Search

In the continuous casting process, the heat transfer effect of secondary cooling plays an important role in the quality of the slab. The cooling intensity and cooling uniformity of the secondary cooling nozzle need more efficient spray cooling to achieve. Herein, the cold characteristics of different types of nozzles were compared. It is found that the second type of air mist nozzles have more uniform water density and striking force. On this basis, high‐temperature heat transfer experiments for casting billets were carried out to study the heat transfer coefficients of different air mist nozzles in the secondary cooling zone of continuous casting. It is found that the heat transfer coefficient increases as the distance of the temperature measurement point from the nozzle directly below increases. The heat transfer coefficients of the casting billet in both the jet and non‐jet zones are decreasing to varying degrees. When the temperature drops to 600 °C, the second type of air mist nozzle shows a faster temperature drop at the point of measurement, a smaller difference in time taken for temperature drop between jet and non‐jet zones, and faster and more uniform spraying, leading to a more significant trend of increasing heat transfer coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role of microbes in facilitating communication among plants in agroecosystems. It proposes categorizing plant genes involved in plant-microbe interactions into microbiome-shaping genes (Ms genes) and microbiome-responsive genes (Mr genes). Ms genes shape microbial communities through various mechanisms, such as the modulation of metabolites and the transfer of miRNAs. On the other hand, Mr genes are sensitive to microbial activity and regulate plant adaptation to environmental stressors. The article suggests that understanding the interaction between Ms and Mr genes can inform the design of precision agriculture and breeding strategies. [Extracted from the article]

A novel nickel‐catalyzed practical and simple synthesis of thioesters from amides and disulfides has been developed. Diverse substituted aromatic amides are capable of coupling with diaryl or dialkyl disulfides via C−N/S−S bonds cleavage to produce the desirable thioesters in moderate to good yields. This procedure features cheap metals, novel and easily preparative substrates, providing a simple and practical access to a variety of thioesters without toxic thiols or CO gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: FoxO1 is an important target in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, FoxO1‐specific agonists and their effects on AD have not yet been reported. This study aimed to identify small molecules that upregulate the activity of FoxO1 to attenuate the symptoms of AD. Methods: FoxO1 agonists were identified by in silico screening and molecular dynamics simulation. Western blotting and reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays were used to assess protein and gene expression levels of P21, BIM, and PPARγ downstream of FoxO1 in SH‐SY5Y cells, respectively. Western blotting and enzyme‐linked immunoassays were performed to explore the effect of FoxO1 agonists on APP metabolism. Results: N‐(3‐methylisothiazol‐5‐yl)‐2‐(2‐oxobenzo[d]oxazol‐3(2H)‐yl) acetamide (compound D) had the highest affinity for FoxO1. Compound D activated FoxO1 and regulated the expression of its downstream target genes, P21, BIM, and PPARγ. In SH‐SY5Y cells treated with compound D, BACE1 expression levels were downregulated, and the levels of Aβ1‐40 and Aβ1‐42 were also reduced. Conclusions: We present a novel small‐molecule FoxO1 agonist with good anti‐AD effects. This study highlights a promising strategy for new drug discovery for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "visible" proton‐conducting pathway offers a distinct advantage for researching the mechanism of proton conducting materials at the molecular level and developing new materials. To achieve this, three crystalline materials are constructed via acid–base chemistry based on phosphomolybdic acid and diversfied guanidine, namely, (CN3H6)6(PMo12O40)2·H2O (GH–PMo12), (CN4H7)3(PMo12O40)·H2O (AGH–PMo12), and (CN5H8)3(PMo12O40)·3.5H2O (DAGH–PMo12). Proton conductivity of GH–PMo12 in the [001] direction reaches up to 0.19 S cm−1 at 85 °C and 98% RH, as elucidated by impedance studies of single crystals. The clear proton transport path is proposed through the analysis of single crystal structure. Moreover, impedance studies of powder crystals reveal that the proton conductivity of GH–PMo12 is higher than that of the other two compounds. The underlying reasons for this result are clarified through the analysis of the pKa, proton density, and spatial structure. Additionally, GH–PMo12 is fabricated into composite membrane with a peak proton conductivity of 5.31 × 10−2 S cm−1, which exhibits promising potential for real‐world applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study that aimed to characterize the endothelial cells in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and their potential implications for anti-angiogenic therapies. The researchers performed single-cell sequencing on cells from different regions of ESCC tumors and matched normal esophageal tissues. They identified distinct cell lineages and found that the composition of these lineages varied across the tumor and peri-tumoral tissue. The study also revealed the presence of angiogenic tumor endothelial cells (TECs) in ESCC, which expressed genes associated with collagen modification, angiogenesis, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling. The findings suggest that targeting these angiogenic TECs could be a promising therapeutic strategy for ESCC. Additionally, the study compared the endothelial cell phenotypes between ESCC and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and found a significant transcriptome overlap of angiogenic endothelial cells in both tumor types. The results provide insights into the geospatial architecture and therapeutic targets of endothelial cells in ESCC and highlight the potential clinical implications of anti-angiogenic therapies. [Extracted from the article]

This study explored the specific molecular mechanisms through which repeated estrus synchronization (ES) treatments reduce the reproductive performance of dairy goats. Ninety‐six goats (n = 24/group) were randomly assigned to two groups receiving ES treatments thrice every fortnight (3‐equine chorionic gonadotropin [eCG] and 3‐follicle stimulating hormone [FSH] groups) and two groups receiving one ES treatment (1‐eCG and 1‐FSH groups). ES treatments of 1‐ and 3‐eCG goats were performed via the intravaginal insertion of a controlled internal drug release (CIDR) device containing 300 mg progesterone (P4), followed by 300 IU eCG injections 48 h before CIDR withdrawal. The 1‐ and 3‐FSH goats received CIDR for 10 days, followed by 50 IU FSH and 100 μg PGF2α within 12 h of CIDR withdrawal. Ovaries of three goats in estrus from both groups were harvested for analysis. Subsequently, all the goats in estrus were artificially inseminated twice. Consequently, 3‐eCG and 3‐FSH goats showed a considerably reduced estrus rate and litter size than 1‐eCG and 1‐FSH goats. AQP3 mRNA and protein expression were significantly higher in the 3‐eCG and 3‐FSH groups than in the 1‐eCG and 1‐FSH groups. AQP3 overexpression led to cell apoptosis and decreased steroid hormone secretion ability of ovarian granulosa cells. Moreover, it resulted in a decrease in maturation and cleavage rates after parthenogenetic activation and in vitro fertilization, respectively. AQP3 gene was involved in reducing the reproductive performance of repeated ES‐treated dairy goats. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the effective use of reproductive hormones in breeding techniques for livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three‐dimensional model of fluid flow, heat transfer, solidification, and inclusion motion in billet mold at ultrahigh casting speed under electromagnetic field is developed. The low Reynolds number k–ε model coupled with electromagnetic model and Lagrangian discrete phase model is used to investigate the flow field, temperature field, solidification, and inclusions transport under different current intensities. The results show that mold electromagnetic stirring (M‐EMS) significantly alters the flow pattern of molten steel. The impact depth of the molten steel decreases as the stirring current intensity increases, and the horizontal swirl intensities of the molten steel increase with the stirring current intensity. As the current intensity increases from 500 to 700 A, the impact depth decreases from 0.637 to 0.575 m and the maximum tangential velocity increases from 0.477 to 0.898 m s−1. When the stirring current is intense, the flow of molten steel near the mold exit is reversed, and the molten steel flows asymmetrically and unsteadily. The M‐EMS effectively improves the transverse heat transfer of the molten steel in the mold, contributing to the dissipation of the molten steel superheat and the growth of the solidified shell. In addition, the removal ratio of the inclusions is improved significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrahigh‐speed casting is the most remarkable feature of billet high‐efficiency continuous casting. The transient fluid flow, heat transfer, and solidification behavior under different casting speeds, submerged entry nozzle (SEN) parameters, and mold electromagnetic stirring (M‐EMS) are investigated using a 3D transient mathematical model. The results show that a typical roll flow pattern is generated for all casting speeds, while a third small recirculation zone developed near the solidified shell at the casting speed of 6.0 m min−1. When the casting speed