Incident Angle Sensing and Adaptive Control of Scattering by Intelligent Metasurface.

The passive sensing and active control of electromagnetic (EM) waves have always been attractive in electronic and information areas, especially during the intelligent era. Here a new method is presented to achieve the angle sensing of incident wave and adaptive control of backward scattering using the intelligent metasurface. The proposed unit cells have the ability to dynamically manipulate the receiving and reflection of the EM energy respectively. The angle sensing of incident waves can be actualized using the method of compressive sensing based on multiple receiving patterns, which are generated by randomly switching the receiving and reflection states of the unit cells. Afterward, the customized performances of backward scattering waves according to the cognitive incident angle can be realized by controlling the programmable reflective phases of unit cells correspondingly. One prototype composed of the metasurface and the module for sensing and adaptive feedback control is fabricated. The whole intelligent metasurface with customizing the function of retro-reflection or low scattering is measured without human intervention and the good results acquired can verify the validity of the proposed concept and design.

The application of dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in immediate distinguishing residual tumour from benign periablational enhancement after hepatocellular carcinoma radiofrequency ablation.

AIM: This study set out to access the performance of quantitative analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in distinguishing between benign periablational enhancement (BPE) and residual tumor (RT) following radiofrequency ablation (RFA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 165 tumors from 124 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma between 2021 and 2023 underwent RFA, contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT), and CEUS in less than 24 hours. Analysis was done on the quantitative parameters from RT and BPE found by CEUS. RESULTS: Complete ablation was obtained in 89.1% of lesions. When compared to BPE, RT had significantly greater peak intensity (PI), time to peak (TTP), area under the curve (AUC), ratio of PI and base intensity (PI/BI), and enhanced intensity (EI) values (all p<0.05). PI, TTP, AUC, PI/BI, and EI had large areas under the receiver operating (ROC) curves. A binary logistic regression analysis, respectively, demonstrated that PI and PI/BI were independent favorable prognostic variables. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple parameters of quantitative analysis of CEUS can aid in distinguishing immediately between RT and BPE lesions. PI and PI/BI may be a more promising parameter. Immediate CEUS evaluation following RFA may allow immediate retreatment of RT during the same operation time, which reduces patients' hospital stays and financial costs.

Association of Cytokines with Clinical Indicators in Patients with Drug-Induced Liver Injury.

Objective: To explore characteristics of clinical parameters and cytokines in patients with drug-induced liver injury (DILI) caused by different drugs and their correlation with clinical indicators. Method: The study was conducted on patients who were up to Review of Uncertainties in Confidence Assessment for Medical Tests (RUCAM) scoring criteria and clinically diagnosed with DILI. Based on Chinese herbal medicine, cardiovascular drugs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), anti-infective drugs, and other drugs, patients were divided into five groups. Cytokines were measured by Luminex technology. Baseline characteristics of clinical biochemical indicators and cytokines in DILI patients and their correlation were analyzed. Results: 73 patients were enrolled. Age among five groups was statistically different ( P = 0.032). Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ( P = 0.033) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ( P = 0.007) in NSAIDs group were higher than those in chinese herbal medicine group. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in patients with Chinese herbal medicine (IL-6: P < 0.001; TNF-α: P < 0.001) and cardiovascular medicine (IL-6: P = 0.020; TNF-α: P = 0.001) were lower than those in NSAIDs group. There was a positive correlation between ALT ( r = 0.697, P = 0.025), AST ( r = 0.721, P = 0.019), and IL-6 in NSAIDs group. Conclusion: Older age may be more prone to DILI. Patients with NSAIDs have more severe liver damage in early stages of DILI, TNF-α and IL-6 may partake the inflammatory process of DILI.

