Search

This study investigates the impact of opening a high-speed railway (HSR) on the innovation output of offsite subsidiaries in China. Our findings suggest that the innovation output of offsite subsidiaries increases significantly after the opening of HSR between the cities in which the listed firms and their subsidiaries are located, and the results are robust after a series of robustness checks. Hence, the spatiotemporal squeezing effect generated by opening HSR significantly improves the efficiency of information exchange and resource sharing between parent and subsidiary companies, which greatly promotes the innovation output of offsite subsidiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines college youth travellers' food choices using a market segmentation-based latent class modelling approach. A D-efficient stated-preference experiment was conducted in four Chinese cities, identifying two tourist market segments with different preferences. Key factors influencing food choices include cost, taste, waiting time, service responsiveness and noise levels. Elasticities, first differences and willingness-to-pay values are estimated, providing insights for effectively targeting the youth tourism market. Results suggest that improving service quality and reducing noise levels can significantly enhance food appeal, while higher quality yields marginal returns. These findings can assist tourism and catering agencies in devising efficient strategies to attract youth travellers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Oto-Laryngologica is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract The experimental results of this paper showed that the final grades of most students would be improved in the class with low English proficiency in the case of textbooks of the same difficulty. However, when multimodal instruction was used, the failure rate in the second semester decreased by 13 percentage points compared with the first semester, while the high-achieving students increased by 6 percentage points. Therefore, by using the multimodal teaching method, the learning effect of students with low English proficiency from the mid-term to the end of the term has been significantly improved, which showed that the multimodal teaching method was more superior than the conventional teaching method. Before and after the use of multi-modal teaching, students in class B had a 24% increase in grades from mid-term to final, mainly because the English level of class B was generally higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study conducted two experiments to explore the effects of intuitive thinking and social value orientation (SVO) on cooperative behavior and assess the mediating effect of cooperative expectations. It manipulated intuitive thinking by increasing the participants' need for cognitive closure, classified SVO using the triple-dominance measure, measured cooperative behavior using the prisoner's dilemma game, and considered cooperative expectations based on participants' assessments of the cooperativeness of their counterparts. Both experiments showed that intuitive thinking increased and decreased the cooperation of pro-social and pro-self individuals, respectively. In pro-self individuals, cooperative expectations mediated the effect of intuitive thinking on cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning from nature and promoting original design concept is a significant way to develop functional materials with outstanding performance. Even since the discovery of the role of DOPA residues in the strong adhesion ability of mussel foot-byssus proteins (Mfps), numerous efforts have been devoted into the design of mussel-inspired polymers and many outstanding results have been achieved. Herein, this review is aimed to summarize the recent progress in mussel-inspired polymers in the last decade, including further explorations in the structure and functionality of Mfps, the design trend and driving forces for mussel-inspired polymers, and the applications and prospects for functional mussel-inspired polymers. We anticipate that this review can provide some guidance for researchers to explore novel biomimetic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of present study was to evaluate the effect of Limosilactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) on the intestinal barrier function and mucosal immunity of piglets at different suckling phase. In this study, fifty-four neonatal piglets (Rongchang × Yorkshire) were orally administered with 1.0 × 1010 CFU L. reuteri I5007 (dissolved in 2 ml 0.1% peptone) or 2 ml 0.1% peptone by gavage every day. The experiment had lasted for 20 days from the birth. Six piglets from each group were slaughtered at 10- and 20-day-old, respectively. Intestinal samples were collected for the evaluation of target genes by real-time PCR and western blot. The results showed that L. reuteri I5007 significantly increased the average daily gain, decreased the diarrhoea incidence, and improved the intestinal morphology of piglets (p <.05). Oral administration of L. reuteri I5007 also elevated the mRNA and protein level of jejunal and ileal Zonula Occludens-1, Claudin-1, and Occludin to enhance the intestinal mucosal barrier function. Additionally, L. reuteri I5007 treatment modulated toll-like receptors (TLRs) and porcine host defense peptides (HDPs) expression, such as increased the mRNA levels of ileal TLR9 and PBD2 at 10-day-old, jejunal TLR9 and ileal PG1-5 at 20-day-old, the protein level of ileal TLR2 at 20-day-old, and influenced the protein and mRNA level of ileal TLR4. These findings indicated that oral administration of L. reuteri I5007 could improve the intestinal mucosal barrier and enhance the intestinal innate immunity of piglets during suckling period. L. reuteri increased the average daily gain and decreased the diarrhoea incidence of piglets. L. reuteri increased the expression of Zonula Occludens-1, Claudin-1, and Occludin in jejunal and ileal mucosal. L. reuteri influenced the expression of toll-like receptors and porcine host defense peptides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the possibility of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) discontinuation in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients who obtained sustained deep molecular response (DMR) and to explore the prognostic role of NK cells in treatment-free remission (TFR). Sixty CML patients who discontinued TKI treatment were enrolled, and we also investigated the immune profiles in 27 CML patients after TKI cessation. Of the 60 patients, the estimated TFR rate was 60.8% [95% CI: 49.5–74.8%] at 12 months. Patients who had longer TKI duration, major molecular response, and DMR maintenance time had a significantly higher TFR rate. And a higher percentage of NKG2A+NK cells and NKG2A+CD56brightCD16−NK cells were independent prognostic factors of TFR in multivariate analysis. These results indicate the practicality of the cessation of TKIs and patients with stable NK cell counts accompanied by higher cytotoxicity and increased killing capacity are more inclined to get sustained treatment-free survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chemical investigation on the 90% EtOH extract of the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma applanatum led to the isolation of three new lanostane triterpenoids, designated as 25-methoxy-11-oxo-ganoderiol D (1), 3-oxo-25-methoxy-24,26-dihydroxy-lanosta-7,9(11)-diene (2), and 3β-acetyloxy-lucidone H (3). Structural elucidation of all the compounds were performed by spectral methods such as 1 D and 2 D (1H-1H COSY, HMQC, and HMBC) NMR spectroscopy. All the triterpenoids were in vitro evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against six pathogenic microorganisms. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited some activities against three Gram positive bacteria with MIC values less than 60 μg/ml. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the moderator role of multidimensional wisdom (i.e. individuals' positive personality traits) on the association between caregiver burden and depressive symptoms among family caregivers of disabled older adults in China. A quota sampling was used to recruit 789 pairs of disabled older adults and their primary family caregivers in Shanghai, China, in 2013. Multiple-group path analysis was used to test the proposed model. Cognitive, reflective, and affective wisdom were found to moderate the association between burden and depressive symptoms. The association was statistically significant among those with relatively low levels of cognitive, reflective, and affective wisdom. These associations, however, were found to be statistically nonsignificant among those with relatively high levels of cognitive, reflective, and affective wisdom. The findings highlight the important role of multidimensional wisdom in the underlying mechanisms of family caregiving from the perspective of the stress process model. Policy and intervention implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lodging stress influences the yield, quality, and mechanical harvesting ability of rice (Oryza sativa L.). It is of great significance for the quantitative and objective evaluation of rice yield loss to obtain the rice lodging distribution and grade information rapidly and nondestructively. The purpose of this paper was to establish a remote sensing monitoring method for the grade of rice lodging based on change vector analysis via Sentinel-2A images before and after lodging. Taking the lodging ratio (LR) of rice in the parcel as the characterization index, the changes in spectral reflectance and vegetation index of the rice canopy under different lodging grade stresses were analyzed. A 7-dimensional space vector was composed of a canopy spectral reflectance and vegetation index. A new angle vector was formed by the angle between each vector object and the axis of the canopy spectrum (vegetation index). Based on the difference in feature vectors before and after lodging, a lodging grade monitoring model based on rice parcels was constructed, and the accuracy of the model was verified using field observations. The results showed that the spectral reflectance of the rice canopy after lodging increased with the increase in lodging stress. The difference in vegetation index before and after lodging increased with the increase in lodging severity. Based on the change in the magnitude of the canopy spectral reflectance and its angle vector, and the vegetation index and its angle vector, the R2 of the rice lodging model was 0.66, 0.66, 0.60, and 0.59, respectively, and the RMSE values were 21.03%, 20.37%, 22.13%, and 22.84%, respectively. Therefore, the accuracy of the model constructed using the vegetation index was the highest. The canopy spectral reflectance and difference in the vegetation index of rice changed regularly with lodging grade stress. The model based on the change magnitude of the vegetation index could effectively realize remote sensing monitoring of the grade of rice lodging in Wuchang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/aim of the study: Posterior circulation stroke (PCS) accounts for 20% of ischemic stroke, and vertebrobasilar stenosis is an important cause of PCS. Notably, not all patients with artery stenosis progress to ischemic stroke, and one of the important reason is that collateral circulation construction plays important protection role in this process. Clinical presentation: Here, we present the case of a 71-year-old male who presented with lightheadedness and three episodes of loss of consciousness after bilateral subclavian artery stenting. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) demonstrated severe stenosis of the left vertebral artery, and the bilateral subclavian artery was kept open. The patient was then given the left vertebral artery stenting in an effort to resolve the vascular stenosis. As expected, he achieved a complete remission after stenting. However, 6 months later the patient suffered from loss of consciousness again. Repeat DSA confirmed restenosis of the left vertebral artery, and revealed a collateral flow to the left vertebral artery which fed by external carotid collateral branches. Then DSA was performed after 12 months, and another collateral circulation involving thyrocervical trunk was also found supplying flow to the left vertebral artery. In this process, the frequency of loss of consciousness gradually decreased as the collateral circulation construction. Conclusion: Through this case, we observe the whole process of the collateral circulation construction. Moreover, this case serves as a testament to the variability and complexity of vertebrobasilar arteriopathies, suggesting promotion of collateral flow offers the opportunity for outcome improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular abnormalities are frequent in core-binding factor (CBF) AMLs, but their prognostic relevance is controversial. Sixty-two patients were retrospectively analyzed and 47 harbored at least one gene mutation with a next-generation-sequencing assay. The most common molecular mutation was KIT mutation (30.6%), followed by NRAS (24.2%) and ASXL1 (14.5%) mutations, which was associated with a higher number of bone marrow blasts (p =.049) and older age (p =.027). The survival analysis showed KIT mutation adversely affected the overall survival (OS) (p =.046). NRAS mutation was associated with inferior OS (p =.016) and RFS (p =.039). Eight patients carried co-mutations of KIT and NRAS and had worse OS (p =.012) and RFS (p =.034). The multivariate analysis showed age ≥60 years and additional chromosomal abnormalities were significant adverse factors for OS. Thus, co-mutations of KIT and NRAS were significantly associated with a poor prognosis and should be taken into account when assessing for prognostic stratification in patients with CBF-AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates a low carbon-oriented berth allocation and quay crane assignment problem considering vessels' uncertain arrival time and loading/unloading workload for vessels. A two-stage stochastic programming model is formulated based on a set of scenarios. The first stage designs a baseline schedule and the second stage adjusts the schedule in each scenario. A solution method is developed by using column generation techniques. Numerical experiments are conducted to validate the efficiency of our column generation-based