Search

Poor sleep quality is associated with negative health outcomes and high treatment burden. This study investigated the prevalence of poor sleep quality and its socio-demographic correlates among older adults in Hebei province, which is a predominantly agricultural region of China. A large-scale cross-sectional epidemiological survey was conducted from April to August 2016. The study used a multistage, stratified, cluster random sampling method. Sleep quality was assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A total of 3,911 participants were included. The prevalence of poor sleep quality (defined as PSQI > 7) was 21.0% (95% CI 19.7–22.2%), with 22.3% (95% CI 20.9–23.8%) in rural areas and 15.9% (95% CI 13.4–18.4%) in urban areas. Multivariable logistic regression analyses found that female gender (P

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is common among older adults. The epidemiology of MDD is greatly influenced by sociocultural and economic factors. This study examined the 1-month and lifetime prevalence of MDD and its socio-demographic correlates in older adults living in Hebei province, an agricultural area of China.Multistage, stratified, random sampling was administered between April and August 2016. The diagnosis of MDD was established with the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition (DSM-IV) Axis I Disorders.A total of 3911 participants were enrolled. The 1-month and lifetime prevalence of MDD in older adults was 2.0% (95%CI: 1.6-2.4%) and 3.4% (95%CI: 2.8-4.0%), respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed that female gender [P0.001, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.6, 95%CI: 1.53-4.53], presence of comorbid major medical conditions (P0.001, aOR = 4.8, 95%CI: 2.17-10.39) and family history of psychiatric disorders (P = 0.013, aOR = 3.4, 95%CI: 1.30-8.96) were independently and significantly associated with higher odds of MDD.The prevalence of MDD in older adults in Hebei province, China, was lower than most findings in China and other countries. Nevertheless, continued surveillance of elderly depression in China along with the development of primary, secondary and tertiary preventative interventions for the elderly with MDD is indicated.

The social factors that moderate stroke caregiver burden have been found to be culture- and gender-specific. We examined the factors that influence the social support and self-efficacy of caregivers of stroke survivors and the burden of caregiving in China. To determine the caregiver burden of stroke survivors, their social support, and their self-efficacy. A total of 328 stroke survivors and their caregivers were recruited from 4 tertiary medical centers to participate in this cross-sectional study. The sociodemographic and stroke-related characteristics of the participants were obtained. Perceived social support and self-efficacy were assessed using the Social Support Rating Scale and General Self-efficacy Scale, respectively. Caregiver burden was assessed using the Zarit Burden Interview Scale. Relationships between the variables were assessed using Pearson's correlation, the chi-square test, and a paired t test. A total of 27.4% of the caregivers reported receiving adequate social support, while 20.7% reported high levels of self-efficacy. A total of 67.1% of the caregivers experienced varying degrees of care burden, while the remaining 32.9% felt no burden. Participants' sociodemographic characteristics (age, daily care time, self-rated health, and financial situation) were significantly related to caregiver burden, social support, and self-efficacy (P .001). The findings indicate an inverse relationship between caregiver burden, social support and self-efficacy. Adequate social support and self-efficacy can reduce stroke caregivers' burden. Hospital departments should provide assistance to stroke caregivers through educational programs and group training to increase their social support and self-efficacy, thereby alleviating their burden.

In2O3(ZnO)k superlattice ceramics are promising oxide thermoelectric materials, as superlattice interfaces are effective in scattering phonons and filtering low-energy electrons to decrease thermal conductivity and improve the figure of merit (ZT) value. In this work, homologous compounds were prepared by solid-state reaction method using ZnO and In2O3 as raw materials. Phase purity and crystal structure were characterized by x-ray diffraction, revealing that In2O3(ZnO)k crystallizes in an R3 m space group for odd k values and P63/mmc for even k values. The study of thermoelectric (TE) properties showed that as k increased, the thickness of InO(ZnO) 3 + also increased, while the electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, power factor and ZT value were all decreased. In2O3(ZnO)3 samples obtained a maximum power factor of 651 μW m−1 K−2 at 973 K, and also achieved a maximum ZT value of 0.24 at 973 K.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common psychiatric disorder which is associated with significant disability and psychosocial factors. There are only few epidemiological studies of MDD in economically underdeveloped regions of China. This study examined the 1-month and lifetime prevalence of MDD and their sociodemographic correlates in Hebei province, China.Using multistage, stratified and random sampling, the study was conducted between April and August 2016. The diagnosis of MDD was established using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders-Patient Edition.The weighted 1-month and lifetime prevalence of MDD were 0.9% (95%CI: 0.8-1.1%) and 1.6% (95%CI: 1.4-1.8%), respectively in the sample of 14,654 adult participants. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the age group of 45-59 years (P 0.001, OR=3.206, 95%CI:1.693-6.072), female gender (P 0.001, OR=2.171, 95%CI: 1.522-3.097), married marital status (P 0.001, OR=0.328, 95%CI: 0.198-0.545), college educational level or higher (P = 0.006, OR=0.145, 95%CI: 0.037-0.573), employment (P = 0.010, OR=2.305, 95%CI: 1.220-4.353), major medical conditions (P 0.001, OR=3.758, 95%CI: 2.607-5.418) and family history of psychiatric disorders (P 0.001, OR=3.947, 95%CI: 2.203-7.071) were significantly associated with MDD.The prevalence of MDD in Hebei province was found to be lower than in most areas of China and other countries. Further studies are warranted to confirm the low prevalence of MDD in other economically underdeveloped regions of China.

