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The GlutoPeak is a new instrument used to measure the rheological properties of wheat flour dough. To determine the role of GlutoPeak parameters in assessing wheat quality, near-isogenic lines (NILs) of three wheat varieties with different gluten strengths were used in this study. The availability of GlutoPeak parameters was determined by comparing the consistency of differences in GlutoPeak parameters with the differences in the genetic effects of NILs and the differences in the conventional quality parameters caused by the genetic effects of those NILs. The results showed that only the difference in peak maximum time was identical to the genetic differences and conventional quality parameters within each of these NIL sets. The conventional quality parameters examined were gluten index, Zeleny sedimentation, development time, stability, breakdown time, maximum resistance, extensibility and energy area. Higher gluten strength corresponded to larger peak maximum time. These results provide valuable information concerning the application of the GlutoPeak to the improvement of wheat quality.

The EU-DEMO baseline follows the path towards a large-scale tokamak demonstrator. The unmatched size stands as one of the biggest challenge to overcome. Toroidal field magnets are no exception and the expanding performance and limits require the development of new conductor designs. In this regard, CEA design team has been working on the scaling-up of ITER-like conductor technology, with the design, manufacture and test of a square-in-square 100 kA-class conductor called DEMOTF-WP3. It has now been tested in SULTAN and this article presents preliminary results. The sample is composed by two legs containing the same 3.5 m long CICC for redundancy purpose. Voltage taps and temperature sensors are installed along both legs following a symmetrical scheme. This sample also contains a twinbox joint prototype connecting the two legs together at the bottom of the sample thanks to a thin layer of compacted indium. Furthermore, the need expressed at EU-DEMO Gate 1 review to investigate round-in-round geometry permitting the use of radial plates, triggered the CEA design team to propose another Nb3Sn conductor design (DEMOTF-WP4), with operating current of 116 kA and peak field of 12.5 T. This conductor is composed of 721 SC strands and 1108 copper strands cabled together within a round stainless steel jacket with a diameter of 55 mm. The detailed design is presented along with the prototype manufactured that will be used for the qualification tests to be held at SULTAN facility at CRPP in 2025.

Stimulation with ultrafast light pulses can realize and manipulate states of matter with emergent structural, electronic and magnetic phenomena. However, these non-equilibrium phases are often transient and the challenge is to stabilize them as persistent states. Here, we show that atomic-scale PbTiO3/SrTiO3superlattices, counterpoising strain and polarization states in alternate layers, are converted by sub-picosecond optical pulses to a supercrystal phase. This phase persists indefinitely under ambient conditions, has not been created via equilibrium routes, and can be erased by heating. X-ray scattering and microscopy show this unusual phase consists of a coherent three-dimensional structure with polar, strain and charge-ordering periodicities of up to 30 nm. By adjusting only dielectric properties, the phase-field model describes this emergent phase as a photo-induced charge-stabilized supercrystal formed from a two-phase equilibrium state. Our results demonstrate opportunities for light-activated pathways to thermally inaccessible and emergent metastable states.

This numerical study investigates combustion characteristics of a CH4jet flame in hot oxidant coflow (JHC) diluted by H2O versus the case by N2. Both MILD oxy–fuel combustion and traditional combustion are generated by varying the coflow oxygen level from 3% to 85% in volume. To distinguish physical and chemical effects of changing the diluent from N2to H2O, the JHC flame diluted by XH2O (artificial H2O without reactivity) is also simulated. It is demonstrated that both the temperature and the dimension of the JHC flame reduce substantially when changing the diluent from N2to H2O. Such reductions derive primarily from different fluid properties of N2and H2O, i.e., H2O has a lower fluid density and a higher thermal capacity. The change from N2to H2O is also found to have an impact more chemically on formation of the main intermediate species (i.e., H, O, CO, OH) and simultaneously to increase the flame lift-off distance due to longer ignition delay. Hence, the MILD combustion is expected to occur more feasibly for the JHC flame diluted by steam than that by nitrogen. The differences noted above lessen as the coflow oxygen is increased. In addition, kinetic oxidation pathways are analyzed to improve our understanding of the CH4JHC combustion diluted by N2and H2O.

