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A combined analytical and numerical study is carried out for the structural stiffness, collapse strength and minimum mass design of foam-filled corrugated sandwich beams under transverse three-point bending. Both close-celled aluminum foam and polymer foam as the filling material are considered. Based upon a micromechanics-based model, effective elastic constants of foam-filled corrugations are derived using the homogenization method. To analytically predict the initial collapse strength, six different failure modes are considered, with the effect of loading platen width accounted for. Finite element simulations are performed to validate the analytical predictions, with good agreement achieved. Minimum mass design is obtained as a function of structural strength, and the influence of foam material and loading platen width is quantified. The structural efficiency of foam filling to reinforce the sandwich is assessed on the basis of equal mass and the underlying mechanisms explored. It is shown that polymer foam-filled corrugations are more weight efficient than unfilled ones of equal mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recently we found the ethanolic extract and iridoid-rich fraction from Valeriana jatamansi Jones, which is a traditional Chinese medicine exhibited anxiolytic properties. Objective: This study aims to the substance dependence effect of the ethanolic extract and iridoid-rich fraction. Materials and Methods: The study included two experiments: Mice were given orally with ethanolic extract for 12 weeks or iridoid-rich fraction for 16 weeks in experiment I and experiment II, respectively. Diazepam was used as a control drug and the normal mice groups were administered with 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose Na in both experiments. All groups were administered twice daily. Natural withdrawal symptoms, withdrawal-induced body weight change, audiogenic tail-erection test (in experiment I), and pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced convulsion test (in experiment II) were measured. Results: (1) Compared to normal group in both experiments, the diazepam-treated group exhibited obvious withdrawal symptoms of tail-erection, irritability, teeth chattering, etc; the body weight of them after withdrawal had a period of significant loss (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01); and the ratios of tail-erection and seizure in two experiments were improved significantly when mice were induced by mixer noise ringtone (experiment I) or PTZ (experiment II) (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).(2) In experiment I and II, there were no significant differences between mice that received ethanolic extract or iridoid-rich fraction and normal group in terms of natural withdrawal symptoms and withdrawal-induced body weight change (P > 0.05); in audiogenic tail-erection test, it found that the significant difference compared with normal group was just in ethanolic extract 900 mg/kg dose group on week 8 (P < 0.05); in PTZ-induced convulsion test, mice in iridoid-rich fraction groups had a slightly tail-erection and seizure, all results of them were with no significant difference compare to normal mice (P > 0.05), while significant lower than diazepam group (P < 0.01). Conclusion: (1) The two experiments successfully established the physical dependence of diazepam by gradually increasing the dose. (2)There were just a few mice received with ethanolic extract for 12 weeks or iridoid-rich fraction for 16 weeks appearing some slight withdrawal symptoms after precipitated withdrawal, but it didn't show significant difference compared to normal mice. Therefore, these indicated that the risks of potential drug dependence about ethanolic extract and iridoid-rich fraction were far lower than that of diazepam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electron-hole symmetry in graphene monolayer, which is analogous to the inherent symmetric structure between electrons and positrons of the Universe, plays a crucial role in the chirality and chiral tunneling of massless Dirac fermions. Here we demonstrate that both strain and charged-defect scattering could break this symmetry dramatically in a graphene monolayer. In our experiment, the Fermi velocities of electrons veF and holes vhF are measured directly through Landau level spectroscopy. In strained graphene with lattice deformation and curvature, the veF and vhF are measured as (1.21 ± 0.03) × 106 m/s and (1.02 ± 0.03) × 106 m/s, respectively. This giant asymmetry originates from enhanced next-nearest-neighbor hopping in the strained region. Around positively charged defect, we observe opposite electron-hole asymmetry, and the veF and vhF are measured to be (0.86 ± 0.02) × 106 m/s and (1.14 ± 0.03) × 106 m/s, respectively. Such a large asymmetry is attributed to the fact that the massless Dirac fermions in a graphene monolayer are scattered more strongly when they are attracted to the charged defect than when they are repelled from it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater images typically exhibit color distortion and low contrast due to the absorption and scattering of the non-uniform medium during the propagation of light underwater. To address these problems, an effective underwater image restoration method is presented in this paper. Firstly, we adopted an adaptive dark channel prior that can be applied to underwater images with different color tones. Then, the local water light with strong robustness is obtained by utilizing maximum filtering and Gaussian low-pass filtering. Additionally, a linear relationship between blurred and clear images in the dark channel was introduced combining with the attenuation coefficient compensation to estimate the transmission of r , g and b channels. Ultimately, we designed a new adaptive color compensation method by taking into account the attenuation difference of the three color channels. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the clarity and contrast of the image and eliminate color distortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work is intended to investigate the morphological instability of lipid membrane induced by peroxyl radical (ROO•) and the underlying mechanism. To this end, the giant unilamellar vesicle (GUV) made from phosphatidylcholine was employed as a membrane model, and the azo compounds 2,2′-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) (AMVN) and 2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) were used as the precursors of ROO•. Upon mild pyrolysis, the GUV immobilized in agarose gel was followed by conventional optical microscopy in real time, and the morphological variation was quantified by the image heterogeneity, perimeter and area all as a function of time for up to an hour. Lipid oxidation initiated from lipid phase with AMVN and from aqueous phase with AAPH led to different types of morphological changes, i.e. membrane coarsening and vesicle deformation/budding, respectively. Based on the compositional analysis of lipid oxidation products, we propose that ROO• as the primary radical initiator is responsible for the morphological changes of the GUV-AMVN while both ROO• and RO• are responsible for the morphological changes of the GUV-AAPH system. Lipophilic β -carotene and amphipathic plant phenols as antioxidants are found to be able to stabilize the membrane integrity effectively, in corroboration with the proposed mechanisms for membrane destruction. [Display omitted] • Dynamics and mechanisms of peroxyl radical (ROO•) induced biomembrane destruction • Lipid oxidation initiated with ROO• from lipid and aqueous phases lead to different types of morphological changes, which are attributed to specific oxidative products and reaction mechanisms. • Lipophilic and amphipathic antioxidants can significantly stabilize the membrane integrity via anti-lipooxidation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by the demand of producing novel seismic resilient structures, this study focused on steel moment resisting frames equipped with superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) connections in the