Search

High-entropy alloys have been proved to be potential candidate materials in the biomedical field due to their balanced mechanical properties and excellent biocompatibility. The effects of atomic ratios on the as-cast microstructural evolution, mechanical properties, and electrochemical property of TiZrTaNbSn high-entropy alloys were studied systematically. The crystal structure of TiZrTaNbSn high-entropy alloys is single BCC phase, and the microstructural evolution is based on atomic ratio. The dendric structure, peritectic structure, pseudo eutectic and equiaxed grain, which are associated with element segregation, can be obtained by non-equal atomic ratio. Ti30Zr20Ta20Nb20Sn10 alloy demonstrates a high compressive strength and fracture strain, which are 2,571.8 MPa and 12%, respectively, and the fracture behavior is quasi-cleavage faults. The Ti45Z35Ta5Nb5Sn10, Ti30Zr20Ta20Nb20Sn10 and Ti35Zr25Ta15Nb15Sn10 alloys show excellent corrosion resistance according to Nyquist diagram, polarization curves and corrosion morphology. Compared with TiZrTaNbSn alloy, the corrosion rate of Ti45Zr35Ta5Nb5Sn10 alloy increases by about 98.9%. It can be concluded that non-equal atomic ratios are effective for microstructure control and performance optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Vortex holes at the welding interface will affect the interface sealing performance of the explosive welding clad plate, so in the production process to choose the appropriate parameters to avoid the production of vortex holes. The step method is used to study the titanium-copper explosive welding clad plate interface vortex holes generation and interface ripple morphology change law under different stand-off distances. Experimental results show that the shear strength of the welding interface, the wavelength and amplitude of the ripple are positively correlated with the stand-off distance. The closer to the interface, the greater the hardness; the presence of dislodged metal blocks in the melt zone leads to no significant increase in hardness. When the stand-off distance is 4 mm ( β = 16 ∘ , V p = 779 m / s ), the least amount of intermetallic compounds is generated at the interface. When the stand-off distance is not more than 8 mm ( β ≤ 19 ∘ , V p ≤ 947 m / s ), there are no vortex holes on the interface. The welding process is simulated by the smooth particle hydrodynamics method in AUTODYN. The numerical simulation results show that the main component of the jet is titanium; numerical simulation can well predict the ripple shape of the welding interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the effect of welding parameter on titanium-steel clad plate by explosive welding, the explosive welding experiment was carried out on the titanium-steel by changing only the stand-off distance between flyer plate and base plate. The explosion parameters were determined by weldability window. Test the shear strength, hardness, and composition distribution of the experimental results interface. Measure the wavelength and amplitude; the welding interface formation process was simulated by AUTODYN. The results are as follows: the shear strength of the interface along the welding direction is greater than that of the vertical welding direction; the hardest place is the bimetal joint. As the stand-off distance increases, intermetallic compounds will be produced, and the ripple will gradually increase, and numerical simulation results are consistent with experimental results. Considering the mechanical properties and composition distribution, the quality of the titanium-steel explosive-welded clad plate is the best when the stand-off distance is 10 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhynchophylline (RIN) and isorhynchophylline (IRN) are extracted from Uncaria rhynchophylla, which are used to treat Alzheimer's disease. However, the massive accumulation of RIN and IRN in U. rhynchophylla requires exogenous stimulation. Ethylene is a potential stimulant for RIN and IRN biosynthesis, but there is no study on the role of ethylene in RIN or IRN synthesis. This study investigated the regulation of ethylene in RIN and IRN biosynthesis in U. rhynchophylla. An increase in the content of RIN and IRN was observed that could be attributed to the release of ethylene from 18 mM ethephon, while ethylene released from 36 mM ethephon reduced the content of RIN and IRN. The transcriptome and weighted gene co-expression network analysis indicated the up-regulation of seven key enzyme genes related to the RIN/IRN biosynthesis pathway and starch/sucrose metabolism pathway favored RIN/IRN synthesis. In comparison, the down-regulation of these seven key enzyme genes contributed to the reduction of RIN/IRN. Moreover, the inhibition of photosynthesis is associated with a reduction in RIN/IRN. Photosynthesis was restrained owing to the down-regulation of Lhcb1 and Lhcb6 after 36 mM ethephon treatment and further prevented supply of primary metabolites (such as α-d-glucose) for RIN/IRN synthesis. However, uninterrupted photosynthesis ensured a normal supply of primary metabolites at 18 mM ethephon treatment. AP2/ERF1, bHLH1, and bHLH2 may positively regulate the RIN/IRN accumulation, while NAC1 may play a negative regulatory role. Our results construct the potential bidirectional model for ethylene regulation on RIN/IRN synthesis and provide novel insight into the ethylene-mediated regulation of the metabolism of terpenoid indole alkaloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma cell mastitis (PCM) and granulomatous mastitis (GM) are the most common inflammatory diseases constituting nonbacterial mastitis (NBM). However, the pathogenesis of NBM remains unclear. In this study, risk factors for NBM were assessed, as well as the pathological features of PCM and GM. The levels of C3/C3a-C3aR and C5/C5a-C5aR1 of tissues were detected by IHC and WB. Exosomes were isolated from serum and identified by transmission electron microscopy. Then, C3 and C5 levels were detected in peripheral blood, and exosomes were assessed by flow cytometry and immunoelectron microscopy. Obesity and prolonged lactation were risk factors for NBM. The infiltration of plasma cells and lymphocytes around the dilated catheter in PCM and the formation of granulomatous structures in GM were the respective pathological features. C3/C3a-C3aR and C5/C5a-C5aR1 levels were elevated in PCM and GM tissue samples. There were no differences in peripheral blood levels of C3 and C5, while C3a and C5a were highly expressed in exosomes. These results suggest that the complement family is activated in PCM and GM, exosomes enrich C3a and C5a, and mediate the spread of inflammation. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of PCM and GM and identify therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhynchophylline (RIN) and isorhynchophylline (IRN), the main medicinal components in plant Uncaria rhynchophylla, have potential effects on Alzheimer's disease. Understanding the influence of environmental factors, especially light intensity, on the production of these active ingredients will help to improve cultivation techniques. Compared with the 100% light intensity (CK), the contents of RIN and IRN in U. rhynchophylla leaves significantly increased at 20% light intensity (HS) after 7 and 21 days. Short-term shading (21d) changed some morphological indicators of U. rhynchophylla, but did not affect its biomass. Transcriptome profile analysis was performed on data from two groups (7 and 21 days) of CK and HS samples and yielded 79,817 unigenes with an average length of 1023 bp. Concurrently, 2391 and 2136 differentially expressed genes were identified in the transcriptome data for, respectively, 7 and 21 days of shade treatment. Notably, unigenes known to be involved upstream in the biosynthesis of RIN and IRN, such as G8O, IO, 7-DLGT, LAMT, TDC, and STR, were mostly upregulated. In addition, 1065 putative transcription factors (TFs) were identified and grouped into 55 TF families; 26 TFs showed differential expression in the shade treatment after 7 and 21 days. HY5 and PIFs, two important TFs of the light signaling pathway, also showed differential expression. This study provides insight into how gene expression was affected by light intensity during RIN and IRN accumulation in U. rhynchophylla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) are indolent pancreatic tumors derived from neuroendocrine cells in pancreatic islets. To date, reliable predictors for identifying patients at high risk for recurrence after curative cancer resection are lacking. We aimed to determine independent predictors for high-risk PanNETs and patient outcomes after surgery. Methods: We analyzed relevant clinicopathological parameters in 319 consecutive patients of derivation cohort 1 and 106 patients of validation cohort 2 who underwent pancreatectomy and were diagnosed with PanNETs. Association of tumor characteristics with recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) was evaluated using Cox regression. Results: PanNET grade 3 (G3), pancreatic duct dilatation, and perineural invasion were independent prognostic factors for RFS and were significantly associated with early recurrence (within 1.5 years) of PanNETs after curative resection (P = 0.019, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). Using these factors, we established a novel risk factor panel (R-panel), which predicted early recurrence (P < 0.001, HR = 15.02, 95% CI 5.76–39.19). Predictive accuracy of this R-panel was favorable, with a C-index of 0.853, higher than AJCC TNM staging (0.713). We further built an integrated staging system combining R-panel scoring and TNM staging, which improved predictive probability of TNM staging. Finally, we showed that adjuvant therapy with long-acting somatostatin analogs (SSAs) significantly reduced postoperative recurrence (P < 0.001) and prolonged long-term survival (P = 0.021) in patients with the above risk factors. Conclusion: We identified a novel risk factor panel, which includes PanNET G3, pancreatic duct dilatation, and perineural invasion; this panel predicted early recurrence of PanNETs after curative resection. Patients with these risk factors can benefit from adjuvant therapy with SSAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to illustrate the clinical, CT, MRI, and 18F-FDG PET/CT features of adult pancreatoblastoma, an extremely rare disease. In this study, the clinical and imaging features of seven adult patients with pathologically confirmed pancreatoblastoma were retrospectively analyzed. The following parameters were evaluated: size, location, shape, margination, solid-cystic ratio, CT attenuation values or signal intensity and contrast enhancement pattern. We also analyzed whether abnormal FDG uptake occurred during 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging. All seven patients were male (mean age 45 years; range 22–65 years). Six tumors were irregular in shape, exogenous, and grew outward from the pancreatic parenchyma, similar to branches growing from a tree trunk (85.7%). The tumor margins were clear in five patients (71.4%), and three tumors (42.9%) were encapsulated. Six tumors (71.4%) were solid, with homogeneous enhancement observed on contrast-enhanced CT and MRI. Dynamic-enhanced CT and MRI showed progressive enhancement for all tumors. On 18F-FDG PET/CT, one tumor exhibited abnormal FDG uptake, and two tumors exhibited no abnormal uptake (66.7%). In conclusion, adult pancreatoblastoma most commonly occurs in male patients, and it usually appears as an exophytic, irregular, and hypovascular mass with well-defined margins and progressive enhancement on CT and MRI. This type of tumor always grows out of the parenchyma of the pancreas, similar to branches growing outward from a tree trunk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper treats the anti-plane crack problem of a functionally graded piezoelectric material (FGPM) strip with arbitrarily distributed properties. It is assumed that the elastic stiffness, piezoelectric constant, and dielectric constant of the FGPM vary continuously along the thickness of the medium, and the strip is under anti-plane mechanical and in-plane electric impact loadings. By using the Fourier transform and defining unknown discontinuous functions across the crack surfaces, the anti-plane crack problem of FGPM is reduced to a group of singular integral equations, which are solved numerically. The stress and electric displacement intensity factors are presented, and the influences of the nonhomogeneous and geometric parameters on stress and electric displacement intensity factors are also