This study investigates the diluent-dependent diffusion flames of an axisymmetric methane jet in annular hot coflow (JHC) of oxidizer diluted by “inert” N2, CO2, and H2O, respectively. The fuel jet issues at an exit Reynolds number of ≈10 000, while the hot (1300 K) coflow oxygen level (molar fraction) varies between 6 and 23%. To identify the chemical and physical factors, simulations of the diffusion flames diluted by fictitious gases XH2O and XCO2are also conducted. Inspections and analyses to combustion radicals and heat release rates are made on the stoichiometric sheet. Results show that the stoichiometric length, temperature, and volumetric heat release rate vary drastically with coflow oxygen level or dilution extent. The flame volume increases greatly when replacing the diluent N2with CO2but reduces substantially under the H2O dilution. Such discrepancies are found to stem mainly from specific physical properties of N2, CO2, and H2O. The CO2and H2O dilutions show more chemical impact on the formations of key intermediate species. Besides, the dilution by CO2weakens all the main reactions, thus producing the mildest flame, whereas that by H2O promotes the formations of radicals OH and H2, enhancing the heat release rate. Last, the global heat contributions of C-included and C-excluded (H2–O2) reactions are examined so as to understand the roles of the H2–O2kinetics in oxy-combustion.

CD163 is a macrophage scavenger receptor with anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory functions. Here, we report that alveolar macrophages (AMΦs) from asthmatic subjects had reduced cell-surface expression of CD163, which suggested that CD163 might modulate the pathogenesis of asthma. Consistent with this, house dust mite (HDM)-challenged Cd163−/−mice displayed increases in airway eosinophils and mucous cell metaplasia (MCM). The increased airway eosinophils and MCM in HDM-challenged Cd163−/−mice were mediated by augmented CCL24 production and could be reversed by administration of a neutralizing anti-CCL24 antibody. A proteomic analysis identified the calcium-dependent binding of CD163 to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinuspeptidase 1 (Der p1). Der p1-challenged Cd163−/−mice had the same phenotype as HDM-challenged Cd163−/−mice with increases in airway eosinophils, MCM and CCL24 production, while Der p1 induced CCL24 secretion by bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMΦs) from Cd163−/−mice, but not BMMΦs from wild-type (WT) mice. Finally, airway eosinophils and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid CCL24 levels were increased in Der p1-challenged WT mice that received adoptively transferred AMΦ’s from Cd163−/−mice. Thus, we have identified CD163 as a macrophage receptor that binds Der p1. Furthermore, we have shown that HDM-challenged Cd163−/−mice have increased eosinophilic airway inflammation and MCM that are mediated by a CCL24-dependent mechanism.

CD163 is a macrophage scavenger receptor with anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory functions. Here, we report that alveolar macrophages (AMΦs) from asthmatic subjects had reduced cell-surface expression of CD163, which suggested that CD163 might modulate the pathogenesis of asthma. Consistent with this, house dust mite (HDM)-challenged Cd163−/−mice displayed increases in airway eosinophils and mucous cell metaplasia (MCM). The increased airway eosinophils and MCM in HDM-challenged Cd163−/−mice were mediated by augmented CCL24 production and could be reversed by administration of a neutralizing anti-CCL24 antibody. A proteomic analysis identified the calcium-dependent binding of CD163 to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinuspeptidase 1 (Der p1). Der p1-challenged Cd163−/−mice had the same phenotype as HDM-challenged Cd163−/−mice with increases in airway eosinophils, MCM and CCL24 production, while Der p1 induced CCL24 secretion by bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMΦs) from Cd163−/−mice, but not BMMΦs from wild-type (WT) mice. Finally, airway eosinophils and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid CCL24 levels were increased in Der p1-challenged WT mice that received adoptively transferred AMΦ's from Cd163−/−mice. Thus, we have identified CD163 as a macrophage receptor that binds Der p1. Furthermore, we have shown that HDM-challenged Cd163−/−mice have increased eosinophilic airway inflammation and MCM that are mediated by a CCL24-dependent mechanism.

