Gender-related difference in the upper airway dimensions and hyoid bone position in Chinese Han children and adolescents aged 6-18 years using cone beam computed tomography.

Objective: To investigate the gender-related differences in upper airway dimensions and hyoid bone position in Chinese Han children and adolescents (6-18 years) using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Materials And Methods: CBCT-scans of 119 boys and 135 girls were selected and divided into four groups (group 1: 6-9 years; group 2: 10-12 years; group 3: 13-15 years; group 4: 16-18 years). The airway dimensions including the cross-sectional area (CSA), anteroposterior (AP) and lateral (LAT) width, length (L), mean CSA and volume (VOL) of upper airway segmentations and hyoid bone position including 11 linear and three angular measurements were investigated using Materialism's interactive medical image control system (MIMICS) 16.

17β-estradiol regulates cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, invasion and promotes apoptosis by upregulating miR-9 and thus degrades MALAT-1 in osteosarcoma cell MG-63 in an estrogen receptor-independent manner.

In bone, different concentration of estrogen leads to various of physiological processes in osteoblast, such as the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis in an estrogen receptor-dependent manner. But little was known about the estrogen effects on osteosarcoma (OS). In this study, OS cell MG-63 was treated with low (1 nM) or high (100 nM) dose of 17β-Estradiol (E2) with the presence or absence of estrogen receptor α (ERα), for evaluating the E2 effects on proliferation, migration, invasion, colony formation and apoptosis.

Comparative study on the localized surface plasmon resonance of boron- and phosphorus-doped silicon nanocrystals.

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of doped Si nanocrystals (NCs) is critical to the development of Si-based plasmonics. We now experimentally show that LSPR can be obtained from both B- and P-doped Si NCs in the mid-infrared region. Both experiments and calculations demonstrate that the Drude model can be used to describe the LSPR of Si NCs if the dielectric screening and carrier effective mass of Si NCs are considered.

Kinetically-controlled growth of cubic and octahedral Rh-Pd alloy oxygen reduction electrocatalysts with high activity and durability.

Rh is a promising candidate as an indispensible component in bimetallic catalysts due to its unique capability to resist against the aggressive corrosion from the reaction medium. However, Rh has a very strong oxygen binding ability and is generally not suitable for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Here, we have demonstrated shape-controlled synthesis of Rh-Pd alloy nanocrystals with high activity and durability for ORR by retarding the reaction kinetics at an ultra-slow injection rate of metal salts using a syringe pump.

Mechismo: predicting the mechanistic impact of mutations and modifications on molecular interactions.

Systematic interrogation of mutation or protein modification data is important to identify sites with functional consequences and to deduce global consequences from large data sets. Mechismo (mechismo.russellab.

[Evaluation on the status quo of self monitoring of blood glucose and self-efficacy of diabetes patients in community].

Objective: To investigate the status quo and influence factors of self monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) and self-efficacy of diabetes patients' that participated in community diabetes self management group.

Methods: Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Jiangsu, Guangdong, and Zhejiang were selected as the study sites considering patients management experiences they had. 1 401 adult diabetes patients were recruited from communities via health records system screening, telephone notification, poster advertisement, letters invitation ways.

In situ study of the growth of two-dimensional palladium dendritic nanostructures using liquid-cell electron microscopy.

We investigated the growth of two-dimensional (2D) palladium dendritic nanostructures (DNSs) using in situ liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Detailed in situ and ex situ high-resolution scanning TEM (S/TEM) characterization and fractal dimension analyses reveal that the diffusion-limited aggregation and direct atomic deposition are responsible for the growth of palladium dendritic nanostructures.

In situ study of oxidative etching of palladium nanocrystals by liquid cell electron microscopy.

Oxidative etching has widely prevailed in the synthesis of a crystal and played a critical role in determining the final growth behavior. In this Letter, we report an in situ microscopic study on the oxidative etching of palladium cubic nanocrystals by liquid cell scanning transmission electron microscopy. The etching was realized with oxidative radiation reactants from electron-water interaction in the presence of Br(-) ions.

[Exploration of the oral health education experimental teaching for oral health education reform].

Objective: This study aimed to improve students' ability in practical and theoretical courses of oral health education and to promote students' learning interest and initiative.

Methods: Fourth-year students of the oral medical profession from 2006 to 2008 at Weifang Medical University were chosen as research objects for oral health education to explore the experimental teaching reform. The students were divided into test and control groups, with the test group using the "speak out" way of teaching and the control group using the traditional teaching method.

Halopolyspora alba gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from sediment.

A novel halophilic, filamentous actinomycete, designated strain AFM 10251(T), was isolated from a sediment sample collected from the Dead Sea, Israel. The isolate grew with 10-35% multi-salts, and did not grow without NaCl or MgCl2. The isolate formed a white aerial mycelium, and long chains of arthrospores with more than 10 spores per chain.

Facile synthesis of Rh-Pd alloy nanodendrites as highly active and durable electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction.

In addition to activity, durability of Pd-based catalysts in a highly corrosive medium has become one of the most important barriers to limit their industrial applications such as low-temperature fuel cell technologies. Here, Rh with a unique capability to resist against oxidation etching was incorporated into Pd-based catalysts to enhance both their activity and durability for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). This idea was achieved through the synthesis of the Rh-Pd alloy nanodendrites by co-reducing Rh and Pd salt precursors in oleylamine (OAm) containing cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB).

Paenibacillus quercus sp. nov., isolated from rhizosphere of Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata.

