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Main conclusion: The post-transcriptional gene regulatory pathway and small RNA pathway play important roles in regulating the rapid and long-term response of Rhododendron moulmainense to high-temperature stress. The Rhododendron plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance. However, it is difficult to domesticate for use in urban ecosystems due to their strict optimum growth temperature condition, and its evolution and adaptation are little known. Here, we combined transcriptome and small RNAome to reveal the rapid response and long-term adaptability regulation strategies in Rhododendron moulmainense under high-temperature stress. The post-transcriptional gene regulatory pathway plays important roles in stress response, in which the protein folding pathway is rapidly induced at 4 h after heat stress, and alternative splicing plays an important role in regulating gene expression at 7 days after heat stress. The chloroplasts oxidative damage is the main factor inhibiting photosynthesis efficiency. Through WGCNA analysis, we identified gene association patterns and potential key regulatory genes responsible for maintaining the ROS steady-state under heat stress. Finally, we found that the sRNA synthesis pathway is induced under heat stress. Combined with small RNAome, we found that more miRNAs are significantly changed under long-term heat stress. Furthermore, MYBs might play a central role in target gene interaction network of differentially expressed miRNAs in R. moulmainense under heat stress. MYBs are closely related to ABA, consistently, ABA synthesis and signaling pathways are significantly inhibited, and the change in stomatal aperture is not obvious under heat stress. Taken together, we gained valuable insights into the transplantation and long-term conservation domestication of Rhododendron, and provide genetic resources for genetic modification and molecular breeding to improve heat resistance in Rhododendron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the salient region security and transmission efficiency of remote sensing images, a multiple remote sensing image (MRSIs) encryption scheme based on saliency extraction and magic cube circular motion is proposed in this paper. The scheme provides two tiers of privacy protection for salient regions (airport locations) in remote sensing images. First, a 4D improved discrete tabu learning neuron (4D-IDTLN) chaotic system is proposed. The analysis of phase diagrams, the Lyapunov exponents (LEs) spectrum and bifurcation diagrams of the system show that the system exhibits rich dynamic behaviors. Second, the salient regions of remote sensing images are classified and extracted via knowledge-oriented saliency (KOS) and vision-oriented saliency (VOS) techniques to create a mask contour positioning model (MCPM) for the salient regions, which is then encrypted. Then, the MRSIs are fused into a cube, which is encrypted using magic cube circular motion and chaotic sequences and further encrypted using closed-loop diffusion. Finally, the security of the proposed encryption scheme is evaluated. The results indicate that the scheme provides higher security and better transmission efficiency for MRSIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The n-octane hydroconversion catalysts were prepared by the impregnation of nanosized HZSM-5 with ammonium heptamolybdate or phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) precursors and were characterised by SEM, BET, FT-IR, UV–Vis, XRD, Py-IR and NH3-TPD. The hydroconversion of n-octane over a little phosphorus doping on the n-octane hydroconversion activity of MoO3/ZSM-5 catalysts has been investigated in order to obtain light isomers, alkanes and aromatic products with high octane number. In particular, the use of PMA increases the ability of aromatization and producing light iso-alkanes for nanosized HZSM-5 zeolites. The yield of total aromatics and i/n ratio over PMA-based MoO3/ZSM-5 catalysts reached 31.7 and 3.3 after 10 h of continuous reaction, respectively. When 0.2 wt% of phosphorus is added to the catalyst prepared from heptamolybdate, the activity is suppressed. A mixture of monoclinic β-MoO3 and orthorhombic α-MoO3 favors increasing aromatization performance over nanosized HZSM-5 zeolites, and orthorhombic α-MoO3 is beneficial to the production of light iso-alkanes. It could be attributed to the difference between orthorhombic α-MoO3 and monoclinic β-MoO3 as well as the structural dissimilarity between the two phases on nanosized HZSM-5 zeolites. The improved activity of n-octane hydroconversion over these catalysts and the mechanism of hydroconversion is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have performed a systematical study of the eclectic flavor group ∆(27) ⋊ S3 which is the extension of the traditional flavor symmetry ∆(27) by the finite modular symmetry S3. Consistency between ∆(27) and S3 requires that the eight nontrivial singlet representations of ∆(27) should be arranged into four reducible doublets. The modular transformation matrices are determined for various ∆(27) multiplets, and the CP-like symmetry compatible with ∆(27) ⋊ S3 are discussed. We study the general form of the Kähler potential and superpotential invariant under ∆(27) ⋊ S3, and the corresponding fermion mass matrices are presented. We propose a bottom-up model for lepton masses and mixing based on ∆(27) ⋊ S3, a numerical analysis is performed and the experimental data can be accommodated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of rotating machinery fault diagnosis (RMFD), the lack of feature conditions leads to the problem of low accuracy of traditional rule-based reasoning methods FD. This paper proposed a knowledge graph (KG)-driven device FD method and applied it to RMFD. First, we proposed a multi-level KG construction method to get multi-source data based on each level and analyzed the levels that affected the system state. A single-level KG was constructed through data features, and a multilevel KG with a stereostructure was built using a multi-source data fusion model as data support for FD. Second, we proposed an approach based on multilevel KG and Bayes theory to detect the system state and located the source of faults by combining the KG reasoning based on relational paths, then used the relationships between the structures of rotating mechanical equipment for fault cause reasoning and used the KG as a knowledge base for a reason using machine learning. Finally, the proposed method was validated using a steelworks motor as an example and compared with other ways, such as rule-based