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The acoustic emission (AE) characteristic signal can reveal the mechanical properties of rock materials and the development characteristics of internal microcracks. Rocks with different mineral development characteristics produce different AE signals during fracture. This study selected variable metagabbros with varying feldspathic development for AE tests under splitting load. The results demonstrated that the characteristics of AE ringing counts during the Brazilian fracture of metagabbro were closely correlated with the content of felsic minerals. The cumulative AE ringing count of metagabbros with feldspar nondevelopment exceeded 250 000, while those of metagabbros with feldspar development did not reach 200 000. As the feldspathic mineral content increases, the AE ringing counts of metagabbro exhibit an increasing trend in the high-energy (1e6–+∞ aJ) and high-amplitude (90–100 dB) intervals. With the development of feldspar minerals, the fracture mode of metagabbro gradually changed from shear failure to tensile failure. The higher the development of felsic minerals, the higher the stress level corresponding to the maximum fractal dimension, the greater the energy released by rock failure, and the more severe the damage. This study is of great significance for revealing the mechanism of rock rupture.

Purpose Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) is the primary cause of death in patients with IPF, characterised by diffuse, bilateral ground-glass opacification on high-resolution CT (HRCT). This study proposes a three-dimensional (3D)-based deep learning algorithm for classifying AE-IPF using HRCT images.Materials and methods A novel 3D-based deep learning algorithm, SlowFast, was developed by applying a database of 306 HRCT scans obtained from two centres. The scans were divided into four separate subsets (training set, n=105; internal validation set, n=26; temporal test set 1, n=79; and geographical test set 2, n=96). The final training data set consisted of 1050 samples with 33 600 images for algorithm training. Algorithm performance was evaluated using accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and weighted κ coefficient.Results The accuracy of the algorithm in classifying AE-IPF on the test sets 1 and 2 was 93.9% and 86.5%, respectively. Interobserver agreements between the algorithm and the majority opinion of the radiologists were good (κw=0.90 for test set 1 and κw=0.73 for test set 2, respectively). The ROC accuracy of the algorithm for classifying AE-IPF on the test sets 1 and 2 was 0.96 and 0.92, respectively. The algorithm performance was superior to visual analysis in accurately diagnosing radiological findings. Furthermore, the algorithm’s categorisation was a significant predictor of IPF progression.Conclusions The deep learning algorithm provides high auxiliary diagnostic efficiency in patients with AE-IPF and may serve as a useful clinical aid for diagnosis.

Abstract Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive scarring interstitial lung disease with an unknown cause. Some patients may experience acute exacerbations (AE), which result in severe lung damage visible on imaging or through examination of tissue samples, often leading to high mortality rates. However, the etiology and pathogenesis of AE-IPF remain unclear. AE-IPF patients exhibit diffuse lung damage, apoptosis of type II alveolar epithelial cells, and an excessive inflammatory response. Establishing a reliable animal model of AE is critical for investigating the pathogenesis. Recent studies have reported a variety of animal models for AE-IPF, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. These models are usually established in mice with bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, using viruses, bacteria, small peptides, or specific drugs. In this review, we present an overview of different AE models, hoping to provide a useful resource for exploring the mechanisms and targeted therapies for AE-IPF.

Abstract An experimental investigation of circular concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns subjected to very low-elevation lateral impacts was performed. Six circular CFST members were prepared for lateral impact tests according to the typical CFST columns in high-speed railway stations in China, and the impact location was at the height of the 2/9 column. The tests had three variables: the thickness of the steel tube, the impact velocity, and the axial load. The failure modes were determined in the tests, along with the time histories of the impact force and the deflection at the impact location. A finite-element analysis was performed to examine the effects of the axial load and scaling on the maximum deflection. The results show that with the increase of axial compression ratio, the impact resistance of the member first increases and then weakens. According to the travelling plastic hinge theory, a three-stage rigid plastic mechanical model was employed to describe the impact process, in which the impact location was at the non-mid-span, and a deflection calculation method for CFST applicable to any impact position was developed. A comparison with the test results indicated that deflections can be calculated with reasonable accuracy using the proposed method.

