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Background Tilapia is among the most common fresh water fish species raised by fish farms and can cause allergic reactions upon ingestion. Objective To investigate important allergens in Tilapia ( Oreochromis mossambicus). Methods Allergens were detected using immunoblotting. An important allergen was purified to homogeneity by reversed-phase High Pressure Liquid Chromatography and characterized by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA), competitive ELISA, Mass spectrometry ( MS), circular dichroism measurements and differential scanning calorimetry. Results By immunoblotting using sera from 10 patients with confirmed tilapia allergy, we identified a number of allergens with apparent molecular weights 114 to 17 kD. All patients produced IgE against a 32 kD allergen, Ore m 4, which was identified by MS as tropomyosin ( TM). IgE binding of the pure protein was confirmed by immunoblotting, ELISA and ELISA inhibition. cDNA from tilapia tropomyosin ( TM) was sequenced and compared with TMs from other species. The tilapia TM showed 53.5% homology to TM from shrimp. Homology was much higher to human TM isoform 5 (87.7%). Conclusion and Clinical Relevance TMs are the major allergens in allergy to crustaceans. Auto-antibodies against human TM isoform 5 have been implicated as a causative agent in inflammatory bowel disease ( IBD). Intriguingly, six of the 10 tilapia allergic patients had also been diagnosed with IBD, corroborating a connection between allergy and IBD. To our knowledge, this is the first report of tropomyosin from vertebrates as an allergen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background Urticaria is the commonest cutaneous reaction caused by aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The pathogenesis of aspirin-induced urticaria (AIU) is not fully understood, but appears to involve mast cell activation and neutrophil infiltration. Objectives To investigate the genetic contribution of interleukin (IL)-18, which can amplify acute inflammation by promoting mast cell activation, neutrophil migration and cytokine production, to the pathogenesis of AIU. Methods A case-control association study was performed using 275 patients with AIU and 196 normal healthy controls in a Korean population. Two promoter polymorphisms of the IL18 gene (−607A/C and −137G/C) were genotyped using the primer extension method. The functional effect of the IL18 gene promoter polymorphism was investigated through in vitro studies including a luciferase reporter assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) and ex vivo studies involving neutrophil chemotaxis assays. Results A significant association was detected between both AIU in general and the aspirin-intolerant acute urticaria (AIAU) phenotype and the IL18 promoter polymorphism −607A/C. Patients with AIAU showed higher frequencies of the C−607G−137 haplotype, ht1 [CG], compared with controls ( P = 0·02). Moreover, ht1 [CG] showed a high transcript haplotype by the luciferase activity assay, and EMSAs identified a −607C allele-specific DNA-binding protein as CREB2. Neutrophil chemotactic activity was highest in subjects with AIU exhibiting the high transcript haplotype, ht1 [CG] ( P = 0·019). Conclusions The high transcript haplotype ht1 [CG] of the IL18 gene may contribute to the development of acute cutaneous inflammation sensitive to aspirin, leading to the clinical presentation of AIAU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the FORMOSAT-3 Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) mission in the Earth's atmosphere. It mentions that the mission gathers atmospheric profiles through radio occultation for global weather and climate monitoring, as well as numerical weather prediction. It looks into the performance of the space craft after for years of deployment in the orbit.

The article presents a study which explores the space and ground segment performance of the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC) mission. The FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC mission addresses the significance of radio occultation (RO) observations from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. The expected improvements in the design of the spacecraft are highlighted.

Abstract: The ZnWO4 nanorods doped with cadmium ions have been successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal crystallization process. The products were characterized in detail by multiform techniques: X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results of the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) in aqueous solution showed that cadmium ions doping greatly improved the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnWO4 nanorods. The Cd-doped ZnWO4 nanorods with atomic ratio of Cd to Zn being 0.06 had the best activity in photo-degradation of RhB in aqueous solution under UV light irradiation, when the nanorods have prepared at pH 8. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The coordination compound [Co(H2O)2(C12H9O2)2] n ( I) was prepared by the reaction of 1-naphthaleneacetic acid and cobalt(II) acetate in a basic medium and was fully characterized by X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, FT-IR, TG, and luminescence spectra. In the complex, the six-coordinated Co(II) ions are linked into a two-dimensional infinite layer with hydrophobic exterior by 1-naphthaleneacetate anions. At room temperature solid complex I exhibits favorable fluorescent emission resulted from the intraligand electronic transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: WO3 nanowires were fabricated by a hydrothermal method in the presence of K2SO4. The nanowires exhibit a well crystallized one-dimensional structure with 10 nm in diameter and several microns in length. Effects of other alkali salts (KNO3, NaNO3 and Na2SO4) on the morphologies of WO3 nanocrystals were also investigated. The important role of K2SO4 salt in the WO3 nanowires synthesis has been demonstrated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Doxorubicin (DOX) selection of CCRF-CEM leukaemia cell line resulted in multidrug resistance (MDR) CEM/A7R cell line, which overexpresses MDR, 1 coded P-glycoprotein (Pgp). Here, we report for the first time that oncoprotein Cripto, a founding member of epidermal growth factor-Cripto-FRL, 1-Criptic family is overexpressed in the CEM/A7R cells, and anti-Cripto monoclonal antibodies (Mab) inhibited CEM/A7R cell growth both in vitro and in an established xenograft tumour in severe combined immunodeficiency mice. Cripto Mab synergistically enhanced sensitivity of the MDR cells to Pgp substrates epirubicin (EPI), daunorubicin (DAU) and non-Pgp substrates nucleoside analogue cytosine arabinoside (AraC). In particular, the combination of anti-Cripto Mab at less than 50% of inhibition concentrations with noncytotoxic concentrations of EPI or DAU inhibited more than 90% of CEM/A7R cell growth. Cripto Mab slightly inhibited Pgp expression, and had little effect on Pgp function, indicating that a mechanism independent of Pgp was involved in overcoming MDR. We demonstrated that anti-Cripto Mab-induced CEM/A7R cell apoptosis, which was associated with an enhanced activity of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase and inhibition of Akt phosphorylation, resulting in an activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathway as evidenced by dephosphorylation of Bad at Ser136, Bcl-2 at Ser70 and a cleaved caspase-9.British Journal of Cancer (2007) 96, 918–927. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6603641 www.bjcancer.com Published online 6 March 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To determine the effect of glaucomatous damage on the latency of the multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP). Methods: Monocular mfVEPs were recorded from a glaucoma group (n = 50) defined by a glaucomatous disc and an abnormal visual field and a control group (n = 47). 25 patients were characterised as normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and 25 as high tension glaucoma (HTG). Monocular and interocular latency analyses of the more affected eye were obtained using custom software. Results: On interocular analysis, both the HTG and NTG groups showed a statistically significant increase in mean mfVEP latency with average relative latencies and percentage of points with significant delays of 1.7 ms and 10.3% (HTG) and 1.3 ms and 8.2% (NTG) compared to -0.3 ms and 2.7% (controls). On monocular analysis, only the HTG group showed a significant increase in latency with measures of 5.7 ms and 14.6% (HTG) compared to 3.2 ms and 10.6% (NTG) and 2.1 ms and 9.6% (controls). Using the 95th percentile of a normative group as the cut off, the sensitivity ranged from 20% to 38% and the specificity from 87% to 100% with the interocular analysis providing the best discrimination, Conclusion: Although up to 40% of patients showed delays in the mfVEP latency, these delays were modest, on average a few milliseconds. These results differ markedly from those of a recent conventional VEP study, which reported 100% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and an average delay that exceeded 25 ms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual BCL2 family members couple apoptosis regulation and cell cycle control in unique ways. Antiapoptotic BCL2 and BCL-xL are antiproliferative by facilitating G0. BAX is proapoptotic and accelerates S-phase progression. The dual functions in apoptosis and cell cycle are coordinately regulated by the multi-domain BCL2 family members (MCL-1) and suggest that survival is maintained at the expense of proliferation. The role of BH3-only molecules in cell cycle is more variable. BAD antagonizes both the cell cycle and antiapoptotic functions of BCL2 and BCL-xL through BH3 binding. BID has biochemically separable functions in apoptosis and S-phase checkpoint, determined by post-translational modification. p53-induced PUMA is known only to have apoptotic function. Inhibition of apoptosis is oncogenic, whereas promotion of cell cycle arrest is tumor suppressive. Paradoxically, selected BCL2 family members can be both oncogenic and tumor suppressive. Which of the dual functions predominates is lineage specific and context dependent.Cell Death and Differentiation (2006) 13, 1351–1359. doi:10.1038/sj.cdd.4401987; published online 9 June 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) power amplifier is developed for WCDMA user equipment, specifically, band-1-power class-2 application. The HBT power amplifier demonstrates maximum output power Pout of 29.4 dBm and power-added efficiency (PAE) of 48% at a frequency of 1.95 GHz. When operated according to the WCDMA standard, it achieves Pout of 27 dBm and PAE of 32.4%. The adjacent channel leakage power ratio (ACLR) is -33 dBc. A compact microstrip resonant cell (CMRC) circuit is implemented on the HBT amplifier in order to further improve the PAE, ACLR, and IM3 performances. This results in improvements of 8 dB and 6% for the ACLR and PAE, respectively. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 46: 84–88, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20908 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) can be used for phase conjugation mirrors in many laser systems1,5 and it also often appears in long distance optical fiber communication systems because the threshold of SBS is normally inversely proportional to the interaction length.2 In this paper, the effect of phonon loss is investigated. Our study shows that phase conjugation systems do require lower phonon loss and higher nonlinearity as expected but higher phonon loss and lower nonlinearity are actually desirable for long distance optical fiber communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seamless integration of industrial robotic arms with server computers, sensors and actuators can revolutionise the way in which automated non-destructive testing (NDT) is performed and conceived. Achieving effective integration and realising the full potential of robotic systems presents significant challenges, since robots, sensors and end-effector tools are often not necessarily designed to be put together and form a holistic system. This paper presents recent breakthroughs, opening up new scenarios for the inspection of product quality in advanced manufacturing. Many years of research have brought to software platforms the ability to integrate external data acquisition instrumentation with industrial robots to improve the inspection speed, accuracy and repeatability of NDT. Robotic manipulators have typically been operated by predefined tool-paths generated through offline path-planning software applications. Recent developments pave the way to data-driven autonomous robotic inspections, enabling real-time path planning and adaptive control. This paper presents a toolbox with highly efficient algorithms and software functions, developed to be used through high-level programming language platforms (for example MATLAB, LabVIEW and Python) and/ or integrated within low-level language (for example C# and C++) applications. The use of the toolbox can speed up the development and the robust integration of new robotic NDT systems with real-time adaptive capabilities and is compatible with all KUKA robots with six degrees of freedom (DOF), which are equipped with the Robot Sensor Interface (RSI) software add-on. The paper describes the architecture of the toolbox and shows two application examples, where performance results are provided. The concepts described in the paper are aligned with the emerging Industry 4.0 paradigms and have wider applicability beyond NDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid droplets (LDs) are evolutionarily conserved organelles that play critical roles in mammalian lipid storage and metabolism. However, the molecular mechanisms governing the biogenesis and growth of LDs remain poorly understood. Phosphatidicacid(PA) is a precursor of phospholipids and triacylglycerols and substrate of CDP-diacylglycerol (CDP-DAG) synthase 1 (CDS1) and CDS2, which catalyze the formation of CDP-DAG. Here, using siRNA-based gene knockdowns and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockouts, along with immunological, molecular, and fluorescence microscopy approaches, we examined the role of CDS1 and CDS2 in LD biogenesis and growth. Knockdown of either CDS1 or CDS2 expression resulted in the formation of giant or supersized LDs in cultured mammalian cells. Interestingly, down-regulation of cell death-inducing DFF45-like effector C (CIDEC), encoding a prominent regulator of LD growth in adipocytes, restored LD size in CDS1 - but not in CDS2-deficient cells. On the other hand, reducing expression of two enzymes responsible for triacylglycerol synthesis, diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) andglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 4 (GPAT4), rescued the LD phenotype in CDS2-deficient, but not CDS1-deficient, cells. Moreover, CDS2 deficiency, but not CDS1 deficiency, promoted the LD association of DGAT2 and GPAT4 and impaired initial LD maturation. Finally, although both CDS1 and CDS2 appeared to regulate PA levels on the LD surface, CDS2 had a stronger effect. We conclude that CDS1 and CDS2 regulate LD dynamics through distinct mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on single-cell DNA methylation and 3D genome architecture in the human brain. The research provides a comprehensive atlas of epigenomic characteristics, revealing cell-type specificity, chromatin structures, and DNA methylation patterns, which will be valuable for understanding brain cell diversity, gene regulation mechanisms, and the development of genetic tools.

With the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the sources of COVID-19 infection is crucial for developing effective public health strategies to control the spread of the disease. Chinese immigrants in Canada represent a population for which no study had previously been conducted to investigate the sources of COVID-19 infection. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap by examining the prevalence of various sources of COVID-19 within the Chinese immigrant community and identifying potential risk factors associated with each source. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted in early 2023, which included questions on five possible sources of COVID-19 infection: family, social gatherings, workplace, public places, or unknown. A total of 591 responses were received, of which 488 eligible responses were included in the analysis. 56.4% of the survey respondents were female, 45.0% had a university degree (or higher), and 19.4% of the participants were 65 years of age or older. Among the 226 individuals who contracted COVID-19, the most commonly reported source of infection was family members (29.2%), followed by public places (27.4%), and social gatherings (16.4%). Additionally, 16.4% of the respondents were uncertain where they had contracted the virus, and 10.6% of the respondents contracted COVID-19 from their workplace. A large majority of participants were able to identify the source of their COVID-19 infection, with results suggesting that individuals are at the highest risk for contraction of COVID-19 from infected family members. Our findings can inform public health efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been widely used in road lighting. This study investigates the optical design of a high-mast luminaire based on four chips-on-board LED light source modules and applies it to road lighting. The model of the high-mast luminaire is built with Solidworks, and then the optical simulations are analysed by Tracepro and Dialux. We also make a physical prototype of the high-mast luminaire to test its performance in practice. The illuminance distribution of the test area is nearly rectangular. The interior of the rectangle forms a smaller highlighted rectangular illumination area with uniform illumination. The outer edges of the rectangular illumination area will overlap the outer edges of the illumination area of other high-mast luminaires. The desired illuminance distribution and the uniform illumination can be obtained. Both the simulations and the experimental results meet the requirements of road lighting standards and the high-mast lamp can even achieve a better optical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the fungal microbiome change related to interdigital tinea pedis, which is a superficial fungal infection. It also examines the infection tested by negative KOH examination, fungal culture, differences in between patient cohort, remission cohort and healthy cohort which featured Trichophyton, Rhizopus and Alternaria.

Abstract: Apis mellifera plays crucial roles in maintaining the balance of global ecosystems and stability of agricultural systems by helping pollination of flowering plants, including many crops. In recent years, this balance has been disrupted greatly by some pesticides, which results in great losses of honeybees worldwide. Previous studies have found that pesticide‐caused memory loss might be one of the major reasons for colony loss. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) are chemical compounds that inhibit the activity of histone deacetylases and are known to cause hyperacetylation of histone cores and influence gene expression. In our study, the HDACi sodium butyrate was applied to honeybees as a dietary supplement. The effect of sodium butyrate on the expression profiles of memory‐related genes was analysed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. The results revealed that this HDACi had up‐regulation effects on most of the memory‐related genes in bees, even in bees treated with imidacloprid. In addition, using the proboscis extension reflex to evaluate olfactory learning in bees, we found that this HDACi boosted the memory formation of bees after impairment owing to imidacloprid exposure. This study investigated the association between gene expression and memory formation from an epigenetic perspective. Additionally, we further demonstrate the possibility of enhancing bee learning using HDACis and provide initial data for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a study which investigated EL2 midgap trap in gallium arsenide using deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) for contacts having a large range of Schottky barrier height. Calculation of the quasi-Fermi level in the depiction region; Effect of Schottky barrier height on the deep trap signal; Observation on signal intensity in the DLTS.

