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A new model was first proposed to estimate the ultimate bearing capacity of strip foundations under transient flows on the basis of the kinematic approach of limit analysis. To describe the collapse process, a symmetrical collapse mechanism was generated by discretization technique following the associated flow rule. A layer-wise summation method was developed to calculate the internal dissipation rate. The theoretical results of this paper are given in terms of some assumptions: (1) both soils and fluids considered in this study were regarded to be noncompressible; (2) the hydraulic conductivity in an unsaturated state was equal to that in a saturated state; and (3) the slope of the soil–water characteristic curve was assumed to be constant through the whole transient infiltration process. A series of comparisons with the theoretical results and experimental data were established to verify the reliability of the new approach proposed by this paper. Based on the numerical results and discussions, the key conclusion can be drawn as follows: the ultimate bearing capacities saw a relatively large decrease under transient flows, especially for strip foundations embedded in silt soil, however, the bearing loads for foundations in sandy soil tended to be steady throughout the whole infiltration process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleic acid-based vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are effective in the general population. However, it is unknown whether this is true in Asian patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs) who have received various combinations of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). We designed a large prospective observational study recruiting 228 patients with ARDs in a tertiary rheumatology centre in Taiwan. Altogether, 142 received biological or targeted synthetic DMARDs and 86 received only conventional synthetic (cs) DMARDs. Serum levels of immunoglobulin G antibody against SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins were measured 2–6 weeks after COVID-19 vaccination with mRNA-1273 (Moderna®) or ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (Oxford/AstraZeneca®). The immunomodulatory therapies were not modified before or after vaccination. Overall, 194 patients (85.09%) exhibited antibodies (758.33 ± 808.43 ng/mL) but 34 patients did not (103.24 ± 41.08 ng/mL). Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis had significantly lower humoral responses to COVID-19 vaccination than those with other ARDs (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in immunogenicity among patients on different csDMARD treatments. Compared to patients treated with only csDMARDs, those on rituximab or abatacept therapy had significantly lower immune response to the vaccination (p = 0.008 and p = 0.035, respectively). Patients who were treated with anti-tumour necrosis factor-α or interleukin-6 inhibitor exhibited higher titres of vaccination antibodies than those treated with direct lymphocyte inhibitors. mRNA-1273 and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccines were immunogenic in the majority of ARD patients. Rituximab and abatacept were associated with significantly diminished COVID-19 vaccination immunogenicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To establish a spectral computed tomography (CT)-based nomogram for predicting the response to induction chemotherapy (ICT) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Materials and Methods: Fifty-four patients with NPC who underwent spectral CT examination before ICT were enrolled prospectively. Patients were assigned to response and non-response groups according to response evaluation. The predictive indicators were spectral CT parameters of venous phase, including iodine concentration (IC), normalised IC (NIC), slope of the spectral attenuation curve in Hounsfield units (λHU), effective atomic number (Eff-Z), and water concentration. Multivariate logistic regression was used to construct a predictive model. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and calibration curves were used to evaluate the robustness of model, while the bootstrap method was used for internal validation. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to test the goodness of fit of the discriminant model.Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that NIC, λHU, and Eff-Z were the potential predictors, and the three indicators were further used to establish a predictive model. The nomogram was evaluated to have good predictive performance, the area under the ROC curve was 0.909 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.799-0.970), and the model was well calibrated (χ2 = 8.149, p=0.419).Conclusions: The spectral CT nomogram has potential clinical value in predicting response to ICT in NPC and may help guide individualised treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Gut microbial alterations have great potential to predict the development of colorectal cancer (CRC); however, how gut microbes respond to the development of CRC in males and females at the community level is unknown. We aim to investigate the differences of gut microbiota between the male and female. Methods and Results: We reanalysed the dataset in a published project from a sex perspective at the community level by characterizing the gut microbiome in patients (including males and females) from three clinical groups representative of the stages of CRC development: healthy, adenoma, and carcinoma. The results indicated that the microbial α‐diversity showed no significant difference in the male gut but had decreased significantly in the female gut with the development of CRC. In males, a significant difference in the microbial β‐diversity was only observed between the healthy and carcinoma subgroups. However, significant community deviations were detected with the development of CRC in females. The microbial community assembly processes changed from deterministic to stochastic in males, whereas they became increasingly deterministic in females with the development of CRC. Moreover microbial co‐occurrence associations tended to be more complicated in males; rare species were enriched in the co‐occurrence network of the male gut, whereas key species loss was observed in the co‐occurrence network of the female gut. Conclusions: The microbial