The resistance spectrum of the three improved lines, which was tested at seedling stage, reached 91.1, 64.7 and 97.1%, respectively. This was markedly broader than that of HH179 (23.5%). Interestingly, R1793 showed resistance to panicle blast but neither R1791 nor R1792 exhibited resistance at two natural blast nurseries. The results implied that the stacking of Pi46 and Pita resulted in enhanced resistance, which was unachievable by either R gene alone. Further comparison indicated that the three improved lines were similar to HH179 in multiple agronomic traits; including plant height, tillers per plant, panicle length, spikelet fertility, and 1 000-grain weight. Thus, the three improved lines with different R genes can be used as new sources of resistance for developing variety. There is a complementary effect between the two R genes Pi46 and Pita.

The neutrino masses and mixings are studied in the model which is the supersymmetric extension of the standard model with local gauged baryon and lepton numbers (BLMSSM). At tree level the neutrinos can obtain tiny masses through the See-Saw mechanism in the BLMSSM. The one-loop corrections to the neutrino masses and mixings are important, and they are studied in this work with the mass insertion approximation. We study the numerical results and discuss the allowed parameter space of BLMSSM. It can contribute to study the neutrino masses and to explore the new physics beyond the standard model (SM).

For the rate maximization problem in OFDM decode-and-forward relay system，a resource allocation algorithm based on the multi-relay forwarding was proposed. In the algorithm，the same subcarrier could be forwarded by multiple relays，and the base station could use the subcarriers that are not occupied by relays to transmit new symbols in the second phase. To reduce the computational complexity，the information transmission mode and the optimal relay set that assisting the transmission under relay mode were determined first，then the original problem was transformed into a dual problem to achieve the joint optimization solution of subcarrier-pairing and power allocation. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve a higher system capacity.

Background: High cost of imported pacemakers is a main obstacle for Chinese patients suffering from bradyarrhythmia, and a domestically developed pacemaker will help lower the burden. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Qinming8631 DR (Qinming Medical, Baoji, China), the first domestically developed dual-chamber pacemaker of China, compared with a commercially available pacemaker Talos DR (Biotronik, Berlin, Germany) in Chinese patients. Methods: A prospective randomized trial was conducted at 14 centers in China. Participants were randomized into trial (Qinming8631 DR) and control (Talos DR) groups. Parameters of the pacing systems were collected immediately after device implantation and during follow-ups. The effective pacing rate at 6-month follow-up was recorded as the primary end point. Electrical properties, magnet response, single- and double-pole polarity conversion, rate response function, and adverse events of the pacing system were analyzed. The Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel Chi-square test, paired t-test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used for measuring primary qualitative outcomes and comparing normally and abnormally distributed measurement data. Results: A total of 225 patients with a diagnosis of bradyarrhythmia and eligible for this study were randomly enrolled into the trial (n = 113) and control (n = 112) groups. They underwent successful pacemaker implantation with acceptable postoperative pacing threshold and sensitivity. Effective pacing rates of trial and control groups were comparable both in the full analysis set and the per protocol set (81.4% vs. 79.5%, P = 0.712 and 95.4% vs. 89.5%, P = 0.143, respectively). In both data sets, noninferiority of the trial group was above the predefined noninferiority limit(−9.5%). Conclusions: This study established the noninferiority of Qinming8631 DR to Talos DR. The safety and efficacy of Qinming8631 DR pacemaker were comparable to those of Talos DR in treating patients with cardiac bradyarrhythmia.

