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A new nanofabrication method for construction of complex superlattice structure with versatile super-periodicity is developed using the moiré fringe of anodized aluminium oxide (AAO) membranes. Two ultrathin AAO membranes with long-range order holes are stacked to form 2D moiré nanopatterns. Both rotational symmetry and the periodicity of the holes are modified by the relative spatial displacement between the superimposing layers. Using the membranes as metal evaporation masks, a wide assortment of complex Al nanostructures are fabricated by varying the misorientation angle of the two ultrathin AAO membranes. Highly ordered Al nanoparticles with different sizes, shapes, orientations, and arrangements on substrates are achieved, which are expected to give abundant surface plasmon mode.

Bromotrimethylsilane (TMSBr)-promoted intramolecular cyclization of (o-arylethynyl)benzyl ethers to form 1H-isochromenes at room temperature is reported. Further studies indicated that vinyl carbocations are the reaction intermediates which are stabilized by the conjugated aryl groups. Thus, O-addition of benzyl ethers/tetrahydropyrans to alkynes was achieved under metal-free, acidic conditions. These reaction conditions were compatible with an alkynyl Prins reaction; therefore, 1H-isochromenes were produced directly from alkynyl benzaldehydes and alkynyl alcohols using a one-pot procedure.

Graphene shows unique properties such as high mechanical strength and high thermal and chemical stability, making it promising for versatile applications. However, the lack of either interlayer or interface covalent bonds causes this type of 2D materials assembled via van der Waals forces to suffer from weak adhesion with the underlying substrates, thus hindering their application. In this study, a novel method based on a hydrothermal reaction was proposed to synthesize fluorinated graphene (FG) through a facile, scalable, and highly safe process, where a mixture of poly(perfluorosulfonic acid) (C7HF13O5S·C2F4, PFSA) and graphene oxide (GO) as the precursor was employed. The FG sheets prepared by the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method exhibit superior conformity layered structure on a metal foil. Due to the in situ formation of ionic-covalently bonded F-Cu-F and Cu-F-C between fluorine on the FG sheets and dissolved Cu ions from the copper foil, the deposited film shows ultrastrong adhesion that can sustain up to 3 MPa of shear force. Furthermore, by changing the parameters in the EPD process, such as the EPD duration and applied voltage, the thickness and hydrophobicity of the film can be well controlled from 0.20 μm to 2.51 μm with a contact angle from 93.03˚ to 122.44˚. This study provides a new strategy to prepare a robust film for the assembly of 2D materials, not limited to graphene, with ultrastrong adhesion on substrates, which could solve the long-reported issue of weak adhesion and low durability of graphene-/2D-based functional composites and coatings.

Silicone breast implants are used worldwide for breast augmentation. After an axillary, periareolar or inframmary incision has been made to create an adequately sized pocket; the surgeon usually uses his or her fingers to insert the implant. The use of fingers makes the insertion process time-consuming, a few minutes or more. There are some complications, including need to ensure that the incision is long enough for the implant to be inserted, scar hypertrophy caused by implant insertion friction damage to the edge of incision, and the occasional need to ask the surgical assistant to lend more fingers to facilitate satisfactory insertion and placement. In addition, the use of gloved fingers to repeatedly push on the implant can increase the risk of contamination, postoperative silicone microleakage, and capsular contracture. To resolve these problems, we developed an improved silicone breast implant injector (reusable stainless steel 2007; single use polypropylene 2018) that can be used more easily than fingers and other “no touch” devices. From 2013 to 2017, the first author, a plastic surgeon at our clinic, used the 2007 reusable stainless steel injector to perform breast augmentations in 53 patients (Ave. age 23.8 years; range 19–67 years), 5 (8.8%) receiving 250-ml implants, 41 (77.4%) 251–300-ml implants, and 7 (13.8%) 301–400-ml implants. Overall, results were satisfactory except for two patients (3.7%) in whom capsular contracture occurred. There were no ruptures. Use of the injector made it possible to shorten the length of the incisions from the traditional 4–7 to 3–4 cm and expedited insertion time from a few minutes to a few seconds. This “no touch” insertion technique reduced implant damage caused by finger pushing, leading to a decrease in silicone microleakage and capsular contracture rate. It was performed with no friction trauma to the incision edge or harm to the surgeon’s fingers. It was found to be an effective alternative operative tool for the insertion of silicone breast implants. Level of evidence IV This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Background: Cardiovascular dysfunction in cirrhotic patients affects survival and the development of cirrhotic complications. We aimed to evaluate potential echocardiographic parameters to predict mortality and acute kidney injury (AKI) in cirrhotic patients. Methods: A total of 103 cirrhotic patients who underwent echocardiography between February 2009 and August 2016 in Taipei Veterans General Hospital were retrospectively enrolled. Cardiac function was evaluated using transthoracic two-dimensional echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging. Cox hazard regression analysis was used for assessing predictors for 1-year mortality and AKI within 1 year. Results: Baseline echocardiographic parameters were similar between survivors (n = 92) and nonsurvivors (n = 11). Lower serum levels of albumin, as well as higher albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) scores, Child-Pugh scores, and model for end-stage liver disease scores were observed in nonsurvivors. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis revealed Child-Pugh score as the only predictor of 1-year mortality. Baseline serum creatinine (Cr) > 1.5 mg/dL, total bilirubin > 2 mg/dL, and a higher E/e′ ratio predict occurrence of AKI within 1 year. Among patients with serum Cr < 1.5 mg/dL, an increased atrial filling velocity and higher ALBI scores predict AKI occurrence within 1 year. Conclusion: Severity of underlying liver disease but not echocardiographic parameters predicts 1-year mortality in cirrhosis. Early echocardiographic signs of diastolic dysfunction and higher ALBI scores may predict development of AKI in cirrhotic patients with serum Cr < 1.5 mg/dL.

