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In order to monitor the temperature of agricultural planting in real time and avoid losses in the yield and quality of crops due to excessive temperature fluctuation, a multinode temperature monitoring method for digital agricultural planting based on a wireless sensor network (WSN) was proposed herein. First, the WSN structure for the digital agricultural temperature monitoring system was designed, and then the overall structure of the digital agricultural planting multinode temperature monitoring system was designed by combining it with the upper computer to collect agricultural planting temperature data. Next, the characteristics of the agricultural planting temperature data were extracted, and the data were transmitted to the upper computer by establishing a temperature transmission route. Then, the efficiency of the temperature anomaly monitoring was optimized based on multiple input multiple output (MIMO) mode. Finally, the real-time collected temperature value was input into a Bayesian classifier to monitor the temperature anomaly, determine the type of temperature anomaly, and send a warning to the administrator, who, based on the type of warning, takes the appropriate measures to adjust the multinode temperatures at the agricultural planting points. The experiments showed that this method had strong data transmission ability, and the survival time of the data transmission nodes was longer, and the energy consumption of the data transmission was less, and the accuracy of the abnormal temperature monitoring was above 96%. The results showed that this method can accurately monitor abnormal temperatures and provide a warning in real time, accurately control the temperatures of the agricultural planting points, and promote the digital development of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have revealed that Acer truncatum seed oil has a high nutritional value. However, the constituents of seed oil may vary depending on the extraction and separation techniques employed. Here, we aimed to explore the effect of three extraction methods on A. truncatum seed oil. After comparing the extraction rate, acid value (AV), moisture content (MC), fatty acid composition, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy characteristic, and antioxidation activities of three A. truncatum seed oil samples extracted by refluxed with petroleum ether (S1), petroleum ether extraction combining ultrasonic power (S2) and solvent lixiviation at room temperature (S3). The results showed that S3 had a higher extraction rate than the others, but lower unsaturated fatty acid content and DPPH scavenging rate. The DPPH scavenging rate and nervonic acid (NA) concentration of S2 sample were higher than the others, but with larger MC and lower extraction rate. As for S1, the unsaturated fatty acid content was higher than the others; but the extraction rate was lower, and the acid value was higher. Therefore, the results demonstrated that extraction methods should be selected according to the actual application target, as different methods presented different advantages and disadvantages. However, further studies on some other properties (such as antioxidant activity) of the extracted A. truncatum seed oil are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solar cell array is the primary source of power for low-orbit spacecraft systems. It is particularly important and challenging to develop a solar cell array model considering multiple factors for assessing the electrical performance of the array. A multiple factor analytical performance assessment model of solar cell array electrical behavior is established for low-orbit spacecraft. The model considers performance degradation of the solar cell array caused by the low-orbit environment, including illumination conditions and temperature. The established model can automatically generate electricity depending on whether it enters or exits a shadow. As the representative of electrical behavior, I-V curves of the solar cell array under different conditions are obtained, and the output capability of the solar cell array under various conditions is simulated using this model. Through comparison of laboratory data and on-orbit data (R2 is 0.976 and 0.958, and RMSE is 0.003 and 0.609, respectively), it indicates that the established model has correctly taken the influence of the low-orbit environment into account. It can be concluded that the established model is effective for characterizing the electrical behavior of the solar cell array and can be applied to system-level simulations and on-orbit performance assessment of low-orbit spacecraft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hail is one of meteorological disasters affecting crop growth in illanqab City. It happens frequently from May to September, and this period is also the main growing season of crops. In this period, hail will cause damage to crops, make farmland soil harden, and bring varying degrees of hann to agricultural production. Artificial hail suppression is an important scientific and technological means for disaster prevention and mitigation. It is necessary to strengthen the monitoring, analysis and forecast of severe convection weather, intensify the release of early warning information of hail weather, provide accurate and reliable real-time information for the implementation of artificial hail suppression operations, strengthen the implementation of artificial weather modification, effectively carry out artificial hail suppression operations, and avoid and reduce the impact of hail disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to clarify the micro-mechanics of clay during compression, the behavior of clay subjected to one-dimensional compression is investigated at the particle scale using discrete element method (DEM). The flaky clay particles in the simulation are approximated by clumps made of spheres. A new contact model is implemented to account for the double-layer repulsive force, the van der Waals attractive force and the mechanical contact force. The effect of sphere arrangement in the particle clump is discussed. The DEM model is validated against experimental observations in terms of macroscopic compressibility, particle dip angle as well as the over consolidated behavior. The e-logσv curve shows a concave-to-linear shape. The evolution of dip angle of clay particles indicates that particles tend to have an anisotropy with a preferential orientation towards horizontal direction. The increase of preconsolidation pressure decreases the initial compressibility due to the increase the number of mechanical contacts. The evolution of average coordination and sphere-sphere contact shows that the majority of mechanical contacts are generated before the compressive stress reaches 100 kPa. Evolution of soil fabric is presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SnO 2 -based nanocomposites are reliable sensors to detect hydrogen leakage and satisfy safety protocols. Although the hydrogen detection response (HDR) of these sensors has been deeply studied in the laboratory, there are no models to estimate this parameter. Consequently, this study uses three machine learning classes (i.e., gene expression programming, support vector regression, and artificial neural network) to calculate the HDR of pure and Ag-, Co-, Pd-, Pt-, and Ru-decorated SnO 2 nanostructures. These models only need nanocomposite chemistry and operating conditions to estimate the HDR of SnO 2 -based sensors. Comparing these models' performance by the ranking analysis and spider-graph indicates the multilayer perceptron neural network is superior to the other models. This model shows the highest accuracy (regression coefficient = 0.9882, average absolute deviation = 2.74, and root mean squared errors = 8.05) for estimating the HDR of SnO 2 -based sensors. This model also anticipates that Pd and Ru are the best and worst dopants to decorate the SnO 2 -based sensors. • A reliable approach is built to estimate H 2 detection ability of SnO 2 -based sensors. • This ANN-based model accurately estimate H 2 sensing ability of five nanostructures. • Palladium and Ruthenium are the best and worst metals to decorate SnO 2 sensors. • Dopant dosage and temperature