Background Chronic heat stress(CHS)is a detrimental environmental stressor with a negative impact on the meat quality of broilers.However,the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.This study investigates the ...Background Chronic heat stress(CHS)is a detrimental environmental stressor with a negative impact on the meat quality of broilers.However,the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.This study investigates the effects of CHS on long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)expression and muscle injury in broilers,with a focus on its implications for meat quality.Results The results showed that CHS diminished breast muscle yield,elevated abdominal fat deposition,induced cellular apoptosis(P<0.05),and caused myofibrosis.Transcriptomic analysis revealed 151 differentially expressed(DE)lncRNAs when comparing the normal control(NC)and HS groups,214 DE lncRNAs when comparing the HS and PF groups,and 79 DE lncRNAs when comparing the NC and pair-fed(PF)groups.After eliminating the confounding effect of feed intake,68 lncRNAs were identified,primarily associated with cellular growth and death,signal transduc-tion,and metabolic regulation.Notably,the apoptosis-related pathway P53,lysosomes,and the fibrosis-related gene TGF-β2 were significantly upregulated by lncRNAs.Conclusions These findings indicate that chronic heat stress induces cellular apoptosis and muscle injury through lncRNA,leading to connective tissue accumulation,which likely contributes to reduced breast muscle yield and meat quality in broilers.展开更多
Birds exhibit extraordinary mobility and remarkable navigational skills,obtaining guidance cues from the Earth’s magnetic field for orientation and long-distance movement.Bird species also show tremendous diversity i...Birds exhibit extraordinary mobility and remarkable navigational skills,obtaining guidance cues from the Earth’s magnetic field for orientation and long-distance movement.Bird species also show tremendous diversity in navigation strategies,with considerable differences even within the same taxa and among individuals from the same population.The highly conserved iron and iron-sulfur cluster binding magnetoreceptor(MagR)protein is suggested to enable animals,including birds,to detect the geomagnetic field and navigate accordingly.Notably,MagR is also implicated in other functions,such as electron transfer and biogenesis of iron-sulfur clusters,raising the question of whether variability exists in its biochemical and biophysical features among species,particularly birds.In the current study,we conducted a comparative analysis of MagR from two different bird species,including the migratory European robin(Erithacus rubecula)and the homing pigeon(Columba livia).Sequence alignment revealed an extremely high degree of similarity between the MagRs of these species,with only three sequence variations.Nevertheless,two of these variations underpinned significant differences in metal binding capacity,oligomeric state,and magnetic properties.These findings offer compelling evidence for the marked differences in MagR between the two avian species,potentially explaining how a highly conserved protein can mediate such diverse functions.展开更多
The recycling and reutilization of spent lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)have become an important measure to alleviate problems like resource scarcity and environmental pollution.Although some progress has been made,batter...The recycling and reutilization of spent lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)have become an important measure to alleviate problems like resource scarcity and environmental pollution.Although some progress has been made,battery recycling technology still faces challenges in terms of efficiency,effectiveness and environmental sustainability.This review aims to systematically review and analyze the current status of spent LIB recycling,and conduct a detailed comparison and evaluation of different recycling processes.In addition,this review introduces emerging recycling techniques,including deep eutectic solvents,molten salt roasting,and direct regeneration,with the intent of enhancing recycling efficiency and diminishing environmental repercussions.Furthermore,to increase the added value of recycled materials,this review proposes the concept of upgrading recycled materials into high value-added functional materials,such as catalysts,adsorbents,and graphene.Through life cycle assessment,the paper also explores the economic and environmental impacts of current battery recycling and highlights the importance that future recycling technologies should achieve a balance between recycling efficiency,economics and environmental benefits.Finally,this review outlines the opportunities and challenges of recycling key materials for next-generation batteries,and proposes relevant policy recommendations to promote the green and sustainable development of batteries,circular economy,and ecological civilization.展开更多
Based on high-tide shoreline data extracted from 87 Landsat satellite images from 1986 to 2019 as well as using the linear regression rate and performing a Mann-Kendall(M–K)trend test,this study analyzes the linear c...Based on high-tide shoreline data extracted from 87 Landsat satellite images from 1986 to 2019 as well as using the linear regression rate and performing a Mann-Kendall(M–K)trend test,this study analyzes the linear characteristics and nonlinear behavior of the medium-to long-term shoreline evolution of Jinghai Bay,eastern Guangdong Province.In particular,shoreline rotation caused by a shore-normal coastal structure is emphasized.The results show that the overall shoreline evolution over the past 30 years is characterized by erosion on the southwest beach,with an average erosion rate of 3.1 m/a,and significant accretion on the northeast beach,with an average accretion rate of 5.6 m/a.Results of the M–K trend test indicate that significant shoreline changes occurred in early 2006,which can be attributed to shore-normal engineering.Prior to that engineering construction,the shorelines are slightly eroded,where the average erosion rate is 0.7 m/a.However,after shore-normal engineering is performed,the shoreline is characterized by significant erosion(3.2 m/a)on the southwest beach and significant accretion(8.5 m/a)on the northeast beach,thus indicating that the shore-normal engineering at the updrift headland contributes to clockwise shoreline rotation.Further analysis shows that the clockwise shoreline rotation is promoted not only by longshore sediment transport processes from southwest to northeast,but also by cross-shore sediment transport processes.These findings are crucial for beach erosion risk management,coastal disaster zoning,regional sediment budget assessments,and further observations and predictions of beach morphodynamics.展开更多
Objective:To explore the correlation between genotypes of Orientia(O.)tsutsugamushi and clinical characteristics of scrub typhus patients.Methods:Clinical data of patients with scrub typhus admitted to different types...Objective:To explore the correlation between genotypes of Orientia(O.)tsutsugamushi and clinical characteristics of scrub typhus patients.Methods:Clinical data of patients with scrub typhus admitted to different types of medical institutions in Guangzhou from September 2012 to December 2016 were collected using medical records.Demographic data,clinical manifestations,as well as hematological and biochemical indicators of patients infected with different genotypes were analyzed and compared.Results:A total of 192 patients were included in this study,including 121 patients with Karp genotype of O.tsutsugamushi infection(63.0%),36 patients with Gilliam genotype(19.0%),23 patients with Kato genotype(12.0%),and 12 patients with TA763 genotype(6.0%)infection.The median value of albumin in patients with Karp genotype infection was significantly lower than that of Gilliam-infected patients(P=0.032).Patients with Karp genotype infection had a significantly longer hospital stay(9 days)than those with Gilliam genotype(7 days)(P=0.009)and Kato genotype infection(6 days)(P=0.005).Karp-infected patients also represented for the largest number of patients with complicated organ involvement(88/133,66.2%).Furthermore,Karp-infected patients had higher risk of developing multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(18.2%)and requiring intensive care unit treatment(15.9%).Besides,patients with Gilliam genotype(8 days)and TA763 genotype infection(7.5 days)had shorter fever duration than those with Karp genotype(9 days)and Kato genotype(9 days)infection,respectively.Conclusions:Genotypes of Orientia tsutsugamushi were associated with varying clinical manifestations,organ involvement,and treatment outcomes,suggesting that genotypes ranged in virulence.