FD. The results show that under the condition of missing input features, the accuracy of the proposed method reaches 91.1%, which is significantly higher than other methods and effectively solves the problem of low diagnostic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The freshness of vegetable soybean (VS) is an important indicator for quality evaluation. Currently, deep learning-based image recognition technology provides a fast, efficient, and low-cost method for analyzing the freshness of food. The RGB (red, green, and blue) image recognition technology is widely used in the study of food appearance evaluation. In addition, the hyperspectral image has outstanding performance in predicting the nutrient content of samples. However, there are few reports on the research of classification models based on the fusion data of these two sources of images. We collected RGB and hyperspectral images at four different storage times of VS. The ENVI software was adopted to extract the hyperspectral information, and the RGB images were reconstructed based on the downsampling technology. Then, the one-dimensional hyperspectral data was transformed into a two-dimensional space, which allows it to be overlaid and concatenated with the RGB image data in the channel direction, thereby generating fused data. Compared with four commonly used machine learning models, the deep learning model ResNet18 has higher classification accuracy and computational efficiency. Based on the above results, a novel classification model named ResNet-R &H, which is based on the residual networks (ResNet) structure and incorporates the fusion data of RGB and hyperspectral images, was proposed. The ResNet-R &H can achieve a testing accuracy of 97.6%, which demonstrates a significant enhancement of 4.0% and 7.2% compared to the distinct utilization of hyperspectral data and RGB data, respectively. Overall, this research is significant in providing a unique, efficient, and more accurate classification approach in evaluating the freshness of vegetable soybean. The method proposed in this study can provide a theoretical reference for classifying the freshness of fruits and vegetables to improve classification accuracy and reduce human error and variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the excellent heat transfer performance, spray cooling is widely used for heat removal of high-heat-flux electronic devices. In this study, the influence of spray characteristics on spray cooling heat transfer is tested experimentally, where both water and 4% ethanol-water mixture are used as the working fluid. The Sauter mean diameter and droplet number distributions are measured by the Particle/Droplet Imaging Analysis system, and the fluid volumetric flux distributions are measured by the self-designed Precision Mobile Experiment Bench. The results show that the heat transfer efficiency of the 4% ethanol-water mixture is superior to that of water. Especially, the critical heat flux is about twofold that of water for the Spray A nozzle. For a fixed nozzle, the Sauter mean diameter of the 4% ethanol-water mixture is smaller, while the fluid volumetric flux shows an increase under the same conditions. Small Sauter mean diameter and large fluid volumetric flux can induce more droplets to entrain bubbles. Then the mechanisms of improved spray cooling heat transfer are analyzed based on the spray characteristics measurement results. It is revealed that the Sauter mean diameter and mean fluid volumetric flux exert joint influence on the heat transfer efficiency, and the mean fluid volumetric flux has an obvious effect between different nozzles. Two dimensionless heat flux correlations are proposed for the single-phase and nucleate boiling regimes with mean absolute errors of 15.56% and 14.68%, respectively. Highlights: Sauter mean diameter of 4 vol.% ethanol-water is smaller than water, but the fluid volumetric flux is higher than water. Small Sauter mean diameter and large fluid volumetric flux induce more droplets generating entrained bubbles, which can enhance the heat transfer performance. Fluid volumetric flux is predominant in improving heat transfer performance, especially in the nucleate boiling regime. Spray characteristics have an obvious influence on the critical heat flux. Dimensionless heat flux is correlated with characteristic numbers integrating Sauter mean diameter and fluid volumetric flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kähler potentials of modular symmetry models receive unsuppressed contributions which may be controlled by a flavor symmetry, where the combination of the two symmetry types is referred to as eclectic flavor symmetry. After briefly reviewing the consistency conditions of eclectic flavor symmetry models, including those with generalised (g)CP, we perform a comprehensive bottom-up study of eclectic flavor symmetry models based on Ω(1) ≅ ∆(27) ⋊ T′, consisting of the flavor symmetry ∆(27) in a semi-direct product with the modular symmetry T′. The modular transformations of different ∆(27) multiplets are given by solving the consistency condition. The eight nontrivial singlets of ∆(27) are related by T′ modular symmetry, and they have to be present or absent simultaneously in any Ω(1) model. The most general forms of the superpotential and Kähler potential invariant under Ω(1) are discussed, and the corresponding fermion mass matrices are presented. Based on the eclectic flavor group Ω(1), two concrete lepton models which can successfully describe the experimental data of lepton masses and mixing parameters are constructed. For the two models without gCP, all six mixing parameters vary in small regions. A nearly maximal atmospheric mixing angle θ23 and Dirac CP phase δCP are obtained in the first model. After considering the compatible gCP symmetry and the assumption of R τ = 0 in the first model, the μ − τ reflection symmetry is preserved in the charged lepton diagonal basis. As a consequence, the atmospheric mixing angle and Dirac CP phase are predicted to be maximal, and two Majorana CP phases are predicted to be π. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric adenocarcinoma is major type of gastric cancer that endangers human health. AKIRIN2 has been shown to be associated with cholangiocarcinoma promoting invasion and angiogenesis. In this study, AKIRIN2 is highly expressed in Gastric adenocarcinoma through bioinformatics analysis based on Stomach adenocarcinoma samples data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Correlation analysis showed that the high-expression of AKIRIN2 was associated with poor survival rate compared to the low-expression group. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses determined the correlation between clinical characteristics and overall survival. Next, the correlation between AKIRIN2 and immune infiltration was evaluated. The distribution of 24 immune cells and their correlation with the expression of AKIRIN2 were explored using the immune cell database. In addition, three Immune cell methods were used to verify the positive correlation between immune cells and AKIRIN2. Also, Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer database was utilized to verify the correlation between AKIRIN2 expression level and the efficacy of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The results showed that AKIRIN2 is an effective biomarker of Gastric adenocarcinoma prognosis, which can guide chemotherapy and immunotherapy and clarify the progress of Gastric adenocarcinoma promoted by immune microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a robust method for non-invasive functional brain mapping of sensory cortices due to its exceptional spatial and temporal resolution. The clinical standard for MEG source localization of functional landmarks from sensory evoked responses is the equivalent current dipole (ECD) localization algorithm, known to be sensitive to initialization, noise, and manual choice of the number of dipoles. Recently many automated and robust algorithms have been developed, including the Champagne algorithm, an empirical Bayesian algorithm, with powerful abilities for MEG source reconstruction and time course estimation (Wipf et al. 2010; Owen et al. 2012). Here, we evaluate automated Champagne performance in a clinical population of tumor patients where there was minimal failure in localizing sensory evoked responses using the clinical standard, ECD localization algorithm. MEG data of auditory evoked potentials and somatosensory evoked potentials from 21 brain tumor patients were analyzed using Champagne, and these results were compared with equivalent current dipole (ECD) fit. Across both somatosensory and auditory evoked field localization, we found there was a strong agreement between Champagne and ECD localizations in all cases. Given resolution of 8mm voxel size, peak source localizations from Champagne were below 10mm of ECD peak source localization. The Champagne algorithm provides a robust and automated alternative to manual ECD fits for clinical localization of sensory evoked potentials and can contribute to improved clinical MEG data processing workflows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose to construct the finite modular groups from the quotient of two principal congruence subgroups as Γ(N′)/Γ(N″), and the modular group SL(2, ℤ) is ex- tended to a principal congruence subgroup Γ(N′). The original modular invariant theory is reproduced when N′ = 1. We perform a comprehensive study of Γ 6 ′ modular symmetry corresponding to N′ = 1 and N″ = 6, five types of models for lepton masses and mixing with Γ 6 ′ modular symmetry are discussed and some example models are studied numerically. The case of N′ = 2 and N″ = 6 is considered, the finite modular group is Γ(2)/Γ(6) ≅ T′, and a benchmark model is constructed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ricardian literature has only a handful of contributions addressing the presence of spatial heterogeneity in the marginal effects of climate change on agriculture. Although the majority of these studies offer models with group-specific slope parameters to account for spatial heterogeneity, large discrepancies on which grouping should be preferred still exist. This paper evaluates the extent to which expected future agricultural profits is sensitive to the four pre-determined groupings currently used in the literature. The results indicate that accounting for grouping uncertainty greatly increases the confidence interval around projected climate impacts. In addition, we do not find that one type of grouping is superior to any other. We suggest two potential solutions and emphasize the importance of explicitly controlling for grouping uncertainty in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aerodynamic forces and vortex characteristics of an H-type Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) become complicated because of dynamic stall, particularly in the three-dimensional impact on the blade spanwise direction. This study focused on the evaluation of the aerodynamic performance and vortex characteristics of an H-type VAWT in the spanwise direction by numerical simulations and wind tunnel experiments. Pressure acting on the blade surface was obtained from multiport pressure measurement devices by wind tunnel. Meanwhile, the vortex field around different blade sections was investigated through numerical simulations. The stall behavior was analysed by comparing the results of numerical simulations and experiments. As a result, the tangential force of single blade was mainly contributed at the chordwise position of x/c≤0.4c and the power of single blade was mainly contributed at the azimuthal angle range of 60°≤θ≤150° in the blade section position region of 0≤z/(H/2)≤0.7. At the section position of z/(H/2)=0.5, the initial flow separation was found at the suction side and progressed forward to the leading edge. With the increase of the tip speed ratios, the decreasing position of the averaged local power coefficient of each section was closer to the middle section of z/(H/2)=0, and the attenuation speed became faster. The power coefficient reductions at the blade section position of z/(H/2)=0.9 were 38.29%, 46.78% and 56.42% when the tip speed ratios were 1.38, 2.19 and 2.58, respectively. The results of this study provided a better understanding of the development of the performance characteristics and vortex characteristics of H-type VAWT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to complicated working conditions, the normal operating large-scale wind turbine blades are often suffering from some inevitable problems, i.e., friction adhesion, flow separation and acoustic noise, which may significantly affect the aerodynamic performance of the blades and thus the wind turbine system. Therefore, effective measurements must be taken to solve these issues. Correspondingly, several novel bionic flow control methods by mimicking shark skin, whale fin and owl wing, i.e., riblet, leading-edge protuberance and trailing-edge serration, have been recently studied, and good progresses have been made in terms of effectiveness, analysis and mechanism. However, these potential techniques are unable to be widely applied within wind energy community due to the lack