Background: Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM-1) is present in the vascular endothelium and plays important roles in various biological processes. Several recent studies have reported associations between PECAM-1 and certain subtypes of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, further research is necessary to clarify the causal effects of PECAM-1 on CVDs. To determine whether PECAM-1 and CVDs are causally associated, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) study. Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with PECAM-1 were used as instrumental variants (IVs) to estimate the causal effects of PECAM-1 on CVDs. Six SNPs were included in our TSMR study. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was applied in the primary analysis. To confirm the initial results, we conducted several complementary analyses and pleiotropy analyses. Results: In the IVW analysis, higher genetically predicted PECAM-1 levels were associated with lower risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) (OR, 0.835; CI, 0.757–0.92; P = 3 × 10 −4 ) and myocardial infarction (MI) (OR, 0.79; CI, 0.709–0.881; P = 2.03 × 10 −5 ). Conclusions: The findings confirmed that elevated PECAM-1 levels may decrease the risk of CAD and MI. These results confirm the causal effect of PECAM-1 on CVDs and may facilitate further investigation of the mechanism of PECAM-1 in CVD pathogenesis.

This article introduces an improved deep learning network, GRU-Net, designed to facilitate direct and precise phase unwrapping of wrapped phase measurements in gear tooth surface interferometry. GRU-Net incorporates a Gram matrix within each down-sampling process to compute style loss, thereby capturing essential stripe structure information features. This network exhibits enhanced capability in handling larger and more intricate gear tooth interferograms, particularly in scenarios involving pronounced noise and aliasing, while still yielding favorable outcomes. A comparative evaluation was conducted, contrasting GRU-Net with the Res-UNet network and other conventional methods. The results demonstrate that GRU-Net surpasses the alternative approaches in terms of unwrapping accuracy, noise resilience, and anti-aliasing capabilities, with accuracy improved by at least 24%, exhibiting significantly superior performance. Additionally, in contrast to the Res-UNet network, GRU-Net demonstrates accelerated learning speed and generates more compact models.

ABSTRACT H6 influenza A viruses are enzootic and genetically diverse in both domestic poultry and wild birds, occasionally causing spillovers to mammals, including humans, posing threat to public health. However, the antigenic sites of the hemagglutinin (HA) of H6 are poorly understood. In this study, a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) with different reactivity spectra against HA of H6 was generated and nine key residues of antigenic epitopes in H6 were identified through escape mutants of these MAbs. Of these, residues 139 and 140 belonged to antigenic Sa, residue 89 belonged to antigenic Cb, residue 149 belonged to Ca2, while residue 221 belonged to Ca1 regarding the H1 antigenic sites. However, the other four residues 69, 120, 124, and 246 were not located in the identified antigenic regions of H1. Although most HA variants of the escape mutants had the preference for avian-like receptor, whereas escape mutants m3B9 and m4C2 increased the binding affinity for both avian and human-like receptors, and m1A5 and m6D11 decreased the binding affinity for avian-like receptors. Moreover, a single dose of MAbs 4C2 or 6E3 could fully protect mice against lethal challenge of mouse-adapted A/Eurasian teal/Jiangxi/2018WB0417(H6N2) (MA E-Teal/417) in the prophylactic treatment and also could provide partial protection in the therapeutic treatment. Overall, the generated MAbs and the identified key residues of antigenic epitopes not only provide novel insights into the key markers for monitoring the antigenic variation of H6 but also demonstrate the potential for developing MAb-based passitive treatments for H6. IMPORTANCE Since the escape immunity of influenza A viruses (IAVs) is mainly caused by the continuous antigenic variations in HA, the identification of key antigenic epitopes is crucial for better understanding of the escape immunity and vaccine development for IAVs. The antigenic sites of several HA subtypes, including H1, H3, H5, and H9, have been well characterized, whereas those of H6 subtype are poorly understood. Here, we mapped nine key residues of antigenic epitopes in H6 through escape mutants using a panel of MAbs. Moreover, MAbs 4C2 and 6E3, targeting 140 and 89 residues, respectively, could protect mice against lethal challenge of MA E-Teal/417. These key residues of antigenic epitopes identified here provide the molecular targets for further elucidating the antigenic evolution of H6 and better preparing the vaccine against H6 IAV.