Little is known about the epidemiology of schizophrenia in the agricultural regions of China. This study examined the 1-month and lifetime prevalence of schizophrenia and their association with socio-demographic factors in Hebei province which is an important agricultural region of China. A multi-stage, stratified, cluster random sampling method was adopted. The diagnosis of schizophrenia was ascertained with the validated Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders-Patient Edition (SCID-I/P/C). Altogether, 23,675 subjects were screened, of whom, 20,884 were included for analyses. The weighted 1-month and lifetime prevalence of schizophrenia were 0.5 % [95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.4-0.5 %] and 0.6 % (95 %CI: 0.5-0.7 %), respectively. Multiple logistic regression analyses found that unmarried marital status [P

We report the fabrication process and critical current-carrying properties of a 20-m-length (6+1)-structure MgB 2 superconducting cable with a Nb-Ti central reinforcement wire. The results suggest that the twisting process hardly degrades the critical current properties of MgB 2 superconducting wire, when the cables are prepared by the twist and react process. Comparing the common single-filament wire (CW) with Ic of 118.4 A at 4.2 K and 4 T, the Ic of the single-filament wire extracted from the cable (EW) has almost with no change, about 116.7 A at the same conditions. Moreover, for the (6+1)-structure MgB 2 superconducting cable, which is 2.40 mm in diameter and 45 mm in twist pitch, its critical current-carrying capability is up to about 8 kA and its engineering current density Jce reaches 2270 A/mm 2 at 20 K and self-field. This paper strongly implies that MgB 2 superconducting cable prepared by the in situ solid-station method is very promising for large-scale engineering applications.

Thermoelectric (TE) materials have a promising application as they can interconvert thermal energy to electrical energy directly. Oxide TE materials have attracted more attention for this application due to their high temperature stability. In this work, In2O3(ZnO)5 intrinsic superlattice ceramics with a layered structure were synthesized by reaction sintering a mixed powder of In2O3 and ZnO at 1200 °C for different holding times (t = 6, 8, 10, 12 and 15 h) in air. Their thermoelectric properties including the electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity, were measured from 323 to 973 K. The thermoelectric properties depended on the holding time. The highest ZT value of 0.19 at 973 K was obtained for the sample with a 12 h holding time.

Few studies have estimated the prevalence and correlates of bipolar disorder (BP) in agricultural areas of China. This study examined the one-month and lifetime prevalence of BP, its subtypes and socio-demographic factors in the adult population of Hebei province, a predominantly agricultural area of China.A multistage, stratified, cluster random sampling method was used to estimate the prevalence and correlates of BP in adults in Hebei province, China. The expanded version of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders-Patient Edition (SCID-I/P/C) were administered to establish the diagnosis of BP.A total of 20,884 participants were screened. The weighted lifetime prevalence of BP, BP type I (BP-I), type II (BP-II), and BP not otherwise specified (BP-NOS) were 0.20% (95% CI: 0.14-0.26%), 0.13% (95% CI: 0.08-0.18%), 0.03% (95% CI: 0.009-0.06%) and 0.03% (95% CI: 0.009-0.06%), respectively. The weighted one-month prevalence estimates were 0.12% (95% CI: 0.08-0.17%) for BP, 0.07% (95% CI: 0.04-0.11%) for BP-I, 0.03% (95% CI: 0.006-0.05%) for BP-II, and 0.02% (95% CI: 0.003-0.04%) for BP-NOS. Multiple Poisson regression analysis revealed that positive family history of any psychiatric disorder (P0.001, OR=6.48, 95% CI: 2.53-16.56) was significantly associated with greater risk of BP.The prevalence of BP in Hebei province appears lower than in most areas of China and other countries. Continued surveillance of BP in China along with the development of primary and tertiary preventative interventions for psychiatric disorders is indicated.

