up to now. All these resources are publicly available, and our work lays the foundation for promoting the development of deep learning methods for efficient COVID-19 CT segmentation with limited data.As a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Gardeniae Fructus (GF) and its processed products, GF (stir-baked) and GF Praeparatus, have important medicinal value in clinical practice. Gardenia jasminoides var. radicans (GJVR) is a variant of GF, and because of the naming GJVR is often confused in the clinic with GF, resulting in medical misprescriptions. To distinguish GF and GJVR and study the changes before and after processing, the fingerprints of GF and GJVR are presented using HPLC, followed by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). GF has purging and choleretic effects, and in this study, we determined the content of main active ingredients to preliminarily assess the GF and GJVR quality from the perspective of material basis. For PCA score plot, the samples fell into six clusters, the cross-validity Q2 (cum) = 0.842 and the cumulative contribution rate R2 x (cum) = 0.988, indicating that the model has a good precision. The results were then corroborated by HCA and PLS-DA method, showing that this methodology can distinguish GF and GJVR and can be used for the comparison of raw and two processed products. According to the model established by PLS-DA, eight components were identified as the most significant variables for discrimination. The results obtained by multiple model methods are consistent and verified by each other, providing a scientific reference for further clarification of the medicinal properties of GF and GJVR.Mutations in PINK1 (PTEN-induced putative kinase 1) are associated with autosomal recessive early-onset Parkinson's disease. Full-length PINK1 (PINK1-l) has been extensively studied in mitophagy; however, the functions of the short form of PINK1 (PINK1-s) remain poorly understood. Here, we report that PINK1-s is recruited to ribosome fractions after short-term inhibition of proteasomes. The expression of PINK1-s greatly inhibits protein synthesis even without proteasomal stress. Mechanistically, PINK1-s phosphorylates the translation elongation factor eEF1A1 during proteasome inhibition. The expression of the phosphorylation mimic mutation eEF1A1S396E rescues protein synthesis defects and cell viability caused by PINK1 knockout. These findings implicate an important role for PINK1-s in protecting cells against proteasome stress through inhibiting protein synthesis.
In multileaf collimator (MLC) tracking, the MLC positions from the original treatment plan are continuously modified to account for intrafraction tumor motion. As the treatment is adapted in real time, there is additional risk of delivery errors which cannot be detected using traditional pretreatment dose verification. The purpose of this work is to develop a system for real-time geometric verification of MLC tracking treatments using an electronic portal imaging device (EPID).

MLC tracking was utilized during volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). During these deliveries, treatment beam images were taken at 9.57 frames per second using an EPID and frame grabber computer. MLC positions were extracted from each image frame and used to assess delivery accuracy using three geometric measures the location, size, and shape of the radiation field. The EPID-measured field location was compared to the tumor motion measured by implanted electromagnetic markers. The size and shape of the beam were compared to theum). The mean and standard deviation of the errors in field size and shape were 0.0±0.3 cm
and 0.3±0.1 (expressed as a translation-invariant normalized RMS). No correlation was observed between geometric errors during each treatment fraction and dosimetric errors in the reconstructed dose to the target volume for this cohort of patients.

A system for real-time delivery verification has been developed for MLC tracking using time-resolved EPID imaging. The technique has been tested offline in phantom-based deliveries and clinical patient deliveries and was used to independently verify the geometric accuracy of the MLC during MLC tracking radiotherapy.
