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By imitating the structural characteristics of the lotus leaf, a new excellent energy absorption structure named as the leaf vein branched circular tube (LVBCT) is proposed by referring to lotus leaf vein branched structure. The evolution of its cross-section may be controlled by the number of main veins distributed along the circumference (N) and the ratio of radius of inner circle R i n n e r to radius of outer circle R o u t e r (γ). To study the crushing behavior of LVBCTs under axial dynamic crushing, the finite element simulation model established by LS-DYNA is first verified by comparing with the experimental results. Following that, a systematic parametric study on geometric parameters N and γ is carried out with three different wall thicknesses. The mechanical properties of LVBCTs are revealed by analyzing the deformation mechanism and crashworthiness indicators (specific energy absorption per unit mass S E A m and peak crushing force PCF). The numerical results show that the LVBCTs may absorb more impact energy and its energy absorption characteristics are closely related to geometric parameters N , γ and wall thickness t. The LVBCTs with N = 6 and γ of 0.5 ∼ 0.7 have better crashworthiness. Furthermore, the numerical results show that the thickness matching between main vein and branch vein has influence on the energy absorption ability. The S E A m of LVBCT is improved by 11.3% when the thickness matching between the main vein and the branch vein is 0.92 mm. The results of this study will be helpful to design novel thin-walled structure with better energy absorption ability. [Display omitted] • A new leaf vein branched circular tubes (LVBCT) was established. • The mechanical properties of LVBCTs are revealed by analyzing the deformation mechanism and crashworthiness indicators. • The energy absorption capacity of the LVBCTs was improved greatly. • The S E A m of LVBCT could be further increased by 11.3% through the thickness matching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A membrane‐based enthalpy exchanger (MBEE) with partial inlet is proposed. Numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the effect of Reynolds number (Re), the ratio of entrance area to channel cross‐sectional area Re−c, and channel length/width ratio Rl−w on the performance of the MBEE. Effectiveness, pressure loss, and flow patterns were evaluated for optimization. Moreover, the entransy theory was applied to analyze the mechanism of the heat transfer enhancement of the MBEE. The results indicate that the larger the Re–c, the higher the effectiveness and lesser pressure drop of the MBEE at the same volumetric flow rate. The total heat exchange rate per unit area and the pressure drop per unit length are reduced with the increasing of Rl–w. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered δ-MnO2 catalysts were prepared using the one-step redox method in precursor solutions with five different pH values (pH = 7, 9, 11, 13, and 14). The effects of pH on the physical properties and catalytic activity of the catalyst were investigated through XRD, SEM, TEM, BET, XPS, H2-TPR, and HCHO degradation tests at room temperature. The results showed that the layer spacing, manganese vacancy content, Mn4+/Mn3+ ratio, and surface-reactive oxygen species content of MnO2 increased with the increase in pH value in the alkaline range. When the catalyst was prepared at pH = 13, the above characteristics of the catalyst reached the optimal value which contributed to the high catalytic activity. Combined with the related characterization results, it was proved that changing the pH can affect the degree of oxidation in the catalyst synthesis process, increase the number of active oxygen and the oxygen mobility of the catalyst, and effectively improve the catalytic activity of the manganese dioxide catalyst for HCHO. This work represents a giant step toward the preparation of an effective catalyst for practical applications of HCHO removal at room temperature at a low concentration and high velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementation of new biorthogonal filter banks (BFB) for image compression and denoising is performed, using test images with diversified characteristics. These new BFB’s are linear-phase, have odd lengths, and with a critical feature, namely, the filters preserve signal energy very well. Experimental results show that the proposed filter banks demonstrate promising performance improvement over the filter banks of those widely used in the image processing area, such as the CDF 9/7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The relationship between humor style and life satisfaction were fully mediated by social support and self-esteem. [•] The paths from evaluative humor style via social support and via self-esteem to life satisfaction were both significant. [•] We test the mediation models in Chinese culture. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Novel series of N-(5-(arylcarbonyl)thiazol-2-yl)amides and N-(5-(arylcarbonyl)thiophen-2-yl)amides were discovered as potent retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-gamma-t (RORγt) inhibitors. SAR studies of the RORγt HTS hit 6a led to identification of thiazole ketone amide 8h and thiophene ketone amide 9g with high binding affinity and inhibitory activity of Th17 cell differentiation. Compound 8h showed in vivo efficacy in both mouse experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and collagen induced arthritis (CIA) models via oral administration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Alpine grassland soils store large amounts of soil organic carbon (SOC) and are susceptible to rising air temperature. Soil extracellular enzymes catalyze the rate-limiting step in SOC decomposition and their catalysis, production and degradation rates are regulated by temperature. Therefore, the responses of these enzymes to warming could have a profound impact on carbon cycling in the alpine grassland ecosystems. This study was conducted to measure the responses of soil extracellular enzyme activity and temperature sensitivity (Q) to experimental warming in samples from an alpine grassland ecosystem on the Tibetan Plateau. A free air-temperature enhancement system was set up in May 2006. We measured soil microbial biomass, nutrient availability and the activity of five extracellular enzymes in 2009 and 2010. The Q of each enzyme was calculated using a simple first-order exponential equation. We found that warming had no significant effects on soil microbial biomass C, the labile C or N content, or nutrient availability. Significant differences in the activity of most extracellular enzymes among sampling dates were found, with typically higher enzyme activity during the warm period of the year. The effects of warming on the activity