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• The cocatalyst is prepared by a gentle, green method. • The photocurrent density of Mn-FeOOH/BiVO 4 was 2.3 times higher than BiVO 4. • Mn-FeOOH cocatalyst improves the water oxidation performance of BiVO 4. [Display omitted] BiVO 4 is one of the substrates that have received wide attention from researchers for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation due to its narrow band gap and sufficiently upbeat valence band. In this study, Mn-FeOOH cocatalyst was synthesized on the BiVO 4 photoanode by a chemical bath deposition method at room temperature. As water oxidation cocatalyst, FeOOH could oxidize H 2 O to O 2 kinetically easier. Furthermore, the Mn element mixing increases the active sites, leading to a faster charge transfer rate by decreasing the kinetics barrier, and it can act as a passivation layer to suppress electron-hole recombination. The results show that the photocurrent density of Mn-FeOOH/BiVO 4 is 1.4 mA cm-2 (1.23 V RHE), which is 2.3 folds that of the bare BiVO 4 electrode (0.6 mA cm-2), and the onset potential is also negatively shifted by 130 mV and provides a new idea for the design of photoelectrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For an insurance company with a debt liability, they could make some management actions, such as reinsurance, paying dividends, and capital injection, to balance the profitability and financial bankruptcy. Our objective is to determine risk retention rate, dividend, and capital injection strategy so as to maximize the expected discounted dividends minus the discounted cost of capital injection until the time of ruin. We assume that the dividend payments and capital injection should occur with both fixed and proportional costs. We obtain explicit expressions of the optimal value functions as well as the corresponding optimal joint strategies by routine procedures in a comprehensive basic model using a new technique to solve the related equations. Our results show that whether recapitalizing is profitable or not depends on the costs of capital raising and that the firm injects capital only when the reserves are zero and recapitalizes to the optimal reserves level if the cost of external capital is low. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes modified with 4-Aminoazobenzene was prepared and applied to the separation, preconcentration and determination of Pb(II) in aqueous solutions by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Characterisation of the surface modification was performed on the basis of transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra and elemental analysis. The effects of pH, the sample flow rate and volume, the elution condition and the interfering ions were examined using batch and column procedures in detail. Under the optimised conditions (pH 5.0, flow rate 2.0 mL min−1), Pb(II) retained on the column can be quantitatively eluted by 2.0 mL 0.1 mol L−1HCl. An enrichment factor of 150 was accomplished. Common interfering ions did not interfere in both the separation and determination. The maximum adsorption capacity of the adsorbent at optimum conditions was found to be 46.8 mg g−1. The detection limit (3σ) was 0.28 μg L−1, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 2.1% (n = 11). The method was validated using certified reference materials, and has been applied for the determination of trace Pb(II) with satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper deals with the model selection consistency of Nonnegative Elastic Net (proposed by imposing nonnegative constraint to the regression parameters) in general setting where p (the number of predictors), q (the number of predictors with non-zero coefficients in the true linear model) and n (sample size) all go to infinity. We prove that this method has nice property of variable selection consistency under NEIC condition. Comparing with Nonnegative-lasso, Nonnegative Elastic Net can select the true variables even when Nonnegative-lasso cannot. In Empirical Part, this method is applied to the constrained index tracking problem in stock market without short sales, i.e. tracking CSI 300 Index [1] CSI 300 Index is a capitalization-weighted stock market index designed to replicate the performance of 300 stocks traded in the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges. 1 and SSE 180 Index [2] SSE 180 Index selects constituents with best representation through scientific and objective method. SSE is a benchmark index reflecting Shanghai market and serving as a performance benchmark for investment and a basis for financial innovation. 2 by selecting about 30 stocks. The results indicate that Nonnegative Elastic Net outperforms Nonnegative-lasso in asset selection. A two-step method, Nonnegative Elastic Net combined with OLS produce better results than simple Nonnegative Elastic Net method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High purity microporous vanadosilicate (EVS-10/AM-6) has been hydrothermally synthesised by a simple template-free, reducing agent-free method in the absence of titanosilicate ETS-10 seeds. Direct comparison between EVS-10 and ETS-10 showed successful isomorphous substitution of titanium with vanadium in the framework. The existence of vanadium is confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The scan electron microscopy and the X-ray diffractometry show similar crystal morphology and similar molecular structure between the as-synthesised material and the ETS-10. Preliminary results indicate a similar internal surface area to ETS-10. Similar to ETS-10, EVS-10 may be useful for semiconductor and other electronic applications. This new simplified synthesis method may allow the economical production of EVS-10/AM-6 for quantum wire and other applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

By combining satellite tracking, land-cover extracted from Landsite 8 images, and the traditional stable isotope analysis, we studied the habitat selection and food preference of a vulnerable migratory waterbird, the White-naped Crane (Grus vipio), in one of its key stagging sites, the Shandian River Basin in the semi-arid northern China, to provide knowledge that is critical for its conservation in the Anthropocene. Our results showed that the White-naped Cranes used both uplands and natural wetlands in the stopover site. While the cranes used farmland and natural land cover equally as night-time roosting grounds, they spent most daytime foraging at farmlands. Despite the extensive usage of croplands as their foraging ground, the Bayesian mixing models based on stable isotopic analysis revealed that crop residues after harvesting, such as Maize (Zea mays) and Naked Oat (Avena chinensis), were only a small fraction of the White-naped Cranes' diet (∼19%), and their diet composited mainly natural plants, such as Allium ledebourianum , Potentilla anserina , and P. tanacetifoli. Moreover, more than 20% of the total wetlands in the region were modelled as home range of the cranes. On contrast, less than 10% of croplands and about 1% of the unused uplands were identified as home range. In addition, the entire core habitats were located in natural wetlands. Our findings demonstrated the importance of natural wetlands for the survival of the threatened crane. However, the satellite-derived land cover data showed that croplands increased rapidly in the last decade in this area, at the expense of natural wetlands. With the sharp decrease of White-naped Crane population in China, the