have complex effects on H 2 sensing ability of sensors. • Statistical, trend, and leverage analyses approved reliability of the built model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the hypnotic and sedative effects, and the mechanism of action of Chaihu-Longgu-Muli Decoction (CLMD) in mice with insomnia. Methods: A mice model induced with insomnia using p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA), was established. The sedative and hypnotic effects of CLMD on mice were evaluated by animal behavioral tests. The animals were separated into four experimental groups: (1) control group, (2) PCPA group, (3) PCPA + 5 mg/kg CLMD group, and (4) CPA + 10 mg/kg CLMD group. The 5-HTR1A expression was determined by western blot. The expression levels of the neurotransmitters were assessed using commercial ELISA kits, while the histological changes in hypothalamic tissues were examined microscopically after staining with hematoxylin and eosin (H & E). Results: CLMD exerted a sedative effect on and ameliorated anxiety-like and stressful behaviors in mice with insomnia. Moreover, CLMD induced sleep and enhanced 5-HTR1A to modulate neurotransmitter secretion. The data also indicate that CLMD exerted a protective role by alleviating hypothalamic damage and regulating the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome associated with insomnia. Conclusion: These findings indicate that CLMD has sedative and hypnotic effects, and offers a new therapeutic modality for insomnia treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a new design principle, i.e. doping with refractory metal particles with a low diffusion rate to prevent the formation of cracks and to improve the mechanical properties of bulk metallic glass (BMG) composites, was put forward. It was proven that crack-free and dense Mo(p)/Cu47Zr47Al6 BMG composites with enhanced mechanical properties can be produced via LPBF. The dislocations generated in the Mo particles can release thermal stress, thereby inhibiting the formation of thermal-cracks. The fracture patterns of Mo particles show that they can delay rapid of crack expansion, thereby improving the inherent strength and toughness of the material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic disease that may have an adverse impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to describe the HRQoL of CD patients and assess correlating factors using the EQ-5D-5L in China.Methods: We recruited CD patients at Shanghai Renji Hospital from October 2018 to May 2019. The data collected included demographic and clinical information, medical expenditures, and EQ-5D-5L questionnaire responses. The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was applied to analyse the proportion of patients in subgroups at each level. After the selection of correlating variables by univariate analysis, multivariate regression analyses were used to explore the correlating factors of HRQoL in CD patients.Results: A total of 202 CD inpatients with a mean disease duration of 3.3 years were enrolled in the study. A total of 71.8% of patients were males, and 49.5% of patients were aged between 30 and 49 years. The average EQ-5D-5L utility score was 0.85, with a standard deviation (SD) of 0.12. Males, ileum lesions, remission status, and lower expenditure predicted higher EQ-5D-5L scores. In each EQ-5D-5L dimension, the proportion of patients differed significantly by gender, disease activity and location subgroup. In the multivariate regression models, being in an active CD state and using antibiotics had significantly adverse impacts on HRQoL (p < 0.05).Conclusions: CD may have a significant negative impact on HRQoL in Chinese CD patients. Being in an active phase of the disease and using antibiotics were identified as affecting HRQoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classic molecular dynamics methods are used to simulate the uniform compression process of the fcc Al containing He bubbles. The formation of stacking fault tetrahedra (SFTs) during the collapse of He bubbles is found, and their dependence on the initial He bubble size (0.6-6 nm in diameter) is presented. Our simulations indicate only elastic deformation in the samples for the He bubble size not more than 2 nm. Instead, increasing the He bubble size, we detect several small SFTs forming on the surface of the He bubble (3 nm), as well as the two intercrossed SFTs around the He bubbles (4-6 nm). All these SFTs are observed to be stable under further compression, though there may appear some SF networks outside the SFTs (5-6 nm). Furthermore, the dynamic analysis on the SFTs shows that the yield pressure keeps a near-linear increase with the initial He bubble pressure, and the potential energy of Al atoms inside the SFTs is lower than outside because of their gliding inwards. In addition, the pressure increments of 2-6 nm He bubbles with strain are less than that of Al, which just provides the opportunity for the He bubble collapse and the SFTs formation. Note that the current work only focuses on the case that the number ratio between He atoms and Al vacancies is 1:1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using molecular dynamics methods, we simulate and compare the microjetting from a grooved Al surface induced by supported and unsupported shocks at different breakout pressures. Via the analysis on the microjetting morphologies and mass distributions, we find that the threshold of shock breakout pressure for the microjetting formation is almost same, but the variation of microjet mass with shock pressure shows a great difference for the two loading patterns. Under supported shock loading, the microjet mass keeps a continuous increase with increasing shock pressure, and release melting can enhance it markedly. By contrast, the microjet mass under unsupported shocks is smaller and seems no remarkable increase with shock pressure in our simulations (at extremely short pulses), implying the shock decaying can weaken the microjetting. Of course, a large area of fragments near the surface may form in this case. The microjet source distributions corresponding to supported and unsupported shocks are presented. It is found that the former becomes apparently broader than the latter with increasing shock pressure. Besides, the microjet tip velocity under supported shocks may appear a reduction because of the material strength effect below release melting. While under unsupported shocks, all the microjets in solid and melted states will experience the reduction of tip velocity. These decrements of tip velocity can be fitted by an exponential function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, four new dextral camaenid from China are reported, based on shell morphology, reproductive system anatomy, and molecular phylogenetic analyses: Camaena funingensis Zhou, Wang & Lin, sp. nov., Camaena gaolongensis Zhou, Wang & Lin, sp. nov., Camaena maguanensis Zhou, Wang & Hu, sp. nov., and Camaena yulinensis Zhou, Wang & Hu, sp. nov. Detailed descriptions of the morphological characteristics including shells and genitalia, DNA sequences, and living environments of the four new species are provided, with further comparisons with congeners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angle-dispersive synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements were performed on vaterite-type YBO3/Eu3+, GdBO3, and EuBO3, respectively, up to 41GPa at room temperature using a diamond-anvil cell. Pressure-induced amorphization was observed in hexagonal GdBO3 with a significant compression along the c-axis. Compared to the ions of the distorted GdBO3 phase, its anions may lose their long-range order prior to the cations at high pressures. Based on the experimental pressure-volume data, the obtained bulk moduli of YBO3/Eu3+, GdBO3, are 329 and 321GPa, respectively, which are more than 90% larger than that of EuBO3 (167GPa) and are presumably attributed to Gd3+ and Y3+ with a high density of d valence electrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the pharmacological implications of nutritional intervention and the occurrence of toxic side effects in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Methods: An extensive retrospective analysis of clinical data was carried out on individuals who received concurrent chemo-radiotherapy. 