Search

Background: Bath-type ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) has been developed as one of the most important sample pretreatment methods, especially for batch-sample pretreatment. So far, however, requirements for the performance of bath-type UAE equipment have not been standardized, nor has a suitable evaluation method that can be used to judge the feasibility of ultrasonic equipment for extraction been presented in the available regulations or standards. Objective: A simple and efficient method that can be used to evaluate the performance of bath-type UAE equipment is necessary to be proposed and established. Methods: First, distribution of a sound field in ultrasonic equipment was measured by acoustimeter and the dyeing method, through which influencing factors including frequency, preheating time, and output power of the equipment, as well as the horizontal and vertical position for locating the sample in the equipment, were investigated, and optimized parameters for extraction were achieved. Then, through the aluminum foil lattice method, by calculating the perforated rate of the aluminum foil, cavitation intensity of the ultrasonic equipment can be quantitatively determined. Results: With the optimized working conditions and by selecting appropriate parameters for the aluminum foil, perforated holes formed on the foil displayed a good pattern. Further validation experiments indicated conformity between the established method and the actual extraction effect of the ultrasonic equipment, proposing a suitable requirement for the cavitation effect of the bath-type UAE equipment. Conclusions: The aluminum foil lattice method has been proved to be simple, convenient, inexpensive, and reliable for quickly evaluating the extraction performance of bath-type UAE equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO/Ni3ZnC0.7/x% CNT (x = 0, 2, 5, 10) urchin-like structures have been synthesized using a facile method based on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and applied as the electromagnetic absorber. The results of the experiments demonstrate that the content of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) has a great influence on the absorbing performance of the hybrid material. Conduction loss, interfacial polarization and ferromagnetic resonance all contribute to the electromagnetic absorption. The urchin-like ZnO/Ni3ZnC0.7/5% CNT composite presents excellent absorbing properties. When the filler loading of ZnO/Ni3ZnC0.7/5% CNT composite in paraffin matrix is only 10 wt.%, a minimum reflection loss of -33.2 dB is achieved at a layer thickness of 4.9 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The representation of vector data at variable scales has been widely applied in geographic information systems and map-based services. When the scale changes across a wide range, a complex generalization that involves multiple operations is required to transform the data. To present such complex generalization, we proposed a matrix model to combine different generalization operations into an integration. This study was carried on a set of river network data, where two operations, i.e., network pruning accompanied with river simplification, were hierarchically constructed as the rows and columns of a matrix. The correspondence between generalization operations and scale, and the scale linkage of multiple operations were also explicitly defined. In addition, we developed a vario-scale data structure to store the generalized river network data based on the proposed matrix. The matrix model was validated and assessed by a comparison with traditional methods that conduct generalization operations in sequence. It was shown that the matrix model enabled complex generalization with good generalization quality. Taking advantage of the corresponding vario-scale data structure, the river network data could be obtained at any arbitrary scale, and the vario-scale representation was achieved across a wide scale range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Skeletal muscles are composed of different muscle fiber types. We investigated the different potency to rocuronium among diaphragm (DIA), extensor digitorum longus (EDL), and soleus (SOL) in vitro as well as to investigate the differences of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) among these three typical kinds of muscles. Materials and methods The isolated left hemidiaphragm nerve-muscle preparations, the EDL sciatic nerve-muscle preparations, and the SOL sciatic nerve-muscle preparations were established to evaluate the potency to rocuronium. Concentration-response curves were constructed and the values of IC50 were obtained. The density of AChRs at the end plate and the number of AChRs per unit fiber cross fiber area (CSA), AChR affinity for muscle relaxants were evaluated. Results The concentration-twitch tension curves of rocuronium were significantly different. The curves demonstrated a shift to the right of the DIA compared with the EDL and SOL (P < 0.01), whereas no significant difference was observed between EDL and SOL (P > 0.05). IC50 was significantly largest in DIA, second largest in SOL, and smallest in EDL (P < 0.05). The number of AChRs per unit fiber CSA was largest in DIA, second largest in EDL, and smallest in SOL (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The