Perceptual confidence of visual stimulus features is associated with duration perception.

It has been shown that the perceived duration of an object in the subsecond range is closely associated with its nontemporal perceptual properties, the mechanism under which remains unclear. Previous studies have revealed a modulatory effect of early visual feature processing on the apparent duration. Here, we further examined the relationship between perceptual confidence and subjective time by asking participants to simultaneously perform temporal and nontemporal perceptual judgments. The results revealed a significant effect on confidence levels. When participants' confidence in judging the coherent motion direction or relative dot numerosity increases, their perceived duration of the stimulus also appears longer. These results are discussed in the context of perceptual evidence accumulation and evaluation for the decision-making of perceptual properties. They suggest a profound contribution of object processing to the computation of subjective time and provide further insights into the mechanism of event timing.

Factors influencing mosaicism: a retrospective analysis.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What factors affect the incidence of mosaic embryos resulting from assisted reproductive technology? DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of data from preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies in 544 couples was conducted using data from an electronic medical record database. RESULTS: Of 1910 embryos studied, 127 (6.6%) were mosaic. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, mosaicism incidence increased in embryos from IVF versus intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) (odds ratio [OR] 4.560, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.800-7.424, P < 0.001), and in embryos from abnormal versus normal semen (OR 3.496, 95% CI 2.455-4.979, P < 0.001). Embryos tested using SurePlex 24Sure had lower mosaicism percentages than those tested using MALBAC-NGS and PicoPLEX GenetiSure (OR 2.726, 95% CI 1.532-4.852, P = 0.001; OR 2.389, 95% CI 1.537-3.711, P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Semen quality, fertilization method and detection system are independent factors associated with embryonic mosaicism.

Broadband Visible Light-Absorbing [70]Fullerene-BODIPY-Triphenylamine Triad: Synthesis and Application as Heavy Atom-Free Organic Triplet Photosensitizer for Photooxidation.

A broadband visible light-absorbing [70]fullerene-BODIPY-triphenylamine triad (C70-B-T) has been synthesized and applied as a heavy atom-free organic triplet photosensitizer for photooxidation. By attaching two triphenylmethyl amine units (TPAs) to the π-core of BODIPY via ethynyl linkers, the absorption range of the antenna is extended to 700 nm with a peak at 600 nm. Thus, the absorption spectrum of C70-B-T almost covers the entire UV-visible region (270-700 nm). The photophysical processes are investigated by means of steady-state and transient spectroscopies. Upon photoexcitation at 339 nm, an efficient energy transfer (ET) from TPA to BODIPY occurs both in C70-B-T and B-T, resulting in the appearance of the BODIPY emission at 664 nm. Direct or indirect (via ET) excitation of the BODIPY-part of C70-B-T is followed by photoinduced ET from the antenna to C70, thus the singlet excited state of C70 (1C70*) is populated. Subsequently, the triplet excited state of C70 (3C70*) is produced via the intrinsic intersystem crossing of C70. The photooxidation ability of C70-B-T was studied using 1,5-dihydroxy naphthalene (DHN) as a chemical sensor. The photooxidation efficiency of C70-B-T is higher than that of the individual components of C70-1 and B-T, and even higher than that of methylene blue (MB). The photooxidation rate constant of C70-B-T is 1.47 and 1.51 times as that of C70-1 and MB, respectively. The results indicate that the C70-antenna systems can be used as another structure motif for a heavy atom-free organic triplet photosensitizer.

Relationship between diagonal earlobe creases and coronary artery disease as determined via angiography.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to examine the prevalence of unilateral and bilateral diagonal earlobe creases (DELCs) with respect to the diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: A total of 558 consecutive participants (402 males and 156 females) aged 36-91 years who underwent coronary angiography were enrolled in this study. The participants were classified as being without a DELC, having a unilateral DELC and having bilateral DELCs; participants with either a unilateral DELC or bilateral DELCs were defined as participants with DELCs. Significant CHD was defined as at least one major vessel with >50% stenosis, and coronary atherosclerosis severity was defined using the Gensini scoring system. RESULTS: In the present study, bilateral DELCs were more frequently among male (p=0.001), CHD (p=0.000), older people (p=0.000) and those with more severe coronary artery atherosclerosis (p=0.000). The results of the multiple regression analyses indicated that DELCs (OR, 4.861; 95% CI 3.093 to 7.642, p=0.000) remained independently associated with a risk of CHD. It was assumed that participants without a DELC have a certain background risk for CHD (OR is assumed to be 1); the results of the multivariate logistic regression indicated that the relative risk of CHD among participants with bilateral DELCs was 5.690 among all participants (OR, 5.690; 95% CI 3.450 to 9.384, p=0.000), 5.436 among male participants (OR, 5.436; 95% CI 2.808 to 10.523, p=0.000) and 7.148 among female participants (OR, 7.148; 95% CI 3.184 to 16.049, p=0.000). Moreover, a positive association between DELC and age (SI=1.21, SIM=1.65, AP =0.132), gender (SI=2.09, SIM=0.81, AP=0.49) and smoking status (SI=1.49, SIM=0.73, AP=0.29) was found, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study indicated that DELCs are a simple and a feasible means of identifying CHD. However, the exact mechanism underlying the relationship between DELCs and CHD warrants further study.

Capn4 is a marker of poor clinical outcomes and promotes nasopharyngeal carcinoma metastasis via nuclear factor-κB-induced matrix metalloproteinase 2 expression.

