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Intermetallic alloys have traditionally been characterized by their inherent brittleness due to their lack of sufficient slip systems and absence of strain hardening. However, here we developed a single-phase B2 high-entropy intermetallic alloy that is both strong and plastic. Unlike conventional intermetallics, this high-entropy alloy features a highly distorted crystalline lattice with complex chemical order, leading to multiple slip systems and high flow stress. In addition, the alloy exhibits a dynamic hardening mechanism triggered by dislocation gliding that preserves its strength across a wide range of temperatures. As a result, this high-entropy intermetallic circumvents precipitous thermal softening, with extensive plastic flows even at high homologous temperatures, outperforming a variety of both body-centered cubic and B2 alloys. These findings reveal a promising direction for the development of intermetallic alloys with broad engineering applications. Intermetallics are traditionally characterised by their inherent brittleness due to a lack of sufficient slip systems and the absence of strain hardening. Here authors show that a single-phase distorted high entropy B2 intermetallic alloy displays notable strength and plasticity at room temperature, along with stable plastic flow at high homologous temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affected by the Earth's atmosphere, the image of a primary and satellite system may appear unresolved, such as the dwarf planet Haumea system. It is found by experiments that neither the two-dimensional Gaussian nor modified moment centering algorithms can accurately measure the photocenter of an image of unresolved primary and satellite system observed. This work investigates a specific centering algorithm to accurately measure the photocenter, which would be helpful to derive some physical parameters (e.g. orbital parameters and mass). Taking the dwarf planet Haumea and its brighter satellite Hi'iaka as an example, we simulate the motion of the photocenter with different seeings. We find that the photocenter of system changes significantly with seeings (∼0.074″ with the different seeings of 1″ and 3″) when using the two-dimensional Gaussian centering algorithm. However, the modified moment centering algorithm can accurately measure the photocenter of system without noises, but when noises are added its accuracy will be greatly influenced by noises. In this work, a new centering algorithm is proposed, which can accurately measure the photocenter with less influence of seeings and noises. Observations of dwarf planet Haumea taken over 25 nights are used to test the effectiveness of our proposed method. Compared with using two-dimensional Gaussian centering algorithm, the fitted parameter is slightly more accurate with less positional fitting errors when using the proposed method in this work. This method can also be applied to the centering of binary stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most frequent type of oral cancer and is associated with high mortality. Membrane-associated ring-CH type finger 1 (MARCH1) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase with roles in immune regulation and cancer development. Whether MARCH1 has a specific role in OSCC, and if so through what mechanism, has not been explored. Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine MARCH1 expression in OSCC clinical samples and adjacent paracancerous tissues. Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were conducted to determine mRNA expression and protein levels, respectively. Knockdown and overexpression experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of MARCH1 on proliferation and apoptosis. To test protein–protein interaction, co-immunoprecipitation assay was performed. Finally, tumor cell grafting was utilized to test the function of MARCH in vivo. Results: High MARCH1 expression in OSCC clinical samples correlated with poor patient prognosis. Functionally, MARCH1 knockdown in OSCC cells suppressed proliferation and promoted apoptosis, while MARCH1 overexpression displayed the opposite effects. We identified PH Domain And Leucine Rich Repeat Protein Phosphatase (PHLPP) 2 as an important target of MARCH1. Mechanistically, MARCH1 interacted with PHLPP2 and promoted PHLPP2 ubiquitination. Lastly, MARCH1 knockdown suppressed OSCC tumorigenicity in vivo and increased PHLPP2 protein level. Conclusion: Our study uncovered a function of MARCH1 in OSCC and identified PHLPP2 as an important target of MARCH1 to modulate OSCC cell proliferation and apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epiphytic Tillandsia mainly absorbs moisture and nutrients from the air through its leaves. However, the drought resistance of epiphytic Tillandsia is strong, the drought response mechanism and regulatory network are poorly understood. This study adopted metabolomics combined with transcriptomics sequencing technology to analyze the metabolites and their content changes in seedlings of epiphytic Tillandsia variety 'Cotton candy' under dehydration. In total, 635 metabolites were identified, of which 102 were significantly different and belonged to 17 categories. Among them, phenylpropanine, lipids, amino acids and derivatives contained the most types of compounds, 17, 17, 14 respectively. Transcriptome