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Due to its designable nanostructure and simple and inexpensive preparation process, electrospun nanofibers have important applications in energy collection, wearable sports health detection, environmental pollutant detection, pollutant filtration and degradation, and other fields. In recent years, a series of polymer-based fiber materials have been prepared using this method, and detailed research and discussion have been conducted on the material structure and performance factors. This article summarizes the effects of preparation parameters, environmental factors, a combination of other methods, and surface modification of electrospinning on the properties of composite nanofibers. Meanwhile, the effects of different collection devices and electrospinning preparation parameters on material properties were compared. Subsequently, it summarized the material structure design and specific applications in wearable device power supply, energy collection, environmental pollutant sensing, air quality detection, air pollution particle filtration, and environmental pollutant degradation. We aim to review the latest developments in electrospinning applications to inspire new energy collection, detection, and pollutant treatment equipment, and achieve the commercial promotion of polymer fibers in the fields of energy and environment. Finally, we have identified some unresolved issues in the detection and treatment of environmental issues with electrospun polymer fibers and proposed some suggestions and new ideas for these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermospheric neutral density response to the 7–9 September 2017 storms is investigated based on the Swarm satellite observations and the thermosphere‐ionosphere‐electrodynamic general circulation model (TIEGCM) simulation. The Swarm data depicted a prominent interhemispheric asymmetry (IHA) in the afternoon sector during the second storm, a feature that was yet explained. Driven by realistic high‐latitude electric potential and electron precipitation patterns, the TIEGCM is able to reproduce the observed storm‐time neutral density response. The TIEGCM simulation reveals that the differences in the traveling atmospheric disturbances (TADs) is largely responsible for the observed IHA in the neutral mass density response at low and middle latitudes, whereas the difference in mean molecular mass between the two hemispheres may contribute to the IHA in neutral density at higher latitudes. The IHAs in TADs and mean molecular mass are attributed to the IHA in Joule heating dissipation on the night and dawn sides. Plain Language Summary: During geomagnetic storms, thermospheric neutral density can increase drastically due to intense heat inputs. Enhanced neutral density increases the air drag on satellites which could lower their orbits and lead to faster atmosphere reentering of satellites. In addition, enhanced neutral mass density may cause larger uncertainties in orbit prediction which increases the risk of collisions with other space objects. Therefore, it is essential to improve the understanding of storm‐time neutral density variations to improve satellite operations. Recent satellite observations have revealed that thermospheric neutral mass density response can be interhemispherically asymmetric even under equinox conditions when the background density in the two hemispheres is comparable. This paper presents a case study of such an event based on data analysis and numerical simulations to investigate the physical mechanisms behind this intriguing phenomenon. The event took place on 7–9 September 2017 and the most prominent interhemispheric asymmetry of neutral density occurred in the afternoon sector. Our study found that the interhemispheric asymmetry during this event results from the differences in the generation, propagation and interaction of globally propagating atmospheric waves, namely traveling atmospheric disturbances, as well as the difference in mean molecular mass between the northern and southern hemispheres. Key Points: Thermosphere‐ionosphere‐electrodynamic general circulation model captures the observed interhemispheric asymmetry (IHA) in the neutral density response to the 7–9 September 2017 geomagnetic stormsThe IHA in the neutral density response results from the IHA in traveling atmospheric disturbances and mean molecular massThe observed IHA in the neutral density response is not caused by direct Joule heating dissipated at the same local time [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, we introduce new ρ -functional inequalities related to the Jensen functional equation and some properties. The Hyers-Ulam stability of functional inequalities is proved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the technical performance and outcomes of Solitaire and Neuroform stents for treatment of intracranial bifurcation aneurysms (IBAs). Methods: IBAs treated by stent-assisted coiling using a Solitaire or Neuroform stent between October 2010 and December 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. Patient demographics, aneurysm information, treatment technique, periprocedural and device-related complications, parent artery angle change, along with initial and follow-up angiographic results were analyzed. Results: One hundred twenty-one patients with 121 IBAs treated with Solitaire (n = 101) or Neuroform (n = 20) stent-assisted coiling were included. Aneurysm size, thrombotic and hemorrhagic complication rate, initial occlusion rate and in-stent stenosis between the two cohorts were not significantly different. Aneurysm location was significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.032). Jailing technique rate for coiling was significantly higher in the Solitaire than the Neuroform group (70.3% vs. 35.0%, p < 0.01). Follow-up DSA demonstrated a significantly lower recurrence rate for the Solitaire cohort (2.9% vs. 22.2%, p = 0.016). Parent artery angle changes, immediately post-operative and on follow-up were significantly greater in the Solitaire stent group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: For intracranial bifurcation aneurysms, Solitaire stent-assisted coiling achieved a significantly lower recurrence rate and induced more favorable parent artery angular remodeling than Neuroform stenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Commercial sand digging initially created suitable nesting habitats to attract blue-tailed bee-eaters but subsequently reduced their breeding success by destroying their nests. However, commercial sand digging can be modified to create suitable and stable nesting habitats for bee-eaters. The development of human society often interferes with wild animals and their natural habitats. Interference during resource exploitation is mostly negative; however, in some cases, it can be positive and even have significance for some species. In this study, we investigated the number of blue-tailed bee-eaters (Merops philippinus), a species under 'state protection category II' in China, between controlled and manipulated nesting habitats from 2017 to 2022. Our results indicated that commercial sand-digging activities, either illegal or approved, initially created suitable nesting habitats to attract blue-tailed bee-eaters but subsequently led to damage of nests or nesting habitats. However, sand digging can be modified by avoiding the breeding season to provide safe and suitable nesting habitats for bee-eaters. The number of breeding birds more than tripled when digging during the breeding season was avoided. We also found that conventional conservation strategies, which strictly prohibited sand-digging activities, did not contribute to the nesting habitats of bee-eaters. This study enriches the theories of conservation biology and emphasizes the importance of dialectical thinking regarding exploitative and seemingly destructive activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron-based particles loaded on porous carbon materials have attracted extensive attention as catalysts for denitration and desulfurization reactions. However, the carbon support of a high-temperature denitration catalyst is inevitably oxidized in the presence of H2O and O2. The mechanism of denitration catalyst oxidation and its influence on the catalytic reaction remain to be further explored. Fe2O3-loaded