conservation of stopover sites becomes imperative. Based on our analysis, we recommend the following management actions: conserving adequate natural wetland area, regulating anthropogenic pressures such as the use of herbicides, expanding the duration and extent of current conservation regulations, establishing a comprehensive monitoring program, and initiating basin-scale ecological restoration, for effective conservation of this threatened species. These integrated conservation strategies for migratory waterbirds are necessary, considering the rapid land-cover changes and agricultural expansion that have been occurring in East Asian-Australasian Flyway, especially in the semi-arid temperate zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With specific and inherent mRNA cleaving activity, small interfering RNA (siRNA) has been deemed promising therapeutics to reduce the exacerbation rate of asthma by inhibiting the expression and release of proinflammatory cytokines from airway epithelial cells (AECs). To exert the therapeutic effects of siRNA drugs, nano-formulations with high efficiency and safety are required to deliver these nucleic acids to the target cells. Herein, we exploited novel inhaled lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) targeting intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) receptors on the apical side of AECs. This delivery system is meant to enhance the specific delivery efficiency of siRNA in AECs to prevent the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in AECs and the concomitant symptoms in parallel. A cyclic peptide that resembles part of the capsid protein of rhinovirus and binds to ICAM-1 receptors was initially conjugated with cholesterol and subsequently assembled with ionizable cationic lipids to form the LNPs (Pep-LNPs) loaded with siRNA against thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP siRNA). The obtained Pep-LNPs were subjected to thorough characterization and evaluations in vitro and in vivo. Pep-LNPs significantly enhanced cellular uptake and gene silencing efficiency in human epithelial cells expressing ICAM-1 in vitro , exhibited AEC-specific delivery and improved the gene silencing effect in ovalbumin-challenged asthmatic mice after pulmonary administration. More importantly, Pep-LNPs remarkably downregulated the expression of TSLP in AECs, effectively alleviated inflammatory cell infiltration, and reduced the secretion of other proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-4 and IL-13, as well as mucus production in asthmatic mice. This study demonstrates that Pep-LNPs are safe and efficient to deliver siRNA drugs to asthmatic AECs and could potentially alleviate allergic asthma by inhibiting the overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines in the airway. [Display omitted] • LNPs modified with a cyclic peptide targeting ICAM-1 exhibit AECs-specific siRNA delivery post pulmonary administration. • The new LNPs loading siTSLP can alleviate airway inflammatory response, AHR and reduce MUC5AC secretion in asthma mice. • The new LNPs exhibit a very low rate of immunogenicity when administered intratracheally. • The new LNPs can be used to treat asthmatic patients suffering from poor control of mucus hypersecretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Critical strategies for converting wastes to catalysts are summarized. Applications of waste-derived catalysts in hydrogen evolution reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, and overall water electrolysis are comprehensively reviewed. Perspectives in the development of waste-derived catalysts are analyzed.The sustainable production of green hydrogen via water electrolysis necessitates cost-effective electrocatalysts. By following the circular economy principle, the utilization of waste-derived catalysts significantly promotes the sustainable development of green hydrogen energy. Currently, diverse waste-derived catalysts have exhibited excellent catalytic performance toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and overall water electrolysis (OWE). Herein, we systematically examine recent achievements in waste-derived electrocatalysts for water electrolysis. The general principles of water electrolysis and design principles of efficient electrocatalysts are discussed, followed by the illustration of current strategies for transforming wastes into electrocatalysts. Then, applications of waste-derived catalysts (i.e., carbon-based catalysts, transitional metal-based catalysts, and carbon-based heterostructure catalysts) in HER, OER, and OWE are reviewed successively. An emphasis is put on correlating the catalysts’ structure–performance relationship. Also, challenges and research directions in this booming field are finally highlighted. This review would provide useful insights into the design, synthesis, and applications of waste-derived electrocatalysts, and thus accelerate the development of the circular economy-driven green hydrogen energy scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low yield of microbial calcium carbonate precipitation due to the strong pH environment has limited the development of biotechnology-based concrete crack repair techniques. In this study, Bacillus megaterium was selected to determine the optimal nutrient formulation through orthogonal tests. The growth and reproduction characteristics and urease activity of this strain were analysed by controlling different pH values, and the calcium carbonate precipitation yield under different pH conditions was investigated, and the lower precipitation yield under strong alkaline conditions was improved by using alkaline environment domestication with the addition of urea to the nutrient solution. It has been shown that higher pH results in lower growth and multiplication of Bacillus megaterium and weaker urease activity, and a strong alkaline environment can significantly suppress its growth and multiplication and urease activity. At pH 7, the growth and multiplication of Bacillus megaterium were the fastest, the urease activity was the strongest, and the precipitation yield was greater. The addition of urea to the nutrient solution to domesticate Bacillus megaterium in an alkaline environment can significantly increase the growth rate and precipitation yield, which can effectively solve the problem of insufficient calcium carbonate precipitation under alkaline conditions. Comparing the effectiveness of microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) in repairing concrete after damage before and after microbial domestication shows that the domesticated Bacillus megaterium is more effective in reducing the permeability characteristics of concrete and improving its strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reinsurance can provide an effective way for insurer to manage its risk exposure. In this paper, we further analyze the optimal reinsurance models recently proposed by J. Cai and K. S. Tan [Astin Bulletin, 2007, 37(1): 93-112]. With the criteria of minimizing the value-at-risk (VaR) risk measure of insurer's total loss exposure, we derive the optimal values of sharing proportion a, retention d, and layer l of two reinsurance treaties: the limited change-loss f( x) = a{( x − d) − ( x − l)} and the truncated change-loss f( x) = a( x−d) I. Both of the reinsurance plans have been considered to be more realistic and practical in the real business. Our solutions have several appealing features: (i) there is only one condition to verify for the existence of