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Composting with five levels of green waste and sewage sludge was compared to examine how feeding ratios affected composting performance with special focus on humification, and the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that the raw material ratio persistently affected compost nutrients and stability. Humification and mineralization were promoted by higher proportion of sewage sludge. Bacterial community composition and within-community relationships were also significantly affected by the raw material feeding ratio. Network analysis indicated that clusters 1 and 4 which dominated by Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Acidobacteria shown significantly positive correlation with humic acid concentration. Notably, the structural equational model and variance partitioning analysis demonstrated that bacterial community structure (explained 47.82% of the variation) mediated the effect of raw material feeding ratio on humification, and exceeded the effect of environmental factors (explained 19.30% of the variation) on humic acid formation. Accordingly, optimizing the composting raw material improves the composting performance., Composting with five levels of green waste and sewage sludge was compared to examine how feeding ratios affected composting performance with special focus on humification, and the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that the raw material ratio persistently affected compost nutrients and stability. Humification and mineralization were promoted by higher proportion of sewage sludge. Bacterial community composition and within-community relationships were also significantly affected by the raw material feeding ratio. Network analysis indicated that clusters 1 and 4 which dominated by Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Acidobacteria shown significantly positive correlation with humic acid concentration. Notably, the structural equational model and variance partitioning analysis demonstrated that bacterial community structure (explained 47.82% of the variation) mediated the effect of raw material feeding ratio on humification, and exceeded the effect of environmental factors (explained 19.30% of the variation) on humic acid formation. Accordingly, optimizing the composting raw material improves the composting performance.

The rapid development of urbanization in China in recent years has resulted in the production of large amounts of construction waste, which has placed certain constraints on the sustainable development of the construction industry. This study measures the environmental efficiency of construction waste generated in China from static and dynamic perspectives using the data envelopment analysis and the Malmquist index with data from 30 Chinese provinces during the period from 2011 to 2020. The results showed that, from a static perspective, the environmental efficiency of China’s construction waste generation has been on a generally declining trend year by year, and the overall level is still not too high. At the regional level, there is a stepwise decline in the eastern, central, northeastern, and western regions. From a dynamic point of view, the overall Malmquist index in China has an average value of 1.016, indicating that the level of environmental efficiency of construction waste generation in China is in a state of improvement. From a regional perspective, the Malmquist index is highest in the east, indicating that the level of environmental efficiency of construction waste generation in the eastern region is developing well.

The rapid development of urbanization in China in recent years has resulted in the production of large amounts of construction waste, which has placed certain constraints on the sustainable development of the construction industry. This study measures the environmental efficiency of construction waste generated in China from static and dynamic perspectives using the data envelopment analysis and the Malmquist index with data from 30 Chinese provinces during the period from 2011 to 2020. The results showed that, from a static perspective, the environmental efficiency of China’s construction waste generation has been on a generally declining trend year by year, and the overall level is still not too high. At the regional level, there is a stepwise decline in the eastern, central, northeastern, and western regions. From a dynamic point of view, the overall Malmquist index in China has an average value of 1.016, indicating that the level of environmental efficiency of construction waste generation in China is in a state of improvement. From a regional perspective, the Malmquist index is highest in the east, indicating that the level of environmental efficiency of construction waste generation in the eastern region is developing well.

Fei-Ran Yang,1,* Si-Yi Li,1,* Xi-Wen Hu,1 Xiu-Rong Li,2 Hui-Jie Li2 1College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hui-Jie Li; Xiu-Rong Li, Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jingshi Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, People’s Republic of China, Email 2008lihuijie@163.com; szylxr2012@126.comBackground: As the main component of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), curcumin is widely used in the treatment of various diseases. Previous studies have demonstrated that curcumin has great potential as a therapeutic agent, but the lack of understanding of the functional mechanism of the drug has hindered the widespread use of the natural product. In the present study, we used comprehensive bioinformatics analysis and in vitro experiments to explore the anti-tumor mechanism of curcumin.Materials and Methods: LUAD mRNA expression data were obtained from TCGA database and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using R software. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted to further clarify its biological properties and hub genes were identified by a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. Survival analysis and molecular docking were used to analyze the effectiveness of the hub genes. By an in vitro study, we evaluated whether curcumin could influence the proliferation, migration, and invasion activities of LUAD cells.Results: In this study, 1783 DEGs from LUAD tissue samples compared to normal samples were evaluated. Functional enrichment analysis and the PPI network revealed the characteristics of the DEGs. We performed a topological analysis and identified 10 hub gen

BackgroundColon cancer is largely implicated in elderly patients (age >= 60years). The prognosis of patients diagnosed with the M1b stage is vastly poor. Marital and insurance status has been considered important prognostic factors in various cancer types. However, how these factors influence elderly patients with stage M1b colon cancer remains to be explored. This study aims to uncover the role of marital and insurance status in the survival of elderly patients with stage M1b colon cancer.MethodsWe retrieved data for patients diagnosed with stage M1b colon cancer between 2010 and 2016 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Our analysis of the clinicopathological features, overall survival (OS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) was based on the marital and insurance status, respectively.ResultsIn sum, 5709 stage M1b colon cancer patients with complete information from SEER were enrolled for analysis. The OS and CSS of the Non-married group were poorer compared to that of the Married group. The OS and CSS of the Uninsured group were poorer than both of the Insured group and Medicaid group. However, OS was comparable between Uninsured group and Medicaid groups. The findings allude that marital and insurance status potentially impact the long-term survival of elderly patients with M1b colon cancer. The subgroup survival analyses revealed the lowest risk for death among the Insured Married group based on the comparison of the OS and CSS across all other groups. Moreover, Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed race, marital status, surgery, and chemotherapy as independent predictors for OS, whereas insurance status, surgery,and chemotherapy were independent predictors for CSS in elderly patients with M1b colon cancer.ConclusionThe marital and insurance status greatly impact the survival of elderly patients with M1b colon cancer. Therefore, it is imperative to provide more support to this vulnerable patient group who are lonely and