graphene models with carbon vacancy (Gdef), hydroxyl (HyG), and carboxyl (CyG) were constructed to investigate the effects of hydroxylation and carboxylation on the catalytic activity of Fe2O3/graphene for oxidative desulfurization and denitration by using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. According to the analysis of structural properties and adsorption energy, the adsorption process of Fe2O3 on HyG and CyG was observed to have proceeded more favorably than that on Gdef. The density-of-states (DOS) results also affirmed that HyG and CyG promote the electron delocalization of Fe2O3 around the Fermi level, enhancing the chemical activity of Fe2O3. Moreover, adsorption energy analysis indicates that hydroxylation and carboxylation enhanced the adsorption of SO2 and H2O2 on Fe2O3/graphene while also maintaining preferable adsorption stability of NO. Furthermore, mechanistic research explains that adsorbed H2O2 on HyG and CyG directly oxidizes NO and SO2 into HNO2 and H2SO4 following a one-step reaction. The results provide a fundamental understanding of the oxidized catalyst on catalytic denitration and desulfurization reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrode selection and its effects are extremely crucial to characterize the electrical properties and understand the colossal permittivity response of CaCu 3 Ti 4 O 12 (CCTO) ceramics. However, the specifical correlation between metal electrode and electrical performances of CCTO ceramics are not clear so far. In this study, we have systematically investigated the effects of metal electrodes (Ag, Au and Pt) on the colossal permittivity response, dielectric loss, nonlinear characteristics and dielectric relaxation behavior of CCTO ceramics prepared via solid-state reaction means. Moreover, the related physical mechanisms of electrode effect on the electrical properties of CCTO ceramics have been analyzed. As a result, it is found that the metal electrode plays a minimal effect on the dielectric constant of CCTO ceramics in low and intermediate frequencies (102–105 Hz), but the Pt-CCTO ceramic presents a reduced dielectric constant in a frequency range of 104–105 Hz due to the relatively weaker grain boundary responses and the lower Schottky barriers between Pt electrode and sample surface. Meanwhile, the dielectric constant of Pt-CCTO ceramics sharply decreases at the high frequencies, which may be attributed to the greater dipole-dominated dielectric relaxation behaviors induced by the Pt electrode. Furthermore, the influence of electrode on dielectric loss is relatively significant, especially at the intermediate and high frequencies under high temperatures. Whereas, the influences of electrode effect on the breakdown electric field strength and nonlinear coefficient of CCTO ceramics are relatively little, as revealed by nonlinear characteristics. Consequently, it is comprehensively considered that the Ag electrode is more suitable to characterize the electrical performances of CCTO ceramics. Our results may provide a guidance to select electrodes and further understand the colossal dielectric mechanism for all the dielectric ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyacrylamide has promising applications in a wide variety of fields. However, conventional polyacrylamide is prone to hydrolysis and thermal degradation under high temperature conditions, resulting in a decrease in solution viscosity with increasing temperature, which limits its practical effect. Herein, combining molecular dynamics and practical experiments, we explored a facile and fast mixing strategy to enhance the thermal stability of polyacrylamide by adding common poloxamers to form the interpenetrating network hydrogel. The blending model of three synthetic polyacrylamides (cationic, anionic, and nonionic) and poloxamers was first established, and then the interaction process between them was simulated by all-atom molecular dynamics. In the results, it was found that the hydrogen bonding between the amide groups on all polymers and the oxygen-containing groups (ether and hydroxyl groups) on poloxamers is very strong, which may be the key to improve the high temperature resistance of the hydrogel. Subsequent rheological tests also showed that poloxamers can indeed significantly improve the stability and viscosity of nonionic polyacrylamide containing only amide groups at high temperatures and can maintain a high viscosity of 3550 mPa·S at 80 °C. Transmission electron microscopy further showed that the nonionic polyacrylamide/poloxamer mixture further formed an interpenetrating network structure. In addition, the Fourier transform infrared test also proved the existence of strong hydrogen bonding between the two polymers. This work provides a useful idea for improving the properties of polyacrylamide, especially for the design of high temperature materials for physical blending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a widely used anticonvulsant drug that has been detected in aquatic environments. This study investigated the toxicity of its by-products (CBZ-BPs), which may surpass CBZ. Unlike the previous studies, this study offered a more systematic approach to identifying toxic BPs and inferring degradation pathways. Furthermore, quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to analyze CBZ-BP structures and degradation pathways. Evaluation of total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) mineralization rates, revealed carbon (C) greater susceptibility to mineralization compared with nitrogen (N). Furthermore, three rules were established for CBZ decarbonization and N removal during degradation, observing the transformation of aromatic compounds into aliphatic hydrocarbons and stable N-containing organic matter over time. Five potentially highly toxic BPs were screened from 14 identified BPs, with toxicity predictions guiding the selection of commercial standards for quantification and true toxicity testing. Additionally, BP207 emerged as the most toxic, supported by the predictive toxicity accumulation model (PTAM). Notably, highly toxic BPs feature an acridine structure, indicating its significant contribution to toxicity. These findings offered valuable insights into the degradation mechanisms of emerging contaminants and the biosafety of aquatic environments during deep oxidation. [Display omitted] • The rules of CBZ decarbonization and nitrogen removal during UV/H 2 O 2 were deduced. • Key by-products were quantified on concentration and toxicity. • Acridine structure was the main toxic contributor. • Carbon was more likely to be mineralized than nitrogen during degradation. • The degradation pathways were obtained by combing N-transformation and DFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, laser processing technology is being used more and more in various fields, and the requirements for laser control procedures are getting higher and higher. This paper aims to study the path generation problem of laser marking technology in order to improve the efficiency of laser marking as well as the protection of the marking material. Therefore, we creatively propose two-path generation methods, namely, sawtooth parallel and contour parallel, and design the boundary curve offset algorithm and domain partition intersection algorithm for the computer simulation of the two marking paths, respectively. Through the simulation, we discussed the efficiency and marking quality of the two path generation methods and gave the conclusion that the efficiency of the sawtooth parallel path generation method is greater than that of the contour parallel path generation method under specific parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The small brown planthopper, Laodelphax striatellus (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), is an efficient vector of several economically important plant viruses. In this study, a novel reovirus-like virus was identified in L. striatellus , named Laodelphax striatellus reovirus (LSRV). The complete genome of LSRV was 28,207 nt, comprising of ten segments encoded 11 deduced proteins. All genome segments were conserved with AGUAA at the 5′-terminal and GUUGUC at 3′-terminal and segment-specific inverted terminal repeats. In addition, genomic characteristics and phylogenetic analysis suggested that LSRV was a new member of genus Fijivirus. Importantly, LSRV