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In this paper, we consider a class of structured nonsmooth difference-of-convex (DC) minimization in which the first convex component is the sum of a smooth and a nonsmooth function, while the second convex component is the supremum of finitely many convex smooth functions. The existing methods for this problem usually have weak convergence guarantees or need to solve lots of subproblems per iteration. Due to this, we propose hybrid algorithms for solving this problem in which we first compute approximate critical points and then check whether these points are approximate D-stationary points. Under suitable conditions, we prove that there exists a subsequence of iterates of which every accumulation point is a D-stationary point. Some preliminary numerical experiments are conducted to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress severely impairs common bean production. For facilitating drought-resistance breeding in common bean, molecular markers were identified in a genome-wide level marker-trait association study. A panel of 210 common bean accessions showed large variation in 11 agronomic traits at the adult stage (plant height, pod number per plant, seed number per pod, seed number per plant, seed yield per plant, pod length, harvest index, pod harvest index, days to maturity, hundred-seed weight, and seed yield) under two water conditions. The coefficient of variation ranged from 6.21% for pod harvest index to 51.00% for seed number per plant under well-watered conditions, and from 4.05% for days to maturity to 40.72% for seed number per plant under drought stress. In a genome-wide association study, 119 quantitative-trait loci were associated with drought resistance, including 41 adjacent to known loci. Among these loci, 12 were found to be associated with at least two traits. Three major loci were identified at Pv01 and Pv02. A set of candidate genes were found that encode MYBs, AREBs, WKRYs, and protein kinases. These results reveal promising alleles that control drought resistance, shedding light on the genetic basis of drought resistance and accelerating future efforts for drought resistance improvement in common bean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When planning tool orientations for 5-axis machining from the perspective of kinematics, existing works often tend to optimize the angular velocity or acceleration of the rotary axes rather than the angular jerk due to its calculation sensitivity to discretization variations, though the jerk is fundamentally tied to the tracking errors and residual vibrations of the actuators. In this paper, a study is reported on how to optimize the angular jerk of the rotary axes while comprehensively considering the kinematic constraints, thus achieving a jerk-optimal tool orientation along the tool path, with driving capacity of the rotary axes respected. In this method, the displacements of the rotary axes are continuously represented by two quintic B-spline curves, and then the angular velocity, acceleration, and jerk of the rotary axes, which are the derivatives of the displacements, can be succinctly represented as a B-spline curve. Taking advantage of the convex hull property of B-spline curve, the linear analytical representations of the kinematic constraints of the rotary axes can be successfully derived in form of control coefficient combinations. To prevent the machining interference at the same time, a greedy strategy that incorporates a process of alternately smoothing tool orientation and checking machining interference is employed. Then, the smooth displacement splines of the rotary axes can be obtained by solving a constructed quadratic programming (QP) model that minimizes the angular jerk along the tool path, while satisfying kinematic constraints and without machining interference. Moreover, to generate efficiently tool orientations for long tool paths, a piecewise planning strategy that optimizes the tool orientation from coarse to fine is developed. Finally, the conducted experiments validate the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The cuff pressures > 30 cmH2O may create a seal in the trachea. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors associated with lack of tracheal sealing by an endotracheal cuff inflated to > 30 cmH2O in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from 2019 to 2020 in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit and respiratory medical care unit of a Hospital in Nantong, China. Patients aged >16 years undergoing cardiothoracic surgery with mechanical ventilation using endotracheal intubation were included. Patient characteristics and ventilator parameters were analyzed. Cuff pressure was maintained with the minimum leak technique (MLT) and measured with a cuff pressure gauge. Cuff pressure was measured for 30 seconds when ventilation was accompanied by no leak, simultaneously detected by the ventilator or auscultation with a stethoscope. Results: Of 352 patients undergoing mechanical ventilation, 51 patients (14.5%) had a cuff pressure of >30 cmH2O. Multivariable analysis showed that cuff manufacturer (Guangzhou Weili) and nasal endotracheal intubation significantly increased the risk of an unsealed trachea. Peak inspiratory pressure, cuff diameter and male sex had a strong inverse association with an unsealed trachea. Conclusions: These findings suggest that an endotracheal cuff pressure of 20 to 30 cmH2O is adequate for most patients, but lack of a tracheal seal still occurs in a small number of people. An unsealed trachea is most likely because cuff and tracheal diameters do not match. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness and safety of combined use of tranexamic acid (TA) and Xiyu dressing in chloasma patients. Methods: Ninety female patients with moderate-to-severe melasma who were admitted to the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (February 2020 - February 2021), were equally divided into 3 groups: A, B and C. Patients in group A were orally treated with TA, those in group B received oral TA and Xiyu dressing, while those in group C received Xiyu dressing only. Treatment effectiveness, Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) score, whole blood viscosity (WBV) and disease recurrence rate were assessed. Results: General patient profile was comparable amongst the 3 groups (p > 0.05). Objective treatment effectiveness was higher in group B than in group A, and higher in group A than in group C (p < 0.05). At weeks 8, 16 and 20, the order of Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) scores was: C > A > B, with lower scores in group B than in group A, and lower in group A than in group C (p < 0.05). The whole blood viscosity (WBV) was highest in group B, while group C had the lowest WBV (p < 0.05). No notable differences occurred in disease recurrence rate amongst the 3 groups. Onset time of cure was shorter in group A than in group C, but was longer in group A than in group B (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Treatment with TA and Xiyu dressing is more effective when combined than when using either of them alone; furthermore, disease recurrence rate is lowest with the combination therapy. Therefore, the combined therapy has potentials for use in the management of chloasma, but further clinical trials are required prior to application in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs) have been used to predict responses to therapies in many cancers, including lung cancer. However, little is known about whether they are predictive of radiotherapy outcomes. We aimed to understand the prognostic value and biological functions of SCNAs. Methods: We analyzed the correlation between SCNAs and clinical outcomes in The Cancer Genome Atlas data for 486 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who received radiotherapy. Gene set enrichment analyses were performed to investigate the potential mechanisms underlying the roles of SCNAs in the radiotherapy response. Our results were validated in 20 patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) receiving radiotherapy. Results: SCNAs were a better predictor of progression-free survival (PFS) in LUAD (P = 0.024) than in lung squamous carcinoma (P = 0.18) in patients treated with radiotherapy. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses revealed the superiority of SCNAs in predicting PFS in patients with LUAD. Patients with stage I cancer and low SCNA levels had longer PFS than those with high SCNA levels (P = 0.022). Our prognostic nomogram also showed that combining SCNAs and tumor/node/metastasis provided a better model for predicting long-term PFS. Additionally, high SCNA may activate the cell cycle pathway and induce tumorigenesis. Conclusions: SCNAs may be used to predict PFS in patients with early-stage LUAD with radiotherapy, in combination with TNM, with the aim of predicting long-term PFS. Therefore, SCNAs are a novel predictive biomarker for radiotherapy in patients with LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pseudomembranous necrotizing laryngotracheobronchitis refers to an acute diffuse necrotizing inflammation in the mucosa of the larynx, trachea, and bronchus. It often occurs in infants and children having viral infections secondary to bacterial infections. Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is a common pathogen that causes pneumonia in children. In recent years, serious complications due to M. pneumoniae infection, including necrotizing pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and pleural effusion, have been increasingly reported.Case Presentation: An 11-year-old girl was admitted to our unit with cough, fever, and hoarseness persistent for a week. The results of the M. pneumoniae serological test, PCR examination with bronchial aspirate and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for BALF, all suggested the presence of M. pneumoniae infection. High-resolution CT scanning of the chest showed inflammation of the middle and lower lobes of the right lung. By bronchoscopy, the necrosis of the vocal cords, trachea, and bronchial mucosa was observed; each bronchial lumen contained a large amount of white viscous sputum. Pathological findings for bronchial mucosa suggested inflammatory necrosis. After administration of azithromycin and glucocorticoids, the symptoms of the patients were ameliorated. After 2 weeks post-discharge, the X-ray scan of her chest indicated the pneumonia resolution in the right lung.Conclusions: In patients with pneumonia due to M. pneumoniae infection, which causes obvious hoarseness, bronchoscopy is necessary even if the lung lesions are not massively consolidated. When necrotizing lesions of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi are detected by bronchoscopy, the necrotic tissues in the corresponding parts should be conducted tissue biopsy for pathological examination. Apart from macrolide antibiotics, the administration of small doses of glucocorticoids is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a spectral-based approach to analyze how two-layer neural networks separate from linear methods in terms of approximating high-dimensional functions. We show that quantifying this separation can be reduced to estimating the Kolmogorov width of two-layer neural networks, and the latter can be further characterized by using the spectrum of an associated kernel. Different from previous work, our approach allows obtaining upper bounds, lower bounds, and identifying explicit hard functions in a united manner. We provide a systematic study of how the choice of activation functions affects the separation, in particular the dependence on the input dimension. Specifically, for nonsmooth activation functions, we extend known results to more activation functions with sharper bounds. As concrete examples, we prove that any single neuron can instantiate the separation between neural networks and random feature models. For smooth activation functions, one surprising finding is that the separation is negligible unless the norms of inner-layer weights are polynomially large with respect to the input dimension. By contrast, the separation for nonsmooth activation functions is independent of the norms of inner-layer weights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel denoising method combining improved VMD and wavelet thresholding for high-voltage shunt reactors. • The coati optimization algorithm (COA) is used to optimize selection of VMD decomposition parameters. • IMFs is extracted by correlation coefficient method, and the wavelet threshold method is used for secondary denoising. • The sensor technology is used to collect the acoustic signal of target reactor with high precision and high speed. • The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified through simulation experiments and on-site signal feature extraction. The goal of this research is the application of variational mode decomposition (VMD) in the denoising process of acoustic signals from high-voltage shunt reactors. This paper propose a unique joint denoising method that combines improved VMD and wavelet threshold. The coati optimization algorithm (COA) was introduced to optimally find the optimal combination of VMD decomposition parameters. The optimized and improved VMD was then used to decompose the original noisy reactor acoustic signal. The correlation coefficient method was introduced to remove uncorrelated intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). The wavelet threshold denoising algorithm was applied for secondary noise reduction on the extracted IMFs. The denoised IMFs were subsequently superimposed and reconstructed to obtain the denoised acoustic signal. Comprehensive comparison and analysis of these methods were conducted through simulation experiments and practical tests. The results indicate that COA-VMD-Wavelet Threshold—significantly reduces the reconstructed signal errors with high practicality and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mimicking nature is a highly efficient and meaningful way for designing functional materials. However, constructing bioinspired nanofibrous 3D cellular networks with robust mechanical features is extremely challenging. Herein, a biomimetic, super-flexible, highly elastic, and tough nanofibrous membrane (NFM)-based water harvester is reported with a highly ordered honeycomb-inspired gradient network structure, self-assembled from electrospun spider-silk-like humped nanofibers. The resultant NFM exhibits super flexibility, high tensile strength (2.9 MPa), superior elasticity, and decent toughness (3.39 MJ m−3), allowing it to be used as the framework of hygroscopic materials. The resulting hygroscopic NFM displays excellent moisture absorption performance, which can be used as an efficient water harvester with a superhigh equilibrium moisture absorption capacity of 4.60 g g−1 at 95% relative humidity for 96 h, fast moisture absorption and transport rates, and long-term durability, achieving directional transport and collection of tiny water droplets. This work paves the way for the design and development of multifunctional NFMs with a honeycomb-inspired gradient network structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution has become a matter of close concern to people with the continuous development of human society. However, the knowledge of air pollution mechanisms remains insufficient, and there is a lack of evaluation methods for actual pollution. In this paper, air pollution in Internet cafe was studied by detecting surface topography of glass slides after different exposure time by an atomic force microscope (AFM). It is found that the adsorption of air pollutants on glass surface undergoes initial aggregation, particle