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With the excellent material properties of Carbon Nano-tubes (CNTs) developed in this work (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion~-2 x 10-6 K-1, Resistivity~10-6 Ω-m, Young’s modulus~1000 GPa, and thermal conductivity ~800 Wm-1K-1), the real 3D integrated circuits (ICs) system with CNTs as the high aspect ratio (>25)/small diameters ( 5 H 5 ) 2 reactant, (2) Optimized wafer bonding process, (3) Non-mask laser engrave patterning, and (4) wafer transfer technology by a thermal release tape/ethylene viny acetate processes provide the useful solution for the applications of CNTs as a vertical connection material in the near coming high-density 3D device.

The aim of this study was to explore the expression level of Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein 1 (WISP1) and its clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the expression level of WISP1 in HCC tissues and cells. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard regression model were chosen for single and multiple factor analysis of survival analysis, respectively. Furthermore, wound healing assay and transwell assay were used to verify the effect of WISP1 on HCC cell metastasis in vitro.The expression level of WISP1 in HCC tissues was significantly higher than that in para-cancer tissues (p0.05). WISP1 expression was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis and clinical stage of HCC. Kaplan-Meier curve showed that HCC patients with higher WISP1 expression exhibited significantly worse progression free survival (PFS) time and overall survival (OS) time. Both univariate and multivariate analysis indicated that high expression of WISP1 was an independent predictor of poor prognosis in HCC. In addition, WISP1 significantly promoted the invasion and migration of HCC cells in vitro.WISP1 might contribute to the development of HCC, serving as a clinical biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC patients.

脊髓性肌萎缩症（SMA）是一种常染色体隐性遗传性运动神经元病，也是导致2岁以下婴幼儿死亡的最主要神经肌肉罕见病。近年来，SMA的药物治疗取得极大进展，反义寡核苷酸、基因治疗及口服小分子药物已相继获批上市，另有数种药物处于临床研发阶段。实现可及药物治疗是罕见病精准治疗的关键，现就SMA药物治疗的最新进展进行综述，以期为实现SMA的精准治疗提供合理依据及研究思路。.

2例婴儿期起病的扩张型心肌病患儿均为女孩，均于1岁前起病，急性期主要表现为吐沫、拒乳、精神差、呻吟、呼吸困难，以进食、哭闹等活动时明显，伴少尿、腹胀。例1既往活动后多汗，且有家族史。2例患儿在TNNT2基因上发现2种已报道杂合变异，其中例1父亲及胞妹携带相同致病变异，2例患儿及例1部分家系成员基因确诊为扩张型心肌病。TNNT2基因相关婴幼儿期起病的扩张型心肌病临床极为罕见。.

Heat stress has profound effects on animal performance and muscle function, and microRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in muscle development and stress responses. To characterize the changes in miRNAs in skeletal muscle responding to heat stress, the miRNA expression profiles of longissimus dorsi muscles of pigs raised under constant heat stress (30 °C; n = 8) or control temperature (22 °C; n = 8) for 21 days were analyzed by Illumina deep sequencing. A total of 58 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified with 30 down-regulated and 28 up-regulated, and 63 differentially expressed target genes were predicted by miRNA-mRNA joint analysis. GO and KEGG analyses showed that the genes regulated by differentially expressed miRNAs were enriched in glucose metabolism, cytoskeletal structure and function and stress response. Real-time PCR showed that the mRNA levels of PDK4, HSP90 and DES were significantly increased, whereas those of SCD and LDHA significantly decreased by heat exposure. The protein levels of CALM1, DES and HIF1α were also significantly increased by constant heat. These results demonstrated that the change in miRNA expression in porcine longissimus dorsi muscle underlies the changes in muscle structure and metabolism in porcine skeletal muscle affected by constant heat stress.

