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Schizotypy refers to a latent personality organization that reflects liability to schizophrenia. Because schizotypy is a multidimensional construct, people with schizotypy vary in behavioral and neurobiological features. In this article, we selectively review the neuropsychological and neurobiological profiles of people with schizotypy, with a focus on negative schizotypy. Empirical evidence is presented for alterations of neuropsychological performance in negative schizotypy. We also cover the Research Domain Criteria domains of positive valence, social process, and sensorimotor systems. Moreover, we systematically summarize the neurobiological correlates of negative schizotypy at the structural, resting-state, and task-based neural levels, as well as the neurochemical level. The convergence and inconsistency of the evidence are critically reviewed. Regarding theoretical and clinical implications, we argue that negative schizotypy represents a useful organizational framework for studying neuropsychology and neurobiology across different psychiatric disorders.

Abstract Objective Many studies have found that miR-26a-5p plays an essential role in the progression of pathological cardiac hypertrophy, however, there is still no evidence on whether miR-26a-5p is related to the activation of autophagy and NLRP3 inflammasome. And the mechanism of miR-26a-5p and NLRP3 inflammasome aggravating pathological cardiac hypertrophy remain unclear. Methods Cardiomyocytes were treated with 200µM PE to induce cardiac hypertrophy and intervened with 10mM NLRP3 inhibitor INF39. In addition, we also used the MiR-26a-5p mimic and inhibitor to transfect PE-induced cardiac hypertrophy. RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to detect the expressions of miR-26a-5p, NLRP3, ASC and Caspase-1 in each group, and we used α-SMA immunofluorescence to detect the change of cardiomyocyte area. The expression levels of autophagy proteins LC3, beclin-1 and p62 were detected by western blotting. Finally, we induced the SD rat cardiac hypertrophy model through aortic constriction (TAC) surgery. In the experimental group, rats were intervened with MiR-26a-5p mimic, MiR-26a-5p inhibitor, autophagy inhibitor 3-MA, and autophagy activator Rapamycin. Results In cell experiments, we observed that the expression of miR-26a-5p was associated with cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and increased surface area. Furthermore, miR-26a-5p facilitated autophagy and activated the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, which caused changes in the expression of genes and proteins including LC3, beclin-1, p62, ACS, NLRP3, and Caspase-1. We discovered similar outcomes in the TAC rat model, where miR-26a-5p expression corresponded with cardiomyocyte enlargement and fibrosis in the cardiac interstitial and perivascular regions. In conclusion, miR-26a-5p has the potential to regulate autophagy and activate the NLRP3 inflammasome, contributing to the development of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Conclusion Our study found a relationship between the expression of miR-26a-5p and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. The mechanism behind this relationship appears to involve the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, which is caused by miR-26a-5p promoting autophagy. Targeting the expression of miR-26a-5p, as well as inhibiting the activation of autophagy and the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, could offer additional treatments for pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of frunexian (formerly known as EP‐7041 and HSK36273) injection, a small molecule inhibitor of activated coagulation factor XI (FXIa), in healthy Chinese adult volunteers. This study was a randomized, placebo‐ and positive‐controlled, sequential, ascending‐dose (0.3/0.6/1.0/1.5/2.25 mg/kg/h) study of 5‐day continuous intravenous infusions of frunexian. Frunexian administration exhibited an acceptable safety profile with no bleeding events. Steady state was rapidly reached with a median time ranging from 1.02 to 1.50 h. The mean half‐life ranged from 1.15 to 1.43 h. Frunexian plasma concentration at a steady state and area under the concentration–time curve exhibited dose‐proportional increases. The dose‐escalation study of frunexian demonstrated its progressively enhanced capacities to prolong activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and inhibit FXIa activity. The correlations between PK and PD biomarkers (aPTT/baseline and FXI clotting activity/baseline) were described by the two Emax models, with the EC50 values of 8940 and 1300 ng/mL, respectively. Frunexian exhibits good safety and PK/PD properties, suggesting it is a promising candidate for anticoagulant drug.

Range adaptation refers to the representation of a stimulus value based on its relative position in the range of pre-experienced values. Altered range adaptation in value representation may be related to motivation and pleasure (MAP) deficit in schizophrenia (SCZ). This follow-up study examined the relationship between range adaptation performance and MAP symptoms in SCZ patients. We recruited 26 schizophrenia patients and followed them for 1 year. They completed an experimental task for estimating their range adaptation to outcome value (OV) and expected value (EV) at baseline and after 1 year. At baseline, we found a marginally significant and negative correlation between OV adaptation and avolition symptoms in SCZ patients. Moreover, the 1-year change of EV adaptation was significantly and negatively correlated with the change of self-report pleasure experience. Our results suggest that range adaptation may track the variations of MAP symptoms in SCZ.