The involvement of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) salvage pathway in cancer cell survival is poorly understood. Here we show that the NAD+salvage pathway modulates cancer cell survival through the rarely mutated tumour suppressor p73. Our data show that pharmacological inhibition or knockdown of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), a rate-limiting enzyme in the NAD+salvage pathway, enhances autophagy and decreases survival of cancer cells in a p53-independent manner. Such NAMPT inhibition stabilizes p73 independently of p53 through increased acetylation and decreased ubiquitination, resulting in enhanced autophagy and cell death. These effects of NAMPT inhibition can be effectively reversed using nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), the enzymatic product of NAMPT. Similarly, knockdown of p73 also decreases NAMPT inhibition-induced autophagy and cell death, whereas overexpression of p73 alone enhances these effects. We show that the breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468) harbour significantly higher levels of NAMPT and lower levels of p73 than does the normal cell line (MCF-10A), and that NAMPT inhibition is cytotoxic exclusively to the cancer cells. Furthermore, data from 176 breast cancer patients demonstrate that higher levels of NAMPT and lower levels of p73 correlate with poorer patient survival, and that high-grade tumours have significantly higher NAMPT/p73 mRNA ratios. Therefore, the inverse relationship between NAMPT and p73 demonstrable in vitrois also reflected from the clinical data. Taken together, our studies reveal a new NAMPT-p73 nexus that likely has important implications for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.

Numerous studies indicate that p300 acts as a key transcriptional cofactor in vivo, at least, in part, by modulating activities of p53 by acetylation. Nevertheless, the regulation of the p53-p300 interplay is not completely understood. Here, we have identified the DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) box RNA helicase 24 (DDX24) as a novel regulator of the p300-p53 axis. We found that DDX24 interacts with p300, and this interaction leads to suppression of p300-mediated acetylation of p53. Notably, RNA interference-mediated knockdown of endogenous DDX24 significantly increases the acetylation levels of endogenous p53 in human cancer cells and subsequently promotes p53-mediated activation of its transcriptional targets such as p21 and p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA). In contrast, DDX24 expression inhibits the p300-p53 interaction and suppresses p300-mediated acetylation of p53. Moreover, DDX24 is overexpressed in human cancer cells and reduction of DDX24 protein levels by RNA interference induces cell cycle arrest and senescence in a p53-dependent manner. These results reveal DDX24 as an important regulator of p300 and suggest that the modulation of the p53-p300 interplay by DDX24 is critical in controlling p53 activities in human cancer cells.

In order to increase the amount of waste heat recovery, the cooling process of a layer loaded sinter cooler was simulated. Aiming to determine exactly the flow and temperature distributions in the sinter cooler, several high accuracy numerical models were coupled together to simulate the complex multidimensional physical phenomenon. Different particle sizes of sieved sinter were loaded in different layers of the cooler, and groups of simulation experiments were designed and performed. An orthogonal optimisation experiment was designed to evaluate the influence of the designed parameters (i.e. the inlet area and wall heat flux). The results showed that the inlet area and wall heat flux have significant influences on the recovery of waste heat, and a group of optimal parameters was obtained. A formula was developed by fitting the simulation results and test data and showed that the simulated results agreed well with the test data, which indicated that the current fitting formula can be used to predict the evolutions of sinter temperature at outlet as function of the cooling time.

