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Pontine sub-laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (SLD) is crucial for REM sleep. However, the necessary role of SLD for REM sleep, cataplexy that resembles REM sleep, and emotion memory by REM sleep has remained unclear. To address these questions, we focally ablated SLD neurons using adenoviral diphtheria-toxin (DTA) approach and found that SLD lesions completely eliminated REM sleep accompanied by wake increase, significantly reduced baseline cataplexy amounts by 40% and reward (sucrose) induced cataplexy amounts by 70% and altered cataplexy EEG Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) from REM sleep-like to wake-like in orexin null (OXKO) mice. We then used OXKO animals with absence of REM sleep and OXKO controls and examined elimination of REM sleep in anxiety and fear extinction. Our resulted showed that REM sleep elimination significantly increased anxiety-like behaviors in open field test (OFT), elevated plus maze test (EPM) and defensive aggression and impaired fear extinction. The data indicate that in OXKO mice the SLD is the sole generator for REM sleep; (2) the SLD selectively mediates REM sleep cataplexy (R-cataplexy) that merges with wake cataplexy (W-cataplexy); (3) REM sleep enhances positive emotion (sucrose induced cataplexy) response, reduces negative emotion state (anxiety), and promotes fear extinction.

In this paper, a millimeter-wave (mmW) wideband high-isolation wide-angle scanning antenna is presented. The end-fire magnetoelectric (ME) dipole with wideband impedance characteristic and wide beamwidth is selected. Based on the ME dipole, a 1×4 subarray with a stripline feed network is constructed to get higher antenna efficiency. Then, four 1×4 subarrays are adopted to form a 4×4 array to realize the wide-angle scanning performance. Furthermore, to get better isolation between the subarrays, the beam is tilted on the non-scanning plane; in addition, the resonant split rings are added on the background of the subarrays. With these two measures, the isolation between the subarrays can be effectively reduced, with more than 20 dB over the entire bandwidth. Owing to the wide beamwidth of ME dipole and high isolation between the subarrays, the 4×4 array can obtain the wide-angle scanning characteristic. The final antenna covers an operating bandwidth of 19.5% (24.25-29.5 GHz) with return loss more than 10 dB, which can meet the band in the 5G standard. The beam can scan approximately ±55∘ with a realized gain reduction under 3 dB within the wide operating bandwidth. Also, the simulated radiation efficiency of the array is more than 77% over almost the entire band. The antenna will be a potential candidate to be applied in 5G applications.

Biocatalysis in high-concentration organic solvents has been applied to produce various industrial products with many advantages. However, using enzymes in organic solvents often suffers from inactivation or decreased catalytic activity and stability. So, improving the tolerance of enzymes in organic solvents is essential. Herein, the method of regional random mutation combined with combinatorial mutation was used to improve the resistance of transaminase from Aspergillus terreus (AtATA) in organic solvents, and the best mutant T23I/T200K/P260S (M3) was acquired. In different concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), the catalytic efficiency toward 1-acetylnaphthalene and the stability were higher than the wild-type (WT) of AtATA. M3 also showed enhanced stability against six organic solvents with different oil-water partition coefficients (log P values). The results of decreased Root Mean Square Fluctuation (RMSF) values via 20-ns molecular dynamics simulations under different concentration DMSO revealed that mutant M3 had lower flexibility, acquiring a more stable protein structure and contributing to its organic solvents stability than WT. Intra- and intermolecular interaction analysis indicated that the increased hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions within monomers or at the interface of two monomers also strengthened the stability of the overall structure against organic solvents. Furthermore, M3 was applied to convert 1-acetylnaphthalene for synthesizing (R)-(+)-1(1-naphthyl)-ethylamine ((R)-NEA), which was and an intermediate of Cinacalcet Hydrochloride. Moreover, 3~10 mM 1-acetylnaphthalene can be converted to (R)-NEA with 94.2~38.9% yield and a strict R-stereoselectivity within 10 h under 25% DMSO, which was higher than WT and expected to be a potential biocatalyst for industrial application.