As lasers are used more extensively, protection from lasers is becoming increasingly important. Human eyes and many optical sensors are so sensitive to 532 ​nm wavelength lasers that laser protection at this wavelength is extremely critical. We demonstrate here that a series of exceptionally stable and isoreticular zirconium-polyphenolate-porphyrin frameworks, ZrPP- n -H 2 (n ​= ​1, 2) and ZrPP-1-M (M ​= ​Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mn and Co) exhibit nonlinear optical (NLO) limiting properties. Compared with ZrPP-1-H 2 at the same transmittance, there was no obvious improvement of NLO limiting performance for the extended version of ZrPP-2-H 2. However, the NLO limiting behaviors were greatly improved when ZrPP-1-H 2 involved chelated metal ions, especially Mn or Co ions in a porphyrin ring. Our results indicate that while the NLO limiting effects may not be improved by extending the ligand for metalloporphyrin-based networks, but they can be greatly improved by the introduction of the appropriate metal ions into a porphyrin core. This work may provide a new insight into laser protection by microporous coordination materials. Zirconium-phenolate open frameworks based on metalloporphyrin, which are fairly robust in the alkaline conditions, exhibit enhanced third-order optical nonlinearity in comparison with the metal-free counterpart in the porphyrin core. Image 1 • Zr-phenolate open structures remain intact in some common solvents. • Zr-pyrogallol porphyrinic nets exhibit nonlinear optical limiting effect. • Optical limiting performance could be greatly improved by the metal chelation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cetuximab (an inhibitor of EGFR) is commonly utilized for the treatment of head and neck cancers. It has been employed in combination with radiation or multi-agent chemotherapy for locoregionally advanced and metastatic head and neck cancer respectively. This study explored the use of cetuximab plus an JAK1 inhibitor (JAK1i), which is a protein that is downstream in EGFR signaling, in order to test whether this dual inhibition could accentuate the effects of cetuximab. Methods Human head and neck squamous cell cancer cells (UM-SCC-6 cells) were cultured as previously described (Bonner JA et al. BMC Cancer 15:673). The JAK1 inhibitor (JAK1i) was obtained from Calbiochem, LaJolla, CA. Standard assays of immunoblots, proliferation, apoptosis and comet assays were utilized (Bonner JA et al. BMC Cancer 15:673). Results The combination of cetuximab (0.5 μg/ml) and JAK1i (1µM) resulted in greater inhibition of STAT-3 than either agent alone on immunoblot analysis. Likewise, the combination treatment resulted in greater inhibition of cell proliferation (at 72 hours), greater apoptosis and enhanced DNA double strand breaks (comet) compared to either agent given alone. Conclusions Cetuximab initially showed activity in head and neck cancer over 20 years ago. It is currently used in combination with radiation or chemotherapy for these patients. The results reported herein suggest that the anti-proliferative effects of cetuximab can be enhanced with the addition of JAK1 inhibition. Further work exploring the targeting of various steps in EGFR signaling is warranted in head and neck cancer. Legal entity responsible for the study James A. Bonner. Funding Has not received any funding. Disclosure J.A. Bonner: Honoraria (institution), Advisory / Consultancy: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Honoraria (institution), Advisory / Consultancy: Eli Lily and Company; Honoraria (institution), Advisory / Consultancy: Merck Serono; Honoraria (institution), Advisory / Consultancy: Cel-Sci. E. Yang: Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): Eli Lilly. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An approach for speech information hiding based on the analysis by synthesis algorithm is presented. This approach can embed dynamic secret speech information data bits into original carrier speech data, with good efficiency in steganography and good quality in output speech. It is superior to classical algorithms, e.g., least significant bit, which can only embed fixed 1, 2 and 4 bit data into original carrier speech individually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D-materials, especially transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have drawn a lot of attention due to their remarkable characteristics rendering them a promising candidate for optical applications. While the basic properties are understood up to now, the influence of the environment has not been studied in detail, yet. Here we highlight a systematic comparison of the optical properties of tungsten diselenide monolayers on different substrates. Subtle changes in the emission spectrum and Raman signature have been found as well as surprisingly pronounced differences in the pump-power-dependent and time-resolved output at higher excitation densities. For all samples, exciton-exciton annihilation can be obtained. Nevertheless an analysis of different pump-dependent decay rates suggests substrate-dependent changes in the diffusion constant as well as exciton Bohr radius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present high-frequency angle-dependent EPR data for crystals of [NixZn1-x(hmp)(t-BuEtOH)Cl]4 (x=1 and 0.02). The x=1 complex behaves as a single-molecule magnet at low temperatures, displaying hysteresis and exceptionally fast magnetization tunneling. We show that this behavior is related to a fourth-order transverse crystal-field interaction, which produces a significant tunnel splitting (∼10 MHz) of the ground state of this S=4 system. The magnitude of the fourth-order anisotropy, and the dominant axial term (D), can be related to the single-ion interactions (Di and Ei) at the individual NiII sites, as determined for the x=0.02 crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of low-temperature annealing in H2O vapor on electron-cyclotron-resonance (ECR) grown SiGe oxides is reported. Annealing the oxides in H2O vapor at 280 °C for 3 h 20 min, applied after annealing in forming gas at 450 °C for 30 min, has several important effects: It reduces oxide leakage current by up to four orders of magnitude, decreases the density of interface states, and results in a low fixed oxide charge density of -5.0×1010 cm-2 in comparison to those of the films subjected to annealing in forming gas only. In addition, higher cumulative dielectric breakdown fields up to 8 MV/cm have been achieved. From