sequencing acquired a total of 6710 differentially expressed genes, of which 2335 and 4375 were up-regulated and down-regulated separately. After the differentially expressed genes were annotated to the GO, the binding, cell and cell part, cellular process dominate the molecular function, cellular component, and biological process, respectively. Correlation analysis of metabolome and transcriptome showed that amino acids and their derivatives in Cotton candy under water privation were the most accumulated metabolites, followed by organic acids and their derivatives. The major metabolites and pathways of Cotton candy in response to drought stress acquired in this investigation, laying a foundation for the research on mechanisms of drought resistance and metabolic regulation in epiphytic Tillandsia plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce the Orlicz space corresponding to the Young function and, by virtue of the equivalence theorem between the modified K-functional and modulus of smoothness, establish the direct, inverse, and equivalence theorems for the Jacobi weighted Szász—Durrmeyer—Bézier operators in the Orlicz spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the precise positions of stars in CCD frames, various centering algorithms have been proposed for astrometry. The effective point spread function (ePSF) and the Gaussian centering algorithms are two representative centering algorithms. This paper compares in detail and investigates these two centering algorithms in performing data reduction. Specifically, synthetic star images in different conditions (i.e. profiles, fluxes, backgrounds and full width at half maximums) are generated and processed. We find that the difference in precision between the two algorithms is related to the profiles of the star images. Therefore, the precision comparison results using an ideal Gaussian-profile star image cannot be extended to other more specific experimental scenarios. Based on the simulation results, the most appropriate algorithm can be selected according to the image characteristics of observations, and the loss of precision of other algorithms can be estimated. The conclusions are verified using observations captured by the 1-m and 2.4-m telescopes at Yunnan Observatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method, the so-called magneto-optical interaction, is gaining increasing interest for realizing the localization of the electromagnetic radiation to subwavelength scales and enhancement of the local electric fields. We investigate spin-polarized edge magnetoplasmons based on the spin-dependent quantum hydrodynamic model, in a bounded two-dimensional electron gas with perpendicular magnetic field and an electromagnetic wave. The effects of the Fermi pressure associated with Pauli exclusion principle and quantum force due to the Bohm potential, and the effect of the spin-induced ponderomotive force, are taken into consideration. Full spin-polarized edge state exists at the boundary of the two-dimensional electron gas. Spin rotation occurs due to the magneto-optical kerr effect. The existence of the electromagnetic field could reduce the spin amplitude and increase the spin rotation time, since their magnitude oscillates between positive and negative values and hinders the spin precession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, dry sliding tribological properties of a TiZr-based alloy with the chemical composition Ti-20Zr-6.5Al-4V (wt.%) were tested in air and vacuum under different normal loads (10, 20, and 30 N) at various sliding velocities. Results showed that the coefficient of friction in air was lower than that in vacuum, whereas the wear volume at sliding velocity presented an opposite trend. The surfaces and cross-sectional morphology of wear scar on the TiZrAlV alloy was analyzed through scanning electron microscopy to determine the wear mechanisms. The observations showed that abrasive wear and delamination wear were dominant in air. In vacuum, the main wear mechanism changed from slightly abrasive and adhesive wear to severe adhesive wear and delamination wear as the normal load increased. Wear mechanism maps were also constructed and compared. The comparison showed that severe wear (including delamination wear) was prevalent in air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, dispersion corrected density functional theory (DFT-D3) with the B3LYP method and the 6–31G(d) basis set is used to study the inclusion processes of gabapentin with β-cyclodextrin and the effect of inclusion on the dehydration condensation reaction of gabapentin. The calculation results show that β-cyclodextrin and gabapentin can form stable inclusion complexes in both vacuum and water. B-β-CDs is the most stable one of four inclusion complexes. After inclusion, the dehydration condensation potential barrier of gabapentin in the β-cyclodextrin cavity is significantly increased. Notably, the reaction barrier of gabapentin in the B-β-CDs complex (a protonated active group of gabapentin with a small mouth of β-cyclodextrin and its hexatomic ring in the cavity of cyclodextrin) even reaches 331.353 kJ/mol in vacuum and 283.538 kJ/mol in water, respectively. There are two obvious increases of 223.574 kJ/mol in vacuum and 193.932 kJ/mol in water after inclusion. Thus, the inclusion complex of β-cyclodextrin with gabapentin, especially