The microemulsion formulation (hereafter formulation) of curcuma oil and its acaricidal efficacy against Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval (Acari: Tetranychidae) were optimized in the laboratory to evaluate their spray effectiveness of oviposition inhibition and repellence. Ethovision XT6 was used to analyse the effects of the sublethal concentrations (LC20) of curcuma oil and the formulation on the behaviors of T. cinnabarinus. The results showed that Tween-80 was the best surfactant, Isopropanol was the best co-surfactant and Km = 2:1 was the best condition for the formulation. The prepared microemulsions are stable under conditions of centrifugation and incubation for extended periods. The results showed that the effect of the spray bioassays of the formulation against T. cinnabarinus continuously increased during the experiment, but for curcuma oil almost no longer increase observed when the exposure time went beyond 24 h. Moreover, compared with curcuma oil (LC50 = 0.716%), the spray bioassay of the formulation (LC50 = 0.035%) was stronger against T. cinnabarinus. The repellency of the formulation to T. cinnabarinus was stronger with increasing exposure time, but that of curcuma oil declined after 12 h of exposure. The mobile distance of T. cinnabarinus treated with the formulation continuously declined during the experiment but that due to the curcuma oil almost no longer declined when the treatment time reached 12 h. The maximum mobile frequency of T. cinnabarinus treated by curcuma oil and the formulation was recorded at 6 h and 12 h, respectively. Thus, the formulation is a promising candidate as a botanical acaricide of green vegetables.

Purpose: To study the mechanism involved in the anti-cholecystitis effect the Tibetan medicine “Dida”, using network pharmacology-integrated molecular docking simulationsMethods: In this investigation, the bioactive compounds of Dida were collected, network pharmacology methods to predict their targets, and networks were constructed through GO and KEGG pathway analyses. The potential binding between the bioactive compounds and the targets were demonstrated using molecular docking simulations.Results: A total of 12 bioactive compounds and 50 key targets of Dida were identified. Two networks, namely, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of cholecystitis targets, and compound-target-pathway network, were established. Network analysis showed that 10 targets (GAPDH, AKT1, CASP3, EGFR, TNF, MAPK3, MAPK1, HSP90AA1, STAT3, and BCL2L1) may be the therapeutic targets of Dida in cholecystitis. Analysis of the KEGG pathway indicated that the anti-cholecystitis effect of Dida may its regulation of a few crucial pathways, such as apoptosis, as well as toll-like receptor, T cell receptor, NOD-like receptor, and MAPK signaling pathways. Furthermore, molecular docking simulation revealed that CASP3, CAPDH, HSP90AA1, MAPK3, MAPK1, and STAT3 had well-characterized interactions with the corresponding compounds.Conclusion: The mechanism underlying the anti-cholecystitis effect of Dida was successfully predicted and verified using a combination of network pharmacology and molecular docking simulation. This provides a firm basis for the experimental verification of the use of Dida in the treatment of cholecystitis, and enhances its rational application in clinical medication. Keywords: Tibetan medicine, Dida, Cholecystitis, Mechanism of effect, Network pharmacology, Molecular docking simulation

Purpose: To study the mechanism involved in the anti-cholecystitis effect the Tibetan medicine “Dida”, using network pharmacology-integrated molecular docking simulationsMethods: In this investigation, the bioactive compounds of Dida were collected, network pharmacology methods to predict their targets, and networks were constructed through GO and KEGG pathway analyses. The potential binding between the bioactive compounds and the targets were demonstrated using molecular docking simulations.Results: A total of 12 bioactive compounds and 50 key targets of Dida were identified. Two networks, namely, protein–protein interaction (PPI) network of cholecystitis targets, and compound–target– pathway network, were established. Network analysis showed that 10 targets (GAPDH, AKT1, CASP3, EGFR, TNF, MAPK3, MAPK1, HSP90AA1, STAT3, and BCL2L1) may be the therapeutic targets of Dida in cholecystitis. Analysis of the KEGG pathway indicated that the anti-cholecystitis effect of Dida may its regulation of a few crucial pathways, such as apoptosis, as well as toll-like receptor, T cell receptor, NOD-like receptor, and MAPK signaling pathways. Furthermore, molecular docking simulation revealed that CASP3, CAPDH, HSP90AA1, MAPK3, MAPK1, and STAT3 had well-characterized interactions with the corresponding compounds.Conclusion: The mechanism underlying the anti-cholecystitis effect of Dida has been successfully predicted and verified using a combination of network pharmacology and molecular docking simulation. This provides a firm basis for the experimental verification of the use of Dida in the treatment of cholecystitis, and enhances its rational application in clinical practice. Keywords: Tibetan medicine, Dida, Cholecystitis, Mechanism, Network pharmacology, Molecular docking simulation

Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) is commonly performed worldwide. However, the clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients with AF and national trends in catheter ablation at tertiary hospitals in China remain unreported.This study used the Chinese national database (Hospital Quality Monitoring System) from 2013 to 2016, which is a mandatory database that collects the front page of patients' medical records for hospital accreditation, to describe the clinical characteristics of patients with AF as an overall cohort and as subgroups divided by catheter ablation and sex.Of 597,919 AF patients first admitted, 57,983 patients underwent catheter ablation [56,384 cases (97.2%) of radiofrequency ablation and 1599 cases (2.8%) of cryoablation] at 746 tertiary hospitals. Nearly 10% of patients hospitalized with AF at tertiary hospitals in China underwent catheter ablation, and the percentage of patients undergoing catheter ablation was on the rise between 2013 and 2016, and the number of cases increased by 2.5 times. Compared with AF patients who did not undergo catheter ablation, those who did were younger, more frequently male, and had fewer baseline comorbidities. Although the overall CHAIn this study, AF patients who underwent catheter ablation were relatively young, had a low thrombosis risk, and had few comorbidities and adverse events. Females were older and experienced more complications than males.