of the five extracellular enzymes at 20 °C were not significant. Enzyme activity in vitro strongly increased with temperature up to 27 °C or over 30 °C (optimum temperature; T). Seasonal variations in the Q were found, but the effects of warming on Q were not significant. We conclude that soil extracellular enzymes adapted to seasonal temperature variations, but did not acclimate to the field experimental warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The elaborate finite element model of Kiewitt-8 single-layer reticulated dome with span of 40m subjected to eccentric blast loading was established and all the process from the detonation of the explosive charge to the demolition of reticulated dome structure was reproduced. The blast performance of reticulated dome was numerically studied and two approaches to improve the blast resistant capacity of reticulated dome were discussed. Response types of reticulated dome under eccentric blast loadings were defined. Partially reinforcement of reticulated dome is found to be an effective and economical way to improve its blast resistant capacity compared with fully reinforced reticulated dome. The pre-designed openings on the wall to release blast loading were studied, which provided some guidance on the blast resistant design of such structures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

BACKGROUND The production of pigments by Monascus spp. has attracted increasing attention. Modification of the cell membrane structure by addition of surfactants has proved to be effective for the secretion of intracellular metabolites. Hence in this study the effects and underlying mechanism of surfactants on the production of pigments in submerged fermentation of Monascus purpureus H1102 were systematically investigated. RESULTS Various surfactants exerted significant but different impacts on the biomass and production of pigments. The maximum production of pigment (304.3 U mL−1) and highest extracellular/intracellular pigment ratio (1.46) were achieved when 15 g L−1 Triton X-100 was added at 24 h of fermentation, corresponding to significant increases of 88.4 and 240% respectively compared with the control. Meanwhile, the concentration of citrinin (0.94 mg L−1) was 20.6% lower than that of the control. A further study on the fatty acid composition of M. purpureus H1102 showed that the unsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio and the index of unsaturated fatty acid increased significantly with the addition of Triton X-100. CONCLUSION The addition of surfactant Triton X-100 could greatly enhance the production of pigment. It was suggested that Triton X-100 facilitated the secretion of intracellular pigment and therefore enhanced pigment production accordingly.© 2013 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The amorphous Ge–Te–In films were prepared by magnetron co-sputtering method. [•] The Ge–Te–In film system has a high crystallization temperature. [•] Large redshift of the optical band gap is related to crystallization by annealing. [•] The structural rearrangements around Ge atoms occur during crystallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A steel-concrete-steel sandwich panel with novel hybrid connectors (SCSSP-HC) was proposed in this paper, and the flexural behaviours of the SCSSP-HC were obtained via conducting four-point bending tests. All the tested SCSSP-HCs exhibited the typical flexural failure mode with three specific failure types being categorized. The typical load–displacement response of the SCSSP-HC exhibited initial elastic stage, strength hardening stage and descending stage. In addition, the effects of faceplate thickness, spacing of headed stud, shear span and loading direction on the responses of SCSSP-HCs were quantitatively studied. The results indicated that the flexural resistance and elastic stiffness of the SCSSP-HC could be significantly improved via increasing the steel faceplate thickness and decreasing the shear span. However, the spacing of headed stud and loading direction had insignificant effect on the responses of the SCSSP-HC. Moreover, an analytical model was developed to predict the elastic stiffness, yielding moment and ultimate moment of the SCSSP-HC, and the accuracy of the analytical model was validated via comparing the analytical predictions with experimental results. [Display omitted] • A novel steel-concrete-steel sandwich panel with novel hybrid connectors (SCSSP-HC) was proposed. • Four-point bending tests were conducted on the SCSSP-HC. • The failure modes and load-displacement responses of the SCSSP-HC under flexural bending were obtained. • The effects of variant parameters on the flexural behaviour of the SCSSP-HC were quantitatively studied. • An analytical model was proposed to predict the elastic stiffness and flexural resistance of the SCSSP-HC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel steel-PU foam-steel-concrete-steel panel was proposed for impact resisting. • Experimental tests on the proposed panels under drop weight impact loading were conducted. • More impact energy was found to be dissipated by "soft" layer of the panel. • An analytical model was proposed to predict displacement response of the panel under impact loading. A new steel-polyurethane foam-steel-concrete-steel (SPUFSCS) panel, which consists of "soft" and "stiff" layers, was proposed and its impact resistant performance was experimentally, numerically and analytically studied. The front "soft" layer, including a steel plate and polyurethane foam (PUF), was designed for dissipating impact energy and reducing peak force transmitted to the rear "stiff" layer (i.e., SCS panel). The SCS panel with high strength and ductility was employed for resisting the transmitted impact force from PUF. Experimental studies on SPUFSCS panels under impact loading were first conducted by employing an instrumented drop weight impact test system to reveal their failure modes, impact force and displacement responses. The impact energy was found to be dissipated through local indentation and global deformation of the SPUFSCS panel. The Finite Element (FE) models of the tested SPUFSCS panels under impact loading were established and validated against the experimental results. Numerical results indicated that the impact energy dissipated by "soft" layer is higher than that of "stiff" layer, which demonstrated the benefits of employing "soft" layer on improving the impact resistance of the traditional SCS panel. In addition, an analytical model was also presented for predicting the displacement response of the SPUFSCS panel under impact loading. The analytical model was proven to be reasonable in predicting the displacement response by comparing with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel cladding sandwich panel with aluminum foam-filled tubular cores (AFTC panel) was proposed