Relationship between Phenotypic Changes of Dendritic Cell Subsets and the Onset of Plateau Phase during Intermittent Interferon Therapy in Patients with CHB.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether the onset of the plateau phase of slow hepatitis B surface antigen decline in patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with intermittent interferon therapy is related to the frequency of dendritic cell subsets and expression of the costimulatory molecules CD40, CD80, CD83, and CD86. Method: This was a cross-sectional study in which patients were divided into a natural history group (namely NH group), a long-term oral nucleoside analogs treatment group (namely NA group), and a plateau-arriving group (namely P group). The percentage of plasmacytoid dendritic cell and myeloid dendritic cell subsets in peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes and the mean fluorescence intensity of their surface costimulatory molecules were detected using a flow cytometer. Results: In total, 143 patients were enrolled (NH group, n = 49; NA group, n = 47; P group, n = 47). The results demonstrated that CD141/CD1c double negative myeloid dendritic cell (DNmDC)/lymphocytes and monocytes (%) in P group (0.041 [0.024, 0.069]) was significantly lower than that in NH group (0.270 [0.135, 0.407]) and NA group (0.273 [0.150, 0.443]), and CD86 mean fluorescence intensity of DNmDCs in P group (1832.0 [1484.0, 2793.0]) was significantly lower than that in NH group (4316.0 [2958.0, 5169.0]) and NA group (3299.0 [2534.0, 4371.0]), Adjusted P all < 0.001. Conclusion: Reduced DNmDCs and impaired maturation may be associated with the onset of the plateau phase during intermittent interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Multi-level chemical characterization and anti-inflammatory activity evaluation of the polysaccharides from Prunella vulgaris.

Prunella vulgaris (PV) is a medicine and food homologous plant, but its quality evaluation seldom relies on the polysaccharides (PVPs). In this work, we established the multi-level fingerprinting and in vitro anti-inflammatory evaluation approaches to characterize and compare the polysaccharides of P. vulgaris collected from the major production regions in China. PVPs prepared from 22 batches of samples gave the content variation of 5.76-24.524 mg/g, but displayed high similarity in the molecular weight distribution. Hydrolyzed oligosaccharides with degrees of polymerization 2-14 were characterized with different numbers of pentose and hexose by HILIC-MS. The tested 22 batches of oligosaccharides exhibited visible differences in peak abundance, which failed to corelate to their production regions. All the PVPs contained Gal, Xyl, and Ara, as the main monosaccharides. Eleven batches among the tested PVPs showed the significant inhibitory effects on NO production on LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells at 10 µg/mL, but the exerted efficacy did not exhibit correlation with the production regions. Conclusively, we, for the first time, investigated the chemical features of PVPs at three levels, and assessed the chemical and anti-inflammatory variations among the different regions of P. vulgaris samples.

Independent Manipulations of Transmitting and Receiving Channels by Nonreciprocal Programmable Metasurface.

The electromagnetic (EM) beam manipulations such as spatial scanning have always been the focus in information science and technology. Generally, the transmitting and receiving (T/R) beams of the same aperture should be coincident due to the reciprocal theory, and hence, more flexible controls of the spatial information are limited accordingly. Here, we propose a new approach to achieve independent controls of beam scanning in spatial T/R channels based on one aperture made by a nonreciprocal programmable metasurface. The meta-atom is designed to have independent propagation chains for T/R waves by introducing dual-direction power amplifiers (PAs) as the isolators for one-way transparency. A programmable phase shifter with a 360° coverage is loaded with the PA device in the transmitting or receiving chain to realize independent beam scanning in the T/R channels. A prototype of the proposed metasurface is fabricated, and independent beam scanning in the T/R channels is directly acquired with good performance in our measurements. In addition, a proof of concept of integrated sensing and auxiliary communications is accomplished to verify the validity of the presented method.

Two chromosome-level genome assemblies of Rhodiola shed new light on genome evolution in rapid radiation and evolution of the biosynthetic pathway of salidroside.