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the effects of Alpiniae oxyphyllae Fructus(AOF)on renal lipid deposition in diabetic kidney disease(DKD)and elucidate its molecular mechanisms.Methods:The mechanism of AOF in treating DKD was ...Objective:To investigate the effects of Alpiniae oxyphyllae Fructus(AOF)on renal lipid deposition in diabetic kidney disease(DKD)and elucidate its molecular mechanisms.Methods:The mechanism of AOF in treating DKD was explored by network pharmacological enrichment analysis,molecular docking,and molecular dynamics simulation.The effects of AOF on renal function and lipid deposition were assessed in a mouse model of DKD and high glucose-stressed HK-2 cells.Cell viability and lipid accumulation were detected by CCK8 and oil red O staining.The expressions of PPARαand fatty acid oxidation-related genes(ACOX1 and CPT1A)were detected by quantitative RT-PCR,Western blot,and immunofluorescence.Furthermore,PPARαknockdown was performed to examine the molecular mechanism of AOF in treating DKD.Results:Network pharmacological enrichment analysis,molecular docking,and molecular dynamics simulation showed that the active compounds in AOF targeted PPARαand thus transcriptionally regulated ACOX1 and CPT1A.AOF lowered blood glucose,improved dyslipidemia,and attenuated renal injury in DKD mice.AOF-containing serum accentuated high glucose-induced decrease in cell viability and ameliorated lipid accumulation.Additionally,it significantly upregulated the expression of PPARα,ACOX1,and CPT1A in both in vivo and in vitro experiments,which was reversed by PPARαknockdown.Conclusions:AOF may promote fatty acid oxidation via PPARαto ameliorate renal lipid deposition in DKD.展开更多
Rosa banksiae,known as Lady Banks'rose,is a perennial ornamental crop and a versatile herb in traditional Chinese medicine.Given the lack of genomic resources,we assembled a Hi Fi and Nanopore sequencing-derived 4...Rosa banksiae,known as Lady Banks'rose,is a perennial ornamental crop and a versatile herb in traditional Chinese medicine.Given the lack of genomic resources,we assembled a Hi Fi and Nanopore sequencing-derived 458.58 Mb gap-free telomere-to-telomere high-quality R.banksiae genome with a scaffold N50=63.90 Mb.The genome of R.banksiae exhibited no lineage-specific whole-genome duplication compared with other Rosaceae.The phylogenomic analysis of 13 Rosaceae and Arabidopsis through a comparative genomics study showed that numerous gene families were lineage-specific both before and after the diversification of Rosaceae.Some of these genes are candidates for new genes that have evolved from parental genes through fusion events.Fusion genes are divided into three types:Type-I and Type-II genes contain two parental genes that are generated by duplication,distributed in the same and different regions of the genome,respectively;and Type-III can only be detected in one parental gene.Here,Type-I genes are found to have more relaxed selection pressure and lower Ks values than Type-II,indicating that these newly evolved Type-I genes may play important roles in driving phenotypic evolution.Functional analysis exhibited that newly formed fusion genes can regulate the phenotype traits of plant growth and development,suggesting the functional significance of these genes.This study identifies new fusion genes that could be responsible for phenotype evolution and provides information on the evolutionary history of recently diverged species in the Rosa genus.Our data represents the major progress in understanding the new fusion genes evolution pattern of Rosaceae and provides an invaluable resource for phylogenomic studies in plants.展开更多
AIM: To determine the possible predisposing factors of bezoar-induced small bowel obstruction(b I-Sb O) and to discuss the diagnostic value of multi-slice spiral computed tomography,particularly contrast-enhanced scan...AIM: To determine the possible predisposing factors of bezoar-induced small bowel obstruction(b I-Sb O) and to discuss the diagnostic value of multi-slice spiral computed tomography,particularly contrast-enhanced scanning,in this condition.METHODS: A total of 35 b I-Sb O cases treated at our hospital from January 2007 to December 2013 were retrospectively analysed.Complete clinical and computed tomography(CT) data of the patients were available and confirmed by surgery.SbO was clinically diagnosed on the basis of clinical manifestations.Of the 35 patients,18 underwent abdominal and pelvic CT planar scanning with GE 64-slice spiral CT and 17 underwent abdominal and pelvic CT planar scanning with GE 64-slice spiral CT combined with contrastenhanced examination.Original images were processed using a GE ADW4.3 workstation to obtain MPR,CPR,MIP and CTA images.The images of all patients were evaluated by two abdominal imaging experts.The main analytical contents of planar scanning included intestinal bezoar conditions,changes in the intestinal wall and changes in peri-intestinal conditions.Vascular hyperaemia and arterial blood supply conditions at a specific obstruction site and the distal end of the obstruction site were evaluated through contrastenhanced examination.RESULTS: The proportion of males to females among the 35 cases was 1:1.69(13:22); median age was 63.3 years.The following cases were observed: 29(82.8%) cases occurred in autumn and winter and showed a history of consuming high amounts of persimmon and hawthorn; 19(54.3%) cases revealed a history of gastrointestinal surgery; 19 exhibited incomplete dentition,with missing partial or whole posterior teeth; 26 suffered from obstruction at the ileum.A total of 51 bezoars were found in these patients,of whom 16(45.7%) had multiple bezoars.CT planar scanning of bezoars showed lumps with mottled gas inside the intestinal cavity.Furthermore,9 cases of bezoars had envelopes and 11 cases were accompanied with thickening of the distal wall of the obstructed bowel.Scanning of 17 cases was enhanced; the results revealed that the mesenteric blood vessels at the obstruction site and the proximal site were dilated,and a total of 7 cases were accompanied with distal vascular dilation and intestinal wall thickening.CONCLUSION: b I-Sb O exhibits regional and seasonal characteristics.CT planar and contrast-enhanced scanning can be applied to diagnose and observe vascular conditions in obstructed zones.展开更多
In this study,the power generation difference between the east-west and the north-south orientation of the vertically installed heterojunction solar cell(HJT)modules was deeply discussed.East-west oriented HJT module ...In this study,the power generation difference between the east-west and the north-south orientation of the vertically installed heterojunction solar cell(HJT)modules was deeply discussed.East-west oriented HJT module has 30%higher power generation,especially in desert photovoltaic(PV)with a bimodal distribution.While the south-north one has a single peak,the same as normal PV modules.Vertical power generation technology of HJT also has less land occupation,which is of great significance for optimizing the design of photovoltaic systems.展开更多
Deep learning(DL)-based image reconstruction methods have garnered increasing interest in the last few years.Numerous studies demonstrate that DL-based reconstruction methods function admirably in optical tomographic ...Deep learning(DL)-based image reconstruction methods have garnered increasing interest in the last few years.Numerous studies demonstrate that DL-based reconstruction methods function admirably in optical tomographic imaging techniques,such as bioluminescence tomography(BLT).Nevertheless,nearly every existing DL-based method utilizes an explicit neural representation for the reconstruction problem,which either consumes much memory space or requires various complicated computations.In this paper,we present a neural field(NF)-based image reconstruction scheme for BLT that uses an implicit neural representation.The proposed NFbased method establishes a transformation between the coordinate of an arbitrary spatial point and the source value of the point with a relatively light-weight multilayer perceptron,which has remarkable computational efficiency.Another simple neural network composed of two fully connected layers and a 1D convolutional layer is used to generate the neural features.Results of simulations and experiments show that the proposed NF-based method has similar performance to the photon density complement network and the two-stage network,while consuming fewer floating point operations with fewer model parameters.展开更多