This research developed a simulation-aided nonlinear programming model (SNPM). This model incorporated the consideration of pollutant dispersion modeling, and the management of coal blending and the related human health risks within a general modeling framework. In SNPM, the simulation effort (i.e., California puff [CALPUFF]) was used to forecast the fate of air pollutants for quantifying the health risk under various conditions, while the optimization studies were to identify the optimal coal blending strategies from a number of alternatives. To solve the model, a surrogate-based indirect search approach was proposed, where the support vector regression (SVR) was used to create a set of easy-to-use and rapid-response surrogates for identifying the function relationships between coal-blending operating conditions and health risks. Through replacing the CALPUFF and the corresponding hazard quotient equation with the surrogates, the computation efficiency could be improved. The developed SNPM was applied to minimize the human health risk associated with air pollutants discharged from Gaojing and Shijingshan power plants in the west of Beijing. Solution results indicated that it could be used for reducing the health risk of the public in the vicinity of the two power plants, identifying desired coal blending strategies for decision makers, and considering a proper balance between coal purchase cost and human health risk.Implications:A simulation-aided nonlinear programming model (SNPM) is developed. It integrates the advantages of CALPUFF and nonlinear programming model. To solve the model, a surrogate-based indirect search approach based on the combination of support vector regression and genetic algorithm is proposed. SNPM is applied to reduce the health risk caused by air pollutants discharged from Gaojing and Shijingshan power plants in the west of Beijing. Solution results indicate that it is useful for generating coal blending schemes, reducing the health risk of the public, reflecting the trade-off between coal purchase cost and health risk.

A novel process of manufacturing high performance AZ31 alloy strip was put forward by combining semisolid rolling, deep rolling and heat treatment, and the effects of dynamic recrystallisation during deep rolling of semisolid slab and heat treatment on microstructure and properties of AZ31 alloy were investigated. When the casting temperature was set from 650 to 690°C and the vibration frequency was controlled at 80 Hz, AZ31 alloy strip with the cross-section size of 4×160 mm and fine near round and rosette grains was manufactured by semisolid rolling. Dynamic recrystallisation happened during deep rolling process. Dynamic recrystallisation grain size decreases with the increase in deep rolling temperature in a certain scope. With the increase in deep rolling deformation amount, the microstructure evolved gradually from coarse primary grains and twins to fine dynamic recrystallisation grains and twist primary grains as well as small regular equiaxed grains. AZ31 alloy strip with very fine equiaxed grain in size of 6 µm was obtained by deep rolling. After solution treatment at 415°C for 20 h, the saturated solid solution of AZ31 alloy strip has been formed. After solution treatment at 415°C for 20 h and aging at 230°C for 16 h, the deep rolled AZ31 alloy strips exhibit excellent mechanical properties; the ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, elongation to failure and hardness could reach 330 MPa, 204 MPa, 11 and 71 HV respectively.

In many applications, such as navigation or control, the vital localization or feedback information can be obtained via inertial sensors with subsequent time integration. However, the intrinsic near-DC noise existing in virtually all signals would cause signal drifting after integration and eventually disables the associated applications. Various approaches have been proposed to solve this problem. In this study, the existed drift-integration approach is re-examined for evaluating its performance and optimal design criterion through both simulation and experimental characterizations. A drift-free integrator based on a first-order low-pass filter and two second-order Sallen–Keys high-pass filters was realized using commercially available OP 741 and associated circuit elements. An electromagnetically actuated vibrating system was designed and realized for providing vibration excitation, and its acceleration and displacement were measured separately by a PCB accelerometer and a Micro-Epsilon displacement probe. Both signals are subsequently converted to velocities using the drift-free integration and standard signal differentiation for the purpose of the performance evaluation and the optimal design of the integrator. The experimental results indicated that the integrator can effectively suppress the signal drifting due to the near-DC components commonly existing in all inertial signals. However, it also was found that a trade-off exists between drifting suppression and the extent of signal distortion, and there exists an optimal design criterion based on the dynamic parameters of both circuit and mechanical systems. The conclusion drawn from this study would be useful for a designed drift-free integrator for related applications such as an accelerometer-based velocity feedback control and the MEMS accelerometer-based inertial navigation systems.

