Enhanced Oxidation Resistance of Polyphenylene Sulfide Composites Based on Montmorillonite Modified by Benzimidazolium Salt

Organic montmorillonite (MMT) modified by 1,3-dihexadecyl-3H-benzimidazolium bromide (Bz) was used to prepare polyphenylene sulfide (PPS)/MMT composites by melting intercalation. The PPS/MMT composites showed mixed morphology, being comprised of exfoliated and intercalated structures with slight agglomerates. The tensile property of PPS/MMT composites was significantly improved due to the good dispersion of the MMT nanolayers. The test results showed that the tensile strength retention of PPS/MMT composites was higher than that of pure PPS after the oxidation treatment. Moreover, FTIR and XPS analyses were also used to evaluate the oxidation resistance of PPS composites. The FTIR analysis confirmed that adding MMT could better limit the damage of the C⁻S group and retard the generation of sulfuryl groups (⁻SO₂⁻) during the oxidation treatment compared to pure PPS. The XPS analysis also suggested that the addition of MMT could reduce the chemical combination of the elements sulfur (S) and oxygen (O) during oxidation treatment. Furthermore, the MMT nanolayers could also promote the transfer of S from a C⁻S bond into an ⁻SO₂⁻ group.

Directly data processing algorithm for multi-wavelength pyrometer (MWP)

Data processing of multi-wavelength pyrometer (MWP) is a difficult problem because unknown emissivity. So far some solutions developed generally assumed particular mathematical relations for emissivity versus wavelength or emissivity versus temperature. Due to the deviation between the hypothesis and actual situation, the inversion results can be seriously affected. So directly data processing algorithm of MWP that does not need to assume the spectral emissivity model in advance is main aim of the study. Two new data processing algorithms of MWP, Gradient Projection (GP) algorithm and Internal Penalty Function (IPF) algorithm, each of which does not require to fix emissivity model in advance, are proposed. The novelty core idea is that data processing problem of MWP is transformed into constraint optimization problem, then it can be solved by GP or IPF algorithms. By comparison of simulation results for some typical spectral emissivity models, it is found that IPF algorithm is superior to GP algorithm in terms of accuracy and efficiency. Rocket nozzle temperature experiment results show that true temperature inversion results from IPF algorithm agree well with the theoretical design temperature as well. So the proposed combination IPF algorithm with MWP is expected to be a directly data processing algorithm to clear up the unknown emissivity obstacle for MWP.

A Point System to Forecast Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk Before and After Treatment Among Persons with Chronic Hepatitis C

BACKGROUND

Risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may be difficult to determine in the clinical setting.

AIM

Develop a scoring system to forecast HCC risk among patients with chronic hepatitis C.

METHODS

Using data from the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study collected during 2005-2014, we derived HCC risk scores for males and females using an extended Cox model with aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) as a time-dependent variables and mean Kaplan-Meier survival functions from patient data at two study sites, and used data collected at two separate sites for external validation. For model calibration, we used the Greenwood-Nam-D'Agostino goodness-of-fit statistic to examine differences between predicted and observed risk.

RESULTS

Of 12,469 patients (1628 with a history of sustained viral response [SVR]), 504 developed HCC; median follow-up was 6 years. Final predictors in the model included age, alcohol abuse, interferon-based treatment response, and APRI. Point values, ranging from -3 to 14 (males) and -3 to 12 (females), were established using hazard ratios of the predictors aligned with 1-, 3-, and 5-year Kaplan-Meier survival probabilities of HCC. Discriminatory capacity was high (c-index 0.82 males and 0.84 females) and external calibration demonstrated no differences between predicted and observed HCC risk for 1-, 3-, and 5-year forecasts among males (all p values >0.97) and for 3- and 5-year risk among females (all p values >0.87).

CONCLUSION

This scoring system, based on age, alcohol abuse history, treatment response, and APRI, can be used to forecast up to a 5-year risk of HCC among hepatitis C patients before and after SVR.

