Abstract To study the complex mechanism of the high-dimensional nonlinear cable systems, a 3 degree-of-freedom model reduced from the tower-cable-beam structure is proposed and investigated in this paper. Based on the D’Alembert Principle, the dynamic equations of in-plane and out-of-plane vibration are established and simulated by the 4th-order Runge-Kutta method. The results exhibit the phenomenon of coupling internal resonance under the systematical conditions revealed by the analytical analysis on the dynamic equations. The smaller mass ratio of the cable-beam would lead to a greater vibration intensity while the tensile stiffness and initial force of the cable have no significant effect. The in-plane and out-plane cable vibrations are independent, and the internal resonance would not be excited by the harmonic excitation in the cable axis. Additionally, applying damping on any component of the system is verified to be an effective approach to vibration reduction. Compared with ordinary cables, cables with less-weight and high-strength materials would be exited to less vibration intensity under the same external excitation.

Based on density functional theory, quantum chemical calculations of the charge-transport rates were performed for five disc-shaped coronene derivatives with varying numbers of fused thiophene rings, using different basis sets 6-31+G(d) and 6-311++G(d,p), hybrid functionals (B3LYP, M06-2X, CAM-B3LYP, WB97XD, M08-HX), and a dispersion-corrected hybrid functional (M06-2X+D3). Our results indicate that increasing the basis set and adding diffusion and polarisation functions had little effect on the molecular reorganisation energy, charge-transport matrix element t, and charge carrier mobility μ. The charge carrier mobility calculated using B3LYP were relatively large, whereas the results calculated using CAM-B3LYP and WB97XD were similar. Among the five coronene derivatives, molecule b with one thiophene ring could be candidates for a n-type organic semiconductor, and molecule c with two thiophene rings can be designed as a p-type semiconductor.

Abstract Background: Zelkova schneideriana Hand.-Mazz., is an endangered species mainly distributed in subtropical China. Currently, little is known about its niche and interspecific association. Questions: What are the niche characteristics of Z. schneideriana and other associated species? What are the interspecific associations between these species? Study sites and dates: Z. schneideriana communities in Jiangsu, China in 2019. Methods: Twenty-one 400 m2 plots were studied for importance value, niche breadth and overlap, interspecific association of Z. schneideriana communities. Results: In 39 species of tree layer, Z. schneideriana had the greatest importance value and niche breadth. For the first 10 dominant species, a considerable difference was detected by the Levins index (1.75 - 19.84) and Shannon-Wiener index (0.77 - 3.02). Forty-four out of the 45 species pairs had the value of niche similarity indices ≤ 0.5; 38 species pairs had the value of niche overlap indices ≤ 0.5. Overall interspecific association was not a significantly negative association for variance ratio < 1. χ 2 test and Spearman’s correlation coefficient further revealed that above 60 % of species pairs had negative associations, suggesting most dominant species were slightly associated with other species or even independent. Conclusions: Z. schneideriana was a constructive species. Dissimilarity in environmental requirements was found among most dominant tree species, thus decreasing competition. This is likely due to the unstable community in the early stage of succession.

Resumen Antecedentes: Zelkova schneideriana Hand.-Mazz. es una especie en peligro de extinción con distribución en China subtropical. Actualmente, se conoce poco sobre su nicho y asociación interespecífica. Preguntas: ¿Cuáles son las características de nicho de Z. schneideriana y especies asociadas? ¿Cuáles son las asociaciones interespecíficas? Sitio de estudio y fechas: Sur de Jiangsu, China en 2019. Métodos: Se estudiaron 21 parcelas de 400 m2 en cuanto a valor de importancia, amplitud y superposición de nicho y asociación interespecífica de Z. schneideriana. Resultados: De 39 especies del estrato arbóreo, Z. schneideriana tuvo el mayor valor de importancia y amplitud de nicho. Para las primeras 10 especies dominantes se detectó una diferencia considerable mediante los índices de Levins (1.75-19.84) y de Shannon-Wiener (0.77-3.02). Cuarenta y cuatro de los 45 pares de especies tuvieron un valor de índice de similitud de nicho ≤ 0.5; 38 pares presentaron índice de superposición de nichos ≤ 0.5. La asociación interespecífica de estas especies no fue significativamente negativa para la relación de varianza < 1. La prueba de ji-cuadrada y el coeficiente de correlación de Spearman revelaron asociación negativa para más del 60 % de los pares de especies, sugiriendo que la mayoría de las especies dominantes se asociaron ligeramente con otras especies o incluso fueron independientes. Conclusión: Z. schneideriana fue una especie constructiva en las comunidades. Se encontró diferencia en los requisitos ambientales entre las especies dominantes, lo que disminuyó la competencia. Es probable que esto se deba a la inestabilidad en las primeras etapas de la sucesión.