self-centring energy dissipation bays, and the emphasis was given to a direct-iterative design method for performance-based-plastic-design of the system under earthquake motions. Utilising the equivalent single-degree-of-freedom (SDF) oscillator which may reasonably quantify the dynamic responses of a multi-storey structure, an inelastic structural seismic demand model motivated by nonlinear spectral analyses was developed, and the statistic features were accounted. As the theoretical basis of the design philosophy, the seismic energy equilibrium equation of the structure was correlated with structural arrangement and earthquake motion characteristics. Then, a stepwise plastic design methodology enabling practising engineers to search for a feasible design strategy was proposed. Three prototype structures were developed following the proposed method, and finite element models of the systems were developed. The adequacy of the modelling techniques was verified by the test database, and the sufficiency of the hysteretic model of the structure was also justified. The seismic responses of the prototype structures were estimated by nonlinear static and dynamic analyses. The analysis data pool confirmed that the prototype structures were able to achieve the damage-control objective by limiting the maximum interstorey drifts below the prescribed deformation threshold, and inelastic actions were concentrated in the self-centring energy dissipation bays. [Display omitted] • Probabilistic energy factor demand spectra for self-centring system under near-field earthquake motions was developed. • A performance-based-plastic-design methodology was developed from a statistic perspective. • The sufficiency of the proposed design methodology was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has long been considered to be an endogenous antioxidant. However, the role of HO-1 is highly controversial in developing metabolic diseases. We hypothesized that HO-1 plays a role in maintaining bone mass by alleviating a redox imbalance. We investigated its role in bone remodeling. The absence of HO-1 in mice led to decreased bone mass with elevated activity and number of OCs, as well as higher serum levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). HO-1, which is constitutively expressed at a high level in osteoclast (OC) precursors, was down-regulated during OC differentiation. HO-1 deficiency in bone marrow macrophages (BMM) in vitro resulted in increased numbers and activity of OCs due to enhanced receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) signaling. This was associated with increased activation of nuclear factor-κB and of nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 1 along with elevated levels of intracellular calcium and ROS. Decreased bone mass in the absence of HO-1 appears to be mainly due to increased osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption resulting from elevated RANKL signaling in OCs. Our data highlight the potential role of HO-1 in maintaining bone mass by negatively regulating OCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the DNA methylation status of αA-crystallin gene in cataract secondary to pars plana vitrectomy. Methods: Anterior capsular membranes of 40 eyes of 40 patients with cataract secondary to vitrectomy were collected. Another 20 eyes of 20 patients who received pars plana vitrectomy and phacoemulsification in the primary procedure, were recruited as control. Methylation status of the CpG islands of αA-crystallin gene was analyzed by pyrosequencing. Expression of αA-crystallin was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot. Results: In the post vitrectomy group, five patients with posterior subcapsular opacity and four patients with cortical opacity were excluded from further analysis. The remaining 31 patients with nuclear cataract were assigned into two groups according to tamponade types: 19 of octafluoropropane (C3F8) and 12 of silicone oil (SiO). The average nuclear color grading was elevated both in C3F8 and SiO groups after vitrectomy. Compared to the control group, hypermethylation of the CpG islands in the αA-crystallin gene promoter was found in both post vitrectomy groups, accompanied by significantly reduced αA-crystallin expression. No statistically significant differences were found between the C3F8 and SiO groups either for DNA methylation status or αA-crystallin expression. Conclusions: CpG islands hypermethylation of αA-crystallin gene may be involved in nuclear cataract formation after pars plana vitrectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the modified energy balance equation, the energy factor of damage-control single-degree-of-freedom systems with significant post-yielding stiffness ratio was derived. The influences of post-yielding stiffness ratio and the yielding sequence on the energy factor were investigated based on a large number of nonlinear dynamic analysis. The energy balance was then extended to multi-degree-of-freedom systems, and a practical approach in dealing with assessment of damage-control behavior was proposed based on energy factors and applied to damage-control steel frames considering yielding sequence. The application of proposal was introduced based on the example structure, and the accuracy was validated by nonlinear dynamic analyses. Results indicate that the energy factor is sensitive to structural yielding sequence. The proposed approach exhibits satisfactory accuracy and can be applied to practical assessment and design of damage-control structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cilostazol has been reported to alleviate the metabolic syndrome induced by increased intracellular adenosine 3’,5’-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) levels, which is also associated with osteoclast (OC) differentiation. We hypothesized that bone loss might be attenuated via an action on OC by cilostazol. Methodology and Principal Findings: To test this idea, we investigated the effect of cilostazol on ovariectomy (OVX)-induced bone loss in mice and on OC differentiation in vitro, using μCT and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining, respectively. Cilostazol prevented from OVX-induced bone loss and decreased oxidative stress in vivo. It also decreased the number and activity of OC in vitro. The effect of cilostazol on reactive oxygen species (ROS) occurred via protein kinase A (PKA) and cAMP-regulated guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1, two major effectors of cAMP. Knockdown of NADPH oxidase using siRNA of p47phox attenuated the inhibitory effect of cilostazol on OC formation, suggesting that decreased OC formation by cilostazol was partly due to impaired ROS generation. Cilostazol enhanced phosphorylation of nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic 1 (NFAT2) at PKA phosphorylation sites, preventing its nuclear translocation to result in reduced receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand-induced NFAT2 expression and decreased binding of nuclear factor-κB-DNA, finally leading to reduced levels of two transcription factors required for OC differentiation. Conclusions/Significance: Our data highlight the therapeutic potential of cilostazol for attenuating bone loss and oxidative stress caused by loss of ovarian function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This communication focuses on the energy factors of systems considering multiple yielding stages during ground motions. Based on an improved energy-balance model, the energy balance of systems is re-established and the energy factor is derived, considering the multiple yielding stages. To comprehensively investigate the influence of yielding stages and critical parameters on the energy factor, nonlinear dynamic analyses of single-degree-of-freedom systems are performed based on the validated numerical tool. Representative numerical evaluations are presented for different combinations of parameters denoting the yielding stages. The results indicate that the energy factor is significantly influenced by the yielding stages of systems. The results of this study are instructive for the calculation of the energy factor of systems showing multiple