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Pre-diagnostic higher vitamin C and β-carotene intake was associated with improved ovarian cancer survival.

The association between the ratio of fiber to carbohydrate (F : C-R) and cancer mortality is not currently well-known.

The relationships between pre-diagnosis meat intake and ovarian cancer survival were limited and controversial. To date, no study has taken account of cooking methods. Thus, we aimed to firstly clarify these associations based on the Ovarian Cancer Follow-Up Study.

The purpose of this single-center, randomized, open, two-period, two-sequence crossover, single-dose administration, bioequivalence research was to evaluate the bioequivalence and safety of the generic formulations of metformin hydrochloride sustained-release (MH-SR) 500 mg tablets (test preparation [T]: YuantangSubjects received 500 mg T/R in each period, with a 7-day washout period. Venous blood samples of 4 mL each were collected from each subject 19 times spanning predose (0 h) to 36 h postdose. The metformin concentration in deproteinized plasma was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Bioequivalence (80.00-125.00%) was assessed by adjusted geometric mean ratios (GMRs) and two-sided 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of the area under the curve (AUC) and maximum concentration (CThirty-four volunteers completed the clinical study. The 90% CIs (96.12-105.44% for AUC from time zero to the time of the last measurable concentration [AUCYuantang

SCTA01 is a novel monoclonal antibody with promising prophylactic and therapeutic potential for COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK) and immunogenicity of SCTA01 in healthy adults. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose escalation phase I clinical trial. Healthy adults were randomly assigned to cohort 1 (n = 5; 3:2), cohort 2 (n = 8; 6:2), cohort 3, or cohort 4 (both n = 10; 8:2) to receive SCTA01 (5, 15, 30, and 50 mg/kg, respectively) versus placebo. All participants were followed up for clinical, laboratory, PK, and immunogenicity assessments for 84 days. The primary outcomes were the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) and maximal tolerable dose (MTD), and the secondary outcomes included PK parameters, immunogenicity, and adverse events (AE). Of the 33 participants, 18 experienced treatment-related AEs; the frequency was 52.0% (13/25) in participants receiving SCTA01 and 62.5% (5/8) in those receiving placebo. All AEs were mild. There was no serious AE or death. No DLT was reported, and the MTD of SCTA01 was not reached. SCTA01 with a dose range of 5 to 50 mg/kg had nearly linear dose-proportional increases in Cmax and AUC parameters. An antidrug antibody response was detected in four (16.0%) participants receiving SCTA01, with low titers, between the baseline and day 28, but all became negative later. In conclusion, SCTA01 up to 50 mg/kg was safe and well-tolerated in healthy participants. Its PK parameters were nearly linear dose-proportional. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT04483375.)

Loss of cardiomyocytes is a vital manifestation and predisposing factor of many cardiovascular diseases and will eventually lead to heart failure (HF). On the other hand, adult mammalian cardiomyocytes have a very limited regenerative capacity and cannot achieve self-repair of the myocardium after injury. Therefore, it is necessary to promote regeneration and repair of the myocardium through effective intervention means. Exercise plays an important role in the prevention and rehabilitation of cardiovascular diseases. Exercise can improve ischemia-reperfusion injury, reduce the size of the infarcted area, and improve the quality of life of patients. In addition, exercise has also been shown to be able to elevate the proliferative potential of adult cardiomyocytes and promote myocardial regeneration. Studies have shown that newly formed cardiomyocytes in adult mammalian hearts are mainly derived from pre-existing cardiomyocytes. By regulating various cytokines, transcription factors, and microRNAs (miRNAs), exercise can promote the dedifferentiation and proliferation of pre-existing cardiomyocytes to form new cardiomyocytes. Therefore, this paper focuses on the recent research progress of exercise-induced adult cardiomyocyte proliferation and explores its potential molecular mechanism.