Purpose:Interdisciplinarity is a hot topic in science and technology policy.However,the concept of interdisciplinarity is both abstract and complex,and therefore difficult to measure using a single indicator.A variety...Purpose:Interdisciplinarity is a hot topic in science and technology policy.However,the concept of interdisciplinarity is both abstract and complex,and therefore difficult to measure using a single indicator.A variety of metrics for measuring the diversity and interdisciplinarity of articles,journals,and fields have been proposed in the literature.In this article,we ask whether institutions can be ranked in terms of their(inter-)disciplinary diversity.Design/methodology/approach:We developed a software application(interd_vb.exe)that outputs the values of relevant diversity indicators for any document set or network structure.The software is made available,free to the public,online.The indicators it considers include the advanced diversity indicators Rao-Stirling(RS)diversity and DIV*,as well as standard measures of diversity,such as the Gini coefficient,Shannon entropy,and the Simpson Index.As an empirical demonstration of how the application works,we compared the research portfolios of 42“Double First-Class”Chinese universities across Web of Science Subject Categories(WCs).Findings:The empirical results suggest that DIV*provides results that are more in line with one’s intuitive impressions than RS,particularly when the results are based on sampledependent disparity measures.Furthermore,the scores for diversity are more consistent when based on a global disparity matrix than on a local map.Research limitations:“Interdisciplinarity”can be operationalized as bibliographic coupling among(sets of)documents with references to disciplines.At the institutional level,however,diversity may also indicate comprehensiveness.Unlike impact(e.g.citation),diversity and interdisciplinarity are context-specific and therefore provide a second dimension to the evaluation.Policy or practical implications:Operationalization and quantification make it necessary for analysts to make their choices and options clear.Although the equations used to calculate diversity are often mathematically transparent,the specification in terms of computer code helps the analyst to further precision in decisions.Although diversity is not necessarily a goal of universities,a high diversity score may inform potential policies concerning interdisciplinarity at the university level.Originality/value:This article introduces a non-commercial online application to the public domain that allows researchers and policy analysts to measure“diversity”and“interdisciplinarity”using the various indicators as encompassing as possible for any document set or network structure(e.g.a network of co-authors).Insofar as we know,such a professional computing tool for evaluating data sets using diversity indicators has not yet been made available online.展开更多
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF)plays an important role in the protection of dopaminergic neurons,but there are few reports of the relationship between GDNF and its precursors(α-pro-GDNF andβ-pro-GD...Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF)plays an important role in the protection of dopaminergic neurons,but there are few reports of the relationship between GDNF and its precursors(α-pro-GDNF andβ-pro-GDNF)and cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease.This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the serum levels of GDNF and its precursors and cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease,and to assess their potential as a diagnostic marker.Fifty-three primary outpatients and hospitalized patients with Parkinson’s disease(23 men and 30 women)with an average age of 66.58 years were enrolled from the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University of China in this case-control study.The patients were divided into the Parkinson’s disease with cognitive impairment group(n=27)and the Parkinson’s disease with normal cognitive function group(n=26)based on their Mini-Mental State Examination,Montreal Cognitive Assessment,and Clinical Dementia Rating scores.In addition,26 age-and sex-matched healthy subjects were included as the healthy control group.Results demonstrated that serum GDNF levels were significantly higher in the Parkinson’s disease with normal cognitive function group than in the other two groups.There were no significant differences in GDNF precursor levels among the three groups.Correlation analysis revealed that serum GDNF levels,GDNF/α-pro-GDNF ratios,and GDNF/β-pro-GDNF ratios were moderately or highly correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination,Montreal Cognitive Assessment,and Clinical Dementia Rating scores.To explore the risk factors for cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson’s disease,logistic regression analysis and stepwise linear regression analysis were performed.Both GDNF levels and Hoehn-Yahr stage were risk factors for cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease,and were the common influencing factors for cognitive scale scores.Neitherα-pro-GDNF norβ-pro-GDNF was risk factors for cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease.A receiver operating characteristic curve of GDNF was generated to predict cognitive function in Parkinson’s disease(area under the curve=0.859).This result indicates that the possibility that serum GDNF can correctly distinguish whether patients with Parkinson’s disease have cognitive impairment is 0.859.Together,these results suggest that serum GDNF may be an effective diagnostic marker for cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease.However,α-pro-GDNF andβ-pro-GDNF are not useful for predicting cognitive impairment in this disease.This study was approved by Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University,China(approval No.XYFY2017-KL047-01)on November 30,2017.展开更多
AIM： To observe the therapeutic effect of corneal collagen cross-linking（CXL） in combination with liposomal amphotericin B in fungal corneal ulcers.METHODS： New Zealand rabbits were induced fungal corneal ulcers b...AIM： To observe the therapeutic effect of corneal collagen cross-linking（CXL） in combination with liposomal amphotericin B in fungal corneal ulcers.METHODS： New Zealand rabbits were induced fungal corneal ulcers by scratching and randomly divided into 3groups, i.e. control, treated with CXL, and combined therapy of CXL with 0.25% liposomal amphotericin B（n =5 each）. The corneal lesions were documented with slit-lamp and confocal microscopy on 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 d after treatment. The corneas were examined with transmission electron microscopy（TEM） at 4wk.RESULTS： A rabbit corneal ulcer model of Fusarium was successfully established. The corneal epithelium defect areas in the two treatment groups were smaller than that in the control group on 3, 7, 14 and 21d（P 〈0.05）. The corneal epithelium defect areas of the combined group was smaller than that of the CXL group（P 〈0.05） on 7 and 14 d, but there were no statistical differences on 3, 21 and 28 d. The corneal epithelium defects of the two treatment groups have been healed by day 21. The corneal epithelium defects of the control group were healed on 28 d. The diameters of the corneal collagen fiber bundles（42.960 ±7.383 nm in the CXL group and 37.040±4.160 nm in the combined group） were thicker than that of the control group（24.900±1.868 nm）,but there was no difference between the two treatment groups. Some corneal collagen fiber bundles were distorted and with irregular arrangement, a large number of fibroblasts could be seen among them but no inflammatory cells in both treatment groups. CONCLUSION： CXL combined with liposomal amphotericin B have beneficial effects on fungal corneal ulcers. The combined therapy could alleviate corneal inflammattions, accelerate corneal repair, and shorten the course of disease.展开更多
Objective:The overarching objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of HIV symptom management guidelines in China in reducing the incidence and severity of symptoms and improving patients'quality of...Objective:The overarching objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of HIV symptom management guidelines in China in reducing the incidence and severity of symptoms and improving patients'quality of life.Methods:We conducted a controlled,pre-and post-implementation design in the HIV/AIDS inpatient unit in Shanghai.Patients recruited from November 2014 to February 2015 were in the intervention group and those from October 2013 to February 2014 were in the control group.There were 74 patients in each group.Participants in the intervention group received interventions based on the HIV symptom management guidelines.Overall symptom severity,depression,and quality of life were measured in two groups at baseline,week 4,and week 8.Results:Totally 126 patients completed the research,65 in the intervention group and 61 in the control group.The total symptom severity scores showed a statistically significant difference between groups across time(P<0.05).It showed that frequencies of fatigue(36.9%vs.44.3%),fever(6.2%vs.11.5%),loss in weight(9.2%vs.16.4%),mouth ulcers(12.3%vs.16.4%),headaches(9.2%vs.19.7%)and depression(F=1.09,P>0.05)in the intervention group were lower than those in the control group in week 8 without statistical significance.The multilevel growth mixture model indicated a greater increase in the total score of quality of life for the group treated according to the symptom management guidelines(P=0.04).Conclusion:The evidence-based HIV symptom management guidelines can improve a patient's quality of life and relieve negative symptoms.The guidelines can be applied in a similar context to other HIV/AIDS units or clinics.展开更多