B-β-CDs, inhibits the dehydration condensation side-reaction of gabapentin most effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the miniaturization of specimen size, lubrication plays a very important role in microforming process. Size effect of friction occurs clearly when a kind of liquid lubricant is applied, and the ultra-thin sheet is easily thinned and even broken in micro-deep drawing. Diamond-like carbon film (DLC film) gains more and more attention for its advantages such as low coefficient of friction and high wear resistance. In the investigation, functionally graded multi-layered DLC films were deposited on die surface by plasma ion implantation. The properties of DLC films were studied by atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, nano-indentation test, and ball-disc test. It was found the DLC film prepared at voltage of 13.5 kV owns low friction coefficient and high wear resistance. Then, surfaces of punch for deep drawing and female die were modified by depositing functional-graded multi-layered DLC film with a voltage of 13.5 kV. Micro-deep drawing tests were performed, and the distribution of thickness etc. was analyzed. As a result, micro-concial parts with good surface quality and uniform distribution of thickness were obtained. This means that multi-layer DLC film is helpful for improving the quality of ultra-thin sheet part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study presents the clinical and biochemical profiles of patients with PHPT between 2005 and 2016 at our center. Most PHPT patients in China show symptomatic features. The number of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients increased during that time, and the number of individuals with parathyroid carcinoma is now increasing.Introduction: Over the last decade, the prevalence of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) has increased sharply, and the number of individuals with parathyroid cancer is still trending upward. Little is known about the clinical outlook of the disease over the last decade in China. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of PHPT patients at our center from January 2005 to December 2016.Methods: Two hundred sixty patients with PHPT visiting Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital were enrolled retrospectively. The clinical manifestations and biochemical abnormalities of these patients were analyzed.Results: Among all patients, 73.1% had symptomatic PHPT, while the number of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients increased 1 to 2.5 times and 1.5 to 3 times, respectively, from 2005 to 2016. Bone pain and single adenoma were the most frequent signs and pathological results. The patients with parathyroid carcinoma over the last 5 years accounted for 90% (9/10) of all parathyroid carcinoma patients from 2005 to 2016, and parathyroid carcinoma patients had higher levels of serum calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and serum creatinine (P < 0.05) than parathyroid hyperplasia and parathyroid adenoma patients.Conclusions: Most patients with PHPT in China still exhibit classic clinical and biochemical features. Both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients have increased over the last 12 years. Although the proportion of parathyroid carcinoma was small, a noticeable upward tendency was observed at our center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a dual-light-path optical strain gauge (DOSG) that measures surface deformation in real time using diffraction grating and position-sensitive detectors (PSDs) is proposed. In the DOSG, a beam splitter cube is utilized to divide an incident beam into two beams. One is applied in the main light path to measure specimen deformation, while the other is used in the assistant light path to eliminate disturbances from out-of-plane rotation and displacement of the specimen. Further, the disturbances as systemic errors are theoretically analyzed, and eliminated with the assistant light path during the experiment. Meanwhile, random errors, which are primarily due to ambient light, beam power, irradiation position and incidence angle, are studied to improve measurement accuracy. Benefiting from the utility of PSDs, the developed system achieves a strain resolution of 1 με. In experiments, uniaxial tensile tests of aluminum alloy and Ni-based alloy confirm that the relative error of its elastic moduli is less than 3.4%, and the stress-strain curve exhibits a R-square value greater than 0.9951. In addition, the DOSG is extended to determine the mechanical behavior of Ni-based alloy at high temperatures up to 800 °C by combining it with an induction-heating apparatus and a tensile testing machine. These results verify that the proposed DOSG is feasible and reliable, with good potential for high-precision deformation measurement in both room temperature and high-temperature environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of slow light in a magnetized plasma hyperbolic metamaterial waveguide are analyzed in detail. Compared with a conventional waveguide filled with hyperbolic metamaterial cladded by dielectric or a dielectric waveguide cladded by hyperbolic metamaterial, the characteristics of slow light in a magnetized plasma hyperbolic metamaterial waveguide are actively tunable. The results show that plasma filling factor, dielectric