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BACKGROUND: Glioma is the central nervous system tumor with the highest incidence rate and the molecular detection of gliomas has been the focus of research. This study aimed to investigate the guiding effect of cluster of differentiation 276 (CD276) expression on the clinical prognosis of glioma. METHODS: The TCGA and CGGA databases were used to study whether CD 276 can be used as an independent prognostic factor for gliomas. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of CD276, isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), p53, and Ki-67, and 1p/19q co-deletion was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The effects of CD276 RNA interference (RNAi) on cell invasion, cell cycle and the expression of β-catenin, tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1), and MMP9 were observed. Furthermore, the biological effects of CD276 gene knockout on intracranial transplanted tumors in nude mice were studied. RESULTS: CD276 expression was positively correlated with the extracellular matrix, collagen decomposition, and cell adhesion molecules. Immunohistochemistry and FISH showed that CD276 expression positively correlated with the glioma grade, p53 mutation, Ki-67 proliferation, and MMP9 expression; however, it negatively correlated with IDH1 mutation, 1p/19q co-deletion, and the survival rate. CD276 RNAi in U87 cells inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, but had no effect on the cell cycle. CD276 inhibited the expression of β-catenin, TNFR1, and MMP9 in U87 cells at the mRNA and protein levels. In vivo experiments showed that the tumor formation and invasion of the CD276 small interfering RNA glioma cell line in nude mice were reduced and the survival time was prolonged. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that high expression of CD276 in gliomas indicates a poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to study the regulation of abdominal fat deposition by DL-a-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E) in broilers. Diets supplemented with 50 IU vitamin E significantly diminished abdominal fat deposition in broilers at day 35. Transcriptome sequencing results for abdominal fat tissues of the control (FC) and 50 IU vitamin E-supplemented (FT) groups identified 602 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were enriched in cellular process, cell and cell part, and binding Gene Ontology terms. Pathway functional analysis revealed that the DEGs were enriched in 42 metabolic pathways. Notably, the most enriched pathway, fatty acid biosynthesis, was found to play a key role in lipid metabolism. Further, the key regulators of lipid metabolism, including fatty acid synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha, and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 1, demonstrated decreased expression following vitamin E supplementation. Herein, we have identified pathways and genes regulated by vitamin E, thereby providing novel insights into the nutrients regulating abdominal fat deposition in broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The labyrinth seal is one of the most popular noncontact annular seals used in centrifugal compressors to improve machine efficiency by reducing the secondary flow leakage. Reducing the radial clearance Cr can effectively decrease the seal's leakage and therefore increase the machine efficiency. However, reducing Cr can also introduce undesired effects on the machine's vibration behaviors. This paper experimentally studies the impact of reducing Cr on the leakage and rotordynamic coefficients of a 16-tooth see-through labyrinth seal under wet-gas conditions. The test seal's inner diameter is 89.256 mm. Two rotors with different diameters are used to obtain two radial clearances (0.102 mm and 0.178 mm). Tests are carried out at a supply presure of 62 bars, three speeds from 10 krpm to 20 krpm, three pressure ratios from 0.21 to 0.46, and six inlet liquid volume fractions (LVFs) from zero to 15%. The test fluid is a mixture comprised of air and silicon oil. Test results show that, for all pure-air and mainly air conditions, decreasing Cr decreases (as expected) the test seal's leakage mass flowrate. For all test cases, direct dynamic stiffness KΩ is negative, producing a negative centering force on the associated rotor. For inlet LVF ≤ 8%, the effects of decreasing Cr on KΩ are negligible. When inlet LVF = 12% and 15%, decreasing Cr increases KΩ (decreases the magnitude). In other words, when inlet LVF = 12% and 15%, decreasing Cr reduces the test seal's negative centering force on the rotor, and would increase the critical speeds of the rotor. The value of the effective damping Ceff near 0.5ω represents the seal's capability to suppress the rotor's potential whirling motion at about 0.5ω. For all pure-air and mainly air conditions, decreasing Cr generally increases the Ceff value near 0.5ω; i.e., decreasing Cr improves the test seal's stabilizing capability against the rotor's potential whirling motion at about 0.5ω. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foods rich in anthocyanins are thermally treated to ensure their safety and are stored for a period of time before consumption. Thermal pretreatment could enhance the color and stability of anthocyanins content in most food products. The combination of thermal treatment and storage under subsequent conditions had a significant effect on anthocyanins. The rose powder dispersed in water, aqueous ethanol, and acidified methanol solutions is thermally processed by microwave heating at 400, 600, and 800 W. The extraction rate and stability of anthocyanins and color of the samples during storage at 4°C, 27°C, and 37°C were investigated. Color parameters were monitored using a colorimeter and the stability of anthocyanins was determined by a UV spectrophotometer. Anthocyanins degradation in the microwave thermally treated rose powder solutions after storage at 37°C was faster than those stored under 4°C and 27°C. The storage temperature 4°C resulted in an excellent color and anthocyanins stability. The methanol extracted rose powder solutions resulted in the lowest loss of anthocyanins content in all storage temperatures and times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims at the higher reactive power management complexity caused by the access of distributed power, and the problem such as large data exchange capacity, low accuracy of reactive power distribution, a slow convergence rate, and so on, may appear when the controlled objects are large. This paper proposes a reactive power and voltage control management strategy based on virtual reactance cloud control. The coupling between active power and reactive power in the system is effectively eliminated through the virtual reactance. At the same time, huge amounts of data are treated to parallel processing by using the cloud computing model parallel distributed processing, realize the uncertainty transformation between qualitative concept and quantitative value. The power distribution matrix is formed according to graph theory, and the accurate allocation of reactive power is realized by applying the cloud control model. Finally, the validity and rationality of this method are verified by testing a practical node system through simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer is the second most common malignancy in women and considered as a severe health burden. PEG3 mutations have been observed in several cancers. However, the associations of PEG3 mutation with tumor mutation burden (TMB) and prognosis in breast cancer have not been investigated. Methods: In our study, the somatic mutation data of 986 breast cancer patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were