Implementation of Sound Direction Detection and Mixed Source Separation in Embedded Systems.

In recent years, embedded system technologies and products for sensor networks and wearable devices used for monitoring people's activities and health have become the focus of the global IT industry. In order to enhance the speech recognition capabilities of wearable devices, this article discusses the implementation of audio positioning and enhancement in embedded systems using embedded algorithms for direction detection and mixed source separation. The two algorithms are implemented using different embedded systems: direction detection developed using TI TMS320C6713 DSK and mixed source separation developed using Raspberry Pi 2. For mixed source separation, in the first experiment, the average signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) at 1 m and 2 m distances was 16.72 and 15.76, respectively. In the second experiment, when evaluated using speech recognition, the algorithm improved speech recognition accuracy to 95%.

Maximum Power Point Tracking of Photovoltaic Generation System Using Improved Quantum-Behavior Particle Swarm Optimization.

This study introduces an improved quantum-behavior particle swarm optimization (IQPSO), tailored for the task of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) within photovoltaic generation systems (PGSs). The power stage of the MPPT system comprises a series of buck-boost converters, while the control stage contains a microprocessor executing the biomimetic algorithm. Leveraging the series buck-boost converter, the MPPT system achieves optimal operation at the maximum power point under both ideal ambient conditions and partial shade conditions (PSCs). The proposed IQPSO addresses the premature convergence issue of QPSO, enhancing tracking accuracy and reducing tracking time by estimating the maximum power point and adjusting the probability distribution. Employing exponential decay, IQPSO facilitates a reduction in tracking time, consequently enhancing convergence efficiency and search capability. Through single-peak experiments, multi-peak experiments, irradiance-changing experiments, and full-day experiments, it is demonstrated that the tracking accuracy and tracking time of IQPSO outperform existing biomimetic algorithms, such as the QPSO, firefly algorithm (FA), and PSO.

Forecast of the number of nursing beds per 1000 older people from 2023 to 2025: Empirical quantitative research.

AIM: This research aims to offer a reference point for relevant departments to enhance the allocation of ageing resources and formulate policies accordingly. DESIGN: This study is designed as empirical quantitative research. METHODS: Data from the National Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Civil Affairs regarding older adults (aged≥60) from 2000 to 2022 and nursing beds from 1978 to 2022 were analysed. The differential autoregressive integrated moving averages model and Monte Carlo simulation were used to predict the growth of nursing beds per 1000 older people in China for the Years 2023-2025. RESULTS: It is projected that from 2023 to 2025, China will experience a further increase in its ageing population, with an average annual growth rate of 3.1%. By 2025, the number of older people in China is expected to surpass 300 million. Additionally, there will be a rise in the number of nursing beds, with an average annual growth rate of 1.9%, leading to a total of 8.79 million nursing beds by 2025. However, due to the rapid growth of the older population, there will be a slight decline in the number of nursing beds per 1000 older people in China, with an average annual growth rate of -1.00%.

Double Proton Transfer during a Novel Tertiary α-Ketol Rearrangement in Ketol-Acid Reductoisomerase: A Water-Mediated, Metal-Catalyzed, Base-Induced Mechanism.

