Search

trans-9,10-Dihydro-9,10-ethanoanthracene-11,12-dicarboxylic acid (deadcH2), in its racemic or R,R enantiomeric forms, has been used to synthesize eight uranyl ion complexes under solvo-hydrothermal conditions. [UO2(deadc)]·1.5CH3CN (1) and [H2NMe2]2[(UO2)2(deadc)3]·2H2O (2) crystallize as monoperiodic coordination polymers in which deadc2− forms both 4- and 7-membered chelate rings. Although synthesized in the same conditions as 2, the enantiomerically pure complex [H2NMe2]4[(UO2)2(O)(R,R-deadc)2]2 (3) is a discrete tetranuclear complex containing two μ3-oxo anions. Association with the zwitterion Ni(tpyc)2, where tpyc− is 2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine-4′-carboxylate, gives [(UO2)2(deadc)(deadcH)(NO3)Ni(tpyc)2]·CH3CN·2H2O (4), a rake-shaped monoperiodic assembly. [UO2(deadc)(DMA)] (5), [UO2(deadc)] (6) and [PPh4]2[(UO2)2(R,R-deadc)3] (7) crystallize as diperiodic networks with the fes, sql and hcb topologies, respectively, the thick layers formed being coated on both sides by protruding, hydrophobic dibenzobarrelene groups. Finally, [(UO2)2Ag2(deadc)3(CH3CN)2]·0.5H2O (8) contains monoperiodic uranyl–deadc2− subunits which are assembled into a triperiodic framework by bridging silver(I) cations, the latter interacting with both carboxylate groups and aromatic rings. Except for 6, all these complexes are emissive with photoluminescence quantum yields of 2–26%, and most spectra display the usual vibronic fine structure of uranyl emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited lifespan of aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (with vanadium‐oxide based cathodes) is constrained by practical applications due to corrosion accelerated by vanadium ions leaching from the cathode and uneven dendrite growth on the zinc metal anode. To address these issues, the difference in size between hydrated zinc ions (4.30 Å) in electrolyte and vanadium ions (8.34 Å) is considered. Uniformly coating the MOF‐801 nanoparticles (with a pore size of 6.0 Å) on the zinc foil formed a selective ion transport layer. The uniform zinc ion flux generated by the selective ion transport layer allows hydrated zinc ions to be transported evenly and promotes uniform zinc deposition, leading to a low overpotential (17.4 mV) and high cycle stability (1000 h) in the symmetric cell. Moreover, the selective ion transport layer, having pores smaller than vanadium ions, blocked vanadium ions from migrating toward the zinc anode, thereby reducing its corrosion and contributing to a capacity retention of 86% after 2000 cycles under full‐cell conditions. This study demonstrates that the pore size of the coating layer influences the long‐term stability of aqueous zinc‐ion batteries and may serve as a guide when selecting interface modification materials for various metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of the poloidally inhomogeneous particle source on the onset of Stringer spin-up (SSU) and geodesic acoustic mode (GAM) is investigated. Using a gyrofluid model with Hammet–Perkins closure, it was found that Landau damping stabilizes both waves and subsequently makes a threshold. To capture the full effects of Landau damping, a gyrokinetic model is adopted and results are compared with those from the gyrofluid model. Both models predicted the same value of the threshold for SSU, while for the case of GAM, the gyrofluid model overestimates the threshold value. Considering maximal throughput of the ITER pellet fueling system, the source intensity is calculated at a similar or slightly lower level compared to the source threshold for SSU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activation of formaldehyde (FA) by frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) that are comprised of bulky phosphines having a carbazolyl donor–triarylboryl acceptor unit and B(C6F5)3 led to the formation of FLP–FA adducts that exhibit a thermally activated delayed fluorescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We fabricate the nickel selenide thin films on fluorine-doped tin oxide conducting glass subtract using pulsed-voltage electrodeposition method for counter electrodes in quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells. The novelty of this work is nickel selenides are prepared by PVE significantly differs from the traditional continuous-voltage electrodeposition in morphology, compositions, and electrocatalytic activities. In general, NiSe 2 -PVE films consist of clusters with crystalline NiSe 2 nanoparticles which remain nanoporous because application of anodic bias during pulsed electrodeposition enables diffusion layer of H 2 SeO 3 recover from the deposition. The subsequent short cathodic bias not only facilitates new nucleation of nickel selenide but also hinders grain growth. In contrast, Ni 3 Se 2 -CVE film consists dense larger Ni 3 Se 2 grains with surface microcracks attributed to continuous grain growth and accumulated film stress. Hence, NiSe 2 -PVE enhances electrocatalytic activity in polysulfide electrolyte in an effective manner when compare to Ni 3 Se 2 -CVE, owing to significantly more electrocatalytic active sites and enhance charge and mass transports. As an outcome, QDSSC with NiSe 2 -PVE CE achieve significantly higher power conversion efficiency of 4.46% than those of cells with Pt (2.62%) and Ni 3 Se 2 -CVE (2.63%) CEs. Furthermore, electrochemical stability in polysulfide electrolyte medium is reasonably high. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Nickel selenide prepared by pulse-voltage electrochemical deposition (NiSe 2 -PVE). • NiSe 2 -PVE provides nanoporous clusters with uncracked NiSe 2 nanocrystals. • NiSe 2 -PVE shows excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability. • QDSSC with FTO/NiSe 2 -PVE CE exhibits significantly enhanced cell performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aims in this paper are to (1) examine the higher moments of the distribution of winning percentages and (2) discover economic implications of such an examination. The results prove useful to both current sports league policy questions and future research. We speculate that the institutional differences between North American pro leagues and European soccer leagues will prove fruitful areas for future research on the determination of competitive balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weakly emissive phosphine compounds, which contain a carbazolyl donor−triarylboryl acceptor luminophore, become strongly delayed fluorescent upon changes to their oxide forms. Time-gated acquisition of the fluorescence signals of phosphine in the presence of H2O2 and a competitive fluorescence dye allow for detection of H2O2 with elimination of short-lived fluorescence noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel approach to highly efficient, blue thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) emitters is proposed. A series of ortho‐carbazole‐appended triarylboron compounds (1–5) are prepared with various substituents, including tert‐Bu, Me, and OMe, introduced to the carbazole donor and/or to the dimesitylphenylboron (PhBMes2) acceptor. Depending on the substituents on the donor and/or acceptor moieties, the emission color is finely tuned over the entire blue region from sky blue to ultradeep blue. Retention of a twisted donor (D)–acceptor (A) structure enabled by the ortho D–A connectivity and bulky triarylboron leads to small energy splitting (ΔEST) between singlet and triplet excited states, resulting in very efficient TADF. High‐efficiency blue TADF organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) are realized by using the proposed ortho D–A compounds as emitters. Among them, the blue OLEDs incorporating a BuCzMeoB (2) emitter exhibit a very high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 32.8% at Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) color coordinates of (0.135, 0.266). The high device efficiency is attributed to both the high photoluminescence quantum yield of 2 in a given host film (93%) and the high horizontal transition dipole ratio (Θ) of 0.76. Ultradeep blue OLEDs with a record‐high efficiency are also fabricated with a CzOMeoB (5) emitter, exhibiting an EQE of 14.9% at CIE coordinates of (0.151, 0.058). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed gender-specific factors associated with suicidal ideation among community-dwelling stroke survivors. In total, 4,322 stroke survivors who participated in the 2013 Korean Community Health Survey were included in the final analysis. Sociodemographic information, socio-family relationships, health behaviors, health status, and suicidal ideation were assessed using a standardized questionnaire. On fully adjusted analysis, suicidal ideation among males was more common in those who were widowed, rather than married (odds ratio [OR] 1.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–2.47), those who rarely contacted neighbors (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.10–2.06), current smokers (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.03–2.29), and frequent drinkers (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.05–2.24). Suicidal ideation among females was more common in older subjects, those with lower monthly household incomes, the unemployed (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.21–2.53), and housewives/students (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.06–2.03), those who rarely contacted friends (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.12–1.82), and diabetics (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.05–1.73). Perceived persistent high-level stress, depressive mood, poor self-rated health, and a diagnosis of depression were commonly associated with suicidal ideation in both genders. Gender differences should be considered by medical practitioners and community policymakers when seeking to prevent and manage suicidal ideation in stroke survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Reverse engineer the ZHS as an artificial protection layer for Zn anode. • The real-time OCV observation and ex-situ analyses elucidate the conversion form Mg(OH) 2 to ZHS. • The porous ZHS layer promoted uniform Zn-ion flux and suppressed Zn dendrite growth. • The porous ZHS layer coated Zn showed superior stability in symmetric and full cell conditions. Rechargeable aqueous Zn-ion batteries have received numerous attention due to low cost, non-flammability, and high energy density. However, the limited lifespan of Zn metal anodes resulting from uncontrollable growth of Zn dendrites impedes their practical application. Here, we use zinc hydroxide sulfate hydrate (ZHS), well known as a byproduct produced in aqueous Zn-ion batteries, to instead reverse engineer the material as an artificial protection layer for the first time. Unlike the uneven microflake-structured ZHS formed by corrosion reaction reported in previous studies that induce unstable Zn dendrite growth, the produced porous ZHS protection layer can evenly guide Zn-ion flux to the surface of Zn metal by charateristics including hydrophilicity, high Zn-ion conductivity, low electronic conductivity, and diffusion channels of ZHS, leading to endow remarkable plating/stripping reversibility without Zn dendrite growth and suppressed side reactions. Accordingly, the porous ZHS protection layer coated Zn electrode exhibits a low overpotential (15.5 mV) and a long cycle lifespan of 1000 h at 1 mA cm−2 for 1 mAh cm−2 in symmetric cell conditions and outstanding capacity retention of 82.7 % after 2000 cycles at 5.0 A g−1 in full cell conditions. We believe that this work provides deep and new insights into the design of artificial protection layers using byproduct materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the thickness of retinal layers and association with final visual acuity using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in macular area of macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) patients after a successful macular re-attachment. Methods: In retrospective study, a total 24 eyes with macula-off RRD were enrolled. All patients underwent vitrectomy to repair RRD. Outer plexiform layer (OPL), outer nuclear layer (ONL), photoreceptor layer (PR), retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) thicknesses were measured by the Spectralis (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) SD-OCT with automated segmentation software. The relationship between the thicknesses of each retinal layer and postoperative logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution scale (LogMAR) visual acuity was analyzed. Results: OPL and RPE thicknesses were not significantly different between the retinal detachment eyes and fellow eyes (P = 0.839, 0.999, respectively). The ONL and photoreceptor thickness were significantly thinner in the retinal detachment eyes (P <0.001 and 0.001, respectively). In the univariate regression analysis, preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), ONL thickness and photoreceptor thickness showed association with the postoperative BCVA (P = 0.003, <0.001 and 0.024, respectively). In final multiple linear regression model, ONL thickness was the only variable significantly associated with postoperative BCVA (P = 0.044). Conclusions: Segmented ONL and photoreceptor thickness of retinal detachment eyes were significantly thinner than fellow eyes. Segmental analysis of the retinal layer in macular region may provide valuable information for evaluation RRD. And ONL thickness can be used as a potential biomarker to predict visual outcome after RRD repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and screening for diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic nephropathy (DN) in community-dwelling diabetics. We analyzed data from 22,134 people with diabetes aged ≥19 years at the time of the nationwide 2015 Korean Community Health Survey. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between SES and screening for DR and DN both before and after adjustment for health behaviors, comorbidities, and educational level. Of all diabetic subjects, 33.9% and 38.1% underwent DR and DN screening, respectively. In the fully adjusted model, the extent of the DR and DN screening trended significantly lower as the educational level fell. Monthly household income was positively associated with DR screening, but a lower odds ratio (OR) for DN screening was evident only when the lowest and highest income groups were compared. Compared with managers/professionals, agricultural/forestry/fishery workers (OR 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69–0.96) and mechanical/manual laborers (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.71–0.97) had lower ORs for DN screening. Residents in rural (compared with urban) areas and widows/widowers (compared with members of couples) were significantly less likely to undergo screening for DR and DN. Similar findings were obtained when the analysis was limited to those who had been educated about diabetes. In conclusion, socioeconomic inequalities were evident in terms of screening for DR and DN in community-dwelling Korean diabetics, regardless of whether they had reported receiving diabetes education. Tailored public health policies (and societal attention) are required to aid the socioeconomically disadvantaged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined gender-specific factors associated with the use of mental health services (MHS) for suicidal ideation (SI). We included data on 6,768 males and 12,475 females who had experienced SI over the past year from the nationwide 2013 Korean Community Health Survey. These individuals were grouped as MHS users for SI if they had received professional counseling at medical institutions, professional counseling agencies, or community health centers for SI-related problems. Their information on sociodemographic factors, socio-familial relationships, health behaviors, and health status were included as exposures in a logistic regression analysis. Of the 19,243 individuals, 7.0% of the males and 10.5% of the females used MHS for SI treatment. For males with SI, living in an urban area, being a widower, and having unhealthy behaviors (frequent alcohol consumption and infrequent walking) were associated with underuse of MHS. For females with