Microglia are the main immune cells in the brain playing a critical role in neuroinflammation, and numerous pieces of evidence have proved that energy metabolism is closely associated with inflammation in activated microglia. Salidroside (Sal) isolated from Tibetan medicine Rhodiola crenulate can inhibit microglial hypoxia inflammation (HI). However, whether the inhibition is due to the intervening energy metabolic process in microglia is not clear. In this work, the hypoxic microenvironment of BV2 microglial cells was simulated using deferoxamine (DFO) in vitro and the change of cell metabolites (lactate, succinate, malate, and fumarate) was real-time online investigated based on a cell microfluidic chip-mass spectrometry (CM-MS) system. Meanwhile, for confirming the metabolic mechanism of BV2 cells under hypoxia, the level of HI-related factors (LDH, ROS, HIF-1α, NF-κB p65, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) was detected by molecular biotechnology. Integration of the detected results revealed that DFO-induced BV2 cell HI was associated with the process of energy metabolism, in which cell energy metabolism changed from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis. Furthermore, administration of Sal treatment could effectively invert this change, and two metabolites of Sal were identified: tyrosol and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid. In general, we illustrated a new mechanism of Sal for reducing BV2 cell HI injury and presented a novel analysis strategy that opened a way for real-time online monitoring of the energy metabolic mechanism of the effect of drugs on cells and further provided a superior strategy to screen natural drug candidates for HI-related brain disease treatment.

A novel phosphoryl thiourea-containing flame retardant (PSN) was synthesized and fully characterized. The influences of PSN with different phosphorus content on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A epoxy resin (DGEBA) cured by 4,4′-diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS) were comprehensively evaluated via the measurement of flame retardancy, thermal performance, and mechanical property. The results showed that PSN-modified DGEBA/DDS thermosets exhibited moderate changes in glass transition temperature and thermal stability, and PSN could catalyze DGEBA/DDS to produce more char residues under both nitrogen and air atmosphere. When the phosphorus content reached only 1.0 wt%, the PSN-modified DGEBA/DDS thermoset obtained limited oxygen index (LOI) value of 29.2%, and reached vertical burning (UL-94) rating of V-0, which exhibited more excellent flame retardancy than that of the neat DGEBA/DDS thermoset with LOI value of 22.5% and no UL-94 rating. Moreover, compared with DGEBA/DDS, PSN-1.5/DGEBA/DDS thermoset with phosphorus content of 1.5 wt% presented lower combustion parameters of peak heat release rate (PHRR), total heat release (THR), and total smoke release (TSR), which further showed that PSN could effectively enhance the flame retardancy of DGEBA/DDS epoxy thermosets. The investigation of flame-retardant mechanism revealed that a P/N/S synergistic effect was presented by PSN, which was reflected in the condensed phase via the increase in the phosphorus-containing char yield and the gas phase via the release of non-flammable gas such as NH3, SO2, and H2O. Additionally, PSN-modified DGEBA/DDS thermosets could maintain above 83% of Izod impact strength for DGEBA/DDS. The high flame-retardant efficiency, good smoke suppression performance, and less negative effect on Izod impact strength of DGEBA/DDS epoxy thermoset promise that PSN would be a potential flame retardant for DGEBA/DDS epoxy system.

A novel Schiff base, namely N1,N2-bis{3,4-bis(5,5-dimethyl-2-oxide-1,3,2-dioxaphosphinan-2-yl)oxy]benzylidene}ethane-1,2-diamine (PN), was synthesized by the condensation of 3,4-bis[(5,5-dimethyl-2-oxido-1,3,2-dioxaphosphinan-2-yl)oxy] benzaldehyde (PCHO) and ethylenediamine. Its chemical structure was characterized by 1H, 13C, 31P NMR, mass spectra and elemental analysis. PN was used as an additive flame retardant to improve the flame retardancy of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) cured by 4,4′-diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS) with different phosphorus mass fraction. The incorporation of PN promoted DGEBA/DDS to yield more char residues under both nitrogen and air atmosphere, and exhibit good flame retardancy. With 1.5 wt% phosphorus mass fraction, PN-1.5/DGEBA/DDS could reach the highest flame retardant level of V-0 rating for UL-94 vertical burning test, obtain a limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of 32.4%, and keep relatively good mechanical properties by 81.52% of flexural strength and 90.40% of Izod impact strength compared with DGEBA/DDS. The flame-retardant mechanism researches revealed that PN presented a comprehensive mechanism of condensed phase, gas phase and phosphorus-nitrogen synergistic effect in DGEBA/DDS system.

