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Ultrasound elastography has become a promising noninvasive approach for assessing liver fibrosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnosis ability of liver stiffness detected by shear wave elastography (SWE) for predicting the presence of esophageal varices (EVs) in cirrhotic patients. Four hundred sixty-eight cirrhotic patients were enrolled consecutively. Liver stiffness and EVs were detected by SWE and endoscopy, respectively. The baseline characteristics were recorded, and areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs) were used to compare the diagnosis accuracy. Multivariate analysis was used to identify the risk factors for EVs in cirrhosis. The mean liver stiffness was 18.4 kPa with a range of 6.8 to 52.5 kPa. Two hundred seventy-one patients had no EVs (57.9%), 139 patients had F1 EVs (29.7%), and 58 patients had high-risk EVs (12.4%). The optimal cutoff values of SWE for predicting EVs and high-risk varices were 18.5 and 20.4 kPa, respectively. The AUROCs for predicting the incidence of EVs were 0.792 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.884-0.842), 0.814 (95% CI, 0.658-0.875), and 0.895 (95% CI, 0.813-0.918) for platelet, platelet count-to-spleen diameter ratio, and liver stiffness, respectively. For predicting the presence of high-risk varices, liver stiffness again had the highest AUROC. Multivariate analysis identified liver stiffness and platelet count-to-spleen diameter ratio as independent predictive factors for EVs in cirrhosis. Liver stiffness measured by SWE is an effective diagnostic tool for predicting EVs with greater accuracy, and SWE value is an independent factor for predicting high-risk EVs.

Ethylene-insensitive3-like 1 (EIL1) is a transcription factor involving in ethylene signal transduction pathway. In the present study, a ScEIL1 gene encoding EIL1 was cloned from a sugarcane cv. GT 28 (Saccharum hybrid cultivar) using RT-PCR with primers designed based on conserved amino acid sequences of EIL1 from corn and sorghum. The ScEIL1 gene had 2179 base pairs in length and coded for a polypeptide of 639 amino acid residues. The molecular mass of deduced sugarcane EIL1 protein was 71.2 kDa, and the pI was 5.05. The amino acid sequence of ScEIL1 encoded protein was 97, 92 and 91% identical to SbEIL1 (XP 002467935.1) of sorghum, ZmEIL1 (ACG45492.1) of corn and SiEIL1 (XP 004984528.1) of millet, respectively. Real-time PCR analyses results showed ScEIL1 had much higher expression level in the late maturing varieties than in the early maturing varieties, and the expression level of ScEIL1 was higher in the maturing internodes than in the immature and matured internodes, while in leaves it tends to decrease with leaf development and maturation at mature stage. The results from this study may help understand the ethylene regulated sucrose accumulation in sugarcane stalks and leaf development.

Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease. It was reported that lncRNA Non-coding RNA-activated by DNA damage (NORAD) has potential regulatory effects on skin diseases. Our previous studies found that lncRNA NORAD was highly expressed and its potential target miR-26a was down-regulated in psoriasis model mice. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of NORAD in the development of psoriasis.IL-22/LPS (interleukin-22/lipopolysaccharide)-stimulated HaCaT (human immortalized keratinocytes) cell model and imiquimod-induced mouse model were established. Keratin 6 (K6), Keratin 16 (K16), Keratin 17 (K17), and Cell division cycle 6 (CDC6) levels were detected by western blot. Cell activity was detected by CCK-8, MTT, and EdU assays. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to examine the levels of NORAD, miR-26a, CDC6, K6, K16, and K17. Haematoxylin-eosin staining was applied to observe the degree of skin thickening and hyperplasia. FluorescenceIn IL-22/LPS-stimulated HaCaT cells, NORAD, CDC6, and keratinocyte proliferation-related proteins (K6, K16, and K17) were up-regulated and miR-26a was down-regulated. Cell survival and proliferation were also increased. However, the results were reversed after interference with NORAD. Also

