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Within a transport model coupled with a microscopic coalescence model, the directed and elliptic flows of protons and deuterons as well as their scalling properties are studied in the centrality of 20-30% Au+Au collisions at s NN = 2.4 GeV. It is found that the flows as well as their scaling properties simulated with the isospin- and momentum-dependent nuclear mean field with an incompressibility K 0 = 230 MeV fit fairly the HADES data, while those simulated with the commonly used momentum-independent nuclear mean field with an incompressibility K 0 = 380 MeV can only fit partially the HADES data. Moreover, by checking the rapidity distributions of both protons and deuterons in the centrality of 0-10% Au+Au collisions at s NN = 2.4 GeV, we find that the rapidity distributions of deuterons are underestimated while those of protons are overestimated by the simulations with the momentum-independent nuclear mean field. In contrast, the rapidity distributions of both protons and deuterons simulated with the isospin- and momentum-dependent nuclear mean field are in good agreement with the HADES data. Our findings imply that the momentum dependence of nuclear mean field is an unavoidable feature for a fundamental understanding of nuclear matter properties and for the successful interpretation of the HADES data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methionine was demonstrated to be the most limiting amino acid for growing sheep when microbial protein is the predominant source of absorbable AA, but its specific requirement was not well quantified. The indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) method is based on the concept that when the most limiting amino acid (LAA) is deficient for protein synthesis, then all other AAs will be oxidized. With increasing intakes of the LAA, IAAO will decrease until the requirement for the LAA is met, and there is no further change in the indicator oxidation afterwards. Therefore, the catabolism of 13 C-Phe was used to indicate the effects of varying duodenal infusing levels of Met on the oxidation rate by 4-month-old Kazakh lambs (30.8 ± 0.4 kg BW). After a 6-d adaptation period, the IAAO test was conducted on d 7. Each lamb received a priming dose of 0.67 mg/kg BW of 13 C-Phe injected via the jugular vein, together with 0.18 mg/kg BW of NaH 13 CO 3 at time 0. Then, constant infusions [1.33 mg 13 C-Phe/(kg h) −1 ] were started. Breath samples were collected prior to and half-hourly between 90 and 210 min after the start of the 13 C-Phe infusions. An estimate of the mean Met requirement was determined by a breakpoint analysis of the rate of 13 CO 2 released by 13 C-Phe oxidation, with a 2-phase linear regression model. The oxidation rate of 13 C-Phe decreased (P < 0.001) with increasing amounts of methionine infused in a dose-dependent fashion up to 1.65 g/day, and it was not different from 1.65 to 2.15 g/day (P > 0.05). The mean Met requirement was estimated to be 1.28 ± 0.11 g/day of supplementation. The total postruminal minimum requirement of Met would be 2.02 g/day when the basal passage of Met (0.74 g/day) was summed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs), complex mixtures of polychlorinated alkanes, are widely used in various industries and are thus ubiquitous in the receiving environment. The present study comprehensively reviewed the occurrence, fate and ecological risk of CPs in various environmental matrices in Asia. Releases from the production and consumption of CPs or CP-containing materials, wastewater discharge and irrigation, sewage sludge application, long-range atmospheric transport and aerial deposition have been found to be most likely sources and transport mechanisms for the dispersion of CPs in various environmental matrices, such as air, water, sediment, soil and biota. CPs can be bioaccumulated in biota and biomagnified through food webs, likely causing toxic ecological effects in organisms and posing health risks to humans. Inhalation, dust ingestion and dietary intake are strongly suggested as the major routes of human exposure. Research gaps are discussed to highlight the perspectives of future research to improve future efforts regarding the analysis of CPs, the environmental occurrence and elimination of CPs, the total environmental pressure, and the risks to organisms and populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sign pattern (matrix) A is a matrix whose entries are from the set {+,-,0} . If no entry of A is zero, then A is called a full sign pattern. The inertia of a real matrix A is the ordered triple (n+,n-,n0), in which n+, n- and n0 are the numbers of its eigenvalues (counting multiplicities) with positive, negative and zero real parts, respectively. The refined inertia of A is the ordered 4-tuple (n+,n-,nz, 2np) where nz (resp., 2np) is the number of zero (resp., nonzero pure imaginary) eigenvalues of A. An nxn sign pattern A is an inertially arbitrary pattern (IAP) if it allows all possible inertias. Similarly, A is a refined inertially arbitrary pattern (rIAP) if it allows all possible refined inertias. A proper subset S