to enhance the impact resistant performance of the traditional sandwich panel with empty tubular cores (ETC panel). The impact force and displacement responses, failure modes and energy absorption of the ETC and AFTC panels under impact loading were studied via drop-weight impact tests and numerical simulations. It was found that the impact process of the sandwich panel could be divided into three stages. In addition, the tubular cores and aluminum foam filler were found to dissipate the majority of the impact energy. The effects of impactor shape, impact position, aluminum foam filler and thickness ratio of flat steel plate to tube ( t f / t t ) on the impact behaviors of the sandwich panels were quantitatively studied. The results indicated that the impact force and energy absorption could be improved via filling aluminum foam, increasing the aluminum foam density and increasing the contact area between the impactor and sandwich panel. Filling aluminum foam could also avoid the sharp increase of the impact force after the compaction of the sandwich panel. The impact position exhibited little effect on the energy absorption of the sandwich panel when it was away from the edge of the sandwich panel. Moreover, the sandwich panel generally exhibited better energy absorption performances via specifying the flat steel plate and tubular cores to be of similar thickness. • A novel cladding sandwich panel was proposed for dissipating impact energy. • Drop-weight impact tests and FE simulations were conducted on the sandwich panel. • Failure modes and energy absorption behaviors of the sandwich panel were obtained. • The effect of variant parameters on responses of the sandwich panel was analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A steel-polyurethane foam-steel–concrete-steel (SPUFSCS) composite structure is proposed. • Low-velocity impact test on SPUFSCS panel is conducted, and local indentation and global deformation is observed. • The panel with polyurethane foam (PUF) layer exhibits better impact resistant performance than traditional steel–concrete-steel (SCS) panel. • Impact energy dissipated by the PUF layer is more than that of SCS layer. This paper presents a study on the low-velocity impact response of a new steel-polyurethane foam-steel–concrete-steel (SPUFSCS) panel. The SPUFSCS composite panel consisted of a steel faceplate and polyurethane foam (PUF) with a density of 193 kg/m3 that were attached to the front of the traditional steel–concrete-steel (SCS) panel. Low-velocity impact tests on the SPUFSCS panels were conducted by employing an instrumented drop hammer impact test system, and the failure modes of the SPUFSCS panels were found to consist of local indentation and global deformation. The impact process of the panels can be divided into three stages: PUF crushing, loading, and unloading. The impact force, displacement histories, and permanent deformation of the SPUFSCS panels were recorded and discussed in detail. The effects of concrete thickness and ratio of the thickness of the middle plate to that of the bottom plate on the impact responses of the SPUFSCS panels were experimentally studied. The finite element method was employed to predict the behavior of the SPUFSCS panel under impact loading, and good agreement was observed between the experimental and numerical results. Moreover, a parametric study was conducted to reveal the influence of the thickness of the PUF and top steel plate on the dynamic response of the SPUFSCS composite panels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural performance of the Steel-Concrete-Steel (SCS) sandwich beams with bolt connectors subjected to off-center impact load was investigated in this paper. Nine SCS sandwich beams were tested under impact loading by employing a drop hammer impact test system. The influences of concrete core depth, steel plate thickenss, top to bottom steel plate thickness ratio, and impact location on the responses of SCS sandwich beams were experimentally studied. The experiments revealed three failure modes of the SCS sandwich beams, i.e., flexure, flexure-shear, and fracture of the bottom steel plate. The separation of steel plates was prevented, and the structural integrity of the SCS sandwich beams was maintained despite the impact near the support, owing to the presence of bolt connectors. An analytical model was developed to predict the displacement–time histories of the SCS sandwich beams subjected to impact load. The predicted displacement responses showed a good match with the experimental results. Moreover, the force–displacement curves obtained from the analytical model and impact tests were compared, and good agreement between them could be observed. [Display omitted] • Off-center impact behaviors of SCS sandwich beams with bolt connectors were investigated. • Three failure modes, i.e., flexure, flexure-shear and fracture of bottom plate for the SCS beams. • The locations of impact on the SCS sandwich beams changed their failure modes. • An analytical model was proposed for predicting impact-induced displacement of the SCS beam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explicit finite element programme LS-DYNA was used to simulate a long-span steel reticulated shell under blast loading to investigate the structural dynamic responses in this paper. The elaborate finite element model of the Kiewitt-8 single-layer reticulated shell with span of 40 m subjected to central blast loading was established and all the process from the detonation of the explosive charge to the demolition, including the propagation of the blast wave and its interaction with structure was reproduced. The peak overpressure from the numerical analysis was compared with empirical formulas to verify the credibility and applicability of numerical simulation for blast loading. The dynamic responses of the structure under blast loading with different TNT equivalent weights of explosive and rise-span ratios were obtained. In addition, the response types of Kiewitt-8 single-layer reticulated shell subjected to central explosive blast loading were defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases, is associated with a poor outcome. Rafoxanide is an anthelmintic drug that inhibits tumor growth in certain malignancies. However, its impact on NSCLC remains unknown. In this study, we examined the effect of rafoxanide on NSCLC and dissected the underlying mechanism. The results showed that rafoxanide significantly inhibited the growth, invasion, and migration of NSCLC cells. Besides, rafoxanide can induce NSCLC cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in a dose-dependent manner. RNA-seq analysis revealed that genes associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER) stress responses were activated. Mechanistically, we found Rafoxanide can induce ER stress and activate the unfolded