Shoot branching is one of the most variable determinants of crop yield, and the signaling pathways of plant branches have become a hot research topic. As an important transcription factor in the B3 family, NGATHA1 (NGA1), plays an important role in regulating plant lateral organ development and hormone synthesis and transport, but few studies of the role of this gene in the regulation of plant growth and stress tolerance have been reported. In this study, the NGA1 gene was isolated from Medicago truncatula (Mt) and its function was characterized. The cis-acting elements upstream of the 5′ end of MtNGA1 and the expression pattern of MtNGA1 were analyzed, and the results indicated that the gene may act as a regulator of stress resistance. A plant expression vector was constructed and transgenic Arabidopsis plants were obtained. Transgenic Arabidopsis showed delayed flowering time and reduced branching phenotypes. Genes involved in the regulation of branching and flowering were differentially expressed in transgenic plants compared with wild-type plants. Furthermore, transgenic plants demonstrated strong tolerances to salt- and mannitol-induced stresses, which may be due to the upregulated expression of NCED3 (NINE-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE 3) by the MtNGA1 gene. These results provide useful information for the exploration and genetic modification use of MtNGA1 in the future.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs, molecules of 21 to 25 nucleotides in length, that regulate gene expression by binding to their target mRNA and play a significant role in animal development. The expression and role of miRNAs in regulating sheep estrus, however, remain elusive. Transcriptome analysis is helpful to understand the biological roles of miRNAs in the pituitary gland of sheep. A sheep’s pituitary gland has a significant difference between estrus and anestrus states. Here, we investigate the expression profiles of sheep anterior pituitary microRNAs (miRNAs) in two states, estrus and anestrus, using Illumina HiSeq-technology. This study identified a total of 199 miRNAs and 25 differentially expressed miRNAs in the estrus and anestrus pituitary gland in sheep. Reverse transcription quantitative-PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis shows six differentially (p < 0.05) expressed miRNAs, that are miR-143, miR-199a, miR-181a, miR-200a, miR-218, and miR-221 in both estrus and anestrus states. miRNAs containing estrus-related terms and pathways regulation are enriched using enrichment analysis from gene ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Moreover, we also envisioned a miRNA−mRNA interaction network to understand the function of miRNAs involved in the pituitary gland regulatory network. In conclusion, miRNA expression profiles in sheep pituitary gland in the anestrus and estrus deliver a theoretical basis for the study of pituitary gland biology in sheep.

To investigate the effect of the addition of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) on nanothermites, Al/MoO _3 /PVDF energetic nanocomposites were prepared using electrospraying method. As a control group, Al/MoO _3 was also designed. Then, both samples were tested by FE-SEM, XRD and TG-DSC. TG-DSC results showed that the Al/MoO _3 /PVDF energetic nanocomposites released more than 934.0 J g ^−1 with two obvious exothermic peaks. Compared with the control group of 800.7 J g ^−1 heat, it changed the thermal performance to some extent. There were Mo _2 C among the residues products after the reaction via XRD. The activation energy (Ea) was analyzed using the Kissinger method under different heating rates by DSC. The addition of PVDF reduced the Ea of the thermites. To explore the combustion performance, a preliminary experiment was designed. The Al/MoO _3 /PVDF energetic nanocomposites were easier to ignite and the burning was more durable, which was significant in solid propulsion and applications requiring extended combustion time.

Objective: Nivolumab has been used for treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) worldwide. Whether neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) can predict the prognosis of NSCLC treated with Nivolumab is still under debate. This meta-analysis was to assess the significance of NLR as a predictive factor in NSCLC patients receiving Nivolumab. Methods: Databases including PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library were searched to identify eligible studies evaluating the role of NLR in predicting prognosis of NSCLC treated with Nivolumab until March 2018 without language restrictions. The meta-analysis was performed using hazard ratio (HR) of progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in NSCLC patients with various NLR. Results: A total of 14 retrospective studies consisting of 1225 NSCLC patients were included. The combined results showed that relatively higher baseline NLR was associated with poor PFS (HR = 1.44; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.18–1.77; p

In this study, the hyperglycemic potential of Elaeagnus angustifolia fruit polysaccharide in both normal healthy and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice was investigated. Results showed no significant effect of E. angustifolia fruit polysaccharide on blood glucose level in normal control group, while E. angustifolia significantly suppressed the rise in blood glucose of diabetic mice. In addition, in the first two weeks of administration, the body weight was decreased both in negative control group and E. angustifolia groups, however, E. angustifolia (800 mg/kg) was recovered to the began weight in the fourth week. E. angustifolia (800 mg/kg) could markedly reduce the levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride and improve the level of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol. The results suggest that E. angustifolia could be considered as an ingredient of functional foods for diabetes. Video Clip of Methodology: 10 min 19 sec Full Screen Alternate

Background and objectiveRapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) has a strong association with alpha synucleinpathies such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and PD patients with RBD tend to have a poorer prognosis. However, we still know little about the pathogenesis of RBD in PD. Therefore, we aim to detect the alterations of structural correlation network (SCN) in PD patients with and without RBD.Materials and methodsA total of 191 PD patients, including 51 patients with possible RBD (pRBD) and 140 patients with non-possible RBD, and 76 normal controls were included in the present study. Structural brain networks were constructed by thresholding gray matter volume correlation matrices of 116 regions and analyzed using graph theoretical approaches.ResultsThere was no difference in global properties among the three groups. Significant enhanced regional nodal measures in limbic system, frontal-temporal regions, and occipital regions and decreased nodal measures in cerebellum were found in PD patients with pRBD (PD-pRBD) compared with PD patients without pRBD. Besides, nodes in frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and limbic system were served as hubs in both two PD groups, and PD-pRBD exhibited additionally recruited hubs in limbic regions.ConclusionBased on the SCN analysis, we found PD-pRBD exhibited a reorganization of nodal properties as well as the remapping of the hub distribution in whole brain especially in limbic system, which may shed light to the pathophysiology of PD with RBD.