Rhodiola L. is a genus that has undergone rapid radiation in the mid-Miocene and may represent a typic case of adaptive radiation. Many species of Rhodiola have also been widely used as an important adaptogen in traditional medicines for centuries. However, a lack of high-quality chromosome-level genomes hinders in-depth study of its evolution and biosynthetic pathway of secondary metabolites. Here, we assembled two chromosome-level genomes for two Rhodiola species with different chromosome number and sexual system. The assembled genome size of R. chrysanthemifolia (2n = 14; hermaphrodite) and R. kirilowii (2n = 22; dioecious) were of 402.67 and 653.62 Mb, respectively, with approximately 57.60% and 69.22% of transposable elements (TEs). The size difference between the two genomes was mostly due to proliferation of long terminal repeat-retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) in the R. kirilowii genome. Comparative genomic analysis revealed possible gene families responsible for high-altitude adaptation of Rhodiola, including a homolog of plant cysteine oxidase 2 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana (AtPCO2), which is part of the core molecular reaction to hypoxia and contributes to the stability of Group VII ethylene response factors (ERF-VII). We found extensive chromosome fusion/fission events and structural variations between the two genomes, which might have facilitated the initial rapid radiation of Rhodiola. We also identified candidate genes in the biosynthetic pathway of salidroside. Overall, our results provide important insights into genome evolution in plant rapid radiations, and possible roles of chromosome fusion/fission and structure variation played in rapid speciation.

An investigation study on the interpretation of ultrasonic medical reports using OpenAI's GPT-3.5-turbo model.

OBJECTIVES: Ultrasound medical reports are an important means of diagnosing diseases and assessing treatment effectiveness. However, their professional terms and complex sentences often make it difficult for ordinary people to understand. Therefore, this study explores the clinical value of using artificial intelligence systems based on ChatGPT to interpret ultrasound medical reports. METHODS: In this study, a combination of online and offline questionnaires were used to survey both physicians and non-medical individuals. The questionnaires evaluated ChatGPT's interpretation of ultrasound reports from both professional and comprehensibility perspectives, and the results were analyzed using Excel spreadsheets. Additionally, a portion of the research content was evaluated using the Likert Scale 5-point method in the questionnaire. RESULTS: According to survey results, 67.4% of surveyed doctors believe that using ChatGPT for interpreting ultrasound medical reports can help improve work efficiency. At the same time, 69.72% of non-medical professionals believe it is necessary to enhance their understanding of medical ultrasound reports through ChatGPT interpretation, and 62.58% support the application of ChatGPT to ultrasound medical reports. The non-medical group's understanding of ultrasound medical reports significantly improved (p < 0.01) after implementing ChatGPT, However, 67.49% of the general public are concerned about ChatGPT's imperfect functionality, which may cause misleading information. This reflects that the public's trust in new technology is not high enough, and they are also worried about possible privacy leaks and security issues with ChatGPT technology. CONCLUSIONS: The higher acceptance and support of non-medical individuals for the interpretation of medical reports by ChatGPT might be due to the system's natural language processing abilities that allow them to better understand and evaluate report contents. However, the expertise and experience of physicians are still irreplaceable. This suggests that the ChatGPT-based ultrasound medical report interpretation system has certain clinical value and application prospects, but further optimization is necessary to address its shortcomings in data quality and professionalism. This study provides a reference and inspiration for promoting the application and development of ultrasound technology and artificial intelligence systems in the medical field.

Visible-Light-Mediated Catalyst-Free [2+2] Cycloaddition Reaction for Dihydrocyclobuta[b]naphthalene-3,8-diones Synthesis under Mild Conditions.

A facile and efficient visible-light-mediated method for directly converting 1,4-naphthoquinones into dihydrocyclo-buta[b]naphthalene-3,8-diones (DHCBNDOs) under mild and clean conditions without using any photocatalysts is reported. This approach exhibited favorable compatibility with functional groups and afforded a series of DHCBNDOs with excellent regioselectivity and high yields. Moreover, detailed mechanism studies were carried out both experimentally and theoretically. The readily accessible, low-cost and ecofriendly nature of the developed strategy will endow it with attractive applications in organic and medicinal chemistry.

Inverse design of metasurfaces with customized transmission characteristics of frequency band based on generative adversarial networks.

