Electronic structures of graphene oxide (GO) and hydro-thermally reduced graphene oxides (rGOs) processed at low temperatures (120-180°C) were studied using X-ray absorption near-edge structure ...(XANES), X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS). C K-edge XANES spectra of rGOs reveal that thermal reduction restores C = C sp(2) bonds and removes some of the oxygen and hydroxyl groups of GO, which initiates the evolution of carbonaceous species. The combination of C K-edge XANES and Kα XES spectra shows that the overlapping π and π* orbitals in rGOs and GO are similar to that of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), which has no band-gap. C Kα RIXS spectra provide evidence that thermal reduction changes the density of states (DOSs) that is generated in the π-region and/or in the gap between the π and π* levels of the GO and rGOs. Two-dimensional C Kα RIXS mapping of the heavy reduction of rGOs further confirms that the residual oxygen and/or oxygen-containing functional groups modify the π and σ features, which are dispersed by the photon excitation energy. The dispersion behavior near the K point is approximately linear and differs from the parabolic-like dispersion observed in HOPG.
Summary
Recently, the question of whether vitamin D exerts an effect on the pathogenic process of infertility has become the centre of attention. There are some controversial conclusions on this ...issue. Based on previous studies, we sought to explore the difference of serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3, 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 levels between infertile patients and fertile men, and to find the influence on semen quality. The analysis of serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 level showed no significant difference between infertile patients and fertile men. However, the levels of serum 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 in oligospermia (P < 0.05), asthenospermia (P < 0.01), oligoasthenospermia (P < 0.05) and azoospermia (P < 0.01) patients were significantly lower than those in fertile men. Moreover, serum 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 level was positively correlated with progressive motility and total sperm number in infertile patients. In addition, a positive correlation between serum prolactin and 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 was observed in fertile men. Our results indicated that lower vitamin D could be a risk factor for poor semen quality in infertile men. The 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3, as the biologically active form of vitamin D, may be more significant.
With the aim of gathering temporal trends on bacterial epidemiology and resistance from multiple laboratories in China, the CHINET surveillance system was organized in 2005. Antimicrobial ...susceptibility testing was carried out according to a unified protocol using the Kirby-Bauer method or automated systems. Results were analyzed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) 2014 definitions. Between 2005 and 2014, the number of bacterial isolates ranged between 22 774 and 84 572 annually. Rates of extended-spectrum β-lactamase production among Escherichia coli isolates were stable, between 51.7 and 55.8%. Resistance of E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, piperacillin/tazobactam and cefoperazone/sulbactam decreased with time. Carbapenem resistance among K. pneumoniae isolates increased from 2.4 to 13.4%. Resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains against all of antimicrobial agents tested including imipenem and meropenem decreased with time. On the contrary, resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii strains to carbapenems increased from 31 to 66.7%. A marked decrease of methicillin resistance from 69% in 2005 to 44.6% in 2014 was observed for Staphylococcus aureus. Carbapenem resistance rates in K. pneumoniae and A. baumannii in China are high. Our results indicate the importance of bacterial surveillance studies.
Topological Dirac and Weyl semimetals not only host quasiparticles analogous to the elementary fermionic particles in high-energy physics, but also have a non-trivial band topology manifested by ...gapless surface states, which induce exotic surface Fermi arcs1,2. Recent advances suggest new types of topological semimetal, in which spatial symmetries protect gapless electronic excitations without high-energy analogues3–11. Here, using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we observe triply degenerate nodal points near the Fermi level of tungsten carbide with space group \P\bar{6}m2\ (no. 187), in which the low-energy quasiparticles are described as three-component fermions distinct from Dirac and Weyl fermions. We further observe topological surface states, whose constant-energy contours constitute pairs of ‘Fermi arcs’ connecting to the surface projections of the triply degenerate nodal points, proving the non-trivial topology of the newly identified semimetal state.
Dysbiotic oral microbiota has been associated with multiple sclerosis. However, the role and mechanism of oral microbiota in the development of multiple sclerosis are still elusive. Here, we ...demonstrated that ligature-induced periodontitis (LIP) aggravated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in mice, and this was likely dependent on the expansion of T helper 17 (Th17) cells. LIP increased the splenic richness of Enterobacter sp., which was able to induce the expansion of splenic Th17 cells and aggravate EAE in mice. LIP also led to enrichment of Erysipelotrichaceae sp. in the gut and increased Th17 cells in the large intestinal lamina propria of EAE mice. Fecal microbiota transplantation from EAE mice with LIP also promoted EAE symptoms. In conclusion, periodontitis exacerbates EAE, likely through ectopic colonization of oral pathobionts and expansion of Th17 cells.
