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In this work, the ferroelectric thin-film transistor (Fe-TFT) with polycrystalline-silicon (poly-Si) channel and HfZrO x gate dielectric is fabricated to study the characteristics of non-volatile memory (NVM). Significant threshold voltage (V TH) modulation can be achieved with low pulse voltages less than ±3.5 V and pulse widths within 1 μs. In order to achieve the NVM characteristics of low voltage and high speed operation, the impact of the program/erase (PRG/ERS) pulse voltage (V PRG/V ERS) and pulse width on endurance is a critical consideration. In the study of the pulse width effect on endurance, it can be observed that the V TH in PRG-state exhibits the wake-up effect at both short and long pulse widths. In addition, with the increase of pulse width, the V TH in the PRG-state exhibits significant fatigue effect and subthreshold swing (SS) degradation effect. For V TH in the ERS-state, the increase of the pulse width also exhibits the fatigue effect and the SS degradation effect, which is dominated by the SS degradation effect at long pulse widths. In the study of the pulse voltage effect on endurance, the increase of V PRG shows the imprint effect that the V TH in either PRG- or ERS-state reveals a decreasing trend. When the V ERS increases, the SS of the PRG- and ERS-states is degraded, and the fatigue effect of the PRG-state is enhanced. Moreover, the retention characteristics of poly-Si Fe-TFTs exhibit stable characteristics at both room temperature and 50 °C.

Low serum testosterone level is associated with aging-related vascular stiffness, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. The Growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) /Axl pathway has been proved to play important roles in cell senescence. In this study, we intend to explore whether Gas6/Axl is involved in the effect of testosterone on vascular aging amelioration. Vascular aging models of wild type and Axl-/- mice were established by natural aging. Mice of these two gene types were randomized into young group, aging group and testosterone undecanoate (TU) treatment group. Mice were treated with TU (37.9 mg/kg) in the TU group, which treated with solvent reagent served as control. The aging mice exhibited decreases in serum testosterone, Gas6 and Axl levels and an increase in cell senescence, manifested age-related vascular remodeling. Testosterone treatment induced testosterone and Gas6 levels in serum, and ameliorated cell senescence and vascular remodeling in aging mice. Furthermore, we uncover the underlying molecular mechanism and show that testosterone treatment restored the phosphorylation of Akt and FoxO1a. Axl knockout accelerated cell senescence and vascular remodeling, and resisted the anti-aging effect of testosterone. Testosterone might exert a protective effect on vascular aging by improving cell senescence and vascular remodeling through the Gas6/Axl pathway.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a spectrum of acute and life-threatening pulmonary inflammatory conditions. Treatment of ALI remains a clinical challenge. Recently, intermittent fasting (IF) has been shown to improve health and alleviate many diseases. In this study, we tested whether IF attenuated ALI and investigated the mechanism underlying this process. In vivo, the effects of IF on ALI were evaluated in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine ALI model. We found that two times of 24-h fasting in a week before ALI efficiently ameliorated LPS-induced lung injury in mice, characterized by alleviated lung lesions, wet-to-dry weight ratio, myeloperoxidase activity, malondialdehyde content, and lower levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β. In vitro, functional assays were conducted to assess IF on the inflammatory response and macrophage polarization of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) treated with LPS or IL-4. And PPARγ antagonist GW9662 and AMPK siRNA were used to test the role of PPARγ and AMPK in the IF-mediated improvement of ALI. The results showed that IF (serum deprivation) suppressed macrophage M1 activation and promoted M2 activation in LPS-treated BMDMs. While, IF also augmented macrophage M2 polarization in IL-4-treated BMDMs. Further mechanistic studies showed that the promotive effect of IF on M2 polarization was related to the activation of the PPARγ and AMPK pathways. In conclusion, this study suggests that IF enhances M2 polarization by activating the AMPK and PPARγ pathways, thus facilitating anti-inflammatory response and ameliorating ALI.

Based on the daily sunspot number (SN) data (1954–2011) from the Purple Mountain Observatory, the extreme value theory (EVT) is employed for the research of the long-term solar activity. It is the first time that the EVT is applied on the Chinese SN. Two methods are used for the research of the extreme events with EVT. One method is the block maxima (BM) approach, which picks the maximum SN value of each block. Another one is the peaks-over-threshold (POT) approach. After a declustering process, a threshold value (here it is 300) is set to pick the extreme values. The negative shape parameters are obtained by the two methods, respectively, indicating that there is an upper bound for the extreme SN value. Only one value of the N-year return level (RL) is estimated: N = 19 years. For N = 19 years, the RL values of SN obtained by two methods are similar with each other. The RL values are found to be 420 for the POT method and the BM method. Here, the trend of 25th solar cycle is predicted to be stronger, indicating that the length of meridional forms of atmospheric circulation will be increased.

