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Abstract: Porous metals are very popular functional materials that have been used for various fields due to their attractive properties such as high porosity, controllable permeability, and high specific surface area, etc. This study provides an overall review of the fabrication, characterization and application of the porous metal materials (PMMs) for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) applications. Metal foams, porous metal sinters, metal meshes and perforated metals are included. Such materials have been used as flow distributor/flow field, current collector, gas diffusion backing and also catalyst support. Different applications require different dominant characteristics of the PMMs. Although the feasibility of using the PMMs for PEMFC applications have been comprehensively validated by both modeling and experimental investigations, there still exists plenty of scope to explore the in-depth mechanisms concerning how and how much the PMMs contribute to the fuel cell performance. This work not only summarizes the development of this subject, but also analyzes the challenges that must be overcome in the future. Moreover, a systematical optimization link for active functional design (AFD) of PEMFC-oriented PMMs is also presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper investigates the interesting effects of structural diversity and operating orientation on the performance of a liquid-fed passive air-breathing direct methanol fuel cell (PAB-DMFC). The results indicate that a higher thickness of the GEFC®-10N membrane helps enhance the cell performance due to its ability in reducing methanol crossover (MCO). When the cell uses carbon cloth at the anode but carbon paper at the cathode as the diffusion media, it produces higher performances than other combinations. The work also confirms the merit of using a cathode diffusion layer since it improves water, methanol and heat management. As for the structural optimization of current collector, it is recommended to use the circular-hole-array pattern with a lower open ratio at the anode but the parallel-fence pattern with a higher open ratio at the cathode. It is further demonstrated that the vertical operation yields a higher cell performance at a lower methanol concentration while the horizontal operation performs better at a higher methanol concentration. Besides, the effects of opening pattern and working orientation on the CO2 evolvement behaviors are analyzed by using visualized methods. Detailed mechanisms related to the resultant phenomena are comprehensively provided in this work. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Novel porous metal fiber sintered sheets (PMFSSs) with different porosities were fabricated by sintering copper fibers. Using four-point probe method, comparative study was conducted to investigate the effects of probe spacing, porosity, and sintering condition on the electrical conductivity of PMFSS. Our experimental results showed that probe spacing plays an important role in determining the electrical conductivity. Uniform probe spacing was adopted in order to reduce the error caused by non-uniformity of probe spacing. The measured electrical conductivity was found to decrease with increasing porosity ranging from 70% to 90% for the PMFSS produced under the same sintering condition. Our experimental results were found to agree well with the theoretical prediction by Liu’s model for the PMFSS with different porosities. The effect of sintering condition on electrical conductivity was also investigated. It was revealed that higher sintering temperature or longer holding time yields higher electrical conductivity of PMFSS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The downstream targets of amyloid β (Aβ)-oligomers remain elusive. One hypothesis is that Aβ-oligomers interrupt axonal transport. Although previous studies have demonstrated Aβ-induced transport blockade, early effects of low-n soluble Aβ-oligomers on axonal transport remain unclear. Furthermore, the cargo selectivity for such deficits (if any) or the specific effects of Aβ on the motility kinetics of transported cargoes are also unknown. Toward this, we visualized axonal transport of vesicles in cultured hippocampal neurons treated with picomolar ( p m) levels of cell-derived soluble Aβ-oligomers. We examined select cargoes thought to move as distinct organelles and established imaging parameters that allow organelle tracking with consistency and high fidelity - analyzing all data in a blinded fashion. Aβ-oligomers induced early and selective diminutions in velocities of synaptic cargoes but had no effect on mitochondrial motility, contrary to previous reports. These changes were N-methyl d-aspartate receptor/glycogen synthase kinase-3β dependent and reversible upon washout of the oligomers. Cluster-mode analyses reveal selective attenuations in faster-moving synaptic vesicles, suggesting possible decreases in cargo/motor associations, and biochemical experiments implicate tau phosphorylation in the process. Collectively, the data provide a biological basis for Aβ-induced axonal transport deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chemotherapy is one of the three most common treatment modalities for cancer. However, its efficacy is limited by multidrug resistant cancer cells. Drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) and efflux transporters promote the metabolism, elimination, and detoxification of chemotherapeutic agents. Consequently, elevated levels of DMEs and efflux transporters reduce the therapeutic effectiveness of chemotherapeutics and, often, lead to treatment failure. Nuclear receptors, especially pregnane X receptor (PXR, NR1I2) and constitutive androstane activated receptor (CAR, NR1I3), are increasingly recognized for their role in xenobiotic metabolism and clearance as well as their role in the development of multidrug resistance (MDR) during chemotherapy. Promiscuous xenobiotic receptors, including PXR and CAR, govern the inducible expressions of a broad spectrum of target genes that encode phase I DMEs, phase II DMEs, and efflux transporters. Recent studies conducted by a number of groups, including ours, have revealed that PXR and CAR play pivotal roles in the development of MDR in various human carcinomas, including prostate, colon, ovarian, and esophageal squamous cell carcinomas. Accordingly, PXR/CAR expression levels and/or activation statuses may predict prognosis and identify the risk of drug resistance in patients subjected to chemotherapy. Further, PXR/CAR antagonists, when used in combination with existing chemotherapeutics that activate PXR/CAR, are feasible and promising options that could be utilized to overcome or, at least, attenuate MDR in cancer cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel porous metal fiber sintered sheet (PMFSS) with three-dimensional reticulated structure was fabricated by using solid-state sintering method of copper fibers. Uniaxial compressive test was carried out to investigate the effects of porosity and manufacturing parameters on the