analyzed. Results: It showed that PEG3 had a relatively high mutation rate (2%). After calculated the TMB in PEG3 mutant and PEG3 wild-type groups, we found the TMB value was significantly higher in PEG3 mutant samples than that in PEG3 wild-type samples (P = 5.6e-07), which was independent of the confounding factors including age, stage, mutations of BRCA1, BRCA2 and POLE (odd ratio, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.20–0.98; P=0.044). Survival analysis revealed that PEG3 mutant samples had inferior survival outcome compared with the PEG3 wild-type samples after adjusted for the confounding factors above (hazard ratio, 0.27; 95% CI: 0.12–0.57; P<0.001). Conclusion: These results illustrated that PEG3 mutation was associated with high TMB and inferior prognosis, suggesting PEG3 mutation might play a guiding role in prognosis prediction and immunotherapy selection in breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low infrared emissivity in 3–5 μm or 8–14 μm band has been realized in different host materials. Realizing the low infrared emissivity in single material covering the entire band is rarely achieved. This research explores a binary system of ultra-high temperature ceramic ZrB 2 –CeO 2 composites prepared by solid state sintering. their phase composition, microstructure evolution, reaction mechanism and infrared emissivity performance were discussed in detail. It was found that CeO 2 , ZrB 2 , ZrO 2 , and Zr n Ce 1-n O 2 existed in the sample in addition to the coated glass phase of CeO 2 on the surface of the sample. In-situ HRTEM results clearly revealed a series of reaction mechanism of CeO 2 and ZrB 2. With the increase of sintering temperature, the CeO 2 particles gradually transformed into a glass phase, and were distributed on the surface of ZrB 2 particles, and ZrO 2 was formed on the surface of ZrB 2 , simultaneously. Consequently, Zr n Ce 1-n O 2 is formed as the reaction of ZrO 2 and CeO 2. Compared with the infrared emissivity spectra of pure CeO 2 and ZrB 2 , a low infrared emissivity less than 0.2 in a wider coverage band of 3–5 and 8–14 μm in ZrB 2 –CeO 2 compounds was achieved as a result of synergistic interaction between CeO 2 and ZrB 2. The obtained information about the phase composition and microstructure evolution helps to realize low infrared emissivity in a wider coverage band in compounds via composition and microstructure modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels couple cell metabolic status to membrane excitability and are crucial for stress adaptation and cytoprotection in the heart. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a cardiac peptide important for cardiovascular homeostasis, also exhibits cytoprotective features including protection against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injuries. However, how ANP modulates cardiac KATP channels is largely unknown. In the present study we sought to address this issue by investigating the role of ANP signaling in functional modulation of sarcolemmal KATP (sarcKATP) channels in ventricular myocytes freshly isolated from adult rabbit hearts. Single-channel recordings were performed in combination with pharmacological approaches in the cell-attached patch configuration. Bath application of ANP markedly potentiated sarcKATP channel activities induced by metabolic inhibition with sodium azide, whereas the KATP-stimulating effect of ANP was abrogated by selective inhibition of the natriuretic peptide receptor type A (NPR-A), cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), reactive oxygen species (ROS), extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK)1/2, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), or the ryanodine receptor (RyR). Blockade of RyRs also nullified hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced stimulation of sarcKATP channels in intact cells. Furthermore, single-channel kinetic analyses revealed that ANP enhanced the function of ventricular sarcKATP channels through destabilizing the long closures and facilitating the opening transitions, without affecting the single-channel conductance. In conclusion, here we report that ANP positively modulates the activity of ventricular sarcKATP channels via an intracellular signaling mechanism consisting of NPR-A, PKG, ROS, ERK1/2, CaMKII, and RyR2. This novel mechanism may regulate cardiac excitability and contribute to cytoprotection, in part, by opening myocardial KATP channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classification of celestial spectra is one of the important contents of astronomical research. The key is to select and extract the most effective feature for classification from spectra data. In this paper, we propose a new feature extraction method for astronomical spectra based on two-dimensional Fourier spectrum image, and apply the method to the classification study of LAMOST (the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope) stellar spectral data. The spectra data are from LAMOST Data Release 5 (DR5). We select 30000 F, G, and K types of spectra data. The short-time Fourier transform (STFT) is used to transform the one-dimensional spectra data into two-dimensional Fourier spectrum images. We classify and test these two-dimensional Fourier spectrum images with a module based on deep convolution network, and the classification accuracy rate is 92.90 %. The experimental result shows that the LAMOST stellar spectra data can be transformed into the two-dimensional Fourier spectrum images by the STFT. These spectral images inform new features, and build a new feature space, which is effective for classification. The method is a fully new attempt in spectra classification, which has certainly a pioneering significance for the classification and mining of massive celestial spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recommendation systems play a vital role to keep users engaged with personalized contents in modern online platforms. Recently, deep learning has revolutionized many research fields and there is a surge of interest in applying it for recommendation. However, existing studies have largely focused on exploring complex deeplearning architectures for recommendation task, while typically applying the negative sampling strategy for model learning. Despite effectiveness, we argue that these methods suffer from two important limitations: (1) the methods with complex network structures have a substantial number of parameters, and require expensive computations even with a sampling-based learning strategy; (2) the negative sampling strategy is not robust, making sampling-based methods difficult to achieve the optimal performance in practical applications. In this work, we propose to learn neural recommendation models from the whole training data without sampling. However, such a non-sampling strategy poses strong challenges to learning efficiency. To address this, we derive three new optimization methods through rigorous mathematical reasoning, which can efficiently learn model parameters from the whole data (including all missing data) with a rather low time complexity. Moreover, based on a simple Neural Matrix Factorization architecture, we present a general framework named ENMF, short for Efficient Neural Matrix Factorization. Extensive experiments on three real-world public datasets indicate that the proposed ENMF framework consistently and significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art methods on the Top-K recommendation task. Remarkably, ENMF also shows significant advantages in training efficiency, which makes it more applicable to real-world large-scale systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathological studies have shown an association between psoriasis and renal injury (RI), but the mechanism between RI