of the set of all possible inertias (resp., refined inertia) of real matrices of order n is called a critical set of inertias (resp., critical set of refined inertias) for a family F of sign patterns of order n if for every A∈F, S⊆i(A) ensures that A is inertially arbitrary (resp., S⊆ri(A) ensures that A is refined inertially arbitrary); S is called a minimal critical set of inertias (resp., minimal critical set of refined inertias) for F if no proper subset of S is a critical set of inertias (resp., refined inertias) for F. In this paper, all minimal critical sets of inertias and refined inertias for 3x3 full sign patterns are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, we apply a monotone iterative procedure to prove the existence of positive pseudo-symmetric solutions for a three-point second-order -Laplacian boundary value problem. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Background: Bovine tuberculosis (TB) has re-emerged as a major problem for British cattle farmers. Failure to control the infection has been linked to transmission from European badgers; badger culling has therefore formed a component of British TB control policy since 1973. Objectives and design: To investigate the impact of repeated widespread badger culling on cattle TB, the Randomised Badger Culling Trial compared TB incidence in cattle herds in and around ten culling areas (each 100km2) with those in and around ten matched unculled areas. Results: Overall, cattle TB incidence was 23.2% lower (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.4–32.7% lower) inside culled areas, but 24.5% (95% CI 0.6% lower–56.0% higher) higher on land ≤2km outside, relative to matched unculled areas. Inside the culling area boundary the beneficial effect of culling tended to increase with distance from the boundary (p =0.085) and to increase on successive annual culls (p =0.064). In adjoining areas, the detrimental effect tended to diminish on successive annual culls (p =0.17). On the basis of such linear trends, the estimated net effect per annum for culling areas similar to those in the trial was detrimental between the first and second culls, but beneficial after the fourth and later culls, for the range of analyses performed. Conclusions: Careful consideration is needed to determine in what settings systematic repeated culling might be reliably predicted to be beneficial, and in these cases whether the benefits of such culling warrant the costs involved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abnormal inflammation and accelerated decline in lung function occur in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Klotho, an anti-aging protein, has an anti-inflammatory function. However, the role of Klotho has never been investigated in COPD. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible role of Klotho by alveolar macrophages in airway inflammation in COPD. Klotho levels were assessed in the lung samples and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of non-smokers, smokers, and patients with COPD. The regulation of Klotho expression by cigarette smoke extract (CSE) was studied in vitro, and small interfering RNA (siRNA) and recombinant Klotho were employed to investigate the role of Klotho on CSE-induced inflammation. Klotho expression was reduced in alveolar macrophages in the lungs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of COPD patients. CSE decreased Klotho expression and release from MH-S cells. Knockdown of endogenous Klotho augmented the expression of the inflammatory mediators, such as MMP-9, IL-6, and TNF-α, by MH-S cells. Exogenous Klotho inhibited the expression of CSE-induced inflammatory mediators. Furthermore, we showed that Klotho interacts with IκBα of the NF-κB pathway. Dexamethasone treatment increased the expression and release level of Klotho in MH-S cells. Our findings suggest that Klotho plays a role in sustained inflammation of the lungs, which in turn may have therapeutic implications in COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eu2+ doped aluminosilicate phosphors (Ca2AlMg0.5Si1.5O7:Eu2+ (CAMS:Eu2+)) for white near-UV w-LEDs have been synthesized by solid-state reaction at 1250 °C. The phase and crystal structure of CAMS have been analyzed by using XRD. The material with a relatively low Eu2+ concentration displayed a peak in excitation spectrum at 372 nm and a tunable emission spectrum. The colorimetric coordinate of sample with optimum Eu2+ concentration locates in green-yellow region with coordinate value of (0.2639, 0.6212). When the phosphor was pumped by UV light (λ ≈ 372 nm), we obtained bright green-yellow light, suggesting this material has a potential application as a NUV converting green-yellow phosphor for the NUV w-LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the paper, we obtain the existence of monotone positive solutions and establish acorresponding iterative scheme for the following multipoint boundary value problem with p-Laplacian operator, The main tool is the monotone iterative technique. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Risk stratification using molecular features could potentially help distinguish indolent from aggressive prostate cancer (PCa). Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) acquire an abnormal enzymatic activity, resulting in the production of 2-hydroxyglutarate and alterations in cellular metabolism, histone modification, and DNA methylation. Mutant IDH1 has been identified in various human malignancies, and IDH1R132H constituted the vast majority of mutational events of IDH1.Most recent studies suggested that IDH1mutations define amethylator subtype in PCa. However, the function of IDH1R132H in PCa development and progression is largely unknown. In this study, we showed that the prevalence of IDH1R132H in Chinese PCa patients is 0.6% (2/336). Of note, IDH1R132H-mutant PCa patients lacked other canonical genomic lesions (e.g., ERG rearrangement, PTEN deletion) that are common in most other PCa patients. The in vitro experiment suggested that IDH1R132H can promote proliferation of benign prostate epithelial cell RWPE-1 when under the situation of low cytokine. It could also promotemigration capacity ofRWPE-1 cells. Mechanistically, IDH1R132H was an important regulator of insulin-like growth factor 1receptor (IGF1R) by downregulating a set ofmicroRNAs (miR-141-3p, miR-7-5p, miR-223-3p). These microRNAs were repressed by the alteration of epigenetic modification to decrease the enrichment of active marker H3K4me3 or to increase repressive marker H3K27me3 at their promoters. Collectively, we proposed a novel model for an IDH1R132H-microRNAs-IGF1R regulatory axis, which might provide insight into the function of IDH1R132H in PCa development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer composites containing two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) can achieve enhanced thermal conductivity (TC), and such enhancement is more pronounced along the orientation direction of h-BN platelets. In this paper, an analytical model was developed for simultaneously calculating the anisotropic TC of polymer composites containing aligned h-BN platelets. A unit cell was first abstracted based on the morphological observation in the literature. Then the thermal resistance method and coordinate transformation were used to derive the TC of the composites. The model was successfully validated by the experimental data from two independent literature studies over a large range of filler contents. The dependence of TC on the key parameters of the model, including the orientation angle and geometric dimension of the h-BNs, and the interfacial thermal resistance, were quantitatively analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid filler with proper filler ratio can remarkably improve the thermal conductivity of polymer composites by the synergistic effect. However, there is a lack of an effective mathematical model that could describe such effect or predict the optimal ratio of the hybrid filler. In this paper, a two-step analytical model was developed for calculating the effective thermal conductivity ( k eff ) of epoxy composites containing hybrid single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and graphite nanoplatelets (GNPs) filler. Based on the experimental observation in the literature, a unit cell containing a GNP–SWCNTs–GNP sandwich structure was abstracted, and thermal resistance method and effective medium approach were used to derive the model with the assumption that the effective height of the SWNCTs in the unit cell follows the normal distribution. The modeling results were highly consistent with the experiment results in the literature. The synergistic effect was clearly observed and the optimal ratio of hybrid filler could be predicted from the model. Effect of the key parameters on the k eff in the model were also analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the composition and possible sources of aerosol particles in Beijing urban area, a single particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SPAMS) was deployed from April 22 to May 4, 2011. 510,341 particles out of 2,953,200 sized particles were characterized by SPAMS in combination with the ART-2a neural network algorithm. The particles were classified as rich-K (39.79%), carbonaceous species (32.7%), industry metal (19.2%), dust (5.7%), and rich-Na (1.76%). Industrial emissions related particles, rich-Fe, rich-Pb, and K-nitrate, were the major components of aerosol particles during haze periods, which were mainly from the steel plants and metal smelting processes around Beijing. Under stagnant meterological conditions, these regional emissions have a vital effect on haze formation. Organic carbon (OC) particles were attributed to biomass burning. NaK-EC was likely to come from local traffic emissions. Internally mixed organic and elemental carbon (OCEC) was found to be from possible sources of local traffic emission and biomass burning. It was found that coarse dust particles were mainly composed of four different types of dust particles, dust-Si, dust-Ca, dust-Al, and dust-Ti. It is the first time that SPAMS was used to study a dust storm in Beijing. Our results showed that SPAMS could be a powerful tool in the identification and