[Establishment of a topographic map assessment system for facial and cervical wounds and scars of burn patients based on the Delphi method]

Objective: To construct a targeted and accurate evaluation system for facial and cervical wounds and scars of burn patients. Methods: The method combining literature analysis and survey research was adopted, and the basic principles of item system construction were followed. From June to August 2020, based on the aesthetic standards of facial and cervical plastic surgery, the topographic map assessment system for facial and cervical wounds and scars of burn patients was preliminarily formed, focusing on the assessment of wounds and scars in the necks and faces of patients after burns. In September 2020, 38 experts in the relevant fields were consulted in advance and the questionnaire was revised according to the experts' opinions. From December 2020 to March 2021, the Delphi method was applied to conduct inquiry by correspondence with 35 experts in relevant fields from Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, and other cities, who met the inclusion criteria, and the items were screened and established. The effective recovery rate of inquiry questionnaire was calculated to determine the level of enthusiasm of experts, the average authority coefficient of all items was calculated to determine the level of expert authority, the average importance expert score, the average coefficient of variation, and the average full score rate of all the third-level items were calculated to determine the concentration of expert opinions, the average coefficients of variation and Kendall's harmony coefficients of the importance, sensitivity, and operability expert scores of all the third-level items were calculated to determine the degree of coordination of expert opinions. The Kendall's harmony coefficients for the importance, sensitivity, and operability expert scores of all the third-level items were statistically analyzed with chi-square test. Results: Among the 35 experts consulted by Delphi method, mainly were male, aged (48±10) years, with 8-38 years of working experience, mainly with associate senior titles and above, all with a bachelor's degree or above education background, and of whom 11 were burn experts, 7 were wound repair experts, 4 were plastic surgery experts, and 13 were rehabilitation medicine experts. Finally, a topographic map assessment system for facial and cervical wounds and scars of burn patients was formed, including 4 first-level items, 21 second-level items, 40 third-level items, and 1 mask. The effective recovery rate of inquiry questionnaire was 100% (35/35). The average authority coefficient of all items was 0.89. The average importance expert score was 4.67, the average coefficient of variation of importance expert score was 0.01, and the average full score rate of all the third-level items was 86.3%. The average coefficients of variation of the importance, sensitivity, and operability expert scores of all the third-level items were 0.01, 0.01, and 0.02, respectively. The Kendall's harmony coefficients for the importance, sensitivity, and operability expert scores of all the third-level items were statistically significant (with χ2 values of 1 201.53, 745.67, and 707.07, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions: The established topographic map assessment system for facial and cervical wounds and scars of burn patients has high scientificity and reliability, which can be used for the evaluation of facial and neck wounds or scars in burn patients.

[Textual research on Bambusae Concretio Silicea]

By studying various ancient texts such as herbal classics and medical literature from different eras, it was found that there were discrepancies in the records about Bambusae Concretio Silicea(Tian Zhu Huang). In order to establish an accurate foundation, this research was based on ancient herbal literature and combined with plant morphology and investigative studies to examine its earliest mentions in ancient texts, nomenclature, medicinal properties, indications, and quality assessment standards. In the early records, Bambusae Concretio Silicea was referred to by several different names, such as "Zhu Huang" "Tian Zhu Huang" "Zhu Gao" "Zhu Tang", and "Zhu Huang". The earliest known formal usage of the name "Tian Zhu Huang" was found in the book Ri Hua-zi's Materia Medica(Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao). Throughout various ancient texts, the earliest recorded information about Bambusae Concretio Silicea also appeared in Ri Hua-zi's Materia Medica, not in Materia Medica of Sichuan(Shu Ben Cao) or other ancient texts. Ri Hua-zi's Materia Medica provided relevant descriptions of its origin, medicinal properties, and indications, albeit with some errors due to limited knowledge. However, this has been a valuable starting point for future research on Bambusae Concretio Silicea and holds pioneering significance in forming a mature system. As the research delved deeper, the medicinal properties of Bambusae Concretio Silicea have been consistent since Ri Hua-zi's Materia Medica, and the understanding has gradually improved through years of clinical verification. During the investigation process, the authors found limited records on the quality evaluation of Bambusae Concretio Silicea in ancient texts. Although the information is scarce, it serves as a foundational basis for establishing corresponding quality grading standards for Bambusae Concretio Silicea in the future.

Itaconic acid and dimethyl itaconate exert antibacterial activity in carbon-enriched environments through the TCA cycle

Itaconic acid (IA), a metabolite generated by the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle in eukaryotic immune cells, and its derivative dimethyl itaconate (DI) exert antibacterial functions in intracellular environments. Previous studies suggested that IA and DI only inhibit bacterial growth in carbon-limited environments; however, whether IA and DI maintain antibacterial activity in carbon-enriched environments remains unknown. Here, IA and DI inhibited the bacteria with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 24.02 mM and 39.52 mM, respectively, in a carbon-enriched environment. The reduced bacterial pathogenicity was reflected in cell membrane integrity, motility, biofilm formation, AI-2/luxS, and virulence. Mechanistically, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity and fumaric acid levels decreased in the IA and DI treatments, while isocitrate lyase (ICL) activity was upregulated. Inhibited TCA circulation was also observed through untargeted metabolomics. In addition, energy-related aspartate metabolism and lysine degradation were suppressed. In summary, these results indicated that IA and DI reduced bacterial pathogenicity while exerting antibacterial functions by inhibiting TCA circulation. This study enriches knowledge on the inhibition of bacteria by IA and DI in a carbon-mixed environment, suggesting an alternative method for treating bacterial infections by immune metabolites.

