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This paper studies the power scheduling problem for residential consumers in smart grid. In general, the consumers have two types of electric appliances. The first type of appliances have flexible starting time and work continuously with a fixed power. The second type of appliances work with a flexible power in a predefined working time. The consumers can adjust the starting time of the first type of appliances or reduce the power consumption of the second type of appliances to reduce the payments. However, this will also incur discomfort to the consumers. Assuming the electricity price is announced by the service provider ahead of time, we propose a power scheduling strategy for the residential consumers to achieve a desired trade-off between the payments and the discomfort. The power scheduling is formulated as an optimization problem including integer and continuous variables. An optimal scheduling strategy is obtained by solving the optimization problem. Simulation results demonstrate that the scheduling strategy can achieve a desired tradeoff between the payments and the discomfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study constructed a situation-based career interest assessment (SCIA) that is suitable for applying to junior high school students. The assessment framework is based on Holland’s theory of vocational interest. The subjects for the pilot study and the formal test were 1,072 junior high school students and 1,136 junior high school students, respectively. The results of reliability tests produced correlation coefficients between .77 and .95, exploratory factor analysis produced factor loadings between .32 and .92 for six factors, and confirmatory factor analysis produced relative fit indices of .95 across the comparative fit index and nonnormed fit index, indicating a satisfactory goodness of fit. Convergent and discriminant validity analyses indicated that the SCIA has acceptable construct validity. Multidimensional scaling analysis, internal correlation, and randomization test showed that the interest structure of adolescents and the relationship among interest types are only partially consistent with Holland’s theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: String and de Bruijn graphs are two graph models used by most genome assemblers. At present, none of the existing assemblers clearly outperforms the others across all datasets. We found that although a string graph can make use of entire reads for resolving repeats, de Bruijn graphs can naturally assemble through regions that are error-prone due to sequencing bias. Results: We developed a novel assembler called StriDe that has advantages of both string and de Bruijn graphs. First, the reads are decomposed adaptively only in error-prone regions. Second, each paired-end read is extended into a long read directly using an FM-index. The decomposed and extended reads are used to build an assembly graph. In addition, several essential components of an assembler were designed or improved. The resulting assembler was fully parallelized, tested and compared with state-of-the-art assemblers using benchmark datasets. The results indicate that contiguity of StriDe is comparable with top assemblers on both short-read and long-read datasets, and the assembly accuracy is high in comparison with the others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on teaching of reading strategies have found that summarizing is of tremendous help to reading comprehension. However grading students’ summary writings is laborious, but given the importance of summarizing, an effective summarizing learning module is important. This study developed an automatic summary assessment and feedback system based on Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) to provide score, concept and semantic feedback, and then investigated the effects of concept and semantic feedback on the writing of summaries by students in the sixth grade. The design involved two between-subject factors: semantic feedback (with, without) and concept feedback (with, without). 120 sixth-grade students from an elementary school were recruited for the study, and then were randomly assigned to each group. The overall results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed system in improving the summary writing skills of students. The effects of semantic feedback and concept feedback were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile devices such as laptops, personal digital assistants, and mobile phones have become a learning tool with great potential in both classrooms and outdoor learning. Although there have been qualitative analyses of the use of mobile devices in education, systematic quantitative analyses of the effects of mobile-integrated education are lacking. This study performed a meta-analysis and research synthesis of the effects of integrated mobile devices in teaching and learning, in which 110 experimental and quasiexperimental journal articles published during the period 1993–2013 were coded and analyzed. Overall, there was a moderate mean effect size of 0.523 for the application of mobile devices to education. The effect sizes of moderator variables were analyzed and the advantages and disadvantages of mobile learning in different levels of moderator variables were synthesized based on content analyses of individual studies. The results of this study and their implications for both research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sulfonated graphene oxide (GO-OSO 3 H) was synthesized by the oxidation of GO under concentrated H 2 SO 4 conditions. It is demonstrated based on characterization results that sulfonated groups was satisfactorily grafted on the surface of GO. Macroscopic investigation indicated that the adsorption of Eu(III) on GO-OSO 3 H can be better fitted by pseudo-second-order kinetic model with high correlation coefficient (R 2 > 0.999) compared to pseudo-first-order kinetic model (R 2 < 0.95). The adsorption of Eu(III) on GO-OSO 3 H was independent of ionic strength, revealing that inner-sphere surface complexation dominated the Eu(III) adsorption at pH from 2.0 to 11.0. The maximum adsorption capacity of GO-OSO 3 H for Eu(III) calculated from Langmuir model was 125.0 mg/g at pH 5.5 and T = 293 K conditions. The calculation of thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption of Eu(III) on GO-OSO 3 H was an exothermal and spontaneous processes. According to fitting of surface complexation modeling, the adsorption of Eu(III) on GO-OSO 3 H can be satisfactorily simulated by diffuse layer model with monodentate and mononuclear complexes (SOEu 2 + species) and bidentate and mononuclear complexes ((SO) 2 Eu (OH) 3 − species) at pH 2.0–11.0 conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the reactive molecular dynamic simulation, the surface roughness and oxide layer morphology are studied during the early oxidation of polycrystalline copper under applied tensile strains at 900 K. We find that the surface roughness of oxide layer increases with the formation and growth of oxide islands. The transformation of oxide wetting layer to the island structure occurs as a result of atom diffusion triggered by the oxidation-induced growth stress. Such a transformation process is enhanced by promoting the free energy of copper atoms, especially along the grain boundary when the external tensile strain is applied. This new insight provides a fundamental interpretation of the