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Flexible smart sensing skin is a key enabling technology for the future "Fly-by-Feel" control of morphing aircraft. It represents the next-generation skin of aircraft that can exhibit a more powerful sensing function than a conventional one and could be mounted on arbitrary curvilinear surfaces, especially for advanced autonomic, morphing aircraft. Recent significant technical advances in flexible electronics have overcome many historic drawbacks of conventional smart skin, e.g., only a limited number of discrete block sensors can be integrated due to the inevitable structural damage and heavy guidelines. Herein, we review the key developments in flexible sensors technology and highlight both the state-of-the-art devices and the potential applications for the measurement of aircraft. We begin with the importance of flexible smart skin for morphing aircraft and then expand to the latest progress in various types of flexible sensors. Then we highlight flexible sensors as smart skin to measure aerodynamic parameters and monitor the structural health, and further to achieve the Fly-by-Feel control. Finally, the challenges and opportunities on flexible smart sensing skin are discussed, from the functional design to practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we construct toy models of the black hole and the white hole by setting proper boundaries in the Minkowski spacetime, according to the modern definition. We calculate the thermal effect of the black hole with the tunneling mechanism. We consider the role of boundary conditions at the singularity and on the horizon. In addition, we show that the white hole possesses a thermal absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a highly sensitive surface plasmon resonance sensor is proposed on the basis of a miniature tapered single-mode fiber. The sensing area of the tapered fiber is coated with graphene, silver, and titanium dioxide layer. The graphene layer is used to increase the light absorption rate, and the titanium dioxide layer is used to protect the silver layer from oxidation and improve the sensor sensitivity due to its high dielectric constant. According to the simulation results of COMSOL Multiphysics software, when the graphene is 15 layers, the silver layer is 40 nm, and the titanium dioxide is 20 nm, high-performance SPR can be obtained. The refractive index detection range of this sensor is 1.32–1.38, and its sensitivity can reach 8750 nm/RIU when the external refractive index is 1.38. The research results have potential application value for the design of high-performance SPR sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease with complex genetic predisposing factors involved. PU.1 is an important member of the ETS transcription factors family which has diverse functions such as regulating the proliferation, differentiation of immune cells and multiple inflammatory cytokines. Previous studies preliminary explored the relation between PU.1 and SLE. To further explain the potential role of PU.1 in the pathogenesis of SLE, 40 SLE patients and 20 age-sex matched healthy controls (HC) were recruited in this study. Flow cytometry was used to test the percentages of CD4+PU.1+T cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with SLE and HC. Expression levels of PU.1 mRNA in CD4+T cells from SLE patients and HC were analyzed by real-time transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Expression levels of plasma IL-1β, IL-9, IL-18, IL-6, IFN-α, TNF-α, IL-10 and TGF-β1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The percentage of CD4+PU.1+T cells in PBMCs from patients with SLE was significantly higher than that from HC (P < 0.001). In addition, the PU.1 mRNA expression in CD4+T cells from SLE patients was increased than that from HC (P = 0.002). In SLE patients, no significant correlation was found between the percentage of CD4+PU.1+T cells and the expression of PU.1 mRNA in CD4+T cells (P > 0.05). Associations of PU.1 mRNA expression in CD4+T cells with major clinical and laboratory parameters of SLE patients were also analyzed, but no significant correlations were found. Consistent with previous studies, SLE patients had increased IL-1β, IL-18, IL-6, IFN-α, TNF-α and IL-10 plasma concentrations than HC (P < 0.01). The expression level of plasma TGF-β1 was significantly decreased in SLE patients than in HC (P < 0.001). In SLE patients, the expression level of IL-1β was positive correlated with PU.1 mRNA expression in CD4+T cells (P = 0.001). Our study first time evaluated the expression profile of PU.1 in CD4+T cells from SLE patients confirming that PU.1 may participate in the pathogenesis of SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel photoinduced intermolecular 1,2-arylheteroarylation of alkenes and the efficient synthesis of valuable polyarylalkanes are reported. The reaction is operationally simple, proceeds under mild conditions and with no additional catalyst and reagents. The strategically designed radical cascade reaction is enabled by electron transfer, and involves cleavage of an inert C-C bond. The process features broad functional group compatibility as well as high product transformability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AgNPs are nanomaterials with many potential biomedical applications. In this study, the two novel yeast strains HX-YS and LPP-12Y capable of producing biological silver nanoparticles were isolated. Sequencing of ribosomal DNA-ITS fragments, as well as partial D1/D2 regions of 26S rDNA indicated that the strains are related to species from the genus Metschnikowia. The BioAgNPs produced by HX-YS and LPP-12Y at pH 5.0–6.0 and 26 °C ranged in size from 50 to 500 nm. The antibacterial activities of yeast BioAgNPs against five pathogenic bacteria were determined. The highest antibacterial effect was observed on P. aeruginosa, with additional obvious effects on E. coli ATCC8099 and S. aureus ATCC10231. Additionally, the BioAgNPs showed antiproliferative effects on lung cancer cell lines H1975 and A579, with low toxicity in Beas 2B normal lung cells. Therefore, the AgNPs biosynthesized by HX-YS and LPP-12Y may have potential applications in the treatment of bacterial infections and cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variable-order time-fractional diffusion equations (VO-tFDEs), which can be used to model solute transport in heterogeneous porous media are considered. Concerning the well-posedness and regularity theory (cf., Zheng & Wang, Anal. Appl., 2020), two finite difference ADI and compact ADI schemes are respectively proposed for the two-dimensional VO-tFDE. We show that the two schemes are unconditionally stable and convergent with second and fourth orders in space with respect to corresponding discrete norms. Besides, efficiency and practical computation of the ADI schemes are also discussed. Furthermore, the ADI and compact ADI methods are extended to model three-dimensional VO-tFDE, and unconditional stability and convergence are also proved. Finally, several numerical examples are given to validate the theoretical analysis and show efficiency of the ADI methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The optimal surgical modality for duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) remains undefined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term survival outcomes of patients who underwent radical resection (RR) or limited resection (LR) of duodenal GIST. Methods: A total of 325 patients identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database who underwent surgery for duodenal GIST between 1986 and 2016 were classified into a LR group and a RR group based on the type of surgery received. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to minimize the selection bias in comparisons. Disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) were observed, and factors affecting the survival outcome were analyzed. Results: In the entire cohort, 105 patients (32.3%) underwent RR and 220 (67.7%) received LR. Both the 5-year OS and DSS in RR group were significantly better than those in LR group (71.0% vs. 54.1%, P = 0.014; 66.6% vs. 49.1%, P = 0.025). PSM resulted in 95 pairs of patients, with long-term outcomes being comparable between the two groups. After adjusting covariates in the propensity matched cohort, the type of surgery still showed no significant impact on OS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.160; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.662–2.033) and DSS (HR 1.208; 95% CI 0.686–2.128). Conclusions: Surgical modalities do not seem to have a significant impact on long-term survival outcomes of patients with duodenal GIST and should mainly depend on the tumor size and location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we derive closed-form equations for the breakdown voltage of punch-through and non-punch-through insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). The derivation is based on computing the electric field in the drift region by invoking the depletion approximation and expressing the ionization coefficient as a function of the electric field using a power law. These approximations allow us to find closed-form solutions for the ionization integral and, then, compute the breakdown voltage of the IGBTs analytically as a function of the length of the drift region and doping concentrations in the buffer layer, drift region, and emitter junction. The analytical predictions are then compared to more reliable finite element simulations, and despite the approximations made in the analytical derivation, a very good agreement is observed for a large range of doping variations. In addition to designing purposes, the analytical model derived in this paper can be useful in developing new or improving existing compact modes for punch-through and non-punch-through IGBTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foliar fungi (defined as all fungal species in leaves after surface sterilization; hereafter, 'FF') are of great importance to host plant growth and health, and can also affect ecosystem functioning. Despite this importance, few studies have explicitly examined the role of host filtering in shaping local FF communities, and we know little about the differences of FF community assembly between symptomatic (caused by fungal pathogens) and asymptomatic leaves, and whether there is phylogenetic congruence between host plants and FF. We examined FF communities from 25 host plant species (for each species, symptomatic and asymptomatic leaves, respectively) in an alpine meadow of the Tibetan Plateau using MiSeq sequencing of ITS1 gene biomarkers. We evaluated the phylogenetic congruence of FF–plant interactions based on cophylogenetic analysis, and examined α- and β-phylogenetic diversity indices of the FF communities. We found strong support for phylogenetic congruence between host plants and FF for both asymptomatic and symptomatic leaves, and a host-caused filter appears to play a major role in shaping FF communities. Most importantly, we provided independent lines of evidence that host environmental filtering (caused by fungal infections) outweighs competitive exclusion in driving FF community assembly in symptomatic leaves. Our results help strengthen the foundation of FF community assembly by demonstrating the importance of host environmental filtering in driving FF community assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is now the world's largest energy consumer, but severe air pollution problems have brought greater pressure to the production and development of its domestic economy. As an unavoidable result of air pollution, PM2.5 emissions are increasing. Previous literature has focused more on the impact of PM2.5 on the micro-level such as resident health and company location, yet macro-pattern studies between PM2.5 and innovation are inadequate. To bridge this gap, our research uses a spatial dynamic panel data model to systematically investigate the internal and external effects of PM2.5 concentration on innovation in China during the period 2001–2016. After forming a dataset of real-time PM2.5 concentration from satellite detection and using an innovation index instead of patents, we find a stronger spatial linkage between PM2.5 concentration and innovation. Thus, PM2.5 inhibits regional innovation significantly, and this result still exists after using the air mobility index as an instrument variable to alleviate endogenous problems. Lastly, PM2.5 concentration in neighboring regions also impedes local innovation considerably, indicating a spatial ripple effect of PM2.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe our initial experience with laparoendoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) and a stepwise transition towards transurethral assisted laparoendoscopic single-site RP (TU-LESS RP). Patients and methods: From Jan. 2007 to Dec. 2016, 195 patients underwent RP, of which 89 patients were performed by LRP (Group A), 106 by TU-LESS RP (Group B). The peri-operative data were collected and analyzed. All data referring to patient demographics, surgery, pathology, and peri-operative outcomes were recorded. The cosmetic result was investigated by the Patient Scar Assessment Questionnaire (PSAQ). Analysis of variance or Chi squared test were adopted to analyze the data. Results: 195 procedures were completed successfully. The operation time (109.6 ± 31.9 vs. 151.5 ± 87.3, P = 0.025) and anastomosis time (10.1 ± 4.8 vs. 21.8 ± 9.9, P < 0.001) of Group B was significantly reduced compared with Group A. Estimated blood loss in Group B was significantly lower than that in Group A (95.9 ± 11.1 vs. 180.2 ± 99.7, P = 0.006). About perioperative complications, Group B was also less compared with Group A (1.9% vs. 7.9%, P = 0.047). As to the usage of postoperative analgesics, Group B apparently used less than that in Group A (6.6% vs. 62.9%, P < 0.001), which is consistent with the visual analogue scale (VAS) of the two groups (1.7 ± 1.3 vs. 7.8 ± 1.1, P < 0.001). Patients in Group B were significantly more satisfied with incision healing than in group A (74.9 ± 9.3 vs. 49.7 ± 5.8, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference both in BCR rate and time between Group B and Group A. In urination control, more patients in Group B did not have urinary incontinence 3 month after RP compared with Group A (81.1% vs. 67.4%, P = 0.028). Conclusions: LESS RP is proved to be feasible for the proper patients, but it is difficult to popularized due to inconvenient operation. While by means of TU-LESS, operating difficulty can be significantly decreased. TU-LESS RP will be wildly accepted by surgeons and patients because of cosmetic satisfaction and quicker recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Synaptic devices that mimic synaptic functions are discussed by categorizing them into electrically stimulated, optically stimulated, and photoelectric synergetic synaptic devices based on stimulation of electrical and optical signals. The working mechanisms, progress, and application scenarios of synaptic devices based on electrical and optical signals are compared and analyzed. The performances and future development of various synaptic devices that could be significant for building efficient neuromorphic systems are prospected.Neuromorphic computing simulates the operation of biological brain function for information processing and can potentially solve the bottleneck of the von Neumann architecture. This computing is realized based on memristive hardware neural networks in which synaptic devices that mimic biological synapses of the brain are the primary units. Mimicking synaptic functions with these devices is critical in neuromorphic systems. In the last decade, electrical and optical signals have been incorporated into the synaptic devices and promoted the simulation of various synaptic functions. In this review, these devices are discussed by categorizing them into electrically stimulated, optically stimulated, and photoelectric synergetic synaptic devices based on stimulation of electrical and optical signals. The working mechanisms of the devices are analyzed in detail. This is followed by a discussion of the progress in mimicking synaptic functions. In addition, existing application scenarios of various synaptic devices are outlined. Furthermore, the performances and future development of the synaptic devices that could be significant for building efficient neuromorphic systems are prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a hybrid pumping method consisting of a 1150 nm continuous-wave pump source and a 1950 nm pulsed pump source, we demonstrate a power controllable gain-switched fiber laser in dual wavebands at ~ 3 μm and ~ 2.1 μm. Different