Conservation Laws and Self-Consistent Sources for an Integrable Lattice Hierarchy Associated with a Three-by-Three Discrete Matrix Spectral Problem

A lattice hierarchy with self-consistent sources is deduced starting from a three-by-three discrete matrix spectral problem. The Hamiltonian structures are constructed for the resulting hierarchy. Liouville integrability of the resulting equations is demonstrated. Moreover, infinitely many conservation laws of the resulting hierarchy are obtained

Electroacupuncture Inhibition of Hyperalgesia in Rats with Adjuvant Arthritis: Involvement of Cannabinoid Receptor 1 and Dopamine Receptor Subtypes in Striatum

Electroacupuncture (EA) has been regarded as an alternative treatment for inflammatory pain for several decades. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the antinociceptive effect of EA have not been thoroughly clarified. Previous studies have shown that cannabinoid CB1 receptors are related to pain relief. Accumulating evidence has shown that the CB1 and dopamine systems sometimes interact and may operate synergistically in rat striatum. To our knowledge, dopamine D1/D2 receptors are involved in EA analgesia. In this study, we found that repeated EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Kunlun (BL60) acupoints resulted in marked improvements in thermal hyperalgesia. Both western blot assays and FQ-PCR analysis results showed that the levels of CB1 expression in the repeated-EA group were much higher than those in any other group (P=0.001). The CB1-selective antagonist AM251 inhibited the effects of repeated EA by attenuating the increases in CB1 expression. The two kinds of dopamine receptors imparted different actions on the EA-induced CB1 upregulation in AA rat model. These results suggested that the strong activation of the CB1 receptor after repeated EA resulted in the concomitant phenomenon of the upregulation of D1 and D2 levels of gene expression

Sexual dimorphic effects of igf1 deficiency on metabolism in zebrafish

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) is an essential effector of the growth hormone (GH)/IGF1 axis for somatic growth regulation in mammals. However, its functions have not been thoroughly investigated in zebrafish in vivo. In this study, the igf1-deficient zebrafish model was developed using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique. In this study all the results were performed on both male and female animals. The growth of both male and female igf1-deficient zebrafish were reduced. The igf1 deficiency leads to significant complementary up-regulation of transcriptional expression levels of insulin, igf2 and igf3. This suggested that igf2 and igf3 may act with redundant functions. While the upregulation of gh1 expression can only be detected in igf1-deficient females. At the same time, significant growth retardation, fatty liver, reduced activated levels of ribosomal S6 (S6) are seen only in igf1-deficient males. On the other hand, significant hyperglycemia, elevated transcriptional expression levels of phosphenolpyruvate carboxykinase (pepck) and levels of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), with additional reduced hepatic lactate/pyruvate (L/P) ratios can only observed in igf1-deficient females. Impaired glucose uptake has been recorded in the primary cultured hepatocytes from igf1-deficient females, but not males. Intriguingly, exposure to 17beta-estroadiol (E2) can partially ameliorated the defects of fatty liver and activation of AKT/mTOR signaling in igf1-deficient males. Our studies demonstrate the significant functions of IGF1 on somatic regulation in zebrafish, with asymmetric gender-related consequences. Our data thus suggest that the zebrafish IGF1 is preferentially required for the activation of AKT/mTOR signaling in male zebrafish, but glucose uptake in females

Clinical research on liver reserve function by 13C-phenylalanine breath test in aged patients with chronic liver diseases

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The objective of this study was to investigate whether the ¹³C-phenylalanine breath test could be useful for the evaluation of hepatic function in elderly volunteers and patients with chronic hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>L-[1-¹³C] phenylalanine was administered orally at a dose of 100 mg to 55 elderly patients with liver cirrhosis, 30 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 38 elderly healthy subjects. The breath test was performed at 8 different time points (0, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 min) to obtain the values of Delta over baseline, percentage ¹³CO₂exhalation rate and cumulative excretion (Cum). The relationships of the cumulative excretion with the ¹³C-%dose/h and blood biochemical parameters were investigated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The ¹³C-%dose/h at 20 min and 30 min combined with the cumulative excretion at 60 min and 120 min correlated with hepatic function tests, serum albumin, hemoglobin, platelet and Child-Pugh score. Prothrombin time, total and direct bilirubin were significantly increased, while serum albumin, hemoglobin and platelet, the cumulative excretion at 60 min and 120 min values decreased by degrees of intensity of the disease in Child-Pugh A, B, and C patients (P < 0.01).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The ¹³C-phenylalanine breath test can be used as a non-invasive assay to evaluate hepatic function in elderly patients with liver cirrhosis. The ¹³C-%dose/h at 20 min, at 30 min and cumulative excretion at 60 min may be the key value for determination at a single time-point. ¹³C-phenylalanine breath test is safe and helpful in distinguishing different stages of hepatic dysfunction for elderly cirrhosis patients.</p

Serum ApoB levels in depressive patients: associated with cognitive deficits

Cognitive deficits have been regarded as one of the most significant clinical symptoms of depressive disorder. Accumulating evidence has shown that apolipoprotein B (ApoB) levels, which are responsible for inducing neurodegeneration, may be involved in cognitive deficits. This study examines cognitive deficits, and the correlation of serum ApoB levels with cognitive deficits of depressive disorder. 90 depressive patients and 90 healthy controls with matched age and gender were recruited. Cognition was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Serum ApoB levels in depressive patients were measured by immunoturbidimetric method. Our results showed that depressive patients had lower scores of cognition including RBANS total score and subscales of language and delayed memory (all, p \u3c 0.001) than healthy controls after controlling for the variables. The differences in cognitive functions also passed Bonferroni corrections. Serum ApoB levels were negatively correlated with delayed memory score in depressive patients (r = −0.30, p = 0.01). Furthermore, stepwise multivariate regression analysis indicated that serum ApoB levels independently contributed to delayed memory in depressive patients (t = −2.68, p = 0.01). Our findings support that serum ApoB levels may be involved in delayed memory decline in depressive patients. Depressive patients also experience greater cognitive deficits, especially in delayed memory and language than healthy controls