BACKGROUND Both regorafenib and reduced-intensity FOLFOXIRI (riFOLFOXIRI) prolong survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, the sequence in which they should be administrated first in late-line treatment for refractory mCRC remains unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study was a single-center retrospective cohort study that reviewed data from patients at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, with mCRC refractory to fluorouracil, irinotecan, oxaliplatin, cetuximab (wild-type RAS), and bevacizumab. Patients were divided into 2 groups: a regorafenib-first group and a riFOLFOXIRI-first group. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to analyze survival, and a Cox proportional hazards model was used for univariate, multivariate, and subgroup analyses. RESULTS A total of 136 and 55 patients followed a regorafenib-first or riFOLFOXIRI-first treatment strategy, respectively. At baseline, patient characteristics were similar between the groups, except for younger age in the riFOLFOXIRI-first group. The regorafenib-first group had better overall survival (13.8 vs. 10.7 mo, P=0.038), whereas patients in the riFOLFOXIRI-first group had a better partial response rate (P=0.005) but a higher rate of discontinuation due to adverse effects (P=0.004) and cross-over to regorafenib (P

The effect of ultraviolet (UV) treatment on the electrical and surface properties of SiO2 is studied. UV treatment leads to the formation of the silicon peroxide in SiO2 near the surface, thus increasing the capacitance of SiO2. The effect of SiO2 gate dielectrics with UV treatment on carrier transport for a pentacene-based organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) is also studied. Experimental identification confirms that the shift of the threshold voltage towards positive gate-source voltages for OTFTs is due to an increase in the number of trap states in SiO2 near the pentacene/SiO2 interface. The existence of a peroxidation layer between pentacene and SiO2 serves to strengthen the pentacene-SiO2 interaction, reducing the field-effect carrier mobility and the leakage current in OTFTs.

White light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been achieved using photopolymerization. Red and green CdSe/ZnS core–shell quantum dots (QDs) are dispersed in photopolymerized aliphatic acrylic acrylate resins, cured by using 36 W UV light for 1.5 min producing QD–acrylate nanocomposites, and then a hybrid LED device is achieved using the QD–acrylate nanocomposite with two emission wavelengths excited by using a blue InGaN LED chip. The cured QD–acrylate nanocomposite films are characterized by using ultraviolet–visible, fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis measurements. Photopolymerization is conveniently employed to adjust several parameters of the CIE-1931 coordinate (x, y), color temperature, and color rending index (CRI). Good white balance of the red-green hybrid device achieves a luminance of 7976 lm/m2 at a 30 mA working current. The light emission efficiency, CRI, and color temperature of 14%, 47, and 11 204 K, respectively, are attained at this working current.

This study investigated variations in the chemical compositions and thermal decomposition kinetics of Japanese cedar and beech wood during heat treatment. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra revealed that various reactions, such as hemicellulose deacetylation, condensation reactions causing lignin cross-linking, and reductions in cellulose amorphous regions, were carried out during the heat treatment process. In addition, combinations of FTIR spectra and principal component analysis (PCA) succeeded in discriminating the major changes in functional groups of wood at various heat treatment temperatures. On the other hand, the decrease in the storage modulus of wood was more rapid in the presence of oxygen than in an oxygen-free atmosphere during heat treatment. Accordingly, the activation energies of thermal decomposition using Arrhenius model for Japanese cedar and beech were 120.6 and 141.3 kJ/mol under air, respectively, while these values were 124.8 and 150.0 kJ/mol under nitrogen, respectively.

In the present study, anti-inflammatory activity of the methanol extracts of soymilk and soymilk fermented with Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus CCRC 14805 alone or in conjunction with Bificobacterium infantis CCRC 14603 was evaluated. It was found that extracts of soymilk and the prepared fermented soymilk dose-dependently suppress nitric oxide (NO) production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophages, with soymilk showing the highest inhibition ability followed by S. thermophilus-fermented soymilk. Extracts of soymilk and fermented soymilk did not affect the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The extracts of the fermented soymilk inhibited the protein expression of iNOS in LPS-induced macrophages, but soymilk did not. Moreover, these extracts did not show obvious inhibition on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression, while all showed the inhibitory effect on LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) produced by RAW 264.7 macrophages.

In the present study, the ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) collected in Taiwan was prepared and assayed for the effects concentration, incubation temperature, pH and cell age on the antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans, a dental cavitycausing oral pathogen. Additionally, cell leakage of Str. mutans in presence of EEP was also examined. It was found EEP exerted bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects against Str. mutans, respectively, at concentrations of 1.875 and 3.75 µg/mL or more. At 37°C, Str. mutans was more sensitive to EEP than at 25°C while most resistant at 4°C. Cells of test organism were most susceptible to EEP at acid pH followed by neutral and alkaline pH. It was also noted that cells of Str. mutans in the stationary phase were more resistant, while cells in the mid-exponential phase were more susceptible to EEP. After exposure to EEP, a marked increase in the 260 nm absorbance for the supernatant of culture, was observed, indicating the release of UV-absorbing materials. Scanning electron micrographs also showed an increase in material with irregular shape on the surface of EEP-treated Str. mutans cells.