the results obtained it is evident that vapor annealing is beneficial for ECR-grown SiGe oxides. © 1996 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrashallow p+ junctions formed by dual implanation of Ga and B with low-temperature rapid thermal anneal (RTA) are reported. The electrical and structural properties of the shallow junction were studied by sheet resistance and diode reverse recovery measurements, Rutherford backscattering channeling, and secondary-ion mass spectrometry. A junction of 400 Å depth (full width at half maximum) and an average carrier concentration of 3×1019 cm-3 were realized with RTA at 600 °C. It is shown that there is excess damage in the dual-implanted junctions which affects the minority-carrier lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fermi level movements at Pt/GaAs and Ti/GaAs interfaces have been investigated using a direct measurement of Schottky barrier heights in a bimetal Schottky structure. Using thin interfacial layers, the Schottky barrier was smoothly varied from the characteristic value of the thick metal to that of the interfacial metal. The variation of barrier height versus the inner metal thickness was found to exhibit an exponential behavior extending over a few monolayers coverage. This experiment indicates a new approach to the fundamental study of metal-semiconductor interfaces and could be useful in device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new device, the carrier confinement photoconductive detector, in which an improvement in performance over a conventional photoconductor is achieved by confinement of photogenerated carriers in the active channel. The confinement can be realized by placing a layer of a wide band-gap semiconductor between the channel and ohmic contact. Analytical and numerical analyses show that gain-bandwidth improvement of 100% can be achieved by using the GaAl/AlGaAs system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultrabroadband metamaterial absorber (MMAs) based on room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) and composed entirely of cations and anions was proposed and analyzed in the microwave regimen. The dielectric permittivity of the ILs [EMIm] [N(CN)2] was investigated from 0.5 to 50 GHz; the loss tangent tanδ of [EMIm] [N(CN)2] declines from 5.91 to 0.34, which implies a high dielectric loss of microwaves. To further improve the impedance matching over a wide band, the ILs [EMIm] [N(CN)2] were injected in a periodic photopolymer cylindrical array fabricated via 3D printing. We numerically and experimentally demonstrate that this absorber shows over 90% absorption at 9.26-49 GHz when the incident angle is 45° with a relative bandwidth as high as 134.6%. Versus water-based MMAs, the proposed absorber shows more than twice the absorption bandwidth. Mechanistic investigations show that the ultrabroadband absorption characteristics of the ILs-based MMAs mainly contribute to IL dispersion and electromagnetic resonance. Furthermore, the electromagnetic wave energy loss is mainly due to the high-dielectric loss of ILs [EMIm] [N(CN)2]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addresses a critique on a study on negative capacitance at metal- semiconductor interfaces. Cause of capacitance at metal- semiconductor surfaces; Role of minority carriers in the measurement of capacitance; Clarification of the issue of localized states at metal-semiconductor surfaces.

Surgery continues to be the mainstay of esophageal cancer treatment. However, it is a big challenge for the surgical treatment of patients with both esophageal cancer and coronary artery disease (CAD).We reported, here, the first case series of esophageal cancer patients treated with simultaneous esophagectomy and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). From August 2010 to August 2012, 2154 esophageal or esophageal gastric junction (EGJ) cancer patients underwent surgical treatment in Tangdu Hospital, Xi'an, China. Among them, six patients with esophageal or EGJ esophageal gastric junction cancer complicated with CAD were given simultaneous esophagectomy and off-pump CABG, and were followed up until August 2014. Four patients were operated through left lateral thoracotomy and two patients were operated through median sternotomy plus upper midline laparotomy. All the patients survived the operation well and the postoperative morbidity rate was 67% (one anastomosis leakage, three cardiac arrhythmias). There was no postoperative mortality. The mean follow-up time was 34.5±7.8 months (range, 24-46 months). One patient died 36 months later due to tumor recurrence and all the other patients survived until the time to follow up. Simultaneous esophagectomy and off-pump CABG approachmight be a safe and effective procedure with good survival in selected patients with both esophageal cancer and CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of carbazole-based diphenyl maleimide dyes with different N-substituent were synthesized through an Ullmann reaction in high yields. The dyes exhibit an intense emission in the solid state for their twisted conformation fixed by weak intermolecular interactions, resulting in the hindrance of the internal rotations. Their solid-stated emission wavelength and intensity are sensitive to external stimuli (like heat, pressure and vapor), due to a crystal-to-crystal or crystal-to-amorphous phase transition. Based on the multi-stimuli-responsive fluorescence properties of the N -benzyl analogue, two kinds of applications were explored. One is rewritable data recording processes including solvent writing and vapor writing. The other is sensing for low hydrostatic pressure (0–25 MPa). Interestingly, nanoparticles of the dyes formed in aqueous solution could effectively detect explosive and pH changes. A 15 ppm concentration of picric acid quenched the fluorescence of the N -methyl analogue with the detectable limit calculated to be 0.13 ppm. The N -methyl analogue also showed a different emission color and intensity over the pH range 12–14, which originated from the hydrolysis of the dye molecules in the strongly basic solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely recommended that enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizers (EENFs; urease inhibitors, nitrification inhibitors, urease and nitrification inhibitors combined, coated controlled-release urea) be applied to croplands to improve N use efficiency and crop yield via regulating N transformations. However, EENFs may inevitably