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A Rh(III)-catalyzed annulation of 2-arylbenzimidazoles with α-diazo carbonyl compounds via C–H activation/carbene insertion/intramolecular cyclization is explored. The switchable product selectivity is achieved by the use of distinct α-diazo carbonyl compounds. Benzimidazole-fused quinolines are obtained through [4 + 2] annulation exclusively when 2-diazocyclohexane-1,3-diones are used, where they act as a C2 synthon. Alternatively, diazonaphthalen-1(2H)-ones merely function as a one-carbon unit synthon to generate a quaternary center through [4 + 1] cyclization to afford spirocyclic benzimidazole-fused isoindole naphthalen-2-ones. A thorough mechanistic study reveals the course of the reaction.

Preexisting fissures are common in rock mass engineering, and these preexisting fissures can considerably reduce the strength of rock masses and the stability of rock mass engineering. Considering that the preexisting fissures are not straight, a DEM numerical simulation model with rough joints under uniaxial compressive loading was constructed. From the analysis of the numerical simulation results, we found that the peak strength increases with increasing inclination angle. Moreover, the JRC influences the peak strength. Even though the JRC values are close, there are still some differences. Moreover, the number of cracks increased slowly before the uniaxial stress reached the peak strength; however, the number of cracks increased remarkably at the postpeak stage. Moreover, the crack path becomes simpler with increasing JRC. The numerical simulation results can provide a numerical basis for rock masses with rough joints in engineering practice.

To investigate the lateral deformation characteristics of dam bedrock scoured by river flow environments, standard specimens were prepared using cored sandstone from the barrage bedrock at the Sanhekou Water Conservancy Dam. The mechanical parameters, microstructure, and mineral fractions of the sandstones were analyzed after water scouring at five different rates (0, 200, 400, 600, and 800 mm⋅s−1) for 49 days. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron energy spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were employed to track the changes. Laboratory tests including uniaxial compression, acoustic emission (AE), and digital image correlation (DIC) were conducted to elucidate the deformation damage mechanism of the scoured sandstones. The results indicate the following: (1) During the crack closure and compaction stage, the deformation of the rock samples primarily involves axial compression with minimal lateral deformation. However, as the crack propagates unstably and expands after the peak load, the lateral strain of the specimens accelerates. The lateral-axial ratio of the samples remains relatively low during the initial scouring period but increases rapidly after the first drop in axial stress until the end of the test. Higher scouring rates and longer durations weaken the strength and exacerbate the deformation of the sandstone. Under a flow rate of 800 mm⋅s−1, the elastic modulus decreases by 45.67%, while Poisson's ratio increases by 73.67%. (2) The acoustic emission process exhibits distinct phases, including a calm phase, growth phase, and rapid rise phase. As the flow rate increases, the internal crack types in the sandstone transition from shear cracks to tensile cracks, corresponding to the shift from shear failure to cleavage failure. The sandstone's damage variables show progressive abrupt changes under flow rates of 0, 200, and 400 mm⋅s−1, while segmented growth is observed under flow rates of 600 and 800 mm⋅s−1. (3) After absorbing water in a dynamic water environment, the interparticle cementation capacity of the sandstone weakens due to softening, water-rock interactions, and swelling reactions of clay minerals. The overall structure becomes destabilized, ultimately leading to failure through deformation. These findings provide a basis for predicting destruction and analyzing the stability of rock masses during water absorption and expansion deformation under dynamic water conditions.

AbstractThe anchor cable is most widely support structure used to coal mine roadways reinforcement in various complex geological and geotechnical conditions, however, the cable distribution of the roadway support is always depend on workers’ experience, which is subjective. To guarantee the stability of roadway, extra long anchor cable frequently is used, obviously, it can result in the waste of anchor cable and it is not economy. This paper investigates a combined numerical simulation methodology aiming at determine the minimum anchor cable length and cable location, meanwhile the stability of roadway was guaranteed as well. The FLAC3D numerical simulation was controlled completely by Python script, the convergence state of numerical simulation of roadway with anchor cables were used to judge the stability of roadway with anchor cables, and the location and length of anchor cables were adjusted based on the safety factor of roadway with anchor and the improved simulated algorithm. Subsequently, three kinds of shape (arc roadway, rectangle roadway and circle roadway) roadway were used to verify the validity of the proposed method, and the optimal anchor cable design for the roadway was determined. Overall, the numerical simulation results show that the proposed scheme adapted to determine the anchor cable length and location is reliable, it can guarantee the safety and stability of roadway.

