Search

The ternary conductive Ppy@Ag/g-C 3 N 4 composite photocatalysts was successfully synthesized by polymerization process and surface polymerization technique. And the as-prepared Ppy@Ag/g-C 3 N 4 sample exhibited the higher photocatalytic activity for various pollutant (MO, DM, TC, CIP, GFLX and EH) remove than that of pure g-C 3 N 4 and Ag/g-C 3 N 4 under visible light irradiation. It mainly originated from the Ag nanoparticles anchored between g-C 3 N 4 and Ppy acted as electron transfer mediator that facilitated the charge carrier separation and then expending the lifetime of the carriers. Meanwhile, the obtained Ppy@Ag/g-C 3 N 4 sample also showed a relatively good recycling stability which was the crucial factor for photocatalyst practical application. This work provided a new facile strategy for improving photo-degradation activity of g-C 3 N 4 photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moving towards sustainable consumption in China must factor in the drivers of production. China's domestic energy demand is affected not only by domestic demand, but also by foreign trade. The accounting of energy embodied in China's international trade has attracted much attention in recent years. In fact, embodied energy imports/exports are a part of the normal pattern of economic phenomena occurring through international trade, with exports of embodied energy contributing significantly to China's economic development. This research suggest that China's net embodied energy exports remained relatively stable before 2002, and then increased dramatically from 73 MTOE in 2002 to 502 MTOE by 2007 with an average annual growth rate of 47.2% over that period. The total employment creation reliant on these exports is 191.3 million people including direct employment of 44.1 million people and indirect employment of 147.2 million people in 2007, and the total employment creation increased quickly between 2002 and 2007, with an average annual growth rate of 9.1%. The share of employment created by exports in China's total employment increased from 16.5% in 1997 to 18.6% in 2002, and a more dramatic increase can be observed in 2007 of 28.1%. The exports-oriented sectors in China are energy-intensive from the perspective of embodied energy consumption, and the energy-intensive exports are located in nearly the same sectors as the labor-intensive exports. China will find it difficult to sustain the trade-off in costs due to unemployment if it wishes to reduce embodied energy exports. China needs to exercise patience and long-term reform to change the current development model because of its large economy and population base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic amendments recycle nutrients, but N2O emissions are both environmental and agronomic concerns. We conducted a 4-year field experiment to determine no-till barley (Hordeum vulgareL.) yield and nutrient uptake and soil N2O emissions following a single application of six amendment treatments: (1) no amendment (Check); (2) synthetic N fertilizer (Fert); (3) fresh beef cattle feedlot manure (ManureF); (4) beef cattle feedlot manure compost (CompostR); (5) beef cattle feedlot manure composted with cattle mortalities (CompostM); and (6) separated solids from anaerobically digested cattle feedlot manure (ADM). Barley grown in Year 1 (2006), Year 2 (2007), and Year 4 (2009) (with Year 3 (2008) under fallow) had higher grain yields from ManureF (4.73 Mg ha−1) in Year 2 and ADM (6.30 Mg ha−1) in Year 4 (p< 0.05) than other treatments. The grain N and P contents were not affected (p> 0.05), but N uptake over 3 years (112.8 kg N ha−1yr−1), and P uptake in Year 1 (19.1 kg ha−1yr−1) and Year 2 (14.3 kg ha−1yr−1) from ManureF, were higher (p< 0.05×) than other treatments. The cumulative N2O emissions from ManureF in Year 1 (1.488 kg N ha−1) and from ADM in Year 2 (1.072 kg N ha−1) were higher (p< 0.05) than other treatments while the fraction of applied N emitted as N2O was small (0.00 to 0.79%) and not affected by treatment. However, the percentages of applied N emitted as N2O from compost and ADM were similar to synthetic fertilizer and livestock manure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

LY2835219 is a dual inhibitor to CDK4 and CDK6. This study was to prepare LY2835219-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CNP/LY) and LY2835219-loaded hyaluronic acid-conjugated chitosan nanoparticles (HACNP/LY) and revealed their anticancer effect and influence on p16-CDK4/6-pRb pathway against colon cell line. The nanoparticle sizes of CNP/LY and HACNP/LY were approximately 195±39.6 nm and 217±31.1 nm, respectively. The zeta potentials of CNP/LY and HACNP/LY were 37.3±1.5 mV and 30.3±2.2 mV, respectively. And the preparation process showed considerable drug encapsulation efficiency and loading efficiency. LY2835219, CNP/LY, and HACNP/LY inhibited HT29 cell proliferation with 0.68, 0.54, and 0.30 μM of IC50, respectively. G1 phase was arrested by LY2835219 and its formulations. Furthermore, inhibition of CDK4/6 by LY2835219 formulations induced CDK4, CDK6, cyclin D1, and pRb decrease and p16 increase at both protein and mRNA levels. Overall, nanoparticle formulated LY2835219 could enhance the cytotoxicity and cell cycle arrest, and HACNP/LY strengthened the trend furtherly compared to CNP/LY. It is the first time to demonstrate the anticancer effect and mechanism against HT29 by LY2835219 and its nanoparticles. The drug and its nanoparticle formulations delay the cell growth and arrest cell cycle through p16-CDK4/6-pRb pathway, while the nanoparticle formulated LY2835219 could strengthen the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance Nd-Fe-B-based rare-earth permanent magnets play a crucial role in the application of traction motors equipped in new energy automobiles. In particular, the anisotropic hot-deformed (HD) Nd-Fe-B magnets prepared by the hot-press and hot-deformation process show great potential in achieving high coercivity due to their fine grain sizes of 200–400 nm, which are smaller by more than an order of magnitude compared to the traditional sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets. However, the current available coercivity of HD magnets is not as high as expected according to an empirical correlation between coercivity and grain size, only occupying about 25% of its full potential of the anisotropy field of the Nd2Fe14B phase. For the sake of achieving high-coercivity HD magnets, two major routes have been developed, namely the grain boundary diffusion process (GBDP) and the dual alloy diffusion process (DADP). In this review, the fundamentals and development of the HD Nd-Fe-B magnets are comprehensively summarized and discussed based on worldwide scientific research. The advances in the GBDP and DADP are investigated and summarized based on the latest progress and results. Additionally, the mechanisms of coercivity enhancement are discussed based on the numerous results of micromagnetic simulations to understand the structure–property relationships of the HD Nd-Fe-B magnets. Lastly, the magnetization reversal behaviors, based on the observation of magneto-optic Kerr effect microscopy, are analyzed to pinpoint the weak regions in the microstructure of the HD Nd-Fe-B magnets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization of corrosion layers of GH3535 and Inconel 625 alloys in the 40 KNO 3 -60 NaNO 3 (wt%) at 500 ℃ for 500 h was investigated by advanced electron microscopy. The results show that the corrosion depth of Inconel 625 alloy is smaller than that of GH3535 alloy. The corrosion products of GH3535 alloy are identified to be NiO(NiFe 2 O 4)/MoO 2 from outer to inner corrosion layer, while those of Inconel 625 alloy are NiO/Cr 2 O 3 from outer to inner corrosion layer. The corrosion diversity of two alloys can be ascribed to higher content of Mo in GH3535 and Cr in Inconel 625 alloy. • The structure and composition of corrosion layers are characterized by TEM. • The depth of corrosion layer of 625 alloy is thinner than that of GH3535 alloy. • The corrosion products of GH3535 alloy are NiO(NiFe 2 O 4)/MoO 2. • The corrosion products of 625 alloy are NiO/Cr 2 O 3. • The corrosion diversity is caused by the difference in two alloys composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the process of functional testing of single transcript CRISPR-Cas9 system in protoplasts, while mentioning the efficient generation of rice mutants, and also mentions that single transcript is processed by a hammerhead ribozyme (RZ).