Background: Dysmenorrhea is a condition frequently affecting menstruating women worldwide. Unfortunately, only a few studies have estimated the relationship between alcohol consumption and dysmenorrhea among women. In particular, there are fewer studies to explore the association between alcohol consumption, dysmenorrhea, and age at menarche. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether and to what extent alcohol consumption is related to dysmenorrhea and age at menarche. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational study conducted among college students. A total of 3,837 participants (age ≥18 years) volunteered to participate in the study and completed the questionnaire. Moreover, 145 were excluded from the study owing to exclusion criteria. We divided female college students into two groups stratified by age at menarche (AAM) 13 years. Logistic regression models were performed to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of alcohol consumption with dysmenorrhea, adjusting for confounding factors. Results: A total of 3692 female college students completed the survey, including 409 (11.08%) who reported alcohol use. We found that alcohol consumption was not related to dysmenorrhea. However, stratified by age at menarche, we found that a positive association between alcohol consumption and dysmenorrhea among participants with AAM ≥13 years (OR,1.41; 95% CI, 1.06, 1.88). Compared with participants who reported no alcohol consumption, participants who reported consuming alcohol at least once a month (OR,1.29; 95% CI, 0.94, 1.78) and alcohol consumption at least once a week (OR,1.92; 95% CI, 1.07, 3.45) were more likely to have dysmenorrhea adjusting for other confounding factors. Conclusion: Our findings showed overall no association of alcohol consumption with dysmenorrhea but a statistically significant positive association for those whose AAM was >13 years.

Background Evidence supporting the definitive effect of alcohol consumption on dysmenorrhea has been sparse. The current study was aim to evaluate the relationship between alcohol consumption and dysmenorrhea among age-stratified female college students in northern China.Methods A total of 3692 female college students were included in this cross-sectional study. The logical regression model was performed to evaluate the association between alcohol consumption and primary dysmenorrhea. The model adjusted for confounding factors such as age and body mass index, and estimated the odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CIs).Results Multivariable-adjusted models showed the analysis stratified by age at menarche (AAM) revealed that the prevalence of dysmenorrhea in participants with AAM P = 0.003). Alcohol consumption showed a dose-response relationship with dysmenorrhea in participants with AAM ≥13 years old.Conclusion Our findings showed AAM modified the association of alcohol consumption with primary dysmenorrhea among female university students in North China.

Four spiro[fluorene-9,9′-xanthene] (SFX)-based hole transporting materials (HTMs) functionalized with four-armed arylamine moieties located at different positions are designed and synthesized. These compounds exhibit highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels of −4.9 to −5.1 eV and a hole mobility of 2.2 to 15 × 10−5 cm2 V−1 s−1 after doping. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) based on a methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) active layer using one of these HTMs (mp-SFX-2PA) exhibit power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of up to 16.8%, which is higher than that of the control devices based on benchmark spiro-OMeTAD under the same conditions (15.5%). PSCs based on mp-SFX-2PA exhibit better stability (retain 90% of their initial PCEs after 2000 h storage in an ambient atmosphere) than the control devices based on spiro-OMeTAD (retain only 28% of their initial PCEs). mp-SFX-2PA based devices employing a mixed formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3)/methylammonium lead bromine (MAPbBr3) perovskite layer exhibit an improved PCE of 17.7%. The effects of arylamines and their location positions on device performance are discussed.

Spiro[fluorene-9,9′-xanthene] (SFX) bipolar hosts bearing one, two and three quinolyl substituents, namely SFX-bPy, SFX-DbPy and SFX-TbPy, were designed and synthesized for phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes (PhOLEDs). The successive substitution of quinoline at 2′, 2 and 7′ positions of SFX results in reduced LUMO energy levels while leaving the HOMO energy levels nearly intact. The impact of quinoline substitution in these SFX-based hosts on PhOLED performance was investigated in detail through green and red model devices. For the green emitting devices, the device based on SFX-bPy host showed better performance (23.6 cd A−1, 23.4 lm W−1, 6.3%) due to high triplet energy level (T1) and balanced carriers-transporting ability. In contrast, for the red PhOLED devices, the device hosted by SFX-DbPy displayed higher performance (15.8 cd A−1, 16.0 lm W−1, 9.1%), attributable to the well matched T1 and separated frontier molecular orbitals. This work thus sheds light on the rational design of SFX-based bipolar hosts for more efficient PhOLEDs.