instability of oxide layer and the origin of surface defects under applied tensile loadings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor that uses molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) coated with gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a sensing nano-hybrid film was developed for detection of ractopamine. The MIPs were synthesized by precipitation polymerization and characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Scatchard analysis. The GNPs/rGO composite was synthesized by a single-step reduction of graphene oxide and HAuCl 4 solution. The MIP/GNPs/rGO nano-hybrid film was immobilized onto a bare sensor chip and exhibited remarkable sensitivity and stability by the “grafting to” method with the assistance of ionic liquid (IL) as a binder. The prepared sensor showed class-specific selectivity for ractopamine (RAC) and its analogs under optimized conditions. The novel SPR sensor had a wide linear range over an RAC concentration from 20 to 1000 ng/mL with a detection limit of 5 ng/mL (S/N=3). The results demonstrated that the MIP/GNPs/rGO nano-hybrid film was suitable as the recognition element of the SPR sensorfor rapid screening and detection of beta-agonists such as RAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenovirus (ADV) infections after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) range in severity from self-limited to fatal. We have previously reported high mortality rates in CD34 + selected T cell–depleted (TCD) HCT recipients using symptomatic testing and culture methods for ADV detection. We report rates and outcomes of ADV viremia in 215 adult recipients of TCD HCT using the CliniMACS CD34 + selection system. This was a prospective observational study of adults transplanted from March 21, 2012 through November 30, 2014 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. TCD was performed using CliniMACS CD34 + cell selection. Patients were monitored for ADV by whole blood PCR assay from +14 to +100 days post-transplant. ADV viremia was defined as ≥1 PCR above the lower limit of quantitation. ADV disease was defined per European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation guidelines. Treatment for ADV was at the clinician's discretion. Competing risk regression analyses were used to identify predictors for ADV viremia and overall survival. The median age was 55 years (range, 22 to 72); 215 patients underwent TCD. All patients received myeloablative conditioning. Eighteen patients (8% of cohort) had ADV viremia at a median onset of 57 days (interquartile range [IQR], 23 to 79) and with a median viral load at first detection of 2.6 log 10 copies/mL (IQR, 2.5 to 4.0). The median maximal viral load was 4.5 log 10 copies/mL (IQR, 3.5 to 5.9). No significant risk factor was identified for ADV viremia by univariate analysis. Six patients (3% of total cohort, 33% of viremic patients) developed ADV disease (3 colitis, 2 nephritis/cystitis, 1 pneumonitis). ADV viremia preceded onset of ADV disease a median of 11 days from the first positive quantitative PCR (range, +3 to +37) except in 1 patient with nephritis. Overall, 12 of 18 viremic patients (67%) received antiviral treatment (5 cidofovir only, 7 brincidofovir ± cidofovir). All patients with ADV disease were treated, and 6 patients were preemptively treated for ADV. Among the 18 viremic patients, 8 (44%) died during the study period, and, of those, 4 (22%) died of ADV. Early ADV viremia was infrequent (8%) among adult HCT recipients of CD34 + selected allografts. Among viremic patients, rate of ADV disease was 33% and ADV attributable mortality was 22%. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of preemptive treatment with brincidofovir on improving outcomes of ADV infections in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The use of mold-active azoles for antifungal prophylaxis after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is hindered by adverse events and drug–drug interactions. Higher doses of echinocandins administered intermittently may be an alternative in this setting. Methods. This was a single-center, observational 5-year study to characterize the safety and efficacy of intermittent administration of high-dose intravenous micafungin (≥5 doses of ≥300 mg micafungin 2–3 times weekly) in patients with acute leukemia and allogeneic SCT recipients. Results. A total of 104 patients (84 allogeneic SCT recipients and 20 patients with leukemia) received intermittent high-dose intravenous micafungin, 83 (79.8%) as prophylaxis. Large variability in the micafungin dosing regimen was observed; 78 (75%) patients received >75% of their course as 300 mg micafungin 3 times weekly. Liver function tests decreased from baseline to end of treatment (EOT; P < .001). Patients with normal baseline liver function (n = 55 [52%]) maintained similar enzyme levels throughout the study. For patients with abnormal baseline liver function (n = 49 [47%]), liver function tests significantly improved from baseline to EOT (P ≤ .005). Duration and/or micafungin dosing algorithms were not associated with liver toxicity at EOT. There were no significant changes in renal function, and infusion-related reactions or deaths were not observed. Five of 83 (6.0%) patients in the prophylaxis group developed a breakthrough fungal infection. Conclusions. In this largest cohort of patients to date, intermittent administration of high-dose micafungin was well tolerated, without any associated liver or renal function abnormalities, and may be considered an alternative antifungal prophylactic strategy. Prospective studies are needed to further validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi-mode operation for the three-phase photovoltaic (PV) power system with low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) capability is proposed. With the proposed multi-mode control strategy, the active power from the PV arrays can be continuously extracted by the interleaved boost converter during LVRT, whereas the maximum power point tracking operation can be quickly achieved after the grid fault clearance. In addition, the multi-channel boost converter with interleaved operation can increase power conversion efficiency while decreasing the input current ripple. On the other hand, the current amplitude limitation control of the three-phase inverter can provide maximum reactive power under rated current amplitude during the voltage sag period and output the demanded reactive/rated current ratio to meet different LVRT codes. A three-phase 5-kVA prototype PV converter is built and tested to verify the performance of the proposed multi-mode operation strategy and the LVRT capability. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Soluble N-ethyl-maleimide sensitive factor attachment adaptor protein receptor (SNARE) domain-containing proteins were mainly involved in vesicle-associated membrane fusion. Genetic screening has revealed the function of SNARE in different aspects of plant biology. Among them, Synthaxin-22 (SYP22) a Qa-SNARE has been reported to have a pleiotropic function in plant development including regulation of leaf waving, shoot gravitropism and flowering time. In this study, we identified a new role of SYP22 in regulation of brassinosteroid (BR) signaling, especially in the dark. SYP22 interacts with BR receptor, brassinosteroid insensitive 1 (BRI1), and overexpression of SYP22 enhanced a weak BRI1 mutant bri1-5 phenotype. syp22 mutant exhibits short hypocotyl and it is sensitive to exogenously treated BR while slightly insensitive to BR-biosynthesis inhibitor propiconazole (PCZ) in the dark. Expression levels of BR signaling maker genes ACS5, SAUR15 and IAA19 were slightly higher, while BR6OX2, a BR biosynthesis marker gene, was lower in syp22 compared to the wild-type. In addition, syp22 was sensitive to 2,4-D, a synthetic auxin, in the dark. In conclusion, SYP22 is involved in BR- and auxin-mediated hypocotyl growth inhibition in the dark, which might be via interaction with BR and auxin key regulators to alter their internalization in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite dengue dynamics being driven by complex interactions between human hosts, mosquito vectors and viruses that are influenced by climate factors, an operational model that will enable health authorities to anticipate the outbreak risk in a dengue non-endemic area has not been developed. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the temporal relationship between meteorological variables, entomological surveillance indices and confirmed dengue cases; and to establish the threshold for entomological surveillance indices including three mosquito larval indices [Breteau (BI), Container (CI) and House indices (HI)] and one adult index (AI) as an early warning tool for dengue epidemic. Methodology/Principal Findings: Epidemiological, entomological and meteorological data were analyzed from 2005 to 2012 in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. The successive waves of dengue outbreaks with different magnitudes were recorded in Kaohsiung City, and involved a dominant serotype during each epidemic. The annual indigenous dengue cases usually started from May to June and reached a peak in October to November. Vector data from 2005–2012 showed that the peak of the adult mosquito population was followed by a peak in the corresponding dengue activity with a lag period of 1–2 months. Therefore, we focused the analysis on the data from May to December and the high risk district, where the inspection of the immature and mature mosquitoes was carried out on a weekly basis and about 97.9% dengue cases occurred. The two-stage model was utilized here to estimate the risk and time-lag effect of annual dengue outbreaks in Taiwan. First, Poisson regression was used to select the optimal subset of variables and time-lags for predicting the number of dengue cases, and the final results of the multivariate analysis were selected based on the smallest AIC value. Next, each vector index models with selected variables were subjected to multiple logistic regression models to examine the accuracy of predicting the occurrence of dengue cases. The results suggested that Model-AI, BI, CI and HI predicted the occurrence of dengue cases with 83.8, 87.8, 88.3 and 88.4% accuracy, respectively. The predicting threshold based on individual Model-AI, BI, CI and HI was 0.97, 1.16, 1.79 and 0.997, respectively. Conclusion/Significance: There was little evidence of quantifiable association among vector indices, meteorological factors and dengue transmission that could reliably be used for outbreak prediction. Our study here provided the proof-of-concept of how to search for the optimal model and determine the threshold for dengue epidemics. Since those factors used for prediction varied, depending on the ecology and herd immunity level under different geological areas, different thresholds may be developed for different countries using a similar structure of the two-stage model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the downslope long-distance movement of debris avalanches, particles interact with each other in various modes, by rolling, sliding and colliding with each other. During transport, grains may undergo breakage, changing in size and shape. However, research on debris avalanches at the grain scale remains limited, in particular, the evolution of grain morphology at different scales, from the overall form down to surface roughness, with runout distance. This paper investigates the evolution of particle morphology of granite gravel particles during long distance travel using a rotating drum, Micro-Deval apparatus, together with three-dimensional (3D) image analysis with a 3D laser scanner. The effects of particle shape and pore fluid (dry, saturated with water or slurry) on the evolution of particle morphology during transport were investigated. It was found that while the gravel was strong enough to resist the fragmentation that could be induced by the inter-particle actions during testing, the corners and edges became rounded, and the general form and surface roughness remained unaffected by the particle interactions. The more angular the grains, the easier the corners to be abraded during interaction. The change of local roundness of the grains was amplified in water-saturated conditions and suppressed in a slurry-saturated medium. The viscosity of the pore fluid, rather than initial particle shape, was critical in controlling the particle morphology evolution. • Gravel-dominated mixtures have been subjected to rotating drum tests. • The corners and edges of gravel become rounded during transport. • The general form and surface roughness remain unaffected during transport. • The more angular the grains, the more abrasion of the corners. • The viscosity of pore fluid is critical in controlling the particle morphology evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High CO 2 concentrations caused core browning. • Core browning and damage of cellular membrane increased in 4% CO 2 condition. • H 2 O 2 and malondialdehyde increased in 4% CO 2 condition. • CO 2 regulate electron transport chain and reactive oxygen species scavenging enzymes. Pears may be affected by core browning during storage, reducing their commercial value. The effect of CO 2 stress on the core browning process in Yali pears was investigated. Exposure to a 4% CO 2 atmosphere significantly increased the core browning and reduced titratable acidity and soluble solids content. The activity of succinate dehydrogenase and peroxidase was reduced in CO 2 -stressed pears, whereas the levels of H 2 O 2 and malondialdehyde were increased. Transmission electron microscopy revealed significant damage to cellular membrane structure in the core tissues of CO 2 -stressed pears. In addition, CO 2 -stressed pears showed increased polyphenol oxidase activity. These results suggest that high concentrations of carbon dioxide can accelerate core browning in pears by inhibiting the activities of enzymes in the electron transport chain, resulting in increased levels of free radicals that damage cellular membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Tai Chi Chuan on the strategies of obstacle-crossing behavior in older adults aged over 65 years. Fifteen Tai Chi group (TCG) participants were compared with 15 general group (GG) participants. Kinematic parameters (by Vicon motion analysis system) and ground reaction forces (by Kistler force plates) were synchronously recorded. A two-way mixed-design ANOVA (α = 0.05) was used to test the effects of the group and the obstacle height. The TCG performed significantly faster stride velocities, longer stride lengths, and shorter stride times than GG while crossing the obstacles. TCG could also produce significantly larger forward ground reaction forces to propel the body and were able to make a significantly greater flexion angle of the hip of the leading leg compared with the GG. It was concluded that the TCG