included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interferon alpha (IFN-α) is a preferred therapy for antiviral treatment of children with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) aged > 1 year currently. Peginterferon alpha-2a (Peg-IFN α-2a) is a recommended international guideline for treatment of CHB children, which is limited to children aged > 3 years. But the exact efficacy and safety of IFN-α and Peg-IFN α-2a for treating CHB are not sufficient. Methods: Clinical manifestations, baseline characteristics, related laboratory tests and adverse events were retrospectively analyzed in children with CHB, who visited Children's Hospital of Fudan University and were treated with IFN α-2b or Peg-IFN α-2a monotherapy and followed up from January 2003 to October 2018. Results: A total of 36 immune-active patients without advanced fibrosis were enrolled to be treated with IFN α-2b (group A, n = 18) or Peg-IFN α-2a (group B, n = 18). IFN α-2b or Peg-IFN α-2a was administered for a median of 48 weeks subcutaneously by body surface area (BSA) category at a dose of 3 MU/m2 or 104 μg/m2, respectively. HBV e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion rates at 48 weeks post-treatment were higher in group A than group B (92.9% vs. 87.5%), so as the rates of HBsAg clearance (22.2% vs. 11.1%), and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA < 1000 IU/mL (88.9% vs. 83.3%). Only mild flu-like symptoms and transient neutropenia appeared in some children at the early stage of treatment. No severe abnormal results was observed in other laboratory assessments. Conclusion: The antiviral monotherapy of 48-week IFN α-2b or Peg-IFN α-2a in children with CHB is well tolerated and effective, which is associated with higher rates of HBeAg seroconversion and HBsAg clearance than in adults and previously pediatric patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Single radius knee implants were introduced to reduce the level of paradoxical anterior femoral translation (AFT) during mid-flexion after total knee arthroplasty. Findings from clinical and experiment studies are inconsistent, which may be due to the different loading conditions and articular conformities of the knee implants studied. The aim of this study is to analyze how variations in these two factors affect the mid-flexion stability of a single radius knee prosthesis.Methods: Six daily activities (walking, stair ascent, stair descent, sit-to-stand, pivot turn and crossover turn), and three articular conformity ratios (low, moderate and high) were considered. The resulting AFTs from the 18 finite element models were analyzed.Results: For low conformity knees, the worst case activity (the greatest AFT) was sit-to-stand with an AFT of 6.2 mm, while for the moderate conformity the worst case was crossover turn and pivot turn. For high conformity, all activities produced a relatively small AFT ranging from 0 mm to 1.8 mm, which more closely resembles natural knee motion. In addition, no AFT was recorded during stair ascent for all three conformities (low, moderate, high).Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the amount of AFT is highly dependent on the activity being undertaken and the articular conformity of the knee prosthesis, and the worst case activity depends on the knee conformity. The clinical relevance of this study is that it offers valuable information towards the design of improved knee prostheses and selection of knee implants for clinical use.Level Of Evidence: II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the wettability and antiprotein adsorption property of PDMS, heptamethyltrisiloxane (a well-known superspreader) was coated onto the PDMS substrates by a swelling–deswelling process. PDMS films were first immersed in heptamethyltrisiloxane solution mixtures to coat heptamethyltrisiloxane onto PDMS. During the deswelling process, the hydrophobic siloxane group of the superspreader heptamethyltrisiloxane was trapped in the PDMS matrix, while the hydrophilic group EO was exposed to the surface. In this manner, heptamethyltrisiloxane was finally coated on the PDMS surface via swelling–deswelling process. Contact angle measurements, optical property analyses, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy were used to confirm that durable hydrophilic and transparent PDMS surfaces were successfully obtained. The PDMS surface wettability could be adjusted by tuning the solubility parameters of the solution mixture. Additionally, antiprotein adsorption property was investigated and the result indicated the heptamethyltrisiloxane was tethered onto the PDMS surface. The swelling–deswelling method can be applied for the modification of other crosslinked polymers to obtain antifouling surfaces and functional materials for biomedical applications. A superspreading surfactant (Silwet-L77) was coated onto the PDMS surface by the swelling–deswelling process, to improve its hydrophilicity and antiprotein adsorption properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ba5LaMgNb9O30 ceramics with the addition of Li3NbO4 sintered under nitrogen atmosphere were synthesized and characterized. The phase structure, microstructure, dielectric properties and impedance spectroscopy of the prepared ceramics were investigated. All samples showed a diffuse phase transition and the diffuse exponent γ was calculated. With the addition of Li3NbO4, Li+ could enter the C-sites of BLMN ceramics, which modified the composition of the tungsten bronze structure and improved the performance. Results show that addition of Li3NbO4 decreased the sintering temperature of BLMN ceramics to 1050 °C and improved dielectric properties of nitrogen-sintered BLMN ceramics. Impedance spectroscopy analysis indicated that the performance for nitrogen-sintered ceramics was comparable to air-sintered samples at the temperature below 400 °C. The dielectric properties of BLMN ceramics were influenced by the amount of Li3NbO4, and the 15 wt% Li3NbO4-added BLMN ceramic sintered at 1050 °C in nitrogen for 3 h showed good dielectric properties at 1 MHz of εr = 122.19, tanδ = 0.00686 and τε = −631 ppm/°C. The Li3NbO4-added BLMN ceramics have application potential for the multilayer ceramic capacitors co-fired with base metal electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ca(1−3x/2)CexTiO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.40, CCT) ceramics