optimal limited change-loss reinsurance while there always exists an optimal truncated change-loss reinsurance, (ii) the resulting optimal parameters have simple analytic forms which depend only on assumed loss distribution, reinsurer's safety loading, and insurer's risk tolerance, (iii) the optimal retention d for limited change-loss reinsurance is the same as that by Cai and Tan while the optimal value is smaller for truncated change-loss, (iv) the optimal sharing proportion and layer are always the same for both reinsurance plans, (v) minimized VaR are strictly lower than the values derived by Cai and Tan, (vi) the optimization results reveal possible drawbacks of VaR-based risk management that a heavy tail risk exposure may be expressed by lower VaR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The TWEAK receptor Fn14 (TNFRSF12), a member of the TNF Receptor superfamily, can mediate many processes, including apoptosis. Fn14 agonists have therefore been the subject of interest as potential cancer therapeutics. In cell culture experiments, interferon gamma (IFNγ) is typically required for induction of apoptotic activity by either TWEAK or Fn14 agonistic antibodies in most cell lines. We have investigated the mechanism of IFNγ signaling and the role of JAK–STAT signaling in TWEAK/Fn14-mediated tumor cell killing. We found that IFNγ-mediated enhancement of tumor cell killing is JAK–STAT dependent, as JAK inhibitors block IFNγ−dependent TWEAK induced apoptosis. Exposure of tumor cells to IFNγ results in an increase in Fn14 expression on the cell surface, which may be a mechanism by which IFNγ induces sensitivity to TWEAK. In a reciprocal fashion, we observed that IFNγ receptor levels increase in response to TWEAK treatment in WiDr cells. Significantly, we found that TWEAK alone can induce STAT1 phosphorylation in WiDr tumor cells. Moreover, TWEAK induction of tumor cell apoptosis in WiDr cells in the absence of IFNγ is mediated by the JAK–STAT pathway. Correspondingly, we show that treatment of tumor bearing mice with mBIIB036, an Fn14 agonistic antibody, results in STAT1 phosphorylation in the tumors. Notably, the level of STAT1 phosphorylation appears to correlate with the degree of tumor growth inhibition by BIIB036 in vivo. Additionally, in WiDr cells, TWEAK induces a soluble factor, which we have identified as IFNβ, capable of independently inducing STAT1 phosphorylation when transferred to naïve cells. Finally, either IFNα or IFNβ can partially substitute for IFNγ in sensitizing tumor cells to Fn14 agonists. In summary, we show that TWEAK/Fn14 can signal through the JAK–STAT pathway to induce IFNβ, and that the ability of TWEAK to induce tumor cell apoptosis is mediated by JAK-STAT signaling. We also demonstrate that IFNγ enhancement of TWEAK/FN14-mediated tumor cell death is JAK-dependent and may occur by IFNγ-dependent upregulation of Fn14 on tumor cells. These findings may have implications for the appropriately targeted clinical development of Fn14 agonists as anti-cancer therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Obesity is associated with a low-grade, chronic inflammation that promotes the development of a variety of diseases, most notably type 2 diabetes. A number of cell types of the innate and adaptive immune systems have been implicated in this process. Recent studies have focused on the role of natural killer T (NKT) cells, a subset of T lymphocytes that react with lipids, in the development of obesity-associated diseases. These studies have shown that invariant NKT (iNKT) cells, a population of NKT cells expressing a semi-invariant T cell receptor, become rapidly activated in response to lipid excess, and that these cells influence the capacity of other leukocytes to produce cytokines during the progression of obesity. The role of NKT cells in obesity-associated inflammation and insulin resistance has been investigated using NKT celldeficient animals, adoptive transfer of NKT cells and an iNKT cell agonist. While divergent results have been obtained, it is now clear that NKT cells can modulate the inflammatory milieu in obesity, suggesting that these cells could be targeted for therapeutic intervention in obesity-associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most promising technologies for lignocellulosic biomass utilization employs ionic liquids for the conversion of isolated components into fuels, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and composites after fractionation of lignocellulose. However, the time required for dissolution of the whole cell wall has been excessive. To explore a possible dissolution and fractionation pathway of lignocelluloses, the dissolution of holocellulose isolated from bagasse was investigated in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C4mim]Cl) assisted with ball-milling pretreatment and ultrasound irradiation. Ball milling pretreatment, ultrasonic irradiation assistance, and their combination were found to effectively improve the holocellulose dissolution in [C4mim]Cl. The effects of ultrasound power and irradiation duration on the dissolution time of ball-milled holocelluloses in [C4mim]Cl were studied. The regenerated holocelluloses were characterized with FT4-IR, X-Ray, and CP/MAS 13CNMR. It was found that there were no obvious changes of chemical structure after dissolution and regeneration of the holocellulose. The crystalline structure of cellulose was converted from cellulose I in native holocellulose to cellulose II in the regenerated holocellulose. The crystallinity decreased after the process of dissolution and regeneration assisted by ball-milling pretreatment and ultrasound irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT • OATP1B1 is a liver-specific expression drug transporter and mediates the uptake of a broad range of compounds into hepatocytes. Modulation the activity of OATP1B1 may alter the pharmacokinetics of its substrate drugs, causing potential drug-drug interactions. As a popular dietary supplement in the United States, quercetin has been shown to interact with some drug transporters and efficiently influences their activity, but the effect of quercetin on OATP1B1 activity is not well known. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS • Quercetin inhibits the OATP1B1-mediated transport of E3S and pravastatin in vitro, and also has a modest inhibitory influence on the pharmacokinetics of pravastatin in healthy Chinese-Han male volunteers. AIM To investigate the effect of quercetin on organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B1 (OATP1B1) activities in vitro and on the pharmacokinetics of pravastatin, a typical substrate for OATP1B1 in healthy Chinese-Han male subjects. METHODS Using human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells stably expressing OATP1B1, we observed the effect of quercetin on OATP1B1-mediated uptake of estrone-3-sulphate (E3S) and pravastatin. The influence of quercetin on the pharmacokinetics of pravastatin was measured in 16 healthy Chinese-Han male volunteers receiving a single dose of pravastatin (40 mg orally) after co-administration of placebo or 500 mg quercetin capsules (once daily orally for 14 days). RESULTS Quercetin competitively inhibited OATP1B1-mediated E3S uptake with a Ki value of 17.9 ± 4.6 µ m and also inhibited OATP1B1-mediated pravastatin uptake in a concentration dependent manner (I C50, 15.9 ± 1.4 µ m). In healthy Chinese-Han male subjects, quercetin increased the pravastatin area under the plasma concentration - time curve (AUC(0,10 h) and