yielding stages during ground motions, and can be helpful to improve the current procedures based on the energy-balance concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of soluble receptor-binding cancer antigen expressed on SiSo cells ( sRCAS1) and carcinoembryonic antigen ( CEA) in lung cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion ( MPE) and benign pleural effusion ( BPE). Methods Pleural effusion samples from 118 patients were classified on the basis of diagnosis as MPE ( n = 60) and BPE ( n = 58). The concentration of sRCAS1 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The CEA levels were also determined in all patients. Results Of 60 MPE patients, 50 had sRCAS1 > 9.7 U/mL and 54 had CEA > 5.5 ng/mL. The concentration of both sRCAS1 and CEA in MPE was significantly higher compared with that in BPE ( P < 0.01 in both cases). With a cutoff point of 9.7 U/mL, sRCAS1 had a sensitivity of 83.3% and a specificity of 91.4% for differential diagnosis. The combined detection of sRCAS1 and CEA had a sensitivity of 98.3% and a specificity of 96.6% to distinguish MPE from BPE. Conclusion The combined detection of sRCAS1 and CEA may be more valuable in the differential diagnosis between MPE and BPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously many studies on online social networks simply analyze the static topology in which the friend relationship once established, then the links and nodes will not disappear, but this kind of static topology may not accurately reflect temporal interactions on online social services. In this study, we define four types of users and interactions in the interaction (dynamic) network. We found that active, disappeared, new and super nodes (users) have obviously different strength distribution properties and this result also can be revealed by the degree characteristics of the unweighted interaction and friendship (static) networks. However, the active, disappeared, new and super links (interactions) only can be reflected by the strength distribution in the weighted interaction network. This result indicates the limitation of the static topology data on analyzing social network evolutions. In addition, our study uncovers the approximately stable statistics for the dynamic social network in which there are a large variation for users and interaction intensity. Our findings not only verify the correctness of our definitions, but also helped to study the customer churn and evaluate the commercial value of valuable customers in online social networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A class of new vector valued generalized convex mappings-D-η-E-semipreinvex mappings, as a true generalization of the E-preinvex mappings and the D-η-semipreinvex mappings, were given. First, several examples were presented to show the existence of the E-semi-invex sets and the D-η-E-semipreinvex mappings. Second, a decision criterion for the D-η-Esemipreinvex mappings was introduced, and the relationships among the D-η-semipreinvexity, the D-η-E-strict semipreinvexity and the D-ηE-semistrict semipreinvexity were discussed. Finally, an important application of the D-ηE-semistrictly semipreinvexity to vector optimization with implicit constraint was discussed, then some examples were given to prove the main conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In previous studies, it has proved difficult to realize periodic graphene ripples with wavelengths of a few nanometers. Here we show that one-dimensional (ID) periodic graphene ripples with wavelengths from 2 nm to tens of nanometers can be implemented in the intrinsic areas of a continuous mosaic (locally N-doped) graphene monolayer by simultaneously using both the thermal strain engineering and the anisotropic surface stress of the Cu substrate. Our result indicates that the constraint imposed at the boundaries between the intrinsic and the N-doped regions play a vital role in creating these ID ripples. We also demonstrate that the observed rippling modes are beyond the descriptions of continuum mechanics due to the decoupling of graphene's bending and tensional deformations. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements indicate that the nanorippling generates a periodic electronic superlattice and opens a zeroenergy gap of about 130 meV in graphene. This result may pave a facile way for tailoring the structures and electronic properties of graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that the azimuth deviations of the auxiliary sources severely degrade the performance of classical subspace-based calibration methods that assume the direction-of-arrivals of calibration sources are perfectly measured. Therefore, aiming at the effects of source location deviations, the estimation variance of the multiplicative modeling errors for the subspace-based calibration method is first derived by applying matrix eigen-perturbation theory and first-order perturbation analysis approach. The theoretical analysis is undertaken under the assumption that the azimuth deviations are small enough for the first-order perturbation analysis to be valid. In addition, to mitigate the effects of the location errors, a structured total least squares optimization model is established using first-order Taylor series expansion method. Then, the corresponding numerical algorithm is presented to provide a robust estimate for multiplicative modeling errors. The exact Cramér-Rao bound expressions for the unknowns are also deduced in the presence of the azimuth deviations. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the theoretical analysis and demonstrate the desirable behavior of the robust calibration algorithm in comparison with the subspace-based calibration methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic effect of polyethylene glycosylated porcine glucagon-like peptide-2 (pGLP-2), a long-acting form of pGLP-2, in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged piglets. Eighteen 21-day-old weaning piglets were randomly assigned into three groups: control (saline solution), LPS (100 μg/kg LPS), and PEG-pGLP-2 (10 nmol/kg PEG-pGLP-2 + 100 μg/kg LPS). All treatments were administered intraperitoneally. Compared with the control treatment, LPS treatment significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the villus heights of the duodenum and jejunum, as well as the villus height/crypt depth ratio of the jejunum. However, PEG-pGLP-2 therapy reduced these effects (P > 0.05). Specifically, PEG-pGLP-2 infusion significantly increased the villus height/crypt depth ratio of the duodenum (P < 0.05) compared with LPS treatment. Compared with the control treatment, LPS treatment significantly increased (P < 0.05) the mRNA expression levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the jejunum. However, PEG-pGLP-2 therapy reduced these effects (P < 0.05). Specifically, PEG-pGLP-2 infusion significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the mRNA expression levels of interleukin (IL)-8 and TNF-α in the duodenum and jejunum, IL-10 in the duodenum, and IFN-γ in the jejunum compared with the LPS treatment. LPS treatment increased the caspase-3 activity of the ileum mucosal (P < 0.05), and this effect was significantly reduced by PEG-pGLP-2 treatment. These results indicate that PEG-pGLP-2 infusion alleviates the severity of intestinal injury in weaning piglets by reducing the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and the caspase-3 activity, and increasing the villus height/crypt depth ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell wall is the first physical barrier to aluminum (Al) toxicity. Modification of cell wall properties to change its binding capacity to Al is one of the major strategies for plant Al resistance; nevertheless, how it is regulated in rice remains largely unknown. In this study, we show that exogenous application of putrescines (Put) could significantly restore the Al resistance of art1, a rice mutant lacking the central regulator Al RESISTANCE TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR 1 (ART1), and reduce its Al accumulation particularly in the cell wall of root tips. Based on RNA‐sequencing, yeast‐one‐hybrid and electrophoresis