The Particle Flow Code is a typical DEM numerical software; however, the microparameters of DEM models need to be calibrated before numerical simulation. In most cases, the trial-and-error method is used; however, it takes a great deal of time and the results depend on the researchers’ experience. To address this issue, the cross-entropy method (CEM), differential evolution (DE), electromagnetic field optimization (EFO), moth–flame optimization (MFO) and salp swarm optimization (SSO) algorithm have been used for microparameters calibration. We provide a numerical simulation example to verify the validity of these microparameter calibration methods; it turns out that the number of iterations was large. To reduce the computational effort of obtaining suitable microparameters of the DEM model, we determine the optimal hyperparameters of the CEM, DE, EFO, MFO and SSO microparameter calibrating techniques. Through the analysis of the results, the number of iterations of these algorithms was markedly reduced. Considering the number of iterations, the number of hyperparameters and the results of numerical simulation, we suggest SSO algorithm for microparameter calibration. We also give another numerical simulation example to verify the validity of the proposed method. We found that the number of iterations for obtaining suitable microparameters was less than 100, and only 1 hyperparameter needed to be determined. Compared with previous studies, the number of iterations decreased remarkably.

In high-speed surface-mounted permanent magnet (SPM) brushless machines, time- and space-harmonic excitations can induce significant eddy currents flowing in the rotor conductive parts. An effective measure to suppress the eddy currents is to employ a copper shield between the magnets and the retaining sleeve. In this article, a Fourier-based analytical model is proposed to evaluate the rotor eddy current losses. The model is set up in the cylindrical coordinate system and is able to compute the eddy current fields and losses in all rotor domains, that is, the sleeve, shield, magnets, and shaft. Although it is generally believed that both ordinary Bessel functions (OBFs) and modified Bessel functions (MBFs) are workable for solving the magnetic vector potential, it is argued in this article that only the MBF-based models are numerically stable when the high-conductivity domain (e.g., the copper shield) exists, while the OBF-based models may result in irrational results. Both the OBF- and MBF-based analytical models for a prototype motor are established and comparatively studied, with verification of the finite-element (FE) method. Moreover, the cause of losing analysis accuracy in the OBF-based models is revealed.

To develop novel polymerizations capable of manipulating low molecular weight distribution (Đ) through novel polymerization species rather than radical, anionic, or cationic species is highly desirable and challenging, which will enable polymer chemistry with a new polymerization mode and synthetic route. Grignard reagent mediated alkene polymerization is generally regarded as anionic polymerization that is not applicable for nonpolar monomers like styrene (St). Here, the turbo-Grignard reagent mediated polymerization of St is demonstrated to exhibit intriguing all-in-one characteristics of covalent–anionic–radical polymerization. Under mild conditions, polystyrenes with narrow molecular weight distribution can be obtained with over 99% monomer conversion by using a series of turbo-Grignard reagents (RMgX·LiCl) as initiators, including alkylMgCl·LiCl, BnMgCl·LiCl, and allylMgCl·LiCl. In comparison with traditional Grignard reagent mediated reactions and polymerizations exhibiting zero tolerance with reactive hydrogen, this turbo-Grignard reagent mediated polymerization exhibits compatibility with reactive hydrogen under mild conditions and expands the library of polymerization with an intriguing turbo-Grignard reagent mediated all-in-one covalent, anionic, and radical polymerization mode.

A kinetic-controlled photocatalyst-free visible-light-induced stereoselective synthesis of α,α-gem-difluoro-Z-allyl esters was succeeded at room temperature in moderate to excellent yields with up to Z-isomer-only stereoselectivities through a reductive radical ethoxycarbonyldifluoromethylation of terminal aryl alkynes with blue LED (465 nm)-excited Hantzsch ester. The geometry optimizations obtained by the DFT/B3LYP calculation with a standard 6-31G(d,p) basis set were also employed for the mechanism study on the formation of a key α,α-difluoroallyl ester radical intermediate, which was generated from the addition of the ethoxycarbonyldifluoromethyl radical to aryl alkyne substrates and the stabilization effect of the neighboring group. Subsequent steric hindrance-determined hydrogen generated from the Hantzsch ester radical cation led to the formation of final aryl-substituted Z-difluoroallyl esters. This methodology provided convenient access to the synthetically important Z-configured gem-difluoroallylic building blocks.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2008.12.014 Byline: Wan-wen Chu Keywords: Own-brand manufacturing; Subcontracting; Catch up; East Asian latecomers; Taiwan's second movers Abstract: Taiwan, one of the best performers among latecomers, has successfully entered mature high-tech from the 1980s, but has yet to close the technological gap with the West. The paper examines why most of the successful second movers in Taiwan do not pursue R&D-intensive and own-brand strategies to catch up, and whether they may do so in the future. It is argued here that the second mover expands by relying upon accumulated organizational capabilities based on subcontracting manufacturing, hence implying likely path dependence in development. Thus, the strategy of choice for most will be upgrading subcontracting, cross-industry subcontracting, and then own-brand manufacturing, in that order. Among the structural factors affecting the firm's strategic choice, the industrial policy has been a crucial one. South Korea has produced some successful global brands, supported by the state's national champion policy and long-term commitment to the chaebol. The emerging China has also adopted a highly ambitious national champion strategy. The fact that the government in Taiwan has never adopted a national champion strategy helps to partly explain the evolutionary path of Taiwan's second movers, and attests to the importance of industrial policy. Unless Taiwan's policy environment changes significantly, the current trend may continue in the foreseeable future. Author Affiliation: Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences (RCHSS), Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan Article History: Received 8 September 2007; Revised 26 January 2008; Accepted 31 December 2008

