Influence of two typical defects on the near-field optical properties of multilayer dielectric compression gratings.

Internal electric-field enhancement is critical for the laser-induced damage properties of multilayer dielectric compression gratings (MDG) in high-energy laser systems. Due to the complex fabrication processes of MDGs, such as coating, interference lithography, etching, and cleaning, different kinds of defects in multilayers or profiles on MDG surfaces can't be practically avoided. Combined with a scanning electron microscope of some MDG samples, line-absence and added node seem to be two typical defects, according to which two defective MDG models are established, and numerical calculations are performed.

Common genetic variants of the β2-adrenergic receptor affect its translational efficiency and are associated with human longevity.

β-adrenoceptors are the common pharmacological targets for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and asthma. Genetic modifications of β-adrenergic system in engineered mice affect their lifespan. Here, we tested whether genes encoding for key components of the β-adrenergic signaling pathway are associated with human longevity.

Femtosecond laser-induced damage of HfO2/SiO2 mirror with different stack structure.

Laser-induced damage of the "standard" (λ/4 stack structure) and "modified" (reduced standing-wave field) HfO(2)/SiO(2) mirrors were investigated by a commercial 800 nm Ti:sapphire laser system. Three kinds of pulse duration of 50 fs, 105 fs, and 135 fs were chosen. The results show that the single-shot damage threshold of the "modified" mirror was about 14%-23% higher compared to that of the "standard" mirror.

[Effects of extraneous inorganic nitrogen forms on the dynamics of soil amino sugars].

Substrate availability affects microbial growth, whereas extraneous nitrogen forms can significantly affect microbial metabolic processes. As for soil amino sugars, the stable residues in microbial cell wall, their synthesis, decomposition and turnover are closely related to the availability of extraneous carbon and nitrogen. Using isotope tracing technique to study soil amino sugars can further understand the substrate utilization profiles by soil microorganisms.

Prognostic value of Twist and E-cadherin in patients with osteosarcoma.

Twist, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, and E-cadherin are both correlated with the metastatic progression of several types of cancer. However, it is currently unknown whether their activations have relevance to the progression of osteosarcoma. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the clinicopathological and prognostic value of Twist and E-cadherin in osteosarcoma.

Alterations of microbial populations and composition in the rhizosphere and bulk soil as affected by residual acetochlor.

Acetochlor is a widely used herbicide in maize fields; however, the ecological risk of its residue in the soil-plant system remains unknown. We investigated the dissipation dynamics of field dose acetochlor and clarified its impact on microbial biomass and community structure both in the rhizosphere and bulk soil over 1 month after its application. Soil microbial parameters such as quantities of culturable bacteria and fungi represented by colony-forming units, soil microbial biomass carbon (SMB(C)), and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) were determined across different sampling times.

[Dynamic changes of soil amino sugar contents under drying and wetting cycle].

A soil incubation test was conducted to study the quantitative changes of three amino sugars (glucosamine, muramic acid, and galactosamine) derived from microbes under drying and wetting cycle, and to analyze the relative contribution of soil bacteria and fungi to the turnover of soil organic matter by using the measured glucosamine/muramic acid ratio. Under continuous wetting, the degradation of bacteria-derived muramic acid was faster than that of fungi-derived glucosamine, and the degradation rate of galactosamine was the lowest. Drying and wetting cycle altered the degradation characteristics of the three amino sugars.

Metformin-based treatment for obesity-related hypertension: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objectives: Obesity and hypertension are associated with an adverse metabolic profile and systemic low-grade inflammation. Metformin reduces weight and inflammation in patients with diabetes, but it is unclear whether it has beneficial effects in patients without diabetes. The objective was to explore whether metformin-based treatment could benefit obesity-related hypertension without diabetes.

Effect of nanosecond laser pre-irradiation on the femtosecond laser-induced damage of Ta2O5/SiO2 high reflector.