adopted a different strategy with GG to cross the obstacles and completed the crossing behavior more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Multilevel linguistic features have been proposed for discourse analysis, but there have been few applications of multilevel linguistic features to readability models and also few validations of such models. Most traditional readability formulae are based on generalized linear models (GLMs; e.g., discriminant analysis and multiple regression), but these models have to comply with certain statistical assumptions about data properties and include all of the data in formulae construction without pruning the outliers in advance. The use of such readability formulae tends to produce a low text classification accuracy, while using a support vector machine (SVM) in machine learning can enhance the classification outcome. The present study constructed readability models by integrating multilevel linguistic features with SVM, which is more appropriate for text classification. Taking the Chinese language as an example, this study developed 31 linguistic features as the predicting variables at the word, semantic, syntax, and cohesion levels, with grade levels of texts as the criterion variable. The study compared four types of readability models by integrating unilevel and multilevel linguistic features with GLMs and an SVM. The results indicate that adopting a multilevel approach in readability analysis provides a better representation of the complexities of both texts and the reading comprehension process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selecting appropriate texts for L2 (second/foreign language) learners is an important approach to enhancing motivation and, by extension, learning. There is currently no tool for classifying foreign language texts according to a language proficiency framework, which makes it difficult for students and educators to determine the precise difficulty/complexity levels of an unclassified text. Taking the Chinese language as an example, this study aimed to create a readability assessment system, called the Chinese Readability Index Explorer for Chinese as a Foreign Language (CRIE-CFL), in order to level-that is, to sort by proficiency level-texts that will be used for instructional purposes. The framework of choice in this project is the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). A team of expert CFL teachers first classified 1,578 CFL texts into their appropriate CEFR levels. A set of 30 CFL readability features was then developed or drawn from previous research, and sorted according to importance using F-scores. In addition, a support vector machine model was trained by sequentially integrating the features into the model to optimize accuracy. The empirical evaluation of CRIE-CFL revealed average exact- and adjacent-level accuracies of 74.97% and 99.62%, respectively, for predicting the expert classification of a text. The functionalities of CRIE-CFL are introduced and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using reactive molecular dynamic simulation, the diffusion behavior of oxygen ions is studied during the oxidation of Fe (1 0 0) under applied tensile strains at room temperature. We find that the strain induced changes of the oxide structure lead to the change of the oxygen diffusion coefficient. This is supported by the comparative analysis of diffusion energy barrier in the corresponding oxide structure. Compared with the effect of the diffusant concentration (composition) and oxidation growth stresses, the evolution of oxide structure plays a dominant role on the change of diffusion coefficient in the strain-reaction engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spacer can effectively reduce the steric hindrance and synergistic effect of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic ligands immobilized in adsorbents can improve the specific adsorption for low-density lipoprotein (LDL). In this paper, in order to improve the adsorption capacity for the Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), specifically, amphiphilic adsorbent based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) containing cholesterol ligand and sulfonic dextran ligands was synthesized. All kinds of factors affecting the synthesis yield and adsorption properties were studied in detail. Results showed that the amphiphilic PVA adsorbent has higher adsorption capacity for total cholesterol (TC), (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG), and lower adsorption capacity, and percentage for high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), while the ligand ratio of cholesterol to sulfonic ligands is 1.57:1, the adsorption percentage and adsorption capacity for TC, LDL-C, TG, and HDL-C were 54.4%, 67.6%, 42.5%, 10.4% and 4.02, 3.612, 2.154, 0.168 mg/g, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the race models of the stop-signal paradigm, stopping success (successful vs. unsuccessful stopping) is attributed to the finishing times of a go and a stop process. In addition to those factors involving processing times, in the present study we sought to use electrophysiological measures to find factors involving activations that could affect stopping success. We hypothesized that voluntarily-generated unimanual preparation would be a factor. To assess voluntarily-generated unimanual preparation in the stop-signal paradigm, we used a selective-stopping task without any precue. The selective-stopping task also allowed us to assess reaction times (RTs) even when stopping was successful. We demonstrated shorter RTs in signal-respond (i.e. unsuccessful stopping) than in signal-inhibit (successful stopping) trials, as is predicted by the race models. More importantly, we also demonstrated different pre-signal lateralized readiness potentials between the two types of trials and larger lateralized mu ERD in signal-respond than in signal-inhibit trials, suggesting that voluntarily-generated unimanual preparation affects stopping success. In addition to what is described in the race models of the stop-signal paradigm, the present results therefore demonstrated measures of pre-signal activations that could influence stopping success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the role of Hes1 in migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cervical cancer cells. Methods: Real time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR) and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of Hes1 in four cervical cancer cell lines. Hesl knockdown was performed by siRNA. The effects of down-regulation of Hes1 on migration and invasion in cervical cancer cells were evaluated by transwell assays. The main factors of epithelial-mesenchymal transition effected by Hesl knock down were measured by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Results: The expressions of Hesl mRNA in four cervical cancer cell lines showed statistic differences (χα=10.39, P=0.016). Knockdown of Hes1 led to statistic differences in the numbers of cell passing through the chamber, between SiHa NC group and SiHa 1 group, HeLa NC group and HeLa 1 group (P<0.05, both) in both migration assays and invasion assays. After Hes1 RNA interference, compared to blank and negative control, the expression of E-cadherin was significantly reduced in SiHa and HeLa (both P<0.05), while ZEB1, Slug were induced in SiHa (both P<0.05), and vimentin, Slug were induced in HeLa (both P<0.05). Conclusions: Hes1 may have