and psoriasis was still unclear. This paper was designed to investigate the relationship and mechanism between psoriasis-like inflammation and renal injury in BALB/C mice. Mice were topically smeared imiquimod followed by various analyses in skin lesions, urine protein, kidney/serum inflammatory cytokines, kidney function, podocyte membrane proteins, and toll-like receptors/nuclear factor kappa-b (TLR/NF-κB) pathway-associated proteins. Meanwhile, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and dexamethasone (DEX) were intraperitoneally injected to promote and inhibit inflammation accompanied by imiquimod to elaborate the relevance between inflammatory levels and RI. In the model group, the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores of scaly and erythema obviously increased (p < 0.01), creatinine and blood urea nitrogen significantly increased (p < 0.01), the positive area of hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining in kidney increased (p < 0.01), malondialdehyde significantly increased with superoxide dismutase (SOD) decreased (p < 0.01), 24-hour urine protein increased and the expressions of podocin and CD2 associate protein (CD2AP) decreased (p < 0.01), and kidney/serum inflammatory factors (IL-17, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-22) and TLR/NF-κB-related expression (TLR2, TLR4, MyD88, and NF- κBp65) all increased (p < 0.01). The RI was aggravated with the TLR/NF-κB related expression being upregulated by LPS (p < 0.05). On the contrary, the RI was alleviated by DEX (p < 0.05). Our data showed that psoriasis-like inflammation damaged the renal function via the TLR/NF-κB signal pathway. Inhibiting TLR/NF-κB-related protein expression may be effective for the treatment of RI caused by psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to accelerate the numerical simulation and optimization of gas turbine-related configurations, a source based computational fluid dynamics (SCFD) approach is developed for flow and heat transfer simulations. Different sources depending on the fluid porosity at each grid node in the computational domain are introduced to the continuity, momentum, energy and turbulence model equations, so that both the fluid and solid regions can be solved as one region. In the present paper, test cases including a ribbed channel and a winglet shrouded turbine cascade with tip injection are investigated using the SCFD and CFD with body-fitted meshes. Impacts of grid clustering and turbulence model equation sources on the SCFD precision are examined. Numerical results show that the SCFD predicts consistent aerothermal performance with the fluid dynamics with body-fitted meshes and experiments. The validated SCFD scheme is then employed in a response surface optimization of tip jet holes on the winglet shroud tip. A jet arrangement with the minimum energy loss and injection mass-flow rate is obtained, indicating that source based predictions can be applied to the preliminary aero-thermal design of turbine blades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of the oil (silicone oil PSF-5cSt) presence in the air on the leakage and rotordynamic characteristics of a long-honeycomb seal with length-to-diameter ratio L/D = 0.748 and diameter D = 114.656 mm. Tests are carried out with inlet pressure Pi = 70.7 bars, pressure ratio (PR) = 0.35 and 0.25, inlet liquid volume fraction (LVF) = 0%, 3.5%, and 7%, and shaft speed ω = 10, 15, and 20 krpm. During the tests, the seal is centered. Test results show that leakage mass flow rate m˙ increases (as expected) as inlet LVF increases. Increasing inlet LVF makes direct stiffness K increase more rapidly with increasing excitation frequency Ω. Increasing inlet LVF has a negligible effect on K at low Ω values, but increases K at high Ω values. The value of effective damping Ceff at about 0.5Ω is an indicator to the system stability since an unstable centrifugal compressor rotor can precess at about 0.5Ω. Increasing inlet LVF increases the value of Ceff at about 0.5Ω, reducing the possibility of subsynchronous vibrations (SSVs) at about 0.5Ω. San Andrés's model is used to produce predictions. The model assumes that the test fluid in the seal clearance is an isothermal-homogenous mixture. The model adequately predicts m˙, K, and the value of Ceff at about 0.5Ω. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper conducts a comprehensive study on the effects of the presence of air in the oil on the leakage and rotordynamic coefficients of a long-smooth seal (inner diameter D = 89.306 mm, radial clearance Cr = 0.140 mm, and length-diameter ratio L/D = 0.65) under laminar-two-phase flow conditions. The mixture consists of air and silicone oil with inlet gas volume fraction (GVF) up to 10%. Tests are performed at inlet temperature Ti = 39.4 °C, exit pressure Pe = 6.9 bars, pressure drop PD = 31, and 37.9 bars, and rotor speed ω = 5, 7.5, and 10 krpm. The test seal is always concentric with the rotor, and no intentional fluid prerotation is provided at the seal inlet. The complex dynamic stiffness coefficients Hij of the test seal are measured and fitted by the frequency-independent direct stiffness K, cross-coupled stiffness k, direct damping C, cross-coupled damping c, direct virtual-mass M, and cross-coupled virtual-mass mq coefficients. Under laminar flow conditions, increasing inlet GVF has negligible effects on K, k, C, and effective damping Ceff, while it decreases c and M. These trends are correctly predicted by San Andrés's bulk-flow model with laminar flow friction formula. As inlet GVF increases, measured leakage flow rate m˙ increases slightly. In general, the predictions of K, k, C, c, Ceff, and m˙ are reasonably close to measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to accelerate the numerical simulation and optimization of gas turbine-related configurations, a source based computational fluid dynamics (SCFD) approach is developed for flow and heat transfer simulations. Different sources depending on the fluid porosity at each grid node in the computational domain are introduced to the continuity, momentum, energy and turbulence model equations, so that both the fluid and solid regions can be solved as one region. In the present paper, test cases including a ribbed channel and a winglet shrouded turbine cascade with tip injection are investigated using the SCFD and CFD with body-fitted meshes. Impacts of grid clustering and turbulence model equation sources on the SCFD precision are examined. Numerical results show that the SCFD predicts consistent aerothermal performance with the fluid dynamics with body-fitted meshes and experiments. The validated SCFD scheme is then employed in a response surface optimization of tip jet holes on the winglet shroud tip. A jet arrangement with the minimum energy loss and injection mass-flow rate is obtained, indicating that source based predictions can be applied to the preliminary aero-thermal design of turbine blades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circulating leptin concentrations could potentially be used as a predictor of production traits in cattle. This study aimed to clarify the correlations between circulating leptin concentrations and growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality indexes in finishing bulls fed high‐concentrate diets (concentrate‐to‐forage ratio 70:30). Fifty‐seven Simmental × Luxi F1 crossbred bulls were used for 112‐day finishing experiment. Circulating leptin concentrations and relevant indexes of growth performance, and carcass traits and meat quality were measured during or after finishing trail. The results indicated that the leptin concentrations tended to be negatively correlated with dry matter intake (DMI) (r = −.233, p = .081), and were positively correlated with 12th‐rib fat