SI, frequent contact with friends, low level of religious activity, and good self-rated health were associated with underuse of MHS. For both males and females, those who were younger, completed higher education, and experienced depression/suicide attempts in the past year were more likely to use MHS for SI. These findings suggest that gender-specific factors should be used to inform suicide prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the impact of protein kinase C (PKC) on cellular senescence. The PKC activity and expression of conventional PKC (cPKC) and atypical PKC (aPKC) isoforms decreased during replicative senescence in IMR-90 cells. Forced inhibition of cPKC or aPKC induced the activation of senescence markers, including senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-p53-p21 Cip1/WAF1 axis in HCT116 and HEK293 cells. PKC inhibition triggered the nuclear exportation of FoxO3a via stimulation of AKT-mediated phosphorylation of FoxO3a, and thereby decreased the transcription of FoxO3a target genes. Conversely, ectopic expression of the PKC isoforms led to stimulation of the nuclear import of FoxO3a and expression of the FoxO3a target genes. Ectopic FoxO3a expression attenuated ROS accumulation and senescent phenotypes induced by PKC inhibition. Therefore, this study suggests for the first time that downregulation of PKC induces senescence through the AKT-FoxO3a-ROS-p53-p21 Cip1/WAF1 pathway in HCT116 and HEK293 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although previous studies reported an association between serum vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) with carotid atherosclerosis or arterial stiffness, these were inconsistent. We examined the independent association between serum vitamin D and PTH with multiple subclinical markers of atherosclerosis. Methods: A total of 8,217 subjects who participated in the Dong-gu Study in Korea were included in the final analysis. The carotid artery structure, including intima-media thickness (IMT), plaques, and luminal diameter, was evaluated using a high-resolution B-mode ultrasound. The brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was determined using an automatic waveform analysis device, and the mean of the left and right baPWV was used. Results: The PTH concentration was positively associated with carotid luminal diameter and baPWV, but not with carotid IMT and plaques. The mean carotid luminal diameter of individuals with PTH levels in the second, third, and fourth quartiles was significantly larger compared with those in the first quartile (P-trend < 0.01). The mean baPWV of individuals with PTH levels in the fourth quartile was significantly greater than those with PTH levels in the first quartile (P-trend = 0.01). However, there was no significant association between vitamin D and any atherosclerotic phenotypes, including carotid IMT, plaques, luminal diameter, and baPWV. Conclusion: This suggests that PTH might affect the development of atherosclerosis by altering vascular compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triarylboranes incorporating meta -substituted 2-R- o -carboranes (R = H, Me, i Bu, Ph, 4-CF 3 C 6 F 4 ) were prepared to investigate the effects of the meta -2-R- o -carborane on Lewis acidity. X-ray crystal structures revealed that the carboranyl C C bond distances increased with increasing steric and electron-withdrawing effects of the 2-R group. UV/Vis absorption titrations with fluoride ions showed high binding constants ( K > 10 7 M −1 in THF and K = 3.9–6.6 × 10 3 M −1 in THF/H 2 O (9:1 vol)). Fluoride ion affinity was greater for the 2-aryl (4-CF 3 C 6 F 4 )-substituted triarylborane than 2-H and -alkyl (Me)-substituted triarylboranes, which was supported by anodic shifts in the reduction potentials of 2-aryl- o -carborane-substituted triarylboranes. Comparison of fluoride binding constants and reduction potentials of meta - and para -substituted triarylboranes indicated slightly lower Lewis acidity of meta -substituted triarylboranes. In contrast to para -substituted triarylboranes, the Lewis acidity of meta -substituted triarylboranes is likely to be primarily enhanced by the inductive effect of the 2-R- o -carborane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystal structure determinations for the divergent quaterpyridine-type ligand bis-1,4-(di-4-pyridylaminomethyl)benzene, dpab, and its complexes with silver(I) trifluoroacetate and nitrate have revealed the operation of different weak interactions within the lattices. Coordination of four pyridyl-N donors to Ag(I) in the trifluoroacetate results in a 3-dimensional coordination polymer with the uncoordinated anions held within the cavities created by that polymer. In the nitrate, only two pyridyl-N donors are bound to each of the two inequivalent Ag(I) centres and the lattice contains two interpenetrating coordination polymers linked by CH⋯O interactions involving the coordinated anions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This article proposes an approach to help designers analyze complex care processes and identify the optimal layout of an emergency department (ED) considering several objectives simultaneously. These objectives include minimizing the distances traveled by patients, maximizing design preferences, and minimizing the relocation costs. Background: Rising demand for healthcare services leads to increasing demand for new hospital buildings as well as renovating existing ones. Operations management techniques have been successfully applied in both manufacturing and service industries to design more efficient layouts. However, high complexity of healthcare processes makes it challenging to apply these techniques in healthcare environments. Method: Process mining techniques were applied to address the problem of complexity and to enhance healthcare process analysis. Process-related information, such as information about the clinical pathways, was extracted from the information system of an ED. A goal programming approach was then employed to find a single layout that would simultaneously satisfy several objectives. Results: The layout identified using the proposed method improved the distances traveled by noncritical and critical patients by 42.2% and 47.6%, respectively, and minimized the relocation costs. Conclusion: This study has shown that an efficient placement of the clinical units yields remarkable improvements in the distances traveled by patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal post-buckling and limit-cycle oscillation characteristics of Functionally Graded Material (FGM) structures are investigated based on the neutral surface concept. In particular, the material properties are non-homogeneous and vary gradually from one surface to the other. Furthermore, the properties are to be considered as temperature-dependent characteristics, and the neutral surface concept is adopted instead of the mid-plane to consider the reference plane due to the asymmetric properties in the thickness direction of model. In the formulation, the First-order Shear Deformation Theory (FSDT) of plate is used, and the geometric nonlinearity is accounted for by the von Karman strain-displacement relations. Also, steady state thermal conduction effects are assumed as a one dimensional heat transfer on the surface of the structure. For the numerical analysis, the Newton-Raphson method is applied to solve the thermal post-buckling behavior, while Newmark's time integration method is employed to resolve the limit-cycle oscillation. In order to validate the analysis results, the results of this paper based on the neutral surface are compared with the data from previous papers using the conventional approach for FGMs model. Finally, effects of the neutral surface on the non-linear thermo-mechanic behavior of structure are discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Rigid TADF emitters based on a spiro-fluorenyl B -heterotriangulene acceptor were prepared. • The emitters exhibit narrowband blue emissions (FWHM = 52 nm) with unitary PLQYs in doped host films. • Fast RISC (∼106 s−1) is achieved by the strong SOC between the T 2 (3LE) and S 1 (1CT) states. • The