was widely distributed in various tissues and highest expressed in adult heads. However, LSRV was unable to horizontal replication in rice plants. Moreover, typical profiles of LSRV-derived small interfering RNAs indicated host antiviral RNA interference pathway was involved in LSRV infection. In conclusion, LSRV may be considered as a new species of the genus Fijivirus in the order Reovirales. • A novel reovirus-like virus with complete sequence identified in L. striatellus. • Laodelphax striatellus reovirus as a new species of genus Fijivirus in Reovirales. • Widely distribution in various tissues and highly expression in adult heads. • Laodelphax striatellus reovirus failed to horizontal replication in rice plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To adapt to the complex application of polyurethane bearings, it is feasible to improve the tribological performance of single polyurethane-based friction materials through the synergistic effect produced by multi-component-lubricating fillers. In this context, rather than using tungsten disulfide (WS2), which has demonstrated excellent self-lubricating performance as a lubricating oil additive, this paper proposes that WS2 and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) can be designed for addition into a polyether 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) polyurethane matrix as self-lubricating fillers so as to explore the synergistic effect of micro- and nano-lubricating fillers on the tribological performance of polyurethane matrix materials. Through a series of characterizations and tests, it was found that the dispersion of two-component-lubricating additives in a polyurethane matrix is improved when the ratio of WS2 to SWNTs is roughly 2:1. In this case, the tribological performance of polyurethane matrix composites is more satisfactory than at other ratios. In addition, compared with the blank sample, the tribological performance of the synergistically modified polyurethane composites under dry friction is more significantly improved with the increase in contact load, while there is no significant improvement under water lubrication. Aside from contributing to the idea of exploring the synergistic effect of WS2 and other micro or nanofillers, this method also opens up the possibility of practically applying WS2 in the field of friction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge Distillation (KD) has shown great promise in improving the performance of tiny neural networks. Most existing KD methods have the large teacher–student discrepancy, thus, students hardly learn useful knowledge and may not achieve effective distillation. In this paper, we focus on the construction and training of homogeneous teachers and propose the novel Buffer Knowledge Distillation (BKD), which reduces the teacher–student discrepancy in terms of network architecture and distilled knowledge. Particularly, we first construct a series of homogeneous networks with larger capacity based on the student. A width-by-width fine-tuning mechanism is developed to reduce training costs of homogeneous networks, and the one with the highest accuracy is selected as the teacher. Furthermore, we propose BKD to reduce the learning difficulty, in which teacher and student features are fused into buffer features by our new multi-scale feature fusion module. Extensive experiments for image classification have been conducted to verify the homogeneous teacher based BKD, which consistently outperforms many existing KD methods. The results show that our method achieves up to 4.75% accuracy improvement on CIFAR-100, and the width-by-width fine-tuning mechanism incurs 33.58% and 36.08% less training time on CIFAR-100 and CIFAR-10, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce NOx (nitrogen oxide) emissions from fossil fuel and biomass-fired power plants, online prediction of NOx emissions is important in the plant operation. Data-driven models have been developed to predict NOx emissions from various combustion processes with good accuracy. However, such models have initially been built based on known combustion conditions, which are historically “seen”. For new conditions, which are “unseen”, these models usually perform unwell. In this study, an online deep learning (ODL) model is proposed to predict NOx emissions from an oxy-biomass combustion process for “seen” and “unseen” combustion conditions based on source deep learning and condition recognition models. The ODL model is mainly built based on “unseen” combustion conditions. A new objective function that consists of regression loss and distillation loss is introduced in the ODL model to improve the prediction accuracy. The ODL model is examined using boiler operation data, flame temperature maps, and NOx data obtained under a range of oxy-biomass combustion conditions on an Oxy-Fuel Combustion Test Facility. Flame images acquired using a dedicated imaging system are used for computing the temperature distribution of the flame through two-color pyrometry. The results demonstrate that the proposed model is capable of predicting NOx emissions under “seen” and “unseen” conditions with a mean absolute percentage error of less than 3%, for the first, second, and third updates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple myeloma (MM) is one of the most common types of hematologic malignancy for which the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unclear. Dysregulated miRNA expression has been shown to be involved in MM tumorigenesis, progression and drug response. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis based on miRNA-level integrated strategy was performed. This study aimed to elucidate key miRNA signatures and pathways in MM by integrated bioinformatics analysis. Expression profiles GSE24371, GSE49261 and GSE54156 were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMirs) with p < 0.05 were identified. The target genes of these DEMirs were obtained from ENCORI database, and functional enrichment, subpathway enrichment and protein–protein interaction network construction were performed. The key target genes were identified by random walk algorithm and survival verification was performed. and discussion: First, six up-regulated and four down-regulated DEMirs shared between any two GSE data sets were identified. Second, target genes (DEMirTGs) by up-regulated and down-regulated DEMirs were obtained. Functional and subpathway enrichment analysis showed that these up-regulated DEMirs are consistently involved in the Wnt signaling pathway. Moreover, enrichment of the down-regulated DEMirs is mainly in the MAPK signaling pathway. Finally, a protein–protein interaction sub-network for these DEMirTGs was constructed, the correlations between the two key genes were identified and survival in MM was evaluated using multiple independent data sets. We identified miRNA signatures and key target genes that were closely related to MM biology, and these genes might serve as potential therapeutic targets for MM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superior performance of machine-learning scoring functions for docking has caused a series of debates on whether it is due to learning knowledge from training data that are similar in some sense to the test data. With a systematically revised methodology and a blind benchmark realistically mimicking the process of prospective prediction of binding affinity, we have evaluated three broadly used classical scoring functions and five machine-learning counterparts calibrated with both random forest and extreme gradient boosting using both solo and hybrid features, showing for the first time that machine-learning scoring functions trained exclusively on a proportion of as low as 8% complexes dissimilar to the test set already outperform classical scoring functions, a percentage that is far lower than what has been recently reported on all the three CASF benchmarks. The performance of machine-learning scoring functions is underestimated due to the absence of similar samples in some artificially created training sets that discard the full spectrum of complexes to be found in a prospective environment. Given the inevitability of any degree of similarity contained in a large dataset, the criteria for scoring function selection depend on which one can make the best use of all available materials. Software