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In this present work, La(SiO)O as a promising electrolyte candidate for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) has been synthesized and its electrical property was investigated as a function of temperature. In order to improve the density and oxide ion conductivity of La(SiO)O, the feedstock powder was prepared by sintering the oxide mixture powders at proper sintering temperatures and times. The hexagonal apatite-type ceramic coatings with a typical composition of La(SiO)O were deposited by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) with different hydrogen flow rates. With increasing hydrogen flow rate oxide ion conductivity successively decreases. The highest ionic conductivity of the dense composite electrolyte coatings reaches a value of 2.4 mS/cm at 900 °C in air, which is comparable to other apatite-type lanthanum silicate (ATLS) conductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of nanosize copper oxide and basic copper carbonate on the physical and mechanical properties of lakeboards were investigated according to ASTM Standard D-1037, and the curing process of phenol formaldehyde (PF) resin containing copper compounds was further investigated using dynamic differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results showed that nanosize copper oxide had no or slightly beneficial effects on the mechanical properties and dimensional stability of the lakeboards. While basic copper carbonate increased thickness swelling and water absorption to some extent, the difference was not statistically significant. The DSC results indicated that the comparable activation energy and reaction enthalpy, obtained from nanosize copper oxide treated samples, contributed to the higher degree of conversion of PF resin and undiminished bonding strength of lakeboards, which is probably related to the acceleration of the addition reactions taking place among small molecules in PF resin and the enhancement of heat transfer of composite mat caused by nanosize copper oxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The aim of this study was to establish the relationship between reduced vancomycin and daptomycin susceptibility among Australasian vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) and heterogeneous-VISA (hVISA) isolates from patients never exposed to daptomycin. Methods Forty-seven stored clinical isolates of hVISA/VISA collected before November 2008 from around Australia and New Zealand were selected. Daptomycin and vancomycin MIC testing was performed using broth microdilution (BMD) and Etest methods. Daptomycin population analysis was performed on a subset of isolates. Results The percentage of daptomycin non-susceptible isolates was 0% for vancomycin-susceptible S. aureus (VSSA) (Etest and BMD), for hVISA it was 26% by Etest and 15% by BMD, and for VISA 62% by Etest and 38% by BMD. Population analysis profile testing demonstrated daptomycin heteroresistance among the hVISA and VISA strains tested. Conclusions This is the highest rate of daptomycin non-susceptibility reported among hVISA isolates to date. Clinicians should exhibit caution when using daptomycin in situations where serious hVISA or VISA infection is a possibility. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Methyl or 1, N-ethenoadenine base lesions are frequent and highly-mutagenic or -carcinogenic events in mammalian DNA. Human AlkB homologue-2 (hABH2), a homologue of the Escherichia coli AlkB protein, has been found to be the principal dioxygenase for the repair of these lesions. Mounting evidence indicates that impaired DNA repair contributes to gastric cancer induction and progression. Whether hABH2 is involved in this malignancy is unknown. The present study was aimed to investigate the expression profile of hABH2 in gastric cancer and the effect of hABH2 on cancer cell growth. The expression of hABH2 in 35 pair-matched gastric neoplastic and adjacent non-neoplastic tissues, and in five gastric cancer cell lines, was examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunohistochemistry, or Western blot. The cell growth was determined using cell-counting kit-8 assay. The apoptosis or cell-cycle analysis was determined using flow cytometry. The hABH2 expression was downregulated in 68% (24/35) of primary gastric cancers, as determined by real-time PCR; the hABH2 expression was also substantially decreased in gastric cancer cell lines. Immunohistochemical or Western blot analysis further confirmed the downregulation of hABH2 expression in gastric cancers. The overexpression of hABH2 significantly inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells, and induced G arrest of the cell cycle, while hABH2 knockdown promoted cell growth and cell-cycle progression of gastric cancer cells. These results suggest that hABH2 is downregulated in a subset of gastric cancers, and might be involved in the molecular mechanism of gastric cancer through inhibiting the proliferation of gastric cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactions of 2,6-(ArNCH)2C6H3Li with CrCl2(THF)2afford two trinuclear bis(imino)aryl NCN pincer Cr(II) complexes {[2,6-(ArNCH)2C6H3]Cr(μ-Cl)2}2Cr [Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3(1a), 2,6-Et2C6H3(1b)], and a mononuclear bis(imino)aryl NCN pincer Cr(II) complex [2,6-(ArNCH)2C6H3]Cr(μ-Cl)2Li(THF)2[Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3(1c)], respectively. Similar reactions of 2,6-(ArNCH)2C6H3Li with CrCl3(THF)3produce only mononuclear bis(imino)aryl NCN pincer Cr(III) complexes [2,6-(ArNCH)2C6H3]CrCl2(THF) [Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3(2a), 2,6-Et2C6H3(2b), 2,6-iPr2C6H3(2c)]. X-ray crystallographic analysis reveals that the terminal Cr(II) atoms in 1aand 1band the Cr(II) atom in 1cpossess a distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination environment with the Cipsoatom of the pincer ligand and two chloride atoms in the equator and the two imine nitrogen atoms in the apical positions, while the Cr(III) complexes 2a, 2b, and 2call adopt a distorted octahedral geometry around the chromium metal. Upon activation with trialkylaluminum and [Ph3C][B(C6F5)4]−, the Cr(III) complexes show high catalytic activity for isoprene polymerization and afford polyisoprene with predominately trans-1,4 units, whereas the Cr(II) complexes are inert under the same conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of new half-sandwich chromium(III) complexes chelated with (2-((arylimino)methyl)phenyl)tetramethylcyclopentadienyl ligands, 2-(ArNCH)C6H4Me4CpCrCl2(Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3(1), 2,6-Et2C6H3(2), 2,6-iPr2C6H3(3), 4-MeC6H4(4)), have been synthesized from the reaction of CrCl3with the lithium salt of the corresponding ligand 2-(ArNCH)C6H4Me4CpLi (Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3(LiL1), 2,6-Et2C6H3(LiL2), 2,6-iPr2C6H3(LiL3), 4-MeC6H4(LiL4)). Free ligands HL1−HL4were prepared by the condensation reaction of 2-(tetramethylcyclopentadienyl)benzaldehyde with 2,6-dialkylaniline. The free ligands were characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy, while the chromium(III) complexes were characterized by elemental analyses and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The X-ray crystallographic analysis indicates that the imine N atom in these complexes coordinates to the central chromium atom. Upon activation with AlR3and Ph3CB(C6F5)4, these complexes