apportionment of aerosol sources in Beijing, providing useful reference information for environmental control and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effect of GDF-15 on the regulation of cardiac remodeling is poorly understood. Results: GDF-15 inhibits norepinephrine induced EGF receptor transactivation and associated hypertrophy and positively associates with myocardial hypertrophy of hypertension patients. Conclusion: GDF-15 blocks norepinephrine-induced myocardial hypertrophy via a novel pathway involving inhibition of EGF receptor transactivation. Significance:Weindicate a negative feedback mechanism of GDF-15 in regulating catecholamine-induced cardiac remodeling. Accumulating evidence suggests that growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is associated with the severity and prognosis of various cardiovascular diseases. However, the effect of GDF-15 on the regulation of cardiac remodeling is still poorly understood. In this present study, we demonstrate that GDF-15 blocks norepinephrine (NE)-induced myocardial hypertrophy through a novel pathway involving inhibition of EGFR transactivation. Both in vivo and in vitro assay indicate that NE was able to stimulate the synthesis of GDF-15. The up-regulation of GDF-15 feedback inhibits NE-induced myocardial hypertrophy, including quantitation of [³H]leucine incorporation, protein/DNA ratio, cell surface area, and ANP mRNA level. Further research shows that GDF-15 could inhibit the phosphorylation of EGF receptor and downstream kinases (AKT and ERK1/2) induced by NE. Clinical research also shows that serum GDF-15 levels in hypertensive patients were significant higher than in healthy volunteers and were positively correlated with the thickness of the posterior wall of the left ventricle, interventricular septum, and left ventricular mass, as well as the serum level of norepinephrine. In conclusion, NE induces myocardial hypertrophy and up-regulates GDF-15, and this up-regulation of GDF-15 negatively regulates NE-induced myocardial hypertrophy by inhibiting EGF receptor transactivation following NE stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the presence of IL-6, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 induces differentiation of T helper (Th) 17 cells in mice. Interleukin (IL)-23, a heterodimeric cytokine composed of IL-23p19 and IL-12/23p40 subunits, stimulates the growth and expansion of Th17 cells, and has been implicated in psoriasis pathogenesis. To study the associations between TGF-β1, the IL-23/Th17 inflammatory pathway, and psoriasis, we investigated inflammatory skin disease in transgenic mice that constitutively overexpress human TGF-β1 in basal keratinocytes (K5.hTGF-β1 transgenic mice); these mice had previously been reported as having a psoriasis-like disease. K5.hTGF-β1 transgenic mice had high levels of TGF-β1 mRNA and protein in both skin and serum. Levels of cytokines involved in IL-23/Th17-mediated inflammation were not elevated in lesional skin compared with those in non-lesional and wild-type skin. It is noteworthy that IL-4 and IgE were markedly elevated in inflamed skin and serum, respectively, of transgenic mice. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specifically directed against IL-23p19 or IL-12/23p40 had no clinical effect on established inflammatory skin disease in K5.hTGF-β1 transgenic mice, whereas the same mAbs were able to block the development of murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an IL-23/Th17-mediated disease. In summary, the IL-23/Th17 inflammatory pathway is not responsible for the maintenance of inflammatory skin disease in K5.hTGF-β1 transgenic mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sphingosine 1-Phosphate (S1P) modulates various cellular functions such as apoptosis, cell differentiation, and migration. Although S1P is an abundant signaling molecule in the central nervous system, very little is known about its influence on neuronal functions. We found that S1P concentrations were selectively decreased in the cerebrospinal fluid of adult rats in an acute and an inflammatory pain model. Pharmacological inhibition of sphingosine kinases (SPHK) decreased basal pain thresholds and SphK2 knock-out mice, but not SphK1 knock-out mice, had a significant decrease in withdrawal latency. Intrathecal application of S1P or sphinganine 1-phosphate (dihydro-S1P) reduced the pain-related (nociceptive) behavior in the formalin assay. S1P and dihydro-S1P inhibited cyclic AMP (cAMP) synthesis, a key second messenger of spinal nociceptive processing, in spinal cord neurons. By combining fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based cAMP measurements with Multi Epitope Ligand Cartography (MELC), we showed that S1P decreased cAMP synthesis in excitatory dorsal horn neurons. Accordingly, intrathecal application of dihydro-S1P abolished the cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of NMDA receptors in the outer laminae of the spinal cord. Taken together, the data show that S1P modulates spinal nociceptive processing through inhibition of neuronal cAMP synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]