Compound open channel flows appear in most natural rivers are of great importance in river management and flood control. In this study, large eddy simulations were carried out to simulate the compound open channel flows with four different depth ratios (hr = 0.10, 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75). The main flow velocity, secondary flow, Reynolds stress, and bed shear stress were obtained from numerical simulations. The depth-averaged streamwise momentum equation was used to quantify the lateral momentum exchange between the main channel and floodplain. The instantaneous coherent structures were presented by the Q criterion method. The impact of hr on flow structure and turbulence characteristics was analyzed. The results showed that with the increase of hr, the high velocity area in the main channel shifted to the floodplain, and the dip phenomenon became more obvious; the Reynolds stress largely contributed to the lateral momentum exchange within the flows near the side walls of floodplain; and the vortex structures were found to significantly increase in the floodplain region.

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the associations between eHealth literacy, preferences for financial decision-making, and financial toxicity (FT) in a sample of Chinese cancer patients. Methods Eligible cancer patients were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey from January to April 2021. Three measures (eHealth literacy scale, control preference scale, and COST) were used to analyze patients’ eHealth literacy, decisional preferences, and FT, respectively. Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Kruskal–Wallis H test assessed the differences between population subgroups. Binary logistic and multivariate linear regression models were used to assess the relationships between eHealth literacy, decisional preferences, and FT. Results A total of 590 cancer patients completed the questionnaire. We found that high FT was associated with poor ECOG performance, severe cancer stage, and longer cancer duration. Patients who preferred to adopt collaborative attitude toward decision-making showed a significantly higher eHealth literacy. However, there was an inverse relationship between eHealth literacy and a patient-driven attitude toward decision-making in female cancer patients. Regression analysis indicated that patients who were highly educated and actively employed might report a higher eHealth literacy. A significant relationship was found between high eHealth literacy and low FT. However, this relationship became insignificant when the background characteristics of cancer patients were taken into account. Conclusions A relationship between enhanced eHealth literacy, preference for collaborative decision-making, and low risk of FT is identified. Practical implication Interventions to improve patients’ ability to use quality and reliable web-based information on cancer care should be encouraged.

Abstract Background The existence of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) causes tumor relapses, metastasis and resistance to conventional therapy in breast cancer. NDR1 kinase, a component of the Hippo pathway, plays important roles in multiple biological processes. However, its role in cancer stem cells has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of NDR1 in modulating BCSCs. Methods The apoptosis was detected by Annexin V/Propidium Iodide staining and analyzed by flow cytometry. BCSCs were detected by CD24/44 or ALDEFLUOR staining and analyzed by flow cytometry. The proliferation ability of BCSCs was evaluated by sphere formation assay. The expression of interested proteins was detected by western blot analysis. The expression of HES-1 and c-MYC was detected by real-time PCR. Notch1 signaling activation was detected by luciferase reporter assay. Protein interaction was evaluated by immunoprecipitation. Protein degradation was evaluated by ubiquitination analysis. The clinical relevance of NDR1 was analyzed by Kaplan–Meier Plotter. Results NDR1 regulates apoptosis and drug resistance in breast cancer cells. The upregulation of NDR1 increases CD24low/CD44high or ALDEFLUORhigh population and sphere-forming ability in SUM149 and MCF-7 cells, while downregulation of NDR1 induces opposite effects. NDR1 increased the expression of the Notch1 intracellular domain (NICD) and activated the transcription of its downstream target (HES-1 and c-MYC). Critically, both suppression of Notch pathway activation by DAPT treatment or downregulation of Notch1 expression by shRNA reverses NDR1 enhanced BCSC properties. Mechanically, NDR1 interactes with both NICD or Fbw7 in a kinase activity-independent manner. NDR1 reduces the proteolytic turnover of NICD by competing with Fbw7 for NICD binding, thereby leading to Notch pathway activation. Furthermore, NDR1 might function as a hub to modulate IL-6, TNF-α or Wnt3a induced activation of Notch1 signaling pathway and enrichment of breast cancer stem cells. Moreover, we find that the elevation of NDR1 expression predictes poor survival (OS, RFS, DMFS and PPS) in breast cancer. Conclusion Our study revealed a novel function of NDR1 in regulating BCSC properties by activating the Notch pathway. These data might provide a potential strategy for eradicating BCSC to overcome tumor relapses, metastasis and drug resistance.