solution method and the effectiveness of the proposed decision model. Some sensitivity analysis is also performed to draw some managerial implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the financial deepening theory and the imperfect competition market theory, this article analyzes the influence of marketization level on rural commercial bank's financial performance as well as social performance by adopting the data of 36 rural commercial banks in China during the period 2012–2016 and further discusses the role of fiscal input in this relationship. We utilize a panel threshold model to examine the nonlinear influence. The empirical results show that the impact of marketization level on financial performance of rural commercial banks is nonlinear. Marketization exerts a greater positive impact on financial performance of rural commercial banks when marketization is low. In addition, marketization exerts an underlying effect on rural commercial bank's social performance when the threshold of marketization is exceeded. Finally, fiscal input of the government plays an inhibitory role in this promotion relationship. Overall, we confirm that marketization plays a crucial role in rural commercial bank's performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new compounds, crotalariapallins A-C (1-3), were isolated from the 95% EtOH extract of the seeds of Crotalaria pallida. Their structures were established based on extensive spectroscopic methods, including HRESIMS, UV, 1D and 2D NMR. All compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activities to tyrosinase. These compounds showed different degrees of inhibitory activities, among them, compound 3 exhibited the strongest inhibition activity (IC50 = 0.42 mM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The present study examined the moderating effects of functional health on the association between family social capital and life satisfaction among older adults who live alone in urban China. Method: Data for this study were derived from a study "Survey on older adults aged 70 and above who live alone in urban China," which was carried out in five Chinese cities between November 2013 and May 2015. 2801 respondents passed the screening test of cognitive capacities and successfully completed the survey. Family social capital was operationalized as family interaction, number of children, and family relationship. Random-effects logistic regression was conducted to test the proposed hypotheses. Results: The moderating effects of functional health on the association between family interaction and life satisfaction were identified. While family interaction was positively associated with life satisfaction among older adults without disabilities who live alone, family interaction was negatively associated with life satisfaction among those with disabilities. Furthermore, the association between number of children and life satisfaction was nonsignificant among older adults without disabilities, when family relationship was controlled. However, number of children was positively associated with life satisfaction among those with disabilities. Finally, the results showed family relationship were important protective factors of life satisfaction among older adults living alone, regardless of their functional health levels. Conclusion: Theoretical aspects on how family social capital, living alone, and functional health are interwoven and influence mental health in later life were deliberated. Policy and intervention implications were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative problem correlated with neuronal damage. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in neuronal damage in PD development. This research aims to analyze the function and mechanism of LINC00943 in 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+)-caused neuronal injury. MPP+-challenged SK-N-SH cells served as a PD-like model of neuronal damage. LINC00943, microRNA-15b-5p (miR-15b-5p) and RAB3A interacting protein (RAB3IP) abundances were examined via quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or western blot. MPP+-caused neuronal damage was assessed via cell viability, apoptosis, inflammatory injury and oxidative injury. The association between miR-15b-5p and LINC00943 or RAB3IP was determined via dual-luciferase reporter analysis and RNA immunoprecipitation. LINC00943 abundance was up-regulated in MPP+-challenged SK-N-SH cells. LINC00943 silence alleviated MPP+-caused decrease of cell viability and elevation of apoptosis, inflammatory injury and oxidative injury. miR-15b-5p was inhibited via LINC00943, and miR-15b-5p inhibition reversed knockdown of LINC00943-mediated suppression of MPP+-induced neuronal damage. RAB3IP was targeted via miR-15b-5p, and LINC00943 could regulate RAB3IP via miR-15b-5p. miR-15b-5p addition mitigated MPP+-induced neuronal damage through decreasing RAB3IP. LINC00943 inhibition alleviated MPP+-induced neuronal injury via miR-15b-5p/RAB3IP axis, indicating a potential target for treatment of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inorganic components have been widely applied as geographical traceability biomarkers of plant derived food and phytophagous insects. Helicoverpa armigera (H. armigera) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a global economic pest, has been shown to be able to migrate long distances but the detailed migration paths are still unclear. Herein, the levels of 10 minerals (Mg, Al, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cr and Sr) in 32 H. armigera adults from different growing backgrounds were evaluated by inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The discrimination of these insects from five groups was realized by using principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical discriminant analysis (CDA). The results showed that H. armigera from different growing backgrounds discriminated by PCA and CDA achieved high accuracy values of 84.4% and 100.0%, respectively. Additionally, cross-validation was utilized to check the confidence of the CDA results with an accuracy of 81.3%. The present study shows that geographical discrimination established by chemometric analytical methods achieves high confidence in terms of the identification of the phytophagous insect H. armigera. The application of this pattern may contribute to resolving migratory insect issues in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, Li2MnO3 was successfully prepared by a facile one-step high-energy mechanical activation method free from sintering. XRD, SEM, and TEM techniques were employed to analyse the materials, meanwhile the electrochemical properties of the obtained material are studied. XRD result shows that the desired material Li2MnO3 can be obtained just by high-energy ball milling without sintering, and the existence of Li2MnO3 was further proved by XPS. The obtained materials by high-energy ball milling are in a nano-scale range from 20 to 100 nm, which was confirmed by TEM and SEM. The electrochemical tests show that the prepared materials can be directly put into use as the cathode of lithium-ion batteries without secondary treatment. Successful preparation of Li2MnO3 by high-energy mechanical activation