pumping schemes for pumping a Ho3+-doped ZBLAN fiber are studied. Using only the 1950 nm pulsed pump source, ~ 2.1 μm gain-switched pulses with single and double pulses are obtained separately at different pump powers. This phenomenon indicates that the 1950 nm pulsed pump source acts as a modulator to trigger different states of the ~ 2.1 μm pulses. Moreover, by fixing the 1150 nm pump power at 3.259 W and adjusting the 1950 nm pump power, the output power of the ~ 2.1 μm gain-switched pulsed laser is flexibly controlled while the ~ 3 μm laser power is almost unchanged, inducing the maximum output powers of 167.96 mW and 260.27 mW at 2910.16 nm and 2061.65 nm, respectively. These results suggest that the comparatively low power of the ~ 2.1 μm gain-switched pulsed laser in dual-waveband laser can be efficiently overcome by reasonably controlling the 1950 nm pump power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, person re-identification technique has been successfully applied to many fields, such as suspect tracking and lost human location. As video always contains more valuable information, more and more researchers focus on video based person re-identification, especially in image-to-video person re-identification (IVPR). However, most of existing IVPR models are under the supervised framework. In fact, marking enough training samples will cost numbers of labors, which limits the practical value of them. At the same time, the 2D features extracted from pedestrian image and 3D features extracted from pedestrian video are heterogeneous, which brings significant challenge for IVPR task. To effective solve the above problems, we propose an unsupervised domain adaption image-to-video person re-identification model by cross-modal feature generating and target information preserving transfer network (CMGTN). On one hand, the designed generator in our model can not only transform target domain unlabeled sample features into source domain feature space, but also can preserve target identity information. On the other hand, we eliminate the gap between pedestrian images and videos by embedding a cross-modal loss term. To evaluate the performance of our approach, we conduct extensive experiments on PRID-2011, iLIDS-VID and MARS datasets, and compare our approach with existing state-of-the-art IVPR models including four unsupervised methods and three supervised methods. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wind pressure measurement, especially on curved surfaces is imperative in revealing flow characteristics. The flexible sensor with high linear sensitivity over large pressure range is still a significant challenge, especially for commutatively positive and negative pressure measurement. Here, we propose a conformable, range-programmable capacitive sensor that can extremely extend the measuring range but with high linear sensitivity. The key point is to precisely control the reference pressure of the flexible capacitive sensor array through microchannel network. The proposed sensor with reference pressure 0 kPa keeps stable at a highly-linear sensitivity of 0.28 kPa−1 in an initial measurement regime from 0 to 3 kPa, beyond which the linearity changes significantly. Via the tunable reference pressure, the linear ranges can be customized arbitrarily according to different flight conditions and measured positions, but without any deterioration of sensitivity. The theoretical model is built for the flexible capacitive sensor with tunable reference pressure, agreeing well with the experimental and finite element method results. Additionally, the bending effect is discovered when the flexible sensor is conformed on curved surfaces. This surface-mounted sensor skin is tested on a plate and is integrated with acquisition circuits on a standard airfoil NACA0012 in a wind tunnel and compares with the standard destructive method of pressure taps. It shows great potential applications in measuring wind pressure on curved surfaces, such as for "Fly-by-Feel" of unmanned aerial vehicles and wind tunnel test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational design of new bioisosteres through introduction of high-value functional groups to bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (BCP) is of particular use for drug discovery. Disclosed herein is the first access to valuable fluoroalkylthio(seleno)-functionalized BCPs. A range of SCF3, SCF2H, SCFH2, SeCF3, SeC4F9, and SeC8F17 groups are readily incorporated to BCPs under mild conditions. Concomitant installation of a sulfone provides a platform for incorporation of the BCP motif to bioactive molecules. This practical protocol features novel BCP scaffolds, broad substrate scope, excellent atom-economy, simple operation, and gram-scale preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the legacy effects of 8-year application of N (in gradient of 0, 140, 280, 470, and 660 kg N ha−1 year−1) on the bacterial community diversity, interactions, and assembly processes in the wheat rhizosphere. The rhizosphere bacterial α-diversity increased with the rate of historical N input, while it did not change at N addition rates of over 280 kg N ha−1 year−1. Historical N input clearly shifted the rhizosphere bacterial community composition, and soils with more N input were more dissimilar to those without N input. The net relatedness index (NRI) and nearest taxon index (NTI) analysis revealed that the rhizosphere bacterial communities in most samples were phylogenetically clustered, and the treatments with high N (> 470 kg N ha−1 year−1) showed higher levels of clustering than those with low N (< 140 kg N ha−1 year−1), indicating more environmental selection stress in soil with higher historical N input. Increased co-occurrence network size and connectivity were accompanied by increased aboveground biomass of wheat. Overall, with the increase in historical N input, the resulting legacy effects forced the bacterial community in the rhizosphere to undergo higher environmental selection pressure, and indirectly affected the complexity of wheat rhizosphere assemblages during subsequent crop growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is an increment in stroke burden in the world, stroke therapeutic strategies are still extremely limited to a minority of patients. We previously demonstrated that dexmedetomidine (DEX) protects against focal cerebral ischemia via inhibiting neurons autophagy. Nevertheless, the role of DEX in regulating astrocytes autophagic status in oxygen–glucose deprivation, a condition that mimics cerebral ischemia, is still unknown. In this study, we have shown that DEX and DEX + RAPA (autophagy inducer) increased viability and reduced apoptosis of primary astrocytes in oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) model compared with DEX + 3-methyladenine (3-MA) (autophagy inhibitor). DEX induced the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin 1, while reduced the expression of p62 in primary cultured astrocytes through induction of autophagy. In addition, DEX enhanced the expression of tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2) in primary cultured astrocytes, while reduced the expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). In conclusion, our study suggests that DEX exerts a neuroprotection against OGD-induced astrocytes injury via activation of astrocytes autophagy by regulating the TSC2/mTOR signaling pathway, which provides a new insight into the mechanisms of DEX treatment for acute ischemic injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's fiscal decentralization has the dual characteristics of revenue decentralization and expenditure decentralization, and their impacts on green total factor productivity are also different. By calculating the Malmquist-Luenburger index and using the Spatial Durbin Model, this study examines the effects of dual decentralization on green total factor productivity (GTFP) from the perspective of fiscal competition. It was found that revenue decentralization significantly hindered the improvement of a local area's GTFP, and that the impact of fiscal revenue competition on a local area's GTFP is also significantly negative. The expenditure decentralization and the fiscal expenditure competition among different areas are conducive to improving the local area's GTFP. Moreover, the impact of revenue decentralization on efficiency improvement is significantly