code and data are provided at https://github.com/cusdulab/MLSF for interested readers to rapidly rebuild the scoring functions and reproduce our results, even to make extended analyses on their own benchmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regulation of cardiomyocyte differentiation is a fundamental aspect of cardiac development and regenerative medicine. PTEN plays important roles during embryonic development. However, its role in cardiomyocyte differentiation remains unknown. In this study, a low‐cost protocol for cardiomyocyte differentiation from mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) is presented and it is shown that Pten deletion potently suppresses cardiomyocyte differentiation. Transcriptome analysis shows that the expression of a series of cardiomyocyte marker genes is downregulated in Pten−/− cardiomyocytes. Pten ablation induces Dnmt3b expression via the AKT/FoxO3a pathway and regulates the expression of a series of imprinted genes, including Igf2. Double knockout of Dnmt3l and Dnmt3b rescues the deficiency of cardiomyocyte differentiation of Pten−/− ESCs. The DNA methylomes from wild‐type and Pten−/− embryoid bodies and cardiomyocytes are analyzed by whole‐genome bisulfite sequencing. Pten deletion significantly promotes the non‐CG (CHG and CHH) methylation levels of genomic DNA during cardiomyocyte differentiation, and the non‐CG methylation levels of cardiomyocyte genes and Igf2 are increased in Pten−/− cardiomyocytes. Igf2 or Igf1r deletion also suppresses cardiomyocyte differentiation through the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway, and IGF2 supplementation partially rescues the cardiomyocyte differentiation. Finally, Pten conditional knockout mice are generated and the role of PTEN in cardiomyocyte differentiation is verified in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Insect-specific viruses (ISVs) are increasingly recognised for their role in causing severe illnesses and mortality in both humans and animals. In this study, the full genome of ISV (Rice thrips ollusvirus 1, RTOV1) was revealed in rice thrips using metatranscriptome sequencing, RT-PCR, and RACE, respectively. RTOV1 has a typical linear G-N-L genome structure of the order Jingchuvirales. Phylogenetic analysis categorised this virus as an Ollusvirus. The infection of host insects with RTOV1 triggered antiviral RNA interference (RNAi), resulting in a significant accumulation of 22-nt virus-derived small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs), with a notable bias towards the A/U content. Our study provides valuable information on ISVs in thrips that may be useful for pest management. Insects constitute the largest proportion of animals on Earth and act as significant reservoirs and vectors in disease transmission. Rice thrips (Haplothrips aculeatus, family Phlaeothripidae) are one of the most common pests in agriculture. In this study, the full genome sequence of a novel Ollusvirus, provisionally named "Rice thrips ollusvirus 1" (RTOV1), was elucidated using transcriptome sequencing and the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). A homology search and phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that the newly identified virus is a member of the family Aliusviridae (order Jingchuvirales). The genome of RTOV1 contains four predicted open reading frames (ORFs), including a polymerase protein (L, 7590 nt), a glycoprotein (G, 4206 nt), a nucleocapsid protein (N, 2415 nt) and a small protein of unknown function (291 nt). All of the ORFs are encoded by the complementary genome, suggesting that the virus is a negative-stranded RNA virus. Phylogenetic analysis using polymerase sequences suggested that RTOV1 was closely related to ollusvirus 1. Deep small RNA sequencing analysis reveals a significant accumulation of small RNAs derived from RTOV1, indicating that the virus replicated in the insect. According to our understanding, this is the first report of an Ollusvirus identified in a member of the insect family Phlaeothripidae. The characterisation and discovery of RTOV1 is a significant contribution to the understanding of Ollusvirus diversity in insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gait analysis has been widely used to examine the behavioral presentation of numerous neurological disorders. Thorough murine model evaluation of the subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)‐associated gait deficits is missing. This study measures gait deficits using a clinically relevant murine model of SAH to examine associations between gait variability and SAH‐associated gene expressions. A total of 159 dynamic and static gait parameters from the endovascular perforation murine model for simulating clinical human SAH were determined using the CatWalk system. Eighty gait parameters and the mRNA expression levels of 35 of the 88 SAH‐associated genes were differentially regulated in the diseased models. Totals of 42 and 38 gait parameters correlated with the 35 SAH‐associated genes positively and negatively with Pearson's correlation coefficients of >0.7 and <−0.7, respectively. p‐SP1453 expression in the motor cortex in SAH animal models displays a significant correlation with a subset of gait parameters associated with muscular strength and coordination of limb movements. Our data highlights a strong correlation between gait variability and SAH‐associated gene expression. p‐SP1453 expression could act as a biomarker to monitor SAH pathological development and a therapeutic target for SAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling of oceanic lithosphere and serpentinized peridotites into the mantle leads to dehydration melting and volcanic arcs. However, the mechanism of the occurrence of long‐term volcanic gap in subduction zones remains poorly understood. Two‐dimensional thermomechanical numerical models focusing on resisting the transport of the major hosts of hydrous minerals to mantle depths, show that thin oceanic crust together with rheologically weak and buoyant serpentinized mantle could result in hydrated lithologies piling up in the accretionary wedge and no or sparse occurrence of arc magmatism. This scenario may occur during subduction of oceanic lithosphere formed at (ultra)slow‐spreading margins characterized by thin crust and extensive mantle serpentinization, which is a plausible explanation for the "arc gaps" in the Alps and southern Tibet. Plain Language Summary: Volcanic arcs in subduction zones are widespread and are mainly attributed to slab dehydration and subsequent mantle hydrous melting. However, the magmatic history of the Alps and southern Tibet is characterized by two periods of "arc gap" (i.e., no volcanism) that lasted for 40–50 Myr and 10–30 Myr, respectively, with no or only very sparse magmatism and simultaneous exhumation of serpentinized mantle slivers. Our numerical models indicate that thin oceanic crust, such as that formed at (ultra)slow‐spreading centers, together with an extensively serpentinized lithosphere facilitates the removal of the subducting crust at shallow depths resulting in limited arc magmatism. Key Points: The influence of abyssal and slab‐bending serpentinites on magmatism in subduction zones are numerically investigatedAmagmatic subduction zones may occur where abyssal serpentinites are abundantModel results can explain sparse magmatism during subduction in the Alps and southern Tibet [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract An efficient and scalable method to improve the capacitive properties of MnO 2 is reported by inducing graphene (rGO) and oxygen vacancies via a thermal treatment in air, in which graphene oxide (GO) is in situ reduced and graphene/MnO x (rGO/MnO x) composite without oxygen vacancies-induced phase transformation is formed. RGO/MnO x composite exhibits a large specific capacitance (274 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1), excellent cycling stability (98.8% after 5000 cycles at 1 A g−1) and rate performance (171 F g−1 at 10 A g−1). The performance improvement of rGO/MnO x sample is mainly attributed to the moderate concentration of oxygen vacancies, rGO and special 3D porous architecture, which facilitate the rapid ionic and electronic transport and promote a facile redox reaction and surface double-layer capacitance. The asymmetric supercapacitor composed of rGO/MnO