A system for real-time delivery verification has been developed for MLC tracking using time-resolved EPID imaging. The technique has been tested offline in phantom-based deliveries and clinical patient deliveries and was used to independently verify the geometric accuracy of the MLC during MLC tracking radiotherapy.In recent years, foliar inoculation has gained acceptance among the available methods to deliver plant beneficial micro-organisms to crops under field conditions. Colonization efficiency by such micro-organisms largely depends on their ability to survive when applied on the leaves. In this work, we evaluated the survival and localization of Azospirillum brasilense Az39 (Az39) in excised soybean leaves. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy of a red fluorescent-transformed variant of Az39 were used to determine bacterial localization, while the most probable number and plate count methods were applied for bacterial quantification. Microscopic observations indicated a decrease in the number of Az39 cells on the leaf surface at 24 h after treatment, whereas midribs and cell-cell junctions of the inner leaf epidermis became highly populated zones. The presence of Az39 inside xylem vessels was corroborated at 6 h after bacterization. Az39 population did not significantly decrease throughout 24 h. We could visualize Az39 cells on the surface and in internal tissues of soybean leaves and recover them through culture methodologies. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/tp-0903.html These results evidence the survival capacity of Az39 on and inside leaves and suggest a previously unnoticed endophytic potential for this well-known plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria strain.
Simulation activities are valuable for nursing education and provide an experimental learning opportunity. However, simulation scenarios have focused on nursing education of traditional medical specialities, and limited research exists on simulation for community or public health nursing education.

This study aimed to explore the methods that are being used to increase the knowledge and skills of nursing students who work for public health nursing and the evidence about the effectiveness of simulation practices in public or community health nursing.

In this systematic review, a combination of keywords was selected from Medical Subject Headings based on which eight studies were found across Science Direct, Web of Science, EBSCO, Cochrane and PubMed databases between June 2018 and September 2018.

A total of eight studies were included in the mixed-methods systematic review (two qualitative, two mixed-methods and four quantitative studies). The students were satisfied with public health nursing simulation practices and had significant gains in the following activities active learning, collaboration, critical thinking, teamwork, evaluating family and individual together, and practical communication skills.

Until recently, the amount of solar irradiance reaching the Earth surface was considered to be a steady value over the years. However, there is increasing observational evidence showing that this quantity undergoes substantial variations over time, which need to be addressed in different scenarios ranging from climate change to solar energy applications. With the growing interest in developing solar energy technology with enhanced efficiency and optimized management, the monitoring of solar irradiance at the ground level is now considered to be a fundamental input in the pursuit of that goal. Here, we propose the first fiber-based distributed sensor able of monitoring ground solar irradiance in real time, with meter scale spatial resolutions over distances of several tens of kilometers (up to 100 km). The technique is based on an optical fiber reflectometry technique (CP-ϕOTDR), which enables real time and long-range high-sensitivity bolometric measurements of solar radiance with a single optical fiber cable and a single interrogator unit. The method is explained and analyzed theoretically. A validation of the method is proposed using a solar simulator irradiating standard optical fibers, where we demonstrate the ability to detect and quantify solar irradiance with less than a 0.1 W/m2 resolution.The present work was aimed for the preparation of a stable nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) system for the delivery of N-palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) to the back of the eye. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/Elesclomol.html PEA is an interesting natural compound showing anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. The limits of PEA (poor solubility and high instability) justify its nanoencapsulation into drug delivery systems. Two different well-known techniques were compared to formulate NLC the high shear homogenization technique (HSH) and the method based on a combination of HSH technique and ultrasonication (HSH/US). Nanoparticles were evaluated in relation to mean size, homogeneity, surface charge, and physical stability by Turbiscan technology. Retinal distribution of PEA was carried out in a rat eye after single instillation of PEA-NLC ophthalmic formulation. The novel formulation delivered remarkable levels of PEA to the retina. Lastly, topical administration of PEA-NLC ophthalmic formulation was able to significantly inhibits retinal tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The present findings suggest that the novel ophthalmic formulation may be