Search

Ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) is susceptible to various forms of abrasion during its service life. This study is an investigation of the abrasion resistance of UHPC, focusing on two primary causes of wear: dynamic traffic loads and hydraulic impacts. To enhance the material's resistance to abrasion, milling steel fibres were utilised. For comparative purposes, straight steel fibres and hybrid milling–straight steel fibres were also employed. The protective function of the steel fibres primarily comes into effect once the concrete cover has experienced wear. When subjected to traffic and hydraulic loads, UHPC containing milling fibres exhibited superior resistance, compared with that containing straight fibres, while maintaining favourable workability. Notably, the UHPC incorporating hybrid steel fibres, which form a composite skeleton, owing to the presence of two fibre types, demonstrated even greater effectiveness in resisting external abrasion. Furthermore, the abrasion resistances observed under both traffic and hydraulic conditions displayed a positive linear correlation, with R2 > 0.8. These findings suggest the feasibility of evaluating the material's abrasion resistance under various wearing causes using a single test method. The outcomes of this study hold promise in advancing the development of UHPC and promoting its utilisation in conditions characterised by severe abrasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the curing methods on the flexural performances of the milling steel fiber reinforced ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) with a high fiber content was systematically evaluated in this study, alongside the flowability and compressive strength. The UHPC specimens were subjected to standard curing and steam curing, employing three steel fiber reinforcing schedules: single milling fiber, single straight fiber, and a combination of both. The flowability of the UHPC was found to be less affected by the milling fiber compared to the straight fiber. Steam curing significantly enhanced the compressive strength but had a slight negative effect on the flexural behavior. However, this adverse effect could be mitigated as the fiber content increased. The flexural strength and toughness of the UHPC with milling fiber were minimally influenced by steam curing, suggesting that standard curing was sufficient for the milling fiber-reinforced UHPC. Conversely, steam curing exhibited an improvement in the flexural behavior of the UHPC containing a hybrid combination of milling and straight fibers. In addition to developing an empirical model for compressive and flexural strengths, we proposed a data-driven model called Gaussian process regression (GPR) to predict the flexural behaviors of the UHPC with varying fiber content, types, and curing methods. The data-driven model demonstrated high accuracy, with an R2 value of 1.0 when compared to the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: The clinical outcome of endoscopy submucosal dissection with subsequent radiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma remain unclear. In this study we aim to investigate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection with adjuvant radiotherapy in the treatment of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma involving the muscularis mucosae (T1a-MM) or the submucosa < 200 μm (T1b-SM1). Methods: We analyzed 20 patients with pathologically confirmed T1a-MM or T1b-SM1 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated by endoscopic submucosal dissection from 2016 to 2020 in Lihuili Hospital, 9 patients received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT group) and 11 patients received did not (non-RT group). Results: All 20 patients underwent en bloc resection, and both the vertical and horizontal margins were negative. There was no recurrence or lymph node metastasis in the RT group, and no serious complications or death were observed. In the non-RT group, 2 patients had local recurrence and 1 had distant metastasis. None of the 20 patients died of esophageal carcinoma. Conclusions: Adjuvant radiotherapy following endoscopic submucosal dissection may be a safe and effective method for the treatment of T1a-MM/T1b-SM1 superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study evaluated the feasibility and safety of zone 1 thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) with fenestrated surgeon-modified stent-graft (SMSG) for aortic arch pathologies. Methods: Between March 2016 and November 2020, 34 consecutive patients underwent zone 1 TEVAR with fenestrated SMSG for aortic arch pathologies. Outcomes included technical success, perioperative, and follow-up morbidity and mortality. Results: During the study period, 34 patients were treated with zone 1 TEVAR with fenestrated SMSG. Twenty-four (70.6%) patients presented with type B aortic dissections, 9 (26.5%) patients presented with aneurysms (7 located on the lesser curvature side of aortic arch), 1 (2.9%) patient presented with type Ia endoleak after previous TEVAR owing to traumatic aortic dissection. The proximal landing zone for all patients were in zone 1, and all supra-aortic trunks were reconstructed, except for one left subclavian artery. Technical success was achieved in all cases. The 30-day estimated survival (±SE) was 90.9% ± 5.0% [95% confidence interval (CI): 77.0%–97.0%]. The 30-day estimated freedom from reintervention (±SE) was 87.9% ± 5.7% (95% CI: 73.4%–95.3%). At a median follow-up of 48 months (range, 12–68 months), 2 patients died, including 1 aortic-related death and 1 non-aortic-related death. One patient had reintervention 13 months after the operation owing to type Ia endoleak. All supra-aortic trunks were patent. The estimated survival (±SE) during follow-up was 85.1% ± 6.2% (95% CI: 69.9%–93.6%). One (2.7%) patient had stroke. The estimated freedom from reintervention (±SE) during follow-up was 84.2% ± 6.5% (95% CI: 69.9%–93.5%). Conclusions: Zone 1 TEVAR with fenestrated SMSG is an alternate option for treatment of aortic arch pathologies in experienced centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the epidemiological characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) isolated from migratory birds and surroundings in Qinghai Lake, China. We identified 69 (15.7%) CRE isolates from a total of 439 samples including 29 (6.6%) blaNDM-5Escherichia coli and 40 (9.1%) blaKPC-2Klebsiella pneumoniae. WGS analysis indicated that ST746, ST48, ST1011, and ST167 were the primary sequence types (ST) for blaNDM-5E. coli, while all blaKPC-2 K. pneumoniae were ST11 and harbored numerous antibiotic resistance gene types including blaCTX-M, qnrS, and rmtB. A phylogenetic tree based on core genomes revealed that blaNDM-5E. coli was highly heterogeneous while the blaKPC-2 K. pneumoniae was highly genetically similar within the group and to human Chinese isolates. IncX3, IncHI2, and IncFIB-HI2 plasmid replicon types were associated with blaNDM-5 spread, while IncFII-R and IncFII plasmids mediated blaKPC-2 spread. We also identified IncFII-R hybrid plasmids most likely formed by IS26-mediated integration of IncFII into IncR plasmid backbones. This also facilitated the persistence of IncFII-R plasmids and antibiotic resistance genes including blaKPC-2. In addition, all of the blaKPC-2 K. pneumoniae isolates harbored a pLVKP-like virulence plasmid carrying a combination of two or more hypervirulence markers that included peg-344, iroB, iucA, rmpA, and rmpA2. This is the first description of ST11 K. pneumoniae that co-carried blaKPC-2- and pLVKP-like virulence plasmids from migratory birds. The blaKPC-2 K. pneumoniae carried by migratory birds displayed high genetic relatedness to human isolates highlighting a high risk of transmission of these K. pneumoniae. Key points: • Multidrug resistance plasmids (blaKPC-2, bla436NDM-5, bla CTX-M, qnrS, and rmtB). • Co-occurrence of plasmid-mediated resistance and virulence genes. • High similarity between migratory bird genomes and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the practicability and safety of a novel endovascular robotic system for performing endovascular aortic repair in human. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in 2021 with 6 months post-operative follow-up. Patients with aortic aneurysms and clinical indications for elective endovascular aortic repair were enrolled in the study. The novel developed robotic system is applicable for the majority of commercial devices and various types of endovascular surgeries. The primary endpoint was technical success without in-hospital major adverse events. Technical success was defined as the ability of the robotic system to complete all procedural steps based on procedural segments. Results: The first-in-human evaluation of robot-assisted endovascular aortic repair was performed in five patients. The primary endpoint was achieved in all patients (100%). There were no device- or procedure-related complications or no in-hospital major adverse events. The operation time and total blood loss in these cases were equal to those in the manual procedures. The radiation exposure of the surgeon was 96.5% lower than that in the traditional position while the radiation exposure of the patients was not significantly increased. Conclusions: Early clinical evaluation of the novel endovascular aortic repair in endovascular aortic repair demonstrated practicability, safety, and procedural effectiveness comparable to manual operation. In addition, the total radiation exposure of the operator was significantly lower than that of traditional procedures. Clinical relevance statement: This study applies a novel approach to perform the endovascular aortic repair in a more accurate and minimal-invasive way and lays the foundation for the perspective automation