Calpain small subunit 1 (Capn4) plays a key role in tumor migration or invasion. In this study, expression and function of Capn4 was investigated in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Here we report that both mRNA and protein levels of Capn4 were elevated in NPC tissues when compared to normal NP tissues. Similarly, Capn4 was also highly expressed in multiple NPC cell lines, compared to immortalized human nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line NP69. Moreover, expression of Capn4 was significantly correlated with Epstein-Barr virus infection, advanced stages, and lymph node or distant metastasis (P < 0.001). The patients with NPC displaying higher Capn4 had a significantly shorter overall survival (P = 0.002) and progression-free survival (P = 0.003). Furthermore, siRNA knockdown of Capn4 suppressed cell migration and invasion in vitro and in vivo. These events resulted from Capn4 downregulation were associated with reduced expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), Snail, and Vimentin. Finally, we demonstrated that Capn4 upregulated MMP2 via nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation, manifested by increased phosphorylation of p65, a subunit of NF-κB. Together, these findings argue a novel function of Capn4 in invasion and metastasis of NPC, and thereby suggest that Capn4 may represent an independent prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target in NPC.

[Effect of danzhi xiaoyao pill on ovulation induction of polycystic ovarian syndrome patients of pathogenic fire derived from stagnation of gan-qi].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy of Danzhi Xiaoyao Pill (DXP) in anovulation infertility patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) of pathogenic fire derived from stagnation of Gan-qi (PFDSG) complicated insulin resistance (IR). METHODS: Sixty PCOS patients were randomly assigned to two group, the integrative medical treatment group (Group A) and the Western medical treatment group (Group B), 30 cases in each group. All patients took Metformin and Diane-35. Those in Group A took DXP additionally. The therapeutic course for all was 3 menstrual cycles. After treatment the ovulation was induced by oral administration of letrozole or injection of menotropins (HMG). The therapeutic efficacy was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The levels of insulin, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone were obviously lower after treatment than before treatment in the two groups (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference between the two groups after treatment. There was no statistical difference in body mass index (BMI) between the two groups before and after treatment (P > 0.05). Better effects were obtained in Group A in improving symptoms such as agitation and irritability, fullness in the chest and hypochondrium, swollen pain in the breast before menstruation, bitter and dry mouth, oligomenorrhea, abnormal color and amount of menstruation, and pulse and tongue (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The ovulation rate was 86.1% (93/108 cases) in Group A, obviously higher than that in Group B (65.5%, 74/113 cases). The clinical pregnancy rate was 60.0% (18/30 cases) in Group A, obviously higher than that in Group B (36.7%, 11/30 cases), showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: DXP could improve the ovulation rate and the pregnancy rate in anovulation infertility patients with PCOS complicated IR. It also could significantly improve Chinese medical syndromes, showing obvious advantages over using Western medicine alone.

Encodable multiple-fluorescence CdTe@carbon nanoparticles from nanocrystal/colloidal crystal guest-host ensembles.

We report herein the controllable generation of encodable multi-fluorescence CdTe@carbon nanoparticles (CdTe@C NPs) via the pyrolysis of quantum dot/photonic crystal (QD/PC) guest-host ensembles. The precursors of CdTe/poly(styrene-co-glycidylmethacrylate) (PS-co-PGMA) QD/PC guest-host ensembles were initially formed via the assembly of epoxy groups of PCs and carboxyl groups on the surface of CdTe QDs, followed by a pyrolysis process to generate CdTe@C NPs. The as-prepared CdTe@C NPs not only integrate the optical properties for both the carbon and CdTe QD constituents, but also enable an impressive enhancement of the fluorescence lifetime for CdTe QDs. The multifarious fluorescent spectra coding for CdTe@C NPs was further generated through regulating the embedded sizes or concentrations of CdTe QDs and the excitation wavelength, and their applications in DNA detection and luminescent patterns were achieved.

Uncoupling protein 2 expression affects androgen synthesis in polycystic ovary syndrome.

The roles of uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) on the androgen synthesis of granulosa cells derived from patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and normal subjects were explored. Primary human granulosa cells from 18 patients who received in vitro fertilization (IVF) were examined; nine patients had PCOS with hyperandrogenism. Primary cultures were treated with genipin, a proton leak inhibitor, guanosine diphosphate (GDP), an UCP inhibitor, and triiodothyronine (T3), an inducer of UCP gene expression. Mitochondrial membrane potential was determined using the JC-1 assay. T3 induced P450scc and UCP2 expressions and testosterone synthesis in both normal and PCOS granulosa cells. Their expressions in response to T3 treatments were correlated in the PCOS group. Differences in testosterone synthesis were observed between normal and PCOS cells in response to genipin. Increased mitochondrial membrane potential was observed in response to genipin and GDP; while T3 decreased it. Increased ovarian UCP2 expression in response to T3 treatment in PCOS may alter pregnenolone synthesis by influencing P450scc expression, thus altering testosterone production. Further in vivo studies are necessary to fully elucidate the role of UCP2 in the hyperandrogenism commonly observed in PCOS.

2-Iodo-3-nitro-pyridine.

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C(5)H(3)IN(2)O(2), inter-molecular C-H⋯N hydrogen-bonding inter-actions link the mol-ecules into one-dimensional chains along the b axis.