the peak plasma drug concentration ( Cmax) to 24% (95% CI 15, 32%, P < 0.001) and 31% (95% CI 20, 42%, P < 0.001), respectively. After administration of quercetin, the elimination half-life ( t1/2) of pravastatin was prolonged by 14% (95% CI 4, 24%, P = 0.027), with no change in the time to reach Cmax ( tmax). Moreover, quercetin decreased the apparent clearance (CL/ F) of pravastatin by 18% (95% CI 75, 89%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that quercetin inhibits the OATP1B1-mediated transport of E3S and pravastatin in vitro and also has a modest inhibitory influence on the pharmacokinetics of pravastatin in healthy Chinese-Han male volunteers. The effects of quercetin on other OATP1B1 substrate drugs deserve further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of 136 naturally occurring products, which have been reported to play important roles in modification of Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) activities, on the uptake of estrone-3-sulfate (E3S), a typical OATP1B1 substrate, were evaluated using human embryonic kidney 293 cells stably expressing OATP1B1. At a concentration of 100 μM, 42 natural products inhibited OATP1B1-mediated [3H]E3S uptake by more than 50%, and five of them significantly inhibited OATP1B1-mediated [3H]E3S by more than 80% with the following rank order of potency: quercetin > astragaloside IV > icariin > glycyrrhizic acid > ginsenoside Rc. Inhibitory effects of these natural products on OATP1B1 activity were in a concentration-dependent manner. 11 natural compounds were found exhibiting greater than 50% inhibition at 30 μM with IC50 values ranging from 14.6 ± 3.3 to 28.5 ± 3.0 μM. In conclusion, our data suggest that modification of OATP1B1 transport activity by these natural occurring products may be a mechanism for natural product–drug interactions in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite an increasing demand for marketing researchers familiar with ethnographic methods, ethnographic consumer research has received little coverage in current marketing curricula. The innovation discussed in the present paper addresses this problem: it introduces the notion of "cultural relativism" and gives students hands-on experience in conducting cultural analysis of consumer products using ethnographic interview data. The instructional innovation consists of a 75-minute class session and a group project made up of three interim assignments. Assessment results from a marketing research class show that students understood the value of ethnographic consumer research and gained useful experience in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting ethnographic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we obtain a constraint of the mean curvature for proper biharmonic submanifolds in a sphere. We give some characterizations of some proper biharmonic submanifolds with parallel mean curvature vector in a sphere. We also construct some new examples of proper biharmonic submanifolds in a sphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poyang Lake is the largest fresh water lake in China. In this study, the objective was to examine the diversity of bacterial community in this environment. The phylogenetic composition of bacterioplankton communities from two sites and two dates (northern and southern sub-basins in October 2006 and in May 2007, respectively) in the water column of Poyang Lake were investigated by partially sequencing cloned 16SrRNA genes. Moreover, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was applied in the 16SrRNA gene clones. In total, four clone libraries were constructed and 347 clones were screened by RFLP, yielding 153 operational taxonomic units, which mainly belonged to the proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Verrucomicrobia and Planctomycetes. Our results showed that Beta- proteobacteria was the most significant lineage, with dominant numbers of operational taxonomic units in the northern October 2006, southern October 2006 and May 2007 libraries. The highest bacterial diversity occurred in the library from the southern sub-basin in May 2007 and the lowest in the library from the northern sub-basin in May 2007. Horizontal and temporal differences associated with the concentration of total phosphorus, water temperature and pH suggested that the trophic state and the physicochemical properties of lake play key roles in sustaining bacterial community composition structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of conflicting results in previous studies, it is unclear whether litter diversity has a predictable impact on microbial communities or ecosystem processes. We examined whether effects of litter diversity depend on factors that could confound comparisons among previous studies, including leaf type, habitat type, identity of other leaves in the mixture, and spatial covariance at two scales within habitats. We also examined how litter diversity affects the saprotrophic microbial community using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism to profile bacterial and fungal community composition, direct microscopy to quantify bacterial biomass, and ergosterol extraction to quantify fungal biomass. We found that leaf mixture diversity was rarely significant as a main effect (only for fungal biomass), but was often significant as an interaction with leaf type (for ash-free dry mass recovered, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, fungal biomass, and bacterial community composition). Leaf type and habitat were significant as main effects for all response variables. The majority of variance in leaf ash-free dry mass and C/N ratio was explained after accounting for treatment effects and spatial covariation at the meter (block) and centimeter (litterbag) scales. However, a substantial amount of variability in microbial communities was left unexplained and must be driven by factors at other spatial scales or more complex spatiotemporal dynamics. We conclude that litter diversity effects are primarily dependent on leaf type, rather than habitat type or identity of surrounding leaves, which can guide the search for mechanisms underlying effects of litter diversity on ecosystem processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To assess whether certain environmental factors temporally associated with the onset of juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (JIIMs) differ between phenotypes.Methods. Physicians completed questionnaires regarding documented infections, medications, immunizations and an open-ended question about other noted exposures within 6 months before illness onset for 285 patients with probable or definite JIIM. Medical records were reviewed for 81% of the patients. Phenotypes were defined by standard clinical and laboratory measures.Results. Sixty per cent of JIIM patients had a reported exposure within 6 months before illness onset. Most patients (62%) had one recorded exposure, 26% had two and 12% had three to five exposures. Patients older than the median age at diagnosis, those with a longer delay to diagnosis and those with anti-signal recognition particle autoantibodies had a higher frequency of documented exposures [odds ratios (ORs) 95% CI 3.4, 31]. Infections were the most common exposure and represented 44% of the total number of reported exposures. Non-infectious exposures included medications (18%), immunizations (11%), stressful life events (11%) and unusual sun exposure (7%). Exposures varied by age at diagnosis, race, disease course and