Impulsive Synchronization and Adaptive-Impulsive Synchronization of a Novel Financial Hyperchaotic System

The impulsive synchronization and adaptive-impulsive synchronization of a novel financial hyperchaotic system are investigated. Based on comparing principle for impulsive functional differential equations, several sufficient conditions for impulsive synchronization are derived, and the upper bounds of impulsive interval for stable synchronization are estimated. Furthermore, a nonlinear adaptive-impulsive control scheme is designed to synchronize the financial system using invariant principle of impulsive dynamical systems. Moreover, corresponding numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed methods

Incontinentia Pigmenti: Case Report

Incontinentia pigmenti (IP) or Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome, is a rare X linked dominant disorder with characteristic skin, hair, eye, dental and neurological abnormalities mostly affecting females. We reported two cases of newborn female children exhibiting characteristic cutaneous and neurological findings with one year follow-up.</p

(meso-5,7,7,12,14,14-Hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetra­aza­cyclo­tetra­deca-4,11-diene)nickel(II) dibromide dihydrate

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Ni(C16H32N4)]Br2·2H2O, consists of one half [Ni(C16H32N4)]2+ cation, one Br− anion and one water mol­ecule of crystallization. The NiII ion lies on an inversion centre in a square-planar environment formed by the four macrocyclic ligand N atoms. In the crystal structure, the cations, anions and water mol­ecules are linked via inter­molecular N—H⋯Br and O—H⋯Br hydrogen bonds, forming discrete chains with set-graph motif D(2)D 2 2(7)D 2 1(3)D 3 2(8). The water mol­ecules and Br− ions are linked with set-graph motif R 4 2(8)

A method for protein extraction from different subcellular fractions of laticifer latex in Hevea brasiliensis compatible with 2-DE and MS

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Proteomic analysis of laticifer latex in <it>Hevea brasiliensis </it>has been received more significant attentions. However, the sticky and viscous characteristic of rubber latex as cytoplasm of laticifer cells and the complication of laticifer latex membrane systems has made it challenge to isolate high-quality proteins for 2-DE and MS.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Based on the reported Borax/PVPP/Phenol (BPP) protocol, we developed an efficient method for protein preparation from different latex subcellular fractions and constructed high-resolution reference 2-DE maps. The obtained proteins from both total latex and C-serum fraction with this protocol generate more than one thousand protein spots and several hundreds of protein spots from rubber particles as well as lutoid fraction and its membranes on the CBB stained 2-DE gels. The identification of 13 representative proteins on 2-DE gels by MALDI TOF/TOF MS/MS suggested that this method is compatible with MS.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The proteins extracted by this method are compatible with 2-DE and MS. This protein preparation protocol is expected to be used in future comparative proteomic analysis for natural rubber latex.</p

Microstructural and mechanical characteristics of PHEMA-based nanofibre-reinforced hydrogel under compression

Natural network-structured hydrogels (e.g. bacterial cellulose (BC)) can be synthesised with specific artificial hydrogels (e.g. poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)(PHEMA)) to form a tougher and stronger nanofibre-reinforced composite hydrogel, which possesses micro- and nano-porous structure. These synthetic hydrogels exhibit a number of advantages for biomedical applications, such as good biocompatibility and better permeability for molecules to pass through. In this paper, the mechanical properties of this nanofibre-reinforced hydrogel containing BC and PHEMA have been characterised in terms of their tangent modulus and fracture stress/strain by uniaxial compressive testing. Numerical simulations based on Mooney-Rivlin hyperelastic theory are also conducted to understand the internal stress distribution and possible failure of the nanofibre-reinforced hydrogel under compression. By comparing the mechanical characteristics of BC, PHEMA, and PHEMA-based nanofibre reinforced hydrogel (BC-PHEMA) under the compression, it is possible to develop a suitable scaffold for tissue engineering on the basis of fundamental understanding of mechanical and fracture behaviours of nanofibre-reinforced hydrogels

Critical Role of Toll-Like Receptor 9 in Morphine and Mycobacterium Tuberculosis-Induced Apoptosis in Mice

Background: Although it is established that opioid and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are both public health problems, the mechanisms by which they affect lung functions remain elusive. Methodology/Principal Findings: We report here that mice subjected to chronic morphine administration and M. tuberculosis infection exhibited significant apoptosis in the lung in wild type mice as demonstrated by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling assay. Morphine and M. tuberculosis significantly induced the expression of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), a key mediator of innate immunity and inflammation. Interestingly, deficiency in TLR9 significantly inhibited the morphine and M. tuberculosis induced apoptosis in the lung. In addition, chronic morphine treatment and M. tuberculosis infection enhanced the levels of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) in wild type mice, but not in TLR9 knockout (KO) mice. The bacterial load was much lower in TLR9 KO mice compared with that in wild type mice following morphine and M. tuberculosis treatment. Morphine alone did not alter the bacterial load in either wild type or TLR9 KO mice. Moreover, administration of morphine and M. tuberculosis decreased the levels of phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3β in the wild type mice, but not in TLR9 KO mice, suggesting an involvement of Akt/GSK3β in morphine and M. tuberculosis-mediated TLR9 signaling. Furthermore, administration of morphine and M. tuberculosis caused a dramatic decrease in Bcl-2 level but increase in Bax level in wild type mice, but not in TLR9 KO mice, indicating a role of Bcl-2 family in TLR9-mediated apoptosis in the lung following morphine and M. tuberculosis administration. Conclusions/Significance: These data reveal a role for TLR9 in the immune response to opioids during M. tuberculosis infection