of reasonable modeling methods, clearly reflecting the effect of bionic structures on the flow field around, which results in incapability to carry out further optimal design of bionic blade. To this end, this review paper first concentrated on a summary of the control mechanisms of three bionic techniques. Based on this, some feasible ideas of model buildup were proposed. Finally, the flow analyses around the typical blade airfoils were chosen as case studies to verify the feasibility and accuracy of these simulation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) is an emerging technology for quantitative cell-free DNA oncology applications. However, a ddPCR assay for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) p.Thr790Met (T790M) mutation suitable for clinical use remains to be established with analytical and clinical validations.Objective: We aimed to develop and validate a new ddPCR assay to quantify the T790M mutation in plasma for monitoring and predicting the progression of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods: Specificity of the ddPCR assay was evaluated with genomic DNA samples from healthy individuals. The inter- and intraday variations of the assay were evaluated using mixtures of plasmid DNA containing wild-type EGFR and T790M mutation sequences. We assessed the clinical utility of the T790M assay in a multicenter prospective study in patients with advanced NSCLC receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment by analyzing longitudinal plasma DNA samples.Results: We set the criteria for a positive call when the following conditions were satisfied: (1) T790M mutation frequency > 0.098% (3 standard deviations above the background signal); (2) at least two positive droplets in duplicate ddPCR reactions. Among the 62 patients with advanced NSCLC exhibiting resistance to TKI treatment, 15 had one or more serial plasma samples that tested positive for T790M. T790M mutation was detected in the plasma as early as 205 days (median 95 days) before disease progression, determined by imaging analysis. Plasma T790M concentrations also correlated with intervention after disease progression.Conclusions: We developed a ddPCR assay to quantify the T790M mutation in plasma. Quantification of longitudinal plasma T790M mutation may allow noninvasive assessment of drug resistance and guide follow-up treatment in TKI-treated patients with NSCLC.Trial Registration: Clinical Trials.gov identifier: NCT02804100. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vaporization of the fuel film after spray/wall impingement dramatically affects the combustion and emission behaviors in engines. In this study, the formation and vaporization characteristics of the fuel film were investigated by injecting diesel fuel from a single-hole injector onto a high-temperature, rough wall. The film thickness was measured using the refractive index matching (RIM) technique. The influence of fuel injection duration, injection pressure, and wall temperature on the film vaporization process was discussed based on the measurements. The results indicated that when the wall temperature reached a critical value, the nucleate boiling of the fuel film appeared. The boiling intensity dramatically increased and the boiling duration decreased with the increasing wall temperature. It was also found that the boiling phenomenon of the wall film was closely associated with the thickness of the residual fuel film on the wall and the film temperature, while it was nearly independent on the fuel injection conditions. Based on the theoretical analysis, it was revealed that there was a critical bubble radius for the bubble nuclei growing in a certain thickness of the fuel film within a conical pit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, numerical simulation and experimental investigation were conducted with distilled water as the test liquid to study the spray cooling heat transfer characteristics in the non-boiling region. The Euler-Lagrangian approach was employed to capture the transient behavior of the dispersed phase while the continuous phase is considered in a steady state. The Realizable k-ε model was also adopted to account for the turbulence effect during spray cooling process. The effect of droplet diameter on spray cooling heat transfer was investigated. The comparison of wall temperature between simulation result and experimental data demonstrates a favorable accordance with a maximum deviation below 2.5%. The results show that droplet diameter is an important influence factor on spray cooling characteristics in the non-boiling region, especially under low heat flux condition. A smaller droplet size will result in a thicker wall film and a higher heat transfer coefficient under the same heat flux, consequently a lower wall temperature can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study described a template-free method for the synthesis of hierarchically macro-mesoporous Mn-TiO catalysts. The promoting effect of Mn doping and the hierarchically macro-mesoporous architecture on TiO based catalysts was also investigated for the selective reduction of NO with NH. The results show that the catalytic performance of TiO based catalysts was improved greatly after Mn doping. Meanwhile, the Mn-TiO catalyst with the hierarchically macro-mesoporous architecture has a better catalytic activity than that without such an architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The melt strength of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is an important factor in preparing foams and blowing films. Aiming to endow PLA with a suitable melt strength via a slight crosslink, a superficial micro-crosslinking method was introduced in which the PLA feed was mixed with benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and crosslinked in a 100 °C oven for 1 h. Additionally, poly(butyleneadipate- co-terephthalate) (PBAT) was blended with the crosslinked PLA (C-PLA) to further improve melt strength and viscosity. The blend foams were prepared using a single-screw extruder and azodicarbonamide as a foaming agent. The properties were characterized by gel fraction, melt flow rate (MFR), rheometry, DSC and SEM. The rheological results showed that the complex viscosity and storage modulus of C-PLA and C-PLA/PBAT blends increased, attributed to the micro-crosslinking and addition of PBAT and indicating an improvement in melt strength. Furthermore, the crystallization of modified PLA was also enhanced. Compared with pure PLA foams, the C-PLA/PBAT blend foams showed larger cells with more uniform shapes and homogenous distribution. This approach to improve the