[Analysis of the clinical characteristics and therapeutic effect of refractory juvenile dermatomyositis to tofacitinib]

Objective: To elucidate the clinical features of patients with refractory juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), and to explore the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in the treatment of refractory JDM. Methods: A total of 75 JDM patients admitted to the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology in Shenzhen Children's Hospital from January 2012 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, and to analyze the clinical manifestations, efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in the treatment of refractory JDM. Patients were divided into refractory group with using of glucocorticoids in combination with two or more anti-rheumatic drugs for treatment, and the presence of disease activity or steroid dependence after a one-year follow-up. The non-refractory group is defined as clinical symptoms disappeared, laboratory indicators were normal, and clinical remission was achieved after initial treatment, and the clinical manifestations and laboratory indexes of the two groups were compared. The Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher's precision probability test was used for intergroup comparison. Binary Logistic multivariate regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for refractory JDM. Results: Among the 75 children with JDM, 41 were males and 34 were females with a age of onset of 5.3 (2.3, 7.8) years. The refractory group consisted of 27 cases with a age of onset of 4.4 (1.5, 6.8) years, while the non-refractory group consisted of 48 cases with a age of onset of 5.9 (2.5, 8.0) years. Compared with 48 cases in the non-refractory group, the proportion of interstitial lesions and calcinosis in the refractory group was higher than that in the non-refractory group (6 cases (22%) vs. 2 cases (4%), 8 cases (30%) vs. 4 cases (8%), both P<0.05). Binary Logistic regression analysis showed that observation group were more likely to be associated with to interstitial lung disease (OR=6.57, 95%CI 1.22-35.31, P=0.028) and calcinosis (OR=4.63, 95%CI 1.24-17.25, P=0.022). Among the 27 patients in the refractory group, 22 cases were treated with tofacitinib, after treatment with tofacitinib, 15 of 19 cases (86%) children with rashes showed improvement, and 6 cases (27%) with myositis evaluation table score less than 48 score both were improved, 3 of 6 cases (27%) had calcinosis were relieved, and 2 cases (9%) had glucocorticoid-dependence children were successfully weaned off. During the tofacitinib treatment, there was no increase in recurrent infection, blood lipids, liver enzymes, and creatinine were all normal in the 22 cases. Conclusions: Children with JDM with calcinosis and interstitial lung disease are more likely to develop refractory JDM. Tofacitinib is safe and effective for refractory JDM.

[Association of hs-CRP with frailty and its components among the elderly over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China]

Objective: To investigate the association of the levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) with frailty and its components among the elderly over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China. Methods: Cross-sectional data from the Health Ageing and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS, 2017-2018) were used and the elderly over 65 years old were included in this study. Through questionnaire interview and physical examination, the information including demographic characteristics, behavior, diet, daily activity, cognitive function, and health status was collected. The association between hs-CRP and frailty and its components in the participants was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression model and restrictive cubic spline. Results: A total of 2 453 participants were finally included, the age was (84.8±19.8) years old. The median hs-CRP level was 1.13 mg/L and the prevalence of frailty was 24.4%. Compared with the low-level group (hs-CRP<1.0 mg/L), the OR (95%CI) value of the high-level group (hs-CRP>3.0 mg/L) was 1.79 (1.35-2.36) mg/L. As for the components, the hs-CRP level was also positively associated with ADL disability, IADL disability, functional limitation and multimorbidity. After adjusting for confounding factors, compared with the low-level group, the OR (95%CI) values of the high-level group for the four components were 1.68 (1.25-2.27), 1.88 (1.42-2.50), 1.68 (1.31-2.14) and 1.39 (1.12-1.72), respectively. Conclusion: There is a positive association between the levels of hs-CRP and the risk of frailty among the elderly over 65 years old in 9 longevity areas of China. The higher hs-CRP level may increase the risk of frailty by elevating the risk of four physical functional disabilities, namely ADL disability, IADL disability, functional limitation and multimorbidity.

Probiotic characterization and comparison of broiler-derived lactobacillus strains based on technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution analysis

A total of 10 lactobacillus strains were isolated from broiler chickens and their probiotic properties including tolerance to gastrointestinal fluids and heat treatment, antimicrobial activity, adhesion capacity to intestinal cells, surface hydrophobicity, autoaggregation, antioxidative activity, and immunomodulatory effects on chicken macrophages were evaluated. The Limosilactobacillus reuteri (LR) was the most frequently isolated species, followed by Lactobacillus johnsonii (LJ) and Ligilactobacillus salivarius (LS). All isolates showed good resistance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions and antimicrobial activity against 4 indicator strains including Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis LR 21 exhibited excellent performances on autoaggregation, hydrophobicity and adhesion capacity to Caco-2 intestinal cells. In the meantime, this strain also possessed considerable tolerance to heat treatment, which indicated great potential to be used in the feed industry. However, LJ 20 strain had the highest free radical scavenging activity compared with the other strains. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results revealed that all isolated strains significantly increased the transcriptional levels of proinflammatory genes and tended to induce the M1-type polarization on HD11 macrophages. Particularly, the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) was adopted in our study to compare and select the most promising probiotic candidate based on in vitro evaluation tests.

Cornus officinalis prior and post-processing: Regulatory effects on intestinal flora of diabetic nephropathy rats

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most common and serious chronic complications in the clinic. Cornus officinalis has the effects of replenishing qi and nourishing yin, tonifying liver and kidney, and it is one of the main traditional Chinese medicines used clinically to treat diabetes and its complications. However, the effect and mechanism of Cornus officinalis before and after processing on intestinal flora of diabetic nephropathy need to be further elucidated.