In this study, the effects of integrating chloride addition and ultrasonication with electrocoagulation (EC) to remove passive layers were investigated. Experimental results were evaluated by conducting an impedance modulus analysis and by considering the amounts of aluminum released. The effect of different operating parameters, such as the phosphate concentration, ultrasonic power, chloride concentration, and the number of cycles on the efficiency of phosphate removal was examined. The results indicated that the integrated ultrasonic and chloride addition process effectively enhanced the energy efficiency and lifespan of plates due to the reduction of the electric impedance. The concentration of released aluminum increased from 150 to 440 mg/L with the increase of ultrasound from 0 to 100 W. After three test cycles, the use of the ultrasonic process and chloride addition with EC enhanced the phosphate removal efficiency. The removal efficiency of the EC process decreased to 30%; however, the removal efficiency of the integrated process increased to 90%. Scanning electron microscope images showed that using ultrasound could successfully remove the passivation layer on the electrode to enhance the phosphate removal efficiency. However, excessive ultrasonic intensity would result in a thicker passivation layer and thus decrease the removal efficiency. It suggests that the coupled use of chloride addition and ultrasonication in the EC process effectively reduced the passivation layer, thereby increasing the energy efficiency while decreasing the impedance modulus and enhancing the concentration of aluminum ions.

Background The clinical and economic burden of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) is significant and is anticipated to increase as the population ages and pathogens become more resistant. Delafloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic approved in the United States for the treatment of adults with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. Delafloxacin’s shape and charge profile uniquely impact its spectrum of activity and side effect profile. This phase 3 study compared the efficacy and safety of delafloxacin with moxifloxacin for the treatment of CABP. Methods A randomized, double-blind, comparator-controlled, multicenter, global phase 3 study compared the efficacy and safety of delafloxacin 300 mg twice daily or moxifloxacin 400 mg once daily in adults with CABP. The primary end point was early clinical response (ECR), defined as improvement at 96 (±24) hours after the first dose of study drug. Clinical response at test of cure (TOC) and microbiologic response were also assessed. Results In the intent-to-treat analysis population (ITT), ECR rates were 88.9% in the delafloxacin group and 89.0% in the moxifloxacin group. Noninferiority of delafloxacin compared with moxifloxacin was demonstrated. At TOC in the ITT population, the success rates were similar between groups. Treatment-emergent adverse events that were considered at least possibly related to the study drug occurred in 65 subjects (15.2%) in the delafloxacin group and 54 (12.6%) in the moxifloxacin group. Conclusions Intravenous/oral delafloxacin monotherapy is effective and well tolerated in the treatment of adults with CABP, providing coverage for Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and atypical pathogens. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03534622., This Phase-3 study showed IV/oral delafloxacin monotherapy is well tolerated without QT restrictions or major drug interactions and effective in treatment of adults with CABP due to gram positive and negative as well as atypical pathogens.

The effect of a SiO2 gate dielectric modified by (NH4)2Sx treatment on the temperature-dependent hole transport behavior for pentacene-based organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) is studied. (NH4)2Sx treatment leads to the formation of S Si bonds (i.e., the formation of a sulfurated layer) on the SiO2 surface that serves to reduce the SiO2 capacitance, increasing the value of the hole mobility in OTFTs. The temperature-dependent hole transport is dominated by the multiple trapping model. It is shown that (NH4)2Sx treatment leads to a reduction in the activation energy, resulting from the formation of a sulfurated layer at the pentacene/SiO2 interface that serves to suppress the pentacene-SiO2 interaction. (NH4)2Sx treatment provides an opportunity to realize the stable and reliable carrier conduction behavior for OTFTs.

In order to get a physical insight into the pentacene interlayer-modulated resistive switching (RS) characteristics, the Au/pentacene/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/heavily doped p-type Si (p+-Si)/In and Au/PMMA/p+-Si/In devices are fabricated and the device performance is provided. The Au/pentacene/PMMA/p+-Si/In device shows RS behavior, whereas the Au/PMMA/p+-Si/In device exhibits the set/reset–free hysteresis current–voltage characteristics. The insertion of a pentacene layer is a noticeable contribution to the RS characteristic. This is because of the occurrence of carrier accumulation/depletion in the pentacene interlayer. The transition from carrier depletion to carrier accumulation (carrier accumulation to carrier depletion) in pentacene occurring under negative (positive) voltage induces the process of set (reset). The switching conduction mechanism is primarily described as space charge limited conduction according to the electrical transport properties measurement. The concept of a pentacene/PMMA heterostructure opens a promising direction for organic memory devices.

The effect of H2O2 treatment on the surface properties of SiO2 is studied. H2O2 treatment leads to the formation of Si( OH)x at the SiO2 surface that serves to reduce the number of trap states, inducing the shift of the Fermi level toward the conduction band minimum. H2O2 treatment also leads to a noticeable reduction in the value of the SiO2 capacitance per unit area. The effect of SiO2 layers with H2O2 treatment on the behavior of carrier transports for the pentacene/SiO2–based organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) is also studied. Experimental identification confirms that the shift of the threshold voltage towards negative gate-source voltages is due to the reduced number of trap states in SiO2 near the pentacene/SiO2 interface. The existence of a hydrogenated layer between pentacene and SiO2 leads to a change in the pentacene-SiO2 interaction, increasing the value of the carrier mobility.