thickness (r = .330, p = .012), marbling score (r = .336, p = .011), and intramuscular fat content (r = .368, p = .021). Moreover, the leptin concentrations were negatively correlated with cholesterol content (r = −.339, p = .037) and were not correlated with sensory indexes including tenderness, juiciness, and like flavor (p > .05). In conclusion, circulating leptin concentrations may potentially be used as a predictor of carcass traits related to content of fat and beef quality traits related to content of cholesterol in finishing bulls fed high‐concentrate diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of liquid presence in air on the leakage and rotordynamic coefficients of a long (length-to-diameter ratio L/D = 0.747) teeth-on-stator labyrinth seal. The test fluid is a mixture of air and silicone oil (PSF-5cSt). Tests are carried out at inlet pressure Pi = 62.1 bars, three pressure ratios from 0.21 to 0.46, three speeds from 10 to 20 krpm, and six inlet liquid volume fractions (LVFs) from 0% to 15%. Complex dynamic-stiffness coefficients Hij are measured. The real parts of Hij are too frequency dependent to be fitted by frequency-independent stiffness and virtual-mass coefficients. Therefore, this paper presents frequency-dependent direct stiffness KΩ and cross-coupled stiffness kΩ. The imaginary parts of Hij produce frequency-independent direct damping C. Test results show that, under both pure- and mainly air conditions, the leakage mass flowrate ṁ of the test seal steadily increases as inlet LVF increases. KΩ is negative under all test conditions, and the magnitude of KΩ increases as inlet LVF increases, leading to a larger negative centering force on the associated compressor rotor. Under pure-air conditions, KΩ is a small negative value. Injecting oil into the air increases KΩ slightly and make the magnitude of KΩ closer to zero. Under mainly air conditions, increasing inlet LVF from 2% to 15% has little impact on KΩ. C normally increases as inlet LVF increases. The value of the effective damping Ceff = C - KΩ/Ω near 0.5ω is of significant interest to the system stability since an unstable centrifugal compressor may precess at approximately 0.5ω. ω denotes the excitation frequency. The oil presence in the air has little impact on the value of Ceff near 0.5ω. Also, the liquid presence does not change the insensitiveness of ṁ, KΩ, kΩ, C, and Ceff to change in ω; i.e., under both pure- and mainly air conditions, changes in ω has little impact on ṁ, KΩ, kΩ, C, and Ceff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome-wide association studies found that increased risk for atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common human heart arrhythmia, is associated with noncoding sequence variants located in proximity to PITX2. Cardiomyocyte-specific epigenomic and comparative genomics uncovered 2 AF-associated enhancers neighboring PITX2 with varying conservation in mice. Chromosome conformation capture experiments in mice revealed that the Pitx2c promoter directly contacted the AF-associated enhancer regions. CRISPR/Cas9- mediated deletion of a 20-kb topologically engaged enhancer led to reduced Pitx2c transcription and AF predisposition. Allele-specific chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing on hybrid heterozygous enhancer knockout mice revealed that long-range interaction of an AF-associated region with the Pitx2c promoter was required for maintenance of the Pitx2c promoter chromatin state. Long-range looping was mediated by CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF), since genetic disruption of the intronic CTCF-binding site caused reduced Pitx2c expression, AF predisposition, and diminished active chromatin marks on Pitx2. AF risk variants located at 4q25 reside in genomic regions possessing long-range transcriptional regulatory functions directed at PITX2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wolf's isotopic response refers to the occurrence of a new skin disease at the exact site of an unrelated skin disease that had previously healed. Various cutaneous lesions have been described after herpes zoster. This study included 24 patients with Wolf's isotopic response after herpes zoster infection, which presented as manifestations ranging from inflammatory disease to carcinoma. Histopathological examinations in 12 patients and immunohistochemical analyses in 10 patients allowed exploration of secondary microscopic changes in the lesions. CD4+/CD8+ T-cell ratios were normal and infiltrating cells included mast cells, eosinophils, and tumour cells. Our study has described additional patients with confirmed Wolf's isotopic response following herpes zoster infection; moreover, it has extended the spectrum of Wolf's isotopic response to include impetigo. We suggest Wolf's isotopic response classification categories for herpes zoster- associated Wolf's isotopic response. Additionally, clinicians should consider the possibilities of different diseases in Wolf's isotopic response, especially malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of RNA interference in the inhibition of MUC1 gene expression in occurrence and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its in-depth mechanisms. The OSCC and normal oral mucosa tissues, as well as normal oral epithelial cell line HOK and OSCC cell line SCC-4, Cal-27, TSCCA, Tca8113 were obtained to detect the expression of MUC1. Slug expression in OSCC and normal oral mucosa tissues was also determined. The OSCC cells were grouped to investigate the role of MUC1 gene silencing on proliferation, DNA replication, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis, colony formation ability, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, and migration of OSCC cells. We first found higher positive rate of MUC1 and Slug expression in OSCC tissues. Next, it was determined that higher expression of MUC1 was found in OSCC tissues and cells. Furthermore, silencing of MUC1 declined Slug expression, inhibited the proliferation, DNA replication, cell cycle progression, and EMT while inducing apoptosis of OSCC cells. Our study suggests that overexpression of MUC1 is found in OSCC, and MUC1 gene silencing could inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and migration while inducing apoptosis of OSCC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A small private online course (SPOC) supports blended learning on a small scale, enabling students to have a more comprehensive and deeper learning experience. It also provides instructors with a flexible and feasible model to better understand the students’ learning needs and to supervise students’ learning behaviors. In this study, we adopted SPOC flipped classroom blended teaching in the physiology course for clinical undergraduate students of Kunming Medical University. Compared with the control group [lecture-based learning (LBL)], the SPOC flipped classroom method significantly increased the scores of students in the preclass test (65.13 ± 12.45 vs. 53.46 ± 8.09, SPOC vs. LBL) and postclass test (80.43 ± 14.29 vs. 69.01 ± 12.81, SPOC vs. LBL), which is induced by students’ increased interest in self-learning. More importantly, the significant difference between the preclass scores of the two groups suggested that the video lecture-based preview is more effective than the textbook-based preview. The study indicated that the SPOC flipped classroom was effective in enhancing the examination scores of students, reflecting an improved learning efficiency and a deeper understanding of the knowledge. In summary, the flipped classroom based on SPOC improves learning outcomes compared with LBL and has a wide application in the learning of basic medical courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zirconium Boride is widely used as thermal