Review helps learn better: Temporal Supervised Knowledge Distillation

Reviewing plays an important role when learning knowledge. The knowledge acquisition at a certain time point may be strongly inspired with the help of previous experience. Thus the knowledge growing procedure should show strong relationship along the temporal dimension. In our research, we find that during the network training, the evolution of feature map follows temporal sequence property. A proper temporal supervision may further improve the network training performance. Inspired by this observation, we propose Temporal Supervised Knowledge Distillation (TSKD). Specifically, we extract the spatiotemporal features in the different training phases of student by convolutional Long Short-term memory network (Conv-LSTM). Then, we train the student net through a dynamic target, rather than static teacher network features. This process realizes the refinement of old knowledge in student network, and utilizes it to assist current learning. Extensive experiments verify the effectiveness and advantages of our method over existing knowledge distillation methods, including various network architectures and different tasks (image classification and object detection) .Comment: Under review in AAAI 202

Case report: A case of ocular infection caused by Corynespora cassiicola

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to identify the pathogen causing ocular infection in a Chinese patient and to describe its morphological characteristics.MethodsSamples from the patient’s intraoperative pus were collected for microscopic examination and culture. Morphology and drug sensitivities of the isolated fungus were analyzed. Ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequencing was performed and blasted in GenBank.ResultsA strain of fungi was repeatedly isolated from pus samples in different types of medium. No conidia were shown when the isolate cultured on normal PDA medium, whereas pseudoseptate thick-walled conidia were shown when cultured on medium containing leaf leachate. The results of BLAST and phylogenetic trees based on internal transcribed spacer, beta-tubulin, translation elongation factor 1-alpha, and RNA polymerase II gene demonstrated that the isolated fungus was Corynespora cassiicola. Minimum inhibitory concentration results of this organism were as follows: anidulafungin, 0.06 μg/ml; amphotericin B, 0.12 μg/ml; micafungin, 0.06 μg/ml; caspofungin, 0.5 μg/ml; 5-fluorocytosine, >64 μg/ml; posaconazole, 2 μg/ml; voriconazole, 0.25 μg/ml; itraconazole, 0.5 μg/ml; fluconazole, 64 μg/ml.ConclusionThe case was infected with Corynespora cassiicola and led to eye suppurative endophthalmitis and blindness. Combined applications of morphological and molecular biology techniques facilitate accurate diagnosis of fungal infections

Assessing the Pharmacological and Therapeutic Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Liangxue Tongyu Prescription for Intracerebral Hemorrhagic Stroke in Neurological Disease Models

Intracerebral hemorrhage is a fatal subtype of stroke, with crucial impact on public health. Surgical removal of the hematoma as an early-stage treatment for ICH can’t improve long-term prognosis remarkably. Liangxue tongyu prescription (LP), a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula, includes eight ingredients and has been used to treat ICH in the clinical. In the study, we elucidated the pharmacological efficacy and therapeutic efficacy of LP to dissect the mechanism of LP against ICH via network analysis and experimental validation. First, we discovered 34 potential compounds and 146 corresponding targets in LP based on network prediction. 24 signal pathway were obtained by the Clue Go assay based on potential compounds in LP against ICH. Second, we found that LP can not only decreased the level of high sensitive C reactive protein (HS-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), NF-kβ, D-dimmer (D2D), estradiol (E2), S-100B, neuron specific enolase (NSE), and interleukin 1 (IL-1) in plasma on spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), but also promoted cell proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis on the glutamate-induced PC12 cell. The compounds including Taurine, Paeonol, and Ginsenoside Rb1 in LP can activate PI3K/AKT pathway. Third, from the three-factor two-level factorial design, compound combinations in LP, such as Taurine and Paeonol, Taurine and Geniposide, Ginsenoside Rg1, and Ginsenoside Rb1, had first-level interactions on cell proliferation. Compound combinations including Taurine and Paeonol, Ginsenoside Rg1 and Ginsenoside Rb1 had as significant increase in efficiency on inhibiting the apoptosis of PC12 cells at the low concentration and up-regulating of PI3K and AKT. Overall, our results suggested that LP had integrated therapeutic effect on ICH due to activities of anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulation, blood vessel protection, and protection neuron from excitotoxicity based on the way of “multi-component, multi-target, multi-pathway,” and compound combination in LP can offer protection neuron from excitotoxicity at the low concentration by activation of the PI3K/Akt signal pathway