mobility shift assays, we identified an R2R3 MYB transcription factor OsMYB30 as the novel target in both ART1‐dependent and Put‐promoted Al resistance. Furthermore, transient dual‐luciferase assay showed that ART1 directly inhibited the expression of OsMYB30, and in turn repressed Os4CL5‐dependent 4‐coumaric acid accumulation, hence reducing the Al‐binding capacity of cell wall and enhancing Al resistance. Additionally, Put repressed OsMYB30 expression by eliminating Al‐induced H2O2 accumulation, while exogenous H2O2 promoted OsMYB30 expression. We concluded that ART1 confers Put‐promoted Al resistance via repression of OsMYB30‐regulated modification of cell wall properties in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on celestite-carbonate-cemented veins that developed in the Jialingjiang Formation of the Lower Triassic carbonates from the Libixia anticline in eastern Sichuan Basin, China. Comparative petrography and geochemistry of the host rock and vein minerals provide clues to the nature, origin, and evolution of the vein-cementing fluids. The host rocks are composed mainly of micrite dolomite which yields δ18O, δ13C and 87Sr/86Sr ratios close to the values that characterize contemporaneous seawater. Two generations of vein-mineralization were recognized based on textural relationships, fluid inclusion data and isotope geochemistry. The early generation is dominated by celestite and saddle dolomite, formed from hypersaline, Sr-enriched, hydrothermal fluids. The later generation is represented by calcites, precipitated from less saline fluids at lower temperatures. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios of vein dolomite and celestite vary from 0.7076 to 0.7081, significantly lower than those of host carbonate counterparts (0.7078 to 0.7081; average 0.7080). This isotopic discrepancy suggests that the majority of Sr was sourced from deeper sequences of the lower Triassic carbonates, probably associated with thermochemical sulfate reduction for Sr accumulation. It is argued that the fracture systems associated with the Huayingshan fault provided the heat source and served as conduits for migration of hydrothermal fluids through several hundred meters, and the final mineralization occurred as a result of mixture of Sr-enriched brines with sulfate-bearing solutions. The large celestite ore bodies in the studied area are proposed to form related partially to these hydrothermal fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A full-scale test programme for reinforced single-coped beams with slender web (RSCBSW) connections is reported in this paper. The test matrix included reinforcement types and coping details. The adequacy of the two reinforcement strategies was confirmed by the test results, and it was found that all specimens failed by buckling of the plate girder section away from the coped region. The test results also showed that for the reinforcement strategy with double full-depth transverse stiffeners, the decrease in the strength of the specimen in the post-ultimate stage was comparatively less significant compared with the specimens strengthened by a single full-depth transverse stiffener, and this phenomenon was more apparent in the case of a deep cope. Subsequently, finite element (FE) models of test specimens were developed to replicate the behaviour of the RSCBSW connections, based on which a parametric study covering a wider range of factors was conducted. The numerical results further confirmed the effectiveness of the reinforcement strategy, and no models experienced local web buckling in the vicinity of the cope. The available design equations to quantify the buckling resistance of the plate girders were applied to the test specimens and the numerical database. It was found that for cases with double full-depth transverse stiffeners, the design predictions were generally conservative. In contrast, unsafe predictions were obtained for several cases with a deep cope which was enhanced by a single full-depth transverse stiffener. [Display omitted] • Reinforcement strategies for enhancing single-coped beam with slender web connections were experimentally examined. • A parametric study covering a wider range of factors was conducted. • The effect of the longitudinal stiffener was confirmed. • The design equations for quantifying the resistance of the specimens were revisited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the block shear performance of 16 steel angle specimens connected by double-line bolts. Among these specimens, 10 were made of S690 high-strength steel and 6 were made of normal-strength steel. The angle specimens were fabricated using two hot-rolled steel plates through groove welding. Two angle sections, i.e., 125 × 65 × 6 and 125 × 85 × 6 mm (long leg length × short leg length × thickness), were considered in the test. All angles were connected to the long leg. Apart from steel grade, the test parameters included bolt rows, parallel pitch, transverse pitch, edge distance, and unconnected leg length. Typical block shear of specimens were observed, and different fracture patterns were characterised. The test results confirmed that the block shear strength of the tension angles could be improved by increasing the tension plane area with the increase of the transverse pitch and edge distance and increasing the shear plane area with the increase of the bolt row number and parallel pitch. However, the test results showed that the block shear strength of the angles was not affected by the length of the unconnected leg. Subsequently, numerical models were built to further investigate the block shear behaviour of the double-line bolted angles, and the analysis parameters were the end distance, unconnected leg length, and connected leg length. According to the experimental and numerical results, the accuracy and adequacy of design specifications in the United States, Europe, Canada, and Japan and design equations documented in the literature for evaluating the block shear performance of double-line bolted steel angles were evaluated. • Structural performance of double-line bolted high-strength steel angles is examined. • Comparison with block shear behaviour of normal-strength steel angles is conducted. • Effects of connection dimensions are investigated. • Design recommendations are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of ovarian function causes oxidative stress as well as bone loss. We hypothesized that reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by the failure of ovarian function are responsible for the bone loss by increasing the number of osteoclasts (OC). We found that ROS enhanced OC survival via Src homology 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1 (SHP-1), c-Src, Akt, and ERK. ROS induced the association of SHP-1 with c-Src as well as the oxidation of c-Src and SHP-1. This resulted in inactivation of SHP-1 and activation of c-Src via phosphorylation of Tyr416. Knockdown of c-Src or SHP-1 abolished the effect of ROS on OC survival. Moreover, downregulation of SHP-1 upregulated activation of c-Src, Akt, and ERK in the absence of any stimulus, suggesting that inactivation of SHP-1 is required for OC survival. We demonstrated that the association and oxidation of c-Src and SHP-1 by ROS are key steps in enhancing OC survival, which are responsible for increased bone loss when ovarian function ceases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Magnetic core–shell spheres Fe3O4@MOFs and Fe3O4@MOFs/GO were prepared using layer by layer assembly method. Fe3O4@MOFs and Fe3O4@MOFs/GO were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, TEM and VSM. The results showed that both magnetic spheres were with core–shell structure. The method was proved to be valuable for producing core–shell structure with porous nanocomposite materials as shell. Methylene blue was selected as drug model to study the drug loading of the synthesized spheres. It was found that the addition of graphene oxide (GO) enhanced the drug loading amount of magnetic sphere. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Tranilast (N-(3′,4′-dimethoxycinnamonyl) anthranilic acid) has been shown to be therapeutically effective, exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects via acting on macrophage. We hypothesized that Tranilast may protect against oxidative stress-induced bone loss via action in osteoclasts (OCs) that shares precursors with macrophage. Methodology and Principal Findings: To elucidate the role of Tranilast, ovariectomy (OVX)-induced bone loss in vivo and OC differentiation in vitro were evaluated by µCT and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining, respectively. Oral administration of Tranilast protected against OVX-induced bone loss with decreased serum level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mice. Tranilast inhibited OC formation in vitro. Decreased osteoclastogenesis by Tranilast was due to a defect of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) signaling, at least partly via decreased activation of nuclear factor-κB and reduced induction and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic 1 (or NFAT2). Tranilast also decreased RANKL-induced a long lasting ROS level as well as TGF-β to inhibit osteoclastogenesis. Reduced ROS caused by Tranilast was due to the induction of ROS scavenging enzymes (peroxiredoxin 1, heme oxygenase-1, and glutathione peroxidase 1) as well as impaired ROS generation. Conclusions/Significance: Our data suggests the therapeutic potential of Tranilast for amelioration of bone loss and oxidative stress due to loss of ovarian function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocrystalline Cu film with a mirror surface finishing is prepared by the electric brush-plating technique. The as-prepared Cu film exhibits a superhydrophilic behavior with an apparent water contact angle smaller than 10°. A subsequent increase in the water contact angle and a final wetting transition from inherent hydrophilicity with water contact angle smaller than 90° to apparent hydrophobicity with water contact angle larger than 90° are observed when the Cu film is subjected to natural aging. Analysis based on the measurement of hardness with nanoindentation and the theory of the bond-order-length-strength correlation reveals that this wetting variation on the Cu film is attributed to the relaxation of residual stress generated during brush-plating deposition and a surface hydrophobization role associated with the broken bond polarization induced by surface nanostructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of PCB dielectrics on transmission line when the high-frequency signal travels through the PCB is described and discussed. Furthermore, a new PCB dielectrics parameters calibration process is proposed. It collects the design data by simulation and validation based on PCB test board, then it gets the Dk and Di using this new proposed process. The test results demonstrate that such process is effective and can improve the model accuracy of transmission line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The rapid degradation of porcine glucagon-like peptide-2 (pGLP-2) by the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) is the main impediment in the development of pGLP-2 as a potential therapeutic agent for intestinal dysfunction and damage. In this study, one mono-modified Lys30-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-pGLP-2 was prepared using mPEG-succinimidyl propionate. To determine the optimized condition for PEGylation, the reactions were monitored by RP-HPLC and MALDI-TOF-MS. Stability was tested in purified DPP-IV in vitro. In vivo, the protective effects for colonic injury were measured in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. The monoPEGylated products reached the maximum yield at 4:1 ratio of mPEG5k-SPA to pGLP-2. An effective method of successfully separating PEGylated pGLP-2 from mPEG-SPA5kD using CM Sepharose Fast Flow resin was established. The half-life of Lys30-PEG-pGLP-2 was 16-fold longer than that of pGLP-2 in DPP-IV. The DSS mice exhibited marked weight loss), which was significantly reduced by Lys30-PEG-pGLP-2 therapy. DSS treatment significantly increased colonic damage score, which was significantly reduced by administration of Lys30-PEG-pGLP-2 in DSS-mice. DSS-induced colitis clearly induced Myeloperoxidase activity in the colon, which was significantly reduced by treatments with 3% DSS-pGLP-2 or 3% DSS-PEG-pGLP-2. These results showed that site-specific Lys30-PEG-GLP-2 was resistant to degradation and reduced the severity of colonic injury in murine colitis. The enhanced biological potency of this product highlighted its potential as a therapeutic agent for intestinal diseases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Blood clotting is initiated by the two-subunit enzyme consisting of the plasma protease, factor VIIa (the catalytic subunit), bound to the integral membrane protein, tissue factor (the regulatory subunit). Molecular dynamics simulations have predicted that certain residues in the tissue factor ectodomain interact with phosphatidylserine headgroups to ensure optimal positioning of the tissue factor/factor VIIa complex relative to its membrane-bound protein substrates, factors IX and X. In this study, we individually mutated to alanine all the putative phosphatidylserine-interactive residues in the tissue factor ectodomain and measured their effects on tissue factor cofactor function (activation of factors IX and X by tissue factor/factor VIIa, and clotting of plasma). Some tissue factor mutants exhibited decreased activity in all three assays, with the most profound defects observed from mutations in or near the flexible loop from Lys159 to Gly164. The decreased activity of all of these tissue factor mutants could be partially or completely overcome by increasing the phosphatidylserine content of tissue factor-liposomes. Additionally, yeast surface display was used to screen a random library of tissue factor mutants for enhanced factor VIIa binding. Surprisingly, mutations at a single amino acid (Lys165) predominated, with the Lys165→Glu mutant exhibiting a 3-fold enhancement in factor VIIa binding affinity. Our studies reveal the functional contributions of residues in the C-terminal half of the tissue factor ectodomain that are implicated in interacting with phosphatidylserine headgroups to enhance tissue factor cofactor activity, possibly by allosterically modulating the conformation of the adjacent substrate-binding exosite region of tissue factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Effective mass is gradually increased with stability in the order of B- α , B- β , B- γ. • The effective mass of electron/hole is as low as 0.06/0.03 m0 for B- α CsSnI3. • The mobility is mainly determined by the scattering from polar optical phonon. • Carrier mobility is limited by static and high frequency dielectric constant. • At room temperature, the mobility is predicted by electron-phonon coupling process. [Display omitted] Phase stability of CsSnI 3 and CsPbI 3 is revealed by analyzing molecular volume, free energy and lattice vibration. Furthermore, the carrier effective mass is calculated by constant energy surface. Surprisingly, the values for electron/hole are as low as 0.06/0.03 m 0 for B- α CsSnI 3 , and 0.08/0.06 m 0 for B- α CsPbI 3. They gradually increase in the order of B- α , B- β and B- γ. The effective mass for CsSnI 3 is lower than that for CsPbI 3 , implying a high mobility in CsSnI 3. At 300 K, the mobility is predicted by empirical models and electron-phonon coupling (EPC) matrix element based on Boltzmann transport equation (BTE). The value from longitudinal acoustic phonon (LAP) model is much higher than that from longitudinal optical phonon (LOP) model. So the mobility is mainly determined by the scattering from polar optical phonon. These perovskites exhibit small high frequency dielectric constant (ϵ ∞) and large dielectric constant difference (Δ ϵ = ϵ 0 − ϵ ∞), which limit the mobility. Finally, phonon-limited mobility is predicted by the EPC matrix element. The values of CsSnI 3 /CsPbI 3 are μ e = 311/118 and μ h = 450/70 cm2V−1s−1 in B- β , μ e = 99/70 and μ h = 218/46 cm2V−1s−1in B- γ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objective is to analyze the difference of microelectrode recording (MER) during awake and asleep subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) and the necessity of MER during "Asleep DBS" under general anesthesia (GA). The differences in MER, target accuracy, and prognosis under different anesthesia methods were analyzed. Additionally, the MER length was compared with the postoperative electrode length by electrode reconstruction and measurement. The MER length of two groups was 5.48 ± 1.39 mm in the local anesthesia (LA) group and 4.38 ± 1.43 mm in the GA group, with a statistical significance between the two groups (p < 0.01). The MER length of the LA group was longer than its postoperative electrode length (p < 0.01), however, there was no significant difference between the MER length and postoperative electrode length in the GA group (p = 0.61). There were also no significant differences in the postoperative electrode length, target accuracy, and postoperative primary and secondary outcome scores between the two groups (p > 0.05). These results demonstrate that "Asleep DBS" under GA is comparable to "Awake DBS" under LA. GA has influences on MER during surgery, but typical STN discharges can still be recorded. MER is not an unnecessary surgical procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nervous necrosis virus (NNV) is one of the most destructive pathogens in marine fish aquaculture and is capable of infecting more than 50 fish species worldwide, which resulted in great economic losses. Effective drugs for managing NNV infection are urgently required. Medicinal plants have been known for thousands of years and benefit of medicinal plants against pathogens in aquaculture have emerged. Nowadays, the most commonly used method for detecting virus infection and assessing antiviral drugs efficacy is reverse transcription‐quantitative real‐time PCR. However, the application is limited on account of high reagent costs, complex time‐consuming operations and long detection time. Aptamers have been widely applied in application of pathogens or diseases diagnosis and treatments because of high specificity, strong affinity, good stability, easy synthesized and low costs. This study aimed to establish an aptamer (GBN34)‐based high‐throughput screening (GBN34‐AHTS) model for efficient selection and evaluation of natural ingredients against NNV infection. GBN34‐AHTS is an expeditious rapid method for selecting natural ingredients against NNV, which is characterized with high‐speed, dram, sensitive and accurate. AHTS strategy could reduce work intensity and experimental costs and shorten the whole screening cycle of effective ingredients. AHTS should be suitable for rapid selection of effective ingredients against other viruses, which is important for improving the prevention and controlling of aquatic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The influences of pH and dissolved CO2 level on the regulation of growth and formation of catabolic end products have been investigated in Klebsiella pneumoniae. With increasing CO2 levels, there were no apparent changes in 2,3-butanediol production but succinic acid productions were enhanced significantly. A novel strategy for co-production of 2,3-butanediol and succinic acid using K. pneumoniae was developed by controlling pH and dissolved CO2 concentration in fermentation medium. Under the optimum condition, maximal 77.1gl−1 2,3-butanediol and 28.7gl−1 succinic acid were obtained after 60h of fed-batch fermentation, giving a 2,3-butanediol+succinic acid yield of 1.03molmol−1 glucose. This type of fermentation producing two commercial interests at the same fermentation process might be considered for a promising biological production process which will decrease the production cost by sharing the operation and recovery cost. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The developmentally regulated GTP-binding protein-2 (DRG2) is a novel subclass of GTPbinding proteins. Many functional characteristics of osteoclasts (OC) are associated with small GTPases. We hypothesized that DRG2 affects bone mass via modulating OC activity. Using DRG2 transgenic mice, we investigated the role of DRG2 in bone remodeling. DRG2 overexpression caused a decrease in bone mass and an increase in the number and activity of OC in vivo. DRG2 overexpression increased fusion, spreading, survival, and resorption activity of OC in vitro. Downregulation of DRG2 by siRNA decreased fusion, spreading, and survival of OC, supporting the observations found in DRG2 transgenic OC. Transgenic mature OCs were larger, with actin rings and higher ERK, Akt, Rac1 and Rho activities than wild-type OCs. Inhibition of these proteins abolished the effects of DRG2 on formation of large OCs with actin rings, implying that DRG2 affects cytoskeleton reorganization in a Rac1/Rho/ERK/Akt-dependent manner. In summary, DRG2 is associated with survival and cytoskeleton organization of OC under influence of macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and its overexpression leads to elevated bone resorptive activity of OC, resulting in bone loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxidases are involved in many plant processes including plant defense responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. We isolated a novel peroxidase gene CanPOD from leaves of pepper cultivar A3. The full-length gene has a 1353-bp cDNA sequence and contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 975-bp, which encodes a putative polypeptide of 324 amino acids with a theoretical protein size of 34.93 kDa. CanPOD showed diverse expression levels in different tissues of pepper plants. To evaluate the role of CanPOD in plant stress responses, the expression patterns of CanPOD were examined using Real-Time RT-PCR. The results indicated that CanPOD was significantly induced by Phytophtora capsici. Moreover, CanPOD was also up-regulated in leaves after salt and drought stress treatments. In addition, CanPOD expression was strongly induced by signaling hormones salicylic acid (SA). In contrast, CanPOD was not highly expressed after treatment with cold. Meanwhile, in order to further assess the role of gene CanPOD in defense response to P. capsici attack, we performed a loss-of-function experiment using the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technique in pepper plants. In comparison to the control plant, the expression levels of CanPOD were obviously decreased in CanPOD-silenced pepper plants. Furthermore, we analyzed the effect of P. capsici on detached-leaves and found that the CanPOD-silenced plant leaves were highly susceptible to P. capsici infection. Taken together, our results suggested that CanPOD is involved in defense responses to P. capsici infection as well as abiotic stresses in pepper plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Succinate is a promising chemical which has wide applications and can be produced by biological route. The history of the biosuccinate production shows that the joint effort of different metabolic engineering approaches brings successful results. In order to enhance the succinate production, multiple metabolical strategies have been sought. In this review, different overproducers for succinate production, including natural succinate overproducers and metabolic engineered overproducers, are examined and the metabolic engineering strategies and performances are discussed. Modification of the mechanism of substrate transportation, knocking-out genes responsible for by-products accumulation, overexpression of the genes directly involved in the pathway, and improvement of internal NADH and ATP formation are some of the strategies applied. Combination of the appropriate genes from homologous and heterologous hosts, extension of substrate, integrated production of succinate, and other high-value-added products are expected to bring a desired objective of producing succinate from renewable resources economically and efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of fibrinogen on number and function of osteoclasts (OC) consequently resulting in bone loss. It was hypothesized that the enhanced level of released fibrinogen due to loss of ovarian function caused bone loss by acting on OCs. Bone loss was induced by ovariectomy (OVX) in