This paper investigates the seismic behaviour of a new type of through-beam connection between a square concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) column and a reinforced concrete (RC) beam. In this new connection system, the steel stub is completely interrupted in the connection zone, with longitudinal steel bars of the frame beam being continuous through this zone. The connection incorporates a strengthening joint system with a steel cage consisting of multi-layer steel meshes and radial pattern stirrups to compensate the possible decrease of strength of connection due to the interruption of the steel tube. The connection is rigid with the integrity and continuity of the columns and beams. Cyclic loading tests on five beam-column specimens are conducted to evaluate this new connection. The hysteretic response, the skeletal and load–deflection curves, the strain, ductility, strength and the stiffness degradation and energy dissipation are obtained. Experimental results demonstrate the favourable seismic performance of the connection including their superior ductility and energy dissipation capacity. A sophisticated solid finite element model is developed and verified by comparing with the experimental results, and being applied for further parametric studies. A simple fibre finite model using OpenSEES is also proposed and the efficiency and accuracy of the model are illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the aggregation morphology, tensile behavior, and morphology evolution during the tensile test of two isotactic polypropylene (iPP) samples with similar molecular weight and average isotacticity but different uniformities of stereo-defect distribution are investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), two-dimensional wide angle X-ray diffraction (2D-WAXD), and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The results revealed that the uniformity of stereo-defect distribution of iPP determines the crystalline structure and aggregation morphology, and further influences the tensile behavior and morphology evolution during the tensile test. For PP-A with less uniform stereo-defect distribution, its ability of crystallization is stronger compared with PP-B, resulting in smaller spherulite sizes, higher melting point and degree of crystallinity, and narrower distribution of lamellar thickness of the compression molding specimens. During the tensile test, mainly the inter-spherulite deformation takes place at the early stage for deformation, which further results in drastic deformation of lamellar and high degree of reorientation at the strain increases, exhibiting higher yield strength and elastic modulus, and lower elongation at break compared with PP-B; for PP-B with more uniform stereo-defect distribution, larger spherulite sizes, lower melting point and degree of crystallinity in its compression molding sample are observed. During the tensile test, intra-spherulite deformation mainly takes place, which can disperse the tensile stress more uniformly. As the strain increases, lower degree of crystalline destruction and reorientation of the crystallites take place. The yield strength and elastic modulus of PP-B is lower than PP-A, and its elongation at break is higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A durability investigation has been conducted on the actual tunnels locating at Kunming Section of Chengkun railway line. Appearance of concrete deterioration was recorded by a Nikon camera. In some representative locations, concrete cores were taken from Shot-concrete or bulk concrete with a hand-held coring rig. The eroded residuals and water around the coring site were collected for further investigations in laboratory. XRD and EPMA analyses were conducted to identify the facts of destructive course. Site investigation shows the lining concrete is subjected to a serious deterioration including salt crystallisation, leaking, surface powdered and flaked, etc. Further investigations in laboratory corroborate the major deterioration, i.e. carbonisation, the chemical erosion and physical attack by sulphate ions, etc. Elements distributions declare that carbonisation has notable evolvement of concrete properties and leads to the movements of sulphur and sodium elements. The sulphur migrates from neutralised area to alkaline area while the sodium moves along the opposite direction. EPMA analysis identifies that the aggressive sulphur ions are sourced from the external environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To estimate the prevalence of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) in China. Methods Using data collected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, a population-based longitudinal survey conducted between 2011 and 2012, we estimated the prevalence of symptomatic knee OA according to sex, age, rural/urban area, socioeconomic status, and geographic region. Results Among 17,128 individuals (8,367 men and 8,761 women; mean age 59.8 years) included in the analysis, 8.1% had symptomatic knee OA. The prevalence of symptomatic knee OA was higher in women (10.3%) compared with men (5.7%) (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.88 [95% confidence interval 1.64-2.17]). The prevalence of symptomatic knee OA increased with age ( P for trend <0.01). Symptomatic knee OA was more common in rural areas than in urban areas (OR 1.84 [95% confidence interval 1.46-2.31]). The prevalence of symptomatic knee OA was lower among individuals who had received more years of education and who lived in more developed areas ( P for trend <0.01). The North and East regions of China had the lowest prevalence of symptomatic knee OA (5.4% and 5.5%, respectively), followed by the North-East (7.0%), South-Central (7.8%), and North-West (10.8%) regions. The prevalence was highest (13.7%) in subjects living in the South-West region. Conclusion Symptomatic knee OA in China was prevalent, and the prevalence varied according to sociodemographic, economic, and geographic factors. Epidemiologic studies identifying risk factors that contribute to variation in the prevalence of symptomatic knee OA in China are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that natriuretic peptides (NPs) are involved in the regulation of gastrointestinal motility. Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are the pacemaker cells of gastrointestinal motility and gastrointestinal dyskinesia is one of the important digestive tract symptoms of depression. However, it is unclear whether they are involved in depression-induced loss of ICC. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the natriuretic peptide signaling pathway and depression-induced loss of gastric ICC in depressed rats. These results showed that the expression of c-kit and stem cell factor (SCF) in smooth muscle layers of stomach were down-regulated in depressed rats at the mRNA and protein levels. The expression of natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR)-A, B and C were up-regulated in the stomach of depressed rats at the mRNA and protein levels. NPR-A, B and C can significantly decrease the expression of SCF to treat cultured gastric smooth muscle cells (GSMCs) obtained from normal rats with different concentrations of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP). Pretreatment of cultured GSMCs with 8-Brom-cGMP (8-Br-cGMP, a membrane permeable cGMP analog), cANF (a specific NPR-C agonist) and CNP (10−6 mol/L) demonstrated that 8-Br-cGMP had a similar effect as CNP, but treatment with cANF did not. The results of the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay indicated that high concentrations of cANF (10−6 mol/L) restrained the proliferation of cultured GSMCs. Taken together, these results indicate that the up-regulation of the NPs/NPR-C and NPs/NPR-A, B/cGMP signaling pathways may be involved in depression-induced loss of gastric ICC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the recent availability of the genomes of many viruses and the silkworm, Bombyx mori , as well as a variety of Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) programs, a new opportunity to gain insight into the interaction of viruses with the silkworm is possible. This study aims to determine the possible existence of sequence identities between the genomes of viruses and the silkworm and attempts to explain this phenomenon. BLAST searches of the genomes of viruses against the silkworm genome were performed using the resources of the National Center for Biotechnology Information. All studied viruses contained variable numbers of short regions with sequence identity to the genome of the silkworm. The short regions of sequence identity in the genome of the silkworm may be derived from the genomes of viruses in the long history of silkworm-virus interaction. This study is the first to compare these genomes, and may contribute to research on the interaction between viruses and the silkworm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgae have been proposed as carbon-neutral and sustainable fuel feedstock producers due to their fast growth and high lipid content. In this investigation, we examined the effect of different nutrient stresses on overall lipid productivities and physiology, in two microalgae species, namely Nannochloropsis salina and Dunaliella salina . For both the species in semi-continuous cultures, the dilution ratio was found to affect only the harvest period and not the biomass or lipid productivity. Harvest at different growth phases was influenced by the temporal nutrient status of the medium leading to different productivity of biomass and lipids. These two species also showed different cellular biochemistry and lipid metabolism in response to the different nutrient stresses. More efficient stimulators of lipid production than the commonly employed nitrogen limitation were identified, for e.g. deficiency of trace element. Significant influence of nutrient deficiency on lipid profiles was observed in N. salina , such as chain length and degree of unsaturation, with desirable characteristics for biodiesel production. The comparison of lipid profiles between these two species revealed phenomenal differences in some fatty acids, e.g. a higher level of γ-linolenic acid (C18:3n6) in D. salina and the exclusive presence of palmitoleic acid in N. salina . The biochemical composition with respect to the cellular function of the fatty acids is discussed with an attempt to better understand the differences in the lipid profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To decrease the lost gas content in the core sampling process and make the lost gas content estimation more accurate in CBM (coalbed methane) gas-in-place estimation, the freezing core sampling technique (FCST) is proposed for coal core sampling and physical simulation of the technique is conducted. The low temperature influence on methane adsorption capacity and kinetic properties in crushed coal are investigated. Isothermal adsorption tests under low temperatures (from 243.15 K to 303.15 K) were conducted. Test results support that the low temperature (under 273.15 K) greatly inhibits methane transport in coal while enhancing methane adsorption capacity in coal. Due to its unique temperature independence the mean isosteric heat of adsorption is used to evaluate adsorptivity of coal, and the mean isosteric heat of adsorption of the tested anthracite is 23.31 kJ/mol. The low temperature (under 273.15 K) decreases kinetic parameters, such as diffusion content and the diffusion coefficient, in the isothermal diffusion process. The diffusion content is controlled by both temperature and pressure, and high pressure weakens the temperature effect on diffusion content in coal. Diffusion coefficients decrease from 5.13 × 10 −12 cm 2 /s to 3.34 × 10 −12 cm 2 /s when temperature decreases from 303.15 K to 233.15 K. Therefore, this study suggests that using the freezing core sampling technique can be implemented in future underground coal core sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An imitative RPC material was acquired, based on the idea of porosity reduction of set material by optimizing the granular size distribution of dry blend. Regularly the blend was composed of cement, fine crushed aggregate, sand and silica fume, and characterized by high silica fume content, a certain of rubber powder and very low water to binder ratio. The binder used was formatted by silica fume, ultra-pulverized fly ash, and ordinary Portland cement. Local natural medium crude sand in I / II grading zone and a crushed limestone fine aggregate with the size range from five to ten mm were also applied here. Rubber powder with fifty meshes was added to replace part of sand for agreeable flexibility. Properties of various reference concrete series were investigated by conducting multiple tests, including the permeability test, the mechanical strength test, the salt solution absorption test, the accelerated sulphate attack test, and etc. The imitative RPC material was proven to be environmental-friendly by the test results, and exhibits favorable mechanical strength, high impermeability, and excellent durability to sulphate attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two dimensional C 3 B has attracted a lot of attentions due to its graphene-like structure. In this work, the potential of monolayer C 3 B as anode material of lithium-ion battery are systematically studied through first-principles calculations. The results show that pristine C 3 B has high stiffness (Young's modulus is 255.65 N/m), good binding strength of Li (−2.55~−2.66 eV), high capacity (1139.96 mA h/g) and good electronic (band gap is 0.64 eV) and ionic conductivity (diffusion barrier is 0.40 eV). It is also found that C 3 B-V C and C 3 B-V B has similar cohesive energy and formation energy. Interestingly, C 3 B shows good defect-independent Li migration capability. The migration barrier of Li on defect C 3 B was affected slightly by the vacancy, without the trap of Li. Moreover, the vacancy in C 3 B could improve conductivity and the adsorption ability of Li without the sacrifice of migration ability of Li. These interesting properties indicate that C 3 B has great potential for the application of anode material for LIBs. • The pristine C 3 B has high stiffness, good binding strength of Li, high capacity and good electronic and ionic conductivity. • The adsorption and diffusion mechanisms of Li in pristine and defect-containing C 3 B. • The C 3 B shows good defect-independent Li migration capability. • The vacancy in C 3 B could improve conductivity and the adsorption ability of Li without the sacrifice of Li migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High coercivities of 2.6 T and 2.7 T were achieved in 6-mm-thick hot-deformed Nd-Fe-B magnets through the intergranular addition of Nd 35 Dy 35 Cu 15 Ga 15 and Nd 35 Tb 35 Cu 15 Ga 15 alloy powders, respectively, consuming only 2.2 wt.% heavy rare-earth elements (HREs). These coercivities are similar to those attained in previous works in which approximately 4.5 wt.