Methods: SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group (10 rats) and DN groups (70 rats). After 4 weeks of high-sugar and high-fat diet, the DN rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. After successful modeling, the rats were randomly divided into DN model group, irbesartan group (1.35 mg·kg⁻¹), Cornus officinalis group (281.25 mg·kg⁻¹), wine Cornus officinalis group (281.25 mg·kg⁻¹), wine honey Cornus officinalis group (281.25 mg·kg⁻¹), auxiliary wine group (10 ml·kg⁻¹), auxiliary wine honey group (10 ml·kg⁻¹). During the observation of the rats’ general state, after 6 weeks of continuous administration, the fasting blood glucose of rats in each group was detected, and the kidney index was calculated. The serum creatinine levels, urea nitrogen and 24 h urinary microalbumin were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression levels of YKL-40, Wnt4, β-catenin and TGF-β₁ mRNA in renal tissue were detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the changes in renal pathological injury in each group; GC-MS detected the changes of short chain fatty acid content. Feces were collected for 16 s high-throughput sequencing to analyze the effects of Cornus officinalis on the diversity of intestinal flora in DN before and after processing.

Results: Compared with the blank group, the serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, 24 h urinary microalbumin, kidney index and fasting blood glucose in the DN model group were significantly increased (p < 0.05). The renal tissue morphology was disordered and a large number of inflammatory cells were infiltrated. The expression of YKL-40, Wnt4, β-catenin and TGF-β₁ mRNA was significantly increased (p < 0.05). Compared with the DN model group, the serum creatinine, urea. Nitrogen, 24 h urine microalbumin, kidney index and fasting blood glucose of rats in each administration group were significantly decreased (p < 0.05), and the general condition and pathological renal damage of DN rats were improved. The effect of wine honey Cornus officinalis was the best, and the expression of YKL-40, Wnt4, β-catenin and TGF-β₁ mRNA was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). In each administration group, the improvement of the above indicators in the wine honey Cornus officinalis group was significantly better than that in the raw Cornus officinalis group and wine Cornus officinalis group (p < 0.05), There was no significant difference compared with the irbesartan group (p > 0.05). Each administration group had a significant callback effect on the content of short-chain fatty acids in rat feces, with increased intestinal beneficial bacteria and decreased pathogenic bacteria. Compared with the blank group, the abundance of Firmicutes in the DN model group increased, the abundance of Bacteroidetes decreased, and the ratio showed an upward trend in the DN model group decreased. Each administration group could improve the relative abundance of the above intestinal flora in the model group to varying degrees.

Conclusion: The processing of Cornus officinalis may improve the renal injury of DN rats by blocking the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, regulating the structural composition of intestinal microorganisms, and ultimately playing a role in renal protection.

[Study on discovery of efficacy markers for Dachaihu Decoction and its action mechanism]

Dachaihu Decoction is a classical Chinese herbal prescription that is effective in harmonizing lesser yang and purging internal accumulated heat. At present, it has been widely used in clinical practice, and the resulting outcomes are satisfactory. However, its quality indicators and action mechanism are still not clear. Therefore, this paper explored the efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction and its action mechanism based on literature mining, molecular biology, and network pharmacology, so as to better control its quality and ensure its clinical efficacy. The efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction were predicted and analyzed according to the &quot;five principles&quot; for Q-markers of Chinese herbs. Then the anti-inflammatory activity of the efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction was evaluated with Griess reagent after the establishment of RAW264.7 cell inflammation model in vitro with lipopolysaccharide(LPS). The potential targets of efficacy markers were predicted by Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP), ChEMBL, and SwissTargetPrediction, followed by the construction of the protein-protein interaction(PPI) network of the efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction. Topological, GO, and KEGG enrichment analysis was carried out to construct the &quot;key target-signaling pathway-biological process&quot; network, thus elucidating the action mechanism of the efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction. Saikosaponin B_2, baicalin, baicalein, wogonoside, neohesperidin, naringin, hesperidin, and paeoniflorin were considered as the potential efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction. The anti-inflammatory activity evaluation showed that the potential efficacy markers effectively inhibited the release of NO, exhibiting good anti-inflammatory activities. As demonstrated by network pharmacology, the efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction regulated the inflammatory response by acting on MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways, the carbohydrate metabolism by HIF-1 and PI3 K-AKT signaling pathways, and the lipid metabolism by AMPK and PI3 K-AKT signaling pathways. This study discovered the efficacy markers of Dachaihu Decoction based on literature mining combined with molecular biological experiments and explored its action mechanism at the molecular level based on network pharmacology, which would provide reference for the quality control of Dachaihu Decoction and scientific basis for its clinical application.

The Research on Huanglian Jiedu Decoction against Atopic Dermatitis

Objective. Study on the pharmacodynamic basis and mechanism of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction against atopic dermatitis (AD). Methods. Based on network pharmacology, the targets of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction and AD were screened by Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), SwissTargetPrediction databases, and the database of Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), Therapeutic Targets Database (TTD) and the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD); then, “chemical composition-target-related pathway-disease target” network graph of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction against AD was constructed by using STRING and Cytoscape software. In combination with in vitro experiments, the levels of IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 in T cells were determined by ELISA; the pharmacodynamic basis and mechanism of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction against AD were preliminarily explored. Results. 81 active ingredients in Huanglian Jiedu Decoction were screened by network pharmacology, 31 of which were related to atopic dermatitis, corresponding to 12 target proteins. A total of 14 pathways were obtained by KEGG pathway analysis, and 8 were associated with atopic dermatitis. Compared with the control group, 20 and 40 µg/ml of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction could significantly reduce the contents of IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 in T lymphocytes of mice with atopic dermatitis ( $p<0.01$ ). Conclusion. Huanglian Jiedu Decoction can act against AD by multicomponent, multitarget, and multichannel mode of action.