protection materials. However, the characteristics of poor oxidation resistance of ZrB 2 at high temperatures limits its applications. In order to improve the anti-oxidation performance of ZrB 2 , a novel method of doping LaF 3 is adopted in present study. In the synthesis process of ZrB 2 via carbothermal reduction method, LaF 3 was introduced to the initial materials. Motivated by the slightly higher formation temperature of ZrB 2 than the melting point of LaF 3 , a liquid glass phase composed of F and La was deposited on the surface of ZrB 2 , which naturally brought in oxygen starvation and contributed to improved oxidation resistance performance. The crystal lattice parameters and the anti-oxidation ability of ZrB 2 are closely dependent on the added LaF 3 content, which can ascribe to La3+/Zr2+ substitution and the amount of glass phase on the surface of ZrB 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of dynamic contact angle (θd), between a substrate and the melt of a dewetting polymer thin film, on the evolution of rim instabilities of dewetting holes were reported. Various θd’s were achieved by covering SiOx surfaces with different coverage of octadecyltrichlorosilane. On each surface, the morphology of the dewetting holes was examined in detail as the hole grew to a certain size. Rim instabilities, in terms of undulations in both r and z directions, became more pronounced as θd increased, under which condition, narrower and higher rims were also observed. Experimentally, atomic force microscopic scans of the rim were used to obtain the rim profile, which was predicted using θd. The predicted rim profile was used, in combination with the analysis of Rayleigh instability of a cylindrical fluid, to interpret the rim instability. The model captures the basic trend of the rim instability dependency on θd. The study demonstrates the importance of the substrate properties on the rim instability and the destabilization of polymer thin films during hole growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] This study was conducted to develop a health-care product with smooth taste and high nutrition. [Methods] With natural wheat germ powder as the main raw material and maltodextrin, white sugar, compound stabilizer and other materials as auxiliary materials, the formula of wheat germ solid bev erage was optimized using sensory evaluation value as an index, through the mixture experiment method and fuzzy mathematical analysis. [Results] The optimal formula of wheat germ solid beverage was ; sugar 11.51%, maltodextrin 37. 89%, wheat germ powder 50%, compound stabilizer 0.6 % (arabic gum 0.3 %, xan-han gum 0.3%), soya bean lecithin 0.2%, ethyl maltol 0.002%, and vanillin 0.003%. [Conclusions] This study provides a theoretical basis for expanding the market-oriented production and application of wheat germ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives J This study was conducted to develop a health-care product with smooth t aste and high nutrition. [Methods J With natural wheat germ powder as the main raw material and maltodextrin, white sugar, compound stabilizer and other materials as auxiliary materials, the formula of wheat germ solid beverage was optimized using sensory evaluation value as an index, through the mixture experiment method and fuzzy mathematical analysis. [ Results J The optimal formula of wheat germ solid beverage was: sugar 11. 51 %, maltodextrin 37. 89%, wheat germ powder 50%, compound stabilizer 0. 6% ( arabic gum 0. 3%, xanthan gum 0. 3 % ), soya bean lecithin 0. 2 %, ethyl maltol 0. 002%, and vanillin 0. 003 % . [ Conclusions J This study provides a t heoretical basis for expanding the market-oriented production and application of wheat germ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) has been widely used in hyperspectral image (HSI) classification. It has obvious advantages in extracting spatial and spectral features. However, the classification performance depends not only on spatial and spectral information, but also on the sequence properties between spectral features. Transformer is an excellent model for establishing sequence relationship, however making spatial correlation loss. On the basis of preserving spatial correlation as much as possible, we propose a multi-layer feature fusion module (MLFF) to fully mine and fuse the representative spectral and spatial features and sequence relationship. The proposed MLFF is composed of Feature Transformation, Tensorbased Sobel and Transformer Fusion. Feature Transformation is implemented by transpose and convolution operations, which can get the high-level contextual features and increase the diversity of feature information. At the same time, we designed a Tensor-based Sobel module to better participate in the subsequent fusion of HSI edge and texture features. Finally, in the Transformer Fusion module, these features are fused by one feature per layer through the improved encoder and decoder. Besides, we add skip structure to maintain a good relationship between each layer and strengthen cross-layer connections. Through the above three modules, we can better acquire and fuse HSI spectral, spatial and edge features to achieve good classification accuracy. The experiments conducted on three public HSI datasets demonstrate that the proposed method has better performance compared with existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background • The number of patients having ischemic stroke is increasing year on year. The anesthetic adjuvant dexmedetomidine is neuroprotective in rats and has potential for use in the treatment of ischemic stroke. Objective • The neuroprotective mechanism of dexmedetomidine in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury was studied in relation to its regulation of the oxidative stress response, astrocyte response, microglia overactivation, and apoptosis-related protein expression. Methods • We randomly and equally divided 25 male Sprague-Dawley rats into 5 groups: a sham-operation group, an ischemia-reperfusion injury group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose dexmedetomidine groups. A rat model of focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury was established by embolization of the right middle cerebral artery for 60 minutes and reperfusion for 2 hours. The volume of cerebral infarction was calculated by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining. The protein expression levels of caspase-3, methionyl aminopeptidase 2 (MetAP2 or MAP2), glial fibrillary acidic protein, and allograft inflammatory factor 1 (AIF-1) in the cerebral cortex were determined by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Results • The volume of cerebral infarction in rats decreased with increasing dose of dexmedetomidine (P = .039, 95% CI = .027 to .044). The expression levels of caspase-3, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and allograft inflammatory factor 1 and the amount of 4-hydroxynonenal decreased with increasing doses of dexmedetomidine (P = .033, 95% CI = .021 to .037). Methionyl aminopeptidase 2 (MetAP2 or MAP2) expression increased with increasing doses of dexmedetomidine (P = .023, 95% CI = .011 to .028). Conclusion • Dexmedetomidine has a dose-dependent protective effect on cerebral ischemic injury in rats. The neuroprotective effects of dexmedetomidine are achieved, in part, by reducing the oxidative stress response, inhibiting glial overactivation, and inhibiting expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Develops the nonlinear optical spectroscopies of molecular aggregates and semiconductors using the nonlinear exciton equations. Dynamical exciton variables of the equations; Effect of nuclear motions on exciton-phonon coupling; Origin of the function expressions for the third-order response.