ObjectiveMalnutrition is a common complication of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), and it is the risk factor of CKD prognosis. This study aim to evaluate the nutritional status of inpatients with CKD by using the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), and to analyze the related factors of malnutrition; and to provide effective reference for early detection of malnutrition status in patients with CKD and timely nutrition intervention.MethodsA total of 426 patients (238 male patients, 188 female patients) aged 62.62 ± 14.61 and 61.14 ± 14.82, respectively admitted to the Nephrology Department of Wannan Medical College from February 2020 to December 2020 were selected and included in to this study by convenience sampling. 426 patients with CKD were evaluated by SGA. Human body weight, hemoglobin (Hb), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), pre-albumin (PA), qualitative analysis of urinary protein and other laboratory indexes were collected and measured. The correlation between malnutrition and age, education, gender, diet, CKD stage and other factors was analyzed by spearman correlation analysis.ResultsThe incidence of malnutrition was 85.7% among 426 patients with CKD. Gender, age, education level, CKD stage, diabetes mellitus, weight loss and reduced food intake were related to SGA nutritional assessment (P < 0.05). The expression levels of ALB, PA and Hb in the malnutrition group were significantly lower than those in the normal group (P < 0.05). The degree of malnutrition in CKD patients was significant negatively correlated with the expression levels of ALB (r = −0.188), PA (r = −0.262) and Hb (r = −0.176) (P < 0.05). The multivariate Logistic regression analysis model showed that female (OR = 2.155), ≥60 years old (OR = 7.671), weight loss (OR = 10.691), reduced food intake (OR = 28.953), moderate and severe serum ALB expression (OR = 3.391 and 8.326) were risk factors for malnutrition in patients with CKD (P < 0.05). Malnutrition was correlated with the results of qualitative examination of urinary protein (r = 0.268, P < 0.05).ConclusionGender, age, weight loss, reduced food intake, serum ALB expression were independently associated with malnutrition in patients with chronic kidney disease, Hence, the medical staff should take timely and effective nutrition intervention for the patients with malnutrition, delay the renal function damage of patients with CKD and improve the quality of life of patients. Inpatients with CKD, especially women, should increase their dietary intake, maintain normal weight and improve their nutritional status.

BackgroundUnilateral spatial neglect (USN) is a complex neurological syndrome that often reduces rehabilitation outcomes, prolongs patients' hospital stays, and decreases their quality of life. However, the current therapies for USN have varying efficacy. We will explore a new treatment option that combines prism adaptation (PA) with eye movement training (EMT) for the treatment of USN after stroke.MethodsWe will conduct a single-blind, prospective, randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of the combined intervention (PA & EMT) on USN in an inpatient rehabilitation setting. The study aims to recruit 88 patients with USN after an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Participants will be randomly assigned to the following four groups: (1) PA group (n = 22), (2) EMT group (n = 22), (3) PA and EMT group (n = 22), and (4) control group (n = 22). All groups will receive 10 sessions of interventions over 2 weeks, 5 times per week. Blinded assessors will conduct a baseline assessment, a post-intervention assessment, and a follow-up assessment (2 weeks post-intervention). The primary outcome measure will use the Behavioral Inattention Test-Conventional Subset (BIT-C) and Catherine Bergego Scale (CBS) to assess the levels of USN. Secondary outcome measures will assess the patient's ability to perform activities of daily living using the Modified Barthel Index (MBI). Patients who completed all treatment and assessment sessions will be included in the final analysis.DiscussionThis study will explore the effects of 10 sessions of combined interventions (PA & EMT) on USN and functional capacity. This study has the potential to identify a new, evidence-based treatment option and provide new ideas for the treatment of USN.Ethics and disseminationThe study protocol has been approved by the Nanchong Central Hospital. Written informed consent will be obtained from all the participants. The results of this study will be disseminated to the public through scientific conferences and a peer-reviewed journal.Trial registrationChiCTR, ChiCTR2100049482. Registered on 2 August 2021, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=130823.

Flow dynamics associated with open-channel confluences are highly three-dimensional (3D) with significant velocity gradients in the contraction zone downstream of junctions. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of discharge ratio and junction angle on the non-uniformity of the velocity distribution within the contraction zone. A one-dimensional (1D) theoretical model and a 3D numerical model were developed to establish the relationships of the maximum values of energy and momentum correction coefficients (αm and βm) with discharge ratio (q) and junction angle (θ). The expressions of αm and βm were determined in terms of q and cosθ with the 1D theoretical model, and the constants were determined through regression analysis with the computed results from the 3D numerical model. The expressions show that αm and βm increased with an increase in junction angle or a decrease in discharge ratio due to the improved three-dimensionality of the flow structure. The expressions of αm and βm determined from the present study are consistent with the existing findings with θ = 90°.

Abstract Background Esophageal cancer is currently the eighth most common tumor in the world and a leading cause of cancer death. SULT2B1 plays crucial roles in tumorigenesis. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of SULT2B1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods The expression of SULT2B1 and its clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated in ESCC cohorts. Bisulfite genomic sequencing and methylation specific PCR were used to detect the promoter hypermethylation of the SULT2B1 gene. The effects of SULT2B1 on the biological characters of ESCC cells were identified on functional assays. Subcutaneous xenograft models revealed the role of SULT2B1 in vivo with tumor growth. RNA‐Seq analysis and qRT‐PCR were performed to recognize the targeted effect of SULT2B1 on PER1. Results SULT2B1 was not expressed or at a low level in most patients with ESCC or in ESCC cell lines, and this was accompanied by poor clinical prognosis. Furthermore, the downregulation of SULT2B1 occurred in promoter hypermethylation. According to the functional results, overexpression of SULT2B1 could inhibit tumoral proliferation in vitro and retard tumor growth in vivo, whereas SULT2B1 knockdown could accelerate ESCC progression. Mechanistically, SULT2B1 targeted PER1 at the mRNA level during post‐transcriptional regulation. Finally, PER1 was verified as a suppressor and poor‐prognosis factor in ESCC. Conclusions SULT2B1 loss is a consequence owing to its ability to promote hypermethylation. In addition, it serves as a suppressor and poor‐prognosis factor because of the post‐transcriptional regulation of PER1 in ESCC.