The ratio of penumbral to umbra area of sunspots plays a crucial role in the solar physics fields, especially for understanding the origin and evolution of the solar activity cycle. By analyzing the recently digitized sunspot drawings observed from Yunnan Observatories (1957–2021), we investigate the long-term variation of the penumbral to umbra area ratio of sunspots. An automatic extraction method, based on the maximum between-class variance and the morphological discrimination, is used to accurately extract penumbra and umbra and to calculate the ratio over six solar cycles (cycle 19–24). The expected value of the ratio of penumbra to umbra area is found to be 6.63 ± 0.98, and it does not exhibit any systematic variation with sunspot latitudes and phases. The average ratio fluctuates from 5 to 7.5 per year and the overall trend has decreased after 1999 compared to the previous one. The ratio of sunspot penumbra to umbra area satisfies the log-normal distribution, implying that its variation is related to the evolution of the photospheric magnetic field. Our results are consistent with previous works.

Objective: Previous results on the association between blood pressure(BP) and stroke risk were controversial. We investigated the association of BP with stroke risk in China. Method: We included a total of 5,700 adults aged 40-90 years from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) cohort. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% CIs. Restricted cubic spline analyses were used to explore linear and nonlinear relationships of BP and stroke. Result: With a median follow-up of 6 years, a total of 5,700 individuals were enrolled in our study, of whom 178 developed stroke. Multivariable adjusted Cox models including systolic blood pressure(SBP) and diastolic blood pressure(DBP) showed a strong positive association between SBP and overall stroke. Compared with participants with SBP 0-130 mmHg, the multivariable adjusted HRs[95% CIs] in participants with SBP 130-140, 140-160, 160-180, and ≥180 mmHg were 1.08[0.62-1.89], 2.41[1.51-3.86], 2.21[1.16-4.20], and 3.90[1.78-8.55] for overall stroke; 0.65[0.21-2.04], 3.68[1.73-7.83], 2.51[0.84-7.47], and 5.91[1.69-20.60] for ischemic stroke; 1.26[0.50-3.20], 1.19[0.47-3.04], 2.06[0.66-6.41], and 5.10[1.36-19.20] for hemorrhagic stroke. Restricted cubic spline analyses including SBP and DBP showed linear relationships of SBP with overall, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. No linear or nonlinear relationships of DBP with overall, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke were observed.Conclusion: SBP is independently and directly related to the risk of overall and its subtypes. Besides, the risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke might be higher when SBP were more than 140 mmHg and 160 mmHg.

Background Androgen has been implicated in aging-related cardiac remodeling, but its precise role in aging heart remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the role of testosterone in the development of aging-related cardiac remodeling and the mechanisms involved. Methods Wild type and Axl knockout mice (Axl−/−) were randomized into three groups: the young group (n = 30, 3 months old), the aging group (n = 30, 18 months old), the testosterone undecanoate treatment group (TU, n = 30, 18 months old). Mice in the TU group were given testosterone undecanoate (39 mg/kg) by subcutaneous injection on the back at fifteen-months-old, once a month, a total of three times. The old group received solvent reagent (corn oil) by the same method. Results The aging mice exhibited a decrease in serum testosterone, and Gas6 levels and an increase in apoptosis, and manifested cardiac fibrosis. Testosterone injection to wild type mice increased the levels of testosterone and Gas6 in serum and decreased cardiac apoptosis and fibrosis. Axl−/−mice receiving testosterone injection exhibited no obvious improvement in cardiac remodeling although the levels of testosterone and Gas6 in serum elevated. Conclusions These data indicated that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) alleviates cardiac fibrosis and apoptosis, at least in part by enhancing Gas6 expression. Moreover, deletion of Axl disables testosterone, which indicated that Axl is an important downstream regulator of testosterone. TRT would improve aging-related cardiac remolding via Gas6/Axl signaling pathway, implicating its therapeutic potential to treat aging-related heart disease.

N-acylethanolamides (NAEs) are a class of naturally occurring lipid molecules with pleiotropic activities ranging from energy homeostasis to analgesic functioning. However, the comprehensive quantitation of endogenous NAEs is challenged by the sub-trace level (nM) in complex biological samples and the limited availability of stable isotope labeled internal standards (SIL-IS). Herein, a sensitive method was developed to accurately determine 20 NAEs in biological samples by chemical isotope labeling strategy coupled with liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A pair of efficient derivatization reagents, acetyl chloride-d0 (ACC-d0) and acetyl chloride-d3 (ACC-d3), were used to label NAEs in biological samples and NAE standard mixture, respectively. The heavily labeled NAE derivatives of the standard substances were used as one-to-one internal standards to minimize the matrix effects and potential ion suppression in MS analysis. Although no chemical moiety with high ionization capability was introduced, the detection sensitivity of the derivatized NAEs were substantially enhanced, as evidenced by 6- to 170-fold increase in LOQs, compared to non-derivatized NAEs. The derivatized NAEs provided the stable and abundant specific product ions in MS/MS spectrum, which were used as the quantitation ions for multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) analysis. The validated LC-MS/MS method was also successfully applied to determine NAEs in serum samples and liver tissues from control and alcohol-fed mice, which shown its practicability in the analysis of endogenous NAE in biological samples. Collectively, the proposed method offers a sensitive and accurate quantification of endogenous NAEs, which may facilitate the understanding of NAE metabolisms and their functions in the physiological and pathological processes.

Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive memory loss and cognitive impairment. The aggregation of amyloid β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau protein are two major pathological features of AD. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NADPH oxidase, NOX) has been indicated in Aβ pathology; however, whether and how it affects tau pathology are not yet clear. Methods The role of NOX2 in cognitive function, amyloid plaque formation, and tau hyperphosphorylation were examined in APP/PS1 transgenic mice mated with p47phox-deficient mice (with deletion of the gene of neutrophil cytosolic factor 1, Ncf1) and/or in p47phox-deficient mice receiving intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of streptozotocin (STZ). The cognitive and non-cognitive functions in these mice were assessed by Morris water maze, Rotarod test, open field, and elevated plus maze. Aβ levels, amyloid plaques, p47phox expression, and astrocyte activation were evaluated using immunofluorescence staining, ELISA, and/or Western blotting. Cultured primary neuronal cells were treated with okadaic acid or conditioned media (CM) from high glucose-stimulated primary astrocytes. The alteration in tau pathology was determined using Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Results Deletion of the gene coding for p47phox, the organizer subunit of NOX2, significantly attenuated cognitive impairment and tau pathology in these mice. p47phox deficiency decreased the activation of astrocytes but had no effect on Aβ levels and amyloid plaque formation in the brains of aged APP/PS1 mice, which displayed markedly increased expression of p47phox in neurons and astrocytes. Cell culture studies found that neuronal p47phox deletion attenuated okadaic acid-induced tau hyperphosphorylation at specific sites in primary cultures of neurons. CM from high glucose-treated WT astrocytes increased tau hyperphosphorylation in primary neurons, whereas this effect was absent from p47phox-deficient astrocytes. Conclusions These results suggest that p47phox is associated with cognitive function and tau pathology in AD. p47phox expressed in neurons contributes to tau hyperphosphorylation directly, while p47phox in astrocytes affect tau hyperphosphorylation by activating astrocytes indirectly. Our results provide new insights into the role of NOX2 in AD and indicate that targeted inhibition of p47phox may be a new strategy for the treatment of AD.

Background The present study aimed to determine the role and mechanism of miR-23 with respect to regulating the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). Materials The expression of miR-23 and MEF2C was measured in osteoporosis (OP) patients and healthy controls by a quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The correlation between miR-23 and MEF2C was determined by the Pearson correlation coefficient. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis was performed using public databases. Target gene function and potential pathways were further examined. Then, we used a miR-23 mimic or inhibitor to further explore the potential mechanism of miR-23. Results miR-23 is found to be up-regulated and MEF2C is down-regulated in OP patients compared to healthy controls. miR-23 had a negative correlation with MEF2C (r = -0.937, p = 0.001). Bioinformatic analysis revealed that a total of 664 overlapping target genes were found in the TargetScan (http://www.targetscan.org), miRDB (http://mirdb.org) and miRanda (http://www.microrna.org/microrna/home.do) databases. Moreover, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis indicated that miR-23 may regulate the mitogan-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. miR-23 is down-regulated and MEF2C is significantly up-regulated in the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. MEF2C was significantly up-regulated in the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. Overexpression of miR-23 significantly down-regulated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and calcium deposition, whereas the miR-23 inhibitor had the opposite effects. Moreover, overexpression of miR-23 significantly decreased osteoblast-related markers (Runx2, Osx, ALP and OCN). Further experiments confirmed that MEF2C is a direct target of miR-23. Moreover, the miR-23 mimic enhanced the expression of p-p38 but had no effect on p-JNK. Conclusions miR-23 decreases the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs through the MEF2C/MAPK signaling pathway.