In this study, Mg–Al layered double hydride (LDH) was prepared and the impact of LDH addition on the biomass and surfactin yield for cultures of Bacillus subtilis CWS1 was examined. Various solid additives, including montmorillonite (MMT), activated carbon (AC) and LDH, were tested. Among these, LDH triggered the highest surfactin yield at 3789 mg/L. The optimal conditions for surfactin production were 2 g/L LDH supplied on the beginning of a 5-day cultivation, resulting in a 3.8-fold increase in yield. To reveal the mechanism of surfactin enhancement, observation was conducted via the optical microscope. The resulted images showed that when LDH was added, the cells became segmented, short and narrow compared to cells without any addition. It is apparent that LDH exhibits a slightly toxic effect, limiting cell growth. The surviving cells were forced to secrete more surfactin to protect themselves from the harsh environment. Since the cells could no longer grow, their only function was to secrete surfactin into the broth, leading to an extraordinarily high surfactin yield with a low biomass production. This suggests that an alternative means for efficient surfactin production is through the addition of LDH.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), commonly used as a flame retardants for industrial and commercial products, have a strong tendency to accumulate in the interface of water/soil/sediments and are difficult to biodegrade. An effective biological treatment for PBDE removal is needed. In this study, we investigated the use of 3 organic compost materials (BM-2, BM-6, and BP-2) to remove 20 mg kg−1 decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) from contaminated sediment in anaerobic microcosms for 120 days and detected the bacterial community in samples. Organic substance of compost had sorption and biodegradation ability. BM-6 showed the highest sorption of BDE-209, at 38.95%, and BM-3 the highest biological activity, at 34.90%. Methylophilus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Clostridium spp., and Dehalococcoides sp. were identified in anaerobic microcosms with PBDE biodegradation. The pathway of anaerobic DBDE biodegradation from higher to lower brominated PBDE was identified by the appearance of PBDE biometabolites and functional genes related to reductive debromination. We have identified an effective approach for bioremediating PBDE-contaminated sediment by using organic compost; this approach is highly recommended for practical engineering for off-site remediation.

Production of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) and enterotoxin D (SED) by Staphylococcus warneri was first examined in three different media including brain heart infusion (BHI) broth, NZ-amine (NZA) medium, and 3 + 3 medium containing 3% NZ-amine A plus 3% Hy-Case Amino. Results of these investigations revealed that S. warneri produced the highest amount of SEA in BHI broth. SED yields were higher when BHI broth or NZA medium was used as the culture medium. On the other hand, SEA and SED production was found to be lowest in 3 + 3 medium. Further study showed that the optimum pH, for both SEA production and SED production was 7.0. Addition of 10% (wt/vol) sodium chloride to BHI broth reduced enterotoxin production by S. warneri . SEA production was reduced and SED production was completely inhibited in the presence of 15% (wt/vol) NaCl. Supplementation of the media with 0.4 or 1.5 mM magnesium sulfate markedly reduced SED production by S. warneri . Reduced production of both SEA and SED was also observed when BHI broth was supplemented with 0.1 M glucose or glycerol.

The growth and survival of Yersinia enterocolitica 0:3 and 0:8 were determined using Brain Heart Infusion Broth at pH 5.5 or 6.5, with 0, 250, 500, 1000, 1500, 2500, or 5000 ppm potassium sorbate, and incubated at 25 or 3°C. Results showed that Y. enterocolitica was susceptible to the antimicrobial activity of potassium sorbate. At 25°C and pH 5.5, a population increase of 6.8 and 6.9 log CFU/ml was noted for Y. enterocolitica serotypes 0:3 and 0:8, respectively, in broth without potassium sorbate. The presence of 1000-1500 ppm potassium sorbate in broth retarded the growth of the inoculated Y. enterocolitica cells or partially or completely inactivated them. At 25°C and pH 6.5, potassium sorbate at a concentration as high as 5000 ppm did not inactivate this pathogen. All the concentrations of potassium sorbate tested only retarded the growth of Y. enterocolitica . A 3°C and pH 5.5, Y. enterocolitica grew slightly in the control broth. The presence of 250-500 ppm or more potassium sorbate in broth completely inhibited the growth of Y. enterocolitica or reduced the number of viable cells. At 3°C and pH 6.5, a slight increase in the population of Y. enterocolitica was observed in the broth with or without potassium sorbate, but the increase slacked off as the amount of potassium sorbate was increased.

Graphene is impermeable to all molecules and has high chemical stability, which makes it an excellent anticorrosion coating for metals. However, current studies have indicated that galvanic coupling between graphene and a metal actually accelerates corrosion at the interface. Due to the insulating nature of polymers, graphene-polymer composite coatings with a strong interaction between the filler and the polymer matrix are an alternative means of addressing this issue. Nevertheless, such coatings require well-dispersed graphene flakes to lengthen the diffusion paths of gases or liquids, while preventing the formation of a conducting network from graphene to the metal. The difficulty in preparing such coatings was mainly due to problems with the control of the assembled phase during interfacial reactions. Herein, the interactions between the filler and the polymer were found to be a key factor governing anticorrosion performance, which has scarcely been previously reported. The advantage of graphene as a filler in anticorrosion coatings lies in its dispersibility and miscibility with both the casting solvent and the polymer. Electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EC-graphene) with appropriate surface functionalities that allow high miscibility with waterborne polyurethane (PU) and hydrophobic epoxy has been found to be an ideal filler that outperforms other graphene materials such as graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Furthermore, a bilayer coating with EC-graphene additives for PU over epoxy has been found to reduce the corrosion rate (CR) to 1.81 × 10-5 mm per year. With a graphene loading of less than 1%, this represents the lowest CR ever achieved for copper and steel substrates and a diffusion coefficient that is lower by a factor of nearly 2.2 than that of the pristine polymer. Furthermore, we have shown that by controlling the amount of graphene loaded in the polymer galvanic corrosion favored by the formation of an interconnected graphene percolation network can successfully be limited. The present study, together with a facile and eco-friendly method of nanocomposite synthesis, may pave the way toward practical applications in the development of graphene-based anticorrosion coatings.