Investigating the damage degradation of rock during the freezing and thawing process is more consistent with the actual engineering environment, considering its internal initial damage. In this study, the effects of initial damage from preloading and subzero-temperature freezing–thawing on microscopic and macroscopic mechanical properties of sandstone were studied based on the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. The results show that the P-wave velocity of the sample decreased, while the porosity increased as the initial damage level increased. The distribution of T2signal intensity exposed to the low-temperature freezing–thawing–saturation treatment was rather larger than that under normal temperature conditions for samples with different levels of initial damage from preloading, indicating that the low-temperature freezing–thawing condition would promote the porosity and have an obvious increase in damage. A continuum damage model considering subzero-temperature freezing–thawing damage from different pore sizes was finally introduced to describe the damage evolution mechanism of sandstone. The research results can be used to quantitatively evaluate the damage evolution mechanism of sandstone treated by subzero-temperature freezing–thawing without mechanical tests. Furthermore, the analysis and research results show that the damage variables of sandstone obtained by the NMR theory were lower than those of classical rock mechanics theory.

The doping of a polymer chain with nitrogen is an efficient strategy to endow polymer materials with functionality. However, the molecular design of polyarylamines through direct C–N bond formation is still challenging. Herein, a novel polymerization method, named Barbier-type nitro/nitroso addition polymerization, is reported as a versatile approach for molecular design of polyarylamines through C–N bond formation, by utilizing electrophilic nitro/nitroso groups as polymerizable groups. Through Barbier-type nitro/nitroso addition polymerization, a series of polyarylamines have been prepared, including ortho-polyaniline, para-polyaniline, meta-polyaniline, para-polymethylaniline, and polynaphthylamine, most of which are hard to be synthesized by current other polymerization methods. By introducing the Barbier-type nitro/nitroso addition into polymer chemistry, the polymerization methodology, monomer, and polymer libraries of polymer chemistry are expanded and a novel avenue is opened up for molecular design of nitrogen-containing polymer materials through direct formation of a C–N bond.

Accurate wind speed forecasting is very crucial for wind power generation systems, but the inherent randomness of wind speeds makes wind speed forecasting challenging. There have been many studies on predicting wind speeds, but they ignored the influence factor of wind speed on its change over time with multiple factors, such as wind direction, temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure. Therefore, a secondary factor induced wind speed time series prediction using self-adaptive interval type-2 fuzzy sets (IT2FS) with error correction was proposed. First, an IT2FS model is developed to induce secondary factors to predict wind speed. Specifically, the differential evolution algorithm is employed to optimize parameters of IT2FS model. Second, error correction strategy is adopted to correct the model error. The auto-regressive integrated moving average model is used to predict the residual sub-sequence after variational mode decomposition. Finally, by predicting the wind speed of two wind farms in China, it is verified that the proposed hybrid system transcends other compared models and simultaneously realizes high accuracy and strong stability. Thus, employing a new strategy to conduct the main factor time series prediction using its secondary factors is extremely useful for enhancing the prediction performance.

High incidence of asymptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) has been observed in severe COVID‐19 patients, but the characteristics of symptomatic VTE in general COVID‐19 patients have not been described.

Background:Chronic pruritus is a prevalent, multifactorial and debilitating condition that is often underestimated. This article reviews current evidence to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of itch.Results:Although many researchers have conducted observational studies, clinical trials, and systematic reviews on the subject, the lack of more-robust and well-designed studies to prove the effectiveness of acupuncture in the management of itch is evident. Many published studies are of poor quality, with no clear description of randomization methods, and an absence of control groups and measurable clinical outcomes. In addition, a lack of standardization in methods for assessing pruritus and the acupuncture treatment protocols hinders more-comprehensive and higher-quality pooled data analysis.Conclusions:Current evidence cannot fully support acupuncture for the treatment of itch yet.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) represent an ideal testbench for the search of materials by design, because their optoelectronic properties can be manipulated through surface engineering and molecular functionalization. However, the impact of molecules on intrinsic physical properties of TMDs, such as superconductivity, remains largely unexplored. In this work, the critical temperature (TC) of large-area NbSe2monolayers is manipulated, employing ultrathin molecular adlayers. Spectroscopic evidence indicates that aligned molecular dipoles within the self-assembled layers act as a fixed gate terminal, collectively generating a macroscopic electrostatic field on NbSe2. This results in an ∼55% increase and a 70% decrease in TCdepending on the electric field polarity, which is controlled via molecular selection. The reported functionalization, which improves the air stability of NbSe2, is efficient, practical, up-scalable, and suited to functionalize large-area TMDs. Our results indicate the potential of hybrid 2D materials as a novel platform for tunable superconductivity.