This study explored variations in the rhizosphere microbial community composition resulting from the continuous cropping of sorghum. We explored the potential growth-promoting effects of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens in manipulating the microbial community composition of the rhizosphere soil under continuous cropping. Illumina MiSeq sequencing was used to compare the composition of the bacterial and fungal communities in the rhizosphere soil from a sorghum–maize rotation system, sorghum continuous cropping system, and sorghum continuous cropping with the application of the biological agent B. amyloliquefaciens. The rhizosphere soil under continuous sorghum cropping had lower bacterial richness and higher fungal diversity than the sorghum–maize rotation rhizosphere soil. The bacterial phyla Acidobacteria and Gemmatimonadetes, and the fungal phylum Basidiomycota, were strongly enriched in the continuous cropping soil. The class Tremellomycetes was the most dominant group, accounting for 19.30% of the total fungal sequences in the continuous cropping soil and 4.51% in sorghum-maize rotation soil. Application of B. amyloliquefaciens significantly decreased the abundance of Tremellomycetes by 8.87% in the continuous cropping soil. Our results indicate that the decrease in sorghum growth and yield under continuous cropping are in coincidence with the alteration of soil microbial community composition, particularly the accumulation of Tremellomycetes in the continuously cropped rhizosphere soil. Our findings contribute to an improved understanding of the effects of continuous sorghum cropping on soil microbiome, and B. amyloliquefaciens can be used to manipulate the microbial communities of the sorghum rhizosphere soil.

The fumigation bioassays, the oviposition inhibition and repellent bioassays of patchouli and wormwood oils to T. cinnabarinus were determined in the laboratory with the methods of fumigation and r...

Background Treatment decisions in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery are based on clinical assessment. The Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) is pragmatic and widely used but has only moderate discrimination. We aimed to test the efficacy of the CHA2DS2-VASc score and the combination of CHA2DS2-VASc and RCRI to predict perioperative risks for non-cardiac surgery. Methods This pre-specified analysis was performed in a retrospective cohort undergoing intra-abdominal surgery in our center from July 1st, 2007 to June 30th, 2008. The possible association between the baseline characteristics (as defined by CHA2DS2-VASc and RCRI) and the primary outcome of composite perioperative cardiac complications (myocardial infarction, cardiac ischemia, heart failure, arrhythmia, stroke, and/or death) and secondary outcomes of individual endpoints were explored using multivariate Logistic regression. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (C-statistic) was used for RCRI, CHA2DS2-VASc, and the combined models, and the net reclassification improvement (NRI) was calculated to assess the additional discriminative ability. Results Of the 1079 patients (age 57.5 ± 17.0 years), 460 (42.6%) were women. A total of 83 patients (7.7%) reached the primary endpoint. Secondary outcomes included 52 cardiac ischemic events, 40 myocardial infarction, 20 atrial fibrillation, 18 heart failure, four strokes, and 30 deaths. The endpoint events increased with the RCRI and CHA2DS2-VASc grade elevated (P

BACKGROUND Arterial stiffness, as assessed by aortic ultrasound and pulse wave velocity, is associated with incident hypertension. However, there is still no consensus on whether the augmentation index (AI) affects new onset of hypertension. This study investigated the relationship of radial AI (rAI) and incident hypertension in a Chinese community-based population without hypertension at baseline. METHOD A total of 1,615 Chinese non-hypertensive participants from an atherosclerosis cohort in Beijing, China were included in our analysis. Baseline rAI normalized to heart rate of 75 beats/min (rAIp75) was obtained using HEM-9000AI. New-onset hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg or self-reported hypertension or taking anti-hypertensive medications at the follow up survey. Multivariate regression models were used to evaluate the impact of rAIp75 on the risk of new-onset hypertension. RESULTS After a mean 2.35-year follow-up, 213 (13.19%) participants developed incident hypertension. No significant relation between rAIp75 and incident hypertension was observed in the whole population after adjustment for possible confounders (adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09 [0.95−1.27];P = 0.2260). However, rAIp75 was significantly associated with incident hypertension in women, but not in men (adjusted OR and 95% CI: 1.29 [1.06−1.56],P = 0.0113 for women; 0.91 [0.72−1.15],P = 0.4244 for men; P for interaction = 0.0133). CONCLUSIONS Sex modified the effect of the rAI on incident hypertension in a Chinese, community-based, non-hypertensive population. Screening of the rAI could be considered in women with a high risk of hypertension for the purpose of primary intervention.