Proposes two-dimensional four-wave-mixing techniques used to extract information about structure and coupling patterns of interacting chromophores. Conceptual similarities of the techniques with multiple-pulse NMR spectroscopies; Derivation of closed expressions for the signals; Dynamics of multiple excitations using the one-exciton Green function.

A model of a two-stage N-person noncooperative game under uncertainty is studied, in which at the first stage each player solves a quadratic program parameterized by other players' decisions and then at the second stage the player solves a recourse quadratic program parameterized by the realization of a random vector, the second-stage decisions of other players, and the first-stage decisions of all players. The problem of finding a Nash equilibrium of this game is shown to be equivalent to a stochastic linear complementarity problem. A linearly convergent progressive hedging algorithm is proposed for finding a Nash equilibrium if the resulting complementarity problem is monotone. For the nonmonotone case, it is shown that, as long as the complementarity problem satisfies an additional elicitability condition, the progressive hedging algorithm can be modified to find a local Nash equilibrium at a linear rate. The elicitability condition is reminiscent of the sufficient second-order optimality condition in nonlinear programming. Various numerical experiments indicate that the progressive hedging algorithms are efficient for mid-sized problems. In particular, the numerical results include a comparison with the best response method that is commonly adopted in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin-like growth factor II promoter 3 (IGF-IIP3) is the most active promoter in live cancer cells. In this study, the anti-tumour growth effects of DRz1 were measured in a model of hepatoma-bearing mice. DRz1 significantly inhibited IGF-IIP3 expression and tumour growth in vivo. Compared to the sham-treated control group, DRz1 treatment attenuated the tumour volume and weight after 14 days of treatment. DRz1 could significantly inhibit the expression of IGF-IIP3, could inhibit the associated tumour-promoting proteins and could retard the growth of hepatocarcinoma tumours in vivo. These findings provide novel evidence for the anti-tumour effects of DRz1 in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sterilization is one of the most effective food preservation methods. Conventional thermal sterilization commonly used in food industry usually causes the deterioration of food quality. Flavor, aroma, and texture, among other attributes, are significantly affected by thermal sterilization. However, demands of consumers for nutritious and safe dishes with a minimum change in their original textural and sensory properties are growing rapidly. In order to meet these demands, new approaches have been explored in the last few years to extend the shelf-life of dishes. This review discusses advantages and disadvantages of currently available physical sterilization technologies, including irradiation (eg. Gamma rays, X-rays, e-beams), microwave and radio frequency when used in prepared dishes. The preservation effect of these technologies on prepared dishes are normally evaluated by microbiological and sensory analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of osmotic-ultrasound dehydration pretreatment on the moisture adsorption isotherms of microwave-assisted vacuum fried purple-fleshed sweet potato (PSP) was determined at 30, 45 and 60 °C and fitted with six models. Absorbed water state of microwave-assisted vacuum fried purple-fleshed sweet potato was measured by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR). Results indicated that the optimized conditions of osmotic-ultrasound dehydration pretreatment were 11.21 min for ultrasound time, 56.99% sucrose concentration and 74.84 min for osmotic dehydration time. Moisture adsorption isotherms showed type II sigmoid shape. GAB model had the best fit evaluated by the higher values of R² (>0.9868) and the lower values of RMSE (<0.0074) and χ² (<9.4893 x 10-5) for untreated and pretreated fried purple-fleshed sweet potato slices. Monolayer moisture content from GAB model decreased from 0.0598 at 30 °C to 0.0452 at 60 °C. The net isosteric heat, of adsorption for untreated and pretreated fried PSP was calculated by the Clausius-Clapeyron equation and decreased with increasing moisture contents. The correlation between the bound water population (T[sub 21]) peak areas of absorbed water and equilibrium moisture content was respectively high for untreated PSP (R² > 0.9595) and pretreated fried PSP (R² > 0.9845) by using LF-NMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sandwich panels with metal foam cores have a tremendous potential in various industrial applications due to their outstanding strength-to-weight ratio, stiffness, and shock absorption capacity. A recent study paved the road toward a more economical implementation of sandwich panels, by showing that the material can be successfully bent up to large angles using laser forming. The study also developed a fundamental understanding of the underlying bending mechanisms and established accurate numerical models. In this study, these efforts were carried further, and the impact of the foam core structure, the facesheet and foam core compositions, and the adhesion method on the bending efficiency and the bending limit was investigated. These factors were studied individually and collectively by comparing two fundamentally different sandwich panel types. Thermally induced stresses at the facesheet/core interface were thoroughly considered. Numerical modeling was carried out under different levels of geometric accuracy to complement bending experiments under a wide range of process conditions. Interactions between panel properties and process conditions were demonstrated and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