Background: Behçet’s disease (BD) is associated with an increased risk of cancer. Few reports have been published on the relationship between drug exposure and the risk of cancer in patients with BD. Herein, we explored the relationship between pharmacologic interventions for BD and the risk of cancer.Methods: we carried out a retrospective nested case-control study in a cohort of BD patients from attending our institution. Among 1,148 patients, 22 cancer patients were individually 1:2 matched to 44 cancer-free controls. The following biochemical indicators were evaluated: routine blood analysis, liver and kidney function tests, inflammatory indexes, blood gas analysis, blood electrolyte and previous pharmacologic interventions to manage BD including systemic glucocorticoids, methotrexate, cyclosporine-A, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide (CYC), and thalidomide, which are considered the primary medicines used for the management of BD.Results: Among the 22 BD patients with cancers, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) (22.72%) was the most common type. Furthermore, CYC administration was significantly higher in BD patients with cancer compared with the cancer-free matched control group. Further, we observed that complement 4 (C4) (odds ratio [OR] = 0.0001, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.001–0.065) and hemoglobin (Hb) (OR = 0.891, 95% CI: 0.795–0.998) levels were independent protective factors for predicting cancer risk in BD patients on multivariate analyses.Conclusion: Our study revealed that CYC was associated with a high risk of cancer in BD patients. Furthermore, C4 and Hb are independent protective factors for oncogenesis in BD patients. These findings may provide references and suggestions for clinicians to select appropriate treatments and for the early recognition of high-risk patients to reduce cancer incidence in BD patients.

Background. Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is one of the most life-threatening primary skin cancers and is prone to distant metastases. A widespread presence of posttranscriptional modification of RNA, 5-methylcytosine (m5C), has been observed in human cancers. However, the potential mechanism of the tumorigenesis and prognosis in CM by dysregulated m5C-related regulators is obscure. Methods. We use comprehensive bioinformatics analyses to explore the expression of m5C regulators in CM, the prognostic implications of the m5C regulators, the frequency of the copy number variant (CNV), and somatic mutations in m5C regulators. Additionally, the CM patients were divided into three clusters for better predicting clinical features and outcomes via consensus clustering of m5C regulators. Then, the risk score was established via Lasso Cox regression analysis. Next, the prognosis value and clinical characteristics of m5C-related signatures were further explored. Then, machine learning was used to recognize the outstanding m5C regulators to risk score. Finally, the expression level and clinical value of USUN6 were analyzed via the tissue microarray (TMA) cohort. Results. We found that m5C regulators were dysregulated in CM, with a high frequency of somatic mutations and CNV alterations of the m5C regulatory gene in CM. Furthermore, 16 m5C-related proteins interacted with each other frequently, and we divided CM patients into three clusters to better predicting clinical features and outcomes. Then, five m5C regulators were selected as a risk score based on the LASSO model. The XGBoost algorithm recognized that NOP2 and NSUN6 were the most significant risk score contributors. Immunohistochemistry has verified that low expression of USUN6 was closely correlated with CM progression. Conclusion. The m5C-related signatures can be used as new prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for CM, and NSUN6 might play a vital role in tumorigenesis and malignant progression.

A 3-year-old female proband presented with patchy follicular keratotic papules on the hairless scalp after birth. At about the age of 2 years, sparse hairs of non-uniform thickness began to grow, but they fell out intermittently and were broken easily. Some eyebrows and eyelashes of different lengths fell out or were broken. Physical examination revealed good condition of nutrition, normal height, weight and intelligence, with no obvious abnormalities in other systems. Skin examination showed sparse and broken hairs with follicular keratotic papules on the vertex and occiput. Teeth, nails, toenails and sweat glands were normal. Dermoscopy, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy all showed that affected hairs gave a beaded appearance. Gene sequencing showed that the proband carried heterozygous deletions of exons 2-16 in the desmoglein 4 (DSG4) gene, and a heterozygous mutation c.574T>C (p.S192p) (NM-177986) in the DSG4 gene, which were inherited from her father and mother respectively. None of the above mutations in the DSG4 gene were found in 100 healthy controls. According to the gene sequencing results and clinical phenotype, the patient was finally diagnosed with autosomal recessive hereditary monilethrix, and the c.574T>C mutation and heterozygous deletions of exons 2-16 of the DSG4 gene may contribute to autosomal recessive hereditary monilethrix in the child. Key words: Monilethrix; DNA mutational analysis; Desmogleins; Autosomal recessive

Nature Communications 6: Article number: 6793 (2015); Published: 9 April 2015; Updated: 13 March 2018 In the originally published version of this Article, there were errors in the Methods section and in Supplementary Figure 2. In the Methods section entitled ‘Quality control’, and in Supplementary Figure 2, references to ‘MAF>0.