compressive properties of PMFSS. During the compressive process, it was found that the PMFSS initially exhibited short-term elastic deformation, and then quickly entered into the compact densification deformation stage. The stress–strain plots showed no obvious yield stage in the whole uniaxial compressive process. Under given stress, the PMFSS with higher porosity exhibited higher strain, hence implying lower effective stiffness. Additionally, our results showed that higher sintering temperature or longer sintering time would soften the PMFSS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Lianas are a principal physiognomic component of tropical and subtropical forests and are typically considered to be parasites of trees. In contrast, the substantial contribution of lianas to rainforest leaf litter production (up to 40%) suggests that they play important roles in nutrient cycles and may benefit their host trees. Lianas contribute disproportionately to total forest litter production at least partially because lianas invest relatively little in support structures and proportionately much more to leaf production when compared with trees. In contrast to tree leaves, liana leaves are higher in nutrient concentrations, relatively short-lived, and decompose more rapidly. In addition, the special life form of lianas allows them to grow vertically and horizontally in the forest and relocate nutrients, mainly towards their host trees, through the production of leaf litter. Consequently, lianas may contribute substantially to the high rainforest productivity, and the roles they play in liana/tree associations and rainforest dynamics needs to be re-evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel processing technique named phase change flattening process has been developed to fabricate the flattened grooved heat pipes, which are in high demand for electronics cooling. The phase change vapor pressure in the flattened heat pipe is analyzed on the basis of its operating principle. An elasto-plastic FEM simulation is proposed to analyze stress and strain distribution for the flattening process. An experiment is also set up to verify this elasto-plastic deformation of axial grooved heat pipe (AGHP). Results show that the vapor pressure is determined by the saturated vapor pressure equation of heat pipe. Punch load of the upper plate greatly increases due to its higher vapor pressure and the buckling phenomenon can be well eliminated when the vapor pressure reaches 1.002MPa at vapor temperature 453K. The maximum equivalent plastic stress and strain distribute on the maximum bend points at the bending wall of heat pipe when the punch stroke is over 3mm. The width, vapor area and grooves of flattened heat pipe change greatly as the flattening proceeds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether CT enterography (CTE) changes of Crohn''s disease (CD) after treatment correlated with clinical remission. Materials and methods: We retrospectively studied 50 known CD patients (male: 35; female: 15) with clinical remission in a period of 3 years (2005–2008). CD was diagnosed by clinical, enteroscopic and pathologic manifestations. Clinical remission was identified by experienced gastroenterologists using the combing criteria of clinical, endoscopy and laboratory tests. First CTE and endoscopy exams were performed during their first hospitalization in our hospital meanwhile CD diagnosis was made during that time. Repeated CTE and endoscopy exams were done after treatment. CTE findings were determined by two experienced radiologists with double-blind approach. Each patient was analyzed for the CTE parameters including bowel wall attenuation, bowel wall thickening (>3mm), bowel wall thickening types (type A: multilayered mural stratification; type B: two layers with strong mucosal enhancement and prominent low-density submucosa; type C: two layers without strong mucosal enhancement; type D: homogeneous enhancement) comb sign, luminal stenosis (mild: luminal diameter 2–3cm; moderate: luminal diameter 1–2cm; severe: luminal diameter<1cm) and the presence of extraenteric complications (such as fistulas and abscess). All the quantitative parameters were measured three times by each review. Results: After treatment, bowel wall thickening was attenuated in 88% of CD patients. Thickness of bowel wall was decreased from 8.8±2.8mm to 6.4±1.9mm (P <0.001). CT value of bowel wall in portal stage was also declined from 90.0±15.4 (HU) to73.4±14.2 (HU (P <0.001). The percentage of patients with type A or B bowel wall thickening was decreased from 78.7% to 35.4%, while those with type C or D thickening was increased from 21.2% to 64.6% (P <0.001). The percentage of patients with comb sign was decreased from 88% to 60% (P =0.001). The percentage of patients with moderate or severe luminal stenosis was reduced from 74% to 32% (P <0.001). The ROC (receiver operating characteristic) analysis showed bowel wall attenuation (A z =0.89) and bowel wall thickness (A z =0.81) were the two best parameters to predict disease activity, and combining of these two values was better than using them solely (κ =0.71, P <0.001). The bowel wall attenuation (OR=9.56, P <0.001) and bowel wall thickness (OR=3.32, P =0.001) were significantly correlated with the disease activity in the following logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: Therapeutic effect of CD and disease activity can be properly evaluated by CTE. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Furfural residues are by-products from the process of furfural production with corncobs. The cellulose in the residues can be used to produce ethanol, but lignin, the other main component in the residues, inevitably exerts unfavourable effects on the enzymatic hydrolysis process. In order to reveal the effects and make an efficient utilization of the lignin, the characteristics, especially the variation during furfural production, should first be investigated. In this paper, the milled wood lignin (MWL) of the furfural residual (FR) and corncob were separated and a comparative study of the MWL fractions was made in terms of the UV, FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectra as well as the molecular weight and the thermal stability. It was found that the proportion of the three structure units in the two kinds of lignin fractions was different and that some reactions had taken place on the benzene rings during furfural manufacture. The methoxyls in the lignin structure units had been removed partially, and the groups conjugated with the benzene rings were destroyed. Moreover, the alcoholichydroxyl in the lignin of the corncob reduced and transformed into carbonyl. Both the degradation of the lignin and the condensation reactions have emerged during the furfural production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Amyloidosis is a rare disease characterized by forming pathological protein deposits in organs or tissues. The localized form of amyloidosis affecting small intestine is rare. We report a case of small intestine amyloidosis which presented gastrointestinal bleeding and abdominal pain. We