ABSTRACTOver 3 billion doses of inactivated vaccines for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been administered globally. However, our understanding of the immune cell functional transcription and T cell receptor (TCR)/B cell receptor (BCR) repertoire dynamics following inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination remains poorly understood. Here, we performed single-cell RNA and TCR/BCR sequencing on peripheral blood mononuclear cells at four time points after immunization with the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine BBIBP-CorV. Our analysis revealed an enrichment of monocytes, central memory CD4+ T cells, type 2 helper T cells and memory B cells following vaccination. Single-cell TCR-seq and RNA-seq comminating analysis identified a clonal expansion of CD4+ T cells (but not CD8+ T cells) following a booster vaccination that corresponded to a decrease in the TCR diversity of central memory CD4+ T cells and type 2 helper T cells. Importantly, these TCR repertoire changes and CD4+ T cell differentiation were correlated with the biased VJ gene usage of BCR and the antibody-producing function of B cells post-vaccination. Finally, we compared the functional transcription and repertoire dynamics in immune cells elicited by vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection to explore the immune responses under different stimuli. Our data provide novel molecular and cellular evidence for the CD4+ T cell-dependent antibody response induced by inactivated vaccine BBIBP-CorV. This information is urgently needed to develop new prevention and control strategies for SARS-CoV-2 infection. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04871932).

A synthetic method for the preparation of 1,8-dihydroindeno[2,1-b]pyrroles and pyrrol-2-yl methanols in an enantioselective manner that relies on the chiral gold(I)-catalysed reactions of β-amino-1,4-enynols is described. A divergence in product selectivity was achieved by exploiting the electrostatic interactions between the chiral counteranion of the metal catalyst and the substrate. With a gold(I) complex containing a chiral N-triflyl phosphoramide-based counteranion, tandem dehydrative Nazarov-type electrocyclisation/hydroamination of the substrate was found to selectively occur to afford the indeno-fused pyrrole adduct. In contrast, changing to a chiral phosphate-based counteranion was observed to result in a hydroamination/enantioselective formal 1,3-allylic alcohol isomerisation cascade pathway to give the 1H-pyrrole derivative.

Carbon dots have many new and interesting phenomena, and the concentration dependent luminescence wavelength is an intriguing one. Herein, nitrogen-sulfur co-doped carbon dots (NSCDs) diluted to different concentrations, the high concentration of G-NSCDs (0.2 mg mL−1) with green fluorescence and the low-concentration of B-NSCDs (0.01 mg mL−1) with blue fluorescence were obtained. Further, it was found that the detection behaviors are different for different concentrations. The “turn-off” fluorescent sensor of G-NSCDs can specifically recognize rifampicin in a linear range of 0.2–20 μM with a detection limit of 56.6 nM employing the mutual effect of photo-induced electron transfer and dynamic quenching. Meanwhile, a “turn-off” B-NSCDs fluorescence sensor was constructed to effectively identify morin based on the internal filtration effect and static quenching, achieving a suitable linearity of 0.2–30 μM and a detection limit of 51.2 nM. Due to the strong chelation of morin and Al3+, a “turn-on” fluorescent probe for sequential detection Al3+ was fabricated based on B-NSCDs-morin system, obtaining a good linearity of 0.1–2.0 μM with a satisfactory detection limit of 45.8 nM. These interesting behaviors indicate that NSCDs are expected to become novel sensing materials for the monitoring of rifampicin, morin and Al3+ in organisms, which is beneficial for our health.

Extensive studies have found that investors misprice book-tax differences (BTDs). We take the accelerated depreciation policies of fixed assets implemented in China since 2014 as the research setting and investigate the following issues: When a temporary BTD is generated due to the tax preferential policies of accelerated depreciation, and the temporary BTD disclosed in financial statements can be clearly understood by investors, will investors still misprice it? We find that accelerated depreciation policy-induced temporary BTD (AccBTD) and other temporary BTD (OthBTD) are both informative. Furthermore, investors could correctly price AccBTD while misprice OthBTD. Finally, active institutional investors and analysts can promote the correct pricing of AccBTD but cannot alleviate the mispricing of OthBTD. Overall, our evidence suggests that investors do not always misprice BTDs. Specifically, when we decompose the specific components of BTDs and control the measurement errors effectively, we will have completely different findings.