Objectives Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) is one type of respiratory failure characterized by rapid onset of widespread inflammation in the lungs. Curcumin has been reported to be an anti-inflammatory factor through enhancing the function of regulatory T cells (Tregs). This study aimed to explore the effect of curcumin on the differentiation of Tregs and the role of curcumin in ALI/ARDS. Methods A cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced acute lung injury mouse model was used to explore the effect of curcumin in ALI/ARDS. The severity of lung injury was evaluated. Immunohistochemistry of IL-17A and MPO in lung tissue was examined. Treg-related cytokine levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were tested. The expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in lung tissue was detected. Macrophages in lung tissue were detected by immunofluorescence. Splenic CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Tregs were quantified, and the differentiation of Tregs from naive CD4 + T cell and STAT5 was evaluated. The expression of IL-10 during naive CD4 + T cell differentiation in vitro was tested. Results Curcumin alleviated lung injury in the induced CLP mouse model and suppressed inflammation. IL-17A, MPO-producing neutrophils, and NF-κB p65 expression in lungs of CLP mice decreased significantly after pretreatment with curcumin. We found curcumin could regulate M1/M2 macrophage levels in lungs of CLP mice. This may have been through regulating the differentiation of Tregs and the production of Treg-derived IL-10. Treg-derived IL-10 is the main factor that could affect macrophage polarization. We found curcumin could increase Treg proportions in vivo and up-regulate IL-10 expression in serum and BALF of CLP mice. In our in vitro experiments, we found curcumin could promote Treg differentiation and increase the production of IL-10. Conclusions Curcumin can reduce the degree of severity of ALI and uncontrolled inflammation through promoting the differentiation of naive CD4 + T cells to CD4+ CD25+ FOXP3+ Tregs. Curcumin promotes the conversion of macrophages from M1 to M2. The differentiation of Tregs induced by curcumin may be one source of IL-10 immune modulation.

ObjectiveTo develop and internally validate a prediction model for 6-year risk of stroke and its primary subtypes in middle-aged and elderly Chinese population.DesignThis is a retrospective cohort study from a prospectively collected database.ParticipantsWe included a total 3124 adults aged 45–80 years, free of stroke or myocardial infarction at baseline in the 2009–2015 cohort of China Health and Nutrition Survey.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe outcome of the prediction model was stroke. Investigated predictors were: age, gender, body mass index (BMI), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), hypertension (HBP), drinking status, smoking status, diabetes and site. Stepwise multiple Cox regression was applied to identify independent predictors. A nomogram was constructed to predict 6-year risk of stroke based on the multiple analysis results. Bootstraps with 1000 resamples were applied to both C-index and calibration curve.ResultThe overall incidence of overall stroke was 2.98%. Age, gender, HBP and TC were found as significant risk predictors for overall stroke; age, gender, HBP and LDL-C were found as significant risk predictors for ischaemic stroke; age, gender, HBP, BMI and HDL-C were found as significant risk predictors for haemorrhagic stroke. The nomogram was constructed using significant variables included in the model, with a C-index of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.72 to 0.76), 0.74 (95% CI: 0.71 to 0.77), and 0.81 (95% CI: 0.78 to 0.84) for overall stroke, ischaemic stroke, and haemorrhagic stroke model, respectively. The calibration curves demonstrated the good agreements between predicted and observed 6-year risk probability.ConclusionOur nomogram could be convenient, easy to use and effective prognoses for predicting 6-year risk of stroke in middle-aged and elderly Chinese population.

Based on understanding the application of big data and the research status of crop germplasm resources, this paper proposes a system architecture that is suitable for crop germplasm resources big data. Among them, the overall architecture of germplasm resources is elaborated through six functional modules, including data source, data integration, data processing, data application, big data operation and maintenance platform, and data management and security. The logical functional architecture specification was formulated and the technical implementation and selection are defined. The technical implementation framework describes the technical implementation of germplasm resources big data, and jointly supports the construction and operation of germplasm resources big data. Finally, a verification system is established to verify the feasibility of the big data system framework for germplasm resources.

Objectives Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) is a severe form of inflammatory lung disease. Its development and progression are regulated by cytokines. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of HMGB1 involved in the regulation of Treg cells and IL-35. Methods A cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced ALI model was used to investigate the changes in IL-35, Tregs, and the expression of RAGE and caspase-11 after HMGB1 inhibition (glycyrrhizin was used as an inhibitor of HMGB1). CD4+ naive T cells sorted from C57BL/6 mice spleens were cultured to explore the role of HMGB1 in the differentiation from CD4+ naive T cells to Tregs. Results HMGB1 promoted lung injury and uncontrolled inflammation in the CLP mouse model. HMGB1, NF-κB p65, RAGE, and caspase-11 expression in the lungs of CLP mice decreased significantly after pretreatment with glycyrrhizin. We found that the Treg proportion and IL-35 expression were upregulated in the serum and lung of CLP mice after inhibiting HMGB1. In our in vitro experiments, we found that recombinant HMGB1 significantly suppressed the proportion of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+Tregs differentiated from CD4+ naive T cells. Conclusions The inhibition of HMGB1 increased the proportion of Treg and expression of IL-35 and alleviated lung injury in the CLP-induced ALI model. Furthermore, inhibition of HMGB1 reduced caspase-11-dependent pyroptosis in the lungs of the CLP-induced ALI model.