useful for the treatment of retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy. Clinical studies are in progress to evaluate this possibility.In this study, a redox-sensitive chitosan derivative with modifications by cholesterol, sulfhydryl, and mPEG (mPEG-CS(SH)-CHO) was successfully synthesized and characterized. Due to its amphiphilicity, the conjugate could spontaneously form micelles in an aqueous environment. The optimized paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded mPEG-CS(SH)-CHO micelles, with a mean diameter of 158 nm, zeta potential of +26.9 mV, drug loading of 11.7%, and entrapment efficiency of 88.3%, were successfully prepared. The results of an XRD study demonstrated that PTX was loaded in the core of the micelles in a non-crystalline state. Inspiringly, the PTX-loaded micelles possessed excellent anticancer effect but low toxicity to the body. It can be concluded that the mPEG-CS(SH)-CHO micellar system is a promising drug delivery carrier for the controlled release of PTX.Dynamic fracture and fragmentation characteristics of explosively driven rings and cylinders are important issues in the field of weapon effectiveness and protection. However, the comparison of fracture characteristics between metal cylinder and rings, and the fracture characteristics of the metal shells at different axial positions, are rarely touched. In the present work, a recovery tank was used to collect fragments, and witness plates were used to investigate the fragment spatial distributions. Before the test, the representative positions of metal shells were plated with copper layers to locate the original position of the recovered fragments. After the test, scanning electron microscopy and optical microscope were used for characterizing the microstructure of the recovered fragments from different positions. Then, the recovered fragments were weighed and measured to investigate their mass and size characteristics. In addition, numerical simulation was used to further investigate the fracture mechanisms metal rings were much larger than those of the metal cylinder.Epidemiological inquiries study and evaluate the health status of the population. For dental caries, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the DMFT and DMFS indexes, which represent the sum of the decayed, missing and filled teeth, divided by the population studied. Traditionally these surveys are conducted using cellulose paper sheet. This study describes the development and presents the field performance of NutriOdonto, a software created for an Oral Health Survey carried out in 2018 and 2019 involving 2578 students from the municipal schools of Palmas/TO, located in the Brazilian Amazon region. This is a descriptive, applied research on the development of a software for the collecting, analysis, management and reproducibility of oral health epidemiological research. A software applied to the collecting, analysis and formation of the database was developed through the information obtained from the questionnaires applied to the participants of the study and the completion of the electronic oral examination form. Recent Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are intelligently configured to create models and mobile applications (Apps) that can be useful to manage health issues, thus broadening the perspective of service provision in this sector. Some of these mobile devices, tablets and smartphones are being developed to generate information, for collection, recording, storage and analysis of oral health epidemiological research data. NutriOdonto contributed to the rapid collection, recording and storage of information, in the construction of the database and its analysis. Replacing paper forms with electronic forms minimized possible typos, reduced the use of cellulose paper and the financial costs, among other things. This software can contribute to decision making by managers and professionals and to improving the planning and implementation of actions in health promotion and oral disease prevention.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has shown to reduce mortality compared to surgical aortic valve replacement (sAVR). However, it is unknown which procedure is associated with better post-procedural valvular function. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials that compared TAVR to sAVR for at least 2 years. The primary outcome was post-procedural patient-prosthesis-mismatch (PPM). Secondary outcomes were post-procedural and 2-year effective orifice area (EOA), paravalvular gradient (PVG) and moderate/severe paravalvular leak (PVL). We identified 6 trials with a total of 7022 participants with severe aortic stenosis. TAVR was associated with 37% (95% CI [0.51-0.78) mean RR reduction of post-procedural PPM, a decrease that was not affected by the surgical risk at inclusion, neither by the transcatheter heart valve system. Postprocedural changes in gradient and EOA were also in favor of TAVR as there was a pooled mean difference decrease of 0.56 (95% CI [0.73-0.38]) in gradient and an increase of 0.47 (95% CI [0.38-0.56]) in EOA. Additionally, self-expandable valves were associated with a higher decrease in gradient than balloon ones (beta = 0.38; 95% CI [0.12-0.64]). However, TAVR was associated with a higher risk of moderate/severe PVL (pooled RR 9.54, 95% CI [5.53-16.46]). All results were sustainable at 2 years.An inductively tuned modified split-ring resonator-based metamaterial (MTM) is presented in this article that provides multiple