(KARI) catalyzes the conversion of (S)-2-acetolactate or (S)-2-aceto-2-hydroxybutyrate to 2,3-dihydroxy-3-alkylbutyrate, the second step in the biosynthesis of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs). Because the BCAA biosynthetic pathway is present in bacteria, plants, and fungi, but absent in animals, it is an excellent target for the development of new-generation antibiotics and herbicides. Nevertheless, the mechanism of the KARI-catalyzed reaction has not yet been fully solved. In this study, we used iterative molecular dynamics (MD) flexible fitting-Rosetta techniques to optimize the three-dimensional solution structure of archaea KARI from Sulfolobus solfataricus (Sso-KARI) determined from cryo-electron microscopy. On the basis of the structure of the Sso-KARI/2Mg2+/NADH/(S)-2-acetolactate complex, we deciphered the catalytic mechanism of the KARI-mediated reaction through hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics MD simulations in conjunction with umbrella sampling. With an activation energy of only 6.06 kcal/mol, a water-mediated, metal-catalyzed, base-induced (WMMCBI) mechanism was preferred for deprotonation of the tertiary OH group of (S)-2-acetolactate in Sso-KARI. The WMMCBI mechanism for double proton transfer occurred within a proton wire route with two steps involving the formation of hydroxide: (i) Glu233 served as a general base to deprotonate the Mg2+-bound water, forming a hydroxide-coordinated Mg2+ ion; (ii) this hydroxide ion acted as a strong base that rapidly deprotonated the ternary OH group of the substrate. In contrast, the direct deprotonation of the substrate by Glu233 was kinetically unfavorable. This mechanism suggests a novel approach for designing catalysts for deprotonation and provides clues for the development of new-generation antibiotics and herbicides.

Safety and efficacy of drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization with CalliSpheres® microsphere for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus: a preliminary study.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate the safety and therapeutic effectiveness of drug-eluting beads transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) with CalliSpheres® microsphere (CSM) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT), and to analyze the prognostic factors. Method: Between November 2015 and November 2017, consecutive 58 HCC patients with PVTT who received DEB-TACE with CSM treatment were prospectively enrolled in this study. The demographic characteristics, adverse events (AEs) and treatment response were collected. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to determine the independent factors correlated with OS. Results: The objective response rate (ORR) was 79.3% in terms of tumors and 44.8% in thrombi. The median PFS and OS of patients were 5.0 months and 9.0 months respectively. The cumulative survival rate at 3-, 6-, 9-, 12-, 18- and 24-month were 94.8%, 72.4%, 53.4%, 41.4%, 22.4% and 19.0%, respectively. In a stepwise multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, the higher Child-Pugh classification (HR=2.279; 95%CI, 1.042-4.985, p = 0.039) and tumor burden (p = 0.008) were the significant predictors of poorer OS after adjustment for known risk factors. The most common clinical AEs were postembolization syndrome (PES) and the most prevalent laboratory toxicity was transient liver function damage. Conclusion: DEB-TACE with CSM is safe and well-tolerated in HCC patients with PVTT, and reveals a favorable preliminary clinical outcome. The higher Child-Pugh classification and liver tumor burden are independent prognostic factors associated with poor survival for HCC patients with PVTT treated by DEB-TACE with CSM.

Long-chain saturated fatty acids in breast milk are associated with the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis via induction of inflammatory ILC3s.

Breastfeeding influences the immune system development in infants and may even affect various immunological responses later in life. Breast milk provides a rich source of early nutrition for infant growth and development. However, the presence of certain compounds in breast milk, related to an unhealthy lifestyle or the diet of lactating mothers, may negatively impact infants. Based on a cohort study of atopic dermatitis (AD), we find the presence of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) activity in the mother's milk. By non-targeted metabolomic analysis, we identify the long-chain saturated fatty acids (LCSFA) as a biomarker DAMPs (+) breast milk samples. Similarly, a mouse model in which breastfed offspring are fed milk high in LCSFA show AD onset later in life. We prove that LCSFA are a type of damage-associated molecular patterns, which initiate a series of inflammatory events in the gut involving type 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s). A remarkable increase in inflammatory ILC3s is observed in the gut, and the migration of these ILC3s to the skin may be potential triggers of AD. Gene expression analysis of ILC3s isolated from the gut reveal upregulation of genes that increase ILC3s and chemokines/chemokine receptors, which may play a role in ILC migration to the skin. Even in the absence of adaptive immunity, Rag1 knockout mice fed a high-LCSFA milk diet develop eczema, accompanied by increased gut ILC3s. We also present that gut microbiota of AD-prone PA milk-fed mice is different from non-AD OA/ND milk-fed mice. Here, we propose that early exposure to LCSFAs in infants may affect the balance of intestinal innate immunity, inducing a highly inflammatory environment with the proliferation of ILC3s and production of interleukin-17 and interleukin-22, these factors may be potential triggers or worsening factors of AD.

