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[Display omitted] • Broadband emission of 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbI 4 and comparisons with 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbCl 4 and 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbBr 4. • Experimental and theoretical support for energy transfer resulted broadband emission. • Crystallinity and lattice distortion of 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbI 4 are confirmed from XRD studies. • Optical band gaps of 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbX 4 (X = Cl, Br, and I) are verified by DFT. • Gaussian fitting of PL spectra clarify the broadband emission in 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbX 4 (X = Cl, Br, and I). Novel two-dimensional melamine lead iodide perovskite (2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbI 4) is synthesized to investigate its crystallinity, optical band gap and broadband emission properties and to make comparisons with 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbCl 4 /2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbBr 4 perovskites. Both experimental and density functional theory (DFT) interrogations on 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbX 4 (X = Cl, Br and I) are conducted. The crystal structure, morphology and percentile of Pb and halide elements are confirmed using scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive spectrum (EDS), powder/single crystal X-ray diffraction (PXRD/SXRD), DFT and X-ray crystallography simulations. The optical band gaps of 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbX 4 perovskites are determined from the Tauc plot fitting of absorbance and DFT studies. Distinct broadband emission of 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbX 4 perovskites between 300 and 800 nm is observed, which can be fitted with multiple Gaussian distributions. The fittings of broad PL spectra from 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbCl 4 /2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbBr 4 perovskites confirm the involvement of both Dexter energy transfer from melamine cation and self-trapped excitons (STEs). However, the broadband emission of 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbI 4 is attributed only to the Dexter energy transfer from melamine cation and the absence of STEs is attributed to the larger lattice deformation of 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbI 4. Moreover, the involvement of spin–orbit coupling (SOC) in the energy transfer is clarified to attest that the broadband emission of 2D-C 3 H 8 N 6 PbI 4 is distinct among its halide family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

iPTF14hls is a luminous Type II supernova (SN) with a bumpy light curve whose origin remains under debate. It maintains a roughly constant effective temperature and luminosity for about 600 days after discovery, followed by a slow decay. About ∼1000 days after discovery, the light curve transitions to a very steep decline. A spectrum taken during this steep-decline phase shows clear signatures of a shock interaction with a dense circumstellar medium (CSM). Here, we explore the possibility of iPTF14hls as an interaction-powered SN. The light curve of iPTF14hls can be fitted with wind-like CSMs. Analytic modeling indicates that iPTF14hls may have undertaken six episodes of mass loss during the last ∼200 yr. Assuming that the 1954 eruption triggered the last mass-loss episode, the stellar wind velocity is determined to be 40âˆ'70 km sâˆ'1, depending on different models. Mass-loss rates are in the range 0.4â€"3.3 M ⊙ yrâˆ'1. The inferred total mass of the ejecta and CSMs (M ej + M CSMs ≃ 245 M ⊙) supports the idea that iPTF14hls may be a candidate for a (pulsational) pair-instability SN. Discoveries and observations of similar stellar explosions will help us to understand these peculiar SNe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Moth orchids (Phalaenopsis spp.) have become the world''s most important potted flower crop. Flowers of Phalaenopsis are sensitive to ethylene, and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) pretreatment enables flowers to withstand ethylene stress. In this study, we investigated effects of 1-MCP concentration and duration of 1-MCP treatment on the protective effect in Phalaenopsis flowers. Pretreating potted Phalaenopsis amabilis with a 1-MCP concentration of as low as 0.005μLL−1 reduced the flower wilting percentage, indicating that as long as there is 1-MCP protection, the rapid wilting of flowers caused by ethylene can be delayed. However, in order to achieve absolute protection, the minimum concentration required was 0.1μLL−1. Pretreatment with 0.1μLL−1 1-MCP for 12h gave Phalaenopsis plants absolute protection such that the flowers were unaffected even when exposed to artificially high ethylene concentrations of up to 20μLL−1. The duration