Effects of posthatch feed deprivation on residual yolk absorption, macronutrients synthesis, and organ development in broiler chicks

The aim of the research was to evaluate the dynamic changes of early posthatch starvation on residual yolk absorption, synthesis of macronutrients (protein, lipid, and glycogen), and organ development in broiler chicks. A total of 720 1-day-old chicks (Lingnan Yellow) were randomly assigned to 3 treatments: group A (nonfasted), group B (fasting for 24 h after placement), and group C (fasting for 48 h after placement). The trial lasted for 168 h, and water was provided ad libitum all the time. Sampling was performed at 0, 24, 48, 72, 120, and 168 h. Nonfasting (group A) promoted (P < 0.05) the absorption of amino acids, fatty acids, mineral elements, protein, and maternal antibody in the residual yolk of broiler chicks. The concentration of insulin-like growth factor 1 in plasma and the liver was higher (P < 0.05) in group A. Nonfasting enhanced (P < 0.05) the synthesis of protein and glycogen in the breast muscle and liver; the relative weights of the liver, pancreas, and spleen; and body weight, but retarded (P < 0.05) the synthesis of triglyceride in the liver. The results indicated that nonfasting (group A) after placement promoted the absorption of residual yolk and synthesis of protein and glycogen in the breast muscle and liver, whereas early feed deprivation promoted the synthesis of lipid in the liver. Thereby, nonfasting after placement promoted organ development and body growth of broiler chicks.

Designing of metallic nanocrystals embedded in non-stoichiometric perovskite nanomaterial and its surface-electronic characteristics

Engineering of novel functional nanocomposite as like as the metallic nanocrystals supported non-stoichiometric perovskite nanomaterial in controlled parameters (size, shape and ratio of chemical characteristics) is a challengeable task. In this context, we present a facile route to fabricate and study its physicochemical property at real time mode in this report. Nanoscale pure Pb crystals surfaced on non-stoichiometric A-site deficient Pb_1-xTiO_3-y nanoparticle were fabricated when a precursor lead titanate (PbTiO₃) nanoparticle was exposed to an electron beam irradiation (EBI) in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) at ambient temperature. In the state of the art, the chemical states and electronic structure of non-irradiated and irradiated PbTiO₃ were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Electron bombardment resulted in a new visible feature at low binding energy in the Pb 4f core level, while Ti 2p and O 1s line shape showed slight changes. The Fermi level of the corresponding materials was determined to be 1.65 ± 0.1 eV and 2.05 ± 0.1 eV above the valence band maximum, respectively. The normal, weakly p-type PTO exhibits peculiar n-type feature after EBI process (The Fermi level moves near to the conduction band). A feasible mechanism is proposed involving the electron-stimulated local bond-breaking phenomenon in PbTiO₃.

Gilbert damping in CoFeB/GaAs(001) film with enhanced in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy

A 3.5 nm amorphous CoFeB film was sputtered on GaAs (001) wafer substrate without applying magnetic field during deposition, and a significant in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy (UMA) field (H_u) of about 300 Oe could be achieved. To precisely determine the intrinsic Gilbert damping constant (α) of this film, both ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect (TRMOKE) techniques were utilized. With good fitting of the dynamic spectra of FMR and TRMOKE, α is calculated to be 0.010 and 0.013, respectively. Obviously, the latter is 30% larger than the former, which is due to the transient heating effect during the TRMOKE measurement. In comparison with ordinary amorphous CoFeB films with negligible magnetic anisotropies, α is enhanced significantly in the CoFeB/GaAs(001) film, which may be mainly resulted from the enhanced spin-orbit coupling induced by the CoFeB/GaAs interface. However, the significant in-plane UMA plays minor role in the enhancement of α.

Misfit Strain Relaxation of Ferroelectric PbTiO3/LaAlO3 (111) Thin Film System

Ferroelectric thin films grown on high index substrates show unusual structural and switching dynamics due to their special strain states. Understanding the misfit relaxation behavior is crucial to facilitate the high index thin film growth with improved quality. In this paper, ferroelectric PbTiO₃ thin films were grown on LaAlO₃ (111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition technique. The microstructures were investigated by combinations of conventional and aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy. Diffraction contrast analysis and high resolution imaging reveal that high density interfacial dislocations were distributed at the interfaces. These dislocations have mixed character with Burgers vectors of a <110> and line directions of <112>. The edge components of the dislocations, with the Burgers vectors parallel to the interface, accommodate the lattice mismatch and are the main contributor to the misfit relaxation of this system. The formation mechanism of these dislocations is proposed and discussed to elucidate the novel mismatch relaxation behavior of <111> oriented perovskite films.

Depinning of domain walls in permalloy nanowires with asymmetric notches

Effective control of the domain wall (DW) motion along the magnetic nanowires is of great importance for fundamental research and potential application in spintronic devices. In this work, a series of permalloy nanowires with an asymmetric notch in the middle were fabricated with only varying the width (d) of the right arm from 200 nm to 1000 nm. The detailed pinning and depinning processes of DWs in these nanowires have been studied by using focused magneto-optic Kerr effect (FMOKE) magnetometer, magnetic force microscopy (MFM) and micromagnetic simulation. The experimental results unambiguously exhibit the presence of a DW pinned at the notch in a typical sample with d equal to 500 nm. At a certain range of 200 nm < d < 500 nm, both the experimental and simulated results show that the DW can maintain or change its chirality randomly during passing through the notch, resulting in two DW depinning fields. Those two depinning fields have opposite d dependences, which may be originated from different potential well/barrier generated by the asymmetric notch with varying d.