growth and interparticle deposition, and final full coverage. The chemical composition of contaminated glass surface was further analyzed by an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, showing that the pollution was mainly composed of hydrocarbons regardless of exposure time. Cleaning experiments show that NaHCO3 solution can be the most effective one with saponification reaction and hydrolysis to remove the adsorbed contaminations. This study provides an alternative way for investigating air pollution and a reference for cleaning polluted material surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The influence of anesthetic method on the immune function and oxidative stress in patients receiving laparoscopic herniorrhaphy remains largely unknown. Aim: To assess the effects of different anesthetic methods on the immune function and oxidative stress in patients undergoing laparoscopic herniorrhaphy. Material and methods: A total of 280 eligible patients were randomly divided into two groups to receive total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA group) and inhalation anesthesia (IA group). T lymphocyte subsets, oxidative stress response indices and inflammatory factor levels were measured before anesthesia, at the end of the operation, and 1 and 3 days after the operation. The incidence rates of adverse reactions were compared. Results: At the end of and 1 day after the operation, CD3+ and CD4+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ decreased in both groups compared with those before anesthesia (p < 0.05). Three days after the operation, CD3+ and CD4+ T cells decreased in both groups compared with those before anesthesia, which were higher in the TIVA group (p < 0.05). Interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein levels were significantly lower in the TIVA group (p < 0.05). At the end of and 1 and 3 days after the operation, oxidative stress response indices superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase declined in both groups compared with those before anesthesia, which were higher in the IA group (p < 0.05). The incidence rate of adverse reactions was significantly higher in the IA group (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Compared with IA, TIVA has less effect on the immune function and oxidative stress of patients undergoing laparoscopic herniorrhaphy, and controls the inflammatory response more effectively, accompanied by a lower incidence rate of adverse reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supercontinent Pangea formed by the subduction of the Iapetus and Rheic oceans between Gondwana, Laurentia, and Baltica during mid-to-late Paleozoic times. However, there remains much debate regarding how this amalgamation was achieved. Most paleogeographic models based on paleomagnetic data argue that the juxtaposition of Gondwana and Laurussia (Laurentia-Baltica) was achieved via long-lasting highly oblique convergence in the late Paleozoic. In contrast, many geology-based reconstructions suggest that the collision between the two continents was likely initiated via a Gondwanan promontory comprising the Iberian, Armorican, and Bohemian massifs, and parts of the basement units in the Alpine orogen during the Early Devonian. To help resolve this discrepancy, we present an updated compilation of high-quality paleopoles of mid-to-late Paleozoic ages (spanning Middle Ordovician and Carboniferous times) from Gondwana, Laurentia, and Baltica. These paleopoles were evaluated with the Van der Voo selection criteria, corrected for inclination error where necessary, and were used to revise their apparent polar wander (APW) paths. The revised APW paths were constructed using an innovative approach in which age errors, A95 ovals, and Q-factors of individual paleopoles are taken into account. By combining the resulting APW paths with existing geological data and field relationships in the European Variscides, we provide mid-to-late Paleozoic paleogeographic reconstructions which indicate that the formation of Pangea was likely initiated at 400 Ma via the collision between Laurussia and a ribbon-like Gondwanan promontory that was itself formed by a scissor-like opening of the Paleotethys Ocean, and that the amalgamation culminated in the mostly orthogonal convergence between Gondwana and Laurussia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intensification of agricultural systems may result in overexploitation of water resources in arid regions because enhanced productivity of crops is often associated with increased actual evapotranspiration (AET). The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of increased regional AET on the groundwater level in a case study of the oasis located within the Shiyang River Basin near the edge of the Gobi Desert. Result: The results of the study show that regional AET increased during the period from 1981 to 2010 due to increasing oasis area and air temperature. The water losses due to AET exceeded the water supply from the mountainous discharges of the basin by the end of this period, leading to groundwater overexploitation in the oasis area. Conclusions: This case study shows the importance of considering the effect of climate change on water losses associated with increasing agricultural production for the sustainable agricultural development of arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of modern science and technology, the application of microscope technology has also matured and has been widely used in the observation and research of metal properties. Because high-strength aluminum alloys have corrosion resistance and high fracture toughness, the performance of the alloy can be checked by performing a microscopic fatigue test under a polarized light microscope. However, fatigue and fracture of high-strength aluminum alloys have become the biggest drawbacks that restrict its development. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out research on the micro-mechanism of short-fatigue crack growth of high-strength aluminum alloys. The purpose of this article is to solve the micro-mechanism of fatigue fracture of high-strength aluminum alloys. Through the study of the micro-mechanism of short fatigue crack growth of high-strength aluminum alloys, the electron backscatter diffraction technology is used to build a universal model of fatigue life reliability and fatigue performance reliability. Microscope experiments were performed on the microscope, and the results of fatigue experiments, fatigue crack growth rate tests, and fracture toughness tests were analyzed to obtain the relationship of fatigue fracture propagation of high-strength aluminum alloys. The research results show that the study of the micro-mechanism of short fatigue crack growth of this high-strength aluminum alloy can obtain the relationship between the grain orientation of adjacent grains and crack growth following the crystal plastic deformation mechanism of the crack tip. When the effective slip surface between two adjacent grains cannot form a 45-degree double-sided angle, the crack cannot directly pass through the grain boundary, and tends to propagate along the grain, which will cause fatigue fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiradiclis tubiflora, a new Rubiaceae species, is described from a limestone area of southern China. It is similar to Spiradiclis glandulosa and S. umbelliformis, but differs from the latter two in its linear stipule, short peduncle and tubular-funnelform corolla with a distinctively enlarged tube. The colour photograph, illustrations, detailed descriptions and conservation status of the new species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Altyn Tagh fault system defines the northwestern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and has played a central role in its topographic rise and outward growth during the Cenozoic