Organochlorides are widespread in natural products, therefore the methods for site-selective chlorination at specific C–H bonds are of great interest. Here, the authors report a copper(I)-catalysed synthetic method for the efficient site-selective C(sp 3)–H bond chlorination of ketones, (E)-enones and alkylbenzenes by dichloramine-T at room temperature.

Abstract The micro‐Doppler (m‐D) effect depends on the rotation of rotor blades in addition to the translation of the platform. Thus it is a characteristic for identifying small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However, compared with the Doppler signal induced by the translation of the platform, the m‐D signal is weak. In this article, a highly localised data‐association method, intrinsic synchrosqueezing analysis (ISA), is proposed for estimating m‐D characteristics from the returned signal of small UAVs with a dual‐channel radar. Employing synchrosqueezing transform on intrinsic mode functions derived from noise‐assisted multivariate empirical mode decomposition, the proposed ISA method separates the Doppler signal and enables denoising and sharpening time‐frequency representation of the m‐D signal. Simulation results confirm the theoretical analysis, showing the feasibility of estimating m‐D features in a noisy environment. Applications on field data illustrate brighter prospects for identifying small UAVs.

BackgroundsGrowth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is a highly divergent member of the TGF-β superfamily and has been implicated in various biological functions. However, the expression of GDF-15 in patients with acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) is unclear.MethodThe study included 47 AE-IPF patients, 61 stable IPF (S-IPF) subjects, and 31 healthy controls (HCs). Serum GDF-15 levels and their expression in the lung were measured. The correlation between serum GDF-15 and other clinical parameters and the risk factors for AE occurrence and the survival of IPF patients were analyzed.ResultsSerum GDF-15 levels were significantly elevated in AE-IPF patients (1279.22 ± 540.02 pg/ml) as compared with HCs (891.30 ± 479.90 pg/ml) or S-IPF subjects (107.82 ± 14.21 pg/ml) (both p < 0.001). The protein and mRNA expressions of GDF-15 in the lung of AE-IPF patients were significantly increased as compared with S-IPF cases (p = 0.007 and p = 0.026, respectively). The serum GDF-15 level was correlated with the clinical variables of inflammation, metabolism, and disease severity in IPF subjects (all p < 0.05). The GDF-15 serum concentration was significantly higher in decedents than in survivors (p = 0.005). A serum GDF-15 level above 989.3 pg/ml was a risk factor for AE occurrence (p = 0.04), and the level above 1,075.76 pg/ml was an independent predictor for survival in IPF cases (p = 0.007).ConclusionsThe GDF-15 level was significantly elevated in subjects with AE-IPF. GDF-15 could be a promising biomarker for AE occurrence and survival in IPF patients.

The therapies for bone metastatic prostate cancer are limited and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, the authors show that bone derived TGF-β induces acetylation of KLF5 (Ac-KLF5), and Ac-KLF5 promotes prostate cancer bone metastasis and resistance to docetaxel by upregulating CXCR4.

Abstract Background Compared with traditional physical therapy for stroke patients, lower extremity exoskeletons can provide patients with greater endurance and more repeatable and controllable training, which can reduce the therapeutic burden of the therapist. However, most exoskeletons are expensive, heavy or require active power to be operated. Therefore, a lighter, easy to wear, easy to operate, low-cost technology for stroke rehabilitation would be a welcome opportunity for stroke survivors, caregivers and clinicians. One such device is the Kickstart Walk Assist system and the purpose of this study was to determine feasibility of using this unpowered exoskeleton device in a sample of stroke survivors. Methods Thirty stroke survivors were enrolled in the study and experienced walking with the Kickstart exoskeleton device that provided spring-loaded assistance during gait. After 5 days of wearing the exoskeleton, participants were evaluated in the two states of wearing and not wearing the exoskeleton. Outcome measures included: (a) spatio-temporal gait measures, (b) balance measures and (c) exoskeleton-use feedback questionnaire. Results In comparison to not wearing the device, when participants wore the Kickstart walking system, weight bearing asymmetry was reduced. The time spent on the 10-m walk test was also reduced, but there was no difference in the timed-up-and-go test (TUGT). Gait analysis data showed reduction in step time and double support time. Stroke survivors were positive about the Kickstart walking system’s ability to improve their balance, speed and gait. In addition, their confidence level and willingness to use the device was also positive. Conclusions These findings show the feasibility of using the Kickstart walking system for improving walking performance in stroke survivors. Our future goal is to perform a longer duration study with more comprehensive pre- and post-testing in a larger sample of stroke survivors. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2000032665. Registered 5 May 2020—Retrospectively registered, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=53288