affect soil C dynamics for the coupled relationship between soil carbon (C) and N biogeochemical cycles. Yet, a comprehensive assessment of the effects of EENFs on soil C dynamics is lacking. Here, we conducted a global meta-analysis using 67 publications to assess the overall effects of EENFs on soil CH 4 production, CO 2 emission, organic C (SOC) content, dissolved organic C (DOC) content, microbial biomass C (MBC) content under different environmental and management conditions (climate conditions, soil properties and fertilizer management practices). Our results showed that on average, compared to conventional N fertilizer, EENFs with the same amount of N fertilizer have a non-significant impact on CH 4 emission, which further depended on environmental and management conditions. Best scenarios for CH 4 reduction included: paddy field (25.8%), urease inhibitor (26.9%) and medium N application rate (150–300 kgN ha−1; 23.6%), mainly due to the decreased stimulation of NH 4 + on CH 4 production; acid soil (33.7%), which was attributed to the enhanced methanotrophic communities' activities. The positive effect was also amplified by the increased mean annual precipitation and soil clay content that facilitated CH 4 production. Contrarily, EENFs significantly reduced CO 2 emission by 9.3%. The greater reduction was observed for the conditions producing more CO 2 after fertilization, i.e. field experiment, alkaline soils, low soil inorganic N content and high N application rate (≥300 kgN ha−1). Nitrification inhibitors and coated N fertilizer were the best available options as they can reduce inorganic C dissolution in calcareous soil and SOC mineralization, respectively. Besides, EENFs application did not significantly alter SOC, DOC and MBC contents. Our findings highlighted the role of EENFs played in decreasing soil C emission in agroecosystems. [Display omitted] • Global use of EENFs did not significantly affect SOC, DOC, MBC contents. • EENFs succeed in reducing CO 2 emission (9.3%) rather than CH 4 emission. • EENFs provide a viable solution for decreasing soil C emissions in global agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Autophagy and genetic predisposition have been suggested to potentially play roles in the development of asthma. However, little is known about the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of severe asthma. Objective We compared autophagy in the sputum granulocytes, peripheral blood cells (PBCs) and peripheral blood eosinophils (PBEs) between patients with severe asthma and those with non-severe asthma and investigated the functional effects of autophagy. Methods We enrolled 36 patients with severe asthma, 14 with non-severe asthma and 23 normal healthy controls in this study. Sputum granulocytes, PBCs and PBEs were isolated from each subject. Autophagy was evaluated based on the expression of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) by Western blot, confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry. IL-8 levels were measured by ELISA. To induce autophagy, HL-60 cells, human primary small airway epithelial cells (SAECs) and A549 cells were treated with IL-5, IL-1β and TNF-α. To inhibit autophagy, PI3K inhibitors (LY29400 and 3-methyladenine [3-MA]) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) were used. Knockdown of ATG5 and Beclin- 1 was performed in A549 cells, and the therapeutic effects of dexamethasone were evaluated. Results Higher autophagy levels were noted in sputum granulocytes, PBCs and PBEs from patients with severe asthma than from patients with non-severe asthma and healthy controls (P < 0.05 for all). IL-5 increased autophagy levels in both PBCs and PBEs (P < 0.05). 3-MA attenuated the increased expression of LC3-II and eosinophil cationic protein in HL-60 cells induced by IL-5 (P = 0.034 for both). Dexamethasone did not affect autophagy levels in PBEs. IL-1β increased LC3-II expression and IL-8 production (P < 0.01) in SAECs, and this was attenuated by LY294002, 3-MA, HCQ and knockdown of ATG5 and Beclin-1 (in A549 cells) (P < 0.01). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance Autophagy could play a role in the pathogenesis of severe asthma. Autophagy modulation may be a novel therapeutic target for conventional therapy-resistant severe asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wheat line 'Chapio' is resistant to leaf rust, caused by Puccinia triticinia, and was derived from a breeding programme that focuses on multi-genic resistance to provide durability. This line was crossed with the susceptible 'Avocet' to develop an F recombinant inbred line population. The population was phenotyped for leaf rust severity in two environments each in Mexico and China. There were significant differences in the loci providing resistance between the two intercontinental regions. The Lr34 locus had large effects in both Mexico and China, highlighting its importance in providing a basis for broad-spectrum resistance. The Lr46 locus on chromosome 1BL and a 3D locus had effects in Mexico but not in China. Presence of Sr2 was determined by the phenotypic marker of pseudo-black chaff and was mapped to chromosome 3BS. This region was associated with a QTL that had strong effects in China but no significant effect in Mexico, as did a locus on chromosome 4B. Seedling tests on the parents indicated that the 3B locus was not the complimentary gene Lr27, but the 4B locus was in the same position as Lr31 (or Lr12). Further investigations showed that these loci worked independently and additively in adult plants. Chapio was bred for quantitative, non-race-specific resistance under strong phenotypic selection for leaf rust in Mexico. It is interesting that different QTLs contribute to this resistance in another country, and these results suggest that environmental effects, as well as race specificity, can play a role in expression of resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of diarylmaleimide derivatives and polymers based on amide group were designed and synthesized to detect anions selectively and sensitively. Three bisindolylmaleimide derivatives (FAM-p, FAM-m and FAM-o) employing trifluoroacetamide as receptor exhibited strong fluorescent quenching upon fluoride and cyanide. Trifluoroacetamide receptor was replaced by acetamide to obtain other two derivatives (AM-p and AM-o) which showed higher selectivity than FAMs with sensing for only fluoride. The diarylmaleimide derivatives were introduced into the backbone of polyfluorene by Suzuki