150 patients were included in the study, with 85 patients receiving nutritional management (intervention group) and 65 patients without nutritional support (control group). Assessments were conducted for Nutritional Risk Screening-2002 (NRS-2002) and patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) scores, serum nutritional parameters, toxic side effects and treatment completion rates at 2, 4, and 6 weeks before and during chemo-radiotherapy. Results: After concurrent chemo-radiotherapy, intervention group exhibited significantly lower NRS-2002 and PG-SGA scores compared to control group (p = 0.002 and 0.001, respectively). Intervention group had a statistically significant increase in PALB (p = 0.001) and ALB, while control group experienced a significant decline in ALB (albumin) and PALB (pre-albumin) levels. Grip strength also significantly decreased in control group compared to intervention group (p = 0.003). Intervention group showed a significantly lower incidence of radiation esophagitis. Moreover, a smaller proportion of patients in intervention group experienced interruptions or delays in radiotherapy compared to control group (95 % vs. 83.3 %). Conclusion: Nutritional intervention has a pharmacological impact on maintaining nutritional status, reducing treatment toxicities and improving the completion rates of chemo-radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. Further investigations and longer-term studies are warranted to shed more light on the potential impact of nutritional interventions on the overall survival rates of these patients [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Democratic elections, whatever the flaws, tend to produce a sense of social cohesion as ordinary citizens, treated as equals, gather together to select their country's political leaders. In China, leaders are not selected by means of democratic elections. How can China secure social cohesion without national elections? We will discuss some responses from the government and from scholars and 'ordinary people'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical effectiveness of adrenocorticotropin in inducing remission of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome points to a steroidogenic-independent anti-proteinuric activity of melanocortins. However, which melanocortin receptors (MCR) convey this beneficial effect and if systemic or podocyte-specific mechanisms are involved remain uncertain. In vivo, wild-type (WT) mice developed heavy proteinuria and kidney dysfunction following Adriamycin insult, concomitant with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and podocytopathy, marked by loss of podocin and synaptopodin, podocytopenia and extensive foot process effacement on electron microscopy. All these pathologic findings were prominently attenuated by NDP-MSH, a potent non-steroidogenic pan-MCR agonist. Surprisingly, MC1R deficiency in MC1R-null mice barely affected the severity of Adriamycin-elicited injury. Moreover, the beneficial effect of NDP-MSH was completely preserved in MC1R-null mice, suggesting that MC1R is likely non-essential for the protective action. A direct podocyte effect seems to contribute to the beneficial effect of NDP-MSH, because Adriamycin-inflicted cytopathic signs in primary podocytes prepared from WT mice were all mitigated by NDP-MSH, including apoptosis, loss of podocyte markers, de novo expression of the podocyte injury marker desmin, actin cytoskeleton derangement and podocyte hypermotility. Consistent with in vivo findings, the podoprotective activity of NDP-MSH was fully preserved in MC1R-null podocytes. Mechanistically, MC1R expression was predominantly distributed to glomerular endothelial cells in glomeruli but negligibly noted in podocytes in vivo and in vitro, suggesting that MC1R signaling is unlikely involved in direct podocyte protection. Ergo, melanocortin therapy protects against podocyte injury and ameliorates proteinuria and glomerulopathy in experimental FSGS, at least in part, via a podocyte-specific non-MC1R-mediated melanocortinergic signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older patients, especially those with malignancy, may have an increased risk of pulmonary embolism (PE). However, few studies have evaluated the clinical characteristics and prognosis of older patients. We evaluated the clinical characteristics, prognosis, and risk factors in older patients with lung cancer complicated with PE. This was a single-center, prospective cohort study. Older patients (≥65 years) with lung cancer admitted in Beijing Hospital from January 2006 to December 2016 were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of PE using propensity score matching (PSM). After PSM, one hundred and six patients (53 per group) with an average age of (77.3 ± 10.9) years were enrolled. Adenocarcinoma was the most common histology in patients with PE (52.8%, n = 28), and most lung cancer patients were in stages III and IV (59.4%, n = 63). Patients with PE were stratified to low risk (52.8%, n = 28), intermediate-low risk (24.5%, n = 13), intermediate-high risk (15.1%, n = 8), high-risk (7.5%, n = 4) subgroups. Most PE patients presented with dyspnea (75.5%), and the majority of patients (86.8%, n = 46) developed PE within 3 months after the diagnosis of cancer. The median follow-up time was 23.7 months (12.0–62.0 months), and 7 patients (6.6%) were lost to follow-up. During the follow-up period, 92 patients (86.8%) died, including 8 cases (8.7%) of PE-related death, 73 (79.3%) of tumor death, and 11 (11.9%) of unknown cause. There were significant differences in all-cause mortality (94.3% vs. 83.0%) and PE-related mortality (15.1% vs. 0) between the PE and control groups, but the rate of tumor-related mortality (75.5% vs. 66.0%) was comparable between the groups. Among the 92 patients who died, the mortality rates at 3, 6, 12, and > 12 months after tumor diagnosis were 33.0% (33/106), 57.5% (61/106), 78.3% (83/106), and 89.6% (95/106), respectively. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that the median overall survival time was significantly different between the PE and the control groups (4.3 vs. 9.2 months, P = 0.0015). Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that age ≥ 77 years (OR = 2.58, 95%CI: 1.66–4.01), clinical stage III–IV (OR = 2.21, 95%CI: 1.03–4.74), adenocarcinoma (OR = 3.24, 95%CI: 1.75–6.00), high D-dimer (≥600 mg/L) (OR = 2.73, 95%CI: 1.25–5.96), and low partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2; <75 mmHg) (OR = 2.85, 95%CI: 1.74–4.67) were independent risk factors for PE in older patients with lung cancer. Older patients with lung cancer and PE often have poor prognosis. Advanced age, clinical stage III–IV, adenocarcinoma, high D-dimer level, and low PaO2 are independent risk factors for PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The electronic conductivity of the LiBr aqueous solution was studied experimentally. • The electronic conductivity mathematical model of the LiBr solution is acquired. • Effect of desiccant concentration is opposite to that of the desiccant temperature. • Using the LiCl solution can give the system the better dehumidification capability. • LiBr solution can help the system to get the better whole performance and economy. As different liquid desiccants show different dehumidification and operation characteristics, the comprehensive performance comparison between two liquid desiccants (LiCl and LiBr aqueous solutions) was conducted in this paper. The electronic conductivity of the LiBr aqueous solution was experimentally investigated and the electronic conductivity model of the LiBr solution was acquired. Compared with the LiCl solution, the LiBr solution has higher electronic conductivity within the concentration range of 20–40% and the temperature range of 20–60°C, which means the ED regenerator using LiBr solution has lower electric resistance. The increase of the liquid desiccant concentration is beneficial to the moisture removal rate but harmful to the whole system COP and dehumidification efficiency, while the effect of the liquid desiccant temperature is opposite. Within the liquid desiccant temperature range of 20–30°C, the whole system COP varies among 1 and 2.8 