negative, while the expenditure decentralization is conducive to technical progress. All these findings may provide enlightenment for optimizing China's fiscal decentralization and promoting high-quality economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have witnessed a growing trend that offline social events are organized via online platforms. Along this line, large efforts have been devoted to recommending appropriate social events for users. However, most prior arts only pay attention to the selections of users, while the selections of events (organizers), which lead to the "two-way selection" process, are usually ignored. Intuitively, distinguishing the two-way selections in historical attendances can help us better understand the social event participation and decision making process in a holistic manner. To that end, in this paper, we propose a novel two-stage framework for social event participation analysis. To be specific, by adapting the classic Gale-Shapley algorithm for stable matching, we design utility functions for both users and event organizers, and then solve two layers of optimization tasks to estimate parameters, i.e., capturing user profiling for event selection, as well as event rules for attender selection. Experimental results on real-world data set validate that our method can effectively predict the event invitation and acceptance, compared with the combinations of one-way-selection baselines. This phenomenon clearly demonstrates the hypothesis that two-way selection process could better reflect the decision making of social event participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The C-C σ-bond activation of unstrained cycloketones represents an ingenious and advanced technique in synthetic chemistry, but it remains a challenging area which has been largely underexplored. Herein we report an efficient strategy for the direct C-C cleavage of cyclohexanones and cyclopentanones. The cyclic C-C σ-bond is readily cleaved under mild conditions with the aid of an in situ formed side-chain aryl radical. Density functional theory calculations are carried out to shed light on the unusual regioselectivity of C-C bond cleavage. The reaction affords a variety of structurally diverse 3-coumaranones and indanones that widely exist in natural products and bioactive molecules, illustrating the synthetic value of this method. C-C bond scission of unstrained cycloketones with high regioselectivity is a challenging synthetic task. Here, the authors show a facile C-C cleavage of cyclohexanones and cyclopentanones with unusual selectivity under mild conditions with the aid of an in situ formed side-chain aryl radical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osmoregulation is important for plant growth, development and response to environmental changes. SNF1-related protein kinase 2s (SnRK2s) are quickly activated by osmotic stress and are central components in osmotic stress and abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathways; however, the upstream components required for SnRK2 activation and early osmotic stress signaling are still unknown. Here, we report a critical role for B2, B3 and B4 subfamilies of Raf-like kinases (RAFs) in early osmotic stress as well as ABA signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana. B2, B3 and B4 RAFs are quickly activated by osmotic stress and are required for phosphorylation and activation of SnRK2s. Analyses of high-order mutants of RAFs reveal critical roles of the RAFs in osmotic stress tolerance and ABA responses as well as in growth and development. Our findings uncover a kinase cascade mediating osmoregulation in higher plants. Rapid activation of SnRK2 kinases is central to plant responses to osmotic stress and abscisic acid. Here the authors show that a group of Raf-like kinases are very quickly activated by osmotic stress, and then phosphorylate and activate SnRK2s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is a clinical condition arising from stroke and causes significant changes to memory, thinking, and behavior. Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), the metabolite produced by gut microbiota, has mechanistic relevance to atherosclerotic diseases. This study aimed to investigate whether an association existed between elevated plasma TMAO levels and PSCI.Methods: Consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke were prospectively enrolled during Jan. 2017 to Dec. 2017. TMAO concentration was measured within 24 h after admission. PSCI was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score after 1 year and defined as MMSE score ≤ 26. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the contribution of TMAO level in the prediction of PSCI.Results: Of the 256 patients studied (age, 67.1 ± 11.0 years; male, 54.3%), 86 (33.6%) patients were diagnosed as PSCI. The mean TMAO level was 5.6 ± 2.4 μM, with quartile level as follows: < 3.9 μM (first quartile), 3.9-5.1 μM (second quartile), 5.2-7.4 μM (third quartile), and > 7.4 μM (fourth quartile). After controlling for potential confounders, multivariable logistic analysis showed that higher level of plasma TMAO was an independent predictor for cognitive impairment in post-stroke patients (the quartile 1 was used as reference, the quartile 4 odds ratio, 3.304; 95% confidence intervals, 1.335-8.178; P = 0.010).Conclusions: This study demonstrated that increasing plasma level of TMAO may be associated with PSCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the accuracy of neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) in Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis using a meta-analysis method. In PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar, the literatures were searched for the diagnostic value of neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging in PD. The literatures were screened in the light of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Data analysis was processed by Stata 12.0 software to obtain meta-analysis, heterogeneity analysis, and publication bias. Meta-analysis results showed by using NM-MRI observed substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) on PD, the pooled diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 0.82 (95% CI, 0.74-0.87) and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.73-0.89), respectively. And the pooled positive likelihood ratio (PLR) and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) were 4.58 (95% CI, 3.08-6.82) and 0.22 (95% CI, 0.16-0.31), respectively. Moreover, subgroup analysis according to the measurement criteria of SNpc showed the SNpc volume should be used as good a marker for diagnosing PD. Finally, Fagan test demonstrated that when PLR was equal to 5, the posterior probability is significantly enhanced to 53%, compared with prior probability (20%). As for NLR (0.22), the prior probability is 20%, while the posterior probability remarkably dropped to 5%. In conclusion, SNpc signal detected by NM-MRI exhibited high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of PD, which was a high-performance imaging diagnostic method for PD. We recommend NM-MRI imaging technology to be widely used in Parkinson's diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Described herein is an efficient protocol for the regioselective introduction of a vinyl trifluoromethylthioether to remote unactivated C(sp3)—H bonds. The cascade process involves the vinyl radical-mediated 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and remote vinyl migration. During the transformation, inert C—H and C—C bonds are consecutively cleaved under mild conditions. The reaction features good functional group tolerance, broad substrate scope, and high regio-/stereo-selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kyanite is an important and slow-dissolving mineral. Earlier work has measured its dissolution rate at high temperature and acidic pH, but experimental measurements at low temperature and near neutral pH were lacking. The rate equation by Palandri and Kharaka (A compilation of rate parameters of water–mineral interaction kinetics for application to geochemical modeling. US Geological Survey, Open File Report 2004-1068, 2004) indicates that the rate of kyanite dissolution at room temperature and near neutral pH is on the order of 10−17 mol m−2 s−1, orders of magnitudes slower than most common silicate minerals