resonances covering S, C, X, and Ku-bands. The MTM is designed on an FR-4 substrate with a thickness of 1.5 mm and an electrical dimension of 0.063λ × 0.063λ where wavelength, λ is calculated at 2.38 GHz. The resonator part is a combination of three squared copper rings and one circular ring in which all the square rings are modified shaped, and the inner two rings are interconnected. The resonance frequency is tuned by adding inductive metal strips in parallel two vertical splits of the outer ring that causes a significant shift of resonances towards the lower frequencies and a highly effective medium ratio (EMR) of 15.75. Numerical simulation software CST microwave studio is used for the simulation and performance analysis of the proposed unit cell. The MTM unit cell exhibits six resonances of transmission coefficient (S21) at 2.38, 4.24, 5.98, 9.55, 12.1, and 14.34 GHz covering S,near-zero permeability, this multiband NZI metamaterial can be used for microwave applications, especially for multiband antenna gain enhancement.In this work, we introduce the concept of anisotropic dielectric susceptibility matrix of anisotropic medium for both nondepolarizing and depolarizing medium. The concept provides a new way of analyzing light scattering properties of anisotropic media illuminated by polarized light. The explicit expressions for the elements of the scattering matrix are given in terms of the elements of the Fourier transform of the anisotropic dielectric susceptibility matrix of the medium. Finally, expressions for the elements of the Jones matrix of a thin layer of a deterministic anisotropic medium and the elements of the Mueller matrix of a depolarizing medium are given. The results obtained in this work is helpful for deriving information about the correlated anisotropic structures in depolarizing media from measured Mueller matrices. The findings in this work may also well prove stimulating to researchers working on new methods for analyzing light scattering properties.Despite insistent warnings from climate scientists, the global environmental situation is further deteriorating. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/tetrahydropiperine.html To date, only very few studies have investigated the impact of warnings on sustainable decision-making in controlled laboratory settings. Moreover, the few existing studies mainly looked at average warning reactions rather than taking individual differences into account. Here, we investigated individual differences in the reaction to resource depletion warnings and scrutinized the impact of emotions on behavioural changes by applying a resource dilemma task with warnings. Data-driven and model-free cluster analyses identified four different types of consumption behaviour. Importantly, guilt was positively related to sustainable decision-making after warnings. In contrast, a lack of guilt was associated with no behavioural change or even worse with more unsustainable behaviour after warnings. These findings contribute to the debate over effective climate change communication by demonstrating that issuing warnings about the climate crisis only leads to the intended behavioural changes if people experience guilt.Polymorphisms in genes related to the metabolism of vitamin B12 haven't been examined in a Brazilian population. To (a) determine the correlation between the local genetic ancestry components and vitamin B12 levels using ninety B12-related genes; (b) determine associations between these genes and their SNPs with vitamin B12 levels; (c) determine a polygenic risk score (PRS) using significant variants. This cross-sectional study included 168 children and adolescents, aged 9-13 years old. Total cobalamin was measured in plasma. Genotyping arrays and whole exome data were combined to yield ~ 7000 SNPs in 90 genes related to vitamin B12. The Efficient Local Ancestry Inference was used to estimate local ancestry for African (AFR), Native American, and European (EUR). The association between the genotypes and vitamin B12 levels were determined with generalized estimating equation. Vitamin B12 levels were driven by positive (EUR) and negative (AFR, AMR) correlations with genetic ancestry. A set of 36 variants were used to create a PRS that explained 42% of vitamin level variation. Vitamin B12 levels are influenced by genetic ancestry and a PRS explained almost 50% of the variation in plasma cobalamin in Brazilian children and adolescents.Colchicine inhibits coronary and cerebrovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), and although known to have anti-inflammatory properties, its mechanisms of action are incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of colchicine on platelet activation with a particular focus on its effects on activation via the collagen glycoprotein (GP)VI receptor, P2Y12 receptor, and procoagulant platelet formation. Therapeutic concentrations of colchicine in vitro (equivalent to plasma levels) significantly decreased platelet aggregation in whole blood and in platelet rich plasma in response to collagen (multiplate aggregometry) and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (H2DCF-DA, flow cytometry) in response to GPVI stimulation with collagen related peptide-XL (CRP-XL, GPVI specific agonist). Other platelet activation pathways including P-selectin expression, GPIIb/IIIa conformational change and procoagulant platelet formation (GSAO+/CD62P+) (flow cytometry) were inhibited with higher concentrations of colchicine known to inhibit microtubule depolymerization.