Background This study explored a simple, high-yield method for isolating quiescent human pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) to provide sufficient and reliable raw materials for PSC-related studies. Materials and methods Single-cell suspensions were prepared from normal human pancreatic tissue specimens using the gentleMACS™ tissue processor, which enhanced the yield and viability of the suspensions. Percoll density gradient centrifugation was then performed to isolate quiescent normal PSCs (NPSCs). Cell viability was determined by trypan blue staining, and the states of the NPSCs were determined by autofluorescence and oil red O staining. The purity of human activated PSCs (APSCs) was determined by immunofluorescence assays. Results The yield of NPSCs was ~(2.75±0.65)×106 cells/g. The maximum cell viability was 92%, whereas the maximum cell purity was 95%. Conclusion The method employed in this study to isolate PSCs is a simple, high-yield and stable method that is worth popularizing.

Treatment of 2-(chloromethyl)-pyridine derivatives 3,5-dimethyl-4-(alkoxy)-2-(chloromethyl)-pyridine hydrochloride (alkoxy = methoxy, 1; ethoxy, 2) with 1-(4-chloro-phenyl)imidazole-2-thione in the presence of sodium methoxide afforded the corresponding methylsulphinyl derivatives 3,5-dimethyl-[4-(alkoxy)-2-pyridinyl]-methylthio-1-(4-chloro-phenyl)-imidazole (alkoxy = methoxy, 3; ethoxy, 4). Similarly, reaction of 1 or 2 with 4,6-dimethyl-pyrimidine-2-thiol gave the methylsulphinyl derivatives 3,5-dimethyl-[4-(alkoxy)-2-pyridinyl]-methylthio-4,6-dimethyl-pyrimidine (alkoxy = methoxy, 5; ethoxy, 6). While reaction of 5 with CuCl2·2H2O in methanol produced a square-planar copper(II) complex, trans-bis{3,5-dimethyl-[4-(methoxy)-2-pyridinyl]-methylthio-4,6-dimethyl-pyrimidine}-dichloro-copper(II) (7). The crystal structures of 1, 2, 4⋅HCl⋅2H2O, and 7, along with their spectroscopic properties are reported. The weak hydrogen-bonding interactions exist in compounds 1, 2, and 4⋅HCl⋅2H2O. Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with a = 6.074(11), b = 19.88(4), c = 9.230(16) A, β = 99.67(4)°, and Z = 4. Compound 2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n with a = 10.0103(15), b = 7.9905(12), c = 15.120(2) A, β = 93.924(2), and Z = 4. The unit cells of both 4⋅HCl⋅2H2O and 7 have triclinic P-1 symmetry with the cell parameters a = 7.492(8), b = 10.170(12), c = 15.723(18) A, α = 77.159(15)°, β = 91.113(13)°, γ = 81.194(16)°, and V = 1152(2) A3 for 4⋅HCl⋅2H2O and a = 10.526(2), b = 12.936(2), c = 14.455(3) A, α = 107.929(2)°, β = 93.686(2)°, γ = 104.095(3)°, and V = 1734.3(6) A3 for 7. Interaction of 3,5-dimethyl-[4-(methoxy)-2-pyridinyl]-methylthio-4,6-dimethyl-pyrimidine and CuCl2·2H2O in methanol resulted in the formation of a square-planar copper(II) complex, trans-bis{3,5-dimethyl-[4-(methoxy)-2-pyridinyl]-methylthio-4,6-dimethyl-pyrimidine}-dichloro-copper(II), which was structurally characterized.