such as albite and quartz. This study used an externally-stirred mixed-flow reactor, which allows high solid:solution ratios, to measure the dissolution rate of kyanite at 0–22 °C and pH of 3.5–7.5. The measured dissolution rate of kyanite is 4.6–7.6 × 10−13 mol m−2 s−1 at 22 °C, and the apparent activation energy is 73.5 kJ mol−1. This dissolution rate is close to the rate of quartz dissolution and four orders of magnitude faster than the prediction by rate equation of Palandri and Kharaka (2004). Based on our new experimental data, we recommend the following rate equation for modeling the dissolution of kyanite at ambient temperatures. r = k e - E a R 1 T - 1 298.15 where k = 5.08 × 10−13 mol m−2 s−1, and Ea = 73.5 kJ mol−1. Review of literature data (Carroll in The dissolution behavior of corundum, kaolinite, and andalusite: a surface complex reaction model for the dissolution of aluminosilicate minerals in diagenetic and weathering environs. Dissertation, Northwestern University, 1989) led to a recommended rate equation for andalusite as for T = 25 °C and pH = 2–10: r = k 1 a H + n 1 + k 2 + k 3 a H + n 3 where k1 = 4.04 × 10−10 mol m−2 s−1, k2 = 7.95 × 10−10 mol m−2 s−1, k3 = 1.01 × 10−17 mol m−2 s−1, n1 = 1.2 and n3 = − 0.6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomedical metals are widely used as implant materials in the human or animal body to repair organs and restore function, such as heart valves, meninges, peritoneum and artificial organs. Alloying element affects the microstructure, mechanical property, corrosion resistance and wear resistance, but also influences the antibacterial and biological activity. Recently, antibacterial metal alloys have shown great potential as a new kind of biomedical materials, in which Cu has been widely used as antibacterial agent element. In addition, biodegradable metal alloys, including magnesium alloy and zinc alloy, also have attracted much attention worldwide. Cu was also used as alloying element to adjust the degradation rate. Thus, the role of Cu in the alloy design will be very important for the development of new alloy. In this paper, we summarized the recent research results on the Cu-containing metal alloy for biomedical application and hoped that this review would give more suggestions for the further development of biomedical metal alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is increasingly crucial for flexible electronics to efficiently and reliably peel large-area, ultra-thin flexible films off from rigid substrate serving as substrates of flexible electronics device, especially in industrial production. This paper experimentally investigated the mechanism and technologic characteristics of laser lift-off (LLO) process of ultra-thin (~ 2 μm) polyimide (PI) film. It was found increasingly difficult to obtain desirable ultra-thin PI film by LLO with the decrease of the film thickness. The optimal process parameters were achieved considering laser fluence and accumulated irradiation times (AIT), which were found to be strongly correlative to the thickness of PI film. The process mechanism of LLO of PI film was disclosed that laser ablation of interfacial PI will result in the formation of gas products between the PI and glass substrate, enabling the change of interface microstructures to reduce the interface bond strength. The amount of gas products mainly determines the result of LLO process for ultra-thin PI film, from residual adhesion to wrinkles or cracking. The strategy of multi-scanning based on multiple irradiations of low-energy laser pulses was presented to effectively achieve a reliable LLO process of ultra-thin PI film. This study provides an attractive route to optimize the LLO process for large-scale production of ultra-thin flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A host of environmental consequences will result from global warming, but arguably, the effect on water resources is one of the most consequential. This paper synthesizes results of published modeling studies that examined the groundwater system and hydrologic cycle under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario (CO2 at 936-ppm level at year 2100). Natural replenishment of groundwater occurs predominantly from infiltration of precipitation and surface impoundments. Therefore, the first stage of the study was to review a changed hydrologic cycle under RCP 8.5 in terms of influence from (1) precipitation, evapotranspiration, and soil moisture; (2) surface water and its interaction with groundwater; (3) extreme hydrologic events, and (4) teleconnection patterns. The general pattern of climate impact on groundwater resources follows the precipitation pattern with depletion in tropical and/or subtropical regions and with increase in the high-latitude regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. However, regional variability also corresponds to the heterogenous impact of climate changes on regional distribution of precipitation and evapotranspiration, localized interaction between surface water and groundwater, and distances from the oceans with rising sea level. The decline of the water table in many areas may seriously reduce irrigated crop production and adversely impact groundwater-dependent ecosystems. Relatively fewer studies have been conducted on climate-change impacts on groundwater resources compared to surface-water systems, and the uncertainties on the recharge estimates are large. There appears to be an urgent need for including groundwater systems in climate impact assessment and in climate mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoysia japonica is a grass specie used for golf courses and stadium lawns because of its eminent organ regeneration ability after cutting. However, the molecular mechanisms of the organ regeneration remain elusive. In plants, the shoot apical meristem (SAM) plays a critical role in organ regeneration process. Studies on shoot apical meristem (SAM) in Arabidopsis revealed PIN-FORMED 1 (PIN1) and WUSCHEL (WUS) as crucial components regulating the maintenance and proliferation of SAM via modulating the phytohormones auxin (IAA) and cytokinin (CTK), respectively. In this study, transcriptome analysis of the early wounding stage of Z. japonica cultivar “Zenith” was performed, and global expression pattern of genes related to the PIN1 and WUS network was analyzed. According to the Gene Ontology (GO) database classification, genes related to cell proliferation were identified in differentially expressed unigenes (DEGs) with dramatic changes. Meanwhile, there were 18 IAA and CTK-related GO terms. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database classification showed that “plant hormone signal transduction” was gradually become the most abundant enrichment pathways within 6 h. Twenty-four Z. japonica genes with homology to Arabidopsis genes that are involved in PIN1 and WUS network were examined for expression. Among them, 21 genes showed dynamic changes whereas three genes did not. Those results suggesting that the key genes involved in the regeneration exhibited difference in both plants. Finally, we proposed a simple molecular mechanism of the Z. japonica organ regeneration regulated by PIN1 and WUS after wounding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of surface water and groundwater interaction (SW-GW interaction) provides basic information for regional water-resource protection, management, and development. In this survey of a 10-km-wide area along both sides of the Songhua River, northeast China, the hydrogeochemical responses to different SW-GW interactions were studied. Three types of SW-GW interactions were identified—“recharge”, “discharge”, and “flow-through”—according to the hydraulic connection between the surface water and groundwater. The single factor index, principal component analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis of the hydrogeochemistry and pollutant data illuminated the hydrogeochemical response to the various SW-GW interactions. Clear SW-GW interactions along the Songhua River were revealed: (1) upstream in the study area, groundwater usually discharges into the surface water, (2) groundwater is recharged by surface water downstream, and (3) discharge and flow-through coexist in between. Statistical analysis indicated that the degree of hydrogeochemical response in different types of hydraulic connection varied, being clear in