The cytokine, transforming growth factor-β (TGF‑β), plays a key role in wound healing and tissue repair. Integrin‑linked kinase (ILK) is a downstream factor of the TGF-β signaling pathway. Research on ILK has mainly focused on its role in the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. However, little has been reported on the effects of ILK in human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts (HTFs). In this study, we investigated the role of ILK in the proliferation and migration of HTFs exposed to TGF-β2. A lentiviral vector targeting ILK was screened from three candidates and the experimental result indicated that RNA interference can be used to inhibit ILK expression at both the mRNA and protein level. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to assess ILK mRNA expression. Cell proliferation was quantified by MTT assay and cell cycle progression was detected by flow cytometric analysis. Migration was measured by wound healing assay. It was observed that the silencing of ILK suppressed the TGF-β2-induced proliferation of HTFs and led to G1 phase cell cycle arrest and the significant downregulation of cyclin D1 expression. The migration ability of the HTFs decreased following the silencing of ILK, while the downregulation of α-smooth muscle actin expression and the upregulation of E-cadherin expression were observed. The findings of our study indicate that the silencing of ILK attenuates the abnormal proliferation and migration of HTFs induced by TGF-β2, which reveals the therapeutic potential of ILK inhibition in the prevention of scarring following glaucoma filtration surgery.

With extremely high critical current density ( J c ) and excellent strain tolerance, Nb 3 Al superconductor is considered as an alternative to Nb 3 Sn for application of high-field magnets. However, owing to their complex structure, Nb 3 Al superconducting wires can hardly meet the requirement of engineering application at present. In this work, a novel simple-structured Nb 3 Al superconducting wires with Cu-matrix and different filament numbers were prepared by the conventional jelly-roll method, as well as a heat-treatment of 800–850 °C for 20–50 h. The results show that a 18-filament superconducting wire with length longer than 100 m can be successfully prepared by this method, and also this Nb 3 Al long wire has the T c of 13.4 K and J c of 4.7 × 10 4 A/cm 2 at 4.2 K and 12 T. These suggest that with further optimization, the simple-structured Nb 3 Al superconducting wires are very promising to fabricate the km-grade long wires to meet the requirement of engineering application.

Epoxy resin presents 3D cross-linking network structure characteristics after curing, resulting in a lower wear resistance of epoxy resin, which limits its extensive applications. In this paper, the effects of adding carboxyl functionalized carbon nanotubes on the tensile strength and wear resistance of carbon nanotube/epoxy composites were studied. The results showed that the tensile strength and wear resistance of the composites were effectively improved through carboxyl functionalization of carbon nanotubes.

This paper constructs the agricultural water and soil matching model. Taking Liaoning Province as the research object, the situation of utilization of agricultural water resources and land resources were analyzed. The results showed that: Liaoning province is not only the shortage of water resources, and water and soil resources spatial combination difference is very big, The eastern region water resources capacity is much, but in the western region water resources quantity is little . Fushun, Benxi city, and matching with poor is Fuxin city. Water-soil matching coefficient in liaoning province for many years an average of 0.55, below the national average of 1.44. Soil and water matching performance is the time and space distribution is not balanced.

Based on the island weather and natural conditions, establishing a wind-solar-diesel-battery integrated system and realizing the energy management can maximize the utilization of natural resources of the island, which has practical application demand and significance. In this paper, the structure diagram of a wind-solar-diesel-battery integrated system is described in detail, then the power balance control strategy, the energy allocation and operation modes switch strategy are proposed, and finally the energy management system is realized based on the control strategies. The operation results show that the designed energy management system can realize the optimal control of distributed generation, energy storage device and load, and guarantee the safe, economical and stable operation of the system.