GeSe2 Nano-Films (GeSe2NFMs) were prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The nanostructures of the GeSe2NFMs were revealed by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. The linear optical properties of the samples have been studied by absorption spectroscopy. The nonlinear optical properties of the GeSe2NFMs have been studied by Z-scan technique with femtosecond pulses at the wavelength of 1030 nm. The measured band gap of GeSe2NFMs is 2.33eV, and the nonlinear absorption coefficient βeff is about 1.344*10−7 cm/W, which is a saturated absorption. In addition, in the fluorescence emission spectrum of GeSe2NFM, we found emission peaks in the red and infrared light regions with a wavelength of 760 nm. We found that GeSe2NFMs prepared by CVD has a larger band gap and a larger nonlinear absorption coefficient than the doped GeSe2. These studies indicate the application of GeSe2NFMs in laser emitters and nonlinear optical devices, and also provide a reference for subsequent research on nonlinear optical characteristics.

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a nuclear transcription factor that is activated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Recent studies reported that hyperactivation of the Nrf2 pathway creates an environment that favors the survival of normal as well as malignant cells, protecting them against oxidative stress, chemotherapeutic agents, and radiotherapy. SUMO1/sentrin/SMT3 specific peptidase 3 (SENP3) reverses sumoylation of small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)-conjugates. We demonstrated that Nrf2 was detected in the nuclei of laryngeal carcinoma cells, but not in cells of tissues surrounding the cancer, which correlated with the appearance of SENP3 in the nuclei. Silencing of Nrf2 in laryngeal carcinoma cell line Hep-2 significantly reduced cell viability and enhanced apoptosis rates under cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) exposure. Cisplatin exposure induced ROS stress in Hep-2 cells in a time-dependent manner and was accompanied by increased Nrf2 and SENP3 protein accumulations, an effect reversed by the addition of the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). Silencing of SENP3 led to reduced Nrf2 protein levels, whereas overexpression of SENP3 led to concomitant enhanced transcription of the Nrf2 target genes HO-1, NQO1, GCLC and GSTM1. Immunoprecipitation showed that overexpressed Nrf2 and SENP3 could be precipitated together, indicating that they were intracellular bound to each other. Our data identified intranuclear activation of Nrf2 is triggered by cisplatin-induced ROS development through the activity of SENP3. These findings provide novel insights into the Nrf2 reduced cancer cell response to the chemotherapy of laryngeal carcinoma.

Water-soluble CdZnTe quantum dots (QDs) were firstly synthesized by using 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) as modifier in aqueous phase. Then, CdZnTe quantum dots were capped with polyethyleneimine (PEI) with electrostatic interaction and condensation reaction between carboxyl group on the surface of QDs and amino group of PEI, and several metal ions were tested to check if they affect the fluorescence properties of CdZnTe QDs in the paper. A novel method to detect trace Pb2+ has been developed based on the selective fluorescence quenching Pb2+ to PEI-CdZnTe QDs. Fluorescence quenching effect of PEI-CdZnTe QDs had been studied by increasing the Pb2+ concentration. The study results show that fluorescence quenching process of Pb2+ can be described well by Stern-Volmer fluorescence quenching equation. There is a good linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity F0/F and the concentration of Pb2+ when the concentration of Pb2+ is in the ranges of 0.05~3.0 μg·mL-1. The linear correlation coefficient and the detection limits are 0.998 8 and 0.01 μg·mL-1, respectively. The proposed fluorescence method of detection is simple, rapid and sensitive, which has been successfully applied to the detection of Pb2+ in tap water.

To identify potential serum biomarkers for distinguishing between latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and active tuberculosis (TB).A proteome microarray containing 4,262 antigens was used for screening serum biomarkers of 40 serum samples from patients with LTBI and active TB at the systems level. The interaction network and functional classification of differentially expressed antigens were analyzed using STRING 10.0 and the TB database, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to validate candidate antigens further using 279 samples. The diagnostic performances of candidate antigens were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. Both antigen combination and logistic regression analysis were used to improve diagnostic ability.Microarray results showed that levels of 152 Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)-antigen- specific IgG were significantly higher in active TB patients than in LTBI patients (P0.05), and these differentially expressed antigens showed stronger associations with each other and were involved in various biological processes. Eleven candidate antigens were further validated using ELISA and showed consistent results in microarray analysis. ROC analysis showed that antigens Rv2031c, Rv1408, and Rv2421c had higher areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.8520, 0.8152, and 0.7970, respectively. In addition, both antigen combination and logistic regression analysis improved the diagnostic ability.Several antigens have the potential to serve as serum biomarkers for discrimination between LTBI and active TB.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), the most common form of primary myocardial disease, is an important cause of sudden cardiac death and heart failure and is the leading indication for heart transplantation in children and adults worldwide. Recent studies have revealed a strong genetic basis for idiopathic DCM, with many distinct genes causally implicated. Nevertheless, DCM is a genetically heterogeneous disorder and the genetic determinants underlying DCM in a substantial proportion of patients remain unclear. In this study, the whole coding exons and flanking introns of the GATA binding protein 5 (GATA5) gene, which codes for a zinc-finger transcription factor essential for cardiovascular development and structural remodeling, were sequenced in 130 unrelated patients with idiopathic DCM. The available relatives of the index patient carrying an identified mutation and 200 unrelated ethnically matched healthy individuals used as the controls were genotyped for GATA5. The functional characteristics of the mutant GATA5 were analyzed in contrast to its wild-type counterpart by using a dual-luciferase reporter assay system. As a result, a novel heterozygous GATA5 mutation, p.G240D, was identified in a family with DCM inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which co-segregated with DCM in the family with complete penetrance. The missense mutation was absent in 400 reference chromosomes and the altered amino acid was completely conserved evolutionarily across species. Functional analyses revealed that the GATA5 mutant was associated with significantly diminished transcriptional activity. This study firstly links GATA5 mutation to DCM, which provides novel insight into the molecular mechanisms of DCM, suggesting a potential molecular target for the prenatal prophylaxis and allele-specific treatment of DCM.