Wearable biosensors have been used successfully for biomarker analysis, however, a lack of control over sampling limits applications. Here, the authors report a programmable microfluidic valve to control flow rate, sampling times and allow for biofluid routing and compartmentalisation.

ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the mechanism of the miR-424-5p/E2F7 axis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and provide new ideas for targeted therapy of HCC.MethodsBioinformatics analysis was used to identify the target differentially expressed miRNA in HCC and predict its target gene. qRT-PCR was employed to verify the expression of miR-424-5p and E2F7 mRNA in HCC cells. Western blot was performed to detect the effect of miR-424-5p ectopic expression on the protein expression of E2F7. CCK-8 was used to detect proliferative activity of HCC cells and flow cytometry was carried out for analyzing cell cycle distribution. Dual luciferase reporter assay was conducted to verify the direct targeting relationship between miR-424-5p and E2F7.ResultsWe observed that miR-424-5p was down-regulated in HCC cells. CCK-8 showed that overexpression of miR-424-5p inhibited cell proliferation, and flow cytometry showed that miR-424-5p could block cells in G0/G1 phase. E2F7 was up-regulated in HCC cells, and E2F7 overexpression could facilitate the proliferative ability of HCC cells and promote the cell cycle progressing from G0/G1 to S phase. Furthermore, dual-luciferase reporter assay indicated that miR-424-5p could directly down-regulate E2F7 expression. Analysis on cell function demonstrated that miR-424-5p inhibited the proliferation of HCC cells and blocked cell cycle at G0/G1 phase by targeting E2F7.ConclusionOur results proved that E2F7 was a direct target of miR-424-5p, and miR-424-5p could regulate cell cycle and further inhibit the proliferation of HCC cells by targeting E2F7.

A novel method for fracturing coal is presented in this paper. A chemical solution is injected into coal under high pressure, whereby the coal is fractured and subsequently weakened by chemical erosion over time to produce an anti-impact soft structure. In this study, the mechanical properties of coal under chemical erosion were investigated, and the fracturing design parameters were optimized. The uniaxial compression test and the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) test were used to determine the dynamic and static mechanical properties of coal after 20 days of immersion in different chemical solutions. After chemical solution erosion, the dynamic and static compressive strengths and elastic modulus of the coal decreased according to an exponential power law in the damage variable. The chemical treatment increased the duration of the pore compaction stage and decreased that of the elastic deformation stage, while decreasing the brittleness and increasing the ductility of coal. The acoustic emission (AE) curve of the immersed coal samples consisted of four stages corresponding to those of the stress-strain curve: pore compaction-closure, a slowly rising linear elastic regime, steady-state prepeak crack propagation, and unsteady crack propagation at the peak strain. The increase in the damage variable of the coal sample from chemical erosion led to a lower dissipated energy, a higher fractal dimension, and a more fragmented coal sample. The effect of the investigated chemical solutions on weakening the coal mechanical properties decreased in the following order: alkaline solution > acidic solution > NaCl solution > distilled water. The experimental results provide a reference for weakening fractured coal seams.

This paper presents an innovative method for using foam concrete as a typical building material for soft structures in underground coal mines subjected to dynamic loading. To understand the behaviour of foam concrete under impact loading, a total of 30 specimens with a diameter of 50 mm and a height of 50 mm were experimentally tested using a 75 mm diameter split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) device. The key parameters investigated in the present study included the type of foam concrete (fly ash and sand), the density of foam concrete (1000, 1200 and 1400 kg/m3), and the impact velocity (3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, and 7.0 m/s). Six specimens were also tested under static loading for comparison. The stress-strain curve of foam concrete under impact loading showed three stages, started with a linear elastic stage, followed by a yield stage and ended with a pore wall destruction stage. The test results also indicated that the dynamic increase factor, ultimate compressive strength, tenacity, and specific energy absorption increase with the strain rate under the same density. In particular, both the failure model and the behaviour of foam concrete were affected by the impact velocity. The findings of this research provide a reference for further research on the application of foam concrete in underground coal mines.