BACKGROUND Hemobilia occurs when there is a fistula between hepatic blood vessels and biliary radicles,and represents only a minority of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhages.Causes of hemobilia are varied,but liver absc...BACKGROUND Hemobilia occurs when there is a fistula between hepatic blood vessels and biliary radicles,and represents only a minority of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhages.Causes of hemobilia are varied,but liver abscess rarely causes hemobilia and only a few cases have been reported.Here,we present a case of atypical hemobilia caused by liver abscess that was successfully managed by endoscopic hepatobiliary intervention through endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP).CASE SUMMARY A 54-year-old man presented to our emergency department with a history of right upper quadrant abdominal colic and repeated fever for 6 d.Abdominal sonography and enhanced computed tomography revealed that there was an abscess in the right anterior lobe of the liver.During hospitalization,the patient developed upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a duodenal ulcer bleeding that was treated with three metal clamps.However,the hemodynamics was still unstable.Hence,upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed again and fresh blood was seen flowing from the ampulla of Vater.Selective angiography did not show any abnormality.An endoscopic nasobiliary drainage(ENBD)tube was inserted into the right anterior bile duct through ERCP,and subsequently cold saline containing(-)-noradrenaline was infused into the bile duct lumen through the ENBD tube with no episode of further bleeding.CONCLUSION Hemobilia should be considered in the development of liver abscess,and endoscopy is essential for diagnosis and management of some cases.展开更多
In this work, the transient free surface of con- tainer filling with non-linear constitutive equation＇s fluids is numerically investigated by the smoothed particle hydrody- namics （SPH） method. Specifically, the fi...In this work, the transient free surface of con- tainer filling with non-linear constitutive equation＇s fluids is numerically investigated by the smoothed particle hydrody- namics （SPH） method. Specifically, the filling process of a square container is considered for non-linear polymer fluids based on the Cross model. The validity of the presented SPH is first verified by solving the Newtonian fluid and Oldroyd- B fluid jet. Various phenomena in the filling process are shown, including the jet buckling, jet thinning, splashing or spluttering, steady filling. Moreover, a new phenomenon of vortex whirling is more evidently observed for the Cross model fluid compared with the Newtonian fluid case.展开更多
Developing high efficient Pd-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) is still challenging for alkaline membrane fuel cell,since the strong oxygen adsorption energy and easy agglomerative intrinsic pr...Developing high efficient Pd-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) is still challenging for alkaline membrane fuel cell,since the strong oxygen adsorption energy and easy agglomerative intrinsic properties. In order to simultaneously solve these problems, Pd/Co_(3)O_(4)–N–C multidimensional materials with porous structures is designed as the ORR catalysts. In details, the ZIF-67 with polyhedral structure was firstly synthesized and then annealed at high-temperature to prepare the N-doped Co_(3)O_(4)carbon-based material, which was used to homogeneously confine Pd nanoparticles and obtained the Pd/Co_(3)O_(4)–N–C series catalysts. The formation of Co–N and C–N bond could provide efficient active sites for ORR. Simultaneously, the strong electronic interaction in the interface between the Pd and N-doped Co_(3)O_(4)could disperse and avoid the agglomeration of Pd nanoparticles and ensure the exposure of active sites, which is crucial to lower the energy barrier toward ORR and substantially enhance the ORR kinetics. Hence, the Pd/Co_(3)O_(4)–N–C nanocompounds exhibited excellent ORR catalytic performance, ideal Pd mass activity, and durability in 0.1 mol L-1KOH solution compared with Co_(3)O_(4)–N–C and Pd/C. The scalable synthesis method, relatively low cost, and excellent electrochemical ORR performance indicated that the obtained Pd/Co_(3)O_(4)–N–C electrocatalyst had the potential for application on fuel cells.展开更多
The precipitation behavior of γ′ phase,under various interrupt cooling tests after 1170℃,solution treatment was examined.The results indicate that the size of secondary γ′ precipitates increases with the decrease...The precipitation behavior of γ′ phase,under various interrupt cooling tests after 1170℃,solution treatment was examined.The results indicate that the size of secondary γ′ precipitates increases with the decrease of interrupt temperature,and the shape changes from spherical to butterfly like.The fine tertiary γ′ can form either during the post cool air quenching at high interrupt-temperatures,or during the specified 5℃ min-1cooling.Air quenching at high temperatures cannot suppress further nucleation of tertiary γ′ phase.展开更多
Objective To determine the possible association of anti-β1-adrenergic receptors(anti-β1-AR), anti-β2-AR and anti-α1-AR with carvedilol treatment in patients with heart failure(HF). Methods A total of 267 HF patien...Objective To determine the possible association of anti-β1-adrenergic receptors(anti-β1-AR), anti-β2-AR and anti-α1-AR with carvedilol treatment in patients with heart failure(HF). Methods A total of 267 HF patients were prospectively enrolled. Blood samples were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All of the patients received carvedilol for their HF. Each patient was followed up for six months and their cardiac function was measured. Results The final analysis encompassed 137 patients comprising 65 patients with three autoantibodies(positive group) and 72 patients without all three autoantibodies but with one or two autoantibodies(negative group). The frequency and geometric mean titer of anti-β1-AR, anti-β2-AR, and anti-α1-AR were significantly lower in the group without all three autoantibodies after six months of carvedilol treatment(all P < 0.01;from 100% to 57%, 50%, and 49%, respectively;and from 1: 118, 1: 138, and 1: 130 to 1: 72, 1: 61, and 1: 67, respectively). Furthermore, 28 patients in the positive group demonstrated complete ablation of autoantibodies. In addition, left ventricular remodelling and function was significantly improved by the use of carvedilol combined with the standard treatment regime for six months in the positive group(P < 0.01) when compared to the negative group(P < 0.05). Conclusions Carvedilol treatment significantly decreases frequency and geometric mean titer in patients with all three autoantibodies, even up to complete ablation, and significantly improved cardiac function and remodelling. The effect of carvedilol is probably correlated to the presence of all three autoantibodies.展开更多
We sought to assess the effect of progestin on the apoptosis of epithelial ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3 and via regulation of phosphorylation signaling in. Epithelial ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3 was treated wit...We sought to assess the effect of progestin on the apoptosis of epithelial ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3 and via regulation of phosphorylation signaling in. Epithelial ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3 was treated with me- droxyprogestogen, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 and vehicle control. Akt, phospho-Akt, Bcl-2 and phospho-Bad proteins were examined by immunoblotting assays. Medroxyprogestogen-induced apoptosis was assessed by MTT assays and Annexin V apoptosis assay. We found no significant difference in Akt and Bad expression in both the medroxyprogestogen groups and the control group. The levels of phospho-Akt, Bcl-2 and phospho-Bad were decreased in all the medroxyprogestogen groups and significantly decreased in the high dose mitogen-activated protein （MAP） group （10 gmol/L）. Viability of SKOV-3 was reduced and apparent apoptosis of SKOV-3 cells was observed with increased doses of MAP. The findings suggest that medroxyprogestogen can induce SKOV-3 cell apoptosis by inhibiting Akt phosphorylation.展开更多
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(32072780,31872374)National Key Research and Development Program of China(2016YFD0500501,2018YFD0500405)Earmarked Fund for Jiangsu Agricultural Industry Technology System(JATS[2024]).