High-Sensitivity Dual-Probe Detection of Urinary miR-141 in Cancer Patients via a Modified Screen-Printed Carbon Electrode-Based Electrochemical Biosensor.

The screening and diagnosis of cancer are hallmarks of medicine in the aging population. Recently, microRNAs have shown potential for use as biomarkers, which could advance the field of diagnostics. The presence of miRNA-141 in the serum has been well described in several malignancies. However, the invasive approach used for sampling represents the major limitation for its practical application and, hence, its notable absence as a method for screening the general population. In light of this, we aimed to develop a high-sensitivity microRNA (miR) biosensor for application in the diagnosis of all miR-141-associated cancers, such as colorectal cancer (CRC) and breast cancer (BC). The novelty lies in our dual-probe design, which is reliant on the hybridization of the fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) targeting probe onto an existing sample of urinary miR-141 in the first step, followed by complementary binding with a biotinylated probe that has been coated on a modified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE). The hybridization of the probe and sensor produces signals via the catalytic reduction of H2O2 at HRP-modified SPCEs in the presence of H2O, which was measured by either cyclic voltammetry or chronoamperometry (CA) currents. In our study, the detection and expression of miR-141 in a cohort of colorectal cancer (n = 6) and breast cancer (n = 4) samples showed that its levels were significantly higher than in a healthy cohort (n = 9) (p < 0.004). Moreover, our miR sensor demonstrated high stability, reliability, and sensitivity (p < 0.0001). This work hopefully provides new information for the detection and monitoring of de novo and existing cancers.

[Mind-regulating and spleen-strengthening needling technique improves abdominal hypersensitivity and emotion by enhancing functional connectivity between hippocampus and brain regions in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome patients].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference of brain functional connectivity between diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) patients and healthy volunteers and changes after acupuncture intervention, so as to investigate the underlying mechanism of acupuncture in regulating functional activities of IBS-D patients by using seed point correlation analysis. METHODS: A total of 25 IBS-D patients and 25 healthy volunteers were recruited in the present study and respectively attributed to acupuncture group and control group. The IBS-D patients received manual acupuncture stimulation of Baihui (GV20), Yintang (EX-HN3), and bilateral Tianshu (ST25), Zusanli (ST36), Shangjuxu (ST37), Sanyinjiao (SP6) and Taichong (LR3) with mind-regulating and spleen-strengthening technique for 30 min, once a day, 3 days a week for 6 weeks. Before and after the intervention, the IBS symptom severity scale (IBS-SSS) was used to assess the patients' state of abdominal pain, distention and defecation, and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) employed to evaluate the patients' anxiety severity. The resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were acquired and preprocessed by using SPM8 and DPARSE soft-wares. Seeds (bilate-ral hippocampus regions) to whole-brain analysis was performed to obtain the mean time series of the left and right seed regions, followed by making Pearson correlation analysis to obtain the correlation coefficient (time series from each seed region with the rest of the voxels in the brain), and making a multivariate comparative correction to get data of functional connectivity (FC) of bilateral hippocampus regions and to find the related difference in the brain regions. Then, the differences of the FC of brain regions between IBS-D patients and healthy volunteers were compared. RESULTS: Following acupuncture treatment, both the HAMA and IBS-SSS scores were significantly reduced in the acupuncture group compared with its pre-treatment (P<0.01). Compared with the healthy volunteers, there were a reduction in the functional connectivity between the left hippocampus seed region and the right inferior temporal gyrus, left fusiform gyrus and left superior gyrus, and between the right hippocampus region and the right fusiform gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus, left inferior occipital gyrus, left rectus gyrus, left insula, left precuneus, right angular gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, right precuneus, and the left superior temporal gyrus, and an increase in the FC between the left hippocampus and left superior temporal gyrus was increased in ISB-D patients. Self-comparison showed that after the treatment, the FC was increased between the left hippocampus seed region and the right inferior temporal gyrus, left fusiform gyrus, bilateral lingual gyrus, left amygdala, right inferior occipital gyrus, right insula, right middle frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus and the left middle occipital gyrus; and between the right hippocampus seed region and the posterior inferior cerebellar lobe, left inferior temporal gyrus, left suboccipital gyrus, right fusiform gyrus, left insula, right inferior frontal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, left supplementary motor area and right supplementary motor area, and decreased between the left hippocampus region and the left anterior cingulate, paracingulate gyrus and the right posterior central gyrus in IBS-D patients. CONCLUSION: Mind-regulating and spleen-strengthening acupuncture intervention may improve the abdominal pain and distension and emotional state in IBS-D patients, which is possibly associated with its effect in enhancing FC between the hippocampus and brain regions.

