Search

In this study, the iron humate (IH) prepared by a coprecipitation procedure with economical and environmentally friendly iron salts and humic acid (HA) was developed as an adsorbent, and its potential for p-arsanilic acid (p-ASA) removal from aqueous solution was then evaluated. The structure, surface morphology, and elemental composition of the synthesized adsorbent were characterized in detail and the adsorption behavior of p-ASA onto IH was investigated by altering the parameters of pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage, p-ASA concentration, ionic strength, competing ions, and temperature. Results showed that IH possessed good adsorption ability to aqueous p-ASA. The amount of p-ASA adsorbed increased with increasing adsorbent dosage and temperature, but decreased as the pH increased. The adsorption process of p-ASA obeyed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Equilibrium data were best described by the Langmuir model, and the estimated maximum adsorption capacity of IH was 188.68 mg/g at 308 K, displaying higher efficiency for p-ASA removal than previously reported adsorbents. The FTIR analysis further verified that p-ASA adsorption over the adsorbent could be attributed to the Fe–O–As complexation on IH surfaces. This work, therefore, suggests that IH could be used as a promising adsorbent in the enrichment of p-ASA from water, which is needed in environmental pollution cleanup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact UWB band‐stop filter (BSF) using capacitive loads is proposed. In contrast to its traditional counterparts, this proposed BSF only consists of two capacitors and a short‐ended coupled line (C‐section). By introducing capacitors inside the C‐section and between two ports, respectively, cross‐coupling and source/load coupling are introduced to create up to four transmission zeros. Meanwhile, shunt capacitive effect of loaded capacitors can further reduce the length of C‐section. After working principle and design method of this proposed BSF are well‐illustrated, a prototype with 20 dB fractional bandwidth of 110% at 4.24 GHz is finally designed and fabricated. It occupies only 0.45λg × 0.061λg, where λg is the guided wavelength at the centre frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the process of maneuvering target tracking, the measurement may be disturbed by outliers, which leads to a decrease in the state estimation performance of the classic interacting multiple-model (IMM) filter. To solve this problem, a weighted maximum correntropy criterion (WMCC)-based IMM filter is proposed. In the proposed filter, the fusion state is used as the input of each sub-model to reduce the computational complexity of state interaction and the WMCC is adopted to derive the sub-model state update and state fusion to improve the state estimation performance under outlier interference. Through principal analysis, the superiority of the proposed filter over the classic IMM filter in fusion strategy is revealed. The specific form of the proposed filter in radar maneuvering target tracking is provided. Two experimental cases of maneuvering target tracking are tested to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we developed a data-driven frequency domain analysis method for rotor systems using the NARX (Nonlinear Auto-Regressive with eXternal input) model established by system vibration signals. We propose a model-based index of fault features calculated in a multi-frequency range to facilitate condition monitoring of rotor systems. Four steps are included in the proposed method. Firstly, displacement vibration signals are collected at multiple monitored rotating speeds. Secondly, the collected signals are processed as output data and the corresponding input data is generated. Then, NARX models are developed with input and output data to characterize the rotor system. Finally, the NRSF (Nonlinear Response Spectrum Function)-based nonlinear fault index is calculated and compared to the healthy condition. An experimental application to the misaligned rotor system is also demonstrated to verify its effectiveness. Our results indicate that the value of the index directly reflects the severity of the misaligned fault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance supercapacitors extremely depend on reasonable microstructure of electrode materials, but how to efficiently control the pore structure of principal carbon materials remains a challenge. In this study, corncob-based porous carbon (CPC X) with controllable pore structures is synthesized by means of KOH activation strategy, and the technical parameters of KOH activation are comprehensively investigated including activation temperature, activation time and KOH/biochar ratio. The optimal sample with a KOH/biochar mass ratio of 3 activated at 650 °C for 1 h (denoted as CPC 650 – 1-3) possesses sub-nanopores concentrated at 0.6 nm and 0.8 nm, and larger micropores distribute at 1.2 nm and 1.5 nm. These highly cross-linked microporous structures provide accessible specific surface area (SSA) for electrode materials and act as high-speed channels for fast ion diffusion and transfer. The activated carbon material has a high SSA (2998 m2 g−1) and a large V micro /V meso ratio of 8.26. The specific capacitance of CPC 650 – 1-3 reaches 258 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and remains a satisfied retention of 74 % even at 10 A g−1. Moreover, CPC 650 – 1-3 //CPC 650 – 1-3 symmetric supercapacitors exhibit a high energy density of 6.4 Wh kg−1 at power density of 500.1 W kg−1. It also has a capacitance retention of 90.1 % after 10,000 cycles, highlighting its excellent cycle stability. These results indicate that corncob-based microporous carbon materials have broad application prospects in promoting the high added-value utilization of biomass waste and the development of high-performance supercapacitors. [Display omitted] • Microporous carbons were prepared from agricultural waste corncob. • The pore structure of materials was regulated by changing the activation conditions. • The relationships among activation conditions, V micro /V meso , specific surface area and specific capacitance were investigated. • A remarkable capacitance retention of 90.1 % after 10,000 cycles at 10 A g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the length of cultured fish is crucial to evaluate their growth status and biomass. However, existing methods to estimate fish body length are based primarily on manual sampling, which is invasive, time-consuming, and labor-intensive. In contrast, such information can be acquired via noncontact methods relying on images of the animals' centerlines in an image. The centerline extraction method has been widely applied as an efficient approach. However, the greatest challenge in measuring the length of cultured fish is that of accurately extracting the animals' centerlines when fish overlap in an image. To address this problem, we propose a method to obtain the centerlines of overlapping fish by processing images captured from a top-view perspective. First, fish contours are segmented using convex-concave points. Second, the contour segmentations belonging to each fish are identified by an algorithm that matches heads to tails; their centerlines are thus extracted and optimized. We conducted both laboratory and on-site experiments, and results show that the proposed method exhibited excellent performance in extracting fish centerline information, even for fish that overlapped in images captured from a top view. Moreover, it also improved on the performance of existing methods