文摘Background Chronic heat stress(CHS)is a detrimental environmental stressor with a negative impact on the meat quality of broilers.However,the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.This study investigates the effects of CHS on long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)expression and muscle injury in broilers,with a focus on its implications for meat quality.Results The results showed that CHS diminished breast muscle yield,elevated abdominal fat deposition,induced cellular apoptosis(P<0.05),and caused myofibrosis.Transcriptomic analysis revealed 151 differentially expressed(DE)lncRNAs when comparing the normal control(NC)and HS groups,214 DE lncRNAs when comparing the HS and PF groups,and 79 DE lncRNAs when comparing the NC and pair-fed(PF)groups.After eliminating the confounding effect of feed intake,68 lncRNAs were identified,primarily associated with cellular growth and death,signal transduc-tion,and metabolic regulation.Notably,the apoptosis-related pathway P53,lysosomes,and the fibrosis-related gene TGF-β2 were significantly upregulated by lncRNAs.Conclusions These findings indicate that chronic heat stress induces cellular apoptosis and muscle injury through lncRNA,leading to connective tissue accumulation,which likely contributes to reduced breast muscle yield and meat quality in broilers.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31640001 and T2350005 to C.X.,U21A20148 to X.Z.and C.X.)Ministry of Science and Technology of China(2021ZD0140300 to C.X.)Presidential Foundation of Hefei Institutes of Physical Science,Chinese Academy of Sciences(Y96XC11131,E26CCG27,and E26CCD15 to C.X.,E36CWGBR24B and E36CZG14132 to T.C.)。
文摘Birds exhibit extraordinary mobility and remarkable navigational skills,obtaining guidance cues from the Earth’s magnetic field for orientation and long-distance movement.Bird species also show tremendous diversity in navigation strategies,with considerable differences even within the same taxa and among individuals from the same population.The highly conserved iron and iron-sulfur cluster binding magnetoreceptor(MagR)protein is suggested to enable animals,including birds,to detect the geomagnetic field and navigate accordingly.Notably,MagR is also implicated in other functions,such as electron transfer and biogenesis of iron-sulfur clusters,raising the question of whether variability exists in its biochemical and biophysical features among species,particularly birds.In the current study,we conducted a comparative analysis of MagR from two different bird species,including the migratory European robin(Erithacus rubecula)and the homing pigeon(Columba livia).Sequence alignment revealed an extremely high degree of similarity between the MagRs of these species,with only three sequence variations.Nevertheless,two of these variations underpinned significant differences in metal binding capacity,oligomeric state,and magnetic properties.These findings offer compelling evidence for the marked differences in MagR between the two avian species,potentially explaining how a highly conserved protein can mediate such diverse functions.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(52274295)the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province(E2020501001,E2021501029,A2021501007,E2022501028,E2022501029)+5 种基金the Natural Science Foundation-Steel,the Iron Foundation of Hebei Province(No.E2022501030)the Performance subsidy fund for Key Laboratory of Dielectric and Electrolyte Functional Material Hebei Province(22567627H)the Science and Technology Project of Hebei Education Department(ZD2022158)the Central Guided Local Science and Technology Development Fund Project of Hebei province(226Z4401G)the China Scholarship Council(No.202206080061,202206050119)the 2023 Hebei Provincial Postgraduate Student Innovation Ability training funding project(CXZZSS2023195)。
文摘The recycling and reutilization of spent lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)have become an important measure to alleviate problems like resource scarcity and environmental pollution.Although some progress has been made,battery recycling technology still faces challenges in terms of efficiency,effectiveness and environmental sustainability.This review aims to systematically review and analyze the current status of spent LIB recycling,and conduct a detailed comparison and evaluation of different recycling processes.In addition,this review introduces emerging recycling techniques,including deep eutectic solvents,molten salt roasting,and direct regeneration,with the intent of enhancing recycling efficiency and diminishing environmental repercussions.Furthermore,to increase the added value of recycled materials,this review proposes the concept of upgrading recycled materials into high value-added functional materials,such as catalysts,adsorbents,and graphene.Through life cycle assessment,the paper also explores the economic and environmental impacts of current battery recycling and highlights the importance that future recycling technologies should achieve a balance between recycling efficiency,economics and environmental benefits.Finally,this review outlines the opportunities and challenges of recycling key materials for next-generation batteries,and proposes relevant policy recommendations to promote the green and sustainable development of batteries,circular economy,and ecological civilization.
基金The National Nature Science Foundation of China under contract No.42071007the Nature Science Foundation of Hainan Province under contract Nos 422RC665,421QN0883,and 423RC553。
文摘Based on high-tide shoreline data extracted from 87 Landsat satellite images from 1986 to 2019 as well as using the linear regression rate and performing a Mann-Kendall(M–K)trend test,this study analyzes the linear characteristics and nonlinear behavior of the medium-to long-term shoreline evolution of Jinghai Bay,eastern Guangdong Province.In particular,shoreline rotation caused by a shore-normal coastal structure is emphasized.The results show that the overall shoreline evolution over the past 30 years is characterized by erosion on the southwest beach,with an average erosion rate of 3.1 m/a,and significant accretion on the northeast beach,with an average accretion rate of 5.6 m/a.Results of the M–K trend test indicate that significant shoreline changes occurred in early 2006,which can be attributed to shore-normal engineering.Prior to that engineering construction,the shorelines are slightly eroded,where the average erosion rate is 0.7 m/a.However,after shore-normal engineering is performed,the shoreline is characterized by significant erosion(3.2 m/a)on the southwest beach and significant accretion(8.5 m/a)on the northeast beach,thus indicating that the shore-normal engineering at the updrift headland contributes to clockwise shoreline rotation.Further analysis shows that the clockwise shoreline rotation is promoted not only by longshore sediment transport processes from southwest to northeast,but also by cross-shore sediment transport processes.These findings are crucial for beach erosion risk management,coastal disaster zoning,regional sediment budget assessments,and further observations and predictions of beach morphodynamics.
基金supported by the Science and Technology Plan Grant of Guangzhou(grant number 202102080035)the Guangzhou Health and Family Planning Science and Technology Project Western Medicine-general Guidance Project(20221A011067)+2 种基金the Basic Research Project of Key Laboratory of Guangzhou(grant number 202102100001)the Key Project of Medicine Discipline of Guangzhou(grant number 2021-2023-12)the Guangzhou Health Science and Technology Project(grant number 20221A011066).
文摘Objective:To explore the correlation between genotypes of Orientia(O.)tsutsugamushi and clinical characteristics of scrub typhus patients.Methods:Clinical data of patients with scrub typhus admitted to different types of medical institutions in Guangzhou from September 2012 to December 2016 were collected using medical records.Demographic data,clinical manifestations,as well as hematological and biochemical indicators of patients infected with different genotypes were analyzed and compared.Results:A total of 192 patients were included in this study,including 121 patients with Karp genotype of O.tsutsugamushi infection(63.0%),36 patients with Gilliam genotype(19.0%),23 patients with Kato genotype(12.0%),and 12 patients with TA763 genotype(6.0%)infection.The median value of albumin in patients with Karp genotype infection was significantly lower than that of Gilliam-infected patients(P=0.032).Patients with Karp genotype infection had a significantly longer hospital stay(9 days)than those with Gilliam genotype(7 days)(P=0.009)and Kato genotype infection(6 days)(P=0.005).Karp-infected patients also represented for the largest number of patients with complicated organ involvement(88/133,66.2%).Furthermore,Karp-infected patients had higher risk of developing multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(18.2%)and requiring intensive care unit treatment(15.9%).Besides,patients with Gilliam genotype(8 days)and TA763 genotype infection(7.5 days)had shorter fever duration than those with Karp genotype(9 days)and Kato genotype(9 days)infection,respectively.Conclusions:Genotypes of Orientia tsutsugamushi were associated with varying clinical manifestations,organ involvement,and treatment outcomes,suggesting that genotypes ranged in virulence.