Hemiparkinsonism duration in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is a key time window to study early pathology of PD. We aimed to comprehensively explore the alterations of deformation and structural network in PD patients with hemiparkinsonism, which could potentially disclose the early biomarker for PD. Thirty-one PD patients with hemiparkinsonism and 37 age- and gender- matched normal controls were included in the present study. First of all, we normalized the left hemisphere of structural images as the contralateral side to the affected limbs. Deformation-based morphometry (DBM) was conducted to evaluate the brain atrophy and/or enlargement. structural networks were constructed by thresholding gray matter volume correlation matrices of 116 regions and analyzed using graph theoretical approaches (e.g., small-worldness, global, and nodal measures). Significantly decreased deformation values were observed in the temporoparietal regions like bilateral middle temporal gyri, ipsilateral precuneus and contralateral Rolandic operculum extending to supramarginal and postcentral gyri. Lower deformation values in contralateral middle temporal gyrus were negatively correlated with higher motor impairment which was dominated by akinesia/rigidity. Moreover, nodal reorganization of structural network mainly located in frontal, temporal, subcortex and cerebellum was bilaterally explored in PD patients with hemiparkinsonism. Increased nodal properties could be commonly observed in frontal lobes. Disruption of subcortex including basal ganglia and amygdala was detected by nodal local efficiency and nodal clustering coefficient. Twelve hubs, mainly from paralimbic-limbic and heteromodal networks, were disrupted and, alternatively, 14 hubs, most of which were located in frontal lobes, were additionally detected in PD patients with hemiparkinsonism. In conclusion, during hemiparkinsonism period, mild brain atrophy in the temporoparietal regions and widespread reorganization of structural network, e.g., enhanced frontal function and disruption of basal ganglia nodes, occurred in both hemispheres. With our data, we can also argue that MTG contralateral to the affected limbs (expressing clinically verified brain atrophy) might be a potential living biomarker to monitor disease progression. Therefore, the combination of DBM and structural network analyses can provide a comprehensive and sensitive evaluation for potential pathogenesis of early PD patients with hemiparkinsonism.

The analysis of traffic collisions is essential for urban safety and the sustainable development of the urban environment. Reducing the road traffic injuries and the financial losses caused by collisions is the most important goal of traffic management. In addition, traffic collisions are a major cause of traffic congestion, which is a serious issue that affects everyone in the society. Therefore, traffic collision analysis is essential for all parties, including drivers, pedestrians, and traffic officers, to understand the road risks at a finer spatio-temporal scale. However, traffic collisions in the urban context are dynamic and complex. Thus, it is important to detect how the collision hotspots evolve over time through spatio-temporal clustering analysis. In addition, traffic collisions are not isolated events in space. The characteristics of the traffic collisions and their surrounding locations also present an influence of the clusters. This work tries to explore the spatio-temporal clustering patterns of traffic collisions by combining a set of network-constrained methods. These methods were tested using the traffic collision data in Jianghan District of Wuhan, China. The results demonstrated that these methods offer different perspectives of the spatio-temporal clustering patterns. The weighted network kernel density estimation provides an intuitive way to incorporate attribute information. The network cross K-function shows that there are varying clustering tendencies between traffic collisions and different types of POIs. The proposed network differential Local Moran's I and network local indicators of mobility association provide straightforward and quantitative measures of the hotspot changes. This case study shows that these methods could help researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers to better understand the spatio-temporal clustering patterns of traffic collisions.

Most smart home devices don't have screens,the network configuration has become a big problem for users.For this,a variety of technical solutions have been proposed to deal with it.The existing Wi-Fi quick connection solutions were analyzed.Their characteristics,advantages and disadvantages were compared.Then according to the telecom operator's basis,an improved wireless quick connection solution which was suitable for the operators was proposed and it was verified technically.

Firstly,the operator's challenges of developing smart home system in the new situation were analyzed,then the key demands of smart home management system were studied.Finally,the platform framework,function framework and implementation suggestion of smart home management system was proposed.