Oxidative steam reforming of ethanol over M x La2-x Ce1.8Ru0.2O7-δ (M = Mg, Ca) catalysts: effect of alkaline earth metal substitution and support on stability and activity.

Alkaline earth metal substitutions on the A-site of pyrochlore oxide M x La2-x Ce1.8Ru0.2O7-δ (M = Mg, Ca) were studied as catalyst materials for oxidative/autothermal steam reforming of ethanol (OSRE/ATR). The as-prepared oxides were synthesized by a combustion method and characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and X-ray photoelectron and absorption spectroscopy (XPS and XAS). PXRD Rietveld analysis and elemental analysis (ICP-AES) support the formation of a pyrochlore-type structure (space group Fd3̄m) with a distorted coordination environment. The substitution of Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions affects the oxidation states of Ce4+/3+ and Ru n+ ions and creates oxygen vacancies, which leads to enhanced catalytic activity and reduced ethylene selectivity. A long-term stability test showed optimized catalysts Mg0.3La1.7Ce1.8Ru0.2O7-δ and Ca0.2La1.8Ce1.8Ru0.2O7-δ with S H2 = 101(1)% and S H2 = 91(2)% under OSRE conditions. The initial operation temperatures were lower than that of the unsubstituted catalyst La2Ce1.8Ru0.2O7-δ . Catalysts supported on La2Zr2O7 showed stable OSRE/ATR performance and low carbon deposition compared to catalysts supported on Al2O3. We ascribe the enhanced activity to well-dispersed alkaline earth metal and Ru ions in a solid solution structure, synergistic effects of (Mg, Ca)2+/Ce3+/4+/Ru n+ ions, and a strong catalyst-support interaction that optimized the ethanol conversion and hydrogen production.

A Novel CD3G Mutation in a Taiwanese Patient With Normal T Regulatory Function Presenting With the CVID Phenotype Free of Autoimmunity-Analysis of all Genotypes and Phenotypes.

The T-cell receptor (TCR)/CD3 complex is crucial for T-cell development and regulation. In humans, CD3D, CD3E, and CD3Z gene defects cause severe combined T- and B-cell immunodeficiency. However, CD3G mutations alone lead to a less severe condition, which is mainly characterized by autoimmunity. In the present study, we report the case of a 36-year-old male who presented with recurrent sinopulmonary infections without opportunistic infections; this was compatible with hypogammaglobulinemia, but normal PHA-lymphocyte proliferation. This patient had the common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) phenotype and received regular immunoglobulin infusions over 20-years; he gradually developed nodular regenerative hyperplasia over a 5-year period. Distinct from the previously reported CD3G mutations, which mainly present as autoimmunity, the novel CD3G deletion (c.del213A) in our patient caused an obvious decrease in switched memory B cells and diminished CD40L expression. However, sufficient Treg suppression function was maintained so that he remained free of autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and autoimmune pancytopenia. A PubMed search for this rare disease entity revealed seven Turkish and two Spanish patients (five unrelated families). Among a total of 20 alleles, there were 14 splicing mutations (80(-1)G>C), two missense mutations (c.1G>A), two nonsense mutations (c.250A>T), and two deletions (c.del213A). Three patients presented with isolated AIT without significant infections. Three patients died, one from a severe infection at 31 months, one from post-transplant respiratory failure due to viral pneumonia at 17 months, and one from graft-vs.-host disease at 47 months. Those experiencing opportunistic infections, severe life-threatening infections in need of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and IBD-like diarrhea had a significantly higher mortality rate compared with those without these features (p = 0.0124, p = 0.01, and p = 0.0124, respectively). The patients with AIT had a significantly better prognosis (p = 0.0124) to those without AIT. Our patient with the novel CD3G mutation presented with predominant B-cell deficiency overlapping with the CVID phenotype but without recognizable autoimmunity, which was consistent with his normal Treg suppression function.