in measuring the length of cultured fish from such images. • The fish centerlines are extracted successfully under the complex culture background. • A convex-concave analysis method is used to segment contours of fish in overlapping images. • An optimization strategy of fish centerlines is done by fish head and tail matching method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins play important roles in DNA replication by interacting with other factors which participate in the regulation of DNA synthesis. Abnormal over-expression of MCMs was observed in numerous malignancies, such as colorectal cancer. However, the expression of MCMs in pancreatic cancer (PC) was less investigated so far. This study was designed to analyze the expression and prognostic roles of MCM1-10 in PC based on the data provided by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Methods: Pearson χ2 test was applied to evaluate the association of MCMs expression with clinicopathologic indicators, and biomarkers for tumor biological behaviors. Kaplan-Meier plots and log-rank tests were used to assess survival analysis, and univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to recognize independent prognostic factors. Results: MCM1-10 were generally expressed in PC samples. The levels of some molecules were markedly correlated with that of biomarkers for S phase, proliferation, gemcitabine resistance. And part of these molecules over-expression was significantly associated with indicators of disease progression, such as depth of tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis. Furthermore, MCM2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 over-expression was remarkably associated with shorter disease free survival time, and MCM2, 4,8, and 10 over-expression was associated with shorter overall survival time. Further multivariate analysis suggested that MCM8 was an independent prognostic factor for PC. Conclusion: MCMs abnormal over-expression was significantly associated with PC progression and prognosis. These molecules could be regarded as prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers for PC. The roles of MCMs may be vitally important and the underlying mechanisms need to be furtherinvestigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space-based visible (SBV) program has been proved to be with a large advantage to observe geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) objects. With the development of SBV observation started from 1996, many strategies have come out for the purpose of observing GEO objects more efficiently. However it is a big challenge to visit all the GEO objects in a relatively short time because of the distribution characteristics of GEO belt and limited field of view (FOV) of sensor. And it’s also difficult to keep a high coverage of the GEO belt every day in a whole year. In this paper, a space-based observation strategy for GEO objects is designed based on the characteristics of the GEO belt. The mathematical formula of GEO belt is deduced and the evolvement of GEO objects is illustrated. There are basically two kinds of orientation strategies for most observation satellites, i.e., earth-oriented and inertia-directional. Influences of both strategies to their own observation regions are analyzed and compared with each other. A passive optical instrument with daily attitude-adjusting strategies is proposed to increase the daily coverage rate of GEO objects in a whole year. Furthermore, in order to observe more GEO objects in a relatively short time, the strategy of a satellite with multi-sensors is proposed. The installation parameters between different sensors are optimized, more than 98% of GEO satellites can be observed every day and almost all the GEO satellites can be observed every two days with 3 sensors (FOV: 6° × 6°) on the satellite under the strategy of daily pointing adjustment in a whole year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chondrogenesis and endochondral ossification are precisely controlled by cellular interactions with surrounding matrix proteins and growth factors that mediate cellular signaling pathways. Here, we report that extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) is a previously unrecognized regulator of chondrogenesis. ECM1 is induced in the course of chondrogenesis and its expression in chondrocytes strictly depends on parathyroid hormone‐related peptide (PTHrP) signaling pathway. Overexpression of ECM1 suppresses, whereas suppression of ECM1 enhances, chondrocyte differentiation and hypertrophy in vitro and ex vivo. In addition, target transgene of ECM1 in chondrocytes or osteoblasts in mice leads to striking defects in cartilage development and endochondral bone formation. Of importance, ECM1 seems to be critical for PTHrP action in chondrogenesis, as blockage of ECM1 nearly abolishes PTHrP regulation of chondrocyte hypertrophy, and overexpression of ECM1 rescues disorganized growth plates of PTHrP‐null mice. Furthermore, ECM1 and progranulin chondrogenic growth factor constitute an interaction network and act in concert in the regulation of chondrogenesis.—Kong L., Zhao, Y.‐P., Tian, Q.‐Y., Feng J.‐Q., Kobayashi, T., Merregaert, J., Liu, C.‐J. Extracellular matrix protein 1, a direct targeting molecule of parathyroid hormone‐related peptide, negatively regulates chondrogenesis and endochondral ossification via associating with progranulin growth factor. FASEB J. 30, 2741‐2754 (2016). www.fasebj.org [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Zn/Al-layered double hydroxides (Zn/Al-LDHs) were synthesized by a co-precipitation method and characterized with X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Then the hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) adsorption experiments on calcined Zn/Al-LDHs were carried out to analyze the effects of pH, temperature, adsorption time, initial Cr(VI) concentration and adsorbent dosage on the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions. The maximum adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) on calcined Zn/Al-LDHs under optimal conditions was found to be over 120 mg/g. The kinetic and isotherm of Cr(VI) adsorption on calcined Zn/Al-LDHs can be described with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in the progression of laryngeal cancer (LC). In this study, we aimed to investigate whether miR-149 is associated with the prognosis of patients with LC. A total of 97 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients who underwent tumor resection were included in our follow-up study. In vitro studies was performed in cancer cell line Hep-2 to explore the antitumor role of miR-149 in LC. We found that the expression of miR-149 was significantly lower in tumor tissues, compared with vocal cord polyp tissues (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that miR-149 expression status is significantly associated with survival duration (log rank test, P<0.05), and multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that patients with low miR-149 expression had shorter survival times compared with patients with high miR-149 expression. In vitro studies revealed that the exogenous expression of miRNA-149 inhibits the proliferation of human Hep-2 cells and induces cell apoptosis. Our study suggests that miR-149 expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma tissues is critically associated with the prognosis of patients, and the ectopic expression of miR-149 in Hep-2 cells inhibits proliferation and cell cycle progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-De-tert-butoxycarbonyl-N-[2-(1,1,1-trifluoro-2-methyl)propyloxycarbonyl]-2-debenzoyl-2-(m-fluorobenzoyl)-docetaxel (4FDT), a novel fluorinated docetaxel analog, was evaluated for its anti-hepatoma effect and possible druggability. In molecular docking studies, 4FDT coincided with paclitaxel in a part of the nucleus. In in vitro studies, 4FDT demonstrated higher anti-hepatoma activity approximately 1.5 times greater than that of docetaxel. More interestingly, 4FDT had been determined to have better anticancer effects, even 90 times greater in patient-derived xenografts (PDX) liver cancer cell lines than sorafenib. In the in vivo studies, 4FDT could effectively reduce the growth rate of liver cancer H22 and HepG2 cells. Furthermore, in a preliminary study on the ex vivo distribution of 4FDT, 4FDT-IR783 was primarily concentrated in the liver 1 h after injection, and most of it was metabolized from the liver in 24 h. Finally, the acute toxicity test revealed fewer side effects for 4FDT (approximately 16% than docetaxel). The water solubility, which was 11 times greater than that of docetaxel, confirmed the good druggability of 4FDT. All of these results demonstrated 4FDT's great potential to be a candidate drug for liver cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postglacial expansion to former range limits varies substantially among species of temperate deciduous forests in eastern Asia. Isolation hypotheses (with or without gene flow) have been proposed to explain this variance, but they ignore detailed population dynamics spanning geological time and neglect the role of life history traits. Using population genetics to uncover these dynamics across their Asian range, we infer processes that formed the disjunct distributions of Ginkgo biloba and the co-occurring Cercidiphyllum japonicum (published data). Phylogenetic, coalescent, and comparative data suggest that Ginkgo population structure is regional, dichotomous (to west-east refugia), and formed ˜51 kya, resulting from random genetic drift during the last glaciation. This split is far younger than the north-south population structure of Cercidiphyllum (~1.89 Mya). Significant (recent) unidirectional gene flow has not homogenized the two Ginkgo refugia, despite 2 Nm > 1. Prior to this split, gene flow was potentially higher, resulting in conflicting support for a priori hypotheses that view isolation as an explanation for the variation in postglacial range limits. Isolation hypotheses (with or without gene flow) are thus not necessarily mutually exclusive due to temporal variation of gene flow and genetic drift. In comparison with Cercidiphyllum, the restricted range of Ginkgo has been facilitated by uncompetitive life history traits associated with seed ecology, highlighting the importance of both demography and lifetime reproductive success when interpreting range shifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new post-harvest storage disease was observed on sweet potato (Ipomoea batatasL.) in Zhejiang Province, China in November 2014. A species ofBoeremiawas constantly isolated from diseased tissues with typical symptoms of storage tuber rot. The isolates were identified asBoeremia exiguabased on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and 5.8S ribosomal DNA, the 28S large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU) gene, the β-tubulin (TUB) gene and the actin (ACT) gene. The pathogenicity of the fungal isolates was confirmed through inoculation experiments. This is the first report of Boeremia tuber rot caused byB. exiguaon sweet potato in China. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This work demonstrates a rapid and sensitive colorimetric detection of phenols by using single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-regulated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as indicators. AuNPs can be stabilized in the presence of ssDNA through electrostatic repulsion, which prevents the salt-induced aggregation of AuNPs in solution. However, hydroxyl radicals (OH) generated by the Fenton reaction can cleave the ssDNA on the nanoparticle surface into mono- or oligonucleotide fragments, disrupting AuNPs stability. Phenolic compounds are known to be capable of being degraded or oxidized by OH produced by Fenton reaction. Thus, phenols can effectively scavenge OH to avoid ssDNA cleavage, protecting AuNPs from salt-induced aggregation. The ability of phenols to scavenge OH provides a quantitative basis for phenol sensing. In this study, catechol and hydroquinone were selected as analytes and detected using the proposed ssDNA–AuNPs colorimetric probe. The detection sensitivities of the colorimetric sensor are 0.2–7.0 μM for catechol and 2.7–19 μM for hydroquinone. The proposed bioassay eliminates tedious sample pretreatment and offers favorable sensitivity and selectivity for targets in the presence of other investigated metal ions and organic molecules. The detection limits are 0.11 μM for catechol and 1.6 μM for hydroquinone, with relative standard deviations of 3.7% for catechol and 4.8% for hydroquinone. The recovery rate of catechol in real water samples ranges from 95% to 116%, confirming the application potential of the method to measure phenols in real samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new complexes, [Co(aci)2(H2O)2]·2H2O (1) and [Zn(aci)2(H2O)2]·2H2O (2) (aciH = 4-oxo-5-methylpyrazine-2-carboxylic acid) were obtained by the reaction of corresponding metal salts and aciH, and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, single-crystal X-Ray diffraction, and magnetic susceptibility measurement. X-Ray analysis demonstrates that two compounds both crystallize in triclinic system, space groupP-1, and contain a mononuclear complex and two lattice water molecules. The two discrete complexes are further linked into three-dimensional hydrogen-bond networksviarich hydrogen bonding interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High quality and high efficiency are very important factors in the mold industry and must be considered in machining technology development. Corners are one of the typical features in a cavity mold that can cause low accuracy, tool wear, cutter defection, and vibration. Therefore, off-line feedrate optimization in a corner-milling process has been proposed as a means for avoiding these drawbacks. The corner-milling process could be divided into five stages according to the contact conditions between the cutter and workpiece. An improved chip thickness model based on the actual trajectory of the cutter was presented to predict the movement of the cutter along a curved path. Various feedrate optimizations were presented with varying control parameters. In this paper, three feedrate optimizations were implemented using three control parameters, relative volume, milling force, and cutter deflection, based on the differential element method (DEM). A corner-milling force experiment indicated that the simulation results using a modified milling force model agreed well with actual experimental milling results. Following this, a feedrate optimization with multiple constraints was built, according to a combination of three feedrate optimizations and then consider the acceleration and deceleration limitation. The simulation by using the method in this paper demonstrated that the machining time of rough milling, semi-finish milling, and finish milling could be reduced. In addition, it was found that the resulting milling force varies within a narrow range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was designed to demonstrate the prognostic value of prognostic nutritional index (PNI), a reflection systemic