This paper presents a new form of gap waveguide technology -- the half-height-pin gap waveguide. {The gap waveguide technology is a new transmission line technology introduced recently, which makes use of the stopband of wave propagation created by a pair of parallel plates, one PEC (perfect electric conductor) and one PMC (perfect magnetic conductor), with an air gap in between less than a quarter of the wavelength at operation frequency. Applying this PEC/PMC gap plate structure to ridged waveguides, rectangular hollow waveguides and microstrip lines, we can have the ridged gap waveguides, groove gap waveguides and inverted gap waveguide microstrip lines, respectively, without requiring a conductive or galvanic contact between the upper PEC and the lower PMC plates. This contactless property of the gap waveguide technology relaxes significantly the manufacturing requirements for devices and antennas at millimeter wave frequencies. PMC material does not exist in nature, and an artificial PMC boundary can be made by such as periodic pin array with the pin length about a quarter wavelength. However, the quarter-wavelength pins, referred to as the full-height pins, are often too long for manufacturing. In order to overcome this difficulty, a new half-height-pin gap waveguide is introduced.} The working principles and Q factors for the half-height-pin gap waveguides are described, analyzed and verified with measurements in this paper. {It is concluded that half-height-pin gap waveguides have similar Q factors and operation bandwidth to the full-height-pin gap waveguides.} As an example of the applications, a high gain planar array antenna at V band by using the half-height-pin gap waveguide {has been designed and} is presented in the paper {with a good reflection coefficient and high aperture efficiency}.

Purpose: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been reported to act as important regulators in pancreatic cancer. Abnormal expression of circRNAs in pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs) can promote the development of pancreatic cancer; however, the role of circRNAs in cancer-associated pancreatic stellate cells (CaPSCs) remains unclear. Patients and Methods: In this study, we isolated CaPSCs from pancreatic cancer tissues from 5 pancreatic cancer patients and NaPSCs from normal pancreatic tissue from 5 patients with benign pancreatic disease. After the PSCs were co-cultured with the pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1, a CCK-8 assay was used to detect PANC-1 proliferation ability, and CaPSCs(1), which had the strongest promoting effect on PANC-1 proliferation, and NaPSCs(1), which had the weakest effect, were screened. Then, the circRNA, microRNA (miRNA) and mRNA profiles between CaPSCs(1) and NaPSCs(1) were compared by RNA-seq. The candidate circRNA/miRNA/target protein axis was selected using bioinformatics analysis. circRNAs were silenced and miRNAs were overexpressed in CaPSCs(1), and the expression of circRNAs, miRNAs and target proteins were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. At the same time, CCK8, wound healing, and Transwell assays were used to detect the proliferation, migration and invasion of PANC-1 cells in the different co-culture groups. Moreover, a tumour xenograft model was used to observe the tumorigenic ability of PANC-1 cells in different co-culture groups. Finally, immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of target proteins in PDAC tissues, and the clinicopathological features and prognosis were analysed. Results: The expression of the differentially expressed RNAs identified by RNA-seq was verified by qRT-PCR, and the chr7:154954255-154998784+/miR-4459/KIAA0513 axis was selected from the candidate targets. Functional studies of PANC-1 cells after co-culture with chr7:154954255-154998784+-silenced CaPSCs(1) showed that the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of PANC-1 cells decreased. Moreover, after chr7:154954255-154998784+ was silenced, the expression of miR-4459 in CaPSCs(1) increased, and the expression of KIAA0513 decreased. When PANC-1 cells were co-cultured with CaPSCs(1) with miR-4459 overexpression, they showed an increased ability to proliferate, invade and metastasize. Additionally, when miR-4459 was overexpressed in CaPSCs(1), the expression of chr7:154954255-154998784+ and KIAA0513 decreased. Animal experiments revealed that silencing chr7:154954255-154998784+ in CaPSCs(1) inhibited tumour growth in nude mice inoculated with CaPSCs(1)+PANC-1 cells. Finally, we performed immunohistochemistry and a prognostic analysis of KIAA0513 expression in paraffin tissue samples from patients with pancreatic cancer and found that high expression of KIAA0513 was associated with more aggressive clinicopathological factors. Furthermore, patients with high expression of KIAA0513 had worse disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Conclusion: Chr7:154954255-154998784+ may promote the development of pancreatic cancer through the miR-4459/KIAA0513 axis in CaPSCs and may be an important therapeutic target for patients with pancreatic cancer in the future.

Wedge‐shaped molecules, such as dendrons, are among the most important building blocks for directed supramolecular self‐assembly. Here we present a new approach aimed at widening the range and complexity of potential mesophases by introducing double‐tapered mesogens. Two series of compounds are presented, both alkali metal salts (Li, Na, Cs) of 3,4,5‐tris‐alkoxybenzoic acid with a second tapered tris‐alkoxyaryl group attached at the end of an alkoxy chain. The double‐tapered compounds all display an unusual hexagonal columnar phase consisting of one ionic and three non‐ionic columns per unit cell. The cation size has an unexpectedly drastic effect on unit cell size. Unlike most columnar phases, the current phases show unusually high dimensional stability on heating, and high stiffness in spite of being 80–85 % aliphatic, attributed to their molecular topology. The described approach may lead to co‐assemblies of multifunctional materials, for example, parallel p‐ and n‐semiconducting nanowires or parallel ionic and electronic conductors.