Sera from Septic Patients Contain the Inhibiting Activity of the Extracellular ATP-Dependent Inflammasome Pathway.

Immunoparalysis is a common cause of death for critical care patients with sepsis, during which comprehensive suppression of innate and adaptive immunity plays a significant pathophysiological role. Although the underlying mechanisms are unknown, damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) from septic tissues might be involved. Therefore, we surveyed sera from septic patients for factors that suppress the innate immune response to DAMPs, including adenosine triphosphate (ATP), monosodium urate, and high mobility group box-1. Macrophages, derived from THP-1 human acute monocytic leukemia cells, were incubated with each DAMP, in the presence or absence of sera that were collected from critically ill patients. Secreted cytokines were then quantified, and cell lysates were assayed for relevant intracellular signaling mediators. Sera from septic patients who ultimately did not survive significantly suppressed IL-1ß production only in response to extracellular ATP. This effect was most pronounced with sera collected on day 3, and persisted with sera collected on day 7. However, this effect was not observed when THP-1 cells were treated with sera from survivors of sepsis. Septic sera collected at the time of admission (day 1) also diminished intracellular levels of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate and cytosolic calcium (P < 0.01), both of which are essential for ATP signaling. Finally, activated caspase-1 was significantly diminished in cells exposed to sera collected on day 7 (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the sera of septic patients contain certain factors that persistently suppress the immune response to extracellular ATP, thereby leading to adverse clinical outcomes.

Combining deep learning and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering imaging for automated differential diagnosis of lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) is capable of providing cellular-level images and resolving pathologically related features on human lung tissues. However, conventional means of analyzing CARS images requires extensive image processing, feature engineering, and human intervention. This study demonstrates the feasibility of applying a deep learning algorithm to automatically differentiate normal and cancerous lung tissue images acquired by CARS. We leverage the features learned by pretrained deep neural networks and retrain the model using CARS images as the input. We achieve 89.2% accuracy in classifying normal, small-cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma lung images. This computational method is a step toward on-the-spot diagnosis of lung cancer and can be further strengthened by the efforts aimed at miniaturizing the CARS technique for fiber-based microendoscopic imaging.

13-Methyltetradecanoic acid mitigates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.

13-Methyltetradecanoic acid can stabilize cell membrane and have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects. Previous studies mainly focused on peripheral nerve injury, but seldom on the central nervous system. We investigated whether these properties of 13-methyltetradecanoic acid have a neuroprotective effect on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, and detected the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor. This study established rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion injury by ischemia for 2 hours and reperfusion for 24 hours. At the beginning of reperfusion, 13-methyltetradecanoic acid 10, 40 or 80 mg/kg was injected into the tail vein. Results found that various doses of 13-methyltetradecanoic acid effectively reduced infarct volume, mitigate cerebral edema, and increased the mRNA and protein expression of basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor at 24 hours of reperfusion. The effect was most significant in the 13-methyltetradecanoic acid 40 and 80 mg/kg groups. The findings suggest that 13-methyltetradecanoic acid can relieve focal ischemia/reperfusion injury immediately after reperfusion, stimulate the upregulation of basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor to exert neuroprotective effects.

Dual CARS and SHG image acquisition scheme that combines single central fiber and multimode fiber bundle to collect and differentiate backward and forward generated photons.

In coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) and second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging, backward and forward generated photons exhibit different image patterns and thus capture salient intrinsic information of tissues from different perspectives. However, they are often mixed in collection using traditional image acquisition methods and thus are hard to interpret. We developed a multimodal scheme using a single central fiber and multimode fiber bundle to simultaneously collect and differentiate images formed by these two types of photons and evaluated the scheme in an endomicroscopy prototype. The ratio of these photons collected was calculated for the characterization of tissue regions with strong or weak epi-photon generation while different image patterns of these photons at different tissue depths were revealed. This scheme provides a new approach to extract and integrate information captured by backward and forward generated photons in dual CARS/SHG imaging synergistically for biomedical applications.

The proto-oncogene survivin splice variant 2B is induced by PDGF and leads to cell proliferation in rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes.

Survivin is an independent prognostic factor for joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the expression and function of survivin in RA synoviocytes remain unclear. We certified the expression of survivin in RA synovial tissues and performed the experiment using RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLS) treated with siRNA. As a result, the expression levels of wild type (WT) survivin and the 2B splice variants in RA synovial tissues were higher than those in osteoarthritis tissue samples, and, these variants were highly expressed in RA-FLS. The expression levels of survivin-WT and -2B in the RA-FLS were upregulated by PDGF. Treatment with siRNA against survivin-2B led to decreased viability of PDGF-treated RA-FLS due to cell cycle suppression and apoptosis promotion, while the siRNA against all survivin isoforms did not affect the viability. Moreover, an overexpression of survivin-2B in RA-FLS led to cell proliferation through cell cycle activation and by conferring resistance to apoptosis. In conclusion, survivin-2B has an important role in RA-FLS proliferation. These data suggest that survivin-2B might contribute to rheumatoid synovial hyperplasia, and have the potential as a novel therapeutic target for RA.

Trends in prevalence and risk factors of childhood asthma in Fuzhou, a city in Southeastern China.

UNLABELLED: Abstract Objective: The prevalence of asthma in children age 0-14 years in Fuzhou, a city in Southeast China, was 1.57% in 1990 and 3.28% in 2000. The aim of this study was to investigate the asthma prevalence and risk factors in children in the same city in 2010. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study with a two-stage, clustered, stratified random sample design. Parents of 12235 children 0-14 years of age in Fuzhou were surveyed using a questionnaire. Children with history and/or symptoms of asthma were then interviewed by pediatricians in a nearby clinic to confirm the diagnosis of asthma, and a second questionnaire listing reported risk factors of asthma was completed by the parents in the clinic. RESULTS: About 11738 questionnaires were completed with a response rate of 95.9%. Among the responders, 648 children had history and/or symptoms of asthma but only 485 (4.13%) were confirmed with asthma. The prevalence was 1.83%, 7.64% and 6.27% in the age groups of 0-1 years, 3-4 years and 13-14 years, respectively. The most significant (binary logistic regression test) factors associated with asthma were presence of atopic or allergic diseases (OR=21.5, 95% CI: 12-38.5), family history of allergy or asthma (OR=29.4, 95% CI: 12.6-68.6), use of at least one course of antibiotics in the first year of life (OR=7.61, 95% CI: 3.4-17.06), supplementary protein feedings before 6 months (OR=1.90, 95% CI: 1.23-2.95). Natural ventilation at home (versus frequent use of air-conditioning) appeared to be a protective factor (OR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.8). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of asthma in childhood has increased significantly during the past 20 years in Fuzhou.

An exploratory study of the association between KCNB1 rs1051295 and type 2 diabetes and its related traits in Chinese Han population.