A Gram-positive, spore-forming, rod-shaped and motile bacterium, designated strain 1-25(T), was isolated from the rhizosphere of Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata in Taibai Mountain, Shaanxi Province, China. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain 1-25(T) belongs to the genus Paenibacillus.

Dynamic void distribution in myoglobin and five mutants.

Globular proteins contain cavities/voids that play specific roles in controlling protein function. Elongated cavities provide migration channels for the transport of ions and small molecules to the active center of a protein or enzyme. Using Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics on fully atomistic protein/water models, a new computational methodology is introduced that takes into account the protein's dynamic structure and maps all the cavities in and on the surface.

Kinetically controlled synthesis of Pt-Cu alloy concave nanocubes with high-index facets for methanol electro-oxidation.

Pt-Cu alloy concave nanocubes enclosed by high-index {511} facets were synthesized in high yields and exhibited substantially enhanced electrocatalytic properties for methanol oxidation relative to commercial Pt/C.

Atomic resolution liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy investigations of the dynamics of nanoparticles in ultrathin liquids.

We proposed a highly reproducible method that enables atomic resolution transmission electron microscopy investigations of the dynamics of nanoparticles in liquids. An ultrathin liquid layer was established as a result of formation of bubbles that was initiated and tuned by beam radiation. The migration, aggregation and rotation of palladium nanoparticles were observed.

NQO1 609C>T polymorphism interaction with tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking increases colorectal cancer risk in a Chinese population.

Background: NAD (P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) catalyzes the activation of some environmental procarcinogens present in tobacco smoke or the diet. We conducted a hospital-based case-control study to evaluate the potential association between NQO1 609C>T polymorphisms and colorectal cancer risk in a Chinese population.

Methods: The study population comprised 672 histologically confirmed colorectal cancer patients and 672 frequency-matched control subjects without cancer or systemic illness.

Structural phylogenomics uncovers the early and concurrent origins of cysteine biosynthesis and iron-sulfur proteins.

Cysteine (Cys) has unique chemical properties of catalysis, metal chelation, and protein stabilization. While Cys biosynthesis is assumed to be very ancient, the actual time of origin of these metabolic pathways remains unknown. Here, we use the molecular clocks of protein folds and fold superfamilies to time the origin of Cys biosynthesis.

The impact of oxygen on metabolic evolution: a chemoinformatic investigation.

The appearance of planetary oxygen likely transformed the chemical and biochemical makeup of life and probably triggered episodes of organismal diversification. Here we use chemoinformatic methods to explore the impact of the rise of oxygen on metabolic evolution. We undertake a comprehensive comparative analysis of structures, chemical properties and chemical reactions of anaerobic and aerobic metabolites.

Protein domain structure uncovers the origin of aerobic metabolism and the rise of planetary oxygen.

The origin and evolution of modern biochemistry remain a mystery despite advances in evolutionary bioinformatics. Here, we use a structural census in nearly 1,000 genomes and a molecular clock of folds to define a timeline of appearance of protein families linked to single-domain enzymes. The timeline sorts out enzymatic recruitment, validates patterns in metabolic history, and reveals that the most ancient reaction of aerobic metabolism involved the synthesis of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate or pyridoxal and appeared 2.

Chemical basis of metabolic network organization.

Although the metabolic networks of the three domains of life consist of different constituents and metabolic pathways, they exhibit the same scale-free organization. This phenomenon has been hypothetically explained by preferential attachment principle that the new-recruited metabolites attach preferentially to those that are already well connected. However, since metabolites are usually small molecules and metabolic processes are basically chemical reactions, we speculate that the metabolic network organization may have a chemical basis.

A universal molecular clock of protein folds and its power in tracing the early history of aerobic metabolism and planet oxygenation.

The standard molecular clock describes a constant rate of molecular evolution and provides a powerful framework for evolutionary timescales. Here, we describe the existence and implications of a molecular clock of folds, a universal recurrence in the discovery of new structures in the world of proteins. Using a phylogenomic structural census in hundreds of proteomes, we build phylogenies and time lines of domains at fold and fold superfamily levels of structural complexity.

How does oxygen rise drive evolution? Clues from oxygen-dependent biosynthesis of nuclear receptor ligands.

It is well known that oxygen rise greatly facilitated biological evolution. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Recently, Raymond and Segrè revealed that molecular oxygen allows 1000 more metabolic reactions than can occur in anoxic conditions.

Evolutionary formation of new protein folds is linked to metallic cofactor recruitment.

To explore whether the generation of new protein folds could be linked to metallic cofactor recruitment, we identified the oldest examples of folds for manganese, iron, zinc, and copper proteins by analyzing their fold-domain mapping patterns. We discovered that the generation of these folds was tightly coupled to corresponding metals. We found that the emerging order for these folds, i.

Wavelength femtosecond light pulse generated from filamentation-assisted fourth-order nonlinear process in potassium titanyl phosphate crystal.

A femtosecond light pulse at 480 nm in wavelength was generated during filamentation of an intense 808 nm femtosecond laser pulse propagating along the x axis and polarized between the y and z axes of a KTP crystal. It was proven that the parametric amplification process by a fourth-order nonlinear polarization (chi(4)(omega(2),omega,omega,omega,-omega(1)) induces frequency generation at 480 nm, where the pump light comes from the incident laser and the seed light comes from the generated supercontinuum by filamentation. The wavelength of the generated signal could be turned from 460 to 520 nm by adjusting the propagation direction in the crystal.