also display radiologic features of amyloidosis of the small bowel which will add evidence to accurate diagnosis and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Plough is a useful method to fabricate groove-shaped microchannels. In this paper, a plough method to manufacture grooves on inner surface of copper tube was present, and a normal section reference system of plough tool was set up. A FEM simulation approach operated on DEFORM ver.2001 was established to analyze stress distribution, velocity distribution and plough force during plough. Both FEM simulations and experiments were conducted to discuss the grooves surface quality and geometry, to analyze the influence of plough depth on groove deformation. Results show that two kinds of grooves, which are V-shaped and U-shaped, generate on the inner surface of copper tube at same time after plough. The grooves geometries, effective stress and plough force increase as the plough depth increases. To manufacture grooves on inner copper tube successfully, the plough depth should be smaller than the depth where the maximum depth of deformation layer is equal to the tube wall thickness. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It has long been recognized that initially continuous chips are born curled. In this paper a new pattern of chip curl—reverse chip curl, named as chip down-curl, is observed during manufacturing of staggered integral high-finned tube using orthogonal planing with tools with flat rake face when rake angle is large enough and cutting thickness is small. With the increase of cutting thickness or decrease of rake angle, chips become uncurled and further increase of cutting thickness or decrease of rake angle leads to chip up-curl. The variations of chip curvature and conditions under which chips do not curl are obtained by experiments. The mechanisms of uncurled and reversely curled chip formation are investigated by analyzing microstructure of chip root. It is found that the uneven deformation that occurs on cross-section of chip results in reversely curled chip formation and no visible shear deformation that occurs on the primary shear zone of chip leads to uncurled chip formation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The growing emphasis on complexity concerns for ontologies has attracted significant interest from both the researcher’s and the practitioner’s communities in modularization techniques as a way to decrease the complexity of managing huge ontologies. On the other hand, it has been widely pointed out that classical ontologies are not appropriate to deal with imprecise and vague knowledge, which is inherent to several real world domains. In order to handle these types of knowledge, some fuzzy extensions of classical ontologies are presented, yielding fuzzy ontologies. In this paper, we integrate modular ontologies with fuzzy ontologies, i.e., the notion of modular fuzzy ontologies is presented. Furthermore, we present an infrastructure for the representation of and reasoning with modular fuzzy ontologies based on distributed fuzzy description logics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Molodtsov initiated the concept of soft set theory, which can be used as a generic mathematical tool for dealing with uncertainty. However, it has been pointed out that classical soft sets are not appropriate to deal with imprecise and fuzzy parameters. In order to handle these types of problem parameters, some fuzzy extensions of soft set theory are presented, yielding fuzzy soft set theory. Fuzzy description logics (DLs) are a family of logics which allow the representation of and the reasoning within structured knowledge affected by vagueness. In this paper we extend fuzzy soft sets with fuzzy DLs, i.e., present an extended fuzzy soft set theory by using the concepts of fuzzy DLs to act as the parameters of fuzzy soft sets. We define some operations for the extended fuzzy soft sets. Moreover, we prove that certain De Morgan’s laws hold in the extended fuzzy soft set theory with respect to these operations. In fact, the extended fuzzy soft set theory based on fuzzy DLs presented in this paper is a fuzzy extension of the extended soft set theory based on DLs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In a cellulosic ethanol production system, yeasts cannot be reused, and it is difficult to avoid the formation of lactic acid. A novel mixed fermentation system based on water-rinsed furfural residue was designed to produce lactic acid and ethanol simultaneously by yeast and lactic acid bacteria. The fermentation broth can be used for the production of lactic acid, ethanol, or ethyl lactate, which is a very suitable alternative green solvent. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation by mixed cultures of lactic acid bacteria and yeast (MSSF) in different conditions were carried out. Acid/alcohol molar ratios (molar ratio of lactic acid to ethanol) were investigated to determine the effects of temperature, substrate concentration, and mass rate of yeast to lactic acid bacterial cells on MSSF. Cellulose conversion rate was also calculated to evaluate the effectiveness of MSSF. The cellulose conversion rate of MSSF was higher than those of ethanol simultaneous saccharification and fermentation and lactic acid simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. The cellulose conversion rate increased with increasing substrate concentration, while the acid/alcohol molar ratio decreased with increasing substrate concentration. These results indicate that yeast cells could provide nutrients for lactic acid bacteria. MSSF at 38 °C is also apt to obtain a low acid/alcohol molar ratio. A 1:1 lactic acid/alcohol molar ratio will be obtained at a fluctuating temperature (38 °C between 0 and 54 h, 42 °C after 54 h) and a substrate concentration of 9%, while keeping a high cellulose conversion rate and final lactic acid concentration. A probable bottleneck for MSSF and its potential solution are also proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Molodtsov initiated the concept of soft set theory, which can be used as a generic mathematical tool for dealing with uncertainty. Description Logics (DLs) are a family of knowledge representation languages which can be used to represent the terminological knowledge of an application domain in a structured and formally well-understood way. Nowadays, properties and semantics of ontology constructs mainly are determined by DLs. In this paper we investigate semantic operations of multiple standard soft sets by using domain ontologies (i.e., DL intensional knowledge bases). Concretely, we give some semantic operations such as complement, restricted difference, extended union, restricted intersection, restricted union, extended intersection, AND, and OR for (multiple) standard soft sets from a semantic point of view. Especially, we also present an approach to deal with conflict from a semantic point of view when we define these semantic operations. Moreover, the basic properties and implementation methods of these semantic operations under conflict are also presented and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Due