exhibit high catalytic activity for ethylene polymerization and produce polyethylene with moderate to high molecular weights. These chromium(III) complexes can also be activated with AlR3alone. In the latter case, they show slightly lower catalytic activity for ethylene polymerization in comparison to the AlR3/Ph3CB(C6F5)4activated catalyst systems. The effects of ligand structure, polymerization temperature, AlR3, and Al/Cr molar ratio on the catalytic behavior of these complexes were examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One coronavirus strain was isolated from brain tissues of ten piglets with evident clinical manifestations of vomiting, diarrhea and dyskinesia in Jilin province in China. Antigenic and genomic characterizations of the virus (isolate PHEV-JLsp09) were based on multiplex PCR and negative staining electron microscopy and sequence analysis of the Hemagglutinin-esterase (HE) gene. These piglets were diagnosed with Porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (PHEV). Necropsy was performed on the piglets. Major pathological changes included meningeal hyperemia, meningeal hemorrhage and cortical hemorrhage. Minor changes were also observed in other organs. Histopathological changes included satellitosis and neuronophagia in the cerebral cortex. Mice were infected with the isolated virus. Their histopathological changes were similar to those symptoms observed in the piglets, exhibiting typical changes for non-suppurative encephalitis. Thus, Porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus mainly causes damage to the nervous system but also impacts other organs. This viral strain (isolate PHEV-JLsp09) found in the Siping area of Jilin Province in China is evolutionally closest to the HEV-67N stain (North American strain), indicating that this viral strain evolved from the PHEV from North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Muchang composite intrusion is located about 14 km southeast of the Fengwei town and south of the Baoshan-Zhenkang block. The rift-related intrusion consists of the early-stage riebeckite nordmarkite in the east and west sides and the discontinuous marginal zone, the late-stage main body of dominant riebeckite granite, and minor aegirine granite. Studies on petrological geochemistry and LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating of the late-stage riebeckite granite, origin and evolution of the Muchang alkali granite and the relationship between the granite and the associated skarn-type Luziyuan Pb-Zn deposit are discussed in this paper. The results show that the Muchang alkali granites belong to A-type granites, which are characterized by enrichment in Al2O3, SiO2, total alkali and Fe, depletion in MgO and CaO contents with high FeOT/MgO ratios. The REE concentrations are relatively high, exhibiting highly fractionated LREE patterns with significantly Eu negative anomaly. The Muchang granites are obviously enriched in lithophile elements (e.g., Rb, K, U and Th) and high field strength elements (e.g., Zr, Hf, Nb, Y and Ga) with high 10000×Ga/Al ratios and depleted in Sr, Ba, Ti, Cr and Ni, which are similar to those of the A-type granites and quite different from those of S-type and I-type granites. The LA-ICP-MS zircon dating results of the Muchang granite gave a weighted mean age of 266.2±5.4 Ma (2σ), suggesting that they were formed in the stage of extension at the end of post-collision at Middle Permian and the consumption of Paleo-Tethys ocean took place before 266 Ma. It is suggested that the unexposed intermediate-acid intrusive rocks in the Luziyuan ore district, which is the 'sister' rocks material of the Muchang granites and related closely to Luziyuan Pb-Zn mineralization, were the product of Middle Permian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactions of 2,6-(ArNCH)2C6H3Li with AlEt2Cl afford a number of NCN pincer aluminum complexes (2,6-(ArNCH)2C6H3)AlEt2(Ar = Ph (1), 2,6-Me2C6H3(2), 2,6-Et2C6H3(3), 2,6-iPr2C6H3(4)). Similar reactions of 2,6-(ArNCH)2C6H3Li with ZnEtCl produce bisligated zinc complexes (2,6-(ArNCH)2C6H3)2Zn (Ar = Ph (5), 2,6-Me2C6H3(6), 2,6-Et2C6H3(7)) and monoligated NCN pincer zinc complex (2,6-(ArNCH)2C6H3)ZnEt (Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3(8)). All complexes were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and the molecular structures of complexes 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8were determined by X-ray crystallography. The X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that both complexes 3and 4adopt a distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry around the aluminum central metal with three carbon atoms in the equator and the two imine nitrogen atoms in the apical positions. Complexes 6and 7adopt a distorted tetrahedral geometry around their zinc metal centers, while complex 8adopts a square-planar geometry around its metal center. All these Al and Zn complexes are efficient initiators for l-lactide ring-opening polymerization in the presence of benzyl alcohol, and the polymerization reaction takes place in an immortal manner. The productivity of the Zn complexes is generally higher than that of the Al complexes under similar conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoking is a risk factor for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), but the mechanism of the association remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on A549 cells and human lung fibroblasts treated with transforming growth factor-β1. A transwell two-chamber coculture system was used to study the proliferation, differentiation, morphologic changes and soluble factors production of A549 cells and myofibroblasts. Low concentrations of CSE promoted myofibroblasts proliferation; however, high concentrations of CSE inhibited their proliferation. Low concentrations of CSE also markedly increased extracellular secretion of hydrogen peroxide, inhibited proliferation, induced apoptosis and produced epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cocultured A549 cells. This cigarette smoke-induced A549 cells EMT may become a new pathophysiological concept in the development of IPF. CSE possibly takes part in the development and progress of IPF by increasing oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews several innovative techniques that have been developed in our labs to overcome the shortages of conventional sol-gel techniques, and discusses the technical details of preparing these ceramic coatings with controllable thickness, microstructure, composition and improved properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lysophospholipids are intermediates of phospholipid metabolism resulting from stress and lysophospholipases detoxify lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC). Many lysophospholipases have been characterized in mammals and bacteria, but few have been reported from plants. Arabidopsis thaliana lysophospholipase 2 (lysoPL2) (At1g52760) was identified as a protein interactor of acyl-CoA-binding protein 2 (ACBP2) in yeast two-hybrid analysis and co-immunoprecipitation assays. BLASTP analysis indicated that lysoPL2 showed ∼35% amino acid identity to the lysoPL1 family. Co-localization of autofluorescence-tagged lysoPL2 and ACBP2 by confocal microscopy in agroinfiltrated tobacco suggests the plasma membrane as a site for their subcellular interaction. LysoPL2 mRNA was induced by zinc (Zn) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and