基金This work was supported by the grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82174334)2022 Postgraduate Innovation Research Projects in Hainan Province(No.Qhys2022-273).
文摘Objective:To investigate the effects of Alpiniae oxyphyllae Fructus(AOF)on renal lipid deposition in diabetic kidney disease(DKD)and elucidate its molecular mechanisms.Methods:The mechanism of AOF in treating DKD was explored by network pharmacological enrichment analysis,molecular docking,and molecular dynamics simulation.The effects of AOF on renal function and lipid deposition were assessed in a mouse model of DKD and high glucose-stressed HK-2 cells.Cell viability and lipid accumulation were detected by CCK8 and oil red O staining.The expressions of PPARαand fatty acid oxidation-related genes(ACOX1 and CPT1A)were detected by quantitative RT-PCR,Western blot,and immunofluorescence.Furthermore,PPARαknockdown was performed to examine the molecular mechanism of AOF in treating DKD.Results:Network pharmacological enrichment analysis,molecular docking,and molecular dynamics simulation showed that the active compounds in AOF targeted PPARαand thus transcriptionally regulated ACOX1 and CPT1A.AOF lowered blood glucose,improved dyslipidemia,and attenuated renal injury in DKD mice.AOF-containing serum accentuated high glucose-induced decrease in cell viability and ameliorated lipid accumulation.Additionally,it significantly upregulated the expression of PPARα,ACOX1,and CPT1A in both in vivo and in vitro experiments,which was reversed by PPARαknockdown.Conclusions:AOF may promote fatty acid oxidation via PPARαto ameliorate renal lipid deposition in DKD.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.32201602,82304680)the Natural Science Fund of Hubei Province(Grant No.2023AFB1036)+5 种基金the Program for Excellent Sci-tech Innovation Teams of Universities in Anhui Province(Grant No.2022AH010074)Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation(Grant No.2308085QH295)Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Educational Committee(Grant No.2023AH040259)the Talent Scientific Research Startup Foundation,Wannan Medical College(Grant No.YR20230110)the Anhui Provincial Department of Education Young Backbone Teachers Overseas Visiting and Training Funding Program(Grant No.JWFX2023033)Beijing Life Science Academy Project(Grant No.2023200CC0270)。
文摘Rosa banksiae,known as Lady Banks'rose,is a perennial ornamental crop and a versatile herb in traditional Chinese medicine.Given the lack of genomic resources,we assembled a Hi Fi and Nanopore sequencing-derived 458.58 Mb gap-free telomere-to-telomere high-quality R.banksiae genome with a scaffold N50=63.90 Mb.The genome of R.banksiae exhibited no lineage-specific whole-genome duplication compared with other Rosaceae.The phylogenomic analysis of 13 Rosaceae and Arabidopsis through a comparative genomics study showed that numerous gene families were lineage-specific both before and after the diversification of Rosaceae.Some of these genes are candidates for new genes that have evolved from parental genes through fusion events.Fusion genes are divided into three types:Type-I and Type-II genes contain two parental genes that are generated by duplication,distributed in the same and different regions of the genome,respectively;and Type-III can only be detected in one parental gene.Here,Type-I genes are found to have more relaxed selection pressure and lower Ks values than Type-II,indicating that these newly evolved Type-I genes may play important roles in driving phenotypic evolution.Functional analysis exhibited that newly formed fusion genes can regulate the phenotype traits of plant growth and development,suggesting the functional significance of these genes.This study identifies new fusion genes that could be responsible for phenotype evolution and provides information on the evolutionary history of recently diverged species in the Rosa genus.Our data represents the major progress in understanding the new fusion genes evolution pattern of Rosaceae and provides an invaluable resource for phylogenomic studies in plants.
文摘AIM: To determine the possible predisposing factors of bezoar-induced small bowel obstruction(b I-Sb O) and to discuss the diagnostic value of multi-slice spiral computed tomography,particularly contrast-enhanced scanning,in this condition.METHODS: A total of 35 b I-Sb O cases treated at our hospital from January 2007 to December 2013 were retrospectively analysed.Complete clinical and computed tomography(CT) data of the patients were available and confirmed by surgery.SbO was clinically diagnosed on the basis of clinical manifestations.Of the 35 patients,18 underwent abdominal and pelvic CT planar scanning with GE 64-slice spiral CT and 17 underwent abdominal and pelvic CT planar scanning with GE 64-slice spiral CT combined with contrastenhanced examination.Original images were processed using a GE ADW4.3 workstation to obtain MPR,CPR,MIP and CTA images.The images of all patients were evaluated by two abdominal imaging experts.The main analytical contents of planar scanning included intestinal bezoar conditions,changes in the intestinal wall and changes in peri-intestinal conditions.Vascular hyperaemia and arterial blood supply conditions at a specific obstruction site and the distal end of the obstruction site were evaluated through contrastenhanced examination.RESULTS: The proportion of males to females among the 35 cases was 1:1.69(13:22); median age was 63.3 years.The following cases were observed: 29(82.8%) cases occurred in autumn and winter and showed a history of consuming high amounts of persimmon and hawthorn; 19(54.3%) cases revealed a history of gastrointestinal surgery; 19 exhibited incomplete dentition,with missing partial or whole posterior teeth; 26 suffered from obstruction at the ileum.A total of 51 bezoars were found in these patients,of whom 16(45.7%) had multiple bezoars.CT planar scanning of bezoars showed lumps with mottled gas inside the intestinal cavity.Furthermore,9 cases of bezoars had envelopes and 11 cases were accompanied with thickening of the distal wall of the obstructed bowel.Scanning of 17 cases was enhanced; the results revealed that the mesenteric blood vessels at the obstruction site and the proximal site were dilated,and a total of 7 cases were accompanied with distal vascular dilation and intestinal wall thickening.CONCLUSION: b I-Sb O exhibits regional and seasonal characteristics.CT planar and contrast-enhanced scanning can be applied to diagnose and observe vascular conditions in obstructed zones.
文摘In this study,the power generation difference between the east-west and the north-south orientation of the vertically installed heterojunction solar cell(HJT)modules was deeply discussed.East-west oriented HJT module has 30%higher power generation,especially in desert photovoltaic(PV)with a bimodal distribution.While the south-north one has a single peak,the same as normal PV modules.Vertical power generation technology of HJT also has less land occupation,which is of great significance for optimizing the design of photovoltaic systems.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62101278,62001379,62271023)Beijing Natural Science Foundation(7242269).