increases, the impact depth of the molten steel increases from 0.748 to 0.844 m, the velocity and level fluctuation at the steel/slag interface increases, the high‐temperature zone moves downward, and the shell thickness is reduced from 16.2 to 11.1 mm. As the SEN inner diameter and immersion depth increases, the impact depth increases, the velocity and level fluctuation at the steel/slag interface decreases, and the shell thickness at the mold exit is ≈11.0 mm. When the SEN immersion depth and inner diameter are 120 and 40 mm, respectively, the flow and temperature fields in the mold are the most appropriate. In addition, the M‐EMS have a great effect on the fluid flow and heat transfer behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3D gas–slag–metal model for a 120t converter with nozzle‐twisted lance is established, and the gas jet characteristics, slag–metal interface fluctuations, wall erosion, and changes in the molten pool flow field of the nozzle‐twisted lance of the blowing process are studied. The results reveal that, with the increase in the swirl angle, the length of the jet high‐velocity section, maximum velocity, and dynamic pressure decrease, radial distance increases, and wall shear stress first decreases and then increases. With an increase in the blowing time, the fluctuating intensity of the slag surface and the molten steel surface changes significantly, fluctuating slag surface stabilizes after 1.7 s (fluctuating intensity is 1.08–1.12), and fluctuating steel surface stabilizes after 1.3 s (fluctuating intensity is 1.23–1.33). The turbulent kinetic energy of the gas–slag–metal three‐phase interaction area increases and the wall shear stress gradually increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen lance is the key to realize the emulsification of gas–slag–metal in the converter steelmaking process, which determines successful completion of metallurgical tasks. Herein, a 3D full‐size gas–slag–metal coupling model of the nozzle‐twisted lance in a 120t converter is established. The behavioral characteristics of gas–slag–metal of nozzle‐twisted lances (swirl angle 0°/5°/10°/15°) are studied. With the increase in the swirl angle, the axial velocity is reduced; the radial and tangential velocities are increased, and the coverage area of the slag layer, the splashing amount, and its height are reduced. In the longitudinal section, when the swirl angle increases from 0° to 15°, the areas of high‐velocity and dead zones are reduced by 15% and 36%, respectively, and the area of low‐velocity zone is increased by 17%. At different depths of molten bath, with the increase in the swirl angle, the area of high‐velocity zone first increases and then decreases; the area of low‐velocity zone increases, and the area of dead zone decreases. Finally, the industrial experiment with the nozzle‐twisted lance is carried out in a 120t converter. The phosphorus content, the carbon–oxygen product, and the total iron content in slag are all reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess and compare the clinical outcomes and complications of TightRope® fixation vs hook plate fixation for the treatment of Rockwood III‐VI Acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) dislocations. Methods: Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases, from their inception to 12 April, 2019. The main outcomes of interest included Constant Score, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Shoulder Score, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), coracoclavicular distance (CCD), and complications. Weight mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) or risk ratio (RR) with 95% CIs was used to calculate the data. Results: Four studies with a total of 179 patients were included in this study. Compared with hook plate, TightRope® fixation was associated with a significantly less VAS score for pain (WMD = ‐0.69, 95% CI: −1.10, −0.27; P = 0.001). However, there were no significant differences between the two surgical techniques in terms of Constant Score (WMD = 6.12, 95% CI: −3.84, 16.08; P = 0.229), UCLA (WMD = 7.96, 95% CI: −5.76, 21.68; P = 0.256), CCD (WMD = 0.24, 95% CI: −0.67, 1.15; P = 0.602), and complication rate. Conclusion: Both TightRope® and hook plate techniques offered effective outcomes in relieving the pain of dislocation and improving function of ACJ. However, TightRope® fixation showed an advantage over hook plate in terms of postoperative pain. Further larger‐scale RCTs are needed to verify our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: LEACH (low‐energy adaptive clustering hierarchy) protocol is an important part of wireless sensor network (WSN) and consisting of a good deal of energy‐constrained nodes. LEACH is widely used but also faces various challenges and constraints. The biggest constraint is that the energy is limited and the network life is finite. In the article, an improved