The effect of graphite content on formation of decarbonization layer and corrosion resistance of zirconia graphite materials were studied by the corrosion test in induction furnace, and the effect of decarbonization layer on corrosion of zirconia graphite materials was also analysed by the kinetic models for the corrosion of SEN in mold, the result show that Thickness of decarbonization layer of slag line is decreasing with the increase of graphite content. Corrosion of zirconia graphite materials in steel liquid / slag interface is characterized by the features of consecutive reaction:original layer→decarbonization layer→corrosion layer, and k1, and k2 are their reaction rate constant respectively.when we adjust graphite content, k1 and k2 will be change in opposite directions, so graphite content with well corrosion resistance depend on the condition of continuous casting

In order to improve the coke residue of phenolic resins (PF), different solvents were used in the present work. The research indicates that in comparison with other solvents, such as ethylene glycol (EG) and ethyl silicate (ES), furfural (FF) can enhance crosslinking density and increase residual coke yield of phenolic resins (PF). The results demonstrate that the residual coke yield of PF with furfural is 68 % higher than that with other solvents. In addition, pyrolysis peak temperature of PF with furfural is relatively high and pyrolysis process is more smoothly. FTIR results show that new bonds formed in PF when take furfural as solvent, and furfural changed the structure of phenolic resins. Raman spectra analysis results show that the order degree of the carbonized products (treated at 800 °C) is higher than that in other solvents, and stability of the carbonized products is improved. The research concludes that the type of solvent has great influence on the structure and coke residue.

In order to reduce the cost of coach collision test in R & D process, coach collision test control system is designed by using automatic driving technology. The pseudo collision vehicles run along the longitudinal center line independently, till collide with fixed obstacles. In the coach, PID control theory is used to design and research the control on speed and turn, then install the controller and the corresponding sensors, which is in accordance with the requirements of impact test technology. The experiment results show that, maximum deviation of the test vehicle longitudinal center line coincidence degree is +125mm and-115mm respectively, the speed is still steady by driving straight to accelerate to the required speed of the collision, the design scheme is feasible.

Ketoconazole cream and adapalene gel are effective drugs against pityriasis versicolor. However, there are no reports on combination treatment with both compounds in pityriasis versicolor.To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with adapalene 0.1% gel and ketoconazole 2% cream against pityriasis versicolor.Participants with pityriasis versicolor were randomly assigned to two groups: the combination group was treated with adapalene 0.1% gel and ketoconazole 2% cream once daily, and the monotherapy group received ketoconazole 2% cream twice daily. The treatment lasted 2 weeks in both groups. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and 1, 2 and 4 weeks after the initiation of treatment.We noted clinically significant differences in total improvement rates between groups Weeks 1 and 2. A statistically significant difference was obtained Week 4. The treatment was well tolerated by all participants.The combination of adapalene 0.1% gel and ketoconazole 2% cream is effective and safe in the treatment of pityriasis versicolor. This therapeutic regimen was rapid, providing a valuable option for patients with pityriasis versicolor.

Low-carbon Al2O3-C refractories were prepared using white fused corundum, α-Al2O3 powders and flake graphite as main raw materials. The critical particle sizes of corundum selected in this experiment were 0.5mm, 1mm and 2mm. The effects of corundum critical particle size on physical, mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties of low-carbon Al2O3-C refractories were investigated. The results show that the increase of critical particle size is conducive to the improvement of thermal shock resistance and fracture energy, but little effect on thermal expansion. The cold modulus of rupture after thermal shock test of samples using 0.5mm critical particle size corundum was 2.09MPa, while using 2mm critical particle size corundum was 2.98MPa. And the fracture energy increased from 265N/mm to 588N/mm when the critical particle size increased from 0.5mm to 2mm. The effects of critical particle size on apparent porosity, bulk density and modulus of rupture were insignificant.

This paper introduce the relationship between fracture energy of refractories and its thermal shock resistance, and research status about fracture energy of refractories. It shows that investigation on fracture energy of refractories at high temperature is positive significance for evaluation of thermal shock resistance, and wedge splitting method for fracture energy of refractories is an effective method.

Monolithic stopper is one of the functional refractories. The security and continuity of the continuous casting maybe irrupted by the abnormal condition of monolithic stopper. MgO-C material composite monolithic stopper is often used to cast Ca-treated steel. But the thermal expansion of MgO-C materials is relatively large and there is a poor thermal matching between rod part and body part. To improve thermal shock resistance of MgO-C materials, the properties of MgO-C materials with different graphite size distributions are researched. The results show that 1000 mesh graphite addition will decrease thermal shock resistance, fracture energy and thermal expansion will increase. MgO-C materials with combined addition of 595 and 199 graphite present good thermal shock resistance. The trends of thermal shock resistance for MgO-C refractories by immerging molten steel methods agree with that of Rst.