basic-region helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins are a superfamily of transcription factors that are often involved in the control of growth and differentiation. Recently, it has been reported that the bHLH transcription factor DevR is involved in both asexual and sexual development in A. nidulans and regulates the conidial melanin production in A. fumigatus. In this study, we identified and characterized an A. oryzae gene, which showed high similarity with devR of A. nidulans and A. fumigatus. In the AodevR-disrupted strain, growth was delayed and the number of conidia was decreased on CD minimal agar plates, but the conidiation could be partially recovered by adding 0.6 M KCl. Simultaneously, the overexpression of AodevR was induced and resulted in extremely poor growth when the carbon source changed from glucose to polysaccharide (dextrin) in the CD agar plate. SEM indicated that the overexpression of AodevR resulted in extremely thin aberrant hyphal morphology. Conversely, the deletion of AodevR resulted in thicker hyphae and resulted in more resistance to Congo red relative to the control strain. Quantitative RT-PCR further indicated that AoDevR significantly affects chitin and starch metabolism, and especially, the overexpression of AodevR importantly inhibited the expression of the genes related to starch degradation. Yeast one-hybrid assay suggested that the DevR protein possibly interacted with promoter of amyR, which encodes a transcription factor involved in amylase production. In concert, AoDevR is importantly involved in polysaccharide metabolism and affects the growth of the A. oryzae strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies investigating association between tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene polymorphisms and silicosis susceptibility report conflicting results. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess association between TNF gene polymorphisms and silicosis susceptibility. A systematic literature search was conducted to find relevant studies. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the strength of association. Finally, a total of 12 articles, involving 1990 silicosis patients and 1898 healthy controls were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, meta-analysis revealed a significant association between the TNF −308A allele and silicosis (OR = 1.348, 95%CI = 1.156–1.570, P<0.001). A significant association of AA+AG genotype of the TNF −308 A/G polymorphism with susceptibility to silicosis was also found (OR = 1.466, 95%CI = 1.226–1.753, P<0.001). After stratification by ethnicity, significant associations were detected under the genetic models (A allele and AA+AG genotype) for TNF −308A/G polymorphisms in the Asian population (P<0.05). Similarly, meta-analysis of the TNF −238A/G polymorphism revealed the same pattern as that shown by meta-analysis of TNF −308A/G. The meta-analysis suggests that the TNF −308A/G and −238A/G polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to silicosis, especially in Asians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new and efficient method for solving affine sub-families included in a family of nonlinear feedback shift register (NFSR) sequences is proposed. The linear case is focused on since the affine case is an analogy. Let f(x0, x1,...,xn) = x0⊕f1(x1,...,xn-1)⊕xn be a characteristic function of an n-stage NFSR, where n is a positive integer. Let deg(f) = d > 1 and f[d] be the summation of all terms in the algebraic normal form of f whose degrees attain the maximum d. First, it is proved that every linear sub-family of G(f) is a sub-family of linear feedback shift register sequences generated by a characteristic polynomial of the form Σi∈Sci xi, where ci ∈ F2 and S consists of all subscripts of variables appearing in f[d]. That is to say, every linear sub-family of G(f) is a factor of some polynomial Σi∈Sc ixi over the finite field F2. This result is a well generalization of linear recurring sequences theory since it also holds if d = 1. Based on this result, a candidate set of linear sub-families could be obtained by polynomial factorizations over F2. Second, we propose a new method to verify a linear sub-family whose memory requirement and time complexity are clearer than the previous method. For instance, all affine sub-families of the 160-bit main register used in Grain v1 could be determined within two seconds by a PC using the new method in this paper, which is unobtainable for previous algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This research aimed to study the associations between XPD (G751A, rs13181), hOGG1 (C326G, rs1052133) and XRCC4 (G1394T, rs6869366) gene polymorphisms and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in a Chinese Han population. Method: A total of 225 Chinese Han patients with CRC were selected as the study group, and 200 healthy subjects were recruited as the control group. The polymorphisms of XPD G751A, hOGG1 C326G and XRCC4 G1394T loci were detected by the RFLP-PCR technique in the peripheral blood of all subjects. Results: Compared with individuals carrying the XPD751 GG allele, the A allele carriers (GA/AA) had a significantly increased risk of CRC (adjusted OR = 2.109, 95%CI = 1.352-3.287, P=0.003). Similarly, the G allele (CG/GG) of hOGG1 C326G locus conferred increased susceptibility to CRC (adjusted OR = 2.654, 95%CI = 1.915-3.685, P<0.001). In addition, the T allele carriers (GT/TT) of the XRCC4 G1394T locus have an increased risk of developing CRC (adjusted OR = 4.512, 95%CI = 2.785-7.402, P<0.001). The risk of CRC was significantly increased in individuals with both the XPD locus A allele and the hOGG1 locus G allele (adjusted OR = 1.543, 95%CI = 1.302-2.542, P=0.002). Furthermore, individuals with both the hOGG1 locus G allele and the XRCC4 locus T allele were predisposed to CRC development (adjusted OR = 3.854, 95%CI = 1.924-7.123, P<0.001). The risks of CRC in XPD gene A allele carriers (GA/AA) (adjusted OR = 1.570, 95%CI = 1.201-1.976, P=0.001), hOGG1 gene G allele carriers (CG/GG) (adjusted OR = 3.031, 95%CI = 2.184-4.225, P<0.001) and XRCC4 gene T allele carriers (GT/TT) (adjusted OR = 2.793, 95%CI = 2.235-3.222, P<0.001) were significantly higher in patients who smoked ≥16 packs/year. Conclusion: Our results suggest that XPD G751A, hOGG1 C326G and XRCC4 G1394T gene polymorphisms might play an important role in colorectal carcinogenesis and increase the risk of developing CRC in the Chinese Han population. The interaction between smoking and these gene polymorphisms would increase the risk of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper experimentally studies the effects of changing radial clearance Cr on the performance of a long (length-to-diameter ratio L/D = 0.65) smooth seal under mainly-air (wet-gas) conditions. The test fluid is a mixture of air and silicone oil. Tests are conducted with Cr = 0.188, 0.163, and 0.140 mm, inlet pressure Pi = 62.1 bars, exit pressure Pe = 31 bars, inlet liquid volume fraction LVF = 0%, 2%, 5%, and 8%, and shaft speed ω = 10, 15, and 20 krpm. The seal's complex dynamic stiffness coefficients Hij are measured. The real parts of Hij cannot be fitted by frequency-independent stiffness and virtual-mass coefficients. Therefore, frequency-dependent direct KΩ and cross-coupled KΩ stiffness coefficients are used. The imaginary parts of direct Hij produce frequency-independent direct damping C. Test results show that, for all pure- and mainly-air conditions, decreasing Cr decreases (as expected) the leakage mass flow rate m˙. Under mainly-air conditions, decreasing