In the near-fault region of an earthquake, ground motions are strongly affected by complex mechanisms and can be significantly different from typical far-fault ground motions. Although the ...significance of near-fault ground motions has been widely recognized, its influence on the earthquake performance of concrete gravity dams has not yet been fully quantified. This article investigates the effects of near-fault ground motions on the nonlinear seismic response behavior of concrete gravity dams. In particular, the characteristics of different aspects of near-fault ground motions are evaluated and the significance of various near-fault ground motion parameters is examined.
Li4Ti5O12/carbon nano-tubes (CNTs) composite was prepared by sol-gel method while Ti(OC4H9)4, LiCH3COO*2H2O and the n-heptane containing CNTs were used as raw materials. The characters of ...Li4Ti5O12/CNTs composite were determined by XRD, SEM, and TG methods. Its electrochemical properties were measured by charge-discharge cycling and impedance tests. It was found that the prepared Li4Ti5O12/CNTs presented an excellent rate capability and capacity retention. At the charge-discharge rate of 5C and 10C, its discharge capacities were 145 and 135 mAh g-1, respectively. After 500 cycles at 5C, the discharge capacity retained as 142 mAh g-1. It even could be cycled at the rate of 20C. The excellent electrochemical performance of Li4Ti5O12/CNTs electrode could be attributed to the improvement of electronic conductivity by adding conducting CNTs and the nano-size of Li4Ti5O12 particles in the Li4Ti5O12/CNTs composite.
We studied incidence and mortality trends of colorectal cancer (CRC) in 39 countries according to age, sex, and anatomic location (colon vs rectum).
We retrieved incidence data from registries from ...36 countries. The registries included the following: Cancer Incidence in 5 Continents volumes I to XI; the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of the National Cancer Institute; and the Nordic Cancer Registries from Europe. We obtained mortality data from 39 countries of the World Health Organization database. We evaluated average annual percentage changes in CRC incidence and mortality in the past decade using joinpoint regression analysis.
From 2007 to 2016, 2006 to 2015, or 2005 to 2014, depending on the availability of the data, the incidence of colon cancer increased in 10 of 36 countries analyzed (all in Asia or Europe); India had the greatest increase, followed by Poland. All 10 of these countries have medium to high Human Development Index (HDI) scores. Six countries had a decrease in colon cancer incidence; these countries had the highest HDI scores; the United States had the greatest decrease, followed by Israel. Seven countries (including all countries from Northern America) had a decrease in incidence among persons older than 50 years. Eight countries had an increase in colon cancer incidence among persons younger than 50 years, including the United Kingdom and India. Countries with a decreased or stable incidence among persons 50 years or older but a significant increase in persons younger than 50 years, included Germany, Australia, the United States, Sweden, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Only Italy had a decrease in CRC incidence among persons younger than 50 years. Among women, 12 of 36 countries (all from Asia and Europe) had an increase in colon cancer incidence and 7 countries had a decrease; India had the greatest increase followed by Slovenia. Five of 36 countries had an increase in incidence of rectal cancer and 8 countries had a decrease; Ecuador and Thailand had the greatest increases in incidence. The incidence of rectal cancer among persons younger than 50 years increased significantly in Finland, Australia, Canada, the United States, and The Netherlands. Four countries had an increase in the incidence of rectal cancer in women; Ecuador had the greatest increase followed by Thailand. The incidence of rectal cancer in women decreased in 8 countries. Among women younger than 50 years, rectal cancer incidence increased, despite a decrease in women older than 50 years, in Costa Rica, Slovenia, Japan, Slovakia, Canada, and the United States there was an increase in incidence, although their elder population had a stable or decreased incidence. Twenty-four countries reported a reduction in CRC mortality, including North America, Oceania, and most European countries. Nevertheless, some countries from Asia, Latin America, and Southern Europe had significant increases in CRC mortality.
In an analysis of incidence and mortality databases from 39 countries, we found that the incidence of colon and rectal cancers has continued to increase in countries with medium to high HDI and in younger populations. Preventive strategies are needed for countries with increasing CRC and rectal cancer incidence and mortality.