recharge and flow-through modes, and less obvious in discharge mode. During the interaction process, dilution, adsorption, redox reactions, nitrification, denitrification, and biodegradation contributed to the pollutant concentration and affected hydrogeochemical response in the hyporheic zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the microorganisms involved in 13C-glucose assimilation and to estimate their variations in response to different fertilization regimes.Materials and methods: In a 48 h laboratory incubation, glucose was supplied to paddy soils subjected to application of inorganic fertilizer alone (NPK) or application of combination of inorganic fertilizer and organic manure (NPKM) for 3 years. CO2 production and microbial growth responses to glucose addition were monitored during 52 h flooded incubation. Bacterial and fungal populations involved in 13C-glucose assimilation were identified by using DNA stable isotope probing approach (DNA-SIP) combined with high-throughput sequencing at 48 h after 13C-glucose addition.Results and discussion: Bacteria were initially more active at utilizing the exogenous glucose added into the soil than fungi. One hundred and twenty-nine bacterial OTUs related to glucose assimilation were found in the NPK-treated soil, being more abundant than 59 in NPKM-treated soils. Moreover, 10 and 11 glucose assimilation-related OTUs of fungi were found in the NPK and NPKM-treated soils, respectively. DNA-SIP revealed that bacterial genera containing Clostridium and Bacillus and fungal genera including Fusarium, Cylindrocarpon and Paralomus were the dominant assimilators of glucose. Besides these ubiquitous assimilators in both soils, Paenibacillus and Sporomusa in NPK-treated soil and Azotobacter and Nectria in NPKM-treated soil were also found as the dominant assimilators.Conclusions: Under the flooded incubation conditions, the species related to glucose assimilation differed between NPK and NPKM-treated paddy soils for both bacteria and fungi. These results could be helpful for improving the mechanistic understanding of LMWOS cycling processes and enhance our understanding of the major microorganisms involved in glucose assimilation in paddy soils under short-term fertilization regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avibacterium paragallinarum is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes infectious coryza in chicken. It was reported that the capsule polysaccharides extracted from Av. paragallinarum genotype A contained chondroitin. Chondroitin synthase of Av. paragallinarum (ApCS) encoded by one gene within the presumed capsule biosynthesis gene cluster exhibited considerable homology to identified bacterial chondroitin synthases. Herein, we report the identification and characterization of ApCS. This enzyme indeed displays chondroitin synthase activity involved in the biosynthesis of the capsule. ApCS is a bifunctional protein catalyzing the elongation of the chondroitin chain by alternatively transferring the glucuronic acid (GlcA) and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc) residues from their nucleotide forms to the non-reducing ends of the saccharide chains. GlcA with a para-nitrophenyl group (pNP) could serve as the acceptor for ApCS; this enzyme shows a stringent donor tolerance when the acceptor is as small as this monosaccharide. Then, UDP-GalNAc and GlcA-pNP were injected sequentially through the chip-immobilized chondroitin synthases, and the surface plasmon resonance data demonstrated that the up-regulated extent caused by the binding of the donor is one possibly essential factor in successful polymerization reaction. This conclusion will, therefore, enhance the understanding of the mode of action of glycosyltransferase. Surprisingly, high activity at near-zero temperature as well as weak temperature dependence of this novel bacterial chondroitin synthase indicate that ApCS was a cold-active enzyme. From all accounts, ApCS becomes the fourth known bacterial chondroitin synthase, and the potential applications in artificial chondroitin sulfate and glycosaminoglycan synthetic approaches make it an attractive glycosyltransferase for further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we prove that a simple graph G of order sufficiently large n with the minimal degree δ(G) ≥ k ≥ 2 is Hamilton-connected except for two classes of graphs if the number of edges in G is at least 1/2 (n² - (2k - 1)n + 2k - 2). In addition, this result is used to present sufficient spectral conditions for a graph with large minimum degree to be Hamilton-connected in terms of spectral radius or signless Laplacian spectral radius, which extends the results of (Zhou and Wang in Linear Multilinear Algebra 65(2):224-234, 2017) for sufficiently large n. Moreover, we also give a sufficient spectral condition for a graph with large minimum degree to be Hamilton-connected in terms of spectral radius of its complement graph. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The infections associated with titanium-based biomaterials have been one of the most serious postoperative complications in the orthopedic surgery. Great efforts have been made to improve the antimicrobial property of titanium-based biomaterials by virtue of the surface modification strategy. From the biomimetic perspective of vegetation roots anchoring soil, alkali treatment was conducted on metallic titanium to produce a nanoroot-structured surface in the present study; then, antimicrobial peptide was anchored within the nanoroot surface by vacuum extraction and lyophilization. As a result, the obtained antibacterial peptide-leashed titanium surface showed a hierarchical structure combining the designed nanoroot topography and the anchored antibiotic peptide. Furthermore, this modified surface could steadily release for more than 10 h in a time-dependent manner. As a consequence, the elaborate antimicrobial peptide-loaded surface demonstrated a powerful antibacterial and biofilm-resistant capability against two types of Staphylococcus, without significant cytotoxicity. Specifically, Peptide-2 can kill the most planktonic and sessile bacteria for two gram-positive bacteria. Therefore, the integration of antibacterial peptide onto titanium-based implant surface may be a hopeful tool to prevent implant-associated infections in the orthopedic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new dataset of integrated and homogenized monthly surface air temperature over global land for the period since 1900 [China Meteorological Administration global Land Surface Air Temperature (CMA-LSAT)] is developed. In total, 14 sources have been collected and integrated into the newly developed dataset, including three global (CRUTEM4, GHCN, and BEST), three regional and eight national sources. Duplicate stations are identified, and those with the higher priority are chosen or spliced. Then, a consistency test and a climate outlier test are conducted to ensure that each station series is quality controlled. Next, two steps are adopted to assure the homogeneity of the station series: (1) homogenized station series in existing national datasets (by National Meteorological Services) are directly integrated into the dataset without any changes (50% of all stations), and (2) the inhomogeneities are detected and adjusted for in the remaining data series using a penalized maximal t test (50% of all stations). Based on the dataset, we re-assess the temperature changes in global and regional areas compared with GHCN-V3 and CRUTEM4, as well as the temperature changes during the three periods of 1900-2014, 1979-2014 and 1998-2014. The best estimates of warming trends and there 95% confidence ranges for 1900-2014 are approximately 0.102 ± 0.006 °C/decade for the whole year, and 0.104 ± 0.009, 0.112 ± 0.007, 0.090 ± 0.006, and 0.092 ± 0.007 °C/decade for the DJF (December, January, February), MAM, JJA, and SON seasons, respectively. MAM saw the most significant warming trend in both 1900-2014 and 1979-2014. For an even shorter and more recent period (1998-2014), MAM, JJA and SON show similar warming trends, while DJF shows opposite trends. The results show that the ability of CMA-LAST for describing the global temperature changes is similar with other existing products, while there are some differences when describing regional temperature changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ProMyelocyticLeukemia