immunonutritional status, on the long-term survival of patients taking epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Methods: In this retrospective study, eligible advanced NSCLC patients with sensitive EGFR mutations (exon 19 deletion or L858R in exon 21) were included to investigate the correlation between the PNI and overall survival (OS). The PNI was calculated as 10 x serum albumin value (g/dl) + 0.005 x peripheral lymphocyte count (per mm3). The prognostic significance of PNI and other clinicopathologic factors was identified by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: Finally, 144 patients met the inclusion criteria. The optimal cut-off value of PNI for survival stratification was 48.78. Compared with high PNI group (n = 81), low PNI (n = 63) was significantly associated with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level and non-response to TKIs. Overall survival was superior in the high PNI group (HR, 0.44, p = 0.004), especially for patient with L858R (HR, 0.37, p = 0.009) rather than 19 deletion (HR, 0.69, p = 0.401). The independent prognostic value of PNI was validated by multivariate analysis. Conclusion: This pilot investigation demonstrated that low prognostic nutritional index correlates with worse survival for patients with advanced NSCLC and taking EGFR-TKIs. The assessment of a convenient index, known as PNI, worth attention in routine clinical practice for patients following EGFR-TKIs treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a multifunctional factor in acceleration of cell proliferation, differentiation and transference, and therefore widely used in clinical applications. In this study, expression vector pWX-Nt03 harboring a codon-optimized bFGF gene was constructed and introduced into the tobacco chloroplasts by particle bombardment. After four rounds of selection, bFGF was proved to integrate into the chloroplast genome of regenerated plants and two of four transgenic plants were confirmed to be homoplastomic by PCR and Southern hybridization. ELISA assay indicated that bFGF represented approximately 0.1% of total soluble protein in the leaves of transplastomic tobacco plants. This is the first report of bFGF expression via chloroplast transformation in model plant, providing an additional option for the production of chloroplast-produced therapeutic proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD133 has been identified as a putative neoplastic stem cell marker in esophageal carcinoma. However, the prognostic value of CD133 overexpression in patients with esophageal carcinoma remains controversial. A meta-analysis of previous studies was performed, in order t o a ssess t he association of CD133 overexpression with the clinicopathological characteristics of esophageal carcinoma patients. A total of 7 studies, including 538 patients, were subjected to the final analysis. Our results indicated that a positive CD133 expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis [odds ratio (OR)=3.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.93-4.95; P<0.00001], clinical stage (OR=4.26, 95% CI: 1.55-11.73; P=0.005) and histopathological grade (OR=2.40, 95% CI: 1.16-4.94; P=0.02). There was no statistically significant association of CD133 with depth of invasion (OR=1.89, 95% CI: 0.42-8.43; P=0.41). Based on the results of this study, we concluded that CD133 is an efficient prognostic factor in esophageal carcinoma. Higher CD133 expression is significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, clinical stage and histopathological grade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discovered an unprecedented fundamental interaction originated from the fluoroalkyl chains at the interface between light harvesting chromophore and charge transport redox electrolyte in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). A fluoroalkylated Ru complexes dye (FN719) was synthesized and upon anchoring on nanoparticulate TiO2 electrodes, FN719 exhibits 5 times better photostability in humid air than that of the conventional N719 due to the hydrophobicity of the fluoroalkyl chains. Moreover, the lipophobicity of fluoroalkylated chains in organic electrolyte causes a size-selective steric hindrance with respect to the redox couple I-/I3-, leading to a more stalled diffusion of the bulky I3- towards dyes and TiO2 photoanode than that of the lean I-. As such, without sacrificing the forward electron transport and quantum efficiency, the recombination in FN719-based DSSCs is suppressed to be 1.3 times slower than N719-based DSSCs studied by the photovoltage transients and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; and the adverse I3- exchange with SCN- on dye is also inhibited as manifested by mass spectrometry. The J-V measurements suggest improved efficiency in FN719-based cells (9.2%) than similarly fabricated N719-based cells (8.5%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leprosy is a chronic infection acquired after getting exposed to Mycobacterium leprae (M.Leprae), especially via contact or through nasal secretions of the affected hosts. Ninety five percent of the entire population is naturally immune to leprosy due to the inherent natural immunity against the pathogen. The components of M.leprae include the lipoarabinomannam, the mycolyl-arabinogalactan-peptidoglycan complex, the protein-peptidoglycan complex, and muramyl dipeptide which are potent inducers of inflammatory mediators, especially TNF-α. Immunologically and clinically leprosy is classified into the Tuberculoid pole, Borderline tuberculoid, Mid borderline, Borderline lepromatous and lepromatous pole. In the Tuberculoid pole, the naive CD 4 lymphocytes differentiate into either Th1 or Th17 cells. Th1 secretes IL-2, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and Th17 secretes IL-17, IL- 21 and TNF-α. In the Lepromatous pole, the naive CD 4 lymphocytes differentiate into Th2 cells, which secrete IL-1β, IL-4, and IL-6 that promotes antibody formation. Knowing about the immune cells, mechanisms of their interaction and substances responsible in leprosy reactions can provide a potential way of enhancing the immune response to M.leprae especially in the Lepromatous pole or ways of preventing the nerve damage and skin lesions in leprosy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the effect of acarbose therapy on the long-term prognosis of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) complicating newly diagnosed impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Methodology. 135 patients hospitalized for ACS who had been newly diagnosed with IGT were randomly assigned to acarbose group (150 mg/day, n=67) or control group (no acarbose, n=68). All cases in each group were given the same elementary treatment. Mean follow-up was 2.3 years. The incidence of major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) and carotid intima-middle thickness (CIMT) were statistically analyzed. Results. During the mean follow-up of 2.3 years, the risk of recurrent MACE in acarbose group was decreased significantly compared with that in control group (26.67% versus 46.88%, P<0.05); at the same time, thickening of the CIMT was significantly slower than the control group ((1.28 ± 0.42) mm versus (1.51 ± 0.64) mm, P<0.05). Conclusions. Acarbose can effectively reduce the risk of MACE in ACS patients with newly diagnosed IGT, simultaneously retarding the progression of carotid intima-media thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The n-butylphosphonate ligand has been employed to construct three new silver(I) thiolate compounds. Single-crystal X-ray analysis revealed that complexes 1 and 2 are Ag48 and Ag51 coordination chain polymers, while 3 contains a discrete Ag48 cluster, in which three different kinds of silver(I) thiolate cluster shells enclose three different phosphonate-functionalized silver(I) cluster cores, respectively. The structures of clusters in 1-3 feature three three-shell arrangements, S@Ag12@(nBuPO3)9@Ag36S23, S@Ag11@(nBuPO3)7(MoO4)2 @Ag40S27 and MoO4@Ag12@(nBuPO3)8S6 @Ag36S24, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the effect of acarbose therapy on the long-term prognosis of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) complicating newly diagnosed impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Methodology. 