Indo-Asian collision. The Qaidam Basin is the largest sedimentary basin within the plateau and bound to the northwest by the active Altyn Tagh fault (ATF), the largest and most prominent structure within the fault system. Here we use an extensive grid of high-resolution seismic reflection data from the northwestern margin of the Qaidam Basin to study the Cenozoic evolution of the overall Altyn Tagh fault system. These data reveal a series of EW-trending and generally N-dipping high-angle reverse faults and a regional mid-Miocene unconformity, which are confined to a narrow zone along and adjacent to the ATF. Integrated structural and stratigraphic analyses of three balanced regional sections across this zone imply a three-stage deformation history. Stage I (ca. 53.5--16.9 Ma) was characterized by small magnitudes of strain on numerous faults and nearly constant rates of N-S horizontal and vertical strain. Stage II was short lived (ca. 16.9--15.3 Ma) and featured both a tenfold increase in strain rates and the development of the local unconformity along the ATF. Stage III (15.3 Ma--present) is characterized by cessation of slip along the EW-trending faults and an abrupt drop in strain rates by one or two orders of magnitude. We interpret the evolution of this ATFparallel zone of faulting and exhumation as a localized effect related to the formation and subsequent abandonment of a large restraining bend within the Altyn Tagh fault system. This bend originally comprised the NE-trending North Altyn fault and the EWtrending Jinyan Shan fault north of the ATF before ca. 16.9 Ma, but was bypassed and largely abandoned upon formation of the ENE-trending ATF during a mid-Miocene tectonic reorganization coinciding with Stage II. The EW-trending faults initially formed during Stage I due to N-S compression within the bend. The sharp increase in the intensity of deformation during Stage II resulted from initial strain localization and then formation of the ATF. Relative tectonic quiescence during Stage III results from localization of deformation onto the ATF. We speculate that development of the original regional bend was controlled by an inherited L-shaped lithospheric boundary between the Tarim Basin and the Qaidam Basin-Altyn Shan that initially formed during early Paleozoic crustal amalgamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat is crucial in the integrated management of the disease and prevention of deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination in grains. To identify novel sources of resistance, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using a panel of 213 accessions of elite wheat germplasm of China. The panel was evaluated for FHB severity in four environments and DON content in grains in two environments. High correlations across environments and high heritability were observed for FHB severity and DON content in grains. The panel was also genotyped with the 90K lllumina iSelect single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and 11,461 SNP markers were obtained. The GWAS revealed a total of six and three loci significantly associated with resistance to fungal spread and DON accumulation in at least two environments, respectively. QFHB-2BL. 1 tagged by IWB52433 and QFHB-3A tagged by IWB50548 were responsible for resistance to both fungal spread and DON accumulation. In summary, this study provided an overview of FHB resistance resources in elite Chinese wheat germplasm and identified novel resistance loci that could be used for wheat improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant progress has been made in designing single-site molecular Ru(II)-polypyridyl-aqua catalysts for homogenous catalytic water oxidation. Surface binding and transfer of the catalytic reactivity onto conductive substrates provides a basis for heterogeneous applications in electrolytic cells and dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells (DSPECs). Earlier efforts have focused on phosphonic acid (-PO3H2) or carboxylic acid (-CO2H) bindings on oxide surfaces. However, issues remain with limited surface stabilities, especially in aqueous solutions at higher pH under conditions that favor water oxidation by reducing the thermodynamic barrier and accelerating the catalytic rate using atom-proton transfer (APT) pathways. Here, we address the problem by combining silane surface functionalization and surface reductive electropolymerization on mesoporous, nanofilms of indium tin oxide (ITO) on fluorinedoped tin oxide (FTO) substrates (FTO|nanoITO). FTO|nanoITO electrodes were functionalized with vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) to introduce vinyl groups on the electrode surfaces by silane attachment, followed by surface electropolymerization of the vinylderivatized complex, [RuII(Mebimpy)(dvbpy)(OH2)]2+ (12+; Mebimpy: 2,6-bis(1-methyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)pyridine; dvbpy: 5,5'- divinyl-2,2'-bipyridine), in a mechanism dominated by a graftingthrough method. The surface coverage of catalyst 12+ was controlled by the number of electropolymerization cycles. The combined silane attachment/cross-linked polymer network stabilized 12+ on the electrode surface under a variety of conditions especially at pH > ~6. Surface-grafted poly12+ was stable toward redox cycling at pH ~7.5 over an ~4-h period. Sustained heterogeneous electrocatalytic water oxidation by the electrode gave steady-state currents for at least ~6 h with a Faradaic efficiency of ~68% for O2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiradiclis karstana, a new species of Spiradiclis (Rubiaceae) collected from Yunnan, China, is described for the first time. It is morphologically close to S. jingxiensis, but differs from the latter mainly by its inflorescences with 5-9 flowers, its 1.5-2.4 mm long peduncles, its stipules shorter than 1 mm and the 5-12 pairs of secondary veins. The conservation status is assessed as "Vulnerable" (VU) according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With more emphases laid on preschool education in China, infant education as the weak link of basic education has attracted much attention. In the underdeveloped areas, infant education is the weakest part of basic education, promoting the professional development of preschool teachers, which has become the key to improving the level of early childhood education. In this paper, we take Linyi region as the example of core area of Yimeng Mountain Range to study the strategies of preschool teachers' profession growing. By the ways of the investigation and in-depth interviews, we found the prominent problems, such as little investment in preschool education, backwardness in the educational ideas and the large mobility of teachers in Linyi. In response to this situation, this case proposes the strategies for the kindergarten teachers' professional development from the perspective of teachers' growing process in underdeveloped areas for the first time: under the premise of increasing the investment in infant education from the government, the education authorities select the kindergarten teacher with strong sense of infant education into induction, and strengthen the vocational training education from experts and learn by organizing learning communities of new and old teachers, so as to promote the professional growth of preschool teachers. These strategies have certain referential significance for the rapid development of infant education under the circumstance of collaboration with the government, schools and teachers in underdeveloped coastal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel electrochemical sensor based on nitrogen doped graphene (NGE) and palygorskite (Pal) for the simultaneous detection of hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CT) has been proposed. Pal is particularly pointed out for its appreciable specific surface area and reactive-OH groups