mice and analyzed by micro-CT. The effect of fibrinogen on OCs was evaluated by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, annexin V, actin staining, pit formation observed on dentine slices, and Western blotting. Exogenous fibrinogen increased OC survival, actin ring formation, and bone resorption in vitro. The effect of fibrinogen was dependent on β3- integrin, which is a marker for mature OCs. Fibrinogen induced the activation of transforming oncogene from Ak strain (Akt), Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1), and Rho family of GTPase (Rho) and the degradation of the Bcl-2 interacting mediator of cell death (Bim) in a manner similar to macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). OVX increased plasma fibrinogen and serum M-CSF together with elevated actin ring formation and bone loss. The increased fibrinogen level due to loss of ovarian function may contribute, at least partly, to bone loss through the enhanced number and activity of OCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Three new dammarane-type triterpene saponins ginsenosides Rh18 (1), Rh19 (3) and Rh20 (4), along with two new triterpene sapogenins 12β,23(R)-epoxydammara-24-ene-3β,6α,20(S)-triol (2) and dammara-(20E)22,25-diene-3β,6α,12β,24S-tetrol (5) were isolated from the stems and leaves of Panax ginseng C. A. Mey. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral evidence and comparisons with literature data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The complex background suppression is difficult for infrared warning system detecting long distance target. A background suppression method based on pyramidal dual-tree directional filter bank was proposed for some dim and small targets and retina theory was introduced to improve its ability. Firstly, the filter bank was adopted to decompose the input infrared image into multiple scales and directions and extract the image's features. Then,, according to the difference between target and background clutter signal, the decomposed sub-band's coefficients were adjusted by using improved retina theory equations to suppress the background details and enhance target information. Several groups of experiment results demonstrate that the proposed method can detect the target with SCR > 1. 6 effectively, compared with several classical background suppression method, such as two-dimensional least means square (TDLMS) and max median (MMed) filters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Succinic acid is a promising chemical which has a wide range of applications and can be biologically produced. The separation of succinic acid from fermentation broth makes more than 50 % of the total costs in their microbial production. This review summarizes the present state of methods studied for the recovery and purification of biologically produced succinate. Previous studies on the separation of succinic acid primarily include direct crystallization, precipitation, membrane separation, extraction, chromatography, and in situ separation. No single method has proved to be simple and efficient, and improvements are especially needed with regard to yield, purity, and energy consumption. It is argued that separation technologies coupled with upstream technology, in situ product removal, and biorefining strategy deserve more attentions in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new natural product, 10-hydroxyrutaecarpine (1), and a rarely new glycosidic alkaloid, rutaecarpine-10-O-rutinoside (2), along with the known compounds rutaecarpine (3), evodiamine, wuzhuyuamide-I, and dehydroevodiamine were isolated from the butanol fraction of 70% ethanol aqueous extract of the dried and nearly ripe fruits of Euodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic data. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Up to now, it remains to be a challenge to accurately and reproducibly evaluate the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity by a thin-film rotating disk electrode (TF-RDE) and results in literatures often disagree. In this work, we developed an “intermittently microcontact-coating fine-droplets” method of preparing homogeneous thin-film to guarantee the accuracy of electro-catalytic activity evaluation by a TF-RDE, in which the measured electrode current is controlled by both the diffusion of the reactant from the electrolyte bulk to the surface of the electro-catalyst and the kinetic process on the surface of the electro-catalyst. By precisely controlling the distribution and varying the loading of nano-sized Pt/C particles on a smooth glassy carbon substrate with an in-house-developed automated electrode-preparation device, we investigated the effect of the distribution of the particles on the accuracy of compensating for diffusion limitations of ORR in an aqueous acid solution. As a reference, a smooth Pt bulk disk electrode was evaluated under the same environment to clarify the effect of the within-thin-film diffusion, which may occur in the TF-RDE. The results show that, the accuracy of correction for diffusion limitations cannot be guaranteed by only a linear relation of 1/I versus (rotation rate)−1/2 in Koutecky–Levich plot and significantly depends on the distribution of the particles on the substrate. Some criteria for judging the accuracy of the compensation and optimization of the thin-film structure have been systematically discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is associated with various inflammatory diseases involving bone loss, and is expressed along with its receptor by bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM), which are osteoclast (OC) precursors. To investigate the role of MCP-1 in bone remodeling, we compared MCP-1-knockout (KO) mice with wild-type (WT) mice. The absence of MCP-1 increased bone mass and lowered serum collagen type I fragments (CTX-1) and TRACP 5b, but had no significant effect on the N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen, suggesting that OCs are primarily responsible for the bone phenotype observed in the absence of MCP-1. MCP-1 deficiency resulted in reduced numbers and activity of OCs in vitro. It also led to a reduced level of c-Fms and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB receptor and impaired actin ring formation. Activation of ERK, Akt, Rac1, and Rho upon M-CSF stimulation was also reduced and our evidence suggests that the aberrant actin ring formation was partly due to reduced activation of these molecules. Our findings point to a role of osteoclast MCP-1 in regulating bone remodeling. The higher bone mass in the femurs of MCP-1-KO mice could be, at least in part, due to decreased osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption resulting from aberrant M-CSF signaling in OCs. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 1619-1627, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, a central composite design of response surface method was used to optimize sulfite pretreatment of corncob residues, in respect to sulfite charge (5–10%), treatment time (1–2h), liquid/solid (l/s) ratio (6:1–10:1) and temperature (150–180°C) for maximizing glucose production in enzymatic hydrolysis process. The relative optimum condition was obtained as follows: sulfite charge 7.1%, l/s ratio 7.6:1, temperature 156°C for 1.4h, corresponding to 79.3% total glucan converted to glucose+cellobiose. In the subsequent simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) experiments using 15% glucan substrates pretreated under this kind of conditions, 60.8g ethanoll−1 with 72.2% theoretical yield was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To solve the problem of the catalyst-loading-effect on quantifying the reaction intermediates on the surface of electrocatalysts with a rotating ring-disk electrode, we studied the formation of hydrogen peroxide in the oxygen reduction reaction on Pt/C with various sample loadings and then proposed an extrapolation model for measuring the intrinsic yield of H2O2, which can quantitatively reflect the characteristics of the surface of a given catalyst. In the extrapolation model, the catalyst loading effect can be compensated by taking the catalyst loading-dependent probability of the re-adsorption+further reaction of the desorbed H2O2 into consideration. The core concept in this extrapolation model is that the probability of the re-adsorption+reaction of the desorbed H2O2 becomes zero if there is no other active site available (i.e., at the extrapolated hypothetical point of zero catalyst loading) for re-adsorption of the desorbed H2O2. The intrinsic yield of H2O2 by extrapolation was much higher than that measured by the conventional model, in which the re-adsorption+reaction of the desorbed H2O2 is not considered, and thus the catalyst loading-dependent apparent yield of H2O2 does not properly reflect the intrinsic characteristics of the surface of a given catalyst. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To determine the aqueous concentration of erythropoietin (EPO) in patients with and without glaucoma. Methods: Prospective, comparative control study. Concentrations of EPO in the aqueous humor were measured using ELISA kits from 75 patients, of whom 55 had glaucoma (14 primary acute angle-closure glaucoma, PAACG; 26 primary chronic angle-closure glaucoma, PCACG; 11 primary open-angle glaucoma, POAG; 4 neovascular glaucoma, NVG), and 20 had cataract only as control. Results: EPO concentrations in eyes with glaucoma (71.0 ± 12.0 mU/mL) were significantly higher than those in eyes with cataract (6.4 ± 0.8 mU/mL, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences ( P = 0.421) between PCACG (28.84 ± 3.9 mU/mL) and POAG (20.2 ± 2.0 mU/mL); however, EPO concentrations in eyes with PAACG (118.5 ± 14 mU/mL) were significantly higher than these two chronic subtypes of glaucoma ( P < 0.001, respectively). Unusually high EPO concentrations were detected in four eyes with NVG (319.5 ± 47.7 mU/mL). No effect of age, gender, different eyes, body mass index of the aqueous humor EPO concentration could be detected ( P > 0.05). No significant correlation was found between aqueous humor and plasma EPO concentrations in PAACG and control group ( P = 0.285, 0.500, respectively). Conclusion: Our prospective study suggests that the aqueous humor EPO concentrations are increased in eyes with glaucoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xylitol production from corncob hemicellulose is a popular process in China. Microbial conversion of xylose to xylitol, as a biological process with many advantages, has drawn increasing attention. As a by-product from the manufacturing of xylitol, corncob cellulosic residues are produced in very large amounts and represent an environmental problem. As a result, considering the large amount of xylitol production in China, the conversion of corncob cellulosic residues has become a widespread issue having to be tackled. After the hemicellulose in corncob has been hydrolyzed for xylitol production, the corncob cellulosic residue is porous and can easily be hydrolyzed by cellulases into glucose and further converted to ethanol, another high-added-value chemical. Based on the latest technology advancements in xylitol, cellulase, and ethanol production, the integrated production of ethanol from corncob cellulosic residues appears as a promising way to improve the profit of the whole xylitol production process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Corncob acid hydrolysate, detoxed by sequently boiling, overliming and activated charcoal adsorption, was used for 2,3-butanediol production by Klebsiella oxytoca ACCC 10370. The effects of acetate in hydrolysate and pH on 2,3-butanediol production were investigated. It was found that acetic acid in hydrolysate inhibited the growth of K. oxytoca while benefited the 2,3-butanediol yield. With the increase in acetic acid concentration in medium from 0 to 4g/l, the lag phase was prolonged and the specific growth rate decreased. The acetic acid inhibition on cell growth can be alleviated by adjusting pH to 6.3 prior to fermentation and a substrate fed-batch strategy with a low initial acetic acid concentration. Under the optimum condition, a maximal 2,3-butanediol concentration of 35.7g/l was obtained after 60h of fed-batch fermentation, giving a yield of 0.5g/g reducing sugar and a productivity of 0.59g/hl. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: In China, two common methods are used to detect serum glucose, glucose oxidase (GOD) and hexokinase (HK) methods. We evaluated five commercially available glucose reagent kits with the Center of Disease Control (CDC) HK reference method. Methods: Five routine methods were compared with the HK reference method according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline (EP9-A2). These five routine methods were performed on an “open channel” Olympus 5400 analyzer. Results: All five evaluated methods were closely correlated to the reference method (r>0.9998). Compared to the HK reference method, the Olympus-HK method and Roche-GOD method showed a very small positive bias (mean±SD: 0.08±0.09 mmol/L and 0.03±0.08 mmol/L); while the Biosino-HK method, Osborne-GOD method and Baiding-GOD method showed a very small negative bias (mean±SD: –0.07±0.06 mmol/L, –0.09±0.07 mmol/L and –0.01±0.04 mmol/L). Conclusions: All five reagents we evaluated using matching calibrators showed good correlation to the reference method and small bias. These five glucose reagents are acceptable for use in clinical laboratories. Clin Chem Lab Med 2010;48:361–4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper describes the synthesis of discrete free-standing porphyrin nanoparticles using a reprecipitation method, which is an approach widely used in the synthesis of organic nanoparticles. The crystallization of tin(IV) porphyrin is investigated thoroughly by changing the concentration of aqueous solution for the first time. The morphology is then probed using transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. It is found that the morphology of the porphyrin nanoparticles changed dramatically in this process. The initial characterization of the porphyrin nanoparticles is analyzed using dynamic light scattering. Further analyses of their aggregation modes are conducted by spectroscopic methods such as ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption, fluorescence spectra and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Their UV–vis spectra characteristics are discussed in detail. On the basis of the findings, the influence of these peripheral substituents on the sol formation and the aggregation mode is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of acupressure therapy (AT) on the development and progression of diabetic complications in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Design and methods: A total of 80 patients with T2D were recruited for a randomized clinical study of the effect of AT on the progression and development of diabetic complications, and 64 patients were followed up for 3 years. All patients with T2D were treated with regular medicines and participated in diet and exercise programs for the control of hyperglycemia and hypertension. The patients in the AT group received additional treatment of a 90-minute AT 4–6 times per week for 3 consecutive years. Their blood lipids, fasting glucose levels, and heart and kidney functions and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) were longitudinally monitored before and every 12 months after AT. Results: Following AT therapy for 3 years, significantly lower levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and higher levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were observed and no significantly increased levels of serum creatinine and urine protein were detected in the AT group, as compared with that in controls. Furthermore, the mean values of NCV in the AT group at 2 years post-treatment were significantly greater than those of controls and were further elevated at the end of this study. Therefore, AT inhibited the progression of hyperlipidemia and improved diabetes-associated kidney function and neuropathy in Chinese patients with T2D. Conclusions: AT may be an effective nonpharmacological adjunctive strategy for alleviating the development and progression of T2D-related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]