ZnO nanotetrapods were prepared by hydrothermal emulsion method. The X-ray diffraction result showed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of the ZnO nanotetrapods. The main morphology of the ZnO whiskers is a nanotetrapod, aside from the sheet- and flower-shaped ZnO. Growth time and cyclohexane dosage exert some influences on the morphology and size of ZnO. In addition, aluminum doping plays an important role on the morphology of ZnO.

Objective:To study idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (IHP) myopathy and its pathogenesis by histology method. Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of nine IHP patients during the years 2006–2010. Results:We found that: 1) there was an inverse relationship between the decreased serum calcium level and the elevated muscle enzymes level; 2) the IHP patients had mild-to-moderate muscle cells vacuolar degeneration and focal hyaline degeneration by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining; 3) except for 2 patients, the others’ muscles striations were undetectable by phosphotungstic acid hematoxylin staining; 4) 2 patients with extremely high level of creatine kinase and relatively longer disease duration had muscle atrophy, multiple focal muscle fiber hyaline degeneration and sarcolemma cells hyperplasia by HE staining; 5) all patients had different degree of immune complex deposition along the muscle cell membranes by immunofluorescence staining. Conclusion:The patients with IHP had some histological changes in skeletal muscles but with no specificity. The changes in muscles and the elevated serum muscle enzymes were related to hypocalcemia. The severity of changes in muscles was related to the duration of hypocalcemia and not only to its degree.

Polyaxial figures of the Moon from the lunar reconnaissance orbiter laser altimetry and multi-mission synthesis of the lunar shapeLast decade witnessed a plethora of missions to the Moon by China (Chang'E-1 and Chang-E-2), Japan (SELenological and ENgineering Explorer, SELENE), India (Chandrayaan-1) and USA (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), all carried out laser altimetry measurements. This study is a follow up to a series of earlier investigations that produced a number of new models to represent the gross geometric shape of the Moon using Unified Lunar Control 2005, Chang'E-1, and SELENE laser altimetry data using the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter laser altimetry measurements. The symmetric and asymmetric polyaxial geometric models derived from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter laser altimetry data, namely, three, four and six-axial lunar figure parameters, are compared and contrasted with the corresponding model parameters estimated from the Chang'E-1 and SELENE laser altimetry. All solutions produced geometric shape, orientation parameters, and the parameters of the geometric center of lunar figure with respect to the center of mass of the Moon showing remarkable agreement with each other within 100 m. A combined solution by the fusion of uniformly sampled laser altimetry data from all three missions produced the best estimates for the lunar shape, orientation, and lunar center of figure parameters, and their realistic error estimates.

Orientation of the Geometrically Best fitting Triaxial Lunar Ellipsoid with Respect to the Mean Earth/Polar Axis Reference FrameThis study provides new estimates for the orientation of a geometrically best fitting lunar triaxial ellipsoid with respect to the mean Earth/polar axis reference frame calculated from the footprint positions of the Chang'E-1 (CE-1), SELenological and ENgineering Explorer (SELENE) laser altimetry measurements and Unified Lunar Control Networks 2005, (ULCN 2005) station coordinates. The semi-principal axes of the triaxial ellipsoid and the coordinates of its geometric center are also calculated simultaneously. All the estimated parameters from all three data sets are found to be consistent. In particular, the RMS differences of the semi-principal axes of the triaxial ellipsoids and the locations of their geometric centers from solutions with and without modeling Euler angles (orientation of the triaxial ellipsoid) using uniformly distributed laser altimetry (LAL) footprints are 29 and 31 m respectively. The misclosures of all the solutions indicate a better fit for the triaxial ellipsoid to the footprint and station coordinates if the Euler angles are included in the models.