Isothermal titration calorimetry was utilized to demonstrate that the aspects of microparticles were released and utilized in albumins and lipid bilayers. The morphology of the measured particulates was examined with checking electron microscopy and dynamic light-scattering. To look for the cytotoxicity of microparticles, cellular tradition scientific studies had been done. It is often shown that the transfer performance depends predominantly from the fatty acid structure of microparticles, which, with the active ingredient, accumulate predominantly in membrane layer frameworks after being released from microparticles and before going into the cytoplasm. The production procedure is sufficient; hence, paclitaxel-loaded microparticles effectively suppressed the proliferation of A549 individual lung epithelial cells of malignant origin (IC50 values for both lauric acid-based and myristic/palmitic-based microparticles containing paclitaxel had been below 0.375 μg/mL), while research microparticles were noncytotoxic.the last decade has actually witnessed the burgeoning development of a variety of topological states of matter with distinct nontrivial band topologies. So far, many products that have been studied possess two-dimensional or three-dimensional digital structures, with just a few exclusions that number quasi-one-dimensional (quasi-1D) topological electric properties. Here we provide clear-cut evidence for Dirac Fermions in the quasi-1D telluride TaNiTe5. We show that its transportation behaviors tend to be highly anisotropic, and now we observe nontrivial Berry phases via quantum oscillation dimensions. The nontrivial band topology is more corroborated by first-principles calculations. Our results might help to guide the long term quest for topological says in this brand new family of quasi-1D ternary chalcogenides.Good mechanical and chemical stabilities are the important aspects for the wide application of superhydrophobic surfaces. In this work, we first prepared raspberry-like hollow structured SnO2 nanoparticles using a straightforward hydrothermal method, accompanied by an annealing action. Then, the intrinsic raspberry-like hollow SnO2 nanoparticles had been combined with hydrophilic SiO2 nanoparticles to make harsh areas with ideal hierarchical structures, and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (FAS-17) was utilized as a hydrophobic modifier of SnO2, while epoxy resin ended up being utilized as an adhesive to organize a superamphiphobic coating with great stability and durability. Such a coating are applied on various substrates utilizing an easy spray-coating or drop-coating technique. The water contact direction and diiodomethane contact position regarding the layer could reach up to ∼165 and ∼151°, correspondingly. After different substance and mechanical security examinations including heated water therapy, sodium water corrosion, powerful adhesive tape peeling, and kneading, the coatings nevertheless remained amphiphobic. The facile fabrication of the sturdy superhydrophobic coating features great prospect of programs in real world and industrial production.The regium-π interaction is a stylish noncovalent force between team 11 elements (Cu, Ag, and Au) acting as Lewis acids and aromatic surfaces. Herein, we report the very first time experimental (Protein Data Bank analysis) and theoretical (RI-MP2/def2-TZVP level of theory) evidence of regium-π bonds involving Au(I) and aromatic amino acids (Phe, Tyr, Trp, along with his). These findings could be important in the world of medication design and for retrospectively understanding the part of gold in proteins.The author describes perspectives gained over many years of wedding in the area of natural electrochemistry. The manuscript will ideally dispel a number of misconceptions and offer a framework for thinking about how electrochemistry are uniquely placed on resolving issues in synthesis and to obtaining mechanistic insights.The solubility of silicic acid in water is really so reasonable that the molecular apparatus behind the physical properties such pKa continues to be poorly grasped, inspite of the importance in fields such as chemistry and geology. Theoretical computations provide the molecular-level informative data on such an