BackgroundColon cancer is largely implicated in elderly patients (age >= 60years). The prognosis of patients diagnosed with the M1b stage is vastly poor. Marital and insurance status has been considered important prognostic factors in various cancer types. However, how these factors influence elderly patients with stage M1b colon cancer remains to be explored. This study aims to uncover the role of marital and insurance status in the survival of elderly patients with stage M1b colon cancer.MethodsWe retrieved data for patients diagnosed with stage M1b colon cancer between 2010 and 2016 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Our analysis of the clinicopathological features, overall survival (OS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) was based on the marital and insurance status, respectively.ResultsIn sum, 5709 stage M1b colon cancer patients with complete information from SEER were enrolled for analysis. The OS and CSS of the Non-married group were poorer compared to that of the Married group. The OS and CSS of the Uninsured group were poorer than both of the Insured group and Medicaid group. However, OS was comparable between Uninsured group and Medicaid groups. The findings allude that marital and insurance status potentially impact the long-term survival of elderly patients with M1b colon cancer. The subgroup survival analyses revealed the lowest risk for death among the Insured Married group based on the comparison of the OS and CSS across all other groups. Moreover, Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed race, marital status, surgery, and chemotherapy as independent predictors for OS, whereas insurance status, surgery,and chemotherapy were independent predictors for CSS in elderly patients with M1b colon cancer.ConclusionThe marital and insurance status greatly impact the survival of elderly patients with M1b colon cancer. Therefore, it is imperative to provide more support to this vulnerable patient group who are lonely and

Ziqi Ye,1,* Jie Chen,2,* Yanfang Zhang,1 Xi Hu,1 Zixue Xuan,3 Si Yang,1 Xiaohong Mao,3 Yuefeng Rao1 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yuefeng Rao Department of Clinical PharmacyThe First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-571-8723-6531Email raoyf@zju.edu.cnXiaohong Mao Department of PharmacyZhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, 158 Shangtang Road, Hangzhou 310014, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-15990151723Email maoxhzhz@163.comObjective: We sought to evaluate the efficacy of using a quick response (QR) code within video education to guide proper use of fentanyl transdermal patches and control pain, depression, and anxiety levels in cancer patients.Methods: Patients using a fentanyl transdermal patch for the first time were enrolled in the study and then given an information leaflet as well as an informed consent form. We asked them to complete the first questionnaire (Q1) prior to first use of the fentanyl transdermal patch, and then used a random number table to randomize those who completed it into two groups. Participants in group A received a QR code (to make it easier for them to obtain additional video information) and a traditional information leaflet, whereas those in group B (control group) only received a traditional information leaflet. Thereafter, we requested all participants

The parametric space exploration tools for motion designers and visual artists are still painful to use, so are the similar tools for other parametric designers and generative artists. The disparity between their tools and creation causes trivial trial and error process to find the right parameter combination. Besides, little customization support is provided to narrow and expand their parametric space during the exploration. My goal is to improve existing tools or create new ones to better support motion design process. In this paper, I present a new creativity support tool, Motion Palette, to facilitate motion exploration for visual artists specialized in dynamic visual effects design. Based on interviews of creative process in the first user study, I designed the tool and experimented with potential users in a second study. Results show Motion Palette works best with traditional exploration tools, e.g. sliders, outrating itself or sliders alone.

Sentence compression is an important problem in natural language processing. In this paper, we firstly establish a new sentence compression model based on the probability model and the parse tree model. Our sentence compression model is equivalent to an integer linear program (ILP) which can both guarantee the syntax correctness of the compression and save the main meaning. We propose using a DC (Difference of convex) programming approach (DCA) for finding local optimal solution of our model. Combing DCA with a parallel-branch-and-bound framework, we can find global optimal solution. Numerical results demonstrate the good quality of our sentence compression model and the excellent performance of our proposed solution algorithm., Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures

Xinyi Xu,1 Yuji Wang,1 Jianhui Wu,1 Xi Hu,1 Haimei Zhu,1 Xiaoyi Zhang,1 Yaonan Wang,1 Lin Gui,1 Ming Zhao,1,2 Shiqi Peng1 1Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China Abstract: To overcome the harmful side effects, low tolerance, and undesirable outcomes of the anticancer drugs, we used ethane-1,2-diamine to bridge antitumoral (S)-3-acetyl-4-oxo-tetrahydroindolo[2,3-a]quinolizine-6-carboxylic acid (ATIQC) and tumor-targeting d-glucuronic acid, thereby providing (6S)-3-acetyl-4-oxo-N-(2-(3,4,5,6-tetrahydroxytetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-carboxamido)ethyl)-4,6,7,12-tetrahydroindolo[2,3-a]quinolizine-6-carboxamide (ATIQCTPC). Atomic force microscopy images visualized, that in serum, ATIQCTPC formed particles of height <81 nm. These particles effectively avoided phagocytosis of macrophages and were stable in blood circulation. Distribution analysis indicated that ATIQCTPC accumulated and released ATIQC in the tumor tissue through a targeting manner. Thus, the antitumor and the anti-thrombotic activities of ATIQCTPC were 100-fold higher than those of ATIQC, and ATIQCTPC was able to prevent cancer patients from suffering from thrombosis. Based on the observation that ATIQCTPC decreased serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in S180 mice, we hypothesized that this is the mechanism that ATIQCTPC utilized to slow tumor growth. Additionally, we observed that ATIQCTPC inhibited thrombosis by decreasing serum P-selectin of thrombotic rats. The intermolecular association and the hexamerization manner of ATIQCTPC were experimentally eviden