lysoPL2 knockout mutants showed enhanced sensitivity to Zn and H2O2 in comparison to wild type. LysoPL2-overexpressing Arabidopsis was more tolerant to H2O2 and cadmium (Cd) than wild type, suggesting involvement of lysoPL2 in phospholipid repair following lipid peroxidation arising from metal-induced stress. Lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) contents in ACBP2-overexpressors and lysoPL2-overexpressors after Cd-treatment were lower than wild type, indicating that ACBP2 and lysoPL2 confer protection during oxidative stress. A role for lysoPL2 in lysoPC detoxification was demonstrated when recombinant lysoPL2 was observed to degrade lysoPC in vitro. Filter-binding assays and Lipidex competition assays showed that (His)6-ACBP2 binds lysoPC in vitro. Binding was disrupted in a (His)6-ACBP2 derivative lacking the acyl-CoA-binding domain, confirming that this domain confers lysoPC binding. These results suggest that ACBP2 can bind both lysoPC and lysoPL2 to promote the degradation of lysoPC in response to Cd-induced oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus frequently invades the human bloodstream, leading to life threatening bacteremia and often secondary foci of infection. Failure of antibiotic therapy to eradicate infection is frequently described; in some cases associated with altered S. aureus antimicrobial resistance or the small colony variant (SCV) phenotype. Newer antimicrobials, such as linezolid, remain the last available therapy for some patients with multi-resistant S. aureus infections. Using comparative and functional genomics we investigated the molecular determinants of resistance and SCV formation in sequential S. aureus isolates from a patient who had a persistent and recurrent S. aureus infection, after failed therapy with multiple antimicrobials, including linezolid. Two point mutations in key staphylococcal genes dramatically affected clinical behaviour of the bacterium, altering virulence and antimicrobial resistance. Most strikingly, a single nucleotide substitution in relA (SACOL1689) reduced RelA hydrolase activity and caused accumulation of the intracellular signalling molecule guanosine 39, 59-bis(diphosphate) (ppGpp) and permanent activation of the stringent response, which has not previously been reported in S. aureus. Using the clinical isolate and a defined mutant with an identical relA mutation, we demonstrate for the first time the impact of an active stringent response in S. aureus, which was associated with reduced growth, and attenuated virulence in the Galleria mellonella model. In addition, a mutation in rlmN (SACOL1230), encoding a ribosomal methyltransferase that methylates 23S rRNA at position A2503, caused a reduction in linezolid susceptibility. These results reinforce the exquisite adaptability of S. aureus and show how subtle molecular changes cause major alterations in bacterial behaviour, as well as highlighting potential weaknesses of current antibiotic treatment regimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a 2D analytical solution for the transverse velocity distribution in compound open channels based on the Shiono and Knight method (SKM), in which the secondary flow coefficient ( K-value) is introduced to take into account the effect of the secondary flow. The modeling results agree well with the experimental results from the Science and Engineering Research Council-Flood Channel Facility (SERC-FCF). Based on the SERC-FCF, the effects of geography on the secondary flow coefficient and the reason for such effects are analyzed. The modeling results show that the intensity of the secondary flow is related to the geometry of the section of the compound channel, and the sign of the K-value is related to the rotating direction of the secondary flow cell. This study provides a scientific reference to the selection of the K-value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a robust signal processing pipeline for three-dimensional (3-D) stereoscopic cameras. Given a pair of images captured by dual cameras, the pipeline performs the image plane calibration, depth map estimation, and multiple views rendering to produce a 3-D picture. The illusion of the object distance in the image is created by multiple views of image and equipped with a lenticular sheet. The proposed approach has been implemented and verified by several camera modules. Very promising visual quality can be achieved with the proposed signal processing pipeline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Query suggestion aims to suggest relevant queries for a given query, which helps users better specify their information needs. Previous work on query suggestion has been limited to the same language. In this article, we extend it to cross-lingual query suggestion (CLQS): for a query in one language, we suggest similar or relevant queries in other languages. This is very important to the scenarios of cross-language information retrieval (CLIR) and other related cross-lingual applications. Instead of relying on existing query translation technologies for CLQS, we present an effective means to map the input query of one language to queries of the other language in the query log. Important monolingual and cross-lingual information such as word translation relations and word co-occurrence statistics, and so on, are used to estimate the cross-lingual query similarity with a discriminative model. Benchmarks show that the resulting CLQS system significantly outperforms a baseline system that uses dictionary-based query translation. Besides, we evaluate CLQS with French-English and Chinese-English CLIR tasks on TREC-6 and NTCIR-4 collections, respectively. The CLIR experiments using typical retrieval models demonstrate that the CLQS-based approach has significantly higher effectiveness than several traditional query translation methods. We find that when combined with pseudo-relevance feedback, the effectiveness of CLIR using CLQS is enhanced for different pairs of languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new two-factor method based on the probability and the fuzzy sets theory is used for the analyses of the dynamic response and reliability of fuzzy-random truss systems under the stationary stochastic excitation. Considering the fuzzy-randomness of the structural physical parameters and geometric dimensions simultaneously, the fuzzy-random correlation function matrix of structural displacement response in time domain and the fuzzy-random mean square values of structural dynamic response in frequency domain are developed by using the two-factor method, and the fuzzy numerical characteristics of dynamic responses are then derived. Based on numerical characteristics of structural fuzzy-random dynamic responses, the structural fuzzy-random dynamic reliability and its fuzzy numerical characteristic are obtained from the Poisson equation. The effects of the uncertainty of the structural parameters on structural dynamic response and reliability are illustrated via two engineering examples and some important conclusions are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Based on the Sturm–Liouville theorem and shape invariance formalism, we study by applying a Pekeris-type approximation to the pseudo-centrifugal term the pseudospin symmetry of a Dirac nucleon subjected to scalar and vector Manning–Rosen potentials including the spin–orbit coupling term. A quartic energy equation and spinor wave functions with arbitrary spin–orbit coupling quantum number k are presented. The bound states are calculated numerically. The relativistic Manning–Rosen potential could not trap a Dirac nucleon in the limit case . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Thinning of the atmospheric ozone layer leads to elevated levels of Ultraviolet-B (UVB) at the Earth's surface, resulting in an increase of health risks to living organisms due to DNA damage. This paper examines the multidecadal changes of total column ozone from 1979 to 2005 with the aid of ground-based UVB stations using the ultraviolet multifilter rotating shadow-band radiometer (UV-MFRSR). For the purpose of demonstration, four USDA ground stations, WA01, CO01, MD01, and AZ01, were selected for detailed comparisons against the satellite data. The major finding of this study is that over the course of the time series, on a monthly scale, the UV index (UVI) has increased at the four selected USDA stations while total ozone has decreased in the continental USA over the past three decades and spatial distributions of UVI and total ozone have shown substantial variations from coastal zones to the Midwest Regions of the USA, yet the tendency toward recovery of ozone layer in the continental USA cannot be fully confirmed. This leads to a conclusion that the UVI changes might have been influenced by other factors in addition to the total ozone in the atmospheric environment across at least 76% of the continental USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the framework of the Dirac theory, the relativistic bound states for the trigonometric Pöschl-Teller (PT) potential are obtained in the case of spin symmetry. It is found from the numerical results that there exist only positive energy states for bound states in the case of spin symmetry. Also, the energy levels approach a constant when the potential parameter α goes to zero. The special case for equally scalar and vector trigonometric PT potential is also studied briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The spike proteins of coronaviruses associate with cellular molecules to mediate infection of their target cells. The characterization of cellular proteins required for virus infection is essential for understanding viral life cycles and may provide cellular targets for antiviral therapies. Results: We identified Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule (NCAM) as a novel interacting partner of the PHE-CoV S protein. A T7 phage display cDNA library from N2a cells was constructed, and the library was screened with the soluble PHE-CoV S glycoproteins. We used a coimmunoprecipitation assay to show that only the NCAM was a binding partner of spike protein. We found that a soluble form of anti-NCAM antibody blocked association of the PHE-CoV with N2a cells. Furthermore, double-stranded siRNA targeted against NCAM inhibited PHE-CoV infection. Conclusions: A novel interaction was identified between NCAM and spike protein and this association is critical during PHE-CoV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Altered surface ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation resulting from a combination of factors that include changes in stratospheric ozone concentrations, cloud cover, and aerosol conditions may affect litter decomposition and, thus, terrestrial nutrient cycling on a global scale. Although litter decomposition rates vary across biomes, patterns of decomposition suggest that UV-B radiation accelerates litter decay in xeric environments where precipitation is infrequent. However, under more frequent precipitation regimes where litter decay rates are characteristically high, the effect of UV-B radiation on litter decomposition has not been fully elucidated. To evaluate this association between moisture regime and UV-B exposure, a litter decomposition experiment was designed for aspen ( Populus tremuloides) leaf litter, where conditions that influence both abiotic (photodegradation) and biotic (microbial) processes could be manipulated quantitatively. We found that experimentally increasing UV-B exposure (0, 7.4, and 11.2 kJ m−2 day−1, respectively) did not consistently increase litter decomposition rates across simulated precipitation frequencies of 4, 12, and 24 days. Instead, a UV-B exposure of 11.2 kJ m−2 day−1 resulted in a 13% decrease in decomposition rates under the 4-day precipitation frequency, but an increase of 80% under the 24-day frequency. Furthermore, the same UV-B dose increased litter decomposition rates under the 24-day precipitation frequency by 78% even in conditions where microbial activity was suppressed. Therefore, under more xeric conditions, greater exposure to UV-B radiation increased decomposition rates, presumably through photodegradation. In contrast, when decomposition was not moisture-limited, greater UV-B exposure slowed decomposition rates, most likely from the resulting inhibition of microbial activity. Ultimately, these experimental results highlight UV-B radiation as a potential driver of decomposition, as well as indicate that both the direction and magnitude of the UV-B effect is dependent on moisture availability, a factor that may change according to future patterns in global precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C44H54N4Mn, monoclinic, C2/c (no. 15), a=15.315(3) Å, b=14.259(3) Å, c=18.118(3) Å, β=105.252(3)°, V=3817.1(12) ų, Z=8, Rgt(F)=0.0472, wRref(F²)=0.1287, T=185 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A CMOS image sensor for laser-spot detection in an optical triangulation-based 3-D vision system is presented in this paper. Two aligned linear arrays, namely, a high-dynamic-range (DR) array and a winner-take-all array, independently perform DR enhancement and region-of-interest control. A new predictive integration scheme is suggested to find the adaptive integration time without searching all possible subintegration periods. It has been demonstrated that the DR of the chip (typically ~50 dB the 0.18-µm digital process used) can be enhanced to 100 dB with six subintegration periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a new ID-based threshold signature scheme from the bilinear pairings, which is provably secure in the random oracle model under the bilinear Diffie–Hellman assumption. Our scheme adopts the approach that the private key associated with an identity rather than the master key of PKG is shared. Comparing to the-state-of-art work by Baek and Zheng, our scheme has the following advantages. (1) The round-complexity of the threshold signing protocol is optimal. Namely, during the signing procedure, each party broadcasts only one message. (2) The communication channel is optimal. Namely, during the threshold signing procedure, the broadcast channel among signers is enough. No private channel between any two signing parties is needed. (3) Our scheme is much more efficient than the Baek and Zheng scheme in term of computation, since we try our best to avoid using bilinear pairings. Indeed, the private key of an identity is indirectly distributed by sharing a number xID∈ , which is much more efficient than directly sharing the element in the bilinear group. And the major computationally expensive operation called distributed key generation protocol based on the bilinear map is avoided. (4) At last, the proactive security can be easily added to our scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tanshinones are abietane-type