of 1-MCP pretreatment could substantially be reduced. A 0.5-h treatment was sufficient when the concentration of 1-MCP was increased to 0.2μLL−1. The results obtained above were then further confirmed on seven commercial cultivars, where 0.1μLL−1 1-MCP treatment for 1h was sufficient to achieve absolute protection against ethylene damage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the primary causative agent of porcine circovirus-associated diseases in pigs. The sole structural capsid protein of PCV2, Cap, consists of major antigenic domains, but little is known about the assembly of capsid particles. The purpose of this study is to produce a large amount of Cap protein using Escherichia coli expression system for further studying the essential sequences contributing to formation of particles. By using codon optimization of rare arginine codons near the 5′-end of the cap gene for E. coli, a full-length Cap without any fusion tag recombinant protein (Cap1-233) was expressed and proceeded to form virus-like particles (VLPs) in normal Cap appearance that resembled the authentic PCV2 capsid. The N-terminal deletion mutant (Cap51-233) deleted the nuclear localization signal (NLS) domain, while the internal deletion mutant (CapΔ51-103) deleted a likely dimerization domain that failed to form VLPs. The unique Cys108 substitution mutant (CapC/S) exhibited most irregular aggregates, and only few VLPs were formed. These results suggest that the N-terminal region within the residues 1 to 103 possessing the NLS and dimerization domains are essential for self-assembly of stable Cap VLPs, and the unique Cys108 plays an important role in the integrity of VLPs. The immunogenicity of PCV2 VLPs was further evaluated by immunization of pigs followed by challenge infection. The Cap1-233-immunized pigs demonstrated specific antibody immune responses and are prevented from PCV2 challenge, thus implying its potential use for a VLP-based PCV2 vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: QoS has been considered as a significant factor for web service marketing and selection. The interpretation of QoS value from web service consumers and providers would be very different. However, a large group of web service participants with different backgrounds may have difficulties in reaching consensus on the values of multi-dimensional web service QoS, so they may have to be clustered in multi-groups in order to improve effectiveness and efficiency. The similarity of clustered fuzzy QoS dispositions as well as their preference order over these attributes should be analyzed to form a multi-groups consensus framework. A soft multi-groups clustering approach could be adopted to prevent opinions from being excluded unintentionally. The group boundaries and similarity thresholds which are used for clustering and analyzing fuzzy QoS opinions can be moderated dynamically according to the feedback from the internal learning mechanism and the web service consumers. As a result, a model for marketing web services based on multi-group consumers'' QoS consensus, the FMG-QCMA (Fuzzy Multi-Groups based QoS Consensus Moderation Approach), is proposed to meet the above requirements. The proposed FMG-QCMA is also evaluated through a case study to demonstrate its effectiveness and efficiency in relation to an existing framework, QCMA (QoS Consensus Moderation Approach). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The esophageal carcinoma related gene 4 (ECRG4) was initially identified and cloned from human normal esophageal epithelium in our laboratory (GenBank accession no.AF325503). ECRG4 has been described as a novel tumor suppressor gene associated with prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: In this study, binding affinity assay in vitro and co-immunoprecipitation experiment in vivo were utilized to verify the physical interaction between ECRG4 and transmembrane protease, serine 11A (TMPRSS11A, also known as ECRG1, GenBank accession no. AF 071882). Then, p21 protein expression, cell cycle and cell proliferation regulations were examined after ECRG4 and ECRG1 co-transfection in ESCC cells. Results: We revealed for the first time that ECRG4 interacted directly with ECRG1 to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce cell cycle G1 phase block in ESCC. Binding affinity and co-immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that ECRG4 interacted directly with ECRG1 in ESCC cells. Furthermore, the ECRG4 and ECRG1 co-expression remarkably upregulatd p21 protein level by Western blot (P < 0.001), induced cell cycle G1 phase block by flow cytometric analysis (P < 0.001) and suppressed cell proliferation by MTT and BrdU assay (both P < 0.01) in ESCC cells. Conclusions: ECRG4 interacts directly with ECRG1 to upregulate p21 protein expression, induce cell cycle G1 phase block and inhibit cancer cells proliferation in ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Porcine circovirus type 2 possesses