文摘Deep learning(DL)-based image reconstruction methods have garnered increasing interest in the last few years.Numerous studies demonstrate that DL-based reconstruction methods function admirably in optical tomographic imaging techniques,such as bioluminescence tomography(BLT).Nevertheless,nearly every existing DL-based method utilizes an explicit neural representation for the reconstruction problem,which either consumes much memory space or requires various complicated computations.In this paper,we present a neural field(NF)-based image reconstruction scheme for BLT that uses an implicit neural representation.The proposed NFbased method establishes a transformation between the coordinate of an arbitrary spatial point and the source value of the point with a relatively light-weight multilayer perceptron,which has remarkable computational efficiency.Another simple neural network composed of two fully connected layers and a 1D convolutional layer is used to generate the neural features.Results of simulations and experiments show that the proposed NF-based method has similar performance to the photon density complement network and the two-stage network,while consuming fewer floating point operations with fewer model parameters.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.71573085,71974150).
文摘Purpose:Interdisciplinarity is a hot topic in science and technology policy.However,the concept of interdisciplinarity is both abstract and complex,and therefore difficult to measure using a single indicator.A variety of metrics for measuring the diversity and interdisciplinarity of articles,journals,and fields have been proposed in the literature.In this article,we ask whether institutions can be ranked in terms of their(inter-)disciplinary diversity.Design/methodology/approach:We developed a software application(interd_vb.exe)that outputs the values of relevant diversity indicators for any document set or network structure.The software is made available,free to the public,online.The indicators it considers include the advanced diversity indicators Rao-Stirling(RS)diversity and DIV*,as well as standard measures of diversity,such as the Gini coefficient,Shannon entropy,and the Simpson Index.As an empirical demonstration of how the application works,we compared the research portfolios of 42“Double First-Class”Chinese universities across Web of Science Subject Categories(WCs).Findings:The empirical results suggest that DIV*provides results that are more in line with one’s intuitive impressions than RS,particularly when the results are based on sampledependent disparity measures.Furthermore,the scores for diversity are more consistent when based on a global disparity matrix than on a local map.Research limitations:“Interdisciplinarity”can be operationalized as bibliographic coupling among(sets of)documents with references to disciplines.At the institutional level,however,diversity may also indicate comprehensiveness.Unlike impact(e.g.citation),diversity and interdisciplinarity are context-specific and therefore provide a second dimension to the evaluation.Policy or practical implications:Operationalization and quantification make it necessary for analysts to make their choices and options clear.Although the equations used to calculate diversity are often mathematically transparent,the specification in terms of computer code helps the analyst to further precision in decisions.Although diversity is not necessarily a goal of universities,a high diversity score may inform potential policies concerning interdisciplinarity at the university level.Originality/value:This article introduces a non-commercial online application to the public domain that allows researchers and policy analysts to measure“diversity”and“interdisciplinarity”using the various indicators as encompassing as possible for any document set or network structure(e.g.a network of co-authors).Insofar as we know,such a professional computing tool for evaluating data sets using diversity indicators has not yet been made available online.
基金This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81971006(to DSG)the Postgraduate Research and Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province of China,Nos.KYCX18_2193(to MYS),KYCX18_2171(to CXT).
文摘Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF)plays an important role in the protection of dopaminergic neurons,but there are few reports of the relationship between GDNF and its precursors(α-pro-GDNF andβ-pro-GDNF)and cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease.This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the serum levels of GDNF and its precursors and cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease,and to assess their potential as a diagnostic marker.Fifty-three primary outpatients and hospitalized patients with Parkinson’s disease(23 men and 30 women)with an average age of 66.58 years were enrolled from the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University of China in this case-control study.The patients were divided into the Parkinson’s disease with cognitive impairment group(n=27)and the Parkinson’s disease with normal cognitive function group(n=26)based on their Mini-Mental State Examination,Montreal Cognitive Assessment,and Clinical Dementia Rating scores.In addition,26 age-and sex-matched healthy subjects were included as the healthy control group.Results demonstrated that serum GDNF levels were significantly higher in the Parkinson’s disease with normal cognitive function group than in the other two groups.There were no significant differences in GDNF precursor levels among the three groups.Correlation analysis revealed that serum GDNF levels,GDNF/α-pro-GDNF ratios,and GDNF/β-pro-GDNF ratios were moderately or highly correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination,Montreal Cognitive Assessment,and Clinical Dementia Rating scores.To explore the risk factors for cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson’s disease,logistic regression analysis and stepwise linear regression analysis were performed.Both GDNF levels and Hoehn-Yahr stage were risk factors for cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease,and were the common influencing factors for cognitive scale scores.Neitherα-pro-GDNF norβ-pro-GDNF was risk factors for cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease.A receiver operating characteristic curve of GDNF was generated to predict cognitive function in Parkinson’s disease(area under the curve=0.859).This result indicates that the possibility that serum GDNF can correctly distinguish whether patients with Parkinson’s disease have cognitive impairment is 0.859.Together,these results suggest that serum GDNF may be an effective diagnostic marker for cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease.However,α-pro-GDNF andβ-pro-GDNF are not useful for predicting cognitive impairment in this disease.This study was approved by Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University,China(approval No.XYFY2017-KL047-01)on November 30,2017.
基金Supported by Nature Science Fundamental Research Planned Projects of Shaanxi Province(No.2011JE005No.2012JM4023)Science and Technology Planned Projects of Xi'an[No.SF1207(1)]
文摘AIM： To observe the therapeutic effect of corneal collagen cross-linking（CXL） in combination with liposomal amphotericin B in fungal corneal ulcers.METHODS： New Zealand rabbits were induced fungal corneal ulcers by scratching and randomly divided into 3groups, i.e. control, treated with CXL, and combined therapy of CXL with 0.25% liposomal amphotericin B（n =5 each）. The corneal lesions were documented with slit-lamp and confocal microscopy on 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 d after treatment. The corneas were examined with transmission electron microscopy（TEM） at 4wk.RESULTS： A rabbit corneal ulcer model of Fusarium was successfully established. The corneal epithelium defect areas in the two treatment groups were smaller than that in the control group on 3, 7, 14 and 21d（P 〈0.05）. The corneal epithelium defect areas of the combined group was smaller than that of the CXL group（P 〈0.05） on 7 and 14 d, but there were no statistical differences on 3, 21 and 28 d. The corneal epithelium defects of the two treatment groups have been healed by day 21. The corneal epithelium defects of the control group were healed on 28 d. The diameters of the corneal collagen fiber bundles（42.960 ±7.383 nm in the CXL group and 37.040±4.160 nm in the combined group） were thicker than that of the control group（24.900±1.868 nm）,but there was no difference between the two treatment groups. Some corneal collagen fiber bundles were distorted and with irregular arrangement, a large number of fibroblasts could be seen among them but no inflammatory cells in both treatment groups. CONCLUSION： CXL combined with liposomal amphotericin B have beneficial effects on fungal corneal ulcers. The combined therapy could alleviate corneal inflammattions, accelerate corneal repair, and shorten the course of disease.