ensemble algorithm based on energy‐efficient LEACH is proposed. The ensemble algorithm benefits from the cuckoo search algorithm (CS), glowworm swarm optimization (GSO), and bacterial foraging optimization (BFO). The paper enhances local and global search capabilities by modify the CS GSO and BFO algorithm. To verify results, this paper performs statistical comparatives with oriented cuckoo search (OCS), bat algorithm with characteristics of Levy flights, particle swarm optimization, and adaptive differential evolution algorithm. Comparison results shows that the new method is effective. Moreover, the research also showed the universal applicability of the ensemble strategy in solving diverse problems by using above different optimization algorithms. To further exploit our mind, this paper applies the improved coupling algorithm to LEACH for selecting the cluster‐head node. Computational experiments illustrate that the method proposed in this paper can provide very competitive results compared to these bio‐inspired LEACH, both in terms of reducing the network energy consumption and improving the lifecycle of nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In comparison to quaternions, split quaternions exhibit a more intricate algebraic structure, characterized by the presence of nontrivial zero factors. Furthermore, in various fields such as geometry and electromagnetism, split quaternions serve as more convenient research tools than quaternions. This paper aims to establish the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of (anti‐) η$$ \eta $$‐Hermitian solutions to a novel system of matrix equations formulated over split quaternions. We also provide the general expression of such solutions when the system is solvable, along with the least squares (anti‐) η$$ \eta $$‐Hermitian solution in the case of inconsistency. To illustrate the key findings of this paper, numerical examples are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at producing a high transparent and colorless cordierite glass-ceramic that is used for a tile glaze with a single firing. Crystallization path of glaze, microstructure development, abrasion performance, microhardness, and the transparency of cordierite glass-ceramic were tested. The results suggested that the high transparency was significantly affected by the number of internal air holes and the crystal scattering loss. The maximum crystalline content of cordierite was nearly 50 wt% at 1200°C. Due to the high crystallization content of cordierite and the bulk crystallization mechanism, the cordierite crystalline glaze has a higher microhardness and abrasion resistance than noncrystalline glaze. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We numerically predict the microstructure properties of ceramic membranes and the coupling effects of microstructure properties and layer thickness on the strength and permeance of ceramic membranes. It is found that particle size is the most important factor, followed by thickness and finally by microstructure parameters. The general design principle for strength and permeance are [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan microspheres were prepared by ion induction and chemical cross-linking using water as the medium. Natural rubber/chitosan microsphere blends were then prepared by blending the chitosan microsphere suspension with natural rubber latex. An infrared spectrometer, particle size analyser, scanning electron microscope, surface contact angle analyser, thermogravimetric analyser, and differential scanning calorimeter were employed for structure and property characterisation. The results showed that the average particle diameter and the polydispersity index of chitosan microspheres were 323.8 nm and 0.283, respectively. The thermal stability and mechanical properties of natural rubber/chitosan blends were enhanced by introducing chitosan microspheres into natural rubber latex. The water contact angle was significantly decreased, from 94.64° to 55.47°, indicating improved hydrophilic properties for the natural rubber/chitosan film. The natural rubber/chitosan blends showed excellent antibacterial properties when the chitosan microsphere content was >4.00% w/w. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dickeya zeae is a causal agent of rice root rot disease. The pathogen is known to produce a range of virulence factors, including phytotoxic zeamines and extracellular enzymes, but the mechanisms of virulence regulation remain vague. In this study, we identified a SlyA/MarR family transcription factor SlyA in D. zeae strain EC1. Disruption of slyA significantly decreased zeamine production, enhanced swimming and swarming motility, reduced biofilm formation and significantly decreased pathogenicity on rice. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis confirmed the role of SlyA in transcriptional modulation of a range of genes associated with bacterial virulence. In trans expression of slyA in expI mutants recovered the phenotypes of motility and biofilm formation, suggesting that SlyA is downstream of the acylhomoserine lactonemediated quorum sensing pathway. Taken together, the findings from this study unveil a key transcriptional regulatory factor involved in the modulation of virulence factor production and overall pathogenicity of D. zeae EC1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Monitoring the spatial distribution of reference evapotranspiration ( ET0) and quantifying temporal variations offer valuable information about hydrology, irrigation water requirements and water resources management. Under climate warming and Three Gorges Reservoir ( TGR) impoundment conditions, it is critical to survey the ET0 variation in the Three Gorges Reservoir area ( TGRA) China. Temporal and spatial patterns in ET0 over the TGRA were investigated for the period 1960-2013, based on daily data from 41 meteorological stations. The Mann-Kendall test and Sen's slope estimator were used to examine ET0 trend. The presence of abrupt changes was checked using the Pettitt test, moving t-test ( MTT) and cumulative sum ( CUSUM) method. The spatial distribution of the mean annual ET0 in the TGRA for 1960-2013 shows an east-west gradient structure with low ET0 in the area south of the TGR ( STGR) and high ET0 in the area downstream of TGR ( DTGR). The spatial distribution for post-dam period is similar to that for 1960-2013. Abrupt changes of annual ET0 over the TGRA occurred in 1982. These changes were mainly related to climate warming in TGRA during the 1980s. ET0 in the region exhibited an obvious decreasing trend until the early 1980s (1982), at a rate of −1.41 mm a−1. However, the downward trend reversed in 1982, followed by a rate of increase of 1.11 mm a−1. For the whole period of 1960-2013, the overall decreasing trend in TGRA was mainly due to downward trend in 1960-1982. During the post-dam period, the upward trends are still more pronounced. The TGR may have some effects on ET0 at stations that lie in or near the Three Gorges Dam ( TGD) in some cases. However, there is no evidence to indicate that the TGD would affect other locations. In general, ET0 variation is more related to climate change rather than dam-related changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amifostine is a cytoprotective drug that was initially used to control and treat nuclear radiation injury and is currently used to provide organ protection in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Clinical studies have also found that amifostine has some efficacy in the treatment of cytopenia caused by conditions such as myelodysplastic syndrome and immune thrombocytopenia, both of which involve megakaryocyte maturation defects. We hypothesized that amifostine induced the differentiation of megakaryocytes and investigated this by exposing the human Dami megakaryocyte leukemia cell line to amifostine (1 mmol/L). After 12 days of amifostine exposure, optical microscopy showed that the proportion of Dami cells with diameters >20 μm had increased to 24.63%. Transmission electron microscopy identified the development of a platelet demarcation membrane system, while flow cytometry detected increased CD41a expression and decreased CD33 expression on the Dami cell surface. Ploidy analysis found that the number of polyploid cells with >4N DNA content increased to 27.96%. We did not detect any elevation in the mRNA or protein levels of megakaryocytic differentiation-associated transcription factors GATA-binding factor 1 ( GATA-1) and nuclear factor, erythroid 2 ( NF-E2), but nuclear import assay revealed an increased nuclear translocation of these proteins. These findings indicate that amifostine induced the differentiation of Dami cells into mature megakaryocytes via a mechanism involving increased nuclear translocation of the transcription factors, NF-E2 and GATA-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of enantiomerically enriched 3,4-dihydrocoumarins containing contiguous quaternary and tertiary stereogenic centers has been efficiently constructed via domino asymmetric Michael addition/transesterification reactions of azlactones with o-hydroxychalcones using a quinine-derived thiourea as bifunctional organocatalyst. Under mild reaction conditions, the optically active 3,4-dihydrocoumarins were generally obtained in 63-96% yields with >20:1 dr and 81-96% ee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims A meta-analysis was performed to compare the therapeutic outcomes in patients treated for heart failure (HF) with recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide (rhBNP) and dobutamine. Methods PubMed, Embase and the Chinese Biomedical Database were exhaustively searched to identify studies relevant to this meta-analysis. Eight cohort studies were found suitable for inclusion. Data regarding trial