were prepared in nitrogen atmosphere using the conventional solid-state reaction method. The XRD, Raman spectra and XPS were employed to investigate the relationship between the structure and microwave dielectric properties of CCT ceramics. XRD results and Raman spectra analysis indicated that all the samples were the perovskite structure and a transition from Pbnm to I4/mcm at x = 0.16 was observed. The SEM micrographs showed the average grain size increased with x and dense structures were achieved at x ≥ 0.1, but abnormal grain growth occurred at x ≥ 0.16. With the increase of cerium addition, both the dielectric constant (εr) and Q × f value increased at first and then decreased, while temperature coefficient of resonator frequency (τf) decreased monotonously from 575 to 295 ppm/°C. The substitution of Ce in A-site restrained the reduction of Ti4+ ions and enhanced the oxygen octahedral distortion. For the Ca0.79Ce0.14TiO3 ceramics, a high Q × f value (~ 11705 GHz) in addition to the high dielectric constant (εr = 130.6), was exhibited which was suitable for integration and miniaturization of microwave component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lanthanum (La)-based binder appears effective in reducing serum inorganic phosphate (Pi) levels among chronic dialysis patients, yet concern remains about La accumulation in bone during long-term oral administration. In this study, the effect of lanthanum chloride (LaCl3) on bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) viability was investigated under high Pi situation. We found low concentration (10−9 M) of LaCl3 increased BMSCs viability, while high concentration (10−5 M) of LaCl3 not only inhibited BMSCs viability but also stimulated high Pi induced cell apoptosis. In addition, La-containing calcium phosphate (CaP) particles can be detected on cell surfaces and inside cells. We also found that inhibition of CaP formation by adding sodium pyrophosphate, a recognized inhibitor of hydroxyapatite formation, abrogated LaCl3 induced the BMSCs viability. For isolated La-containing CaP particles, the particle size increased and crystal phase switched with elevated concentration of LaCl3. These results demonstrated that La-containing CaP particles were associated with the process of LaCl3 mediated BMSCs viability and the physicochemical properties of these particles played an important role in modulating BMSCs function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is an ideal apoptosis inducer and believed to have promise in cancer therapy, yet part of cancer cells exhibit resistance to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. This necessitates the exploration of agents that resensitizes cancer cells to TRAIL. In our study, we found that Trichostatin A (TSA), an histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, augmented TRAIL-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer cells in a caspase-dependent manner. Besides, upregulation of DR5 and downregulation of anti-apoptotic proteins including XIAP, Mcl-1, Bcl-2 and Survivin also contributed to this synergism. Noticeably, TSA treatment inhibited Forkhead boxM1 (FOXM1), which expression level showed negative correlation with TRAIL sensitivity. Similarly, silencing of FOXM1 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) resensitized cancer cells to TRAIL and strengthened the TRAIL-augmenting effect of TSA. In addition, we demonstrated the depletion of FOXM1 was a consequence of the inactivation of ERK mediated by TSA. Collectively, it was first shown that TSA potentiated TRAIL sensitivity via ERK/FOXM1 pathway in gastric cancer cells. FOXM1 might serve as a biomarker for predicting sensitivity to TRAIL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave energy fluctuating a great deal endangers the security of power grid especially micro grid in island. A DC nano grid supported by batteries is proposed to smooth the output power of wave energy converters (WECs). Thus, renewable energy converters connected to DC grid is a new subject. The characteristics of WECs are very important to the connection technology of HPTO type WECs and DC nano grid. Hydraulic power take-off system (HPTO) is the core unit of the largest category of WECs, with the functions of supplying suitable damping for a WEC to absorb wave energy, and converting captured wave energy to electricity. The HPTO is divided into a hydraulic energy storage system (HESS) and a hydraulic power generation system (HPGS). A primary numerical model for the HPGS is established in this paper. Three important basic characteristics of the HPGS are deduced, which reveal how the generator load determines the HPGS rotation rate. Therefore, the connector of HPTO type WEC and DC nano grid would be an uncontrollable rectifier with high reliability, also would be a controllable power converter with high efficiency, such as interleaved boost converter-IBC. The research shows that it is very flexible to connect to DC nano grid for WECs, but bypass resistance loads are indispensable for the security of WECs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sintered in a reducing atmosphere, the dielectric properties of Ba(NdSm)TiO (BNST) ceramics are deteriorated because of the ionized oxygen vacancies and conduction electrons. The feasibility of reduction resistance in BNST ceramics sintered in a reducing atmosphere was investigated in this work. Prompted by the example of BaTiO ceramics used in base-metal electrode multilayer ceramics capacitor, the effects of acceptor dopant MnCO on the microstructure, insulation resistivity (IR) and dielectric properties of BNST ceramics doped with 1 wt% BaCuBO (BCB) sintered under a reducing atmosphere of moist N-1%H were investigated. Results showed that MnCO effectively rendered BNST-BCB ceramics resistant to reduction. Mn ions completely substituted into the Ti site of BNST at <1.5 wt% MnCO doping content, whereas secondary phases were formed with increased MnCO addition. Resistivity as high as 10 Ω cm was effectively achieved in ceramics with the addition of >1.5 wt% MnCO, and the dielectric constant ( ε ) of BNST-BCB was not obviously modified by the presence of additive. Moreover, 2 wt% MnCO-doped BNST-1wt% BCB ceramics sintered in a reducing atmosphere exhibited attractive properties with ε = 