method provides a breakthrough for the low energy consumption and environmentally friendly industrialisation of new powder materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings from a systemic enquiry into the current research on Service Design (SD). It examines academic publications on SD over the last two decades using a summative content analysis of 305 articles that use SD as one of its 'author provided subjects'. The analysis revealed: (1) three distinct groups of publications that use SD differently, with research rooted in Design (142 articles) seen as the driver for development of SD as a discipline; (2) a typological overview of SD research including nine categories differentiated by 'knowledge' and 'methods'. The findings suggest that SD research is largely comprised of practice-oriented and phenomenological studies based on interpretative approaches. Research underpinned by objectivism is noticeably rarer. Future research needs to go beyond practice-based research, to embrace more objective and systemic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Esophageal cancer is a highly aggressive neoplasm. Targeted therapy has been proven to be a promising way for cancer therapy. Here, we report a novel anti-CD147 antibody for esophageal cancer therapy, which is a chimeric antibody with modified glycoform in Fc region. Methods: ADCC assay was used to explore the antitumor efficacy of Metuzumab against esophageal cancer in vitro. Wound healing assay and Boyden Chamber invasion assay were performed to explore whether Metuzumab could inhibit migration and invasion of esophageal cancer in vitro. Insulin-like growth factors 1 (IGF-1) and PI3k/Akt was assayed for elaborating antagonistic mechanism of Metuzumab in migration and invasion of esophageal cancer cells. Subcutaneous xenograft nude mouse model was used to investigate the antitumor efficacy of Metuzumab against esophageal cancer in vivo. The esophageal cancer tissue microarrays (TMA) was examined for identification of association of CD147 with lymph node metastasis, and the footpad xenograft nude mouse model was used to explore whether Metuzumab could inhibit lymph node metastasis of esophageal cancer in vivo. Results: The results showed that Metuzumab exhibited higher ADCC compared to the wild type antibody cHAb18. Metuzumab inhibited migration and invasion of esophageal cancer through blockade of CD147 in vitro. The results of Western blot showed Metuzumab might inhibit migration and invasion of esophageal cancer cells through suppressing activation of PI3k/Akt and expression of IGF-1. Experiments in vivo showed that Metuzumab exhibited significant antitumor efficacy and inhibited lymph node metastasis of esophageal cancer in xenograft models. The immunochemical staining of TMA showed CD147 was high-expressed on various kinds of esophageal cancer tissues and associated with the grade of lymph node-metastasis. Conclusions: The in vitro and in vivo study demonstrated dual effects of Metuzumab in effectively mediating ADCC by activating effector cells, and inhibiting metastasis of esophageal cancer through blockade the function of CD147, providing justification for moving Metuzumab forward to clinical development in esophageal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transport and fractionation of copper (Cu) were investigated in three soils which were under continuous citrus production for over 30 years. The above soils received 50 kg Cu ha−1, and were leached with eight pore volumes of water (equivalent to a total of 91 cm of rainfall). Following the completion of leaching, the leaching columns were sectioned into 5 cm depth increments for analyses of soil Cu. Concentrations of different forms of soil Cu were analyzed using a sequential fractionation procedure. The leaching column study indicated as much as 98% of the applied Cu remained in the upper 5 cm of the soil despite leaching eight pore volumes of water. Copper recovered in eight pore volumes of leachate accounted for 0.18–2.87% of Cu applied. The organically bound and precipitated forms of Cu accounted for 33–87% and 6–44% of total soil Cu, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the thrombolysis with recombinant human prourokinase (rhPro-UK) on thromboembolic stroke in rats at different therapeutic time windows (TTW). Methods: Rats were subjected to embolic middle cerebral artery occlusion. RhPro-UK and positive control drugs rt-PA,UK were administered 3 h, 4.5 h, 6 h after inducing thromboem-bolic stroke. Neurological deficit scoring (NDS) was evaluated at 6 h and 24 h after the treatment. The lesion volume in cerebral hemispheres was measured by MRI scanning machine after 6 h of thrombolysis, and the infarct volume was measured by TTC stain, together with hemorrhagic volume quantified by a spectrophotometric assay after 24 h of thrombolysis. Results: RhPro-UK 10, 20 × 104 U/kg significantly improved the NDS after cerebral thromboembolism in rats at 3 h, 4.5 h TTW, and at the 6 h TTW, the NDS was improved by 28.0% (P = 0.0690) and 29.2% (P = 0.0927) at 6 h and 24 h after rhPro-UK 20 ×104 U/kg administration, respectively. RhPro-UK 10, 20 × 104 U/kg significantly reduced the brain lesions measured by MRI at 3 h and 4.5 h TTW. RhPro-UK 10, 20 × 104 U/kg significantly reduced the cerebral infarction measured by TTC at 3 h, 4.5 h TTW. There was no increase in cerebral hemorrhage compared with untreated group after rhPro-UK administration. Conclusions: RhPro-UK had an obvious therapeutic effect on ischemic stroke caused by thrombosis, and could be started within 4.5 h TTW with less side effects of cerebral hemorrhage than that of UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While mobility and safety of older drivers are challenged by age-related cognitive changes, the increasingly complex road environment has placed a higher demand on their adaptability. Older drivers experience difficulties in regulating their operational level behaviors which rely on the second-to-second decision-making, e.g., using the visuospatial information to guide their steering. The roundabout maneuver is one of the critical scenarios for older drivers which requires efficient visual and motor coordination. Understanding older drivers' visual-motor coordination at roundabouts will provide insights into the mobility and safety of older driver population, which is important yet to be explored. This paper contributes to new measurements in driving behavior through quantitative examinations on driver–vehicle–environment interactions. The drivers' visual-motor coordination is conceptualized as a sequence of eye fixations coupling with the vehicle trajectory in a space–time path. The experimental data were from 38 older adults' on-road driving recorded using context and location-aware enabled eye tracking and precise vehicle movement tracking. A visual-motor coordination composite indicator (VMCCI) was developed to measure the efficiency of visual-motor coordination in GIS based on the aggregate multiple parameters of visual and motor behaviors at entry, circulating and exit stage of a roundabout. The results show that the VMCCI is a sensitive indicator for identifying risky drivers, problematic road sections, problematic behaviors. Older drivers' VMCCI