nuclear bodies (PML NBs) are stress-regulated domains directly implicated in acute promyelocytic leukemia eradication. Most TRIM family members bind ubiquitin E2s and many acquire ligase activity upon RING dimerization. In contrast, PML binds UBC9, the SUMO E2 enzyme. Here, using X-ray crystallography and SAXS characterization, we demonstrate that PML RING tetramerizes through highly conserved PML-specific sequences, which are required for NB assembly and PML sumoylation. Conserved residues implicated in RING dimerization of other TRIMs also contribute to PML tetramer stability. Wild-type PML rescues the ability of some RING mutants to form NBs as well as their sumoylation. Impaired RING tetramerization abolishes PML/RARA-driven leukemogenesis in vivo and arsenic-induced differentiation ex vivo. Our studies thus identify RING tetramerization as a key step in the NB macro-molecular scaffolding. They suggest that higher order RING interactions allow efficient UBC9 recruitment and thus change the biochemical nature of TRIM-facilitated post-translational modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Considering the global demands in sustaining agriculture, use of organic amendments is gradually increasing. An improved understanding of the biological process is essential to evaluate the performance of organic amendments on agro-ecosystem.Methods: Soils subjected to different fertilization regimes were collected from a field experiment. Microbial community compositions are assessed with 16S and ITS rRNA gene sequencing and subsequent bioinformatics analysis. Microbial functions are characterized with the geometric mean of the assayed enzyme activities (GMea) and the microbial carbon-use efficiency:nitrogen-use efficiency ratio (CUE:NUE).Results: Compared with the chemically fertilized soil, the GMea significantly increased in organically amended soils. In contrast, the CUE:NUE was highest in chemically treated soil. These changes of microbial functional indicators were associated with shifts in the bacterial and not the fungal community composition, despite the fact that both the bacterial and fungal community compositions were significantly affected by the fertilization regimes. The abundances of specific soil bacterial taxa, especially the genera Luteimonas and Gemmatimona, were enriched by organic amendments. Soil organic carbon emerged as the major determinant of the bacterial community composition.Conclusions: Soil microbial activities and nutrient-use efficiencies were dramatically changed along with the alteration of bacterial community composition. Relatively greater abundance of Luteimonas and Gemmatimona taxa in soils might be useful indicators for soil amelioration. Our research could be helpful to provide better strategies for the maintenance of soil fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a numerical model for plate heat exchanger that is capable of handling supercritical CO fluid. The plate heat exchangers under investigation include Z-type (1-pass), U-type (1-pass), and 1-2 pass configurations. The plate spacing is 2.9 mm with a plate thickness of 0.8 mm, and the size of the plate is 600 mm wide and 218 mm in height with 60 degrees chevron angle. The proposed model takes into account the influence of gigantic change of CO properties. The simulation is first compared with some existing data for water-to-water plate heat exchangers with good agreements. The flow distribution, pressure drop, and heat transfer performance subject to the supercritical CO in plate heat exchangers are then investigated. It is found that the flow velocity increases consecutively from the entrance plate toward the last plate for the Z-type arrangement, and this is applicable for either water side or CO side. However, the flow distribution of the U-type arrangement in the water side shows opposite trend. Conversely, the flow distribution for U-type arrangement of CO depends on the specific flow ratio (C*). A lower C* like 0.1 may reverse the distribution, i.e. the flow velocity increases moderately alongside the plate channel like Z-type while a large C* of 1 would resemble the typical distribution in water channel. The flow distribution of CO side at the first and last plate shows a pronounced drop/surge phenomenon while the channels in water side does not reveal this kind of behavior. The performance of 2-pass plate heat exchanger, in terms of heat transfer rate, is better than that of 1-pass design only when C* is comparatively small (C* < 0.5). Multi-pass design is more effective when the dominant thermal resistance falls in the CO side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural soils with (M+) or without (M−) organic amendment were collected from four long-term field experiments to investigate soil fungal community composition and its relationship to the soil ionome by employing both the sequencing of fungal internal transcription spacer (ITS) fragments and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Fungal community composition was primarily impacted by physical location while organic amendment triggered community shifts in the same direction in all four sites. Overall, the fungal community was strongly correlated to soil pH that, conversely, impacted soil ion availability. Fungal community dissimilarity was strongly correlated to soil ionome (ionic profile) variability. Network analysis has been conducted to explore the biotic interactions in soil ecosystem, in which species (nodes) are connected by pairwise interactions (links). The results revealed that organic amendment led to a higher number of correlated nodes to soil ions, links, modules (a group of nodes more densely connected to each other than to nodes outside the group), and positive links within and between modules. Moreover, specific fungal modules were independently correlated with soil ions, suggesting that each module represents a functional guild or collection of similar fungal ecotypes. Module size (number of nodes in a module) exhibited no apparent influence on the scale of these correlations. The increase in cooperative/synergistic interactions with organic amendment suggests that application results in a better-organized and more efficient community with enhanced potential soil fungal interactions mediated by alterations in the soil ionome. Overall, this study indicates that these less commonly measured soil ions play an important role and may be used to reveal previously undetermined drivers of the soil microbial community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyelectrolyte-surfactant complexes (PESCs) were fabricated through the interaction of poly(acrylic acid) and four different cationic surfactants or their mixtures. PESC membranes were prepared by solution casting method and were applied in ethanol recovery from aqueous solution via pervaporation. Elemental analysis (EA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water contact angle (CA) measurement, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray scattering were employed to characterize the composition, structure and properties of PESCs. The results reveal that the investigated PESCs are similar in hydrophobicity but different in hierarchical nanostructures. In separating 5 wt% ethanol/water mixture, PESC membranes with high crystallinity will have both low flux and ethanol selectivity because of the high packing density and low permeability of crystalline regions. Meanwhile, the hierarchical nanostructures of PESC membranes change under pervaporation environment as was revealed by in situ synchrotron radiation X-ray scattering measurement. That is, the crystalline region could melt at high temperature in swelling state, thus consequently enhancing the ethanol selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence suggests that the dopamine receptor rate-limiting enzyme, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and the glutamate receptor, N-methyl- d-aspartate receptor 2B (NR2B), contribute to morphine dependence. Previous studies show that chronic exposure to morphine changes the expression of opioid receptors. In this study, we focus on the effects of sinomenine on morphine-dependent mice and its related neural mechanisms. Conditioned place preference (CPP) mouse model was established using morphine (9 mg/kg, s.c.), and their expression levels of TH and NR2B were observed by immunohistochemistry. Moreover, their