ABSTRACT Background: Periodontal disease is reportedly associated with the risk of various systemic diseases, including pancreatic and lung cancers. However, its association with prostate cancer remains inconclusive. Herein, we explored the association of periodontal disease with the risk of prostate cancer through a meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Sciences and Cochrane Library databases were searched for eligible publications up to April 2020. Multivariate adjusted risk estimates with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted and calculated using random- or fixed-effect models. Results: Nine cohort studies involving 3.353 prostate cancer cases with 440.911 participants were identified and included in the meta-analysis. We found that periodontal disease significantly increased the risk of prostate cancer by 1.40-fold (hazard ratio [HR]=1.40, 95% CI: 1.16-1.70; P=0.001; I2=76.1%) compared with normal condition. Interestingly, the risk of developing prostate cancer was not significant in patients treated with periodontal therapy (HR=1.22, 95% CI: 0.86-1.73; P=0.272; I2=65.2%). The results of subgroup analyses were also consistent and significant when stratified by study design and follow-up period, whereas conflicting results were observed in periodontal disease ascertainment stratification. These findings were robust as indicated by sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: Periodontal disease was associated with the increased risk of prostate cancer, whereas no significant association was observed in patients treated with periodontal therapy. Hence, the awareness and importance for maintaining oral health should be improved, and the underlying mechanisms linking periodontal disease and prostate cancer should be fully explored in future research.

ABSTRACT Purpose To investigate the relationship between atherosclerotic abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and CXC chemokine receptor type 2 (CXCR2). Methods Mouse AAA model was established by embedding angiotensin-II pump (1000 ng/kg/min) in ApoE-/- mice. Mice were received SB225002, a selective CXCR2 antagonist, for treatment. Blood pressure was recorded, and CXCR2+ macrophages were examined by flow cytometry analysis. Terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining was performed to detect cell apoptosis of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Macrophages were isolated from ApoE-/- mice and treated with Ang II and/or SB225002. Dihydroethidium staining was carried out to determine reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to determine the production of IL-1β and TNF-α. The corresponding gene expressions were measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blot, and immunohistochemistry staining. Results We found that Ang II activated the expression of CXCR2 in monocytes during the formation of AAA. Inhibition of CXCR2 significantly reduced the size of AAA, attenuated inflammation and phenotypic changes in blood vessels. Ang II-induced macrophages exhibited elevated ROS activity, and elevated levels of 1β and TNF-α, which were then partly abolished by SB225002. Conclusions CXCR2 plays an important role in AAA, suggesting that inhibiting CXCR2 may be a new treatment for AAA.

Abstract Background: Pigmentation development, is a complex process regulated by many transcription factors during development. With the development of the RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), non-coding RNAs, such as miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, are found to play an important role in the function detection of related regulation factors. In this study, we provided the expression profiles and development of ncRNAs related to melanocyte and skin development in mice with black coat color skin and mice with white coat color skin during embryonic day 15 (E15) and postnatal day 7 (P7). The expression profiles of different ncRNAs were detected via RNA-seq and also confirmed by the quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) method. GO and KEGG used to analyze the function the related target genes. Results: We identified an extensive catalogue of 206 and 183 differently expressed miRNAs, 600 and 800 differently expressed lncRNAs, and 50 and 54 differently expressed circRNAs, respectively. GO terms and pathway analysis showed the target genes of differentially expressed miRNA and lncRNA. The host genes of circRNA were mainly enriched in cellular process, single organism process. The target genes of miRNAs were mainly enriched in chromatin binding and calcium ion binding in the nucleus. The function of genes related to lncRNAs are post translation modification. The competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network of lncRNAs and circRNAs displays a complex interaction between ncRNA and mRNA related to skin development, such as Tcf4 , Gnas , and Gpnms related to melanocyte development. Conclusions: The ceRNA network of lncRNA and circRNA displays a complex interaction between ncRNA and mRNA related to skin development and melanocyte development. The embryonic and postnatal development of skin provide a reference for further studies on the development mechanisms of ncRNA during pigmentation.