COPD refers to a group of chronic respiratory diseases which seriously influence the people's health and life quality. The national COPD surveillance in China has been implemented since 2014 with the goal of monitoring the prevalence and trend of COPD and related risk factors in China. The paper summarizes the item and method of national COPD surveillance in China.COPD是一类严重影响我国居民健康和生活质量的慢性呼吸系统疾病。2014年中国开展COPD监测项目，旨在掌握≥40岁居民COPD患病情况以及相关影响因素的流行和变化趋势。本文将对"中国居民COPD监测项目"内容和方法进行简要介绍。.

A growing body of diversified antibiotic resistances raises a significant challenge to anti-infection clinical therapeutics. The emergence of superbugs carrying MCR-1/2 or NDM-1 determinants underlines the importance and urgency in elucidation of molecular mechanisms shared by antibiotic resistances. It is aware that different classes of bactericidal antibiotics consistently stimulate the production of deleterious reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are accompanied with metabolic disturbance. The different destinations of ROS determine its consequence on bacterial fate. Here, we review antibiotic-induced production, progression and transformation of ROS, as well as its role in the development of antibiotic resistance. Additionally, we anticipate that mesosome-like structures-aided exclusion of hydrogen peroxide might represent a previously-unknown mechanism for antibiotic resistance. This mini-review is aiming to present an update overview on antibiotic resistance and provide clues to the development of novel antibiotics.近年来，细菌耐药现象日渐严重，给抗感染治疗带来重大挑战。携带MCR-1/2或NDM-1等耐药基因的超级细菌的出现，使共性耐药机制的研究迫在眉睫。各类抗生素均诱导细菌代谢的变化，促进活性氧的产生，这些活性氧的水平及过氧化氢等分子的转化方向，决定了活性氧的作用是促进细菌损伤乃至死亡，亦或是诱导突变导致细菌耐药性的产生。本文讨论了抗生素诱导的活性氧的产生、转化及其对耐药发生发展的贡献，并阐述了抗生素诱导形成的间体膜囊通过携带大量过氧化氢外排，使细菌实现耐药的新途径。我们对活性氧参与细菌耐药机制的阐明，将提高抗生素处理的有效性，并为开发新的抗菌药物提供策略。.

The present study investigated the effect of Cu addition on the tensile properties and laser welding performance of Al (1·3 mass-%)–Mn (0·5 mass-%)–Mg alloy sheets. It was found that the addition of Cu in the Al–Mn–Mg alloy sheets increased the ultimate tensile strength; however, the laser welding performance deteriorated. The addition of Cu up to 0·45 mass-% induced the laser welding cracking. Observations of the microstructure indicated that residual Cu bearing eutectic phases existed along the grain boundaries in the alloy with 0·45 mass-%Cu, which decreased the ductility of the grain boundaries and resulted in the formation of cracks along the grain boundaries during the solidification process after laser welding.

A lattice Boltzmann model for two-phase flow with large density ratio in body-fitted coordinates is proposed and validated through a series of comparison with analytical and published results with good agreement. A single bubble sliding over a curved surface and rising in a channel for different Eotvos numbers is simulated. The results show that during its sliding process, the surface makes the bubble experience large deformation, with both horizontal and vertical velocities fluctuating. As the bubble continues to move, it departs from the surface and starts to rise freely in the channel. With Eotvos number increases, the departure angle decreases.

Worldwide research and development has been performed on solid breeder materials as a tritium source for future fusion power reactors. These ceramic materials will be used in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) to check their performance and screen their applicability for use in fusion blankets. While all members of the ITER project are engaged in the development of solid breeder blanket concepts, five are actively involved in the fabrication of tritium breeding ceramics for the different test blanket modules to be tested in ITER. All solid breeder concepts proposed for ITER are based on the use of ceramics in the form of pebble beds with pebble diameters of about 1 mm or smaller. Although alternative materials are still under investigation, the main candidates for tritium breeding ceramics are lithium metatitanate and lithium orthosilicate. Recent developments and preparatory work for ITER are presented.

