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Cordierite-based glass–ceramics for LTCC applications were prepared by traditional sintering method. And the effects of BaO addition on the crystallization, structure and dielectric properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), dilatometer and impedance instrument. The DSC curves displayed that the glass transition temperature (Tg) slowly decreased with the BaO content increasing from 0 to 4 mol%. However, the onset of crystallization temperature (Tx) and crystallization peak temperature (Tc) showed the opposite trend. XRD analysis revealed that μ-cordierite was the major crystal phase for all the glass–ceramic samples, while α-cordierite precipitated as the minor crystal phase with BaO addition. As more BaO was added, the bulk density gradually increased, while the porosity decreased, indicating that BaO improved the sinterability of the glass samples. The dielectric constant showed minimum value with the addition of 2 mol% BaO, and the dielectric loss reached the minimum value when the content of BaO was 3 mol%. Wherein, after heated at 950 °C, glass–ceramics doped with 2 mol% BaO showed a dense structure, a relatively low dielectric constant (4.53), a low dielectric loss (2 × 10−3) at 1 MHz, and a proper CTE value (3.74 × 10–6/°C), which can be used to prepare LTCC materials.

An interesting bioluminescent fungus growing on dead bamboo stems was collected from bamboo forests in the East Khasi and West Jayantia Hills Districts of Meghalaya, Northeast India. Both morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of nrITS and nrLSU regions showed that the bioluminescent fungus belongs to the genus Roridomyces and is a new species to science, as well as the first report of the genus, Roridomyces, in India. Full descriptions, colour photographs, phylogenetic trees to show the position of the novel bioluminescent taxon, and comparisons with its morphologically and phylogenetically similar species are provided.

Phlebiella P. Karst. (1890: 271) (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) was typified by P. vaga (Fr.) P. Karst. (1890: 271), which is a cosmopolitan genus characterized by a combination of resupinate to effused basidiocarps, hymenophore smooth to ceraceous to subgelatinous, a monomitic hyphal structure with clamped generative hyphae, basidia pleural and basidiospores hyaline, thin- to thick-walled, warted, subglobose, ellipsoid, cylindrical and acyanophilous (Karsten 1890, Bernicchia & Gorjón 2010). So far about ten species have been accepted in the genus worldwide (Karsten 1890, Bondartsev 1953, Hjortstam & Larsson 1987, Roberts 1995, Bernicchia & Gorjón 2010).

Na0.05Bi0.05(1+0.03)Ti0.97Ni0.03O3 (NBTNi) thin films with thickness within the range of 250 ~ 880 nm were grown on indium tin oxide (ITO)/glass substrates via a chemical solution deposition method. The thickness impacts on the microstructure, insulating, ferroelectric and dielectric characteristics were investigated. Single perovskite structure in each film is observed from X-ray diffraction. Compared with the other films, the 880 nm-thick NBTNi film has elevated ferroelectric properties with a large remanent polarization (P r ) value of 20.2 μC/cm2 due to the decreased leakage current density resulting from the increasing thickness as well as the large grain size. Moreover, the NBTNi film of 880 nm possesses enhanced energy storage performance with a relatively high energy-storage density value of 45.1 J/cm3 and energy-storage efficiency of 37%. Also, a large dielectric tunability value of 25.4% can be obtained at 500 kV/cm and 50 kHz. In addition, the dielectric constant and dissipation factor of the NBTNi film with thickness of 880 nm are 450 and 0.02 at 50 kHz, respectively.