In recent years, deep learning (DL) has demonstrated significant potential in the inverse design of metasurfaces, and the generation of metasurfaces with customized transmission characteristics of frequency band remains a challenging and underexplored area. In this study, we propose a DL-assisted method for the inverse design of transmissive metasurfaces. The method consists of a generative adversarial network (GAN)-based graph generator, an electromagnetic response predictor, and a genetic algorithm optimizer. By integrating these components, we can obtain customized metasurfaces with desired transmission characteristics of frequency band. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method through examples of inverse-designed three-layer cascaded transmissive metasurfaces with wideband, dual-band, and stopband responses in the 8∼12 GHz frequency range. Specifically, we realize three different types of dual-band metasurfaces, namely double-wide, front-wide and rear-narrow, and front-narrow and rear-wide configurations. Additionally, we analyze the accuracy and reliability of the inverse design method by employing data from the training dataset, self-defined objectives, and bandwidth-reduced target responses scaled from the wideband type as design inputs. Quantitative evaluation is performed using metrics such as mean absolute error and average precision. The proposed method successfully achieves the desired effect as intended.

Simultaneous manipulation of spatial fundamental and harmonic electromagnetic waves by microwave nonlinear metasurfaces.

In the area of manipulating the spatial electromagnetic (EM) waves fields, the metasurfaces have become much more attractive and powerful in recent years. Here, we propose a design to realize the simultaneous control of spatial fundamental and harmonic EM waves applying nonlinear metasurfaces in microwave band. The proposed meta-atom composed of three topological layers which are transmitting antenna, nonlinear wave guiding and receiving antenna respectively. And the critical factor of generating the harmonic is the nonlinear chip which is integrated into the middle layer. The microstrip power divider and phase shifter in each meta-atom are preciously tailored to actualize the spatial control of the fundamental and harmonic transmission beams in the far field. One prototype of the nonlinear metasurfaces is fabricated and corresponding radiation patterns of fundamental and harmonic modes are observed very well in the experience that can verify the validity of our proposed method.

Enzymatic activity of 38 CYP2C9 genotypes on ibuprofen.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Ibuprofen, a common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is used clinically for pain relief and antipyretic treatment worldwide. However, regular or long-term use of ibuprofen may lead to a series of adverse reactions, including gastrointestinal bleeding, hypertension and kidney injury. Previous studies have shown that CYP2C9 gene polymorphism plays an important role in the elimination of various drugs, which leads to the variation in drug efficacy. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 38 CYP2C9 genotypes on ibuprofen metabolism. METHODS: Thirty-eight recombinant human CYP2C9 microsomal enzymes were obtained using a frugiperda 21 insect expression system according to a previously described method. Assessment of the catalytic function of these variants was completed via a mature incubation system: 5 pmol CYP2C9*1 and 38 CYP2C9 variants recombinant human microsomes, 5 µL cytochrome B5, ibuprofen (5-1000 µM), and Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.4). The ibuprofen metabolite contents were determined using HPLC analysis. HPLC analysis included a UV detector, Plus-C18 column, and mobile phase [50% acetonitrile and 50% water (containing 0.05% trifluoroacetic acid)]. The kinetic parameters of the CYP2C9 genotypes were obtained by Michaelis-Menten curve fitting. RESULTS: The intrinsic clearance (CLint) of eight variants was not significantly different from CYP2C9*1; four CYP2C9 variants (CYP2C9*38, *44, *53 and *59) showed significantly higher CLint (increase by 35%-230%) than that of the wild-type; the remaining twenty-six variants exhibited significantly reduced CLint (reduced by 30%-99%) compared to that of the wild-type. CONCLUSION: This is the first systematic evaluation of the catalytic characteristics of 38 CYP2C9 genotypes involved ibuprofen metabolism. Our results provide a corresponding supplement to studies on CYP2C9 gene polymorphisms and kinetic characteristics of different variants. We need to focus on poor metabolizers (PMs) with severely abnormal metabolic functions, because they are more susceptible to drug exposure.

[Characterization and identification of chemical components in traditional Chinese medicine Psoraleae Fructus based on UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS].