Cr decreases KΩ. This outcome is contrary to the test results at pure-air conditions, where KΩ increases as Cr decreases. Since an unstable centrifugal compressor rotor may precess at approximately 0.5ω, the effective damping Ceff at about 0.5ω is used as an indicator of the impact a seal would have on its associated compressor. For pure-air conditions, when Ω ≈ 0.5ω, decreasing Cr increases Ceff and makes the seal more stabilizing. This trend continues after the oil is added. A bulk-flow model developed by San Andrés (2011, "Rotordynamic Force Coefficients of Bubbly Mixture Annular Pressure Seals," ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, 134(2), p. 022503) produces predictions to compare with test results. m˙ predictions correlate with measurements. Under pure-air conditions, the model correctly predicts the effects of changing Cr on KΩ and the Ceff value near 0.5ω. After the oil is added, as Cr decreases, predicted KΩ increases while measured KΩ decreases. Also, for mainly-air cases and Ω ≈ 0.5ω, decreasing Cr does not discernibly change predicted Ceff but increases the measured value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of different C/N (NO2 - N) ratios on nitrogen removal and microbial community structure were investigated using an anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR). Results indicated that the C/N ratio exerted an important effect on nitrogen removal in the anammox-coupling-denitrification process associated with the ABR. When the C/N ratio was 1.29, the ABR could achieve the highest total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency of 99.9%. Most of TN was removed in the 1st and 2nd compartment, accounting for about 81.0-97.6% of total TN removal. The nitrogen removal resulted from the interaction among anammox, heterotrophic denitrificans, and other microbes within the ABR. The contribution of anammox to nitrogen removal varied from 6.8% to 32.4%. High-throughput MiSeq sequencing analyses revealed that the C/N ratio was one of the most important factors regulating the microbial community structure, and the predominant phylum changed from Proteobacteria to Chloroflexi with the elevated C/N ratio. In addition, the Candidatus Brocadia was the major anammox bacterium, and its percentage varied from 1.0-2.9% at day 9 to 2.8-9.1% at day 46. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are easy to collect and culture, and it is identified that it has multi-directional differentiation potential, moreover it has low immunogenicity, hence it can be used as an allogeneic cell source for skin wound healing. Hydrogel has been widely used in skin wound healing own to it is able to mimic the 3D microenvironment of cells, which supports cell proliferation, migration and secretion. In this study, we created a novel biocompatible thermo-sensitive hydrogel to carry BMSCs for full-thickness skin wound healing. The thermo-sensitive hydrogel loaded with BMSCs can fast achieve sol-gel transition after implanting to the wound. Histological results confirmed that hydrogel-BMSCs combination group showed significant promotion of wound closure, epithelial cells' proliferation and re-epithelialization, and reduced inflammatory responses in the wounds and in the tissues surrounding the wounds. The combination therapy also can promote collagen deposition, TGF-β1 and bFGF secretion and tissue remodeling. The present study provides a promising strategy for the clinical treatment of skin wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the flow characteristics of the solid-fluid two phase flow in the cutter suction dredger is very important for exploring the slurry formation mechanism and optimizing the operational parameters. In this study, standard k-e model and Multiple Reference Frame are applied to numerically simulate flow field in and around the cutting system, then with the steady convergent result of the simulation as the initial condition, Discrete Phase Mode is used to solve the particle motion equation by fully coupling the continuous phase and the particles. The influence of suction flow velocity and cutter's rotating speed on particles suction are analyzed, and effectively suctioned particles numbers are also quantitatively studied. The simulation result shows that the DPM model is able to simulate the movement of particles in and around the cutter suction dredger's cutting system, in the fluid flow filed velocity vector and pressure distribution on different planes show different characteristics, and under higher suction velocity and lower cutter rotating speed more particles are suctioned into the suction inlet. The results can help better understand flow characteristics of solidfluid 2-phase-flow of cutter suction dredger's cutting system, and provide theoretical support for relative system design and operational parameters optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the separation efficiency of vanadium from impurities, the highly selective separation of vanadium from multiple impurities and the transport mechanism of vanadium from a black shale leaching-solution, by a supported liquid membrane (SLM) using trialkylamine (N235) as the carrier, were investigated. The effects of parameters such as feed-solution pH, carrier concentration, stripping-solution species, and diluent nature were studied. The separation performance of the SLM system for vanadium from the main impurities in the black shale acid leaching-solution-Fe, Al, P, Si, K, and Mg-was also discussed. The diffusion parameters and facilitated transport mechanism were evaluated using a first-order kinetic model. By enhancing the mass transfer of vanadium and the competitive extraction between vanadium and the impurity ions, the performance of the SLM system for the separation of vanadium from the highly impure black shale leaching-solution was significantly improved. These results show that highly selective separation of vanadium from impurities can be achieved using the N235-SLM system, indicating promising prospects for application in the vanadium industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the exciton-migration and three-pulse femtosecond optical spectroscopies of photosynthetic antenna complexes. Development of a theory of four-wave-mixing signals from molecular aggregates; Inclusion of the effects of two-exciton states, static disorder, and coupling to a phonon bath with arbitrary spectral density; Partition of the third-order polarization.

Studies the synthesis and magnetic properties of iron nitride films deposited on Ge(100) wafers by a reactive ion beam sputter deposition of iron in ammonia atmosphere. Composition and microstructure by Rutherford backscattering microscopy; Profitability of the Ge(100) substrate for epitaxial growth of the alpha phase.