of the endovascular robotic system, which reflects a new paradigm for endovascular surgery. Key Points: • This study is a first-in-human evaluation of a novel endovascular robotic system for endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). • Our system might reduce the occupational risks associated with manual EVAR and contribute to achieving a higher degree of precision and control. • Early evaluation of the endovascular robotic system demonstrated practicability, safety, and procedural effectiveness comparable to that of manual operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research proposed the modular prefabricated permanent formwork system made of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). Two kinds of modular formwork shapes were designed: the flat formwork and the ribbed. The experimental investigation on the axial compression performance of the composite columns that consist of the normal strength concrete (NSC) core and the modular UHPC permanent formwork was demonstrated. Compared with the flat formwork, the ribbed formwork exhibited better bonding with the NSC core. As observed from the test results, the composite column with the ribbed formwork presented a similar axial behavior as the NSC column with a slight improvement in ultimate loads. Therefore, the modular UHPC ribbed permanent formwork could be regarded as the additional cover to the conventional NSC column. In addition, the finite element analysis (FEA) model was also developed to simulate the composite columns numerically. The predicted capacities agreed with the experimental results, which validated the numerical models. The crack pattern estimated by the FEA model revealed that the interaction between the permanent formwork and the inner concrete introduced many tiny cracks to the concrete core. However, as protected by the UHPC permanent formwork, the overall durability of the composite columns can still be enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of completely recycled sand is significantly different from that of river sand, and the plastering mortar prepared with completely recycled sand cannot be calculated by the existing design method of plastering mortar mix ratio. A study was conducted on the effect of completely recycled sand on the performance of plastering mortar under different cement dosage. The results show that: under the same dosage of cement, the water demand and the compressive strength at 28d of completely recycled sand plastering mortar are higher than that of river sand mortar; the law of water consumption and 28d compressive strength of completely recycled sand plastering mortar changing with cement dosages are basically the same as that of river sand plastering mortar; according to the experimental results and referring to the existing mortar mix design methods, a mix design method of completely recycled sand plastering mortar is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development of information technology and the running speed of computers, the development of informatization has led to the generation of increasingly more medical data. Solving unmet needs such as employing the constantly developing artificial intelligence technology to medical data and providing support for the medical industry is a hot research topic. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a kind of virus that exists widely in nature with strict species specificity, and the infection rate among Chinese adults is more than 95%. Therefore, the detection of CMV is of great importance since the vast majority of infected patients are in a state of invisible infection after the infection, except for a few patients with clinical symptoms. In this study, we present a new method to detect CMV infection status by analyzing high-throughput sequencing results of T cell receptor beta chains (TCRβ). Based on the high-throughput sequencing data of 640 subjects from cohort 1, Fisher's exact test was performed to evaluate the relationship between TCRβ sequences and CMV status. Furthermore, the number of subjects with these correlated sequences to different degrees in cohort 1 and cohort 2 were measured to build binary classifier models to identify whether the subject was CMV positive or negative. We select four binary classification algorithms: logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) for side-by-side comparison. According to the performance of different algorithms corresponding to different thresholds, four optimal binary classification algorithm models are obtained. The logistic regression algorithm performs best when Fisher's exact test threshold is 10−5, and the sensitivity and specificity are 87.5% and 96.88%, respectively. The RF algorithm performs better at the threshold of 10−5, with a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 90.63%. The SVM algorithm also achieves high accuracy at the threshold value of 10−5, with