This study was designed to comprehensively characterize and identify the chemical components in traditional Chinese medicine Psoraleae Fructus by establishing an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) method in combination with in-house library. The chromatographic separation conditions(stationary phase, column temperature, mobile phase, and elution gradient) and key MS monitoring parameters(capillary voltage, nozzle voltage, and fragmentor) were sequentially optimized via single-factor experiments. A BEH C_(18) column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 µm) was finally adopted, with the mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid in water(A) and acetonitrile(B) at the flow rate of 0.4 mL·min~(-1) and column temperature of 30 ℃. Auto MS/MS was utilized for data acquisition in both positive and negative ion modes. By comparison with reference compounds, analysis of the MS~2 fragments, in-house library retrieval and literature research, 83 compounds were identified or tentatively characterized from Psoraleae Fructus, including 58 flavonoids, 11 coumarins, 4 terpenoid phenols, and 10 others. Sixteen of them were identified by comparison with reference compounds, and ten compounds may have not been reported from Psoraleae Fructus. This study achieved a rapid qualitative analysis on the chemical components in Psoraleae Fructus, which provided useful reference for elucidating its material basis and promoting the quality control.

Impact of a novel prognostic model on allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation outcomes in patients with CMML.

Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a clonal hematopoietic stem cell malignancy, and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is the only curable treatment. The outcomes after transplant are influenced by both disease characteristics and patient comorbidities. To develop a novel prognostic model to predict the post-transplant survival of CMML patients, we identified risk factors by applying univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression to a derivation cohort. In multivariable analysis, advanced age (hazard ratio [HR] 3.583), leukocyte count (HR 3.499), anemia (HR 3.439), bone marrow blast cell count (HR 2.095), and no chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD; HR 4.799) were independently associated with worse survival. A novel prognostic model termed ABLAG (Age, Blast, Leukocyte, Anemia, cGVHD) was developed and the points were assigned according to the regression equation. The patients were categorized into low risk (0-1), intermediate risk (2, 3), and high risk (4-6) three groups and the 3-year overall survival (OS) were 93.3% (95%CI, 61%-99%), 78.9% (95%CI, 60%-90%), and 51.6% (95%CI, 32%-68%; p < .001), respectively. In internal and external validation cohort, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the ABLAG model were 0.829 (95% CI, 0.776-0.902) and 0.749 (95% CI, 0.684-0.854). Compared with existing models designed for the nontransplant setting, calibration plots, and decision curve analysis showed that the ABLAG model revealed a high consistency between predicted and observed outcomes and patients could benefit from this model. In conclusion, combining disease and patient characteristic, the ABLAG model provides better survival stratification for CMML patients receiving allo-HSCT.

LCN2 Inhibits the BMP9-induced Osteogenic Differentiation through Reducing Wnt/ß-catenin Signaling via Interacting with LRP6 in Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts.

BACKGROUND: Due to its effective osteogenic ability, BMP9 is a promising candidate for bone regeneration medicine. Whereas, BMP9 can also induce adipogenesis simultaneously. LCN2 is a cytokine associated with osteogenesis and adipogenesis. Reducing the adipogenic potential may be a feasible measure to enhance the osteogenic capability of BMP9. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to explore the role of LCN2 in regulating the BMP9-initialized osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), and clarify the possible underlying mechanism. METHODS: Histochemical stain, western blot, real-time PCR, laser confocal, immunoprecipitation, cranial defect repair, and fetal limb culture assays were used to evaluate the effects of LCN2 on BMP9-induced osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation, as well as Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. RESULTS: LCN2 was down-regulated by BMP9. The BMP9-induced osteogenic markers were inhibited by LCN2 overexpression, but the adipogenic markers were increased; LCN2 knockdown exhibited opposite effects. Similar results were found in bone defect repair and fetal limb culture tests. The level of ß-catenin nucleus translocation was found to be reduced by LCN2 overexpression, but increased by LCN2 knockdown. The inhibitory effect of LCN2 overexpression on the osteogenic capability of BMP9 was reversed by ß-catenin overexpression; whereas, the effect of LCN2 knockdown on promoting BMP9 osteogenic potential was almost eliminated by ß-catenin knockdown. LCN2 could bind with LRP6 specifically, and the inhibitory effect of LCN2 on the osteogenic potential of BMP9 could not be enhanced by LRP6 knockdown. CONCLUSION: LCN2 inhibits the BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation but promotes its adipogenic potential in MEFs, which may be partially mediated by reducing Wnt/ß-catenin signaling via binding with LRP6.