to the potential toxic effects of the nitrofuran family of antibiotics, their use in animals in the food industry has raised health concerns. This study was aimed to develop a lateral flow assay (LFA) based on competitive format for the detection of 1-aminohydantoin (AHD) in meat samples. The assay could be completed in 1 min and detected AHDs derivates (CPAHD) at 3 ng/mL, equivalent to 1.40 ng/mL of AHD, which was much lower than that reported in the literature by similar method. The antibody showed no cross-reactivity with a panel of more than 10 nitrofuran analogs except for nitrofurantoin at a high concentration. The test strip was stable at room temperature for up to 8 wk or at 37 °C for 4 wk. Parallel analyses of meat samples with LFA and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) obtained data in good agreement. This developed gold nanoparticle based LFA had a good specificity, sensitivity, stability, and reliability. It was potentially suitable for on-the-spot large-scale screening of meat samples, and even more other applications. Practical Application: Nitrofurantoin is one of antibiotics of the nitrofuran family, which has been used not only to prevent and treat diseases, but also to promote growth in animals. However, concerning the carcinogenicity of the metabolite of nitrofurantoin (AHD), a new fast and convenient method for monitoring AHD should be established. We describe the development of a new test assay for rapid screening of meat samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A kind of oriented linear cutting fiber sintered felt as an innovative catalyst support for methanol steam reforming was proposed. Multiple long copper fibers fabricated by cutting method were arranged in parallel and then sintered together in a mold pressing equipment under the condition of high temperature and protective gas atmosphere. The characteristics of oriented linear cutting fiber sintered felt coated with Cu/Zn/Al/Zr catalyst for methanol steam reforming were experimental investigated under different GHSVs and reaction temperatures. Results indicated that the structure of sintered felt was the key influencing factor for the reaction performances on the condition of low GHSV or reaction temperature whereas the structure of sintered felt showed little influences with high GHSV or reaction temperature. By the analysis of SEM image and ultrasonic vibration testing method, it was found that the coarse surface pattern of cutting fiber could effectively enhance the adhesion intensity between the catalyst and the copper fibers, as well as present relatively large specific surface area in the microchannels. And hence the oriented linear cutting fiber sintered felt present better performances of methanol steam reforming than the oriented linear copper wire sintered felt on the condition of low GHSV or reaction temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

functionalized gold nanoparticles bio-barcode technology was developed to detect semicarbazide. In the assay, the hapten CPSEM (4-[[2-(aminocarbonyl) hydrazinylidene] methyl]-benzoic acid) was first prepared and conjugated to bovine serum albumin as the coating antigen. Subsequently, gold nanoparticles dual-labeled with anti-CPSEM monoclonal antibodies and DNA oligonucleotide were synthesized via a one-step preparation method. Enzymatic signal was converted to DNA signal by combining polymerase chain reaction with indirect competitive ELISA (icELISA). The limit of detection of this method could reach 8 pg mL for detecting SEM, about 25 times more sensitive than conventional ELISA. The immunosorbent bio-barcode assay is a rapid high-throughput screening tool adapted for ultra-high sensitive detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study comprehensively investigates the dominance of various structural factors in a passive air-breathing DMFC by means of orthogonal array analysis (OAA). Two membrane types, two assembly patterns of the diffusion layer and two open ratios of the current collector are prepared. Three target variables are selected as the performance indexes including the maximum power density (MPD), limiting current density (LCD) and open circuit voltage (OCV). The range analysis (RA) method and effect curves (ECs) are used to characterize the OAA data. The RA results demonstrate that the current collector and diffusion layer combine to dominate the values of MPD and LCD in a wide range of methanol concentrations from 0.5 to 8M. The dominant structural factors related to the value of OCV at different methanol concentrations are also explored. In addition, the effect curves show that a medium methanol concentration like 2M generally promotes higher values of MPD and LCD, while a relatively lower methanol concentration like 0.5M benefits a higher value of OCV than others in a general statistical sense. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A hybrid nanopaper consisting of carbon nanofibre (CNF) and/or clay, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), ammonium polyphosphate (APP), has been fabricated through the papermaking process. The as-prepared hybrid nanopaper was then incorporated onto the surface of glass fibre (GF) reinforced polymer matrix composites through injection moulding. The morphologies of hybrid nanopapers with and without the polymer resin were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The polymer resin penetrated the entire nanopaper under a high-pressure compressed air system. The thermal decomposition behaviour of hybrid nanopapers infused with resin was studied with real-time thermogravimetric analysis/Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (TGA/FTIR). The test results indicate that the addition of clay in the hybrid paper increased the char residues of the nanocomposites. The fire retardant performance of composite laminates incorporating hybrid nanopaper was evaluated by cone calorimeter testing using a radiant heat flux of 50kW/m2. The cone test results indicated that the peak heat release rate (PHRR) decreased dramatically in the case of laminate composites incorporating CNF/clay/APP hybrid paper. However, the extent of reduction of PHRR of the composite laminates incorporated with CNF/POSS/APP hybrid paper was lower. The formation of compact char materials was observed on the surface of the residues and analyzed by SEM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The flame retardant mechanisms of hybrid nanopapers in composite laminates are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Yeast Rtt109 promotes nucleosome assembly and genome stability by acetylating K9, K27, and K56 of histone H3 through interaction with either of two distinct histone chaperones, Vps75 or Asf1. We report the crystal structure of an Rtt109-AcCoA/Vps75 complex revealing an elongated Vps75 homodimer bound to two globular Rtt109 molecules to form a symmetrical holoenzyme with a ∼12 Å diameter central hole. Vps75 and Rtt109 residues that mediate complex formation in the crystals are also important for Rtt109-Vps75 interaction and H3K9/K27 acetylation both in vitro and in