doped host films exhibit excellent horizontal transition dipole orientation ratios of ∼0.90. • Blue TADF-OLEDs demonstrate a state-of-the-art EQE of 36.4% with supressed roll-off. The design of robust thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters is crucial in realizing highly efficient and stable blue TADF-organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Here boron-based donor–acceptor-type blue TADF compounds incorporating a triply-bridged, spiro-type boron acceptor; namely, spiro-fluorenyl B -heterotriangulene, and 9,9-diphenyl-9,10-dihydroacridine (DPAC, 1) or 10 H -spiro[acridine-9,9′-fluorene] (sAC, 2) donors are presented. Their doped host films show blue emissions with narrow full width at half maximum values of 52 nm (0.29 eV) and unitary photoluminescence quantum yields. The compounds exhibit short-lived delayed fluorescence (τ d = 1.8–2.7 μs) and undergo fast reverse intersystem crossing with the rate constants of ∼106 s−1 in the film state. These are attributable to the small singlet–triplet energy splitting of ∼40 meV and the effective spin–orbit coupling between the singlet (1CT, S 1) and local triplet (3LE, T 2) excited states. From outstanding horizontal transition dipole orientation ratios of 0.89 and 0.90 for the host films of 1 and 2 , respectively, high-efficiency blue TADF-OLEDs showing maximum external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of over 30% are realized. Notably, the device with the fully spiro 2 achieves a state-of-the-art EQE max of 36.4% and a suppressed efficiency roll-off, with a high EQE of 26.3% even at 1,000 cd/m2, highlighting the synergistic effect between the spiro-structure and the B -heterotriangulene acceptor skeleton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consideration of the crystal structures of four new 2,2′;6′,2′′-terpyridine derivatives in terms of the weak lattice interactions which can be discerned through calculation of their Hirshfeld surfaces shows that despite the common feature of stacking of the near-planar aromatic entities, specific interactions beyond dispersion within the stacked arrays are relatively uncommon. This is in accord with what is seen in the same analysis of the structures of known analogues, which provides context for the present work. That this is not simply a consequence of the transoid array of the N-donors in these free ligands is seen from extension of the Hirshfeld surface analysis to the structures of protonated species where cisoid arrays are seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we report a unique material design of interconnected MnO 2 nanoparticles covered with a Ni(OH) 2 layer as an electrochromic energy storage device. MnO 2 /Ni(OH) 2 electrodes are prepared via sequential electrodeposition within a short duration. During the electrodeposition of Ni(OH) 2 , the electrodeposited interconnected MnO 2 nanoparticles on the substrate provide additional nucleation sites, indicating the porous morphology of the Ni(OH) 2 layer without any significant cracks. The synergistic effects generated by the hybrid structure combined with interconnected MnO 2 nanoparticles and Ni(OH) 2 layer improve the charge transfer kinetics by shortening the transport pathway, facilitating electrochromic performance with fast switching times (2.66 s for bleaching process and 2.72 s for coloring process) and significant transmittance retention. In addition, the energy storage performance of the MnO 2 /Ni(OH) 2 electrode shows an excellent areal capacitance (26.0 mF cm−2 at an operating current density of 0.2 mA cm−2). The electrochromic energy storage device with a two-electrode system (MnO 2 /Ni(OH) 2 as the positive electrode and TiO 2 as the negative electrode) exhibits comparable switching times (1.79 s for bleaching time and 3.28 s for coloring time) and areal capacitance (1.21 mF cm−2 at an operating current density of 0.2 mA cm−2) over a wide potential range. [Display omitted] • The MnO 2 covered with an Ni(OH) 2 layer is prepared by electrodeposition method. • The MnO 2 /Ni(OH) 2 exhibited high surface area and additional synergistic effect. • The MnO 2 /Ni(OH) 2 showed high performance in electrochromic energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A family of heteroleptic iridium(iii) cyclometalates, [4-(2-RCB)ppy]2Ir(acac) (3c–3g; CB = o-carboran-1-yl; ppy = 2-phenylpyridinato-C2,N; acac = acetylacetonate; R = iPr (3c), iBu (3d), Ph (3e), CF3C6H4 (3f), C6F5 (3g)) with various 2-R substituted o-carboranes at the 4-position in the phenyl ring of the ppy ligand, were prepared. The X-ray crystal structure of all complexes, including 3a (R = H) and 3b (R = Me), showed that while the carboranyl C–C bond distance increases with the increasing steric effect of the 2-R substituent (3a–3d), the bond distance is more likely to be influenced by the electronic effect of the substituent for the 2-aryl substituted complexes (3e–3g). The absorption and emission bands of all complexes were red-shifted with respect to those of the parent (ppy)2Ir(acac) (4). While 3a–3d exhibited intense green phosphorescence with good quantum efficiency in toluene (ΦPL = 0.17–0.47), the complexes were poorly emissive in THF (ΦPL ＜ 0.004). In a PMMA film, however, 3a–3d became substantially emissive (ΦPL = 0.11–0.14, 8 wt% Ir), albeit less emissive than 4 (ΦPL = 0.15). In contrast, the 2-aryl substituted 3e–3g were almost non-emissive in both the solution and solid states. All complexes underwent facile carborane-centered, electrochemical reduction (Eonset = −2.01 to −1.22 V). The potential values of these reductions increased with increases in the electron accepting ability of the 2-R group (H ＜ alkyl ＜ aryl) and were largely shifted anodically with respect to those of 4 and 5-carborane substituted complexes. This reduction behavior of 3a–3g implies that the LUMO contribution of 2-R-o-carborane units increases through the substitution at the 4-position of the ppy ligand and is influenced by the nature of the 2-R group, which may be responsible for facile carboranyl C–C bond variation leading to efficient quenching of the emissive excited states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives We examined the associations between HbA1c levels and various atherosclerotic vascular parameters among adults without diabetes from the general population. Methods A total of 6500 community-dwelling adults, who were free of type 2 diabetes and ≥50 years of age, were included. High-resolution B-mode ultrasound was used to evaluate carotid artery structure, including intima-media thickness (IMT), plaque, and luminal diameter. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), which is a useful indicator of systemic arterial stiffness, was determined using an automatic waveform analysis device. Results No significant associations were observed between HbA1c, carotid IMT, plaque, or luminal diameter in a fully adjusted model. However, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for high baPWV (defined as the highest quartile) increased by 1.43 (1.19–1.71) per 1% HbA1c increase after adjusting for conventional risk factors in a multivariate logistic regression analysis. In addition, HbA1c was independently associated with baPWV in a multivariate linear regression analysis. Conclusions High-normal HbA1c level was independently associated with arterial stiffness, but not with carotid atherosclerotic parameters, in the general population without diabetes. Our results suggest that the functional atherosclerotic process may already be accelerated according to HbA1c level, even at a level below the diagnostic threshold for diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work concerns with the thermal buckling behavior of Functionally Graded Materials (FGMs) based on neutral surface of structures. Especially, the materials have non-homogeneous properties with varying gradually from one surface to the other. In this regard, the neutral surface of the model is not the same as the mid-plane of structure due to asymmetry of material in the thickness direction, and thus it is necessary to select the neutral surface as the reference plane. Further, the material properties are temperature