validity, methodological processes and clinical outcomes were extracted. Results Patients treated with rhBNP showed statistically significant reduction of in-hospital mortality and re-admission rates compared with the dobutamine treated patient group (both P < 0.05). Further, the rhBNP treated patient group showed higher survival outcomes, compared with dobutamine treated patients, when the post-treatment follow-up period was longer than 6 months ( P < 0.05). Stratified analysis based on ethnicity showed a dramatic decrease of in-hospital mortality among mixed race HF patients receiving rhBNP treatment ( P < 0.05), but such decreases were not statistically significant in Asian and Caucasian populations (both P > 0.05). On the other hand, re-admission rates were significantly lower in rhBNP treated Caucasian and mixed race populations (both P < 0.05). Notably, in rhBNP treated group, dose levels of 0.015 and 0.03 incrementally lowered the re-admission rates, displaying dose effect, and the re-admission rates at both rhBNP doses were significantly lower than the dobutamine treated group (both P < 0.05). Conclusions Our meta-analysis results suggested that rhBNP therapy is associated with lower in-hospital mortality and re-admission rates in HF patients compared to the dobutamine regimen. Nevertheless, large scale prospective, randomized trials are necessary to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus ( SRBSDV) is a novel putative member of the genus Fijivirus, family Reoviridae. We report here the genomic sequences of a Vietnamese isolate ( SRBSDV-V). The total genome of SRBSDV-V has 29 115 nucleotides (nt), nine nt shorter than SRBSDV- GD or - HN, but similar in organization to these two Chinese isolates. Nucleotide diversities among SRBSDV isolates were much lower than those among the corresponding ORFs of the available RBSDV isolates and there was a lower purifying selection pressure on SRBSDV than RBSDV, providing first molecular evidence for the view that SRBSDV is of recent origin. In studies of all available SRBSDV sequences, there was no obvious correlation between geographic distances and phylogenetic distribution. A high frequency of genetic recombination was found among both Chinese and Vietnam SRBSDV isolates, suggesting that recombination may play an important role in the molecular variation and evolution of SRBSDV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective Bronchial brushing is important for cytological diagnosis of lung carcinoma; however, cytological evaluation alone remains relatively insensitive. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic utility of vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF) messenger ribonucleic acid ( mRNA) and specificity protein 1 ( SP1) mRNA in bronchial brushings in patients with or without lung cancer. Methods VEGF mRNA and SP1 mRNA were measured in liquid-based cells from bronchial brushings in patients with verified lung cancer ( n = 93) and with benign lung disease that included tuberculosis ( n = 51). This was done using the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results Both VEGF mRNA and SP1 mRNA were significantly more likely to be expressed in the cancer group than in the control (benign) group, whatever their cell type. It was also more often found in the tuberculosis group than in the inflammation group ( P < 0.01). In the cancer group, VEGF mRNA was significantly correlated with SP1 mRNA ( P < 0.01). Of the 36 false negative cytology results, 30 gave positive results for VEGF mRNA and 34 for SP1 mRNA. The four false positive VEGF results were all diagnosed as tuberculosis. VEGF mRNA gave the highest diagnostic performance with serial use: sensitivity 89.2% and accuracy 90.3%. This was significantly better than cytology ( P < 0.01). Conclusions Detection of VEGF mRNA and SP1 mRNA in bronchial brushing cells may be used as an ancillary tool to cytological diagnosis for detection of early-stage lung cancer. It may also help distinguish tuberculosis from other causes of lung inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the metallurgical behavior and mechanism of bottom blowing CO2 in ladle furnace (LF), CO2 was introduced in the LF refining process. The kinetics and thermodynamics of bottom blowing CO2 were investigated and several mathematical models for kinetic study were established. Some exploratory industrial experiments have been conducted with different proportion of CO2 in a 70 ton LF. The results indicated that it could lead to a little oxidation of elements in molten steel with the processing of bottom blowing CO2 compared with Ar stirring. The average oxidation amount of C was in the range of 0.3-0.8 kg. The average oxidation amount of Mn was reduced by 0.0067% and the average oxidation of Al was increased by 0.003%, while the mass fraction of FeO was less than 0.5% in the slag hence it could meet requirements of reductive reaction. Mass