constant of background materials, plasma density, and external magnetized field have significantly changed the characteristics of slow light. Parameter dependence of the effects is examined and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A six-spot grating diffraction strain gauge (SS-GDSG) is presented. In the SS-GDSG, six light spots are focused on a screen and captured by one camera. Four spots (projected by diffraction beams) are used to determine the deformation of a specimen, while two spots (projected by reflected beams) are used to eliminate disturbance induced by out-of-plane displacement and rotation of the specimen. This paper details the principle, sensitivity and error analysis of the SS-GDSG. An SS-GDSG system is developed for convenient measurement, and the feasibility and reliability of the system are verified in a standard tensile test. Additionally, using a modified high-temperature loading system, the SS-GDSG is extended to the measurement of the mechanical behavior of a material at high temperatures up to 1000 °C for the first time. In our study, the SS-GDSG is demonstrated to possess advantages over the traditional grating diffraction strain gauge of no disturbance of the specimen's out-of-plane displacement and rotation, a compact light path, high sensitivity, and a single camera for deformation measurement in two directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The various CoMnSi films, from chemical ordered L2 state to completely disordered amorphous state, were prepared on glass substrates with different deposition/annealing temperatures. The influence of deposition/annealing temperature on the crystallographic defects and atomic disorders, and further on the magnetic and transport properties of the CoMnSi films were investigated in detail. The decrease in crystallinity leads to the structure disorder, spin disorder and further the reduction of magnetization as well as the increase of residual resistivity. The dominant source in anomalous Hall effect for the polycrystalline samples is the skew scattering, while the skew scattering coefficient a becomes larger with the increasing deposition temperature, due to the increase of skew scattering center introduced by the increasing structure disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this investigation was to propose a preparation method of glass-ceramics derived from heavy metal gypsum and pickling sludge, as well as stabilization of Pb, Zn, Cd, As, Hg, Cr and Ni heavy metals. The process consists of the following two stages: the desulfurization of heavy metal gypsum and the preparation of glass-ceramics. Heavy metal gypsum was desulfurized by excess glass powder at 1,473 K and formed calcium silicate and silicon dioxide as intermediate products. The intermediate products, pickling sludge and small amounts of CaO and MgO were used as major raw materials for preparing parent glass. Glass-ceramics was produced by conventional heating method, which included a nucleation stage (973 K, 2 h) and a crystallization stage (1,173 K, 1 h). The main crystalline phase of the obtained glass-ceramics is akermanite (CaMgSiO). A high microhardness of 5.3 GPa and a bending strength of 206 MPa, as well as a water absorption lower than 0.13 % were obtained. The leaching of toxic elements in glass-ceramics was much lower than the Environmental Protection Agency 1311 method requirement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (Ido1) is a rate-limiting enzyme which converts the essential amino acid tryptophan to kynurenine. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and regulation of Ido1 in mouse uterus during decidualization. The results showed that Ido1 mRNA expression gradually increased from day 1 to 4 of pregnancy and reached the peak level on day 4. On days 5-8 of pregnancy, a low level of Ido1 expression was observed in the uteri. Simultaneously, Ido1 mRNA was also lowly expressed in the decidualized uterus and the stromal cells treated with 8-Br-cAMP. Under in vitro decidualization, the expression of Ido1 mRNA gradually declined. Further studies found that overexpression of Ido1 can inhibit the expression of decidualization marker genes PRL, IGFBP1 and Dtprp under in vitro decidualization while inhibition of Ido1 with L-1-MT can induce the expression of these marker genes. Ido1 can prevent uterine stromal cells proliferation and enhance the expression of the Bax gene and increase the Bax/Bcl2 ratio under in vitro decidualization. Additionally, Ido1 can also modulate the expression of the MMP2 gene. In the uterine stromal cells, estrogen and progesterone can stimulate the expression of Ido1. These data indicate that Ido1 may play an important role during mouse decidualization and may be regulated by estrogen and progesterone in the uterine stromal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical one-dimensional expression for the phase angle of thermal-wave diffusion in a solid layer provides a bridge to link the phase angle to the subsurface defect depth for nondestructive evaluation using lock-in thermographic imaging (LITI), which is helpful to reconstruct the three-dimensional (3-D) structure visualization of subsurface defects. A visualization method of 3-D subsurface defects is proposed from the phase angle by LITI, which consists of phase data pretreatment, smoothing, defect-depth calculating, interpolation, 