protein response (UPR). Apoptosis was activated by excessive ER stress, and autophagy was activated to partially alleviate ER stress. In vivo, we found that rafoxanide inhibited the growth of A549 and H1299 xenograft mouse models without severe side effects. Collectively, the present study indicates that rafoxanide may be a candidate drug for the treatment of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In eusocial termites, successful pairing is an essential element of dispersal and distribution after the departure of alates from natal colonies. Two situations could arise during the pairing process: mixed-sex pairs and same-sex pairs. However, most previous studies focused on mixed-sex pairs, overlooking groups formed by same-sex pairings, especially potential fecundity (the total number of oocytes or ovarioles), oogenesis and the development stage of oocytes of females in female–female pairs, and spermatogenesis and testis development of males in male–male pairs. In this study, through experimentation, we investigated the reproductive ability of virgin dealates based on various pairing types as mentioned above. We found that the life spans of virgin dealates can cover 1 yr or even more when they establish a nest with a partner, which is more than 10-fold longer than the life span of individuals establishing a colony alone. After 1 yr of pairing, the potential fecundity of virgin same sex dealates did not degenerate significantly compared with newly emerged dealates, including the number of ovarioles, size of testis, oogenesis, and the development stage of the oocytes. Moreover, when individuals of same-sex pairings experimentally changed into mixed-sex pairs after 1 yr, the eggs produced in the colony hatched into larvae. These findings suggest that dealates which through same-sex pairs retain fecundity after 1 yr have more reproductive potential than dealates that failed to pair with heterosexuals, shedding light on the ecological significance of homosexual behaviors in terms of the successful extension and fecundity of eusocial termites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water–gas displacement occurring during the drainage of water-soaked goafs facilitates the oxidation of water-soaked coal. The characteristics of oxygen migration and the oxidation and spontaneous combustion (SC) of soaked residual coal during goaf drainage were explored through laboratory research, water drainage simulation and on-site measurement. The results reveal that compared with raw coal samples, the amount and rate of gas products of water-soaked coal samples are higher in the heating oxidation process, demonstrating a strengthened spontaneous combustion (SC) propensity. Its cross-point temperature falls and the apparent activation energy decreases by 1.43–8.75%, that is, the soaked coal sample is easier to spontaneously combust during the drainage of water-soaked goafs. Through simulation, it is found that after water is drained, air leakage in the goaf is significantly intensified, and the pressure difference inside and outside the goaf reaches 498 Pa. By taking the air inlet roadway as the air leakage point for fitting, it is found that the oxygen concentration in the air leakage range increases to 18% during water drainage. The simulation results are basically consistent with the on-site measurement. The on-site monitoring result shows that during water drainage of 7225 goaf in Qinan Coal Mine, water-immersed coal is more prone to spontaneous combustion, and air leakage leads to low-temperature oxidation of water-immersed coal, which increases the on-site temperature rapidly and increases the risk of spontaneous combustion in the goaf. With respect to water drainage in the goaf, an optimization measure of fixed-point and quantitative nitrogen injection during water drainage was put forward on site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uncertainties in soil erosion (SE) are further intensified by various factors, such as global warming, regional warming and humidification, and vegetation cover changes. Moreover, quantitative evaluations of SE in major basins of Central Asia (CA) under changing environments have rarely been conducted. This study conducted quantitative evaluation of SE in four major basins (Syr Darya Basin (SDB), Amu Darya Basin (ADB), Ili River Basin (IRB) and Tarim River Basin (TRB) using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and analyzed the main driving factors. SE quantities in the basins presented relatively consistent upward fluctuating trends from 1982 to 2017. Vegetation cover variation fluctuated significantly from 1982 to 2017. Specifically, vegetation cover decreased continuously in SDB, ADB, and IRB, but increased gradually in TRB. Pixels with positive spatial variation of vegetation mainly occurred around lakes and oases near rivers. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) showed higher correlation with precipitation (80.5%) than with temperature (48.3%). During the study period, the area of arable land (AL) exhibited the largest change among all land use types in CA. Under long-term human activities, the proportion of NDVI of other land types converting to AL was the highest. In the structural equation model (SEM), precipitation, temperature, Shannon Diversity Index (SHDI), and NDVI strongly influenced SE. Overall, the major basins in CA were jointly affected by climate, human activities, and vegetation. Specifically, climatic factors exerted the strongest influence, followed by SHDI (human activities). SE was found to be relatively serious in ADB, SDB, and IRB, with SE in SDB even approaching that in the Loess Plateau. Under the background of global changes, appropriate water and land resource management and optimization configurations should be implemented in CA with reference to TRB in order to relieve local SE problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previous studies demonstrate that attentional selection can be object-based, in which the object is defined in terms of Gestalt principles or lexical organizations. Here we investigate how attentional selection functions when the two types of objects are manipulated jointly. Experiment 1 replicated Li and Logan (2008) by showing that attentional shift between two Chinese characters is more efficient when they form a compound word than when they form a nonword. Experiment 2A presented characters either alone or within rectangles (Egly, Driver, & Rafal, 1994) and the characters in a rectangle formed either a word or a nonword. Experiment 2B differed from Experiment 2A in that the two characters forming a word were in different rectangles. Experiment 3A presented the two characters of a word either within a rectangle or in different rectangles. Experiment 3B used the same design as Experiment 3A but presented stimuli of different types in random orders, rather