Arginine methylation is an important posttranslational modification catalyzed by protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs). However, the role of PRMTs in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression is not well understood. Here we report that non-POU domain-containing octamer-binding protein (NONO) is overexpressed in CRC tissue and is a potential marker for poor prognosis in CRC patients. NONO silencing resulted in decreased proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRC cells, whereas overexpression had the opposite effect. In a xenograft model, tumors derived from NONO-deficient CRC cells were smaller than those derived from wild-type (WT) cells, and PRMT1 inhibition blocked CRC xenograft progression. A mass spectrometry analysis indicated that NONO is a substrate of PRMT1. R251 of NONO was asymmetrically dimethylated by PRMT1 in vitro and in vivo. Compared to NONO WT cells, NONO R251K mutant-expressing CRC cells showed reduced proliferation, migration, and invasion, and PRMT1knockdown or pharmacological inhibition abrogated the malignant phenotype associated with NONO asymmetric dimethylation in both KRASWT and mutant CRC cells. Compared to adjacent normal tissue, PRMT1 was highly expressed in the CRC zone in clinical specimens, which was correlated with poor overall survival in patients with locally advanced CRC. These results demonstrate that PRMT1-mediated methylation of NONO at R251 promotes CRC growth and metastasis, and suggest that PRMT1 inhibition may be an effective therapeutic strategy for CRC treatment regardless of KRASmutation status.

α-Deuterated alcohols have important applications in pharmaceuticals and mechanism studies. Here, we report a new and practical strategy for the reductive deuteration of ketones using a Mg/BrCH2CH2Br/D2O system, which affords α-deuterated alcohols in good yields and with almost quantitative incorporation of deuterium. The synthetic value of this method has been demonstrated by the easy access to deuterated drugs or drug derivatives. This method may inspire the discovery of other deuterium-containing drugs.

In crop plants, the yield loss caused by drought exceeds the losses resulting from other adverse environment stresses. In numerous plant species, seedling establishment is positively correlated with the initial seed size under drought stress conditions. In intra- and interspecies, plants with large seeds can withstand water deficiency stresses, whereas those with small seeds are efficient colonizers as a result of their ability to produce more seeds. Therefore, larger initial seeds confer more drought resistance on germinating seedlings. Although this phenomenon has been observed by evolutionary biologists and ecologists, the correlation of initial seed size with the drought resistance of seedlings/plants is not well-reviewed and characterized. Furthermore, the related molecular mechanisms are unknown. Understanding these mechanisms will benefit future breeding or design strategies to increase crop yields. In the present review, we focus on recent research to analyze the genetic factors of plants/crops involved in the regulation of seed size and drought tolerance and their corresponding signal transduction pathways. Several signaling pathways that determine plant drought tolerance through influencing the initial seed size are identified. Such pathways include those that are involved in mitogen-activated protein kinase, abscisic acid, brassinosteroids, and several transcription factors and sugar signaling pathways.

ABSTRACTCarcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) regulates collagen-mediated platelet activation through its cytoplasmic immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motifs (ITIMs). However, the function of CEACAM1’s extracellular cleavage fragments is currently unknown. In the present study, we used mass spectrometry (MS) to identify 9 cleavage fragments shed by matrix metallopeptidase 12 (MMP-12), and then we synthesized peptides with sequences corresponding to the fragments. QLSNGNRTLT (QLSN), a peptide from the A1-domain of CEACAM1, significantly attenuated collagen-induced platelet aggregation. QLSN also attenuated platelet static adhesion to collagen. Additionally, QLSN reduced human platelet secretion and integrin αIIbβ3activation in response to glycoprotein VI (GPVI)–selective agonist, convulxin. Correspondingly, QLSN treatment significantly decreased convulxin-mediated phosphorylation of Src, protein kinase B (Akt), spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) and phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCγ2) in human platelets. These data indicate that the CEACAM1-derived peptide QLSN inhibits GPVI-mediated human platelet activation. QLSN could potentially be developed as a novel antiplatelet agent.

In higher plants, seed size is an important parameter and agricultural trait in many aspects of evolutionary fitness. The loss of water-deficiency-induced crop yield is the largest among all natural hazards. Under water-deficient stress, the most prevalent response to terminal stress is to accelerate the early arrest of floral development and, thereby, to accelerate fruit/seed production, which consequently reduces seed size. This phenomenon is well-known, but its molecular mechanism is not well-reviewed and characterized. However, increasing evidence have indicated that water-deficient stress is always coordinated with three genetic signals (i.e., seed size regulators, initial seed size, and fruit number) that decide the final seed size. Here, our review presents new insights into the mechanism underlying cross-talk water-deficient stress signaling with three genetic signals controlling final seed size. These new insights may aid in preliminary screening, identifying novel genetic factors and future design strategies, or breeding to increase crop yield.