Xinyi Xu,1 Yuji Wang,1 Jianhui Wu,1 Xi Hu,1 Haimei Zhu,1 Xiaoyi Zhang,1 Yaonan Wang,1 Lin Gui,1 Ming Zhao,1,2 Shiqi Peng1 1Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China Abstract: To overcome the harmful side effects, low tolerance, and undesirable outcomes of the anticancer drugs, we used ethane-1,2-diamine to bridge antitumoral (S)-3-acetyl-4-oxo-tetrahydroindolo[2,3-a]quinolizine-6-carboxylic acid (ATIQC) and tumor-targeting d-glucuronic acid, thereby providing (6S)-3-acetyl-4-oxo-N-(2-(3,4,5,6-tetrahydroxytetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-carboxamido)ethyl)-4,6,7,12-tetrahydroindolo[2,3-a]quinolizine-6-carboxamide (ATIQCTPC). Atomic force microscopy images visualized, that in serum, ATIQCTPC formed particles of height <81 nm. These particles effectively avoided phagocytosis of macrophages and were stable in blood circulation. Distribution analysis indicated that ATIQCTPC accumulated and released ATIQC in the tumor tissue through a targeting manner. Thus, the antitumor and the anti-thrombotic activities of ATIQCTPC were 100-fold higher than those of ATIQC, and ATIQCTPC was able to prevent cancer patients from suffering from thrombosis. Based on the observation that ATIQCTPC decreased serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in S180 mice, we hypothesized that this is the mechanism that ATIQCTPC utilized to slow tumor growth. Additionally, we observed that ATIQCTPC inhibited thrombosis by decreasing serum P-selectin of thrombotic rats. The intermolecular association and the hexamerization manner of ATIQCTPC were experimentally eviden

Xiaojie Lv,1 Ming Zhao,1,2 Yuiji Wang,1 Xi Hu,1 Jianhui Wu,1 Xueyun Jiang,1 Shan Li,1 Chunying Cui,1 Shiqi Peng1 1Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Abstract: In the treatment of cancer patients, cisplatin (CDDP) exhibits serious cardiac and renal toxicities, while classical combinations related to CDDP are unable to solve these problems and may result in worse prognosis. Alternately, this study covalently conjugated 6-mercaptopurine (6MP) onto the surface of mercapto-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNS) to form MSNS-6MP and loaded CDDP into the holes on the surface of MSNS-6MP to form MSNS-6MP/CDDP, a tumor-targeting nano-releasing regime for CDDP and 6MP specifically. In the S180 mouse model, the anti-tumor activity and overall survival of MSNS-6MP/CDDP (50 mg·kg-1·day-1, corresponding to 1 mg·kg-1·day-1 of 6MP and 5 mg·kg-1·day-1 of CDDP) were significantly higher than those of CDDP alone (5 mg·kg-1·day-1) or CDDP (5 mg·kg-1·day-1) plus 6MP (1 mg·kg-1·day-1). The assays of serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and creatinine, as well as the images of myocardium and kidney histology, support that MSNS-6MP/CDDP is able to completely eliminate liver, kidney and heart toxicities induced by CDDP alone or CDDP plus 6MP. Keywords: 6-mercaptopurine, cisplatin, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, cancer therapy, nanomedicine

Ning Song,1 Ming Zhao,1,2 Yuji Wang,1 Xi Hu,1 Jianhui Wu,1 Xueyun Jiang,1 Shan Li,1 Chunying Cui,1 Shiqi Peng1 1Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Abstract: In spite of the usual combination form of methotrexate (MTX)/mitoxantrone (MIT) and various complex combination regimens of MTX/MIT with other anticancer drugs, the survival period, cure rate, and systemic toxicity still need to be improved. For this purpose, a nanostructured amino group-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNN)–MTX/MIT was designed. In the preparation, the surface of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) was modified with amino groups to form MSNN. The covalent modification of the amino groups on the surface of MSNN with MTX resulted in MSNN–MTX. The loading of MIT into the surface pores of MSNN–MTX produced nanostructured MSNN–MTX/MIT. Compared with the usual combination form (MTX/MIT), nanostructured MSNN–MTX/MIT increased the survival period greatly, heightened the cure rate to a great extent, and lowered the systemic toxicity of the treated S180 mice, significantly. These superior in vivo properties of nanostructured MSNN–MTX/MIT over the usual combination form (MTX/MIT) were correlated with the former selectively releasing MTX and MIT in tumor tissue and inside cancer cells in vitro. The chemical structure and the nanostructure of MSNN–MTX/MIT were characterized using infrared and differential scanning calorimeter spectra as well as transmission electron microscope images, respectively. Keywords: mitoxantrone, methotrexate, mesoporo

Purpose: Our study is designed to examine the diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) for bladder cancers (BC), and to determine whether DW-MRI can differentiate muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) from non-MIBC (NMIBC). Methods: A meta-analysis was performed of published studies that investigated the performance of DW-MRI for BC. These studies were retrieved from scientific literature databases using sensitive electronic search strategies. The STATA 12.0 and Meta-disc software were employed for statistical analyses of data extracted from selected studies. Results: Our search initially returned 230 articles, of which 11 met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled into the final meta-analysis. Five of the included studies reported the diagnostic performance of DW-MRI for BC with a cumulative total of 243 BC patients and 82 healthy subjects. Eight studies investigated the diagnostic performance of DW-MRI for differentiating MIBC from NMIBC, involving 259 MIBC lesions and 515 NMIBC lesions. Meta-analysis results were as follows: the diagnostic performance of DW-MRI for BC (sensitivity: 0.95 [0.75-0.99]; specificity: 0.85 [0.74-0.92]; positive likelihood ratio: 6.45 [3.64-11.42]; negative likelihood ratio: 0.055 [0.009-0.333]; diagnostic odds ratio: 117.11 [19.37-708.05]; area under the curve (AUC): 0.91); the diagnostic performance of DW-MRI to differentiate MIBC from NMIBC (sensitivity: 0.85 [0.76 - 0.91]; specificity: 0.90 [0.87 - 0.93]; positive likelihood ratio:8.81[6.43 - 12.07]; negative likelihood ratio: 0.16 [0.10 - 0.28]; diagnostic odds ratio: 53.95 [25.68 - 113.33]; AUC: 0.92). Conclusion: DW-MRI has an outstanding diagnostic performance, with advanced sensitivity and specificity, for imaging of bladder cancers and for differentiating MIBC from NMIBC.