Lappaconitine is a representative C18-diterpenoid alkaloid extracted from Aconitum sinomontanum Nakai and has been prescribed as a pain relief medicine in China for more than 30 years. This study evaluated its antihypersensitivity activity in the rat models of neuropathic and cancer pains and explored its underlying mechanisms. Subcutaneous injection of cumulative doses of lappaconitine produced dose-dependent mechanical antiallodynia and thermal antihyperalgesia in spinal nerve ligation-induced neuropathic rats. The cumulative dose–response analysis exhibited their Emax values of 53.3 and 58.3% MPE, and ED50 values of 1.1 and 1.6 mg/kg. Single intrathecal lappaconitine dose in neuropathy also dose- and time-dependently blocked mechanical allodynia, with an Emax of 66.1% MPE and an ED50 of 0.8 μg. Its multiple twice-daily intrathecal administration over 7 days did not induce mechanical antiallodynic tolerance. Subcutaneous cumulative doses of lappaconitine also produced dose-dependent blockade of mechanical allodynia in the rat bone cancer pain model induced by tibia implantation of cancer cells, with the Emax of 57.9% MPE and ED50 of 2.0 mg/kg. Furthermore, lappaconitine treatment stimulated spinal dynorphin A expression in neuropathic rats, and in primary cultures of microglia but not neurons or astrocytes. Intrathecal pretreatment with the specific microglia depletor liposome-encapsulated clodronate, dynorphin A antibody, and κ-opioid receptor antagonist GNTI totally suppressed intrathecal and subcutaneous lappaconitine-induced mechanical antiallodynia. This study suggests that lappaconitine exhibits antinociception through directly stimulating spinal microglial dynorphin A expression.

Cynanchi Wilfordii Radix (baishouwu), a medicinal herb, has been widely used in Asia to treat a variety of diseases or illnesses. Cynandione A isolated from C. Wilfordii is the principle acetophenone and exhibits neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities. This study aims to evaluate the antihypersensitivity activities of cynandione A in neuropathy and explored its mechanisms of action. Intrathecal injection of cynandione A dose-dependently attenuated spinal nerve ligation-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, with maximal possible effects of 57% and 59%, ED50s of 14.9μg and 6.5μg, respectively. Intrathecal injection of cynandione A significantly increased β-endorphin levels in spinal cords of neuropathic rats and its treatment concentration-dependently induced β-endorphin expression in cultured primary microglia (but not in neurons or astrocytes), with EC50s of 38.8 and 20.0μM, respectively. Cynandione A also non-selectively upregulated phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including p38, extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK1/2), and extracellular signal regulated kinase (JNK) in primary microglial culture; however, cynandione A-stimulated β-endorphin expression was completely inhibited by the specific p38 activation inhibitor SB203580, but not by the ERK1/2 or JNK activation inhibitors. Knockdown of spinal p38β but not p38α using siRNA also completely blocked cynandione A-induced β-endorphin expression in cultured microglial cells. Furthermore, cynandione A-induced antiallodynia in neuropathy was totally inhibited by the microglial inhibitor minocycline, SB203580, anti-β-endorphin antibody, and μ-opioid receptor antagonist CTAP (but not the κ- or δ-opioid receptor antagonist). These results suggest that cynandione A attenuates neuropathic pain through upregulation of spinal microglial expression β-endorphin via p38β MAPK activation.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a kind of weak signal. It was disturbed by surrounding factors, even by patient him/herself. It was happened mostly in portable device. Filtering is an usual step in ECG signal processing. Therefore, the quality evaluation of ECG signal became necessary. In the paper, some indexes were proposed to evaluate the quality of filtered ECG signal. The definition and recommended values or limits of the indexes were discussed. The indexes covered from the aspects of signal procession and clinical diagnosis meanings. They were Signal-to Noise Ratio (SNR), Autocorrelation coefficient (AC), Transformation Ratio (StTR) and Voltage Amplitude Change (StTV) of ECG ST Segment. Median, Wavelet, and Morphology filters were selected in the experiments. From the experiment results, Wavelet performs best in controlling attenuation, but it distorted ST segment the most, both in shape and in its voltage amplitude. The shape change ratio may reach 25%, compare to 17% of median and 14% of morphology, and those filters were acceptable clinical evaluation. It was proved that the indexes can become the potential standard in quality evaluation in ECG signal filtering process.