Ceftazidime-avibactam induced renal disorders: past and present

With the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial pathogens worldwide, antimicrobial resistance has become a significant public health concern. Ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI) exhibited excellent in vitro activity against many carbapenemase-producing pathogens, and was widely used for the treatment of various complicated infections. CAZ-AVI is well tolerated across all dosing regimens, and its associated acute kidney injury (AKI) in phase II/III clinical trials is rare. However, recent real-world studies have demonstrated that CAZ-AVI associated AKI was more frequent in real-world than in phase II and III clinical trials, particularly in patients receiving concomitant nephrotoxic agents, with critically ill patients being at a higher risk. Herein, we reviewed the safety data related to renal impairment of CAZ-AVI, and discussed its pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic targets and dosage adjustment in patients with impaired renal function. This review aimed to emphasize the importance for healthcare professionals to be aware of this adverse event of CAZ-AVI and provide practical insights into the dosage optimization in critically ill patients with renal dysfunction

Critical Role of Toll-Like Receptor 9 in Morphine and Mycobacterium tuberculosis–Induced Apoptosis in Mice

Background: Although it is established that opioid and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are both public health problems, the mechanisms by which they affect lung functions remain elusive. Methodology/Principal Findings: We report here that mice subjected to chronic morphine administration and M. tuberculosis infection exhibited significant apoptosis in the lung in wild type mice as demonstrated by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling assay. Morphine and M. tuberculosis significantly induced the expression of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), a key mediator of innate immunity and inflammation. Interestingly, deficiency in TLR9 significantly inhibited the morphine and M. tuberculosis induced apoptosis in the lung. In addition, chronic morphine treatment and M. tuberculosis infection enhanced the levels of cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6) in wild type mice, but not in TLR9 knockout (KO) mice. The bacterial load was much lower in TLR9 KO mice compared with that in wild type mice following morphine and M. tuberculosis treatment. Morphine alone did not alter the bacterial load in either wild type or TLR9 KO mice. Moreover, administration of morphine and M. tuberculosis decreased the levels of phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3 beta in the wild type mice, but not in TLR9 KO mice, suggesting an involvement of Akt/GSK3 beta in morphine and M. tuberculosis-mediated TLR9 signaling. Furthermore, administration of morphine and M. tuberculosis caused a dramatic decrease in Bcl-2 level but increase in Bax level in wild type mice, but not in TLR9 KO mice, indicating a role of Bcl-2 family in TLR9-mediated apoptosis in the lung following morphine and M. tuberculosis administration. Conclusions/Significance: These data reveal a role for TLR9 in the immune response to opioids during M. tuberculosis infection.http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000274923700001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=8e1609b174ce4e31116a60747a720701Multidisciplinary SciencesSCI(E)11ARTICLE2null

Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy improved refractory acne conglobata and perifolliculitis capitis abscedens et suffodiens rather than hidradenitis suppurativa

Acne conglobata (AC), perifolliculitis capitis abscedens et suffodiens (PCAS) and hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) are uncommon refractory chronic, inflammatory, scarring diseases but cause serious damage to the quality of life. These three diseases are associated with follicular occlusion. Several studies indicated topical 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) improved follicular occlusion besides acne treatment. So we attempted to apply ALA-PDT to medicine resistant AC, PCAS and HS. Topical ALA-PDT was applied to 10 patients with AC, seven patients with PCAS and three patients with HS for more than three sessions. All the patients completed the dermatology life quality index (DLQI) questionnaire and were assessed for the efficacy at the baseline and on two weeks after each treatment. Adverse effects were recorded at each visit. The results showed 25.5% (5/20, two cases of AC and three cases of PCAS) of patients achieved excellent improvement after three sessions of PDT and another 60.0% (12/20, eight cases of AC and four cases of PCAS) of patients achieved good improvement. 15.0% (3/20, three cases of HS) got poor response (< 20% lesions clearance). Another five cases (three cases of AC and two cases of PCAS) also achieved excellent response after 5–7 sessions of PDT. We also found that papular/nodular, cyst/abscess showed higher clearance rate than sinus/fistula (88.5%, 86.1% versus 11.1%). DLQI was reduced after three sessions of PDT in AC and PCAS patients rather than HS patients. 5-ALA-PDT could improve refractory AC and PCAS but could not lead to improvement in late stage of HS. The efficacy increased with more treatment sessions

The adenosine A2A receptor antagonist KW6002 distinctly regulates retinal ganglion cell morphology during postnatal development and neonatal inflammation

Adenosine A2A receptors (A2ARs) appear early in the retina during postnatal development, but the roles of the A2ARs in the morphogenesis of distinct types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) during postnatal development and neonatal inflammatory response remain undetermined. As the RGCs are rather heterogeneous in morphology and functions in the retina, here we resorted to the Thy1-YFPH transgenic mice and three-dimensional (3D) neuron reconstruction to investigate how A2ARs regulate the morphogenesis of three morphologically distinct types of RGCs (namely Type I, II, III) during postnatal development and neonatal inflammation. We found that the A2AR antagonist KW6002 did not change the proportion of the three RGC types during retinal development, but exerted a bidirectional effect on dendritic complexity of Type I and III RGCs and cell type-specifically altered their morphologies with decreased dendrite density of Type I, decreased the dendritic field area of Type II and III, increased dendrite density of Type III RGCs. Moreover, under neonatal inflammation condition, KW6002 specifically increased the proportion of Type I RGCs with enhanced the dendrite surface area and volume and the proportion of Type II RGCs with enlarged the soma area and perimeter. Thus, A2ARs exert distinct control of RGC morphologies to cell type-specifically fine-tune the RGC dendrites during normal development but to mainly suppress RGC soma and dendrite volume under neonatal inflammation