Purpose: Our study is designed to examine the diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) for bladder cancers (BC), and to determine whether DW-MRI can differentiate muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) from non-MIBC (NMIBC). Methods: A meta-analysis was performed of published studies that investigated the performance of DW-MRI for BC. These studies were retrieved from scientific literature databases using sensitive electronic search strategies. The STATA 12.0 and Meta-disc software were employed for statistical analyses of data extracted from selected studies. Results: Our search initially returned 230 articles, of which 11 met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled into the final meta-analysis. Five of the included studies reported the diagnostic performance of DW-MRI for BC with a cumulative total of 243 BC patients and 82 healthy subjects. Eight studies investigated the diagnostic performance of DW-MRI for differentiating MIBC from NMIBC, involving 259 MIBC lesions and 515 NMIBC lesions. Meta-analysis results were as follows: the diagnostic performance of DW-MRI for BC (sensitivity: 0.95 [0.75-0.99]; specificity: 0.85 [0.74-0.92]; positive likelihood ratio: 6.45 [3.64-11.42]; negative likelihood ratio: 0.055 [0.009-0.333]; diagnostic odds ratio: 117.11 [19.37-708.05]; area under the curve (AUC): 0.91); the diagnostic performance of DW-MRI to differentiate MIBC from NMIBC (sensitivity: 0.85 [0.76 - 0.91]; specificity: 0.90 [0.87 - 0.93]; positive likelihood ratio:8.81[6.43 - 12.07]; negative likelihood ratio: 0.16 [0.10 - 0.28]; diagnostic odds ratio: 53.95 [25.68 - 113.33]; AUC: 0.92). Conclusion: DW-MRI has an outstanding diagnostic performance, with advanced sensitivity and specificity, for imaging of bladder cancers and for differentiating MIBC from NMIBC.

Purpose: Our study is designed to examine the diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) for bladder cancers (BC), and to determine whether DW-MRI can differentiate muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) from non-MIBC (NMIBC). Methods: A meta-analysis was performed of published studies that investigated the performance of DW-MRI for BC. These studies were retrieved from scientific literature databases using sensitive electronic search strategies. The STATA 12.0 and Meta-disc software were employed for statistical analyses of data extracted from selected studies. Results: Our search initially returned 230 articles, of which 11 met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled into the final meta-analysis. Five of the included studies reported the diagnostic performance of DW-MRI for BC with a cumulative total of 243 BC patients and 82 healthy subjects. Eight studies investigated the diagnostic performance of DW-MRI for differentiating MIBC from NMIBC, involving 259 MIBC lesions and 515 NMIBC lesions. Meta-analysis results were as follows: the diagnostic performance of DW-MRI for BC (sensitivity: 0.95 [0.75-0.99]; specificity: 0.85 [0.74-0.92]; positive likelihood ratio: 6.45 [3.64-11.42]; negative likelihood ratio: 0.055 [0.009-0.333]; diagnostic odds ratio: 117.11 [19.37-708.05]; area under the curve (AUC): 0.91); the diagnostic performance of DW-MRI to differentiate MIBC from NMIBC (sensitivity: 0.85 [0.76 - 0.91]; specificity: 0.90 [0.87 - 0.93]; positive likelihood ratio:8.81[6.43 - 12.07]; negative likelihood ratio: 0.16 [0.10 - 0.28]; diagnostic odds ratio: 53.95 [25.68 - 113.33]; AUC: 0.92). Conclusion: DW-MRI has an outstanding diagnostic performance, with advanced sensitivity and specificity, for imaging of bladder cancers and for differentiating MIBC from NMIBC.

We introduce Talbot self-imaging into photoalignment technique to record Talbot carpet into an LC cell. Through the design of the setup, different images are presented on a single sample. By taking a simple 1D grating mask as an example, an LC cell with complex alignment structures applicable as Mach-Zehnder interferometer arrays is demonstrated. Further mask design permits feasibility of various structures which are practicable for many applications. This method may facilitate the fabrication of photonic applications such as optical communication, computing and sensing, etc. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America

We introduce Talbot self-imaging into photoalignment technique to record Talbot carpet into an LC cell. Through the design of the setup, different images are presented on a single sample. By taking a simple 1D grating mask as an example, an LC cell with complex alignment structures applicable as Mach-Zehnder interferometer arrays is demonstrated. Further mask design permits feasibility of various structures which are practicable for many applications. This method may facilitate the fabrication of photonic applications such as optical communication, computing and sensing, etc. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America

We introduce Talbot self-imaging into photoalignment technique to record Talbot carpet into an LC cell. Through the design of the setup, different images are presented on a single sample. By taking a simple 1D grating mask as an example, an LC cell with complex alignment structures applicable as Mach-Zehnder interferometer arrays is demonstrated. Further mask design permits feasibility of various structures which are practicable for many applications. This method may facilitate the fabrication of photonic applications such as optical communication, computing and sensing, etc. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America