In the study, an aqueous two phase system (ATPS) coupled with ultrasound was employed to extract lignans from Zanthoxylum armatum. Three standard lignans, namely (−)-fargesin, sesamin and L-asarinin, were used as marker compounds, and extraction was optimized and projected by response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN). The optimal condition for ATPS with 20% n-propanol and 24% (NH4)2SO4 coupled with ultrasonic-assisted extraction including a solvent to solid ratio of 15:1, a temperature of 40 °C, and a treatment time of 55 min was obtained. Under the condition, the yield of (−)-fargesin increased 15.12%, and the purities of (−)-fargesin, sesamin and L-asarinin reached 2.222%, 1.066%, and 1.583%, with an increase of 44.38%, 25.70%, and 26.34% compared to those extracted with 95% ethanol, respectively. Coefficient of the determined (0.9855) and mean squared error (0.0018) of ANN model suggested good fitness and generalization of the ANN. Taken together, the results showed that ultrasonic-assisted ATPS can be a suitable method for extraction and enrichment of lignans from Z. armatum.

For the resource allocation in OFDMA MIMO relay downlink system,a quality of service aware resource allocation scheme with low complexity under total power constraint was proposed.First,under the assumption of equal power allocation,a selective priority factor was chosen for the relay selecting and subcarrier allocation.The relay selection and subcarriers allocation were carried out depending on the priority factor.Then the optimal power allocation was implemented through convex optimization algorithm.Numerical results show that the proposed scheme can not only achieve the higher capacity of system,but also guarantee the quality of service for each user.

A robust halftone image watermarking method was proposed.The method was developed in parity domain based on pixel block.Especially,the parity sum of a pixel block was defined by comparing the average of the pixel block with an image-dependent threshold.By altering the pixel block's parity based on noise-balanced block error diffusion,watermark was spread into the host image.Watermark was retrieved by employing each pixel block's parity and majority voting strategy,not referring to the original image.Compared with the state-of-the-art method in parity domain,the re-sults indicate that the proposed method has high watermark rate and watermark rate flexibility.Moreover,it is capable of extracting watermark directly from the attacked watermarked image without quantizing it into a halftone image.And it can achieve high robustness against common attacks and print-and-scan attack of different types of printers and scanners.

It is well known that disruption of basal ganglia function generates the motor symptoms in PD, however, these are presented in a heterogeneous manner; patients can be divided into tremor-dominant and akinesia/rigidity-dominant subtypes. To date, it is unknown if these differences in the motor symptoms could be explained by differences on the functional connectivity of basal ganglia with specific brain regions. In this study, we aimed to explore the alterations of the network-based and global functional connectivity linking to basal ganglia between the PD-TD and PD-AR patients. One hundred and six PD patients and 52 normal controls were recruited. According to the subscales of UPDRS motor scale, PD patients were divided into the PD-TD (n = 57) and PD-AR (n = 49) subtypes. We performed independent component analysis to identify basal ganglia network (BGN) involving connected brain regions having coactivation with basal ganglia. Eigenvector centrality mapping were processed and the eigenvector centrality in the subcortical component of BGN including the bilateral caudate nuclei, putamen, thalami and pallidum were extracted to measure the global connectivity. Compared with controls, whole PD patients or PD subtypes showed decreases of functional connectivity within the subcortical component of BGN, e.g., thalamus, pallidum and putamen. Compared with controls, decreased functional connectivity of precuneus and amygdala with basal ganglia was observed in the PD-TD while that of occipital lobule and precuneus was observed in the PD-AR. Compared with the PD-TD, significantly decreased functional connectivity between occipital lobule and cerebellum posterior lobule and basal ganglia was observed in the PD-AR, and such connectivity had positive correlations with tremor and negative correlations with akinesia/rigidity. We also observed enhanced global connectivity in the caudate nucleus and thalamus in the PD subtypes compared with controls. In conclusion, PD patients independent of motor subtypes consistently express similar alterations of functional connectivity within the subcortical component of BGN including network-based connectivity and global connectivity. Functional connectivity of cerebellum posterior lobule and occipital lobule with basal ganglia play important roles in the modulation of parkinsonian motor symptoms.

Heavy-ion beam irradiation is one of the principal methods used to create mutants in plants. Research on mutagenic effects and molecular mechanisms of radiation is an important subject that is multi-disciplinary. Here, we re-sequenced 11 mutagenesis progeny (M3) Arabidopsis thaliana lines derived from carbon-ion beam (CIB) irradiation, and subsequently focused on substitutions and small insertion-deletion (INDELs). We found that CIB induced more substitutions (320) than INDELs (124). Meanwhile, the single base INDELs were more prevalent than those in large size (≥2 bp). In details, the detected substitutions showed an obvious bias of C > T transitions, by activating the formation of covalent linkages between neighboring pyrimidine residues in the DNA sequence. An A and T bias was observed among the single base INDELs, in which most of these were induced by replication slippage at either the homopolymer or polynucleotide repeat regions. The mutation rate of 200-Gy CIB irradiation was estimated as 3.37 × 10−7 per site. Different from previous researches which mainly focused on the phenotype, chromosome aberration, genetic polymorphism, or sequencing analysis of specific genes only, our study revealed genome-wide molecular profile and rate of mutations induced by CIB irradiation. We hope our data could provide valuable clues for explaining the potential mechanism of plant mutation breeding by CIB irradiation.