x //Kochen Black (KB) also shows an outstanding cyclic stability (89% after 5000 cycles) in all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor. The design and synthesis method of rGO/MnO x sample offers a promising approach to broaden MnO 2 -based electrode materials for a new-generation energy storage device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many persistent transmitted plant viruses, including rice stripe virus (RSV), cause serious damage to crop production worldwide. Although many reports have indicated that a successful insect-mediated virus transmission depends on a proper interaction between the virus and its insect vector, the mechanism(s) controlling this interaction remained poorly understood. In this study, we used RSV and its small brown planthopper (SBPH) vector as a working model to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the entrance of RSV virions into SBPH midgut cells for virus circulative and propagative transmission. We have determined that this non-enveloped tenuivirus uses its non-structural glycoprotein NSvc2 as a helper component to overcome the midgut barrier(s) for RSV replication and transmission. In the absence of this glycoprotein, purified RSV virions were unable to enter SBPH midgut cells. In the RSV-infected cells, this glycoprotein was processed into two mature proteins: an amino-terminal protein (NSvc2-N) and a carboxyl-terminal protein (NSvc2-C). Both NSvc2-N and NSvc2-C interact with RSV virions. Our results showed that the NSvc2-N could bind directly to the surface of midgut lumen via its N-glycosylation sites. Upon recognition, the midgut cells underwent endocytosis followed by compartmentalization of RSV virions and NSvc2 into early and then late endosomes. The NSvc2-C triggered cell membrane fusion via its highly conserved fusion loop motifs under the acidic condition inside the late endosomes, leading to the release of RSV virions from endosomes into cytosol. In summary, our results showed for the first time that a rice tenuivirus utilized its glycoprotein NSvc2 as a helper component to ensure a proper interaction between its virions and SBPH midgut cells for its circulative and propagative transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equine hepacivirus (EqHV), equine pegivirus (EPgV) and Theiler’s disease-associated virus (TDAV) are three novel equine viruses in the family Flaviviridae. EqHV and EPgV have been identified to circulate in the equine population worldwide, whereas TDAV has not been detected in equines since the first reported case. To date, no studies have focused on investigating EqHV, EPgV and TDAV in commercial equine sera or equine blood products in China. Considering the potential threat of EqHV, EPgV and TDAV to biosecurity and considering their possible influences on research results, equine sera for cell culture propagation and pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) were purchased from different companies in China and investigated for EqHV, EPgV and TDAV in this study. By performing nested PCR or two rounds of PCR targeting the viral NS3 gene, four serum samples were confirmed to be EqHV-, EPgV-, or TDAV-RNA positive; all of the PMSG samples were negative for these three viruses. Subsequent sequencing results indicated that the serum samples contained multiple viral variants of EqHV, EPgV or TDAV, and a genetic analysis based on the partial NS3 gene of the three equine viruses was performed. Our study is the first to confirm the presence of EqHV, EPgV and TDAV in equine sera for cell culture propagation that is commercially available in China and provides the first demonstration of the presence of TDAV in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organometal halide perovskite as a promising absorber in solar cells has caught tremendous attention in the past few years. Herein, a hydrophobic PCBM layer was introduced into planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells to form the TiO2/PCBM double blocking layer. The bilayer structure assures the formation of a dense, smooth, and pinhole-free blocking layer. And the PCBM layer can also be in favor of larger grain size perovskite film and further passivate the TiO2 blocking layer. Scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results suggest the formation of a uniform and compact CH3NH3PbI3−xClx perovskite layer on the PCBM-modified TiO2 blocking layer. The solar cell has reached a PCE up to 16.37%, which is greatly larger than the control device with a PCE of 10.81%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Micro RNAs (mi RNAs) are considered as the cellular regulators which post-transcriptionally modulate gene expression in diverse biological processes including cell development and immunity. In this study, we investigated functions of miR-181d in dendritic cells ( DCs) maturation, and the underlying mechanisms were also explored. Materials and methods Here we did the mi RNA screening in human DCs in response to lipopolysaccharides ( LPS) by quantitative real-time PCR ( qRT- PCR). The expressions of DCs maturation markers were measured after mi RNA mimics transfections. The pharmacological inhibitors of signalling pathways were applied to examine miR-181d effect on DCs maturation by Western blot. Luciferase assay and mixed lymphocyte reaction ( MLR) were also performed to reveal the target gene of miR-181d and test the viability of T cells treated with miR-181d transfected DCs. Results Overexpression of miR-181d per se is sufficient to promote DCs maturation, and up-regulate CD80 and CD83 expressions without LPS. Besides, we showed that miR-181d activated NF-κB pathway and also promoted the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL12 and TNF-α. Inhibition of NF-κB pathway suppressed DCs maturation. Luciferase reporter assay and target gene knockdown assay indicated that miR-181d targets regulator cylindromatosis ( CYLD), a primary negative regulator of NF-κB pathway. MLR assay showed that miR-181d-transfected DCs could promote T-cell proliferation than iDCs in vitro. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that miR-181d is required for DCs maturation through the activation of NF-κB pathway by targeting CYLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane concentrates (MCs) are generated when membranes are used to concentrate landfill leachate. It contains high concentrations of inorganic and organic environmental pollutants, which are highly toxic and carcinogenic. In this paper, the proliferation effect (PE) from MC before and after treatment with the UV-Fenton process was assessed using the human breast carcinoma cell line MCF-7. The highest value of 116% was found at 5% (v/v) concentration after a 10 min reaction. Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) play an important role in the MC estrogenicity. Estrogen simulation solutions (ESS) of PAEs were prepared to simulate the changes in estrogenic active substances during the UV-Fenton process. The ESS degradation conformed to the first-order kinetics model. The estrogenicity decreased after an initial increase until it acted in a non-estrogenic manner. Convincingly, the intermediates were determined by GC/MS, and the estrogenicity was assessed during the degradation process. The estrogenicity was highly related to the generation of intermediates and the PAE concentration. The results provide guidance for UV-Fenton application in MC estrogenicity reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ion channels regulate a variety of physiological processes and represent an important class of drug target. Among the many methods of studying ion channel function, patch clamp electrophysiology is considered the gold standard by providing the ultimate precision and flexibility. However, its utility in ion channel drug discovery is impeded by low throughput. Additionally, characterization of endogenous ion channels in primary cells remains technical challenging. In recent years, many automated patch clamp (APC) platforms have been developed to overcome these challenges, albeit with varying throughput, data quality and success rate. In this study, we utilized SyncroPatch 768PE, one of the latest generation APC platforms which conducts parallel recording from two-384 modules with giga-seal data quality, to push these 2 boundaries. By optimizing various cell patching parameters and a