melt strength of polymers with micro-crosslinking and blending with PBAT represents an attractive method for preparing foams with regular cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cross-sectional study was conducted in three counties (Damxung, Maizhokunggar and Yadong) in Tibet in April and May 2015. A total of 1,523 yaks owned by 181 herders were randomly selected and blood sampled. Sera were tested using the rose bengal test (RBT) and a competitive immune-enzymatic assay (C-ELISA) and the test results interpreted in parallel. The individual yak prevalence was 2.8% (95% CI 2.0-3.7) with a herd prevalence of 18.2% (95% CI 12.9-24.6). At the individual level, two predictor variables, age and production system, were significantly associated with seropositivity by a binary logistic regression analysis. The odds of Brucella infection were significantly higher in older Yaks (3-5 years old, OR = 4.51; 95% CI 1.53-19.29; ≥6 years old, OR = 3.89; 95% CI 1.23-17.21) compared to those of younger yaks (≤2 years old). The odds of seropositivity for yaks managed under an agro-pastoral production system were 2.9 (95% CI 1.48-5.86) times higher compared to those managed under a pastoral production system. At the herd level, an association between the infection with Brucella and a history of abortions in the herd was observed (OR = 4.98, 95% CI 1.48-16.62). Surprisingly, vaccination was not associated with a lower level of infection ( p = 0.49 and p = 0.99 for individual and herd level data, respectively). The results of the survey indicate that bovine brucellosis is endemic among the yak population in the plateau region of China, and the risk factors identified in the study should be considered in the epidemiology of the disease and when developing control programs for the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past 9 years since 2007, there has been growing interest in the field of small weight measurement, like determination of sensitivity property of microbalance. This drives the requirement for more accurate small weight measurement down to microgram level. NMIs researched on the microgram from manufacture, material and shape, storage and holding method, measurement equipment and weighing scheme. Subdivision comparison is commonly adopted and matrix method (MM) is used to solve the measurement Eq.. In this paper, the density of test and standard weight rather than the volume were adopted in MM. Details on how to use this method based on Matlab software were presented. Then the comparison between MM, Eqution method (EM) and full air-buoyancy correction method (FACM) were made. Differences between these three methods were analyzed and evaluation results were given out. Experiment showed that EM and FACM were of the same relative uncertainty, but MM had lower measurement uncertainty than EM and FACM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusion: This study presents the impact of heavy ions on the SEU features and predicts the on-orbit SEU rate for the space application of high-performance 28 nm bulk SRAM-based FPGAs. The measured SEU cross sections are employed to characterize the radiation sensitivities. The results show a significant difference among the SEU cross sections of CRAMs, BRAMs, and DFFs. The employed test methods have an influence on SEU cross section results, which is verified in our application-oriented BRAM test. In addition, the radiation-sensitive resource such as the clock buffers is essential to further improve the radiation tolerance of FPGA. These results indicate that the reasonable hardening strategies are still useful for the 28 nm bulk CMOS high-performance FPGAs, which significantly promote the space application of the 28 nm high-performance FPGAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have performed a comprehensive analysis of the type D group D as flavor symmetry and the generalized CP symmetry. All possible residual symmetries and their consequences for the prediction of the mixing parameters are studied. We find that only one type of mixing pattern is able to accommodate the measured values of the mixing angles in both 'direct' and 'variant of semidirect' approaches, and four types of mixing patterns are phenomenologically viable in the 'semidirect' approach. The admissible values of the mixing angles as well as CP violating phases are studied in detail for each case. It is remarkable that the first two smallest D groups with n = 1 , 2 can fit the experimental data very well. The phenomenological predictions for neutrinoless double beta decay are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to determine whether the pseudogene integrator complex subunit 6 pseudogene 1 (INTS6P1) in plasma could be used as a novel approach to screen for and detect hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We explored the clinical role of INTS6P1: First, the expression level of INTS6P1 was measured in a cohort of 33 HCC tissue samples and adjacent normal liver tissue, next, the INTS6P1 expression was detected in the culture medium and tumor cells in a cellular experiment, and last, the diagnostic performance of INTS6P1 was examined in an independent cohort of 100 people. The expression level of INTS6P1 was remarkably downregulated in the HCC tissues compared with that in the normal liver tissues ( p = 0.0066). In plasma, the INTS6P1 levels were significantly decreased in HCC patients compared with non-HCC patients ( p < 0.01). Additionally, we inferred that INTS6P1 might be a prospective biomarker for screening HCC patients in which the serum-AFP levels were lower than 20 ng/ml by the area under the curve-receiver operating characteristic (AUC-ROC) analysis ( p < 0.05). Pseudogene INTS6P1 could be used as a novel HCC plasma-based biomarker and might improve the accuracy of HCC screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analytical resolution of ketoconazole (KTZ) enantiomers was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography with sulphobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD) as a chiral mobile phase additive (chiral selector). Some important factors affecting the resolution of KTZ enantiomers were investigated. In addition, the molecular interaction between KTZ and SBE-β-CD was studied using the UV absorption spectrum and HPLC for an understanding of the resolution process. The results show that the type and concentration of the chiral mobile phase additive, the pH of the mobile phase and the volume fraction of methanol (φMeOH) in the mobile phase all have a clear influence on the resolution of KTZ enantiomers. Under optimal conditions, namely the use of 0.5 mmol L−1 SBE-β-CD as the chiral mobile phase additive, pH of 4.0 and φMeOH in the mobile phase of 0.6, KTZ enantiomers are resolved with a resolution of 3.74. SBE-β-CD can bind to KTZ with a stability constant of 1157. The chromatographic method can provide the complexation stability constants of (+)-KTZ with SBE-β-CD (K(+)) and (-)-KTZ with SBE-β-CD (K(−)). The intrinsic enantioselectivity was calculated from the K(+) to K(−) ratio as 1.34. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a novel interpenetrating three-dimentional (3D) macroporous graphene aerogels (GAs) composite consisting of MnO wrapping for potential supercapacitor applications. In this article, the macroporous GAs holds abundant of interconnected macroporous and has excellent intrinsic high electrical conductivity resulting from the graphene. Therefore, employing the GAs as the substrates to combine with MnO will exhibit excellent electronic conductivity and effective ion-transport capability. The 3D macroporous MnO/GAs composite has a specific capacitance of 200 F g. Thus, the corresponding 3D porous hierarchical GAs/MnO materials have a great potential to be used in the field of supercapacitors. This strategy could also be used for other materials to improve the performance of supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Delay in diagnosis and treatment of cancer may lead to advanced tumor characteristics and poor prognosis. Research and investigation from economically developing countries such as China are warranted to support these conclusions, so we studied the impact on prognosis of delays and factors predicting delay in symptomatic breast cancer patients in China. Methods: Medical records and follow-up information were collected. Variables including demographic data, and clinical and tumor characteristics, including patient age, menstrual status, residential status, initial symptom, profession, comorbidities, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, history of breast disease, and family history of breast cancer, were analyzed, as was survival information. Results: A total of 1,431 women diagnosed with breast cancers between 1998 and 2005 in Qilu Hospital were enrolled and studied. Delays in diagnosis and treatment were correlated with larger tumor size, lymph node metastasis, late tumor stage, and worse disease-free survival, as assessed by multivariate logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier regression models. Patient residential status, initial symptom, menopausal status, and history of breast disease were independent predictors of delay. Stratified multivariate analyses confirmed that age was not associated with delay. Conclusions: Delay in diagnosis and treatment predicts worse clinical outcomes. Improvement of medical service in rural areas, especially for premenopausal women, can decrease delays and benefit breast cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plant extracts have been widely used for cancer treatment. Nitidine chloride (NC) is a natural bioactive alkaloid that has recently been reported to have diverse anticancer properties. We aimed to investigate the cytotoxic effects of NC and the effectiveness of combinatorial treatment including NC and doxorubicin in breast cancer cells. Using MTT and flowcytometry assays, we found that NC induced cell growth inhibition and G2/M cell cycle arrest in a time- and dose-dependent manner both in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Cancer cell growth inhibition was associated with increased levels of the p53 and p21 proteins. Apoptosis induction by NC treatment was confirmed by JC-1 mitochondrial membrane potential, annexin V-positive cell, and TUNEL staining. Using western blot analysis, we found that NC upregulated the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax, cleaved caspase-9 and -3 and cleaved PARP and that it downregulated the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and PARP. By using the PI3K/Akt inhibitor LY294002, we further demonstrated that NC-induced apoptosis might be Akt-specific or dependent. In addition, NC exhibited a synergistic effect with doxorubicin on the growth inhibition of the human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Our study demonstrated the anticancer effect of NC on breast cancer and highlighted the potential clinical application of NC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Donation after brain death followed by circulatory death (DBCD) is a unique practice in China. The aim of this study was to define the pathologic characteristics of DBCD liver allografts in a porcine model. Fifteen male pigs (25-30 kg) were allocated randomly into donation after brain death (DBD), donation after circulatory death (DCD) and DBCD groups. Brain death was induced by augmenting intracranial pressure. Circulatory death was induced by withdrawal of life support in DBCD group and by venous injection of 40 mL 10% potassium chloride in DCD group. The donor livers were perfused in situ and kept in cold storage for 4 h. Liver tissue and common bile duct samples were collected for hematoxylin and eosin staining, TUNEL testing and electron microscopic examination. Spot necrosis was found in hepatic parenchyma of DBD and DBCD groups, while a large area of necrosis was shown in DCD group. The apoptosis rate of hepatocytes in DBD [(0.56±0.30)%] and DBCD [(0.50 ± 0.11)%] groups was much lower than that in DCD group [(3.78±0.33)%] ( P<0.05). And there was no significant difference between DBD group and DBCD group ( P>0.05)). The structures of bile duct were intact in both DBD and DBCD groups, while the biliary epithelium was totally damaged in DCD group. Under electron microscope, the DBD hepatocytes were characterized by intact cell membrane, well-organized endoplasmic reticulum, mild mitochondria edema and abundant glycogens. Broken cell membrane, mild inflammatory cell infiltration and sinusoidal epithelium edema, as well as reduced glycogen volume, were found in the DBCD hepatocytes. The DCD hepatocytes had more profound cell organelle injury and much less glycogen storage. In conclusion, the preservation injury of DBCD liver allografts is much less severe than that of un-controlled DCD, but more severe than that of DBD liver allografts under electron microscope, which might reflect post-transplant liver function to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of nanometer-size pores on the uniaxial tensile mechanical properties of single-crystal bulk CoSb were investigated by classical molecular dynamics simulation. The pores were assumed to be cylindrical and uniformly distributed along two vertical principal crystallographic