Luminescent polymers are generally constructed through polymerization of luminescent moieties. Polymerization itself, however, is mainly used for constructing polymer main chain, and the importance of polymerization on luminescence has yet to be explored. Here, we demonstrate a polymerization-induced emission strategy producing luminescent polymers by introducing Barbier reaction to hyperbranching polymerization, which allows luminescent properties to be easily tuned from the traditional type to an aggregation-induced emission type by simply adjusting the monomer structure and the polymerization time. When rotation about the phenyl groups in hyperbranched polytriphenylmethanols (HPTPMs) is hindered, HPTPMs exhibit traditional emission property. When all phenyl groups of HPTPM are rotatable, i.e., p,p′,p″-HPTPM, it exhibits interesting aggregation-induced emission property with tunable emission colors from blue to yellow, by just adjusting polymerization time. Further applications of aggregation-induced emission type luminescent polymers are illustrated by the facile fabrication of white light-emitting diode (LED) and light-harvesting film with an antenna effect >14. This Barbier hyperbranching polymerization-induced emission provides a new strategy for the design of luminescent polymers and expands the methodology and functionality library of both hyperbranching polymerization and luminescent polymers.

In order to solve the problems of wax deposit, this study evaluated the effect of wax cleaning agent used in Changqing and adjusted its formulation. The results showed that the wax removal rate of oil based dewaxing agent was slightly higher than that of emulsion dewaxing agent for crude oil with low salt content. It is possible that the emulsion dewaxing agent contains a certain amount of mutual solvents, which improves its wetting ability at the oil-water interface and makes the oil and water dissolve each other. So that the wax deposit surface from hydrophilic hydrophobic to hydrophilic hydrophobic, forming anti-wax film to prevent wax deposition. Therefore, the wax removal ability of 1#, 3# oil wax is higher than that of oil base wax dewaxing agent.

An efficient and facile method of copper‐promoted aryldifluoromethylenation of N‐arylacrylamides was developed through a cascade process of in‐situgenerated benzo‐1,3‐diazolic (oxa‐ and thia‐) difluoromethylene radicals added to the C−C double bond of N‐arylacrylamide, and then intramolecular cyclization. The protocol enables an efficient access to various functionalized and biologically important 3‐benzo‐diazolyldifluoromethylene‐substituted 2‐oxindoles under mild reaction conditions. Radically efficient: An efficient and facile copper‐promoted aryldifluoromethylenation of N‐arylacrylamides for the synthesis of biologically important 3‐benzo‐diazolyldifluoromethylene‐substituted 2‐oxindoles was developed. This cascade process initiated by addition of in‐situgenerated benzo‐1,3‐diazolic (oxa‐ and thia‐) difluoromethylene radicals to the terminal C−C double bond of N‐arylacrylamides and then underwent intramolecular radical cyclization under mild reaction conditions.

There is a paucity of clinical data to support the hypothesis that external beam radiation therapy causes iatrogenic hypogonadism in prostate cancer patients. All prostate cancer patients treated at a single institution with radiation therapy between 2002 and 2010 were retrospectively evaluated. Patients treated with brachytherapy alone received 0 Gy of external beam radiation therapy and served as the control group. Patients treated with combination external beam radiation therapy + brachytherapy, or external beam radiation therapy alone were categorized into groups who received 45–54 Gy or > 60 Gy of external beam radiation therapy, respectively. Serum testosterone levels were routinely measured with prostate-specific antigen tests. The median follow-up periods for 149 evaluable patients in the control group (0 Gy), the 45–54 Gy group, and > 60 Gy group were 57, 62, and 55 months, respectively (p= 0.43). Among patients who underwent external beam radiation therapy, 53% were treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy, 65% with pelvic lymph node coverage, and 78% with 18 megavoltage photons. There were no differences in serum testosterone level declines over time between the 45–54 Gy group (p= 0.32) or the > 60 Gy group (p= 0.14) when compared to the control group (0 Gy). While body mass index was associated with baseline testosterone levels in univariate analysis (p< 0.0001), it was not associated with the rate of change following radiation therapy (p= 0.6). Empirical evidence does not support the hypothesis that incidental exposure of the testicular Leydig cells from scattered photons and/or daily portal imaging affects testosterone levels.

Conventional APCs that express MHC class II (MHCII) and co‐stimulatory molecules include dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages. Beyond these conventional APCs, immune stimulatory cells have been more recently shown to extend to a class of atypical APCs, composed of mast cells, basophils, and eosinophils. Here, we describe a unique type of APC, Gr1−/lowCD11b−/lowcells with a granularity and size characteristic of myeloid cells and with the ability to present Ag for crosspresentation. These cells constitutively express MHCII and the costimulatory molecules, CD80, CD86, and CD40. They do not express pan markers of myeloid DCs (CD11c), plasmacytoid DCs (Ly6C), or macrophages (F4/80), and their frequency is inversely correlated with myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in tumor‐bearing mice. Among splenocytes, they are more abundant than DCs and macrophages, and they exhibit antitumor immune stimulatory function at a steady state without further activation, ex vivo. They are also found within the tumor bed where they retain their immune stimulatory function. Our findings suggest the use of these novel APCs in additional preclinical studies to further investigate their utility in APC‐based cancer immunotherapies. A new class of antigen presenting cells that are able to boost anti‐tumor immune responses is described.