Grouting is an effective way to address the poor performance of sandy soils. There are few studies on water glass single-liquid permeation grouting for solidifying sandy soils. To study the effects ...and processes of water-glass-cured sandy soil, we conducted a direct shear test and uniaxial compressive strength test on water-glass-cemented sandy soil specimens and summarized the relationships among modulus, Baume degree, curing time and strength of cured sandy soil from a macroscopic mechanical point of view. By combining nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imagery and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the consolidation evolution of cured sandy soil was revealed from a microscopic point of view, including the pore structure and gel state. The results showed that there is a saturation value for the strength of water-glass-cured sandy soil. The specimens with a low Baume degree solidified quickly, the strength saturation value was lower than 3 MPa, and the inner layer was dehydrated in a loose sand state; the specimens with a high Baume degree solidified slowly, and the strength saturation value was higher than 8 MPa. The migration of water glass and the deepening of curing are the two processes that control the effect of consolidation. The state of the silica gel plays a decisive role in the strength, the saturation value of the specimen strength depends on the limit of gel condensation, and the thickness of the gel layer is exponentially related to the strength. In addition, high-modulus and high-Baume degree water glass is recommended for consolidation when an improvement in the strength and compactness of sandy soils is needed.
•The mechanical behavior of water glass solidified sandy soil under different conditions was analyzed•The pore and gel characteristics of sand solidified by water glass under different conditions were studied•The influence of water glass migration and depth of curing on the final effect of curing is discussed
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe mental disorder, but its pathogenesis is still unknown, and its clinical treatment effect is very limited. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channel and ...the Endocannabinoid System (ECS)have been confirmed to be involved in the pathogenesis of SCZ, although their actions have not been fully clarified yet. The objective is to examine TRPV1 and ECS expression in the blood of schizophrenia patients and investigate their correlation with disease severity.
This is a cross-sectional investigation. Peripheral blood samples were gathered from normal controls (NC, n=37), as well as individuals with schizophrenia, including first episode (n=30) and recurrent (n=30) cases. We employed western blot and ELISA techniques to quantify TRPV1, cannabinoid receptors 1(CB1), anandamide (AEA), and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), and assess the severity of the patient's symptoms by means of the PANSS scale.
Compared to NC, TRPV1 levels showed a noticeable decrease in both first episode schizophrenia (f-SCZ group) and recurrent schizophrenia (r-SCZ group) subjects. Additionally, CB1 levels appeared increased in f-SCZ group. Furthermore, 2-AG levels were found to be elevated in both f-SCZ group and r-SCZ group compared to NC, whereas AEA levels were decreased in f-SCZ group but increased in r-SCZ group. Moreover, among schizophrenia patients, TRPV1 demonstrated a negative correlation with negative symptoms. Within r-SCZ subjects, CB1 displayed a negative correlation with relapse number, while 2-AG showed a correlation in the opposite direction.
This study provides initial clinical evidence of changed TRPV1 expression in schizophrenia, potentially linked to negative symptoms. These results suggest a possible dysfunction of TRPV1 and the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which might offer new avenues for medical interventions.
•TRPV1 and the ECS may be involved in the development of schizophrenia and its clinical course.•TRPV1 might negatively correlated with negative symptom severity.•CB1 and 2-AG was negatively and positively correlated with the number of relapses in r-SCZ group.•TRPV1 and the ECS could be considered as potential biomarker and therapeutic target.
This Review presents current epidemiological trends of the most common liver diseases in Asia-Pacific countries. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains the primary cause of cirrhosis; despite declining ...prevalence in most Asian nations, this virus still poses a severe threat in some territories and regions. Mortality resulting from HBV infection is declining as a result of preventive measures and antiviral treatments. The epidemiological transition of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has varied in the region in the past few decades, but the medical burden of infection and the prevalence of its related cancers are increasing. The lack of licensed HCV vaccines highlights the need for novel treatment strategies. The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has risen in the past decade, mostly owing to increasingly urbanized lifestyles and dietary changes. Alternative herbal medicine and dietary supplements are major causes of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in some countries. Complications arising from these chronic liver diseases, including cirrhosis and liver cancer, are therefore emerging threats in the Asia-Pacific region. Key strategies to control these liver diseases include monitoring of at-risk populations, implementation of national guidelines and increasing public and physician awareness, in concert with improving access to health care.
Sirtuins in metabolism, DNA repair and cancer Mei, Zhen; Zhang, Xian; Yi, Jiarong ...