reaction to prepare polymer PFAM and PAM with same sensing selectivity for anions as FAM and AM, respectively. PFAM and PAM were found to be ratiometric fluorescence sensors for a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from fluorene segments to diphenylmaleimide units. The experimental and DFT/TDDFT calculation results demonstrated that the interaction mechanism of FAMs with F − and CN − was hydrogen bond interaction and nucleophilic addition reaction, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel lead(II) coordination polymers with the same mixed ligands, [Pb(AAP)(NIP)] ( I) and {[Pb(AAP)(NIP)] · 2HO} ( II) (AAP = 4-aminoantipyrine and NIP = 5-nitroisophthalate), were prepared by controlling the pH value of the reaction mixture. Complexes I and II were characterized by X-ray single-crystal diffraction analyses (CIF files CCDC nos. 936101 ( I) and 936102 ( II)). Complex I with terminal AAP molecule displays a linear chain with hemidirected Pb ions connected by bis-bidentate chelating-NIP anions. By contrast, complex II exhibits a dimeric {Pb(AAP)}-based coplanar layer extended by bidentate chelating-bidentate chelating and bridging-NIP anions. Obviously, the pH-directed structural difference is dominated by the competitive binding modes of the AAP and carboxylate groups of NIP ligands. Both complexes display different thermal stability due to structural difference and similar emissions originated from the intra- and/or inter-ligand electron transfer, suggesting their potential application as luminescent materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave applicators are widely employed for materials heating in scientific research and industrial applications, such as food processing, wood drying, ceramic sintering, chemical synthesis, waste treatment, and insect control. For the majority of microwave applicators, materials are heated in the standing waves of a resonant cavity, which can be highly efficient in energy consumption, but often lacks the field uniformity and controllability required for a scientific study. Here, we report a microwave applicator for rapid heating of small samples by highly uniform irradiation. It features an anechoic chamber, a 24-GHz microwave source, and a linear-to-circular polarization converter. With a rather low energy efficiency, such an applicator functions mainly as a research tool. This paper discusses the significance of its special features and describes the structure, in situ diagnostic tools, calculated and measured field patterns, and a preliminary heating test of the overall system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dopant-free, electron donor (D)–acceptor (A) type, polymeric hole-transporting materials (HTMs) possess excellent film formability and hole transport properties, which ensure high efficiency, stability, and reproducibility to the PVSCs. Compared with benzothiadiazole (BT), benzotriazole (BTA) was less incorporated into polymeric HTMs. Herein, two indacenodithieno[3,2-b]thiophene (IDTT)-BTA copolymers BT-T and BT-TT containing different π-bridge of thiophene and thienothiophene, are synthesized and studied. BT-T bearing thiophene π-bridge presents decent coplanarity, higher hole mobility, and better interface morphology than its sister polymer BT-TT. The PVSC with dopant-free BT-T displayed a peak power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.1% and remained above 85% of its initial PCE for more than 30 days at ambient conditions. In view of the rare report on the BTA-based polymeric HTMs, this work will cast lights on further exploration of high-efficiency D-A polymeric HTMs. Two indacenodithieno[3,2-b]thiophene-benzotriazole copolymers BT-T and BT-TT containing π-bridge of thiophene and thienothiophene, respectively, are developed as dopant-free hole-transporting materials. [Display omitted] • Two polymers containing benzotriazole are developed as hole-transporting materials. • π-bridge of thiophene endows BT-T higher coplanarity and hole mobility. • BT-T shows superior hole transport properties to BT-TT with thienothiophene π-bridge. • The perovskite solar cells based on dopant-free BT-T display an efficiency of 17.1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an indirect flow pattern recognition method based on time-frequency analysis and neural networks is proposed to investigate the flow patterns in the narrow rectangular channel under heating and non-inertial conditions. Firstly, the adaptive optimal kernel algorithm is utilized to analyze on the typical pressure signal and convert it into time-frequency spectrograms. Then based on the concept of transfer learning strategy, convolutional neural networks are applied as feature extractors to classify flow patterns by the spectrogram images. The proposed method is verified by the visualized flow boiling experiment data. The results show that the adaptive time-frequency algorithm can effectively reflect the characteristics of different flow pattern signals, and several chosen neural network models show high recognition accuracy after training. Among them, VGG-16 network with small convolution kernels and strong transferability has the highest recognition rate. In addition, the network based on data of static conditions remains identifying more than 75% spectrograms of rolling conditions, exhibiting the generalization ability of the method under different flow conditions. • Combining traditional time-frequency signal processing method with latest deep learning strategy. • Flow pattern recognition in the narrow channel under heating and non-inertial conditions. • Verified by the visualized flow boiling experiment data and shows high recognition accuracy. • Network has generalization ability under different flow conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Busulfan (BU) has a narrow therapeutic window and the average concentration of BU at steady state (Css) is critical for successful engraftment in children receiving BU as part of the preparative regimen for allogeneic transplants. Sixteen patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) from HLA-identical siblings. The preparative regimen consisted of intravenous BU 0.8-1 mg/kg/dose for 16 doses, cytoxan (CY) of 50 mg/kg daily for four doses and equine anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) 30 mg/kg daily for three doses. BU levels were adjusted to provide a total exposure Css of 600-700 ng/mL. The median age at the time of transplant was 6.2 years (range 1.2-19.3). Fourteen (87%) patients