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| 2. |
- An, Feng-Wei, et al.
(författare)
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Establishment of a Large Animal Model for Eustachian Tube Functional Study in Miniature Pigs
- 2019
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Ingår i: Anatomical Record Part A-discoveries in Molecular Cellular and Evolutionary Biology. - : WILEY. - 1552-4884 .- 1932-8494. ; 302:6, s. 1024-1038
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study was performed to investigate whether miniature pigs are a suitable animal model for studies of the Eustachian tube (ET). Sixteen Chinese experimental miniature pigs were used in this investigation. Ten animals were used for anatomical and morphometric analyses to obtain qualitative and quantitative information regarding the ET. Three animals were used for histological analysis to determine the fine structure of ET cross-sections. Three animals were used to investigate the feasibility of balloon dilation of the Eustachian tube (BDET). The anatomical study indicated that the pharyngeal orifice and tympanic orifice of the miniature pig ET are located at the posterior end of the nasal lateral wall and anterior wall of the middle ear cavity, respectively. The cartilaginous tube was seen to pass through the whole length of the ET, the length of the cartilaginous part of the ET and the diameter of the isthmus were similar between humans and miniature pigs. The inclination of the ET in miniature pigs was larger than that in humans. The gross histology seemed to be slightly different between miniature pig and human, but the fine structures were essentially the same in both species. BDET experiments verified that the miniature pig model is suitable as a model for clinical operations. The miniature pig ET corresponds very well to that of humans. In addition, the miniature pig ET is suitable as a model for clinical operations. Therefore, the miniature pig is a valid animal model for ET study.
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| 3. |
- Hu, Hai-Xi, et al.
(författare)
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Structural insights into HetR-PatS interaction involved in cyanobacterial pattern formation
- 2015
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The one-dimensional pattern of heterocyst in the model cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 is coordinated by the transcription factor HetR and PatS peptide. Here we report the complex structures of HetR binding to DNA, and its hood domain (HetR(Hood)) binding to a PatS-derived hexapeptide (PatS6) at 2.80 and 2.10 angstrom, respectively. The intertwined HetR dimer possesses a couple of novel HTH motifs, each of which consists of two canonical alpha-helices in the DNA-binding domain and an auxiliary alpha-helix from the flap domain of the neighboring subunit. Two PatS6 peptides bind to the lateral clefts of HetR(Hood), and trigger significant conformational changes of the flap domain, resulting in dissociation of the auxiliary alpha-helix and eventually release of HetR from the DNA major grove. These findings provide the structural insights into a prokaryotic example of Turing model.
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| 5. |
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- 2019
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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| 7. |
- Esteban, Pablo G., et al.
(författare)
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How to Build a Supervised Autonomous System for Robot-Enhanced Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- 2017
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Ingår i: Paladyn - Journal of Behavioral Robotics. - : De Gruyter Open. - 2080-9778 .- 2081-4836. ; 8:1, s. 18-38
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Robot-Assisted Therapy (RAT) has successfully been used to improve social skills in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) through remote control of the robot in so-called Wizard of Oz (WoZ) paradigms.However, there is a need to increase the autonomy of the robot both to lighten the burden on human therapists (who have to remain in control and, importantly, supervise the robot) and to provide a consistent therapeutic experience. This paper seeks to provide insight into increasing the autonomy level of social robots in therapy to move beyond WoZ. With the final aim of improved human-human social interaction for the children, this multidisciplinary research seeks to facilitate the use of social robots as tools in clinical situations by addressing the challenge of increasing robot autonomy.We introduce the clinical framework in which the developments are tested, alongside initial data obtained from patients in a first phase of the project using a WoZ set-up mimicking the targeted supervised-autonomy behaviour. We further describe the implemented system architecture capable of providing the robot with supervised autonomy.
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| 8. |
- Kato, Norihiro, et al.
(författare)
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Trans-ancestry genome-wide association study identifies 12 genetic loci influencing blood pressure and implicates a role for DNA methylation
- 2015
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Ingår i: Nature Genetics. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 47:11, s. 1282-1293
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We carried out a trans-ancestry genome-wide association and replication study of blood pressure phenotypes among up to 320,251 individuals of East Asian, European and South Asian ancestry. We find genetic variants at 12 new loci to be associated with blood pressure (P = 3.9 × 10−11 to 5.0 × 10−21). The sentinel blood pressure SNPs are enriched for association with DNA methylation at multiple nearby CpG sites, suggesting that, at some of the loci identified, DNA methylation may lie on the regulatory pathway linking sequence variation to blood pressure. The sentinel SNPs at the 12 new loci point to genes involved in vascular smooth muscle (IGFBP3, KCNK3, PDE3A and PRDM6) and renal (ARHGAP24, OSR1, SLC22A7 and TBX2) function. The new and known genetic variants predict increased left ventricular mass, circulating levels of NT-proBNP, and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality (P = 0.04 to 8.6 × 10−6). Our results provide new evidence for the role of DNA methylation in blood pressure regulation.
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| 9. |
- Liang, Yajun, et al.
