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The improved two-stage DEA model removed constrains that efficiency values of decision making units are not greater than one by means of the handling method in super-BCC model. In this way, those efficient DMUs were separated from the efficient frontier and therefore the problem that they were unable to sort in the traditional two-stage DEA model. In the meantime, this improved model gave full consideration to the dual role of intermediate outputs and the influence of scale effect， which gave the evaluation results larger reference value. Lastly, the case study of 30 provinces demonstrated the feasibility and rationality of the improved model. It is found that the level of research and innovation efficiency in east China is the highest; the comprehensive efficiency and stage efficiency of mid-south and north China are high; the comprehensive efficiency level in southwest and northwest China is high while the efficiency of scientific research and development is low; the efficiency of research and innovation in northeast China is lowest.

Considering that ATO (assemble-to-order) supply chain consists of a final product assembler and two component suppliers, who respectively provide one component to the assembler, we propose a bargaining game model between assembler and suppliers to study their profits-sharing policy, i.e., the components sales prices, and the corresponding production and replenishment quantities of these two components. The optimal solution of the model is obtained, and the effect of the bargaining power of the assembler and the suppliers on the optimal solution is analyzed by theoretical and numerical analysis. We found that with the enhancement of the bargaining power of the assembler to one supplier, the component sales price and profit of this supplier reduce, and those of another supplier increase. Simultaneously, the expected profit of the assembler increases if its bargaining power is stronger than the other supplier, otherwise, it decreases.

In today’s science, with the use of nanotechnology, nanomaterials, which behave very differently from the bulk solid, can be made. One of the capable uses of nanomaterials is bioapplications which make good use of the specific properties of nanoparticles. However, since the nanoparticles will be used bothin-vivoandin-vitro, their stability is an important issue to the scientists, concern. In this dissertation, we are going to test the stability of gold nanoparticles in a number of media including the biocompatible medium and their behaviors will be illustrated in terms of optical properties change and aggregation degree. Herein, we report the synthesis of gold nanoparticles of different shapes and applications for the rice growth with significant difference. The gold nanoparticles can inhibit the elongation of rice root without inhibiting the germination of rice seeds.

Asbestos causes asbestosis and malignancies by mechanisms that are not fully understood. Alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) injury by iron-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) is one important mechanism. To determine whether asbestos causes apoptosis in AECs, we exposed WI-26 (human type I–like cells), A549 (human type II–like cells), and rat alveolar type II cells to amosite asbestos and assessed apoptosis by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated deoxyuridine-5′-triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, nuclear morphology, annexin V staining, DNA nucleosome formation, and caspase 3 activation. In contrast to control medium and TiO2, amosite asbestos and H2O2 each caused AEC apoptosis. A role for iron-catalyzed ROS was suggested by the finding that asbestos-induced AEC apoptosis and caspase 3 activation were each attenuated by either an iron chelator (phytic acid and deferoxamine) or a ·OH scavenger (dimethyl-thiourea, salicylate, and sodium benzoate) but not by iron-loaded phytic acid. To determine whether asbestos causes apoptosis in vivo, rats received a single intratracheal instillation of amosite (5 mg) or normal saline solution, and apoptosis in epithelial cells in the bronchoalveolar duct regions was assessed by TUNEL staining. One week after exposure, amosite asbestos caused a 3-fold increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells in the bronchoalveolar duct regions as compared with control (control, 2.1% ± 0.35%; asbestos, 7.61% ± 0.15%; n = 3). However, by 4 weeks the number of apoptotic cells was similar to control. We conclude that asbestos-induced pulmonary toxicity may partly be caused by apoptosis in the lung epithelium that is mediated by iron-catalyzed ROS and caspase 3 activation. (J Lab Clin Med 2001;137:330-9)

It is studied that the resource-commitment decisions and the profits of the outsourcer and the supplier under three profit sharing arrangements and different market environments, and the impact of market return and profit sharing arrangement on their resource commitments. The mixed sharing arrangement is improved, and the optimum profit sharing arrangements are found out, each of which suits a certain market environment best. It is discovered that the outsourcer can't raise the possibility of RD the outsourcer should adopt improved mixed sharing arrangement in R&D outsourcing when market return is small, and fixed sharing arrangement when market return is large, especially when the proportion of R&D investment to the total investment is large.

We investigated the ability of pretreatment with buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) to overcome a priori resistance to arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) in multiple myeloma (MM) cells and determine whether this was through an apoptotic mechanism that involves changes in the cellular redox state.Using a panel of dexamethasone and chemotherapy-resistant MM cell lines, we examined growth inhibition, induction of apoptosis, and changes in the redox state by As(2)O(3) alone or after preincubation with BSO.Whereas the sensitive cell lines showed 100% killing at 0.5 micromol/liter of As(2)O(3), the resistant cell lines required BSO pretreatment to achieve 100% killing at this dose. By comparison, the peak As(2)O(3) plasma concentration in acute promyelocytic leukemia in patients successfully treated was 5-7 micromol/liter with rapid decline to a sustained level of 1-2 micromol/liter. We demonstrated that BSO and As(2)O(3)-induced cytotoxicity was attributable to induction of apoptosis accompanied by activation of the death signals: caspases 3, 8, and 9.We have demonstrated that growth inhibition of highly resistant MM cell lines by As(2)O(3) is facilitated by BSO and that this effect is accompanied by caspase activation, presumably leading to activation of apoptosis. These data indicate that steroid and chemotherapy-resistant MM cell lines can be overcome by manipulation of the cellular redox state. Because BSO and As(2)O(3) can be used at clinically relevant concentrations, we believe that our observations may have important implications for the treatment of MM.

We report the use of digital holographic microscopy (DHM) as a viable microscopy approach for quantitative, nondestructive longitudinal imaging of in vitro three-dimensional (3-D) tumor models. Following established methods, we prepared 3-D cultures of pancreatic cancer cells in overlay geometry on extracellular matrix beds and obtained digital holograms at multiple time points throughout the duration of growth. The holograms were digitally processed and the unwrapped phase images were obtained to quantify the nodule thickness over time under normal growth and in cultures subject to chemotherapy treatment. In this manner, total nodule volumes are rapidly estimated and demonstrated here to show contrasting time-dependent changes during growth and in response to treatment. This work suggests the utility of DHM to quantify changes in 3-D structure over time and suggests the further development of this approach for time-lapse monitoring of 3-D morphological changes during growth and in response to treatment that would otherwise be impractical to visualize.