directions of a square lattice. The dependence of the effects of pores on pore diameter and porosity was examined separately, by varying pore diameter and porosity in the ranges a-6 a and 0.1-5%, respectively, where a is the lattice constant of CoSb. The results from simulation indicate that, at constant porosity, Young's modulus remains almost constant whereas ultimate strength decreases as pore diameter increases. At constant pore diameter, Young's modulus decreases monotonically as porosity increases exponentially; interestingly, variation of the ultimate strength is negligible. Numerically, the mechanical performance of systems containing nanopores is still desirable, although no better than that of the no-pore system. The results provide useful information for realistic application of skutterudites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic and chemical properties of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) can be modulated by chemical doping foreign atoms and functional moieties. Nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-RGO) is a promising candidate for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells. However, there are still some challenges in further preparation and modification of N-RGO. In this work, a low-cost industrial material, urea, was chosen to modify RGO by a facile, catalyst-free thermal annealing approach in large scale. The obtained N-RGO, as a metal-free catalyst for oxygen reduction was characterized by XRD, XPS, Raman, SEM, TEM, and electrochemical measurements. It was found that the optimum synthesis conditions were a mass ratio of graphene oxide and urea equal to 1:10 and an annealing temperature of 800 °C. Detailed X-ray photoelectron spectrum analysis of the optimum product shows that the atomic percentage of N-RGO samples can be adjusted up to 2.6 %, and the resultant product can act as an efficient metal-free catalyst, exhibiting enhanced electrocatalytic properties for ORR in alkaline electrolytes. This simple, cost-effective, and scalable approach opens up the possibility for the synthesis of other nitrogen doping materials in gram-scale. It can be applied to various carbon materials for the development of other metal-free efficient ORR catalysts for fuel cell applications, and even new catalytic materials for applications beyond fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the quantity and quality of fallen logs in different Tsuga longibracteata forest communities in the Tianbaoyan National Nature Reserve. We used redundancy analysis to determine the spatial distribution of fallen logs in the different forest communities and to analyze the relationships among stand structure, topographic factors and human disturbance. The volume, covered area, mean log length and number of fallen logs differed significantly among forest types ( P < 0.05), but mean diameter at breast height showed no significant difference ( P > 0.05). The log volume and covered area in different forest types showed the following trend: T. longibracteata pure forest < T. longibracteata + Oligostachyum scabriflorur < T. longibracteata + hardwood < Rhododendron simiarum + T. longibracteata < T. longibracteata + Phyllostachys heterocycla pubescens. The spatial distribution patterns of logs quantity and quality indicated that log volume and covered area were strongly affected by environmental factors in the following order: human disturbance > elevation > slope position > bole height > tree height > slope aspect > density > basal area > slope gradient. The relative contribution of environmental variables on the total variance was topography (76%) > disturbance (42%) > stand structure (35%). Topography and disturbance combined explained 83% of the variance. Fallen logs quantity and quality were negatively related to elevation and slope position, and positively associated to human disturbance. The log volume decreased from northern to southern slopes. Environmental factors had the highest impact on class I (slightly decayed), and lowest impact on class V (highly decayed). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The A356 aluminum alloy wheels were produced by thixo-forging combined with a low superheat casting process. The as-cast microstructure, microstructure evolution during reheating and the mechanical properties of thixo-forged wheels made from the A356 aluminum alloy were studied. The results show that the A356 aluminum alloy round billet with fine, uniform and non-dendritic grains can be obtained when the melt is cast at 635 °C. When the round billet is reheated at 600 °C for 60 mm, the non-dendritic grains are changed into spherical ones and the round billet can be easily thixo-forged into wheels. The tensile strength, yield strength and elongation of the thixo-forged wheels with 16 heat treatment are 327.6 MPa, 228.3 MPa and 7.8%, respectively, which are higher than those of a cast wheel. It is suggested that the thixo-forging combined with the low superheat casting process is an effective technique to produce aluminum alloy wheels with high mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical performances of the α-, γ-, and δ-MnO with different crystallographic structures were systematically investigated in 0.5 mol/L LiSO, 0.5 mol/L NaSO, 1 mol/L Ca(NO), and 1 mol/L Mg(NO) electrolytes. The results showed that the electrochemical performances of the manganese dioxides depended strongly on the crystallographic structures of MnO as well as the cation in the electrolytes. Because the δ-MnO consists with layers of structure and the interlayer separation is 7 Å, which is suitable for insertion/extraction of some alkaline and alkaline-earth cations, the δ-MnO electrode showed the higher specific capacitance than that of α-MnO and γ-MnO. We also found that the α-, γ-, and δ-MnO electrodes in the Mg(NO) electrolyte showed a higher specific capacitance, while all the α-, γ-, and δ-MnO electrodes in the LiSO electrolyte exhibited a better cycle life. The reason for the different behavior of Li and Mg during the charge/discharge process can be ascribed to the charge effect of the cations in the electrolytes. The ex situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and long-time cyclic voltammogram measurements were used to systematically study the energy storage mechanism of MnO-based electrodes. A progressive crystallinity loss of the materials is also observed upon potential cycling at the oxidized states. A reasonable charge/discharge mechanism is proposed in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances of experimental methods and neuroscience research have made neural signals constantly