for the LiCl solution with the concentration of 38% at the exit of the ED regenerator, and it is among 2.5 and 5.8 for the LiBr solution with the concentration of 55% after regeneration. Using the LiCl solution can give the system the better dehumidification potential, while using LiBr solution can help the system to acquire the better whole performance and economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We adopted the probe recognition paradigm to examine the effect of stereotype activation on spontaneous inferences among Chinese undergraduates (N = 48). First, behavioral sentences involving trait-implying behavior and corresponding situational information were simultaneously presented. We then selected stereotype labels of the actor's behavior that were consistent or inconsistent with the behavior, and which were activated either supraliminally or subliminally. The results showed that whether a stereotype was activated supraliminally or subliminally, the influence on spontaneous inferences was the same. Specifically, when the stereotype was inconsistent with the actor's behavior, spontaneous situational inferences were facilitated, and when the stereotype was consistent with the actor's behavior, spontaneous trait inferences were not facilitated. As Chinese people may be more prone to spontaneous (vs. trait) inferences, this indicates that human inferences are deeply influenced by culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the key functions of the hepatobiliary system is bile formation. Aquaporins (AQPs) are likely to play a role in water transport that is essential for appropriate hepatobiliary tract function. The increasing prevalence of fatty liver parallels the rise of obesity and its complications over the past several decades. In this paper, general morphology observation, histopathology and AQP1 immunohistochemical expression were observed in livers of the high-fat diet (HFD) rats. For the liver of HFD rats, immunolight microscopy revealed weak labeling of AQP1 on the surface of central veins and liver sinusoid compared with the normal diet (ND) rats. It was suggested that bile secreted by the liver of HFD rats was maybe abnormal, thereby causing abnormalities in the composition and secretion of bile. However, the deeper understanding of mechanisms involved to the fatty liver is still unclear, in particular AQPs in the liver of obesity, additional studies would be required to study the signalling cascades involved in these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an ultracompact plasmonic racetrack resonator based on single mode metal-insulator-metal plasmonic gap waveguide with high coupling efficiency is investigated both analytically and numerically. The coupling properties of a plasmonic waveguide to a racetrack resonator at 1.55 μm wavelength are studied with various coupling lengths. An extinction ratio of -34.5 dB and a free-spectral range of 303 nm at the critical coupling point can be achieved. Such a plasmonic resonator design provides a promising realization for highly effective modulators and wide band filters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social dominance orientation (SDO) and stereotypes about out-groups can influence social distance significantly. We tested the effects of these 2 factors on social distance and a probable mediation effect of upper class stereotype with participants from lower class groups of Chinese people in 3 studies (N = 105 in Study 1; N = 102 in Study 2; N = 112 in Study 3). The results in Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated that higher SDO and a more positive stereotype elicited less social distance between lower class and upper class members. In Study 3, the mediation effect of stereotype was also significant. These results provide insight into the mechanism of the perceived social distance between social classes, which is meaningful for social harmony in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent evidence has indicated that adipose tissue produces bioactive substances that contribute to obesity-related kidney disease, altering the renal function and structure. Eight of the AQPs are expressed in the kidney, where several of them contribute to water absorption and maintenance of body water balance. In the study, we mainly examined the localization of AQP2, AQP3 and V2R in renal medulla of Normal Diet (ND) and High-fat Diet (HFD) of rats, respectively. In renal medulla of HFD, immunolight microscopy revealed weak expression of AQP2 at the apical plasma membrane and intracellular vesicles of principal cells of the IMCD and OMCD. AQP3 and V2R expression also observed a decrease in immunolabelling in the IMCD and OMCD. It was suggested that excess lipid accumulation may lead to lipotoxicity and may be the major driver of organ dysfunction such as water reabsorption dysfunction, which may be resulted from abnormal response of rphan G-protein-coupled receptors in kidney. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrostatic spraying application is adopted in crop protection to prevent pest infestation, to improve product quality and to maximize yield. It involves a superposition of charges to pesticide spray droplets to attract substrate ions at obscured surfaces. The droplets wraparound effect reduces off-target deposition, enhances on-target spray and invariably improves spray efficiency. Electrostatic spraying system works effectively at optimum parameters in combination with charging voltages, application pressures, spraying height regimes, flow rate, travel speed, electrode material, and nozzle orientation. Many combinations of the system parameter settings have been systematically used by researchers for the electrostatic application, but there are unknown specific optimum parameters combinations for pesticide spraying. Since droplets chargeability influences the effectiveness of electrostatic spraying system, the parameters that produce ideal charge to mass ratio determine the functionality of the spraying deposition, retention and surface coverage. This article, therefore, analyses electrostatic system parameters that produce suitably charged droplets characteristics for effective impacting behavior of pesticides on substrates. Increasing applied voltages consequently maximizes charge-mass ratio to optimum and starts declining upon further increase in voltages beyond a critical point. This review further proposes the selection of an optimum electrostatic parameters combination that yields optimum droplets chargeability in pesticide application. Also, it is necessary to investigate the charge property of substrates prior to pesticide application in order to superpose the right opposite charge on spray droplets at rupture time during electrostatic spraying system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Ecdysteroids are steroidal insect molting hormones that also exist in herbs. Ecdysteroid-containing adaptogens have been popularly used to improve well-being and by bodybuilders for muscle growth. However, the use of ecdysone in mammals is also associated with kidney growth and enlargement, indications of disturbed kidney homeostasis. The underlying pathogenic mechanism remains to be clarified. Methods: Virtual screening tools were employed to identify compounds that are homologous to ecdysone and to predict putative ecdysone-interacting proteins. The kidney effect of ecdysone was examined in vitro and in vivo and compared with that of aldosterone. Cellular apoptosis was estimated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling. Cell motility was assessed by scratch-wound cell migration assay. Blood urea nitrogen was measured to evaluate renal function. Western immunblot analysis was employed to determine the expression profile of interested proteins. Results: Computational molecular structure analysis revealed that ecdysone is highly homologous to aldosterone. Moreover, virtual screening based on compound-protein interaction profiles identified the Mineralocorticoid Receptor (MR) to potentially interact with ecdysone. Accordingly, to assess potential biological functions of ecdysone in mammals, ecdysone was applied to mineralocorticoid-sensitive inner medullar collecting duct cells. Ecdysone induced mesenchymal accumulation of extracellular matrix and epithelial dedifferentiation characterized by de novo expression of a-smooth muscle actin. In addition, ecdysone elicited cellular apoptosis and retarded cell motility, akin to the effect of aldosterone. In vivo, daily treatment of mice with ecdysone increased cell apoptosis in the kidney, impaired renal function and elicited early signs of renal fibrogenesis, marked by deposition of collagen and fibronectin in tubulointerstitium, reminiscent of the action of aldosterone. The MR signaling pathway is likely responsible for the cellular and pathobiological effects of ecdysone, as evidenced by strong ecdysone-induced MR nuclear translocation in renal tubular cells both in vitro and in vivo, while blockade of MR by concomitant spironolactone treatment largely abolished the detrimental effects of ecdysone. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that ecdysone induces mineralocorticoid-dependent activities that impair renal function and elicit renal injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To report an implementation method and the results of independent brachytherapy dose verification software (DVS). Material and methods: The DVS was developed based on Visual C++ and adopted a modular structure design. The DICOM RT files exported from a treatment planning system (TPS) were automatically loaded into the DVS. The DVS used the TG-43 formalism for dose calculation. A total of 15 cervical cancer patients who underwent brachytherapy were retrospectively selected to test the DVS. Dosimetric parameters and γ analysis (0.1 cm, 5%) were used to evaluate the dose differences between the DVS and the TPS. Results: Compared with the TPS dose, the γ pass rates of the dose calculated by the DVS were higher than 98%. For the clinical target volume (CTV), the dosimetric differences were less than 0.63% for D90% and D100%. For the bladder, rectum, and sigmoid, the agreement of D0.1cc, D1cc, and D2cc were within a 0.78% level. Conclusions: With minimal human-computer interactions, the DVS can verify the accuracy of doses calculated by the TPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reactivity and bioavailability of heavy metals in soils are controlled by their binding to reactive soil components, including soil organic matter (SOM), metal (hydr)oxides, and clay minerals. In this study, we specifically investigated how soil components and SOM binding sites controlled metal partition at various chemistry conditions. We used the Windermere Humic Aqueous Model (WHAM 7) to predict the solid-solution partition and speciation of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn based on compiled literature data including 98 soil samples from five continents. Based on the root-mean-square-error (RMSE) values of logarithm of dissolved metal concentrations between model predictions and experimental results, WHAM 7 reasonably predicted metal partition equilibrium over a wide range of reaction conditions, with RMSE less than 0.5 for Cd and Zn, and less than 1.0 for the other three metals. Soil organic matter dominated metal binding at most acidic to neutral pH, clay minerals were significant at low pH, and iron (hydr)oxides might effectively compete with SOM for metal binding when pH was high. For all five heavy metals, WHAM 7 predicted the bidentate bindings were the dominant form of metal complexes, in which both complexes formed by two carboxylic sites and that by one carboxylic and another phenolic sites were major complexes. The formation of monodentate complexes and electrostatic outer-sphere complexes was significant at low pH, while tridentate complexes were only significant at high pH values. The modeling results help to accurately predict the environmental behavior of heavy metals in pH 3 to 7 soil environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Triticum-Aegilops complex provides ideal models for the study of polyploidization, and mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA) can be used to trace cytoplasmic inheritance and energy production following polyploidization. In this study, gapless mitochondrial genomes for 19 accessions of five Triticum or Aegilops species were assembled. Comparative genomics confirmed that the BB-genome progenitor donated mtDNA to tetraploid T. turgidum (genome formula AABB), and that this mtDNA was then passed on to the hexaploid T. aestivum (AABBDD). T urartu (AA) was the paternal parent of T. timopheevii (AAGG), and an earlier Ae. tauschii (DD) was the maternal parent of Ae. cylindrica (CCDD). Genic sequences were highly conserved within species, but frequent rearrangements and nuclear or chloroplast DNA insertions occurred during speciation. Four highly variable mitochondrial genes (atp6, cob, nad6, and nad9) were established as marker genes for Triticum and Aegilops species identification. The BB/GG-specific atp6 and cob genes, which were imported from the nuclear genome, could facilitate identification of their diploid progenitors. Genic haplotypes and repeat-sequence patterns indicated that BB was much closer to GG than to Ae. speltoides (SS). These findings provide novel insights into the polyploid evolution of the Triticum/Aegilops complex from the perspective of mtDNA, advancing understanding of energy supply and adaptation in wheat species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online patient education materials (PEMs) often exceed the recommended 6th grade reading level. This can negatively affect transmasculine patients' understanding of treatment plans, increasing barriers to care and worsening health outcomes and patient satisfaction. This study assessed the readability of online English and Spanish PEMs regarding phalloplasty and urethroplasty. The English and Spanish terms for phalloplasty and urethroplasty were queried on Google. The first fifty results were grouped into institutional (government, medical school, teaching hospital), noninstitutional (private practice, news channel, blog, etc.), and academic (journal articles, book chapters) categories. Readability scores were generated using the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook and Spanish Simple Measure of Gobbledygook scales. All PEMs exceeded recommended reading levels. For both procedures, English PEMs had an average reading level approximately of a university sophomore and Spanish PEMs had an average reading level approximately of a high school junior. For both procedures, English PEMs were harder to read than Spanish PEMs overall (P < 0.001) and when compared across the three categories between the two languages (P < 0.001). For Spanish urethroplasty PEMs, noninstitutional PEMs were more difficult to read than institutional PEMs (P < 0.05). Online information for phalloplasty and urethroplasty should be revised and/or standardized materials should be created by trans-affirming health-care providers and national organizations in order to more fully educate the public and prospective patients prior to intervention. A well-informed patient population will improve patient decision-making and surgeon-patient communication, ultimately leading to better health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nyquist folding receiver (NYFR) can realize the wideband receiving with a small amount of equipment. As a tradeoff between the amount of equipment and the complexity of the signal processing, the NYFR output is usually a hybrid modulated signal. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the parameter estimation method of the signal intercepted by the NYFR. Binary phase shift keying (BPSK) signal is a typical low probability of intercept radar signal and the authors focus on the parameter estimation of the BPSK radar signal intercepted by the NYFR. Firstly, matching component function is proposed to obtain Nyquist zone (NZ) index. Then, the Hankel-singular value decomposition (SVD) method is introduced to estimate the code rate of the BPSK signal. The efficacy of the Hankel-SVD method is proved in a mathematical way. Several numerical simulations demonstrate the merits of the proposed approach and finally, a brief investigation for case of the multiple BPSK signals intercepted by the NYFR is given. For NZ index estimation, the computational complexity of the matching component function is low and it has no need to use squaring process. In addition, the code rate estimation using the Hankel-SVD method is more accurate compared with the wavelet transform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a useful tool to deal with linguistic information, the interval 2-tuple linguistic representation model has been applied successfully to many group decision-making problems. However, the ranking methods to compare the interval 2-tuples exist some limitations, which may lead to information loss and even a wrong decision. To avoid this problem, a novel ranking method is developed to improve the decision accuracy. Moreover, a method based on the interval 2-tuple is presented to solve the interval-valued intuitionistic linguistic multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problems. Firstly, the certainty interval of an interval-valued intuitionistic linguistic number (IVILN) is defined to convert an IVILN into an interval 2-tuple. Then, an interval 2-tuple weighted arithmetic averaging (IT-WAA) operator and an interval 2-tuple ordered weighted arithmetic averaging (IT-OWA) operator are utilized to aggregate the decision information. Based on the proposed ranking method, the ranking results and the best option can be obtained. Finally, an illustrative example is provided to verify the proposed method, which is then compared to some existing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been revealed to play essential role in drug resistance of multiple cancers. LncRNA MEG3 was previously reported to be associated with cisplatin (DDP) resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. However, the molecular mechanism of MEG3 affecting DDP resistance in NSCLC remains to be further illustrated. In this study, we attempted to discuss whether MEG3 also could function as a competing endogenous RNA to regulate DDP resistance in NSCLC. Materials and methods: The expression of MEG3, miR-21-5p, and sex-determining region Y-box 7 (SOX7) in NSCLC tissues or cells was examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). 3-(4,5-Dimethylthazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), flow cytometry, and caspase-3 activity analysis were applied to assess the DDP sensitivity of NSCLC cells. The interaction between MEG3, miR-21-5p, and SOX7 was explored by luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay, qRT-PCR, and Western blot. Mouse NSCLC transplanted tumor was established to verify the functional role of MEG3 in DDP resistance in vivo. Results: MEG3 was downregulated in DDP-resistant NSCLC cells. Overexpression of MEG3 enhanced DDP sensitivity of NSCLC cells in vitro. MEG3 directly interacted with miR-21-5p and suppressed its expression. miR-21-5p significantly abolished the effects of MEG3 on DDP resistance via modulating cell proliferation and apoptosis. SOX7 was identified as a direct target of miR-21-5p and MEG3 positively regulated SOX7 expression by suppressing miR-21-5p. Moreover, MEG3 knockdown-induced pro-proliferative and anti-apoptotic effects were reversed in DDP-resistant NSCLC cells by upregulating SOX7. Furthermore, upregulation of MEG3 induced sensitivity of NSCLC cells to DDP in vivo. Conclusion: MEG3 overexpression induced DDP sensitivity of NSCLC cells by regulating miR-21-5p/SOX7 axis, shedding light on the molecular mechanism of MEG3 involved in the development of DDP resistance of NSCLC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies demonstrated that astragaloside IV (ASIV) is a potential P‑glycoprotein (P‑gp)‑mediated multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal agent through mechanisms involving downregulation of the gene expression of mdr1. In order to investigate whether the c‑Jun N‑terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway is involved in the mechanism underlying ASIV‑induced downregulated the expression of mdr1, the present study used 5‑fluorouracil‑resistant Bel‑7402/FU human hepatic cancer cells as target cells. ASIV (0.1 mM) decreased the protein expression of phosphorylated (p)‑JNK and p‑c‑Jun in the Bel‑7402/FU cells, as determined using western blot analysis. Treatment with the JNK pathway inhibitor, SP600125, at a concentration of 11 µM, decreased the mRNA expression levels of mdr1 and P‑gp, as determined using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses, and similar effects were observed following exposure to ASIV. Furthermore, electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that the DNA‑binding activity of activator protein‑1 (AP‑1) was decreased by 0.1 mM ASIV or 11 µM SP600125. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that 0.1 mM ASIV or 11 µM SP600125 increased the intracellular accumulation of fluorescent P‑gp substrates, including rhodamine 123. Taken together, these results indicated that ASIV reversed the drug resistance of Bel‑7402/FU cells by downregulating the expression of mdr1 via inhibition of the JNK/c‑Jun/AP‑1 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study is designed to evaluate whether the benefit which the residents received from the national health care system is equal in China. The perceived equality and benefit are used to measure the personal status of health care system, health status. This study examines variations in perceived equality and benefit of the national health care system between urban and rural residents from five cities of China and assessed their determinants. Methods: One thousand one hundred ninty eight residents were selected from a random survey among five nationally representative cities. The research characterizes perceptions into four population groupings based on a binary assessment of survey scores: high equality & high benefit; low equality & low benefit; high equality & low benefit; and low equality & high benefit. Results: The distribution of the four groups above is 30.4%, 43.0%, 4.6% and 22.0%, respectively. Meanwhile, the type of health insurance, educational background, occupation, geographic regions, changes in health status and other factors have significant impacts on perceived equality and benefit derived from the health care system. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate wide variations in perceptions of equality and benefit between urban and rural residents and across population characteristics, leading to a perceived lack of fairness in benefits and accessibility. Opportunities exist for policy interventions that are targeted to eliminate perceived differences and promote greater equality in access to health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With implementation of Chinese universal healthcare, the performance of urban and rural residents' healthcare and the degree of satisfaction with publicly financed health services have become a hot issue in assessing health reforms in China. An evaluation model of health services in community and evaluation indexes of health-system performance have been put forward in related researches. This study examines variation in satisfaction with publicly financed health services among urban and rural residents in five Chinese cities and assesses their determinants.Methods: The data are derived from a survey of 1198 urban and rural residents from five nationally representative regions concerning their perceptions of satisfaction with China's publicly financed health services. The respondents assessed their degree of satisfaction with publicly financed health services on a 5-point Likert scale. It is a kind of questionaire scale that features the answers for 1-5 points labeled very unsatisfied, unsatisfied, neither unsatisfied nor satisfied, satisfied and very satisfied linking to each factor or variable, where a score of 1 reflects the lowest degree of satisfaction and a score of 5 represents the highest degree. The logistic regression methods are used to identify the variables into its determining components.Results: The overall satisfaction degree representing satisfaction of all factors (variables) is 3.02, which is at the middle level of a 1-5 Likert scale, inferring respondents' neutral attitude to publicly financed health services. According to the correlation test, the factors with characteristic root greater than 0.5 are chosen to take the factor analysis and 12 extracted factors can explain 77.97% of original 18 variables' total