Journal of experimental & clinical cancer research,
12/2016, Letnik:
35, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The mammalian sirtuin family has attracted tremendous attention over the past few years as stress adaptors and post-translational modifier. They have involved in diverse cellular processes including ...DNA repair, energy metabolism, and tumorigenesis. Notably, genomic instability and metabolic reprogramming are two of characteristic hallmarks in cancer. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the functions of sirtuins mainly regarding DNA repair and energy metabolism, and further discuss the implication of sirtuins in cancer specifically by regulating genome integrity and cancer-related metabolism.
•From 1200 telephone interviews, the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate was 37.2%.•Acceptance rate was the highest in adults aged 18–24 years then increased with age.•Government recommendation was the ...strongest predictive factor of vaccine acceptance.•A key obstacle of acceptance included lack of confidence on vaccine manufacturers.•These predictors provide evidence-based formulation of vaccination strategies.
Vaccines for COVID-19 are anticipated to be available by 2021. Vaccine uptake rate is a crucial determinant for herd immunity. We examined factors associated with acceptance of vaccine based on (1). constructs of the Health Belief Model (HBM), (2). trust in the healthcare system, new vaccine platforms and manufacturers, and (3). self-reported health outcomes.
A population-based, random telephone survey was performed during the peak of the third wave of COVID-19 outbreak (27/07/2020 to 27/08/2020) in Hong Kong. All adults aged ≥ 18 years were eligible. The survey included sociodemographic details; self-report health conditions; trust scales; and self-reported health outcomes. Multivariable regression analyses were applied to examine independent associations. The primary outcome is the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine.
We conducted 1200 successful telephone interviews (response rate 55%). The overall vaccine acceptance rate after adjustment for population distribution was 37.2% (95% C.I. 34.5–39.9%). The projected acceptance rates exhibited a “J-shaped” pattern with age, with higher rates among young adults (18–24 years), then increased linearly with age. Multivariable regression analyses revealed that perceived severity, perceived benefits of the vaccine, cues to action, self-reported health outcomes, and trust in healthcare system or vaccine manufacturers were positive correlates of acceptance; whilst perceived access barriers and harm were negative correlates. Remarkably, perceived susceptibility to infection carried no significant association, whereas recommendation from Government (aOR = 10.2, 95% C.I. 6.54 to 15.9, p < 0.001) was as the strongest driving factor for acceptance. Other key obstacles of acceptance included lack of confidence on newer vaccine platforms (43.4%) and manufacturers without track record (52.2%), which are of particular relevance to the current context.
Governmental recommendation is an important driver, whereas perceived susceptibility is not associated with acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine. These HBM constructs and independent predictors inform evidence-based formulation and implementation of vaccination strategies.
Recently, depression has been identified as a prevalent and severe mental disorder. However, the mechanisms underlying the depression risk remain elusive. The neuroinflammation and NLRP3 inflammasome ...activation are known to be involved in the pathology of depression. Dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) has been reported as a strong antioxidant and exhibits anti-inflammatory properties in various diseases, albeit the direct relevance between DHLA and depression is yet unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the preventive effect and potential mechanism of DHLA in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sickness behavior in rats.
Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were utilized. LPS and DHLA were injected intraperitoneally every 2 days and daily, respectively. Fluoxetine (Flu) was injected intraperitoneally daily. PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK, was injected intraperitoneally 1 h before DHLA injection daily. Small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) for nuclear factor erythroid 2-like (Nrf2) was injected into the bilateral hippocampus 14 days before the DHLA injection. Depression-like behavior tests were performed. Western blot and immunofluorescence staining detected the ERK/Nrf2/HO-1/ROS/NLRP3 pathway-related proteins.
The DHLA and fluoxetine treatment exerted preventive effects in LPS-induced sickness behavior rats. The DHLA treatment increased the expression of ERK, Nrf2, and HO-1 but decreased the ROS generation levels and reduced the expression of NLRP3, caspase-1, and IL-1β in LPS-induced sickness behavior rats. PD98059 abolished the effects of DHLA on preventive effect as well as the levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins. Similarly, Nrf2 siRNA reversed the preventive effect of DHLA administration via the decreased expression of HO-1.
These findings suggested that DHLA exerted a preventive effect via ERK/Nrf2/HO-1/ROS/NLRP3 pathway in LPS-induced sickness behavior rats. Thus, DHLA may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for depression.
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