than in blocks as in Experiments 2A, 2B and 3A. In blocked presentation, detection responses to the target color on a character were faster when this character and the cue character formed a word than when they did not, and the size of this lexical-based object effect did not vary according to whether the two characters were presented alone or within or between rectangles. In random presentation, however, the lexical-based object effect was diminished when the two characters of a word were presented in different rectangles. Overall, these findings suggest that the processes that constrain attention deployment over conjoined objects can be strategically adjusted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objective of this study is to assess the cerebral oxygenation oscillations in subjects with cerebral infarction (CI) based on the wavelet transform of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) signals. A total of twenty subjects were recruited from a local hospital to participate in this study. The subjects lay in the supine position and cerebral oxygenation signal was monitored for 20 min from the frontal lobe using NIRS. With spectral analysis based on wavelet transform, five frequency intervals were identified (I, 0.005–0.02 Hz, II, 0.02–0.06 Hz, III, 0.06-0.15 Hz, IV, 0.15–0.40 Hz and V, 0.40–2.0 Hz). The amplitude of the [HbO2] in frequency interval I (0.005–0.02 Hz), II (0.02–0.06 Hz), III (0.06–0.15 Hz) and V(0.15–2 Hz) for the subjects with CI were found to be significantly lower by 36%, 45%, 50% and 69% compared to that for the normal subjects (p <0.05). The amplitude of the [Hb] in frequency interval I (0.005–0.02 Hz), II (0.02–0.06 Hz) and V(0.15–2 Hz) for the subjects with CI were found to be significantly lower by 40%, 36% and 69% compared to that for the normal subjects (p <0.05). The reduction of spontaneous oscillations in subjects with CI may suggest an increased stiffness in arterial vessels. This indicates the possibility of applying spontaneous oscillations to assessing atherosclerosis in high risk subjects for CI based on the wavelet transform of NIRS signals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High throughput screening of the corporate compound collection led to the identification of a novel series of 2-amino-9-aryl-3-cyano-4-methyl-7-oxo-6,7,8,9-tetrahydropyrido[2′,3′:4,5]thieno[2,3-b]pyridine derivatives as selective PR agonists. Initial SAR exploration leading to potent and selective agonists 9 and 11, X-ray crystal structure of 9 bound to PR-LBD and preliminary developability data are described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Let K be an algebraic number field, and an irreducible, automorphic, cuspidal representation of with analytic conductor . The theorem on analytic strong multiplicity one established in this note states, essentially, that there exists a positive constant c depending on , and K only, such that π can be decided completely by its local components with norm . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Exploration of multiple regions of a bi-aryl amine template led to the identification of highly potent M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonists such as 14 (pA2 =11.0) possessing good sub-type selectivity for M3 over M2. The structure–activity relationships (SAR) and optimization of the bi-aryl amine series are described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) transgenic cotton has been planting in large-scale for more than 10 years in China. It was observed that resistance to bollworm was reduced with the application of big-boll cultivars in China. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of boll size on the contents of CryIA insecticidal protein in boll shell and cotton seed during the course of boll development. Two experiments were conducted at the Yangzhou University Farm, Yangzhou, China. In 2004, three cultivars including Sikang 1 (small-boll), Xiangza 3 (medium-boll) and Kemian 3 (big-boll) were compared for boll shell volume and 100-seed weight from 10 to 40 days after flowering (DAF), and insecticidal protein contents in boll shell and cotton seed from 10 to 50 DAF. As expected, the differences between cultivars were significant for all the four characteristics. Cultivars with bigger boll shell volume had higher 100-seed weight but lower insecticidal protein contents in both of the boll shell and cotton seed. The correlation between boll size and boll insecticidal protein content was negative (−0.653). The correlation between 100-seed weight and cotton seed insecticidal protein content was significantly negative (−0.645). In 2005, leaf cut (LC) and square removal (SR) treatments were applied to Sikang 1 and Sikang 3. The boll shell volume and 100-seed weight were decreased by LR, but increased by SR. LC significantly enhanced and SR significantly reduced the insecticidal protein contents of boll shell and cotton seed. The correlation between boll size and boll insecticidal protein content (−0.870) and the correlation between 100-seed weight and cotton seed insecticidal protein content were both highly significant and negative (−0.841). Therefore, the results of the study indicated that the boll insecticidal protein content was significantly affected by boll size. The implications of the observed results in breeding, cultural practices and pest management were discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel layered supramolecular compound [N(CH3)4]2[Mn(Salen)(DMF)2]2[β-Mo8O26]·2DMF (1) (H2salen= N,N′-ethylenebis(salicylideneimine)) has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, TG, UV and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Compound 1 represents a new and rare example constructed by MnIII-salen Schiff-base building blocks and β-octamolybdate isopolyoxoanions. Moreover, the reaction contains the unusual cations generated in situ from the decomposition and alkylation reaction of DMF precursors. The electrochemical of cyclic voltammetry and electrocatalytic properties of 1 have been well investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of N-arylpiperazine camphor sulfonamides was discovered as novel CXCR3 antagonists. The synthesis, structure–activity relationships, and optimization of the initial hit that resulted in the identification of potent and selective CXCR3 antagonists are described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: SAR exploration of multiple regions of a tyrosine urea template led to the identification of very potent muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonists such as 10b with good subtype selectivity for M3 over M1. The structure–activity relationships (SAR) and optimization of the tyrosine urea series are described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High throughput screening of our compound collection led to the discovery