yeast cells. The same Rtt109 residues do not participate in Asf1-mediated Rtt109 acetylation in vitro or H3K56 acetylation in yeast cells, demonstrating that Asf1 and Vps75 dictate Rtt109 substrate specificity through distinct mechanisms. These studies also suggest that Vps75 binding stimulates Rtt109 catalytic activity by appropriately presenting the H3-H4 substrate within the central cavity of the holoenzyme to promote H3K9/K27 acetylation of new histones before deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives We have previously found that volume-regulated chloride current (VRCC) is involved in cell cycle progression and cell proliferation. This study was to examine the effect of Tween 80, a nonionic surfactant, on VRCC and cell proliferation in rat basilar artery smooth muscle cells (BASMCs). Methods VRCC was recorded using a whole-cell patch clamp. Cell proliferation and cell cycle were determined by CCK-8, cell count and flow cytometry. Key findings The results showed that endothelin-1 promotes cell cycle transition from the G0/G1 phase to the S phase and significantly increases VRCC in BASMCs. The effect of Tween 80 on VRCC is reversible and concentration dependent. However, this chemical has no effect on the calcium-activated chloride channel. Tween 80 also concentration-dependently inhibits BASMCs proliferation and arrests cells in the G1/S checkpoint. The antiproliferative effect is paralleled with the inhibitory effect on VRCC. Conclutision Our study demonstrates that the inhibitory effect of Tween 80 on VRCC contributes importantly to arrest of the cell cycle and prevention of cell proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Molodtsov initiated the concept of soft set theory, which can be used as a generic mathematical tool for dealing with uncertainty. There has been some progress concerning practical applications of soft set theory, especially the use of soft sets in decision making. In this paper we generalize the adjustable approach to fuzzy soft sets based decision making. Concretely, we present an adjustable approach to intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets based decision making by using level soft sets of intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets and give some illustrative examples. The properties of level soft sets are presented and discussed. Moreover, we also introduce the weighted intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets and investigate its application to decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The operational characteristics of a small-scale passive air-breathing direct methanol fuel cell (PAB-DMFC) are comprehensively investigated under both steady-state and dynamic conditions. As the most important operating parameter, methanol concentration has significant effects on the cell performance. For different methanol concentrations (e.g., 0.5 and 8 M), the structural adaptations are particularly discussed. The results show that the structural factors are closely related to the influence degree of methanol concentration. In this study, the characteristics of the open circuit voltage (OCV) under various structural and methanol-concentration conditions are presented. Besides, the effects of other operating conditions such as running time, forced air convection and refueling action on the cell performance are also evaluated. In addition, a series of dynamic operations of the PAB-DMFC are conducted under different load cycles. Accordingly, the transient phenomena such as voltage undershoot and overshoot are explored. A fundamental principle for evaluating the operational characteristics of a PAB-DMFC is to simultaneously take into account the mass transfer requirements such as reactant delivery, product removal, methanol/water crossover control and so on. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Currently most researches in process mining focus on discovering a workflow model from an entire log. In fact, the process designers may have a partially built model and their prior knowledge is also valuable information to process mining. Besides, the large volume of log data makes the process mining a time-consuming job. It is better that the process mining be done in an incremental way. There are only a few methods that can incrementally mine a model, but they have their limitations such as incapability in handling loops or being intolerant to noise. On the other hand, loop mining is a challenging problem in process mining because the repeatedly executed tasks add complexity to the search for task precedence. This paper studies the problem of handling loops in process mining and proposes an improved incremental process mining method which supports loops. Experiments in the end show the feasibility and validity of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper studies the burr formation mechanism in milling cross-connected microchannels, and investigates the influences of radial depth of cut a e, cutting speed , feed speed and mesh size on the burr formation. A thin slotting cutter is carried out to fabricate cross-connected microchannels in a metal plate of thickness H. Two kinds of large burrs are produced in the meshes formed by two sets of perpendicular and cross-connected microchannels: flake-like burr and curl-like burr. Results indicate that when a e is equal to or slightly larger than H/2, flake-like burrs are formed. When a e is much larger than H/2, curl-like burrs are produced. Furthermore, curl-like burrs formed at low are relatively longer than those formed at high . High is unfavorable for the occurrence of long curl-like burrs. In addition, larger mesh is in favor of longer burrs due to its larger capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A hybrid system combining a 2kW air-blowing proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack and a lead–acid battery pack is developed for a lightweight cruising vehicle. The dynamic performances of this PEMFC system with and without the assistance of the batteries are systematically investigated in a series of laboratory and road tests. The stack current and voltage have timely dynamic responses to the load variations. Particularly, the current overshoot and voltage undershoot both happen during the step-up load tests. These phenomena are closely related to the charge double-layer effect and the mass transfer mechanisms such as the water and gas transport and distribution in the fuel cell. When the external load is beyond the range of the fuel cell system, the battery immediately participates in power output with a higher transient discharging current especially in the accelerating and climbing processes. The DC–DC converter exhibits a satisfying performance in adaptive modulation. It helps rectify the voltage output in a rigid manner and prevent the fuel cell system from being overloaded. The dynamic responses of other operating parameters such as the anodic operating pressure and the inlet and outlet temperatures are also investigated. The results show that such a hybrid system is able to dynamically satisfy the vehicular power demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