% HREs were consumed. The temperature coefficients of coercivity at 20−200°C were improved from −0.45 %/°C to −0.39 %/°C and −0.38 %/°C for the two doped magnets, respectively, showing the excellent thermal stability of coercivity of the bulk hot-deformed magnets. Microstructure observations revealed that the Dy/Tb-containing nonferromagnetic intergranular phase was formed, the grain size and aspect ratio were decreased, and the high-anisotropy (Nd,Dy/Tb) 2 Fe 14 B matrix phase was formed after the doping process, which were responsible for the enhancement in coercivity. Micromagnetic simulations were performed to facilitate discussions of the importance and priority of these factors with regard to their effects on coercivity. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect on mechanical properties and magnetic properties of hot-deformed magnets with different rare earth (RE) content has been investigated. The results show that the optimal comprehensive magnetic properties are obtained at 13.09 at% RE. The bending strength parallel to c -axis orientation increases with the increasing of RE content, while that perpendicular to c -axis orientation exhibits decrease. Moreover, the micro magnetic structure was observed and the coercivity mechanism of the hot-deformed magnet sample was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we introduce a non-Gaussian quantum state named excited squeezed vacuum state (ESVS), which can be utilized to describe quantum light field emitted from the multiphoton quantum process occurred in some restricted quantum systems. We investigate its nonclassical properties such as Wigner distribution in phase space, photon number distribution, the second-order autocorrelation and the quadrature fluctuations. By virtue of the methods of Hilbert–Schmidt distance and quantum relative entropy (QRE), we quantify the non-Gaussianity of the ESVS, respectively. Due to the similar photon statistics, we examine the fidelity between the ESVS and the photon-subtraction squeezed vacuum state (PSSVS), and then find the optimal fidelity by monitoring the relevant parameters. Considering a thermal lossy channel, we examine the evolution of Wigner function for the ESVS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional standardized mortality ratio (SMR) compares the mortality rate of a study population with that of a reference population. In order to measure the performance of a surgeon or a group of surgeons in a hospital performing a particular type of surgical operation, a different SMR is used. This SMR compares the observed number of deaths in a sample with an estimated number of deaths usually calculated based on the average performance of a group of surgeons. The estimated number of deaths involved in the new SMR is not a constant but a random variable. This means that all existing results for the traditional SMR may no longer be valid for the new SMR. In this paper, the asymptotic distribution of the SMR based on an estimated number of deaths is derived. We also use the bootstrap procedure to estimate the finite-sample distribution. A simulation study is used to compare both probabilities of type I error and powers of existing confidence intervals and confidence intervals constructed using the asymptotic and bootstrap distributions of SMR. Our study reveals that, in general, existing confidence intervals are conservative in terms of probability of type I error, and the two new confidence intervals are more accurate. To perform a fair power comparison, the coverage probabilities of existing confidence intervals are recalibrated to match that based on the asymptotic distribution of SMR, and then our study shows that the powers of the asymptotic and bootstrap approaches are lower than existing approaches when the odds ratio of deathQis greater than the odds ratio of death under the null hypothesis,, but higher whenQis smaller than. The effect of patients' risk distribution on the SMR is also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Most conventional target tracking algorithms assume that one target can generate at most one detection per scan. However, in many practical target tracking applications, one target may generate multiple detections in one scan, because of multipath propagation, or high sensor resolution or some other reason. If the multiple detections from the same target can be effectively utilized, the performance of the multitarget tracking system can be improved. However, the challenge is that the uncertainty in the number of targets and the measurement set-to-target association will increase the complexity of tracking algorithms. To solve this problem, the random finite set (RFS) modeling and the random finite set statistics (FISST) are used in this paper. Without any extra approximation beyond those made in the standard probability hypothesis density (PHD) filter, a general multi-detection PHD (MD-PHD) update formulation is derived. It is also established in this paper that, with certain reasonable assumptions, the proposed MD-PHD recursion can function as a generalized extended target PHD or multisensor PHD filter. Furthermore, a Gaussian Mixture (GM) implementation of the proposed MD-PHD formulation, called the MD-GM-PHD filter, is presented. The proposed MD-GM-PHD filter is demonstrated on a simulated over-the-horizon radar (OTHR) scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Routes of ships on voyage should be adjusted or replanned because of the influences of heavy weather or bad situation in local sea area. In this paper we present an optimal voyage planning approach based on a dynamic access network model. Firstly, a dynamic access route network is constructed by overlaying a static route network with some obstacle region polygons. The static route network is composed of all known ports and routes in a specific area. And the obstacle region polygons can be classified into 2 types: mobile region and static region. The former are shaped by extreme climate conditions, such as windstorm or hurricane, and the latter are shaped by marine topography limit and military control zones. Secondly, according to optimization degree in descending order, an optimal voyage planning approach was designed based on the dynamic access network, which includes accessibility analysis of planned route which is called voyage proceeding strategy and computation of a new shortest route which is called route rounding strategy and seeking of an optimum neighbor port which is called sheltering strategy. Corresponding algorithms were also expounded in detail and its feasibility and effectiveness were confirmed by an experiment with simulation scene and data. The optimal voyage planning strategies proposed in this paper will play a significant role in the field of voyage decision making and maritime rescue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cumulative sum charting procedure is traditionally used in the manufacturing industry for monitoring the quality of products. Recently, it has been extended to monitoring surgical outcomes. Unlike a manufacturing process where the raw material is usually reasonably homogeneous, patients’ risks of surgical failure are usually different. It has been proposed in the literature that the binary outcomes from a surgical procedure be adjusted using the preoperative risk based on a likelihood-ratio scoring method. Such a crude classification of surgical outcome is naive. It is unreasonable to regard a patient who has a full recovery, the same quality outcome as another patient who survived but remained bed-ridden for life. For a patient who survives an operation, there can be many different grades of recovery. Thus, it