The yrast lines in Kr isotopes with \(N=42\), 44, and 46 are investigated in a beyond mean field framework with both prolate-oblate coexistence and quasiparticle alignment taken into account. ...Quasiparticle orbitals with high-\(j\) and low-\(\Omega\) on the oblate side are shown to be responsible for the sharp backbending observed in \(^{82}\)Kr, by driving the yrast shape from prolate to oblate. This suggests that quasiparticle alignment may not be neglected in the investigation of the shape evolution along the yrast line.
In order to elucidate the mechanism(s) behind the interactions between barbiturates and Ca(2+) antagonists, the effects of three structurally diverse types of Ca(2+) antagonists combined or not with ...5-HT on pentobarbital-induced hypnosis in mice were investigated. The results showed that dihydropyridine derivative nifedipine (10.0 and 20.0 mg/kg, p.o.) and other types of Ca(2+) antagonist, verapamil (5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg, p.o.) and diltiazem (2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg, p.o.) increased both the sleeping time in hypnotic dosage of pentobarbital (45 mg/kg, i.p.) treated mice and the rate of sleep onset in the sub-hypnotic dosage of pentobarbital (28 mg/kg, i.p.) treated mice in a dose-dependent manner, respectively, and these effects were significantly augmented by 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), the immediate precursor of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Pretreatment with p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA, 300 mg/kg, s.c.), an inhibitor of tryptophan hydroxylase, significantly decreased pentobarbital-induced sleeping time and nifedipine (10.0 mg/kg, p.o.), verapamil (5.0 mg/kg, p.o.) and diltiazem (2.5 mg/kg, p.o.) abolished this effect. From these results, it should be presumed that the augmentative effect of L-type Ca(2+) channel blockers on pentobarbital-induced sleep may be influenced by serotonergic system.
Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-modified X7R-type BaTiO3 (BTO) composites were prepared by hot pressing, and the dielectric properties were investigated. The dielectric constant of the PVDF–BTO ...composites at 1kHz increased significantly with increasing the volume fraction of BTO up to 0.5, and good temperature stability of dielectric constant was obtained for the composites, which benefited from the temperature-stable dielectric constant of the modified BaTiO3. Two significant dielectric relaxations were observed for the PVDF–BTO composites, and they fit the Vogel–Fulcher and Arrhenius fittings, respectively.
Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is widely used in diabetes management and now recommended for diagnosis and risk assessment. Our research focused on investigating the optimal cutoff points of HbA1c for ...diagnosis of diabetes and prediabetes in Chinese breast cancer women, aiming to enhance early detection and tailor treatment strategies.
This study involved 309 breast cancer women without diabetes history in China. Patients were categorized into groups of newly diagnosed diabetes, prediabetes, and normal glucose tolerance using oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) according to the 2010 ADA criteria. HbA1c data were collected from all patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the effectiveness of the HbA1c screening.
Among the 309 breast cancer women without diabetes history, 96 (31.0%) were identified with diabetes and 130 (42.1%) had prediabetes according to OGTT, and the incidence of normal glucose tolerance was only 26.9% (83). ROC curve analysis, using OGTT as a reference, revealed that the area under the curve of 0.903 (P<0.001, 95% CI, 0.867-0.938) for HbA1c alone, indicating high accuracy. The optimal HbA1c cutoff for identifying diabetes was determined to be 6.0%, with a sensitivity of 78.1% and specificity of 86.4%. For prediabetes, the ROC curve for HbA1c alone showed that the area under the ROC curve of 0.703 (P<0.001, 95% CI, 0.632-0.774), with an optimal cutoff of 5.5% (sensitivity of 76.9% and specificity of 51.8%).
The prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes is very high in breast cancer women without diabetes history in China. The optimal cutoff points of HbA1c for identifying diabetes and prediabetes are 6.0% and 5.5% in Chinese breast cancer women, respectively.
The effect of melt mixing on the interaction between multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and polystyrene (PS) matrix has been investigated. The interaction between pristine MWNTs and PS in solution ...was found to exist but not strong enough to allow MWNTs to be soluble in solvent. In contrast, this interaction between MWNTs and PS was significantly enhanced by melt mixing, which led to increased amount of PS-functionalized MWNT exhibiting good solubility in some solvents. The mechanism of melt mixing on this enhanced interaction was attributed to both chemical bonding and physical interaction during the melt mixing.
Dynamic membrane protrusions such as lamellipodia and filopodia are driven by actin polymerization and often hijacked by intracellular microbes to enter host cells. The overall rate of membrane ...protrusion depends on the actin polymerization rate and the increase of localized cell volume. Although the signaling pathways involving actin polymerization are well characterized, the molecular mechanisms regulating local cell volume associated with membrane protrusion are unclear. Cryptosporidium parvum, an intracellular parasite, depends on host-cell membrane protrusion to accomplish cell entry and form the parasitophorous vacuole. Here, we report that C. parvum infection of cholangiocytes recruits host-cell SGLT1, a Na+/glucose cotransporter, and aquaporin 1 (AQP1), a water channel, to the attachment site. SGLT1-dependent glucose uptake occurs at the attachment site. Concordantly, the region of attachment displays localized water influx that is inhibited by either suppression of AQP1 by means of AQP1-small interfering RNA (siRNA) or inhibition of SGLT1 by a specific pharmacologic inhibitor, phlorizin. Inhibition of SGLT1 does not affect actin accumulation but decreases the membrane protrusion at the attachment site. Moreover, functional inhibition of host-cell AQP1 and SGLT1 hampers C. parvum invasion of cholangiocytes. Thus, glucose-driven, AQP-mediated localized water influx is involved in the membrane protrusion during C. parvum cellular invasion, phenomena that may also be relevant to the mechanisms of cell membrane protrusion in general.
A three-dimensional thermo-elasto-plastic finite element analysis is used to determine the residual stress distribution and the distortion field in butt and fillet plates. The employed finite element ...model is first verified against existing experimental results of thermal distortion and then is used for analyzing 12 case studies accounting for various plate thicknesses and welding sequences. Weld induced residual stress distributions have been estimated and discussed. The effects of thickness, welding sequences and finite element size have been investigated. A two-dimensional parametric relationship of residual stresses has been developed.
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