DIA showed the lowest affinity of the AChRs, whereas the SOL showed the highest affinity. Conclusions The resistance to rocuronium of DIA compared with EDL and SOL was verified. The DIA was characterized by the largest number of AChRs per unit fiber CSA and the lowest affinity of the AChRs. Although compared with SOL, EDL was proved to have larger number of AChRs per unit fiber CSA and the lower affinity of the AChRs. These findings may be the mechanisms of different potency to rocuronium in DIA, EDL, and SOL. The results of the study could help to explain the relationship between different composition of muscle fibers and the potency to muscle relaxants. Extra caution should be taken in clinical practice when monitoring muscle relaxation in anesthetic management using different muscles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To determine the relationship among photopic negative response (PhNR) of the electroretinogram (ERG), retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, and the visual field in normal and glaucomatous patients. Methods. Thirty-eight normal volunteers and one hundred twenty-four patients with Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) were enrolled in the study. The PhNRs were elicited by white stimuli on a white background and red stimuli on a blue background. The visual field parameters were measured using the standard automated perimetry (SAP).The spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was used to measure the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness around the optic disc. Results. The PhNR amplitude (W/W, B/R), MD, and mean RNFL thickness in POAG eyes were significantly lower than normal eyes (P = 0.001). The R value in Normal + Glaucomatous group was higher than that of the only glaucomatous group. The R values of PhNR amplitude (B/R) with MD and RNFL were higher than those of PhNR amplitude (W/W). Significant linear association was found in the relationship between RNFL thickness and PhNR amplitude (B/R) (R² = = 0.5, P = 0.001). However, significant curve associations were found in the relationship between MD and PhNR amplitude (B/R) and RNFL thickness (R² = 0.525, 0.442, P = 0.001). Conclusions. The ganglion cell activity can be more efficiently evaluated with the PhNR elicited with a red than with a broadband stimulus. The linear relationship between the PhNR amplitude and RNFL thickness indicates that inner retinal function declines proportionately with neural loss in glaucomatous eyes. The PhNR and RNFLT are more objective tools to detect glaucomatous damage than visual field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working in a weighted Sobolev space, a new result involving superlinear nonlinearities for a quasilinear elliptic boundary value problem in a domain in [InlineEquation not available: see fulltext.] is established. The proofs rely on the Galerkin method, Brouwer's theorem and a new weighted compact Sobolev-type embedding theorem due to V.L. Shapiro. MSC: 35J25, 35J62, 65L60. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We assessed whether dietary calcium intake or calcium supplements associated with body composition and obesity in a Chinese population. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed in a population of 8940, aged 20 to 74 y. 8127 participants responded (90.9%). Height, weight, fat mass (FM), waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference were measured. Obesity definition: body mass index (BMI) ⩾28 kg/m2 (overall obesity); WC ⩾85 cm for men or ⩾80 cm for women (abdominal obesity I) and waist hip ratio (WHR) $0.90 for men or $0.85 for women (abdominal obesity II). The data on dietary calcium and calcium supplements were collected using food-frequency questionnaire and self-report questionnaire. Multivariate linear and multivariable logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between dietary calcium intake or calcium supplements and body composition and obesity. Principal Findings: The average dietary calcium intake of all subjects was 430 mg/d. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, among women only, negative associations were observed between habitual dietary calcium intake and four measures of body composition (β, -0.086, P<0.001 for BMI; β, -0.072, P<0.001 for WC; β, -0.044, P<0.05 for WHR; and β, -0.058, P<0.01 for FM, respectively) and both measures of abdominal obesity (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.86, 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 0.80-0.93; P<0.001, for abdominal obesity I; OR = 0.92, 95% CI, 0.86-0.99; P = 0.026, for abdominal obesity II). These associations were not observed among men (P>0.05). Similarly, among both men and women, we did not observe significant associations between calcium supplements and any measures of body composition or abdominal obesity (P>0.05). Conclusions: Dietary calcium from food rather than elemental calcium from calcium supplements has beneficial effects on the maintenance of body composition and preventing abdominal obesity in Chinese women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of 3D technology currently, in particular, on the context of building smart cities, a number of novel 3D geo-visualizations have been advanced, such as immersive maps, panoramic location-based service, and