High-performance Nb 3 Al superconducting wire is a promising candidate to the application of high-field magnets. However, due to the production problem of km-grade wires that are free from low magnetic field instability, the Nb 3 Al wires made by rapid heating, quenching and transformation (RHQT) are still not available to the large-scale engineering application. In this paper, we reported the properties of the in situ powder-in-tube (PIT) Nb 3 Al superconducting wires, which were made by using the mechanically alloyed Nb(Al) ss supersaturated solid solution, as well as the low temperature heat-treatment at 800 °C for 10 h. The results show that Nb 3 Al superconductors in this method possess very fine grains and well superconducting properties, though a little of Nb 2 Al and Nb impurities still keep being existence at present work. At the Nb 3 Al with a nominal 26 at.% Al content, the onset T c reaches 15.8 K. Furthermore, a series of Nb 3 Al wires and tapes with various sizes have been fabricated; for the 1.0 mm-diameter wire, the J c at 4.2 K, 10 T and 14 T have achieved 12,700 and 6900 A/cm 2 , respectively. This work suggests it is possible to develop high-performance Cu-matrix Nb 3 Al superconducting wires by directly using the Nb(Al) ss supersaturated solid-solution without the complex RHQT heat-treatment process.

Since it can directly prepare the Nb–Al supersaturated solid solution, mechanical alloying is thought as a promising method to make high-performance Nb 3 Al superconductors at a low temperature annealing condition, without the complicated rapid heating, quenching and transformation (RHQT) process. In this paper, we investigate the effects of milling time, the content of Al and annealing temperature on phase formation and superconducting properties of mechanical alloying Nb 3 Al bulks in detail. The study results show that Nb–Al supersaturated solid solution could be obtained by high energy ball milling, as long as the Nb–Al blended powder is ball milled for 1 h, even the amorphous phase appears with the ball milling time prolonging to 10 h, the Nb–Al intermetalics do not come out either. Amorphous phase is hardly beneficial to synthesizing the Nb 3 Al phase, instead, it will make the products impurity. By optimizing the milling time, elements composition and annealing temperature , pure Nb 3 Al phase is obtained and the highest onset superconducting transition temperature ( T c-onset ) reaches 15.8 K and the critical current density ( J c ) 10 6 A/cm 2 at 8 K without outer field. This paper also discusses the main reasons that affect the superconducting properties of mechanical alloying Nb 3 Al superconductor.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy, safety, and clinical benefit of prolonged-release trazodone (Trittico) in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Methods: In this study, 363 Chinese patients with MDD were randomized 1:1 to receive either prolonged-release trazodone (150-450 mg) or placebo treatment for 6 weeks. The primary efficacy measurement was the change of the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) total score from baseline to the end of the study. The secondary efficacy measurements were the response and remission rates, the Clinical Global Impression - Improvement of Illness (CGI-I) score at the end of the study, and the change of the HAMD-14 total score and quality of sleep [evaluated by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale] during the study period. Results: The mean maximum daily dose was 273.11 mg for the trazodone group and 290.92 mg for the placebo group. At the end of the study, there was a significant difference between the two groups in the HAMD-17 change score (trazodone vs. placebo: -11.07 vs. -8.29, p < 0.001). Trazodone showed advantages at 1 week of treatment, and the effect lasted until the end of the study (week 6). The response and remission rates of the trazodone group were significantly higher than those in the placebo group (response rate: 59.6 vs. 37.2%, p < 0.001; remission rate: 35.5 vs. 22.2%, p = 0.005). The majority of the adverse reactions of trazodone were mild to moderate, and the most frequent adverse reactions (≥5%) were dizziness, dry mouth, somnolence, and nausea. Conclusions: Prolonged-release trazodone was more effective than placebo in MDD and was well tolerated. i 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

In this work, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were functionalized to fabricate MWCNT/epoxy composites by incorporating MWCNTs into an epoxy. Cure behavior of composites was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. Thermo-mechanical behavior of the composite was then evaluated by dynamic mechanical analysis. Tensile strength, elastic modulus and maximum elongation were obtained by tensile test using the CMT-4204 universal testing machine. A field-emission scanning electron microscope was also used to characterize the fracture mechanism of composites and the dispersion state of MWCNTs in the epoxy. The results showed that the introduction of MWCNTs decreased the activation energy of the reaction and promoted the cure reaction. The addition of MWCNTs, especially amino-functionalized MWCNTs, clearly improved the tensile strength. The functionalized MWCNTs improved the interfacial bonding and made the dispersion of MWCNTs homogeneous in the matrix, giving the composites present a better mechanical property.

a b s t r a c t This study evaluated the effect of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) as dispersant for the dispersion of purified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in water in terms of dispersibility dependence on electrical conductivity of SWCNT transparent conducting film (TCF) performance. SWCNT TCFs were prepared by different proportions of CNTs/SDBS solution to find out the optimum SDBS concentration according to the film resistance of pristine and after post-treatment by nitric acid. TCFs fabricated with the aqueous solution by the ratio of CNTs/SDBS 1:5 gave the lowest sheet resistance and the highest transmittance. The TCFs were then further treated with thionyl chloride to improve their conductivity. Low sheet resistance (86 /, 80%T) was achieved. The dispersion condition of CNTs/SDBS aqueous solution was characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, while the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the dispersion and doping mechanism treated with nitric acid and thionyl chloride.