a circular, single-stranded DNA genome that requires the replication protein (Rep) for virus replication. To characterize the DNA binding potential and the significant region that confers the nuclear localization of the Rep protein, the defined coding regions of rep gene were cloned and expressed. All of the recombinant proteins except for the N-terminal 110 residues deletion mutant could bind to the double-stranded minimal binding site of replication origin (ori). In addition, the N-terminal deletion mutant lacking 110 residues exhibited mainly cytoplasmic staining in the transfected cells in contrast to the others, which localized dominantly in the nucleus, suggesting that this N-terminal domain is essential for nuclear localization. Furthermore, a series of green fluorescence proteins (GFP) containing potential nuclear localization signal (NLS) sequences were tested for their cellular distribution. The ability of the utmost 20 residues of the N-terminal region to target the GFP to the nucleus confirmed its role as a functional NLS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Liver disorders are a major health concern. Saikosaponin-d (SSd) is an effective active ingredient extracted from Bupleurum falcatum, a traditional Chinese medicinal plant, with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, its hepatoprotective properties and underlying mechanisms are unknown. We investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of SSd treatment for thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury and high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in male C57BL/6 mice. The SSd group showed significantly higher food intake, body weight, and hepatic antioxidative enzymes (catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD)) and lower hepatic cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) compared with controls, as well as reduced expression of inflammation-related genes (nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)) messenger RNA (mRNA). In NAFLD mice, SSd reduced serum ALT, AST, triglycerides, fatty acid–binding protein 4 (FABP4) and sterol regulatory element–binding protein 1 (SREBP1) mRNA, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress-related proteins (phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 2α subunit (p-eIF2α), activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). SSd has a hepatoprotective effect in liver injury by suppressing inflammatory responses and acting as an antioxidant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effect of acyl chloride chemical structure on the ethanol aqueous solution dehydration through the poly(thiol ester amide) thin-film composite membrane prepared by reacting 2-aminoethanethiol (AETH) with trimesoyl chloride (TMC) or succinyl chloride (SCC) on the surface of the modified asymmetric polyacrylonitrile (mPAN) membrane was investigated. SEM/EDX, ATR-FTIR and water contact angle were applied to analyze the S element, chemical structure, and hydrophilicity of the poly(thiol ester amide) active layer of the composite membrane. In order to estimate the variation in the free volume of the poly(thiol ester amide) active layer and correlate that with the pervaporation performance, positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) experiments were conducted, in which a variable monoenergy slow positron beam was used. Doppler broadening S parameters of annihilation radiation energy spectra showed a significant variation with the acyl chloride chemical structures of the poly(thiol ester amide) active layers. The S parameters of the AETH–TMC/mPAN thin-film composite membrane were found to be lower than those of the AETH–SCC/mPAN thin-film composite membrane. In the ethanol aqueous solution dehydration, the AETH–TMC/mPAN thin-film composite membrane exhibited a lower permeation rate and a higher water concentration in the permeate than the AETH–SCC/mPAN. This is in good agreement with the analysis by positron annihilation spectroscopy. The solution effect dominated the pervaporation separation behavior of the poly(thiol ester amide) thin-film composite membrane with TMC substituting for SCC in the poly(thiol ester amide) active layer. The AETH–TMC/mPAN membrane was found to exhibit superior performance compared with some membranes discussed in the literature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: There exist many web services which exhibit similar functional characteristics. It is imperative to provide service consumers with facilities for selecting required web services according to their non-functional characteristics or quality of service (QoS). However, the selection process is greatly complicated by the distinct views of service providers and consumers on the services QoS. For instance, they may have distinct views of the service reliability—wherein a consumer considers that a service is reliable if its success rate is higher than 99%, while a provider may consider its service as reliable if its success rate is higher than 90%. The aim of this paper is to resolve such conflicts and to ensure consensus on the QoS characteristics in the selection of web services. It proposes a QoS Consensus Moderation Approach (QCMA) in order to perform QoS consensus and to alleviate the differences on QoS characteristics in the selection of web services. The proposed approach is implemented as a prototype tool and is tested on a case study of a hotel booking web service. Experimental results show that the proposed approach greatly improves the service selection process in a dynamic and uncertain environment of web services. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study presents the technological process for producing a lenticular array on quartz. With scanning immersion lithography used to define the 3D lenticular array structure on a quartz substrate, inductively coupled plasma-reactive ion etching (ICP-RIE) is able to directly etch the structure. Based on the surface measurement, ICP-RIE can completely etch the surface structure onto the quartz substrate, and the surface roughness can reach 30 nm. Furthermore, after the optical measurement of stereoscopic images, the left and the right stereoscopic images can be successfully transmitted to the corresponding places without crosstalk and with a splitting efficiency close to 80%. As a result, this technology allows for the production of a lenticular structure with various changes on the quartz surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Self-assembled silver wires in micro-meter scale were obtained from aqueous silver nitrate solution in the presence of a comb-like copolymer as the sole organic component. The requisite copolymer was easily prepared by the grafting poly(oxyethylene)-monoamine (POE-amine) onto poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (SMA). Upon storage at ambient temperature with exposure to daylight, the aqueous AgNO3/SMA–POE solution gradually underwent a color changed from transparent pale-yellow to dark-violet over a period of hours, and after several months a solid precipitate was deposited. The formation process was monitored by ultraviolet–visible spectrometer, particle size analysis, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope. Silver wires were hierarchically formed by progressive transformation from the initial appearance of silver nanoparticles (ca. 10nm in diameter), followed by the intermediate rectangles (0.6–1.0μm in width and 0.4μm in length) in solution and ultimately the precipitates in micro-scale of silver wires at 1.6–6.4μm in diameter and 100–370μm in length. The progressive formation of the precipitated silver wires was accelerated by the exposure of visible light as a photo-reducing energy source. The micron-scale wires have a silver content over 97.4wt.% and a sheet resistance of 5.5×101 Ω/square. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, poly(thiol ester amide) composite membranes were prepared via interfacial polymerization by reacting trimesoyl chloride (TMC) with 4-aminobenzenethiol (ABTH) or 2-aminoethanethiol (AETH) on the surface of a modified polyacrylonitrile (mPAN) membrane (ABTH–TMC/mPAN and AETH–TMC/mPAN). Pervaporation separation of an aqueous ethanol solution with poly(thiol ester amide) composite membranes was investigated as a function of aminothiol structure. To correlate variations in the free volume of poly(thiol ester amide) active layers with pervaporation performance, positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) experiments were performed with a variable mono-energy slow positron beam. The affinity of the poly(thiol ester amide) active layer for an aqueous ethanol solution increased upon introduction of a phenyl ring onto the poly(thiol ester amide) backbone. The active layer of AETH–TMC/mPAN composite membranes was thicker and possessed smaller pores (τ 3) and a lower concentration (I 3) of free volume than the active layer of ABTH–TMC/mPAN composite membranes did. Solution effects dominated the separation behavior of hydrated ethanol in all poly(thiol ester amide) composite membranes. Furthermore, ABTH–TMC/mPAN composite membranes possessed a higher permeation rate than AETH–TMC/mPAN membranes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aim of the study: We investigated the preventive effect of Momordica charantia Linn. (Cucurbitaceae) fruit, commonly known as bitter melon, on hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in rats fed with a fructose-enriched diet. Materials and methods: First, rats were divided randomly into two groups: the control group was fed with control diet, whereas the experimental group was fed with a 60% high-fructose diet for 8 weeks. After the first 6 weeks, the fructose-treated rats were further subdivided into six groups and were orally fed with or without Momordica charantia L. or rosiglitazone (ROS) for 2 weeks while rats were still on