Ischemic stroke is the leading cause of disability and death worldwide. An effective therapeutic approach is urgently needed. Stroke-induced angiogenesis and neurogenesis are essential mechanisms in the long-term repair. Extracellular matrix proteins are also involved in tissue self-repair. Recently, a PHSRN (Pro-His-Ser-Arg-Asn) peptide from the fibronectin synergistic motif that can promote wound healing in epithelia and induce endothelial proliferation and cancer cell migration was identified. The therapeutic potential of this peptide in stroke is unknown. Here, we examined the potential of PHSRN in stroke therapy using an ischemic rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). PHSRN reduced the infarct volume in MCAO rats, improved neurological function, and alleviated motor function impairment. PHSRN targeted the damaged brain region and distributed to endothelial cells after intraperitoneal injection. PHSRN significantly promoted angiogenesis and vascular endothelial growth factor secretion through activation of integrin α5β1 and its downstream intracellular signals, e.g., focal adhesion kinase, Ras, cRaf, and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase. PHSRN treatment also stimulated neurogenesis in MCAO rats, and maintained neuronal survival and neuronal morphologic complexity via induction of VEGF secretion. Together, these results provide insights into the role of integrin α5β1 following ischemia and support the feasibility of using PHSRN peptide in stroke therapy.

The effect of the modification of a gate SiO2 dielectric using an H2O2 solution on the temperature-dependent behavior of carrier transport for pentacene-based organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) is studied. H2O2 treatment leads to the formation of Si(–OH)x (i.e., the formation of a hydroxylated layer) on the SiO2 surface that serves to reduce the SiO2 capacitance and weaken the pentacene–SiO2 interaction, thus increasing the field-effect carrier mobility (µ) in OTFTs. The temperature-dependent behavior of carrier transport is dominated by the multiple trapping model. Note that H2O2 treatment leads to a reduction in the activation energy. The increased value of µ is also attributed to the weakening of the interactions of the charge carriers with the SiO2 dielectric that serves to reduce the activation energy.

In this paper, the influence of the preparation temperature on the absorption coefficient and acoustic parameters of polyurethane was studied. Best sound absorption coefficient of polyurethane at high frequency is at 50℃, followed is 30℃ and 40℃,70℃ is lowest. Between 20~50℃, the flow resistance increased rapidly with the temperature increasing, the minimum flow resistance at 50℃, maximum value at 70℃.The trend of porosity with temperature is similar to that with flow resistance. With the temperature increasing, the porosity decreases first and then increases, minimum value at 50℃. Flow resistance dominating the flow resistance of the sound absorption performance.

A tunable lens driven by a dielectric elastomer actuator is developed. A solution of NaCl was used as the deformable lens and one of the electrodes for applying a bias voltage across the actuator. The dielectric elastomer actuator was made of a curved polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) thin film sandwiched between a gold electrode and the NaCl solution. When a bias voltage was applied, the electrostatic force induced a radial compression, causing a lateral deflection of the PDMS. The radius of the curvature of the NaCl lens was consequently changed. The variation of the focal length under different bias voltages was characterised separately using two different approaches, and consistent results were obtained. The lens diameter was 4 mm. The focus lens can be tuned from 16.1 to 13.1 mm when the bias voltage is increased from 0 to 900 V.

Soft conductive elastomer materials have wide potential applications in material science and electronic engineering. Through electrospinning and in-situ polymerization, a kind of well-organized coaxial polyaniline/polyvinylidence fluoride (PANI/PVDF) microfibers with conductivity about 0.6 S/cm were fabricated, which combined the advantages of conducting polymer and elastic material. It is found that the resistance of the fibers was changed with the curvature variation. The results indicate that the PANI/PVDF microfibers could be used as strain sensor with high flexibility, high sensitivity, and stable repeatability.

Silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1), a class III nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dependent histone deacetylases, is important in cardioprotection, neuroprotection, metabolic disease, calorie restriction, and diseases associated with aging. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) compounds from TCM Database@Taiwan ( http://tcm.cmu.edu.tw/ ) were employed for screening potent Sirt1 agonists, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was implemented to simulate ligand optimum docking poses and protein structure under dynamic conditions. TCM compounds such as (S)-tryptophan-betaxanthin, 5-O-feruloylquinic acid, and RosA exhibited good binding affinity across different computational methods, and their drug-like potential were validated by MD simulation. Docking poses indicate that the carboxylic group of the three candidates generated H-bonds with residues in the protein chain from Ser441 to Lys444 and formed H-bond, π-cation interactions, or hydrophobic contacts with Phe297 and key active residue, His363. During MD, stable π-cation interactions with residues Phe273 or Arg274 were formed by (S)-tryptophan-betaxanthin and RosA. All candidates were anchored to His363 by stable π- or H-bonds. Hence, we propose (S)-tryptophan-betaxanthin, 5-O-feruloylquinic acid, and RosA as potential lead compounds that can be further tested in drug development process for diseases associated with aging An animated interactive 3D complement (I3DC) is available in Proteopedia at http://proteopedia.org/w/Journal:JBSD:28.

Although neoadjuvant chemotherapy has improved the survival rate of osteosarcoma patients, drug resistance remains a predominant obstacle to improving efficacy and necessitates the development of novel chemotherapeutical agents. The aim of this study was to investigate whether tetrandrine (TET) induces apoptosis in the U-2OS and MG-63 osteosarcoma cell lines and to further determine the under- lying mechanism. This study investigated the effects of TET on osteosarcoma in vitro. To examine the antitumor effects of TET on osteosarcoma, the two osteosarcoma cell lines were treated with TET and subjected to apoptosis assays. The results revealed that TET induced the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells was accompanied by increased cytochrome c (Cyto-C), apoptotic protease-activating factor (Apaf)-1, Bid and Bax activation and reduced Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl activation, demonstrating that the apoptosis may have occurred through the mitochondrial pathway. In conclusion, the results suggest that TET is a promising agent for osteosarcoma therapy.

Fluorescent crossbar arrays and microropes of fluorescein/PMMA and rhodamine B/PS composite nanofibers have been fabricated via centrifugal electrospinning, respectively. The morphology and structures were measured by SEM and fluorescence microscope. The two as-spun fluorescent structures have potential applications in fluorescent security, fluorescent detection, and so on. By regulating the number of the nanofibers consisted in the microropes, the fluorescence intensity of the microropes can be manipulated, as well as the mechanical property of individual nanofibers, which can be calculated easily by testing that of the whole microrope.