Functionalization of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was achieved by grafting carboxyl groups and amino groups. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to detect the changes produced by functional groups on the surface of the MWCNTs. Three different MWCNTs were incorporated into epoxy resin and the friction and wear behavior of MWCNT/epoxy composites was investigated using a M-2000 wear testing machine at different sliding speeds under different applied loads. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the worn surfaces of the samples. The results indicated that the functional groups had been grafted on the surface of MWCNTs. Compared with neat epoxy, the composites with MWCNTs showed a lower friction coefficient and wear rate, and the wear rate decreased with the increase of MWCNT loading. Combining epoxy resin with MWCNTs is an efficient method to improve the wear resistance and decrease the coefficient of friction.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes were dispersed in deionized water with sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate as surfactant. The solutions were sprayed on UV and plasma treated polyethylene terephthalate to achieve transparent conductive films with excellent adhesion. The carbon nanotube films were further treated with different concentrations of nitric acid to improve conductivity. SWCNTs and films were characterized by thermo gravimetric analysis, field-emitting scanning electron microscopy, UV-VIS spectrophotometer, four-point probe method, and Raman spectroscopy. The results demonstrated that the conductivity of carbon nanotube films with high transparency was improved to a greater degree with higher concentration of nitric acid due to effectively removing residual surfactants. The low sheet resistance films of ~100 Ω/sq @ 80T% have widely applications in touch screen, flat panel displays, organic light emitting diode, and etc.

In our study, air oxidation together with three different procedures for purifying single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) was investigated. High purity SWCNTs were obtained. The purified SWCNTs were dispersed into four different types of dispersants and different ratio of SWCNTs to dispersant was evaluated in order to find the optimal condition. Transparent conducting films were fabricated by the purified and well dispersed SWCNT solution. Nitric acid concentration was optimized to enhance the film conductivity. SWCNT films with low sheet resistance and high transmittance were obtained by nitric acid treatment.

Association between tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) G-308A (rs1800629) polymorphism and susceptibility to aggressive periodontitis (AgP) were inconsistent, hence we performed this meta-analysis to clarify the association between them using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis v2.2 software. 16 case-control studies were searched from the PubMed, Embase and CNKI databases up to February 2, 2015. The meta-analysis showed a significantly increased risk in A vs. G (OR = 1.23, 95%CI = 1.04–1.44), AA vs. GG (OR = 2.07, 95%CI = 1.11–3.87) and AA vs. AG+GG genetic models (OR = 2.09, 95%CI = 1.13–3.86); however, the non-significantly increased risk was shown in AG vs. GG (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 0.85–1.32) and AA+AG vs. GG genetic models (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 0.85–1.31). Cumulative analysis showed that the association changed from non-significant to significant with new studies accumulated and the CIs became more and more narrow, sensitivity analysis indicated results were statistically robust. Stratified analyses of confirmed of HWE, Asians, Caucasians and population-based controls obtained results similar to that of overall analysis. There was no evidence of publication bias. In summary, current evidence demonstrates that TNF-a G-308A polymorphism might be associated with AgP susceptibility, especially in Asians and Caucasians.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcome of adenovirus-mediated p27KIP1 (Ad-p27) expression on wound healing after filtration surgery and to investigate the inhibition of cell proliferation induced by Ad-p27. We constructed the adenovirus recombinant vector Ad-p27 and administered it to a rabbit model of glaucoma filtration surgery by subconjunctival injection; phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and mitomycin C (MMC) were used as controls. Intraocular pressure (IOP), bleb scores, and anterior chamber depths were observed during a 28-d period. Histological examinations, fluorescence observations and Western blot analyses were evaluated. Ad-p27 enhanced the surgical outcome and inhibited cell proliferation when compared with PBS. Bleb scores in the Ad-p27-treated eyes were higher than those in the PBS-treated eyes on d 7 (P