a sensitivity of 85.42% and specificity of 96.88%. The LDA algorithm achieves high accuracy with 95.83% sensitivity and 90.63% specificity when the threshold value is 10−4. This is probably because the two-dimensional distribution of CMV data samples is linearly separable, and linear division models such as LDA are more effective, while the division effect of nonlinear separable algorithms such as random forest is relatively inaccurate. This new finding may be a potential diagnostic method for CMV and may even be applicable to other viruses, such as the infectious history detection of the new coronavirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Cardiac-specific Dsg2 deletion induces excessive cardiac fibrosis in mice. Fenofibrate alleviates cardiac fibrosis in CS-Dsg2−/− mice. Cardiac-specific activation of PPARα ameliorates cardiac fibrosis in CS-Dsg2−/− mice. The inhibitory effect of PPARα on cardiac fibrosis is mediated by STAT3 and TGF-β /SMAD3 signaling. PPARα is a promising target for the intervention of ACM by ameliorating cardiac fibrosis. Background: Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is a genetic heart muscle disease characterized by progressive fibro-fatty replacement of cardiac myocytes. Up to now, the existing therapeutic modalities for ACM are mostly palliative. About 50% of ACM is caused by mutations in genes encoding desmosomal proteins including Desmoglein-2 (Dsg2). In the current study, the cardiac fibrosis of ACM and its underlying mechanism were investigated by using a cardiac-specific knockout of Dsg2 mouse model. Methods: Cardiac-specific Dsg2 knockout (CS-Dsg2−/−) mice and wild-type (WT) mice were respectively used as the animal model of ACM and controls. The myocardial collagen volume fraction was determined by histological analysis. The expression levels of fibrotic markers such as α-SMA and Collagen I as well as signal transducers such as STAT3, SMAD3, and PPARα were measured by Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR. Results: Increased cardiac fibrosis was observed in CS-Dsg2−/− mice according to Masson staining. PPARα deficiency and hyperactivation of STAT3 and SMAD3 were observed in the myocardium of CS-Dsg2−/− mice. The biomarkers of fibrosis such as α-SMA and Collagen I were upregulated after gene silencing of Dsg2 in HL-1 cells. Furthermore, STAT3 gene silencing by Stat3 siRNA inhibited the expression of fibrotic markers. The activation of PPARα by fenofibrate or AAV9-Pparα improved the cardiac fibrosis and decreased the phosphorylation of STAT3, SMAD3, and AKT in CS-Dsg2−/− mice. Conclusions: Activation of PPARα alleviates the cardiac fibrosis in ACM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. HCC transcriptome has been extensively studied; however, the progress in disease mechanisms, prognosis, and treatment is still slow. Methods: A rank-based module-centric workflow was introduced to analyze important modules associated with HCC development, prognosis, and drug resistance. The currently largest HCC cell line RNA-Seq dataset from the LIMORE database was used to construct the reference modules by weighted gene co-expression network analysis. Results: Thirteen reference modules were identified with validated reproducibility. These modules were all associated with specific biological functions. Differentially expressed module analysis revealed the crucial modules during HCC development. Modules and hub genes are indicative of patient survival. Modules can differentiate patients in different HCC stages. Furthermore, drug resistance was revealed by drug-module association analysis. Based on differentially expressed modules and hub genes, six candidate drugs were screened. The hub genes of those modules merit further investigation. Conclusion: We proposed a reference module-based analysis of the HCC transcriptome. The identified modules are associated with HCC development, survival, and drug resistance. M3 and M6 may play important roles during HCV to HCC development. M1, M3, M5, and M7 are associated with HCC survival. High M4, high M9, low M1, and low M3 may be associated with dasatinib, doxorubicin, CD532, and simvastatin resistance. Our analysis provides useful information for HCC diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the cost of lightweight concrete (LWC) partition panels and to address recycling concrete waste, this work utilized completely recycled fine aggregate (CRFA) to replace the natural fine aggregate and ceramsite in the preparation of LWC and LWC partition panels. To this end, an autoclave-free curing process and an air-entraining agent were used to prepare the CRFA-LWC. The workability, compressive strength, drying shrinkage, and pore structure of the CRFA-LWC and the performance of the CRFA-LWC partition panels were then investigated. The results show that the optimal ratio of the CRFA to the cement is 2.2 for the lightweight concrete, and the optimal panel cross