The effects of crop rotation on sorghum [Sorghum biocolor (L) Moench] growth, rhizosphere microbial community and the activity of soil enzymes for successive crops of sorghum were evaluated. Five years of continuous monoculture sorghum as the control (CK) was compared to alfalfa and scallion planted in the fourth year. The results showed that incorporation of alfalfa and scallion into the rotation significantly improved sorghum shoot growth. Specifically, sorghum grain yield increased by 16.5% in the alfalfa rotation plots compared to the CK. The rotations also increased sorghum root system growth, with alfalfa or scallion rotation increasing sorghum total root length by 0.3 and 0.4 times, total root surface area by 0.6 and 0.5 times, root volume by 1.2 and 0.6 times, and root biomass by 1.0 and 0.3 times, respectively. Alfalfa rotation also expanded sorghum root distribution below the 10 cm soil depth. A Biolog analysis on biome functions in the sorghum flowering period indicated significantly higher microbial activity in the rotation plots. The alfalfa and scallion rotation increased the Shannon index by 0.2 and 0.1 times compared to the CK, and improved the sucrose activity in the rhizosphere soil. It was concluded that including alfalfa in rotation with sorghum improved sorghum rhizosphere soil environment, enhanced soil microbial enzyme activity, alleviated the obstacle of continuous cropping and thus increased the sorghum yield.以高粱连作5年为对照(CK),研究了高粱连作3年轮作苜蓿(T

Reactions of substituted 2-(chloromethyl)-pyridine (1a–1b) and substituted imidazole-2-thione (2a–2c) in the presence of sodium methoxide afforded a series of substituted [4-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)-2-pyridinyl]-methylthio-imidazoles (3a–3f) in good yields. Similar reactions of compounds 1a–1b with different pyrimidine-2-thiol (4a–4b) led to the corresponding [4-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)-2-pyridinyl]-methylthio-pyrimidine (5a–5d, av. 90 %) derivatives. Molecular structures of compounds 3a and 5b were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The unit cells of both compounds have monoclinic P21/c symmetry with the cell parameters a = 7.786(7), b = 21.910(19), c = 8.675(8) A, β = 91.113(13)°, and V = 1480(2) A3 for 3a and a = 9.1683(13), b = 14.0946(19), c = 12.5409(18) A, β = 93.686(2)°, and V = 1617.2(4) A3 for 5b. A series of substituted [4-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)-2-pyridinyl]-methylthio-imidazoles and -pyrimidines were synthesized and characterized, of which structures of 3-methyl-[4-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)-2-pyridinyl]-methylthio-1-methyl-imidazole and 3-methyl-[4-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)-2-pyridinyl]-methylthio-4,6-dimethyl-pyrimidine were confirmed by X-ray crystallography.

A wideband microstrip planar radial 1:19 power divider is developed in this study. The power divider design is simple with conventional impedance-transformation method, and a single substrate is employed, thereby reducing the cost for the antenna. To verify our design, the power divider was fabricated and tested. It can be observed that it achieves an impedance bandwidth of 29.4% (1.98 GHz-2.67 GHz) (VSWR 2), the transmitted magnitude and phase imbalance for 19 outputs are ± 0.1 dB and ± 1 deg, respectively. The power divider is also integrated into the 19-element circularly polarized (CP) antenna array as the feed network; the simulated results show that the power divider can apply appropriate amplitudes and phases for the antenna array to obtain the good CP performance.

Interaction of [Cp*Rh(μ-Cl)Cl]2 with two equiv. of Na[H2B(timAr)2] (timAr = 1-(4-chloro-phenyl)-imidazole-2-thione) in THF afforded [Cp*Rh{κ2-S,S′-H2B(timAr)2}Cl] (1). Treatment of 1 with AgBF4 in THF gave [Cp*Rh{κ3-H,S,S′-H2B(timAr)2}][BF4] (2) with an agostic B–H⋯Rh bond, whereas 1 in a stirring CHCl3 solution led to isolation of [Cp*Rh{κ2-S,S′-ClHB(timAr)2}Cl] (3) with a B–Cl bond. Similarly, treatment of 3 with AgBF4 in THF gave the cationic complex [Cp*Rh{κ3-H,S,S′-ClHB(timAr)2}][BF4]⋅H2O (4⋅H2O) with both agostic B–H⋯Rh and terminal B–Cl bonds, isolated from the solution of 2 in CHCl3. All complexes were spectroscopically characterized and structures of 3 and 4⋅H2O have been established by X-ray crystallography.