Possible association between SIRT1 single nucleotide polymorphisms and predisposition to antisocial personality traits in Chinese adolescents

Accumulating evidence suggests an association between the SIRT1 gene and human psychiatric disorders. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between SIRT1 and predisposition to antisocial personality traits (ASP) in Chinese adolescents. Participants consisted of 327 controls and 261 juvenile offenders who were diagnosed with predisposition to ASP according to the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire. Four tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNPs) of SIRT1, namely rs12778366, rs7896005, rs10823112, and rs4746720, were genotyped. Association analysis between individual SNPs and ASP risk revealed the CC genotype of rs4746720 to be significantly associated with reduced risk of ASP (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.33–0.77, adjusted P = 0.007). Haplotype analysis showed the TAAC haplotype was associated with reduced susceptibility to ASP (OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.57–0.91, P = 0.005). Moreover, rs4746720 variants were found to not only have a direct impact on ASP susceptibility but also modulate the effect of alcohol consumption (Y = 0.022X + 0.431 vs. Y = −0.066X + 0.387). The present study is the first to report a significant association between SIRT1 polymorphisms and ASP in adolescents. This finding is expected to aid in the development of effective interventions for this socially and personally costly disorder.The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number: 81373022 and 81573172).Published versio

Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells Improve Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Through Regulating Macrophage Polarization

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, a novel population of innate-like lymphocytes, have been involved in various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. However, their role in the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the alterations of phenotype and immunological function of MAIT cells in NAFLD. Analysis of PBMCs in 60 patients with NAFLD and 48 healthy controls (HC) revealed that circulating MAIT cell frequency decreased in NAFLD, especially in the patients with higher serum levels of γ-glutamyl transferase or total triglyceride. Functional alterations of circulating MAIT cells were also detected in NAFLD patients, such as the increased production of IL-4 whereas the decreased production of IFN-γ and TNF-α. Furthermore, elevated expression of CXCR6 was observed in circulating MAIT cells of patients. Meanwhile, we found an increased number of MAIT cells in the livers of NAFLD, and the number was even greater in patients with higher NAFLD activity score. Moreover, activated MAIT cells induced monocytes/macrophages differentiation into M2 phenotype in vitro. Additionally, MAIT cells were enriched and displayed Th2 type cytokines profile in livers of wild type mice fed with methionine and choline deficient diet (MCD). Notably, mice deficient of MAIT cells exhibited more severe hepatic steatosis and inflammation upon MCD, accompanied with more CD11c+ proinflammatory macrophages (M1) and less CD206+ anti-inflammatory macrophages (M2) in livers. Our results indicate that MAIT cells protect against inflammation in NAFLD through producing regulatory cytokines and inducing anti-inflammatory macrophage polarization, which may provide novel therapeutic strategies for NAFLD

Fish Oil Enhances Recovery of Intestinal Microbiota and Epithelial Integrity in Chronic Rejection of Intestinal Transplant

The intestinal chronic rejection (CR) is the major limitation to long-term survival of transplanted organs. This study aimed to investigate the interaction between intestinal microbiota and epithelial integrity in chronic rejection of intestinal transplantation, and to find out whether fish oil enhances recovery of intestinal microbiota and epithelial integrity.. In addition, CR rats showed pronounced alteration of tight junction, depicted by marked changes in epithelial cell ultrastructure and redistribution of occuldin and claudins as well as disruption in TJ barrier function. Fish oil administration ameliorated disruption of epithelial integrity in CR, which was associated with an improvement of the mucosal structure leading to improved tight junctions.Our study have presented novel evidence that fish oil is involved in the maintenance of epithelial TJ integrity and recovery of gut microbiota, which may have therapeutic potential against CR in intestinal transplantation