Dexamethasone ameliorates H2S-induced acute lung injury by increasing claudin-5 expression via the PI3K pathway

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a major outcome of exposure to high levels of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). Dexamethasone (DXM) has been used to treat ALI. However, the mechanisms involved in H₂S-induced ALI and the protective mechanisms of DXM in treating ALI are still nebulous. To explore the mechanisms involved, we evaluated the role of claudin-5 in the protective effect of DXM against H₂S-induced ALI. Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to H₂S to establish the ALI model. In parallel with the animal model, a cell model was also established by incubating human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with NaHS. Lung hematoxylin-eosin staining, electron microscope assay, and wet/dry ratio were used to identify whether the ALI was successfully induced by H₂S, and changes in claudin-5 expression were detected in both rats and HUVECs. Our results revealed that claudin-5 was markedly decreased after H₂S exposure and that DXM significantly attenuated the H₂S-induced downregulation of claudin-5 in both rats and HUVECs. In the animal experiment, p-Akt and p-FoxO₁ presented a similar tendency as claudin-5, but their levels decreased 6 h prior to the levels of claudin-5. In a further investigation, the DXM-induced protective effect on ALI and rescue effect on downregulation of claudin-5 were both blocked by LY294002. The current study demonstrated that claudin-5 was involved in the development of H₂S-induced ALI and that DXM exerted protective effects through increasing claudin-5 expression by activating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway. Therefore, claudin-5 might represent a novel pharmacological target for treating ALI induced by H₂S and other hazardous gases.

Thymidylate synthase gene polymorphisms as important contributors affecting hepatocellular carcinoma prognosis

BACKGROUND

Thymidylate synthase (TYMS), a key rate-limiting enzyme in the folate metabolism, plays essential roles in the development of several malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nonetheless, the association of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TYMS gene with the prognosis of Chinese HCC patients remains unknown.

METHODS

A total of 492 HCC patients who underwent surgery treatment were included in this study. Five functional SNPs (rs2847153, rs2853533, rs502396, rs523230, and rs9967368) in TYMS gene were genotyped using the iPLEX genotyping system. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model and Kaplan-Meier curve were used to analyze the association of SNPs with survival and recurrence of HCC patients.

RESULTS

Two SNPs (rs523230 and rs9967368) in TYMS gene were significantly associated with the overall survival of HCC patients. Patients carrying homozygous variant genotype (VV) of rs523230 had significantly decreased risk of death (hazard ratio [HR], 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46-1.00; P=0.048) when compared with those carrying homozygous wild-type (WW) or heterozygous (WV) genotypes, while patients carrying WV+VV genotype of rs9967368 had significantly increased risk of death (HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.05-2.04; P=0.026) when compared with those carrying WW genotypes. Cumulative effect analysis showed a significant dose-dependent effect of unfavorable SNPs on OS.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study for the first time demonstrates the association of SNPs in TYMS gene and clinical outcome of HCC, suggesting that rs523230 and rs9967368 in TYMS gene might be used to predict clinical outcome of Chinese HCC patients.

Experimental investigation of quantum entropic uncertainty relations for multiple measurements in pure diamond

One unique feature of quantum mechanics is the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, which states that the outcomes of two incompatible measurements cannot simultaneously achieve arbitrary precision. In an information-theoretic context of quantum information, the uncertainty principle can be formulated as entropic uncertainty relations with two measurements for a quantum bit (qubit) in two-dimensional system. New entropic uncertainty relations are studied for a higher-dimensional quantum state with multiple measurements, and the uncertainty bounds can be tighter than that expected from two measurements settings and cannot result from qubits system with or without a quantum memory. Here we report the first room-temperature experimental testing of the entropic uncertainty relations with three measurements in a natural three-dimensional solid-state system: the nitrogen-vacancy center in pure diamond. The experimental results confirm the entropic uncertainty relations for multiple measurements. Our result represents a more precise demonstrating of the fundamental uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics.

Single-Shot Readout of a Nuclear Spin Weakly Coupled to a Nitrogen-Vacancy Center at Room Temperature

Single-shot readout of qubits is required for scalable quantum computing. Nuclear spins are superb quantum memories due to their long coherence time, but are difficult to be read out in a single shot due to their weak interaction with probes. Here we demonstrate single-shot readout of a weakly coupled ^{13}C nuclear spin at room temperature, which is unresolvable in traditional protocols. States of the weakly coupled nuclear spin are trapped and read out projectively by sequential weak measurements, which are implemented by dynamical decoupling pulses. A nuclear spin coupled to the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center with strength 330 kHz is read out in 200 ms with a fidelity of 95.5%. This work provides a general protocol for single-shot readout of weakly coupled qubits at room temperature and therefore largely extends the range of physical systems for scalable quantum computing.

Development and application of monoclonal antibodies against IgM of black rockfish Sebastes schlegeli

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against black rockfish Sebastes schlegeli serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) were developed, which showed a specific reaction with the heavy chain of S. schlegeli IgM in Western blotting and with surface IgM positive (sIgM⁺ ) lymphocytes in indirect immunofluorescence. mAb 2A6 was employed to investigate the antibody and sIgM⁺ lymphocyte responses of S. schlegeli injected with inactivated Edwardsiella tarda, by ELISA and flow cytometry. Compared with controls, the level of specific antibodies and the percentage of sIgM⁺ lymphocytes both increased in the immunized fish and simultaneously reached their peaks at day 35 after immunization.