135 patients hospitalized for ACS who had been newly diagnosed with IGT were randomly assigned to acarbose group (150 mg/day, n=67) or control group (no acarbose, n=68). All cases in each group were given the same elementary treatment. Mean follow-up was 2.3 years. The incidence of major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) and carotid intima-middle thickness (CIMT) were statistically analyzed. Results. During the mean follow-up of 2.3 years, the risk of recurrent MACE in acarbose group was decreased significantly compared with that in control group (26.67% versus 46.88%, P<0.05); at the same time, thickening of the CIMT was significantly slower than the control group ((1.28 ± 0.42) mm versus (1.51 ± 0.64) mm, P<0.05). Conclusions. Acarbose can effectively reduce the risk of MACE in ACS patients with newly diagnosed IGT, simultaneously retarding the progression of carotid intima-media thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The n-butylphosphonate ligand has been employed to construct three new silver(I) thiolate compounds. Single-crystal X-ray analysis revealed that complexes 1 and 2 are Ag48 and Ag51 coordination chain polymers, while 3 contains a discrete Ag48 cluster, in which three different kinds of silver(I) thiolate cluster shells enclose three different phosphonate-functionalized silver(I) cluster cores, respectively. The structures of clusters in 1-3 feature three three-shell arrangements, S@Ag12@(nBuPO3)9@Ag36S23, S@Ag11@(nBuPO3)7(MoO4)2 @Ag40S27 and MoO4@Ag12@(nBuPO3)8S6 @Ag36S24, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two series of biscoumarin ( 1 – 3 ) and dihydropyran ( 4 – 12 ) derivatives were successfully synthesized as new antitumor and antibacterial agents. The molecular structures of four representative compounds 2 , 4 , 7 and 10 were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction study. The synthesized compounds ( 1 – 12 ) were evaluated for their antitumor activities against human intestinal epithelial adenocarcinoma cell line (HuTu80), mammary adenocarcinoma cell line (4T1) and pancreatic cancer cell line (PANC1) and antibacterial activities against one drug-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ATCC 29213) strain and three MRSA strains (MRSA XJ 75302, Mu50, USA 300 LAC). The further mechanism study demonstrated that the most potent compound 1 could obviously inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells via the mechanism to induce apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floating aquaculture cages deployed in the nearshore affect the wave field and contribute to the coastal defense by damping incoming waves. Most pioneering works concerning aquaculture cages have concentrated on the hydrodynamics of the structures instead of their influence on the wave field. In order to bridge the gap, this paper examines the wave performance with the interference of floating aquaculture cages via physical model tests. The results show that the existence of cages increases wave height on the weather side. The wave-dissipation performance of the net cage is closely related to the ratio of the wavelength to the structural span, and the minimum transmission coefficients appear in the conditions with the maximum wave number. Moreover, the crests of the free surface elevation inside the floating frames are almost flat, which is particularly obvious in the long-period wave conditions. The surface elevations show nonlinearity in small-wavelength conditions, which is dominantly caused by the pitch motion of the cages. Nevertheless, the presence of the cage does not affect the phase differences in the wave elevation at different positions. The nets have an opposite effect on wave response inside the cage under the conditions of long-period and short-period waves. • The wave performance with the interference of floating aquaculture cages are examined via physical experiments. • The wave transmission coefficients were closely related to the ratio of the wavelength to the structural span. • The wave surface elevations inside the floating frames showed nonlinearity under small wavelengths. • The nets had an opposite effect on the wave response inside the floating frame in long- and short-period waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A data-driven stability analysis and fault assessment approach is proposed. • The relationship between the feature indicator and the rub-impact mechanism is revealed. • The dynamic model of a rolling bearing-rotor system considering unbalance and rub-impact is established. • The nonlinear vibration of the bearing-rotor system under the rub-impact are analyzed. • The rotor rub-impact fault experiment is carried out. • The proposed approach and simulation result is verified by the experimental cases. Affected by manufacture, assembly, and operating conditions, the rotor is prone to rub-impact fault, resulting in instability of a system. The nonlinearity of a system response includes instability and fault characteristics. Based on this, this paper proposes a novel health assessment approach for bearing-rotor system that combines data-driven and NOFRFs (nonlinear output frequency response functions), revealing the intrinsic relationship between NOFRFs-based feature and rub-impact fault. Before utilizing the approach, the vibration and stability of the bearing-rotor with rub-impact are simulated and analyzed. Based on Hertz contact theory, the nonlinear bearing forces are obtained. Then the dynamic model of the rolling bearing-rotor system considering unbalance and rub-impact is established. The influence of rub-impact on the nonlinear vibration and stability of the bearing-rotor system is analyzed by combining the orbit, the Poincaré map, and the bifurcation diagram. A rolling bearing-rotor test rig is built, and the rub-impact experiment was completed. The data-driven model of the system is identified by the filtered vibration displacement. The NOFRF-based feature of the data-driven model is extracted. With the increase of rub-impact severity, the dispersion of feature gradually increases, and the stability of the system decreases. The standard deviation of the feature is solved as a new health indicator. The result shows it is more effective for the evaluation of rub-impact than the conventional indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A fast and accurate fishing net damage detection model has been established based on digital twin. • Different damaged levels, positions and wave-current directions have been tested. • The digital twin model can accurately identify whether the fishing net is damaged or not. The fishing net is the most important component of aquaculture net cages. Once damaged, it can cause substantial economic losses and ecological problems to the aquaculture industry. To avoid these subsequent issues caused by the damage to the fishing net, seeking a computerized, labor-saving