[Analysis of Water Chemistry Characteristics and Hydraulic Relationships of Different Water Bodies in Typical Mountain-oasis Systems in the Northwest Inland Area].

Kaidu River basin is a typical mountain oasis ecosystem in the northwest inland. Its hydrochemical environment information is of great significance to understand the regional hydrological process and optimize the allocation of water resources. Based on the collection of samples of various water bodies in mountainous and oasis areas in different seasons in 2020, this study analyzed the water chemical characteristics and hydraulic links in this region. The results showed that:① the water body in the study area was slightly alkaline as a whole, and the pH and TDS values showed the spatial changes of low in the oasis area and high in the mountain area; HCO3- and Ca2+ were the main anions and cations. The regional hydrochemical type was mostly HCO3--Ca2+, and the hydrochemical type of groundwater in the oasis area was more complex than that in the mountainous area. Regional hydrochemical changes were mainly controlled by rock weathering and human disturbance. ② The δ18O and δD values of the river water showed the seasonal changes of dilution in summer and enrichment in spring, whereas groundwater was depleted in winter and spring and enriched in autumn. Precipitation and glacial water did not change significantly within a year. In space, the δ18O and δD values of river water and groundwater showed the law of enrichment in the oasis area and dilution in the mountainous area. ③ The relationship between surface water and groundwater in the study area was close, and the transformation was frequent in summer. The relationship between surface water and groundwater in the oasis area was closer than that in the mountainous area. Groundwater in the oasis area was recharged by groundwater in the previous period, river water, and precipitation, and the recharge rate was usually groundwater in the previous period>river water>precipitation.

[Distribution Characteristics and Pollution Assessment of Heavy Metals in Soils of a Testing Range].

Heavy metal pollution in testing ranges is one of the most widely concerning environmental problems. The ammunition static detonation test area, the bomb falling area, and the living area of a testing range in Jilin were selected as the study objects. The contents of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in 112 topsoil samples and two soil profiles were analyzed, and their distribution characteristics and sources were analyzed in detail. After that, the pollution degree and potential ecological risk of heavy metals were investigated using multiple pollution index assessment methods. The results showed that the average contents of As, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn in the soil of the ammunition static detonation test area were higher than the soil background values in Jilin province, and the contents of Cu, Zn, As, and Cd showed strong spatial heterogeneity. The average concentrations of As, Cd, and Ni in the soil of the bomb falling area exceeded their background values. The average contents of As and Cd in the soil of the living area were higher than the background values, and the variation coefficients of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cr were relatively high, indicating that they may have been affected by human activities. In different test areas, the contents of As, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn in the soil samples were significantly different (P<0.05). The ammunition static detonation test area was more strongly affected by the test activities than the bomb falling area, and the heavy metal contents in the surface layer of the soil profile were significantly higher. There was no obvious vertical migration of heavy metals in the soil profiles. The results of multivariate statistics and source identification analysis using absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) showed that Zn, Pb, and Cd were mainly affected by pollution sources related to test activities; Cr and Ni were mainly affected by natural sources of soil forming materials; and the sources of As and Cu were more complicated. The geo-accumulation index showed that Cd in the three areas and Ni in the bomb falling area belonged to pollution level 1 (uncontaminated to moderately contaminated). The Nemerow comprehensive pollution index showed that the pollution levels among the different functional areas were:living area>ammunition static detonation test area>bomb falling area, and the three functional areas were slightly polluted. The potential ecological risk index showed that the study area was at moderate ecological risk level, and Cd was considered to be the main soil pollution factor.

Interleukin 6 promotes BMP9-induced osteoblastic differentiation through Stat3/mTORC1 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts.