ObjectiveTo explore the value of the optimal parameters of shear wave elastography (SWE) to enhance the identification of benign and malignant thyroid nodules by C-TIRADS.MethodsThe two-dimensional ultrasonography images and SWE images of 515 patients with a total of 586 thyroid nodules were retrospectively analyzed. The nodules were divided into the D ≤10 mm and D >10 mm groups according to size and were graded by C-TIRADS. With the pathological results as the gold standard, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to compare the diagnostic performances of C-TIRADS, SWE, and the combination of the two on the benign and malignant thyroid nodules.ResultsThe ROC showed that the AUC of the maximum elastic modulus (0.875) was higher than that of the mean elastic modulus (0.798) and elasticity ratio (0.772), with an optimal cutoff point of 51 kPa, which was the optimal parameter to distinguish the malignant from the benign nodules (P < 0.001). In the D ≤10 mm group, the AUC of TIRADS combined with SWE (0.955) was elevated by 0.172 compared with the application of C-TIRADS alone (0.783), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In the D >10 mm group, the AUC of TIRADS combined with SWE (0.904) was elevated by 0.076 compared with the application of C-TIRADS alone (0.828), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Among all nodules, the application of C-TIRADS alone had a sensitivity of 88.14%, a specificity of 74.56%, and an accuracy of 85.50% in diagnosing benign and malignant thyroid nodules, while the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 93.22%, 90.35%, and 92.66%, respectively, in combination with SWE.ConclusionThe diagnostic performance of SWE in combination with TIRADS was better than that of SWE or C-TIRADS alone. Here, SWE enhanced the diagnostic performance of C-TIRADS for the benign and malignant thyroid nodules, most significantly for nodules with D ≤10 mm.

Abstract Background and purpose Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a highly malignant sarcoma that occurs in the abdominopelvic cavities of adolescents. The accurate diagnosis of DSRCT is challenging owing to limited literatures. Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between clinicopathological features and prognosis in patients with DSRCTs. Methods Data of 8 patients with DSRCT originating from the abdominal cavity were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical manifestations, pathological characteristics, treatment approaches, and prognosis were analyzed. The histopathological (identified using hematoxylin-eosin staining), immunohistochemical, and molecular diagnostic (using fluorescence in situ hybridization) features were also reviewed. Results All patients were male aged between 24 and 45 years (median age, 30 years). The main clinical symptoms included abdominal distension, abdominal pain, and constipation. Seven of the 8 patients developed metastases to either distant organs or lymph nodes. Multiple gray nodules with diameters of 1–10 cm and poorly defined boundaries were scattered throughout the omentum and mesentery. Histopathological examination demonstrated well-defined nests composed of small round blue cells separated by markedly desmoplastic stroma. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed positive expressions of desmin, vimentin and C-terminal of Wilm’s tumor suppressor (WT-1). The Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1 gene fused with WT1 (EWSR1-WT1) gene fusion was detected in all patients. Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) was performed in 6 patients. Follow-up period ranged from 7.5 to 28.5 months with a median of 17.2 months. Three patients died during follow-up. Conclusion DSRCT is highly aggressive and presents distinctive morphological features. CRS is the essential therapy for DSRCT. A test for the combined expression of desmin, cytokeratins, and C-terminal of WT-1, as well as the analysis of morphologic features, might be helpful during DSRCT diagnosis, and the EWSR1-WT1 gene fusion is the gold standard for definitive diagnosis. Our work will provide new insights into the diagnosis and treatment of DSRCTs.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of empowerment education combined with mindfulness meditation training on negative emotions and quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).MethodsA total of 40 patients with IBD were selected and divided into experimental group and control group according to the random number table method, 20 cases in each group. The patients in the control group were treated with conventional nursing methods. The patients in the experimental group used empowerment education combined with mindfulness meditation training. Changes in mood and quality of life were compared between the two groups at admission and 3 months after discharge.ResultsThere was no significant difference in SAS score and quality of life score between the two groups. After authorization education combined with mindfulness meditation training, the SAS score of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.01). The score of quality of life in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01).ConclusionEmpowerment education combined with mindfulness meditation can effectively improve the negative emotions and quality of life of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, and benefit the patients in many aspects.

Interoception, the sense of the physiological condition of our body, is impaired in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Evidence suggests that subclinical autistic traits are mild manifestations of autistic symptoms, present in the general population. We examined the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) associating with interoception and autistic traits in 62 healthy young adults. Autistic traits correlated negatively with the rsFC between the lateral ventral anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex. Interoceptive accuracy and sensibility correlated positively with the rsFC between interoceptive brain networks and the cerebellum, supplementary motor area, and visual regions. The results suggest that a negative relationship between interoception and autistic traits is largely accounted for by both self-report measures and decreased rsFC amongst the interoceptive brain network.