two-step voltage protocol, we developed a high throughput APC assay for the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.7. By testing a group of Nav1.7 reference compounds’ IC50, this assay was proved to be highly consistent with manual patch clamp (R > 0.9). In a pilot screening of 10,000 compounds, the success rate, defined by > 500 MΩ seal resistance and >500 pA peak current, was 79%. The assay was robust with daily throughput ~ 6,000 data points and Z’ factor 0.72. Using the same platform, we also successfully recorded endogenous voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.3 in primary T cells. Together, our data suggest that SyncroPatch 768PE provides a powerful platform for ion channel research and drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental investigations into the combustion behaviors of single pulverized coal particles are carried out based on high-speed imaging and image processing techniques. A high-speed video camera is employed to acquire the images of coal particles during their residence time in a visual drop tube furnace. Computer algorithms are developed to determine the characteristic parameters of the particles from the images extracted from the videos obtained. The parameters are used to quantify the combustion behaviors of the burning particle in terms of its size, shape, surface roughness, rotation frequency and luminosity. Two sets of samples of the same coal with different particle sizes are studied using the techniques developed. Experimental results show that the coal with different particle sizes exhibits distinctly different combustion behaviors. In particular, for the large coal particle (150–212 μm), the combustion of volatiles and char takes place sequentially with clear fragmentation at the early stage of the char combustion. For the small coal particle (106–150 μm), however, the combustion of volatiles and char occurs simultaneously with no clear fragmentation. The size of the two burning particles shows a decreasing trend with periodic variation attributed to the rapid rotations of the particles. The small particle rotates at a frequency of around 30 Hz, in comparison to 20 Hz for the large particle due to a greater combustion rate. The luminous intensity of the large particle shows two peaks, which is attributed to the sequential combustion of volatiles and char. The luminous intensity of the small particle illustrates a monotonously decreasing trend, suggesting again a simultaneous devolatilization/volatile and char combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice stripe tenuivirus (RSV) is a filamentous, negative-strand RNA virus causing severe diseases on rice in Asian countries. The viral particle is composed predominantly of a nucleocapsid protein (NP) and genomic RNA. However, the molecular details of how the RSV NP interacts with genomic RNA during particle assembly remain largely unknown. Here, we modeled the NP-RNA complex and show that polar amino acids within a predicted groove of NP are critical for RNA binding and protecting the RNA from RNase digestion. RSV NP formed pentamers, hexamers, heptamers, and octamers. By modeling the higher-order structures, we found that oligomer formation was driven by the N-terminal amino arm of the NP. Deletion of this arm abolished oligomerization; the N-terminally truncated NP was less able to interact with RNA and protect RNA than was the wild type. These findings afford valuable new insights into molecular mechanism of RSV NPs interacting with genomic RNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma is a common malignant brain tumor and it is refractory to therapy because it usually contains a mixture of cell types. The tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) has been shown to induce apoptosis in a range of tumor cell types. Previously, we found that two human glioblastoma cell lines are resistant to TRAIL, while lovastatin sensitizes these glioblastoma cells to TRAIL-induced cell death. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the TRAIL-induced apoptosis in human glioblastoma cell lines by lovastatin. Furthermore, we have confirmed the anti-tumor effect of combination therapy with lovastatin and TRAIL in the subcutaneous brain tumor model. We showed that lovastatin significantly up-regulated the expression of death receptor 5 (DR5) in glioblastoma cell lines as well as in tumor-bearing mice with peri-tumoral administration of lovastatin. Further study in glioblastoma cell lines suggested that lovastatin treatment could inhibit NF-κB and Erk/MAPK pathways but activates JNK pathway. These results suggest that lovastatin sensitizes TRAIL-induced apoptosis by up-regulation of DR5 level via NF-κB inactivation, but also directly induces apoptosis by dysregulation of MAPK pathway. Our in vivo study showed that local peri-tumoral co-injection of lovastatin and TRAIL substantially reduced tumor growth compared with single injection of lovastatin or TRAIL in subcutaneous nude mice model. This study suggests that combined treatment of lovastatin and TRAIL is a promising therapeutic strategy to TRAIL-resistant glioblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-standing porous carbon nanofiber networks (CFNs) were synthesized by electrospinning method and carbonization procedure. We study the implementation of porous CFNs as supercapacitor electrodes and electrochemical measurements demonstrated that porous CFNs exhibit a specific capacitance (205 F/g at the scan rate of 5 mV/s) with high flexibility and good rate capability performance (more than 70% of its initial capacitance from 5 mV/s to 200 mV/s). Furthermore, porous CFNs exhibited an excellent cycling stability (just 12% capacitance loss after 10,000 cycles). These results suggest that porous CFNs are very promising candidates as flexible supercapacitor electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2012, three viruses, known as equine hepacivirus (EqHV), equine pegivirus (EPgV) and Theiler’s disease-associated virus (TDAV), have been discovered in equines. Given that these viruses are the newest members of the Flaviviridae family, genomic information concerning circulating EqHV, EPgV and TDAV strains around the world is limited. To date, no genetic surveillance studies have been performed on these three viruses in the equine population of China. Here, a total of 177 serum samples were collected from equines across China between 2014 and 2015. Using PCR, we detected viral RNA in the serum samples, six of which were EqHV positive and two of which were EPgV positive. Co-infection with the two viruses was not observed among the Chinese equines studied, and TDAV RNA was not detected in the equine serum samples collected for this study. Phylogenetic analysis of partial NS5B open reading frame (ORF), NS3 ORF, and 5’ untranslated region nucleotide sequences from EqHV as well as partial NS3 ORF sequence from EPgV indicated that EqHV and EPgV have evolved into two main clades by themselves, both of which are circulating in China. Based on the partial NS5B and NS3 ORF sequences of EqHV, the sequences of one clade were also split into two subclades. This study enriches our knowledge of the geographic distribution of these three equine viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper experimentally investigates two generalized methods, i.e., a simple universal index and oscillation frequency, for the quantitative assessment of flame stability at fossil-fuel-fired furnaces. The index is proposed to assess the stability of flame in terms of its color, geometry, and luminance. It is designed by combining up to seven characteristic parameters extracted from flame images. The oscillation frequency is derived from the spectral analysis of flame radiation signals. The measurements involved in these two methods do not require prior knowledge about fuel property, burner type, and other operation conditions. They can therefore be easily applied to flame stability assessment without costly and complex adaption. Experiments were carried out on a 9-MW heavy-oil-fired combustion test rig over a wide range of combustion conditions including variations in swirl vane position of the tertiary air, swirl vane position of the secondary air, and the ratio of the primary air to the total air. The impact of these burner parameters on the stability of heavy oil flames is investigated