(författare)
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Use of medications and functional dependence among Chinese older adults in a rural community : A population-based study
- 2015
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Ingår i: Geriatrics & Gerontology International. - : Wiley. - 1444-1586 .- 1447-0594. ; 15:12, s. 1242-1248
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: To investigate the associations between medication use and functional dependence in Chinese older people living in a rural community. Methods: The cross-sectional study included 1538 participants (age >= 60 years, 59.1% women) in the Confucius Hometown Aging Project in Shandong, China. In June 2010 to July 2011, data on demographics, lifestyle factors, health history, basic activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental ADL, and use of medications were collected through interviews and clinical examinations. Functional status was categorized into no dependence, dependence only in instrumental ADL and dependence in basic ADL. Data were analyzed with multinomial logistic models controlling for potential confounders. Results: Dependence in instrumental or basic ADL was significantly associated with use of antihypertensives and hypolipidemic agents, and basic ADL dependence was also associated with use of sedatives or tranquilizers and cardiac glycosides. An increased number of concurrently used medications was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of dependence in basic ADL (P for trend = 0.016). Compared with non-users of any medication, individuals who concurrently used three or more classes of medications had a multi-adjusted odds ratio of 2.91 (95% confidence interval 1.02-8.28) for dependence in basic ADL. Conclusions: Use of antihypertensives, hypolipidemic drugs, cardiac glycosides and sedatives or tranquilizers, especially use of multiple classes of medications, is correlated with functional dependence among older people in rural China.
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| 11. |
- Takeuchi, Fumihiko, et al.
(författare)
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Interethnic analyses of blood pressure loci in populations of East Asian and European descent
- 2018
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 9:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Blood pressure (BP) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and more than 200 genetic loci associated with BP are known. Here, we perform a multi-stage genome-wide association study for BP (max N = 289,038) principally in East Asians and meta-analysis in East Asians and Europeans. We report 19 new genetic loci and ancestry-specific BP variants, conforming to a common ancestry-specific variant association model. At 10 unique loci, distinct non-rare ancestry-specific variants colocalize within the same linkage disequilibrium block despite the significantly discordant effects for the proxy shared variants between the ethnic groups. The genome-wide transethnic correlation of causal-variant effect-sizes is 0.898 and 0.851 for systolic and diastolic BP, respectively. Some of the ancestry-specific association signals are also influenced by a selective sweep. Our results provide new evidence for the role of common ancestry-specific variants and natural selection in ethnic differences in complex traits such as BP.
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| 12. |
- Tu, Raoping, et al.
(författare)
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The role of education in the association between self-rated health and levels of C-reactive protein : a cross-sectional study in rural areas of China
- 2019
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Ingår i: BMJ Open. - : BMJ. - 2044-6055. ; 9:11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives This study aims to examine the association between self-rated health (SRH) and levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) among adults aged 45 to 101 years old in rural areas of China, and to explore the role of education in the association.Design Cross-sectional study.Setting The study population was derived from two databases in China: Nanping project (NP) and the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).Participants There were 646 participants from a rural area of Nanping (NP) and 8555 rural participants from a national representative sample of China (CHARLS).Methods CRP was measured using a high sensitivity sandwich enzyme immunoassay in the NP and immunoturbidimetric assay in the GNARLS. SRH was assessed by SRH questionnaires and categorised into good and poor. Education was measured by the maximum years of schooling and dichotomised into illiterate and literate. Multivariate linear regression models were used to study the associations.Results Compared to people with good SRH, those with poor SRH had higher levels of CRP in NP beta=0.16, 95% CI -0.02 to 0.34) and in CHARLS (beta=0.07, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.11) after adjusting for potential confounders. Similar findings were observed in the pooled population (beta=0.08, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.12), especially in men (beta=0.13, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.20) and in literate people (beta=0.12, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.18).Conclusion Poor SRH may be a predicator of elevated levels of CRP among middle-aged and older people in rural areas, especially in men and literate people.
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| 13. |
- Wang, Hui, et al.
(författare)
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A red- emissive mitochondrial probe for imaging of the viscosity in living cells
- 2019
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Ingår i: New Journal of Chemistry. - : ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY. - 1144-0546 .- 1369-9261. ; 43:22, s. 8811-8815
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A novel water- soluble fluorescent probe L based on indole salts has been designed, synthesized and fully characterized. The systematic investigations demonstrated that probe L shows red emission and the fluorescence intensity is linear with the viscosity of the medium. Probe L is able to selectively accumulate in mitochondria within 1 min without any additional reagents for membrane permeabilization. It has been used to distinguish the viscosity differences between mitochondria in normal and nystatin- treated HeLa cells. In addition, due to the good photostability, probe L can be used to monitor the dynamics of mitochondria. These results support that probe L might provide a promising approach for the fluorescence detection of mitochondrial viscosity in living biological systems.
