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Background: Based upon experimental literatures to simulate many newly developed systems and analyzed and compared the physical properties and NIR absorption of the materials for supplying future research reference into military camouflage clothing. Aims: This project aimed to explore composite fiber/cotton/colorant materials that possess the characteristic of anti‐near‐infrared radiation (NIR) reflectance and their further application in military combat uniforms to achieve the aim of personnel camouflage and concealment. Materials and Methods: Materials Studio (MS06 version), Gaussian 09 software, and the GULP program were adopted for simulation and computation in this study. Results and Discussion: The physical absorption of the dyes and nylon 66/ cotton exhibited the same trend from large to small in the order NCIBu > NCD > NCIG > NCT > NCA. All systems had good colorfastness except for the NCA, NCD, and NCT systems. The colorfastness of the dual‐dye systems was better than that of the single‐dye systems; in particular, the colorfastness of the NCIG‐138T and NCIBu‐12D systems. The six layered NCT, NCIBu, NCIBu‐12D, NCIG‐138T systems exhibited excellent reflectivity in the NIR region. Conclusions: The NCIBu‐12D and NCIBu‐138D systems, with a weight percentage of 2/49/49%, exhibited the best performance in our simulation. These achievements could be helpful in terms of informing actual experiments in order to perfect the design of military clothing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prognosis for postinjury peripheral nerve regeneration remains suboptimal. Although transplantation of exogenous Schwann cells (SCs) has been considered a promising treatment to promote nerve repair, this strategy has been hampered in practice by the limited availability of SC sources and an insufficient postengraftment cell retention rate. In this study, to address these challenges, SCs were aggregated into spheroids before being delivered to an injured rat sciatic nerve. We found that the three-dimensional aggregation of SCs induced their acquisition of a repair phenotype, as indicated by enhanced levels of c-Jun expression/activation and decreased expression of myelin sheath protein. Furthermore, our in vitro results demonstrated the superior potential of the SC spheroid-derived secretome in promoting neurite outgrowth of dorsal root ganglion neurons, enhancing the proliferation and migration of endogenous SCs, and recruiting macrophages. Moreover, transplantation of SC spheroids into rats after sciatic nerve transection effectively increased the postinjury nerve structure restoration and motor functional recovery rates, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of SC spheroids. In summary, transplantation of preassembled SC spheroids may hold great potential for enhancing the cell delivery efficiency and the resultant therapeutic outcome, thereby improving SC-based transplantation approaches for promoting peripheral nerve regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of positive copy number variations (CNVs) results by non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) without fetal ultrasonography‐identified structural anomalies, especially with several known CNVs results. Methods: A total of 135,981 results of NIPT performed between April 1, 2017, and March 31, 2020, enrolled in the free NIPT service program implemented by the local government were retrospectively analyzed. Of these, 87 cases with positive NIPT screens for CNVs and no fetal ultrasonography‐identified anomalies were recalled and provided genetic counseling. After obtaining full informed consent, these cases were provided invasive prenatal diagnosis by karyotyping and chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA)/copy number variation sequencing (CNV‐seq) with follow‐up. One case was lost, while 86 cases were successfully followed up. Results: A total of 44 (50.6%) cases underwent invasive prenatal diagnosis, of which six cases were detected with abnormal karyotype. CMA/CNV‐Seq revealed 11 fetuses with positive results for CNVs, among whom eight were consistent with NIPT results, two were partially consistent, one was inconsistent, and positive predictive value (PPV) was 22.7% (10/44). For known CNVs, PPVs were 20% (15q11.2‐q13 microdeletion) and 33.3% (5p end deletions). Among 11 pregnant women with positive prenatal diagnosis, seven were confirmed to have pathogenic CNVs in their fetuses; four had CNVs of unknown clinical significance. Conclusions: Even in pregnancies without ultrasonography‐identified anomalies, a positive NIPT screen for CNVs must be interpreted with caution and validated by additional diagnostic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to provide a new effective carrier for rescuing the sensitivity of drug‐resistant in breast cancer cells. Nano‐gold micelles loaded with Dox and Elacridar (FP‐ssD@A‐E) were chemically synthesised. With the increase in the amount of Dox and Elacridar, the encapsulation rate of FP‐ssD@A‐E gradually increased, and the drug loading rate gradually decreased. FP‐ss@A‐E had a sustained‐release effect. Dox, Elacridar, FP‐ss@AuNPs, and FP‐ssD@A‐E significantly improved cell apoptosis, in which, FP‐ssD@A‐E was the most significant. FP‐ssD@A‐E significantly decreased the cell viability and improved the Dox uptake. The levels of VEGFR‐1, P‐gp, IL‐6, and i‐NOS were significantly decreased after Dox, Dox + Elacridar, FP‐ss@AuNPs, and FP‐ssD@A‐E treatment. It was worth noting that FP‐ssD@A‐E had the most significant effects. The prepared FP‐ssD@A‐E micelles, which were spherical in shape, uniform in particle size distribution, and had good drug loading performance and encapsulation efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acceptance sampling plans are preferably used when sample testing becomes destructive or costly to make reliable lot determination from a reasonable size of samples. Previous decades have seen various sampling strategies developed for specific purposes and the evolution of samplingmethods continue to ensure that lot sentencing becomes more efficient and economic. In this study, we proposed a modified variables repetitive group sampling (VRGS) plan integrated with a critical-value-adjusted switching mechanism. Such a design provides an adaptive assessment of the varied submitted quality level. The operating characteristic function is derived from the sampling distribution of process yield index Spk, which possesses a one-to-one transformation to process yield. By solving the developed nonlinear minimization model, the plan parameters of the proposed method are satisfied with tolerable sampling risks and desirable quality levels simultaneously. Furthermore, by comparing the average sample number (ASN) reduction and discriminatory power with other approaches, the proposed method outperforms conventional methods. Numerical illustrations are provided to show its practicability in real applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N,O‐bidentate BF2 complexes with five‐ and six‐membered core rings have been thoroughly investigated. However, the development of seven‐membered N,O‐boron complexes is still an area to be explored. We have developed BF3 ⋅ OEt2‐induced self‐condensation and coordination reactions based on a single starting material, which had been elucidated by experiment and calculation. This parent asymmetric core‐expanded borondifluoride‐(Z)‐1,3‐di(1H‐pyrrol‐2‐yl)but‐2‐en‐1‐one (BOPYO) showed reactivity with a wide range of aldehydes, thus providing a series of conjugation BOPYOs. Moreover, a BOPYO derivative with a dimethylamino group was developed as a new NIR dye that responds to acid with favorable photophysical properties based on intramolecular charge transfer effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies currently. Despite advances in drug development, the survival and response rates in CRC patients are still poor. In our previous study, a library comprised of 1056 bioactive compounds was used for screening of drugs that could suppress CRC. Lomerizine 2HCl, which is an approved prophylactic drug for migraines, was selected for our studies. The results of in vitro and in vivo assays suggested that lomerizine 2HCl suppresses cell growth and promotes apoptosis in CRC cells. Moreover, lomerizine 2HCl inhibits cellmigration and invasion of CRC. RNA sequencing analysis and Western blotting confirmed that lomerizine 2HCl can inhibit cell growth, migration, and invasion through PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and induces protective autophagy in CRC. Meanwhile, autophagy inhibition by 3-methyladenine (3-MA) increases lomerizine 2HCl-induced cell apoptosis. Taken together, these results imply that lomerizine 2HCl is a potential anticancer agent, and the combination of lomerizine 2HCl and autophagy inhibitors may serve as a novel strategy to increase the antitumor efficacy of agents in the treatment of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel pyrrolizinone‐fused BOPYINs (DAB−M and DAB−U) were prepared in one‐step through the oxidative and/or oxidative nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen (ONSH) reaction. Selective methoxyl substitution of α‐unsubstituted BOPYIN was developed, in which C−O and C=O bonds were formed and demonstrated by the single crystal structure of DAB−M. The absorption and emission spectra of both compounds showed red shift and large Stokes Shift compared with starting material DAB. Based on the TD‐DFT calculation, the electron transfer direction is totally different from DAB due to the carbonyl group on pyrrolizinone unit. Besides, a reasonable mechanism has been proposed and evidenced by quantum calculation in which the relative free energy has been exhibited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic changes have played an important role in societal reorganizations. Particularly, the late 16th and early 17th century coincided with severely cold condition, extremely weak summer monsoon and widespread population decline in China. Here we present new speleothem oxygen isotope records across North and South China, which in concert with historical documents, allow us to characterize the "Late Ming Weak Monsoon Periods" (LMWMP) at an unprecedented annual temporal resolution. Our analysis suggests that as a weak summer monsoon event not seen for nearly 500 years in China, the LMWMP spatiotemporally coincided with the late Ming Dynasty peasant uprising (1627-1658 CE), and thus the transition from Ming to Qing Dynasty. This suggests a plausible role of climate change in shaping the important chapters of the Chinese history. In addition, both speleothem and historical documents reveal that the LMWMP appears to be a north to south time-transgressive event on decadal-timescale. Plain Language Summary This study presents two new speleothem paleoclimate records across northern and southern China, which in concert with the historical documents, allow us to characterize the Late Ming Weak Monsoon Periods (LMWMP) (1580-1660 CE). The records offer that the unprecedented, long-lasting aridity/weakening monsoon period was spatiotemporally synchronized with the late Ming peasantry uprising (1627-1658 CE) and the fall of the Ming Dynasty. The comparisons with many regional paleoclimate records show that the severest drought during the LMWMP was timetransgressive on decadal-timescale: from northern China to the Jiang-Huai region. Mechanistically, solar activity may provide a centennial scale background of precipitation decreases for LMWMP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dots (CDs) as a novel type of nanomaterials have attracted significant attention in various scientific communities because of their excellent fluorescence. Herein, green fluorescent CDs (G-CDs) were obtained using one-pot hydrothermal treatment of Lonicera maackii fruit and exhibited excellent fluorescence characteristic and good bio-compatibility. The assynthesized G-CDs displayed strong green fluorescence, which was specifically quenched by Fe3+. And we develop a method for excellent sensitive and selective detection of Fe3+ with a linear range of 0.1-10 μM and a limit of detection of 0.08 μM. The method was further extended to measure the concentration of Fe3+ in actual water samples which the result is satisfactory. The synthesized G-CDs were applied for drawing fluorescent patterns, which may be used for anti-counterfeit. Finally, the prepared G-CDs were used in cell imaging and detection of Fe3+ in live cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmission electron microscopy indicated that FOLR3 SNP+ K562 cells exhibited rich amounts of lipid droplets, which were not observed in SNP+ CD34+ cells (Figure 3D). Thecolonyforming capacity of FOLR3 SNP+ CD34 + cells remarkably decreased compared to that of siFOLR3 and FOLR3 SNP- cells (Figure 2I). [Extracted from the article]