3-D reconstruction, and morphological de-noising. The result indicates that the 3-D visualization of subsurface defects can be employed to demonstrate the defect structure in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of various studies on hernia management which includes negative pressure wound therapy for treatment of mesh infection after abdominal surgery , complications after endoscopic componenet separtion for giant ventral hernia repair and negative pressure wound therapy for mesh-site infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of various studies on issues related to inguinal hernia which includes mesh fixation with glue versus suture for recurrence and pain in lichtenstein inguinal hernioplasty, use of self adhesive mesh in inguinal hernia repair and use of fibrin glue for mesh fixation in laparoscopic transabdominal hernia repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the eddy current loss of metallic building wall which is penetrated by AC busbar, the 3D finite element model has been created, the eddy current loss in a building wall have been analyzed for different operational condition. Through the comparison between the different simulation results, the most important influencing factors on eddy current loss of building wall are analyzed. The simulation results show that the eddy current loss is directly proportional to bulk conductivity and relative permeability, phase sequence of AC busbar and air gap of building wall have little effects on eddy current loss of building wall. Finally, required shielding of AC busbar, which satisfy the design requirement, is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, based on the features of Pulse Step Modulator (PSM) technology in high voltage power supply (HVPS) is applied to drive the auxiliary heating system in domestic and foreign Tokomak facility. Before design of PSM HVPS, it is necessary to consider the effect of stray parameter existed in HVPS on the dynamic process of HVPS and load. In this paper, based on PSM technology 50 kV HVPS have been completed which is built for EAST auxiliary heating system and the relationship between the stray capacitance and leakage impedance respectively existed in the oil isolation transformer and dry multi-secondary winding transformer is discussed. Finally a stray parameters electrical circuit model of HVPS is presented. At last, from the results of experiment,it is consistent with the results of simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the expression and regulation of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in murine ovaries during sexual maturation, gonadotropin treatment and luteal development by in situ hybridization and RT-PCR. By in situ hybridization Ang-2 mRNA was mainly localized in granulosa cells, thecal cells and corpus luteum, otherwise in oocytes. Moreover, Ang-2 mRNA was highly expressed in corpus luteum and granulosa cells of atretic follicles. According to RT-PCR data, Ang-2 mRNA was lowly expressed on day 10 after birth, then expression levels gradually increased and reached their highest values on day 25 after birth. In the superovulated model of immature mice, Ang-2 expression was strongly induced by equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) 48 h post the eCG injection, and was high from 0.5 to 13 h after hCG treatment. in situ hybridization showed that Ang-2 mRNA was highly expressed in corpus luteum from day 2 to 9 post the hCG injection, then the expression levels gradually declined on days 11 and 13 after hCG treatment. According to RT-PCR data, the levels of Ang-2 mRNA expression showed a decline after the hCG injection, with a nadir on day 3, followed by an increase, reaching the highest level on day 9 post-hCG injection. Then again Ang-2 expression gradually declined from day 11 to 15 after hCG injection. These results suggest that Ang-2 may be involved in follicular development, atresia, ovulation, and corpus luteum formation and regression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of RNA interference-based cancer gene therapies has been delayed due to the lack of effective tumor-targeting delivery systems. Attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) has a natural tropism for solid tumors. We report here the use of attenuated S. Typhimurium as a vector to deliver shRNA directly into tumor cells. Constitutively activated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) is a key transcription factor involved in both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) growth and metastasis. In this study, attenuated S. Typhimurium was capable of delivering shRNA-expressing vectors to the targeted cancer cells and inducing RNA interference in vivo. More importantly, a single oral dose of attenuated S. Typhimurium carrying shRNA-expressing vectors targeting Stat3 induced remarkably delayed and reduced HCC (in 70% of mice). Cancer in these cured mice did not recur over 2 years following treatment. These data demonstrated that RNA interference combined with Salmonella as a delivery system may offer a novel clinical approach for cancer gene therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The C(Li, He) N reactions were measured at E (Li) = 34 MeV with the Q3D magnetic spectrometer of the HI-13 tandem accelerator, and the first peaks of the angular distributions were obtained for the first time. The