by using the index and oscillation frequency proposed. The experimental results obtained demonstrate the effectiveness of the methods and the importance of maintaining a stable flame for reduced NOx emissions. It is envisaged that such methods can be easily transferred to existing flame closed-circuit television systems and flame failure detectors in power stations for flame stability monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a method for the prediction of NOx emissions in a biomass combustion process through the combination of flame radical imaging, contourlet transform and Zernike moment (CTZM), and least squares support vector regression (LS-SVR) modeling. A novel feature extraction technique based on the CTZM algorithm is developed. The contourlet transform provides the multiscale decomposition for flame radical images and the selected operator based on Zernike moments is designed to provide the well-defined structure for the images. The resulted image features are a variable structure, which is originated from the CTZM. Finally, the variable features of the images of four flame radicals (OH*, CN*, CH*, and \textC^\ast 2 ) are defined. The relationship between the variable features of radical images and NOx emissions is established through radial basis function network modeling, SVR modeling, and the LS-SVR modeling. A comparison between the three modeling approaches shows that the LS-SVR model outperforms the other two methods in terms of root-mean-square error and mean relative error criteria. In addition, the structure of the image features has a significant impact on the performance of the prediction models. The test results obtained on a biomass-gas fired test rig show the effectiveness of the proposed technical approach for the prediction of NOx emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As energy has become one of the key operating costs in running a data center and power waste commonly exists, it is essential to reduce energy inefficiency inside data centers. In this paper, we develop an innovative framework, called PowerTracer, for diagnosing energy inefficiency and saving power. Inside the framework, we first present a resource tracing method based on request tracing in multi-tier services of black boxes. Then, we propose a generalized methodology of applying a request tracing approach for energy inefficiency diagnosis and power saving in multi-tier service systems. With insights into service performance and resource consumption of individual requests, we develop (1) a bottleneck diagnosis tool that pinpoints the root causes of energy inefficiency, and (2) a power saving method that enables dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) with online request tracing. We implement a prototype of PowerTracer, and conduct extensive experiments to validate its effectiveness. Our tool analyzes several state-of-the-practice and state-of-the-art DVFS control policies and uncovers existing energy inefficiencies. Meanwhile, the experimental results demonstrate that PowerTracer outperforms its peers in power saving. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We recently reported that the PPM1l gene encodes an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane targeted protein phosphatase (named PP2Ce) with highly specific activity towards Inositol-requiring protein-1 (IRE1) and regulates the functional outcome of ER stress. In the present report, we found that the PP2Ce protein is highly expressed in lactating epithelium of the mammary gland. Loss of PP2Ce in vivo impairs physiological unfolded protein response (UPR) and induces stress kinase activation, resulting in loss of milk production and induction of epithelial apoptosis in the lactating mammary gland. This study provides the first in vivo evidence that PP2Ce is an essential regulator of normal lactation, possibly involving IRE1 signaling and ER stress regulation in mammary epithelium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oncoproteins and tumor suppressors antagonistically converge on critical nodes governing neoplastic growth, invasion, and metastasis. We discovered that phosphorylation of the ETS1 and ETS2 transcriptional oncoproteins at specific serine or threonine residues creates binding sites for the COP1 tumor suppressor protein, which is an ubiquitin ligase component, leading to their destruction. In the case of ETS1, however, phosphorylation of a neighboring tyrosine residue by Src family kinases disrupts COP1 binding, thereby stabilizing ETS1. Src-dependent accumulation of ETS1 in breast cancer cells promotes anchorage-independent growth in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. These findings expand the list of potential COP1 substrates to include proteins whose COP1-binding sites are subject to regulatory phosphorylation and provide insights into transformation by Src family kinases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acid (AA) analysis is important in biochemistry, food science, and clinical medicine. However, due to intrinsic limitations, AAs usually require derivatization to improve their separation and determination. Here, we present a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method for the derivatization of AAs using the simple agent urea. The reactions proceed quantitatively under a wide range of conditions without any pretreatment steps. Urea-derivatized products (carbamoyl amino acids) of 20 AAs exhibit better separation on reversed-phase columns and increased response in a UV detector compared to underivatized ones. We applied this approach to AA analysis in complex samples using a cell culture media as a model, and it showed potential for the determination of oligopeptides. This fast, simple, and inexpensive method should be useful for AA analysis in complex samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The molecular-gated unidirectional actuator is driven by temperature and humidity. • This actuator protects customers from environmental stress as well as early warning. • LBL self-assembly realizes functionalization and engineering of protective devices. • The credible tolerance of actuators depend on the outstanding self-healing capacity. More attention has paid to health events caused by the epidemic and harmful interferences where personal protective equipment (PPE) become of vital importance. Traditional protection can only provide limited defenses. Thus, comprehensive PPE tailored with more practical performances and more facile routines gets highly desirable. However, functional integrations and engineering implementations of such PPE remain challenging. Herein, a dual ambiences-driven molecular gating-based unidirectional actuator for multi-mode personal protection is designed. To fabricate this Janus actuating film, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) were deposited as a thermal-sensitive side while alginate, 2-hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol and poly-dopamine nanoparticles were overlaid onto the other for humidity response via layer-by-layer self-assembling. As a result, p leasurable humidity/temperarure management (55%/33 ℃ against adverse conditions), r espiratory detection (responsive signal to exhaled air), o il repellent for anti-bacterial-adhesion (antibacterial rate > 92.2%), t ransparent visual-monitoring hazardous compounds (opaque to transparency: 0 ∼ 85.3%), e lectromagnetic shielding (>15 dB), c redible- t olerance of damage (self-healing efficiency > 91.7%) were integrated into a single actuator (PROTECT actuator). Our PROTECT actuator could protect customers from environmental stress as well as early warning. This strategy opens a new era of novel custom-tailorable and easy-to-obtain protection devices, especially noncontact-perception systems and all-round defensive setups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galectin-2 is a prototype member of the galactoside-binding galectin family. It is predominately expressed in the gastrointestinal tract but is also detected in several other tissues such as the placenta and in the cardiovascular system. Galectin-2 expression and secretion by epithelial cells has been reported to contribute to the strength of the mucus layer, protect the integrity of epithelia. A number of studies have also suggested the involvement of galectin-2 in tissue inflammation, immune response and cell