To analyze the disease burden of leukemia in the Chinese population, in 1990 and 2013.Data related to province-specific disease burden in China was used to analyze and compare related parameters as incidence, mortality, the disability-adjusted life years (DALY), years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL) and years lived with disability (YLD) on leukemia in China in 1990 and 2013. Standardized mortality rates of leukemia in each province in 2013 and the changes since 1990, were described.In 2013, the standardized incidence and mortality rates of leukemia in China were 6.70/100 000 and 4.05/100 000, with reduction of 8.84% and 36.22% when compared with those in 1990, respectively. The standardized DALY rate and YLL rate appeared as 174.58/100 000 and 170.42/100 000 in 2013, with 44.68% and 45.32% reduction, respectively, when compared with the figures in 1990. The standardized YLD rate of leukemia in 2013 was 4.16/100 000, with an 6.94% increase, comparing with that in 1990. Age-specific data showed that the proportion of people who died from leukemia among those who died from all the cancers was more than 10% in people under 35 years old. DALY rate of leukemia was highest among children aged 5 years old and under, which appeared as 317.61/100 000. Compared with those in 1990, the standardized mortality of leukemia appeared decreasing in all the provinces in 2013. The top three provinces with the highest standardized mortality of leukemia in 2013 were Xinjiang (4.72/100 000), Ningxia (4.56/100 000) and Fujian (4.50/100 000).Although the standardized incidence rate, mortality rate, DALY rate and YLL rate due to leukemia decreased, YLD rate due to leukemia increased. Proportions of children and adolescents who died from leukemia remained high. Although the standardized mortalities of leukemia decreased in all the provinces, the differences among them still remained.

To analyze the national and provincial disease burden on stomach cancer in the Chinese population, in 1990 and 2013.Data related to province-specific burden of disease in China was used to analyze the standardized incidence and mortality of stomach cancer in 2013. Parameters as incidence, mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALY), years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL) and years lived with disability (YLD) on stomach cancer in China in 1990 and 2013, were analyzed while the standardized incidence and mortality of stomach cancer in 1990 and 2013 and the changing patterns in each province were described.In 2013, there were 371 100 new cases of stomach cancer and 317 800 cases died from stomach cancer in China. Figures on the standardized incidence (26.84/100 000), mortality rate (23.55/100 000) and DALY rate (464.47/100 000) all increased with age. Between 1990 and 2013, the standardized incidence rates in men were all higher than that in women (2.03-2.67 times) but both showed a decreasing trend. Under the reported figures, 317 800 people died from stomach cancer in 2013, with an increase of 13.15%. The number of deaths was 182 700, in 1990. From 1990 to 2013, the standardized mortality rate, DALY and DALY rate decreased in both genders,with more seen in women than in men. The top three provinces that having the highest stomach cancer standardized incidences and mortality in 2013 were Qinghai, Anhui, Gansu. The top three provinces with the most reduction of figures appeared in Tianjin, Shanghai and Zhejiang. Compared with those in 1990, the standardized mortality decreased in all the provinces, in 2013.The disease burden of stomach cancer in China remained at high level in 2013. Compared with those in 1990, the disease burden of stomach cancer decreased in 2013. The standardized mortality of stomach cancer in all the provinces had decreased but the provincial differences still existed.

