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To analyze the tension performance of laminated rubber bearings under tensile loading, a tension model for analyzing the rubber layers is proposed based on the theory of elasticity. Applying the boundary restraint condition and the assumption of incompressibility of the rubber layers, stress and deformation expressions for the tensile rubber layers are derived. Based on the derived expressions, the stress distribution and deformed pattern specifically for deformed shape of the free edges of rubber layers are analyzed, and the theory of cracking energy is applied to analyze the distributions of predicted cracking energy density and gradient direction. Prediction of crack initiation and crack propagation direction of the rubber layers is investigated. The analytical results show that the stress and deformation expressions can be used to simulate the stress distribution and deformed pattern of the rubber layer for laminated rubber bearings in the elastic range, and the crack energy method for predicting the failure mechanism is feasible according to the experimental phenomenon.

To the production scheduling optimization for high energy consumption process, making energy consumption as objective function is relatively less. Using the combinational optimization method of system modeling simulation and improved genetic algorithm, it studies the multi--objective optimization including the least energy cost and shortest maximal flow time to HFSSP(hybrid flow shop scheduling problem). Finally the application example is introduced to verify the feasibility of the method. The proposed method may provide guidance for the enterprise to save energy.

GNL3 has been reported to be up-regulated in cancers and function in tumor progression, whereas the role of GNL3 in the progression of osteosarcoma remains unclear. In this study, we blocked the expression of GNL3 by siRNA interference in osteosarcoma cell lines MG63 and U20S. CCK8, colony formation, wound-healing, Transwell, flow cytometry, and Hoechst/PI staining assays were used to examine the effects of GNL3 knockdown on cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis in MG63 and U20S cells. The relative activity of MMP9 was detected using Gelatin zymography assay. Western blot was performed to detect the expression of related proteins. We found that silencing of GNL3 reduced the growth, migration, and invasion abilities of MG63 and U20S cells. Moreover, silencing GNL3 triggered cell cycle arrest in MG63 and U20S cells, as well as promoted cell apoptosis. In addition, depletion of GNL3 was observed to reduce the activity of MMP9 and suppress the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through up-regulation of E-cadherin and down-regulation of N-cadherin. Furthermore, we found that X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1) could bind to GNL3 using dual-luciferase reporter assay, and XBP1 overexpression could restore the inhibitory effects on proliferation, invasion, and EMT in MG63 and U20S cells caused by GNL3 knockdown. These data suggest that GNL3 functions as an oncogene in the progression of osteosarcoma by regulation of EMT, and XBP1 is also involved in its mechanism.

Background: Overall, the proportion of deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) reached 40–50% in dialysis patients. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) reflects arterial stiffness and may provide an integrated index of vascular status and CVD risk. Individual components of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) are well-established cardiovascular risk factors. Thus we conducted a cross-sectional study in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients to explore the association of MetS components with PWV. Methods: Prevalent CAPD patients (n = 148, 63 M/85 F) were categorized according to the number of traits of the MetS into one of three groups (No MetS, Risk of MetS, MetS). Due to the effect of peritoneal dialysis (PD), waist circumference was not assessed. Aortic stiffness was assessed by carotid-femoral PWV (C-F PWV). Results: Patients’ MetS trait numbers were positively associated with C-F PWV (r = 0.301, p < 0.01), pulse pressure (r = 0.256, p < 0.01), systolic blood pressure (r = 0.233, p < 0.01), and serum albumin (r = 0.205, p < 0.05). In a multivariate regression analysis, PWV was independently determined by age (p < 0.01) and MetS score (p = 0.01). Adjusted R 2 of the model was 0.24. Conclusion: MetS traits were closely associated with an increased C-F PWV, even after adjustment for confounders. This suggests that commonly recognized MetS criteria are useful also when predicting CVD in CAPD patients.

High peritoneal transport status in end-stage renal disease patients receiving peritoneal dialysis was shown to be associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Although the pathogenesis of increased peritoneal transport is still not clear, previous studies have demonstrated that phospholipids (PLs) are present on the peritoneal mesothelium and when added to dialysate can decrease the peritoneal fluid absorption rate and increase peritoneal fluid removal. In the present report, we explored the relationship between peritoneal transport and dialysate loss of endogenous PLs. We evaluated 48 prevalent continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients with high or low peritoneal transport in a cross-sectional study. The 4-hour dwell dialysate PL profile was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry. The patients' peritoneal small solute transport rate was assessed by D/P(Cr) at 4 h and their fluid transport by kinetic modeling. While there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in age, sex, diabetic status and time on dialysis, high transporters had a significantly higher D/P(Cr) and peritoneal fluid absorption rate (K(e)) than low transporters. The PLs in dialysate effluents mainly consisted of PLs containing unsaturated fatty acid, and the concentrations, as well as the amount, of PLs were significantly elevated in the dialysate of high transporters as compared to low transporters. Our results showed that dialysate from high transporters exhibited elevated levels of PLs, especially PLs containing unsaturated fatty acid, suggesting a possible loss of peritoneal surface-active PLs in peritoneal dialysis, and this loss may contribute to the alteration in peritoneal transport.