In this study, we constructed two annular detector arrays comprising 24 wedge-shaped CsI(Tl) crystals, and tested them using an αsource and radioactive beams of 14-16C on a CD2target. We compared the properties of a CsI(Tl) crystal encapsulated with various reflectors, revealing that using the 80-μm-thick ESR film to pack the CsI(Tl) crystal yielded the largest light output with the smallest non-uniformity in light output (ΔLO). For the 24 CsI(Tl) detectors with the 80-μm-thick ESR films, the average energy resolution improved as the average light output increased; however, it deteriorated as the ΔLOvalue increased. To form two annular Si-CsI(Tl) telescopes for identifying the light-charged particles, the ΔLOvalue and energy resolution of each CsI(Tl) detector were maintained under 20% and 7.7%, respectively. These telescopes were tested for the first time in a direct nuclear reaction experiment using 14-16C + d. The results demonstrated that the Z= 1 and Z= 2 charged particles were adequately discriminated by the telescopes using the standard ΔE-Emethod.

Anthocyanin accumulation specifically depends on sucrose (Suc) signaling. However, the molecular basis of this process remains unknown. In this study, in vitropull-down assays identified ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3 (EIN3), a component of both sugar signaling or/and metabolism. This protein interacted with YDA, and the physiological relevance of this interaction was confirmed by in plantaco-immunoprecipitation, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assay, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation. Ethylene insensitive3-like 1(eil1) ein3double-mutant seedlings, but not ein3-1seedlings, showed anthocyanin accumulation. Furthermore, ein3-1suppressed anthocyanin accumulation in yda-1plants. Thus, EMB71/YDA-EIN3-EIL1may form a sugar-mediated gene cascade integral to the regulation of anthocyanin accumulation. Moreover, the EMB71/YDA-EIN3-EIL1gene cascade module directly targeted the promoter of Transparent Testa 8(TT8) by direct EIN3 binding. Collectively, our data inferred a molecular model where the signaling cascade of the YDA-EIN3-TT8 appeared to target TT8via EIN3, thereby modulating Suc signaling–mediated anthocyanin accumulation.

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the US. Diabetes group visits (GVs), which include group education and individual medical visits have been shown to improve clinical outcomes. However, few studies have evaluated virtual GVs. We conducted a single-arm pilot study to test the impact of virtual diabetes GVs in Midwestern community health centers (CHCs). Adult patients with diabetes participated in monthly virtual GVs for 6 months. Surveys and chart abstraction were used to assess patient-reported and clinical outcomes. Five CHCs implemented virtual GVs with 34 patients attending at least one session. Virtual GVs show promise as evidenced by these findings: (1) Patients had a nonsignificant decrease in A1C. (2) In the subgroup of patients with baseline A1C ≥ 9%, there was a significant decrease in A1C. (3) Patients had significant increases in diabetes knowledge and support as well as a decrease in diabetes distress. Future studies with a larger sample size and a control comparison group are needed to assess the impact of virtual GVs on patient outcomes.

Clusteroluminescence (CL) materials, as an emerging class of luminescent materials with unique photophysical properties, have received increasing attention owing to their great theoretical significance and potential for biological applications. Although much progress has been made in the design, synthesis and application of CL materials, there is still a big challenge in the emission mechanism. So far, through-space interaction has been proposed as the preliminary mechanism of the corresponding clusterization-triggered emission (CTE) effect, but a systematic theory is still needed. This review summarizes the current mechanistic understanding of CL materials including organic/inorganic small molecules, and polymers with/without isolated aromatic structures. In addition, some strategies to achieve high quantum yield, adjustable emission color, and persistent room temperature phosphorescence in CL materials are also summarized. At last, a perspective of the mechanism and application of CL materials are demonstrated, which inspire the researchers working on the development of new kinds of functional materials.

The aim of this study is to investigate whether use of cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) inhibitors as auxiliary drug in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients will lead to better survival outcome. This population‐based retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The cohort consisted of newly diagnosed CRC adult patients during 2003–2010 with at least one prescription of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammation drugs. Analysis groups were defined as users or nonusers of COX‐2 inhibitors based on their usage prior to or 1 year after diagnosis of CRC. The outcome measurement was overall survival. The application of propensity scores through the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was applied to the study groups. Subgroup analyses included stratification of different cancer site, treatment modalities, and first chemotherapy regimens. Kaplan–Meier estimates and Cox regressions were used to compare survival outcome. We identified 14,688 patients with newly diagnosed CRC. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) with IPTW was 0.91 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.86–0.96] in patients using COX‐2 inhibitors in before and after diagnosis groups, and statistical significance was not reached for usages at only prior to or only after diagnosis. In subgroup analyses, patients with rectal cancer (adjusted HR with IPTW = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.79–0.94) who received surgery followed by chemoradiation (adjusted HR with IPTW = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.47–0.77) and with adjuvant chemotherapy of FOLFOX regimen (adjusted HR with IPTW = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67–0.99) had survival benefits in using COX‐2 inhibitors both prior to and after diagnosis. Use of COX‐2 inhibitors was found to be associated with reduction in mortality for CRC patients when taken both prior to and after cancer diagnosis.

Monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a member of layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), possesses a direct bandgap, high optical absorption, and prominent piezoelectricity, as well as has enjoyed a wide range of applications in electronics and optoelectronics. Most investigators have ubiquitously synthesized this material by using the chemical vaporization deposition method. Here we have discovered the self-limiting vapor deposition epitaxy (SLVDE), which governs the synthesis of integrated centimeter-scale nearly single-crystal monolayer MoS2films with high experimental repeatabilities. This mechanism (a) utilizes the van der Waals force that induces the epitaxy and (b) differentiates magnitudes of saturated source-material vapor pressures that avoid undesirable pyramid-like structures. The energy peak of the photoluminescence hump located at 1.89 eV (near the theoretical-value 1.90 eV) and a high average hole mobility valued as 317.2 cm2V–1s–1demonstrate high optoelectronic quality of the continuous and uniform film. The present study provides a guide for synthesizing large-territory high-mobility nearly single-crystal layered TMDCs films for specific applications.

The controlled preparation of polymers with narrow molecular weight distribution (Đ) is highly desirable in polymer science, which generally requires relatively rigorous conditions like inert atmosphere, low temperature, or moderate conversion to reduce undesired side reactions and built-in bimolecular termination. Here, the compatibility of Barbier covalent-anionic-radical polymerization (CARP) is demonstrated with air and divinylbenzene (DVB). Through this Barbier CARP in air, narrow distributed polystyrenes with Đas low as 1.09 are successfully prepared under mild conditions with full monomer conversion. Barbier CARP of DVB enables the preparation of poly(para-divinylbenzene) with Đof 1.29, which exhibits versatile postpolymerization modification properties. Unpredictably, benzylic hydrogen atom affects this Barbier CARP significantly. This work therefore expands the method library for the preparation of polymers with low Đ, where rigorous conditions are not required.

The precise synthesis of polymer with narrow molecular weight distribution (Đ) and well-defined architectures is very essential to exploring the functions and properties of polymer materials. Here, a universal polymerization method capable of low Đand reactive hydrogen compatibility is reported by introducing super-Grignard reagents (R2Mg·LiCl) into polymer chemistry. Under mild conditions, various monomers, including nonpolar polystyrene and 4-methoxystyrene that cannot be initiated by Grignard reagents, and polar methacrylate, are successfully polymerized with full monomer conversion and low Đ. This approach is amenable to wide varieties of initiators, polymerization temperature, and feed ratio, which makes it attractive for applications in polymer synthesis. By adding methanol and water during the polymerization process, the reactive hydrogen compatibility of this method is confirmed, which makes this method avoid the rigorous restriction on polymerization conditions of anionic polymerization. Moreover, chain extension polymerization and block copolymerization are achieved and demonstrate the livingness of chain propagation, enabling the facile synthesis of well-defined macromolecular architectures. This work therefore expands the methodology libraries of living polymerization, which may cause inspirations to polymer science.

A rhodium(III)-catalyzed controllable [4 + 1] and [4 + 2] annulation of N-aryl pyrazolones with maleimides as C1 and C2 synthon has been explored for the synthesis of spiro[pyrazolo[1,2-a]indazole-pyrrolidines] and fused pyrazolopyrrolo cinnolines. The product selectivity was achieved through time-dependent annulation. The [4 + 1] annulation reaction involves sequential Rh(III)-catalyzed C–H alkenylation of N-aryl pyrazolone, followed by an intramolecular spirocyclization via aza-Michael-type addition to afford spiro[pyrazolo[1,2-a]indazole-pyrrolidine]. However, prolonged reaction time converts in situformed spiro[pyrazolo[1,2-a]indazole-pyrrolidine] into fused pyrazolopyrrolocinnoline. This unique product formation switch proceeds via strain-driven ring expansion through a 1,2-shift of the C–C bond.

Nontraditional intrinsic luminescent (NTIL) polymers are an emerging class of luminescent polymer materials, and the molecular design of novel NTIL polymer luminogens is highly desirable. Here, a series of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) type NTIL polymers, including polytriphenylmethyl azide, polyfluorotriphenylmethyl azide, polydifluorotriphenylmethyl azide, polychlorotriphenylmethyl azide, and polydichlorotriphenylmethyl azide, have been synthesized through reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization-induced emission (PIE) successfully. Investigations reveal that the triphenylmethyl azide moiety is a novel PIE luminogen for the molecular design of NTIL polymers, where triphenylmethyl azide is nonemissive but triphenylmethyl azide-containing polymers are emissive. Further applications were performed for explosive detection and luminescence energy transfer applications. Therefore, this work expands the molecular structure library of NTIL and AIE materials that might cause inspirations in different fields including click chemistry, living polymerization, PIE, AIE, and NTIL.

