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•3D structures with vast pores of HTNTs/Ti increase dispersion of N,F and others.•Nitrogen and fluorine was doped to improve PEC performance under visible light.•N,F-TiO2NTs/Ti has ...high sensitivity, low detection limit and wide detection range.
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor stimulated by visible light has wide developing prospect in biosensor field due to its sensitivity and low detection limit. Via hydrothermal treatment, Ti supported hydrogen titanate nanotubes were prepared and exhibited fine 3D structure with vast pores (HTNTs/Ti). Further nitrogen and fluorine doping induced improved PEC performance under visible light. The surface morphology, composition and structure of the fabricated N, F-codoped TiO2 nanotubes/Ti (N, F-TiO2NTs/Ti) were analyzed by SEM, TEM, XRD and XPS. The PEC sensitivity of the N, F-TiO2NTs/Ti electrodes for glucose showed that the linear range for glucose was 0.5–3.0 μM, the detection sensitivity was 51.56 μA·mM−1·cm−2, and the detection limit (LOD) was 0.3230 μM. Compared with the similar HTNTs/Ti-based enzymatic sensor, the N, F-TiO2NTs/Ti exhibited better sensitivity for glucose, and was potential for biomedical applications for its stable properties and implanting potentiality.
Phospholipase C epsilon 1 (PLCE1) is a susceptibility gene in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Nevertheless, the role of PLCE1 in ESCC tumorigenesis has not been elucidated. In this study, ...we determined the function of PLCE1 and its regulatory microRNA (miRNA) in ESCC. PLCE1 protein was excessively expressed in ESCC and precancerous lesions compared with that in normal tissues. High PLCE1 expression levels in ESCC were significantly linked with poor overall survival. Knockdown of PLCE1 promoted the apoptosis, cytokine-induced apoptosis, and sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs but abrogated the proliferation and EMT phenotype of ESCC in vitro. Notably, miR-145 was newly identified as a potent repressor of PLCE1 expression by directly targeting the 3'UTR of PLCE1. MiR-145 also inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis, as well as controlled the cytoskeleton dynamics of esophageal cancer. Moreover, miR-145 was expressed at low levels in a large cohort of patients with ESCC and was inversely correlated with PLCE1 protein expression in cancer cells and tissues. These findings demonstrate that PLCE1 functions as tumor promoter in ESCC and can be suppressed by miR-145 through inhibition of PLCE1 translation. Hence, delivery of PLCE1-targeting miR-145 is a potential therapeutic approach for esophageal cancer.
Commercially available silicone resin and silicon carbide (SiC) powders were adopted as the starting materials for the fabrication of porous SiC ceramics. During the heat treatment process, silicone ...resin experienced an organic–inorganic transformation and acted as the bonding material between SiC particles at a low temperature of 1000
°C. The mean particle size of starting SiC powders and silicone resin content can control the pore size, open porosity and fracture strength. The flexural strength of porous SiC ceramics increases with increasing silicone resin content and decreasing mean particle size of SiC powders. Larger pores can be obtained with coarser starting SiC powders and higher silicone resin content. The fracture surface of porous SiC ceramics was observed.
Fern spore germination gives rise to the rhizoid and protonemal cell through asymmetric cell division, and then develops into a gametophyte. Spore germination is also a representative single-cell ...model for the investigation of nuclear polar movement, asymmetrical cell division, polarity establishment and rhizoid tip-growth. These processes are affected by various environmental factors, such as light, gravity, phytohormones, metal ions, and temperature. Here, we present a catalog of spore germination in response to different environmental factors. They are as follows： （1） Representative modes of light affecting spore germination from different fern species include red light-stimulated and far red light-inhibited spore germination, far red light-uninhibited spore germination, blue light-inhibited spore germination, and spore germination in the dark. The optimal light intensity and illumination time for spore germination are different among various fern species. Light response upon spore germination is initiated from the cell mitosis that regulated by phytochromes （PHYs） and cryptochromes （CRYs）. AcPHY2, AcCRY3 and/or AcCRY4 are hypothesized to be involved in spore germination; （2） Gravity and calcium are crucial to early nuclear movement and polarity establishment of spores; （3） Gibberellin and antheridiogen can initiate and promote spore germination in many species, but abscisic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene pose only minor effects; （4） Spores can obtain the maximal germination rate in their favorable growth medium. Moreover, metal ions, pH, and spore density in the culture medium also affect spore germination; （5） Most fern spores germinate at 25℃, and an optimal CO2 concentration is necessary for spore germination of certain fern plants. These provide valuable information for understanding fern spore germination in response to environmental factors.