augmented reality systems. These visualizations refer to not only the technological aspects but also the user's abilities to cognize and make used of presented information(Herman et al., 2018, Šašinka et al., 2018, Kubíček et al., 2019). Note the existing researches usually concentrate on the presentation parameters and the usability of consequential visualizations in actual tasks(Lokka and Coltekin, 2016, Roth et al., 2017, Lokka and Coltekin, 2019). The influence of user factors on 3D spatial perception which is essential for 3D geo-visualization applications still remains unclear. In our study, we explored the user differences of spatial perception in 3D geo-visualization in contrast to that in real scene. The research questions were specified as follows: (1) How does the user factors, i.e. gender, age, academic background, mental rotation ability, and abstract reasoning ability, influence the user performance in spatial tasks related to distance perception, height perception, and environmental perception(Siegel and White, 1975)? (2) Is the user perception ability in 3D geo-visualization consistent with that in real scene? This study is an exploratory research. Series of experiments were designed based on questionnaire survey, mental mapping and eye-tracking techniques. On the one hand, a questionnaire, a Mental Rotation Test (MRT) and an Abstract Reasoning Test (ART) were conducted to figure out the user profiles, namely the personal information of the participants. On the other hand, a list of spatial tasks were instructed both in a 3D geo-visualization and in a real scene. During the procedure, participants were requested to answer several questions, in addition, their eye movements were recorded using an eye tracker. The participants were also asked to draw a mental map with hands to recall the layout of scene and their travelling path. After all these experiments, the participants' spatial perception ability were assessed by calculating the accuracy and efficiency of their performance. Consequentially, the significance of participant differences were investigated through a set of quantitative analysis. The experimental process refers to three stages: Firstly the questionnaire including MRT and ART, secondly spatial performance in a virtual 3D scene, and thirdly comparative spatial performance in the real scene. For the stage of virtual 3D scene, an interactive 3D geo-visualization platform was developed, so that the users can freely switch the Line of Sight (LOS) and Angle of Field (AOF). For the stage of real scene, a real-world area which is isomorphic to the virtual 3D scene was designated as the test filed. Forty participants were recruited from three universities in Wuhan, China. According to our study, a few interesting results can be obtained: (1) In general, there are significant user differences in spatial perception with respect to the visual style, i.e. 3D geovisualization and real scene. The participants expressed higher level of environmental perception in real scene than in 3D geo-visualization (r_3d=4.333, r_real=4.001, Sig.=0.044). The participants provided mental maps of real scene in more details than that of the 3D geo-visualization. Meanwhile, they perform better way-finding behaviour with shorter distance moving and less corner turning in real scene. (2) By measuring the single influence of user characters, it is indicated that orientation idiom has significant effect on user's mental rotation ability. The participants who use front-back-left-right as their orientation idioms trend to have higher correct accuracy in MRT, while those using north-south-east-west as their orientation idiom seem to have lower correct accuracy (r_fblr=19.64, r_nsew=12.46, Sig.=0.030, Independent-samples Mann-Whitney U Test). When we group participants with the spatial reference frameworks of self-centred reference, fixed reference and coordinative reference(Byrne et al., 2007), it is easy to find that the type of spatial reference frameworks has relative significant effect on distance perception in 3D geo-visualization. Those participants using self-centred reference show the highest accuracy rate, while the ones using coordinative reference show relative lowest accuracy rate(r_selfCent=22.42, r_fixed=15.47, r_coord=13.43, Sig.=0.056, Independent-samples Kruskal-Wallis Test). Nevertheless, other user factors, including academic background (students of cartography or non-cartography), age (from 21-24) and activity scope, show no significant influence on spatial perception in 3D geo-visualization as well as in real scene. (3) Looking into the combined influence of multiple factors, there is a significant interaction between gender and orientation idioms on the environmental perception in 3D geo-visualization environment, but neither of them shows a significant main effect (Sig._gender=0.817, Sig._oriIdio=0.423, Sig._combined=0.037). The female participants using north-south-east-west orientation idiom have higher level of environmental perception than those using frontback-left-right (Sig.