section is a rounded rectangular one. All the pores in the CRFA-LWC have a diameter of smaller than 0.17 mm, and the diameter of 89% of them is less than 0.05 mm. In order to satisfy the drying shrinkage requirements stipulated by Chinese code JC/T 169-2016, the CRFA-LWC should be cured for at least 10 days. The economic analysis concludes that the material cost of CRFA-LWC is 40% lower than that of the autoclaved ceramsite concrete. In addition, utilizing CRFA in lightweight concrete can ease the shortage of natural aggregate. Highlights: CRFA is used for preparing the lightweight concrete partition panels. The optimal ratio of the CRFA to the cement is 2.2 for the lightweight concrete. CRFA lightweight concrete needs to be cured for at least 10 days. The cost of lightweight concrete is reduced by 40% by using CRFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy improves the therapeutic outcome for first-line (1L) patients with advance nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Two cohorts of a phase 1b study (NCT02937116) aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of sintilimab, a PD-1 inhibitor, plus chemotherapy in 1L patients with nonsquamous and squamous NSCLC (nsqNSCLC/sqNSCLC); and to identify potential biomarkers for treatment response. Treatment-naïve patients with nsqNSCLC were enrolled and intravenously given sintilimab (200 mg), pemetrexed (500 mg/m2), and cisplatin (75 mg/m2), every 3 weeks (Q3W) for 4 cycles in cohort D. Treatment-naïve patients with sqNSCLC were enrolled and intravenously given sintilimab (200 mg), gemcitabine (1250 mg/m2), and cisplatin (75 mg/m2), Q3W, for 6 cycles in cohort E. The primary objective was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the treatment. The additional objective was to explore biomarkers for the treatment efficacy. Twenty-one patients with nsqNSCLC, and 20 patients with sqNSCLC were enrolled in cohort D and cohort E, respectively. By the data cutoff (April 17, 2019), 8 (38.1%) patients in cohort D and 17 (85.0%) patients in cohort E experienced grade 3–4 adverse events. The median follow-up duration was 16.4 months (14.8–23.0) in cohort D and 15.9 months (11.7–17.7) in cohort E. The objective response rate was 68.4% (95% CI 43.4%, 87.4%) in cohort D and 64.7% (95% CI 38.3%, 85.8%) in cohort E. Neither PD-L1 expression nor tumor mutation burden value was significantly associated with an improved treatment response. Sintilimab plus chemotherapy exhibited manageable toxicity and an encouraging antitumor activity in patients with nsqNSCLC and sqNSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spacers are important components in reinforced concrete structures to provide cover between the steel reinforcement and the formwork. Cementitious spacers are of particular interest for coastal engineering structures, as they are compatible with cement-based chloride-resistant high-performance concrete compared to plastic and steel spacers. However, the cementitious spacer–concrete interface was found to be highly porous and microcracked. This study investigated the effect of surface treatment on the chloride ion transport at the cementitious spacer–concrete interface. A surface treatment technique for potential mass production was introduced and the state-of-practice tests of the hardened concrete were modified to evaluate the performance of the spacer–concrete composite specimens. The results showed that the surface treatment on a cementitious spacer improved the bonding between the spacer and concrete at the interface. The surface treatment of the spacer improved the compressive strength and the chloride resistance of the composite specimen locally compared to those without surface treatment. The advantage of surface treatment on the chloride resistance was partially represented in either the diffusion coefficient or the column electric flux. The maximum chloride ion penetration depth at the spacer–concrete interface was recommended as an additional proxy for the evaluation of the chloride resistance performance of composite specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liriodendron chinense ranges widely in subtropical China and northern Vietnam; however, it inhabits several small, isolated populations and is now an endangered species due to its limited seed production. The objective of this study was to develop a set of nuclear SSR (simple sequence repeats) and multiple chloroplast genome markers for genetic studies in L. chinense and their characterization in diverse germplasm. Results: We performed low-coverage whole genome sequencing of the L. chinense from four genotypes, assembled the chloroplast genome and identified nuclear SSR loci by searching in contigs for SSR motifs. Comparative analysis of the four chloroplast genomes of L. chinense revealed 45 SNPs, 17 indels, 49 polymorphic SSR loci, and five small inversions. Most chloroplast intraspecific polymorphisms were located in the interspaces of single-copy regions. In total, 6147 SSR markers were isolated from low-coverage whole genome sequences. The most common SSR motifs were dinucleotide (70.09%), followed by trinucleotide motifs (23.10%). The motif AG/TC (33.51%) was the most abundant, followed by TC/AG (25.53%). A set of 13 SSR primer combinations were tested for amplification and their ability to detect polymorphisms in a set of 109 L. chinense individuals, representing distinct varieties or germplasm. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 8 to 28 with an average of 21 alleles. The expected heterozygosity (He) varied from 0.19 to 0.93 and the observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.11 to 0.79. Conclusions: The genetic resources characterized and tested in this study provide a valuable tool to detect polymorphisms in L. chinense for future genetic studies and breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments were carried out to master the influence of pilot-scale preparation process on the properties of fully recycled fine aggregate mortar. The optimal selection results were applied to the production of fully recycled masonry mortar, plastering mortar and ground mortar, and the feasibility of fully replacing river sand and partially replacing cementitious materials with Recycled Total-Fine aggregate (RTFA) in these three kinds of mortar was explored. The results show that: the pilot-scale preparation process of RTFA has a certain influence on the consistency and compressive strength of fully recycled aggregate mortar. Under the same volume ratio of cementitious material to sand, the fully recycled mortar with consistency and compressive strength similar to that of river sand mortar can be obtained by adding supplementary water. It is feasible to prepare masonry, plastering and ground mortar with the same volume of RTFA instead of river sand, and it can further replace less than 10% cementitious material to prepare plastering mortar and ground mortar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-contamination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with heavy metals (HMs) in aquatic environments is a global threat; however, little is understood about PAH biodegradation in these sites. In this study, PAHs’ biodegradation in the presence of HMs in water by a metal-tolerant consortium composed of Bacillus subtilis and fungus Acremonium sp. was investigated. The consortium demonstrated higher tolerance to the tested HMs (Fe2+, Al3+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Mn2+ and Zn2+) than the individual consortium components, and the tolerance to individual metals decreased with increasing metal concentrations. In the absence of HMs in aquatic systems, the consortium efficiently degraded naphthalene, fluorine, phenanthrene, anthracene and fluoranthene individually (50 mmol/L) over 10 days. However, while Ni2+ supplementation (5 mmol/L) suppressed phenanthrene and anthracene removal (p ≤ 0.01), enhanced fluoranthene degradation relative to the control was observed. Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+ and Al3+ supplementation demonstrated significant inhibition against individual phenanthrene, anthracene and fluoranthene removal, and Cu2+ showed a more significant effect on the degradation of these PAH compounds compared to other metals. Conversely, Mn2+ significantly enhanced the removal of fluorene, phenanthrene and fluoranthene, but inhibited anthracene degradation. HM contamination in aquatic systems did not show any effect on naphthalene bioremediation, possible due to its rapid degradation over a short time. Thus, metals affect PAH aquatic biodegradation by consortia, depending on metal species and PAH compound, underlining the complex nature of co-contaminated systems containing HMs and PAHs. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the influence of HMs on PAHs’ bioremediation by such PAH-degrading consortia in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enrich the molecular data of Pinus bungeana Zucc. ex Endl. and study the regulating factors of different morphology controled by apical dominance. In this study, de novo assembly of transcriptome annotation was performed for two varieties of Pinus bungeana Zucc. ex Endl. that are obviously different inmorphology. More than 147million reads were produced, which were assembled into 88,092 unigenes. Based on a similarity search, 11,692 unigenes showed significant similarity to proteins fromPicea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. From this collection of unigenes, a large number of molecular markers were identified, including 2829 simple sequence repeats (SSRs). A total of 158 unigenes expressed differently between two varieties, including 98 up-regulated and 60 down-regulated unigenes. Furthermore, among the differently expressed genes (DEGs), five genes which may impact the plant morphology were