the presence of certain myositis autoantibodies.Conclusion. The JIIMs may be related to multiple exposures and these appear to vary among phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Despite the effectiveness of the anti-CD20 chimeric antibody (mAb), rituximab, in treating B-cell lymphomas, its efficacy remains variable and often modest. In this study, a humanized anti-CD20 antibody, hu8E4, was generated by complementarity-determining region grafting method. Hu8E4 was as effective as rituximab in mediating antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and inducing apoptosis in B-lymphoma cells, but it exhibited much more potent complement-dependent cytotoxicity than rituximab. Immunotherapeutic studies showed that hu8E4 was significantly more effective than rituximab in prolonging the survival of severe combined immunodeficient mice bearing human B-cell lymphomas, suggesting that it might be a promising therapeutic agent for B-cell lymphomas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and its signal downstream nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) are critical regulators for immune responses as well as bone remodeling. The present study aimed to examine the effects of erythromycin (EM) on the activation of RANKL, correlation with NF-κB expression, proliferation and apoptosis of human Jurkat T cells. Jurkat T cells were pretreated with 100 pmol/l tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) for 1 h followed by various concentrations of EM for 24 h. The mRNA expressions of RANKL and NF-κB were examined by RT-PCR. The protein expression of NF-κB was analyzed by Western blot. The protein level of RANKL was examined by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence microscopy and Western blot analyses. We also examined proliferation of Jurkat T cells by MTT assay, apoptosis by flow cytometry analysis after staining with PI and morphological observation after AO/EB staining. The results showed that EM inhibited TNF-α-induced expressions of RANKL and NF-κB at both mRNA and protein levels in a concentration-dependent manner. The expression of RANKL was correlated with the expression of NF-κB. Moreover, EM influenced the proliferation and apoptosis of human Jurkat T cells. These data suggest that EM acts as an anti-inflammatory agent not only to interact with the expression of NF-κB and the proliferation of human Jurkat T cells, but also to reduce the level of RANKL. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We synthesized a series of poly (glycerol, sebacate and lactic acid) (PGSL) with 1:1:0, 1:1:0.25, 1:1:0.5, 1:1:1 mole ratio of glycerol, sebacate and lactic acid, in order to elucidate the relation of microstructure to the degradation rate and mechanical properties. The microstructure of the polymer with lactic acid in the ratio of 0.25 displayed phase separation structure. The crystallization temperature (T c) and absolute crystallization enthalpy (ΔH c) of PGSL tended to decrease with the increasing ratio of lactic acid. Degradation rate of PGSL with lactic acid in the ratio of 0.25 was fastest in vitro and 35% mass loss occurred after 60 day degradation. In the range of 0, 0.5 and 1, the degradation rate decreased slightly with the lactic acid increasing and 18% mass loss occurred after 60 day degradation when lactic acid was doped in the ratio of 1.0. All PGSL polymers inhibited platelet adhesion, prolonged whole blood clotting time, activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time. In conclusion, doping lactic acid can modulate the microstructure of poly (glycerol, sebacate) (PGS), thereby control the degradation rate and mechanical property of PGS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Biogas produced in anaerobic digestion contains energetically useable methane (CH 4) and unavoidable unwanted carbon dioxide (CO 2). To increase the calorific value of this environmental-friendly renewable fuel recovered from wastewater, an upgrading process is necessary to reduce the high concentration of CO 2 and increase the associated CH 4 content. The pipe-line quality biomethane concentration can be achieved after biologically converting CO 2 by either microorganisms or algae. Over the contemporary reviews published on the biogas upgrading, no paper has ever comprehensively covered the emerging biological methods for converting or reducing CO 2. Thus, the biotechnologies for CO 2 bioconversion such as H 2 -assisted chemoautotrophic reactor, gas fermentation, microbial electrochemical cells (MEC) and microalgae-based photosynthetic technique are comprehensively reviewed from the aspects of mechanisms, configurations, bottlenecks and efficiencies in this article. The strategies towards improving the performance of each technique regarding CO 2 conversion are systematically analysed. The feasibility of each method from economic and environmental perspectives is also outlined. The outlook for biotechnologies with larger scalability and better economic or technical feasibility are then put forward to facilitate their applications for more efficient biogas upgrading. [Display omitted] • Coupling CO 2 with H 2 opens a new avenue in the biogas upgrading with challenges. • Gas fermentation obtains potential in removing CO 2 from biogas biologically. • MEC has emerged as a possible technology for CO 2 sequestration. • Microalgae-based upgrading system should be advanced to improve CO 2 availability. • Economic and technique feasibilities of each biotechnology are varied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To improve the utilization of fertilizer and water resource at the same time, a new type chitosan-coated nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer with controlled-release and water-retention (CFCW) was prepared, which possessed the three-layer structure. Its core was water-soluble nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) fertilizer granular, the inner coating was chitosan (CTS), and the outer coating was poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) (P(AA-co-AM)) superabsorbent polymer. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer and element analysis results showed that the product contained 7.98% potassium (shown by K2O), 8.14% phosphorus (shown by P2O5), and 8.06% nitrogen. The synthesis conditions of inversion suspension polymerization were studied systematically. The water absorbency of the product was 70 times its own weight if it was allowed to swell in tap water at room temperature for 90min. The nutrients slow release behaviors of the CFCW in soil and water-retention capacity of the soil with CFCW were investigated. A possible slow release mechanism was proposed and the release rate factor K and the release exponent n of nutrients in CFCW was calculated. This product with good controlled-release and water-retention capacity, being degradable in soil and environment-friendly, could be especially useful in agricultural and horticultural applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A double-coated slow-release NPK compound fertilizer with superabsorbent and water-retention was prepared by crosslinked poly(acrylic acid)/diatomite – containing urea (the outer coating), chitosan (the inner coating), and water-soluble granular fertilizer NPK (the core). The effects of the amount of crosslinker, initiator, degree of neutralization of acrylic acid, initial monomer and diatomite concentration on water absorbency were investigated and optimized. The water absorbency of the product was 75 times its own weight if it was allowed to swell in tap water at room temperature for 2h. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer and element analysis results showed that the product contained 8.47% potassium (shown by K2O), 8.51% phosphorus (shown by P2O5), and 15.77% nitrogen. We also investigated the water-retention property of the product and the slow release behavior of N, P and K in the product. This product with excellent slow release and water-retention capacity, being nontoxic in soil and environment-friendly, could be especially useful in agricultural and horticultural applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The serum-induced kinase (Snk)–spine-associated Rap GTPase-activating protein (SPAR) signaling pathway is reported as a new molecular mechanism in activity-dependent remodeling of synapses. However, the relationship between Snk-SPAR pathway and glutamate-induced excitotoxicity is not well understood. We report here that in cultured hippocampal neurons, glutamate stimulation induces the activation of Snk-SPAR pathway, and leads to a loss of mature dendritic spines. The time-dependent changes in Snk and SPAR expression after glutamate exposure are also elucidated. Furthermore, the activation of Snk-SPAR pathway induced by glutamate treatment can be blocked by an NMDA receptor antagonist, MK801. These results demonstrate that Snk-SPAR pathway may play a pivotal role in glutamate-induced exicitotoxic damage in CNS through regulating the stability of synapse. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To elucidate the immunomodulatory mechanisms of macrolides, we investigated here the effects of erythromycin (EM) and its derivatives, 1 and 2, which show no antibacterial activity, on the proliferation and the activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in Jurkat T cells. MTT assay revealed that EM, 1 and 2 could inhibit T lymphocyte proliferation markedly. Flow cytometry and TUNEL analysis showed EM (30 μg/mL-100 μg/mL) and 1 (3 μg/mL-30 μg/mL) could induce T lymphocyte apoptosis, 2 (3 μg/mL-30 μg/mL) induced a cell cycle arrest in G2/M. RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis conformed that EM and its two derivatives could inhibit the expressions of NF-κB mRNA and protein. Taken together, these data suggest EM and its derivatives, 1 and 2, have immunomodulatory effect, presumably via an interaction with the NF-κB expression, inhibiting the proliferation of T lymphocyte, implicating an approach for the development of new drugs for treating inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: HIV-1 pandemic posed an unprecedent challenge to the global health and it is believed that an effective vaccine will be the final solution against HIV-1. HIV-1 envelope is the primary immunogen in developing neutralization antibody based HIV vaccine. To define the suitable Env derived immunogen, we systemically compared the immunogenicity of gp140 and gp145 in a DNA vaccination alone and a prime-boost modalities. Two DNA vaccines and two recombinant Tiantan vaccinia vaccines (rTTV) were constructed for vaccination of female Balb/c mice. Elispot assay was used to read out the T cell immunity and ELISA assay was used to quantify antibody immunity. PLL (poly-l-leucine)-ELISA assay was used in linear antibody epitope mapping. Mice primed with gp145 tended to elicit more Env-specific T cells responses than those primed with gp140, significant difference was observed in DNA immunization alone. The ultimate T cell responses in prime-boost regimen tend to be determined mainly by the priming efficacy. Linear antibody epitope mapping displayed that sera raised by gp145 priming were vigorously reactive to more peptides than that by gp140. Our data demonstrated HIV-1 Thailand B-derived gp145 may raise higher T-cell responses and broader linear peptide-specific antibody responses than gp140 does. However, it remains to be determined that how these observations are relevant to the neutralization of antibody activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Due to additional trip production by land use development, the O-D travel costs between some O-D pairs may also change intuitively. This leads to positive and negative impacts on network users traveling between different O-D pairs. Therefore the equity issue about the benefit distribution gained from the land-use development problem is raised. This paper proposes an Equity based Land-Use Transportation Problem (ELUTP) which is intended to examine the benefit distribution among the network users and the resulting equity associated with land-use development problem in terms of the change of equilibrium O-D travel cost. In the resulting bi-level programming model, the upper level sub-problem maximizes traffic production incorporating equity constraints, while the lower level sub-problem is a combined trip distribution/assignment user equilibrium problem. Genetic algorithm based method is applied to test the models using an example network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To understand the cross-reactivity of antibodies directed against variable regions of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) envelope (Env), chimeric immunogens were prepared from different clades with modifications in variable regions, and the resulting neutralizing antibody response was evaluated. The V3-specific neutralization activity induced by a clade B immunogen was limited to clade B viruses and was blocked by a clade B V3 peptide, but not by analogous clade A or C V3 peptides. In contrast, the V3 response elicited by a clade C immunogen cross-reacted with sensitive clade B viruses. The V3 region from a clade C virus, when introduced into a clade B sequence, elicited cross-clade activity, which could be reversed by V3 peptides derived from clades A and C. Thus, the anti-V3 antibody response elicited by a clade C immunogen could cross-react with heterologous clade viruses. Additionally, we describe a V1-specific immune response that mediated neutralization limited to the homologous HIV IIIB isolate and may be partially responsible for the commonly observed strain-specific neutralization responses elicited by vaccine immunogens. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), also known as scatter factor (SF), and its receptor, the c-Met tyrosine kinase, play roles in cancer invasion and metastasis in a wide variety of tumor cells. Clinical observations suggest that HGF can promote metastasis of hepatoma cells while stimulating tumor invasiveness. We use HGF as an invasive inducer of human hepatoma HepG2 cells to investigate the effect of flavonoids on anti-invasion. In our preliminary study, we investigated the effect of flavonoids including luteolin, quercetin, baicalein, genistein, taxifolin and catechin on HGF-mediated migration and invasion of HepG2 cells. We found that luteolin presented the most potent potential on anti-migration and anti-invasion by Boyden chamber assay. Furthermore, luteolin inhibited HGF-induced cell scattering and cytoskeleton change such as filopodia and lamellipodia was determined by both phase-contrast and fluorescence microscopy studies. In addition, Western blotting and immunoprecipitation were performed to confirm luteolin suppressed the phosphorylation of c-Met, the membrane receptor of HGF, as well as ERK1/2 and Akt, but not JNK1/2, which is activated by HGF. Our investigation demonstrated that luteolin similar to PD98059, which acts as a specific inhibitor of MEK, an up stream kinase regulating ERK1/2, and wortmannin, a PI3K inhibitor, inhibited the invasiveness induced by HGF. In conclusion, the luteolin inhibited HGF-induced HepG2 cell invasion involving both MAPK/ERKs and PI3K–Akt pathways. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ascorbic acid is necessary for optimal insulin secretion from pancreatic islets. We evaluated ascorbate recycling and whether it is impaired by increased glucose metabolism in the rat β-cell line INS-1. INS-1 cells, engineered with the potential for overexpression of glucokinase under the control of a tetracycline-inducible gene expression system, took up and reduced dehydroascorbic acid to ascorbate in a concentration-dependent manner that was optimal in the presence of physiologic d-glucose concentrations. Ascorbate uptake did not affect intracellular GSH concentrations. Whereas depletion of GSH in culture to levels about 25% of normal also did not affect the ability of the cells to reduce dehydroascorbic acid, more severe acute GSH depletion to less than 10% of normal levels did impair dehydroascorbic acid reduction. Culture of inducible cells in 11.8 mM d-glucose and doxycycline for 48 h enhanced glucokinase activity, increased glucose utilization, abolished d-glucose-dependent insulin secretion, and increased generation of reactive oxygen species. The latter may have contributed to subsequent decreases in the ability of the cells both to maintain intracellular ascorbate and to recycle it from dehydroascorbic acid. Cultured β cells have a high capacity to recycle ascorbate, but this is sensitive to oxidant stress generated by increased glucose metabolism due to culture in high glucose concentrations and increased glucokinase expression. Impaired ascorbate recycling as a result of increased glucose metabolism may have implications for the role of ascorbate in insulin secretion in diabetes mellitus and may partially explain glucose toxicity in β cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the past, the method of reconstitution was used to investigate the interaction between metalloenzymes (containing Zn(II)) and metal ions. In this paper, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) has been employed to firstly study the direct interactions between Bacillus subtilis neutral proteinase (BSNP), nuclease P1 and Cu(II) ions added in aqueous solution, respectively. These results show that a dynamic equilibrium exists between the Zn(II) in the active site of native enzymes and the added Cu(II), the added Cu(II) partly replaces the Zn(II), forming Cu(II)-enzyme derivatives. As a result, the activity of the native enzymes is influenced. The influences of pH value on this kind of interaction have also been investigated, and the results demonstrate that the change of pH value has little influence on the system of nuclease P1, but has remarkable influence on BSNP. We firstly obtained the EPR spectra for Cu(II)-enzyme derivatives. In addition, the derivative of Cu(II)-BSNP exists in the solution with two different conformations (I type g&z.dfnc;=2.34, A&z.dfnc; (mT)=13.4; II type g&z.dfnc;=2.25, A&z.dfnc; (mT)=16.1), and this two conformations exchanged each other depending on pH. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Electrochemical catalysis emerges as a promising method for lignin depolymerization due to its environmental friendliness and mild reaction condition. Metal oxyhydroxides have displayed appealing electrochemical activity for the oxidation for various biomass substrates. In this study, we prepared different metal (Ni, Co, Mn, Fe, and Cu) oxyhydroxides on nickel foam electrodes through electrodeposition. Their electrochemical properties were characterized and the reactivity towards lignin oxidative cleavage was investigated using lignin model compounds. NiOOH exhibited significantly higher activity for oxidative cleavage of the β-O-4 linkage compared to other metal oxyhydroxides, resulting in a 93% yield of aromatic monomers with 99% selectivity towards benzoic acids. Furthermore, the reconstruction process of the active site NiOOH was revealed by in-situ testing, and the reaction mechanism was explored. The non-phenolic structure underwent Cβ–Cγ/Cβ–O or Cα–Cβ cleavage, predominantly producing benzoic acids, while the phenolic structure was rapidly oxidized into dicarboxylic acids over NiOOH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Oil‐Camellia (Camellia oleifera), belonging to the Theaceae family Camellia, is an important woody edible oil tree species. The Camellia oil in its mature seed kernels, mainly consists of more than 90% unsaturated fatty acids, tea polyphenols, flavonoids, squalene and other active substances, which is one of the best quality edible vegetable oils in the world. However, genetic research and molecular breeding on oil‐Camellia are challenging due to its complex genetic background. Here, we successfully report a chromosome‐scale genome assembly for a hexaploid oil‐Camellia cultivar Changlin40. This assembly contains 8.80 Gb genomic sequences with scaffold N50 of 180.0 Mb and 45 pseudochromosomes comprising 15 homologous groups with three members each, which contain 135 868 genes with an average length of 3936 bp. Referring to the diploid genome, intragenomic and intergenomic comparisons of synteny indicate homologous chromosomal similarity and changes. Moreover, comparative and evolutionary analyses reveal three rounds of whole‐genome duplication (WGD) events, as well as the possible diversification of hexaploid Changlin40 with diploid occurred approximately 9.06 million years ago (MYA). Furthermore, through the combination of genomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics approaches, a complex regulatory network was constructed and allows to identify potential key structural genes (SAD, FAD2 and FAD3) and transcription factors (AP2 and C2H2) that regulate the metabolism of Camellia oil, especially for unsaturated fatty acids biosynthesis. Overall, the genomic resource generated from this study has great potential to accelerate the research for the molecular biology and genetic improvement of hexaploid oil‐Camellia, as well as to understand polyploid genome evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the laser-driven lighting, traditional phosphor ceramics (PCs), such as Y 3 Al 5 O 12 : Ce3+ (YAG: Ce) PC and Lu 3 Al 5 O 12 : Ce3+ (LuAG: Ce) PC, usually show a wide "cyan cavity" due to the ultra-narrow emission bandwidth (∼2 nm) of the blue laser diode (LD). In this regard, the attainable color rendering (Ra) is always <90 even via the combination of "YAG: Ce/LuAG: Ce + CaAlSiN 3 :Eu2+". Evidently, the "cyan gap" is the bottleneck issue to attain high-color-quality laser-driven lighting. As such, we develop a novel cyan-green-emitting garnet-structured solid-solution Lu 3- x Sc x Al 2- y Sc y Al 3- z Sc z O 12 : Ce3+ (abbreviated as LuScAG: Ce) PCs, derived from the LuAG: Ce PC. A comparative study is conducted to unearth its microstructure, luminescence properties and promising availability. It can be found that the LuScAG: Ce PCs shows large full width at half maximum (FWHM) and abundant cyan emission. Upon material optimization, bright cyan-green emission can be generated with internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of 87.4 % and FWHM of 87.17 nm. Remarkably, this new material yields high-power emitting light with luminous flux (LF) of 3230 lm and luminous efficacy (LE) of 89.7 lm/W upon 36.0 W blue LD driven in rotatory excitation mode, which can serve as an efficient laser color converter. As expected, due to the achieved affluent cyan emissive components of developed LuScAG: Ce PCs, the lighting source based on "LuScAG: Ce PC + CASN: Eu phosphor-in-glass film (PiGF)" shows high color quality with Ra of 90.6 and R12 (related with the cyan cavity) of 85.