The effect of annealing process on the microstructures and mechanical properties of Mg/Al composite plates fabricated by cast-rolling was investigated in this study. The results show that the interfacial transition zone can be divided into three regions: a Mg transition region, an Al transition region, and an intermediate region, respectively. The microhardness of the interfacial transition zone is higher than that of AZ31B and A356.When the annealing temperature is 250 ºC, the thermodynamic and kinetic conditions required for the formation of new intermetallic compounds have been met. While, for an annealing temperature at, or above, 300 ºC, the width of the interfacial transition zone, annealing temperature, and time follow model: ∆ X 2 = 2 . 07 × 10 4 exp − 60407 RT t − 11 . 54 exp 21211 RT. The shear strength reaches a maximum value of 116 MPa when the annealing temperature is 200 ºC. Cleavage fracture occurs at the side of the AZ31B alloy and quasi-cleavage fracture at the side of the A356 alloy.

Hypertensive renal damage generally occurs during the middle and late stages of hypertension, which is typically characterized by proteinuria and renal inflammation. Captopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, has been widely used for therapy of arterial hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. However, the protective effects of captopril on hypertension-induced organ damage remain elusive. The present study was designed to explore the renoprotective action of captopril in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The 6-week-old male SHR and age-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats were randomized into long-term captopril-treated (34 mg/kg) and vehicle-treated groups. The results showed that in SHR there was obvious renal injury characterized by the increased levels of urine albumin, total protein, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, renal inflammation manifested by the increased mRNA and protein expression of inflammatory factors including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase, and enhanced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation. Captopril treatment could lower blood pressure, improve renal injury, and suppress renal inflammation and NF-κB activation in SHR rats. In conclusion, captopril ameliorates renal injury and inflammation in SHR possibly via inactivation of NF-κB signaling.

ABSTRACT This paper deals with a spherical cavity excavated in infinite homogeneous and isotropic strain-softening rock mass subjected to a hydrostatic initial stresses. By simplifying the strain-softening process of the post-failure region as a Multi-step Brittle-Plastic model (MBPM), analytical solutions of the spherical cavity are derived with the consideration of the deterioration of elastic parameters. Meanwhile, critical deterioration conditions of elastic parameters are established theoretically. Both Mohr-Coulomb (M-C) and Hoek-Brown (H-B) criteria are included in the analysis. The results are compared with those obtained by former numerical methods, and the solutions are validated. Moreover, the presented results show that deteriorated elastic parameters for post-failure rock mass only has a little influence on stresses, softening radius and residual radius, but influences the deformation significantly.

Eupatorium adenophorum Spreng., a major invasive weed in southwestern China, has caused great economic losses. In order to find a new herbicide to control E. adenophorum, experiments were conducted to study its physiological and biochemical responses to low and high doses of picloram herbicide (4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropyridine-2-carboxylic acid). Electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde, and free proline were stimulated by picloram, showing a remarkably increase (p < 0.05) with high herbicide concentration (60, 120, and 240 g ai ha-1). The treated plants exhibited lower osmotic adjustment capacity, high dosage lipid peroxide levels and more free-proline accumulation. It was found that low doses (12 and 24 g ai ha-1) of picloram initially increased catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutases and protein, but these indicators decreased (p < 0.05) with the increase of treating time (after 3 d) and dose (120 and 240 g ai ha-1). In addition, the structures of chloroplasts and mitochondria were seriously deformed. These results indicated E. adenophorum can improve its herbicide-tolerance by increasing the antioxidative system activity at the initial period of low picloram stress. However, this protective function disappeared with increasing of treating time and picloram dosage. Eupatorium adenophorum responded differently to low and high concentrations of picloram and ultrastructural changes are an important cause of death in E. adenophorum.