Calcium phosphate bone cement (CPC), a bioceramic, is commonly used in artificial bone scaffold for impaired bones. In this study, CPC is mixed with polylactide (PLA) fibers and porogenic agent to form CPC/PLA composite bone scaffold. The compressive strength of the resulting bone scaffolds is evaluated and the fractured cross-section is observed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), thereby determining the influence of fiber length. The experimental results show that the shorter the fiber is, the greater the compressive strength is.

This study investigates the activation of waste carbon fiber by microwave heating and potassium hydroxide and the adsorption of aqueous dye RB19 using said modified waste carbon fiber. Heating was performed in a microwave that was set to 900 W from 20 to 60 minutes (M20, M40, and M60). The specific surface areas of the original waste carbon fiber (WCF), M20, M40, and M60were 2 to489 m2/g. M40 had the highest specific surface area and an acceptable yield of 62%. In adsorption experiments at 57°C, the original waste carbon fiber adsorbed only 15 mg of dye/g of fiber. The results reveal that the capacity of adsorption increased when the waste carbon fibers were modified by activation with microwave and potassium hydroxide. Remarkably, M40 was the most suitable absorbent of aqueous dye RB19 and it had the highest capacity of 202 mg/g.

In the present study, Vibrio parahaemolyticus 690 in phosphate buffered-saline containing 3% NaCl was subjected to sublethal stresses: heat shock at 42 °C for 15 min, acid adaptation at pH 5.0 for 30 min, or cold shock at 20 °C for 4 h. The effect of sublethal stress on the susceptibility of V. parahaemolyticus to a chlorine-containing disinfectant (Clidox-S) and a quaternary ammonium compound (Quatricide) at 25 and 40 °C was investigated. It was found that the sublethal stresses examined enhanced the resistance of V. parahaemolyticus 690 to both disinfectants. Depending on the kinds of sublethal stress, V. parahaemolyticus 690 showed various degrees of enhanced resistance to disinfectants. Furthermore, the phenomenon of enhanced resistance to the disinfectants was more marked at 40 than at 25 °C.

Cronobacter spp., formerly Enterobacter sakazakii, are human pathogens. They are the etiological agent of life-threating bacterial infections in infants. In this study, the survival behavior of C. sakazakii Bioresources Collection and Research Center (BCRC) 13988 in the presence of various ethanol concentrations was first examined. Besides, the test organism was subjected to treatment with 5% ethanol for 60 min (ethanol shock). The effect of ethanol shock on the resistance of C. sakazakii to lethal stresses, including high ethanol concentration (15%), low temperature (4°C and -20°C), high temperature (51°C) and high acidity (pH 3.3), was investigated. Results revealed that 4-5% ethanol is the maximum concentration that will allow C. sakazakii BCRC 13988 to grow in trypticase soy broth (TSB). Etthanol at 6% and 7% or more, respectively, exerted bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects, respectively, on the test organism. Although ethanol shock did not affect the resistance of C. sakazakii to a refrigerated temperature (4°C), the ethanol-shocked C. sakazakii survived better under other lethal stress conditions. After 50 min of exposure to 15% ethanol, the ethanol-shocked C. sakazakii showed a survival percentage of 16.11%, which was a 6400-fold increase over the control cells (

Streptococcus thermophilus is a thermophilic lactic acid bacterium which is used as the starter organism for the fermentation of yoghurt and some cheese. In the present study, S. thermophilus BCRC 14085 was subjected to cold shock treatment by exposure at 10 °C for 2 h. The effect of cold shock on the susceptibility of S. thermophilus in subsequent lethal stress environments such as simulated gastric juice (pH 2.0-3.0), bile solution (2.0%) and various organic acids (0.75 M, pH 3.5) including propionic, lactic, acetic, citric and tartaric acid was investigated. In addition, the survival of cold-shocked and non-shocked S. thermophilus exposed to disinfectants, Clidox-S and Quatricide, were compared. Results revealed that cold shock enhanced the tolerance of S. thermophilus in the presence of simulated gastric juice (pH 2.5 and 2.8), while in bile solution, the population increase of cold-shocked cells is higher than that of non-shocked cells after 12 h of incubation. Furthermore, the susceptibility of S. thermophilus, regardless of cold shock, to organic acid varied with the kinds of organic acid examined. The cold-shocked S. thermophilus showed a significantly less survival (P < 0.05) than that of the non-shocked cells when exposed to lactic or acetic acid. Furthermore, cold shock reduced the survival of S. thermophilus when exposed to Quatricide but not Clidox-S.

We reported on a convenient route to synthesize rhombohedra boron nitride (r-BN) micro-rod using urea (CO(NH2)2) and sodium borohydride (NaBH4) through thermal treatment at 1300 °C. The structure, morphology, and chemical composition of the obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In order to determine the phase composition and abundance of the as-synthsized simples, Rietveld refinement has been performed to analyze the XRD data using the Rietan-2000 program. The results show that the abundance of r-BN is about 90.6 wt % and h-BN is 9.4 wt % deduced from Reitveld refinement.

mPEG–PLLA (poly l -lactic acid) is synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of lactide and conjugation with mPEG. Sebacic acid is modified with acetic anhydride and condensed with mPEG to form mPEG–PSA (poly sebacic anhydride). The micelles formed by mPEG–PLLA are characterized by slow degradation and low drug encapsulation efficiency; on the contrary, mPEG–PSA micelles are characterized by rapid degradation but high encapsulation efficiency. They can merge into spherical micelles ( Φ = 140 nm) by self-assembly in water. The mixed micelles can successfully encapsulate a typical hydrophobic drug (curcumin), and significantly improve its solubility. Experimental results show that the mixed micelles have the features of high encapsulation efficiency and slow degradation.