Among the various thermochemical biomass conversion pathways, chemical looping gasification and chemical looping reforming, collectively known as chemical looping biomass processing (CLBP), offers numerous advantages, including the generation of renewable hydrogen, high exergy efficiency, inherent carbon capture, and process intensification. Like all other chemical looping applications, oxygen carriers play key roles in determining the effectiveness and efficiency of CLBP. In addition to the requirement for high oxygen transfer capacity, the chemical activity of the lattice oxygen also needs to be modulated to steer the selectivity of CLBP toward syngas. Furthermore, it is desirable for the CLBP oxygen carriers to possess catalytic activities that accelerate the conversion of biomass-based feedstocks. However, despite the large volume of relevant research publications, the diversity in oxygen carrier formulations, biomass compositions, and test conditions used leads to mixed views regarding the structural--functional relationships between oxygen carriers and their performance during CLBP. To address the above knowledge gap, this review presents a systematic, but non-exhaustive summary of the development and evaluation of oxygen carriers for CLBP applications, with an aim to elucidate the rational design principles and operation parameters toward optimal process efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two‐step, one‐flask synthesis of central seven‐membered borondifluoride‐3,3‐dimethyl‐2‐[2‐(2‐pyrrolyl)ethenyl] indole (BOPYIN) ligands has been developed by using the unexplored 3,3‐dimethyl‐2‐[2‐(2‐pyrrolyl)ethenyl] indole. The simple synthetic approach has enabled modification of the electronic structure by changing the substituents on the indole unit. X‐ray analysis indicated that conformations of the seven‐membered BF2 complex including BOPYIN and diazaborepin differ from that of the five‐ and six‐membered organoboron complexes. Interestingly, the bond angle of the N⋅⋅⋅B−N bond increases with the number of atoms in the core ring, based on Baeyer strain theory. These unsymmetric BOPYIN derivatives have excellent photophysical properties, including high fluorescence quantum yields, except for BOPYIN‐4 in the solution state, large Stokes shifts, and good molar absorptivity. The dipole moment of BOPYIN‐3 in the first excited singlet state and ground state was demonstrated by a linear Lippert–Mataga plot. The absorption and emission spectra were not mirror images for BOPYIN‐1–3 and 5, in contradiction to Kasha's rule, as determined by TDDFT. The synthesized BOPYINs have been shown to be biocompatible fluorophores in cell bioimaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel class of backbone-hydrolyzable LCST-type polyesters of poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) bis(glycidyl ether)-alt-ketoglutaric acid)s (PEmKs) with numerous reactive sites is presented in this study. The target polyesters are prepared with commercially available hexa(ethylene glycol) bis(glycidyl ether) (E6BG), ethylene glycol bis(glycidyl ether) (E1BG), and 2-ketoglutaric acid (KGA). By varying the initial feed ratio of E6BG and E1BG and the polymer concentration, a tunable thermal responsiveness with excellent repeatability is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insecticide resistance is inevitable if an insecticide is widely used to control insect pests. Fortunately, the resistance-associated fitness costs often give chances to manage resistances. In most cases, the fitness cost in resistant insects is often evaluated under laboratory conditions for insect development, which limits its practical application in pest control in the field. In a laboratory population R9 with 253-fold resistance to chlorpyrifos after nine-generation selection with chlorpyrifos, the relative fitness was only 0.206 under laboratory conditions (25°C, humidity 70%-80% and 16 h light/8 h dark photoperiod), when compared to S9, a susceptible counterpart (resistance ratio = 2.25- fold) from the same origin as R9 but without any selection with insecticides. Temperatures varied the resistance-associated fitness costs, with enhanced costs at high temperatures and reduced costs at low temperatures, such as 0.174 at 32°C and 0.527 at 18°C. The copulation rate and fecundity were two key factors for the reduced costs at low temperatures. Another finding was that R9 individuals needed much more time to recover from heat shock than that of S9, but R9 and S9 individuals were similarly sensitive to cold shock. The low fitness cost at low temperatures would increase the overwintering population, which might further increase risks of rapid development and widespread distribution of chlorpyrifos resistance in Nilaparvata lugens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multiplicative noise removal problem has received considerable attention recently. To solve this problem, various variational models have been proposed, which minimise an energy functional composed of the data term and the regularisation term. Regarding the regularisation term, a first-order model is frequently used to remove multiplicative noise, which may cause staircase effect and loss of contrast in the output image. In this study, the authors use a second-order model, the total curvature (TC), to solve the above problem. The TC model has the benefit of removing the staircase effect and maintaining image edges, contrasts and corners. The augmented Lagrange method is utilised to solve the proposed TC model by introducing auxiliary variables, Lagrange multipliers and using alternating optimisation strategy. In each loop of optimisation, the fast Fourier transform, generalised soft threshold formulas, projection method and gradient descent method are integrated effectively. The experimental results show that the TC model can effectively remove staircase effect and preserve smoothness, via comparison with the first-order model (total variation regularisation and Perona-Malik regularisation). Furthermore, the TC model is better than another second-order model based on bounded Hessian regularisation in preserving contrast and corner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparison of biological characteristics between diapausing and non-diapausing strains of insects provides some insights into the mechanisms regulating diapause. In this study, biological characteristics, especially diapause characteristics and life-history traits, of a non-photoperiodic-diapause (NPD) strain of the cabbage beetle Colaphellus bowringi were compared with those of a normal, high-diapause (HD) strain that enters diapause in response to either long day length or low temperature. The NPD strain did not enter diapause at any photoperiod at 22°C or higher, but still had a capacity to enter diapause at low temperatures. Although diapause could be induced in both strains by exposure to 20°C, the proportion of individuals having shorter diapause duration was greater in the NPD strain compared to the HD strain. The NPD strain had significantly lower hatching and larval survival rates, longer developmental duration of immature stages, smaller body size and lower longevity and female fecundity compared to the HD strain. The NPD strain of this species is a promising model for investigating diapause regulation in insects in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal expression of Aurora-A and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is