In this work, the effects of Al2O3/SiO2 ratio on the structure, dielectric property and viscosity of alkali-free boroaluminosilicate glasses were investigated by FTIR spectroscopy, density, impedance analyzer and rotating crucible viscometer. The FTIR analysis showed that the substitution of Al2O3 for SiO2 had little effect on the conversion between [BO3] and [BO4]. The lower-leveled tetrahedral units Q1 and Q2 changed into Q3 and Q4, which led to the aggregation of glass network structure. With the increase of Al2O3/SiO2 ratio, both the measured density and calculated density of glass samples monotonically increased. While the molar volume decreased from 27.29 to 26.80 cm3/mol, which could also indicate a denser glass network structure. When the Al2O3/SiO2 ratio increased, the dielectric constant and loss decreased from 6.2 to 5.0 and 0.00396 to 0.00176, respectively. Meanwhile, the melting temperature and viscosity of the glasses increased, which were consistent with the variation of glass network structure.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 1-h infusion of recombinant human atrial natriuretic peptide (rhANP) in combination with standard therapy in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). This was a phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. Eligible patients with ADHF were randomized to receive a 1-h infusion of either rhANP or placebo at a ratio of 3:1 in combination with standard therapy. The primary endpoint was dyspnea improvement (a decrease of at least 2 grades of dyspnea severity at 12 h from baseline). Reduction in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) 1 h after infusion was the co-primary endpoint for catheterized patients. Overall, 477 patients were randomized: 358 (93 catheterized) patients received rhANP and 118 (28 catheterized) received placebo. The percentage of patients with dyspnea improvement at 12 h was higher, although not statistically significant, in the rhANP group than in the placebo group (32.0% vs 25.4%, odds ratio=1.382, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.863–2.212, P = 0.17). Reduction in PCWP at 1 h was significantly greater in patients treated with rhANP than in patients treated with placebo (−7.74 ± 5.95 vs −1.82 ± 4.47 mm Hg, P 0.99). 1-h rhANP infusion appears to result in prompt, transient hemodynamic improvement with a small, nonsignificant, effect on dyspnea in ADHF patients receiving standard therapy. The safety of 1-h infusion of rhANP seems to be acceptable. (WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform [ICTRP] number, ChiCTR-IPR-14005719.)

International audience; The genus Agaricus includes both edible and poisonous species, with more than 400 species worldwide. This genus includes many species, which are enormously important as sources of food and medicine, such as the button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and the almond mushroom (Agaricus subrufescens). This paper reviews the genus Agaricus in tropical and humid subtropical regions of Asia, including the history, characteristics, pertinent morphological and organoleptic taxonomic traits, molecular phylogeny and taxonomy advances, toxicity and edibility. This review includes Agaricus species that are known to be highly valued as edible and medicinal mushrooms, and provides a comprehensive checklist of species described from the tropical and humid subtropical regions of Asia until the end of 2015.

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) contributes to atherosclerosis and coronary artery diseases by inducing endothelial cell injury and dysfunction. Recent studies provided increasing evidence that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) participated in ongoing endothelial repair. The changes of EPCs in patients with HHcy have not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the number and functional activity of EPCs in patients with HHcy.Human EPCs were isolated and cultured from patients with HHcy (n = 30) and matched volunteers (n = 30). Circulating EPCs were enumerated as AC133+ KDR+ cells via fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis. Additionally, EPC were expanded from human blood in vitro and identified by DiI-acLDL uptake and lectin staining by direct fluorescent staining under a laser scanning confocal microscope. EPC migration activities were determined by modified Boyden chamber assay. EPC adhesion assay was performed by replating cells on fibronectin-coated dishes and then counting adherent cells.A significant decrease was observed in circulating EPC (AC133+ KDR+ cells) numbers in patients with HHcy compared with control subjects (63.9 +/- 11.7 cells/mL vs. 91.5 +/- 14.2 cells/mL blood, p0.01). In addition, the numbers of EPCs also decreased in patients with HHcy after ex vivo cultivation (36.1 +/- 6.5 vs. 51.5 +/- 8.3 EPCs/x200 field, p0.01). Both circulating EPCs and differentiated EPCs were inversely correlated with total homocysteine levels. In addition, EPCs from patients with HHcy were significantly impaired in their migratory capacity and ability to adhere to fibronectin compared with controls.The present study demonstrated that EPC numbers and functional capacity were impaired in patients with HHcy.

Epidemiologic data suggested that there was an obvious predominance of young adult patients with a slight female proneness in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) was very recently identified as a functional receptor for SARS virus and is therefore a prime target for pathogenesis and pharmacological intervention. Rats of both genders at three distinct ages (young-adult, 3 months; middle-aged, 12 months; old, 24 months) were evaluated to determine the characteristic of ACE2 expression in lung and the effect of aging and gender on its expression. ACE2 was predominantly expressed in alveolar epithelium, bronchiolar epithelium, endothelium and smooth muscle cells of pulmonary vessels with similar content, whereas no obvious signal was detected in the bronchiolar smooth muscle cells. ACE2 expression is dramatically reduced with aging in both genders: young-adult vs. old P

Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a genetically heterogeneous disease in which six ion-channel genes have been identified. The phenotype-genotype relationships of the HERG (human ether-a-go-go-related gene) mutations are not fully understood. The objective of this study is to identify the underlying genetic basis of a Chinese family with LQTS and to characterize the clinical manifestations properties of the mutation. Single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analyses were conducted on DNA fragments amplified by polymerase chain reaction from five LQT-related genes. Aberrant conformers were analyzed by DNA sequencing. A novel splice mutation in C-terminus of HERG was identified in this Chinese LQTS family, leading to the deletion of 11-bp at the acceptor splice site of Exon9 [Exon9 IVS del (-12---2)]. The mutation might affect, through deficient splicing, the putative cyclic nucleotide binding domain (CNBD) of the HERG K(+) channel. This mutation resulted in a mildly affected phenotype. Only the proband had a history of syncopes, while the other three individuals with long QT interval had no symptoms. Two other mutation carriers displayed normal phenotype. No sudden death occurred in the family. The 4 affected individuals and the two silent mutation carriers were all heterozygous for the mutation. It is the first splice mutation of HERG reported in Chinese LQTS families. Clinical data suggest that the CNBD mutation may be less malignant than mutations occurring in the pore region and be partially dominant over wild-type function.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently complicates congestive heart failure (CHF). The current study examines whether patients with AF and CHF have alternation in atrial connexins (Cxs) and Na + –H + exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1). Left atrium was obtained from 29 patients of patients undergoing mitral valve replacement. The connexin 40 (Cx40) protein was significantly higher in AF and sever HF, whereas connexin 43 (Cx43) protein were markedly increased in AF and mild HF but downregulated in the patients with AF and sever HF. NHE activity is significantly greater in AF and sever HF with highest level of NHE1 protein. These change may induce a direct effect on the progressive deterioration of cardiac function in the fibrillation and failure heart.

Previous studies have shown that nicotine increases endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) numbers and functional activity. However, the mechanisms by which nicotine increases EPC numbers and activity remain to be determined. Recent studies have demonstrated that EPC numbers and activity are associated with EPC senescence, which involves telomerase activity. Therefore, we investigated whether nicotine might be able to prevent senescence of EPC through telomerase activation, leading to the potentiation of cellular function.After prolonged in vitro cultivation, EPC were incubated with or without nicotine. The senescence of EPC was determined by acidic beta-galactosidase staining. The bromo-deoxyuridine incorporation assay and colony assay were employed to assess proliferative capacity and clonal expansion potential, respectively. To examine further the underlying mechanisms of these effects, we measured telomerase activity and the phosphorylation of Akt by Western blotting.Nicotine dose-dependently prevented the onset of EPC senescence in culture. Moreover, nicotine increased the proliferation of EPC and colony-forming capacity. Nicotine significantly increased telomerase activity and phosphorylation of Akt, a downstream effector of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). Moreover, pre-treatment with PI3K blockers, either wortmannin or LY294002, significantly attenuated the nicotine-induced telomerase activity. In addition, mecamylamine, a non-selective antagonist of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAchR), abrogated the effects of nicotine on EPC.The results of the present study indicate that nicotine delays the onset of EPC senescence, which might be related to activation of telomerase through the PI3K/Akt pathway. In addition, the effects of nicotine might be specifically mediated by nAchR activation.

Objective Inquire into the molecular biological mechanism of the occurrence and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF) by researching adjustment and control of the L type the passage and muscles sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca 2+ - the ATPase expression by main calcium ion (Ca 2+ ) of AF and the sinus rhythm. Methods We took 200 mg right auricle tissues and (or) left atrium tissues from each of the 63 patients undergoing cardiac surgery (including three groups: chronic AF, paroxysmal AF and sinus rhythm), extracted the protein and measured the density of overall sample protein, using Western-blot method to analyse the expression level of atria muscle L-type Ca 2+ Passage and SR Ca 2+ - the ATPase. Isolated the total RNA of the artria muscle tissue by Trizol Method, measured the expression amount of atria muscle L-type Ca 2+ Passage and SR Ca 2+ -ATPase mRNA with RT-PCR method. Detailed clinical data were obtained before and after operation. Results Firstly, left atrial diameter was obviously higher in patients with chronic AF or paroxysmal AF than in patients with sinus rhythm. Secondly, the patients with chronic AF have lower ratio of L-type Ca 2+ /GAPDH protein and SR Ca 2+ -ATPase/GAPDH protein than the group of sinus rhythm both in left atrium and right atrium with significant difference. Compared with sinus rhythm group, ratio of L-type Ca 2+ /GAPDH protein and SR Ca 2+ -ATPase/GAPDH protein in paroxysmal AF group decreased with no statistical significance. 3. Level of L-type Ca 2+ and SR Ca 2+ -ATPase mRNA of the chronic AF group declined than sinus rhythm group both in left and right atrium with statistical differences. Conclusion L-type calcium channel and SR Ca 2+ -ATPase mRNA and the amount of protein changed significantly in the patients with chronic AF and not significantly in paroxysmal AF group. There was statistical significance between left and right atrium.