on its surface. Acid treatment Pal demonstrated better physico-chemical properties, which are propitious to electrochemical sensor construction. The introduction of NGE not only improved the poor conductivity of Pal but also served as an excellent adherent matrix. The modified electrode demonstrated the enhanced redox peak currents of HQ and CT with good discrimination. Under optimized conditions, the linear ranges for HQ and CT were 2–50 μM and 1–50 μM, with detection limit (LOD) of 0.8 μM and 0.13 μM, respectively. The result designates that the Pal/NGE composite promises to be a new eco-friendly modified material for sensor fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a deficiency of surfactant protein B (SFTPB) has been associated with lung injury, SFTPB expression has not yet been linked with nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), a potential biomarker of acute lung injury (ALI). The effects of Nampt in the pulmonary epithelial cell on both SFTPB expression and lung inflammation were investigated in a LPS-induced ALI mouse model. Pulmonary epithelial cell-specific knockdown of Nampt gene expression, achieved by the crossing of Nampt gene exon 2 floxed mice with mice expressing epithelial-specific transgene Cre or by the use of epithelial-specific expression of anti-Nampt antibody cDNA, significantly attenuated LPS-induced ALI. Knockdown of Nampt expression was accompanied by lower levels of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) neutrophil infiltrates, total protein and TNF-α levels, as well as lower lung injury scores. Notably, Nampt knockdown was also associated with significantly increased BAL SFTPB levels relative to the wild-type control mice. Down-regulation of NAMPT increased the expression of SFTPB and rescued TNF-α-induced inhibition of SFTPB, whereas overexpression of NAMPT inhibited SFTPB expression in both H441 and A549 cells. Inhibition of NAMPT up-regulated SFTPB expression by enhancing histone acetylation to increase its transcription. Additional data indicated that these effects were mainly mediated by NAMPT nonenzymatic function via the JNK pathway. This study shows that pulmonary epithelial cell-specific knockdown of NAMPT expression attenuated ALI, in part, via up-regulation of SFTPB expression. Thus, epithelial cell-specific knockdown of Nampt may be a potential new and viable therapeutic modality to ALI.--Bi, G., Wu, L., Huang, P., Islam, S., Heruth, D. P., Zhang, L. Q., Li, D.-Y., Sampath, V., Huang, W., Simon, B. A., Easley, R. B., Ye, S. Q. Up-regulation of SFTPB expression and attenuation of acute lung injury by pulmonary epithelial cell-specific NAMPT knockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycrystalline Bi0.9Sr0.1FeO3 and Bi0.9Ca0.1Fe0.9Co0.1O3 films (BXFO) were synthesized by sol-gel spin coating method. Local resistive switching behavior was investigated. Bipolar resistive switching characteristics were clearly observed in both two samples. However, for the Bi0.9Sr0.1FeO3 film, the switching from the low resistance (LRS) to the high resistance (HRS) occurred at positive bias and the switching from the HRS to the LRS at negative bias. On the contrary, the resistance of Bi0.9Ca0.1Fe0.9Co0.1O3 film was switched from the LRS to the HRS when a negative bias was applied. Possible mechanisms for both resistive switching forms were discussed on the basis of the Schottky-like barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boeica clarkei, a new species is described from Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India. This novelity resemble B. porosa but differ in having corolla externally pubescent, an inconspicuous disc and transversely dehiscing anthers. From B. multinervia it differs in being pubescent rather than woolly, and in having only 8–12 paired lateral leaf veins, only ca 1 mm long corolla tube, and longer lip lobes. A detailed description along with colour photographs, distribution, conservation status and a key to the Indian species of Boeica are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) combined with macroporous resin (MR) column was successfully applied to the isolation and purification of four flavonoid glycosides from the medicinal herb Lotus plumule (LP). A polar two-phase solvent system composed of ethyl acetate-n-butanol-water (1:2:3, v/v/v) was selected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and run on a preparative scale where the lower aqueous phase was used as the mobile phase with a head-to-tail elution mode. Quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (15 mg), isorhamnetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (13mg), apigenin 6-C-β-D-glucopyranosyl-8-C-a-L-arabinopyranoside (18mg) and apigenin 6,8-di-C-β-D-glucopyranoside (48 mg) were obtained in a one-step HSCCC separation from 240mg of the sample. The purity of each compound was over 95% as determined by HPLC. Chemical structures of the isolated compounds were identified by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods. Moreover, the four compounds were isolated from LP for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manipulation of arrayed tiny droplets is important in liquid dispersion, liquid transportation, bioassays, nucleation, integrated electronics, and various lab experiments that require delivering precise and minute volumes of droplets. Liquid dispensed from a small orifice or split from surface patterns are typical methods, but the acquired droplet diameters are similar to that of the nozzle and pattern. Here we demonstrate that tiny droplets with dimensions much smaller than the pattern can be arrayed advantageously through designing a Laplace pressure pattern based on conical morphology and wetting heterogeneity. The pattern could selectively resist liquid's motion and drive the capillary bridge breaking of macrodrop into arrayed tiny droplets at wettability boundaries. Arrayed picoliter droplets can be acquired on a submillimeter-scaled pattern with a feature size of several hundred micrometers. Through regulating the conical morphologies and the wetting heterogeneity, the volume and number of tiny droplets can be accurately controlled. As a paradigm, adopting droplets of nanoparticle dispersion, various arrayed functional assemblies can be fabricated. This integration of conical morphology and wetting heterogeneity offers a powerful kit for patterned microdroplets quantitative and locational manipulation and opens a new avenue to achieve functional units in a facile and high-throughput way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fast, ultrasensitive electrochemical sensing platform based on graphitic carbon nitride-electrochemically deposited-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (g-C 3 N 4 -E-PEDOT) composite was constructed by in-situ electropolymerization and applied for the quantitative determination of acetaminophen (AP). E-PEDOT was introduced as the conducting matrix for developing g-C 3 N 4 composite to complement the poor conductivity disadvantage of g-C 3 N 4 . The strong affinity and synergetic effect between g-C 3 N 4 and E-PEDOT, which were analyzed by PM6 computational calculation, highly improved the electron transfer property and remarkably enhanced the electrochemical catalytic activity of the composite. The g-C 3 N 4 -E-PEDOT modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) demonstrated better electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of AP than bare, g-C 3 N 4 and E-PEDOT modified ones. Under the optimized conditions, the oxidation peak currents at the g-C 3 N 4 -E-PEDOT/GCE increased linearly in the concentration range of AP from 0.01 to 2 μM and 2–100 μM, and an ultra-low limit of detection (LOD) of 34.28 nM was obtained (S/N = 3). In addition, the g-C 3 N 4 -E-PEDOT/GCE was successfully applied for the AP determination in the clinical human serum, and also exhibited excellent selectivity, reproducibility