To analyze the disease burden of colorectal cancer in the Chinese people in 1990 and 2013.Data from the estimation of 2013 Chinese Sub-national Burden of Disease Study was used, to analyze the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer in China, in 1990 and 2013, among all the Chinese people. Data on the years of lifte lost due to premature mortality (YLL), years lived with disability (YLD) and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) of colorectal cancer in China, in 1990 and 2013 was also used. Related death rates, DALY and DALY rates were compared.The standardized incidence rate of colorectal cancer among Chinese people increased by 66.83% from 12.15/100 000 in 1990 to 20.27/100 000 in 2013 (72.82% for men and 55.26% for women). The standardized mortality rate of colorectal cancer increased by 4.73% from 10.57/100 000 in 1990 to 11.07/100 000 in 2013 (with 9.03% increase for men but 3.12% decrease for women). A total number of 148 000 people died from colorectal cancer in 2013, with an increase of 90.08% (105.36% for men and 72.14% for women) compared with the number of 77 900, in 1990. Related data on DALY, YLL and YLD due to colorectal cancer appeared as 3 331.6 thousand person years, 3 200.7 thousand person years and 130.9 thousand person years, respectively in 2013, with YLL as the vast majority of DALY. Compared with 2 019.1 thousand person years in 1990, DALY showed an increase of 65.01% in 2013. However, the standardized DALY rate reduced by 6.00% from 238.54/100 000 in 1990 to 224.23/100 000 in 2013. Parameters as the mortality rates, DALY and DALY rates appeared all higher in men than in women, in every age group.The disease burden of colorectal cancer in China remained at high levels in 2013. Compared with the data in 1990, the total disease burden on colorectal cancer showed an increase while the DALY rate and YLL rate showed a decline in 2013.

To analyze the disease burden of thyroid cancer in the Chinese population, in 1990 and 2013.Data on China from the Global Burden of Disease 2013 (GBD2013) was used to analyze the related parameters as mortality, prevalence,years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL), years lived with disability (YLD) and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) of thyroid cancer in China in 1990 and 2013 among all the Chinese population.There were 33 939 thyroid cancer patients identified in 2013 (7 146 men and 26 793 women), with an increase of 21 898 patients than the number in 1990. The incidence rate of thyroid cancer increased by 181.86%. The incidence rates of thyroid cancer showed an increase in females but a decrease in males. In 2013, 4 974 people (2 292 men and 2 682 women) died of thyroid cancer, with an increase of 1 810 patients, compared with the figures in 1990. The mortality rate of thyroid cancer in 2013 decreased by 14.29%, compared with the figures in 1990. The mortality rate of thyroid cancer decreased in females while the incidence rate in males showed an increase. The incidence rates increased with age in females, reaching a peak at the 50-54 years old group. The mortality rate of thyroid cancer increased with age. The DALY, YLL and YLD due to thyroid cancer appeared as 13.35, 11.42 and 1.93 ten thousand person years, respectively, in 2013. Between 1990 to 2013, the age-standardized rates on DALY, YLL and YLD decreased from 10.33/100 000 to 8.84/100 000, from 9.60/100 000 to 7.61/100 000 and increased from 0.72/100 000 to 1.23/100 000, respectively. In 2013 the top three incidence rates were recorded in Qinghai, Xinjiang and Fujian provinces while the lowest was in Tibet. Compared with those in 1990, the incidence rates increased in all the provinces except for Tianjin. The top three high mortality rates were recorded in Qinghai, Hong Kong and Fujian and the lowest was also in Tibet. The mortality rates increased in five provinces.Compared with those in 1990, the incidence of thyroid cancer increased, but the mortality decreased in 2013. Although significant decrease of DALY due to thyroid cancer was seen in 2013, the YLD burden was still increasing.

