Background and purpose
The chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This study aimed to investigate whether urinary MCP‐1 can ...distinguish patients with AD, patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and cognitively normal (CN) subjects.
Methods
A total of 754 participants, including 97 patients with AD, 50 patients with aMCI and 84 age‐ and sex‐matched CN controls as well as a cohort of 523 CN subjects of different ages, were enrolled from five hospitals located in different areas of China. Urinary MCP‐1 levels were determined using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. The correlations between urinary MCP‐1 levels and cognition test scores or age were analysed. The optimal diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were determined using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.
Results
In the cohort of CN subjects of different ages, urinary MCP‐1 levels increased with ageing and were correlated with age. The urinary MCP‐1 levels were higher in females than in males. In the cohort composed of patients with AD, aMCI and age‐ and sex‐matched CN controls, urinary MCP‐1 levels were significantly higher in patients with AD and aMCI than in CN controls. There were no differences in urine MCP‐1 levels between the AD group and the aMCI group. The urinary MCP‐1 levels were correlated with the Mini‐Mental State Examination scores and age, and were able to differentiate patients with AD and aMCI from CN subjects.
Conclusions
Urinary MCP‐1 is a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of AD and aMCI.
Structured diffuse auroras are often observed near magnetic local noon (MLN), but their generation mechanisms are poorly understood. We have found that two types of structured diffuse auroras with ...obviously different dynamical properties often coexist near MLN. One type usually drifts from low to high latitude with higher speed and shows pulsation. The other type is always adjacent to the discrete aurora oval and drifts together with nearby discrete aurora with much lower speed. Using coordinated observations from MMS and ground all‐sky imagers, we found that the two types of diffuse auroras are well correlated with number density increase of O+ (from the ionosphere) and of He2+ (from magnetosheath) ions, respectively. These observations indicate that mangetosheath particles penetrated into the magnetosphere also can play an important role for producing the dayside diffuse aurora. In addition, for the first time, electron cyclotron harmonic waves are observed associated with dayside diffuse aurora.
Key Points
Two types of structured diffuse auroras observed near magnetic local noon with obviously different dynamical properties are identified
Types 1 and 2 are associated with number density increase of O+ from the magnetosphere and of He2+ from the magnetosheath, respectively
For the first time, ECH waves, but no whistler mode chorus waves, were observed associated with dayside diffuse auroras
The microstructure, texture and mechanical properties evolution of the extruded fine-grained Mg-(1, 5) Y (wt%) alloy sheets were investigated during annealing. The as-extruded sheets exhibited a ...fully dynamic recrystallized (DRXed) microstructure consisting of uniform and fine equiaxed grains (5.7–8.7 µm) and a small amount of YH2 second phase particles. Both sheets exhibited significant thermal stability at 300 °C annealing and remarkable grain growth at temperatures higher than 400 °C. The measured grain growth activation energy (Q) of Mg-1Y at all temperatures tested was 91 ± 3 kJ/mol, suggesting that the growth was controlled by grain boundary diffusion. Meanwhile, for Mg-5Y alloy at lower temperatures (300–400 °C), the Q value (59 kJ/mol) indicated that the grain growth was controlled by grain boundary diffusion while the Q value (175 kJ/mol) at higher temperatures (400–450 °C) implied that lattice self-diffusion controlled the process. A representative rare-earth texture was present for both sheets in the as-extruded condition, and remarkable basal texture weakening was observed with the grain growth during each isothermal annealing process. The texture weakening can be ascribed to the preferential growth of non-basal oriented grains based on the EBSD analysis, which was likely related to the segregation of Y atoms at grain boundaries. The microhardness and grain size relationship can be described well by the Hall-Petch relation for all the annealed sheets, while the yield stress was not the case indicating that the macroscopic strength was more sensitive to the texture than the localized microhardness.