uncommon chemical types yet face problems into the choice of effect coordinates plus the rare-event sampling of proton transfers (PTs) in condensed phases. We suggest a straightforward calculation scheme of pKa with ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) simulation in addition to constrained density functional principle (CDFT), which provides https://laq824inhibitor.com/any-closed-loop-strong-mental-faculties-stimulation-way-of-alleviating/ architectural and dynamical properties such as radial distribution functions, vibrational spectra, and reaction paths. The calculated effect free energies of deprotonations conformed with experiments within a couple of kcal/mol. Analysis for the solvation framework demonstrates, after deprotonation, the hydronium ion D3O+ repels away through the deprotonated silicic acid SiO(OD)3- without creating a well balanced contact-ion pair. The calculated vibrational spectra tend to be in keeping with the spectroscopic measurements, therefore the dynamical analysis regarding the response course quantifies the couplings associated with OD stretch vibrations of silicic acid and liquid towards the PT reaction in terms of the straight energy-gap coordinate which includes both the solute and the solvent elements.G-protein-coupled receptor SUCNR1 (succinate receptor 1 or GPR91) sensory faculties the citric cycle intermediate succinate and is implicated in several pathological circumstances such as rheumatoid arthritis, liver fibrosis, or obesity. Here, we explain a novel SUCNR1 antagonist scaffold discovered by high-throughput screening. Poor people permeation and absorption properties of the very powerful substances, that have been zwitterionic in general, could possibly be improved by the formation of an internal sodium bridge, which aided in shielding the 2 reverse charges and thus also the high polarity of zwitterions with isolated costs.

Fb-thyroid cell co-cultures induced the secretion of proMMP9 and proMMP2, and led to a significant MMP2 activation in CMs. Fb, thyroid cells and Fb-thyroid cell co-cultures released EVs, and remarkably, EVs released by Fb-thyroid tumor cell co-cultures induced the secretion of proMMP2 and the expression of MMP2 from normal Fb. A significant CD147 expression was demonstrated in Fb-thyroid tumor cell derived EVs. These findings reveal the role of Fb and thyroid tumor cell-Fb interaction in the promotion of a microenvironment suitable for thyroid tumor progression. Moreover, they highlight for the first time the role of thyroid tumor cell-Fb interaction in the production of specialized EVs.Conventional thoracic 4DCBCT scans take 1,320 projections over 4 minutes. This paper investigates which reconstruction algorithms best leverage Respiratory-Motion-Guided (RMG) acquisition in order to reduce scan time and dose while maintaining image quality. We investigated a 200 projection, on average 1-minute RMG acquisition. RMG acquisition ensures even angular separation between projections at each respiratory phase by adjusting the imaging gantry rotation to the patient respiratory signal in real time. Conventional 1,320 projection data and RMG 200 projection data were simulated from 4DCT volumes of 14 patients. Each patient had an initial 4DCT reconstruction, treated as a planning 4DCT, and a 4DCT reconstruction acquired later, used for 4DCBCT data simulation and evaluation. Reconstructions were computed using the Feldkamp-David-Kress (FDK), McKinnon-Bates (MKB), RecOnstructiOn using Spatial and TEmporal Regularization (ROOSTER), and Motion Compensated FDK (MCFDK) algorithms. We also introduced and evaluated a novel MCMKB algorithm. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/FTY720.html Image quality was evaluated with Root-Mean-Square Error (RMSE), Structural SIMilarity index (SSIM) and Tissue Interface Sharpness (TIS). Rigid registration of the tumor volume regions between the reconstruction and the ground truth was used to evaluate geometric accuracy. Relative to conventional 4DCBCT acquisition, the RMG acquisition delivered 80% less dose and was on average 70% faster. The conventional-acquisition 4DFDK-reconstruction volumes had mean RMSE, SSIM, TIS and geometric error of 94, 0.9987, 2.69 and 1.19mm respectively. The RMG-acquisition MCFDK-reconstruction volumes had mean RMSE, SSIM, TIS and geometric error of 113, 0.9986, 1.76 and 1.77mm respectively with minimal increase in computational cost. These results suggest scan time and dose can be significantly reduced with minimal impact on reconstruction quality by implementing RMG acquisition and motion compensated reconstruction.Silicon is absorbed by plant roots as silicic acid. The acid moves with the transpiration stream to the shoot, and mineralizes as silica. In grasses, leaf epidermal cells called silica cells deposit silica in most of their volume by unknown mechanism. Using bioinformatics tools, we identified a previously uncharacterized protein in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), which we named Siliplant1 (Slp1). Slp1 is a basic protein with seven repeat units rich in proline, lysine, and glutamic acid. We found Slp1 RNA in sorghum immature leaf and immature inflorescence. In leaves, transcription was highest just before the active silicification zone (ASZ). There, Slp1 was localized specifically to developing silica cells, packed inside vesicles and scattered throughout the cytoplasm or near the cell boundary. These vesicles fused with the membrane, releasing their content in the apoplastic space. A short peptide that is repeated five times in Slp1 precipitated silica in vitro at a biologically relevant silicic acid concentration. Transient overexpression of Slp1 in sorghum resulted in ectopic silica deposition in all leaf epidermal cell-types. Our results show that Slp1 precipitates silica in sorghum silica cells.Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses a spectrum of disease ranging from steatosis, steatohepatitis, fibrosis and eventually cirrhosis. Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2), a new hepatokine, may be involved in energy metabolism. This study aims to 1) evaluate the association between LECT2 and NAFLD in multiple models; and 2) investigate the role of circulating LECT2 in the development of NAFLD in a multi-center cohort study. Western blotting, qPCR and ELISA were performed to evaluate hepatic and circulating LECT2 levels. siRNA, shRNA and AAV-plasmid were used to genetically modulate LECT2 expression. Multiple models included AML12 hepatocytes exposure to palmitic acid, high fat diet/ methionine-choline deficient diet-fed C57BL/6J female mice, mice injected with liver X receptor agonist/ tunicamycin/ various inflammatory mediators, and ob/ob mice. This study shows that hepatic LECT2 expression and circulating levels are elevated in multiple rodent NAFLD models and significantly induced in response to lipid deposition in the liver. Endoplasmic reticulum stress and inflammation also promote LECT2 expression and release. Gain-and loss-of-function studies reveal that LECT2 impacts NAFLD development and progression. Furthermore, a 6-year follow-up study of 1,278 subjects confirms the association between circulating LECT2 and the risk of NAFLD. Baseline LECT2 combines with Fatty liver index shows an performance (AUROC 0.735) to predict NAFLD development during the follow-up. In conclusion, LECT2 is expressed and released in response to NAFLD and liver injury. This study suggests the potential of LECT2 to be a biomarker for NAFLD.Background Addiction Consult Services care for hospitalized patients with substance use disorders (SUD), who frequently utilize costly medical services. This study evaluates whether an addiction consult is associated with 30-day acute care utilization. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of 3905 inpatients with SUD. Acute care utilization was defined as any emergency department visit or re-hospitalization within 30 days of discharge. Inverse probability of treatment weighted generalized estimating equations logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between receipt of an addiction consult and 30-day acute care utilization. Exploratory subgroup analyses were performed to describe whether this association differed by type of SUD and discharge on medication for addiction treatment. Results The 30-day acute care utilization rate was 39.5 % among patients with a consult and 36.0 % among those without. Addiction consults were not significantly associated with care utilization (Adjusted Odds Ratio 1.