Abstract Although pathological cardiac hypertrophy represents a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying this disease is still poor. Here, we demonstrate that suppressor of IKKɛ (SIKE), a negative regulator of the interferon pathway, attenuates pathological cardiac hypertrophy in rodents and non-human primates in a TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1)/AKT-dependent manner. Sike-deficient mice develop cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, whereas Sike-overexpressing transgenic (Sike-TG) mice are protected from hypertrophic stimuli. Mechanistically, SIKE directly interacts with TBK1 to inhibit the TBK1-AKT signalling pathway, thereby achieving its anti-hypertrophic action. The suppression of cardiac remodelling by SIKE is further validated in rats and monkeys. Collectively, these findings identify SIKE as a negative regulator of cardiac remodelling in multiple animal species due to its inhibitory regulation of the TBK1/AKT axis, suggesting that SIKE may represent a therapeutic target for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.

Rock burst is a physical explosion associated with enormous damage at a short time. Due to the complicity of mechanics of rock burst in coal mine roadway, the direct use of traditional investigation method applied in tunnel is inappropriate since the components of surrounding rock are much more complex in underground than that of tunnel. In addition, the reliability of the results obtained through these methods (i.e., physical simulation, theoretical analysis, and monitoring in filed application) is still not certain with complex geological conditions. Against this background, present experimental study was first ever conducted at initial site to evaluate the effect of shock wave during the rock burst. TDS-6 microseismic monitoring system was set up in situ to evaluate the propagation of shock wave resulting in microexplosions of roadway surrounding rock. Various parameters including the distance of epicentre and the characteristic of response have been investigated. Detailed test results revealed that (1) the shock wave attenuated exponentially with the increase of the distance to seismic source according to the equation of E=E0e-ηl; particularly, the amplitude decreased significantly after being 20 m apart from explosive resource and then became very weak after being 30 m apart from the seismic source; (2) the response mechanics are characteristic with large scatter based on the real location of surrounding rock despite being at the same section. That is, the surrounding rock of floor experienced serious damage, followed by ribs, the roof, and the humeral angles. This in situ experimental study also demonstrated that microseismic monitoring system can be effectively used in rock burst through careful setup and data investigation. The proposed in situ monitoring method has provided a new way to predict rock burst due to its simple instalment procedure associated with direct and reasonable experimental results.

Systemic infections by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) are economically devastating to poultry industries worldwide. IbeR, located on genomic island GimA, was shown to serve as an RpoS-like regulator in rpoS gene mutation neonatal meningitis E. coli (NMEC) RS218. However, the role of IbeR in pathogenicity of APEC carrying active RpoS has not yet been investigated. We showed that the APEC IbeR could elicit antibodies in infected ducks, suggesting that IbeR might be involved in APEC pathogenicity. To investigate the function of IbeR in APEC pathogenesis, mutant and complementation strains were constructed and characterized. Inactivation of ibeR led to attenuated virulence and reduced invasion capacity towards DF-1 cells, brains and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in vitro and in vivo. Bactericidal assays demonstrated that the mutant strain had impaired resistance to environmental stress and specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicken serum. These virulence-related phenotypes were restored by genetic complementation. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR revealed that IbeR controlled expression of stress-resistance genes and virulence genes, which might led to the associated virulence phenotype.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The predictive value of plaque characteristics assessed by virtual histology-intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) including fibrous tissue (FT), fibrofatty (FF), necrotic core (NC) and dense calcium (DC) in identifying distal embolization after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is still controversial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the association of pre-PCI plaque composition and post-PCI distal embolization in acute coronary syndrome patients. METHODS: Studies were identified in PubMed, OVID, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, the Current Controlled Trials Register, reviews, and reference lists of relevant articles. A meta-analysis using both fixed and random effects models with assessment of study heterogeneity and publication bias was performed. RESULTS: Of the 388 articles screened, 10 studies with a total of 872 subjects (199 with distal embolization and 673 with normal flow) met the eligibility of our study. Compared with normal flow groups, significant higher absolute volume of NC [weighted mean differences (WMD): 5.79 mm3, 95% CI: 3.02 to 8.55 mm3; p