BACKGROUND: Diets are the important players in regulating plasma lipid profiles. And the R219K polymorphism at the gene of ATP-binding cassette transporter 1(ABCA1) was reported to be associated with the profiles. However, no efforts have been made to investigate the changes of lipid profiles after a high-carbohydrate and low-fat diet in different subjects with different genotypes of this polymorphism. This study was to evaluate the effects of ABCA1 R219K polymorphism on serum lipid and apolipoprotein (apo) ratios induced by a high-carbohydrate/low-fat (high-CHO) diet. After a washout diet of 54.1% carbohydrate for 7 days, 56 healthy young subjects (22.89 ± 1.80 years old) were given a high-CHO diet of 70.1% carbohydrate for 6 days. Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, glucose (Glu), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apoA-1 and apoB-100 were measured on the 1st, 8th and 14th days of this study. Body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratios (WHR), log(TG/HDL-C), TC/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C and apoA-1/apoB-100 were calculated. ABCA1 R219K was analyzed by a PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: The results indicate that the male subjects of all the genotypes had higher WHR than their female counterparts on the 1st, 8th and 14th days of this study. The male K carriers had higher log(TG/HDL-C) and TC/HDL-C than the female carriers on the 1st and 14th days, and higher LDL-C/HDL-C on the 14th day. When compared with that on the 8th day, TC/HDL-C was decreased regardless of the genotypes and genders on the 14th day. Log(TG/HDL-C) was increased in the males with the RR genotype and the female K carriers. Lowered BMI, Glu and LDL-C/HDL-C were found in the male K carriers, but only lowered BMI in the female K carriers and only lowered LDL-C/HDL-C in the females with the RR genotype. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that ABCA1 R219K polymorphism is associated differently in males and females with elevated log(TG/HDL-C) and decreased LDL-C/HDL-C induced by the high-CHO diet.

Prompt and accurate detection of rejection prior to pathological changes after organ transplantation is vital for monitoring rejections. Although biopsy remains the current gold standard for rejection diagnosis, it is an invasive method and cannot be repeated daily. Thus, noninvasive monitoring methods are needed. In this study, by introducing an IL-2 neutralizing monoclonal antibody (IL-2 N-mAb) and immunosuppressants into the culture with the presence of specific stimulators and activated lymphocytes, an activated lymphocyte-specific assay (ALSA) system was established to detect the specific activated lymphocytes. This assay demonstrated that the suppression in the ALSA test was closely related to the existence of specific activated lymphocytes. The ALSA test was applied to 47 heart graft recipients and the proliferation of activated lymphocytes from all rejection recipients proven by endomyocardial biopsies was found to be inhibited by spleen cells from the corresponding donors, suggesting that this suppression could reflect the existence of activated lymphocytes against donor antigens, and thus the rejection of a heart graft. The sensitivity of the ALSA test in these 47 heart graft recipients was 100%; however, the specificity was only 37.5%. It was also demonstrated that IL-2 N-mAb was indispensible, and the proper culture time courses and concentrations of stimulators were essential for the ALSA test. This preliminary study with 47 grafts revealed that the ALSA test was a promising noninvasive tool, which could be used in vitro to assist with the diagnosis of rejection post-heart transplantation.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in the preoperative staging of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and pathological records of 312 patients with RCC who underwent staging MDCT before surgery. Radiographic findings were compared to the findings at surgery and pathological examination. All staging used 2009 updated TNM classification. RESULTS: The difference in tumor size between radiographic and pathological findings was 0.21cm. In T1a group, the difference was 0.33cm. Agreement between MDCT and histopathological findings was moderate for T staging (Kappa = 0.469), fair for N staging (Kappa = 0.322), and excellent for M staging (Kappa = 0.932). The sensitivity and specificity of MDCT in detecting perinephric fat invasion were 32.26% and 85.87%, in detecting tumor thrombosis were 84% and 100%, in detecting adrenal gland invasion were 60% and 95.79%, in detecting lymph node involvement were 50% and 96.36%, in detecting distant metastasis were 100% and 99.67%, respectively. In regard to stage grouping, 237 of 314 patients were correctly staged by MDCT, with an overall accuracy of 75.48%. CONCLUSIONS: MDCT with a dynamic contrast protocol is able to delineate RCC with high accuracy. However, a great portion of tumors were overstaged by MDCT because of overestimation of tumor size and poor visualization of infiltration of the perinephric fat. In addition, nodal metastatic lesion evaluation relies on node size only and remains a difficult task.