rapid immunochromatographic assay (ICA) was developed for the detection of semicarbazide (SEM), a nitrofurazone metabolite in meat specimens. Colloidal gold-labeled monoclonal antibody specific to a SEM derivative, 4[(4-carboxyphenyl)methylene]-hydrazinecarboxamide (CPSEM), was used as a probe for the presence of SEM. The assay is based upon the competitive reactivity theory that SEM derivatized with 4-carboxybenzaldehyde (4-CBA) competes with CPSEM-conjugated bovine serum albumin for binding the colloidal gold-labeled monoclonal antibody, the result of which could be read directly by naked eyes. Under optimal conditions, the visual detection limit is 0.72 ng mL, which demonstrated the high sensitivity of this assay. The stability test indicated that the immunochromatographic strips could be used within 7 weeks at room temperature without significant loss of activity. Spiked pork samples were detected by ICA and confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The assay time for SEM detection was within 5 min, suitable for a rapid on-site testing for meat samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in developing countries are limited. Herein we report the outcome of childhood AML treated with modified NPCLC-AML97 in our institution from 1997 to 2005. One hundred and eighty-five children with newly diagnosed AML were admitted. The 7-year overall survival (OS) and event free survival (EFS) rates for the whole cohort were 33.1 ± 4.1% and 31.2 ± 3.7%, respectively. Sixty patients (32.4%) refused chemotherapy and 123 were eligible for protocol evaluation. Among eligible patients, 111 (90.2%) achieved complete remission (CR). The estimated 7-year OS and EFS rates were 50.2 ± 5.5% and 46.9 ± 5.1%, respectively. APL was more curable than non-APL (7-year EFS: 63.5 ± 7.9% vs. 35.9 ± 6.3%, p = 0.005). Thirty-one patients (25.2%) relapsed, but no central nervous system leukemia was observed. Although the cure rate of childhood AML in China was low, the treatment outcome for patients who could adhere to the treatment protocol was satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A unique concept of making a paper from few-layer graphene (FLG) and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) was explored. In the FLG/MWCNT paper, an entangled network of MWCNTs was formed to bridge the gap between FLG. The ratio of FLG and MWCNT in the paper was varied from FLG-dominated to MWCNT-dominated in order to study the efficiency in improving electrical conductivity. At a high weight fraction of MWCNTs in the paper, MWCNTs were oriented between FLG. A synergistic effect on electrical conductivity between two-dimensional FLG and one-dimensional MWCNT was demonstrated in the hybrid paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A ring-shaped microchannel heat exchanger based on turning process is developed. Guide vanes are designed and added for enhancing the flow distribution uniformity among microchannels. The performance of the ring-shaped microchannel heat exchanger with or without guide vanes is investigated by experiments. The influence of the flow distribution uniformity among microchannels on the heat transfer performance is analyzed. The results show that ring-shaped microchannels can be successfully machined by turning. Guide vanes can greatly enhance the flow distribution uniformity among microchannels. Due to the existence of guide vanes, the performance of the heat exchanger is improved, whether in countercurrent flow or in cocurrent flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel porous flow field made of the porous copper fiber sintered felt (PCFSF) is developed for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The feasibility of this material is systematically investigated involving fabrication, characterization and application. The experimental results reveal that a lower cutting speed helps prevent the fibers from formation failure and morphological defects. A lower feed rate and a smaller back-cutting depth both reduce the equivalent diameter of the copper fibers. The sintering temperature, time and pressure combine to affect the formation quality of the PCFSF which has three-dimensional network structure with open pores distributed stochastically. The wettability tests show that the PCFSF is hydrophobic and the contact angle increases with the increase of porosity. The corrosion behaviors of the PCFSF in simulated PEM fuel cell environment prove that the PCFSF without any coating and alloying treatment is not quite competent, although the Cu corrosion does not critically happen in the tested fuel cell. The resistance tests demonstrate that the combined total electrical resistance of the composite bipolar plate is smaller than the graphite plate. The single-cell tests show that the performance of the fuel cell with the PCFSF flow field is acceptable. The effects of the operating parameters such as the anode operating pressure and cathode air flow rate are also explored. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study systematically investigates the effects of structural aspects on the performance of a passive air-breathing direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). Three factors are selected in this study: (1) two different open ratios of the current collector; (2) two different assembly methods of the diffusion layer; and (3) three membrane types with different thicknesses. The interrelations and interactions among these factors have been taken into account. The results demonstrate that these structural factors combine to significantly affect the cell performance of DMFCs. The higher open ratio not only provides a larger area for mass transfer passage and facilitates removal of the products, but also promotes higher methanol crossover. The hot-pressed diffusion layer (DL) can mitigate methanol permeation while the non-bonded variant is able to enhance product removal. The increase of membrane thickness helps obtain a lower methanol crossover rate and higher methanol utilisation efficiency, but also depresses cell performance under certain conditions. In this research, the maximum power density of 10.7mWcm−2 is obtained by selecting the current collector with a lower open ratio, the non-bonded DL, and the Nafion 117 membrane. The effect of methanol concentration on the performance of DMFCs is also explored. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Molodtsov initiated the concept of soft set theory, which can be used as a generic mathematical tool for dealing with uncertainty. However, it has been pointed out that classical soft sets are not appropriate to deal with imprecise and fuzzy parameters. In this paper, the notion of the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy soft set theory is proposed. Our interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy soft set theory is a combination of an interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set theory and a soft set theory. In other words, our interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy soft set theory is an interval-valued fuzzy extension of the intuitionistic fuzzy soft set theory or an intuitionistic fuzzy extension of the interval-valued fuzzy soft set theory. The complement, “and”, “or”, union, intersection, necessity and possibility operations are defined on the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets. The basic properties of the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets are also presented and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Most of current knowledge based systems manage impressive amounts of information (especially distributed fuzzy information). In addition to widely pointed-out integration and maintenance difficulties, other common problem is overwhelming of users with much more information than the strictly necessary for fulfilling a task. This issue has been pointed out with the name of “information overload”. Use of context knowledge has been envisioned as an appropriate solution to deal with this information overload matter. In this paper, we present a distributed fuzzy context-domain relevance (DFCDR) model for representation in fuzzy ontologies relevance relations between fuzzy context ontology and distributed fuzzy domain ontologies. In fact, the DFCDR model is a distributed fuzzy extension of the context-domain relevance (CDR) model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Most recently, energy and materials savings considerations have stimulated the demand for high efficient and compact heat exchangers. Finned tube is a well-known technology that promotes heat transfer efficiency. This paper proposes a new method of manufacturing integral serrated outside finned tube—rolling and wedging/extruding method. In this method, surface material of workpiece is only split from workpiece body, but not removed. The split and inseparate “chips” can be used to integral outside fins. The wedging/extruding tool is designed. Comparing to conventional cutting tool, the secondary cutting edge is transformed into curve face and only primary cutting edge is remained in wedging/extruding tool. The forming process of integral serrated outside finned tube by rolling and wedging/extruding is analyzed. In addition, the main technical parameters which affect the fins height and pitch are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The dynamic performance is a very important evaluation index of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells used for real application, which is mostly related with water, heat and gas management. A commercial PEM fuel cell system of Nexa module is employed to experimentally investigate the dynamic behavior and transient response of a PEM fuel cell stack and reveal involved influential factors. Five groups of dynamic tests are conducted and divided into different stage such as start-up, shut-down, step-up load, regular load variation and irregular load variation. It is observed that the external load changes the current output proportionally and reverses stack voltage accordingly. The purge operation benefits performance recovery and enhancement during a constant load and its time strongly depends on the operational current level. Overshoot and undershoot behaviors are observed during transience. But the current undershoot does not appear due to charge double-layer effect. Additionally, magnitudes of the peaks of the voltage overshoot and undershoot vary at different current levels. The operating temperature responds fast to current load but changes slowly showing an arc-like profile without any overshoot and undershoot events. The air flow rate changes directly following the dynamic load demand. But the increased amount of air flow rate during different step-change is not identical, which depends on the requirement of internal reaction and flooding intensity. The results can be utilized for validation of dynamic fuel cell models, and regarded as reference for effective control and management strategies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Molodtsov initiated the concept of soft set theory, which can be used as a generic mathematical tool for dealing with uncertainty. Description Logics (DLs) are a family of knowledge representation languages which can be used to represent the terminological knowledge of an application domain in a structured and formally well-understood way. The current research progress and the existing problems of soft set theory are analyzed. In this paper we extend soft sets with DLs, i.e., present an extended soft set theory by using the concepts of DLs to act as the parameters of soft sets. We define some operations for the extended soft sets. Moreover, we prove that certain De Morgan’s laws hold in the extended soft set theory with respect to these operations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Carbon fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites have been increasingly used for aircraft structures. Such relatively low-conductivity composite materials need to be engineered with lightning strike protection to achieve lightning tolerance comparable to metallic components. This study developed a specialty paper made of carbon nanofibers and nickel nanostrands as a surface layer on the composite panels and explored potential replacement for existing lightning strike protection materials. The porous, flexible, non-woven papers of nanofibers and nanostrands were first prepared by the papermaking process. They were then incorporated onto the surface of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites through resin transfer molding process. A method of applying a temporary surface barrier on the paper was developed to prevent the infused resin from breaching the paper’s surface. This minimized the resin on the composite panel’s surface and allowed its surface conductivity to remain high. The lightning strike tests conducted on these composite panels showed that lightning strike tolerance correlated to the surface conductivities of composite panels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, free-standing carbon nanofiber sheets (CNS) were incorporated into glass fiber reinforced polyester composites through resin transfer molding (RTM) process. These sheets were made of vapor grown carbon nanofibers. The composite laminates consisted of eight plies of CNS and eight plies of glass fiber mats. The fire retarding performance of the laminates was evaluated with cone calorimeter tests with an external radiated heat flux of . The test results indicated that there was significant improvement in the fire retardancy of composite laminates due to the incorporation of CNS. It was found that the CNS plies survived the test except the one on the top surface of the laminates. The formation of compact char materials was observed on the surface of the CNS residues. The improvement in fire retarding performance was achieved through the barrier and insulator effects of the CNS and charred materials by restricting the migration of flammable products to the top surface of the laminates and preventing the transmission of external heat to the underlying polyester resin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The performance