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many systems, from brain neural networks to epidemic transmission networks, pairwise interactions are insufficient to express complex relationships. Nodes sometimes cooperate and form groups to increase their robustness to risks, and each such group can be considered a “supernode”. Furthermore, previous studies of cascading failures in interdependent networks have typically concentrated on node coupling connections; however, in many realistic scenarios, interactions occur between the edges connecting nodes rather than between the nodes themselves. Networks of this type are called edge-coupled interdependent networks. To better reflect complex networks in the real world, in this paper, we construct a theoretical model of a two-layer partially edge-coupled interdependent network with groups, where all nodes in the same group are functionally dependent on each other. We identify several types of phase transitions, namely, discontinuous, hybrid and continuous, which are determined by the strength of the dependency and the distribution of the supernodes. We first apply our developed mathematical framework to ErdsRnyi and scale-free partially edge-coupled interdependent networks with equally sized groups to analytically and numerically calculate the phase transition thresholds and the critical dependency strengths that distinguish different types of transitions. We then investigate the influence of the group size distribution on cascading failures by presenting examples of two different heterogeneous group size distributions. Our theoretical predictions and numerical findings are in close agreement, demonstrating that decreasing the dependency strength and increasing group size heterogeneity can increase the robustness of interdependent networks. Our results have significant implications for the design and optimization of network security and fill a knowledge gap in the robustness of partially edge-coupled interdependent networks with different group size distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive microbial interactions occur within insect hosts. However, the interactions between the Huanglongbing (HLB) pathogen and endosymbiotic bacteria within the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama) in wild populations remain elusive. Thus, this study aimed to detect the infection rates of HLB in the ACP across five localities in China, with a widespread prevalence in Ruijin (RJ, 58%), Huidong (HD, 28%), and Lingui (LG, 15%) populations. Next, microbial communities of RJ and LG populations collected from citrus were analyzed via 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The results revealed a markedly higher microbial diversity in the RJ population compared to the LG population. Moreover, the PCoA analysis identified significant differences in microbial communities between the two populations. Considering that the inter-population differences of Bray–Curtis dissimilarity in the RJ population exceeded those between populations, separate analyses were performed. Our findings indicated an increased abundance of Enterobacteriaceae in individuals infected with HLB in both populations. Random forest analysis also identified Enterobacteriaceae as a crucial indicator of HLB infection. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analysis suggested a potential regulatory role of ASV4017 in Enterobacteriaceae for ACP, suggesting its possible attractant activity. This research contributes to expanding the understanding of microbial communities associated with HLB infection, holding significant implications for HLB prevention and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C15H22O4, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 12.7370(5) Å, b = 11.4565(7) Å, c = 10.0430(6) Å, β = 103.340(1)°, V = 1425.95(13) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0508, wRref(F2) = 0.1406, T = 296(2) K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A simple and easy fabrication method for laser engraved porous graphene (LEPG). • Bi-functional H2O2 and glucose electrochemical sensor were designed based on GOD/Pt-LEPG. • The obtained flexible sensor exhibited a high sensitivity by decorating Pt NPs and immobilizing glucose oxidase. • A simple and effective way to fabricate flexible electronic devices was explored. Polyimide-laser-engraved porous graphene (LEPG) are hopeful electrode modification materials for flexible electrochemical sensing based on its high-efficiency preparation and low cost. Herein, a flexible, multi-patterned, and miniaturized electrode was fabricated via a simple and novel direct laser engraving. 3D LEPG with porous network structure can selective decorated with Pt nanoparticles (Pt NPs) by in situ electrochemical depositions (Pt-LEPG) as sensitively H 2 O 2 sensors with a wide range of linear (0.01–29 nM) and high sensitivity (575.75 μA mM−1 cm-2). Subsequently, a glucose biosensor was successfully constructed through immobilized glucose oxidases (GOD) onto Pt-LEPG electrode. New-designed GOD/Pt-LEPG glucose sensor exhibited a noteworthy lower limit of detection (0.3 μM, S/N = 3) and high sensitivity (241.82 μA mM-1 cm-2), as much a wide-range of linear (0.01–31.5 mM) at near-neutral pH conditions, enabling detect glucose in real human serum specimens with satisfactory results. Predictably, these outstanding performance sensors have great potential in terms of flexible and wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the effect of on-the-spot diagnosis of senile cataract, this paper combines the intelligent processor to explore the application of color Doppler ultrasound in the clinical analysis of senile cataract. Moreover, this paper measures and calculates the diameter, perimeter, area, volume, or velocity of blood flow reflected by color Doppler ultrasound images. In addition, this paper adopts the measurement method provided by composite measurement to design the intelligent processor. Each measurement analysis package is defined as an independent class, and the data, properties, and methods are encapsulated in a class, which is beneficial to the modular design of the program and the overall management of the system. The experimental results verify that the intelligent processor proposed in this paper has a certain effect in the clinical analysis of color Doppler ultrasound diagnosis of senile cataract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present study synthesized a poly (glycerol–sebacate–lactic acid) (PGSL) with 1:1:0.5 mole ratio of glycerol, sebacate and lactic acid and investigated the degradation characteristics of the polymer in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at 37°C in vitro by means of mass loss tests, geometry, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) measurements, tensile analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The maintained geometry, linear mass loss, and minor crack formation on the surface during degradation characterized both the bulk degradation and surface erosion of the polymer. By day 30 of degradation, the mass lost reached 16%. The elastic modulus, tensile strength and elongation at breakage of PGSL were correlative to the period of degradation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]