makes sense to consider a risk-adjusted cumulative sum charting procedure based on more than two outcomes to better monitor surgical performance. In this article, we develop such a chart and study its performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Host–pathogen interactions are complex processes, which have been studied extensively in recent years. In insects, the midgut is a vital organ of digestion and nutrient absorption, and also serves as the first physiological and immune barrier against invading pathogenic microorganisms. Our focus is on Nosema bombycis , which is a pathogen of silkworm pebrine and causes great economic losses to the silk industry. A complete understanding of the host response to infection by N . bombycis and the interaction between them is necessary to prevent this disease. Silkworm midgut infected with N . bombycis is a good model to investigate the early host responses to microsporidia infection and the interaction between the silkworm and the microsporidium. Using Digital Gene Expression analysis, we investigated the midgut transcriptome profile of P50 silkworm larvae orally inoculated with N . bombycis . At 6, 12, 18, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h post-infection (hpi), 247, 95, 168, 450, 89, 80, and 773 DEGs were identified, respectively. KEGG pathway analysis showed the influence of N . bombycis infection on many biological processes including folate biosynthesis, spliceosome, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, protein export, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, lysosome, biosynthesis of amino acids, ribosome, and RNA degradation. In addition, a number of differentially expressed genes involved in the immune response were identified. Overall, the results of this study provide an understanding of the strategy used by silkworm as a defense against the invasion by N . bombycis . Similar interactions between hosts and pathogens infection may exist in other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase diagram and liquid–liquid equilibrium (LLE) data for the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C n mim]BF 4 ( n = 2,3,4)) + (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 + H 2 O aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) were determined experimentally at T = (288.15, 298.15, and 313.15) K. The binodal curves were fitted by a four-parameter equation. On the basis of the empirical equation of the binodal curve with the highest accuracy and lever rule, the LLE data were calculated by MATLAB. The tie-lines were correlated by the Othmer–Tobias and Bancraft equations. In particular, the temperature dependence on the binodal curves and tie-lines was discussed, it was found that an decreasing in temperature caused the expansion of two-phase region. Furthermore, the effect of the ionic liquid structure on the phase equilibrium of ATPSs has been studied, the results showed that the ability of phase separation of the IL-based ATPSs follows the order [C 4 mim]BF 4 > [C 3 mim]BF 4 > [C 2 mim]BF 4 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot deformed magnets are prepared following hot pressing the melt spun powders. The microstructures of these magnets are analyzed through a scanning electron microscope. It can be obtained that the shape of the grains in these magnets changes to plate-like, however, coarse grains are also observed. The temperature dependence of coercivity is tested by superconducting quantum interference device. The dependence of HC/MS on HA/MS in the hot deformed magnets, which is achieved by the temperature dependence of coercivity is carried out to check the magnetization reversal. The nanostructural parameters that are related to different nanostructural effects are also obtained from the linear relationship between HC/MS and HA/MS . Minor loops of the hot deformed magnets are measured to analyze the magnetization behaviors. The saturation magnetization versus the maximum applied field of the hot deformed magnets is also carried out. In this paper, it is believed that the reversal domain propagation and pinning effect are both available to explain the magnetization behavior in this investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Osteoblasts treated with the (0.1, 1, 10μM) DEX, exhibited signs of oxidative damage. [•] Pre-treatment with the antioxidant NAC could mitigate the oxidative stress damaging effects of DEX. [•] This study confirms that DEX-induced osteotoxicity is linked to oxidative stress. [•] This study distinguishes itself by identifying Cbfa1 as a target for high dose DEX-induced osteotoxicity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Carrier phase measurements are accurate and commonly used to estimate precise baseline lengths. It is however necessary to fix ambiguities when using this technique in order to obtain good estimates of the baselines. In this paper, a new procedure for ambiguity fixing is proposed and the results show its effectiveness in estimating the ambiguity. The baseline is first estimated by pseudorange measurements. The subsequent ambiguity fixing requires a combination of carrier phase measurements with a wavelength that is at least twice the difference of the baseline error projections into the line of sights to satellites p and q for a direct estimation of the ambiguities. Real data observation was used to demonstrate the precise baseline estimation in comparison to the LAMBDA solution. The two solutions were found to be the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Associated with the construction of national level experimental teaching demonstration center and the practice of integrative experiment with the mode of opening in our university, the idea of integrating the integrative experiment with EDA and with MCU ( Micro Controller Unit), respectively, are discussed. The practical works are introduced. As a result, it is suitable for improving students ' practical ability and exploring spirit with favorable effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioassay-guided isolation of the aerial part of Scutellaria barbata yielded three new neo-clerodane diterpenoids scutebatas P–R (1–3), together with two known ones: scutebata E (4) and scutebarbatine B (5). The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods (NMR and MS) and by comparison with the spectroscopic data reported in the literature. All compounds except 3 showed weak cytotoxicity with IC50 values ranging from 35.11 to 42.73 μM against K562 cell lines, and compounds 1, 2, and 5 also displayed weak activities against HL60 cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exposure to heavy metals alone or in combination can promote systemic inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate potential associations between multiple plasma heavy metals and markers of systemic immune inflammation. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study, routine blood tests were performed on 3355 participants in Guangxi, China. Eight heavy metal elements in plasma were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Immunoinflammatory markers were calculated based on peripheral blood WBC and its subtype counts. A generalised linear regression model was used to analyse the association of each metal with the immunoinflammatory markers, and the association of the metal mixtures with the immunoinflammatory markers was further assessed using weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression. Results: In the single-metal model, plasma metal Fe (log10) was significantly negatively correlated with the levels of immune-inflammatory markers SII, NLR and PLR, and plasma metal Cu (log10) was significantly positively correlated with the levels of immune-inflammatory markers SII and PLR. In addition, plasma metal Mn (log10 conversion) was positively correlated with the levels of immune inflammatory markers NLR and PLR. The above associations remained after multiple corrections. In the mixed-metal model, after WQS regression analysis, plasma metal Cu was found to have the greatest weight in the positive effects of metal mixtures on SII and PLR, while plasma metals Mn and Fe had the greatest weight in the positive effects of metal mixtures on NLR and LMR, respectively. In addition, blood Fe had the greatest weight in the negative effects of the metal mixtures for SII, PLR and NLR. Conclusion: Plasma metals Cu and Mn were positively correlated with immunoinflammatory markers SII, NLR and PLR. While plasma metal Fe was negatively correlated with immunoinflammatory markers SII, NLR, and PLR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we demonstrate a strategy that two orthogonal modes in a dielectric cavity can efficiently couple with each other through the bridging effect of a plasmonic antenna. In such a dielectric-antenna hybrid system, a plasmonic antenna can coherently interact with both modes of the dielectric cavity, which brings sufficient coherent energy transfers between the two orthogonal modes. Specifically, a broad electromagnetic mode and a narrow whispering gallery mode (WGM) in a subwavelength silicon disk are considered, where they cannot directly interact with each other through near-field couplings. By introducing a plasmonic antenna, coherent energy transfer between the above two modes occurs, which is confirmed by both far-field spectra and near-field distributions. More investigations show that spectral and spatial overlaps between the involved modes can largely affect energy transfer behaviors. Those overlaps are highly dependent on various parameters of the system. The WGM response in the hybrid system can even exceed that of an individual disk. Our proposed strategy can be extended to other similar systems and the modified optical responses can find applications in enhanced light-matter interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides, defects, such as chalcogen vacancies, play an important role in determining their properties. Herein, monolayer MoSe2 with varying Se vacancy concentrations is successfully prepared by adjusting the amount of the precursors during the chemical vapor deposition synthesis. The Raman and low‐temperature photoluminescence spectra are systematically studied at varying defect concentrations. Furthermore, it is found that Se vacancies introduce in‐gap electronic states, leading to distinct localized exciton emissions, which can be engineered by controlling the concentration of Se vacancies. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the observed variations in localized exciton emission are attributed to the change of defect level with increasing defect concentration. The results provide insights into the influence of varying Se vacancy concentrations on defect‐induced Raman and PL spectroscopy in MoSe2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary CRISPR‐Cas9 is widely used for genome editing, but its PAM sequence requirements limit its efficiency. In this study, we explore Faecalibaculum rodentium Cas9 (FrCas9) for plant genome editing, especially in rice. FrCas9 recognizes a concise 5′‐NNTA‐3′ PAM, targeting more abundant palindromic TA sites in plant genomes than the 5′‐NGG‐3′ PAM sites of the most popular SpCas9. FrCas9 shows cleavage activities at all tested 5′‐NNTA‐3′ PAM sites with editing outcomes sharing the same characteristics of a typical CRISPR‐Cas9 system. FrCas9 induces high‐efficiency targeted mutagenesis in stable rice lines, readily generating biallelic mutants with expected phenotypes. We augment FrCas9's ability to generate larger deletions through fusion with the exonuclease, TREX2. TREX2‐FrCas9 generates much larger deletions than FrCas9 without compromise in editing efficiency. We demonstrate TREX2‐FrCas9 as an efficient tool for genetic knockout of a microRNA gene. Furthermore, FrCas9‐derived cytosine base editors (CBEs) and adenine base editors (ABE) are developed to produce targeted C‐to‐T and A‐to‐G base edits in rice plants. Whole‐genome sequencing‐based off‐target analysis suggests that FrCas9 is a highly specific nuclease. Expression of TREX2‐FrCas9 in plants, however, causes detectable guide RNA‐independent off‐target mutations, mostly as single nucleotide variants (SNVs). Together, we have established an efficient CRISPR‐FrCas9 system for targeted mutagenesis, large deletions, C‐to‐T base editing, and A‐to‐G base editing in plants. The simple palindromic TA motif in the PAM makes the CRISPR‐FrCas9 system a promising tool for genome editing in plants with an expanded targeting scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is a common and critical condition encountered in clinical practice that can lead to multi-organ dysfunction. Sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC) significantly affects patient outcomes. However, the precise mechanisms remain unclear, making the identification of effective prognostic and therapeutic targets imperative. The analysis of transcriptome data from the whole blood of sepsis patients, facilitated the identification of key genes implicated in coagulation. Then we developed a prognostic model and a nomogram to predict patient survival. Consensus clustering classified sepsis patients into three subgroups for comparative analysis of immune function and immune cell infiltration. Single-cell sequencing elucidated alterations in intercellular communication between platelets and immune cells in sepsis, as well as the role of the coagulation-related gene FYN. Real-time quantitative PCR determined the mRNA levels of critical coagulation genes in septic rats' blood. Finally, administration of a FYN agonist to septic rats was observed for its effects on coagulation functions and survival. This study identified four pivotal genes—CFD, FYN, ITGAM, and VSIG4—as significant predictors of survival in patients with sepsis. Among them, CFD, FYN, and ITGAM were underexpressed, while VSIG4 was upregulated in patients with sepsis. Moreover, a nomogram that incorporates the coagulation-related genes (CoRGs) risk score with clinical features of patients accurately predicted survival probabilities. Subgroup analysis of CoRGs expression delineated three molecular sepsis subtypes, each with distinct prognoses and immune profiles. Single-cell sequencing shed light on heightened communication between platelets and monocytes, T cells, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells, alongside reduced interactions with neutrophils in sepsis. The collagen signaling pathway was found to be essential in this dynamic. FYN may affect platelet function by modulating factors such as ELF1, PTCRA, and RASGRP2. The administration of the FYN agonist can effectively improve coagulation dysfunction and survival in septic rats. The research identifies CoRGs as crucial prognostic markers for sepsis, highlighting the FYN gene's central role in coagulation disorders associated with the condition and suggesting novel therapeutic intervention strategies. [Display omitted] • Found four key genes for sepsis prognosis linked to coagulation. • Created sepsis survival nomogram combining gene scores and clinical data. • Unveiled three sepsis subtypes with unique prognoses and immune