基金This project was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.71673057)
文摘Objective:The overarching objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of HIV symptom management guidelines in China in reducing the incidence and severity of symptoms and improving patients'quality of life.Methods:We conducted a controlled,pre-and post-implementation design in the HIV/AIDS inpatient unit in Shanghai.Patients recruited from November 2014 to February 2015 were in the intervention group and those from October 2013 to February 2014 were in the control group.There were 74 patients in each group.Participants in the intervention group received interventions based on the HIV symptom management guidelines.Overall symptom severity,depression,and quality of life were measured in two groups at baseline,week 4,and week 8.Results:Totally 126 patients completed the research,65 in the intervention group and 61 in the control group.The total symptom severity scores showed a statistically significant difference between groups across time(P<0.05).It showed that frequencies of fatigue(36.9%vs.44.3%),fever(6.2%vs.11.5%),loss in weight(9.2%vs.16.4%),mouth ulcers(12.3%vs.16.4%),headaches(9.2%vs.19.7%)and depression(F=1.09,P>0.05)in the intervention group were lower than those in the control group in week 8 without statistical significance.The multilevel growth mixture model indicated a greater increase in the total score of quality of life for the group treated according to the symptom management guidelines(P=0.04).Conclusion:The evidence-based HIV symptom management guidelines can improve a patient's quality of life and relieve negative symptoms.The guidelines can be applied in a similar context to other HIV/AIDS units or clinics.
基金Supported by the National Clinical Key Subject of China,No. 41732113
文摘BACKGROUND Hemobilia occurs when there is a fistula between hepatic blood vessels and biliary radicles,and represents only a minority of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhages.Causes of hemobilia are varied,but liver abscess rarely causes hemobilia and only a few cases have been reported.Here,we present a case of atypical hemobilia caused by liver abscess that was successfully managed by endoscopic hepatobiliary intervention through endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP).CASE SUMMARY A 54-year-old man presented to our emergency department with a history of right upper quadrant abdominal colic and repeated fever for 6 d.Abdominal sonography and enhanced computed tomography revealed that there was an abscess in the right anterior lobe of the liver.During hospitalization,the patient developed upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a duodenal ulcer bleeding that was treated with three metal clamps.However,the hemodynamics was still unstable.Hence,upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed again and fresh blood was seen flowing from the ampulla of Vater.Selective angiography did not show any abnormality.An endoscopic nasobiliary drainage(ENBD)tube was inserted into the right anterior bile duct through ERCP,and subsequently cold saline containing(-)-noradrenaline was infused into the bile duct lumen through the ENBD tube with no episode of further bleeding.CONCLUSION Hemobilia should be considered in the development of liver abscess,and endoscopy is essential for diagnosis and management of some cases.
基金support by the National Basic Research Program of China (973) (2012CB025903)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10871159)Basic Research Program of China(2005CB321704)
文摘In this work, the transient free surface of con- tainer filling with non-linear constitutive equation＇s fluids is numerically investigated by the smoothed particle hydrody- namics （SPH） method. Specifically, the filling process of a square container is considered for non-linear polymer fluids based on the Cross model. The validity of the presented SPH is first verified by solving the Newtonian fluid and Oldroyd- B fluid jet. Various phenomena in the filling process are shown, including the jet buckling, jet thinning, splashing or spluttering, steady filling. Moreover, a new phenomenon of vortex whirling is more evidently observed for the Cross model fluid compared with the Newtonian fluid case.
基金funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (21975129)Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20190759)+1 种基金Nanjing Forestry UniversityPostgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (SJCX21_0337)。
文摘Developing high efficient Pd-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) is still challenging for alkaline membrane fuel cell,since the strong oxygen adsorption energy and easy agglomerative intrinsic properties. In order to simultaneously solve these problems, Pd/Co_(3)O_(4)–N–C multidimensional materials with porous structures is designed as the ORR catalysts. In details, the ZIF-67 with polyhedral structure was firstly synthesized and then annealed at high-temperature to prepare the N-doped Co_(3)O_(4)carbon-based material, which was used to homogeneously confine Pd nanoparticles and obtained the Pd/Co_(3)O_(4)–N–C series catalysts. The formation of Co–N and C–N bond could provide efficient active sites for ORR. Simultaneously, the strong electronic interaction in the interface between the Pd and N-doped Co_(3)O_(4)could disperse and avoid the agglomeration of Pd nanoparticles and ensure the exposure of active sites, which is crucial to lower the energy barrier toward ORR and substantially enhance the ORR kinetics. Hence, the Pd/Co_(3)O_(4)–N–C nanocompounds exhibited excellent ORR catalytic performance, ideal Pd mass activity, and durability in 0.1 mol L-1KOH solution compared with Co_(3)O_(4)–N–C and Pd/C. The scalable synthesis method, relatively low cost, and excellent electrochemical ORR performance indicated that the obtained Pd/Co_(3)O_(4)–N–C electrocatalyst had the potential for application on fuel cells.
基金supported by the Science and Technology Project of Beijing (No. D09080300510901)National High Technology Research and Development Pro-gram of China (No. 2012AA03A514)
文摘The precipitation behavior of γ′ phase,under various interrupt cooling tests after 1170℃,solution treatment was examined.The results indicate that the size of secondary γ′ precipitates increases with the decrease of interrupt temperature,and the shape changes from spherical to butterfly like.The fine tertiary γ′ can form either during the post cool air quenching at high interrupt-temperatures,or during the specified 5℃ min-1cooling.Air quenching at high temperatures cannot suppress further nucleation of tertiary γ′ phase.
基金the Beijing Natural Science Foundation (No. 7174306)。
文摘Objective To determine the possible association of anti-β1-adrenergic receptors(anti-β1-AR), anti-β2-AR and anti-α1-AR with carvedilol treatment in patients with heart failure(HF). Methods A total of 267 HF patients were prospectively enrolled. Blood samples were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All of the patients received carvedilol for their HF. Each patient was followed up for six months and their cardiac function was measured. Results The final analysis encompassed 137 patients comprising 65 patients with three autoantibodies(positive group) and 72 patients without all three autoantibodies but with one or two autoantibodies(negative group). The frequency and geometric mean titer of anti-β1-AR, anti-β2-AR, and anti-α1-AR were significantly lower in the group without all three autoantibodies after six months of carvedilol treatment(all P < 0.01;from 100% to 57%, 50%, and 49%, respectively;and from 1: 118, 1: 138, and 1: 130 to 1: 72, 1: 61, and 1: 67, respectively). Furthermore, 28 patients in the positive group demonstrated complete ablation of autoantibodies. In addition, left ventricular remodelling and function was significantly improved by the use of carvedilol combined with the standard treatment regime for six months in the positive group(P < 0.01) when compared to the negative group(P < 0.05). Conclusions Carvedilol treatment significantly decreases frequency and geometric mean titer in patients with all three autoantibodies, even up to complete ablation, and significantly improved cardiac function and remodelling. The effect of carvedilol is probably correlated to the presence of all three autoantibodies.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.30772332)Jiangsu Province Health Department Program Grant (No.H200617)Jiangsu Province Six Summit Talent Foundation (No.303070774IB09)
文摘We sought to assess the effect of progestin on the apoptosis of epithelial ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3 and via regulation of phosphorylation signaling in. Epithelial ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3 was treated with me- droxyprogestogen, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 and vehicle control. Akt, phospho-Akt, Bcl-2 and phospho-Bad proteins were examined by immunoblotting assays. Medroxyprogestogen-induced apoptosis was assessed by MTT assays and Annexin V apoptosis assay. We found no significant difference in Akt and Bad expression in both the medroxyprogestogen groups and the control group. The levels of phospho-Akt, Bcl-2 and phospho-Bad were decreased in all the medroxyprogestogen groups and significantly decreased in the high dose mitogen-activated protein （MAP） group （10 gmol/L）. Viability of SKOV-3 was reduced and apparent apoptosis of SKOV-3 cells was observed with increased doses of MAP. The findings suggest that medroxyprogestogen can induce SKOV-3 cell apoptosis by inhibiting Akt phosphorylation.