Both genetic background and diet have profound effects on plasma lipid profiles. We hypothesized that a high-carbohydrate (high-CHO) diet may affect the ratios of serum lipids and apolipoproteins (apo) differently in subjects with different genotypes of the SstI polymorphism in the apoCIII gene (APOC3). Fifty-six healthy university students (27 males and 29 females, 22.89 ± 1.80 years) were given a washout diet of 54% carbohydrate for 7 days, followed by a high-CHO diet of 70% carbohydrate for 6 days without total energy restriction. Serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apoB100, apoAI, and the APOC3 SstI polymorphism were analyzed. The ratios of serum lipids and apoB100/apoAI were calculated. At baseline, the TG/HDL-C ratio was significantly higher in females, but not in males, with the S2 allele. The differences in the TG/HDL-C ratio between genotypes remained the same after the washout and the high-CHO diet in females. When compared with those before the high-CHO diet, the TC/HDL-C (male S2 carriers: 3.13 ± 1.00 vs 2.36 ± 0.65, P = 0.000; male subjects with the S1S1 genotype: 2.97 ± 0.74 vs 2.09 ± 0.55, P = 0.000; female S2 carriers: 2.68 ± 0.36 vs 2.24 ± 0.37, P = 0.004; female subjects with the S1S1 genotype: 2.69 ± 0.41 vs 2.09 ± 0.31, P = 0.000) and LDL-C/HDL-C (male S2 carriers: 1.44 ± 0.71 vs 1.06 ± 0.26, P = 0.012; male subjects with the S1S1 genotype: 1.35 ± 0.61 vs 1.01 ± 0.29, P = 0.005; female S2 carriers: 1.18 ± 0.33 vs 1.00 ± 0.18, P = 0.049; female subjects with the S1S1 genotype: 1.18 ± 0.35 vs 1.04 ± 0.19, P = 0.026) ratios were significantly decreased after the high-CHO diet regardless of gender and of genotype of the APOC3 SstI polymorphism. However, in female S2 carriers, the TG/HDL-C (1.38 ± 0.46 vs 1.63 ± 0.70, P = 0.039) ratio was significantly increased after the high-CHO diet. In conclusion, the high-CHO diet has favorable effects on the TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios regardless of gender and of genotype of the APOC3 SstI polymorphism. Somehow, it enhanced the adverse effect of the S2 allele on the TG/HDL-C ratio only in females.

Mesoporous ceria with high specific surface area have been prepared using eerie ammonium nitrate and non-surfactants organic compounds glucose, acrylamide via hydrothermal method. The influence of the main synthesis variables have been studied, including cerium ion valence, composition of raw materials, hydrothermal temperature and time. XRD, TEM, TG and nitrogen adsorption techniques have been used to characterize the samples. Results indicate that cerium ion valence has the most important effect on surface area of mesoporous ceria. Cerium ion valence changing from +3 to +4 causes higher surface area of samples. Moreover the coexistence of glucose and acrylamide in the synthesis is essential to obtain samples with high surface areas, whereas surface areas of samples are lower in the absence of glucose or acrylamide. TEM shows that the mesoporous ceria are composed of three-dimensional disordered primary nanoparticles. The average size of primary particles and mesopores are both a few nanometers.