Since the KCNB1 encoding Kv2.1 channel accounts for the majority of Kv currents modulating insulin secretion by pancreatic islet beta-cells, we postulated that KCNB1 is a plausible candidate gene for genetic variation contributing to the variable compensatory secretory function of beta-cells in type-2 diabetes (T2D). We conducted two studies, a case-control study and a cross-section study, to investigate the association of common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in KCNB1 with T2D and its linking traits. In the case-control study, we first examined the association of 20 tag SNPs of KCNB1 with T2D in a population with 226 T2D patients and non-diabetic subjects (screening study). We then identified the association in an enlarged population of 412 T2D patients and non-diabetic subjects (replication study). In the cross-sectional study, we investigated the linkage between the candidate SNP rs1051295 and T2D by comparing beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity among rs1051295 genotypes in a general population of 1051 subjects at fasting and after glucose loading (oral glucose tolerance tests, OGTT) in 84 fasting glucose impaired subjects, and several T2D-related traits. We found that among the 19 available tag SNPs, only the KCNB1 rs1051295 was associated with T2D (P = 0.027), with the rs1051295 TT genotype associated with an increased risk of T2D compared with genotypes CC (P = 0.009). At fasting, rs1051295 genotype TT was associated with a 9.8% reduction in insulin sensitivity compared to CC (P = 0.008); along with increased plasma triglycerides (TG) levels (TT/CC: P = 0.046) and increased waist/hip (W/H) ratio (TT/CC: P = 0.013; TT/TC: P = 0.002). OGTT confirmed that genotype TT exhibited reduced insulin sensitivity by 16.3% (P = 0.030) compared with genotype TC+CC in a fasting glucose impaired population. The KCNB1 rs1051295 genotype TT in the Chinese Han population is associated with decreased insulin sensitivity and increased plasma TG and W/H ratio, which together contribute to an increased risk for T2D.

Inhibition of virus-like particle release of Sendai virus and Nipah virus, but not that of mumps virus, by tetherin/CD317/BST-2.

Tetherin (also known as BST-2 or CD317) has recently been identified as a potent IFN-induced anti-viral protein that inhibits the release of diverse enveloped virus particles from infected cells. The anti-viral activity of tetherin on a number of enveloped viruses, including retroviruses, filoviruses and arenaviruses, has been examined. Here, we show that tetherin is also capable of blocking the release of virus-like particles (VLPs) driven by the matrix protein of Sendai virus. Together with inhibition of Nipah virus VLP release by tetherin, these results indicate that paramyxoviruses are to be added to the list of viruses that are susceptible to tetherin inhibition. Tetherin co-localized with Nipah virus matrix proteins and accumulated in cells, indicating that it is present at, or recruited to, sites of particle assembly. It should be noted, however, that tetherin was not effective against the release of paramyxovirus mumps VLPs, indicating that certain enveloped viruses may not be sensitive to tetherin activity.

Simple truths from medical students: perspectives on the quality of clinical learning environments.

BACKGROUND: The opportunity for students to learn whilst in a clinical placement is a central component of undergraduate medical education and an educationally conducive clinical environment is essential if the student is to optimise learning opportunities. AIM: This study, which was conducted by medical students, and amongst medical students aims to investigate the key conditions that students most value when placed in clinical settings. METHODS: A qualitative approach was adopted in which a series of focus group discussions were conducted by senior medical students trained in the facilitation of focus group moderation. In total, 30 students contributed to four separate focus groups. RESULTS: Whilst students identified some factors which were similar to previous studies, other factors considered important to learning in the clinical setting surfaced. Namely, the need for students to be self-motivated and the valuable contribution that other medical students can make to the learning of their peers. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings concur with other similar studies. However, our findings were generated by medical students and not subject to influence by university teachers during the data collection and analysis. This not only serves to reinforce previous studies but also supports the use of peer data collection from medical students.

[Research and implementation of adverse reaction automatic warning algorithm on Chinese medicine injection].

OBJECTIVE: To provide analytical data and automatic method for more quickly and accurately discovering warning signals of adverse reactions of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) injections from a large number of adverse reaction data. METHOD: Constructed the TCM injection adverse reaction monitoring system, integrated of multiple mining algorithms of warning signals of adverse reactions and automatically generate early warning analysis, and extended the algorithm to achieve better effect of warning and analysis. RESULT: By data validation, the system can provide consistent warning results with the actual situation. CONCLUSION: The established system has good scalability, it can provide warning analysis of adverse reaction data from multiple sources, and provide a basis for decision making to experts in the field.