of a novel series of N-alkyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indol-1-amines as urotensin-II receptor antagonists. Synthesis, initial structure and activity relationships, functional and animal ortholog activities of the series are described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new stiffener-enhanced steel–concrete–steel (SESCS) sandwich beam was proposed for impact resisting, and the dynamic response of the SESCS sandwich beam under low-velocity impact loading was experimentally, numerically and analytically studied. Drop weight impact loading tests on SESCS sandwich beams were first conducted to obtain their failure modes, impact forces and displacement responses. All the tested beams exhibited flexural failure modes, and the impact resistance was found to be significantly improved for the beam enhanced with stiffeners in the tension plate. The Finite Element (FE) model of the SESCS sandwich beam under impact loading was established and validated against the test data in terms of failure mode, impact force and displacement. In addition, an analytical model was also developed for predicting displacement response of the SESCS sandwich beam under impact loading. The analytical-predicted displacement responses were found to be well matched with the FE-predictions and test results, which demonstrated the accuracy of the proposed analytical model. • A new stiffener-enhanced steel–concrete–steel (SESCS) sandwich beam was proposed. • Drop weight impact tests on the SESCS sandwich beams were conducted. • Flexural failure mode was observed for the SESCS sandwich beams under impact load. • An analytical model was proposed for predicting displacement response of the SESCS sandwich beam under impact load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Let and be two irreducible, automorphic, cuspidal representations of . Using the logarithmic zero-free region of Rankin–Selberg L-function, Moreno established the analytic strong multiplicity one theorem if at least one of them is self-contragredient, i.e. π and will be equal if they have finitely many equivalent local components , for which the norm of places are bounded polynomially by the analytic conductor of these cuspidal representations. Without the assumption of the self-contragredient for , Brumley generalized this theorem by a different method, which can be seen as an invariant of Rankin–Selberg method. In this paper, influenced by Landau''s smooth method of Perron formula, we improved the degree of Brumley''s polynomial bound to be . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of 2-aminomethyl piperidines has been discovered as novel urotensin-II receptor antagonists. The synthesis, initial structure-activity relationships, and optimization of the initial hit that resulted in the identification of potent, cross-species active, and functional urotensin-II receptor antagonists such as 1a and 11a are described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of 3-arylamino-2H-1,2,4-benzothiadiazin-5-ol 1,1-dioxides were prepared and shown to be novel and selective antagonists of the CXCR2 receptor. Synthesis, structure and activity relationships, selectivity, and some developability properties are described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High-throughput screening of the corporate compound collection led to the discovery of a novel series of N-substituted-5-aryl-oxazolidinones as potent human CCR8 antagonists. The synthesis, structure-activity relationships, and optimization of the series that led to the identification of SB-649701 (1a), are described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, a technique is presented that incorporates an irregular triangle mesh into wavelet-domain motion estimation and compensation using a shift-invariant redundant-wavelet transform. The main contribution of this work resides in a demonstration that triangle-mesh motion estimation and compensation can be deployed more effectively in the redundant-wavelet domain thanks to a simple correlation operator that is robust to the prediction residual, a noise-like signal that hinders spatial-domain gradient-based efforts to locate image edges which persist from frame to frame. In the proposed technique, motion compensation takes place through an affine transform mapping triangles from one frame to the next, while the motion-compensated residual is downsampled to a non-redundant form which is then coded using any wavelet-based still-image coder. Experimental results indicate that the proposed technique significantly outperforms not only the usual spatial-domain approach to mesh-based motion estimation and compensation, but also the emerging wavelet-based coders that employ traditional block-based structures, particularly for sequences with fast or complex motion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly technique was successfully applied to the fabrication of dye–polyoxometalate multilayer composite films consisting of two dye molecules Rhodamine B (RB) and Rhodamine 6G (R6G) and a Keggin-type polyoxometalate [α-SiW12O40]4− (α-SiW12). The composite films were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and fluorescence spectroscopy. UV-vis spectra show that the characteristic absorbance values of the multilayer films increase almost linearly with the number of dye/α-SiW12 bilayers, suggesting that the deposition process is regular and highly reproducible from layer to layer. SEM micrographs indicate that the film surface is a little rough with some individual granular domains. In addition, the fluorescent properties of these composite films were also investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The requirement for prefractionation in proteomic analysis is linked to the challenge of performing such an analysis on complex biological samples and identifying low level components in the presence of numerous abundant housekeeping and structural proteins. The employment of a preliminary fractionation step results in a reduction of complexity in an individual fraction and permits more complete liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis. Free flow electrophoresis (FFE), a solution-based preparative isoelectric focusing technique, fractionates and enriches protein fractions according to their charge differences and is orthogonal in selectivity to the popular reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fractionation step. In this paper, we explored the advantages of a combination of FFE and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry to extend the dynamic range of a proteomic analysis of a complex cell lysate. In this study, the whole cell lysate of a chronic myelogeneous leukemia cell line, K562/CR3, was prefractionated by FFE into 96 fractions spanning pH 3–12. Of these, 35 fractions were digested with trypsin and then analyzed by