Quiescent, but not indolent, dormant tumor cells are resistant to immunoediting, and best targets for immunotherapy of cancer. Two major barriers to cancer immunotherapy include tumor‐induced immune suppression mediated by myeloid‐derived suppressor cells and poor immunogenicity of the tumor‐expressing self‐antigens. To overcome these barriers, we reprogrammed tumor‐immune cell cross‐talk by combined use of decitabine and adoptive immunotherapy, containing tumor‐sensitized T cells and CD25+NKT cells. Decitabine functioned to induce the expression of highly immunogenic cancer testis antigens in the tumor, while also reducing the frequency of myeloid‐derived suppressor cells and the presence of CD25+NKT cells rendered T cells, resistant to remaining myeloid‐derived suppressor cells. This combinatorial therapy significantly prolonged survival of animals bearing metastatic tumor cells. Adoptive immunotherapy also induced tumor immunoediting, resulting in tumor escape and associated disease‐related mortality. To identify a tumor target that is incapable of escape from the immune response, we used dormant tumor cells. We used Adriamycin chemotherapy or radiation therapy, which simultaneously induce tumor cell death and tumor dormancy. Resultant dormant cells became refractory to additional doses of Adriamycin or radiation therapy, but they remained sensitive to tumor‐reactive immune cells. Importantly, we discovered that dormant tumor cells contained indolent cells that expressed low levels of Ki67 and quiescent cells that were Ki67 negative. Whereas the former were prone to tumor immunoediting and escape, the latter did not demonstrate immunoediting. Our results suggest that immunotherapy could be highly effective against quiescent dormant tumor cells. The challenge is to develop combinatorial therapies that could establish a quiescent type of tumor dormancy, which would be the best target for immunotherapy.

Large-Fresnel-number unstable-waveguide hybrid resonators employing spherical resonator mirrors suffer from spherical aberration, which adversely affects beam quality and alignment sensitivity. In this paper, we present experimental and numerical wave-optics simulations of the beam characteristics of a negative-branch hybrid resonator having parabolic mirrors with a large equivalent Fresnel number in the unstable direction. These results are compared with a resonator using spherical mirrors. Using parabolic mirrors, the output beam has a smaller beam spot size and higher power density at the focal plane. We found that the power extraction efficiency is 3.5% higher when compared with a resonator using spherical mirrors as the cavity length was varied between −1 and 1 mm from the ideal confocal resonator. In addition, the power extraction efficiency is 5.6% higher for mirror tilt angles varied between −6 and 6 mrad. Furthermore, the output propagating field is similar to a converging wave for a spherical mirror resonator and the output beam direction deviates 3.5 mrad from the optical axis. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results.

This paper presents numerical simulations of viscous flow past a submarine model in steady turn by solving the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Equations (RANSE) for incompressible, steady flows. The rotating coordinate system was adopted to deal with the rotation problem. The Coriolis force and centrifugal force due to the computation in a bodyfixed rotating frame of reference were treated explicitly and added to momentum equations as source terms. Furthermore, velocities of entrances were coded to give the correct magnitude and direction needed. Two turbulence closure models (TCMs), the RNG κ- εmodel with wall functions and curvature correction and the Shear Stress Transport (SST) κ- ωmodel without the use of wall functions, but with curvature correction and low-Recorrection were introduced, respectively. Take DARPA SUBOFF model as the test case, a series of drift angle varying between 0° and 16° at a Reynolds number of 6.53×106undergoing rotating arm test simulations were conducted. The computed forces and moment as a function of drift angle during the steady turn are mostly in close agreement with available experimental data. Though the difference between the pressure coefficients around the hull form was observed, they always show the same trend. It was demonstrated that using sufficiently fine grids and advanced turbulence models will lead to accurate prediction of the flow field as well as the forces and moments on the hull.

A highly effective and selective bifunctional cinchona thiourea‐catalyzed new enantioselective Mannich reaction between benzothiazolimines and α‐benzylidene succinimides at allylic site has been developed and a series of chiral benzothiazol succinimides have been successfully prepared in good to excellent yields (up to 92% yield) with high diastereoselectivities (up to>20 : 1) and excellent enantioselectivities (up to>99% ee) under mild conditions A bifunctional thiourea‐catalyzed enantioselective Mannich reaction between benzothiazolimines and α‐benzylidene succinimides was developed and a series of chiral benzothiazol succinimides was successfully prepared under mild conditions.

According to the situation of high frequent accidents and supervision difficulties in highway construction project. The fuzzy evaluation model for the affecting factors of highway construction accidents was established. Through safety analysis on many accidents, it was considered that highway construction accidents were commonly affected by workers’ unsafe behavior, unsafe condition, environmental risk and management. Then the weight of relative factors were determined. Finally the highway construction safety management evaluation was built. It shows that this method is reasonable and handled, which provides a good thought for the scientific, quantitative and available evaluation of highway construction safety management.