traits. • Showed potential of FYN agonist in treating sepsis-induced coagulopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the problem of spacecraft interception game with incomplete-information and proposes switching strategies based on the differential game theory. In the interception process, the target can switch among multiple strategies to evade the interceptor. This leads to the formulation of switching strategies pursuit problem for the interceptor. Firstly, in the complete-information scenario, the game switching strategies are derived to match target different strategies. Then, for the scenario where the target information is not available to the interceptor, the interacting multiple model approach, combined with the mode-matched smooth variable sliding filters, is proposed to estimate target unknown information. After obtaining the incomplete information, the estimation-dependent interception idea is incorporated into the game without the target switching strategies. Finally, simulations are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed switching strategies scheme. The numerical simulations indicate that the target information can be estimated effectively using the interacting multiple mode approach, and the well interception performance can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airship has a good application prospect in tourism, material transportation, emergency rescue, communication relay, early warning, environmental protection and other fields. Airships can be classified into non-rigid types, semi-rigid types and rigid types. The rigid airship relies on the external skeleton to maintain its overall stiffness and shape, and the internal helium ballonet provides buoyancy. The helium ballonet is always in unsaturated state during ascent process, which will affect the center of gravity and buoyancy and the stress in wrinkle area, so it is great significance to study the unsaturated shape of the helium ballonet during ascent process. In this paper, the principal stress-principal strain principal is used to judge the stress state of the membrane. The modified constitutive matrix method and the pressure gradient method are used to obtain the shape of the helium ballonet under different saturation by the dynamic explicit FEM (Finite Element Method). When the pressure gradient method is used to apply the pressure difference internal and external of the ballonet, the change of unsaturated shape of the ballonet can be interpreted as the change of zero pressure level of the ballonet. The modified constitutive matrix method can effectively avoid the problem of non-convergence in the process of programming. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results, which shows that the analysis method is reasonable and correct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For mixed input fields quantum information processing, it is very convenient to investigate a specified protocol by employ quasi-probability functions and characteristic functions in phase space. In this work, considering a nonlocal swapping operation labelled by $\hat{E}_{s}$, we derive the entanglement swapping transform rule for entangled Wigner operators. The same rule can be obtained by implementing this nonlocal swapping operation via two entangled pairs channels. And then we apply this rule to examine how does the Wigner function for output states change to demonstrate the entanglement swapping. As a result, this transform rule can be utilized to investigate swapping operation for any two-body entangled system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioactivity-guided isolation of the rare gorgonian Muricella sibogae ( Nutting) yielded the two new eunicellin diterpenes sibogin A and B ( 1 and 2), the three new 9,10-secosteroids sibogol A-C ( 6- 8), together with the three known eunicellin diterpenes 3- 5 and the five known 9,10-secosteroids 9- 13. Their structures were established by extensive spectral analysis (1D- and 2D-NMR, IR, and MS). The cytotoxicity of the isolates 1- 13 was evaluated in vitro against the selected tumor cell lines P388 and BEL-7402. All the compounds showed only weak activity against P388 cell lines, with an inhibition rate ranging from 10 to 60% at a concentration of 50 μg/ml, whereas the were inactive against BEL-7402 cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by high resistance to conventional systemic therapies, rapid progression, easy metastasis and frequent recurrence. There is therefore an urgent requirement to develop novel systemic agents which specifically target hepatoma-associated antigen in the tumors of HCC patients. CD147, a transmembrane glycoprotein, is highly expressed by HCC cells and is strongly associated with HCC progression and prognosis. CD147 in HCC cells modulates HCC growth, promotes invasion and metastasis by stimulating adjacent fibroblasts and HCC cells to produce elevated levels of several extracellular matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the HCC microenvironment. It is also involved in HCC angiogenesis and multidrug resistance (MDR). Clinical progress has been made in HCC treatment using CD147-directed monoclonal antibodies. Here, we give an overview of the literature regarding the molecular features and expression of CD147 in human HCC tissues. We specifically focus on the role of CD147 in HCC invasion and metastasis, as well as in angiogenesis and multidrug resistance. In addition, advances in therapeutic strategies targeting HCC CD147 are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: As the world''s second largest oil importer, China has been one of the important factors which affect the global oil market. In recent years, China has attained great international trade surplus through exporting a large number of “Made in China” products even during the global economic crisis. Due to direct and indirect effects in production chain, each "Made in China" product contains oil directly or indirectly. China is exporting much oil through “Made in China” products, which is not often considered even within China. An input–output model is established to calculate oil embodied in the international trade of China. The research results suggest the following: China''s net oil exports embodied in the international trade were 87.02 million tonnes in 2007; manufacture of communication equipment, computers and other electronic equipment is the largest sector to export embodied oil; United States, China Hong Kong SAR and Netherlands are the top three countries and regions which benefit most from the embodied oil in “Made in China” products. China''s adjusted degree of dependence on foreign oil is 24.9% in 2007, and 38.4% in 2011 if net oil exports embodied in international trade are considered. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