A dual-frequency liquid crystal based optical switch with orthogonally photo-patterned alignments is designed and fabricated. The cell gap is theoretically optimized for high switching performance. The measured extinction ratio of first diffraction order is over 20 dB with a low electric field of 3 V/mu m. The switch On-Off time are measured to be 350 mu s and 600 mu s, respectively, both of which have reached submillisecond scale. Moreover, the switch is polarization independent, which has been predicted theoretically and further proved experimentally. This design is suitable in wide applications requiring fast response and polarizer free properties. (c) 2012 Optical Society of America

A dual-frequency liquid crystal based optical switch with orthogonally photo-patterned alignments is designed and fabricated. The cell gap is theoretically optimized for high switching performance. The measured extinction ratio of first diffraction order is over 20 dB with a low electric field of 3 V/mu m. The switch On-Off time are measured to be 350 mu s and 600 mu s, respectively, both of which have reached submillisecond scale. Moreover, the switch is polarization independent, which has been predicted theoretically and further proved experimentally. This design is suitable in wide applications requiring fast response and polarizer free properties. (c) 2012 Optical Society of America

A dual-frequency liquid crystal based optical switch with orthogonally photo-patterned alignments is designed and fabricated. The cell gap is theoretically optimized for high switching performance. The measured extinction ratio of first diffraction order is over 20 dB with a low electric field of 3 V/mu m. The switch On-Off time are measured to be 350 mu s and 600 mu s, respectively, both of which have reached submillisecond scale. Moreover, the switch is polarization independent, which has been predicted theoretically and further proved experimentally. This design is suitable in wide applications requiring fast response and polarizer free properties. (c) 2012 Optical Society of America

A novel nanocomposite of iron oxide and silicate, prepared through a reaction between a solution of iron salt and a dispersion of Laponite clay, was used as a catalyst for the photoassisted Fenton degradation of azo-dye Orange II. This catalyst is much cheaper than the Nafion-based catalysts, and our results illustrate that it can significantly accelerate the degradation of Orange II under the irradiation of UV light (lambda = 254 nm). An advantage of the catalyst is its long-term stability that was confirmed through using the catalyst for multiple runs in the degradation of Orange II. The effects of the H2O2 molar concentration, solution pH, wavelength and power of the LTV light, catalyst loading, and initial Orange II concentration on the degradation of Orange 11 were studied in detail. In addition, it was also found that discoloration of Orange 11 undergoes a faster kinetics than mineralization of Orange II and 75\% total organic carbons of 0.1 mM Orange II can be eliminated after 90 min in the presence of 1.0 g of Fe-nanocomposite/L, 4.8 mM H2O2, and 1 x 8W UVC.

Noble metal catalysts on activated carbon (AC) (Pt/AC and Ru/AC) and base metal catalysts (Cu/AC, CoMo/AC, Mo/AC, Mn/AC, Ru/Al2O3) were developed and examined for the simultaneous removal of organic pollutants and ammonia from wastewater using the wet air oxidation (WAO) process in the liquid phase. The noble metal catalysts were much more active than were the base metal catalysts. Ammonia removal was the rate-controlling step. Nitrate and nitrite accounted for a minor portion of the decomposed ammonia (<5\% for Ru/AC and <3\% for Pt/AC). Pt/AC was superior to Ru/AC in terms of ammonia removal, pH sensitivity and stability. Activated carbon was a better support for Pt than was TiO2, Al2O3 or MCM-41. The optimal preparation conditions of Pt/AC were: calcination at 300 degreesC for 6 h followed by H-2 reduction at 600 degreesC without pretreatment of AC. The catalyst so prepared, Pt(opt)/AC, produced ammonia removals of 52 and 88\% at 200 degreesC, initial pH of 5.6 and 12, respectively. The experimental results based on the Pt(opt)/AC showed that the Pt/AC catalyst was able to remove ammonia (>50\%) and phenol (approximate to100\%) simultaneously from highly polluted wastewater containing up to 1500 mg/l N ammonia and up to 8000 mg/l COD. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel nanocomposite of iron oxide and silicate, prepared through a reaction between a solution of iron salt and a dispersion of Laponite clay, was used as a catalyst for the photoassisted Fenton degradation of azo-dye Orange II. This catalyst is much cheaper than the Nafion-based catalysts, and our results illustrate that it can significantly accelerate the degradation of Orange II under the irradiation of UV light (lambda = 254 nm). An advantage of the catalyst is its long-term stability that was confirmed through using the catalyst for multiple runs in the degradation of Orange II. The effects of the H2O2 molar concentration, solution pH, wavelength and power of the LTV light, catalyst loading, and initial Orange II concentration on the degradation of Orange 11 were studied in detail. In addition, it was also found that discoloration of Orange 11 undergoes a faster kinetics than mineralization of Orange II and 75\% total organic carbons of 0.1 mM Orange II can be eliminated after 90 min in the presence of 1.0 g of Fe-nanocomposite/L, 4.8 mM H2O2, and 1 x 8W UVC.