variance. Regression analysis based on the survey data finds that health records, vaccinations, pediatric care, elder care, and mental health management are the main factors accounting for degree of satisfaction with publicly financed health services for both urban and rural residents.Conclusions: What can be done to increase the degree of satisfaction with health services needs to be considered based on our findings. Regression analysis based on the survey data finds that health records, vaccinations, pediatric care, elder care, and mental health management are the main factors accounting for degree of satisfaction with publicly financed health services for both urban and rural residents. Therefore, with improvements in health records, timely vaccination, elder care for women or elder, pediatric care and major psychosis management, degree of satisfaction with publicly financed health services are likely to grow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing evidence supporting the use of corticotropin as an alternative treatment of refractory proteinuric glomerulopathies. The efficacy of short-acting corticotropin, however, remains unknown and was tested here in an adolescent with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome caused by minimal change disease. After developing Cushing syndrome and recently being afflicted with severe cellulitis, the patient was weaned off all immunosuppressants, including corticosteroids. This resulted in a relapse of generalized anasarca, associated with massive proteinuria and hypoalbuminemia. Subsequently, mono-therapy with short-acting animal-derived natural corticotropin was initiated and resulted in a rapid response, marked by substantial diuresis, reduction in body weight, and partial remission of proteinuria. Ten days later, the patient developed mild skin rash and subcutaneous nodules at injection sites. A relapse followed despite doubling the dose of corticotropin, consistent with delayed-onset resistance to treatment. Immunoblot-based antibody assay revealed de novo formation of antibodies in the patient's serum that were reactive to the natural corticotropin. In cultured melanoma cells known to express abundant melanocortin receptors, addition of the patient's serum strikingly mitigated dendritogenesis and cell signaling triggered by natural corticotropin, denoting neutralizing properties of the newly formed antibodies. Collectively, short-acting natural corticotropin seems effective in steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome. De novo formation of neutralizing antibodies is likely responsible for acquired resistance to corticotropin therapy. The proof of concept protocols established in this study to examine the anticorticotropin neutralizing antibodies may aid in determining the cause of resistance to corticotropin therapy in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The aim of the present study was to retrospectively analyze the relationship between the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) at baseline and healthcare costs of three-month as well as the risk of quality-of-life score at the 6-month follow-up for Chinese hemodialysis patients.Methods and Study Design: One hundred patients who had been on maintenance hemodialysis were enrolled in this study. The general characteristics, laboratory test results and GNRI of the patients at baseline were recorded. The healthcare costs and quality-of-life scores were determined at the follow-up examination.Results: Patients were divided into two groups according to their median GNRI at baseline: a lower GNRI group (GNRI <86.4) and a higher GNRI group (GNRI >86.4). The patients in the lower GNRI group exhibited reduced hemoglobin (74.7±13.1 g/dL vs 82.3±15.2 g/dL, p<0.05) and albumin (27.4±3.3 g/L vs 34.5±4.0 g/L, p<0.05) as well as reduced body weight (62.7±9.5 kg vs 68.0±9.2 kg, p<0.05) at baseline. The medication cost at follow-up was higher in the lower GNRI group (RMB 3,238±1,534 vs RMB 2,378±1,048, p<0.05). And a lower GNRI at baseline was associated with increased future medication costs and worse health in hemodialysis patients.Conclusions: The present study suggests that a lower GNRI in hemodialysis patients may be associated with an increased risk of higher future healthcare costs as well as worse health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined whether or not self-efficacy plays a role in stereotype-activation effect. We found in Study 1 (N = 46) that compared to being primed with the stereotype of an occupation that required less mental effort (cleaner), participants primed with the stereotype of a highly qualified information technology expert performed better in a general knowledge test. Self-efficacy reliably mediated the effect of stereotype activation on test performance. In Study 2 (N = 46) we found that the group primed with the stereotype of an athlete exhibited greater endurance in a physical test than did those who were primed with the stereotype of a homeless person. These results show that self-efficacy beliefs acted as a mediator in the behavior of the participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Mitochondria in adult cardiomyocytes exhibit static morphology and infrequent dynamic changes, despite the high abundance of fission and fusion regulatory proteins in the heart. Previous reports have indicated that fusion proteins may bear functions beyond morphology regulation. Here, we investigated the role of fission protein, dynaminrelated protein 1 (DRP1), on mitochondrial respiration regulation in adult cardiomyocytes. Methods and results By using genetic or pharmacological approaches, we manipulated the activity or protein level of fission and fusion proteins and found they mildly influenced mitochondrial morphology in adult rodent cardiomyocytes, which is in contrast to their significant effect in H9C2 cardiac myoblasts. Intriguingly, inhibiting endogenous DRP1 by dominant-negative DRP1 mutation (K38A), shRNA, or Mdivi-1 suppressed maximal respiration and respiratory control ratio in isolated mitochondria from adult mouse heart or in adult cardiomyocytes from rat. Meanwhile, basal respiration was increased due to increased proton leak. Facilitating mitofusin-mediated fusion by S3 compound, however, failed to inhibit mitochondrial respiration in adult cardiomyocytes. Mechanistically, DRP1 inhibition did not affect the maximal activity of individual respiratory chain complexes or the assembly of supercomplexes. Knocking out cyclophilin D, a regulator of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), abolished the effect of DRP1 inhibition on respiration. Finally, DRP1 inhibition decreased transient mPTP-mediated mitochondrial flashes, delayed laser-induced mPTP opening and suppressed mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). Conclusion These results uncover a novel non-canonical function of the fission protein, DRP1 in maintaining or positively stimulating mitochondrial respiration, bioenergetics and ROS signalling in adult cardiomyocyte, which is likely independent of morphological changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six new furan derivatives, named 5-(3-methoxy-3-oxopropyl)-furan-2-carboxylic acid (1), 1-(5-(2-hydroxypropanoyl)-furan-2-yl)-pentan-3-one (2), 2-hydroxy-1-(5-(1-hydroxypentyl)-furan-2-yl)-propan-1-one (3), 1-(5-(1,2-dihydroxypropyl)-furan-2-yl)-pentan-1-one (4), 5-(1-hydroxypent-4-en-1-yl)-furan-2-carboxylic acid (5) and 5-(3-hydroxypentyl)-furan-2-carboxylic acid (6), together with two new natural products, named 5-(1-hydroxypentyl)-furan-2-carboxylic acid (7) and (E)-5-(2-carboxyvinyl)-furan-2-carboxylic acid (8), were isolated from the solid rice fermentation of endophytic fungus Coriolopsis sp. J5, which was derived from mangrove plant Ceriops tagal. Their structures were unambiguously elucidated based on 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, and by HRESIMS measurements, as well as by comparison with the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of NaCl, CaCl2 and NaCl-CaCl2 treatments on the growth profiles, nutritional quality, phytic acid degradationlower inositol phosphate formation system of germinated mung bean were investigated. Mung bean seeds were germinated at 30°C in darkness for 4 days and sprayed