Role of autophagy related protein Beclin 1 in model of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury

Surgical resection is the optimal treatment for primary liver cancer, but surgery is often faced with recession of the liver function reserve, ischemia-reperfusion injury of the residual liver and other disadvantages. Autophagy is a form of programmed cell death after hepatic ischemia-reperfusion, and its role in ischemia-reperfusion injury is a hotspot of research in recent years. In the experimental research of simulated liver ischemia-reperfusion injury, the variation of autophagy related protein Beclin 1 is often detected, which suggests the change of autophagy activity. Many pretreatment methods have been found to be able to reduce the level of Beclin 1 and relieve the hepatic damage in the model of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury. Here we discuss the research progress in understanding the role of Beclin 1 in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Host-induced gene silencing of an essential chitin synthase gene confers durable resistance to Fusarium head blight and seedling blight in wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) and Fusarium seedling blight (FSB) of wheat, caused by Fusarium pathogens, are devastating diseases worldwide. We report the expression of RNA interference (RNAi) sequences derived from an essential Fusarium graminearum (Fg) virulence gene, chitin synthase (Chs) 3b, as a method to enhance resistance of wheat plants to fungal pathogens. Deletion of Chs3b was lethal to Fg; disruption of the other Chs gene family members generated knockout mutants with diverse impacts on Fg. Comparative expression analyses revealed that among the Chs gene family members, Chs3b had the highest expression levels during Fg colonization of wheat. Three hairpin RNAi constructs corresponding to the different regions of Chs3b were found to silence Chs3b in transgenic Fg strains. Co-expression of these three RNAi constructs in two independent elite wheat cultivar transgenic lines conferred high levels of stable, consistent resistance (combined type I and II resistance) to both FHB and FSB throughout the T3 to T5 generations. Confocal microscopy revealed profoundly restricted mycelia in Fg-infected transgenic wheat plants. Presence of the three specific short interfering RNAs in transgenic wheat plants was confirmed by Northern blotting, and these RNAs efficiently down-regulated Chs3b in the colonizing Fusarium pathogens on wheat seedlings and spikes. Our results demonstrate that host-induced gene silencing of an essential fungal chitin synthase gene is an effective strategy for enhancing resistance in crop plants under field test conditions.

Atomic-Scale Interfacial Magnetism in Fe/Graphene Heterojunction

Successful spin injection into graphene makes it a competitive contender in the race to become a key material for quantum computation, or the spin-operation-based data processing and sensing. Engineering ferromagnetic metal (FM)/graphene heterojunctions is one of the most promising avenues to realise it, however, their interface magnetism remains an open question up to this day. In any proposed FM/graphene spintronic devices, the best opportunity for spin transport could only be achieved where no magnetic dead layer exists at the FM/graphene interface. Here we present a comprehensive study of the epitaxial Fe/graphene interface by means of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The experiment has been performed using a specially designed FM₁/FM₂/graphene structure that to a large extent restores the realistic case of the proposed graphene-based transistors. We have quantitatively observed a reduced but still sizable magnetic moments of the epitaxial Fe ML on graphene, which is well resembled by simulations and can be attributed to the strong hybridization between the Fe 3d_z2 and the C 2p_z orbitals and the sp-orbital-like behavior of the Fe 3d electrons due to the presence of graphene.

A region-matching method for pulse transit time estimation: potential for improving the accuracy in determining carotid femoral pulse wave velocity

Carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) is the 'gold standard' for assessment of arterial stiffness. The reliability of cfPWV measurement depends on the estimation of pulse transit time (PTT). This study aimed to validate a region-matching method for determining PTT and cfPWV against the existing 'foot-to-foot' methods. A cohort of 81 subjects (33 males and 48 females) aged 25-80 (45.1±15.7 years) were studied. PTTs were estimated by the region matching and 'foot-to-foot' methods ('diastole minimum', 'maximum first derivative', 'maximum second derivative' and 'tangent intersection' methods) with manual identification as the reference method and were subsequently used to calculate cfPWV. In a subgroup of 30 individuals, the measurements were repeated after 1 h. There were excellent correlations between cfPWV obtained by the reference method and all the estimated methods (r>0.9, P<0.001 for all), except the diastole minimum method (r=0.793, P<0.001). The region-matching method yielded cfPWV with a better accuracy (mean difference=-0.161 m s(-1), limits of agreement: -0.79 to 0.46 m s(-1)) and repeatability (mean difference=-0.228 m s(-1), intraclass correlation coefficient=0.957) comparing with the 'foot-to-foot' methods. These results demonstrate that the proposed region-matching method is more accurate and suitable for PTT estimation and cfPWV measurement.