approach and detecting damage in real time becomes the primary task of this paper. Inspired by recent development of the artificial neural networks and machine learning, this study proposes a fast and accurate approach for fishing net damage detection based on digital twin. Firstly, time-domain numerical simulations of the fishing net are conducted in a series of wave and current conditions to develop the artificial neural network-based digital twin. Then, the significant wave height, the spectral peak period, and tensions of vertical and horizontal ropes are used as input variables during the artificial neural network training; the intact and damaged states of the fishing net are considered outputs. Alongside this, the back-propagation learning algorithm is used for training to maximize damage detection performance. The results highlight that the digital twin model can effectively identify the fishing net damage using the sensor data, and the accuracy of the damage detection reaches above 93%. When the damage occurs at different net positions, the prediction accuracies of the artificial neural network model for training and testing sets are 93.97% and 93.00%, respectively. Regarding different wave-current directions, the prediction accuracies of the artificial neural network model are 99.87 % and 99.34 % for training and testing sets. Moreover, the developed digital twin can accurately detect the damage of the net even sea conditions and sensor data are not included in the training. The digital twin model proposed in the present study can potentially be used for damage detection in other aquaculture components and structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of the marine industry offers more opportunities to combine aquaculture with other marine uses. This study reports a trestle-netting enclosure aquaculture facility that combines an offshore steel trestle with a marine aquaculture facility in which the trestle acts as a supporting substructure. In this study, the numerical models include one configuration without netting and three configurations with netting in different regular waves, which are generated based on stream function theory owing to nonlinear wave problems. The time series of the horizontal wave forces were obtained and analyzed in the four models. Numerical results showed that netting can significantly increase the positive amplitudes of horizontal wave forces, and the wave forces of trestle with the lee-side netting were almost smaller than those of the wave-side netting. Moreover, we investigated the nonlinear features of the wave forces and profiles. The horizontal asymmetry factors of the wave forces are affected by those of the wave profiles, while the vertical asymmetry factors of the wave forces are affected by those of the wave slope profiles. The effects of the netting on the force-positive amplitudes agree with the horizontal asymmetry factors of the wave forces but not with the vertical asymmetry factors. • Finite element models of trestle-netting enclosure aquaculture facility are established. • Hydrodynamic analysis of the complex models is conducted under nonlinear waves. • Effects of netting on wave loads and the nonlinear features of wave loads is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growth of global population, the demand for seafood has been increasing. Aquaculture as a sustainable industry provides a new direction to satisfy the rising demand for seafood. However, typhoons, a common disaster in coastal areas, can cause massive waves that can threaten the safety of aquaculture facilities. Therefore, studying the facilities' failure probability under typhoon waves with different return periods is crucial. The example of offshore high-density polyethylene net cages in the seas near Guishan Island, Zhuhai, China, was examined in this study. The wave conditions for different return periods for these seas were predicted using the SWAN+ADCIRC model and the local wave statistics for the last 30 years. Based on the prediction results, the hydrodynamic loads and stresses of the primary cage structure (floating collar, nets, and mooring lines) in typhoon waves at different return periods were calculated using the lumped-mass and finite element methods. Meanwhile, the failure probability of the cage components was analyzed based on the Monte Carlo method. According to the failure probability and cost of different components, the suitable size of the each of the cage components in the representative seas was studied. This study affords a reference for the design of the cage and improve the aquaculture insurance. • Relation between typhoon waves and failure probability of HDPE net cage components. • SWAN+ADICRC model combined with local hydrographic data to predict typhoon waves. • Lumped-mass and finite element methods for hydrodynamic loads on components. • Quantitative response relationship established using Monte Carlo method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LncRNA-HGBC stabilized by HuR promotes gallbladder cancer progression by regulating miR-502-3p/SET/AKT axis. Yun-ping Hu, Yun-peng Jin and Xiang-song Wu contributed equally to this work. [Extracted from the article]

There are high demands for research of new device with greater accessing speed and stability to replace the current SRAM storage cell. The resistive random access memory (ReRAM) is a metal oxide which is based on nonvolatile memory device possessing the characteristics of high read/write speed, high storage density, low power, low cost, very small cell, being nonvolatile, and unlimited writing endurance. The device has extreme short erasing time and the stored charge cannot be destroyed after power-off. Therefore, the ReRAM device is a significant storage device for many applications in the next generation. In this paper, we first explored the mechanism of the ReRAM device based on ion mobility model and then applied this device to optimize the design of FPGA switching matrix. The results show that it is beneficial to enhance the FPGA performance to replace traditional SRAM cells with ReRAM cells for the switching matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modulus-based synchronous multisplitting iteration methods were recently proposed for solving linear complementarity problems. We give a much simpler approach to prove the convergence of these iteration methods when the system matrix is an H + -matrix. Moreover, this idea can also be applied to prove the convergence of two-step modulus-based synchronous multisplitting iteration methods, which avoids the construction of the irreducible system matrix and the introduction of the infinite norm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel series of biscoumarin (1-4) and dihydropyran (5-13) derivatives were synthesized via a one-pot multicomponent condensation reaction and evaluated for antibacterial and antitumor activity in vitro. The X-ray crystal structure analysis of four representative compounds, 3, 7, 9 and 11, confirmed the structures of these compounds. Compounds 1-4 showed the most potent antitumor activity among the total 13 derivatives; especially for compounds 1 and 2, they also emerged as promising antibacterial members with better antibacterial activity. In addition, the results of density functional theory (DFT) showed that compared with compounds 3 and 4, biscoumarins 1 and 2 had lower intramolecular hydrogen bonds (HB) energy in their structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic behaviors of the single-incision sling (SIS) to correct urethral hypermobility are investigated via dynamic biomechanical