fructose diet. Results: We demonstrated that bitter melon was effective in ameliorating the fructose diet-induced hyperglycemia, hyperleptinemia, hyperinsulinemia, and hypertriglyceridemia as well as in decreasing the levels of free fatty acid (FFA) (P <0.001, P <0.05, P <0.05, P <0.05, P <0.05, respectively). Bitter melon reversed fructose diet-induced hypoadiponectinemia (P <0.05), which provides a therapeutic advantage to insulin resistance in improving insulin sensitivity. Additionally, bitter melon decreased the weights of epididymal (P <0.05) and retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (WAT) (P <0.05). Bitter melon increased the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) in white adipose tissue (WAT). Conversely, bitter melon decreased the expression of leptin in WAT. Furthermore, we demonstrate that bitter melon significantly increases the mRNA expression and protein of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) in skeletal muscle. Conclusions: This study demonstrates, for the first time, the beneficial effects of two different extracts of bitter melon on insulin resistance in rats fed a high-fructose diet thereby producing evidence of the role of changes in expression of PPARγ and GLUT4. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We examined the preventive effect of Momordica charantia L. fruit (bitter melon) on hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in C57BL/6J mice fed with a high-fat (HF) diet. Firstly, mice were divided randomly into two groups: the control group was fed low-fat (LF) diet, whereas the experimental group was fed with a 45% HF diet last for 12 weeks. After 8 week of induction, the HF group was subdivided into six groups and was given orally with or without M. charantia or rosiglitazone 4 weeks afterward. We demonstrated that bitter melon was effective in ameliorating the HF diet-induced hyperglycemia, hyperleptinemia, and decreased the levels of blood glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and free fatty acid (FFA) (P <0.01, P <0.05, P <0.05, respectively), whereas increased the adipose PPARγ and liver PPARα mRNA levels. Additionally, bitter melon significantly decreased the weights of epididymal white adipose tissue and visceral fat, and decreased the adipose leptin and resistin mRNA levels. It is tempting to speculate that at least a portion of bitter melon effects is due to be through PPARγ-mediated pathways, resulting in lowering glucose levels and improving insulin resistance, and partly be through PPARα-mediated pathways to improve plasma lipid profiles. This is the first report demonstrating that bitter melon, is a food factor, but not a medicine, itself could influence dual PPARα/PPARγ expression and the mediated gene expression, is effective in ameliorating insulin resistance and visceral obesity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A series of diorganotin(IV) and triorganotin(IV) compounds of the type [R2Sn(pca)2ClSnR3]2 (R＝PhCH21, 2-ClC6H4CH22, 2-FC6H4CH23, 4-FC6H4CH24, 4-CNC6H4CH25, 4-ClC6H4CH26, 2,4-Cl2C6H3CH27; Hpca＝2-methylpyrazine-5-acid), [(nBu)3Sn(pca)]∞8, [(CH3)2Cl2Sn(pca)Sn(CH3)2(pca)]∞9, {[(nBu)2Sn(pca)]2O}210 and {[Ph2Sn(pca)]3O2[Ph2Sn(OCH3)]} 11 have been obtained by reactions of 2-methylpyrazine-5-acid with triorganotin(IV) chloride, diorganotin(IV) dichloride, and diorganotin(IV) oxide. All compounds were characterized by elemental, IR, and NMR spectra analyses. The crystal structure of compounds 1, 8–11 were determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction, which revealed that compound 1 was tetranuclear macrocyclic structures with seven-coordinate and five-coordinate tin atoms, compounds 8 and 9 were polymeric chain structures with five-coordinate and seven-coordinate tin atoms, compounds 10 and 11 were monomeric structures with six-coordinate and five-coordinate tin atoms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Over the past decade, time-domain astronomy in optical bands has developed rapidly with the operations of some wide-field survey facilities. However, most of these surveys are conducted with only a single band, and simultaneous color information is usually unavailable for the objects monitored during the survey. Here we present introductions to the system of Tsinghua University-Ma Huateng Telescopes for Survey (TMTS), which consists of an array of four optical telescopes installed on a single equatorial mount. Such a system is designed to get multiband photometry simultaneously for stars and transients discovered during the survey. The optics of each telescope is a modified Hamilton-Newtonian system, covering the wavelengths from 400 to 900 nm, with a field of view (FoV) of about 4.5 deg2 and a plate scale of 1.