The phosphotransferase system gene ptsI in the endophytic bacterium Bacillus cereus is required for biofilm formation, colonization, and biocontrol against wheat sharp eyespot

Natural resistance of wheat plants to wheat sharp eyespot is inadequate, and new strategies for controlling the disease are required. Biological control is an alternative and attractive way of reducing the use of chemicals in agriculture. In this study, we investigated the biocontrol properties of endophytic bacterium Bacillus cereus strain 0-9, which was isolated from the root systems of healthy wheat varieties. The phosphotransferase system is a major regulator of carbohydrate metabolism in bacteria. Enzyme I is one of the protein components of this system. Specific disruption and complementation of the enzyme I-coding gene ptsI from B. cereus was achieved through homologous recombination. Disruption of ptsI in B. cereus caused a 70% reduction in biofilm formation, a 30.4% decrease in biocontrol efficacy, and a 1000-fold reduction in colonization. The growth of ΔptsI mutant strain on G-tris synthetic medium containing glucose as the exclusive carbon source was also reduced. Wild-type properties could be restored to the ΔptsI mutant strain by ptsI complementation. These results suggested that ptsI may be one of the key genes involved in biofilm formation, colonization, and biocontrol of B. cereus and that B. cereus wild-type strain 0-9 may be an ideal biocontrol agent for controlling wheat sharp eyespot.

[Splitted fractions and unoverlapping analysis of chemical constituents of Poria cocos]

With the combined applications of steam distillation, water extraction and alcohol precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction and column chromatography over macroporous resin, a splitted-fractions method of the chemical constituents of Poria cocos was established. The unoverlapping property of the fractions of P. cocos was qualitatively analysed by using principal component analysis and cluster analysis. With angle cosine, squared euclidean distance and the overlapping analysis of peak area of crude herbs, the unoverlapping property of the fractions of P. cocos was half-quantitatively analysed. The chemical components of P. cocos was divided into the fractions of polysaccharide, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, alcohol eluate from macroporous resin and water eluate from macroporous resin. Non similarity degree among each chemical fraction was above 80% and main chemical components were identified. The established method for splitting fractions of P. cocos has good stability and repeatability and all chemical components in P. cocos could be completely divided into six fractions. It is the first time that the author half-quantitatively analyse the unoverlapping property of the chemical fractions of P. cocos.

Discontinuous properties of current-induced magnetic domain wall depinning

The current-induced motion of magnetic domain walls (DWs) confined to nanostructures is of great interest for fundamental studies as well as for technological applications in spintronic devices. Here, we present magnetic images showing the depinning properties of pulse-current-driven domain walls in well-shaped Permalloy nanowires obtained using photoemission electron microscopy combined with x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. In the vicinity of the threshold current density (J_th = 4.2 × 10¹¹ A.m⁻²) for the DW motion, discontinuous DW depinning and motion have been observed as a sequence of “Barkhausen jumps”. A one-dimensional analytical model with a piecewise parabolic pinning potential has been introduced to reproduce the DW hopping between two nearest neighbour sites, which reveals the dynamical nature of the current-driven DW motion in the depinning regime.

(-)-Arctigenin as a lead compound for anticancer agent

(-)-Arctigenin, an important active constituent of the traditional Chinese herb Fructus Arctii, was found to exhibit various bioactivities, so it can be used as a good lead compound for further structure modification in order to find a safer and more potent medicine. (-)-Arctigenin derivatives 1-5 of (-)-arctingen were obtained by modifying with ammonolysis at the lactone ring and sulphonylation at C (6') and C (6″) and O-demethylation at CH3O-C (3'), CH3O-C (3″) and CH3O-C (4″), and their anticancer bioactivities were examined.

Ferromagnetic interfacial interaction and the proximity effect in a Co2FeAl/(Ga,Mn)As bilayer

The magnetic properties of a Co2FeAl/(Ga,Mn)As bilayer epitaxied on GaAs (001) are studied both experimentally and theoretically. Unlike the common antiferromagnetic interfacial interaction existing in most ferromagnet-magnetic semiconductor bilayers, a ferromagnetic interfacial interaction in the Co2FeAl/(Ga,Mn)As bilayer is observed from measurements of magnetic hysteresis and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. The Mn ions in a 1.36 nm thick (Ga,Mn)As layer remain spin polarized up to 400 K due to the magnetic proximity effect. The minor loops of the Co2FeAl/(Ga,Mn)As bilayer shift with a small ferromagnetic interaction field of +24 Oe and -23 Oe at 15 K. The observed ferromagnetic interfacial coupling is supported by ab initio density functional calculations. These findings may provide a viable pathway for designing room-temperature semiconductor spintronic devices through magnetic proximity effect.

Prognostic significance of PUMA in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES

To investigate retrospectively whether alterations of p53 upregulated mediator of apoptosis (PUMA) protein levels and somatic mutations of the PUMA gene are characteristic of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

METHODS

Immunohistochemical analyses of PUMA were performed in pancreatic tumour tissue samples, and paired normal pancreatic tissue samples, from patients with PDAC. Apoptosis was detected using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labelling assay.

RESULTS

A total of 70 patients with PDAC had samples available; 49 cases (70.0%) had high PUMA protein levels. PUMA was not detected in paired normal tissue samples. Significantly higher levels of PUMA protein were detected in low-grade tumours (tumour -node-metastasis stages I and II), compared with higher grade (stage III) tumours. Of the PDAC cases, the mean apoptosis index value for PUMA-positive specimens was significantly higher than that for PUMA-negative specimens. Overall survival was significantly associated with PUMA immunoreactivity.

CONCLUSIONS

High levels of PUMA in PDAC tumour cells suggest that PUMA expression may play a role in pancreatic tumourigenesis.

Development of an in situ magnetoelastic magneto-optical Kerr effect magnetometer

Reported here is the development and implementation of an integrated in situ magnetoelastic measurement setup with a MOKE magnetometer, repositionable electromagnet, and sample transfer/straining device. The former were used within a molecular beam epitaxial vacuum growth chamber. Consequently the magnetostriction constants for both Cr capped and uncapped Fe/GaAs(100) films were acquired without film oxidization occurring. Samples were bent in a four point bending geometry to produce a quantifiable tensile mechanical strain on the films during magnetoelastic measurements. In addition, a laser measurement system was developed to confirm the induced strain in the samples.