Background Aconiti brachypodi Radix (Xue-shang-yi-zhi-hao) has been prescribed to manage chronic pain, arthritis, and traumatic injuries. Bullatine A, a C20-diterpenoid alkaloid, is one of its principle effective compounds. This study aimed to investigate the anti-hypersensitivity of bullatine A in a variety of rat pain models and explore its mechanisms of action. Methods Rat neuropathic pain, inflammatory pain, diabetic neuropathic pain, and bone cancer pain models were used. Dynorphin A and pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured in the spinal cord and cultured primary microglia. Double immunofluorescence staining of dynorphin A and glial and neuronal cellular markers was also measured in the spinal cord. Results Subcutaneous and intrathecal injection of bullatine A dose-dependently attenuated spinal nerve ligation-, complete Freud’s adjuvant-, diabetes-, and bone cancer-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, with the efficacies of 45–70 % inhibition, and half-effective doses of 0.9–1.9 mg/kg for subcutaneous injection. However, bullatine A was not effective in blocking acute nociceptive response in the normal condition. Bullatine A specifically stimulated dynorphin A expression in microglia in the spinal cord in vivo and cultured primary microglia in vitro; the stimulatory effects were completely inhibited by the microglial inhibitor minocycline. In contrast, bullatine A did not have an inhibitory effect on peripheral nerve injury- or lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. The spinal anti-allodynic effects of bullatine A were entirely blocked by intrathecal injection of minocycline, the specific dynorphin A antiserum, and the selective k-opioid receptor antagonist. Conclusions We, for the first time, demonstrate that bullatine A specifically attenuates pain hypersensitivity, regardless of the pain models employed. The results also suggest that stimulation of spinal microglial dynorphin A expression mediates bullatine A anti-nociception in pain hypersensitivity conditions.

This paper shows how the circular motion of a rotor with permanent magnets generates an induced EMF in a stator winding. The generated voltage is calculated with moving mesh in COMSOL Multiphysics as a function of time during the rotation. The model also shows the influence on the voltage from material parameters, rotation velocity, and number of turns in the winding.

This paper shows how the circular motion of Linear Electric Motor of the Moving Coil Type. The force on the coils can be calculated with COMSOL Multiphysics either using the method of virtual displacement or using the Lorentz force expression.

Magnetic fluid drag reduction which is based on the character of magnetic fluid by adhered magnetic fluid inside to the boundary surface of duct for fluctuating in synchronism with current flowing in order to make stiffness boundary surface replaced flexible boundary surface is introduced. The deformation process and flowing state of magnetic fluid coating is discussed and analysed. It is found that due to reflux in it, magnetic fluid could reduce drag only at the moment that the reflux volume of magnetic fluid is equal to the flowing volume of magnetic fluid while the thickness of magnetic fluid coated layer is appropriate.

This paper demonstrates techniques for modeling fluid-structure interactions with moving mesh in COMSOL Multiphysics. It illustrates how fluid flow can deform surrounding structures and how to solve for the flow in a continuously deforming geometry using the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) technique. The ALE method handles the dynamics of the deforming geometry and the moving boundaries with a moving grid.

This paper shows how to model two immiscible fluids, tracking the fluid-fluid interface with the level set method. An oil bubble rises through water and merges with oil already residing at the top of the container. The Level Set application mode finds the fluid interface by tracing the isolines of the level set function.