observed in different kinds of cancer and associated with poor prognosis in cancer patients. However, the relationship between Aurora-A and EGFR in tumour development was not clear. In previous reports, we found that EGFR translocates to nucleus to activate Aurora-A expression after EGF treatment in EGFR-overexpressed cells. However, we also observed that not all the EGFR-overexpressed cells have the nuclear EGFR pathway to mediate the Aurora-A expression. In this study, we demonstrated that EGF signalling increased the Aurora-A protein expression in EGFR-overexpressed colorectal cancer cell lines via increasing the translational efficiency. In addition, the overexpression of EGFR was also associated with higher expression of Aurora-A in clinical colorectal samples. Activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MEK/ERK pathways mediated the effect of EGF-induced translational up-regulation. Besides, only the splicing variants containing exon 2 of Aurora-A mRNA showed increased interaction with the translational complex to synthesize Aurora-A protein under EGF stimulus. Besides, the exon 2 containing splicing variants were the major Aurora-A splicing forms expressed in human colorectal cancers. Taken together, our results propose a novel regulatory mechanism for the abnormal expression of Aurora-A in EGFR-overexpressed cancers, and highlight the importance of alternative 5′-UTR splicing variants in regulating Aurora-A expression. Furthermore, the specific expression of exon 2 containing splicing variants in cancer tissues may serve as a potential target for cancer therapy in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fîr Lithiumionenakkumulatoren mit hohen Energiedichten gibt es eine überaus große Nachfrage im Bereich tragbarer elektronischer Geräte und Elektrofahrzeuge. Weil die Energiedichten der Lithiumionenakkumulatoren vor allem vom verwendeten Kathodenmaterial abhängen, wird nach alternativen Kathodenmaterialien mit besserer Lithiumnutzung und höherer spezifischer Energiedichte intensiv geforscht. Insbesondere Ni-reiche Lithium-Übergangsmetalloxid-Schichtverbindungen können höhere Kapazitäten als das klassische LiCoO2 bei geringeren Kosten bereitstellen. Sie gelten als besonders vielversprechend, aber sie bergen noch große Herausforderungen bezäglich Lebensdauer, Wärmestabilität und Sicherheit. Hier wird umfassend beschrieben, wie gezielte Veränderungen an der Struktur oder an den Grenzflächen in einer Leistungssteigerung von Ni-reichen Kathodenmaterialien resultieren. Die zugrundeliegenden Mechanismen und die noch zu bewältigenden Herausforderungen werden ebenfalls diskutiert. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fabrication process of silicon hierarchical nanopillar arrays (NPAs) based on the self-assembled colloid particle monolayer is presented. Using colloid particles assembled by the evaporation-induced method as masks, well-ordered silicon NPAs were fabricated by assessing the deep reactive ion etching process. After the optimisation of the cycles of etching and passivation steps, double-layer hierarchical NPAs were achieved simultaneously. Systematic analysis and experiments were conducted to investigate the transition from well-ordered silicon NPAs to silicon hierarchical NPAs. An explanation of this transition is provided based on the collapsing phenomenon discovered in the experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress is an important molecular mechanism underlying lung fibrosis. The mitochondrion is a major organelle for oxidative stress in cells. Therefore, blocking the mitochondrial signalling pathway may be the best therapeutic manoeuver to ameliorate lung fibrosis. Astaxanthin (AST) is an excellent antioxidant, but no study has addressed the pathway of AST against pulmonary oxidative stress and free radicals by the mitochondrion-mediated signalling pathway. In this study, we investigated the antioxidative effects of AST against H2O2- or bleomycin (BLM)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in alveolar epithelial cells type II (AECs-II) in vivo and in vitro. Our data show that AST blocks H2O2- or BLM-induced ROS generation and dose-dependent apoptosis in AECs-II, as characterized by changes in cell and mitochondria morphology, translocation of apoptotic proteins, inhibition of cytochrome c (Cyt c) release, and the activation of caspase- 9, caspase-3, Nrf-2 and other cytoprotective genes. These data suggest that AST inhibits apoptosis in AECs-II cells through the ROS-dependent mitochondrial signalling pathway and may be of potential therapeutic value in lung fibrosis treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A complete high-frequency small-signal circuit model of a 40 Gb/s butterfly electroabsorption modulator integrated laser module is presented for the first time to analyze and optimize its electro-optic (E/O) response and reflection characteristics. An agreement between measured and simulated results demonstrates the accuracy and validity of the procedures. By optimizing the bonding wire length and the impedance of the coplanar waveguide transmission lines, the E/O response increases approximately 5% to 15% from 20 GHz to 33 GHz, while the signal injection efficiency increases from approximately 15% to 25% over 18 GHz to 35 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study in which researchers isolated and characterized polymorphic microsatellite loci derived from a microsatellite-enriched genomic library. A total of 296 recombinant clones were sequenced wherein 125 sequences were usable for primer design. Fifty-four loci showed polymorphism in the 24 individuals. The high levels of polymorphism and heterozygosity displayed at the loci indicate that these loci should provide a valuable tool for kinship and population studies.