required adjustment of the BU dose to achieve a median Css of 652 ng/mL (range 607-700). All patients achieved neutrophil and platelet engraftment without significant toxicity. Median donor engraftment at the last follow-up was 100% (range 80-100). None of the patients experienced sickle cell-related complications post transplant. With a median follow-up of 3 years (range 1.3-9), the event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) are both 100%. We conclude that targeting of BU Css between 600 and 700 ng/mL in this regimen can result in excellent and sustained engraftment in young patients with SCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a numerical simulation procedure to model crack propagation in TGO layer and TGO growth near a surface groove in metal substrate upon multiple thermal-mechanical cycles. The material property change method is employed to model TGO formation cycle by cycle, and the creep properties for constituent materials are also incorporated. Two columns of repeated nodes are placed along the interface of the potential crack, and these nodes are bonded together as one node at a geometrical location. In terms of critical crack opening displacement criterion, onset of crack propagation in TGO layer has been determined by finite element analyses in comparison with that without predefined crack. Then, according to the results from the previous analyses, the input values for the critical failure parameters for the subsequent analyses can be decided. The robust capabilities of restart analysis in ABAQUS help to implement the overall simulation for TGO crack propagation. The comparison of the TGO final deformation profile between numerical and experimental observation shows a good agreement indicating the correctness and effectiveness of the present procedure, which can guide the prediction of the failure in TGO for the future design and optimization for TBC system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Granulation of PD granular sludge was achieved with the glycerol as carbon source. • The glycerol-fed PDGS showed superior settleability with efficient nitrite yield. • The proteins in T-EPS played key roles in the formation of PDGS. • The PN, PS and living cells distributed uniformly in PDGS to maintain bioactivity. • Saccharibacteria was speculated to be mainly responsible for the granulation. Granular sludge is considered as a promising technology for wastewater treatment owing to the high biomass retention and excellent settleability. In this study, the formation and underlying mechanisms of granular sludge for stable and efficient nitrite accumulation in glycerol-driven partial denitrification (PD) reactors were investigated. The PD granular sludge (PDGS) was successfully formed with developing and mature stages. The mature PDGS exhibited superior settleability (mean particle size: 468.1 μm, and SVI 5 :16.4 mL/g SS), and high microbial activity (VSS/SS: 0.80–0.92). The nitrite was stably and efficiently accumulated with an average nitrate-to nitrite transformation ratio of 87.3%. Morphological analysis showed that the mature granules were dominated by cocci and exhibited compact structure with few inorganic components. The proteins (i.e. tyrosine, tryptophan and aromatic protein-like substances) in tightly-bound extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were expected to play critical roles in the granulation process in view of their good correlation with particle size variation. The EPS contents (mainly polysaccharides and proteins) and living cells were distributed throughout the granule, suggesting the overall high stability and bioactivity of formed PDGS. Moreover, the glycerol-driven PD reactor caused the evident evolution of microbial structure, and the significant enrichment of Saccharibacteria was expected to be responsible for the granulation process, which was increased to 66.6% in the matured sludge. This study confirmed the feasibility and superior performance of PDGS fed with glycerol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WarpX is a general purpose electromagnetic particle-in-cell code that was originally designed to run on many-core CPU architectures. We describe the strategy, based on the AMReX library, followed to allow WarpX to use the GPU-accelerated nodes on OLCF's Summit supercomputer, a strategy we believe will extend to the upcoming machines Frontier and Aurora. We summarize the challenges encountered, lessons learned, and give current performance results on a series of relevant benchmark problems. • Optimization of memory usage can be as important as optimization of run time. • Memory Arenas aid in getting performance on GPU hardware with common programming patterns. • Fusing kernels in communication routines is key to work around kernel launch latency. • Exploiting the cache hierarchy on V100 GPUs leads to large performance increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current catalogs of regulatory sequences in the human genome are still incomplete and lack cell type resolution. To profile the activity of gene regulatory elements in diverse cell types and tissues in the human body, we applied single-cell chromatin accessibility assays to 30 adult human tissue types from multiple donors. We integrated these datasets with previous single-cell chromatin accessibility data from 15 fetal tissue types to reveal the status of open chromatin for ∼1.2 million candidate cis- regulatory elements (cCREs) in 222 distinct cell types comprised of >1.3 million nuclei. We used these chromatin accessibility maps to delineate cell-type-specificity of fetal and adult human cCREs and to systematically interpret the noncoding variants associated with complex human traits and diseases. This rich resource provides a foundation for the analysis of gene regulatory programs in human cell types across tissues, life stages, and organ systems. [Display omitted] • Integrating > 1.3 million single-cell chromatin profiles from adult/fetal human tissues • An atlas of ∼1.2 million candidate cis -regulatory elements across 222 cell types • Cell-type specificity of fetal and adult candidate cis -regulatory elements • Interpretation of noncoding variants associated with complex traits and diseases A cell-type-resolved map of human cis -regulatory elements, derived from single cell analysis of diverse tissue types, facilitates functional interpretation of the noncoding variants associated with complex human traits and diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]