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Current coal industry causes significant environmental pollution and the most air pollution deaths in the world, making the development of new eco-friendly applications one of the top priorities. Coal contains up to 50 % humic substances (HS), the majority of which is humic acid (HA). HA is well known for its beneficial properties and thus compounds extracted from coal can be used to develop new applications. To address this issue, we assessed structural composition of coal HS by measuring their spectroscopic properties. As the result, obtained spectra can be used to identify information about the molecules and thus allowing describing the composition of HS. The purpose of this study was to identify HS properties of weathered coal in regards to finding new uses for this otherwise neglected natural resource. The results show that weathered coal contains relatively high oxygen content and indicate transformations of O-containing functional groups. Weathered coal has high amount of bioactive molecules as well as condensed aromatics. The major coal forming compounds are acridine, anthracene, perylene, tetracene and naphthalene and it does not depend upon where the study site is located. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Effective use of patent information provides a multiplier effect in product design and new technology development. This paper reports research on using an open-source extraction tool—General architecture for text engineering (GATE) and word split software—from the Institute of Computing Technology and Chinese lexical analysis system (ICTCLAS) to assist the expert in acquiring and marking of feature word groups from the abstracts and claims of the patents on Large Aperture Optical Elements. Then, it used the experts feature word groups, which were formalized by INSPEC control words, to construct a Domain Knowledge Organization System (DKOS). Base on the DKOS, a retrieval module of patent information is constructed, which has practical significance for designers to design products and develop new technology. The system is a visual application system, for example, which can filter patent documents by topics and retrieve relevant topics via sample text. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents an optimizing algorithm for speed controlled of the induction motor under sensorless. According to the Lyapunov stability theory, applying the vector analyses method, through the stator current and the rotor flux are calculated to estimate rotor speed. Corresponding to sensorless control drawbacks, a variable structure control scheme for the induction motor is proposed combined with model reference method. Simulation results show that the control plan is effectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A model in power market for hydro-thermal-nuclear power system has been proposed in this paper. Nuclear units, hydropower units and coal-fired power units are considered to have the renewable energy best used. The model contains two sub-models: Model1 and Model2. Model1 is used to solve the problem of allocating hydro loads and thermal loads, while Model2 is used to solve the problem of optimal power dispatch within hydro units and coal-fired units. Simulation and sensitivity analysis have been done in a case study. The results reveil that the proposed model is correct and the solution approach is effective. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The long afterglow and bluish white emission of red emitting material Zn3Al2Ge2O10:Cr3+ are induced by introducing Ca2+. Under excitation of 400 nm, Zn3Al2Ge2O10:Cr3+ can emit a red emission band at 694 nm in the range of 650-750 nm that is caused by ²E → 4A2 transition of Cr3+. Under 262 nm excitation, Zn3Al2Ge2O10:Cr3+ can produce a weakly broad emission band in the range of 350-600 nm, and the emission intensity of Zn3Al2Ge2O10:Cr3+ can be enhanced by tuning the ratio of Ca2+ to Zn2+, especially, Zn3Al2Ge2O10:Cr3+ can present a bluish white emission and long afterglow properties by introducing Ca2+. The bluish white luminescence is caused by increasing the intrinsic defects (V"Zn, V"Ca and V"O). And Ca vacancies can assist to stabilize the O vacancies; therefore, Zn3Al2Ge2O10:Cr3+ show the long afterglow characteristics. It enriched the luminescent properties of Zn3Al2Ge2O10:Cr3+ by introducing Ca2+, since Zn3Al2Ge2O10:Cr3+ shows different characteristics under different radiation excitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of malignancy-related mortality worldwide, and drug resistance hampered the clinical efficacy of chemotherapy. To better understand the molecular mechanism causing drug resistance, we previously established an isogenic pair of doxorubicin-sensitive and -resistant gastric cancer cell lines, SGC7901 and SGC7901/ADR cells. Here, we investigated how modulation of CUTL1 activity affects the response of gastric cancer to frequently used chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, we demonstrated that CUTL1 transcription activity was significantly reduced in doxorubicin resistant cells. Furthermore, decreased CUTL1 expression was strongly associated with intrinsic drug resistance in human gastric cancer tissues and could be used as a poor prognosis biomarker. Both gain-of-function (by over expression of active CUTL1) and loss-of-function (by CUTL1-specific shRNA knockdown) studies showed that increased CUTL1 activity significantly enhanced cell sensitivity to drugs and led to increased apoptosis, whereas decreased CUTL1 expression dramatically reduced cell sensitivity to drugs and thus fewer apoptoses. Importantly, modulation of CUTL1 activity resulted in altered sensitivity to multiple drugs. In vivo mouse studies indicated that overexpression of active CUTL1 significantly resulted in increased cancer tissue response to chemotherapy and therefore inhibited growth, whereas knockdown of CUTL1 conferred resistance to chemotherapy. Taken together, our results strongly indicate that CUTL1 activity is inversely associated with drug resistance and thus is an attractive therapeutic target to modulate multidrug resistance in gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]