To determine the release characteristics of a 5-fluorouracil-loaded poly (lactic acid) disc (5-FU-PLA-DS) and the effect of sustained drug delivery on the success of glaucoma filtration surgery in rabbit eyes. A method of microspheres accumulated by excessive carriers was used in the preparation of the 5-FU-PLA-DS. The disc was characterized for drug loading, entrapment efficiency, in vitro release, and external morphology. It was then implanted subconjunctivally into rabbit eyes with trabeculectomy. Intraocular pressure, ocular inflammatory reaction, filtration bleb appearance, and persistence were evaluated up to postoperative d 90. A quantitative analysis of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was performed in the aqueous humor. Ultrasound biomicroscopy was used to assess the appearance of the filtering fistula. The 5-FU-PLA-DS was produced with the drug-loading of 3.07±0.08 mg (mean±SD). 5-FU was released for 91 d with suppressive concentrations. The decrease in intraocular pressure from baseline was significantly more marked in the 5-FU-PLA-DS-implanted eyes during postoperative d 3-90, and the persistence of bleb and filtration fistula was longer than the control eyes (P

Bi(Pb)-Sr-Ca-Cu-O(Bi-2223) precursor powder has been prepared by oxalate co-precipitation method with optimum precipitation condition and heat treatment process. The residual ions in the filtrate can be maintained under 0.2 mmol/L by controlling the pH-value and ageing time. The phase compositions include Bi-2212 as a major phase, Bi2201, Ca2PbO4 and AEC after heat treatment at 800 °C/10 h, 820 °C/20 h, 820 °C/25 h in air. The carbon content can be controlled below 100 ppm by annealing at a flowing oxygen atmosphere. Our results shows it can be applied in a large-quantity preparation of Bi-2223 precursor powder.

To explore the effects of transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2) on the transdifferentiation, extracellular matrix synthesis and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression in human lens epithelium cells (HLEC) in vitro.HLEC were incubated with different concentrations of TGF-β2 (0.0, 0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 µg/L) for 24 h in vitro. The morphological changes of HLEC were observed under inverted phase-contrast microscope. The expression of CTGF and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA, as a landmark protein of epithelial mesenchymal transition) in HLEC was measured by immunofluorescence method. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to evaluate the expression of CTGF, α-SMA, fibronectin (Fn) and COL-I (as the major components of extracellular matrix) after stimulating by TGF-β2.Normal HLEC presented polygonal shape and were anchorage-dependent. After incubated with different concentrations of TGF-β2 for 24 h, the morphology of polygonal HLEC was changed into fibroblast-like shape and changed from monolayer and to multilayer cells, and the intercellular space became bigger. CTGF and α-SMA were expressed in the cytoplasm after induction of TGF-β2. Expression of CTGF in HLEC was increased with increasing concentrations of TGF-β2 (CTGF protein expression: 0.53 ± 0.03, 0.73 ± 0.01, 0.65 ± 0.03 in cells cultured with 0.1, 1.0 and 10 µg/L TGF-β2, respectively; CTGF gene induction: 1.00 ± 0.00, 7.18 ± 0.41, 12.88 ± 0.45, 32.84 ± 1.61 in cells cultured with 0.0, 0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 µg/L TGF-β2, respectively) (F = 77.55, P0.05; F = 379.0, P0.05). TGF-β2 could induce HLEC transdifferentiation and accelerate. α-SMA expression was increased by TGF-β2 dose-dependently (protein expression: 0.48 ± 0.01,0.78 ± 0.04, 0.69 ± 0.04; gene induction: 1.00 ± 0.00, 2.30 ± 0.22, 3.1 ± 0.21, 3.86 ± 0.10) (F = 62.73, P0.05; F = 80.22, P0.05). TGF-β2 also promoted expression of Fn and COL-I in a dose-dependent manner (COL-I gene induction: 1.00 ± 0.00, 5.52 ± 0.96, 18.31 ± 1.2, 82.51 ± 1.45;COL-I protein expression: 0.78 ± 0.05, 1.15 ± 0.11, 2.16 ± 0.14; Fn gene induction: 1.00 ± 0.00, 2.36 ± 0.25, 3.27 ± 0.24, 4.25 ± 0.24; Fn protein expression: 0.64 ± 0.01,0.95 ± 0.02, 1.23 ± 0.14) (F = 1881.52, 105.30, P0.05; F = 64.44, 51.81, P0.05).TGF-β2 induces the expression of CTGF by HLEC, promotes transdifferentiation of and extracellular matrix synthesis by HLEC.