An image may be disturbed by impulse noise during transmission or acquisition. To effectively restore the disturbed image is important for the applications of image processing. This study aims at enhancing the disturbed images by using the convolutional neural network (CNN) to identify similar patterns for the restoration of noisy pixels. In the training phase, each noisy pixel is analysed and compared with the noise‐free image to find the closest neighbouring pixels. The pixels in a local window form a micro‐pattern. All the captured micro‐patterns, whose centre pixel is noisy, become a dataset for the training of a position CNN. The closest neighbouring pixel of a noisy image to the centre one of the noise‐free image at the same position of each micro‐pattern is selected to be the target. In the enhancement phase, a noisy micro‐pattern, where the centre pixel is noisy, is input into the trained position CNN. The top N pixels are recognised and averaged to replace the grey level of the centre pixel. An enhanced pixel is obtained. The experimental results show that the position CNN can well recognise the similar neighbouring pixels and effectively enhance the noisy pixels in an image disturbed by salt‐and‐pepper noise.

We present a density functional theory study on the electronic structures and magnetism of IIIA-nitride (AlN, GaN and InN) monolayer doped with Ag atoms. The results show that the IIIA-nitride binary compounds doped with low concentrations of Ag atoms are spin-polarized with 2.0 µB. Among them, single layer AlN and GaN doped with Ag atoms both demonstrate two possible ground states: ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic. In contrast, Ag-doped InN monolayer only exhibits ferromagnetic ground state with half-metallicity. Moreover, different doping concentration of Ag atoms results into various half-metal band-gaps. With increasing the concentration of Ag atoms, the energy gap of corresponding system significantly decreases. Under some suitable concentrations and sites of doped-Ag atoms, robust room-temperature ferromagnetism even can be realized in these systems. The above work shows a rich variety of electronic and magnetic properties in IIIA-nitride monolayer induced by Ag doping, which provides a simple and effective method to design new electronic and spintronic devices based on layered nanomaterials.

Abstract A suspended monolayer graphene has only about 2.3% absorption rate in visible and infrared band, which limits its optoelectronic applications. To significantly increase graphene’s absorption efficiency, a tunable dual-band and polarization-insensitive coherent perfect absorber (CPA) is proposed in the mid-infrared regime, which contains the silicon array coupled in double-layers graphene waveguide. Based on the FDTD methods, dual-band perfect absorption peaks are achieved in 9611 nm and 9924 nm, respectively. Moreover, due to its center symmetric feature, the proposed absorber also demonstrates polarization-insensitive. Meanwhile, the coherent absorption peaks can be all-optically modulated by altering the relative phase between two reverse incident lights. Furthermore, by manipulating the Fermi energies of two graphene layers, two coherent absorption peaks can move over a wide spectrum range, and our designed CPA can also be changed from dual-band CPA to narrowband CPA. Thus, our results can find some potential applications in the field of developing nanophotonic devices with excellent performance working at the mid-infrared regime.

Aiming at the problems of complex factors affecting the rate of deception probability of networked of radar nets, the large amount of calculation by Monte Carlo simulation and the inability to quantitatively analyze the influence of various factors on the deception probability of networked, a calculation method of deception probability of networked is proposed. First, according to the homology measurement method based on the Mahalanobis distance, the probability density model of the deception probability of networked is calculated. Its probability density model obeys the non-central chi-square distribution. Then, a hypothesis test model is established to calculate the deception probability of networked mathematical expression. The simulation results show that the error between the calculation method of the deception probability of networked and the calculation result of 1000 times Monte Carlo is less than 2%. The method in this article can analyze the quantitative effect of false target position, interference distance interval, radar position, true target position, and other factors on the deception probability of networked, instead of Monte Carlo simulation, to provide a trade-off between the true target recognition rate and the deception probability of networked theoretical basis.

ObjectiveThe primary objective was to translate the Recovering Quality of Life (ReQoL) measures from English to traditional Chinese and assess their psychometric properties in Hong Kong (HK) Chinese population. The secondary objective was to investigate the mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of this sample during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.MethodRecovering Quality of Life was translated to Traditional Chinese adhering to standard guideline recommended by the official distributors. Five hundred members of the general population were successfully recruited to participate in a telephone-based survey. The following psychometric properties of the ReQoL were evaluated: construct, convergent, and known-group validity and internal consistency and test–retest reliability. The item measurement invariance was assessed on the basis of differential item functioning (DIF). Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between respondents’ characteristics and mental HRQoL.ResultsResults of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported a two-factor structure of the ReQoL. The ReQoL showed significant correlations with the other mental health, quality of life, and well-being measures, which indicated a satisfactory convergent validity. Known-group validity confirmed that ReQoL is able to differentiate between people with different mental health status. The (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.91 and 0.76 for positive [PF] and negative [NF] factor), and McDonald’s omega of 0.89 (PF = 0.94, NF = 0.82) indicated the ReQoL has good reliability as well as test–retest reliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.75. Four items showed negligible DIF with respect to age. Respondents who were highly educated and without psychological problems reported a high ReQoL score.ConclusionTraditional Chinese ReQoL was shown to be a valid and reliable instrument to assess the recovery-focused quality of life in HK general population. Future studies are needed to appraise its psychometric properties in local people experiencing mental disorders.