analysis using a computational model of the female pelvis, developed from a female subject's high-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) images. The urethral hypermobility is simulated by weakening the levator ani muscle in the pelvic model. Four positions along the posterior urethra (proximal, midproximal, middle, and mid-distal) were considered for sling implantation. The α-angle, urethral excursion angle, and sling-urethra interaction force generated during Valsalva maneuver were quantitatively characterized to evaluate the effect of the sling implantation position on treatment outcomes and potential complications. Results show concern for overcorrection with a sling implanted at the bladder neck, based on a relatively larger sling-urethra interaction force of 1.77 N at the proximal implantation position (compared with 0.25 N at mid-distal implantation position). A sling implanted at the mid-distal urethral location provided sufficient correction (urethral excursion angle of 23.8 deg after mid-distal sling implantation versus 24.4 deg in the intact case) with minimal risk of overtightening and represents the optimal choice for sling surgery. This study represents the first effort utilizing a comprehensive pelvic model to investigate the performance of an implanted sling to correct urethral hypermobility. The computational modeling approach presented in the study can also be used to advance presurgery planning, sling product design, and to enhance our understanding of various surgical risk factors which are difficult to obtain in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nogos have become a hot topic for its well-known number Nogo-A's big role in clinical matters. It has been recognized that the expression of Nogo-A and the receptor NgR1 inhibit the neuron's growth after CNS injuries or the onset of the MS. The piling evidence supports the notion that the Nogo-A is also involved in the synaptic plasticity, which was shown to negatively regulate the strength of synaptic transmission. The occurrence of significant schizophrenia-like behavioral phenotypes in Nogo-A KO rats also added strong proof to this conclusion. This review mainly focuses on the structure of Nogo-A and its corresponding receptor-NgR1, its intra- and extra-cellular signaling, together with its major physiological functions such as regulation of migration and distribution and its related diseases like stroke, AD, ALS and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing models for predicting mortality based on traditional Cox proportional hazard approach (CPH) often have low prediction accuracy. This paper aims to develop a clinical risk model with good accuracy for predicting 1-year mortality in cardiac arrhythmias patients using random survival forest (RSF), a robust approach for survival analysis. 10,488 cardiac arrhythmias patients available in the public MIMIC II clinical database were investigated, with 3,452 deaths occurring within 1-year followups. Forty risk factors including demographics and clinical and laboratory information and antiarrhythmic agents were analyzed as potential predictors of all-cause mortality. RSF was adopted to build a comprehensive survival model and a simplified risk model composed of 14 top risk factors. The built comprehensive model achieved a prediction accuracy of 0.81 measured by c-statistic with 10-fold cross validation. The simplified risk model also achieved a good accuracy of 0.799. Both results outperformed traditional CPH (which achieved a c-statistic of 0.733 for the comprehensive model and 0.718 for the simplified model). Moreover, various factors are observed to have nonlinear impact on cardiac arrhythmias prognosis. As a result, RSF based model which took nonlinearity into account significantly outperformed traditional Cox proportional hazard model and has great potential to be a more effective approach for survival analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel label-free strategy is demonstrated for the amplified detection of copper ions (Cu 2+ ) on the basis of Fenton reaction and unmodified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). AuNPs are known to stabilise in the presence of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), which prevents the salt-induced aggregation of AuNPs in solution because of electrostatic repulsion. However, in the presence of a Fenton reagent, Cu 2+ catalyses the Fenton reaction to generate hydroxyl free radicals, which cut the ssDNA into different sequence fragments or even single bases to induce AuNP aggregation along with a red-to-blue colour change. Cu 2+ is qualitatively and quantitatively detected through this phenomenon, and Cu 2+ recycling may amplify the signal transduction based on Fenton reaction with unlabelled sensing strategies. A linear calibration of A 700 /A 525 versus Cu 2+ concentration is obtained within 0.1–10 μM, along with a detection limit of 23 nM and relative standard deviation (RSD) of 4.1% (1 μM). Moreover, the sensing system exhibits excellent sensitivity and selectivity for Cu 2+ , with quantitative spike-recoveries from 88% to 116% in environment water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asthma is a common chronic disease in children. Its prevalence in Taiwan has been increasing every year. Because repeated asthma attacks are life threatening, primary caregivers who take care of children with asthma may experience extremely high levels of stress. This study used qualitative research methods to identify the sources of caregiver stress. Eighteen primary caregivers were interviewed individually, and 12 were interviewed through focus-group discussions. Using data obtained from a literature review and the respondents' caregiver experiences, authors summarized and categorized stressors as physiologic, psychological, intellectual, and social. Primary caregivers taking care of children with asthma paid more attention to household cleaning; this was the biggest physiologic stressor. The biggest psychological stressor was coping with the life-threatening nature of asthma attacks, and the biggest intellectual stressor was drug safety. The close family ties of Chinese culture impose heavy social stress on primary caregivers, as does the schools' refusal to provide adequate asthma care. Further studies are warranted to investigate coping strategies for caregiver stress and to provide useful and relevant recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertension is the most prevalent cardiovascular disease, and various risk factors are known to be involved in it. Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is the most common non-traumatic cause of myelopathy, which displays neurological symptoms and may induce systemic symptoms. To date, it is still unknown whether CSM is associated with hypertension, and if so, whether the decompression operations can attenuate CSM associated hypertension. Here, a total of 309 patients with CSM who received anterior or posterior decompression surgery were enrolled as subjects. Blood pressure measurements were performed before and within one week after the surgery. Among the 309 subjects, 144 (46.6%) of them exhibited hypertension before surgery, a significantly higher ratio than that of the whole population. One week after surgery, blood pressure of 106 (73.6%) patients turned back to normal. Blood pressure of another 37(25.7%) patients decreased with different degrees, although still higher than normal. Moreover, it appears that both approaches were effective in improving blood pressure, while the posterior approach was more effective in decreasing systolic blood pressure. We speculate this type of hypertension might result from hyperactivity of sympathetic nervous system as the heart rate of these patients decreased after surgery as well. Collectively, compression of spinal cord in CSM patients might be associated with hypertension, and decompression surgery largely attenuated this type of hypertension. These findings prove CSM to be a potential associated factor of high blood pressure and may shed light on therapies of hypertension in clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shengli lignite (SL) was subjected to sequential extraction (SE) with carbon disulfide, benzene, methanol, acetone, and tetrahydrofuran under ultrasonication to afford extracts 1–5, respectively, and the residue (R SE , i.e., residue from SE). The R SE was subjected to sequential thermal dissolution (STD) in benzene, methanol, and acetone in a batch autoclave from 210 to 330 °C to afford soluble portions (SPs) and the residue (R STD , i.e., residue from STD). The total yield of extracts 1–5 is only 2.86%, while the yields of SPs from STD in benzene, methanol, and acetone are 5.69%, 10.15%, and 48.41%, respectively. The SPs from STD in benzene and methanol mainly consist of hydrocarbons and phenols, while ketones are the main compounds detected in the SP from STD in acetone and most of nitrogen-containing organic compounds appear in the SP from STD in acetone. During STD in acetone, acetone conversion to phorone, isophorone, and their derivatives was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enable the optimum design and evaluation of fish farm and mooring performance in the energetic open ocean, a series of physical model experiments were conducted to investigate the hydrodynamic characteristics of a large fish farm containing 1 up to 8 net pens with the model scale of 1:40. In the physical model experiments, the main mooring line tension and flow-velocity magnitude were measured when current flowed through the multiple net cages. According to the experimental data, the upstream anchor lines of the cage will endure most of the current load acting on the multi-cage system. When the net cages are arranged in double columns, the tension force in the upstream anchor lines increases with increasing number of net cage. But this phenomenon is not obvious when the net cages are arranged in single column. There exists obvious flow-velocity reduction inside net cages of the multi-cage configurations; however, there is no statistical difference in flow velocity over varied configurations with different number of net cage. The appropriate multi-cage system in engineering practices should be determined through considering both the mooring line force and the flow-velocity distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We improvise an approach to carry out first-principles simulations of graphene-based vertical field-effect tunneling transistors that consist of a graphene ∣/h-BN∣graphene multilayer structure. Within the density functional theory framework, we exploit the effective screening medium (ESM) method to properly treat boundary conditions for electrostatic potentials and investigate the effect of gate voltage. The distribution of free carriers and the band structure of both top and bottom graphene layers are calculated self-consistently. The dielectric properties of h-BN thin films sandwiched between graphene layers are computed layer-by-layer following the theory of microscopic permittivity. We find that the permittivities of BN layers are very close to that of crystalline h-BN. The effect of interface with graphene on the dielectric properties of h-BN is weak according to an analysis on the interface charge redistribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although it is well known that GSK3β participates in the proliferation and survival of various tumor cells, its role in diseases of the central nervous system has been sparsely documented. In the past few years, studies regarding the relationship between GSK3β rs334558 T>C and rs6438552 C>T polymorphisms and Alzheimer disease (AD) risk have yielded contradictory results. As such, this meta-analysis seeks to satisfy the need to further investigate this relationship. Methods: In this research, published studies regarding the association of GSK3β rs6438552 and rs334558 mutation with AD risk was systematically assessed. Studies were retrieved from MEDLINE, Science Citation Index, the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Current Contents Index, Chinese Biomedical, Chinese Journal Full-Text, and Weipu Journal. Pooled odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for allele contrast and homozygous, heterozygous, dominant, and recessive genetic model comparisons. Results: It was found that GSK3β rs334558 T>C and rs6438552 C>T polymorphisms were correlated with susceptibility to AD under 4 genetic models (all P<.05). In country-stratified subgroups, the results showed increased risk of developing AD in rs334558 T>C polymorphism among Chinese and Spain populations in majority groups. GSK3β rs6438552 C>T polymorphism was correlated with increased the risk of developing AD only in Australian populations. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that there exists a significant association between GSK3β rs334558 T>C polymorphism and increased susceptibility of AD. Moreover, future updated studies with stratified case-control population are warranted for validation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, two typical Chinese lignites, Shengli lignite (SL) and Xiaolongtan lignite (XL), with different geologic ages were firstly thermal dissolved in sub- and supercritical benzene and ethanol, then soluble organic species were analyzed with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) and atmospheric solids analysis probe/time of flight mass spectrometer (ASAP/TOF-MS). The soluble organic species yield of XL in benzene is close to that of SL in the temperature investigated, whereas the soluble organic species yield of XL in ethanol is obviously higher than that of SL at high temperature region. Obvious difference exists in the molecular composition of the soluble organic species between SL and XL. The soluble organic species of XL contain more free aliphatics but less arenes than those of SL. The arenes in the soluble organic species of XL are mainly composed of the derivatives of benzene and naphthalene, while those from SL are dominated with condensed arenes and polycyclic biphenyls. Furthermore, the free oxygen-containing organic species in SL and XL are dominated with ketones and phenols, respectively. Additionally, ASAP/TOF-MS analysis indicates that the molecular weight of soluble organic species from SL is higher than that from XL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing Ni and Pm with different thicknesses and apparent activity densities, we calculated the total efficiency ( η) and conversion efficiency ( η) limits of betavoltaics by MCNP5 and Schottky equation. The apparent activity density, emitted average energy, and η limit increase and then reach their saturation levels with increasing source thickness. The increment rate of η limit increasingly smaller as the bandgap increases. Wide bandgap semiconductors lead η to reach saturation and η to reach maximum more quickly than narrow ones. The limit of η for Pm is higher than that for Ni. Measurement results demonstrate that high apparent activity density can improve η as expected. This study can serve as a reference to evaluate the performance of betavoltaics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]