N proton spectroscopic factors were extracted to be 0.67±0.09 and 0.73±0.10 , respectively. Using the C( p, γ) N direct capture S( E) factors derived by the spectroscopic factors, the direct measurement data for both 1 and 0 resonances were well fitted via updating the resonance parameters, and then the total astrophysical C( p, γ) N S( E) factors and reaction rates were determined at stellar energies. The present work offers an independent examination to the existing results of the C( p, γ) N reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a shape optimization problem over a multi-dimensional starlike domain with boundary payoff is considered. The function, which characterizes the boundary of the domain with respect to some ball contained inside domain, is shown to be Lipschitz continuous. The existence of an optimal solution is proved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary This study examined the role of estrogen receptor (ER) beta during mouse femoral fracture healing by employing ER knockout (KO) mice. The fracture healing in KO mice was enhanced in the early stage of neovascularization and the middle stage of endochondral ossification. Introduction This study was conducted to examine the role of ER beta during fracture healing. Methods Female ER beta knockout (KO) mice (18 weeks old) and age-matched female wild-type (WT) mice underwent open osteotomy on the right femur. They were sacrificed at 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks post-fracture. The sera and callus samples were subjected to the following analyses: micro-computed tomography (CT)-based angiography, micro-CT evaluation, histological examination, histomorphometry examination, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, biochemical marker, and mechanical testing. Results Micro-CT-based angiography showed that the total vessel volume at the fracture site was larger in the KO group than the WT group at 1 and 2 weeks post-fracture. Micro-CT analysis revealed that the callus volume was significantly higher in the KO group from week 2 to week 4 post-fracture when compared with the WT group consistent with the histological data. Analysis of biochemical markers indicated that circulating P1NP levels in the KO mice were significantly higher than in the WT mice from week 2 to week 4 and that temporal expression of circulating C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) levels was also higher in the KO mice than in the WT mice. These results were consistent with quantitative real-time PCR analysis. The ultimate load, stiffness, and energy to failure were significantly higher in the KO mice than in the WT mice at week 4. Conclusions The fracture healing in KO mice was enhanced in the early stage of neovascularization and the middle stage of endochondral ossification, but not by the end of healing. Blockade of ER beta can be considered as another therapeutic strategy for osteoporotic fracture and non-union fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HBsAg gene was previously introduced into cherry tomato ( Lycopersicum esculentum var. cerasiforme) by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. To investigate the side effect of HBsAg gene in cherry tomato, we analyzed morphological and physiological characteristics of the transgenic mutant N244. The process was performed under field conditions. The results suggested that the mutant N244 exhibited morphological, cytological and physiological variation. First of all, compared with the wild plants NK, N244 had fleshy and dark green leaves, the fewer notches of leaf edge, more adventitious roots and barren seeds. Moreover, the chromosome of N244 were found to be triploid ( n = 36) by flow cytometric analysis. Furthermore, N244 has obvious physiological alterations, as compared to NK. It was speculated that transformation of the genes probably led to ploidy variation, and further caused phenotype and physiological changes of plants. Our study will reveal side effects of the mutants, and promote cultivation of transgenic plants in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transcription factors often play important roles in tumourigenesis. Members of the PEA3 subfamily of ETS-domain transcription factors fulfil such a role and have been associated with tumour metastasis in several different cancers. Moreover, the activity of the PEA3 subfamily transcription factors is potentiated by Ras-ERK pathway signalling, which is itself often deregulated in tumour cells.Methods: Immunohistochemical patterns of PEA3 expression and active ERK signalling were analysed and mRNA expression levels of PEA3, ER81, MMP-1 and MMP-7 were determined in gastric adenocarcinoma samples.Results: Here, we have studied the expression of the PEA3 subfamily members PEA3/ETV4 and ER81/ETV1 in gastric adenocarcinomas. PEA3 is upregulated at the protein level in gastric adenocarcinomas and both PEA3/ETV4 and ER81/ETV1 are upregulated at the mRNA level in gastric adenocarcinoma tissues. This increased expression correlates with the expression of a target gene associated with metastasis, MMP-1. Enhanced ERK signalling is also more prevalent in late-stage gastric adenocarcinomas, and the co-association of ERK signalling and PEA3 expression also occurs in late-stage gastric adenocarcinomas. Furthermore, the co-association of ERK signalling and PEA3 expression correlates with decreased survival rates.Conclusions: This study shows that members of the PEA3 subfamily of transcription factors are upregulated in gastric adenocarcinomas and that the simultaneous upregulation of PEA3 expression and ERK pathway signalling is indicative of late-stage disease and a poor survival prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti-Ta binary shape memory alloys have attracted much interest due to the absence of toxic element and the low Young's modulus. However, the effects of the third element on the microstructure and mechanical property had not been well understood. In the present study, the effect of Sn and Zr additions on the microstructure and mechanical property of Ti-35Ta (at.