norditerpenoid quinone natural products that are the bioactive components of the Chinese medicinal herb Salvia miltiorrhizaBunge. The initial results from a functional genomics-based investigation of tanshinone biosynthesis, specifically the functional identification of the relevant diterpene synthases from S. miltiorrhiza, are reported. The cyclohexa-1,4-diene arrangement of the distal ring poises the resulting miltiradiene for the ensuing aromatization and hydroxylation to ferruginol suggested for tanshinone biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a continuation of our studies on biomimetic chemistry and butterfly cluster chemistry, two series of “closed” and “open” butterfly [2Fe2Se] cluster complexes have been prepared in satisfactory yields. Thus, treatment of Fe3(CO)12with (HSeCH2)2CHOH in toluene at reflux gave the expected “closed” butterfly [2Fe2Se] cluster complex [(μ-SeCH2)2CH(OH)]Fe2(CO)6(A), whereas the “open” butterfly cluster complex (μ-EtSe)[(μ-SeCH2CH(OH)(CH2Br)]Fe2(CO)6(B) was unexpectedly produced along with complex Avia a sequential reaction of (μ-Se2)Fe2(CO)6with Et3BHLi, followed by treatment with (BrCH2)2CHOH. The other “closed” and “open” cluster complexes 1−6could be further prepared by the hydroxy transformation and CO substitution reactions of complexes Aand B. For example, (i) reaction of Awith PPh3and decarbonylating agent Me3NO afforded PPh3-monosubstituted complex [(μ-SeCH2)2CH(OH)]Fe2(CO)5(PPh3) (1), (ii) further reaction of 1with the acylating agent PhC(O)Cl in the presence of Et3N produced the benzoate-functionalized complex [(μ-SeCH2)2CH(O2CPh)]Fe2(CO)5(PPh3) (2), (iii) treatment of Awith the phosphatizing agent Ph2PCl in the presence of Et3N or simply with PhPCl2yielded the phosphite-functionalized complexes [(μ-SeCH2)2CH(OPPh2-η1)]Fe2(CO)5(3) and [(μ-SeCH2)2CH(OPPhCl-η1)]Fe2(CO)5(4), and (iv) treatment of Bwith 4-pyridinecarboxylic chloride or Ph2PCl in the presence of Et3N resulted in formation of the “open” butterfly cluster complexes (μ-EtSe)[μ-SeCH2CH(CH2Br)(O2CC5H4N-4)]Fe2(CO)6(5) and (μ-EtSe)[μ-SeCH2CH(CH2Br)(OPPh2-η1)]Fe2(CO)5(6). All the new complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopy, as well as for A, 1−4, and 6by X-ray crystallography. Both 1H and 77Se NMR spectral studies demonstrated that complexes Band 5consist of three isomers of e-Et/a-R, e-Et/e-R, and a-Et/e-R, whereas complex 6exists only as one isomer of e-Et/a-R. On the basis of an electrochemical study, it was found that the “closed” and “open” complexes Aand Bcan catalyze the proton reduction of TsOH and HOAc to give hydrogen, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper finds the approximate analytical scattering state solutions of the arbitrary l-wave SchrÄodinger equation for the generalized Hulthén potential by taking an improved new approximate scheme for the centrifugal term. The normalized analytical radial wave functions of the l-wave Schrödinger equation for the generalized Hulthén potential are presented and the corresponding calculation formula of phase shifts is derived. Some useful figures are plotted to show the improved accuracy of the obtained results and two special cases for the standard Hulthén potential and Woods-Saxon potential are also studied briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphite oxide is one of the main precursors of graphene-based materials, which are highly promising for various technological applications because of their unusual electronic properties. Although epoxy and hydroxyl groups are widely accepted as its main functionalities, the complete structure of graphite oxide has remained elusive. By interpreting spectroscopic data in the context of the major functional groups believed to be present in graphite oxide, we now show evidence for the presence of five- and six-membered-ring lactols. On the basis of this chemical composition, we devised a complete reduction process through chemical conversion by sodium borohydride and sulfuric acid treatment, followed by thermal annealing. Only small amounts of impurities are present in the final product (less than 0.5 wt% of sulfur and nitrogen, compared with about 3 wt% with other chemical reductions). This method is particularly effective in the restoration of the ?-conjugated structure, and leads to highly soluble and conductive graphene materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) has been studied as an important apoptosis regulator. We previously showed that cellular calcium mobilization upregulated AChE expression by modulating promoter activity and mRNA stability. In this study, we have identified a potential Smad3/4 binding element, TGCCAGACA, located within the −601 to −571 bp fragment of the AChE promoter, as an important calcium response motif. Smad2/3 and Smad4 were shown to bind this element. Overexpression of human Smad3 increased AChE transcription activity in a dose-dependent manner in HeLa cells, whereas dominant-negative Smad3 blocked this activation. Upon A23187 and thapsigargin treatment, nuclear Smad3 accumulation was observed, an effect that was blocked by the intracellular Ca2+ chelator BAPTA–AM. Calcium-induced AChE transcriptional activation was significantly blocked when the nuclear localization signal of Smad3 was destroyed. Taken together, our data suggest Smad3 can regulate AChE transcriptional activation following calcium-induced nuclear accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the case of spin symmetry we solve the Dirac equation with scalar and vector deformed generalized Pöschl–Teller (DGPT) potential and obtain exact energy equation and spinor wave functions for s-wave bound states. We find that there are only positive energy states for bound states in the case of spin symmetry based on the strong regularity restriction condition for the wave functions. The energy eigenvalue approaches a constant when the potential parameter α goes to zero. Two special cases such as generalized PT potential and standard PT potential are also briefly discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The approximate analytical bound and scattering state solutions of the arbitrary l-wave Klein–Gordon equation for the second Pöschl–Teller like potential are carried out by a new approximation to the centrifugal term. The analytical radial wave functions of the l-wave Klein–Gordon equation with the second Pöschl–Teller like potential are presented and the corresponding energy equations for bound states and phase shifts for scattering states are derived. It is well shown that the poles of S-matrix in the complex energy plane correspond to bound states for real poles and scattering states for complex poles in the lower half of the energy plane. Some numerical results are calculated to show the improved accuracy of our results and the special case for s-wave is also studied briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafiltration membrane fouling is a significant problem in drinking water treatment. Many researchers believe that hydrophobic natural organic matter is the main foulant. In this research, fulvic acid, tannin, and aniline were used to represent hydrophobic acid, neutral, and base, respectively, to investigate modified polyvinyl chloride ultrafiltration membrane fouling characteristics. Four kinds of cleaning methods were used in this study: flushing, backwashing, flushing and backwashing, and chemical cleaning with 0.5% sodium hydroxide. Each was performed on the three hydrophobic