″86 pixel−1 when combining with a 4K × 4K QHY4040 CMOS detector. The TMTS system can have a FoV of about 9 deg2 when monitoring the sky with two bands (i.e., SDSS g and r filters) at the same time, and a maximum FoV of ∼18 deg2 when four telescopes monitor different sky areas in monochromatic filter mode. For an exposure time of 60 s, the average 3σ detection limit of the TMTS system can reach at ∼19.4 mag in Luminous filter and at ∼18.7 mag in SDSS r filter. The preliminary discovery obtained during the first few months' survey is briefly discussed. As this telescope array is located at the Xinglong Observatory of NAOC, it can have an excellent synergy with the spectroscopic survey by the LAMOST (with a FoV of about 20 deg2) at the same site, which will benefit the studies of stellar and binary physics besides the transient sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GPCR kinase 2-interacting protein-1 (GIT1) is a scaffold protein that plays an important role in cell adaptation, proliferation, migration, and differentiation; however, the role of GIT1 in the regulation of neuronal death after spinal cord injury remains obscure. Here, we demonstrate that GIT1 deficiency remarkably increased neuronal apoptosis and enhanced JNK/p38 signaling, which resulted in stronger motor deficits by ischemia-reperfusion in vivo, consistent with the finding of oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation-induced neuronal injury in vitro. After treatment with JNK and p38 inhibitors, abnormally necroptotic cell death caused by GIT1 knockdown could be partially rescued, with the recovery of neuronal viability, which was still poorer than that in control neurons. Meanwhile, overactivation of JNK/p38 after GIT1 depletion was concomitant with excessive activity of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase-1 (ASK1) that could be abolished by ASK1 silencing in HEK293T cells. Finally, GIT1 could disrupt the oligomerization of ASK1 via interaction between the synaptic localization domain that contains the coiled-coil (CC)-2 domain of GIT1 and the C-terminal CC domain of ASK1. It suppressed the autophosphorylation of ASK1 and led to decreasing activity of the ASK1/JNK/p38 pathway. These data reveal a protective role for GIT1 in neuronal damage by modulating ASK1/JNK/p38 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Ovarian cancer is commonly fatal and incidence has persistently risen in Taiwan over the past 20 years. Prevention strategies, however, are limited. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) has been suggested to increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer, but the results of studies have been inconsistent. Therefore, we investigated whether PID increases the risk of developing ovarian cancer in a large, nationwide cohort. Methods: From the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 (LHID2005) in Taiwan, we obtained data for women aged 13–65 years for whom a diagnosis of PID, confirmed by multiple episodes, had been recorded between Jan 1, 2004, and Dec 31, 2005. We also obtained data for two controls per patient, matched for age and the year of first entry into the LHID2005. All patients were followed up from the date of entry in the LHID2005 until they developed ovarian cancer or to the end of 2006, whichever was earlier. We used Cox''s regression models to assess the risk of developing ovarian cancer, with adjustment for age, comorbid disorders, and socioeconomic characteristics. Findings: We identified 67 936 women with PID and 135 872 controls. Among these 90 had developed ovarian cancer during the 3-year follow-up period (42 patients with PID and 48 controls, incidence 2·78 and 1·44 per 10 000 person-years, respectively). The adjusted hazard ratio for ovarian cancer in patients with PID was 1·92 (95% CI 1·27–2·92) compared with controls, which rose to 2·46 (1·48–4·09) in women who had had at least five episodes of PID. The adjusted hazard ratio was slightly higher for women aged 35 years or younger with PID than in older women with PID (2·23, 1·02–4·79 vs 1·82, 1·10–3·04). Interpretation: We found an association between PID and ovarian cancer. PID might, therefore, be a useful marker for ovarian cancer, and early treatment could help to improve prognosis. Whether pelvic inflammation itself accelerates the growth of ovarian cancers or affects cancer-cell differentiation in ways that adversely alter prognosis needs to be investigated. Funding: None. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Atmospheric-pressure plasma processing has attracted much interest for industrial applications due to its low cost, high processing speed and simple system. In this study, atmospheric-pressure plasma jet technique was developed to deposit indium-doped zinc oxide films. The inorganic metal salts of zinc nitrate and indium nitrate were used as precursors for Zn ions and In ions, respectively. The effect of different indium doping concentration on the morphological, structural, electrical and optical properties of the films was investigated. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction results show that the deposited films with a preferred (002) orientation. The lowest resistivity of 1.8×10−3 Ωcm was achieved with the 8at.