a role in suppressing migration and invasion in SiHa, HeLa cells, and subsequent down-regulation induces the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, thereby suggesting a possible role in migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells mediated by epithelial-mesenchymal transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tools used for measuring examination stress have three main limitations: sample selected, sample sizes, and measurement contents. In this study, we constructed the Examination Stress Scale (ExamSS), and 4,717 high school students participated in this research. The results indicate that ExamSS has satisfactory reliability, construct validity, and measurement-invariance validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An as-deposited ultra thin metal film was fine-etched to a mesh with average optical transmittance of 70.83%. When this metal mesh was applied to the fabrication of solar cell, it was transparent and conductive to be used as a current-spreading layer. Such a current-spreading layer was good for the carrier extraction of illuminated solar cell. Then the non-uniform two-dimensional current flow on the resistive central emitter region of solar cell can be reduced efficiently by this metal mesh. The metal mesh integrated solar cell can result in improvements of 26.15% for short-circuit current and 30% for the conversion efficiency, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Push Hand is an advanced training technique for the Yang-style old frame 108 forms Tai Chi Chuan. It is performed by two practitioners. To clarify how people use forces during Push Hand training, it is important to review the ground reaction force (GRF). Here, we quantify the characteristics of the GRF during Push Hand training. Kinematic data and GRF data from 10 Tai Chi Chuan practitioners (29.9 ± 7.87 years) were synchronously recorded using a three-dimensional motion analysis system (200 frames · s−1) and three-dimensional force plates (1000 Hz). The resultant GRF for both feet for the 0%, 50% and 100% phases of attack and defence were compared to body weight using a paired-samplest-test. The differences in the resultant GRF between the 0%, 50% and 100% phases of attack and defence were tested by one-way repeated-measures ANOVA. The significance level was set to 0.05. The total resultant GRF was almost equal to the participant’s body weight in push hand. This result was consistent throughout the entire push hand process. Our results revealed that the GRF was comparable to the body weight, implying that practitioners do not push or resist their opponents during the push hand process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To discover more potential antifungal agents, 17 novel trichodermin derivatives were designed and synthesized by modification of 3 and 4a . The structures of all the synthesized compounds were confirmed by 1 H NMR, ESI-MS and HRMS. Their antifungal activities against Ustilaginoidea oryzae and Pyricularia oryzae were evaluated. Most of the target compounds showed potent inhibitory activity, in which 4g showed superior inhibitory effects than 4a and commercial fungicide prochloraz. Furthermore, 4h demonstrated comparable inhibitory activity to 4a . Moreover, 4i and 4l exhibited excellent inhibitory activity for Pyricularia oryzae . Additionally, compound 9 was found to be more active against all tested fungal strains than 3 , with EC 50 values of 0.47 and 3.71 mg L −1 , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid widespread concerns about the mental health of teenagers, this quasi-experimental study examines the effects of a classroom humor intervention on 268 seventh graders' positive emotions, as well as their sense of humor and language ability. The participants completed self-report measures and a language exam before and after the intervention, which lasted six weeks. Analysis of covariance and mediation analysis were used to evaluate the effects. The results supported the researchers' hypotheses that the humor intervention would significantly increase learners' positive emotions, sense of humor, and language ability. The mediation analysis revealed that sense of humor mediated the relationship between the humor intervention and positive emotions, and that neither sense of humor nor positive emotion was the sole factor contributing to the observed learning gains. The study concludes that the intervention helped foster a learner-friendly environment in which the participants increased their positive emotions, sense of humor and language ability simultaneously, and makes recommendations for practitioners and future researchers on that basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter, an annular anode is designed for producing arc plasmas with a large non-equilibrium region by using a counterflow cold gas through the annular anode. The coupled mass-momentum-energy exchange processes in an argon arc plasma are studied numerically and experimentally. The counter-injection of the cold argon gas from the center of the anode leads to a steep gradient of the heavy-particle temperature due to the formation of a thin stagnation layer resulting from the interaction of the high temperature plasma with the cold gas; and in particular, a large volume non-equilibrium 'dark' plasma region is obtained above the anode surface. The results show that, with the enhancement of the convective heat transfer process in the plasma core region, the fraction of the non-equilibrium region to the whole arc plasma region reaches 92.2% where the heavy-particle temperature can be reduced significantly, e.g. ∼2300 K, while simultaneously, the electron temperature and number density are remained at high levels greater than 8000 K and 2.4 × 1020 m−3, respectively, under the operating condition studied in this letter. This research not only deepens the understanding to the non-equilibrium synergistic transport mechanisms of arc plasmas, but also provides a method for producing a large volume non-equilibrium plasma region so as to promote various existing applications, or even creating new applications in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study focused on junior high-school graduates who were equally able but attended different-rank high schools, comparing their academic self-concept, school adjustment, and academic achievement upon the completion of senior high school. An overall-school analysis was used to replicate previous findings, and an adjacent-school comparison was conducted to compare the performance of students at the bottom of a higher track and their similar-ability counterparts at the top of a lower track. The results indicated that the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE) affects the academic self-concept and school adjustment of certain students, but not their academic achievement. Furthermore, the BFLPE was present between the bottom students of the first-ranked school and the top students of the second-ranked school, but not between the bottom students of the second-ranked school and the top students of the third-ranked school. The obtained results indicate that the BFLPE may not necessarily be associated with cognitive outcomes such as academic achievement and tracking contexts with less contrasting groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on kinesthetic learning style theory and interviews regarding teachers' experiences applying traditional astronomy teaching methods, a mobile digital armillary sphere (MDAS) using augmented reality (AR) was developed for use during astronomical observation instruction. The MDAS enables visual processes and limb movements similar to those that would occur in actual outdoor experiences to be employed in the classroom, thereby overcoming existing instructional limitations. A quasi-experimental design method was adopted, and 200 fifth-grade students were selected as participants. The use of the MDAS in astronomical observation courses affected students' learning effectiveness and interest. The experimental results indicated that using the MDAS system during outdoor observation activities effectively enhanced both the students' learning of astronomical observation content and their performance of astronomical observation skills. In addition, use of the MDAS effectively increased students' interest in astronomical observations and learning, which had a substantial effect on retention. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Numerous highly curved fragments of C60 and unique subunits of C70 were synthesized under mild conditions using metal-catalyzed protocols. According to X-ray crystallographic analyses, highly curved fragments of C60 have a maximum π-orbital axis vector (POAV) pyramidalization angle of up to 12.9 °, whereas distinctive fragments of C70, analogous to the tube portion of the rugby-shaped buckyball, are less curved. Among the eight buckybowls studied herein, five form polar crystals. Depending on the molecular geometry, the inversion dynamics of buckybowls involves either a planar or an S-shaped (non-planar) transition structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioconcentration and elimination of racemic benalaxyl (BX) in trout liver microsomes and in juvenile rainbow trout(Oncorhynchus mykiss)were investigated to determine whether the fish can bioconcentrate and degrade this fungicide enantioselectively. Both enantiomers of BX were extracted with organic solvents and evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography. In the microsomes, BX degradation followed first-order kinetics, and theS−(+) enantiomer of BX was eliminated twice as rapidly as theR−(−) enantiomer, resulting in residues enriched forR−(−)−BX. In vivo experiment, chiral analysis showed an obvious selective bioconcentration of BX based on statistically altered enantiomer fractions (EFs) in the fish compared with the values in the water. TheR−(−)−BX was initially preferentially bioconcentrated by rainbow trout and then dissipated more slowly than its antipode. The mean half-lives for individual enantiomers were calculated as 31.6 h forR−(−)−BX and 20.3 h for theS−(+)−form. The results of the study showed that the degradation of BX enantiomers was stereoselective in rainbow trout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In non-excitable cells, one major route for calcium entry is through store-operated calcium (SOC) channels in the plasma membrane. These channels are activated by the emptying of intracellular Ca2+ store. STIM1 and Orai1 are major regulators of SOC channels. In this study, we explored the functions of STIM1 and Orai1 in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced cell proliferation and migration in retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19 cell line). Results: EGF triggers cell proliferation and migration in ARPE-19 cells. Cell proliferation and migration involve STIM1 and Orai1, as well as phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) 1/2, and Akt. Pharmacological inhibitors of SOC channels and siRNA of Orai1 and STIM1 suppress cell proliferation and migration. Pre-treatment of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitors and a phosphatidylinositol 3 kinases (PI3K) inhibitor attenuated cell proliferation and migration. However, inhibition of the SOC channels failed to prevent EGF-mediated ERK 1/2 and Akt phosphorylation. Conclusions: Our results showed that STIM1, Orai1, ERK 1/2, and Akt are key determinants of EGF-mediated cell growth in ARPE-19 cells. EGF is a potent growth molecule that has been linked to the development of PVR, and therefore, STIM1, Orai1, as well as the MEK/ERK 1/2 and PI3K/Akt pathways, might be potential therapeutic targets for drugs aimed at treating such disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperuricemia and gout are metabolic diseases characterized with high serum urate and impact human health significantly. Although some drugs have been developed to treat gout, hyperuricemia represents a substantial health problem. Reducing purine absorption through intestinal microbiota, which can be managed through intake of probiotics, emerges as a promising way to reverse elevated serum urate. Probiotics have shown several benefits such as immune modulation and improvement of intestinal functions. Therefore, this review briefly summarizes purine metabolism and molecular mechanisms for hyperuricemia and gout with the focus on recent development on the use of probiotics to alleviate hyperuricemia and gout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hypobaric storage effects on blueberry bioactive, antioxidants and ROS were studied. • Storage at 0.025 MPa was more suitable for retention of blueberry bioactive compounds. • Multivariate PLSR analysis revealed that ROS were negatively correlated with anthocyanin, POD, CAT, SSC, flavonol and antioxidant capacity. • Blueberries can be stored up to 50 days under hypobaric storage. This paper studies the effects of hypobaric storage on the physiochemical quality of the Northland blueberry fruits, as well as their bioactive compounds, pre- and pro-antioxidant enzymes and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Different hypobaric pressures at 0.025, 0.05 and 0.075 MPa were applied to stored blueberry at 0 °C. Hypobaric treatment resulted in lower fruit decay rate compared to control, maintained respiration rate and pH of the fruit for 0.05 and 0.075 MPa treatments, which implied that fruit freshness was maintained following hypobaric storage. Also, hypobaric storage significantly retained high bioactive compounds (P < 0.05), especially total flavonol and anthocyanins after 50 days storage at 0.025 MPa compared to control. The retained bioactive compounds were reflected as high antioxidant capacity indicated by DPPH, FRAP and TEAC. The treatment 0.025MPa displayed the lowest MDA activity on day 23 and highest on day 50, which reflected delayed oxidation by hydrogen peroxide. Evidently, high levels of POD, APX, PPO and GSH antioxidant enzymes in the 0.025 MPa stored blueberries may be due to delayed ROS metabolism. Partial least square regression (PLSR) model showed that, ROS were negatively correlated with anthocyanin, POD, CAT, SSC, flavonol, TEAC, FRAP, DPPH as well as hydroxyl radical scavenging ability. Similarly, path analysis (PA) revealed that MDA was negatively correlated with TEAC, TA and fruit pH, while hydrogen peroxide was negatively correlated with GSH and protein. Of the pressures, 0.025 MPa was selected as the suitable hypobaric pressure for Northland blueberry storage as significantly retained studied indexes at relatively high values throughout 50 days storage. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Cu and Fe sheets on the thermocatalytic oxidation of synthetic hydrocarbon lubricating oils at high temperatures were investigated using various analytic techniques. The fast oxidation rate, low thermal stability, more composition and high relative content of compounds was observed by adding Fe sheets compared to Cu sheets, whereas the high oxidation rate of Cu-bearing oil was observed in the initial heating. With increasing temperature from 230 to 300 °C, the acid number and viscosity of Fe-bearing oil was higher and lower, respectively, than Cu-bearing oil. The oxidation mechanism was attributed to electron transfer and chain reactions of free radical. [Display omitted] • The fast oxidation rate, low thermal stability for Fe-bearing oil at high temperature • The fast oxidation rate of Cu-bearing oil in the initial heating stage • The molecule weight for Fe-bearing oil decreased due to the oxidation of polymers. • The decrease of kinematic viscosity (ν 40) and color deepening for Fe-bearing oil • The acid number of Fe-bearing oil was remarkably higher than Cu-bearing oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbicides are commonly used globally. However, residual herbicides in soils for ages often result in phytotoxicity and serious yield loss to subsequent crops. In this paper, the multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were utilized to amend the herbicide polluted soil, and the adsorption performance of herbicides to MWCNTs amended soil was studied. Results indicate efficient alleviation of herbicide-induced phytotoxicity to rice and tobacco due to MWCNTs amendment. When 0.4% MWCNTs were applied, the concentration of sulfentrazone that inhibited the same rice height by 50% (IC 50) increased to more than 3 times that of pure soil. When the MWCNTs were used to alleviate the phytotoxicity of quinclorac to tobacco, the MWCNTs not only alleviated the phytotoxicity of quinclorac but also promoted the growth of tobacco. The MWCNTs amended soil significantly increased the adsorption of herbicide to soil than biochar. The soil microbial analysis shows that MWCNTs had no significant effect on soil microbial community diversity, but the long-term exposure to MWCNTs could change the structure of the soil microbial community. Above all, our results highlighted the potential implication of the MWCNTs to ensure crop production by promoting crop growth and reducing the residual bioavailability of herbicides. • The MWCNTs are better than biochar to alleviate the phytotoxicity of herbicides. • MWCNTs simultaneously promote the growth of tobacco. • The phytotoxicity alleviation was due to the reduced bioavailable concentration. • The K d or K f of MWCNTs amended soil can be calculated from the logistic equation. • MWCNTs long-term exposure did not change soil microbial diversity but the structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The favorable interfacial properties of carbon fibers (CFs) and matrix are the key to the design and fabrication of a CF reinforced composite with superior micromechanical properties for various modern technological applications. However, high viscosity of a thermoplastic polymer makes resin infusion difficult, resulting in poor impregnation into CFs, ultimately leading to insufficient interfacial adhesion during composites fabrication process. Here the polycarbonate nanoparticles (PC-NPs) were pre-coated on the CFs from PC-NP aqueous solution and formed compact microstructure, which significantly improved the resin impregnation around CFs and interfacial adhesion between CFs and PC matrix. This PC-NP assisted CF/PC composite exhibits an increased interfacial shear strength up to 37.03 MPa, which is ~67.25% higher than that of un-coated CF/PC composite. Moreover, the tensile strength and flexural strength are enhanced remarkably by ~41.06% and ~22.16% increase, respectively. These results therefore demonstrate that the attachment of thermoplastic PC-NPs is a facile, environmental-friendly and viable approach in design and modification of the interfacial properties of CFs and PC matrix, which can be expanded for other multifunctional CF-reinforced composites with unique micromechanical properties for various practical applications. • A controlled attachment of PC-NPs on CF surface can be achieved by electrostatic attraction in the aqueous solution. • PC-NPs attachment to the CF surface leads to high resin impregnation and a desired interface between CFs and PC matrix. • PC-NP assisted CF/PC composites exhibit highly efficient interfacial adhesion and excellent mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our ability to selectively inhibit a subset of concurrent response tendencies, referred to as selective response inhibition, stopping-interference (SI) effects have been found and attributed to global inhibitory processes. In the standard stop-signal paradigm, the stop signal might not only signal stopping but also produce other effects simply by virtue of being an additional signal. Therefore, we investigated whether previously observed SI effects reflect not only selective response inhibition but also other effects caused by the appearance of the stop signal. In Experiment 1, we controlled for the possible extra influences of the stop signal and still found SI effects, allowing a more confident attribution of SI effects to global inhibitory processes. Furthermore, the extra signal affected the motor system, as revealed by a reduction in SI effects on response force after the improved control. Using the lateralized readiness potential, Experiment 2 showed that the extra signal affected relatively central motor processing. The findings thus advance our knowledge about the distinction between signal-related and motor-inhibitory effects in stop-signal tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two uracil derivatives of methyl 3-(5-fluoro-2,4-dioxo-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-1(2 H)-yl)propanoate ( 1) and methyl 3-(5-chloro-2,4-dioxo-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-1(2 H)-yl)propanoate ( 2) were synthesized and characterized by elementary analyses, MS, IR and NMR. The crystal structures of 1 and 2 were determined by means of X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 crystallized in the monoclinic P21/ c space group with a = 7.4213(9), b = 5.8480(7), c = 23.248(3) Å, and β = 108.184(4)°. Compound 2 crystallized in the monoclinic P21/ c space group with a = 12.5754(12), b = 4.9363(5), c = 16.5352(15) Å, and β = 97.455(3)°. The thermal stabilities of 1 and 2 were studied by DSC-TGA techniques. The UV spectra indicated that the two compounds interacted with DNA by electrostatic binding. Graphical Abstract: The X-ray diffraction revealed that the N-H···O inter-molecular hydrogen bond in solid state of the two title compounds resulted in antiparallel β-sheet arrangement.[Figure not available: see fulltext.][Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty symmetrical diaryl urea derivatives were synthesised in moderate to excellent yields from arylamine and triphosgene with triethylamine as a reducing agent for the intermediate, isocyanate. It was significant that part of the products could be collected in almost quantitative yield without column chromatography. The procedure under mild reaction conditions was tolerant of a wide range of functional groups. The structures of the compounds were determined by NMR, MS and X-ray crystallographic analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Oral cancer (OC) is the leading cause of death from cancer in men between the ages of 25 and 44 in Taiwan. The survival rate for the last stage of OC is <20% while that for the earliest stage is >75%, which suggests the importance of the diagnosis of oral precancerous lesions (OPLs) in reducing OC mortality. The aim of this study was to analyze the time to OC event after OPL diagnosis, and to suggest the surveillance period necessary according to OPL type. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective cohort study based on 1.0million people randomly selected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database, which provided data on 3058 adult male patients aged ⩾20years who were diagnosed with OPL for the first time between 1996 and 2009. The patient population was divided into two groups according to the type of lesion: oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) or oral leukoplakia (OLE). Age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and hazards rate (HR) were then estimated. Results: The ASIR for OPL showed an increasing trend over the study period, the main contributor to this being OSF. The OSF group demonstrated a higher OC incidence rate than the OLE group. Conclusion: Patients with both OLE and OSF carry a higher risk for OC than those with either OLE or OSF alone, and they may also experience malignant transformation at an earlier date (mostly within 5years). The 5- and 10-year OC rate for both OLE and OSF was found to be 5% and around 10%, respectively. However, 10years after the diagnosis of OPL, OSF carries a higher risk of developing into OC than OLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally assumed that human endogenous retroviral elements (HERVs) belong to the class of genomic repetitive nucleotide sequences often called ‘junk DNA’. These elements were categorized to families, and members of some of these families (e.g. HERV-H, HERV-W and HERV-K) were shown to be transcribed. These transcriptions were associated with several severe diseases such as mental disorders, AIDS, autoimmune diseases and cancer. In this review we discuss several bioinformatics strategies for genome-wide scan of HERVs transcription using high-throughput RNA sequencing on several platforms. We show that many more HERVs than previously described are transcribed to various levels and we discuss possible implications of these transcriptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A branch cutting algorithm is proposed to solve the wrapped isoclinic causing isochromatic discontinuity and thus to decouple the isoclinic–isochromatic interaction of photoelastic phase maps. Rather than pixel by pixel, the branch-cutting isoclinic wrapped map is then restored by a modified regional approach and is proved to be more time-effective and less effort needed than the author''s earlier algorithm. The decoupled isochromatic data can be handled easily afterward. Two type of simulated samples (i.e., specimens with and without isotropic points) are used to detail why and how isoclinic and isochromatic are interactive with each other and the decoupling method of the present study. Experimental works prove the effectiveness, robustness and simplicity of the newly developed algorithm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The forcefulness of key press responses was measured in stop-all and selective stopping versions of the stop-signal paradigm. When stop signals were presented too late for participants to succeed in stopping their responses, response force was nonetheless reduced relative to trials in which no stop signal was presented. This effect shows that peripheral motor aspects of primary task responses can still be influenced by inhibition even when the stop signal arrives too late to prevent the response. It thus requires modification of race models in which responses in the presence of stop signals are either stopped completely or produced normally, depending on whether the responding or stopping process finishes first. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a new quadrature voltage-controlled oscillator (QVCO). The LC-tank QVCO consists of two first-harmonic injection-locked oscillators (ILOs). The outputs of one ILO are injected to the gates of the MOS transistors on the other ILO and vice versa so as to force the two local oscillator (LOs) operate in quadrature. The injection metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) are also used as frequency tuning varactors. The QVCO has been implemented with the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacture Company (TSMC) 0.18 μm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology and the die area is 0.646 mm × 0.841 mm. At the supply voltage of 1.3 V, the total power consumption is 9.58 mW. The free-running frequency is tunable from 5.44 to 5.95 GHz as the tuning voltage is varied from 0.2 to 2.0 V. The measured phase noise at 1 MHz offset is −121.52 dBc/Hz at the oscillation frequency of 5.91 GHz and the figure of merit (FOM) of the proposed QVCO is about −187.14 dBc/Hz. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:2631-2634, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26363 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assuring e-learning quality is of interest worldwide. This paper introduces the methods of e-learning courseware quality assurance (a quality certification system) adopted by the eLQSC (e-Learning Quality Service Centre) in Taiwan. A sequential/explanatory design with a mixed methodology was used to gather research data and conduct data analyses. Sixty-seven e-learning courseware applications were evaluated using the e-Learning Courseware Quality Checklist (eLCQC). Analyses of item difficulty, item discrimination and generalizability indicated that the eLCQC provides high-quality evaluations. After participating in the certification process, the e-learning producers reported having more confidence in enhancing e-learning courseware quality. The certification experience also helped the producers to change their previous design concepts about e-learning courseware and to develop new concepts; further, their increased confidence about courseware design also enhanced their confidence in marketing courseware. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the present study, we examined the effects of selective response inhibition on motor production using response force measures within a task that was based on that of Aron and Verbruggen ( Psychological Science, 19, 1146-1153, 2008). In each trial, participants were signaled to respond bimanually with the two index fingers or the two middle fingers. After a short delay, a stop signal was sometimes presented, indicating that one of the two finger responses should be withheld. A given response was slowed when the response on the other hand was stopped, replicating a previously observed stopping interference effect. In addition, the given response was also made more forcefully when the response on the other hand was stopped, indicating that the requirement to stop one activated response has global motor-level consequences for other responses that are to be carried out normally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palladium-catalyzed cycloaddition reactions of 1,8-diethynylnaphthalene derivatives with o-diiodoarenes take place to generate the corresponding benzo[k]fluoranthene-based linear acenes in moderate to good yields. In addition, 1-ethynyl-8-iodonaphthalenes undergo palladium-catalyzed cyclodimerizations to produce zethrenes. Finally, in the presence of a catalytic system comprised of [NiBr2(dppe)/Zn], 1-ethynyl-8-iodonaphthalenes reacts with nitriles and 2-butyne to form the respective pyrroloarenes and pyrene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]