The northern temperate genus Pyrola L. is the largest and arguably the most taxonomically complex element in the tribe Pyroleae (Ericaceae). Here we present a molecular phylogenetic study with extensive sampling comprising 26 ingroup and 7 closely related taxa. The results, based on parsimony and Bayesian analyses of nuclear (ITS) and chloroplast (atpB-rbcL, trnS-trnG, trnL-trnF) DNA sequences, add substantially to our understanding of relationships within this diverse group and call for taxonomic changes. Pyrola is confirmed as a monophyletic group with two redefined sections and six series: P. sect. Pyrola (P. ser. Pyrola, ser. Ellipticae and ser. Rugosae) and P. sect. Scotophylla (P. ser. Japonicae, ser. Scotophyllae and ser. Chloranthae). Members of each respective section and series share similar morphological traits and/or geographical distributions. For the potential hybrids P. media and P. faurieana, the maternal donor was identified by their close affinity toP, minor in the chloroplast trees whereas the paternal donor remained unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A coplanar waveguide (CPW)-fed planar monopole antenna with triple band operation for worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) and wireless local area network (WLAN) applications is presented. The antenna, which occupies a small size of 25 (L) × 25 (W) × 0.8 (H) mm3, is simply composed of a pentagonal radiating patch with two bent slots. By carefully selecting the positions and lengths of these slots, good dual stopband rejection characteristic of the antenna can be obtained, so that three operating bands covering 2.14–2.85, 3.29–4.08, and 5.02–6.09 GHz can be achieved. The measured results also demonstrate that the proposed antenna has good omnidirectional radiation patterns with appreciable gain across the operating bands, and is thus suitable to be integrated within the portable devices for WiMAX/WLAN applications. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52:2405–2408, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25497 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel planar monopole slot antenna that possesses a controllable band-notched property for ultra-wideband (UWB) applications is presented. The antenna, which consists of a square slot patch with a vertical coupled strip, only occupies a small size of 15 (L) × 15 (W) × 1.6 (H) mm3. By properly inserting a thin gap between the coupled strip and the slot patch, the antenna can achieve a wide bandwidth covering 3.05–11.15 GHz with a sharp rejection band of 5.12–6.08 GHz, where the frequency rejection performance can be controlled flexibly by employing various strip widths and thin gaps. Good measured omnidirectional radiation patterns and transmission responses also indicate that the proposed antenna is well suitable for UWB operation. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52:2624–2627, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25550 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chang W-H, Yang Y-H, Liou S-H, Liu C-W, Chen C-Y, Fuh L-J, Huang S-L, Yang C-Y, Wu T-N. Effects of mixology courses and blood lead levels on dental caries among students. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2010; 38: 222–227. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Objective: Dental caries can be affected by alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption also increases blood lead levels (BLLs) in humans and BLLs have been correlated with caries. Culinary students participate in mixology courses on either an elective or a mandatory basis. Therefore, we conducted this study to elucidate the effects of mixology courses and elevated BLLs on dental caries among students. Methods: This study had a cross-sectional design. We recruited first-year at one hospitality college and one university in southern Taiwan in September 2004. We applied a questionnaire, collected a blood specimen and performed a dental caries examination for each student. The subjects comprised 133 students who had ever participated in a mixology course (≥2 credits) during high school (exposure group) and 160 who had not participated in such a course (control group). Results: Compared with the control group, the exposure group had a higher prevalence of a DMFT index ≥0 (92.5% versus 81.2%, P = 0.005), a higher DMFT index [5.59 ± 3.53 (mean ± SD) versus 4.21 ± 3.64 teeth, P ≤ 0.001], and a higher BLL (3.12 ± 1.02 versus 2.67 ± 0.83 μg/dl, P ≤ 0.001). After adjustment for potential confounders, dental caries was significantly associated with participation in a mixology course. Conclusions: Alcohol exposure associated with participation in a mixology course may have an effect on caries in students. These findings suggest that occupational safety and health education should be applied to students participating in mixology courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which investigated the role of mechanical stretching in inducing osteoprotegerin in differentiating C2C12 precursor cells. Mechanical stretching resulted to an increase in osteoprotegerin expression in C2C12 cells. Results of the study suggested that mechanical stretching could play a critical role in bone remodeling through the upregulation of osteoprotegerin.

Background: We hypothesized that contraction of the LA wall could be documented by speckle tracking and could be applied for assessment of LA function. This study tried to identify the association between LA longitudinal strain (LAS) and strain rate (LASR) measured by speckle tracking with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Methods: Fifty-two patients (61 ± 17 years old, 23 men) with sinus rhythm at baseline referred for the evaluation of episodic palpitation were included. Standard four-chamber and two-chamber views were acquired and analyzed off-line. Peak LAS and LASR were carefully identified as the peak negative inflection of speckle tracking waves after P-wave gated by electrocardiography. Results: Ten patients (19%) had PAF. LAS, LASR, age, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, left ventricular mass, LA volume, and mitral early filling-to-annulus early velocity ratio were different between patients with and without PAF. After multivariate analysis, LASR was significantly independently associated with PAF (OR 8.56, 95% CI 1.14–64.02, P = 0.036). Conclusion: Speckle tracking echocardiography could be used in measurements of LAS and LASR. Decreased negative LASR was independently associated with PAF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Visfatin is a new cytokine that act as an insulin analogue on the insulin receptor and may link obesity and insulin resistance. It was recently shown that visfatin plays a role in plaque destabilization. However, the role of visfatin in atherosclerosis remains to be elucidated. We sought to assess whether plasma visfatin level is independently associated with inflammation, atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Design and patients Two hundred and fifty-three patients undergoing coronary angiography were divided into three subgroups: chronic coronary artery disease (CAD) ( n = 102), ACS ( n = 100) and control patients ( n = 51). The plasma samples were thawed and analysed for circulating visfatin, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). The association of visfatin with risk factors, inflammation, atherosclerosis, and ACS was determined. Results Plasma visfatin levels were significantly higher in chronic CAD and ACS compared with control patients. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that plasma visfatin levels correlated with inflammatory factors and were associated with chronic CAD (odds ratio [OR][95% confidence interval], for second, third and fourth quartiles were 1·74 [0·96–2·69], 1·54 [0·85–2·28] and 1·84 [0·98–2·87], respectively) and ACS (ORs for second, third and fourth quartiles were 2·56 [1·57–3·34], 4·61 [1·94–10·96] and 6·52 [2·34–18·12], respectively) following adjustment for established risk factors and other inflammatory factors. Conclusions Plasma visfatin levels are significantly associated with CAD, particularly ACS, independent of well-known CAD risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The small-scale effects of plant morphology in improving soil quality and reducing runoff and soil loss have remained unclear, especially in some arid environments with sparse vegetation. We selected three representative species with contrasting morphologies ( Artemisia gmelinii; Ajania potaninii; Pulicaria chrysantha) to examine the effects of plant morphology on soil quality, runoff, and soil loss in the dry-warm river valley of the upper reach of Minjiang River, SW China. Runoff events were monitored from July through October 2006 using runoff plots on a micro scale (<40 × 40 cm2) on a south-facing slope. The observation duration for rainfall and runoff events can be divided into two stages. Higher runoff depth, but lower soil loss per event occurred at the second stage as compared with the first stage due to the differences in rainfall, plant, and soil surface characteristics. The two herbs, A. gmelinii and P. chrysantha, had greater improvements on soil quality yielding high soil nutrient content and low soil compactness, while the effectiveness of the small shrub, A. potaninii, was minimal. Relative to bare surface (control treatment), the effectiveness of reducing runoff depth per event was 64.9, 66.6 and 38.0%, and reducing soil loss 65.5, 59.3 and 69.9% for A. gmelinii, A. potaninii, and P. chrysantha, respectively. All three plant species can improve soil quality and reduce runoff and soil loss, but their effects vary, which implies that plant morphology has to be considered while selecting species for ecosystem restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of progressive addition lenses (PALs), with a near addition of +1.50 D, on the progression of myopia in Chinese children. Methods: We enrolled 178 Chinese juvenile-onset acquired myopes (aged 7–13 years, −0.50 to −3.00 D spherical refractive error), who did not have moderately or highly myopic parents, for a 2-year prospective study. They were randomly assigned to the PAL group or single vision (SV) group. Primary measurements, which included myopia progression and ocular biometry, were performed every 6 months. Treatment effect was adjusted for important covariates, by using a multiple linear regression model. Results: One hundred and forty-nine subjects (75 in SV and 74 in PAL) completed the 2-year study. The myopia progression (mean ± S.D.) in the SV and PAL groups was −1.50 ± 0.67 and −1.24 ± 0.56 D, respectively. This difference of 0.26 D over 2 years was statistically significant ( p = 0.01). The lens type ( p = 0.02) and baseline spherical equivalent refraction ( p = 0.05) were significant contributing factors to myopia progression. Mean increase in the depth of vitreous chamber was 0.70 ± 0.40 and 0.59 ± 0.24 mm, respectively. This difference of 0.11 mm was statistically significant ( p = 0.04). Age ( p < 0.01) was the only contributing factor to the elongation of vitreous chamber. Different near phoria ( p < 0.01) and gender ( p = 0.02) caused different treatment effects when wearing SV lenses. However, there were no factors found to influence the treatment effect of wearing PALs. Conclusions: Compared with SV lenses, myopia progression was found to be retarded by PALs to some extent in Chinese children without moderately or highly myopic parents, especially for subjects with near esophoria or females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: A cross-section study was conducted to explore the association between polymorphism of δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) and lead poisoning in Uygur and Han children in China. Methods: The ALAD genotyping was determined by PCR-RFLP in 443 Uygur and 469 Han children aged 6–10 years from Urumqi in Xinjiang province. Results: The blood lead levels of 912 environmentally exposed children ranged from 0.5 to 48.2 μg/dL, with a mean of 5.45 μg/dL and a standard deviation of 0.22 μg/dL, and 23. Thirty-one percent individuals were with blood lead level ≥10 μg/dL. The mean and standard deviation of blood lead levels were 5.57 ± 0.223 μg/dL and 5.30 ± 0.224 μg/dL in Uygur and Han children, respectively. The frequencies of the allele ALAD1 and ALAD2 in Uygur subjects were 90.52% and 9.48%, and in Han subjects were 95.73% and 4.27%, respectively (chi-square = 19.55, p < 0.05). No statistic correlation between the distribution of ALAD alleles and the blood lead level was found in both populations. Conclusion: A significant difference was seen in the frequency distribution of ALAD genotype between the different races. The genetic susceptibility of ALAD polymorphism to lead toxicity may exhibit in a lead dose-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidermal fatty acid-binding protein (E-FABP), a member of the family of FABPs, exhibits a robust expression in neurons during axonal growth in development and in nerve regeneration following nerve injury. This study examines the impact of E-FABP expression in normal neurite extension in differentiating pheochromocytoma cell (PC12) cultures supplemented with selected long chain free fatty acids (LCFFA). We found that E-FABP binds to a broad range of saturated and unsaturated LCFFAs, including those with potential interest for neuronal differentiation and axonal growth such as C22:6n-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), C20:5n-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and C20:4n-6 arachidonic acid (ARA). PC12 cells exposed to nerve growth factor (NGFDPC12) exhibit high E-FABP expression that is blocked by mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor U0126. Nerve growth factor-differentiated pheochromocytoma cells (NGFDPC12) antisense clones (NGFDPC12-AS) which exhibit low E-FABP expression have fewer/shorter neurites than cells transfected with vector only or NGFDPC12 sense cells (NGFDPC12-S). Replenishing NGFDPC12-AS cells with biotinylated recombinant E-FABP (biotin-E-FABP) protein restores normal neurite outgrowth. Cellular localization of biotin-E-FABP in NGFDPC12 was detected mostly in the cytoplasm and in the nuclear region. Treatment of NGFDPC12 with DHA, EPA, or ARA further enhances neurite length but it does not trigger further induction of TrkA or MEK phosphorylation or E-FABP mRNA observed in differentiating PC12 cells without LCFFA supplementation. Significantly, DHA and EPA neurite stimulating effects are higher in NGFDPC12-S than in NGFDPC12-AS cells. These findings are consistent with the scenario that neurite extension of differentiating PC12 cells, including further stimulation by DHA and EPA, requires sufficient cellular levels of E-FABP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the tilted incidence characteristics of thin film narrowband filter, a stack of 100-GHz DWDM four cavities angle-tuned narrowband thin-film filter with low polarization dependent loss has been designed and optimized. Using the angle-tuned filter, we developed a novel three-port tunable optical filter. The crosstalk of the tunable filter is analyzed and calculated in detail, and the theoretical analysis result coincides with experimental result. The experiments show that the three-port tunable filter with low polarization dependent loss has an effective tunable range of 26 nm, and it has a bright application opportunity for its flexibility and effective performance. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 2163–2167, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23599 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hengduan Mountains of the Sino-Himalayas are rich in endemic species ofApiaceae subfamily Apioideae. To investigate relationships among these species and to ascertain their higher-level phylogenetic placements within the subfamily, we examined 106 accessions (representing 100 species from 52 genera) including the Chinese endemic genera Changium, Cyclorhiza, Noi'opterygium, IVothosmyrnium, and Sinolimprichtia. Sixty-three of these accessions were newly sequenced. Phylogenetic trees were inferred using maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses of nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. The phylogenetic trees were highly consistent and revealed several major clades heretofore unrecognized in the subfamily. Changium and Cyclorhiza fall within the Komarovia clade of previous investigations and Nothosmyrnium allies with tribe Pimpinelleae. Notopierygium and Sinolimprichtia along with many other taxa of Sino-Himalayan distribution comprise a well-supported East Asia clade; Vicatia and Haplosphaera arise within a paraphyletic Notopterygium. Other newly recognized, well-supported major clades include the Chamaesium clade, sister group to all other examined Apioideae except tribe Bupleureae, and the Asian Acronema clade, sister group to tribe Scandiceae. The Chamaesium clade and Bupleureae may represent the earliest diverging lineages of Apioideae in Asia. Sinodielsia allies weakly with Pterocyclus or is a sister group to the clade of tribe Apieae plus Pterocyclus; Sinodielsia is distinct from Meeboldia and Vicatia. Genera whose boundaries are poorly defined and controversial on the basis of morphology (Ligusticum, Peucedanum, Physosperniopsis, Pimpinella, Pleurosperinum, Sinocarum, Tongoloa, Trachyspermum) are not monophyletic in the ITS-based phylogenies. Further study of these Chinese endemics is necessary to produce a comprehensive, modern classification of Apiaceae subfamily Apioideae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A newly asymmetrical spurline structure is presented in this article. Its dual-bandgap characteristics are reported and can be adjusted by changing the length difference between spurlines. Then, a simple circuit model is set up for the spurline structure by using two LCR-resonators and the circuit parameters can be extracted from EM simulations. Moreover, a Wilkinson power divider using the proposed spurlines was designed, fabricated, and measured. Experimental results verify that 27-dB suppression for the second harmonic and 30-dB suppression for the third harmonic are obtained, respectively. In addition, the reflection coefficients are -3.5 dB ± 0.3 dB (-3 dB for ideal case) below 3.8 GHz and -3.7 dB at the operating frequency 3.12 GHz. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 601–604, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23172 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Downregulation of KAI1 gene expression has been found in many types of cancer cells and is closely related to cancer invasion and metastasis. This study was aimed at investigating the effects and possible underlying mechanisms of KAI1 gene on invasion and metastasis of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: The invasive ability, visco-elastic properties and cell adhesion forces were analysed in different HCC cells originating from the MHCC97-H cell line transfected with either the sense or the antisense KAI1 expression plasmid. Tumuorigenicity, metastatic abilities, extracellular matrix (ECM) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression were also evaluated in the nude mouse models of the xenografted and orthotopic liver cancer cells. Results: Compared with their parental cells, in the HCC cells transfected with the sense KAI1 gene, the invasive ability in vitro was significantly decreased ( P<0.01); the cellular elastic coefficients K1, K2 and μ were significantly higher ( P<0.05); the cells adhesion forces to fibronectin were significantly lower ( P<0.01). The sense KAI1 gene transfection into the cancer cells also inhibited their invasion and lung metastasis in the orthotopic liver cancer nude mice. However, the opposite changes were observed in the HCC cells transfected with the antisense KAI1 gene. KAI1 gene transfection also affected ECM and ICAM-1 expression in the transplanted liver cancer. Conclusion: The KAI1 gene plays an important role in the invasion and metastasis of human HCC and its upregulation in HCC cells suppresses their invasive and metastatic abilities. KAI1 gene functioned as a metastasis inhibitor by regulating the HCC cell biophysical behaviours including aggregation, adhesion, motility and visco-elastic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we propose a process to prepare Mn–Zn ferrite powder, using oxides of manganese and zinc extracted from used dry batteries, and ferrous chloride solution from waste steel pickling liquor. The hydrothermal process was used to convert the starting raw materials into Mn–Zn ferrite powder. This powder revealed the formation of cubic ferrite with a saturation magnetization ( Ms) of 58.8 emu/g and an intrinsic coercive force ( Hc) of 3.8 Oe. The average lattice thermal expansion coefficient αa (200°–500°C) of this Mn–Zn ferrite powder was 14.14 × 10−6 K−1. The toroidal specimen sintered at 1300°C in a controlled oxygen atmosphere presented a flat profile of initial permeability (μi) of 2150–2200, in the frequency range 0.1–20 kHz, which allows its use in magnetic applications. This useful technology, combined with environment and materials engineering, can promote the recycling of dry batteries and contribute to the preservation of the earth. Moreover, this technology can also decrease the cost