solutions containing distilled water, 1.6 mM NaCl, 6 mM CaCl2, and 1.6 mM NaCl plus 6 mM CaCl2 every 1 h. Samples were collected every 2 days in liquid nitrogen for experiments and each experiment was repeated three times. The results showed that the NaCl-CaCl2 treatment improved nutritional quality significantly for the higher content of ascorbic acid, soluble sugar and free amino acid content in mung bean sprouts. Meanwhile, NaCl-CaCl2 treatment was also the most effective way to improve the degradation of phytic acid by enhancing phytase activity and the related gene expressions. This led to a higher level of the lower inositol phosphate content in mung bean sprouts. These results suggest that NaCl-CaCl2 treatment had a better influence on improving nutritional and functional quality of mung bean sprouts than NaCl and CaCl2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The aim of the present study was to retrospectively analyze the relationship between the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) at baseline and healthcare costs of three-month as well as the risk of quality-of-life score at the 6-month follow-up for Chinese hemodialysis patients. Methods and Study Design: One hundred patients who had been on maintenance hemodialysis were enrolled in this study. The general characteristics, laboratory test results and GNRI of the patients at baseline were recorded. The healthcare costs and quality-of-life scores were determined at the follow-up examination. Results: Patients were divided into two groups according to their median GNRI at baseline: a lower GNRI group (GNRI <86.4) and a higher GNRI group (GNRI >86.4). The patients in the lower GNRI group exhibited reduced hemoglobin (74.7±13.1 g/dL vs 82.3±15.2 g/dL, p<0.05) and albumin (27.4±3.3 g/L vs 34.5±4.0 g/L, p<0.05) as well as reduced body weight (62.7±9.5 kg vs 68.0±9.2 kg, p<0.05) at baseline. The medication cost at follow-up was higher in the lower GNRI group (RMB 3,238±1,534 vs RMB 2,378±1,048, p<0.05). And a lower GNRI at baseline was associated with increased future medication costs and worse health in hemodialysis patients. Conclusions: The present study suggests that a lower GNRI in hemodialysis patients may be associated with an increased risk of higher future healthcare costs as well as worse health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we define covering-based rough membership function for the tenth type of covering-based rough sets which was examined by Tsang et al. and obtain some properties about the rough membership function which bases on ®C10 as well as characterize the covering-based rough set approximation operators from the viewpoint of numerical values. An example in evidence-based medicine are proposed to illustrate the practical application backgrounds of Pawlak's rough membership function in real life. By this example, we can show that this covering-based rough membership function is more realistic than Pawlak's rough membership function in applications of real life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interval-valued intuitionistic linguistic set (IVILS) is introduced as an extension of both a linguistic term set and an interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set. However, the arithmetic operations and comparison methods of IVILS exist some limitations, which may result in information loss and distortion. To avoid this problem, the arithmetic operations are improved and a new comparison method based on a possibility degree is developed. Then, several arithmetic aggregation operators are proposed to aggregate interval-valued intuitionistic linguistic numbers. Moreover, a multi-criteria group decision-making (MCDM) approach based on the newaggregation operators is presented. Finally, the validity and effectiveness of the proposed method are confirmed by a comparable example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium has been a valuable treatment for bipolar affective disorders for decades. Clinical use of lithium, however, has been problematic due to its narrow therapeutic index and concerns for its toxicity in various organ systems. Renal side effects associated with lithium include polyuria, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, proteinuria, distal renal tubular acidosis, and reduction in glomerular filtration rate. Histologically, chronic lithium nephrotoxicity is characterized by interstitial nephritis with microcyst formation and occasional focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Nevertheless, this type of toxicity is uncommon, with the strongest risk factors being high serum levels of lithium and longer time on lithium therapy. In contrast, in experimental models of acute kidney injury and glomerular disease, lithium has antiproteinuric, kidney protective, and reparative effects. This paradox may be partially explained by lower lithium doses and short duration of therapy. While long-term exposure to higher psychiatric doses of lithium may be nephrotoxic, short-term low dose of lithium may be beneficial and ameliorate kidney and podocyte injury. Mechanistically, lithium targets glycogen synthase kinase-3 β, a ubiquitously expressed serine/threonine protein kinase implicated in the processes of tissue injury, repair, and regeneration in multiple organ systems, including the kidney. Future studies are warranted to discover the exact "kidney-protective dose" of lithium and test the effects of low-dose lithium on acute and chronic kidney disease in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a unifying model for the kinetics of heavy metal dissociation from natural organic matter (NOM) in this study. The kinetics model, integrated with the equilibrium model WHAM 7, specifically considered metal ion reactions with various NOM sites formed by the carboxylic and phenolic sites. The association and dissociation rate coefficients for metal reactions with various NOM sites were constrained by WHAM predicted equilibrium distribution coefficients at specific reaction conditions. We developed the relationship for the dissociation rate coefficients among different binding sites for each metal, which was internally constrained by the metal binding constants. The model had only one fitting parameter, the dissociation rate coefficient for the metal complexes formed with two weak carboxylic sites, and all other parameters were derived from WHAM 7. The kinetic data for metal dissociation from NOM were collected from the literature, and the model was able to reproduce most of relevant data analyzed. The bidentate complexes appeared to be the predominated species controlling metal dissociation under most environmental conditions. The model can help to predict the reactivity and bioavailability of heavy metals under the impact of multiple competing ligands including NOM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Litter is known about the well-being of nursing home (NH) residents in Singapore. This study aimed to identify predictors of self-reported quality of life (QOL) of NH residents in Singapore.Methods: In face-to-face interviews, trained medical students assessed each consenting resident recruited from 6 local NHs using a modified Minnesota QOL questionnaire, and rating scales and questions assessing independence, cognitive function, depression, and communication. Predictors of residents' QOL in five aspects (comfort, dignity, food enjoyment, autonomy, and security) were identified using the censored least absolute deviations (CLAD) models.Results: A total of 375 residents completed the interviews. A higher score on comfort was negatively associated with major depression while a higher score on dignity was positively associated with no difficulty in communication with staff. Higher scores in food enjoyment were negatively associated with major depression and poorer cognitive function. Higher scores in autonomy were negatively associated with major depression, greater dependence, and difficulty in communication with staff. A higher score on security were negatively associated with major depression.Conclusion: It appears that depression and difficulty in communication with staff are the two main modifiable risk factors of poor quality of life of local NH residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]