Quantitative trait loci for high-temperature adult-plant and slow-rusting resistance to Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici in wheat cultivars

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is one of the most damaging diseases of wheat (Triticum aestivum) globally. High-temperature adult-plant resistance (HTAPR) and slow-rusting have great potential for sustainable management of the disease. The wheat cultivars Luke and Aquileja have been previously reported to possess HTAPR and slow-rusting to stripe rust, respectively. Aquileja displayed less number of stripes per unit leaf area than Luke, while Luke showed lower infection type than Aquileja at adult-plant stages of growth under high-temperature conditions. The objectives of this study were to confirm the resistances and to map the resistance genes in Luke and Aquileja. Luke was crossed with Aquileja, and 326 of the F(2) plants were genotyped using 282 microsatellite primer pairs. These F(2) plants and their derived F(3) families were evaluated for resistance to stripe rust by inoculation in the fields and greenhouses of high- and low-temperatures. Infection type was recorded for both seedlings and adult plants, and stripe number was recorded for adult plants only. Two quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified, on the short arm of chromosome 2B, to be significantly associated with infection type at adult-plant stages in the fields and in the high-temperature greenhouse. The locus distal to centromere, referred to as QYrlu.cau-2BS1, and the locus proximal to centromere, referred to as QYrlu.cau-2BS2, were separated by a genetic distance of about 23 cM. QYrlu.cau-2BS1 was flanked by the microsatellite markers Xwmc154 and Xgwm148, and QYrlu.cau-2BS2 was flanked by Xgwm148 and Xabrc167. QYrlu.cau-2BS1 and QYrlu.cau-2BS2 explained up to 36.6 and 41.5% of the phenotypic variation of infection type, respectively, and up to 78.1% collectively. No significant interaction between the two loci was detected. Another QTL, referred to as QYraq.cau-2BL, was detected on the long arm of chromosome 2B to be significantly associated with stripe number. QYraq.cau-2BL was flanked by the microsatellite markers Xwmc175 and Xwmc332, and it explained up to 61.5% of the phenotypic variation of stripe number. It is possible that these three QTL are previously unmapped loci for resistance to stripe rust.

Determination of the trichothecene mycotoxin chemotypes and associated geographical distribution and phylogenetic species of the Fusarium graminearum clade from China

A large number of isolates from the Fusarium graminearum clade representing all regions in China with a known history of Fusarium head blight (FHB) epidemics in wheat were assayed using PCR to ascertain their trichothecene mycotoxin chemotypes and associated phylogenetic species and geographical distribution. Of the 299 isolates assayed, 231 are from F. asiaticum species lineage 6, which produce deoxynivalenol and 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-AcDON); deoxynivalenol and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-AcDON); and nivalenol and 4-acetylnivalenol (NIV) mycotoxins, with 3-AcDON being the predominant chemotype. Ninety-five percent of this species originated from the warmer regions where the annual average temperatures were above 15 degrees C, based on the climate data of 30 y during 1970-1999. However, 68 isolates within F. graminearum species lineage 7 consisted only of 15-AcDON producers, 59% of which were from the cooler regions where the annual average temperatures were 15 degrees C or lower. Identification of a new subpopulation of 15-AcDON producers revealed a molecular distinction between F. graminearum and F. asiaticum that produce 15-AcDON. An 11-bp repeat is present in F. graminearum within their Tri7 gene sequences but is absent in F. asiaticum, which could be directly used for differentiating the two phylogenetic species of the F. graminearum clade.

Modeling and calculation of field emission enhancement factor for carbon nanotubes array

To estimate the apex field enhancement factor associated with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) array on a planar cathode surface, the image model of floated sphere between parallel anode and cathode plates was proposed. Firstly, the field enhancement factor of individual CNT was given as the following expression, beta0=h/rho+3.5, where h is the height and rho is the radius of CNTs. Then the field enhancement factor of CNTs array was discussed and the above expression was modified to be beta=h/rho+3.5-W, in which W is the function of the intertube distance R and represents the coulomb field interaction between the CNTs. All results show that the intertube distance of CNTs array critically affects the field emission. When the intertube distance is less than the height of tube, the field enhancement factor will decrease rapidly with decreasing the intertube distance. According to the calculated results and considering the field emission current density, the filed emission is optimal theoretically when the intertube distance is comparable with the height of CNTs.

Direct observation of a bulklike spin moment at the Fe/GaAs(100)-4x6 interface

We have used x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, which offers a unique capability to give element specific information at submonolayer sensitivity, to determine the spin and orbital magnetic moments at the Fe/GaAs(100) interface. The wedge samples, grown by molecular beam epitaxy at room temperature, consisted of 0.25-1 monolayer (ML) Fe on GaAs(100)-4x6 capped with 9 ML Co and have shown Fe spin moments of (1.84-1.96)micro(B) and a large orbital enhancement. Our results demonstrate unambiguously that the Fe/GaAs(100)-4x6 interface is ferromagnetic with a bulklike spin moment, which is highly promising for spintronics applications.