Polyaxial Figures of the MoonThis study investigates various models to represent the gross geometric shape of the Moon. Asymmetric polyaxial geometric models-namely three-, four- and six-axial lunar figure - are compared and contrasted with the axially symmetric three-axis ellipsoidal model derived from Chang'e 1 and SELENE laser altimetry data. All solutions confirm a hydrostatically stable lunar shape shifted with respect to the lunar center of mass by topography. Model solutions with increasing complexity offer additional information about the regional properties of the lunar topography. Solution statistics suggest that axially symmetric lunar figures and their center of figure parameters can be replaced by an equivalent asymmetric lunar shape centered at the center of mass of the Moon. Thus, using only three shape parameters, one can derive an "egg" shape that better accommodates the true geometry of the Moon.

A series of pyrrolizidine esters, amides, and ureas was prepared and tested for 5-HT4 and 5-HT3 receptor binding, 5-HT4 receptor agonism in the rat tunica muscularis mucosae (TMM) assay, and for 5-HT3 receptor-mediated functional antagonism in the Bezold−Jarisch reflex assay. Several pyrrolizidine derivatives were identified with high affinity for the 5-HT4 receptor, including benzamide 12a (SC-53116), a potent and selective 5-HT4 partial agonist that exhibits efficacy in promoting antral contractions and activity in promoting gastric emptying in canine models. Also discovered were 5-HT4 receptor antagonists, including imidazopyridine amide 10.1016/0041-624X(88)90009-1(SC-53606), which is a potent and selective 5-HT4 receptor antagonist with a pA2 value of 8.13 in the rat TMM assay. N-Methyl indole ester 13d was identified as a potent 5-HT4 antagonist with a pA2 value of 8.93. High selectivity was observed for these pyrrolizidine derivatives versus other monoamine receptors, including 5-HT1, 5-HT2, D1, D2, α1, α2, and β receptors.

Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and osterix are osteoblast-specific transcription factors essential for the development of osteoblastic cells and bone formation. PTH given intermittently has anabolic effects on bone; however, the exact role remains to be understood completely. The purpose of this study was both to investigate whether PTH regulates Runx2 as well as osterix expression and to identify the signaling used. Using RTPCR, we confirmed that PTH (1–34) regulated Runx2 and osterix mRNA expression, in rat osteoblast-like cell line UMR 106, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. PTH in low concentrations stimulated both Runx2 and osterix mRNA expression while that in high concentrations did not. Forskolin, an adenylate cyclase activator, also enhanced Runx2 and osterix transcription, and the stimulatory effects of PTH and forskolin were blocked by the pre-treatment of thecells with H-89, a protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor. In contrast, the protein kinase C (PKC) activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) had no effect on Runx2 transcription, but induced an increase in osterix mRNA level at the concentration of 500 nMat 12 h after treatment. Moreover, pre-treatment of the cells with calphostin C, a PKC-specific inhibitor, reduced the increase in osterix transcripts enhanced by PTH and PMA 12 h after treatment. However, these inhibitory effects were not sustained for longer terms. These observations demonstrate that PTH stimulates Runx2 and osterix expression in vitro, at least in part, at transcriptional level. Induction of Runx2 mRNA is mediated through the activation of cAMP/PKA signal transduction. In the case of osterix, although the increase in mRNA level is predominantly mediated viacAMP/PKA signaling, PKC activation might also be involved in this process.

Three new oxygenated sesquiterpenoids, gibberodione (1), peroxygibberol (2), and sinugibberodiol (3), along with sarcophytol L (4) were isolated from a Formosan soft coral, Sinularia gibberosa. The structures of the new metabolites were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses and by comparison of NMR data with those of related metabolites. Metabolites 2 and 4 were found to exhibit moderate cytotoxicity toward a human liver carcinoma cell line.

An unprecedented C,C-linked dimeric norcembranoid (sinulochmodin A, 1), a novel isocembranoid (sinulochmodin B, 2), and a novel yonarane norditerpenoid (sinulochmodin C, 3) were isolated from the soft coral Sinularia lochmodes. The structures of these metabolites were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and on the basis of the absolute structures of two related norditerpenoids (4 and 5), which were determined for the first time by a modified Mosher method. A plausible pathway for the biosynthesis of 1 and 3−5 from 2 was postulated.