A Study on Bone Mass in Elderly Chinese Foot-Binding Women

The aim of this study is to understand the influences of the social custom of foot binding on female osteoporosis by means of comparing and analyzing the lumbar vertebrae and hip bone mass differences between the foot-binding aged women and unbound women of the same age at Qujing District of Yunnan Province. Of the examined people, 81.37% suffer from osteoporosis on the basis of lumbar vertebra (L1–L4) and femoral neck BMD, of which 82.14% for the foot-binding group and 80.44% for the unbound group. There is no statistical difference for the osteoporosis morbidity of the two groups. Compare the BMD value for various vertebrae, femoral neck, and rehabilitation of the two groups and find the BMD value for the other parts have no statistical difference except the BMD value of L1 centrum, which shows that foot binding does not significantly influence the overall bone mineral density of foot-binding women

Topographic beta spiral and onshore intrusion of the Kuroshio Current

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2018. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geophysical Research Letters 45 (2018): 287–296, doi:10.1002/2017GL076614.The Kuroshio intrusion plays a vitally important role in carrying nutrients to marginal seas. However, the key mechanism leading to the Kuroshio intrusion remains unclear. In this study we postulate a mechanism: when the Kuroshio runs onto steep topography northeast of Taiwan, the strong inertia gives rise to upwelling over topography, leading to a left-hand spiral in the stratified ocean. This is called the topographic beta spiral, which is a major player regulating the Kuroshio intrusion; this spiral can be inferred from hydrographic surveys. In the world oceans, the topographic beta spirals can be induced by upwelling generated by strong currents running onto steep topography. This is a vital mechanism regulating onshore intruding flow and the cross-shelf transport of energy and nutrients from the Kuroshio Current to the East China Sea. This topographic beta spiral reveals a long-term missing link between the oceanic general circulation theory and shelf dynamic theory.Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Grant Numbers: XDA11020104, XDA110203052; National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Grant Numbers: 41576023, 41376030, 41476019; Foundation for Innovative Research Groups of NSFC Grant Number: 41421005; NSFC-Shandong Joint Fund for Marine Science Research Centers Grant Number: U1406401; Aoshan Sci-Tec Innovative Project of Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology Grant Number: 2016ASKJ02; National Key Research and Development Program of China Grant Numbers: 2017YFC1404000, 2016YFC1401601; National Key research and development Plan Sino-Australian Center for Healthy Coasts Grant Number: 2016YFE01015002018-07-1

Short-lived Nuclei in the Early Solar System: Possible AGB Sources

(Abridged) We review abundances of short-lived nuclides in the early solar system (ESS) and the methods used to determine them. We compare them to the inventory for a uniform galactic production model. Within a factor of two, observed abundances of several isotopes are compatible with this model. I-129 is an exception, with an ESS inventory much lower than expected. The isotopes Pd-107, Fe-60, Ca-41, Cl-36, Al-26, and Be-10 require late addition to the solar nebula. Be-10 is the product of particle irradiation of the solar system as probably is Cl-36. Late injection by a supernova (SN) cannot be responsible for most short-lived nuclei without excessively producing Mn-53; it can be the source of Mn-53 and maybe Fe-60. If a late SN is responsible for these two nuclei, it still cannot make Pd-107 and other isotopes. We emphasize an AGB star as a source of nuclei, including Fe-60 and explore this possibility with new stellar models. A dilution factor of about 4e-3 gives reasonable amounts of many nuclei. We discuss the role of irradiation for Al-26, Cl-36 and Ca-41. Conflict between scenarios is emphasized as well as the absence of a global interpretation for the existing data. Abundances of actinides indicate a quiescent interval of about 1e8 years for actinide group production in order to explain the data on Pu-244 and new bounds on Cm-247. This interval is not compatible with Hf-182 data, so a separate type of r-process is needed for at least the actinides, distinct from the two types previously identified. The apparent coincidence of the I-129 and trans-actinide time scales suggests that the last actinide contribution was from an r-process that produced actinides without fission recycling so that the yields at Ba and below were governed by fission.Comment: 92 pages, 14 figure files, in press at Nuclear Physics

Critical current density: Measurements vs. reality

Different experimental techniques are employed to evaluate the critical current density (Jc), namely transport current measurements and two different magnetisation measurements forming quasi-equilibrium and dynamic critical states. Our technique-dependent results for superconducting YBa 2Cu3O7 (YBCO) film and MgB2 bulk samples show an extremely high sensitivity of Jc and associated interpretations, such as irreversibility fields and Kramer plots, which lose meaning without a universal approach. We propose such approach for YBCO films based on their unique pinning features. This approach allows us to accurately recalculate the magnetic-field-dependent Jc obtained by any technique into the Jc behaviour, which would have been measured by any other method without performing the corresponding experiments. We also discovered low-frequency-dependent phenomena, governing flux dynamics, but contradicting the considered ones in the literature. The understanding of these phenomena, relevant to applications with moving superconductors, can clarify their dramatic impact on the electric-field criterion through flux diffusivity and corresponding measurements. © Copyright EPLA, 2013