Cylindrical waveguides have a wide range of applications in photonic integrated circuits because of lower transmission losses. This paper proposes a directional coupler composed of a cylindrical silicon nanowire waveguide and a metal-based cylindrical hybrid plasmon waveguide. The coupling characteristics of the coupler are analyzed theoretically and are also simulated using the finite-difference time-domain method. The results show that the coupler can operate effectively with a relatively short coupling length, displaying low insertion loss, and a high coupling efficiency and extinction ratio. This study also shows how the TM mode in the plasmon waveguide can be excited with the TE mode of the dielectric waveguide. This directional coupler has a potential application in signal exchanging and mode switching between the dielectric and plasmon waveguides in photonic integrated circuits.

A new sanggenon-type flavanone, nigragenon F (1), together with 11 known compounds, trans-resveratrol (2), (E)-4-isopentenyl-3,5,2′,4′-tetrahydroxystilbene (3), notabilisin E (4), notabilisin A (5), morusin (6), petalopurpurenol (7), 8-geranyl-5,7-dihydroxycoumarin (8), 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (9), 4-ethoxy-2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid (10), 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (11), and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (12), were isolated from the stems of Morus nigra. Compound 10 was a new natural product, compounds 3, 4, 7, and 8 were reported from the Morus genus for the first time. All of the isolated compounds were evaluated for their α-glucosidase inhibition activity. Among them, six compounds showed obvious inhibitory effects against α-glucosidase with IC50 values ranging from 1.24 to 19.00 µmol/L.

To explore the effects of two different administration routes of Endostar on the survival of patients with medium and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and underwent trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Seventy-two patients with medium and advanced HCC were enrolled. Among them, 42 patients underwent the hepatic arterial infusion of Endostar combined with TACE (infusion therapy group); and the remaining 30 patients underwent the hepatic treatment of TACE combined with the intravenous application of Endostar (intravenous therapy group). All patients underwent regular examinations of CT (or MRI) and DSA to observe the conditions of tumor recurrence or metastasis, and to determine the existence of tumor angiogenesis. The response rate of treatment in the Endostar hepatic arterial infusion group was higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (31/42:14/30, X 2 = 5.501, p

Ebb-and-flow subirrigation systems are highly efficient, water-saving and environmentally friendly. However, one concern with these recirculating systems is the possible transmission of plant pathogens. Here, through 16S rRNA-targeted Illumina sequencing, the bacterial dynamics in a recirculating nutrient solution were characterized for cucumber plug seedlings cultivated in an ebb-and-flow system in summer and winter. Both the bacterial number and diversity in the nutrient solution increased immediately after the first irrigation cycle; then, these values were gradually stable with recirculating irrigation. In summer and winter, different bacterial compositions and changing patterns were observed. In summer, the predominant genera in the nutrient solution included Comamonas, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Reyranella, Sphingobium, Bradyrhizobium, Sphingomonas, and Acidovorax. Of those genera, during recirculating irrigation, the relative abundance of Bradyrhizobium gradually decreased, whereas those of Pseudomonas, Reyranella, Sphingobium, Sphingomonas, and Acidovorax gradually increased. In winter, the bacterial communities were mainly composed of Nevskia, Bosea, Sphingobium, Acidovorax, Pseudomonas, and Hydrocarboniphaga. Of those genera, the relative abundance of Bosea, Sphingobium, and Acidovorax showed an increasing trend, whereas those of Nevskia and Hydrocarboniphaga decreased overall. Furthermore, in both summer and winter, no plant pathogenic bacteria on cucumber could be detected; however, some potentially beneficial bacteria, including Comamonas testosteroni, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P. koreensis and Sphingobium yanoikuyae, colonized the nutrient solution and exhibited increased relative abundances during irrigation. The colonization of these bacteria might facilitate the plant growth promotion. Inoculation of the microbes from the effluent nutrient solution also promoted the growth of cucumber seedlings, but did not lead to any disease. The present data elucidate the bacterial dynamics in a cucumber cultivation ebb-and-flow system and provide useful information for biological control during cucumber seedling production.

Abstract A subwavelength terahertz plasmonic waveguide based on bulk Dirac semimetal (BDS)-insulator-metal (BIM) structure is investigated, which indicates that there is an optimized frequency range with the better confinement as well as lower loss. A broadband mode confinement up to λ 0/15 with a relatively low loss of 1.0 dB/λ 0 can be achieved. We also show that two silicon ribbons introduced into the BIM waveguide can form a dynamically tunable filter tailoring terahertz surface plasmon polaritons in deep-subwavelength scale, which can be further exploited for the design of ultra-compact THz plasmonic devices with dynamical tunability. Our results may also provide potential applications in optical filtering.

Images are generally corrupted by impulse noise during acquisition and transmission. Noise deteriorates the quality of images. To remove corruption noise, we propose a hybrid approach to restoring a random noise-corrupted image, including a block matching 3D (BM3D) method, an adaptive non-local mean (ANLM) scheme, and the K-singular value decomposition (K-SVD) algorithm. In the proposed method, we employ the morphological component analysis (MCA) to decompose an image into the texture, structure, and edge parts. Then, the BM3D method, ANLM scheme, and K-SVD algorithm are utilized to eliminate noise in the texture, structure, and edge parts of the image, respectively. Experimental results show that the proposed approach can effectively remove interference random noise in different parts; meanwhile, the deteriorated image is able to be reconstructed well.