mu opioid receptor (MOR) and delta opioid receptor (DOR) contents were assessed using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results showed that high sinomenine dose (80 mg/kg) effectively attenuated the behavior of CPP mice and reversed increased expression levels of TH and NR2B induced by morphine. Moreover, compared with the morphine group, sinomenine up-regulated the content of MOR to a normal level but did not significantly affect the DOR expression. In summary, these data indicate that sinomenine can inhibit morphine dependence by increasing the expression levels of TH, NR2B, and MOR in the mouse brain; however, DOR may not contribute to this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoothly attaching the stretchable epidermal electronic devices (EEDs) onto the skin surface is highly desired to improve the measurement accuracy of electrophysiological signal. The paper presents an analytical approach to study interfacial mechanics of the 2D planar EEDs on the checkerboard buckling patterns of human skin. Energy variation method is proposed to determine a criterion whether EEDs laminate conformally onto the skin surface under undeformed and stretched cases. EEDs with low bending stiffness (thin, soft devices/backing layer), smooth and soft skin, and strong adhesion promote conformal contact. Furthermore, the adhesion energy at the EED/skin interface is measured by the homemade peeling experiment platform with different substrate thicknesses and areal coverages. The upper limit of the areal coverage for EED conformal contact with the skin is proposed with given EED/skin properties. Conformability of EEDs are validated by experiments with different substrate thickness, areal coverage and external loadings. It provides a design guideline for EED to conformally contact with the skin surface for more accurate biological signal monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The order-2 self-similar serpentine interconnects (SSIs) that joint rigid, functional devices can ensure mechanical integrity and stretchability in electronic systems under large deformations. However, the conventional design and analysis aim merely at the freestanding order-2 SSIs. The paper studies the design law and the stretchability of order-2 SSI that are bonded onto the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate in stretchable electronics through analytical modeling, finite element method (FEM), and experiments. The scale law formula is built to predict the stretchability of the order-2 SSI with geometry parameters based on FEM simulation results. The out-of-plane and in-plane bending strains during lateral postbuckling processes are proportional to the thickness and width of the order-2 SSI, respectively. The stretchability of order-2 SSI decreases with the increasing ratio β of order-2 space L to order-1 space L , and it would be approximate to the stretchability of order-1 serpentine interconnect when β > 32. The optimized order-2 SSI is demonstrated in stretchable electronics application with high stretchability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The C-H and C-C bonds are abundant in organic compounds, yet generally inert in chemical transformations. Therefore, direct functionalization of inert chemical bonds remains challenging. The fluorine-containing compounds are of special interest for their uses in medicinal chemistry. Direct fluorination of C-H and C-C bonds undoubtedly represents one of the most ideal and attractive approaches to incorporate fluorine atom into complex molecules. Herein, we summarize the recent advances in radical-mediated C-H and C-C bond fluorination. Three types of transformations are discussed: (1) direct C-H abstraction/fluorination of alkanes; (2) decarboxylative fluorination of alkyl carboxylic acids; (3) ring-opening fluorination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although many studies have explored clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma, a few literatures reported the mutational status of lung adenocarcinomas with lepidic pattern and whether there is difference between adenocarcinomas with pure lepidic component and lepidic predominant adenocarcinomas remain unknown. Methods: One hundred and thirty-three patients including 92 adenocarcinomas with pure lepidic component and 41 lepidic predominant adenocarcinomas were subjected to the study. All the clinicopathologic data, the follow-up information and the status of gene mutations including EGFR, KRAS, HER2, BRAF, AKT1, ALK, RET and ROS1 were investigated. Results: Of the 133 lung adenocarcinomas with lepidic pattern, 87.22 % (116/133) were detected harboring mutations in our tested genes, among which 90.52 % (105/116) harbored EGFR mutation. There are three KRAS mutations and two BRAF mutations in our cohort, and we revealed two ALK fusion and one RET fusion. No ROS1 fusion was discovered. There was no significant difference in gene mutations between adenocarcinomas with pure lepidic component and lepidic predominant adenocarcinomas except EGFR mutation ( p = 0.039). Lepidic predominant adenocarcinomas seemed to have more EGFR mutation. The post-recurrence survival was significantly prolonged in patients who received TKIs. Conclusions: Adenocarcinoma with lepidic pattern is a low-grade lung tumor with favorable prognosis and displays frequent EGFR mutation. Compared with lepidic predominant adenocarcinomas, lung adenocarcinomas with pure lepidic component have a better prognosis. On the basis of these results, we also suggested the application of EGFR-TKIs therapy for EGFR mutation-positive patients after recurrence could achieve prolonged survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pilot scale micro-flocculation and dynasand filtration process was used to pretreat the petrochemical secondary effluent. The suspended solids (SS) and the dissolved organic matter (DOM) removal characteristics were investigated. The results showed that the optimized poly aluminum ferric chloride (PFAC) dosage was 10 mg/L during the experiment. In this dosage period, the SS removal rate was as high as 50.58 % with the effluent SS of 15.38 mg/L when the influent SS was 33.53 mg/L. The COD removal rate was 10.42 %. The DOM fraction with large apparent molecular weight (MW) higher than 3 k was removed more significantly than that of small molecular DOM. Resin fractionation showed that the micro-flocculation and dynasand filtration process could preferentially remove the hydrophobic neutrals (HON) and hydrophobic acids (HOA) of DOM, so it could be suitable as the pretreatment unit. When oxidized by catalytic ozonation, the ozone consumption of COD removal for filtrated effluent was 1.2 g-O/g-COD while it was 1.6 g-O/g-COD for untreated petrochemical secondary effluent, saving 25 % of ozone consumption. The micro-flocculation and dynasand filtration is a suitable pretreatment process for petrochemical secondary effluent, especially when the subsequent unit is the catalytic ozonation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grafting is commonly used to relieve damage caused by soil-borne diseases and to enhance the nutrient uptake in watermelon plants. Certain reports have shown the proteomic changes of plant tissues involved in grafting, while little information about the secretome after watermelon grafting is available. To gain insight into the root-secreted protein profile, root exudates of three types of seedlings (own-root watermelon (W), grafted-root watermelon (WB) and own-root bottle gourd (B)) were collected under hydroponic conditions, desalted and concentrated using Amicon ultracentrifugal filter devices, and separated by one-dimensional SDS-PAGE. Principal component analysis revealed that the protein profile was distinctly altered after grafting, and the diversity of root-secreted proteins of WB was significantly higher than that of W and B. Moreover, analysis by LC-QTOF/MS/MS revealed that some proteins associated with biotic and abiotic stress resistance appeared in response to grafting, such as disease resistance protein At4g27190, callose synthase, HVA22, and Clp protease. These results indicate that grafting can shift the root-secreted protein profile and thus could increase stress resistance. This study would help to reveal the mechanisms of disease resistance and growth promotion achieved through grafting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]