Soil samples were collected to a depth of 20 cm using a 3.0 m x 3.0 m grid in 900 m super(2) (30.0 m x 30.0 m) plots for analysis of spatial patterns of soil in undisturbed area of China fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) and Mas-son pine (Pinus massoniana) mixed forest in the Three Gorger Reservoir Areas. The investigation data showed that the average of soil DNA content was 922.71 mu g times g super(-1) water-free soil, the maximal value was 6761.30 mu g times g super(1) water-free soil, and the less value 58.52 mu g times g super(-1) water-free soil. The geostatistical analysis indicated that the spatial distribution characteristic was not obviously reflected by the liner graphs while samples were randomly distribution and independent each other. The separation distance among samples was related to precision of soil DNA content, the effects of non-structure factors (environment factors, disturbed factors) on spatial correlation structure would disappeared due to the separation distance in excess of 18.84 m, and

The soil moisture is a most important ecological factor on the earth's surface ecological process. It plays an important role in ecological environment protection in Three Gorges Reservoir Area. The geostatistics method was used to determine and quantify the spatial variability of soil water (0.00 similar to 20.00 cm) for analysis of spatial patters of soil moisture in two typical forest communities (30.00 m x 30.00 m) i.e. Cunninghamia lanceolata and Pinus massoniana mixed forest (A), Pinus massoniana pure forest (B) in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area. Using the grid sampling method (3.00 m x 3.00 m space), 98 sampling points were fixed in total. Based on autocorrelation analysis, the spatial correlation structure of these soil moisture patterns was calculated with the aid of the Moran's I index. The results showed that: (1) the spatial heterogeneity of soil moisture was different obviously between the two forest types, the spatial heterogeneity of plot B was stronger than that of plot A; (2) the analysis of

Although TRPV1 channels represent a key player of noxious heat sensation, the precise mechanisms for thermal hyperalgesia remain unknown. We report here that conditional knockout of deSUMOylation enzyme, SENP1, in mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons exacerbated thermal hyperalgesia in both carrageenan- and Complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced inflammation models. TRPV1 is SUMOylated at a C-terminal Lys residue (K822), which specifically enhances the channel sensitivity to stimulation by heat, but not capsaicin, protons or voltage. TRPV1 SUMOylation is decreased by SENP1 but upregulated upon peripheral inflammation. More importantly, the reduced ability of TRPV1 knockout mice to develop inflammatory thermal hyperalgesia was rescued by viral infection of lumbar 3/4 DRG neurons of wild-type TRPV1, but not its SUMOylation-deficient mutant, K822R. These data suggest that TRPV1 SUMOylation is essential for the development of inflammatory thermal hyperalgesia, through a mechanism that involves sensitization of the channel response specifically to thermal stimulation. SUMOylation is a post translational modification. Here the authors show that TRPV1, which conveys thermal nociception, is SUMOylated in DRGs in inflammatory conditions and contributes to pain behavior in mice.

While oral antidepressants reach efficacy after weeks, single-dose intravenous (i.v.) ketamine has rapid, yet time-limited antidepressant effects. We aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of single-dose i.v. ketamine augmentation of escitalopram in major depressive disorder (MDD). Thirty outpatients with severe MDD (17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression total score ⩾ 24) were randomized to 4 weeks double-blind treatment with escitalopram 10 mg/day+single-dose i.v. ketamine (0.5 mg/kg over 40 min) or escitalopram 10 mg/day + placebo (0.9% i.v. saline). Depressive symptoms were measured using the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Self-Report (QIDS-SR). Suicidal ideation was evaluated with the QIDS-SR item 12. Adverse psychopathological effects were measured with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS)-positive symptoms, Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS). Patients were assessed at baseline, 1, 2, 4, 24 and 72 h and 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Time to response (⩾ 50% MADRS score reduction) was the primary outcome. By 4 weeks, more escitalopram + ketamine-treated than escitalopram + placebo-treated patients responded (92.3% v. 57.1%, p = 0.04) and remitted (76.9% v. 14.3%, p = 0.001), with significantly shorter time to response [hazard ratio (HR) 0.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01-0.22, p < 0.001] and remission (HR 0.11, 95% CI 0.02-0.63, p = 0.01). Compared to escitalopram + placebo, escitalopram + ketamine was associated with significantly lower MADRS scores from 2 h to 2 weeks [(peak = 3 days-2 weeks; effect size (ES) = 1.08-1.18)], QIDS-SR scores from 2 h to 2 weeks (maximum ES = 1.27), and QIDS-SR suicidality from 2 to 72 h (maximum ES = 2.24). Only YMRS scores increased significantly with ketamine augmentation (1 and 2 h), without significant BPRS or CADSS elevation. Single-dose i.v. ketamine augmentation of escitalopram was safe and effective in severe MDD, holding promise for speeding up early oral antidepressant efficacy.

Next-generation neutrino telescopes with substantially improved sensitivity are required to pinpoint the sources of the diffuse astrophysical neutrino flux detected by IceCube and uncover the century-old puzzle of cosmic-ray origins. A detector near the Equator will provide a unique viewpoint of the neutrino sky, complementing IceCube and other neutrino telescopes in the Northern Hemisphere. Here we present results from an expedition to the northeastern region of the South China Sea, in the western Pacific Ocean. A favourable neutrino telescope site was found on an abyssal plain at a depth of ~3.5 km. At depths below 3 km, the sea current speed, water absorption and scattering lengths for Cherenkov light were measured to be vc < 10 cm s−1, λabs ≈ 27 m and λsca ≈ 63 m, respectively. Accounting for these measurements, we present the design and expected performance of a next-generation neutrino telescope, Tropical Deep-sea Neutrino Telescope (TRIDENT). With its advanced photon-detection technology and large dimensions, TRIDENT expects to observe the IceCube steady source candidate NGC 1068 with 5σ significance within 1 year of operation. This level of sensitivity will open a new arena for diagnosing the origin of cosmic rays and probing fundamental physics over astronomical baselines.A South China Sea expedition in 2021 identified a 3.5-km-deep site close to the Equator for a next-generation neutrino telescope: TRIDENT. A large array of advanced detectors will be arrayed on the seabed to probe fundamental physics and explore the extreme Universe.