was associated with the angle of deviation at roundabouts, particularly at the entry stage. Findings of this study have implications for actual roundabout designing practice, which will contribute to improve the safety of older drivers behind the wheel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is minimal published research information on optimal fertilizer rates for growing organic herbs in a greenhouse container system under warm climate in south Florida. Our objective was to determine the optimum organic fertilizer rate for container herb production in a greenhouse for basil (Ocimum basilicum), coriander (Coriandrum sativum), and dill (Anethum graveolens) using Perdue certified organic fertilizer (Agri Recycle, 4-2-3, Seaford, DE) (4N-0.85P-0.25K). The organic fertilizer was mixed with potting medium (Fafard, Conrad Fafard, Inc.; Agawam, MA) at four rates: 0, 10.6, 21.1, and 31.7 g of fertilizer per L of potting medium. Results indicated an increase in nitrogen in plant tissue with an increase in fertilizer rate for all herbs and both trials. Based on statistical results from the fresh and dry weights of the herbs, the Purdue fertilizer rate for optimum production should be between 21.1 and 31.7 g of fertilizer per L of potting media. The lower fertilizer rate (21.1 g) is more attractive for overall production since it would result in a lower cost than using the 31.7 g fertilizer rate. This recommendation is based on the fertilizer chosen, the herb, the potting media, and the location of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioactive peptides are small molecular peptides with some physiologically active functions. These peptides have been shown to possess antibacterial, antioxidant, and blood pressure lowering activities. Although walnuts are rich in high-quality plant proteins, the extracted walnut dregs have low utilization by the walnut industry chain. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the nutritional value and antioxidant activity of walnut dregs in order to increase the added value of walnut by-products. Using the response surface methodology, the optimum process parameters of purification and stability for walnut polypeptide liquid were determined as follows: pH 4.5, 8 column/hours (h) column speed and 3:2 ratio of anion to cation. The scavenging reaction rates for hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anion by 3, 5, 10 u ultrafiltration membrane fractionation screening were found to be 73.3% and 64.4%, 66.1% and 58.9%, 59.2%, and 51.6%, respectively. After comparison, walnut polypeptide liquid showed some degree of antioxidant capacity. The stability of walnut polypeptide liquid was optimized by the response surface. Under the homogeneous pressure of 35 Mpa, the use of a certain amount of stabilizers improved the stability of walnut polypeptide liquid. In conclusion, with the addition of additives, the optimum values of parameters for walnut polypeptide liquid obtained using response surface methodology were determined as follows: the ratio of solid to liquid was 15%; the amount of protein sugar was 0.2%; the amount of citric acid was 0.25%; and the addition of walnut powder flavor was 0.15%. Also, the study has provided a theoretical basis for the waste utilization of walnut by-products, and partial support for the intensive processing of the walnut industry chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, edible walnuts are either eaten fresh or being processed as walnut oil. However, the walnut dregs produced after the oil is pressed from the walnuts cannot be used for comprehensive utilization. Instead, they are often used as animal feed after simple treatment or directly used as waste landfill. The walnut dregs contain >20% of high-quality plant protein. Walnut protein consists of gluten, prolamin, albumin, and globulin. Poor function of walnut protein has been reported. Therefore, the gluten in walnut cake protein was modified by enzymatic method and the microstructure of walnut protein was changed, thereby improving the functional properties of walnut protein. It is generally believed that walnut protein modified by enzymatic method might be more suitable for industrial production. Our study showed that the modified walnut glutelin (WG) increased the solubility by ~1.33 times, the water holding capacity by ~0.23 times, the emulsifiability by ~0.32 times, and the emulsion stability by ~0.75 times. The oiliness was slightly lowered and the foaming characteristics were not greatly changed. Therefore, our study concluded that the microscopic structure of the protein had undergone certain changes based on the spectrum and electron microscopy. The modification of the microstructure also provides a theoretical basis for the comprehensive utilization of walnut protein, which could broaden the application of walnut protein in the industrial food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the protective effects of Clostridium butyricum on the epithelial barrier in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. Methods: Eight-week-old BALB/c mice were divided into a healthy control group and DSS-induced groups, including negative control (normal saline), 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), C. butyricum group, and 5-ASA + C. butyricum groups. Colitis was induced by 5% DSS ad libitum for 7 d. We assessed the disease activity index (DAI), histological grading, and ultrastructural changes by transmission electron microscopy. Stools were collected for bacterial microflora analysis. Tight junction (TJ) proteins, including claudin-1, claudin-2, occluding, and zonula occludens-1, were detected by immunohistochemical staining and western blot. We also assessed NF-κB and cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-13, and IL-10, by western blot. Results: C. butyricum decreased DAI and histological injury scores in DSS-induced mice, and repaired the damaged structure of TJs. Moreover, C. butyricum exerted its regulatory effect on fecal microflora by increasing and decreasing the growth of Lactobacillus spp. and Enterococcus spp., respectively, in the colon lumen. Expression levels of claudin-1, occludin and zonula occludens-1 were also elevated by the administration of C. butyricum. In addition, C. butyricum increased the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, and decreased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, TNF, and IL-13, as well as NF-κB. Moreover, the beneficial effects of C. butyricum combined with 5-ASA were superior to treatment with C. butyricum only. Conclusion: In a mouse model of ulcerative colitis (UC), C. butyricum exerted a protective effect on the epithelial barrier by regulating microflora, maintaining the expression of TJ proteins and exerting immunoregulatory effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decreased sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) expression is an independent risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM).However, the mechanisms that link low SHBG expression and insulin resistance in GDM is unclear. In this study, we investigated the placenta SHBG in the PI3K/AKT pathway to reveal the mechanism that links decreased SHBG to insulin resistance. A insulin resistance