massive and analysis of these signals highly compute-intensive. This study explore the possibility proposes a massively parallel approach for analysis of neural signals using General-purpose computing on the graphics processing unit (GPGPU). We demonstrate the uses and correctness of the proposed approach via a case of analyzing EEG with focal epilepsy. An experimental examination has been carried out to investigate (1) the GPGPU-aided approach's performance and (2) energy costs of the GPGPU-aided application versus the original CPU-only systems. Experimental results indicate that the proposed approach excels in both aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-isothermal crystallization kinetics and foaming properties of polypropylene (PP) filled with various contents of diatomite were investigated. The results showed that the diatomite had strong effects on the PP crystallization kinetics, which significantly increased the crystallization temperature and reduced crystallite size. These were attributed to the nucleation effect of the diatomite particles and the complex interface properties between the PP chains and diatomite particles. Non-isothermal crystallization can be well described by the Mo's method. The non-isothermal crystallization activation energy calculated by the Kissinger's method increased with increased content of diatomite. The foamed PP composites, in particular, the PP composites filled with 10 wt% diatomite had better cell morphology ascribed to the facilitated crystallization and increased polymer melt strength compared with the foamed pure PP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the clinical significance of the combined use of mammography + ultrasound as a new breast screening strategy. The inclusion criteria were: (1) females aged >40yrs; (2) breast cancer diagnosis by the breast image screening personnel at FUSCC; (3) screening by both ultrasound and mammography; (4) mammographic/sonographic images analyzed independently by different radiologists; and (5) follow-up for at least 1 year. Fifty-four women were enrolled. The analysis included diagnostic sensitivity of mammography, ultrasound, and mammography + ultrasound. The sensitivities of mammography and mammography + ultrasound were compared overall as well as among different age groups/breast densities. The screening sensitivity of mammography, ultrasound, and mammography + ultrasound was 79.6, 57.4, and 92.6 %, respectively. The difference between mammography and mammography + ultrasound was significant ( P < 0.05). The benefit of including ultrasound with mammography as a new breast image screening strategy was found statistically significant in patients with dense breast on mammogram while it was non-significant in younger (<50 years) women. We, therefore, concluded that mammography + ultrasound increased the diagnostic sensitivity of breast screening; hence it was more desirable for women with dense breast on mammography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese is a logographic language system that differs from alphabetic languages, and some of the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying Chinese logographic reading also differ from those underlying alphabetic word reading. However, whether education level effects the neural activation associated with logographic processing of Chinese is still unknown. In the present study, 11 Chinese illiterate and 11 literate (age-matched) subjects participated in an event-related fMRI experiment with Chinese character discrimination (CD) and figure discrimination (FD) tasks. All subjects were asked to view the character or figure pairs and discriminate whether the characters or figures of each stimuli pair were the same or not using response keys. Both literate and illiterate subjects activated a widely distributed cerebral network, including the bilateral inferior, middle and superior frontal gyri, superior temporal gyrus and parietal lobe, in the CD task. Finally, we directly compared the activations of literate subjects with illiterate subjects. The results suggest that the bilateral parts of the angular gyrus and supramarginal gyrus are more active for literate than illiterate subjects in the CD task. We found no significant group difference in the FD task. Therefore, the present results may indicate that education level effects the neural activation associated with the logographic processing of Chinese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor immune tolerance plays a critical role in tumor cell survival; the establishment of tumor immune tolerance is incompletely understood yet. Integrin alphavbeta6 (avb6) is involved in tumor growth and metastasis. This study aimed to observe the effect of avb6 on the development of tumor tolerance in colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, 28 CRC patients were recruited. The frequencies of tolerogenic dendritic cells (TolDC), regulatory T cells (Treg), and CD8+ T cells in surgically removed CRC tissue were assessed by flow cytometry. The levels of avb6 in CRC tissue were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). The effect of avb6 on inducing TolDCs and Tregs was evaluated with the cell culture model. The results showed that in surgically removed CRC tissue, we detected higher frequencies of TolDC and Tregs, lower frequency CD8+ T cells and high levels of avb6 as compared with non-CRC tissue. CRC protein extracts could induce TolDC development that could be blocked by anti-avb6 antibody. CRC-derived DCs could convert naïve CD4+ T cells to Tregs. Peripheral CD8+ T cells from CRC patients still retained the ability to produce granzyme B and to proliferate in response to CRC tumor antigen in culture that was abolished by the presence of CRC-derived Tregs. We conclude that CRC-derived avb6 is involved in the establishment of tumor immune tolerance in local tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical background of the bivariate spline space of degree 2 and smoothness 1 on rectangular partition is presented constructively. Making use of mechanical analysis method, by acting couples along the interior edges with suitable evaluations, the deflection surface is divided into piecewise form, therefore, the relation between a class of bivariate splines on rectangular partition and the pure bending of thin plate is established. In addition, the interpretation of smoothing cofactor and conformality condition from the mechanical point of view is given. Furthermore, by introducing twisting moments, the mechanical background of any spline belong to the above space is set up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]