To assess the patterns and predictors of AIDS-related mortality and identify its correlates among adult people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in China, a retrospective record-based cohort study was conducted among 18 years or older PLWHA, who had at least one follow up reported to the national database between January-1989 and June-2012. Cumulative Incidence Function was used to calculate AIDS-related mortality rate. Gray’s test was used to determine the variation in cumulative incidence across strata. The Fine and Gray model was used to measure the burden of cumulative incidence of AIDS-related mortality and strength of its association with potential correlates. Among 375,629 patients, 107,634 died during study period, of which 54,759 (50.87%) deaths were AIDS-related. Cumulative mortality rates of AIDS-related death at one, two, five, 10 and 15 years post-diagnosis were 5.7%, 8.2%, 14.3%, 22.9% and 30.9%, respectively. Among PLWHA, male gender, ethnic minority and having AIDS were associated with significantly higher mortality. Further, homosexual transmission, being on ART and increasing CD4-testing frequency were associated with lower mortality. To reduce mortality among PLWHA, efficient interventions targeting males, ethnic minority, heterosexually infected and AIDS patients should be combined with immunologic monitoring, enhancement of coverage of HIV-testing and ART.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the leading cause of death from gynecological malignancy. However, the mechanism by which OC develops remains largely unknown. Increases in cytosolic free Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) can result in different physiological changes including cell growth, differentiation and death. The transient receptor potential (TRP) C channels are nonselective cation channels with permeability to Ca2(+). Here we report that TRPC3 channels promote human OC growth. The TRPC3 protein levels in human OC specimens were greatly increased than those in normal ovarian specimens. Downregulating TRPC3 expression in SKOV3 cells, a human OC cell line, led to reduction of proliferation, suppression in epidermal growth factor-induced Ca(2+) in flux, dephosphorylation of Cdc2 and CaMKII alpha and prolonged progression through M phase of these cells. Further, decreased the expression of TRPC3 suppressed the tumor formation generated by injecting SKOV3 cells in nude mice. Together, our results suggest that increased activity of TRPC3 channels is necessary for the development of OCs. Oncogene (2009) 28, 1320-1328; doi:10.1038/onc.2008.475; published online 19 January 2009

Potassium (K(+)) channels have been implicated in proliferation of some tumor cells. However, whether K(+) channels are important to the pathogenesis of endometrial cancer (EC) remains unknown. In the present study, we report that intermediate-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (IKCa1) channels play a critical role in the development of EC. The expression of IKCa1 at both mRNA and protein levels in EC tissues was greatly increased than that in atypical hyperplasia and normal tissues. Treatment of EC cells with clotrimazole and TRAM-34, two agents known to inhibit IKCa1 channels, suppressed the proliferation of EC cells and blocked EC cell cycle at G(0)/G(1) phase. Similarly, downregulation of IKCa1 by siRNA against IKCa1 inhibited EC cell proliferation and arrested its cell cycle at G(0)/G(1) phase. A clotrimazole-sensitive K(+) current was induced in EC cells in response to the increased Ca(2+). The current density induced by Ca(2+) was greatly reduced by clotrimazole, TRAM-34, charybdotoxin or downregulation of IKCa1 by the siRNA against IKCa1. Furthermore, TRAM-34 and clotrimazole slowed the formation in nude mice of tumor generated by injection of EC cells. Our results suggest that increased activity of IKCa1 channel is necessary for the development of EC.

The microstructures and the bending performance in rolling direction (RD) and transverse direction (TD) of an AA6016-T4P automotive sheet were investigated. The surface necking forming mechanism together with the initiation and propagation of shear bands during bending were studied in detail. The results indicated that no macro-crack formed in both RD and TD specimens after 180o bending, but RD specimen exhibited inferior bendability compared with TD specimen, showing more severe surface necking. The anisotropy of surface necking in the AA6016-T4P sheet was caused by special crystallographic texture, rather than grain shape and spatial distribution of the constitute particles. The total volume fraction of GossND90, R, P, and Cu orientations was almost twice as that of Goss orientation in the AA6016-T4P sheet, resulting in the facilitation of the initiation and propagation of shear bands in the RD specimens. Two bundles of shear bands intersected at the surface where strain localized, forming the surface necking, so RD direction had more severe surface necking than TD direction.

Worldwide research and development has been performed on solid breeder materials as a tritium source for future fusion power reactors. These ceramic materials will be used in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) to check their performance and screen their applicability for use in fusion blankets. While all members of the ITER project are engaged in the development of solid breeder blanket concepts, five are actively involved in the fabrication of tritium breeding ceramics for the different test blanket modules to be tested in ITER. All solid breeder concepts proposed for ITER are based on the use of ceramics in the form of pebble beds with pebble diameters of about 1 mm or smaller. Although alternative materials are still under investigation, the main candidates for tritium breeding ceramics are lithium metatitanate and lithium orthosilicate. Recent developments and preparatory work for ITER are presented.