High-resolution copy number variation analysis of schizophrenia in Japan

Recent schizophrenia (SCZ) studies have reported an increased burden of de novo copy number variants (CNVs) and identified specific high-risk CNVs, although with variable phenotype expressivity. However, the pathogenesis of SCZ has not been fully elucidated. Using array comparative genomic hybridization, we performed a high-resolution genome-wide CNV analysis on a mainly (92%) Japanese population (1699 SCZ cases and 824 controls) and identified 7066 rare CNVs, 70.0% of which were small (<100 kb). Clinically significant CNVs were significantly more frequent in cases than in controls (odds ratio=3.04, P=9.3 × 10^-9, 9.0% of cases). We confirmed a significant association of X-chromosome aneuploidies with SCZ and identified 11 de novo CNVs (e.g., MBD5 deletion) in cases. In patients with clinically significant CNVs, 41.7% had a history of congenital/developmental phenotypes, and the rate of treatment resistance was significantly higher (odds ratio=2.79, P=0.0036). We found more severe clinical manifestations in patients with two clinically significant CNVs. Gene set analysis replicated previous findings (e.g., synapse, calcium signaling) and identified novel biological pathways including oxidative stress response, genomic integrity, kinase and small GTPase signaling. Furthermore, involvement of multiple SCZ candidate genes and biological pathways in the pathogenesis of SCZ was suggested in established SCZ-associated CNV loci. Our study shows the high genetic heterogeneity of SCZ and its clinical features and raises the possibility that genomic instability is involved in its pathogenesis, which may be related to the increased burden of de novo CNVs and variable expressivity of CNVs.

Modeled Full-Flight Aircraft Emissions Impacts on Air Quality and Their Sensitivity to Grid Resolution

Aviation is a unique anthropogenic source with four-dimensional varying emissions, peaking at cruise altitudes (9-12 km). Aircraft emission budgets in the upper troposphere lower stratosphere region and their potential impacts on upper troposphere and surface air quality are not well understood. Our key objective is to use chemical transport models (with prescribed meteorology) to predict aircraft emissions impacts on the troposphere and surface air quality. We quantified the importance of including full-flight intercontinental emissions and increased horizontal grid resolution. The full-flight aviation emissions in the Northern Hemisphere contributed ~1.3% (mean, min-max: 0.46, 0.3-0.5 ppbv) and 0.2% (0.013, 0.004-0.02 μg/m³) of total O₃ and PM_2.5 concentrations at the surface, with Europe showing slightly higher impacts (1.9% (O₃ 0.69, 0.5-0.85 ppbv) and 0.5% (PM_2.5 0.03, 0.01-0.05 μg/m³)) than North America (NA) and East Asia. We computed seasonal aviation-attributable mass flux vertical profiles and aviation perturbations along isentropic surfaces to quantify the transport of cruise altitude emissions at the hemispheric scale. The comparison of coarse (108 × 108 km²) and fine (36 × 36 km²) grid resolutions in NA showed ~70 times and ~13 times higher aviation impacts for O₃ and PM_2.5 in coarser domain. These differences are mainly due to the inability of the coarse resolution simulation to capture nonlinearities in chemical processes near airport locations and other urban areas. Future global studies quantifying aircraft contributions should consider model resolution and perhaps use finer scales near major aviation source regions.

Social Determinants of Health Associated with HBV Testing and Access to Care among Foreign-born Persons Residing in the United States: 2009 - 2012

OBJECTIVES

To describe how select Social Determinants of Health (SDH) are associated with the burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among foreign-born persons residing in the United States.

METHODS

Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) 2010 Risk Factor Survey data to investigate the independent relationship between SDH and HBV testing and access to care.

RESULTS

HBV infected persons with insurance were more likely to see a physician than those without. Respondents worried about money to pay rent or mortgage were more likely to report HBV infection than individuals who reported they never worry. Compared to English speakers, Spanish-speakers were less likely to report HBV infection, Vietnamese-speakers were more likely to see a physician for HBV infection, and Khmer-speakers were less likely to be tested.

CONCLUSIONS

Health insurance coverage, worries about paying rent, and language of interview all differentially affect HBV testing and linkages to care among foreign-born persons. Multi-sectorial stakeholder collaborative efforts should integrate resources to provide culturally sensitive health promotion campaigns which may improve HBV related outcomes.