=0.064), however, the male participants show no significant difference no matter which orientation idiom they use. Spatial reference framework and orientation idiom have similar significant interaction on distance perception in real scene, furthermore, the orientation idiom presents a relative significant main effect (Sig._spatialRef=0.882, Sig._oriIdio=0.071, Sig._combined=0.038). The participants who use self-centred reference and orientation idiom of north-south-east-west have higher accuracy rate than the ones using self-centred reference and orientation idiom of front-back-left-right (Sig.=0.007). In addition, gender and spatial reference framework seem have relative significant interaction on distance perception in 3D geo-visualization, and the spatial reference framework provides a main effect significantly (Sig._gender=0.223, Sig._spatialRef=0.019, Sig._combined=0.077). These experimental results provide a bright prospect to improve the 3D geo-visualizations to fit users' personalized charactoristics for certain spatial tasks. They will also be beneficial to the design of mixed 3D geo-visualization, e.g. immersive maps and augmented reality systems, that combines the advantages of visual 3D scene and real scene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light scattered by a dielectric object when it is trapped in the field of a plasmonic nanostructure is studied theoretically and experimentally using both dielectric spheres and S. cerevisiae cells. A dramatic enhancement of the scattered light is observed for short separation distances between scatterer and plasmonic trap. It is shown that this effect can serve to selectively image cells after their immobilization and distinguish them from a turbid background. The high sensitivity of the scattered light to the separation distance and lateral displacement also provides additional insights in the configuration of the cell within the trap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread use of electronic equipment, such as computers, cell phones, communication devices and wireless facilities, has increased electromagnetic radiation, which can cause cancer and other diseases in humans. Furthermore, there is an urgent need for excluding the interferences in the aircraft and other precise instruments in military aspects. Therefore, minimizing and attenuating electromagnetic waves are critical issues. In this review, various two-dimensional (2D) materials and structures are discussed for microwave-absorbing and shielding in terms of ‘thin, light, wide, and strong’ requirements. The typical absorption and attenuation mechanisms are analysed and summarized to deliver an overall view and offer possible trends for future developments. Multiple works have revealed that 2D materials and structures are promising for use in microwave devices. In addition to conventional materials with 2D structures, we focus on new graphene-like materials, such as 2D transition metal dichalcogenides and black phosphorus, due to their beneficial absorbing and shielding properties. These 2D materials will likely play an important role in electromagnetic wave absorption and cancellation in the future. Finally, the related challenges and some new 2D materials are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) is a polyphagous pest that causes agricultural and commercial losses in many parts of the world. These losses are compounded by insecticide abuse, which leads to insecticide resistance as well as environmental and food pollution. RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful tool used in gene functional research and RNAi-based pest control. In this study, arginine kinase (AK) of cotton bollworm was selected as the target gene, as it plays a critical role in cellular energy metabolism in invertebrates. Two fragments of the H. armigera AK gene (HarmAK) were cloned into the L4440 vector to express doublestranded RNA (dsRNA) in Escherichia coli (HT115). The effects of different factors on dsRNA stability and the effect of silencing HarmAK on cotton bollworm were subsequently investigated. Both AK gene and protein expression levels were significantly inhibited in larvae and the peak cumulative mortality rate of 44.44% was recorded on day 5, after 2nd instar larvae were exposed to the artificial diet coated with the engineered bacteria. The two dsRNAs (dsAK1 and dsAK2) also caused drastic reductions in body weight (38.43% and 17.37%, respectively), body length (26.73% and 11.23%, respectively) and pupation rate (48.89% and 42.95%, respectively) compared to the control on day 5. The development and morphology of the larvae, pupae and adults that fed on the dsAK1 and dsAK2 bacteria were significantly impaired, while the control was not. Thus, AK is a potential target gene for RNAimediated cotton bollworm control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1,3,5-Tris(phenylamino) benzene and a series of its substitution derivatives were synthesized. The structure of the as-synthesized products was confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectra. Moreover, the antioxidation behavior of 1,3,5-tris(phenylamino) benzene and its substitution derivatives as antioxidants in several ester oils was evaluated by a rotary oxygen bomb test and pressurized differential scanning calorimetry, while theoretical calculations were conducted to examine their antioxidation mechanism. It was found that 1,3,5-tris (phenylamino) benzene exhibits better antioxidation ability at elevated temperature (150 and 210 °C) than commonly used commercial antioxidant diphenylamine. In the meantime, the substitution groups exhibit significant