Anthropogenic atmospheric emissions of typical toxic heavy metals have caused worldwide concern due to their adverse effects on human health and the ecosystem. By determining the best available ...representation of time-varying emission factors with S-shape curves, we establish the multiyear comprehensive atmospheric emission inventories of 12 typical toxic heavy metals (Hg, As, Se, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Sb, Mn, Co, Cu, and Zn) from primary anthropogenic activities in China for the period of 1949-2012 for the first time. Further, we allocate the annual emissions of these heavy metals in 2010 at a high spatial resolution of 0.5 degree 0.5 degree grid with ArcGIS methodology and surrogate indexes, such as regional population and gross domestic product (GDP). Our results show that the historical emissions of Hg, As, Se, Cd, Cr, Ni, Sb, Mn, Co, Cu, and Zn, during the period of 1949-2012, increased by about 22-128 times at an annual average growth rate of 5.1-8.0 %, reaching about 526.9-22 319.6 t in 2012. Nonferrous metal smelting, coal combustion of industrial boilers, brake and tyre wear, and ferrous metal smelting represent the dominant sources of heavy metal emissions. In terms of spatial variation, the majority of emissions are concentrated in relatively developed regions, especially for the northern, eastern, and southern coastal regions. In addition, because of the flourishing nonferrous metal smelting industry, several southwestern and central-southern provinces play a prominent role in some specific toxic heavy metals emissions, like Hg in Guizhou and As in Yunnan. Finally, integrated countermeasures are proposed to minimize the final toxic heavy metals discharge on account of the current and future demand of energy-saving and pollution reduction in China.
Highlights • NRG1 protects against OGD-induced cortical neuronal apoptosis. • NRG1-mediated neuroprotection is blocked by neutralizing NRG1 and ErbB4 inhibition. • GABA receptor agonists have no ...synergistic effect with NRG1. • NRG1-mediated neuroprotection is partly blocked by GABA receptor antagonists. • The NRG1 neuroprotection against brain ischemia is abolished in PV-ErbB4−/− mice.
dVRS have been previously associated with aging and cerebrovascular diseases. However, little is known about their prevalence and topographic distribution in the general elderly population.
dVRS were ...evaluated by using high-resolution 3D MR imaging in 1826 subjects enrolled in the 3C-Dijon MR imaging study. On T1-weighted MR imaging, dVRS were detected according to 3D imaging criteria and rated by using 4-level severity scores based in the BG or in the WM. The number and anatomic location of large dVRS (≥3 mm) were recorded.
dVRS were observed in the BG or WM in every subject. The severity of dVRS was significantly associated with higher age in both the BG and WM, whereas sex was related to the severity of dVRS only in the BG. Large dVRS were detected in 33.2% of participants. Status cribrosum was found in 1.3% of participants. dVRS were also highly prevalent within the hippocampus (44.5%) and hypothalamus (11.6%).
dVRS are always detected in the BG or WM in elderly people, and large dVRS are also prevalent. The topographic distribution of dVRS is not uniform within the brain and may depend on anatomic or pathologic characteristics interacting with aging and sex.
The relation between inflammation and brain MRI findings in the elderly remains poorly known. We investigated the association of circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels ...with baseline and longitudinal white matter hyperintensities (WMH), silent brain infarction, and brain volumes in community-dwelling elderly free of dementia.
We included 1,841 participants aged 65 to 80 years from the Three City-Dijon cohort. Participants followed an MRI examination at baseline and after a 4-year follow-up (n = 1,316). IL-6 and CRP concentrations were measured at baseline from fasting blood samples. WMH were detected with an automatic imaging processing method and gray matter, hippocampal, white matter, and CSF volumes were estimated with voxel-based morphometry. Silent brain infarctions were assessed visually and defined as focal lesions of ≥3 mm in the absence of stroke. We used analysis of covariance and logistic regression to model the associations between inflammatory biomarkers and brain MRI findings adjusting for potential confounders.
In cross-sectional analyses, higher IL-6 levels were associated with higher WMH volumes (p < 0.01), lower gray matter (p = 0.001) and hippocampal (p = 0.01) volumes, and increasing CSF volumes (p = 0.002) in a dose-relationship pattern. Similar but weaker relations were observed for CRP. We observed no associations between baseline inflammatory biomarker levels and the evolution of MRI findings over 4 years.
IL-6, and, to a lesser degree, CRP levels were associated with WMH severity as well as global markers of brain atrophy. These results suggest that an inflammatory process may be involved in both age-associated brain alterations.
Dysregulated expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is associated with a variety of diseases, including colorectal cancer. By comparing more than 200 miRNAs in 13 pairs of matched colorectal cancer and ...normal adjacent tissue samples through qRT-PCR and microarray analysis, we found a widespread disruption of miRNA expression during colorectal tumorigenesis. In particular, among a panel of presumed targets generated by in silico analysis that may interact with these aberrantly expressed miRNAs, KRAS oncogene has been further experimentally validated as the target of miR-143. First, an inverse correlation between KRAS protein and miR-143 in vivo was found. Second, KRAS expression in Lovo cells was significantly abolished by treatment with miR-143 mimic, whereas miR-143 inhibitor increased KRAS protein level. Third, luciferase reporter assay confirmed that miR-143 directly recognize the 3'-untranslated region of KRAS transcripts. Four, Lovo cells treated with miR-143 inhibitor showed a stimulated cell proliferation, whereas miR-143 overexpression had an opposite effect. Finally, inhibition of KRAS expression by miR-143 inhibits constitutive phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Taken together, the present study provides the first evidences that miR-143 is significant in suppressing colorectal cancer cell growth through inhibition of KRAS translation.
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