To evaluate clinical efficacy and safety of injectable recombinant human LFA3-antibody fusion protein (rhLFA3-IgFP), a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-controlled clinical trial was performed in 212 cases of moderate to severe psoriasis. Intramuscular injection of rhLFA3-IgFP (15 mg/week) and oral administration of blank dummy methotrexate at the dose of 7.5 mg/week was performed in the patients in the experimental group, and control patients were orally administered with methotrexate at the dose of 7.5 mg/week and intramuscularly injected with the blank dummy rhLFA3-IgFP (15 mg/week). PASI was determined prior to and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20 weeks after the treatment. The efficacy evaluation was carried out on 192 patients, and no significant differences were found in PASI50, PASI75#38; PASI90 between the two groups after twelve weeks' treatment (p0.05). After discontinuation, PASI scores continued to decrease drastically in the experiment group, whereas they increased in the control group. At 8 weeks after discontinuation, PASI scores were decreased by 62.32% (p#60;0.05) and 52.67% (p#60;0.05) in the experimental and control groups, respectively. No serious adverse reactions were observed. In conclusion, the results of our investigation demonstrated that rhLFA3-IgFP was an effective therapy for chronic plaque psoriasis with lasting action and low incidence of adverse reactions.

Using SiO2 – Al2O3 – B2O3 – K2O – Na2O system glaze as base material, adding silicon powder or alumina powder with grain size 15μm by the mass percent of 10%, 20%, 30%, respectively, melting properties of glaze were investigated. Slilica solution as binder, the anti-oxidation coating were prepared. Oxidation resistance was determined by coating to the surface of the Al2O3-C specimens. The results show that additives can raise flow temperature prominently, but has little influence on softening point and semi-sphere point; Glazing temperature ranges are obtained with different additive contents; Glazing temperature rises with addition of silicon; Glazing temperature range widens with silicon adding; Glazing temperature ranges were not strictly corresponding with softening temperature point and flow temperature point; But differences were not tremendous; glazing temperature ranges can be estimated from softening temperature point and flow temperature point. Alumina has not prominent influence on glazing temperature, but glaze forms smoothly with alumina, and oxidation resistance was good.

Using SiO2– Al2O3– B2O3– K2O – Na2O system glaze as base material, under different temperature, sintering states of glaze were test. The influence of heat treatment on glaze melting characteristics was study. The results show that high heat treatment temperature can debase softening point, raise flow point, extend melting temperature range, long heat treatment time.has little effect on glaze melting characteristics.

According to tundish for thin slab caster in a steel factory, 1:3 water modeling and numerical simulation were established. By measuring RTD(Residence time distribution) curves of fluid flow in tundish, real residence time, plug flow volume fraction and dead zone fraction were computed, influence of turbulence controller structure on flow mode of molten steel in tundish were studied. The results show that fluid flow in tundish can be improved, if turbulence controller has reasonable structure. A reasonable turbulence controller structure was obtained. Water modeling results agree with numerical computing results well.

Submerged Entry nozzle is one of the key functional refractories for continuous casting and the safe and efficiency of the continuous casting is directly influenced by the properties of ZrO2-C materials located at the slag line of the submerged entry nozzle. In general, a little anti-oxidants such as SiC, Si or B4C will be introudced into ZrO2-C materials and anti-oxidants also influence the corrosion resistance of ZrO2-C materials. So this paper researched the properties especially the corrosion resistance of ZrO2-C materials with SiC, Si or B4C additions. The results show that the properties of ZrO2-C materials are relate to the composition of ZrO2-C materials and the corrosion resistance of ZrO2-C materials have no obvious relationship with other properties such as apparent porosity, bulk density, et al. The addition of anti-oxidants will all decrease the corrosion resistance of ZrO2-C material. The decreasing degree of corrosion resistance by Si is the most and the decreasing degree of corrosion resistance by SiC is the least. The corrosion resistance of ZrO2-C material with B4C addition is relate to the kind of the mold slag. To obtain the ZrO2-C material with excellent corrosion resistance antioxidants should not be added into ZrO2-C materials.