The effects of pulsed magnetic field on the solidified structure of pure Mg were investigated. Fine uniform equiaxed grains are acquired in the whole ingot from the PMF treatment, in contrast with the coarse columnar grains observed in conventional casting, and the average grain size is refined to 260 m with a 5Hz PMF treatment. The mould size also affects the grain refinement and the most suitable inner diameter of the cylindrical mould is set at 50mm. Pulsed magnetic field increases melt convection during solidification, and the violent agitation causes warmer liquid to fracture the tip of columnar dendrites or to break off dendrite branches and promote the formation of an equiaxed structure, with the broken pieces transported into the bulk liquid acting as nuclei.

Kerosene based magnetic fluid which use kerosene as carrier liquid is characterized by better liquidity and higher magnetization which is qualified enough to use in magnetic fluid based inclination sensor. This paper provides several preparative parameters to control the physical property of kerosene based magnetic fluid during manufacture processing which use ferrous chloride and ferric chloride as forerunner reaction mass. The results show that the proper consistency of ferrous chloride and ferric chloride is 0.6mol/L. Secondly, the saturation magnetization of magnetic nano-particles is highest when the molar ratio between trivalent iron ion and bivalent iron ion is equal to 1.75. Thirdly, the proper reacted temperature is between 60~80°C and pH value should be controlled in a weak alkaline situation while six hours should be necessary for surfactant encapsulated enough around the magnetic nano-particles surface. At last, the saturation magnetization of kerosene based magnetic fluid increases with the increment of density and viscosity of magnetic fluid.

The paper presents an inclination transducer with magnetic fluid, being dedicated to measure little inclination angles in comparison with a horizontal or a vertical plane. The functioning principle is submitted. The results of theory analysis show that output voltage of sensor and inclination angles are linear dependence. The factors affecting the sensor sensitivity are inspected, which include the exciting signal frequency, the peak voltage and the susceptibility of magnetic fluid.

Based on the finite element software COMSOL, the magnetic-circuit field of the complex coupling between the magnetic and hydrodynamic forces is analyzed. The results of computer simulation show that the flow field is disturbed near the magnet and at the left end there is a laminar flow profile, where there is a maximum throughput in the pipeline; the magnetic fluid is not rest but rather agitated in local eddies where the net throughput is zero.

A pulsed magnetic field (PMF) was introduced into the solidification of pure magnesium and the effect of structure refinement is investigated. The results show that remarkable microstructural refinement is achieved when the pulsed magnetic field is applied. The morphology is characterized as the columnar grains at the periphery and equiaxed grains at the core. The average grain size in the center of ingot is refined to 260m at the optimal processing parameter (5Hz, 200V). The pulsed magnetic field increases melt convection during solidification, as a result, the stress fractures the dendrites inwards from the mould wall, and the fractured dendrites act as nuclei, so the big columnar grains are prohibited.

Based on the finite element software ANSYS, the magnetic-circuit field of sensor is analyzed. The results of numerical simulation show that output voltage of sensor and inclination angles are linear dependence. The factors affecting the sensor sensitivity are inspected, which include the exciting signal frequency, the peak voltage and the susceptibility of magnetic fluid.

Supraventricular arrhythmias (SVA) may be risk factors of prognosis in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. SVA are increasingly reported in patients with pulmonary hypertension, but little is known about their incidence and outcomes for patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) in a large cohort. In this 6-year prospective multicenter study, 280 patients with IPAH were enrolled to investigate the incidence of SVA and assess risk factors, clinical manifestation, management, and impact on survival. The cumulative 6-year incidence of SVA was 15.8%. The most common types of SVA were atrial fibrillation (n = 16) and atrial flutter (n = 13), followed by atrial tachycardia (n = 11). Most episodes of SVA were associated with significant clinical deterioration and right-sided cardiac failure. Sinus rhythm was successfully restored in most patients, resulting in clinical recovery. Increased right ventricular diameter, left atrial area, and higher right atrial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance were associated with increased risk for experiencing SVA. SVA predicted a greater risk for mortality in a stepwise forward Cox analysis (hazard ratio 4.757, 95% confidence interval 2.695 to 8.397, p 0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that patients with SVA, mainly permanent SVA, had a lower survival rate than those who did not develop SVA (p = 0.008). In conclusion, SVA often lead to clinical deterioration and may be associated with an increased risk for death in a large cohort of patients with IPAH. Restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm are important treatment goals in patients with IPAH.