Noble metal catalysts on activated carbon (AC) (Pt/AC and Ru/AC) and base metal catalysts (Cu/AC, CoMo/AC, Mo/AC, Mn/AC, Ru/Al2O3) were developed and examined for the simultaneous removal of organic pollutants and ammonia from wastewater using the wet air oxidation (WAO) process in the liquid phase. The noble metal catalysts were much more active than were the base metal catalysts. Ammonia removal was the rate-controlling step. Nitrate and nitrite accounted for a minor portion of the decomposed ammonia (<5\% for Ru/AC and <3\% for Pt/AC). Pt/AC was superior to Ru/AC in terms of ammonia removal, pH sensitivity and stability. Activated carbon was a better support for Pt than was TiO2, Al2O3 or MCM-41. The optimal preparation conditions of Pt/AC were: calcination at 300 degreesC for 6 h followed by H-2 reduction at 600 degreesC without pretreatment of AC. The catalyst so prepared, Pt(opt)/AC, produced ammonia removals of 52 and 88\% at 200 degreesC, initial pH of 5.6 and 12, respectively. The experimental results based on the Pt(opt)/AC showed that the Pt/AC catalyst was able to remove ammonia (>50\%) and phenol (approximate to100\%) simultaneously from highly polluted wastewater containing up to 1500 mg/l N ammonia and up to 8000 mg/l COD. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel nanocomposite of iron oxide and silicate, prepared through a reaction between a solution of iron salt and a dispersion of Laponite clay, was used as a catalyst for the photoassisted Fenton degradation of azo-dye Orange II. This catalyst is much cheaper than the Nafion-based catalysts, and our results illustrate that it can significantly accelerate the degradation of Orange II under the irradiation of UV light (lambda = 254 nm). An advantage of the catalyst is its long-term stability that was confirmed through using the catalyst for multiple runs in the degradation of Orange II. The effects of the H2O2 molar concentration, solution pH, wavelength and power of the LTV light, catalyst loading, and initial Orange II concentration on the degradation of Orange 11 were studied in detail. In addition, it was also found that discoloration of Orange 11 undergoes a faster kinetics than mineralization of Orange II and 75\% total organic carbons of 0.1 mM Orange II can be eliminated after 90 min in the presence of 1.0 g of Fe-nanocomposite/L, 4.8 mM H2O2, and 1 x 8W UVC.

Noble metal catalysts on activated carbon (AC) (Pt/AC and Ru/AC) and base metal catalysts (Cu/AC, CoMo/AC, Mo/AC, Mn/AC, Ru/Al2O3) were developed and examined for the simultaneous removal of organic pollutants and ammonia from wastewater using the wet air oxidation (WAO) process in the liquid phase. The noble metal catalysts were much more active than were the base metal catalysts. Ammonia removal was the rate-controlling step. Nitrate and nitrite accounted for a minor portion of the decomposed ammonia (<5\% for Ru/AC and <3\% for Pt/AC). Pt/AC was superior to Ru/AC in terms of ammonia removal, pH sensitivity and stability. Activated carbon was a better support for Pt than was TiO2, Al2O3 or MCM-41. The optimal preparation conditions of Pt/AC were: calcination at 300 degreesC for 6 h followed by H-2 reduction at 600 degreesC without pretreatment of AC. The catalyst so prepared, Pt(opt)/AC, produced ammonia removals of 52 and 88\% at 200 degreesC, initial pH of 5.6 and 12, respectively. The experimental results based on the Pt(opt)/AC showed that the Pt/AC catalyst was able to remove ammonia (>50\%) and phenol (approximate to100\%) simultaneously from highly polluted wastewater containing up to 1500 mg/l N ammonia and up to 8000 mg/l COD. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The metallo-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technique has been applied to the preparation of the photocatalyst titanium dioxide supported on porous alumina. Titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) was used as the precursor, which was first deposited inside the mesopores of alumina under vacuum and then decomposed under controlled conditions to titanium dioxide. The amount of titanium dioxide deposited was found to be affected by the flow rate of the precursor and the methods of both deposition and decomposition. By using MOCVD, the number of steps in preparing porous media-supported catalyst can be reduced. X-ray diffraction results show that the heterogeneous photocatalyst produced by MOCVD has an anatase crystal structure. Alumina-supported titanium dioxide prepared by MOCVD method has a lower TiO2 content but has a catalytic efficiency similar to the commercial titanium dioxide powder Degussa P-25. The supported catalyst has an advantage in that it can easily be recovered from the treated water by filtration and is then ready for reuse.

The metallo-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technique has been applied to the preparation of the photocatalyst titanium dioxide supported on porous alumina. Titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) was used as the precursor, which was first deposited inside the mesopores of alumina under vacuum and then decomposed under controlled conditions to titanium dioxide. The amount of titanium dioxide deposited was found to be affected by the flow rate of the precursor and the methods of both deposition and decomposition. By using MOCVD, the number of steps in preparing porous media-supported catalyst can be reduced. X-ray diffraction results show that the heterogeneous photocatalyst produced by MOCVD has an anatase crystal structure. Alumina-supported titanium dioxide prepared by MOCVD method has a lower TiO2 content but has a catalytic efficiency similar to the commercial titanium dioxide powder Degussa P-25. The supported catalyst has an advantage in that it can easily be recovered from the treated water by filtration and is then ready for reuse.

The metallo-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technique has been applied to the preparation of the photocatalyst titanium dioxide supported on porous alumina. Titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) was used as the precursor, which was first deposited inside the mesopores of alumina under vacuum and then decomposed under controlled conditions to titanium dioxide. The amount of titanium dioxide deposited was found to be affected by the flow rate of the precursor and the methods of both deposition and decomposition. By using MOCVD, the number of steps in preparing porous media-supported catalyst can be reduced. X-ray diffraction results show that the heterogeneous photocatalyst produced by MOCVD has an anatase crystal structure. Alumina-supported titanium dioxide prepared by MOCVD method has a lower TiO2 content but has a catalytic efficiency similar to the commercial titanium dioxide powder Degussa P-25. The supported catalyst has an advantage in that it can easily be recovered from the treated water by filtration and is then ready for reuse.