Objective: To study the effect of astragaloside II combined with 5-fluorouracil treatment on liver cell proliferation and analyze the specific molecular mechanisms. Methods: Liver cancer cell lines HepG2 were cultured, cells of logphase growth were collected and treated with different conditions, blank control group were treated with DMEM without serum, 5-Fu treatment group were treated with 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 μmol/L 5-Fu, and 5-Fu combined with astragaloside II treatment group were treated with 10 μmol/L 5-Fu combined with 20, 40 and 80 μmol/L astragaloside II. 24, 48 and 72 h after treatment, MTS kit was used to determine the cell viability; 24 h after treatment, ELISA kit was used to determine the content of apoptosis protein in cells. Results: Compared with blank control group, 5-Fu treatment could reduce the survival rate of liver cancer cells in time-dependent and dose-dependent manner; compared with 10 μmol/L 5-Fu single drug treatment group, 10 μmol/L 5-Fu combined with astragaloside II treatment could reduce the survival rate of liver cancer cells in time-dependent and dosedependent manner; Fas, FasL, Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 expression levels after 10 μmol/L 5-Fu treatment were significantly higher than those of blank control group, and Fas, FasL, Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 expression levels after 10 μmol/L 5-Fu combined with 40 μmol/L astragaloside II treatment were significantly higher than those of 10 μmol/L 5-Fu treatment group. Conclusions: Astragaloside II combined with 5-fluorouracil treatment can enhance the inhibitory effect of 5-fluorouracil on liver cancer cell proliferation, and the apoptosis proteins mediating the effect are Fas/FasL and Bax.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of budesonide suspension inhalation in reducing the incidence and severity of postoperative sore throat (POST) and hoarseness induced by tracheal intubation. Methods: 120 patients scheduled for thyroid surgery with general anaesthesia were randomized into 3 groups. Group A received 200 mcg budesonide inhalation suspension (BIS) 10 min prior to the tracheal intubation and received the same treatment 6 h and 24 h after extubation. Group B received 200 mcg BIS 6 h and 24 h after extubation. Control group received the same scheduled treatment as Group A, but the BIS was replaced with 2 ml normal saline. The patients were evaluated for POST and hoarseness 1, 24 and 48h after extubation and the status of laryngopharynx was examined and recorded as well. Results: The incidences of post-operation complaints in three groups were 72.5%, 82.5% and 87.55% for POST, and 37.3%, 52.5% and 75% for hoarseness, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of POST between three groups. However, hoarseness occurred significantly less frequently in Group A in comparison to Group B and control group (P

Arsenic-bearing pyrite was used as an indicator to investigate microwave roasting behavior of pyrite concentrates. Appearance of the microwave roasted sample showed that the irradiation-induced transformation started from a small area of the crucible and gradually advanced to the remainder zone. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the arsenic contained in the pyrite was oxidized to As2O3, and that the pyrite was converted into pyrrhotite, hematite, and Fe3O4. The effect of the microwave power, the sample mass, and the microwave irradiation time on the roasting properties was also studied. The results showed that the mass loss ratio increased with the microwave power and the microwave roasting time.

In practice, the dielectric constant of a material varies the applied frequency the material composition, particle size, purity, temperature, physical state (solid or liquid), and moisture content. All of these parameters might change during processing, therefore, it is difficult to predict how well a material will absorb microwave energy in a given process. When the temperature is measured by a digital thermometer, it could not accurately reflect the true temperature of the bulk materials, especially for mixed materials. Thus, in this paper we measured the microwave absorption characteristics of different materials by calorimetry. The microwave power levels, irradiation times, and masses of the materials were varied. It was difficult to predict the microwave energy absorption characteristics of reagent-grade inorganic compounds based on their color, metallic cation, or water stoichiometry. CuO, MnO2, Fe3O4, and MnSO4 x H2O (Taishan) strongly absorbed microwave energy. Most of the remaining inorganic compounds were poor absorbers, with silica hardly absorbing any microwave energy. Carbon-based materials had significantly different microwave absorption characteristics. Activated carbon and coke were especially sensitive to microwaves, but different types of coal were poor absorbers. The jamesonite concentrate absorbed microwave energy strongly, while the zinc concentrate was a poor absorber.