This paper reports the synthesis and detailed characterization of graphite thin films produced by thermal decomposition of the (0
0
0
1) face of a 6H–SiC wafer, demonstrating the successful growth of ...single crystalline films down to approximately one graphene layer. The growth and characterization were carried out in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. The growth process and sample quality were monitored by low-energy electron diffraction, and the thickness of the sample was determined by core level X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. High-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy shows constant energy map patterns, which are very sharp and fully momentum-resolved, but nonetheless not resolution limited. We discuss the implications of this observation in connection with scanning electron microscopy data, as well as with previous studies.
Patients with cancer may be at high risk of adverse outcomes from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We analyzed a cohort of patients with cancer and coronavirus ...2019 (COVID-19) reported to the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19) to identify prognostic clinical factors, including laboratory measurements and anticancer therapies.
Patients with active or historical cancer and a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis recorded between 17 March and 18 November 2020 were included. The primary outcome was COVID-19 severity measured on an ordinal scale (uncomplicated, hospitalized, admitted to intensive care unit, mechanically ventilated, died within 30 days). Multivariable regression models included demographics, cancer status, anticancer therapy and timing, COVID-19-directed therapies, and laboratory measurements (among hospitalized patients).
A total of 4966 patients were included (median age 66 years, 51% female, 50% non-Hispanic white); 2872 (58%) were hospitalized and 695 (14%) died; 61% had cancer that was present, diagnosed, or treated within the year prior to COVID-19 diagnosis. Older age, male sex, obesity, cardiovascular and pulmonary comorbidities, renal disease, diabetes mellitus, non-Hispanic black race, Hispanic ethnicity, worse Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, recent cytotoxic chemotherapy, and hematologic malignancy were associated with higher COVID-19 severity. Among hospitalized patients, low or high absolute lymphocyte count; high absolute neutrophil count; low platelet count; abnormal creatinine; troponin; lactate dehydrogenase; and C-reactive protein were associated with higher COVID-19 severity. Patients diagnosed early in the COVID-19 pandemic (January-April 2020) had worse outcomes than those diagnosed later. Specific anticancer therapies (e.g. R-CHOP, platinum combined with etoposide, and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors) were associated with high 30-day all-cause mortality.
Clinical factors (e.g. older age, hematological malignancy, recent chemotherapy) and laboratory measurements were associated with poor outcomes among patients with cancer and COVID-19. Although further studies are needed, caution may be required in utilizing particular anticancer therapies.
NCT04354701
•Among 4966 patients with COVID-19 and a history of or active cancer, 58% were hospitalized and 14% died within 30 days.•Older age, male sex, obesity, comorbidities, non-Hispanic black race, and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with higher COVID-19 severity.•Worse performance status, hematologic malignancy, and recent cytotoxic chemotherapy were associated with more severe COVID-19.•Low or high absolute lymphocyte count, high absolute neutrophil count, low platelets, abnormal creatinine, troponin, lactate dehydrogenase, or C-reactive protein were associated with more severe COVID-19.•Specific anticancer therapies were associated with high 30-day all-cause mortality.
Colon cancer is one of the most common digestive tumors. The present study aimed to explore the functional role, as well as the underlying mechanism of long non-coding RNA LINC00261 in colon cancer. ...Expression of LINC00261 was analyzed in colon cancer cell lines and human normal cell lines. Acquired resistance cell lines were then built and the acquired resistance efficiency was detected by evaluating cell viability. Thereafter, the effects of LINC00261 overexpression on cisplatin-resistant colon cancer cells were measured, as well as cell apoptosis, viability, migration, and invasion. Subsequently, we investigated the interaction of LINC00261 and β-catenin. The results showed that the LINC00261 gene was down-regulated in colon cancer cell lines and tissues, and in cisplatin-resistant cells. LINC00261 overexpression might relieve cisplatin resistance of colon cancer cells via promoting cell apoptosis, and inhibiting cell viability, migration, and invasion. Moreover, LINC00261 might down-regulate nuclear β-catenin through restraining β-catenin from cytoplasm into nuclei or it could also promote β-catenin degradation and inhibit activation of Wnt pathway. Finally, LINC00261 reduced cisplatin resistance of colon cancer in vivo and enhanced the anti-colon cancer effect of cisplatin through reducing tumor volume and weight.