A heterogeneous copper catalyst was developed using a novel technique-metallo-organic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD). Highly porous activated carbon was selected as the catalyst support to provide a high specific area. Copper acetylacetonate was used as the precursor. The precursor was evaporated by heating, transported using carrier gas, deposited into the mesopores and micropores of the support, and finally decomposed and reduced under controlled conditions to elemental metal. A vacuum is applied to enhance the volatility of the precursor. The effects of the carrier gas flow rate and deposition time were studied. The developed catalyst was characterized using the appropriate analytical methods, and its catalytic efficiency was evaluated in the catalytic wet oxidation of phenol solution. The heterogeneous catalyst developed by MOCVD was found to be a monolayer and has a higher catalytic efficiency than that prepared by the impregnation method.

The effective degradation of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was achieved by the application of the photochemically enhanced Fenton reaction. This `Advanced Oxidation Process' was studied in a batch reactor (V = 0.75 l) using a mercury medium pressure light source. The accuracy of the DOC measurements in function of irradiation and reaction time was remarkably enhanced by the addition of a reduction and precipitation agent, consisting of an aqueous solution of Na3PO4, Na2SO3 and Kl. Effective oxidation was observed when employing low iron(II) concentrations of approximately 1 equivalent of iron(II) per 20 PVA-units (C2H4O) and a stoichiometric amount of H2O2 with respect to the PVA-units to be oxidized. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

In this paper, a series of wet oxidation experiments was carried out in a 2-1 autoclave reactor. To achieve a significant reduction of the reaction temperature and pressure, two new oxidation methods were applied. One was to partially or totally replace oxygen with a stronger oxidant, viz. hydrogen peroxide, and the other was to introduce a catalyst. Both processes were found to achieve a higher initial reaction rate of TOC and colour reduction at lower reaction temperatures and pressures as compared with the conventional wet air oxidation. By combining the two new improved methods to treat the dyeing wastewater concentrate from a membrane separation process, almost 80\% of TOC reduction and 90\% of colour removal were achieved within half-an-hour at a reaction temperature of 110 degrees C and a system total pressure of 50 kPa. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

In this paper, a series of wet oxidation experiments was carried out in a 2-1 autoclave reactor. To achieve a significant reduction of the reaction temperature and pressure, two new oxidation methods were applied. One was to partially or totally replace oxygen with a stronger oxidant, viz. hydrogen peroxide, and the other was to introduce a catalyst. Both processes were found to achieve a higher initial reaction rate of TOC and colour reduction at lower reaction temperatures and pressures as compared with the conventional wet air oxidation. By combining the two new improved methods to treat the dyeing wastewater concentrate from a membrane separation process, almost 80\% of TOC reduction and 90\% of colour removal were achieved within half-an-hour at a reaction temperature of 110 degrees C and a system total pressure of 50 kPa. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effective degradation of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was achieved by the application of the photochemically enhanced Fenton reaction. This `Advanced Oxidation Process' was studied in a batch reactor (V = 0.75 l) using a mercury medium pressure light source. The accuracy of the DOC measurements in function of irradiation and reaction time was remarkably enhanced by the addition of a reduction and precipitation agent, consisting of an aqueous solution of Na3PO4, Na2SO3 and Kl. Effective oxidation was observed when employing low iron(II) concentrations of approximately 1 equivalent of iron(II) per 20 PVA-units (C2H4O) and a stoichiometric amount of H2O2 with respect to the PVA-units to be oxidized. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

A heterogeneous copper catalyst was developed using a novel technique-metallo-organic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD). Highly porous activated carbon was selected as the catalyst support to provide a high specific area. Copper acetylacetonate was used as the precursor. The precursor was evaporated by heating, transported using carrier gas, deposited into the mesopores and micropores of the support, and finally decomposed and reduced under controlled conditions to elemental metal. A vacuum is applied to enhance the volatility of the precursor. The effects of the carrier gas flow rate and deposition time were studied. The developed catalyst was characterized using the appropriate analytical methods, and its catalytic efficiency was evaluated in the catalytic wet oxidation of phenol solution. The heterogeneous catalyst developed by MOCVD was found to be a monolayer and has a higher catalytic efficiency than that prepared by the impregnation method.

The effective degradation of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was achieved by the application of the photochemically enhanced Fenton reaction. This `Advanced Oxidation Process' was studied in a batch reactor (V = 0.75 l) using a mercury medium pressure light source. The accuracy of the DOC measurements in function of irradiation and reaction time was remarkably enhanced by the addition of a reduction and precipitation agent, consisting of an aqueous solution of Na3PO4, Na2SO3 and Kl. Effective oxidation was observed when employing low iron(II) concentrations of approximately 1 equivalent of iron(II) per 20 PVA-units (C2H4O) and a stoichiometric amount of H2O2 with respect to the PVA-units to be oxidized. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

A heterogeneous copper catalyst was developed using a novel technique-metallo-organic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD). Highly porous activated carbon was selected as the catalyst support to provide a high specific area. Copper acetylacetonate was used as the precursor. The precursor was evaporated by heating, transported using carrier gas, deposited into the mesopores and micropores of the support, and finally decomposed and reduced under controlled conditions to elemental metal. A vacuum is applied to enhance the volatility of the precursor. The effects of the carrier gas flow rate and deposition time were studied. The developed catalyst was characterized using the appropriate analytical methods, and its catalytic efficiency was evaluated in the catalytic wet oxidation of phenol solution. The heterogeneous catalyst developed by MOCVD was found to be a monolayer and has a higher catalytic efficiency than that prepared by the impregnation method.