cells model was established by the method of insulin stimulation. Two groups were set up, HTR8/Svneo cells and insulin-resistance cells of HTR8/SVneo. The expression of SHBG and PI3K/AKT associated factors were detected using real-time PCR and western blotting and their correlations were analyzed. The results showed that SHBG protein and mRNA levels in insulin resistance cells were both significantly lower. Along with decreased SHBG expression, the mRNA and protein levels of IRS-1, IRS-2, PI3Kp85α and GLUT-3, GLUT-4 decreased significantly. However, the expression of GLUT-1 increased significantly. Pearson correlation analysis showed that SHBG mRNA expression was positively correlated with IRS-1, IRS-2 and PI3Kp85α mRNA levels. According to the results, low SHBG expression not only participates in the development of local insulin resistance, but may also play an important role in PI3K/AKT pathway-mediated systemic insulin resistance and gestational diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State-owned enterprises (SOEs) in China pay higher wages than private firms. Is it because SOEs pay their workers wage premium or because they employ high-quality workforce? Using the latest methods and data, this paper accounts for the unobserved heterogeneity and estimates the SOE wage premium for the period 1995-2013. It is found that the wage premium has diminished since 1995 and has become insignificant since 2000. The significant wage gap between SOEs and non-SOEs can be explained by the fact that SOEs recruit high-quality workforce in correlation with SOEs’ industrial composition. This paper also evaluates the instruments used in the previous studies and rejects them through validity tests. The evidence suggests that the labour market in China is not segmented by ownership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel core-shell molecularly imprinted polymers were prepared based on zinc oxide quantum dots for the determination of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol by fluorescence. Principally, ZnO quantum dots and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol were chosen as the core substrate and the template molecule, respectively. The specific recognition sites for 2,4,6-trichlorophenol were obtained during the polymerization process in presence of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and tetraethylorthosilicate. Molecularly imprinted ZnO quantum dots were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and the optical properties were evaluated by spectrofluorometry. Under the optimal conditions, molecularly imprinted ZnO quantum dots were successfully applied to the sensitive determination and selective recognition of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol in water. A linear relationship was obtained to cover the concentration range of 0-160 µmol L−1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9931 calculated by the Stern-Volmer equation. The products were used for the determination of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol in the water from local rural areas and the results strongly supported that the molecularly imprinted ZnO quantum dots were suitable for the determination of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol in real examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the development process of a healthy nutritional product containing black wheat granules (BWGP), which was based on Xinjiang characteristics of miscellaneous grains and nuts. BWGP was designed and developed as a local characteristic of nutritious food, which is produced from wheat, black sesame seeds, flour, corn flour, chickpeas, walnuts, peanuts, melon seeds, red dates, and brown sugar. The product was then underwent sterilization process followed by the inflated or vacuum quantitative packing as an instant ready-to-eat food. The best formula (%) was determined as follows: black wheat 30, corn flour 20, flour 15, chickpeas 15, black beans 2, peanuts 3, melon seeds 3, walnut 3, black sesame seeds 4, red date powder 15, sugar powder 15, maltodextrin 15, and sunflower oil 20. BWGP has several advantages, which include: a regional characteristic, simple production methods, and rich flavors. Overall, our study focused on the nutritional, flavor, and compositional effects and how a food product can be made healthier, more sustainable or more acceptable to the consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prohibitin (PHB) is an evolutionarily conserved protein with multiple functions in both normal and cancer cells. Androgen receptor (AR) was reported to act as a different role in the ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer. However, little is known about the role of PHB and whether PHB could regulate AR expression in the ER-positive breast cancer. Here, we determined the expression and clinical outcomes of PHB in breast cancer samples using 121 breast cancer tissues and published databases, and investigated the role of PHB in breast cancer cell growth, apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the ER-positive breast cancer cells. We obtained the expression of PHB is significantly low in breast cancer samples, and low PHB expression positively correlated with poor prognosis of breast cancer. We detected that PHB could inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation, change cell cycle distribution and promote cell apoptosis in the ER-positive breast cancer cells. Moreover, we found PHB could significantly increase AR expression in both mRNA and protein levels in the ER-positive breast cancer cells. Additionally, a significant positive correlation between PHB and AR expression was identified in the 121 breast cancer tissues. PHB and AR expression are associated with prognosis in the ER-positive breast cancer patients. Our results indicate that PHB promotes AR activation in ER-positive breast cancer, making PHB and AR potential molecular targets for ER-positive breast cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Monodisperse Fe3O4nanoparticles modified by oleic acid were synthesized by a solvothermal method and dispersed into mineral transformer oil to prepare Fe3O4nanofluids. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis indicated that the obtained nanoparticles are single crystals with an average diameter of 15 nm. The test results indicate that the nanoparticles exhibited good dispersibility in the nanofluids at a wide range of concentrations. Moreover, the positive impulse breakdown strength of nanofluids was greatly improved by 36.6% at the optimum concentration of nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The plastic deformation of nanocrystalline Ag, with columnar grains, has been studied by molecular dynamics simulations. The nanocrystalline systems show two types of deformation mechanisms. One is the split of grain boundary that occurs before the activation of the dislocation in nanocrystalline Ag, and almost no dislocation debris and twins are left in the grains. Moreover, split of grain boundary is shown between the grains of nanocrystalline Ag. Another mechanism consists in partial dislocations dominating the process of plastic deformation. Plenty of stacking faults and twins remain in the grains of nanocrystalline Ag. It is revealed that different grain aspect ratios have induced the difference in deformation mechanisms of nanocrystalline Ag. When the grain aspect ratio is less than or equal to 1, the process of plastic deformation is dominated by partial dislocations. Otherwise, the process is dominated by split of grain boundary. The grain aspect ratio is the height inzdirection to length inxdirection ratio, which was found to noticeably impact yield strength, grain coarsening, indicating that the observed behaviour should have contributed to the plastic deformation significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Vehicle-driving in real traffic can be considered as a human-machine system involving not only the attribute of the vehicle movement but also the human visual perception, cognition and motion of the driver. The study of driving behaviours, therefore, would integrate information related to driver psychology, vehicle dynamics and road information in order to tackle research questions concerning driving safety. This paper describes a conceptual framework and an integrated GIS data model of a visual-motor coordination model (VMCM) to investigate drivers’ driving behaviour via the combination of vision tracking and vehicle positioning. The eye tracker recorded eye fixations and duration on video images to exhibit the driver’s visual search pattern and the traffic scenes. Real-time kinematic (RTK) post-processing of multi-GNSS (global navigation satellite system) tracking generated the vehicle movement trajectory at centimeter-level accuracy, which encompasses precise lateral positioning and speed control parameters of driving behaviours. The eye fixation data were then geocoded and linked to the vehicle movement trajectory to represent the VMCM on the GIS platform. An implementation prototype of the framework and the VMCM for a study of older drivers is presented in this paper. The spatial-temporal visualisation and statistical analysis based on the VMCM data-set allow for a greater insight into the inherent variability of older drivers’ visual search and motor behaviours. The research framework has demonstrated a discriminant and ecologically valid approach in driving behaviour assessment, which can also be used in studies for other cohort populations with modified driving scenarios or experiment designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using organic fertilizer or soil amendment such as humic substances is an important component for sustainable agriculture. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different factions of humic acids (HAs) on corn seedling growth and nutrient uptake. The experiment was carried out with both an agar culture in root boxes and a hydroponic culture to which 400 mg/L of different factions of humus acids, mixed HAs, and raw Leonardite were added. The experiments were repeated twice with three replications for each treatment. The results showed that applications of HAs significantly improved the leaf and root growth of corn seedlings compared with the control (no HA addition). In the agar culture, seedlings treated with HAs with relatively low molecular weights had more leaves and twice long of roots compared to control and other treatments. In the hydroponic culture, the mixture of three factions was the best treatment for both shoot and root growth of seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most common chronic complications of diabetes, which is associated with an increased oxidative stress induced by hyperglycemia and alterations in DJ-1/NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) pathway. In the present study, we investigated the role and the proper time nodes of DJ-1/Nrf2 pathway in the pathogenesis of DN. Diabetes mellitus (DM) model of rats was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) on male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats. Then, the diabetic rats were divided into 4, 8 and 12 weeks groups. As early at 4 weeks of diabetes, renal histologic evaluation score, cystatin C (Cys C), β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were increased, and total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC) level was decreased as compared with that in the control group. The protein expressions of DJ-1, NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were upregulated compared with the control group from 4 weeks and further increased with the progression of DM. The protein expressions of DJ-1, Nrf2 and HO-1 in renal tissues have good line correlations with renal histologic evaluation score, respectively. Taken together, these results suggested that the activation of DJ-1/Nrf2 pathway was involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Using molecular-dynamic (MD) simulation, we investigated the mechanical response of faceted silver nanowires (NWs) to tensile deformations. The investigation considers different frustum heights, temperatures and 3D void effects to study the yield elasticity, incipient plasticity and ductility of the faceted NWs. The embedded-atom-method (EAM) potential is employed to describe the atomic interactions. To identify the defect evolution and deformation mechanism, the centrosymmetry parameter is implemented in our self-developed programme. A detailed discussion of surface-dominated deformation behaviour has been presented. It is found that the faceted NWs show brittle breaking behaviour in low temperature, which has never been reported in other NWs. This temperature-dependent breaking mode, as reported in this paper, might be useful in avoiding certain deformation mechanisms of metallic NWs in future. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Twin boundary spacing (TBS) plays a significant role in the yield behaviour of twinned nanowires (NWs). However, few studies have shown an overall view of the effects on the mechanical response of twinned silver NWs under tensile loading. In this article, the mechanical properties of 〈111〉-oriented NWs with different TBSs are studied using molecular dynamics simulations. In elastic region, it is found that the addition of twin boundaries (TBs) to crystalline NWs can not only cause strengthening but also softening effect, which depending on theST/SF(the ratio of the total area of TBs to the area of lateral free surfaces). Furthermore, our simulation results show that the evolution of reduced number of different types of atoms in twinned Ag NWs has a strong dependence on TBS. For twinned NWs with larger TBSs, the dislocation–TB interaction dominates the plastic deformation process. While for twinned NWs with smaller TBSs, shear banding is activated as the incipient plastic deformation, leading to the atoms clustering into disorder near the surfaces. The study will be helpful to the further understanding of TB-related mechanical properties of nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of CEO overconfidence on real estate investment trust (REIT) financial policies and performance. The unique regulatory environment facing REITs make REIT financial policies less likely affected by agency problems and tax-related reasons, and thus provide a clearer picture of the effect of CEO overconfidence. In addition, the significant amounts of