dependent, the location of the neutral surface depends also on the temperature change. For the crucial discussion, thermal buckling behaviors of FGMs are investigated based on the neutral surface concept. In the formulation, linear theory of plate is adopted based on the first-order shear deformation theory, and the steady state thermal conduction is considered as the one dimensional heat transfer. Numerical results show that the present works have little lower estimation of the buckling temperatures than previous data, and the shift of neutral planes are also observed by considering the static equilibrium of FGMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously demonstrated that phospholipase D2 (PLD2) overexpression antagonizes protein kinase CK2 (CK2) inhibition-mediated cellular senescence. In the current paper, we show the molecular mechanism of CK2 activation by PLD2 and protein kinase C (PKC). Elevated expression and chemical activation of PLD2 increased the catalytic activity of CK2 and PKC in human colon cancer HCT116 and embryonic kidney HEK293 cells, whereas utilization of PLD2 chemical inhibitors and siRNA suppressed this activity. Inhibition of PKC in these cells suppressed PLD2-induced CK2 activation, suggesting that PLD2 enhances CK2 activity through PKC. Overexpression of the PKC isoforms: PKCα, PKCβ, and PKCζ, but not PKCγ, stimulated CK2 activity in the cells. Importantly, purified conventional PKC (cPKC) and atypical PKC (aPKC) enzymes enhanced CK2 activity and phosphorylated serines 194 and 277 within CK2α as well as serine 148 within CK2β. Furthermore, PKC-mediated phosphorylation of these serines on CK2α was crucial for the stimulation of CK2 activity. Taken together, the present results suggest that PLD2 can stimulate CK2 activity through PKC-mediated CK2α phosphorylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lead ion selective electrodes were manufactured by synthesizing a benzoyl thioureido group ionophores having two sulfur groups on the both ends of ethane, propane and butane molecules. The ionophore containing propane moiety showed the best responsivity to lead ion. With the 1,3-bis( N, N′-benzoylthioureido)propane ( BTP) ionophore, the best result was found when it included with the o-nitrophenyloctylether ( o- NPOE) plasticizer with the highest permittivity and the oleic acid ( OA) additive. The ratio of BTP: polyvinyl chloride: o-NPOE: potassium tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)borate: OA was 2.5: 16.5: 30.5: 1.5: 0.5, the response range was 1.0 × 10-1.0 × 10 M, and the response slope was 30.4 mV/decade. Addition of OA led to an excellent result for the responsivity, cation interference effect, correlation coefficient, response time and reproducibility. The electrode represented constant characteristics irrelevant to variation of pH between 2-7, the stabilization time was 30 s, the response time was about 30 s, and the reproducibility represented ±0.81 and ±1.40 mV for 1.0 × 10 and 1.0 × 10 M lead, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of [(C^N)2Ir(acac)] complexes [{5-(2-R-CB)ppy}2Ir(acac)] ( 3 a- 3 g; acac=acetylacetonate, CB= o-carboran-1-yl, ppy=2-phenylpyridine; R=H ( 3 a), Me ( 3 b), iPr ( 3 c), iBu ( 3 d), Ph ( 3 e), CF3C6H4 ( 3 f), C6F5 ( 3 g)) with various 2-R-substituted o-carboranes at the 5-position in the phenyl ring of the ppy ligand were prepared. X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the carboranyl CC bond length increases with increasing steric and electron-withdrawing effects from the 2-R substituents. Although the absorption and emission wavelengths of the complexes are almost invariant to the change of 2-R group, the phosphorescence quantum efficiency varies from highly emissive ( ΦPL≈0.80 for R=H, alkyl) to poorly emissive (R=aryl) depending on the 2-R group and the polarity of the medium. Theoretical studies suggest that 1) the almost nonemissive nature of the 2-aryl-substituted complexes is mainly attributable to the large contribution to the LUMO in the S1 excited state from an o-carborane unit and 2) the variation in the CC bond length between the S0 and T1 state structures increases with increasing steric (2-alkyl) and electronic effects (2-aryl) of the 2-R substituent and the polarity of the solvent. The solution-processed electroluminescence (EL) devices that incorporated 3 b and 3 d as emitters displayed higher performance than the device based on the parent [(ppy)2Ir(acac)] complex. Along with the high phosphorescence efficiency, the bulkiness of the 2-R- o-carborane unit is shown to play an important role in improving device performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives : There is little evidence for an association between gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and carotid atherosclerosis, an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease. We examined the association between serum GGT and carotid atherosclerotic parameters, including carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaques, in a large general population. Methods : The study population consisted of community-dwelling adults who participated in the baseline survey of the Namwon Study. A total of 9120 subjects aged 45–74 years were included in the analyses. High-resolution B-mode ultrasound was used to measure carotid IMT and to evaluate the presence of carotid plaques. A mean carotid IMT of ≥1.0 mm was classified as ‘high carotid IMT’. Results : Serum GGT levels were classified into quartiles. In a fully adjusted model, we found no linear trend between GGT quartile and mean carotid IMT ( P for trend = 0.167). Compared with the first quartile (the reference category), the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for high carotid IMT were 0.89 (0.68–1.16), 1.10 (0.84–1.43), and 0.97 (0.71–1.33) for the second, third, and fourth quartiles ( P for trend = 0.754), respectively. The ORs (95% CIs) for carotid plaques were 0.89 (0.77–1.02), 0.95 (0.82–1.10), and 0.94 (0.79–1.11) for the second, third, and fourth quartiles, respectively, in the fully adjusted model ( P for trend = 0.644). Conclusions : No significant association of GGT concentration with carotid IMT or plaques was found in this large cross-sectional study. Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expression of phospholipase D1 (PLD1) and PLD2 were found to decrease at the transcription level during both replicative and premature senescence in human lung fibroblast IMR‐90 cells. Knockdown of PLD2 dramatically induced senescent phenotype in proliferating IMR‐90 cells and wild‐type HCT116 colon cancer cells, whereas this response was nearly abolished in p53‐ or p21Cip1/WAF1‐null HCT116 cells. PLD2 knockdown increased the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Antioxidant N‐acetyl‐l‐cysteine, NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin, and p22phox small interfering RNA (siRNA) reduced ROS generation and thus suppressed the appearance of senescence markers. Elevated CK2 α subunit (CK2α) expression repressed PLD2 downregulation‐mediated senescence. PLD2 overexpression increased protein kinase CK2 (also known as casein kinase 2) (CK2) activity. Taken together, these results show that PLD2 downregulation causes senescence through the p53–p21Cip1/WAF1 pathway by stimulating ROS production, which is induced by CK2 inhibition.PLD1 and PLD2 expression apparently decreased during replicative and premature senescence in IMR‐90 cells. PLD2 knockdown induced premature senescence in IMR‐90 and HCT116 cells. PLD2 knockdown increased the levels of p53 and reactive oxygen species. Elevated CK2 activity almost suppressed PLD2 downregulation‐mediated senescence. Thus, PLD2 downregulation promotes senescence through a ROS–p53 pathway, which is induced by CK2 inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Deep reinforcement learning is employed for a semiconductor scheduling problem. • A Markov decision process is presented for scheduling to fulfill production plans. • The performance of the proposed method outperforms other scheduling methods. In the semiconductor industry, efficient production planning and scheduling decisions are required to enhance the