and stability. Except the novel AP determination approach, moreover, this work provided a new electrochemical application angle of graphitic carbon nitride theoretically as well as experimentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unit commitment (UC) is an important decision-making tool in power system operations. As a critical input to UC, inaccurate day-ahead load forecasts could result in UC solutions of high operation cost, or even trigger involuntary load shedding and jeopardise system operational security in real time. Existing researches usually explore advanced forecasting techniques for reducing statistical load forecast errors and providing better inputs to UC, while load forecasting and UC are exclusively considered as two sequential tasks. This study intends to close the loop between the two tasks by effectively incorporating certain UC information back to load forecasting models, so that day-ahead load forecasts can be improved for deriving better UC solutions in terms of a more cost-effective real-time operation with respect to actual loads. Two approaches are investigated: (i) design asymmetric error penalty functions for individual forecasting models, based on asymmetric economic impacts of under- and over-predicted load forecasts on UC solutions; and (ii) build a combining forecast framework in which weights of individual independent forecasting algorithms are determined by their economic impacts on UC solutions. Numerical cases are analysed to illustrate the effect of the proposed load forecasting models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prove a surjectivity theorem for the Deligne canonical extension of a polarizable variation of Hodge structure with quasi-unipotent monodromy at infinity along the lines of Esnault-Viehweg. We deduce from it several injectivity theorems and vanishing theorems for pure Hodge modules. We also give an inductive proof of Kawamata-Viehweg vanishing for the lowest graded piece of the Hodge filtration of a pure Hodge module using mixed Hodge modules of nearby cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wrinkles widely existing in sheets and membranes have attracted a lot of attention in the fields of material science and engineering applications. In this paper, we present a new method to generate ordered (striplike) and steady wrinkles of a constrained dielectric elastomer (DE) sheet coated with soft electrodes on both sides subjected to high voltage. When the voltage reaches a certain value, wrinkles will nucleate and grow. We conduct both experimental and theoretical studies to investigate the wavelength and amplitude of the wrinkle. The results show a good agreement between theory and experiment. Moreover, the amplitude and wavelength of ordered wrinkles can be tuned by varying the prestretch and geometry of the DE sheet, as well as the applying voltage. This study can help future design of DE transducers such as diffraction grating and optical sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors describe a nonenzymatic glucose sensor that was obtained by electrochemical deposition and oxidization of metallic nickel on the surface of nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-RGO) placed on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). An analysis of the morphology and chemical structure indicated the composite to possess a well-defined vermicular Ni(OH) nanorods combined with N-RGO. The electrochemical performance of the modified GCE with respect to the detection of glucose in 0.1 M NaOH was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and amperometry. The wrinkle and protuberance of N-RGO for loading of nanostructured Ni(OH) are found to increase electrical conductivity, surface area, electrocatalytical activity and stability. The modified GCE displays a high electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of glucose in 0.1 M NaOH solution. The lower detection limit is 0.12 μM at an applied potential of +0.45 V (vs Ag/AgCl) (S/N=3), and the sensitivity is 3214 μA mM cm. The modified GCE possesses long-term stability, good reproducibility and high selectivity over fructose, sucrose and lactose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly-D-L lactide (PDLLA) biodegradable implants to heal fractures are widely applied in orthopedic surgeries. However, whether the process of fracture healing is regulated differently when PDLLA is used compared with traditional metal materials remains unclear. Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and canonical Wnt signaling are essential and may interact reciprocally in the regulation of osteogenesis during bone repair. In the present study, a rat femoral open osteotomy model was used to compare the curative efficacy of a PDLLA rod and Kirschner wire under intramedullary fixation for fracture treatment. The dynamic expression of Runx2 and key components of the canonical Wnt signaling in callus tissue during fracture healing was also investigated. The results of the current study indicate that at weeks 4 and 6 following fixation, the callus bone structural parameters of microCT were significantly improved by PDLLA rod compared to that of Kirschner wire. In addition, at weeks 4 and 6 after fixation, the protein and mRNA expression of Runx2 and the positive regulators of canonical Wnt signaling, such as Wnts and ß-catenin, were significantly increased. However, the protein and mRNA expression levels of the negative regulators of canonical Wnt signaling, such as glycogen synthase kinase-3ß, were significantly decreased in callus tissue when treated with PDLLA rod compared with Kirschner wire. Collectively, these data indicate that compared to the traditional metal material, using PDLLA internal fixation for fracture treatment may further improve bone formation, which is associated with the increased expression of Runx2 and the enhancement of canonical Wnt signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion is the main pathway of nutrients to fresh water in highly erodible regions. In this study, a dynamic erosion-type nonpoint source (NPS) pollution model was proposed to investigate spatiotemporal characteristics of adsorbed NPS total nitrogen (TN) load before and after returning farmland. Results indicate that: 1) the erosion-type NPS TN load showed a significant decreasing trend since the implementation of a returning farmland project from 1997, where the average TN load in 2009-12 was 2719.7 t/a, which decreased by about 80.7% compared with the initial period of governance (1995-98); 2) Spatial distributions of erosion-type NPS TN load are closely related to sediment yield, the high risk values of TN load mainly occur along the main river banks of the Yanhe River watershed from northwest to southeast; 3) Before returning farmland, the adsorbed NPS TN load in the Yanhe River upstream was relatively large, while after that it had a decreasing trend in the upper reaches of the Yanhe River watershed. Dry land is still a critical source area of NPS pollution load in the loess hilly and gully region. Therefore, it is essential to strengthen water conservation measures in highly erodible regions for the amelioration of regional water environment quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on analysis and evaluation of the 2009 to 2013 national lightning monitoring data, the average lightning detection station distance is approximately 170 kilometers in China, and the average operational availability (AO) exceeds 90?%. Lightning detection systems use a hybrid location method of direction finding (DF) and the time difference of arrival (TOA). The stations use four localization algorithms, including two-station mixing, three-station mixing, four-station mixing and two-station amplitude. Among them, the four-station method has the highest positioning accuracy, i.e., close to 50?