This paper was aimed to compare the acute toxicity of 999 Ganmaoling grain and its different ingredients, and investigate the influence of routine diet on the hepatic toxicity induced by Ganmaoling in mice, so as to provide experimental basis for the clinical safety evaluation. Mice were given a single dose of Ganmaoling grain or its different ingredients respectively by gavage, and then observed for 14 days. LD₅₀ values of Ganmaoling grain or its chemical ingredient and the maximal tolerated dose of its herb ingredient were determined. Mice were divided into starvation and diet group, a single dose of Ganmaoling grain was administered by gavage. LD₅₀ values were estimated after 14 day observation. Mice were divided into starvation and diet group. At the same time,control group was set up for each. A single dose of Ganmaoling grain was given. Serum biochemical indexes were detected, liver weight index was calculated and liver tissue morphological change was observed after 6 h. LD₅₀ values were 4.42, 0.64 g•kg⁻¹ for Ganmaoling grain group and chemical ingredient group, respectively. The maximal tolerated dose of the herb ingredient group was close to 24.24 g•kg⁻¹. The toxic symptom was basically similar in the Ganmaoling grain and the chemical ingredient group. The body weight and food intake were decreased to a certain extent in both groups. There were pathological changes of liver and heart tissue in some of the surviving animals. The animals in the Ganmaoling grain group exhibited a lighter toxicity and recovered faster than that in the chemical ingredient group. LD₅₀ values of Ganmaoling grain were 2.56, 6.93 g•kg⁻¹ for starvation and diet group respectively. TD₅₀ values were 1.29, 6.31 g•kg⁻¹ for starvation and diet group respectively. The toxicity of 999 Ganmaoling was less, which may be related to the reduction of toxicity after the combination of herb and chemical ingredients. Compared with starvation group, the values of LD₅₀ and TD₅₀ of diet group was significantly increased, and toxicity was decreased. From the point of view of safety, it is safer to use Ganmaoling in the absence of hunger or after meal. The above tests provide experimental basis for the clinical safety use of Ganmaoling.

To automatically obtain the real-time data of electric power information equipments and improve management level on intelligent inspection, a technical framework based on internet of things (IOT) is provided for information equipment inspection in electric power system. It provids new data sources efficiently and improves intelligent inspection level. Architecure of the proposed three layer framework is given. And key technologies and functions are discussed. Finally three layer software constuct is illustrated. After the upgrading the existing system, the results show inspection system based on IOT is more secure, reliable, and easy to use and maintain. All of these features embody the meticulous management of information equipment. The study accelerates the application of IOT in smart grids.

A new type of double pore size activated alumina/activated carbon multiphase material was made by using waste aluminum slag and activated carbon as main raw materials. The microstructures and pore size distribution of the new material were characterized by SEM and BET techniques. Iodine adsorption value was used to evaluate the adsorption performance of the multiphase materials, and the benzene adsorption capability was also measured. The results show that the specific surface area of the activated alumina/activated carbon multiphase materials is 261.95m2/g, pore volume can reach 0.25m3/g, and the iodine adsorption value is 381.97mg/g. BET pore size distribution shows that micropores and mesopores both exist in the composite material. The micropores range from 0.6 to 1.4nm, and the mesopores range from 3.0 to 7.0nm. The benzene adsorption capability of this new material is excellent, with a saturated adsorption capacity of 241.00 mg/g, much better than pure activated alumina or activated carbon.

Benzoic acid (BA), methylparaben (MP), propylparaben (PP) and sorbic acid (SA) are food preservatives, and they have well defined UV spectra. However, their spectra overlap seriously, and it is difficult to determine them individually from their mixtures without preseparation. In this paper, seven different chemometric approaches were applied to resolve the overlapping spectra and to determine these compounds simultaneously. With respect to the criteria of % relative prediction error (RPE) and % recovery, principal component regression (PCR) and radial basis function–artificial neural network (RBF–ANN) were the preferred methods. These two methods were successfully applied to the analysis of some commercial samples.