of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell is greatly affected by the operating parameters. Appropriate operating parameters are necessary for PEM fuel cells to maintain stable performance. A three-dimensional multi-phase fuel cell model (FCM) is developed to predict the effects of operating parameters (e.g. operating pressure, fuel cell temperature, relative humidity of reactant gases, and air stoichiometric ratio) on the performance of PEM fuel cells. The model presented in this paper is a typical nine-layer FCM that consists of current collectors, flow channels, gas diffusion layers, catalysts layers at the anode and the cathode as well as the membrane. A commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software package Fluent is used to solve this predictive model through SIMPLE algorithm and the modeling results are illustrated via polarization curves including I–V and I–P curves. The results indicate that the cell performance can be enhanced by increasing operating pressure and operating temperature. The anode humidification has more significant influences on the cell performance than the cathode humidification, and the best performance occurs at moderate air relative humidity while the hydrogen is fully humidified. In addition, the cell performance proves to be improved with the increase of air stoichiometric ratio. Based on these conclusions, several suggestions for engineering practice are also provided. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It is generally accepted that the management of imprecision and vagueness will yield more intelligent and realistic knowledge-based applications. In this paper we present a fuzzy description logics framework based on certainty lattices. Our main feature is that an assertion is not just true or false like in classical description logics, but certain to some degree, where the certainty value is taken from a certainty lattice. We extend the well known fuzzy description logic based on fuzzy set theory to the fuzzy description logic based on certainty lattices theory . The syntax, semantics and logical properties of the are given, and a sound, complete and terminating tableaux algorithm for deciding fuzzy ABox consistency w.r.t. RBox for the is presented. In this paper various extensions of fuzzy description logics over lattices are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

1. Transmembrane Cl− transport through volume-regulated Cl− channels (VRCC) is implicated in cell cycle control and the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). In cerebrovascular VSMC, volume-regulated Cl− movement is enhanced with the severity of cerebrovascular remodelling induced by hypertension. 2. Expression of the ClC-3 chloride channel, a potential molecular candidate for the VRCC, is significantly increased with the progression of VSMC proliferation, but is decreased in apoptosis. 3. In the present review, we summarize recent findings regarding the functional role of volume-regulated ClC-3 chloride channels in VSMC proliferation, apoptosis and cerebrovascular remodelling during the development of hypertension. In addition, we discuss the relationship between the channel and intracellular signalling pathways, including the production of reactive oxygen species and the phosphorylation of Akt. 4. Recent studies strongly suggest that VRCC/ClC-3 is involved in the regulation of both cell proliferation and apoptosis. These findings suggest that ClC-3 chloride channels may be potential new targets for the prevention of the cerebrovascular remodelling that occurs during the development of hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel sintered–grooved composite wick structures has been developed for two-phase heat transfer devices. With ethanol as the working fluid, risen meniscus test is conducted to study the capillary force of wick structures. Infrared (IR) thermal imaging is used to identify and locate the liquid meniscus. The effects of sintered layer, V-grooves and powder size on capillary force are explored. The results show that the capillary force of composite wick structures is larger than that of grooved and sintered ones. Interaction wetting between groove and sintered powder happens during the liquid rise in composite wick, which provides an additional source of capillary force. It exhibits a variation of capillary force of composite wicks with different powder size due to the difference of open pore size and quantity in sintered porous matrix. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recently, Question Answering has been a hot topic in the research of information retrieval. Question Classification plays a critical role in most Question Answering systems. In this paper, a new approach to classifying questions using Profile Hidden Markov Models (PHMMs) is proposed. The generalization strategies to extract the pattern instances of questions by selective substitution are discussed. Then the classification method with pattern instances' structural features is investigated. Experimental results show that the PHMM based question classifier can reach the accuracy of 92.2% and significantly outperforms most of the state-of-the-art systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the current study, we developed a nanosphere bio-barcode technology to detect trace gonyautoxin 2/3 (GTX 2/3). GTX 2/3–glucose oxidase (GOX) conjugates were first prepared as the coating antigen in a periodate reaction. Subsequently, gold nanoparticles (NP) dual-labeled with anti-GTX 2/3 monoclonal antibodies (Mab) and DNA oligonucleotides were synthesized via a one-step preparation method. Combining PCR with indirect competitive ELISA (icELISA), a novel immunosorbent bio-barcode assay was established utilizing the Mab–NP–dsDNA complex to convert enzymatic signals to DNA signals. Importantly, the limit of detection of the method was lower than 0.74μgmL−1. Thus, the immunosorbent bio-barcode assay is a rapid and high-throughput screening tool to detect GTX 2/3 in aquatic products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A porous copper fiber sintered felt (PCFSF) as catalyst support is used to construct a methanol steam reforming microreactor for hydrogen production. The PCFSF has been produced by solid-state sintering of copper fibers which is fabricated using the cutting method. The impregnation method is employed to coat Cu/Zn/Al/Zr catalyst on the PCFSF. In this study, the effect of the porosity and manufacturing parameters for the PCFSF on the performance of methanol steam reforming microreactor is studied by varying the gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) and reaction temperature. When the 80% porosity PCFSF sintered at 800°C in the reduction atmosphere is used as catalyst support, it is found that the microreactor shows remarkable superiority in the methanol conversion and H2 flow rate in comparison to the ones fabricated under other manufacturing parameters. Moreover, the microreactor with this catalyst-coated PCFSF also demonstrates the excellent stability of catalytic reaction in the methanol steam reforming process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]