of disposal of the used dried batteries and waste steel pickling liquor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoids exist extensively in plants, and several biological effects of them have been demonstrated. Wogonin is an important flavonoid compound. In this study, wogonin showed obvious growth inhibition on Bel-7402 cells. The major mechanisms of inhibition included cell apoptosis and cytotoxic effects. Wogonin-induced cell death showed characteristics of apoptosis including DNA fragmentation, chromatin condensation, appearance of apoptotic bodies, and an increase in hypodiploid cells. However, the percentage of necrosis cells also increased with the increase of wogonin concentration. Furthermore, treatment with wogonin caused changes of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potentials (ΔΨm, MMP), the decrease of the ratio of reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG), cytochrome c release and activation of caspase-9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Without any perturbations on the surface of the patch resonator or orthogonal feed lines, new microstrip dual-mode triangular-patch bandpass filters are presented in this article. The degenerate modes are excited by the use of the spur-lines for input/output microstrip lines. Also, the influence of design parameters on the frequency characteristics of the proposed dual-mode filters is discussed. In addition, a modified dual-mode filter using double-spur-lines is introduced and simulated. Measurement verifies the validity of the introduced design method. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2100–2103, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21880 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostanoid synthesis in mammalian tissues is regulated at the level of prostaglandin H synthase (PGHS) cyclooxygenase catalysis by the availability and structure of substrate fatty acid and availability of peroxide activator. Two major PGHS isoforms, with distinct pathophysiological functions and catalytic regulation, have been characterized mammals; a functionally homologous PGHS isoform pair has been cloned from an evolutionarily distant vertebrate, brook trout. The cyclooxygenase activities of recombinant brook trout PGHS-1 and -2 were characterized to test the generality of mammalian regulatory paradigms for substrate specificity, peroxide activation, and product shifting by aspirin. Both cyclooxygenases had much more restrictive substrate specificities than their mammalian counterparts, pronounced discrimination toward arachidonate 4n-6) and against eicosapentaenoate (20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoate (22:6n-3), the latter two prominent trout tissue lipids. Aspirin treatment did not increase lipoxygenase-type catalysis by either trout enzyme. trout enzymes had higher requirements for peroxide activator than their mammalian counterparts, though the preferential peroxide activation of PGHS-2 PGHS-1 seen in mammals was conserved in the enzymes. The divergence in cyclooxygenase characteristics between the trout and mammalian PGHS proteins may reflect accomodations to differences among vertebrates in tissue lipid composition and general redox state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CDP-6-deoxy-l- threo-d- glycero-4-hexulose-3-dehydrase (E1), along with its reductase (E3), catalyzes the unusual C-3 deoxygenation of CDP-6-deoxy-l-­ threo-d- glycero-4-hexulose to form CDP-3,6-dideoxy-l- threo-d- glycero-4-­hexulose in CDP-ascarylose biosynthesis [Chen et al. (1996), Biochemistry, 35, 16412–16420]. This dimeric [2Fe–2S] protein, cloned from the bacteria Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, is currently the only known example of an enzyme that uses a vitamin B6-derived pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate (PMP) cofactor to carry out one-electron chemistry [Agnihotri & Liu (2001), Bioorg. Chem. 29, 234–257]. It also exhibits a [2Fe–2S] cluster-binding motif (C- X57-C- X1-C- X7-C) which has not been observed previously [Agnihotri et al. (2004), Biochemistry, 43, 14265–14274] The recombinant 97.7 kDa dimer was crystallized in the trigonal space group P32, with unit-cell parameters a =  b = 97.37, c = 142.2 Å, α = β = 90, γ = 120°. A data set has been collected to 1.9 Å resolution. A full MAD data set was also collected at the iron absorption edge that diffracted to 2.0 Å. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microwave–hydrothermal (MH) process was performed at 240°C to prepare tetragonal BaTiO3 from TiCl4 and Ba(OH)2. No alkali hydroxide was used to avoid contaminations. MH BaTiO3 powder with a c/ a ratio of 1.010 and a mean size of 180 nm was synthesized within only 9 h. The MH BaTiO3 contains a very low concentration of lattice hydroxyl group, associated with a very small lattice strain. The measured density of the MH BaTiO3 is favorably consistent with the theoretical value, and the Ba/Ti stoichiometry determined is 0.996. The formation of a tetragonal structure in BaTiO3 and the particle growth were strongly promoted by the MH process. The effects of lattice defects on the stoichiometry and the determination of transition enthalpy were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied whether nerve growth factor (NGF) can affect the membrane potential and conductance of PC12 cells. We demonstrate that NGF depolarizes the membrane of PC12 cells within a minute and by using transfected NIH 3T3-Trk and -p75 cells we show that both the high affinity NGF receptor p140trk and the low affinity NGF receptor or p75NGF may be involved in the depolarization. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor, K252a, partially inhibited the depolarization, but two agents affecting intracellular calcium movements, Xestospongin C (XeC) and thapsigargin, did not. The early depolarization was eliminated in Na+ free solutions and under this condition, a prolonged (>2 min) hyperpolarization was observed in PC12 cells in response to NGF. This hyperpolarization was also induced in PC12 cells by epidermal growth factor (EGF). Voltage clamp experiments showed that NGF produced a late (>2 min) increase in membrane conductance. The Ca2+-dependent BK-type channel blocker, iberiotoxin, and the general Ca2+-dependent K+ channel blocker, TEA, attenuated or eliminated the hyperpolarization produced by NGF in sodium free media. Under pretreatment with the non-selective cation channel blockers La3+ and Gd3+, NGF hyperpolarized the membrane of PC12 cells. These results suggest that three different currents are implicated in rapid NGF-induced membrane voltage changes, namely an acutely activated Na+ current, Ca2+-dependent potassium currents and non-selective cation currents. Published 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]