Free cutting steel is energy save material gradually extensive applied in the development of the engineering industry, but it is one of the three steels hard to continuous casting. At high temperatures, the corrosion of refractories by free cutting steels is one of the reasons for free cutting steels hard to continuous cast with a long time. Through the observation of the used refractories microstructure and detail discussions, it is concluded that Al2O3 in alumina carbon materials for the continuous casting is easy to react with FeO or MnO in the steel to form the low-melting point material, which is the main reason for the corrosion of the refractories when used to cast free cutting steels. After decarburized layer is formed on the hot surface of the spinel-carbon material, low-melting point materials will infiltrate into the decarburized layer and separate the particles into an isolated state, which will result in the corrosion of the materials by the scour of the molten steel. Through the formation of composite bond in the spinel-carbon materials, the corrosion resistance to the free cutting steels can be further improved. Based on the corrosion mechanism, the suggestions for the functional refractories with high corrosion resistance to free cutting steels are also provided.

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have reproducibly associated ∼40 susceptibility loci with psoriasis. However, the missing heritability is evident and the contributions of coding variants have not yet been systematically evaluated. Here, we present a large-scale whole-exome array analysis for psoriasis consisting of 42,760 individuals. We discover 16 SNPs within 15 new genes/loci associated with psoriasis, including C1orf141, ZNF683, TMC6, AIM2, IL1RL1, CASR, SON, ZFYVE16, MTHFR, CCDC129, ZNF143, AP5B1, SYNE2, IFNGR2 and 3q26.2-q27 (P−08). In addition, we also replicate four known susceptibility loci TNIP1, NFKBIA, IL12B and LCE3D–LCE3E. These susceptibility variants identified in the current study collectively account for 1.9% of the psoriasis heritability. The variant within AIM2 is predicted to impact protein structure. Our findings increase the number of genetic risk factors for psoriasis and highlight new and plausible biological pathways in psoriasis.

Hyperkeratotic-type tinea pedis is chronic and recalcitrant to topical antifungal agents. Some topical antifungal agents are effective; however, long duration of therapy is required, which often reduce the treatment compliance of patients. To seek for short period therapy of hyperkeratotic type tinea pedis, in this study, we observed the efficacy and safety of treatment of topical terbinafine and 10% urea ointment combined oral terbinafine. Participants with hyperkeratotic type tinea pedis were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in group I were treated with oral terbinafine for 2 weeks and topical terbinafine and 10% urea ointment for 4 weeks, whereas in group II, only the above topical agents were applied for 12 weeks. Clinical improvement rates and fungal eradication rates were compared between the two groups at 24 weeks after the initiation of treatment. The group I had stopped the topical therapy 8 weeks earlier than group II. There were no significant differences in mycological eradication rates and clinical improvement rates between the two groups, besides, no major side effects were noted in both groups. The short combination therapy with oral terbinafine was effective and safe; it should be a valuable option for patients with hyperkeratotic type tinea pedis.

We conducted a genome-wide association study of generalized vitiligo in the Chinese Han population by genotyping 1,117 cases and 1,429 controls. The 34 most promising SNPs were carried forward for replication in samples from individuals of the Chinese Han (5,910 cases and 9,916 controls) and Chinese Uygur (713 cases and 824 controls) populations. We identified two independent association signals within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region (rs11966200, Pcombined=1.48x10(-48), OR=1.90; rs9468925, Pcombined=2.21x10(-33), OR=0.74). Further analyses suggested that the strong association at rs11966200 might reflect the reported association of the HLA-A*3001, HLA-B*1302, HLA-C*0602 and HLA-DRB1*0701 alleles and that the association at rs9468925 might represent a previously unknown HLA susceptibility allele. We also identified one previously undescribed risk locus at 6q27 (rs2236313, Pcombined=9.72x10(-17), OR=1.20), which contains three genes: RNASET2, FGFR1OP and CCR6. Our study provides new insights into the genetic basis of vitiligo.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is an important disease of wheat worldwide. Severe infection can dramatically reduce grain yield and qual- ity. Resistant cultivars have been identifi ed from several countries. However, only a few sources of FHB resistance showed stable FHB resistance across environments and have been used as the major source of resistance in breeding pro- grams. To diversify the wheat FHB-resistance gene pool, new sources of FHB-resistance are desired. Ninety-four selected wheat landraces and cultivars, mainly from China and Japan, have been evaluated for FHB severity and deoxyni- valenol (DON) content. Low DON content was correlated with resistance to the FHB symptom spread within an infected spike, but not with the resistance to FHB initial infection. Two-thirds of the accessions were either resistant or moder- ately resistant to FHB. Among them, 26 highly resistant accessions mainly originated from China and Japan. Fifteen of them had less than 2 mg kg -1 DON in harvested grain, six of which showed all three types of resistance. Most of these resistant accessions lack known pedigree relations to Sumai 3, suggesting that some of them may carry genes for resistance to FHB and DON accumulation different from those in Sumai 3.