further validated by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The five genes related to cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX), two-component response regulator ARR-A family (ARR-A), plant hormone signal transduction (AHP), andMADS-box transcription factors have a close relationship with apical dominance. This new dataset will be a useful resource for future genetic and genomic studies in Pinus bungeana Zucc. ex Endl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were deposited directly onto the surface of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film-coated glass by electrochemical method. It was used as a photoanode in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell for sensitive detection of hydroquinone (HQ) at an applied bias potential of 0.15 V vs. saturated calomel electrode. This heterostructure showed dramatically enhanced PEC properties due to the introduction of the Au/ITO interface. Under the irradiation, the marked photocurrent response was observed at the GNPs/ITO photoelectrode compared with bare ITO electrode. The anodic photocurrent could be further largely enhanced by HQ. A new PEC strategy for sensitive detection of HQ at a relative low potential was developed. The linear range for HQ determination was 0.25 to 150 μM, with a detection limit of 0.1 μM. The sensitivity on the GNPs/ITO electrode at the irradiation was ~ 3.3 times higher than that in dark. These results demonstrate that the simple GNPs/ITO electrodes have great potential for PEC analysis application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copy-number variations (CNV), loss of heterozygosity (LOH), and uniparental disomy (UPD) are large genomic aberrations leading to many common inherited diseases, cancers, and other complex diseases. An integrated tool to identify these aberrations is essential in understanding diseases and in designing clinical interventions. Previous discovery methods based on whole-genome sequencing (WGS) require very high depth of coverage on the whole genome scale, and are cost-wise inefficient. Another approach, whole exome genome sequencing (WEGS), is limited to discovering variations within exons. Thus, we are lacking efficient methods to detect genomic aberrations on the whole genome scale using next-generation sequencing technology. Here we present a method to identify genome-wide CNV, LOH and UPD for the human genome via selectively sequencing a small portion of genome termed Selected Target Regions (SeTRs). In our experiments, the SeTRs are covered by 99.73%~99.95% with sufficient depth. Our developed bioinformatics pipeline calls genome-wide CNVs with high confidence, revealing 8 credible events of LOH and 3 UPD events larger than 5M from 15 individual samples. We demonstrate that genome-wide CNV, LOH and UPD can be detected using a cost-effective SeTRs sequencing approach, and that LOH and UPD can be identified using just a sample grouping technique, without using a matched sample or familial information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a neurotransmitter that primarily functions as a vasodilator. VIP plays its role through binding to its receptors known as VIP/pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide receptors (VPACs). In this study, we examined the expression of VPAC1 in human colon cancer tissues, analyzed the relationship between VPAC1 expression and cancer malignancy, and explored the possible mechanisms using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence double staining. The results showed that (1) poorly differentiated colon cancers have significantly higher VPAC1 expression than well-differentiated colon cancers do ( p < 0.01); (2) phospho-epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpression/activation in the cytoplasm of cancer cells is related to VPAC1 overexpression; (3) blood vessels surrounding colon cancer have significantly more VPAC1-positive than normal colon mucosa does; (4) tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) of colon cancer have a higher level of VPAC1 expression than macrophages in normal colon mucosa do. These data suggest that VPAC1 overexpression is associated with poorer differentiation of colon cancer, which is likely caused by subsequent EGFR activation in cancer cells. In addition, VPAC1 overexpression in both blood vessels and macrophages in tumors may also play an important role in the development of aggressive cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)-based label-free optical biosensor for detection of salbutamol (Sal). Hollow gold nanoparticles (HGNs) which deposited on transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) film coated glass was used to sensing platform. Antibody against Sal was immobilized on HGN surface to recognize the target Sal molecules. Thus, the change of LSPR peak was proportional to the concentration of Sal in the solution. The experimental