%) alloys has been investigated. The results show that the microstructure of the solution treated Ti-Ta-based alloys compose of equiaxial grains. The alloys consist of β-phase and α″ martensite phase at room temperature, except for the Ti-30Ta-5Sn alloy which consists of only β-phase. This is possibly due to the presence of Sn which provides a stronger β-stabilized effect on quenching compared to Zr addition. The lattice parameter of the β-phase increased with the increase in Sn and Zr content. The addition of Sn and Zr had caused obvious increase in the tensile strength. The corrosion resistance of Ti-Ta-based alloys was also improved by adding Sn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study a class of nonlinear reaction-diffusion equations with Neumann boundary control. Some sufficient conditions under which the system admits a unique global solution are given. A time-dependent gain nonlinear proportional boundary feedback control is designed to make the closed-loop system blow-up in a finite time. Finally, some concrete examples are presented to illustrate the applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the possible influence of metallic environment on the alpha decay process, we have measured the Sm activities in the hosts of metal samarium and SmO . The Sm half-life was found to be (1.06±0.01)×10 y in metal samarium and (1.07±0.01)×10 y in SmO , respectively. No significant change has been observed within the experimental uncertainty. The absolute half-life presented here is consistent with the recommended value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a generalized XORSAT model, named as Massive Algebraic System (Hereafter abbreviated as MAS) consisting of linear and nonlinear Boolean equations. Through adjusting the proportion of nonlinear equations, denoted by p, this MAS model smoothly interpolates between XORSAT ( p = 0) and MAS-nonlinear ( p = 1). We conduct a systematic and complete study about a series of phase transitions in the space of solutions at given p and also present how the phase diagram evolves with the increase of p. First of all, using the probabilistic method and energetic 1RSB cavity method, we compute the satisfiability thresholds for any given p ∈ [0,1) and determine a region where the satisfaction of problem all depends on its subproblem MAS-nonlinear. Furthermore, we locate three important non-satisfiability transitions, i.e. clustering, condensation and freezing, using entropic 1RSB cavity method, and find the space of solution undergoing different phase transition processes with the increase of p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The angular distribution of the 2H ( 6He,7Li n reaction was measured with a secondary 6He beam of 36.4MeV for the first time. The proton spectroscopic factor of 7Li ground state was extracted to be 0.42±0.06 by normalizing the calculational differential cross-sections with the distorted-wave Born approximation to the experimental data. It was discussed that the uncertainty of extracted spectroscopic factors from the one-nucleon transfer reactions induced by deuteron might be reduced by determining the volume integrals of imaginary optical potentials precisely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The destruction of extracellular matrix by matrix metalloproteinases is a key event in cancer progression. The tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases can restrain tumor growth by inhibiting these enzymes. We sought to determine whether overexpression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3) could suppress the malignant phenotype of human prostate cancer cell line PC-3M. Stable overexpression of TIMP-3 inhibited cell proliferation significantly by MTT assay. Both early and late apoptosis were observed in TIMP-3 overexpressing cells, and flow cytometry analysis showed S-phase blocking of the cell cycle. Monolayer invasion assay and transwell invasion assay showed significantly decreased invasive potential in TIMP-3 overexpressing cells compared with control cells. Cell adhesion and motility were also lower after TIMP-3 was overexpressed. In vivo, cells stably overexpressing TIMP-3 completely lost the ability to form tumors after injection into nude mice. Transfection of TIMP-3 into established tumors by electroporation also had a significant antitumor effect. TIMP-3-treated tumor tissues had significant apoptosis by TUNEL assay. These results showed that overexpression of TIMP-3 inhibits invasion and proliferation of prostate cancer cells in vitro and inhibits tumor growth in vivo. The experiments suggest a potential use for TIMP-3 in the gene therapy of prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 50 kinds of endophytic fungi associated with Taxus chinensis were isolated and examined as a potential source of the imposing anticancer drug taxol. Of these, four isolates show ability to produce taxane when measured with the competitive inhibition enzyme immunoassay method. The most promising clone, DA10, identified as Mucor rouxianus sp., is the first rouxianus reported as taxol production fungus. The presence of taxol and its important precursors, such as 10-diacetyl baccatinIII ( 10-DAB) and baccatinIII, in theculture of this fungus was confirmed by reactivity with a taxane-specific monoclonal antibody, comparative chromatographic and mass spectrometric behavior, cytotoxity to liver carcinoma 7402, and molecular cloning of kernel fragment of taxadiene synthase gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Riesz basis approach, we study a sandwich beam that is composed of an outer stiff layer and a compliant middle layer. The dynamic behavior and analyticity of the system are obtained based on a detailed spectral analysis and Riesz basis generation. As a consequence, the analyticity of the solution and the exponential stability of the system are concluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light transmission through a single subwavelength slit surrounded by periodic grooves in layered films consisting of Au and dielectric material is analyzed by the finite difference time domain method in two dimensions. The results show that the transmission field can be enhanced by the corrugations on the output plane, which is a supplementary explanation for the extraordinary optical transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endophytes, microorganisms that reside in the internal tissues of living plants without causing any immediate overt negative effects, have been found in every plant species examined to date and recognized as potential sources of novel natural products for exploitation in medicine, agriculture, and industry with more and more bioactive natural products isolated from the microorganisms. In this review, we focus mainly on bioactive natural products from endophytic microorganisms by their different functional roles. The prospect and facing problems of isolating natural products from endophytes are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the nanoemulsion technique as a means to synthesize carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHAp) nanospheres which could be used to produce composite tissue engineering scaffolds. CHAp nanospheres were successfully synthesized by mixing an acetone solution of Ca(NO3)2 · 4H2O with an aqueous solution of (NH4)2HPO4 and NH4HCO3. Four reaction temperatures, namely, 4, 25, 37 and 55 °C, were investigated and no surfactant was added in all nanoemulsion processes. Wet slurries of CHAp from the nanoemulsions were freeze-dried to obtain dry powders. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that the as-synthesized CHAp nanoparticles were mainly in an amorphous state. After calcination at 900 °C, the apatite became well crystallized. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed that the CHAp was B-type substitution. Both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the CHAp particles were spherical in shape and that their sizes were in the nanometer range. The successful synthesis of CHAp nanospheres is a critical step forward in our efforts to fabricate bone tissue engineering scaffolds using the selective laser sintering technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeTo determine the effects of pericytes and angiopoietin-1 on the expression of occludin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in retinal endothelial cells (ECs) under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions.MethodsRat primary retinal microvascular ECs were cultured under normoxia or hypoxia in either absence or presence of pericytes conditioned medium (PCM). PCM was pretreated with or without angiopoietin-1 neutralizing antibody. Immuofluorescent staining, Western blot and RT-PCR were used to detect the alterations of occludin and ZO-1 expression.ResultsUnder normoxia, PCM strengthened occludin and ZO-1 immunofluorescent staining at cytomembrane as well as increased their expression at both protein and mRNA level. When pretreated with angiopoietin-1 neutralizing antibody, occludin upregulation induced by PCM was significantly blocked at protein level (62%) and mRNA level (34%). Under hypoxia, the continuity of occludin and ZO-1 staining at cell boundaries was disrupted consistent with a decrease of their protein level by 31 and 27%, respectively. Also occludin and ZO-1 mRNA level decreased by 46 and 57%, respectively. PCM was observed to partially increase expression of occludin at protein and mRNA level. Angiopoietin-1 antibody slightly inhibited (16%) PCM induced occludin mRNA increase under hypoxia.ConclusionPericytes improved the integrity of endothelial barrier through inducing occludin and ZO-1 expression at protein and mRNA level under normoxia. Under hypoxia, pericytes could partially reverse occludin decrease. These protecting effects of pericytes on endothelial barrier were at least in part mediated by angiopoietin-1.Eye (2007) 21, 1501–1510; doi:10.1038/sj.eye.6702716; published online 2 March 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]