manufacturing productivity of a company as the system is complicated due to a re-entry characteristic and requires a long production lead time. Production planning is implemented before scheduling and is important for successful manufacturing operations. However, if scheduling at the operation level cannot execute the production plan, failures occur because of inconsistent decisions. Therefore, scheduling needs to fulfill the production plan to ensure realistic decision-making processes for the companies aiming for economic growth and global competitiveness. In this study, deep reinforcement learning (RL) is employed to deal with a scheduling process operating within the production plan. As the algorithm of the deep RL, Deep Q-network is conjugated, and a novel state, action, and reward are suggested to optimize the scheduling policy. As a result, the performance of the proposed deep RL method is in comparison with other dispatching rules, and the proposed method outperforms the other scheduling methods in diverse cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: We determined the gender- and age-specific normative values of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in a healthy Korean population. We also present the mean age-specific carotid IMT values according to the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the number of MetS components. Methods: A total of 9374 subjects from the Namwon Study aged 45–74 years were included in the analysis. Subjects without hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, and current smoking were classified as the healthy reference population (n = 2595). MetS was identified by the presence of three or more of the following five components: abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high fasting blood glucose. Common carotid artery IMT (CCA-IMT) and carotid bulb IMT values were determined in a region free of plaque by B-mode carotid ultrasonography. Results: The mean normative CCA-IMT values of 45–49, 50–54, 55–59, 60–64, 65–69, and 70–74 year old males were 0.614, 0.671, 0.711, 0.759, 0.783, and 0.787 mm and 0.613, 0.653, 0.689, 0.718, 0.753, and 0.778 mm for females, respectively. An increase in CCA-IMT of 0.007 mm/year was estimated in both genders. The mean CCA-IMT values of subjects with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 MetS components were 0.744, 0.753, 0.765, 0.766, 0.771, and 0.798 mm for males and 0.688, 0.705, 0.724, 0.734, 0.757, and 0.762 mm for females, respectively. Conclusion: The gender-specific normative carotid IMT values were determined in a large healthy Korean population. An increasing trend in the CCA-IMT values was observed with an increasing number of MetS components in both genders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aims: Cellular senescence is an important tumor suppression process in vivo. Tamoxifen is a well-known anti-breast cancer drug; however, its molecular function is poorly understood. Here, we examined whether tamoxifen promotes senescence in breast cancer and colon cancer cells for the first time. Main methods: Human breast cancer MCF-7, T47D, and MDA-MB-435 and colorectal cancer HCT116 cells were treated with tamoxifen. Cellular senescence was measured by SA-β-gal staining and based on the protein expression of p53 and p21Cip1/WAF1. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined by staining with CM-H2DCFDA and dihydroethidium (DHE). CK2 activity was assessed with a specific peptide substrate. Key findings: Tamoxifen promoted senescence phenotype and ROS generation in MCF-7 and HCT116 cells. The ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), and the NADPH oxidase inhibitor, apocynin, almost completely abolished this event. Tamoxifen inhibited the catalytic activity of CK2. Overexpression of CK2α antagonized senescence mediated by tamoxifen, indicating that tamoxifen induced senescence via a CK2-dependent pathway. A well-known CK2 inhibitor, 5,6-dichloro-1-β-d-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB), also stimulated ROS production and senescence in MCF-7 cells. Finally, experiments using T47D (wild-type p53) and MDA-MB-435 (mutant p53) cell lines suggested that tamoxifen induces p53-independent ROS production as well as p53-dependent senescence in breast cancer cells. Significance: These results demonstrate that tamoxifen promotes senescence through a ROS–p53–p21Cip1/WAF1 dependent pathway by inhibiting CK2 activity in breast cancer and colon cancer cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A quaterphenylterpyridine ligand (qptpy) with the rodlike quaterphenyl unit attached in the 4′-position has been synthesised by a Pd-catalysed Suzuki cross-coupling reaction. A crystal structure determination on the complex [Zn(qptpy)Cl2]·dmf (dmf = dimethylformamide) has shown the ligand to be bound in the expected N3-tridentate manner to the essentially trigonal-bipyramidal dichloro metal ion, with the quaterphenyl substituents involving a twisted array of the separate phenyl groups and the shortest contacts between aromatic groups involving just the polar terpyridine head groups to give an infinite, offset face-to-face (OFF) π-stacking array. A comparison is made with the structures of the bis(ligand) complexes of Zn(ClO4)2 and Cd(ClO4)2 with the bromobiphenylterpyridine ligand (Brbptpy) synthesised as an intermediate for the formation of qptpy. A study of the absorption and emission spectra of qptpy and a range of its metal-ion complexes has shown that the ligand provides a ratiometric fluorescence response for both ZnII and CdII. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aldehyde complex [Zn(Im4al)2(NO3)2], where Im4al=imidazole-4-aldehyde (N(1)H tautomer), crystallises from methanol as a monoclinic species, space group C2/c, a 15.890(3), b 6.8920(14), c 14.077(3) Å, β 119.67(3) °. Its structure solution shows that the aldehyde–O donors are situated relatively distant (2.57(2) Å) from the metal ion centre, creating uncertainty as to whether the metal should be described as 4- or 6-coordinate. The seemingly very weak interaction of the aldehyde–O atoms with the Zn(II) indicated by the calculation of the Hirshfeld surface for the molecule in its lattice is consistent with the fact that this metal ion does not favour hydration of the aldehyde in aqueous solution. It may indicate that the role of the metal ion in template reactions involving the aldehyde and amines is to poise the aldehyde–C between its “unactivated”, and probably quite differently solvated, free state and a second state which is not sufficiently activated to favour addition of solvent water (or methanol) but which is activated sufficiently to undergo rapid addition of an amine nucleophile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Coumestrol purified from soybean leaves inhibited protein kinase CKII activity. [•] Coumestrol induced ROS production through CKII inhibition in cancer cells. [•] It promoted senescence through the p53-p21Cip1/WAF1 pathway in cancer cells. [•] CKIIα overexpression suppressed coumestrol-mediated senescence in cancer cells. [•] This study provides a novel mechanism for tumour inhibition by coumestrol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terpyridine ligands with ter- and quater-phenyl substituents at the 4′ position provide bis(ligand)Co(ii) complexes showing very different magnetic properties to those of their analogues with long-chain aliphatic substituents, with no evidence of “re-entrant” behavior involving multiple high- and low-spin species. Structure determinations of [Co(tptpy)2](BF4)2·CH3OH and [Co(qptpy)2](BPh4)2·3.5dmf·2H2O (dmf = N,N-dimethylformamide) show the metal ion centres in both to be relatively distant and that the “terpyridine embrace” observed to be partially retained in their analogues is completely lost. Consideration of available structural and magnetic data for these and other Co(ii) complexes of functionalised terpyridines and terpyridine itself provides evidence that spin crossover behaviour may be regulated by face-to-face contacts of the pyridyl units of the head groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • TADF emitters based on a boron-carbonyl (BCO) hybrid acceptor were designed and prepared. • The emitters possess a 3nπ* state of the BCO unit as a local triplet excited state (3LE, T 2). • Fast RISC (>106 s−1) and short exciton lifetimes (~1 µs) are realized in the emitters. • TADF-OLEDs demonstrate high EQEs (>28%) with very low roll-off at high luminance. Improving the rate of a spin-flip process from a triplet to a singlet excited state, which is known as reverse intersystem crossing (RISC), is a challenging issue in realizing efficient and stable organic light-emitting diodes based on thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF-OLEDs). Herein, we report two donor−acceptor-type TADF emitters (TMCzBCO and DMACBCO) employing a boron-carbonyl (BCO) hybrid acceptor unit. The emitters possess a 3nπ* state of the BCO unit as an intermediate local triplet excited state (3LE, T 2), leading to the large spin–orbit coupling between the T 2 and excited singlet (S 1) states with significantly low activation barriers <10 meV. Thus, a fast RISC with rate constants (k RISC) exceeding 106 s−1, as well as short exciton lifetimes (~1 μs), are realized. Using the TADF emitters, high-performance TADF-OLEDs with maximum external quantum efficiencies of 24.7% for the green (TMCzBCO) and 28.4% for the yellow (DMACBCO) are presented. Remarkably, the devices sufficiently maintain high efficiency at high luminance, exceeding 20% at 5,000 cd m−2 and 18% at 10,000 cd m−2. These results indicate the crucial role of the 3nπ* state of BCO in the improvement of the RISC rate and shortening of the exciton lifetime, enhancing the optoelectrical performance of TADF-OLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two terpyridine derivatives, 4′-(4-(pyridin-4-yl)phenyl)-[2,2′:6′,2″]terpyridine (L1) and 4′-(4′-(pyridin-4-yl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)-[2,2′:6′,2″]terpyridine (L2) have been synthesized by palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, and their metal complexes [Zn(L1)2](ClO4)2·2MeOH·CHCl3 (1) and [Cd(L2)2](ClO4)2·DMF·2.8H2O (2) characterized by single crystal X-ray crystallography and spectroscopic methods including electronic absorption and emission measurements. In the crystalline materials, both metal ions have the expected pseudo-octahedral N6 coordination environment and the lattice structures appear to be influenced by aromatic–aromatic interactions involving the heteroaryl tails and the pyridyl rings of the terpyridine units. In solution and in the solid state, the complexes display blue emission attributed to an intramolecular charge transfer transition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: We examined whether low-grade albuminuria, below the conventional cut-off value for microalbuminuria, was associated with atherosclerotic vascular diseases in 8897 community-dwelling Koreans aged ≥50 years. Methods: The urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) was calculated using random spot urine. Common carotid artery (CCA) intimamedia thickness (IMT) and CCA internal diameter were measured using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography, and carotid plaque was evaluated. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (BaPWV) and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) were examined, and peripheral arterial disease was defined as ABI <0.9. Results: Youden's indices, predicting abnormal atherosclerotic conditions, were greatest at a UACR cut-off value of ∼15 mg/g, below the threshold conventionally used to define microalbuminuria. Compared with low normoalbuminuria (UACR <15.0 mg/g), CCA IMT, CCA diameter, and BaPWV were significantly greater in individuals with high normoalbuminuria (UACR 15.0-29.9 mg/g), who also had a significantly higher risk of carotid plaque than did those with low normoalbuminuria. Conclusions: Subclinical atherosclerotic vascular diseases developed at lower UACRs, below the conventional classification of microalbuminuria. Further longitudinal studies are needed to investigate the relationship between microalbuminuria and the development of subclinical atherosclerosis. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We previously demonstrated that downregulation of protein kinase CKII induces cellular senescence in human colon cancer HCT116 cells. To investigate the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in CKII downregulation during senescence, we employed computational algorithms. Four miRNAs (miR-186, miR-216b, miR-337-3p, and miR-760) were predicted to be miRNAs against CKIIα mRNA. Mimics of all four miRNAs jointly downregulated CKIIα expression in HCT116 cells. Reporter analysis and RT-PCR have suggested that these four miRNAs may stimulate degradation of CKIIα mRNA by targeting its 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs). The four miRNA mimics increased senescent-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining, p53 and p21Cip1/WAF1 expression, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In contrast, concomitant knockdown of the four miRNAs by antisense inhibitors increased the CKIIα protein level and suppressed CKII inhibition-mediated senescence. Finally, CKIIα overexpression antagonized senescence induced by the four miRNA mimics. Therefore, the present results show that miR-186, miR-216b, miR-337-3p, and miR-760 cooperatively promote cellular senescence through the p53–p21Cip1/WAF1 pathway by CKII downregulation-mediated ROS production in HCT116 cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Di- and trinuclear Cu[sup II] complexes [Cu[sub 2]L[sup 1](2,2'-bipyridine)[sub 2]Cl[sub 2]]Cl[sub 2]·11H[sub 2]O and [Cu[sub 3](L[sup 2])[sub 3]Cl[sub 3]]Cl[sub 3]·1.25MeOH·4H[sub 2]O incorporating the isomeric Schiff base ligands 1,1'-(1,4-phenylene)bis(N-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene)methanamine) (L[sup 1]) and 1,1'-(1,4-phenylene)bis(N-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene)methanamine) (L[sup 2]), each incorporating two separated α-diimine coordination domains, have been synthesised and their X-ray crystal structures and variable temperature magnetic properties determined. The X-ray crystal structure of [Cu[sub 2]L[sup 1](2,2'-bipyridine)[sub 2]Cl[sub 2]]Cl[sub 2]·11H[sub 2]O shows that each Cu[sup II] centre is bound to two nitrogen atoms from L[sup 1], two from a bipyridine ligand, and a chloride anion. Intramolecular π-stacking interactions are present between the central phenyl ring of L[sup 1] and both rings of each bipyridine ligand. The structure of [Cu[sub 3](L[sup 2])[sub 3]Cl[sub 3]]Cl[sub 3]·1.25MeOH·4H[sub 2]O shows an unusual trinuclear circular helicate arrangement with approximate C [sub 3]-symmetry. A chloride anion is encapsulated in the structure being bound by six non-classical hydrogen bond interactions. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements indicated the presence of weak antiferromagnetic behaviour for [Cu[sub 2]L[sup 1](2,2'-bipyridine)[sub 2]Cl[sub 2]]Cl[sub 2]·11H[sub 2]O and weak ferromagnetic behaviour for [Cu[sub 3](L[sup 2])[sub 3]Cl[sub 3]]Cl[sub 3]·1.25MeOH·4H[sub 2]O. Cu[sup II] complexes of isomeric ligands that incorporate two separated α-diimine coordination domains have been synthesised and their X-ray crystal structures and variable temperature magnetic properties determined. One complex is an intermolecularly (triple) π-stacked dinuclear species while the second is a rare trinuclear circular helicate that encapsulates a chloride ion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the associations of liver fibrosis biomarkers [non-alcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (NFS), fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index (APRI), and BARD score] with mortality in Korean adults aged ≥50 years. We analyzed 7,702 subjects who participated in Dong-gu Study. The associations of liber fibrosis biomarkers with mortality were investigated using Cox proportional hazards models. Overall mortality increased with increasing NFS level [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 4.