LC/MS. Depending on the algorithm used for peptide assignment from MS/MS data, at least 319 proteins were identified through database searches. The results also suggested that pI could serve as an additional criterion besides peptide fragmentation pattern for protein identification, although in some cases, a pI shift might indicate post-translational modification. In summary, this study demonstrated that free flow electrophoresis provided a useful prefractionation step for proteomic analysis and when combined with LC/MS allowed the identification of significant number of low level proteins in complex samples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Reaction of 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic with CoCl2·6H2O in aqueous solution give rise to a three-dimensional complex Co2(2,6-DPC)2Co(H2O)5·2H2O (DPC=2,6-pyridinedicarboxylate) 1. It has been characterized by elemental analyses, infrared spectra (IR) spectrum, thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, EPR spectrum, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex crystallizes in the P2(1)/c space group with a=8.3906(3) Å, b=27.4005(8) Å, c=9.6192(4) Å, α=90.00°, β=98.327(2)°, γ=90.00°, V=2188.20(14) Å3, Z=4. There are two types of cobalt environments: Co(1) is coordinated by four oxygen atoms from four carboxyl groups and two nitrogen atoms which are all from pdc2. Co(2) is coordinated by six oxygen atoms, five from coordinated water molecules and one from a carboxyl of pdc2- of which the other oxygen atom is linked to the Co(1). The extensive intermolecular hydrogen bonds are formed in the crystal by means of the five coordinated water molecules. Thus the complex is extended into a three-dimensional network with the aid of hydrogen bonds. In addition, The compound of 1 exhibited significant paramagnetic signals with the value of g=2.03. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

MgF2 nanorods with diameters of 60–100 nm were synthesized by a microemulsion method. Subsequent hydrothermal reaction of as-synthesized MgF2 nanorods and KF at 240°C for 3 days or 140°C for 7 days resulted in KMgF3 nanorods, which retained the rod-like morphology of the source material MgF2 in the reaction process. The morphology of as-synthesized MgF2 strongly depended on the molar ratio between water and the surfactant CTAB and the concentration of CTAB. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new supramolecular compound formulated [Cu(DPC)(H2O)3] (H2DPC=Pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid) was synthesized under mild conditions and characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectrum, thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group of C2/c with a=6.4448(9) A˚, b=23.192(3) A˚, c=6.9139(12) A˚, α=90°, β=106.622(11)°, γ=90°, V=990.2(3) A˚3, Z=4, R=0.0580, and wR2=0.1522. The compound exhibits an interesting three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular framework structure with one-dimensional channels, which is constructed by extensive hydrogen-bonding and π–π stacking interactions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Phospholipids are major components of biological membranes. Without chemical derivatization, it is difficult to identify and quantitate phospholipids in biological samples. Chemical derivatization can improve both the selectivity and sensitivity of the analytes. This paper gives a full review, through March, 2002, of derivatization methods used for phospholipids in HPLC, CE and GC as well as the spray reagent used for TLC in the early days. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Multilayer ultrathin films were fabricated from partially doped polyaniline (PAN) and a Keggin-type polyoxometalate [α-SiW12O40]4− (α-SiW12) in aqueous solution via the layer-by-layer self-assembly technique and characterized by UV–vis, FTIR, and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), ellipsometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). UV–vis spectroscopy shows that the absorbance values at characteristic wavelengths of the multilayer films increase almost linearly with the number of PAN/α-SiW12 bilayers, suggesting that the deposition process is regular and highly reproducible from layer to layer. FTIR and XPS spectra confirm the incorporation of α-SiW12 and PAN into the films. Ellipsometric measurements show that the PAN/α-SiW12 bilayer thickness increases with the increasing PAN solution concentration. SEM and AFM images indicate that the film surface is relatively uniform and smooth. In addition, the electrical conductivities of the multilayer films doped with hydrochloric acid were also measured. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The hydrothermal reactions of vanadium oxide starting materials with divalent transition metal cations in the presence of nitrogen donor chelating ligands yield the bimetallic cluster complexes with the formulae [{Cd(phen2)2V4O12]·5H2O (1) and [Ni(phen)3]2[V4O12]·17.5H2O (2). Crystal data: C48H52Cd2N8O22V4 (1), triclinic. P1¯, a=10.3366(10), b=11.320(3), c=13.268(3) A˚, α=103.888(17)°, β=92.256(15)°, γ=107.444(14)°, Z=1; C72H131N12Ni2O29.5V4 (2), triclinic. P1¯, a=12.305(3), b=13.172(6), c=15.133(4), α=79.05(3)°, β=76.09(2)°, γ=74.66(3)°, Z=1. Data were collected on a Siemens P4 four-circle diffractometer at 293 K in the range 1.59° <θ<26.02° and 2.01°<θ<25.01° using the ω-scan technique, respectively. The structure of 1 consists of a [V4O12]4− cluster covalently attached to two {Cd(phen)2}2+ fragments, in which the [V4O12]4− cluster adopts a chair-like configuration. In the structure of 2, the [V4O12]4− cluster is isolated. And the complex formed a layer structure via hydrogen bonds between the [V4O12]4− unit and crystallization water molecules. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ultrathin multilayer films of two lanthanide polyoxometalates (LPOMs), K17[Eu(P2W17O61)2] (EPW) and K13[Eu(SiW11O39)2] (ESW), and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) have been prepared by layer-by-layer self-assembly from dilute aqueous solutions. UV-vis spectroscopy and ellipsometry respectively show that the absorbance values at characteristic wavelengths and the thicknesses of the multilayer films increase linearly with the number of LPOM/PAH bilayers, suggesting that the deposition process is linear and highly reproducible from layer to layer. Average thicknesses of ca. 3.4 and 2.4 nm were determined for the EPW/PAH and ESW/PAH bilayers by ellipsometry, respectively. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images provide the surface morphology of the LPOM/PAH films, indicating that the film surface is relatively uniform and smooth. The photoluminescent properties of these films have also been investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. The LPOM/PAH multilayer film has a good thermal stability as shown by UV-vis, X-ray photoelectron, and fluorescence spectra. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel 7.2 dB output power back off Doherty power amplifier (DPA) based on asymmetrical load is proposed using two same transistors in this paper. To get maximum efficiency at back‐off output power and the largest saturate output power level simultaneously, the carrier power amplifier (PA) is matched to the maximum efficiency region when peaking PA is almost off, and both of the two PAs are matched to maximum power region to get largest output power. According to the proposed design methodology, high efficiency at back‐off power and high peak power DPA is designed and fabricated with two Cree's GaN HEMT CGH40010F devices. Measurements results show that the saturated output power of the DPA is over 44.5 dBm, the drain efficiency when 7.2 dB output power back off and saturate power are above 42% and 53%, respectively, in the range of 3.4–3.8 GHz. Meanwhile, better than −47.8 dBc adjacent channel leak power ratio can be achieved with digital predistortion under 20 MHz LTE signal testing at 3.4 GHz, the final design size is only 14 × 12 cm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Weaning is a stressful event as it is an abrupt separation of donkey foals from their mothers. Donkeys experience a variety of changes and stresses, such as physiological, environmental and diet challenges. The oral cavity is the gateway to total body wellness, and the oral microbiome is important in maintaining oral as well as systemic health. However, little is known on the effect of weaning on the oral microbiome of donkeys. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between weaning and oral microbial changes using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed that significant changes in the oral microbiome occurred during the weaning transition period. In addition, the functions related to carbohydrate metabolic pathways were obviously enriched in the oral microbiome in postweaning donkeys compared with preweaning donkeys. The current study provides a deeper insight into the oral microbiota changes during the weaning period and helps to increase awareness of feed changes in donkey foals. As the initiation point of digestion, the oral microbiome is important in maintaining oral and systemic health. However, the composition of oral microbial communities and the influence of weaning on the oral microbiota of donkey foals remains poorly characterized. The present study used buccal swab samples to determine the changes in oral microbial communities occurring at the time of weaning. A total of 20 oral swab samples were collected from two groups: preweaning donkey foals (PreW group, n = 10) and postweaning donkey foals (PostW group, n = 10). The donkey oral microbiome was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing using Illumina MiSeq. This study is the first report of the donkey oral microbiome in association with weaning. Compared to the preweaning donkeys, the oral bacteria diversity in the postweaning donkeys was increased, with a higher Simpson index. Changes in the composition of the oral microbiota between the PreW and PostW groups were observed in the present study. At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Myxococcota was significantly greater in the PostW than in the PreW group. At the genus level, the Gemella, unclassified_o__Lactobacillales, and Lactobacillus were increased in the postweaning donkeys. The donkeys' oral microbial functions were predicted using PICRUSt, and the functions related to carbohydrate metabolic pathways were significantly enriched in the oral microbiome in the PostW donkeys. In summary, the current study provides a deeper insight into the oral microbiota changes during the weaning period, and the influence of weaning together with the documented changes in diversity and composition will help us to obtain a better understanding of their long-term health impact within the oral cavities of donkey foals. However, a major limitation of the present study was that the samples were obtained from different animals in the PreW and PostW groups, which may have resulted in variability among the different individuals. Further investigation is needed to monitor the shift in oral microbes in the same individuals during the weaning period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A speckle Ag-doped core–shell nanohybrids (Ag@CSNH) was developed as dual-mode probe. • A facile naked-eye and the fluorescence dual-mode immunosensor was developed. • The immunosensor was used for detection of OTA with LOD 0.9921 pg/mL. Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a potent carcinogen, and is among the most dangerous mycotoxins in agricultural products. In this study, an ultrasensitive dual-mode immunosensor was developed for naked-eye and fluorescence detection of OTA based on Ag-doped core–shell nanohybrids (Ag@CSNH). Complete antigen-labeled Ag@CSNH (CA-Ag@CSNH) were used as a competitive bind and dual-mode probe. The diffused doping structure of CA-Ag@CSNH provided improved stability, color and fluorescence quencher performance. Antibodies modified magnetic beads were used as a capture probe. The competitive binding between OTA and CA-Ag@CSNH produced both color change and fluorescence quenching. Ultraviolet and fluorescence intensitie correlated linearly with OTA concentration ranges of 0.03–3 ng/mL and 10–10000 pg/mL, and limits of detection of 0.0235 ng/mL and 0.9921 pg/mL, respectively. The practical applicability of proposed strategy was demonstrated by analysis of OTA in spiked corn, soybean and flour samples. This study offers a new insight on multi-mode platforms for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have revealed the effect of locus of control on academic engagement and achievement motivation, but the role that achievement motivation plays in the relationship between the other two variables for Chinese adolescents has remained unclear. We conducted two studies to explore this issue. In Study 1 we used standardized scales to measure locus of control (Internal–External Control Scale), academic engagement (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale–Student), and achievement motivation (Achievement Motivation Scale) among 1,811 middle school students. In Study 2 we intervened in the participants' achievement motivation by way of group counseling to further check the effect on their academic engagement. We randomly recruited 64 students from the same school for control and experimental groups and constructed a relationship model among the three variables of locus of control, academic engagement, and achievement motivation. Results demonstrated that intervention in achievement motivation can effectively enhance the academic engagement of middle school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]