Frequency of and Factors Associated with Receipt of Liver-Related Specialty Care Among Patients with Hepatitis C in the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Linking persons with hepatitis C virus (HCV) to care and treatment is critical to reduction in disease burden; typically, this entailed referral to a specialist. However, data regarding the frequency and factors associated with referral among patients in healthcare organizations (HCOs) are lacking.

METHODS

Among persons in four US HCOs with newly diagnosed HCV during 2006-2011, we determined the frequency of liver-related specialist care after diagnosis. We also identified sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with such care by multivariate analysis, adjusted for all variables.

RESULTS

Among 3592 patients with newly diagnosed HCV, 57 % (range among sites 45-90 %) received specialist care; of these, 57 % received care within 90 days of diagnosis. Patient characteristics associated with receipt of specialist care included: affiliation with one of the study sites [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 4.8 vs. the referent site); having Medicare plus private insurance (aOR 1.6 vs. Medicaid); and having elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (aOR 1.6 vs. normal ALT) or lower platelet values (aOR 1.4 vs. normal platelet level). Specialist care within 90 days of diagnosis was associated with private insurance (aOR 1.5 vs. Medicaid), elevated ALT levels (aOR 1.3-2.3 vs. normal), and having ≥2 comorbid conditions (aOR 1.4 vs. no comorbid conditions). Compared to patients not referred, those referred were more likely to be treated (aOR 3.5).

CONCLUSIONS

Receipt of specialist care among persons with newly diagnosed HCV varied among HCOs. Clinical evidence of liver disease and having private insurance were associated with prompt receipt of specialist care and HCV treatment.

Distribution of disease phase, treatment prescription and severe liver disease among 1598 patients with chronic hepatitis B in the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study, 2006-2013

BACKGROUND

Limited information exists regarding the distribution of disease phases, treatment prescription and severe liver disease among patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in US general healthcare settings.

AIM

To determine the distribution of disease phases, treatment prescription and severe liver disease among patients with CHB in general US healthcare settings.

METHODS

We analysed demographic and clinical data collected during 2006-2013 from patients with confirmed CHB in the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study, an observational cohort study involving patients from healthcare organisations in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Hawaii. CHB phases were classified according to American Association for the Study of Liver Disease guidelines.

RESULTS

Of 1598 CHB patients with ≥12 months of follow-up (median 6.3 years), 457 (29%) were immune active during follow-up [11% hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive, 16% HBeAg-negative, and 2% HBeAg status unknown], 10 (0.6%) were immune tolerant, 112 (7%) were inactive through the duration of follow-up and 886 (55%) were phase indeterminate. Patients with cirrhosis were identified within each group (among 21% of immune active, 3% of inactive and 9% of indeterminate phase patients) except among those with immune-tolerant CHB. Prescription of treatment was 59% among immune active patients and 84% among patients with cirrhosis and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA >2000 IU/mL.

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately, one-third of the cohort had active disease during follow-up; 60% of eligible patients were prescribed treatment. Our findings underscore the importance of ascertainment of fibrosis status in addition to regular assessment of ALT and HBV DNA levels.

Role of vitacamphore in improving central pro-inflammatory cytokines following transient global ischemia

Pro-inflammatory cytokines (PICs) including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) are responsive to ischemic stress. This process thereby modulates the responsiveness of many cell types under diseased conditions. The current study was to examine the role played by vitacamphore (VCP) in regulating the levels of PICs and protein expression of PIC receptors in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of rats after cardiac arrest (CA)-induced transient global ischemia. CA was induced by asphyxia followed by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in rats. ELISA and Western blot analyses were employed to determine PICs and their receptors in the cortex and hippocampus. Our results show that IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly elevated in the cortex and hippocampus after CA. This was accompanied with increasing of PIC receptors, namely IL-1R, IL-6R and TNFR1. Systemic injection of VCP attenuated amplification of PIC signal pathway in these brain regions. VCP also improved Neurological Severity Score and brain tissue edema in CA rats. Notably, VCP resulted in a significant increase in survival of CA rats as compared with controls. In conclusion, VCP is likely to play a beneficial role in modulating transient global ischemia induced by CA via PIC signal mechanisms.