transfer of CO in bubble interface or chemical reaction was the possible rate-determining step by comparing calculated results with experimental results. Compared with bottom blowing Ar, types and compositions of inclusions have no big change, plus, the equal yield density of inclusions has decreased and the cleanness of steel was improved. Therefore, it is possible to use CO2 in LF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stirring effects and impacting characteristics of conventional and various swirl-type oxygen lances (Swirl angles are 5°, 10°, and 13°, respectively) on the molten pool were studied. The mixing time, impacting depth and impacting diameter were measured by water model experiment. The flow field characteristics of gas-liquid two phase flow were simulated using Fluent software. It is found that 10° swirl-type oxygen lance injection can get the shortest mixing time which is only 47.6 s. The area surrounded by isovelocity is larger in molten pool when injecting by the swirl-type oxygen lance. When injecting by the 10° swirl-type oxygen lance, the area is the largest and the flow velocity of liquid steel is the highest. On this basis, the 10° swirl-type oxygen lance was experimented in 150 t vanadium extraction converter. The experiment shows that the swirl-type oxygen lance can guarantee the normal smelting process. Compared with the conventional oxygen lance, the reduction ratio of vanadium content in semi-steel is 17.8%, vanadium extraction rate is increased by 5.1%, V2O5 grade of vanadium slag is increased by 0.93% and iron loss is reduced. It provides a new technology to improve the recovery of vanadium resources in converter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermostable amylopullulanase (TAPU) is valuable in starch saccharification industry for its capability to catalyze both α-1,4 and α-1,6 glucosidic bonds under the industrial starch liquefication condition. The majority of TAPUs belong to glycoside hydrolase family 57 (GH57). In this study, we performed a phylogenetic analysis of GH57 amylopullulanase (APU) based on the highly conserved DOMON_glucodextranase_like (DDL) domain and classified APUs according to their multidomain architectures, phylogenetic analysis and enzymatic characters. This study revealed that amylopullulanase, pullulanase, andα-amylase had passed through a long joint evolution process, in which DDL played an important role. The phylogenetic analysis of DDL domain showed that the GH57 APU is directly sharing a common ancestor with pullulanase, and the DDL domains in some species undergo evolution scenarios such as domain duplication and recombination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical behavior of baicalin (BA) at an electrochemically activated glassy carbon electrode (GCE) had been investigated in Britton-Robinson (B-R) buffer solution (pH = 2.87) by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). The experimental results suggested that the electrode exhibited an electrocatalytic activity toward the redox of BA. The electron transfer coefficient (α) and the standard rate constant ( ks) of BA at the electrochemically activated glassy carbon electrode were calculated. The reaction mechanism was proposed and discussed in this work. Under the selected conditions, the reduction peak current was linearly dependent on the concentration of BA in the range of 5.0 × 10−8 to 3.0 × 10−6 mol L−1 ( r = 0.9990), with a detection limit of 2.0 × 10−8 mol L−1. The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) for five times successful determination of 1.0 × 10−6 mol L−1 baicalin were 2.9%. The proposed method was also successfully applied for the determination of BA in human blood serum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the analysis of reaction mechanism between CO2 and molten pool elements at the steelmaking temperature, and on the calculation of materials and heat balance during converter steelmaking process with blowing CO2, a new technology which uses CO2-O2 as top gas and CO2 as bottom gas in a converter was proposed and experimented in a 30 t converter. It is found that the new technology is feasible absolutely, the amounts of smoke dust and T-Fe are reduced by 11.15% and 12.98% on average, the contents of nitrogen and phosphorus are decreased by 50% and 23.33% respectively, iron loss of slag is lowered by 3.10% and oxygen consumption is reduced remarkably. This research will provide a new blowing method for BOF steelmaking process, which can save steelmaking energy consumption and reduce smelting cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background and objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of lung-specific X protein (LUNX) mRNA expression in bronchial brushing specimens from patients with lung cancer. Methods: LUNX mRNA levels were assessed by performing RT-PCR on liquid-based cytology bronchial brushing specimens from