75.1, tanδ = 0.00115, TCC = −42.3 ppm/°C and IR = 4.56×10 Ω cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the therapeutic effects of metformin (Met) and laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) in clomiphene and insulin-resistant patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (CIRPCOS). Methods: A total of 110 patients were randomly divided into two groups. One group was administered Met ( n = 55), while the other group underwent LOD ( n = 55). Rates of ovulation, pregnancy, and abortion were compared between both groups. Results: Rates of normal menstruation, ovulation, and pregnancy in the LOD group were higher than in the Met group: 76.4 % (42/55) vs. 58.2 % (32/55), P < 0.04; 50.8 % (11/258) vs. 33.5 % (94/281), P < 0.001; 38.2 % (21/55) vs. 20.0 % (11/55), P < 0.03. The difference in the early abortion rate between both groups was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Although Met can significantly improve a patient's insulin resistance, we found that in patients diagnosed with CIRCPOS, LOD can be much more effective in improving rates of normal menstruation, ovulation, and pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycrystalline BaLaZnNbO doped with x wt% MgO ( x = 1, 3, 5, 7, 10) were synthesized using a conventional solid-state reaction method. The phase structure, microstructure and dielectric properties of these ceramics were investigated. Results show that MgO addition plays an important role in achieving the low dielectric loss. Mg ions can partially substitute for Zn ions and the amount of substitution increases with x, while the excess MgO phase inhibits the grain growth of BaLaZnNbO ceramics. X-ray diffraction reveals the second phase MgO appears when the doping content exceeds 1 wt%. For increasing values of x, dielectric constant ( ε) decreases monotonously from 293.73 to 162.35, and the dielectric loss (tanδ) decreases greatly from 0.02173 to 0.00047 and then increases slightly to 0.00078 at 1 MHz, while the temperature coefficients of dielectric constant (τ) reduces first and then changes a little. The sample of BaLaZnNbO with 5 wt% MgO addition indicates high dielectric constant ( ε = 186.14) and low dielectric loss (tanδ = 0.00047) at 1 MHz, however the τ should be improved further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science B is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Thermosensitive, amphiphilic, star-shaped poly (ε-caprolactone)-block-poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) with prophyrin-core (SPPCL-b-PNIPAAm) was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) and reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) and characterized by NMR, IR, GPC in this study. The optical transmittance results showed that the lower critical solution temperatures (LCST) of the copolymer solutions were attractively close to normal physiologic temperature at around 37 °C. Due to its amphiphilic property, the obtained SPPCL-b-PNIPAAm had a low critical micelle concentration (CMC) in an aqueous solution and self-assembled into micelles in water. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis of micelle morphology revealed a well-defined spherical shape with a diameter of around 100 nm. Moreover, SPPCL-b-PNIPAAm micelles obtained high singlet oxygen quantum yields and indicated a sensitivity to temperature, suggesting that the SPPCL-b-PNIPAAm was a stimulus-responsive photosensitizer which had a potential application in targeted photodynamic therapy. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, an excellent method for the synthesis of twelve novel Schiff base derivatives containing indole and triazole assisted by microwave irradiation is reported. Compared with the conventional method, the yields increased from 59–84 % to 85–96 % and the reaction time was reduced from 24–30 h to 4–8 min. Moreover, all series of the newly synthesized Schiff bases were evaluated for their antibacterial activity. The values of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and IC50 indicated that many target compounds possessed excellent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoscale zero-valent iron supported on activated carbon (NZVI/AC) was synthesized by a modified potassium borohydride reduction method and characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and specific surface area (SSA). The effects of NZVI loading on AC, NZVI/AC dosage, pH, the initial concentration of Cr(VI), and temperature on the removal of Cr(VI) were investigated. XRD confirmed the existence of Fe and TEM revealed that the material consisted of mainly spherical bead-like particles aggregated into chains of individual units. The SSA of the iron particles and the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) indicated that the optimum iron loading was 25 %. Increase of NZVI/AC dosage and reaction concentration abated the removal of Cr(VI). Kinetics studies showed that removal of Cr(VI) is a two-step reaction and each step could be expressed by pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics, with initial Cr(VI) and temperature as variables. Total Cr was always almost equal to that of Cr(VI) under all tested conditions, which indicated that little Cr(III) existed in solution. Iron ions, which could cause secondary pollution in the environment, are almost not released from this system. These results demonstrated that NZVI/AC could potentially be used for Cr(VI) removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A platinum-based two-drug regimen is currently the standard of care for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, chemotherapy-induced side effects still remain a significant clinical problem. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) is a polysaccharide isolated from the radix of astragalus membranaceus, a commonly used herbal compound in traditional Chinese medicine. APS was reported to increase tumor response, stabilize and improve performance status, and reduce chemotherapy toxicity. We designed this trial to determine whether APS injection integrated with vinorelbine and cisplatin (VC) offered an improved QOL over VC for patients with advanced NSCLC. Secondary objectives were tumor response, toxicity, and survival results. One hundred thirty-six patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed NSCLC were enrolled in this study from May 2008 to March 2010. Patients were randomized to receive either VC (VC arm) or VC combined with APS (VC-APS arm). The objective response rate of was 42.64% in the VC-APS arm and 36.76% in the VC arm. The difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.483). Median survival time was 10.7 and 10.2 months ( P = 0.76) in VC-APS arm and VC arm, with 1-year survival rates of 35.3 and 32.4% ( P = 0.717), respectively. After 3 cycles of treatment, there were significant differences in the overall patient QOL ( P = 0.003), physical function ( P = 0.01), fatigue ( P < 0.001), nausea and vomiting ( P < 0.001), pain ( P = 0.007), and loss of appetite ( P = 0.023) between the two study groups. In summary, we have proved that the treatment of APS integrated with VC had significantly improved QOL in patients with advanced NSCLC compared with VC alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep-sea minerals in polymetallic nodules and seamount Co-rich crusts are not only formed by mineralization but also by biologically driven processes involving microorganisms (biomineralization). Within the polymetallic nodules, free-living and biofilm-forming bacteria provide the matrix for manganese deposition, and in seamount Co-rich crusts, coccolithophores represent the dominant organisms that act as bio-seeds for an initial manganese deposition. These (bio)minerals are economically important: manganese is an important alloying component and cobalt forms part of special steels in addition to being used, along with other rare metals, in plasma screens, hard-disk magnets and hybrid car motors. Recent progress in our understanding of the participation of the organic matrices in the enrichment of these metals might provide the basis for feasibility studies of biotechnological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: SLC25A13 gene mutations cause citrin deficiency, which leads to neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD). Information on the mutation spectrum of SLC25A13 in the Chinese population is limited. The aim of this study was to explore the mutation spectrum of the SLC25A13 gene in Chinese infants with intrahepatic cholestasis and various forms of aminoacidemia. Methods: Sequence analyses were performed on 39 infants with intrahepatic cholestasis and various forms of aminoacidemia. Novel mutations were subjected to homology and structural analyses. Western blots were performed when liver specimens available. Results: Genetic testing revealed the presence of SLC25A13 gene mutations (9 heterozygotes, 6 homozygotes and 13 compound heterozygotes) in 28 infants. Subsequent Western blot analysis revealed 22 cases of citrin deficiency, accounting for 56.4% of the 39 patients. Twelve types of mutations, including nine known mutations and three novel mutations, were found. Of the 49 mutated alleles, known ones include 851del4 (26 alleles, 53.1%), 1638ins23 (6 alleles, 12.2%), IVSl6ins3kb (3 alleles, 6.1%), IVS6+5G>A (2 alleles, 4.1%), E601K (2 alleles, 4.1%) and IVS11+1G>A, R184X, R360X and R585H (1 allele each, 2.0%). The three novel mutations were a splice site change (IVS6+1G>A), a deletion mutation (1092_1095delT) and a missense mutation (L85P), each in one allele. Conclusions: The mutation spectrum of the SLC25A13 gene in a Chinese population of infants with intrahepatic cholestasis with various forms of aminoacidemia was found to be different from that of other population groups in East Asia. The SLC25A13 gene mutation is the most important cause of infantile intrahepatic cholestasis with various forms of aminoacidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The endothelial cell-specific molecule-1 (ESM-1) gene is involved in various biological events. This study was designed to clarify its clinical significance and explore its biological behavior in gastric cancer (GC). Methods: ESM-1 mRNA expression was evaluated by real-time PCR in GC ( n = 34) and matched adjacent normal tissues ( n = 14). The expression of ESM-1 protein was investigated by immunohistochemistry in GC ( n = 159) and matched normal tissues ( n = 40), and its correlation with the clinicopathological features and overall survival of patients was analyzed. Microvessel density (MVD) in GC was assessed by anti-CD34 and the pattern of ESM-1 expression in tumor-related vascular was evaluated. The effect of ESM-1 promotion of proliferation in the GC MKN28 cell line and human microvascular endothelial cell line HMEC-1 were tested using the MTT assay. Results: ESM-1 mRNA was significantly overexpressed in GC compared with adjacent noncarcinoma controls ( P < 0.01). ESM-1 protein was predominantly expressed in GC. ESM-1 expression was associated with distant metastasis and Borrmann type IV ( P < 0.05) and was strongly associated with vascular invasion ( P = 0.0057). Patients with ESM-1 expression showed lower 5-year survival rate ( P = 0.0339). Multivariate analysis revealed that ESM-1 was an independent prognostic factor. In GC, CD34-MVD of GC vessels positively expressing ESM-1 was higher than that of GC with negative vessels expression of ESM-1 ( P < 0.05). Besides, ESM-1 antibody dose-dependently impaired MKN28 and HMEC-1 growth. Conclusions: ESM-1 is overexpressed in GC and can serve as a tumor biomarker to predict survival of GC patients, and it might promote tumor angiogenesis and growth in GC and, hence, may represent a potential therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although 24-hour urinary copper excretion is valuable for diagnosis of Wilson’s disease, accurate, timed collection entails practical difficulties. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of morning urinary copper/creatinine or copper/zinc ratio as replacement parameter for diagnosing Wilson’s disease. Five random urinary samples collected during 24 hours from two inpatients were used to estimate the consistency of urinary copper/creatinine and copper/zinc ratios. The correlation of the ratios with 24-hour urinary copper excretion was studied in 15 patients with liver diseases. The diagnostic value of morning urinary copper/zinc ratio was further studied in 9 children with Wilson’s disease and 22 children with other liver diseases. The coefficients of variation of urinary copper/creatinine and copper/zinc ratios during 24 hours were 12.5% and 9.3% respectively. The morning urinary copper/creatinine ratio, copper/zinc ratio, and 24-hour urinary copper excretion were correlated well. The area under receiver-operating characteristic curve was comparable between the morning urinary copper/zinc ratio and 24-hour urinary copper excretion (0.983 vs. 0.977). Morning urinary copper/zinc ratio seems to be a promising parameter in replacement of 24-hour urinary copper excretion for diagnosis of Wilson’s disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human bocavirus (HBoV) was first reported in 2005. The worldwide presence of HBoV in children with acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) has been confirmed. This study aimed to understand the prevalence and clinical features of HBoV in children with ARTI in Shanghai and explore the causative implication of HBoV in ARTI. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 349 hospitalized children with ARTI between November 2006 and January 2007. From these children, 351 nasopharyngeal aspirate samples were collected; 325 of the samples were obtained from those with community-acquired ARTI and 26 from those with hospital-acquired ARTI. All samples were routinely screened for seven common respiratory viruses by immunofluorescence and further tested for HBoV by polymerase chain reaction. HBoV was detected in 16 (4.6%) of the 351 samples, and it was the second most commonly detected virus after respiratory syncytial virus. Three (19%) HBoV-positive samples were dual infection with respiratory syncytial virus or parainfluenza virus type 3. Of the 325 children with community-acquired ARTI, HBoV was identified to be positive in 11 (3.4%), of whom 6 were diagnosed with pneumonia with patchy or interstitial infiltrates in the lung indicated by chest radiography, 3 with bronchitis, and 2 with bronchial asthma exacerbation with attendant lung infection. Out of the 26 children with nosocomial ARTI, 5 (19.2%) had bronchitis which was found to be HBoV positive without co-detection of other viruses. The HBoV-positive children were aged 1.7 months to 43 months and their mean age was 13.7 months. Sixteen (100%) children had cough, 11 (68.8%) had wheezing, and 10 (62.5%) had fever. HBoV was circulating in Shanghai during the study period, and which was detected frequently in children with ARTI. HBoV was found to be associated with community-acquired ARTI and may play a pathogenic role in nosocomial ARTI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like all sponges (phylum Porifera), the glass sponges (Hexactinellida) are provided with an elaborate and distinct body plan, which relies on a filigree skeleton. It is constructed by an array of morphologically determined elements, the spicules. Schulze described the largest siliceous hexactinellid sponge on Earth, the up to 3 m high Monorhaphis chuni, collected during the German Deep Sea Expedition ”Valdivia“ (1898–1899). This species develops an equally large bio-silica structure, the giant basal spicule (3 m × 10 mm). Using these spicules as a model, one can obtain the basic knowledge on the morphology, formation, and development of silica skeletal elements. The silica matrix is composed of almost pure silica, endowing it with unusual optophysical properties, which are superior to those of man-made waveguides. Experiments suggest that the spicules function in vivo as a nonocular photoreception system. The spicules are also provided with exceptional mechanical properties. Like demosponges, the hexactinellids synthesize their silica enzymatically via the enzyme silicatein (27 kDa protein). This enzyme is located in/embedded in the silica layers. This knowledge will surely contribute to a further utilization and exploration of silica in biomaterial/biomedical science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ocean hosts inorganic raw materials to a magnitude, which surpasses the resources of these materials available on land. Those mineral resources include industrial minerals, metalliferous oxides, hydrothermal metalliferous sulfides, and dissolved minerals. Hence, a significant source of minerals for sustainable recovery in the future may be ocean waters. Among of those mineral resources, there are two kinds of very important minerals which are consolidated on the seabeds of ocean basins in polymetallic nodules and on the surface of seamounts in polymetallic crusts. Until now, the (bio)- chemical processes that result in the formation of metal deposits in the form of nodules or crusts are not understood. In the present review, we concentrate on the (potential) biogenic origin of nodule and crust formation. We studied polymetallic/ferromanganese nodules that had been collected from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM) to search for microorganisms. The nodules are made up of small-sized micronodules, 100 to 450 μm in size, which are bound/glued together by an interstitial whitish material. In these micronodules, dense accumulations of microorganisms/bacteria can be visualized that display only two morphotypes: (i) round-shaped cocci and (ii) elongated rods. The microorganisms are decorated on their surfaces with S-layers, which are indicative for bacteria. Moreover, the data suggest that these S-layers are the crystallization seeds for the mineralization process. We conclude that the mineral material of the nodule has a biogenic origin and propose consequently the view that mineralization in nodules is caused by biologically controlled mineralization processes. In a second series of investigations, first evidence for a biogenic origin of ferromanganese crusts formation is given. Crusts were obtained from the Magellan seamounts and analyzed for their chemical composition using the EDX technique. Again, special emphasis had been put on the (potential) biogenic origin of the mineral deposition in these ferromanganese crusts. We could demonstrate by HR-SEM that, in those deposits, vast amounts of coccoliths (calcareous unicellular algae) exist. Surprisingly, the coccoliths are composed of Mn besides Ca and C, as analyzed by EDX. This result could be further substantiated by EDX mappings. We propose that initiation of crust formation involves the dissolution of calcite from the coccoliths, resulting in an oxidation of Mn2+ to Mn4+ and subsequent precipitation of Mn4+O2. Following this scheme, it can be assumed