apoptosis. Alteration of galectin-2 expression occurs in inflammatory bowel disease, coronary artery diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and pregnancy disorders and has been shown to be involved in disease pathogenesis. This review discusses our current understanding of the role and actions of galectin-2 in regulation of these pathophysiological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: C1GalT1 is one of the enzymes that catalyze the addition of sugar residues to proteins (protein glycosylation). It specifically controls the synthesis and formation of a special disaccharide structure Galβ1,3GalNAcα-, which occurs predominately in cancer but rarely in normal cells. Recent studies have shown that C1GalT1 is overexpressed in many common cancers including colon, breast, gastric, lung, head and neck, pancreatic, esophageal, prostate, and hepatocellular cancer. C1GalT1 overexpression is also often associated with poorer prognosis and poorer patient survival. This review summarizes our current understanding of the expression of C1GalT1 in various cancers and discusses the impact of C1GalT change on cancer cell activities in cancer development and progression. C1GalT1 (T-synthase) is one of the key glycosyltransferases in the biosynthesis of O-linked mucin-type glycans of glycoproteins. It controls the formation of Core-1 disaccharide Galβ1,3GalNAcα- (Thomsen–Friedenreich oncofetal antigen, T or TF antigen) and Core-1-associated carbohydrate structures. Recent studies have shown that C1GalT1 is overexpressed in many cancers of epithelial origin including colon, breast, gastric, head and neck, pancreatic, esophageal, prostate, and hepatocellular cancer. Overexpression of C1GalT1 is often seen to also be associated with poorer prognosis and poorer patient survival. Change of C1GalT1 expression causes glycosylation changes of many cell membrane glycoproteins including mucin proteins, growth factor receptors, adhesion molecules, and death receptors. This leads to alteration of the interactions of these cell surface molecules with their binding ligands, resulting in changes of cancer cell activity and behaviors. This review summarizes our current understanding of the expression of C1GalT1 in various cancers and discusses the impact of C1GalT change on cancer cell activities in cancer development and progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of an optical fiber imaging based tomographic system for the 3-D visualization and characterization of a burner flame. Eight imaging fiber bundles coupled with two RGB charge-coupled device cameras are used to acquire flame images simultaneously from eight different directions around the burner. The fiber bundle has 30k picture elements and an objective lens with a 92 ^\circ angle of view. The characteristic evaluation of the imaging fiber bundles and the calibration of the system were conducted to ensure the accuracy of the system. A new tomographic algorithm that combines the logical filtered back-projection and the simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique is proposed to reconstruct the flame sections from the images. A direct comparison between the proposed algorithm and other tomographic approaches is conducted through computer simulation for different test templates and numbers of projections. The 3-D reconstruction of the cross- and longitudinal-sections of a burner flame from image projections obtained from the imaging system was also performed. The effectiveness of the imaging system and computer algorithm is assessed through experimental tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, we define the following additive set-valued functional equations for some real numbers with , and prove the Hyers–Ulam stability of the above additive set-valued functional equations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

novel UV apparatus based on Dean vortex technology is designed for inactivating bacteria in milk. In this apparatus, the milk flows through a helical quartz tube coiling around an electrodeless UV lamp (EUL) with a radio frequency of 2.65 MHz. Flow rate, inner diameter of quartz tube, different UV sources, and different types of bacteria have been found as the key factors for the valuable effects on bacterial inactivation. The EUL apparatus worked more efficiently in the UV inactivation of the predetermined populations of milk-related bacteria than the conventional low-pressure high-intensity mercury lamp. When the UV dose of 21.3 mJ/cm was applied, the numbers of all the bacteria were reduced by more than 6 log with a flow rate of 28.8 L/h and a tube's inner diameter of 1.5 mm. Dean vortices were formed in the milk flow during the UV processing and played an important role in the UV inactivation of the bacteria. Another inactivation test with the apparatus applying the UV dose of 21.3 mJ/cm was also done with raw cow's milk containing indigenous microorganisms, including Salmonella and Shigella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus spp., Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, pseudomonads, and the total aerobic bacteria were reduced by approximately 3-4 log. In short, the EUL apparatus requires smaller energy, occupies less space, and has simpler operating procedures than thermal pasteurization. Thus, the novel method provides a viable alternative to thermal pasteurization of milk for improving the microbial safety of milk and extending its shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the development of an instrumentation system for visualizing and characterizing free radicals in combustion flames. The system combines optical splitting, filtering, intensified imaging and image processing techniques for simultaneous and continuous monitoring of specific flame radicals ( \OH^\ast, \CN^\ast, \CH^\ast, and \C2^{\ast}). Computing algorithms are developed to analyze the images and quantify the radiative characteristics of the radicals. Experimental results are obtained from a gas-fired combustion rig to demonstrate the effectiveness of the system. The information obtained by the system is used to establish relationships between radical characteristics and air-to-fuel ratios of combustion gases, helping to obtain an in-depth understanding of burn characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Human PUMILIO1 (PUM1) and PUMILIO2 (PUM2) are members of the PUMILIO/FBF (PUF) family that regulate specific target mRNAs posttranscriptionally. Recent studies have identified mRNA targets associated with human PUM1 and PUM2. Here, we explore the structural basis of natural target RNA recognition by human PUF proteins through crystal structures of the RNA-binding domains of PUM1 and PUM2 in complex with four cognate RNA sequences, including sequences from p38α and erk2 MAP kinase mRNAs. We observe three distinct modes of RNA binding around the fifth RNA base, two of which are different from the prototypical 1 repeat:1 RNA base binding mode previously identified with model RNA sequences. RNA-binding affinities of PUM1 and PUM2 are not affected dramatically by the different binding modes in vitro. However, these modes of binding create structurally variable recognition surfaces that suggest a mechanism in vivo for recruitment of downstream effector proteins defined by the PUF:RNA complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents investigations into the impact of oxy-fuel combustion on flame characteristics through the application of digital imaging and image processing techniques. The characteristic parameters of the flame are derived from flame images that are captured using a vision-based flame monitoring system. Experiments were carried out on a 0.5MWth coal combustion test facility. Different flue gas recycle ratios and furnace oxygen levels were created for two different coals. The characteristics of the flame and the correlation between the measured flame parameters and corresponding combustion conditions are described and discussed. The results show that the flame temperature decreases with the recycle ratio for both test coals, suggesting that the flame temperature is effectively controlled by the flue gas recycle ratio. The presence of high levels of CO2 at high flue gas recycle ratios may result in delayed combustion and thus has a detrimental effect on the flame stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]