Higher all-cause hospitalization among patients with chronic hepatitis C: the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study (CHeCS), 2006-2013

In the United States, hospitalization among patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is high. The healthcare burden associated with hospitalization is not clearly known. We analysed data from the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study, an observational cohort of patients receiving care at four integrated healthcare systems, collected from 2006 to 2013 to determine all-cause hospitalization rates of patients with chronic HCV infection and the other health system patients. To compare the hospitalization rates, we selected two health system patients for each chronic HCV patient using their propensity score (PS). Propensity score matching was conducted by site, gender, race, age and household income to minimize differences attributable to these characteristics. We also compared primary reason for hospitalization between chronic HCV patients and the other health system patients. Overall, 10 131 patients with chronic HCV infection and 20 262 health system patients were selected from the 1 867 802 health system patients and were matched by PS. All-cause hospitalization rates were 27.4 (27.0-27.8) and 7.4 (7.2-7.5) per 100 persons-year (PY) for chronic HCV patients and for the other health system patients, respectively. Compared to health system patients, hospitalization rates were significantly higher by site, gender, age group, race and household income among chronic HCV patients (P < 0.001). Compared to health system patients, chronic HCV patients were more likely to be hospitalized from liver-related conditions (RR = 24.8, P < 0.001). Hence, patients with chronic HCV infection had approximately 3.7-fold higher all-cause hospitalization rate than other health system patients. These findings highlight the incremental costs and healthcare burden of patients with chronic HCV infection associated with hospitalization.

Treatment with polyamine oxidase inhibitor reduces microglial activation and limits vascular injury in ischemic retinopathy

Retinal vascular injury is a major cause of vision impairment in ischemic retinopathies. Insults such as hyperoxia, oxidative stress and inflammation contribute to this pathology. Previously, we showed that hyperoxia-induced retinal neurodegeneration is associated with increased polyamine oxidation. Here, we are studying the involvement of polyamine oxidases in hyperoxia-induced injury and death of retinal vascular endothelial cells. New-born C57BL6/J mice were exposed to hyperoxia (70% O2) from postnatal day (P) 7 to 12 and were treated with the polyamine oxidase inhibitor MDL 72527 or vehicle starting at P6. Mice were sacrificed after different durations of hyperoxia and their retinas were analyzed to determine the effects on vascular injury, microglial cell activation, and inflammatory cytokine profiling. The results of this analysis showed that MDL 72527 treatment significantly reduced hyperoxia-induced retinal vascular injury and enhanced vascular sprouting as compared with the vehicle controls. These protective effects were correlated with significant decreases in microglial activation as well as levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. In order to model the effects of polyamine oxidation in causing microglial activation in vitro, studies were performed using rat brain microvascular endothelial cells treated with conditioned-medium from rat retinal microglia stimulated with hydrogen peroxide. Conditioned-medium from activated microglial cultures induced cell stress signals and cell death in microvascular endothelial cells. These studies demonstrate the involvement of polyamine oxidases in hyperoxia-induced retinal vascular injury and retinal inflammation in ischemic retinopathy, through mechanisms involving cross-talk between endothelial cells and resident retinal microglia.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic among young people in China between 2005 and 2012: results of a spatial temporal analysis

OBJECTIVES

Despite a recent increase in the HIV/AIDS epidemic among young people in China, youth-specific HIV data are limited.

METHODS

In total, 56 621 individuals with HIV/AIDS, aged 15-24 years, registered in the Case Reporting System of China between 2005 and 2012 and having complete spatial information were included in the present analysis. Spatial autocorrelation (general and local) and space-time scanning were performed using the ArcGIS 10.2 and SaTScan 9.3 software, respectively.

RESULTS

During 2005-2012, the number of reported HIV/AIDS cases and the proportion of HIV cases increased while the proportion of AIDS cases decreased. Sexual contact became the predominant route of transmission in later years. Spatial analysis showed marked geographical variations in HIV infection among young people throughout China during 2005-2012. The number of new hotspots increased over time. They were mainly localized to southeastern coastal areas, southwestern frontier provinces or autonomous regions (of Guangxi, Yunnan and Sichuan) and Beijing municipality. Later these hotspots disappeared and new hotspots were found in the northeast of the country. Significant clusters of HIV-positive cases were identified in three different time periods, which indicated high HIV transmission among young Chinese people in the recent past. The risk of HIV infection was highest in the first cluster (2009-2012; this cluster was the largest in size) covering the provinces of Guizhou and Yunnan, the Chongqing municipality, Guangxi, and the province of Sichuan. The second cluster (2010-2012) was mostly located in Shanghai, South Jiangsu, Zhejiang and South Anhui, while the third cluster (2010-2012) was located in Beijing and Tianjin.

CONCLUSIONS

Target-specific comprehensive behavioural interventions are urgently needed to contain the HIV epidemic among young people.