Insect based Mobile Wireless Sensor Nodes (MWSN) has gained interests from the research community in recent year. These small biological entities have excellent maneuverability and can enter extreme ...areas not accessible to human. In order not to hinder the flight of the insect, the image sensors carried by these small insects must be light, low power, high speed and is capable of providing high quality images for different scene conditions and flight speed. In this paper, we present an implementation of pixel-wise coded exposure image sensor, developed based on the theory of Compressed Sensing (CS). This architecture can provide up to 18× more frame rate with both high spatial and temporal resolution compared to a traditional image sensor with the same readout speed. Additionally, through adaptive control of the pixel exposure duration, this architecture can be made to provide optimal image quality under all conditions. The test pixel array consumes 46 μW at 100 fps.
The concept of critical N concentration （Nc） has been widely used in agronomy as the basis for diagnosis of crop N status, and allows discrimination between field situations of sub-optimal and ...supra-optimal N supply. A critical N dilution curve of Nc= 34.0W-0.37, where W is the aboveground biomass （Mg DM ha-1） and Nc the critical N concentration in aboveground dry matter （g kg-1 DM）, was developed for spring maize in Europe. Our objectives were to validate whether this European critical N dilution curve was appropriate for summer maize production in the North China Plain （NCP） and to develop a critical N dilution curve especially for summer maize production in this region. In total 231 data points from 16 experiments were used to test the European critical N dilution curve. These observations showed that the European critical N dilution curve was unsuitable for summer maize in the NCP, especially at the early growth stage. From the data obtained, a critical N dilution curve for summer maize in the NCP was described by the equation of Nc = 27.2W-0.27, when aboveground biomass was between 0.64 and 11.17 Mg DM ha-1. Based on this curve, more than 90% of the data for the N deficiency supply treatments had an N nutrition index （NNI） 〈 1 and 92% of the data for the N excess supply treatments had an NNI 〉 1.
Acupuncture is widely used to treat functional dyspepsia with satisfactory outcomes. Combination of the He and Mu acupoints is commonly used and has a synergistic effect on functional dyspepsia; ...however, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, a randomized controlled parallel clinical trial is currently underway at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China. This trial is designed to explore the efficacy of and central responses to the He-Mu point combination in patients with functional dyspepsia using functional magnetic resonance imaging. A total of 105 patients with functional dyspepsia will be allocated into 3 groups： the low-He point group（puncturing at Zusanli（ST36））, Mu point group（puncturing at Zhongwan（CV12））, and He-Mu point combination group（puncturing at ST36 and CV12）. Every participant will receive 20 sessions of manual acupuncture for 4 weeks. The needles will be inserted perpendicularly to a depth of 1 to 2 cun. The angle of rotation and twisting will range from 90 to 180 degrees, while lifting and thrusting will range from 0.3 to 0.5 cm. The various manipulations will be performed 60 to 90 times per minute. The needles will remain in place for 30 minutes, during which manipulation will be applied every 10 minutes. Magnetic resonance imaging will be performed before and after 20 sessions of acupuncture. The primary outcome is symptom improvement according to the Chinese version of the Nepean Dyspepsia Index. Secondary outcomes include the Leeds dyspepsia questionnaire, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and visual analogue scale scores before and after 10 and 20 sessions of acupuncture. Needle sensation and adverse events will be used to assess the therapeutic effects. This study will promote more widespread awareness of the benefits of acupoint combination in the clinical setting and provide a further explanation of the neuromechanism by which acupuncture at the He-Mu point combination for functional dyspepsia. Registration： Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, Chi CTR-IOR-15006402.
Background Population aging is a major challenge in the global healthcare field. Due to pathological and physiological changes in ageing skin, skin injuries are highly prevalent in older population. ...And epidemiological studies on skin injuries in this population has become a research hotspot recently. Objective To examine the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of three types of skin injuries 〔pressure injuries (PI) , incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) and skin tears (ST) 〕in elderly inpatients using a multicenter cross-sectional study, providing a basis for formulating strategies for the prevention of skin injuries in older people. Methods A multicenter study was carried out in 52 hospitals selected from 16 provinces, two autonomous regions and two municipalities of China, from which 1 067 nurses who had completed the online homogenization training conducted by our research group and passed the relevant examination were selectedas investigators. Every 2-3 nurses were divided into a investiga
Guideline development should be based on the quality of evidence, balance of benefits and harms, economic evaluation and patients' views and preferences. Therefore, these factors were considered in ...the development of a new guideline for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of vancomycin.
To develop an evidence-based guideline for vancomycin TDM and to promote standardized vancomycin TDM in clinical practice in China.
We referred to the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development and used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system to rate the quality of evidence and grade the strength of recommendations, according to economic evaluation and patients' views and preferences. We used the GRADE Grid method to formulate the recommendations.
The guideline presents recommendations about who should receive vancomycin TDM, how to monitor vancomycin efficacy and renal safety, therapeutic trough concentrations, time to start initial vancomycin TDM, loading dose and how to administer and adjust the vancomycin dose.
We developed an evidence-based guideline for vancomycin TDM, which provides recommendations for clinicians and pharmacists to conduct vancomycin TDM in China.
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