dissolved organic matters (acid, neutral, and base) to identify the fouling mechanisms of polyvinyl chloride ultrafiltration membrane. Results showed that hydrophobic base fouled membranes the most and hydrophobic acid the least based on cleaning difficulty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile and efficient strategy for the syntheses of novel hyperbranched poly(ether amide)s (HPEA) from multihydroxyl primary amines and (meth)acryloyl chloride has been developed. The chemical structures of the HPEAs were confirmed by IR and NMR spectra. Analyses of SEC (size exclusion chromatography) and viscosity characterizations revealed the highly branched structures of the polymers obtained. The resultant hyperbranched polymers contain abundant hydroxyl groups. The thermoresponsive property was obtained from in situ surface modification of abundant OH end groups with N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm). The study on temperature-dependent characteristics has revealed that NIPAAm-g-HPEA exhibits an adjustable lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of about 34−42 °C depending on the grafting degree. More interestingly, the work provided an interesting phenomenon where the HPEA backbones exhibited strong blue photoluminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction  Prostate-specific membrane antigen is a transmembrane glycoprotein highly expressed in many prostate cancers and can be targeted with radiolabeled antibodies for diagnosis and treatment of this disease. To serve as a radioimmunotherapeutic agent, a kinetically inert conjugate is desired to maximize tumor uptake and tumor radiation dose with minimal nonspecific exposure to bone marrow and other major organs. Materials and Methods  In this study, we assessed the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of the 7E11 monoclonal antibody (MAb) radiolabeled with the lutetium-177 (177Lu)–tetraazacyclododecanetetraacetic acid conjugate system (177Lu-7E11) versus those of the 7E11 MAb radiolabeled with the indium-111 (111In)/glycyl-tyrosyl-(N,-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid)/lysine hydrochloride conjugate system (111In-7E11, also known as ProstaScint®) to determine the feasibility of using 111In-7E11 as a pre-therapeutic agent for 177Lu-7E11 radioimmunotherapy. Pharmacokinetic and biodistribution studies of 177Lu-7E11 in lymph node cancer of the prostate (LNCaP) xenograft mice were performed at 2, 8, 12, 24, 72, and 168 h after radiopharmaceutical administration. For 111In-7E11, pharmacokinetic and biodistribution studies were performed at 8, 24, and 72 h. Parallel studies of 177Lu-7E11 in non-tumor-bearing mice at 8, 24, and 72 h post-injection served as controls. Gamma scintigraphy was performed, followed by autoradiography and tissue counting, to demonstrate and quantify the distributions of radioconjugated MAb in the tumor and normal tissues. Results and Discussion  Both 177Lu- and 111In-7E11 conjugates demonstrated an early blood pool phase in which uptake was dominated by the blood, lung, spleen and liver, followed by uptake and retention of the radiolabeled antibody in the tumor which was most prominent at 24 h. Total accumulation of radioconjugated MAb in tumor at 24 h was greater in the case of 177Lu-7E11 in comparison to that of 111In-7E11. Continued accumulation in tumor was observed for the entire time course studied for both 177Lu-7E11 and 111In-7E11. The liver was the only major organ demonstrating a significant difference in accumulation between the two conjugates. In conclusion, pharmacokinetic and biodistribution studies of 177Lu-7E11 in LNCaP xenograft mouse models support its potential application as a radioimmunotherapeutic agent targeting prostate cancer, and the distribution and tumor uptake of 111In-7E11 appear to be similar to those of 177Lu-7E11, supporting its use as a pre-therapeutic tool to assess the potential accumulation of 177Lu-7E11 radioimmunotherapeutic at sites of prostate cancer. However, the different accumulation patterns of the 111In and 177Lu immunoconjugates in liver will likely prevent the use of 111In-7E11 as a true dosimetry tool for 177Lu-7E11 radioimmunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panax quinquefolium (American ginseng) is a perennial understory herb that has been widely used as a medicinal plant in China and other countries. Autotoxicity has been reported to be one of the major problems hindering the consecutive cultivation of American ginseng. However, the potential autotoxic compounds produced by the root of American ginseng are less well known. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of five groups of autotoxic compounds from aqueous extracts of the fibrous roots of American ginseng. Ether extracts of the water-soluble compounds were further analyzed and separated into seven fractions. Among them, the most autotoxic fraction (Fraction V) was subjected to GC/MS analysis, and 44 compounds were identified. Based on literature information, 14 individual compounds were selected and their autotoxic effects on seedling growth were further tested. The results revealed that, of these 14 compounds, 9 phenolic compounds significantly reduced the growth of seedlings in a concentration-dependent manner, while 5 aliphatic compounds showed modest inhibition at all three concentrations tested. Furthermore, we verified the existence of the autotoxic compounds in the plow layer soil of commercially cultivated American ginseng fields, and the concentration of these compounds as determined by HPLC analysis was in line with the concentration determined to be bioactive. Taken together, our study established a functional link between the compounds produced by American ginseng and their autotoxic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several lines of evidence have implicated the existence of the brain's default network during passive or undirected mental states. Nevertheless, results on the emergence of the default network in very young pediatric subjects are lacking. Using resting functional magnetic resonance imaging in healthy pediatric subjects between 2 weeks and 2 years of age, we describe the temporal evolution of the default network in a critical, previously unstudied, period of early human brain development. Our results demonstrate that a primitive and incomplete default network is present in 2-week-olds, followed by a marked increase in the number of brain regions exhibiting connectivity, and the percent of connection at 1 year of age. By 2 years of age, the default network becomes similar to that observed in adults, including medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), posterior cingulate cortex/retrosplenial (PCC/Rsp), inferior parietal lobule, lateral temporal cortex, and hippocampus regions. While the anatomical representations of the default network highly depend on age, the PCC/Rsp is consistently observed at in both age groups and is central to the most and strongest connections of the default network, suggesting that PCC/Rsp may serve as the main "hub" of the default network as this region does in adults. In addition, although not as remarkable as the PCC/Rsp, the MPFC also emerges as a potential secondary hub starting from 1 year of age. These findings reveal the temporal development of the default network in the critical period of early brain development and offer new insights into the emergence of brain default network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies on Cox-2 and Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) showed that Treg suppress local immune response in a Cox-2-dependent fashion. Aims: To investigate Cox-2 expression, Foxp3+ Treg infiltration and CD4+ T cell frequency in HCC tumors. Methods: Tumors and the corresponding nontumor hepatitis B virus-related liver tissues from 40 HCC patients with hepatitis B virus infection, plus 10 liver samples from patients with hemangioma as controls, were assessed for Cox-2 expression, Foxp3+ Treg and total CD4+ T cell numbers using immunohistochemistry. Serum TGF-β1 was assessed by ELISA. Results: Reduced Cox-2 expression, increased Treg and increased CD4+ T cells were shown in tumor as compared with nontumor tissues. Moreover, of 40 tumor tissues, 23 that expressed Cox-2 showed increased Foxp3+ Treg and reduced CD4+ T cells compared with the remaining 17 that did not express Cox-2. Correlation analyses showed that within tumors Treg infiltration correlated positively with Cox-2 expression, and that Treg infiltration or Cox-2 expression correlated negatively with CD4+ T cells. Additionally, serum TGF-β1 was higher in HCC patients than in controls. Conclusion: Within tumors, Cox-2 expression, Treg infiltration and CD4+ T cell frequency were increased, and the Cox-2 expression correlated positively with Treg infiltration and negatively with CD4+ T cell frequency. Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The approximately analytical bound and scattering state solutions of the arbitrary l wave Klein–Gordon equation for mixed Eckart potentials are obtained through a proper new approximation to the centrifugal term. The normalized analytical radial wave functions of the l wave Klein–Gordon equation with the mixed Eckart potentials are presented and the corresponding energy equations for bound states and phase shifts for scattering states are derived. It is shown that the energy levels of the continuum states reduce to those of the bound states at the poles of the scattering amplitude. Two special cases — for the s wave and for l = 0 and β = 0 — are also studied, briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the regulation of the pcol/pcoR quorom-sensing system in Pseudomonas fluorescens 2P24 by the PhoP/PhoO two-component system. It is said that pcol/pcoR is involved in the regulation of root colonization and plant disease-suppressive ability. Furthermore, PhoO is a sensor protein of the regulatory system PhoP/PhoO, which regulates virulence in Salmonella typhimurium and antimicrobial peptide resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is cited that through deletion mutagenesis and complementation experiments, the transcription of pcol was demonstrated.

Abstract: In this Letter the approximately analytical bound state solutions of the Dirac equation with the Manning–Rosen potential for arbitrary spin–orbit coupling quantum number k are carried out by taking a properly approximate expansion for the spin–orbit coupling term. In the case of exact spin symmetry, the associated two-component spinor wave functions of the Dirac equation for arbitrary spin–orbit quantum number k are presented and the corresponding bound state energy equation is derived. We study briefly two special cases; the general s-wave problem and the equal scalar and vector Manning–Rosen potential. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A quarter-car model is used to investigate the vibration response of cars with uncertainty under random road input excitations in this paper. The sprung mass, unsprung mass, suspension damping, suspension stiffness, and tyre stiffness are considered as random variables. The road irregularity is considered a Gaussian random process and modelled by means of a simple exponential power spectral density. The power spectral density, mean value, standard deviation, and variation coefficient of the vehicle's natural frequencies and mode shapes are obtained by using the Monte Carlo simulation method. The computational expressions for the numerical characteristics of the mean square value of the vehicle's random response in the frequency domain are developed by means of the random variable's functional moment method. The influences of the randomness of the vehicle's parameters on the vehicle's dynamic response are investigated in detail using a practical example, and some useful conclusions are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tridentate ligand N-(2-((2,6-diisopropylphenylimino)methyl)phenyl)quinolin-8-amine ( HL) was prepared. Treatment of HLwith 1 equiv of Ln(CH 2SiMe 3) 3(THF) 2afforded the corresponding rare-earth metal bis(alkyl) complexes LLn(CH 2SiMe 3) 2(THF) n(Ln = Sc, n= 0 ( 1); Y, n= 1 ( 2); Lu, n= 0 ( 3)) in high yields. Variable-temperature 1H NMR spectral analysis showed that these complexes were fluxional at room temperature. Complexes 1and 3were THF-free, where the metal center adopted a square-pyramidal geometry, while in 2the metal center generated a distorted octahedral geometry owing to the coordination of a THF molecule. All these complexes catalyzed the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone with high activities in living fashion, among which the Lu complex was proved to be more active than its Sc and Y analogues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theoretical model for calculating spontaneous and stimulated Brillouin scattering(SBS) spectra is described. An empirical formula for the Stokes output spectral linewidth, a function of spontaneous Brillouin linewidth and the exponential gain coefficient, is obtained by the calculated data fitting. The formula holds true for two cases involving pump undepletion and depletion. The lineshape change from spontaneous to highly pump-depleted SBS spectra is also investigated. The result shows that for the pump power below the SBS threshold, the Stokes output spectral lineshape evolves from Lorentzian to approximately Gaussian as the pump power increases. For the pump power near or beyond the threshold, the SBS spectrum is in the form of a steady Gaussian profile, and the spectral linewidth comes to a certain value about 7 times narrower than the spontaneous one. The theoretical results are experimentally demonstrated by using several common liquid media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory studies have showed that, rock burst is a kind of dynamic phenomenon of rock mass in mining, and is a kind of dynamic disaster from mining. The time series of magnitude is a very important exterior behavior of rock burst. The previous studies show that, to model this complicated non-linear time series, the neural network is a very good method. To overcome the shortcomings of traditional neural network, a new kind of evolutionary neural network based on immunized evolutionary programming proposed by author is proposed here. At last, the proposed evolutionary neural network model is verified by a real magnitude series of rock burst. And the result is compared with other method, such as grey system method. The results have showed that, evolutionary neural network model not only has high approaching precision, but also has high predicting precision, and is a good method to construct the non-linear model of rock burst. And this method can be used in a large number of engineering examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first aryldiimine NCN-pincer ligated rare earth metal dichiorides (2,6-(2,6-C6H3R2N=CH)2-C6H3)LnCl2(THF)2 (Ln = Y, R = Me (1), Et (2), iPr (3); R = Et, Ln = La (4), Nd (5), Gd (6), Sm (7), Eu (8), Tb (9), Dy (10), Ho (11), Yb (12), Lu (13)) were successfully synthesized via transmetalation between 2,6-(2,6-C6H3-R2N=CH)2-C6H3Li and LnCl3(THF)1~3.5. These complexes are isostructural monomers with two coordinating THF molecules, where the pincer ligand coordinates to the central metal ion in a κC:κN:κN′ tridentate mode, adopting a meridional geometry. Complexes 1-6, 9-11, and 13 combined with aluminum tris(alkyl)s and [Ph3C][B(C6F5)4] established a homogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalyst system, which exhibited high activities and excellent cis-1,4 selectivities for the polymerizations of butadiene (Tp = 25 °C, 99.9%; 0 °C, 100%) and isoprene (T~ = 25 °C, 98.8%). Remarkably, such high cis-1,4 selectivity almost remained at elevated polymerization temperatures up to 80 °C and did not vary with the type of the central lanthanide element, however, which was influenced obviously by the ortho substituent of the N-aryl ring of the ligands and the bulkiness of the aluminum alkyls. The Ln-Al bimetallic cations were considered as the active species. These results shed new light on improving the catalytic performance of the conventional Ziegler-Natta catalysts for the specific selective polymerization of dienes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this Letter the approximately analytical scattering state solutions of the l-wave Schrödinger equation for the Manning–Rosen potential are carried out by a proper approximation to the centrifugal term. The normalized radial wave functions of l-wave scattering states are presented and the calculation formula of phase shifts is derived. It is well shown that the poles of the S-matrix in the complex energy plane correspond to bound states for real poles and scattering states for complex poles in the lower half of the energy plane. We consider and verify two special cases: the and the s-wave Hulthén potential. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In Arabidopsis thaliana, a family of six genes encodes acyl-CoA-binding proteins (ACBPs) that show conservation at the acyl-CoA-binding domain. They are the membrane-associated ACBP1 and ACBP2, extracellularly targeted ACBP3, kelch-motif-containing ACBP4 and ACBP5, and 10-kDa ACBP6. The acyl-CoA domain in each of ACBP1 to ACBP6 binds long-chain acyl-CoA esters in vitro, suggestive of possible roles in plant lipid metabolism. We addressed here the use of Arabidopsis ACBPs in conferring lead [Pb(II)] tolerance in transgenic plants because the 10-kDa human ACBP has been identified as a molecular target for Pb(II) in vivo. We investigated the effect of Pb(II) stress on the expression of genes encoding Arabidopsis ACBP1, ACBP2 and ACBP6. We showed that the expression of ACBP1 and ACBP2, but not ACBP6, in root is induced by Pb(II) nitrate treatment. In vitro Pb(II)-binding assays indicated that ACBP1 binds Pb(II) comparatively better, and ACBP1 was therefore selected for further investigations. When grown on Pb(II)-containing medium, transgenic Arabidopsis lines overexpressing ACBP1 were more tolerant to Pb(II)-induced stress than the wild type. Accumulation of Pb(II) in shoots of the ACBP1-overepxressing plants was significantly higher than wild type. The acbp1 mutant showed enhanced sensitivity to Pb(II) when germinated and grown in the presence of Pb(II) nitrate and tolerance was restored upon complementation using an ACBP1 cDNA. Our results suggest that ACBP1 is involved in mediating Pb(II) tolerance in Arabidopsis with accumulation of Pb(II) in shoots. Such observations of Pb(II) accumulation, rather than Pb(II) extrusion, in the ACBP1-overexpressing plants implicate possible use of ACBP1 in Pb(II) phytoremediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cGMP/cGMP-dependent protein kinase I (cGKI) signaling pathway plays an important role in spinal nociceptive processing. However, downstream targets of cGKI in this context have not been identified to date. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we isolated cysteinerich protein 2 (CRP2) as a novel cGKI interactor in the spinal cord. CRP2 is expressed in laminas I and II of the mouse spinal cord and is colocalized with cGKI, calcitonin gene-related peptide, and isolectin B4. Moreover, the majority of CRP2 mRNA-positive dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons express cGKI and peripherin. CRP2 is phosphorylated in a cGMP-dependent manner, and its expression increases in the spinal cord and in DRGs after noxious stimulation of a hindpaw. To elucidate the functional role of CRP2 in nociception, we analyzed mice with a targeted deletion of CRP2. CRP2-deficient (CRP2-/-) mice demonstrate normal behavioral responses to acute nociception and after axonal injury of the sciatic nerve, but increased nociceptive behavior in models of inflammatory hyperalgesia compared with wild-type mice. Intrathecal administration of cGMP analogs increases the nociceptive behavior in wild-type but not in CRP2-/-mice, indicating that the presence of CRP2 is important for cGMP-mediated nociception. These data suggest that CRP2 is a new downstream effector of cGKI-mediated spinal nociceptive processing and point to an inhibitory role of CRP2 in the generation of inflammatory pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinicians and researchers often have to rely on information from caregivers to assess patients with advanced cancer. This study aims to assess the validity (using patients' assessment as the gold standard) of caregiver reports of patient concerns and the roles of caregiver burden and positivity. Methods: A total of 64 advanced cancer patient and informal caregiver dyads were recruited from regional palliative care services and interviewed. Patients' outcomes were assessed with both the patient and the caregiver version of the Palliative Outcome Scale (POS); caregiver burden and positivity were collected with the Zarit Burden interview (ZBI) and three questions on achievements and relationships. The agreement between patient- and caregiver -rated POS was measured with weighted kappa statistics. The roles of caregiver burden and positivity in POS agreement were studied with logistic regression controlling for potential confounders; adjusted odds ratios were estimated from the models. Results: Agreement was substantial for pain, moderate for four items, fair for three items and slight for two items. Compared with patients self-ratings, caregivers described more problems with information given and sharing feelings and were less likely to assess the patient felt their life was worthwhile or felt good about themselves. Disagreement for three POS item ratings was significantly associated with higher caregiver burden: "feeling anxious"(OR: 4.5; 95%CI: 1.3 to 15.6), "life worthwhile"(OR: 12.4; 95%CI: 2.9 to 54.3) and "felt good" (OR: 7.7; 95%CI: 2.0 to 29.6). Caregivers with higher positivity scores were more likely to agree patients' rating of "felt good"(OR: 0.3; 95%CI: 0.1-0.9) but at increased risk of disagreeing about patient's "practical problems"(OR: 4.2; 95%CI: 1.1 to 16.6). Conclusion: Caregiver burden and positivity affect their assessments, especially of psychological patient domains and whether patients assess their life as worthwhile. Awareness of this might help clinicians and researchers better interpret caregiver assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]