In this paper, a series of wet oxidation experiments was carried out in a 2-1 autoclave reactor. To achieve a significant reduction of the reaction temperature and pressure, two new oxidation methods were applied. One was to partially or totally replace oxygen with a stronger oxidant, viz. hydrogen peroxide, and the other was to introduce a catalyst. Both processes were found to achieve a higher initial reaction rate of TOC and colour reduction at lower reaction temperatures and pressures as compared with the conventional wet air oxidation. By combining the two new improved methods to treat the dyeing wastewater concentrate from a membrane separation process, almost 80\% of TOC reduction and 90\% of colour removal were achieved within half-an-hour at a reaction temperature of 110 degrees C and a system total pressure of 50 kPa. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

The treatment of dyeing and printing wastewater from the textile industry by oxidation was studied. The reaction was carried out in a two-litre high pressure reactor. In order to promote the oxidation of organic pollutants present in the wastewater, experiments were conducted using various catalysts including metal salts, metal oxides, and porous alumina supported metals. All catalysts tested were able to enhance the conversion of organic compounds in wastewater, shorten the reaction time, and lower the reaction temperature. The alumina supported catalyst has an advantage over other catalysts in that it can be easily separated from the treated wastewater by filtration and recycled. The conditions in preparing the catalyst supported by porous alumina were experimentally optimised. (C) 1997 IAWQ. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

The treatment of dyeing and printing wastewater from the textile industry by oxidation was studied. The reaction was carried out in a two-litre high pressure reactor. In order to promote the oxidation of organic pollutants present in the wastewater, experiments were conducted using various catalysts including metal salts, metal oxides, and porous alumina supported metals. All catalysts tested were able to enhance the conversion of organic compounds in wastewater, shorten the reaction time, and lower the reaction temperature. The alumina supported catalyst has an advantage over other catalysts in that it can be easily separated from the treated wastewater by filtration and recycled. The conditions in preparing the catalyst supported by porous alumina were experimentally optimised. (C) 1997 IAWQ. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

The treatment of dyeing and printing wastewater from the textile industry by oxidation was studied. The reaction was carried out in a two-litre high pressure reactor. In order to promote the oxidation of organic pollutants present in the wastewater, experiments were conducted using various catalysts including metal salts, metal oxides, and porous alumina supported metals. All catalysts tested were able to enhance the conversion of organic compounds in wastewater, shorten the reaction time, and lower the reaction temperature. The alumina supported catalyst has an advantage over other catalysts in that it can be easily separated from the treated wastewater by filtration and recycled. The conditions in preparing the catalyst supported by porous alumina were experimentally optimised. (C) 1997 IAWQ. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

In order to facilitate the phytoremediation of heavy-metal-contaminated soils originating from industries such as smelting or metalliferous mines, the protective role of exogenous Se6+ on ramie plants subjected to cadmium stress in vitro and the alleviation mechanism have been studied. Under the conditions of 3, 6 and 9 mg/l cadmium - as Cd(NO3)2 - concentrations, when the ramie leaves were sprayed simultaneously with a low content of selenium (1.2 micromol/l Na2SeO4), the activities of the antioxidative enzymes superoxide dismutase and peroxidase increased by 35.34, 43.18 and 3.63% and by 12.45, 14.14 and 3.27%, respectively, and the level of deoxyribonucleic acid methylation was decreased by 10.70, 18.18 and 15.59%, respectively. The malondialdehyde contents - reflecting the extent of lipid peroxidation - in leaf and root tissues and the levels of chlorophyll and carotenoids in leaf tissues of ramie subjected to cadmium or simultaneously sprayed selenium were additionally determined. On addition of selenium, and under 3, 6 and 9 mg/l cadmium concentrations, the malondialdehyde content decreased by 11.96, 27.55 and 11.03% in roots and by 13.61, 17.73 and 13.76% in leaves, respectively., In order to facilitate the phytoremediation of heavy-metal-contaminated soils originating from industries such as smelting or metalliferous mines, the protective role of exogenous Se6+ on ramie plants subjected to cadmium stress in vitro and the alleviation mechanism have been studied. Under the conditions of 3, 6 and 9 mg/l cadmium - as Cd(NO3)2 - concentrations, when the ramie leaves were sprayed simultaneously with a low content of selenium (1.2 micromol/l Na2SeO4), the activities of the antioxidative enzymes superoxide dismutase and peroxidase increased by 35.34, 43.18 and 3.63% and by 12.45, 14.14 and 3.27%, respectively, and the level of deoxyribonucleic acid methylation was decreased by 10.70, 18.18 and 15.59%, respectively. The malondialdehyde contents - reflecting the extent of lipid peroxidation - in leaf and root tissues and the levels of chlorophyll and carotenoids in leaf tissues of ramie subjected to cadmium or simultaneously sprayed selenium were additionally determined. On addition of selenium, and under 3, 6 and 9 mg/l cadmium concentrations, the malondialdehyde content decreased by 11.96, 27.55 and 11.03% in roots and by 13.61, 17.73 and 13.76% in leaves, respectively.

We present an empirical study to systemically estimate flooding impacts, linking across scales from individual firms through to the macro levels in China. To this end, we combine a detailed firm-level econometric analysis of 399,356 firms with a macroeconomic input-output model to estimate flood impacts on China's manufacturing sector over the period 2003-2010. We find that large flooding events on average reduce firm outputs (measured by labor productivity) by about 28.3% per year. Using an input-output analysis, we estimate the potential macroeconomic impact to be a 12.3% annual loss in total output, which amounts to 15,416 RMB billion. Impacts can propagate from manufacturing firms, which are the focus of our empirical analysis, through to other economic sectors that may not actually be located in floodplains but can still be affected by economic disruptions. Lagged flood effects over the following two years are estimated to be a further 5.4% at the firm level and their associated potential effects are at a 2.3% loss in total output or 2,486 RMB billion at the macro-level. These results indicate that the scale of economic impacts from flooding is much larger than microanalyses of direct damage indicate, thus justifying greater action, at a policy level and by individual firms, to manage flood risk.