Direct observation of domain wall scattering in patterned Ni80Fe20 and Ni nanowires by current-voltage measurements

We present measurements of domain wall resistivity, pinned by nanoconstrictions in single layer ferromagnetic wires of Ni80Fe20 and Ni. Unpinning domain walls from the constriction by current-induced switching allows for an unambiguous measurement of their resistivity changes, namely, 1.7% in Ni80Fe20 and 1.82% in Ni and both positive, which supports the theory of spin-dependent impurity scattering. By deriving an empirical relation for the various constriction widths, the large percentage changes of resistivity in ballistic nanocontacts are reproduced, showing a correlation between domain wall magnetoresistance and ballistic magnetoresistance.

Gingival blood flow measurement with a non-contact laser flowmeter

A non-contact laser flowmeter was used to measure the changing of the gingival blood flow. Five university students with healthy oral condition were selected in this study. The blood flow measurement on the extensor digitorum (above the head of third metacarpal), with the changing of distance and angle between the probe and the tissue was used as a pre-study experiment. Blood flow rate was determined in the labial gingiva (2 mm above the cervical line) of upper central incisor using a stent fixing the probe at a 3-mm distance from the tissue. A basal level of gingival blood flow was taken two times each day for 5 days. The effects of water of different temperatures on the gingival blood flow are discussed. With the changing of distance, the blood flow rate became smaller, but there was no significant effect from the angle. The reproducibility was acceptable through the 5-day measurement. After stimulating with warm and body temperature water, the blood flow first increased significantly and then went back to the basal line (faster with the body temperature water). With cold water, different reactions between the subjects were observed.

Structure of active site carboxymethylated D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Palinurus versicolor

The structure of active site carboxymethylated D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Palinurus versicolor was determined in the presence of coenzyme NAD+ at 1.88 A resolution with a final R-factor of 0.175. The structure refinement was carried out on the basis of the structure of holo-GAPDH at 2.0 A resolution using the program XPLOR. The carboxymethyl group connected to Cys149 is stabilized by a hydrogen bond between its OZ1 and Cys149N, and charge interaction between the carboxyl group and the nicotinamide moiety. The modification of Cys149 induced conformational changes in the active site, in particular, the site of sulphate ion 501 (the proposed attacking inorganic phosphate ion in catalysis), and segment 208-218 nearby. Extensive hydrogen-bonding interactions occur in the active site, which contribute to the higher stability of the modified enzyme. The modification of the active site did not affect the conformation of GAPDH elsewhere, including the subunit interfaces. The structures of the green and red subunits in the asymmetric unit are nearly identical, suggesting that the half-site reactivity of this enzyme is from ligand-induced rather than pre-existing asymmetry. It is proposed that the carboxymethyl group takes the place of the acyl group of the reaction intermediate, and the catalytic mechanism of this enzyme is discussed in the light of a comparison of the structures of the native and the carboxymethylated GAPDH.

Modelling for waste water treatment by Rhodopseudomonas palustris Y6 immobilized on fibre in a columnar bioreactor

A kinetic model of continuous treatment of waste water by Rhodopseudomonas palustris Y6 immobilized on soft fibre in a columnar bioreaction system was established. Good agreement was found between the model prediction and the experimental data from continuous operation [initial chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration = 29.700 g/l] of the system. The optimum operational conditions for the maximum COD reduction capacity were investigated from the model prediction and the experimental data. The waste water treatment process may significantly increase the waste reduction capacity because a large amount of active biomass for COD reduction is immobilized in the system, resulting in operation stability. The results presented here provide a useful basis for further scaling up and efficient operation of waste water treatment processes.

[Activation and free radical formation of leukocytes in patients with acute ischemic stroke]

The leukocyte count, leukocyte activation, lipoperoxidant (Lpo) of leukocytes and C3 in the peripheral blood were determined in 44 patients with acute ischemic stroke and the results were compared with those in age-matched healthy controls. No significant difference in mean leukocyte counts was observed between the patients and controls. The levels of leukocyte activation in the patients were significantly higher than those in the controls (137.94 +/- 38.86 U/L vs 92.22 +/- 20.29 U/L, P < 0.01), while the levels of Lpo of leukocytes and C3 were significantly lower than those in the controls (0.90 +/- 0.87 mumol/L and 0.96 +/- 0.72 g/L vs 1.57 +/- 1.29 mumol/L and 1.69 +/- 0.70 g/L, P < 0.01). The changes of these levels were in correlation with the extent of cerebral infarction. It is suggested that leukocytes might be involved in the pathophysiological process of acute ischemic brain damage. Its mechanisms and route of activation were discussed briefly.

Diallel analysis of tiller number at different growth stages in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The genetics of tiller number at different development stages in rice was studied in a 6 x 6 diallel cross set involving six indica rice varieties in which a large difference of phenotypes existed. Estimates of genetic parameters following Hayman's method showed significant additive and nonadditive gene action, and the latter appeared to be solely due to dominance. High tillering ability was inherited as a partial dominant character conditioned by two or more blocks of genes, and var 'H1459' had more dominant genes, whereas 'Zhu-Yun-Luo' had more recessive ones. Combining ability analysis by Griffing's method also indicated significance of both additive and nonadditive effects, but the former was more important than the latter. 'H1459' and 'Bi-Yu-Zao-Luo' were good general combiners, and their hybrids 'H1459' x 'Le-Yi' and 'Zhu-Yun-Luo' x 'Bi-Yu-Zao-Luo' were better crosses for combining an optimum tiller number with high percentage of productive tiller. An identical polygenic system appeared to be responsible for the genetic control of both tiller number at the different growth stages and the terminal character, productive tiller number. However, with growth of the plant, relative contributions of nonadditive gene action and environmental factors to the variation decreased, while those of additive gene action increased. Selection for high tillering ability, therefore, should be exercised at peak tillering or later stages.