%. The statistical results show that lightning occurrences in China have increased, especially negative cloud-to-ground (-CG) flashes because positive cloud-to-ground (+CG) flashes account for only 5.1?% of the total. In china, most of lightning currents range are in the -60?~?+60?kA, Lightning current between -10?~?+10?kA only accounted for small proportion of 0.6?%.The average intensity of positive flashes is 64.2?kA, the average intensity of negative flashes is -40.28?kA. The average +CG intensity is higher than that of -CG flashes, which is consistent with statistical results of other Lightning detection network. Lightning frequency has obvious regional differences across the country; the high density lightning area is mainly distributed in south-central China, the south-central Yangtze River region and the eastern part of southwestern China. Seasonal variation in lightning activity is well defined, with few lightning occurrences in winter and a gradual but significant increase from spring to autumn in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River to the north, south and southwest. The ratio of positive to negative flashes is highest in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report herein a nonpeptide-based small-molecule probe for fluorogenic and chromogenic detection of chymotrypsin, as well as the primary application for this probe. This probe was rationally designed by mimicking the peptide substrate and optimized by adjusting the recognition group. The refined probe 2 exhibits good specificity toward chymotrypsin, producing about 25-fold higher enhancement in both the fluorescence intensity and absorbance upon the catalysis by chymotrypsin. Compared with the most widely used peptide substrate (AMC-FPAA-Suc) of chymotrypsin, probe 2 shows about 5-fold higher binding affinity and comparable catalytical efficiency against chymotrypsin. Furthermore, it was successfully applied for the inhibitor characterization. To the best of our knowledge, probe 2 is the first nonpeptide-based small-molecule probe for chymotrypsin, with the advantages of simple structure and high sensitivity compared to the widely used peptide-based substrates. This small-molecule probe is expected to be a useful molecular tool for drug discovery and chymotrypsin-related disease diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In order to find a suitable instrument to evaluate psychological resilience in Chinese new employee population, we intended to propose a possible factorial structure of Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Furthermore, we administered to explore its reliability and validity in the present population. Methods: Participants were derived from the male new employees who had started working in the last 2-3 months from 12 machinery factories across 8 different provinces of China. Chinese version of CD-RISC was used to assess the resilience of the study participants. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to assess the possible factor structure, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to determine which factor structure was the most suitable among the present study sample. Results: The present 4-factor model (tolerance for stress, tenacity, and goal orientation; adaptability and acceptance of change; optimism and sense of security; and trust in one's instinct) of CD-RISC showed good internal consistency, concurrent validity and consistent structure validity, and had presented better data fit than the original 5-factor and the Chinese 3-factor patterns. Each of the present 4-factor structure and the total score of CD-RISC were negatively and significantly associated with Global Severity Index T score and Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4+ score. Conclusions: The measure of resilience is useful in screening high-risk employees who are vulnerable to stress. Optimal and tailored interventions can be further applied to avoid potential adverse events in this population. Longitudinal research should be required to determine whether aging and long-term health events can change the nature of resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal aggregation is a canonical example of disordered growth far from equilibrium and has been extensively studied for the case of spherical monomers. Many particles encountered in industry and the environment are highly elongated; however, the control of particle shape on aggregation kinetics and structure is not well-known. Here, we explore this control in laboratory experiments that document aqueous diffusion and aggregation of two different elongated colloids: natural asbestos fibers and synthetic glass rods, with similar aspect ratios of about 5:1. We also perform control runs with glass spheres of similar size (~1 μm). The aggregates assembled from the elongated particles are noncompact, with morphologies and growth rates that differ markedly from the classical aggregation dynamics observed for spherical monomers. The results for asbestos and glass rods are remarkably similar, demonstrating the primacy of shape over material properties-suggesting that our findings may be extended to other elongated colloids such as carbon nanotubes/fibers. This study may lead to enhanced prediction of the transport and fate of colloidal contaminants in the environment, which are strongly influenced by the growth and structure of aggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work introduces a synthesis of well-defined thermo and pH dual-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-poly(4-vinylpyridine)-grafted silica nanoparticles (SNPs-g-PNIPAM-b-P4VP) via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). ATRP initiators were attached onto the surfaces of silica nanoparticles followed by ATRP of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM). During the surface-initiated ATRP, free sacrificial initiator and halogen exchange were utilized to render the polymerization in a controlled manner. Because of the retention of the polymer chain's end-group functionality, chain extension with 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) from the obtained PNIPAM-grafted SNPs (SNPs-g-PNIPAM) was successfully conducted. Kinetics of the chain extension was studied in detail, showing the livingness of this reinitiation process. Subsequent quaternization of the outer P4VP block with methyl iodide led to the synthesized hybrid nanoparticles being well dispersed in aqueous solution. This well dispersibility affords the possibility to study the pH- and thermoresponsive behavior of the diblock copolymer chains on the nanoparticle surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygonatum cyrtonema lectin (PCL), a mannose/sialic acid-binding lectin isolated from the rhizomes of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua, has been reported to possess remarkable anti-tumour effects via inducing apoptosis and autophagy. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms mediating PCL-induced apoptosis and autophagy in A549 cells. Herein, we found that the treatment of A549 cells with PCL caused a remarkable generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC) inhibited PCL-induced apoptosis and autophagy. In addition, PCL treatment activated mitogen- activated protein kinase (MAPK) members extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), JNK and p38, JNK inhibitor and p38 inhibitor partially reduced PCLinduced apoptosis and autophagy. Moreover, PCL administration activated NF-κB survival pathway in A549 cells, NF-κB inhibitor Bay11-7082 promoted PCLinduced apoptosis. Importantly, we found PCL may bind to the cell surface in a mannose-specific manner, and was then internalized and accumulated primarily onto the mitochondria. These findings may provide a new perspective of PCL as a potential anti-tumour drug targeting apoptosis and autophagy pathways for future cancer therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to select key genes that are associated with fibroblasts and keratinocytes during keloid scar progression and development. The gene expression profile of GSE44270, which includes 32 samples, was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in case samples compared with control samples were screened using the Limma R package followed by hierarchical clustering analysis. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks of the total selected DEGs were constructed using Cytoscape. Moreover, the Gene Ontology biological processes and significant Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways of the total selected DEGs were enriched using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. Significant pathways that may be associated with keloid scar were analyzed using deviation analysis of dynamic capabilities. There were 658 DEGs in fibroblast keloid vs. normal, 112 DEGs in fibroblast non-lesion vs. normal, 439 DEGs in fibroblast keloid vs. non-lesion, 523 DEGs in keratocyte keloid vs. normal, 186 DEGs in keratocyte non-lesion vs. normal, and 963 DEGs in keratocyte keloid vs. non-lesion groups. HOXA9, BMP4, CDKN1A and SMAD2 in fibroblasts, and HOXA7, MCM8, PSMA4 and PSMB2 in keratinocytes were key genes in the PPI networks. Moreover, the amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism pathway, cell cycle, and extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction pathway were significant pathways. This study suggests that several key genes (BMP4, HOXA9, SMAD2, CDKN1A, HOXA7, PSMA4 and PSMB2) that participate in some significant pathways (cell cycle and ECM-receptor interaction pathways) may be potential therapeutic targets for keloid scars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion not only results in the destruction of land resources and the decline of soil fertility, but also contributes to river channel sedimentation. In order to explore the spatiotemporal evolution of erosion and sediment yield before and after returning farmland in a typical watershed of the hilly and gully region (Chinese Loess Plateau), a distributed-dynamic model of sediment yield based on the Chinese Soil Loss Equation (CSLE) was established and modified to assess the effects of hydrological factors and human activities on erosion and sediment yield between 1995 and 2013. Results indicate that (1) the modified model has the characteristics of a simple algorithm, high accuracy, wide practicability and easy expansion, and can be applied to predict erosion and sediment yield in the study area, (2) soil erosion gradations are closely related to the spatial distribution of rainfall erosivity and land use patterns, and the current soil and water conservation measures are not efficient for high rainfall intensities, and (3) the average sediment yield rate before and after model modification in the most recent 5 years (in addition to 2013) is 4574.62 and 1696.1Mgkm-2, respectively, decreasing by about 35.4 and 78.2%when compared to the early governance (1995-1998). However, in July 2013 the once-in-a-century storm is the most important reason for maximum sediment yield. Results may provide an effective and scientific basis for soil and water conservation planning and ecological construction of the hilly and gully region, Chinese Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous researchers had not yet examined the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in urban China. The present study attempts to assess HRQOL of lower-SES populations in urban China in comparison with middle- and high-SES populations, and then to examine the mediating role of sense of control between SES and HRQOL. A national representative sample of 1,856 participants responded to the HRQOL survey using the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), conducted by the Chinese General Social Survey research team in 2010. The results showed that lower-SES populations reported lower HRQOL than middle- and high-SES populations. Sense of control could partially mediate the association between social class and HRQOL. These findings will generate significant policy and practice implications for identifying those at particular risk for lower HRQOL and, accordingly, suggesting ways to improve their HRQOL through specific social work interventions in urban China's context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasensitive explosive sensors are significant in anti-terrorism and related environment issues. Herein, we proposed a novel boron-doped graphene (B-GE) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) applied as a simple, sensitive electrochemical high melting explosive (HMX) sensor. The morphology and structure features of B-GE were characterized. The electrochemical behaviors of HMX on the B-GE modified GCE were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Under the optimized conditions, CV was used for the quantitative detection of HMX, and the reduction peak current exhibited good linear dependence with the concentration of HMX in the ranges of 2 ∼ 20 μM and 20 ∼ 100 μM. The low detection limit (LOD) was calculated as 0.83 μM (245.81 ppb). Furthermore, the B-GE/GCE showed satisfactory repeatability, high selectivity and stability. The reduction reaction mechanism of HMX on B-GE modified electrode was explored by computational theoretical analysis. Additionally, the differences of the reduction mechanisms from nitroaromatic explosives were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The recently identified phenomenon of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated gene activation (RNAa) has been studied extensively, as it is present in humans, mice, and Caenorhabditis elegans, suggesting that dsRNA-mediated RNAa is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism. Previous studies have shown that dsP21-322 can induce tumor suppressor gene p21 expression in several human cancer cells. Nonetheless, the role of dsRNAs in the activation of gene expression, including their target molecules and associated key factors, remains poorly understood. Methods: Oligonucleotides were used to overexpress dsRNAs and dsControl. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect corresponding mRNA and protein expression, respectively. Fluorescence microscopy was used to examine the kinetics of dsRNA subcellular distribution. Luciferase reporter assays were performed to verify dsRNA target molecules. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were carried out to determine whether histone modification and other associated key factors are involved in saRNA-mediated p21 expression. Results: We demonstrated that dsRNA-mediated p21 induction in human cell lines is a common phenomenon. This process occurs at the transcriptional level, and the complementary p21 promoter is the intended dsRNA target. Additionally, ChIP assays indicated that p21 activation was accompanied by an increased enrichment of AGO1 and the trimethylation of histone H3K4 at dsRNA-targeted genomic sites. Conclusion: These data systematically reveal the mechanistic and functional aspects of ncRNA-mediated p21 activation in human cancer cells, which may be a useful tool to analyze gene function and aid in the development of novel drug targets for cancer therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stable and well-distributed nitrogen-doped graphene (NGE) is prepared by a simple and efficient hydrothermal method with a reducing-doping reagent of vitamin B3. Compared with NGE reduced by urea, vitamin B3 reduced NGE (NGE-N) show superior catalysis towards the electrochemical reduction of imidacloprid. The pyridine-N oxide induced in graphene sheets is considered enhancing the interaction between NGE-N and imidacloprid molecules. The NGE-N modified electrode is used in fast determination of imidacloprid with a low detection limit of 0.55 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]