This paper aims to explore the impact of meteorological factors on PM2.5 concentrations in Hong Kong. The PM2.5 and meteorology data including temperature, pressure, rainfall, relative humidity (RH), wind speed and wind direction from January to December of 2013 were collected. The correlation analysis between PM2.5 and meteorological factors were conducted for each month and season. The meteorology data were classified into several intervals and the mean PM2.5 concentrations for each interval were calculated to see the tendency. According to the correlation analysis results, the PM2.5 concentrations have a positive relationship with pressure with correlation coefficients 0.507 while have negative relationships with temperature, RH, rainfall, wind speed with correlation coefficients -0.512, -0.237, -0.524, -0.284, respectively. In addition, the wind direction influence PM2.5 concentrations through affecting the spreading direction of PM2.5. The north wind in winter increased the PM2.5 in Hong Kong while the south wind in summer decrease the PM2.5. Therefore, the meteorological factors affect the aggregation, diffusion, spread of PM2.5. They have a leading impact on PM2.5 concentrations when the domestic emission stays stable.

The interaction of Pd with the Mo(100) surface has been studied with low-energy electron microscopy and diffraction, and first-principles total-energy calculations. Deposition of Pd at elevated temperature leads initially to the development of an intense $c(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ diffraction pattern. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that a $c(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ substitutional alloy is energetically favored compared to an overlayer structure at half monolayer coverage. The creation of a large number of islands upon Pd deposition is consistent with the formation of a substitutional alloy. Accommodation of Pd in excess of the ideal $c(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ coverage leads to the formation of a $c(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}n)$ structure $(n=8,10),$ although with little apparent further change of surface morphology. Proliferation of antiphase domain walls in the $c(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ alloy is proposed to explain the $c(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}n)$ periodic structure. Theoretical calculations indicate that a pseudomorphic Pd overlayer is the most stable configuration at 1 monolayer coverage, and that the Pd-covered Mo(100) surface may become unstable with respect to faceting to the {112} orientations if pseudomorphic growth can be realized up to 2 monolayer coverage. However, the $c(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}n)$ structure is found experimentally to be stable at the interface between Mo and thicker Pd overlayers. These results suggest that there is a kinetic limitation to the formation of the pseudomorphic structure and the faceting instability is preempted by the formation of more complex surface alloy structures.

Rhabdomyolysis is characterized by extensive damage of striated muscle, while the major complication of this disease is the development of acute myoglobinuric renal failure. Although first described more than five decades ago very little has changed with regard to the management of this entity as conventional hemodialysis has not been shown to effect myoglobin elimination. However, continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration (CAVH) offers an alternative to conventional hemodialysis as this procedure is more effective particularly for removing larger molecular weight substances such as myoglobin. We studied the effect of CAVH on myoglobin clearance in an animal model of acute myoglobinuric renal failure. Swine (n=6) were given 4 grams of equine myoglobin intravenously and underwent the CAVH procedure for six hours each. Once the filtering process was initiated there was a rapid and sustained production of ultrafiltrate. The clearance of myoglobin via the hemofilter was 2.05 ± 1.48 L/day. The amount of myoglobin excreted in the ultrafiltrate over the six hour filtering period was 410 ± 234 mg which accounts for 10.27 ± 5.85 percent of the administered dose. Based on these findings, it appears that the hemofiltration system is a viable option for the removal of myoglobin from the systemic circulation.