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.3–5.5 for high risk vs. low risk], increasing FIB-4 level (aHR 3.5, 95% CI 2.9–4.4 for high risk vs. low risk), and increasing APRI level (aHR 3.5, 95% CI 2.1–5.8 for high risk vs. low risk) but not with BARD score. The Harrell's concordance index for overall mortality for the NFS and FIB-4 was greater than that for the APRI and BARD score. In conclusion, NFS, FIB-4, and APRI showed a significant relationship with the overall mortality, and NFS and FIB-4 showed a significant relationship with the CVD mortality after adjustment for covariates. In addition, the NFS and FIB-4 were more predictive of overall mortality than the APRI and BARD score in Korean adults aged ≥50 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new polyamine ligands, L[sup 1] and L[sup 2], incorporating pyridyl and aliphatic amine donor sites have been prepared and their reaction with copper(ii) yields the mono- and binuclear complexes [Cu(L[sup 1])](ClO[sub 4])[sub 2] (1) and [Cl[sub 2]Cu(L[sup 2])CuCl(H[sub 2]O)]ClO[sub 4] (2), respectively. The X-ray structure of 1 confirms that the five nitrogen donors of L[sup 1] are bound to the central copper ion to give a distorted square pyramidal coordination sphere. In 2, L[sup 2] acts as a bridging ligand with its N[sub 3]-donor coordination domains separated by a m-xylylene spacer group. An unusual feature of this latter complex is that symmetrical L[sup 2] gives rise to non-equivalent coordination behaviour at the individual copper sites; while both sites display five-coordination with distorted square pyramidal arrangements, they differ in having N[sub 3]Cl[sub 2] - and N[sub 3]ClO-donor atom sets, respectively. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of both complexes are discussed. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility data confirmed the absence of magnetic interactions in 1 while a weak antiferromagnetic interaction between copper(ii) centres occurs in 2. Two new polyamine ligands, L[sup 1] and L[sup 2], incorporating pyridyl and aliphatic amine donor sites yield the mono- and binuclear complexes [Cu(L[sup 1])](ClO[sub 4])[sub 2] (1) and [Cl[sub 2]Cu(L[sup 2])CuCl(H[sub 2]O)]ClO[sub 4] (2), respectively, in which the copper ions each exhibit distorted square pyramidal coordination; in binuclear 2 non-equivalent coordination behaviour is present at the individual copper sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents an integrated framework for risk evaluation and risk allocation with bounded data in a critical risk management. A risk evaluation framework using the Imprecise Data Envelopment Analysis (IDEA) method is proposed to be applied to operations of Korean Army helicopters. The risks pertaining to pilots, missions and helicopters are evaluated based on bounded data, and pilots are appropriately allocated to missions and helicopters using goal programming with bounded risk scores. Using bounded data, two risk allocation models are developed to be used with the expected value and lower/upper limit values, resulting in improved reliability of the solutions. Numerical experiments show reasonable solutions and valuable information for risk management. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The bzimpy iron(II) complexes, 1–3, containing branched long alkyl chains were synthesized and characterized in detail. The temperature-dependant magnetic susceptibility of 1 showed gradual spin crossover behavior from low spin to high spin state, while 2 retained only low spin state in the same condition. Interestingly, 3 displayed an abrupt spin transition in temperature range from T 1/2↑=236K to T 1/2↓=230K with the thermal hysteresis loop about 6K. The differential scanning calorimetric analysis of 3 revealed two species of liquid crystal phase transitions at 236K and 351K, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A binary integer programming based real-time dispatching heuristic (i-RTD) approach to minimize the makespan of the two-machine batching flow-shop problem with time window constraints is presented for the first time. By scheduling only necessary batches at each iteration, i-RTD works with considerably fewer binary variables so that it runs in real-time. The experimental study demonstrates the proposed i-RTD can generate the efficient solution in real-time, which implies we can implement the proposed approach into real industry where a quick and efficient schedule is required. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The overactivation of μ-calpain can cause serious cell damage in several diseases. Furthermore, cell death in a number of neurodegenerative disorders is linked to the overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Therefore, antioxidants and μ-calpain inhibitors could have the therapeutic potentials to treat cell death related diseases. New chromone carboxamide derivatives 3 were synthesized to provide alternative μ-calpain inhibitors to compound 2, a conformationally constrained structural variant of MDL 28,170. Compounds 3h and 3l exhibited the most potent μ-calpain inhibitory activities (IC50 = 0.09–0.10 μM), and were comparable to 2 in this respect (IC50 = 0.07 μM). Compound 3i showed both potent μ-calpain inhibitory activity (IC50 = 0.28 μM) and antioxidant activities in DPPH scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibition assays. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Distribution center operation planning problem to determine the facility locations and the distribution plans is studied in this paper under the single sourcing constraint, in which each customer can be served by a single supplier. Distribution centers can be installed or changed easily using the outsourcing with a reasonable setup cost, to meet the dynamically changing demand of customers, compared with the plants which are usually run for the long time period with a heavy setup cost. The objective is to minimize the sum of transportation, the facility setup and the product handling cost. A mixed integer programming model for the distribution center operation planning is suggested. For the purpose of practical implementation, the hybrid heuristic based on the tabu search and the decomposed optimization is proposed with the priority rule designed by using the so-called Unit Cost Ratio (UCR). The performances of the heuristic algorithms are evaluated by the comparison with the optimal solution or the best solutions found within the computational time limit by CPLEX. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: To investigate the prognostic significance of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in patients with localized upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma (UUT-TCC) after radical nephroureterectomy. Methods: The clinical records of 271 patients with UUT-TCC who underwent radical nephroureterectomy between 1986 and 2006 were reviewed. Patients with pT4 stage, lymph node involvement, or distant metastasis were excluded. A total of 238 patients with pTa-3N0M0 were eligible. The prognostic significance of various clinicopathologic factors was analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis. The mean age was 64.1 years (range, 25-91 years) and the median follow-up duration was 53.4 months (range, 3-240 months). Results: LVI was present in 31 patients (13%). LVI was related to higher pT stage, high tumor grade, sessile architecture, and squamous differentiation. On univariate analysis, tumor architecture, squamous differentiation, LVI, tumor grade, and pT stage influenced disease-specific survival. On multivariate analysis, LVI (hazards ratio [HR], 2.33; P = .014) and pT stage (HR, 2.07; P = .021) showed significantly different rates of disease-specific survival. Patients were classified according to pT stage and LVI. The high-risk group (pT3 and LVI+) showed significantly worse disease-specific survival than the low- (pT ≤ 2 and LVI−) or intermediate-risk groups (pT3 and LVI−, pT ≤ 2 and LVI+) (P <.001 and P = .032, respectively). Conclusions: LVI and pT stage are significant prognostic factors for recurrence-free and cancer-specific survivals in patients with localized UUT-TCC. LVI and pT stage would be helpful for selecting patients who are appropriate for postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]