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) plays a dual role in regulating bone metabolism, although the concrete mechanism is unclear. Bone morphogenetic protein 9 (BMP9) is one of the most potent osteogenic inducers, and a promising alternative for bone tissue engineering. The relationship between IL-6 and BMP9 in osteogenic differentiation remains to be elucidated, and the osteoblastic potential of BMP9 needs to be enhanced to overcome certain shortcomings of BMP9. In this study, we used real-time PCR, western blot, immunofluorescent stain, fetal limb culture and cranial defects repair model to explore the IL-6 role in BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). We found that the rat serum level of IL-6 was increased in the dexamethasone-induced osteoporosis model, and IL-6 expression was detectable in several progenitor cells and MEFs. BMP9 upregulated IL-6 in MEFs, and the BMP9-induced osteoblastic markers were elevated by IL-6, but reduced by IL-6 knockdown. BMP9 and/or IL-6 both activated mTOR, and the IL-6 effect on BMP9-induced osteoblastic markers and bone formation were reduced greatly by mTOR inhibition. Raptor was up-regulated by IL-6 and/or BMP9 specifically, and the osteoblastic markers induced by IL-6 and/or BMP9 were reduced by Raptor knockdown. Meanwhile, Stat-3 was activated by IL-6 and/or BMP9, and the increase of Raptor or osteoblastic markers by IL-6 and/or BMP9 were reduced by Stat-3 inhibition. The Raptor promoter activity was regulated by p-Stat-3. Our finding suggested that IL-6 can promote the BMP9 osteoblastic potential, which may be mediated through activating Stat-3/mTORC1 pathway.

Assessing the ecological loss of mining areas in Taiwan.

Mines are mostly located in the mountains and national forestlands in Taiwan. The development and use of mines have severely damaged the environment. Despite the long history of mining, the value of forest ecological services lost during mining operations have not yet been incorporated into the expenses borne by miners, and miners are not liable for compensation for ecological damage. This study evaluated the forest ecosystem service benefits lost since mining began, with the aim of providing future reference for calculating ecological damage related to mining. We investigated Mount Taibai mines in Yilan (northeast Taiwan) and Mount Yongshi mines in Hualian (east Taiwan), which are richly forested areas. According to Article 13 of the Mining Act in Taiwan, mining rights have a limitation of 20 years, and the two mines in this study have been in operation for 20 years. By using four ecological services-forest production, carbon sequestration, water resource replenishment, and forest recreation-we estimated the loss of ecological values in both mining regions. The result indicated that the loss of total forest production benefits over 20 years was 7,498.6 k New Taiwanese dollars (NTD) in Mount Taibai mines and 6,543.1 k NTD for Mount Yongshi mines, while the loss for the total carbon sequestration benefits over 20 years was 19,950 k NTD in Mount Taibai mines and 17,400 k NTD in Mount Yongshi mines. The loss of value for the total water conservation benefits over 20 years was 11,160 k NTD in Mount Taibai mines and 5,070 k NTD in Mount Yongshi mines. The loss value of forest recreation over 20 years was 1,443,855 k NTD for the two mines.

Effectiveness of the attachment position in molar intrusion with clear aligners: a finite element study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the biomechanical effects of different attachments' position for maxillary molar intrusion with clear aligner treatment by finite element analysis. METHODS: Cone-beam computed tomography images of a patient with supra-eruption of the maxillary second molars were selected to construct three-dimensional models of the maxilla, periodontal ligaments, dentition, and clear aligner. The models were divided into four groups depending on the attachment location on the first molar: (1) no attachment (NA), (2) buccal attachment (BA), (3) palatal attachment (PA), and (4) bucco-palatal attachment (BPA). After applying an intrusion of 0.2 mm on the second molar, displacements and stress distributions of the teeth, aligner, and periodontal ligament were analyzed with the finite element software. RESULTS: All groups displayed equivalent movement patterns of aligners. The NA and BA groups showed buccal tipping of the second molar, while the PA group showed palatal tipping. The BPA group had the highest intruding value and the lowest buccal/palatal tipping value. All groups showed mesial tipping of the second molar. Stress distribution in the periodontal ligament strongly correlated with the attachment position. The BPA group showed the best stress distribution. CONCLUSION: Combined BA and PA could effectively prevent buccal and palatal tipping and showed the best efficiency in intruding the second molar. The second molar showed an unavoidable tendency to tip mesially, regardless of the attachment position.