SUMMARY We propose a novel resampling algorithm to deal with the sample impoverishment problem of particle filter. The algorithm introduces sigma points into the generic resampling procedure to enrich the representation of the posterior distribution. Compared with other relevant resampling algorithms, such as the exquisite resampling algorithm reported recently, our algorithm has shown an improved estimation performance and reduced computational complexity in the simulation of two different nonlinear systems. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis resulting from oestrogen deficiency in the postmenopausal period. In this report, we observed a dynamic change of oxidative stress and DNA damage after ovariectomy in female rats. We then compared phytoestrogen puerarin and 17β-oestradiol (E2) in their effects on oestrogen deficiency-induced oxidative stress and DNA damage. Serum total antioxidant capacity ( TAC), malondialdehyde ( MDA) and lymphocytes DNA damage (comet%) were measured. There was a gradual increase in oxidative stress in the ovariectomized ( OVX) rats over time after ovariectomy, as compared to rats receiving sham operation. OVX rats that were on puerarin and E2 showed increased TAC and decreased MDA in the serum, as well as decreased lymphocytes comet%. Puerarin appeared to have a more powerful protective effect on DNA oxidative damage than E2. The study indicates that postmenopausal women may benefit from phytoestrogen puerarin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Understanding soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition and its replenishment by contrasting plant residues is critical to rationally manage soil carbon pools. Long-term (15years) field experiments in maize–wheat (Zea mays L.–Triticum aestivum L.) rotation systems at diverse sites with contrasting climates and soil properties were conducted to evaluate the temporal dynamics of the C inputs, SOC concentrations and δ13C values. In the non-fertilized Control treatments mean annual C inputs (mainly roots) at the various sites ranged from 0.39 to 1.24Mgha−1, and SOC contents remained largely unchanged during the 15years study. However, results for the fertilized treatments indicated that SOC concentration increased by 1gkg−1 for every 24.3 (5.4–45.2) MgCha−1 from roots alone in the NPK treatment and for every 29.4 (11.1–52.6) MgCha−1 from crop roots plus straws in the NPKSt treatment. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation among changes in SOC, C4-derived C and C3-derived C and the δ13C values in all treatments across the four sites. Our results suggest that the δ13C value was a useful tool to quantify temporal changes of SOC from C4 and C3 plants, even when actual changes in soil C stock were small in these wheat–maize rotation cropping systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Meteorite impact and solar wind irradiation are two major processes of space weathering on the Moon, but their effects on lunar soils remain poorly understood. We report the first discovery of native copper and FeCo alloy from a Chang'e-5 lunar basaltic clast. The native copper grains (∼0.1–2 μm) coexist exclusively with thin Cu-sulfide (digenite) layers (∼50–100 nm) that cover troilite, the associated iron whiskers and adjacent pyroxene and ilmenite. The FeCo alloy (∼100–200 nm) was associated with the iron metal on troilite. Both Cu and Co are probably exogenous since they are not detected in the troilite. These observations suggest that the digenite layer, native copper and FeCo alloy condensed from an impact-induced vapor with a high Cu/S ratio and Co-bearing composition. Our discoveries shed light on complicated space weathering processes on the Moon. • Native copper and FeCo alloy were first observed in Chang'e-5 lunar soil. • The thin digenite layer on troilite suggests an impact-induced vapor deposit origin. • The coexisting of Cu, FeCo and digenite indicate they were formed in an impact event. • Both Cu and Co may be introduced into the Chang'e-5 lunar soil by meteorite impactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Mammalian hair development and tooth development are controlled by a series of reciprocal epithelial–mesenchymal interactions. Similar growth factors and transcription factors, such as fibroblast growth factor (FGF), sonic hedgehog homolog (SHH), bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and Wnt10a, were reported to be involved in both of these interactions. Dentin sialoprotein (DSP) and phosphophoryn (PP) are the two major non-collagenous proteins secreted by odontoblasts that participate in dentin mineralization during tooth development. Because of striking similarities between tooth development and hair follicle development, we investigated whether DSP and/or PP proteins may also play a role in hair follicle development. Objective: In this study, we examined the presence and location of DSP/PP proteins during hair follicle development. Methods: Rat PP proteins were detected using immunohistochemical/immunofluorescent staining. DSP–PP mRNAs were detected by in situ hybridization with riboprobes. LacZ expression was detected in mouse tissues using a DSP–PP promoter-driven LUC in transgenic mice. Results: We found that PP proteins and DSP–PP mRNAs are present in rat hair follicles. We also demonstrate that an 8kb DSP–PP promoter is able to drive lacZ expression in hair follicles. Conclusion: We have firmly established the presence of DSP/PP in mouse and rat hair follicles by immunohistochemical/immunofluorescent staining, in situ hybridization with riboprobes and transgenic mice studies. The expression of DSP/PP in hair follicles is the first demonstration that major mineralization proteins likely may also contribute to soft tissue development. This finding opens a new avenue for future investigations into the molecular-genetic management of soft tissue development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Heparanase has been identified as a particularly important player in metastasis, and its expression directly correlates with the metastatic spread of various tumors. Ideal targets for immunotherapy are gene products that are silenced in normal tissues but overexpressed in cancer, and that are directly involved in tumor cell survival and progression. Metastasis is the culmination of neoplastic progression. The importance of the role of heparanase in metastasis implies that immune escape by downregulation of heparanase expression could reduce the mortality of the cancer. These characteristics of heparanase make it an attractive universal target for cancer immunotherapy. Here, we review current knowledge about heparanase and its involvement in tumor metastasis, with an emphasis on recent results from heparanase-targeted cancer immunotherapy studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, the research on granular space theory and structural clusters of metric based on granular space is introduced, and a comprehensive of theoretical and analyzing methodologies is developed. The granular space theory is established based on normalized equicrural metric, and the consistent cluster characteristics of ordered granular spaces are derived. Details are shared for some related subject, such as the granular representation of structural cluster from normalized metric, the optimal cluster determination, the fusion of structural cluster, and the structural clustering analysis of metric space based on granular space, etc. Theories and methodologies are established for structural clustering based on metric space, and developed a series of mathematical models and formal description tools for the research on its potential applications. Direct and geometric interpretations for structural clustering analysis are provided to assist deeper understanding the essence of clustering (or classifying) procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the quantized LC electric circuit, when taking the Joule thermal effect into account, we think that physical observables should be evaluated in the context of ensemble average. We then use the generalized Feynman-Hellmann theorem for ensemble average to calculate them, which seems convenient. Fluctuation of observables in various LC electric circuits in the presence of thermo bath growing with temperature is exhibited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]