The effect of nanosecond laser pre-irradiation on the femtosecond laser-induced damage behaviors of 800 nm 0° AOI Ta(2)O(5)/SiO(2) high reflectors fabricated by e-beam evaporation was explored. Laser pre-irradiation was carried out by Raster-scanning with scanning mode of 1-on-1 and scanning velocities timed such that there was a beam overlap at 70% of the peak fluence, utilizing 5 Hz 1064 nm 12 ns Nd:YAG fundamental lasers. Femtosecond laser damage was investigated by 1 kHz 800 nm 135 fs Ti: sapphire laser system with 1-on-1 mode test.

miR-93/Sp7 function loop mediates osteoblast mineralization.

microRNAs (miRNAs) play pivotal roles in osteoblast differentiation. However, the mechanisms of miRNAs regulating osteoblast mineralization still need further investigation. Here, we performed miRNA profiling and identified that miR-93 was the most significantly downregulated miRNA during osteoblast mineralization.

Increased migration of monocytes in essential hypertension is associated with increased transient receptor potential channel canonical type 3 channels.

Increased transient receptor potential canonical type 3 (TRPC3) channels have been observed in patients with essential hypertension. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that increased monocyte migration is associated with increased TRPC3 expression. Monocyte migration assay was performed in a microchemotaxis chamber using chemoattractants formylated peptide Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α).

TRPV1 activation improves exercise endurance and energy metabolism through PGC-1α upregulation in mice.

Impaired aerobic exercise capacity and skeletal muscle dysfunction are associated with cardiometabolic diseases. Acute administration of capsaicin enhances exercise endurance in rodents, but the long-term effect of dietary capsaicin is unknown. The capsaicin receptor, the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) cation channel has been detected in skeletal muscle, the role of which remains unclear.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on serum proinflammatory cytokine levels and pancreatic nuclear factor kappa-b expression in acute pancreatitis rats].

Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Zusanli" (ST 36) on serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 contents and pancreatic nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kappaB) expression in acute pancreatitis rats.

Methods: Sixty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation (sham), model and EA groups (n=22). Acute pancreatitis model was established by intra-pancreatic duct injection of 3.

Activation of TRPV1 reduces vascular lipid accumulation and attenuates atherosclerosis.

Aims: Activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) channels may affect lipid storage and the cellular inflammatory response. Now, we tested the hypothesis that activation of TRPV1 channels attenuates atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E knockout mice (ApoE(-/-)) but not ApoE(-/-)TRPV1(-/-) double knockout mice on a high-fat diet.

Methods And Results: Both TRPV1 mRNA and protein expression were identified in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and in aorta from C57BL/6J mice using RT-PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry.

Activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 by dietary capsaicin delays the onset of stroke in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Background And Purpose: Previous studies show that endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) plays a prominent role in maintaining cerebral blood flow and preventing stroke. Capsaicin in hot pepper can increase the phosphorylation of eNOS in endothelial cells. We test the hypothesis that chronic dietary capsaicin can prevent stroke through activation of cerebrovascular transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channels in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRsp).

Biomechanical comparison of lumbar total disc arthroplasty, discectomy, and fusion: effect on adjacent-level disc pressure and facet joint force.

Object: With the increasing advocacy for total disc replacement (TDR) as a potential alternative to fusion in the management of lumbar degenerative disc disease, intradiscal pressures (IDPs) and facet joint stresses at the adjacent levels of spine have generated considerable interest. The purpose of this study was to compare adjacent-level IDPs and facet joint stresses among TDR, discectomy, and fusion.

Methods: Ten fresh human cadaveric lumbar specimens (L2-S1) were subjected to an unconstrained load in axial torsion, lateral bending, flexion, and extension by using multidirectional flexibility test.

Investigation of the molecular ion structure for aldononitrile acetate derivatized muramic acid.