Aim: Recently, increasing studies have been carried out to explore the association between vitamin D level and the development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). However, because of the shortcoming in study design and sample size, there is still no clear conclusion. We performed this meta-analysis to examine the exact impact of vitamin D deficiency on DPN in type 2 diabetic patients. Methods: Various databases were searched to identify the potential articles which explored the association between vitamin D level and diabetic peripheral neuropathy in type 2 diabetes. We pooled OR to assess the correlation between vitamin D deficiency and DPN using the random-effects model. The standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% CI of vitamin D was also calculated to evaluate the vitamin D level between DPN and non DPN in T2DM. Results: There was obvious heterogeneity in those included ten studies (I2 = 94.1%, Cochran Q test P

Plants harbor diverse bacterial communities, which play crucial roles in plant health and growth, in their rhizosphere, phyllosphere and endosphere. Tomato is an important model for studying plant-microbe interactions, but comparison of its associated bacterial community is still lacking. In this study, using Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons, we characterized and compared the bacterial size and community from rootzone soil as well as the rhizosphere, phyllosphere and endosphere of roots, stems, leaves, fruits and seeds of tomato plants that were grown in greenhouse conditions. Habitat (soil, phyllospheric, and endophytic) structured the community. The bacterial communities from the soil-type samples (rootzone soil and rhizosphere) showed the highest richness and diversity. The lowest bacterial diversity occurred in the phyllospheric samples, while the lowest richness occurred in the endosphere. Among the endophytic samples, both bacterial diversity and richness varied in different tissues, with the highest values in roots. The most abundant phyla in the tomato-associated community was Proteobacteria, with the exception of the seeds and jelly, where both Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were dominant. At the genus level, the sequences of Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter were prevalent in the rhizosphere, and in the phyllosphere, more than 97% of the sequences were assigned to Acinetobacter. For the endophytes, Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, and Pseudomonas were the abundant genera in the roots, stems and leaves. In the fruits, the bacterial endophytes varied in different compartments, with Enterobacter being enriched in the pericarp and seeds, Acinetobacter in the placenta, and Weissella in the jelly. The present data provide a comprehensive description of the tomato-associated bacterial community and will be useful for better understanding plant-microbe interactions and selecting suitable bacterial taxa for tomato production.

The law of pollutant emission and diffusion in stratified waters is a common issue. In this paper, numerical study on the interaction between vertical turbulent jets and the pycnocline is carried out to study the problems of jet’s emission through the large eddy simulation (LES). A trigonometric function disturbance (TFD) method is developed to ensure the velocity distribution of the jet in the horizontal plane yield to Gaussian profile. Numerical simulations are carried out in the range of 1.11 < Frp < 4.77, corresponding to 1393 < Rep < 5979, where the Froude number Frp and the Reynolds number Rep are defined at the entrance of pycnocline. The coherent structure and internal waves are observed at the pycnocline during the process of jets impinging. After the impingement, the destratification effects can be found. It can be found that Frp = 3 is a threshold value for the interaction between jets and the pycnocline. When Frp > 3, the interaction becomes intensely. Furthermore, the fitting formula of the radial momentum flux dissipation rate that is used to describe the decay of energy contained by the jets during the impinging process, is established through the dimensionless analysis. As a result, the influence range of the jet on the horizontal plane can be evaluated by Rep. It is also found that the destratification of jets is mainly affected by the velocity of the internal wave induced by jets. In addition, by employing the dimensionless time T related to that velocity, the law of destratification varies with dimensionless time is obtained, which can be summarized as follows: Due to the influence of the first internal wave, the thickness of the pycnocline increases rapidly and reaches a critical value at T = 1.4, after that, the increase of the thickness of the pycnocline becomes linear.

Metamaterial-based perfect absorbers have attracted considerable attention due to their potential for practical applications. The existing absorbers, however, are mostly polarization insensitive or only sensitive to one direction, which is inapplicable in some areas. Polarization tunable or high absorption in two orthogonal directions is very useful and necessary. Herein, we present a polarization tunable absorber formed by an asymmetric patch and a dielectric layer on top of a metallic board. With this structure, the frequency of the absorber can be tuned by merely changing the polarization of the incident. The tunable mechanism originates from the different length of the patch along the two orthogonal directions. The concept is rather general and applicable to various absorbers, as long as the asymmetric design is valid. The absorber can find practical applications in manipulation of the polarization of the light and detecting waves with specific polarization.