effects on the antioxidation behavior of 1,3,5-tris(phenylamino) benzene and its derivatives. This is because the substituents result in changes in the molecular structure and electronic effect of the as-synthesized products, thereby causing s change in their antioxidation behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1,3,5-Tris(phenylamino) benzene and a series of its substitution derivatives were synthesized. The structure of the as-synthesized products was confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectra. Moreover, the antioxidation behavior of 1,3,5-tris(phenylamino) benzene and its substitution derivatives as antioxidants in several ester oils was evaluated by a rotary oxygen bomb test and pressurized differential scanning calorimetry, while theoretical calculations were conducted to examine their antioxidation mechanism. It was found that 1,3,5-tris(phenylamino) benzene exhibits better antioxidation ability at elevated temperature (150 and 210 °C) than commonly used commercial antioxidant diphenylamine. In the meantime, the substitution groups exhibit significant effects on the antioxidation behavior of 1,3,5-tris(phenylamino) benzene and its derivatives. This is because the substituents result in changes in the molecular structure and electronic effect of the as-synthesized products, thereby causing s change in their antioxidation behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LncRNAs were previously considered to be the 'noise' of gene transcription having no biological functions, but now it has become evident that lncRNAs function as modulators of gene expression network. LncRNAs may regulate diverse gene expression levels which were roughly summarized to epigenetic, transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. It has been clarified that some lncRNAs were expressed differentially in cardiovascular diseases, and aberrant changes of those lncRNAs were involved in the development of heart disorders. The role of lncRNAs in this process transcended the tradition of protein regulatory platform to be the orchestrator of cardiac sophisticated governing system of heart development, adaptation and pathological reaction. This review summarizes recent advances in the study of functions and mechanisms of lncRNAs in cardiovascular physiology and pathology. The regulatory roles of lncRNAs in cardiovascular diseases provide new strategy for interventional therapy of heart diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore the association between polymorphisms in signal transducer and activator of transcription protein 3 (STAT3) and the risk of gastric cancer. In the present study, a case-control study was conducted in which rs2293152 and rs744166 polymorphisms in STAT3 were analyzed in 209 Chinese patients with gastric cancer and 294 cancer-free controls. The genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism method. For the rs744166 polymorphism, the TC genotype (adjusted OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.39-0.92, and P = 0.020) and CC genotype (adjusted OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.21-0.80, and P = 0.009) were associated with a decreased risk of gastric cancer compared to the TT genotype. However, rs2293152 did not show any difference in gastric cancer risk between patients and controls in the CG/CC genotype compared to the GG genotype. Besides, the SNP effects were additive to the effects of environmental factors without any interaction between them in the susceptibility to gastric cancer. Collectively, rs744166 polymorphism might be significantly associated with a decreased risk of gastric cancer in a Chinese population. Additionally, polymorphisms in STAT3, along with environmental factors, might be associated with the development of gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an optimal design method for passive power filters (PPFs) and hybrid active power filters (HAPFs) set at high voltage levels to satisfy the requirements of harmonic filtering and reactive power compensation. Multiobjective optimization models for PPF and HAPF were constructed. Detuning effects and faults were also considered by constructing constraints during the optimal process, which improved the reliability and practicability of the designed filters. An effective strategy was adopted to solve the multiobjective optimization problems for the designs of PPF and HAPF. Furthermore, the particle swarm optimization algorithm was developed for searching an optimal solution of planning of filters. An application of the method to an industrial case involving harmonic and reactive power problems indicated the superiority and practicality of the proposed design methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the clinical diagnosis of infectious keratitis by focusing microscopy. The data and charts of 30 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Four types of structures were observed by confocal microscopy in the HRT type II Rostock corneal model: trophozoites, bimural cysts, charter rings, and bright spots. Thirty patients (mean age 30.8 years, range 17-61 years, 12 males and 18 females) were divided into four groups according to the diagnosis determined by late microscopy, culture, treatment response and course of keratitis. The four groups were infectious keratitis (AK), suspected