Prevalence of and risk factors for non-suicidal self-injury in rural China: Results from a nationwide survey in China

Background Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a highly prevalent and serious public health problem among adolescents worldwide. However, to date there were no studies assessing the prevalence of NSSI defined by suggested DSM-5 criteria among Chinese adolescents. We aimed to conduct a nationwide survey to explore the prevalence of and risk factors for NSSI among school-based adolescents in rural China. Methods A total sample of 15,623 adolescents in rural China were enrolled by using a multistage sampling method. Data was collected by self-report questionnaires including demographic characteristics, neglect, maltreatment, loneliness, resilience, social support and emotional management ability. NSSI was defined by suggested DSM-5 criteria, according to which the engagement in self-injury took place more than 5 times a year. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between risk factors and NSSI. Results There were 12.2% of adolescents (n = 1908) met the suggested DSM-5 criteria. Approximately 29% reported a history of NSSI at least once during the last year. Significant differences were found in several demographic factors including gender, ethnicity, grade, and family structure between adolescents with and without experiencing NSSI. The top three NSSI behaviors among adolescents with NSSI experience were hitting self, pinching, and pulling hair, with a prevalence rate of 16.7%, 14.1% and 11.2%, respectively. Female, Han ethnicity, fathers’ education level, neglect, maltreatment, loneliness, social support, suicidal behaviors and emotional management ability were significantly associated with NSSI by multivariate analysis. No significant relationship was found between resilience and risk of NSSI. Limitation The DSM-5 has proposed 6 groups of criteria for NSSI, we only used criteria on frequency given its more accepted feasibility and pragmatic application. Consequently, it may different from other prevalence that estimated by other criteria. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting prevalence of NSSI defined by suggested DSM-5 criteria among adolescent in rural China. In comparison to finding from the similar samples of adolescents, Chinese rural adolescents seem to have a relative higher prevalence. The potential risk factors for NSSI include female, father's education, Han ethnicity, psychosocial factors and suicide behaviors. More evidence for further understanding of context of the occurrence, improving access to health care utilization, and identifying the role of psychosocial factors and family relationship, is needed for the prevention and management of NSSI.Published versio

Propagative Exfoliation of High Quality Graphene

通讯作者地址: Deng, SL (通讯作者) Xiamen Univ, Dept Chem, Coll Chem & Chem Engn, Xiamen 361005, Peoples R China. [email protected]; [email protected] quality graphene materials that readily disperse in water or organic solvents are needed to achieve some of the most ambitious applications. However, current synthetic approaches are typically limited by irreversible structural damages, little solubility, or low scalability. Here, we describe a fundamental study of graphene chemistry and covalent functionalization patterns on sp(2) carbon lattices, from which a facile, scalable synthesis of high quality graphene sheets was developed. Graphite materials were efficiently exfoliated by reductive, propagative alkylation. The exfoliated, propagatively alkylated graphene sheets (PAGenes) not only exhibited high solubility in common solvents such as chloroform, water, and N-methyl-pyrrolidone, but also showed electrical conductivity as high as 4.1 X 10(3) S/m, which is 5 orders of magnitude greater than those of graphene oxides. Bright blue photoluminescence, unattainable in graphene, was also observed. We attribute the rise of blue photoluminescence in PAGenes to small on-graphene sp(2) domains created by the propagative covalent chemistry, which may expand from graphene edges or existing defect sites leaving sp(2)-hybridized patches interlaced with sp(3)-hybridized regions. The intact sp(2) domains enable effective electrical percolation among different graphene layers affording the observed high electrical conductivity in PAGene films.National Key Basic Research Program of China 2013CB933901 National Natural Science Foundation of China 21171140 21021061 21031004 U1205111 Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province of China 2013J01056 Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities University of Maryland U.S. National Science Foundation CAREER CHE-105551