15-F2t-isoprostane (15-F2t-IsoP), a prostaglandin F2-like compound, is widely recognized as a biomarker of chronic heart failure. This study investigated the potential role and prognostic significance of plasma 15-F2t-IsoP in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH).Plasma 15-F2t-IsoP concentrations were determined in 80 consecutive IPAH patients at the time of their first right heart catheterization, and monitored for 30±12 months. The expression of 15-F2t-IsoP protein in autopsy lung samples was determined by immunohistochemical staining.Plasma 15-F2t-IsoP concentrations were significantly increased in patients with IPAH compared with healthy controls (91 pg/ml vs. 30 pg/ml, respectively; P0.001). Patients with baseline 15-F2t-IsoP concentrations≥97 pg/ml had a significantly lower survival rate than those with lower baseline concentrations (P0.001). During follow-up, 15-F2t-IsoP concentrations in survivors decreased, whereas concentrations in non-surviving patients increased further (P0.05). Elevated concentrations of 15-F2t-IsoP were correlated with a severity of WHO functional class, lower 6-minute walking distance and mixed venous oxygen saturation, higher mean right atrial pressure and brain natriuretic peptide. Multivariate analysis revealed that the plasma 15-F2t-IsoP concentration was an independent factor associated with mortality. Histological studies showed that the expression of 15-F2t-IsoP was up-regulated in remodeled pulmonary vessels.An elevated plasma 15-F2t-IsoP concentration and a further increase during follow-up may be a risk factor for higher mortality in patients with IPAH.

To investigate the significance of dynamic monitoring of procalcitonin (PCT) in guiding the use of antibiotics for treating patients with sepsis in intensive care unit (ICU).Eighty-two patients with sepsis from January 2012 to June 2013 hospitalized in ICU of First Hospital of Jilin University were enrolled, and they were randomly divided into regular antibiotic therapy group (RAT group, n=40) and PCT monitoring in guiding the use of antibiotics group (PCT group, n=42). Patients in RAT group were treated according to principle of antibiotics usage, while in PCT group patients' PCT value was observed everyday. When no active symptoms of infection were shown, and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHEII) scores declined, PCT value decreased over 90% or PCT value lower than 0.25 μg/L time point were selected as drug withdrawal indication. The general status of the patient, antimicrobial drug use time, and prognosis were compared between the two groups, and Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival curve analysis. Variance analysis was used for repeating measurement to observe dynamic serum PCT level of the two groups of patients for survival and death during 7 days.Mann-Whitney U test or χ(2) test showed that there were no statistical significance in age, gender, APACHEII score, blood culture positive rate, sputum culture positive rate, cardiac insufficiency, renal failure, respiratory failure, and ventilator and hemofiltration usage (all P0.05). Log Rank test results showed that the time of antimicrobial drug usage was significantly reduced in PCT group than that in RAT group [days: 8.1±0.3, 95% confidence interval (95%CI 8.3-9.7) vs. 9.3±0.3 (95%CI 8.7-10.1), P=0.013]. Kaplan-Meier univariate survival curves showed that the speed of curve declination in PCT group was faster significantly than that in RAT group, suggesting that the time of using antimicrobial drug was shortened. There was no significant difference in length of hospital stay, ICU stay time, number of death in 28 days, number of cases of recurrence in 28 days and clinical cure rate between two groups (all P0.05). PCT level in non-survivors in both groups was significantly higher than that in the survivors, exceeding more than 10 μg/L in the early and late stages of treatment.Dynamic monitoring of PCT can effectively reduce antimicrobial drug use in ICU patients with sepsis, but there is no significant difference in patients' prognosis.