Introduction Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a long-term inflammatory disease affecting the pancreas. No studies are currently available associating cigarette smoking with CP in Chinese mainland population. This study aims to assess the evidence for tobacco smoking as a risk factor for CP and to find the dose-response relationship between them precisely in Chinese mainland population. Material and Methods This retrospective study enrolled Chinese patients with CP and control patients at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 1983 to 2008. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and Chi-square (χ2) test and a Cox proportional hazards regression model were used for statistical analysis. This study evaluated whether cigarette smoking is a risk factor for CP in 346 patients and 346 healthy controls (CP group: 267 males, 79 females; control group: 270 males, 76 females) with mean ages of 49 and 49.2 years, respectively. Results In the CP group, 46.8% were smokers, and 41% were drinkers. Heavy smokers (≥ 20 cigarettes/d), who were either male (P = 0.03) or older than 30 years (P = 0.045), or males older than 30 years (P = 0.021), were significantly more prone to CP than light smokers. CP patients, regardless of their gender, who had smoked for more than 30 years and were without biliary disease had a significantly higher risk to develop CP compared with health control group (OR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.106–4.973, P = 0.026). There was no statistically significant association between smoking duration of less than 30 years and the risk of CP regardless of gender, age, or biliary disease. Conclusions Cigarette smoking is an important risk factor for CP in the Chinese population and correlates with risk factors, such as age, gender, biliary disease, and alcohol consumption. In conclusion, cigarette smoking is an important risk factor for CP in the Chinese subpopulation.

Colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed (CRNDE), an oncogene, is highly expressed in many tumor cells and affects cellular proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. Its function and mechanism of action is a research hotspot. In this study, microarray analysis was performed to discover the differentially expressed genes in CRNDE over-expression cells. RT² Profiler PCR Array was used to study the expression of genes related to the toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway. We found that over-expression of CRNDE in astrocytes increased the expression of key factors in the toll-like receptor signaling pathway, especially toll-like receptor-3-mediated MyD88-independent pathway. Furthermore, it up-regulated expression levels of downstream transcription factor such as nuclear factor kappa B and numerous cytokines. In contrast, CRNDE knockdown in glioma U87MG cell line showed an opposite trend in the expression of the above-mentioned genes. We speculated that CRNDE might trigger inflammation to regulate tumorigenesis and tumor development through the toll-like receptor pathway.

Objective. To determine the best anticoagulation strategy for the patients who underwent splenectomy with cirrhosis through network meta-analysis. Methods. We conducted a systematic review of the literature in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library database. We extracted data on incidence of Portal vein system thrombosis (PVST) from studies that compared various anticoagulation strategies for use with patients who underwent splenectomy with cirrhosis. Network meta-analysis was conducted in ADDIS by evaluating the different incidence of PVST. Consistency and inconsistency models were developed to identify differences among the therapeutic strategies. Cumulative probability was utilized to rank the strategies under examination. Results. A total of 11 studies containing 1153 patients were included in the network meta-analysis. The results revealed that the application of Antithrombin III was the best anticoagulation option for patients who underwent splenectomy with cirrhosis (P=0.59). The data of consistency and inconsistency models exhibited basically consistent and showed good convergence. Conclusions. Application of Antithrombin III seemed to be the best anticoagulation strategy for cirrhotic patients who underwent splenectomy and should be considered a first-choice clinical reference.

For the power minimization problem in multi-user cooperative relay communications,a resource allocation algorithm based on joint subcarrier pairing and assignment was proposed.Firstly,according to the average channel gain and the target rates of user,the assignment of subcarrier numbers was addressed.Then,in order to choose the subcarrier with best channel condition,a multi-user iterative algorithm for joint subcarrier pairing and assignment was proposed,which could achieve the subcarrier pairing in the cooperative transmissions and virtual pairing in the direct transmission,respectively.Finally,the power allocation was conducted by the water-filling algorithm,so that each user could use the minimum power for transmission.The simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm can conduct subcarrier pairing and assignment effectively to minimize the total transmission power while meeting the users' target rate requirement.