% indium-doped solution at the substrate temperature of 200°C in open air, and average transmittance in the visible region was more than 80%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We present two years (January 2007–December 2008) of atmospheric SO2, NO2 and NH3 measurements from ten background or rural sites in nine provinces in China. The measurements were made on a monthly basis using passive samplers under careful quality control. The results show large geographical and seasonal variations in the concentrations of these gases. The mean SO2 concentration varied from 0.7±0.4ppb at Waliguan on Qinghai Plateau to 67.3±31.1ppb at Kaili in Guizhou province. The mean NO2 concentration ranged from 0.6±0.4ppb at Waliguan to 23.9±6.9ppb at Houma in southern Shanxi. The mean NH3 concentration ranged from 2.8±3.0ppb at Shangdianzi in northeastern Beijing to 13.7±8.4ppb at Houma. At most sites, SO2 and NO2 peaked in winter and reached minima in summer, while NH3 showed maximum values in summer and lower values in cold seasons. On the whole, the geographical distributions of the observed gas concentrations are consistent with those of emissions. The ground measurements of SO2 and NO2 are contrasted to the SCIAMACHY SO2 and OMI NO2 tropospheric columns, respectively. Although the satellite data can capture the main features of emissions and concentrations of SO2, they do not reflect the variations of SO2 in the surface layer. The situation is better for the case of NO2. The OMI NO2 columns capture the geographical differences in the ground NO2 and correlate fairly well with the ground levels of NO2 at six of the ten sites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The enthalpies of dilution of matrine (MAT) in pure water and aqueous sodium chloride solutions were determined by isothermal titration microcalorimetry at 298.15 K, and the corresponding homogeneous enthalpic interaction coefficients were calculated according to the modified McMillan–Mayer model. The values of enthalpic pair-wise interaction coefficients, h2, are all positive and become more positive with increasing concentration of sodium chloride. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The concentration effect on the dilution enthalpies (Δdil H m) of colchicine (COL) in aqueous NaCl solutions has been investigated by isothermal titration microcalorimetry at 298.15 K. The corresponding homogeneous enthalpic interaction coefficients have been calculated according to the excess enthalpy concept. The results show that the dilution enthalpies of COL in aqueous NaCl solutions at different mass fractions are positive. The overall trend is that enthalpies of dilution become more positive with the increase of the salt mass fraction. The values of enthalpic pair-wise interaction coefficients, h 2, have been obtained by fitting the data of the enthalpies of dilution with a viral expansion. The results can be interpreted from the view of solute-solute and solute-solvent interactions involved in the solvent effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is considered to be associated with post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), which is a newly emerged economically important swine disease. The entire coding region of open reading frame 2 (ORF2), encoding the viral capsid protein (Cap), of PCV2 was cloned and sequenced from the clinical specimen obtained from PMWS-affected piglets. Six recombinant subunits, A–F, spanning the defined regions of Cap were produced by E. coli expression system and used as antigens for testing their reactivities with swine sera in the indirect ELISA. The recombinant Cap subunit-based ELISA was evaluated by examining a panel of 12 PCV2-negative and 26 PCV2-positive sera. When the positive/negative cut-off value was set at the mean value of negative sera plus 3 standard deviations, all subunits-based ELISA demonstrated 100% specificities. The N-terminal subunits, A and B, revealed poor reactivity with positive swine sera, whereas, greater immunoreactivity was observed for the C-terminal subunits of which subunits C and D demonstrated good sensitivities of 96.2% and 84.6%, respectively. The recombinant Cap subunits possessing defined antigenicity are easy to produce and the subunit-based ELISA was developed with a high specificity and sensitivity that may provide a useful method for routine serodiagnosis of PCV2 infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Zotarolimus is a semi-synthetic derivative of rapamycin and an inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. Currently, zotarolimus is used to prolong the survival time of organ grafts, but it is also a novel immunosuppressive agent with potent anti-proliferative activity. Here, we examine the anti-tumor effect of zotarolimus, alone and in combination with 5-fluorouracil, on HCT-116 colorectal adenocarcinoma cells implanted in BALB/c