AIM:To investigate the effects of transforming growth factorβ2 (TGF-β2) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) on transdifferentiation of human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) cultured in vitro and synthesis of extracellular matrix (ECM).METHODS:HLECs were treated with TGF-β2 (0, 0.5, 1.0, 5, 10μg/L) and CTGF (0, 15, 30, 60, 100μg/L) for different times (0, 24, 48, 72h) in vitro and the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), the main component of the extracellular matrix type I collagen (Col-1) and fibronectin (Fn) were measured by using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western-blot.RESULTS: TGF-β2 and CTGF significantly increased expression of α-SMA mRNA and protein (P<0.05, P<0.001), Fn mRNA and protein (P<0.001), Col-1 mRNA and protein (P<0.001). TGF-β2 could induce HLECs expression of CTGF mRNA and protein in dose-dependent manner (P<0.05, P<0.001). TGF-β2 and CTGF could induce HLECs to express α-SMA, Fn and Col-1 in time-dependent manner. Each time of TGF-β2 and CTGF induced HELCs expression of α-SMA, Fn, Col-1 mRNA and protein was significant increase compared with control (P<0.05, P<0.001).CONCLUSION: TGF-β2 and CTGF could induce HLECs epithelial mesenchymal transition and ECM synthesis.

Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) transparent conducting films (TCFs) were fabricated for the electrodes of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs); three types of film were studied. The as-prepared SWCNT TCFs displayed a relatively low sheet resistance of 82.6 Ω/sq at 80.7 T% with a relatively large surface roughness of 30 nm. The TCFs were top-coated with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) to obtain PEDOT:PSS-coated TCFs. The PEDOT:PSS cover improved the conductivity and decreased the surface roughness to 12 nm at the cost of film transmittance. The SWCNT TCFs mixed with PEDOT:PSS (PM-TCFs) exhibited a high conductivity (70.6 Ω/sq at 81 T%) and a low surface roughness (3 nm) and were thus selected as the best TCFs for OLEDs. Blue flexible OLEDs with 4,4'-bis(2,2'-diphenylvinyl)-1,1'-biphenyl (Dpvbi) as the emitting layer were fabricated on TCFs with the same structures to evaluate the performances of the different types of SWCNT films for use in OLEDs. Of these three types of OLEDs, the PM-TCF devices exhibited the optimal performance with a maximum luminance of 2587 cd m(-2) and a current efficiency of 5.44 cd A(-1). This result was explored using field-emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy to further study the mechanisms that are involved in applying SWCNT TCFs to OLEDs.

To explore the inhibitory effect of a sustained cyclosporin A (CsA) delivery microsphere (CsA-MS) on posterior capsular opacification (PCO) in rabbit eyes after cataract extraction.Twenty New Zealand white rabbits accepted cataract extraction plus intraocular lens implantation and their left eyes were intraoperatively injected CsA-MS prepared using polymer polylactioglycolic acid (PLGA) as a carrier and their right eyes were injected with empty MS. The changes in cornea, anterior chamber reaction, intraocular pressure, PCO and CsA concentration in aqueous humor were examined postoperatively and all the eyes were enucleated 3 months after surgery for histopathological and morphological examination with light microscopy and electron microscopy.Conjunctival hyperemia, corneal edema, intraocular pressure and anterior chamber response of experimental and control eyes were similar, while PCO in CsA-MS injected eyes was greatly improved compared with that in control eyes. Posterior capsules in CsA-MS injected eyes were smooth and lens epithelial cells (LEC) did not proliferate significantly (P0.05), while LEC in posterior capsule of control eyes had different degrees of proliferation and cortical regeneration. LEC in CsA-MS injected eyes were not functionally active and underwent apoptosis, whereas LEC in control eyes were functionally active (F-test, P=0.025). In addition, the corneal ultrastructure showed no differences between CsA-MS and MS injected eyes.CsA-MS has high bioavailability in rabbit eyes and could inhibit postoperative PCO occurrence and development during the study period, suggesting that CsA-MS may be a promising, effective and safe administration route to prevent PCO in clinic.