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| 14. |
- Wang, Rui, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence and Patterns of Chronic Disease Pairs and Multimorbidity among Older Chinese Adults Living in a Rural Area
- 2015
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 10:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background The burden of chronic diseases in China is substantial now. Data on patterns of chronic diseases and multimorbidity among older adults, especially among those living in rural areas, are sparse. Objective We aim to investigate the prevalence and patterns of chronic disease pairs and multimorbidity in elderly people living in rural China. Methods This population-based study included 1480 adults aged 60 years and over (mean age 68.5 years, 59.4% women) living in a rural community. Data were derived from the Confucius Hometown Aging Project in Shandong, China (June 2010-July 2011). Chronic diseases were diagnosed through face-to-face interviews, clinical examinations, and laboratory tests. Patterns of chronic disease pairs and multimorbidity were explored using logistic regression and exploratory factor analyses. Results The prevalence of individual chronic diseases ranged from 3.0% for tumor to 76.4% for hypertension, and each disease was often accompanied with three or more other chronic diseases. The observed prevalence of pairs of chronic conditions exceeded the expected prevalence for several conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders, as well as pulmonary diseases and degenerative disorders. Chronic multimorbidity (>= 2 chronic diseases) affected more than 90% of subjects, and two patterns of chronic multimorbidity were identified: cardiopulmonary-mental-degenerative disorder pattern (overall prevalence, 58.2%), and cerebrovascular-metabolic disorder pattern (62.6%). Prevalence of the cardiopulmonary-mental-degenerative disorder pattern increased with age, and was higher in men than women; whereas prevalence of the cerebrovascular-metabolic disorder pattern was higher in women than in men but did not vary by age. Conclusion Chronic multimorbidity was highly prevalent among older Chinese adults living in rural areas, and there were specific patterns of the co-occurrence of chronic diseases. Effort is needed to identify possible preventative strategies based on the potential clustering of chronic diseases.
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| 15. |
- Yin, Zhaoxue, et al.
(författare)
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Interactive effects of diabetes and impaired kidney function on cognitive performance in old age : a population-based study
- 2016
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Ingår i: BMC Geriatrics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2318. ; 16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The interactive effect between diabetes and impaired kidney function on cognitive impairment in older adults has not yet been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of diabetes and impaired kidney function with cognitive impairment among Chinese older people living in a rural area. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,358 participants (age >= 60 years; 60.5 % women) in the population-based Confucius Hometown Aging Project in Shandong, China. Data on demographics, lifestyle factors, health history, use of medications, global cognitive function, and kidney function were collected through structured interviews, clinical examinations, and blood tests. We defined diabetes as a fasting plasma glucose level >= 7.0 mmol/l or use of hypoglycemic agents, impaired kidney function as glomerular filtration rate estimated from cystatin C (eGFR(cys)) <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2). Cognitive impairment was defined using the education-based cut-off scores of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Data were analyzed using multiple general linear and logistic regression models. Results: Cognitive impairment was defined in 197 (14.5 %) persons. The multi-adjusted beta coefficient of MMSE score associated with diabetes was -0.06 (95 % confidence interval [CI], -0.16, 0.03); the corresponding figures associated with eGFR(cys) <60, 60-89.9, and >= 90 ml/min/1.73 m(2) were -0.15 (-0.28, -0.02), -0.01 (-0.10, 0.08), and 0 (reference) (P-trend = 0.046), respectively. Diabetes and impaired kidney function showed an interactive effect on cognitive impairment (P-interaction = 0.02). Compared with individuals having neither diabetes nor impaired kidney function, those with both conditions had a multi-adjusted odds ratio of 4.23 (95 % CI, 2.10-8.49) for cognitive impairment. The relative excess risk due to interaction was 2.74. Conclusions: This study suggests that concurrent presence of diabetes and impaired kidney function is associated with a substantial likelihood for cognitive impairment in older adults.
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| 16. |
- Zhang, Wei, et al.
(författare)
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The fuel cells studies from ionic electrolyte Ce0.8Sm0.05Ca0.15O2-delta to the mixture layers with semiconductor Ni0.8Co0.15Al0.05LiO2-delta
- 2016
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Ingår i: International journal of hydrogen energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0360-3199 .- 1879-3487. ; 41:41, s. 18761-18768
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The mixture of ionic electrolyte Ce0.8Sm0.05Ca0.15O2-delta (SCDC) and semiconductor Ni0.8Co0.15Al0.05LiO2-delta (NCAL) layers was used for low temperature solid oxide fuel cell (LT-SOFC) applications. Using the as-prepared SCDC-NCAL semiconductor-ionic layer to replace the ionic SCDC electrolyte, following results have been obtained: the SCDC electrolyte fuel cell reached a lower voltage, 1.05 V, and lower power output, 415 mW cm(-2), compared to that using the semiconductor-ionic layer, 1.06 V and 617 mW cm(-2) at 550 degrees C. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was applied to investigate the electrochemical processes of the device; X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) for the microstructure and morphology of the as-prepared materials. The results have illuminated that the introduction of semiconductor into ionic electrolyte could make extended triple phase boundary (TPB) area, which can provide more active sites to accelerate the fuel cell reactions and enhance the cell performance. Furthermore, we also discovered that the ionic SCDC and electronic NCAL should be in an appropriate composition to achieve a balanced ionic and electronic conductivity, which is the key issue for high performance semiconductor-ionic fuel cells.
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