nude mice. Compared with the control mice, mice treated with zotarolimus or zotarolimus combined with 5-FU showed retarded tumor growth; increased tumor apoptosis through the enhanced expression of cleaved caspase 3 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation; reduced inflammation-related factors such as IL-1β, TNF-α, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein; and inhibited metastasis-related factors such as CD44, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Notably, mice treated with a combination of zotarolimus and 5-FU showed significantly retarded tumor growth, reduced tumor size, and increased tumor inhibition compared with mice treated with 5-FU or zotarolimus alone, indicating a strong synergistic effect. This in vivo study confirms that zotarolimus or zotarolimus combined with 5-FU can be used to retard colorectal adenocarcinoma growth and inhibit tumorigenesis. Our results suggest that zotarolimus may increase the chemo-sensitization of tumor cells. Therefore, zotarolimus alone and zotarolimus combined with 5-FU may be potential anti-tumor agents in the treatment of human colon adenocarcinoma. Future research on zotarolimus may lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clozapine is widely employed in the treatment of schizophrenia. Compared with that of atypical first-generation antipsychotics, atypical second-generation antipsychotics such as clozapine have less severe side effects and may positively affect obesity and blood glucose level. However, no systematic study of clozapine's adverse metabolic effects—such as changes in kidney and liver function, body weight, glucose and triglyceride levels, and retinopathy—was conducted. This research investigated how clozapine affects weight, the bodily distribution of chromium, liver damage, fatty liver scores, glucose homeostasis, renal impairment, and retinopathy in mice fed a high fat diet (HFD). We discovered that obese mice treated with clozapine gained more weight and had greater kidney, liver, and retroperitoneal and epididymal fat pad masses; higher daily food efficiency; higher serum or hepatic triglyceride, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine levels; and higher hepatic lipid regulation marker expression than did the HFD-fed control mice. Furthermore, the clozapine group mice exhibited insulin resistance, poorer insulin sensitivity, greater glucose intolerance, and less Akt phosphorylation; their GLUT4 expression was lower, they had renal damage, more reactive oxygen species, and IL-1 expression, and, finally, their levels of antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase) were lower. Moreover, clozapine reduced the thickness of retinal cell layers and increased iNOS and NF-κB expression; a net negative chromium balance occurred because more chromium was excreted through urine, and this influenced chromium mobilization, which did not help overcome the hyperglycemia. Our clozapine group had considerably higher fatty liver scores, which was supported by the findings of lowered adiponectin protein levels and increased FASN protein, PNPLA3 protein, FABP4 mRNA, and SREBP1 mRNA levels. We conclude that clozapine can worsen nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, diabetes, and kidney and retinal injury. Therefore, long-term administration of clozapine warrants higher attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver disorders have been recognized as one major health concern. Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from the brown seaweed Fucus serratus, has previously been reported as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. However, the discovery and validation of its hepatoprotective properties and elucidation of its mechanisms of action are still unknown. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect and possible modes of action of a treatment of fucoidan against thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury in male C57BL/6 mice by serum biochemical and histological analyses. The mouse model for liver damage was developed by the administration of TAA thrice a week for six weeks. The mice with TAA-induced liver injury were orally administered fucoidan once a day for 42 days. The treated mice showed significantly higher body weights; food intakes; hepatic antioxidative enzymes (catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD)); and a lower serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Additionally, a reduced hepatic IL-6 level and a decreased expression of inflammatory-related genes, such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA was observed. These results demonstrated that fucoidan had a hepatoprotective effect on liver injury through the suppression of the inflammatory responses and acting as an antioxidant. In addition, here, we validated the use of fucoidan against liver disorders with supporting molecular data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]