The muramic acid assay is a powerful tool for detecting both intact bacteria and bacterial debris. Past use of aldononitrile acetate derivatization for determining muramic acid in complex samples by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry met detection needs in many instances; however, questions have been raised regarding the interpretation of the derivative structure and its electron ionization fragments. In this study, we applied different methods and proved that the aldononitrile acetate derivatized muramic acid yields a molecular weight of 398, associated with a lactam structure.

[Amino sugars mineralization and its responses to exogenous substances in black soil of Northeast China].

By the method of intermittent leaching aerobic incubation, this paper studied the mineralization of three kinds of microbes-derived amino sugar (glucosamine, muramic acid, and galactosamine) in black soil of Northeast China, and the responses to glucose addition and glucose plus nitrogen amendment. The mineralization of the amino sugars was compound-specific. During incubation period, the content of muramic acid decreased by 25.

TRPV1 activation prevents high-salt diet-induced nocturnal hypertension in mice.

High dietary salt-caused hypertension is associated with increasing reactive oxygen species generation and reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1), a specific receptor for capsaicin, is proposed to be involved in Dahl salt-sensitive hypertension, as determined in acute or short-term experiments. However, it remains unknown whether activation of TRPV1 by dietary capsaicin could prevent the vascular oxidative stress and hypertension induced by a high-salt diet.

[Effect of electroacupuncture of Tianshu (ST 25) on the rational symptoms of functional constipation patients and evaluation on its efficacy satisfaction: a single-center, prospective, practical and randomized control trial].

Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) of Tianshu (ST 25) and medication on the subjective symptoms and the satisfactory degree of functional constipation (FO) patients, and to evaluate the efficacy of different depth-needling.

Methods: Single-blind, randomized and parallel-controlled methods were adopted in the present study and a total of 95 FC patients were randomly divided into medication group (Lactulose, 20-30 mL/d, n = 24), deep needling (DN, about 45 mm beneath the skin) of ST 25 group (n = 48), and shallow needling (SN, about 5 mm beneath the skin) of ST 25 group (n = 23). The treatment was given once daily (except weekends) for 4 weeks.

[Observation on therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture at Tianshu (ST 25) with deep needling technique on functional constipation].

Objective: To probe into a better therapeutic method for functional constipation.

Methods: Ninety-five cases of functional constipation were randomly divided into deep puncture at ST 25 group (48 cases), shallow puncture at ST 25 group (24 cases) and medication group (23 cases). In deep puncture at ST 25 group, Tianshu (ST 25) was punctured deeply to the peritoneum, with electric stimulation.

[Clinical observation of urinary retention after hemorrhoid and fistula operation treated with suspen-ding moxibustion].

Objective: To compare the therapeutic effects among moxibustion, local hot compress and infrared irradiation on urinary retention after hemorrhoid and fistula operation so as to provide the clinical evidences for the promotion and application of moxibustion.

Methods: The randomized controlled trial method was adopted to divide 60 cases of post-operative urinary retention into moxibustion group, hot compress group and infrared irradiation group, 20 cases in each group. In moxibustion group, suspending moxibustion was applied on Qihai (CV 6) and Zhongji (CV 3).

Effects of positive and negative modulators of the γ-aminobutyric acid A receptor complex on responding under a differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate schedule of reinforcement in rats.

Relatively little is known about the behavioral effects of the neurosteroids compared with other drugs that modulate the γ-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptor complex. This study examined the acute effects of pregnanolone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in male rats responding under a differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate schedule of reinforcement. For comparison, three positive modulators of the GABAA receptor (lorazepam, ethanol, and pentobarbital), one negative modulator (β-CCM), and one neutral modulator (flumazenil) were tested.

Geometrical characteristics and damage morphology of nodules grown from artificial seeds in multilayer coating.

Nodules have been planted in an HfO(2)/SiO(2) multilayer system with absorptive gold nanoparticle seeds located on the surface of a substrate. The topography of nodules was scanned by an atomic force microscope and imaged by a scanning electron microscope. The underlying characteristics of nodules were revealed by a focused ion beam.