CartoXP and CartoMerge have been used to treat atrial fibrillation (AF) for several years. Our randomized prospective study compared clinical outcomes of these two versions of three dimensional electroanatomic mapping system in guiding catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).Eighty-one patients with symptomatic, drug refractory PAF were randomly assigned to CartoMerge group (n=42, mean age (54.5+/-13.1) years, history of AF=3.2 years) or CartoXP group (n=39, mean age (59.8+/-15.6) years, history of AF = 2.9 years). All patients underwent 64-slice computed tomography (MSCT) 1 to 3 days prior to ablation procedure. Using CartoMerge(TM) Image Integration Module, 3D anatomical images of the left atrium (LA) and pulmonary veins (PVs) derived from MSCT of CartoMerge group were established and merged with the electroanatomical map. The integrated images were used to guide the procedure of circumferential pulmonary vein isolation (CPVI). In the other group, CPVI was guided just by CartoXP. The endpoint of CPVI in both groups was abolition or dissociation of pulmonary vein potentials (PVPs).Mapping points to establish the electroanatomical model of the LA/PVs were 48.7+/-13.4 in CartoMerge group and 62.5+/-15.7 in CartoXP group (P0.001). Mean distance between mapping points and the MSCT surfaces in CartoMerge group was (1.59+/-0.33) mm. Accomplishment of abolition or dissociation of PVPs was achieved 95.2% in CartoMerge group and 92.3% in CartoXP group. Durations of procedure and exposure to X-ray were (156+/-25) minutes, (179+/-21) minutes (P0.001) and (19.6+/-7.5) minutes, (28.5+/-12.8) minutes (P0.001), respectively. After a follow-up with duration of (11.9+/-3.1) months vs (12.4+/-3.6) months post the first ablation procedure, patients free of AF were 33 (78.6%) in CartoMerge group and 29 (74.4%) in CartoXP group (P0.50). No patient suffered pulmonary vein stenosis, atrioesophageal fistula, stroke or death.Compared to CartoXP, CartoMerge shortened the catheter ablation procedure and exposure to X-ray, without affecting the clinical outcomes of circumferential pulmonary vein isolation for the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in experienced centres.

Background Recent studies have showed that the fine mesh stents are associated with a significant reduction in both clinical and angiographic re-stenosis of the coronary arteries.To maintain a very satisfactory radio-opacity using the stents,Guidant of the USA has designed a new type of bare metal stents (BMS)-Multi-link (ML) Vision/ML MiniVision stents.The clinical outcomes of Asian patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) after implanting the Multi-link Vision or MiniVision stent were investigated in this study. Methods An observational,prospective,multi-center,non-randomized post marketing registry was conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of the BMS- ML Vision/ML MiniVision stents.The primary end point of the registry was clinical target lesion revascularization (TLR) at a 6-month follow-up.The major secondary end points included the rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and serious adverse events (SAE) in hospital and at 6 months;and the rate of clinical TLR as a function of the type of angina.A total of 429 Asian people with 449 lesions from 14 centers were selected for this study.The average reference diameter of the lesions was (3.0±0.5) mm,and the mean length was (15.7±5.0) mm. Results The successful rate of the procedure was 99.3%.Twenty-five percent of the lesions were treated by direct stenting without pre-dilation.Eighty-six percent of the lesions were implanted with ML Vision stent.After the 6-month follow-up,the rate of clinical TLR was 1.4%.The MACE,SAE and target vessel revascularization (TVR) were 6.8%,3.5% and 1.4% respectively. Conclusion The current registry showed the excellent 6-month clinical outcomes of ML Vision/ML MiniVision stents in Asian patients with CAD. Chin Med J 2007;120(12):1093-1096

Testosterone deficiency is associated with a higher incidence of cardiovascular diseases in men. However, its effect on cell senescence, which plays a causal role in vascular aging, remains unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that testosterone alleviated vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) senescence and collagen synthesis via growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6)/Axl- and Akt/FoxO1a-dependent pathways. Testosterone significantly ameliorated angiotensin II-induced VSMC senescence and collagen overexpression. In addition, testosterone inhibited angiotensin II-induced matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity, which played a pivotal role in facilitating age-related collagen deposition. Testosterone increased the expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 but decreased the expression of MMP-2 and membrane type-1 metalloproteinase which contributed to increase MMP-2 activity. The effects on VSMCs senescence and collagen synthesis were mediated by restoration of angiotensin II-induced downregulation of Gas6 and Axl expression and a subsequent reduction of Akt and FoxO1a phosphorylation. The effects of testosterone were reversed by a Gas6 blocker, Axl-Fc, and a specific inhibitor of Axl, R428. Treatment of VSMCs with PI3K inhibitor LY294002 abrogated the downregulating effect of testosterone on MMP-2 activity. Furthermore, when FoxO1a expression was silenced by using a specific siRNA, the inhibitory effect of testosterone on MMP-2 activity was revered as well, that indicated this process was Akt/FoxO1a dependence. Taken together, Gas6/Axl and Akt/FoxO1a were involved in protective effects of testosterone on VSMCs senescence and collagen synthesis. Our results provide a novel mechanism underlying the protective effect of testosterone on vascular aging and may serve as a theoretical basis for testosterone replacement therapy.