Gasoline-powered electric generators are widely used during power outages such as those caused by hurricanes and winter storms. Based on currently available data, about 95% of generator-related carbon monoxide (CO) fatalities were associated with operating carbureted, spark-ignited and gasoline-powered generators in enclosed spaces. To investigate the indoor CO exposure associated with running a generator indoors, the generation of CO was measured from a generator in an enclosed shed. Correlations of CO generation and O 2 consumption rates were developed as functions of O 2 level and actual generator load output. An indoor air quality and ventilation model was then used to predict the air change rates and CO levels in the shed, which were then compared with measured values. This study also used the simulation model to calculate CO generation and dispersion, and occupant exposures to CO, with a generator running in the garage of a house during weather conditions consistent with the days after Hurricane Katrina in the summer of 2005. For the simulation conditions, it was found that the resultant CO could reach dangerous levels in most rooms of the house about 2 h after the generator started.

Soybean products (soyfoods), reported as potential functional foods, are implicated in several health-enhancing properties, such as easing the symptoms of postmenopausal women, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, preventing cardiovascular disease, and antimutagenic effects. Isoflavone, for example, is one of the most important compounds abundantly found in soybean, mainly accounting for the health-enhancing properties as mentioned earlier. However, most biological activities of isoflavones are mainly attributed to their aglycone forms. It has also been demonstrated that isoflavone aglycones are absorbed faster and in greater amount than their glycosides in human intestines. Fortunately, deglycosylation of isoflavones can be achieved during fermentation process by several strains such as lactic acid bacteria, basidiomycetes, filamentous fungus, and Bacillus subtilis with their β-glucosidase activity. This article presents an overview of soybean's chemistry, application, state-of-the-art advances in soybean fermentation processing and products as well as their applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. Different compounds, such as isoflavone, dietary fibers, and proteins which exhibit significant bioactivities, are summarized. The roles of different microorganisms in bioconversion and enhancement of bioactivities of fermented soybean are also discussed.

Polyaniline (PANI) is a promising functional polymer in the field of toxic gas detection. In this paper, nano-branched coaxial PANI fibers were grown on electrospun poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanofibers by an in situ chemical oxidative polymerization method. The resultant PANI/PMMA fibers were characterized by scanning electronic microscopy and Raman spectrum analysis. The conductivity of an individual coaxial PANI/PMMA fiber is about 2.123 S/cm and that of the conducting PANI coating layer is about 21.8 S/cm. The ammonia sensing properties of the samples were tested by means of impedance analysis. The nano-branched PANI fibers can response significantly to low concentration of ammonia due to large specific surface area, and the sensitivity shows good linear relationship to the ammonia concentration of ppm level. These results indicate that nano-branched coaxial PANI fibers are promising candidate for detection of toxic ammonia gas.

Noble metals of Pd, Pt, Ru and Rh were introduced into the CuO/ZnO/Al2O3(30/60/10) catalyst via incipient impregnation and co-precipitation methods to examine their effects on the oxidative steam reforming of methanol (OSRM). No obvious effect of Pd and even a negative effect of Pt were observed by incipient impregnation method. With co-precipitation, noble metals were homogeneously dispersed in CuO/ZnO/Al2O3(30/60/10) and interacted with CuO and ZnO. They improved the reducibility of the catalysts and enhanced the dissociative adsorption of methanol. Introducing Pd, Rh or Ru promoted the conversion of methanol, but enhanced the formation of CO. Depositing platinum exhibited a high conversion of methanol and a low selectivity of CO in the OSRM reaction. The promoting effect of noble metals involved facilitating the split and adsorption of H atoms during the dehydrogenation of the intermediates in OSRM.

In this paper, we have studied the boron adsorption induced magnetism in zigzag boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) and BN hexagonal sheets (h-BN sheet) as well as the magnetic interaction between the B-induced magnetic moment by using the first principle spin-polarized density functional calculations. It is found that the adsorption of a single B adatom on the external surface of BNNTs and h-BN sheet can induce spontaneous magnetization in the B-BNNTs system with a local magnetic moment of 1.0 μ B per B adatom regardless of the tube diameter and the bonding between the B atom and the BNNTs/BN sheets. An analysis of orbital hybridization indicates that two valence electrons participate in the bonding and the remaining one electron of the B adatom are confined at the adsorption site and contribute to the magnetism accordingly. The magnetic interactions between the B-induced magnetic moments on BNNTs have been explored. The magnetic B-BNNTs may be experimentally accessible when the coverage of B ad adatoms adsorbed on the external surface of BNNTs is low.

Impairment of learning and memory is a significant pathological feature of many neurodegenerative diseases including FTLD-TDP. Appropriate regulation and fine tuning of spinogenesis of the dendrites, which is an integral part of the learning/memory program of the mammalian brain, are essential for the normal function of the hippocampal neurons. TDP-43 is a nucleic acid-binding protein implicated in multi-cellular functions and in the pathogenesis of a range of neurodegenerative diseases including FTLD-TDP and ALS. We have combined the use of single-cell dye injection, shRNA knockdown, plasmid rescue, immunofluorescence staining, Western blot analysis and patch clamp electrophysiological measurement of primary mouse hippocampal neurons in culture to study the functional role of TDP-43 in mammalian spinogenesis. We found that depletion of TDP-43 leads to an increase in the number of protrusions/spines as well as the percentage of matured spines among the protrusions. Significantly, the knockdown of TDP-43 also increases the level of Rac1 and its activated form GTP-Rac1, a known positive regulator of spinogenesis. Clustering of the AMPA receptors on the dendritic surface and neuronal firing are also induced by depletion of TDP-43. Furthermore, use of an inhibitor of Rac1 activation negatively regulated spinogenesis of control hippocampal neurons as well as TDP-43-depleted hippocampal neurons. Mechanistically, RT-PCR assay and cycloheximide chase experiments have indicated that increases in Rac1 protein upon TDP-43 depletion is regulated at the translational level. These data together establish that TDP-43 is an upstream regulator of spinogenesis in part through its action on the Rac1 → GTP-Rac1 → AMPAR pathway. This study provides the first evidence connecting TDP-43 with the GTP-Rac1 → AMPAR regulatory pathway of spinogenesis. It establishes that mis-metabolism of TDP-43, as occurs in neurodegenerative diseases with TDP-43 proteinopathies, e.g., FTLD-TDP, would alter its homeostatic cellular concentration, thus leading to impairment of hippocampal plasticity.