patients with lung cancer ( n = 104) or benign lung disease ( n = 91). Results: LUNX mRNA expression was significantly more frequent in patients with all carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, adenocarcinomas, as well as patients with central, peripheral and diffuse carcinomas ( P < 0.01), and non-small cell lung carcinomas ( P < 0.05) compared with patients with benign disease. The diagnostic performance of RT-PCR analysis of LUNX mRNA was significantly better than that of cytology in terms of sensitivity (93.3 ± 4.8% vs 64.4 ± 9.2%), negative predictive value (91.6 ± 6.0% vs 71.1 ± 7.9%) and accuracy (88.7 ± 4.4% vs 81.0 ± 5.5%), whereas specificity (83.5 ± 7.6%) and positive predictive value (86.6 ± 6.3%) were lower than those of cytology (100%). Conclusions: Liquid-based cytology and RT-PCR can be performed to detect LUNX mRNA expression in bronchial brushing specimens, and this technique may be a useful adjunct to cytological diagnosis of lung cancer. The sensitivity of the technique was greater than that of cytology but its lower specificity should be taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TAM family members (TYRO3, AXL and MERTK) play essential roles in the resolution of inflammation and in infectious diseases and cancer. AXL, a tyrosine kinase receptor, is commonly overexpressed in several solid tumours and numerous hematopoietic malignancies including acute myeloid leukaemia, acute lymphocytic leukaemia, chronic myeloid leukaemia, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and multiple myeloma. AXL significantly promotes tumour cell migration, invasion and metastasis, as well as angiogenesis. AXL also plays an important role in inflammation and macrophage ontogeny. Recent studies have revealed that AXL contributes to leukaemic phenotypes through activation of oncogenic signalling pathways that lead to increased cell migration and proliferation. To evaluate the mechanisms underlying the role of AXL signalling in tumour metastasis, we screened a phage display library to generate a novel human monoclonal antibody, named DAXL‐88, that recognizes both human and murine AXL. The concentrations of DAXL‐88 required for 50% maximal binding to human and murine AXL were 0.118 and 0.164 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, DAXL‐88 bound to human AXL with high affinity (KD ~ 370 pM). DAXL‐88 blocked the interaction between AXL and its ligand, growth arrest‐specific gene 6 (GAS6), with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 2.16 μg/mL. Moreover, DAXL‐88 inhibited AXL/GAS6‐dependent cell signalling, which is implicated in cell migration and invasion. In conclusion, the novel anti‐AXL DAXL‐88 high‐affinity antibody blocks the interaction between AXL and GAS6 and inhibits tumour cell migration and invasion induced by GAS6. Thus, DAXL‐88 offers promise for the development of targeted therapeutic strategies in solid tumours, leukaemias and other lymphoid neoplasms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new dephosphorization technology with introduction of partial CO2 into O2 is proposed in this paper. Thermodynamic characteristics and dephosphorization mechanism by introduction of CO2 are analyzed and the results show that using CO2 as partial dephosphorization oxidant can change the selective oxidation condition of steelmaking system, control the temperature of bath, strengthen the stirring ability, and finally obtain a high efficiency of dephosphorization. Meanwhile, the relationship between selective oxidation temperature T of C and P, partial pressure of CO gas, slag activity, and compositions of melt is obtained as follows. T=(PCO/P0)0.0401a4CaO·P2O50.0080·exp(−0.0403[%C]−0.0030[%Si]+0.0011[%Mn]+0.3515[%P]+7.3986) Furthermore, dephosphorization trails are carried out in a 30t steelmaking converter and a 300t special dephosphorization converter, respectively. It is concluded that the new technology of injecting CO2–O2 mixture is beneficial to reduce phosphorus content in liquid steel, increase the partition ratio of phosphorus, and reduce iron loss of slag. A new dephosphorization technology with introduction of partial CO2 into O2 is proposed during steelmaking process. Through the an alysis of thermodynamics and kinetics, it is found that CO 2 can participate in dephosphorization, strengthen s tirring ability, and control the bath temperature. Furthermore, industrial experiments are performed in a 30t steelmaking converter and a 300t special dephosphorization converter, respectively, which obtains good dephosphorization results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical equations are presented for the article related to asymmetric synthesis of dihydrocoumarins containing stereogenic centers catalyzed by a cinchona-alkaloid-based bifunctional thiourea derivative by S. Zhang and others, published in the journal "Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis" in 2016.