results demonstrated that the LSPR immunosensor possessed a good sensitivity and a high selectivity for Sal. The detection range for Sal was from 0.05 to 0.8 μg/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.996. The biosensor was applied for the detection for Sal in spiked animal feed and pork liver samples, and the recoveries were in the range of 97-105 %. Therefore, it is expected that this approach may offer a new method in designing label-free LSPR immunosensor for detection of small molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold–silver core–shell triangular nanoprisms (Au/AgTNPs) were grown onto transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film-coated glass substrate through a seed-mediated growth method without using peculiar binder molecules. The resulting Au/AgTNPs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV–vis spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammograms. The peak of dipolar plasmonic resonance was located at near infrared region of ∼700 nm, which showed the refractive index (RI) sensitivity of 248 nm/RIU. Moreover, thin gold shells were electrodeposited onto the surface of Au/AgTNPs in order to stabilize nanoparticles. Compared with the Au/AgTNPs, this peak of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) was a little red-shift and decreased slightly in intensity. The refractive index sensitivity was estimated to be 287 nm/RIU, which showed high sensitivity as a LSPR sensing platform. Those triangular nanoprisms deposited on the ITO substrate could be further functionalized to fabricate LSPR biosensors. Results of this research show a possibility of improving LSPR sensor by using core–shell nanostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the intensification of luminol electrochemiluminescence (ECL) by metallic oxide nanoparticles (MONPs), as ZnO, MnO, InO and TiO, under alkaline condition is reported and the related mechanism is studied. It is found that all four types of those MONPs exhibit the effect toward the ECL intensification of luminol. Furthermore, the silica sol-gel film is taken to immobilize the MONPs onto the platinum electrodes. The so-obtained modified electrodes also show the enhanced ECL and better signal/noise ratio, as well improved signal stability. Finally, the ECL reagent, luminol, is immobilized together with the MONPs onto the electrode surface to perform as the ECL sensor. On resulting sensors, good linear responses are obtained toward hydrogen peroxide. The mechanism of intensification of luminol ECL by MONPs is discussed in this paper. It is proposed that the ECL intensification can be attributed to the production of reactive oxygen species, as well as the adsorption of luminol on surface of MONPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of each factor on the reaction of geopolymers material was investigated by using the orthogonal experimental design method, which got the optimal condition of reaction. Based on this results the performances of geopolymers were investigated. The results are as follows: (1) The effect of each factor on the compressive strength of geopolymers was different; (2) For paste the optimal condition of reaction is that the modulus and the concentration of sodium silicate solution are 1.2 and 40%, the calcined temperature and calcined time of kaolin are 800 °C and 2 h, and the liquid-solid ratio is 1.25; (3) When the pH value of solution is higher than 1, the compressive strength of Geopolymers will not decrease as that in the water; (4) As the calcined temperature of samples were lower than 700 °C the heat-resistant of geopolymers was good;(5) Geopolymers is unlikely to react with the active aggregate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The undesirable properties of conventional recycled fine aggregate (RFA) often limit its application in the construction industry. To overcome this challenge, a method for preparing completely recycled fine aggregate (CRFA), which crushes all concrete waste only into fine aggregate, was proposed. The obtained CRFA had high apparent density, and its water absorption was lower than that of the conventional RFA. To take advantage of the CRFA, this paper introduced the modified packing density method for the CRFA concrete mix design. The modified packing density method took account of the powder with a particle size of smaller than 75 μm in the CRFA and balanced both the void ratio and the specific surface area of the aggregate system. Concrete (grade C55) was prepared using the CRFA to validate the feasibility of the proposed method. The unit price of the prepared CRFA concrete was around 12.7% lower than that of the natural aggregate concrete. Additionally, the proposed procedure for the concrete mixture design could recycle all concrete waste into the new concrete and replace all the natural fine aggregate in the concrete mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]