Jinhua ham is the most famous traditional meat product of China and one of the most famed dry-cured hams in the world. Its processing consists of six stages: green ham preparation, salting, washing ...and sun-drying and shaping, ripening, and post-ripening. Intense proteolysis and lipolysis occur during processing period. As a result, the content of free amino acids in final ham products is 14–16 times that of green ham, and 191 volatile compounds have been identified during processing, which make a major contribution to the flavor of Jinhua ham.
To investigate the effects of different target plasma remifentanil concentrations on the minimum alveolar concentration of sevoflurane (MAC) for blocking adrenergic response (BAR) during laparoscopic ...gynaecological surgery with carbon dioxide insufflation.
Seventy-five gynaecological patients with ASA I–II undergoing laparoscopic surgery were randomly assigned to three groups. Anaesthesia was induced by sevoflurane, and 0.1 mg kg−1 of vecuronium i.v. was injected to facilitate tracheal intubation. After intubation the target plasma concentrations of remifentanil in Groups 1, 2, and 3 were adjusted to 0, 1, and 2 ng ml−1, respectively. The changes in haemodynamics were observed before and after the creation of carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum. The MAC BAR of sevoflurane in each group was determined by using an up-and-down sequential-allocation technique, and blood samples were collected at corresponding time points to determine the concentrations of remifentanil, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.
In Groups 1, 2 and 3, the MAC BAR of sevoflurane was 4.6% (CI 95%: 4.3–4.9%), 2.4% (CI 95%: 2.2–2.6%), and 1.7% (CI 95%: 1.4–2.1%), respectively. No significant differences were found in the increase of norepinephrine, epinephrine, and mean arterial pressure after compared with before insufflation of pneumoperitoneum among the three groups.
Remifentanil can effectively decrease the sevoflurane concentration to block sympathetic adrenergic response to CO2 pneumoperitoneum stimulus. At similar MAC BAR the haemodynamic and adrenergic response is not affected by the infused remifentanil concentration.
The number of this clinical trial registry is ChiCTR-TRC-13004005, and the Universal Trial Number is U1111-1151-5630.
•Reducing the Cr content and adding W produced enhanced SSC resistance.•The coarse and semi-continuous M7C3 carbides were eliminated in the 0.5Cr steel.•W increased the tempering resistance and ...suppressed the coarsening of carbides.•The addition of W decreased the permeability and effective diffusivity of hydrogen.
Chromium and tungsten contents were varied to produce three different 125 ksi grade casing steels, and their sulfide stress cracking (SSC) behaviors were evaluated using double cantilever beam testing. The effects of chromium and tungsten on the SSC resistance were clarified by microstructure analysis and hydrogen permeation test. Reducing the chromium content and adding tungsten significantly increased the number of irreversible traps and decreased the proportion of the Σ3 boundaries and high-angle grain boundaries. Moreover, the addition of tungsten led to the reduction of hydrogen permeability and diffusivity, resulting in the enhancement of SSC resistance.
Wooden breast (WB) has emerged as a dramatically increasing myopathy in the poultry industry over the past few years. The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence of WB in a Chinese ...commercial broiler processing plant, and the consequences on quality attributes, textural properties, and sensory traits. A total of 1,135 breast fillets were collected at the deboning line and assigned to normal, mild, moderate, and severe WB categories by tactile evaluation. The proportion affected by WB was approximately 61.9%. WB fillets appeared heavier and thicker than normal fillets. The degree of WB myopathy was highly correlated with fillet weight and thickness. The meat quality characteristics of cooking loss and purge loss increased along with increasing severity of WB myopathy. Compression tests of raw meat revealed higher cutting strength and shear values for WB. In cooked meat, only severe WB fillets exhibited elevated hardness and chewiness. Finally, moderate and severe WB fillets affected the sensory evaluation by consumers owing to their impaired general appearance, texture, and drip loss. The results suggested that a high proportion of WB broiler fillets would cause detrimental losses to the poultry meat retailing and processing industry.
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