This paper presents an analysis for electromagnetic energy in dispersive composite media based on classical electrodynamics. An investigation of the relation between reactance rate and electromagnetic energy derived from the Fosters theorem is conducted. The material energy of this kind is discussed in the frequency band of the left handed property. It is illustrated that the time average electromagnetic energy density is still positive even after an effect of dissipation is cancelled in the left handed band, which is reasonable in physics.

Reduction of organosulfurs in gasoline has become an urgent requirement in the world, especially in China. The goal of this work focuses on removal of thiophene from binary mixtures of thiophene and n-heptane by means of pervaporation. The PEBAX homogenous film was prepared by coating. The swelling experiments of film were studied for the affinity of PEBAX film to thiophene. The swelling degree of film increased with increasing thiophene content in the mixtures. The result indicates the PEBAX film had preferential sorption to thiophene rather than n-heptane. Pervaporation experiments were studied for investigating separation properties of the film. The effect of thiophene concentration in feed and operation temperature on separation properties of the film was researched. The results of pervaporation showed that both total and thiophene flux increased with increase of thiophene content in the feed and temperature, but the separation factor deceased with their increase. The activity energy was calculated according to the Arrhenius relationship. This work may offer useful visions into the possibility of the separation of sulfur compounds from gasoline via pervaporation.

This paper presents the design and implementation of Ka band broadband hybrid integrated image rejection mixer with a fourth harmonic mixer as unit mixer. Detailed design and analysis have been carried out. The mixer was fabricated by hybrid microwave integrated circuit (HMIC) process based on the thin film ceramic substrate which can reduce the cost compared to monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC). The measured results showed conversion loss less than 11.2 dB and image rejection ratio (IRR) more than 20 dB in 4 GHz RF bandwidth. It can also play the role of up-converter from the test data.

Background After the publication of the CONSORT 2010 statement, few studies have been conducted to assess the reporting quality of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on treatment of diabetes mellitus with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) published in Chinese journals. Objective To investigate the current situation of the reporting quality of RCTs in leading medical journals in China with the CONSORT 2010 statement as criteria. Methods The China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) electronic database was searched for RCTs on the treatment of diabetes mellitus with TCM published in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional & Western Medicine, and the China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica from January to December 2011. We excluded trials reported as “animal studies”, “in vitro studies”, “case studies”, or “systematic reviews”. The CONSORT checklist was applied by two independent raters to evaluate the reporting quality of all eligible trials after discussing and comprehending the items thoroughly. Each item in the checklist was graded as either “yes” or “no” depending on whether it had been reported by the authors. Results We identified 27 RCTs. According to the 37 items in the CONSORT checklist, the average reporting percentage was 45.0%, in which the average reporting percentage for the “title and abstract”, the “introduction”, the “methods”, the “results”, the “discussion” and the “other information” was 33.3%, 88.9%, 36.4%, 54.4%, 71.6% and 14.8%, respectively. In the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional & Western Medicine, and the China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica the average reporting percentage was 42.2%, 56.8%, and 46.0%, respectively. Conclusions The reporting quality of RCTs in these three journals was insufficient to allow readers to assess the validity of the trials. We recommend that editors require authors to use the CONSORT statement when reporting their trial results as a condition of publication.

A kind of circularly polarized microstrip antenna is designed in S band. The Wilkinson power divider integrated with the microstrip 90 deg phase shifter is used each unit and the patch is coupled by two orthogonal H-shaped, which can enhance the isolation of the two ports and improve the circularly polarized performance. The antenna array gain is about 14 dB. The axial-ratio value within 3dB from −20 deg to 20 deg. The cross-polarization levels in zenith direction are better than −23 dB. This results indicate that the proposed antenna realizes a good circularly polarization performance.

This paper presents a novel compact power divider with third harmonic suppression and also can provide a direct current (dc) path which could simplify the other active circuits, such as power amplifier, in the complicated phase array antenna feeding network area. The proposed power divider achieves 20% size reduction compared to the conventional Wilkinson power divider and it is beneficial to the miniaturisation of the phased array antenna. From the measured results, it can be seen that the simulated results can instruct the practical circuit very well.

A miniaturized three-way Wilkinson power divider that provides equal power split over a wide bandwidth implemented on a single-layer printed circuit board (PCB) is presented. In this work, the bent microstrip line replaces the straight microstrip line of the conventional power divider, thus, the size of the proposed power divider is 44.75 mm times 70 mm, which is much smaller than the conventional proposed power divider. Good experimental performances of the proposed power divider, including an even power split, low loss, and good isolation between the output ports are obtained. Measured results show that VSWR of the input and three output ports is less than 1.6 across the bandwidth from 0.7 to 1.1 GHz.