The doctor-patient relationship has been a major focus of society. Hospitals' efforts to improve the quality of their medical services have been to reduce the probability of doctor-patient conflicts. In this study, we aimed to determine the gap between expectations and perceptions of service quality according to patients to provide reference data for creating strategies to improve health care quality.Twenty-seven hospitals in 15 provinces (municipalities directly beneath the central government) were selected for our survey; we sent out 1,589 questionnaires, of which 1,520 were collected (response rate 95.65%) and 1,303 were valid (85.72% effective recovery rate). Paired t-tests were used to analyze whether there were significant differences between patients' expectations and perceived service quality. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether there were significant differences in the gap between expectation and perception of service quality according to patients' demographic characteristics.There was a significant difference between the expected and perceived service quality (p < 0.05) according to patients both before and after receiving medical services. Furthermore, the service quality gap of each service dimension was negative. Specifically, the gaps in service quality were as follows: economy, responsiveness, empathy, assurance, reliability, and tangibles. Overall, we can conclude that patients' perceptions of service quality are lower than their expectations.According to the study results, the quality of health care services as perceived by patients was lower than expected. Hospitals should make adjustments according to the actual situation and should strive to constantly improve the quality of medical services for patients.

Large eddy simulation was used to investigate the spatial development of open channel flow over a series of dunes. The three-dimensional filtered Navier-Stokes (N-S) equations were numerically solved with the fractional-step method in sigma coordinates. The subgrid-scale turbulent stress was modeled with a dynamic coherent eddy viscosity model proposed by the authors. The computed velocity profiles are in good agreement with the available experimental results. The mean velocity and the turbulent Reynolds stress affected by a series of dune-shaped structures were compared and analyzed. The variation of turbulence statistics along the flow direction affected by the wavy bottom roughness has been studied. The turbulent boundary layer in a complex geographic environment can be simulated well with the proposed large eddy simulation (LES) model.

With the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir, algal blooms have been found in some tributaries. In this study, according to the theoretical analysis of the eutrophication mechanism in a river-type reservoir tributary, a one-dimensional eutrophication model was developed for the Xiangxi River tributary of the Three Gorges Reservoir, and the influence of hydrodynamic conditions on the primary growth rate of algae was investigated. Furthermore, numerical predictions of hydraulic variables and eutrophication factors, such as the concentration distribution of TP, TN, and Chl-a in the spatial and temporal domains, were carried out. Comparison of computation results of TP, TN, and Chl-a concentrations along the river in the spring of 2005 with experimental data demonstrates the validity of the model. The agreement between the computation results and the experimental data of TP and TN concentrations is better than the agreement between those of Chl-a concentration. The simulated results also show that the Chl-a concentration downstream is much higher than that in the upstream tributary, which potentially indicates the outbreak of algae in this area. Therefore, this study provides a feasible method of accurately predicting the state of eutrophication in river-type reservoirs and their tributaries.

RT-qPCR is the accepted technique for the quantification of microRNA (miR) expression: however, stem-loop RT-PCR, the most frequently used method for quantification of miRs, is time- and reagent-consuming as well as inconvenient for scanning. We established a new method called 'universal stem-loop primer' (USLP) with 8 random nucleotides instead of a specific sequence at the 3' end of the traditional stem-loop primer (TSLP), for screening miR profile and to semi-quantify expression of miRs. Peripheral blood samples were cultured with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), and then 87 candidate miRs were scanned in cultured T cells. By USLP, our study revealed that the expression of miR-150-5p (miR-150) decreased nearly 10-fold, and miR-155-5p (miR-155) increased more than 7-fold after treated with PHA. The results of the dissociation curve and gel electrophoresis showed that the PCR production of the USLP and TSLP were specificity. The USLP method has high precision because of its low ICV (ICV

The accuracy of noise estimation is important for the performance of a speech denoising system. Most noise estimators suffer from either overestimation or underestimation on the noise level. An overestimate on noise magnitude will cause serious speech distortion for speech denoising. Conversely, a great quantity of residual noise will occur when the noise magnitude is underestimated. Accurately estimating noise magnitude is important for speech denoising. This study proposes employing variable segment length for noise tracking and variable thresholds for the determination of speech presence probability, resulting in the performance improvement for a minima-controlled-recursive-averaging (MCRA) algorithm in noise estimation. Initially, the fundamental frequency was estimated to determine whether a frame is a vowel. In the case of a vowel frame, the increment of segment lengths and the decrement of threshold for speech presence were performed which resulted in underestimating the level of noise magnitude. Accordingly, the speech distortion is reduced in denoised speech. On the contrary, the segment length decreases rapidly in noise-dominant regions. This enables the noise estimate to update quickly and the noise variation to track well, yielding interference noise being removed effectively through the process of speech denoising. Experimental results show that the proposed approach has been effective in improving the performance of the MCRA algorithm by preserving the weak vowels and consonants. The denoising performance is therefore improved.

In the title complex, [Zn(C7H6NO2)2(C10H8N2)], the ZnII cation is coordinated by two aminobenzoate anions and one 2,2′-bipyridine ligand in a distorted trigonal–bipyramidal geometry. The carboxylate group of one aminobenzoate anion coordinates to the ZnII cation in a monodentate manner, whereas the carboxylate group of the other aminobenzoate anion chelates the Zn cation with different Zn—O bond lengths. Intermolecular N—H...N and N—H...O hydrogen bonding is present in the crystal structure.