Sports can help students better understand their strengths in various aspects, make appropriate and objective evaluations of their abilities, personalities, and strengths, and avoid harsh and unreasonable delusions. They can also develop their own potential and experience the value of their existence. In order to carry out mental health education in physical education teaching and truly promote students' physical and mental health. This paper check the role of the coupling of educational economic management and mental health education in the psychological construction of student activism. A total of 300 questionnaires were distributed and 295 valid questionnaires were retrieved Based on a sampling survey of the psychological status of economic and management graduate students in some universities in city A, a comprehensive analysis, subgroup analysis, and internal structure analysis of the psychological status of economic and management graduate students were conducted using the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90); The reasons for the psychological problems of graduate students in the field of economic management are the free and relaxed learning environment, the biased nature of the subject towards "literature", the abstract content of the subject, and the lack of mental health education for graduate students; The psychological health education for graduate students majoring in economic management should follow the principles of respect, timeliness, cooperation, prevention first, and differentiation, fully attach importance to psychological health education, establish and improve psychological prevention and emergency mechanisms, and do a good job in psychological health monitoring. Grasp the interrelationship between physical education teaching and mental health education, constantly update educational concepts, change teaching methods, and actively promote mental health education in physical education teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Polycystic kidney disease is the most common hereditary kidney disorder with early and frequent hypertension symptoms. The mechanisms of cyst progression in polycystic kidney disease remain incompletely understood. METHODS: Bsg (basigin) heterozygous and homozygous knockout mice were generated using cas9 system, and Bsg overexpression was achieved by adeno-associated virus serotype 9 injection. Renal morphology was investigated through histological and imaging analysis. Molecular analysis was performed through transcriptomic profiling and biochemical approaches. RESULTS: Bsg-deficient mice exhibited significantly elevated arterial blood pressure. Further investigation demonstrated that Bsg deficiency triggers spontaneous cystic formation in mouse kidneys, which shares similar cyst pathological features and common transcriptional regulatory pathways with human polycystic kidney disease. Moreover, Bsg disruption promoted polycystin-1 ubiquitination and degradation, leading to activation of polycystic kidney disease associated cAMP and AMPK signaling pathways in Bsg knockout mouse kidneys. Finally, adeno-associated virus serotype 9 mediated Bsg reexpression reversed cystic progression in Bsg knockout mice in vivo, and Bsg overexpression inhibited the expansion of Madin-Darby canine kidney cysts in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that Bsg deficiency leads to an early-onset spontaneous polycystic kidney phenotype, suggesting that dysregulated Bsg signaling may be a contributing factor in cystogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: One of the possible mechanisms leading to secondary impingement syndrome may be the strength imbalance of shoulder rotators which is known as functional control ratio (FCR). The FCR is a ratio dividing the eccentric peak torque of the external rotators by the concentric peak torque of the internal rotators. Previous studies have focused on the reproducibility and reliability of isokinetic assessment, but there is little information on the influence of variable shoulder positions on FCR. Objective: To compare shoulder FCR across 3 different shoulder abduction positions during isokinetic assessment. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Biomechanics laboratory. Participants: Thirty-one healthy young university students (age 22.35 [0.95] y, weight 60.52 [9.31] kg, height 168.23 [9.47] cm). Interventions: The concentric peak torque of internal rotators and eccentric peak torque of external rotators of right shoulder were measured on an isokinetic dynamometer. Main outcome measures: Concentric peak torque of the internal rotators and eccentric peak torque of the external rotators, measured using an isokinetic dynamometer. Results: The concentric peak torque of internal rotators was significantly lower at 120° shoulder abduction compared with other positions (P < .001). The FCR was significantly higher at 120° shoulder abduction than 90° (P = .002) or 60° (P < .001) shoulder abduction because of the lower concentric peak torque. No significant difference was found in the FCR between the other 2 shoulder positions (P = .14). Conclusions: Shoulder position variations may influence FCR because of weakness of the internal rotators. Rehabilitation and injury prevention training programs should specifically focus on strengthening the internal rotators at more elevated angles of shoulder abduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]