In this work, highly-ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays were prepared by constant-voltage anodization, followed by electrodeposition of Ag to obtain Ag-loaded TiO2 (Ag-TiO2) nanotube arrays via alternating current (AC) process. The results of SEM and XRD show that the morphology and crystal structure of Ag-TiO2 layer depend greatly on the electrodeposition parameters. Ag-TiO2 nanotube arrays prepared in 2.5 mmol/L AgNO3 solution by electrodeposition with applied voltage of 12 V for 1 minute performed the best photoelectrochemical current response and photocatalystic activity. The photocurrent density of Ag-TiO2 is 43.32 μA/cm2 under sunlight irradiation (70 mW/cm2), which is 4.2 times as that of unloaded TiO2 nanotube arrays. Methyl orange (MO) degradation rate with the Ag-TiO2 nanotube arrays achieves 52.13% after 90 min sunlight irradiation which is obvious higher than that of TiO2 nanotube arrays. The mechanism of enhancing photoelectrochemical activity of decorating titania with Ag has also been discussed in the view of energy band theory.

The CuO/ZnO/ZrO 2 /Al 2 O 3 catalysts were prepared by co-precipitation method and the effects of ZrO 2 on steam reforming of methanol over CuO/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts with various CuO/ZnO ratios (40/50–10/80) were examined and discussed. Zirconium oxide improved the dispersion and reducibility of the CuO/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts and promoted the adsorption of methanol. The promoting effect of ZrO 2 was observed only on the CuO/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 with the CuO/ZnO ratio less than 0.8. A lower CuO/ZnO ratio in the CuO/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts was associated with greater promoting effect of ZrO 2 in the SRM reactions, which depend on appropriate interactions through the interface between CuO and ZnO.

The foodborne pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium were subjected to heat shock at 48°C for 10 and 30 min, respectively, and then cold shocked at 15°C for 3 h. The effect of these shocks on the viability of test organisms exposed to chlorine dioxide and quaternary ammonium compounds was then determined. After exposure to the disinfectants, the viable population of each test organism, regardless of heat shock or cold shock treatment, decreased as the exposure period was extended. Both heat shock and cold shock treatments reduced the susceptibility of L. monocytogenes to both disinfectants at 25°C. However, for Salmonella Typhimurium, exposure to the chlorine dioxide disinfectant or quaternary ammonium compounds at 25°C significantly reduced (P < 0.05) survival of heat-shocked cells but significantly increased (P < 0.05) survival of cold-shocked cells compared with control cells. Survival of both L. monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium generally was reduced after exposure to disinfectants at 40°C compared with 25°C.

In this study, the powder of the Streptococcus thermophilus-fermented soymilk was stored under five conditions for 10 weeks: (1) at 25 °C with no added desiccant or deoxidant, (2) at 25 °C with added deoxidant, (3) at 25 °C with added desiccant, (4) at 25 °C with both deoxidant and desiccant added, and (5) at 4 °C with both deoxidant and desiccant added. It was found that the isoflavone content of the fermented soymilk powder declined during storage depending on storage condition and the kind of isoflavone isomer. The highest residual of isoflavone was found with the fermented soymilk powder stored at 4 °C with deoxidant and desiccant. Under this storage condition, total isoflavone, β-glucosides, acetylglucosides, malonylglucoside, and aglycone isoflavone in fermented soymilk powder showed residuals of 89.7%, 83.5%, 87.8%, 61.0%, and 93.1%, respectively, of its original content after 10 weeks of storage. Meanwhile, the smallest respective residuals of 71.2%, 29.3%, 47.9%, 51.8%, and 79.2% were noted with powder stored at 25 °C with neither deoxidant nor desiccant. However, the percentage of aglycone, the bioactive isoflavone, increased from an initial value of 77.95% to 86.76% in this sample.

The nanoporous metal-organic frameworks were synthesized under solvothermal conditions using organic solvent dimethylformamide. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, TGA, FT-IR and specific surface area for their properties difference. When the reaction temperature rises, the particle size becomes larger. All TGA curves are the basically same, the framework structure begins to be destroyed from 500°C up to around 600°C. The metal-organic frameworks accepted at reaction temperature 190°C have larger specific surface area and better structure stability.

Point mutations H274Y and N294S can lead to resistance of influenza virus strains to some drug molecules. Recently, a large number of experiments has focused on the many frameworks and catalytic residues thought to prevent the efficacy of anti-flu drugs. In the past, most research has considered the role of drugs in rigid proteins rather than in flexible proteins. In this study, we used molecular dynamics simulation (MD) combined with structure- and ligand-based drug design (SBDD and LBDD) methods to study dynamic interaction and protein dynamics correlation statistics between compounds and both the framework and catalytic residues in influenza virus N1 strains. Drug candidates were screened using the IC50 of the docking result predicted by support vector machine, multiple linear regression, and genetic function approximation (P