To explore effect of erythropoietin on the caspase-3 subfamily in preventing apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by oxidized-low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL).Third-sixth passages of HUVECs were used. Two experiments were conducted. In the first experiment, there was a blank control group, ox-LDL control group (100 mg/L, incubated for 48 hours), and low, medium, and high recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) groups (6.25, 25.00, 100.00 kU/L rhEPO incubated for 24 hours+100 mg/L ox-LDL incubated for 48 hours). Another experimental protocol consisted of groups of the cells pretreated with either caspase-3 inhibitor DEVD-CHO, or caspase-8 inhibitor z-IETD-fmk, or caspase-9 inhibitor z-LEHD-fmk of 25 micromol/L for 24 hours, then HUVECs were exposed ox-LDL (100 mg/L) incubated for 48 hours. The activity of caspase-3, caspase-8, or caspase 9 was determined by caspase colorimetric assay. The cell survival rate was assessed with methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method. The positive expression rate of caspase-3 and apoptotic rate were measured by flow cytometer.The activity of caspase-3 was significantly decreased and cell survival rate was increased in the caspase-3 inhibitor group (both P0.05). The activity of caspase-8 was decreased in the caspase-8 inhibitor group (P0.05), but the cell survival rate was not significantly different from that of ox-LDL group (P0.05). The activity of caspase-3 or caspase-9 was lower and cell survival rate was higher in the caspase-9 inhibitor group than that of ox-LDL group (all P0.05). The pretreatment with rhEPO led to decreased activity of caspase-3, caspase-9, positive expression rate of caspase-3 and apoptotic rate in a dose-dependent manner compared with ox-LDL group (all P0.05), but the activity of caspase-8 showed no significant difference from rhEPO pretreatment groups (all P0.05).These results demonstrate that rhEPO can significantly inhibit the activity of caspase-3 or caspase-9 in endothelial cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Activation of caspase-3 or caspase-9 is involved in ox-LDL-induced HUVECs apoptotic signaling pathway, but caspase-8 is not involved.

To determine the release characteristics of a 5-fluorouracil-loaded poly (lactic acid) disc (5-FU-PLA-DS) and the effect of sustained drug delivery on the success of glaucoma filtration surgery in rabbit eyes.A method of microspheres accumulated by excessive carriers was used in the preparation of the 5-FU-PLA-DS. The disc was characterized for drug loading, entrapment efficiency, in vitro release, and external morphology. It was then implanted subconjunctivally into rabbit eyes with trabeculectomy. Intraocular pressure, ocular inflammatory reaction, filtration bleb appearance, and persistence were evaluated up to postoperative d 90. A quantitative analysis of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was performed in the aqueous humor. Ultrasound biomicroscopy was used to assess the appearance of the filtering fistula.The 5-FU-PLA-DS was produced with the drug-loading of 3.07+/-0.08 mg (mean+/-SD). 5-FU was released for 91 d with suppressive concentrations. The decrease in intraocular pressure from baseline was significantly more marked in the 5-FU-PLA-DSimplanted eyes during postoperative d 3-90, and the persistence of bleb and filtration fistula was longer than the control eyes (P0.05). Corneal toxicity and hyperemia triggered by 5-FU was lower in the 5-FU-PLA-DS-implanted eyes than those exposed to 5-FU intraoperatively. The 5-FU concentration in the aqueous humor was insufficient for corneal endothelial damage. No evidence of toxic reaction was found in the conjunctival biopsy.5-FU-PLADS displaying sustained intraocular release of 5-FU, reduced intraocular pressure, and prolonged bleb persistence, while significantly reducing 5-FU toxicity.

Flow-injection chemiluminescence was applied to determine the trace polyhydroxy phenol in environment (soil and water). Based on the comparison of several different chemiluminescence systems and optimization, an alkaline luminol-NaIO4 system for determinating polyhydroxy phenol was chosen. During the process of polyhydroxy phenol determination, the effect of dissolved humic acid (HA) on the determination of phenol by this chemiluminescence system was also considered, which generally coexists in soil and water widely. Thus the present work provided the reference for the determination of the real samples coming from soil or water. An obvious restraining effect of humic acid on the chemiluminescence signal obtained by the luminol-NaIO4-polyhydroxy phenol system was found, which shows a linear relationship with the concentration of HA in a certain range, the linear equation is y = 70.36x + 540.1, the correlation coefficient is 0. 9954, the linear range is between 3-15 mg x L(-1), the limitation of detection is 0.749 mg x L(-1), and the relative standard deviation (RSD) is 1.08% when the concentration of HA is 6 mg x L(-1). The possible working mechanism of humic acid here is discussed and deduced.

The catalytic organic residue contained Rh was digested with HNO3 at 130 degrees C for 12 h. Trace noble metal Rh in catalytic organic residue was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Rh was atomized by air-acetylene flame at lamp Current of 7 mA. The methods of sample pretreatment for Rh in residue were compared in this paper. The recovery rates of this method were 95.3%-105.5% and the relative standard derivation was 0.9%. The method was applied to the analysis of some practical samples and the results obtained were satisfactory.