To evaluate the expression of apoptosis-related genes and their correlation with prognosis in cervical cancer patients.The expressions of Survivin, Fas and FasL in tissues of cervical cancer, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), chronic cervicitis and normal cervix wer detected by immunohistochemical staining, and the relationship between the expression of Survivin, Fas and FasL and clinical pathologic characteristics of cervical cancer was correlation analysis.The positive expression rates of Survivin and FasL in cervical cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in tissues of normal cervix, chronic cervicitis and CIN (p0.05), but lower positive expression rate of Fas was observed in cervical cancer tissues when compared with that in normal cervix, chronic cervicitis and CIN tissues (p0.05). The expression of Survivin was significantly correlated with clinical staging and lymph node metastases of cervical cancer (p0.05). The expression of FasL was correlated with lymph node metastases, clinical staging and pathological grading of cervical cancer (p0.05). The expression of Survivin was negatively correlated with that of Fas (r = -0.517, p0.01), but positively correlated with that of FasL (r = 0.381, p0.01) in tissues of cervical cancer.The up-regulated expression of Survivin and FasL and down-regulated expression of Fas may be involved in the carcinogenesis and development of cervical cancer. The expression of FasL may be one of the prediction indexes for disease progression and prognosis in cervical cancer.

This study was to investigate the effects of the novel cannabinoid receptor - G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55) - and its ligands O-1602 and cannabidiol (CBD) on gastrointestinal (GI) motility in rodents.Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used in vivo to produce the model of septic ileus. The intestinal motility was measured by recording myoelectrical activity of jejunum in rats, and by measuring GI transit with a charcoal marker in mice, in presence of O-1602 or CBD. Inflammatory response was assessed serologically and histologically. The expression and distribution of GPR55 in the different parts of rat intestine were investigated by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. In vitro, the effects of the drugs on the GI movement were investigated by measuring the contraction of the intestinal muscle strips in organ bath, and the intracellular responses of the muscle cells with microelectrode technique.G protein-coupled receptor 55 was expressed in different parts of rat intestine. Lipopolysaccharide significantly inhibited the intestinal motility, increased inflammatory cytokines and GPR55 expression. Pretreatment with CBD normalized LPS-induced hypomotility and improved the inflammatory responses serologically and histologically. Both O-1602 and CBD counteracted LPS-induced disturbances of the gut contraction, but had no effect on the membrane potential of the muscle cells, while cannabinoid type 1 receptor antagonist AM251 and cannabinoid type 2 receptor antagonist AM630 increased the potential.G protein-coupled receptor 55 existed throughout the whole intestine of rats. O-1602 or CBD selectively normalized the motility disturbances. Possible mechanisms involved systemic anti-inflammation and the regulation of myoelectrical activity of the intestine.

We report optical properties of the smallest single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with a diameter of only 3 A. These ultrasmall SWNTs are fabricated in the elliptical nanochannels of an AlPO-11 (AEL) single crystal. Polarized and resonant Raman scattering unambiguously revealed that these 0.3 nm SWNTs are of (2,2) armchair symmetry. Interestingly, the (2,2) armchair tube has two metastable ground states corresponding to two slightly different lattice constants in the axial direction: one state is metallic and the other is semiconducting.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) includes presentation of chest pain over 20 min, evolutionary changes on the electrocardiogram (ECG), and abnormal levels of cardiac enzymes. Hypothesis: A multicenter study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in detecting and ruling out AMI. Methods: The normal range for cTnI in 149 apparently healthy subjects without known history of cardiac or other diseases was 0 to 0.5 ng/ml. Cutoffs of 2.5 ng/ml for cTnI and 5.0 ng/ml for creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) were used. Results: The diagnostic sensitivity of blood collected from 291 consecutive patients with suspicion of AMI was 95.0 and 96.4%, respectively, for samples obtained at 4–48 h after AMI onset. CK-MB was more sensitive during the early 4–8 h interval (84 vs. 74%); both had 100% sensitivity from 12–36 h. CTnI remained at 100% for 72 h, while CK-MB declined to 57%. The clinical specificity was 97.4 vs. 85.8%, respectively, on non-AMI patients with cardiac and noncardiac diseases, and those with renal disease. Conclusion: cTnI is an excellent marker for detecting and ruling out AMI, because it has better specificity and a wider diagnostic window than the accepted standard, CK-MB.