infectious keratitis (AK-suspect), bacterial keratitis (BK), fungal keratitis (FK). Bright spots were found in 100%, 100%, 40% and 55% of AK, AK-suspect, FK and BK groups, respectively. Under in vivo confocal microscopy, the sensitivity for the presence of bright spots in infectious keratitis was 100% (95% confidence interval [CI] 73.5% - 100.00%) and the specificity was 50% (CI 24.7% - 75.4%). The sensitivity was 67% (95% CI 34) when the only sign of infectivity was bright spot was excluded and only those with cysts, trophozoites, or charter rings were counted. The specificity was 94% (95% CI 69.8% - 99.8%). The relatively high rate of bright spots in noninfectious keratitis challenges the hypothesis that bright spots seen by confocal microscopy are a specific indication of infectious keratitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental release and fate of estrogens are becoming an increasing public concern. Bacterial degradation has been considered the main process for eliminating estrogens from wastewater treatment plants. Various bacterial isolates are reportedly capable of aerobic estrogen degradation, and several estrogen degradation pathways have been proposed in proteobacteria and actinobacteria. However, the ecophysiological relevance of estrogen-degrading bacteria in the environment is unclear. In this study, we investigated the estrogen degradation pathway and corresponding degraders in activated sludge collected from the Dihua Sewage Treatment Plant, Taipei, Taiwan. Cultivation-dependent and cultivation-independent methods were used to assess estrogen biodegradation in the collected activated sludge. Estrogen metabolite profile analysis revealed the production of pyridinestrone acid and two A/B-ring cleavage products in activated sludge incubated with estrone (1 mM), which are characteristic of the 4,5-seco pathway. PCR-based functional assays detected sequences closely related to alphaproteobacterial oecC, a key gene of the 4,5-seco pathway. Metagenomic analysis suggested that Novosphingobium spp. are major estrogen degraders in estroneamended activated sludge. Novosphingobium sp. strain SLCC, an estrone-degrading alphaproteobacterium, was isolated from the examined activated sludge. The general physiology and metabolism of this strain were characterized. Pyridinestrone acid and the A/B-ring cleavage products were detected in estrone-grown strain SLCC cultures. The production of pyridinestrone acid was also observed during the aerobic incubation of strain SLCC with 3.7 nM (1μg/liter) estrone. This concentration is close to that detected in many natural and engineered aquatic ecosystems. The presented data suggest the ecophysiological relevance of Novosphingobium spp. in activated sludge. IMPORTANCE Estrogens, which persistently contaminate surface water worldwide, have been classified as endocrine disruptors and human carcinogens. We contribute new knowledge on the major estrogen biodegradation pathway and estrogen degraders in wastewater treatment plants. This study considerably advances the understanding of environmental estrogen biodegradation, which is instrumental for the efficient elimination of these hazardous pollutants. Moreover, this study substantially improves the understanding of microbial estrogen degradation in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limited surveys have assessed the performance of 5-hydroxytreptamine receptor 1A and its antagonist WAY-100635 in pharmacological manipulations targeting delirium therapies. The purpose of this paper was to assess the central pharmacological activity of WAY-100635 in a rat model of scopolamine-induced delirium and its underlying mechanism. Results: A delirium rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of scopolamine and behavioral changes evaluated through open field and elevated plus maze experiments. Concentrations of monoamines in the hippocampus and amygdalae were detected by high performance liquid chromatography. The effect of WAY-100635 on the recovery of rats from delirium was assessed by stereotactic injection of WAY-100635 and its mechanism of action determined by measuring mRNA and protein expression via real time PCR and western blotting methods. The total distance and the number of crossing and rearing in the elevated plus maze test and the time spent in the light compartment in the dark/light test of scopolamine-treated rats were significantly increased while the percentage of time spent in the open arms was decreased, showing the validity of the established delirium rat model. The measurement of the concentrations of noradrenaline, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, the homovanillic acid, 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid and serotonin concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of scopolamine-induced delirium rats were significantly increased. The intra-hippocampus and intra-BLA injections of WAY-100635 improved the deliriumlike behavior of rats by significantly reducing the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and the release of IL1-β and IL8 into CSF. Conclusions: Taken together, these findings indicate that WAY-100635 may exert a therapeutic effect on postoperative delirium by controlling neurotransmission as well as suppressing neuroinflammation in the central nervous