tangible assets of REITs provide performance measures that are relatively unbiased by unrelated elements. We find that REITs with overconfident CEOs use more debt, and in particular, longer term debt. Overconfident CEOs also buy back more shares and pay fewer dividends. CEO overconfidence does not have significant effects on REIT cash holdings. Regarding REIT performance, CEO overconfidence is negatively related to Tobin’sqand return on assets, respectively. We also find that CEO overconfidence motivated leverage decisions and CEO overconfidence motivated share buybacks have significant negative effects on REIT performance. The results suggest that REITs with overconfident CEOs make mistakes in leverage and share buyback decisions. Lastly, we find that the effect of CEO overconfidence is non-linear. The results show that the effect of overconfidence comes mainly from the CEOs with higher levels of overconfidence. Our results also suggest that regulations do not have a moderating effect on CEO overconfidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile method was developed for the detection of Brilliant Blue FCF (BB FCF) (E133), a synthetic soluble colorant in common beverages. The method is based on a new composite of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-graphite oxide (GO)-room temperature ionic liquids (MWCNT/GO-RTIL) of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate with high dispersibility and strong conductivity. Differential pulse stripping voltammetry (DPSV) and the MWCNT/GO-RTIL composite-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) were used to determine the BB FCF in this work. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the oxidation current of BB FCF was proportional to its concentration in two linear ranges, from 6.34 μg kg−1to 7.93 × 102 μg kg−1and 7.93 × 102 μg kg−1to 7.93 × 103 μg kg−1. The detection limit was down to 3.01 μg kg−1at signal-to-noise ratio of 3. Also, this method has been successfully applied in the determination of BB FCF in common beverage samples, including RIO cocktail, Bacardi Breezer and Reinnbow rum dinks. The assay results of BB FCF in drink samples obtained by the proposed method were in a good agreement with the reference values detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The proposed method provided a useful tool for the assay of BB FCF in drink samples. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: Several lines of evidence suggest that estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α) gene polymorphism may influence the development of osteoarthritis (OA). However, the results are inconsistent. The aim of this study was to explore using a meta-analysis whether rs2234693 (ER-α PvuII T/C) polymorphism confers significant susceptibility to OA.Methods and Results: A systematic search of all relevant studies published through 17 August 2014 was conducted using the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane database, Current Controlled Trials, Clinicaltrials.gov, Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, CBMdisc, CNKI and Google Scholar. All statistical analyses were done with Review Manager 5.1.4. Twelve articles involving 15 studies were included in the final meta-analysis, which contained 6417 OA cases and 8605 controls. Overall, no significant association was found between the rs2234693 polymorphism and OA risk when all studies were pooled into the meta-analysis (for C allele vs. T allele: OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.94-1.04, p = 0.63; for C/C vs. T/T: OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.87-1.08, p = 0.53; for C/C vs. T/C + T/T: OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.88-1.06, p = 0.43; for C/C + T/C vs. T/T: OR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.89-1.14, p = 0.94). In the subgroup analysis, significant association was found between the rs2234693 polymorphism and the OA risk in the knee osteoarthritis (KOA) group (for C/C + T/C vs. T/T: OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.02-1.29, p = 0.02).Conclusions: The present meta-analysis suggests that the rs2234693 polymorphism is associated with an increased KOA risk. Additional well designed genome-wide association studies are required to confirm the result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we have investigated an analog of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in planar metamaterials by a metallic regular triangle (RT) embedded in split ring (SR) nanostructure. It is demonstrated that, depending on the different coupling ways between the RT and the SR, the EIT-like spectral response can be actively modulated by simply adjusting the incident light polarization angle. Based on this observation, an on-to-off active modulation of the EIT-like transparency window can be realized, and it can serve as the base for an optical switching with the switching efficiency exceeding 95%. The size of the RT finely controls the coupling strength between the RT and the SR. It is shown that the EIT-like transparency window can be enhanced or suppressed by adjusting the size of the RT, which shows the big modulation to the EIT-like spectral response. Furthermore, the transmission spectra show potential applications in sensing due to high sensitivity of about 600 nm/RIU with figure of merit exceeding 36 to the surrounding environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection method for the determination of cyromazine, melamine and its biodegradation products (ammeline, ammelide, cyanuric acid and biuret) was developed. C18 column was utilised to separate the six analytes with a mobile phase consisting of perchloric acid-ammonia solution and acetonitrile, under gradient elution and variable flow rate. The detection wavelengths were 205 nm for cyanuric acid and biuret and 222 nm for cyromazine, melamine, ammeline and ammelide. For analysis of sediment samples, the extraction solution containing acetonitrile, ammonia and water (80:10:10 by volume) was used to extract the analytes from sediment matrix. Using the extraction method for the spiked sediment sample, high linearity of matrix-matched standard curve could be obtained for the six analytes. The method detection limit was 0.1 μg g−1for melamine and cyromazine, 0.2 μg g−1for ammeline and ammelide, 1.2 μg g−1for cyanuric acid and 1.0 μg g−1for biuret in sediment matrix. The recoveries of these compounds were 70.1–98.3% and the relative standard deviations were 0.5–4.4%. Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of the sediment sample near the wastewater outlet of a melamine-producing factory. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A new cadmium complex of 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene (FOX-7) was synthesized and structurally determined. Central Cd2+is coordinated by six nitrogens from four NH3molecules and two FOX-7?anions to form an octahedral structure. The thermal decomposition of Cd(NH3)4(FOX-7)2was studied with differential scanning calorimeter and TG–DTG methods. The apparent activation energy and pre-exponential constant of the exothermic process are 220.6 kJ M?1and 1017.86s?1, respectively. Cd(NH3)4(FOX-7)2is sensitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]