Abstract This work studies the fabrication of a circular micromirror array by the standard 0.35 µm SPFM (Single Polysilicon Four Metals) CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) process and a maskless postprocess. The advantages of the post-process are its compatibility with conventional CMOS process and this method provides a way to designer to quickly construct micromachined structures using the standardized procedures. The mentioned circular micromirror array that contains 10 × 10 micromirror switches is integrated with a 1 × 8 de-multiplexer control circuit and a four-stage charge pump on a chip. The radius of each micromirror is about 25 ìm, and the gap from the bottom electrode to the top mirror plate is about 5 µm. The micromirror array is actuated using an electrostatic force. Simulated results show that the micromirror has a tilting angle of around 9° at a driving voltage of 30 V. The root-mean-square roughness and the average roughness of the mirror surface are measured at 15.31 nm and 12.58 nm respectively. In addition, the first and the second mode of natural frequency of the micromirror switch are around 492 KHz and 508 KHz, respectively.

Ten new prenylbicyclogermacrane diterpenoids, pacificins A−J (1−10), were isolated from the methylene chloride solubles of the Formosan soft coral Nephthea pacifica. The structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectral analysis, and their cytotoxicity against selected cancer cells was measured in vitro.

Nine new metabolites, including one novel naphthoquinone derivative, chabrolonaphthoquinone A (1), four tetraprenyltoluquinol-related metabolites, chabrolohydroxybenzoquinones A−D (2−5), and four tetraprenyltoluquinone-related compounds, chabrolobenzoquinones A−D (6−9), were isolated from the organic extract of a Taiwanese soft coral, Nephthea chabrolii. The structures of 1−9 were elucidated on the basis of spectral data.

One new cytotoxic steroid, dendronesterone A (1), two new steroids, dendronesterones B and C (2 and 3), and a known steroid (4) were isolated from the methylene chloride solubles of the Formosan soft coral Dendronephthya gigantea. Two cytotoxic ylangene-type sesquiterpenoids, lemnalol (5) and the new compound cervicol (6), as well as two ylangene-type sesquiterpenoids, isolemnalol (7) (a new compound) and 4-oxo-α-ylangene (8), were isolated from the methylene chloride solubles of the Formosan soft coral Lemnalia cervicorni. Their structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectral analysis, and their cytotoxicity against selected cancer cells was measured in vitro.

Two new norsesquiterpenoids, nanonorcaryophyllenes A (1) and B (2), two new diterpenoids, nanolobatins A (3) and B (4), and a novel norditerpenoid, nanolobatin C (5), were isolated from the n-hexane extract of the Taiwanese soft coral Sinularia nanolobata. Also, two new furanone derivatives, 6 and 7, were isolated for the first time from natural sources. The structures of 1−5 were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses and by comparison of the spectral data with those of the related metabolites. Nanonorcaryophyllenes A (1) and B (2) were characterized as 13-norcaryophyllenes that lack a methyl group at C-11, while nanolobatin C (5) represents the first example of a xeniaphyllane-based 17-norditerpenoid. The cytotoxicity of 1−6 against the growth of a limited panel of cancer cell lines is also described.

The UV‐curable urethane‐acrylates based on 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA)‐terminated polyurethane (PU) for lithographic and coating applications are investigated in this study. Series of PU prepolymers were made from 4,4‐diphenyl methane diisocyanate (MDI), poly(propylene oxide) glycol (PPG 400), poly(butylene adipate)glycol (PBA 500), or poly(tetramethylene oxide) glycol (PTMO 1000) and are terminated with HEMA. The 2,2‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) was used as a UV‐initiator under air atmosphere. The curing kinetics of HEMA‐terminated PU film were studied. The curing analysis, using FTIR and reaction kinetics, indicate the reaction rate equation correlates well with the film thickness [T], initiator concentration [I], unreacted double bond concentration [CC], and exposed energy [E] of the reaction system. The kinetic rate equation for the UV‐curable reaction can be written as © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 3162–3166, 2004