system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double network hydrogels (DN gels) are considered as one of the toughest soft materials. However, conventional chemically linked DN gels often lack high self-recovery and fatigue resistance properties due to permanent damage of covalent bonds upon deformation. Current strategies to improve self-recovery and fatigue resistance properties of tough DN gels mainly focus on the manipulation of the first network structure. In this work, we proposed a new design strategy to synthesize a new type of Agar/PAMAAc-Fe3+ DN gels, consisting of an agar gel as the first physical network and a PAMAAc-Fe3+ gel as the second chemical-physical network. By introducing Fe3+ ions into the second network to form strong coordination interactions, at optimal conditions, Agar/PAMAAc-Fe3+ DN gels can achieve extremely high mechanical properties (σf of ∼8 MPa, E of ∼8.8 MPa, and W of ∼16.7 MJ/m³), fast self-recovery (∼50% toughness recovery after 1 min of resting), and good fatigue resistance compared to properties of cyclic loadings by simply controlling acrylic acid (AAc) content in the second network. The high toughness and fast recovery of Agar/PAMAAc-Fe3+ DN gel is mainly attributed to energy dissipation through reversible noncovalent bonds in both networks (i.e., hydrogen bonds in the agar network and Fe3+ coordination interactions in the PAMAAc network). The time-dependent recovery of Agar/PAMAAc-Fe3+ gels at room temperature and the absence of recovery in Agar/PAMAAc gels also confirm the important role of Fe3+ coordination interactions in mechanical strength, self-recovery, and fatigue resistance of DN gels. Different mechanistic models were proposed to elucidate the mechanical behaviors of different agar-based DN gels. Our results offer a new design strategy to improve strength, self-recovery, and fatigue resistance of DN gels by controlling the structures and interactions in the second network. We hope that this work will provide an alterative view for the design of tough hydrogels with desirable properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining both chemical and physical cross-links in a double-network hydrogel (DN gel) has emerged as a promising design strategy to obtain highly mechanically strong hydrogels. Unlike chemically cross-linked DN gels, little is known about the fracture process and toughening mechanisms of hybrid chemically physically linked DN gels. In this work, we engineered tough hybrid DN gels of agar/polyacrylamide (Agar/PAAm) by combining two types of cross-linked polymer networks: a physically linked, first agar network and a chemical-linked,second PAAm network. The resulting Agar/PAAm exhibited high stiffness of 313 kPa and high toughness of 1089 J/m2. We then specifically examined the effect of the first agar network on the mechanical properties of hybrid Agar/PAAm gels. We found that by controlling agar concentrations above a critical value, the physically linked agar network can simultaneously enhance both stiffness and toughness of Agar/PAAm DN gels, as evidenced by a linear relationship of elastic modulus and tearing energies of the gels as the increase of agar concentration. This toughening behavior is different from that of chemically linked DN gels. Complement to chemically linked DN gels, this work provides a different view for the design of new stiff and tough hydrogels using hybrid physical and chemical networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common age-related neurodegenerative diseases, which results from a number of environmental and inherited factors. PD is characterized by the slow progressive degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra. The nigrostriatal DA neurons are particularly vulnerable to inflammatory attack. Neuroinflammation is an important contributor to the pathogenesis of age-related neurodegenerative disorders, such as PD, and as such anti-inflammatory agents are becoming a novel therapeutic focus. This review will discuss the current knowledge regarding inflammation and review the roles of intracellular inflammatory signaling pathways, which are specific inflammatory mediators in PD. Finally, possible therapeutic strategies are proposed, which may downregulate inflammatory processes and inhibit the progression of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is strongly associated with gastric cancer. However, only a minority of infected individuals ever develop gastric cancer. This risk stratification may be in part due to differences among strains. The relationship between neutrophil-activating protein (NapA) and gastric cancer is unclear. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the significance of NapA as a biomarker in gastric cancer. We used enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine the status of H. pylori infection. Indirect ELISA method was used for detection of NapA antibody titer in the serum of H. pylori infected individuals. Unconditional logistic regressions were adopted to analyze the variables and determine the association of NapA and gastric cancer. The results of study indicated serumH. pylori NapA antibody level were associated with a reduced risk for development of gastric cancer. It may be used in conjugation with other indicators for gastric cancer detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]