that crust formation may serve as an example for a biologically induced mineralization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alagille syndrome (AS) is regarded as the most common cause of chronic cholestasis in childhood associated with specific phenotypic features in western countries. This study was undertaken to investigate the significance of AS in Chinese children with chronic cholestasis and to describe its clinical and histological features. From October 2004 to January 2007, 157 children who presented with conjugated jaundice from less than 3 months of age were admitted to a tertiary hospital in Shanghai. Investigations of the heart, spine, eyes and kidneys were conducted in 13 children who experienced prolonged cholestasis beyond 1 year of age after exclusion of biliary atresia and familial progressive intrahepatic cholestasis type 1 or 2. In patients with interlobular bile duct paucity, AS was diagnosed if 3 or more of the following 5 major features were present: cardiac murmur, posterior embryotoxon, butterfly-like vertebrae, renal abnormalities and characteristic faces. In patients without interlobular bile duct paucity or who did not receive liver biopsy, 4 or more features were required for the diagnosis. Of the 13 children, 6 were diagnosed with AS at ages ranging from 1 year and 7 months to 3 years and 11 months. Jaundice was noticed in early infancy and then pruritus developed in all the 6 patients, of whom 5 presented with acholic stool and 4 had been misdiagnosed as having presumed biliary atresia by hepatobiliary scintigraphy or laparoscopic cholangiography. Biochemical examinations demonstrated increased concentration of total bile acid and hyperlipidemia. Interlobular bile duct paucity was demonstrated histologically in 5 patients who received liver biopsy. Vertebral abnormalities, heart murmur, characteristic faces and failure to thrive were found in all the 6 patients. Two patients had evidence of renal involvement. Micropenis, empty scrotum, and gall stone were seen in 1 patient. AS is also an important cause of prolonged cholestasis in Chinese children. It is difficult to differentiate AS from biliary atresia. Liver biopsy and spine X-ray may be helpful in the early detection of AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the application of Genetic Programming (GP) to the synthesis of multicomponent product nonsharp distillation sequences. Combined with the domain knowledge of chemical engineering, some evolutionary factors are improved, and a set of special encoding method and solving strategy is proposed to deal with this kind of problem. The system structural variable is optimized by GP and the continuous variable is optimized by the simulated annealing algorithm simultaneously. Because GP has an automatic searching function, the optimal solution can be found including distillation, splitting, blending and bypassing operations automatically without any superstructures of nonsharp distillation sequences. Three illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the effective computational strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, it is proved that the K 0-group of a Toeplitz algebra on any connected domain is always isomorphic to the K 0-group of the relative continuous function algebra. In addition, the cohomotopy groups of essential boundaries of some connected domains are computed, and the K 0-groups of the continuous function algebras on these domains are also computed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure position permutation image encryption algorithms, commonly used as image encryption investigated in this work are unfortunately frail under known-text attack. In view of the weakness of pure position permutation algorithm, we put forward an effective decryption algorithm for all pure-position permutation algorithms. First, a summary of the pure position permutation image encryption algorithms is given by introducing the concept of ergodic matrices. Then, by using probability theory and algebraic principles, the decryption probability of pure-position permutation algorithms is verified theoretically; and then, by defining the operation system of fuzzy ergodic matrices, we improve a specific decryption algorithm. Finally, some simulation results are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to fulfill the product concurrent design requirements of discrete manufacturing enterprises, this paper puts forth for the first time a Collaborative Product Commerce (CPC) oriented X2D (X to Design) theory, which can take Collaboration, Commerce and Concurrence (3C) into realization during the product design stage. At the same time, this research adopts VPN (Virtual Private Network) technique to ensure the security of product data and information during transportation. By building CPC-oriented and VPN-based framework of X2D product concurrent design system, the paper explores a way for discrete enterprises adapting to the drastically competitive market and performing their product innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PDM (product data management) is one kind of techniques based on software and database, which integrates information and process related to products. But it is not enough to perform the complication of PDM in enterprises. Then the mechanism to harmonize all kinds of information and process is needed. The paper introduces a novel approach to implement the intelligent monitor of PDM based on MAS (multi-agent system). It carries out the management of information and process by MC (monitor center). The paper first puts forward the architecture of the whole system, then defines the structure of MC and its interoperation mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single isomers [(RSn)2PW10O38]5− [R = MeOCOCH2CH2, MeOCOCH(Me)CH2, NCCH2CH2] have been prepared and their structures have been determined by 183Wn.m.r. spectroscopy. The spectrum of [(MeOCOCH2 CH2Sn)2PW10O38]5− shows five equally intense peaks, which are ascribed to the C2 isomer formed by 1,4-substitution. The title complexes exhibit antitumor activity in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetanilide was synthesized from nitrobenzene in the presence of acetic anhydride, acetic acid and samarium by a one-pot procedure in good yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]