communities in the male gut were more stable than those in the female gut, and microbial community assembly in the gut was sex dependent with the development of CRC. Our study suggests that sexual dimorphism needs to be considered to better predict the risk of CRC based on microbial shifts. Significance and Impact of the Study: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing how gut microbes respond to the development of CRC in males and females at the community scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the importance of correlation coefficient in data analysis, researchers have shown interest in the concept of correlation coefficient for the extensions of fuzzy sets, in particular, for a recent established extension known as hesitant fuzzy set (HFS). Most of the existing correlation coefficients for fuzzy sets return the value one to reflect a perfect linear relationship between objects, but they do not give us sufficient information about the scale with that the objects are correlated. This can be regarded as a disadvantage from the decision-making viewpoint. Moreover, some of the existing correlation coefficients were undefined in the case that the two objects are the same. To overcome such drawbacks, we propose an approach for deriving the modified correlation coefficients of HFSs based on hesitancy degree and then extend the approach to that of interval-valued hesitant fuzzy sets. Furthermore, we put forward a number of new correlation coefficients for HFSs based on Jaccard's and Dice's similarity criteria. Then, we give a practical example to illustrate the application of the improved correlation coefficients for HFSs in medical diagnosis. However, comparing the results of the proposed correlation coefficients with those of the other existing definitions shows that the diagnosis results may be quite different, and this is due to their orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-melanoma differentiation-associated protein-5 (MDA-5) antibody-positive dermatomyositis is frequently complicated by progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease (PF-ILD), which is associated with acute respiratory failure, with an extremely high mortality rate (1). MAS is a life-threatening complication in patients with rheumatic diseases and has been reported in only six patients with anti-MDA-5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis ([4]). [Extracted from the article]

The stable manipulation, high undercooling, and thermophysical property measurement of the liquid Nb84.1Si15.9 refractory alloy were successfully achieved by the electrostatic levitation technique on board the China Space Station. By controlling the superheating temperature, a maximum liquid undercooling up to 421 K (0.18 TL) was obtained in the space environment, and two distinct solidification paths with different recalescence features were realized at metastable undercooled states. The liquid density and the ratio of specific heat to emissivity were measured in a wide temperature range from 1841 to 2346 K, which displayed linear and quadratic relations vs temperature, respectively. The liquid emissivity was further deduced from the specific heat of the liquid alloy calculated by molecular dynamics simulation. In addition, both the density and structural characteristics of the undercooled liquid alloy were also analyzed by MD calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to study the effect of fast-track surgery model under nursing intervention on postoperative rehabilitation of patients with early cervical cancer. In this research, patients with cervical cancer were taken as the research objects. Based on the fast-track surgery model, the nursing intervention was carried out for the postoperative diet time, activity time of getting out of bed, drainage tube placement, pain relief, nausea, vomiting, complications, immunity. The results showed that postoperative nursing and rehabilitation intervention based on fast-track surgery model had a significant effect on postoperative rehabilitation of early cervical cancer patients. Compared with the blank group, the immune status and complications were significantly improved, and other indicators were developing in a positive direction. In summary, postoperative nursing and rehabilitation intervention based on fast-track surgery model had a positive impact on postoperative recovery of early cervical cancer patients, which could improve diet, shorten hospital stay, and had good clinical application. There are still some shortcomings in the research process, but the research results still provide some guidance for future research. Therefore, it is a research topic with practical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation of Au/SiO[sub 2] composite multilayer films with a large third-order optical nonlinearity is reported in this article. Multilayer films containing Au nanoparticles with narrow size and shape distributions can be obtained by controlling the thickness of the Au layer, as well as the annealing temperature and time duration. It is found that the peak of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of films with mean nanoparticle size of 30 nm is located at 2.35 eV with a width of 350 meV. The SPR peak of films containing larger or smaller particles red-shifts and broadens due to the particle size and shape effects. The third-order optical nonlinear susceptibility χ[sup (3)] of these films has a maximum value of about 5.1 × 10[sup -6] esu at 532 nm when the mean nanoparticle size is around 30 nm. We attribute the observed size dependence of χ[sup (3)] to the competition between the enhancement of the local field factor and the skin-depth effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The objective of this paper is to analyze the clinical features, outcomes, mortality risk factors, and all-cause mortalities of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Medical records were reviewed to identify SLE patients with IA from January 2006 to June 2017, at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan. A total of 6714 SLE patients were included. Clinical/laboratory parameters and treatment outcomes were analyzed. Results Four patients (19.0%) had definite and 17 had probable (81.0%) IA. Seven patients (33.3%) survived and 14 died (66.7%). Concurrently, there were 19 pneumonias (90.5%), 17 cases of other infections (81.0%), eight bacteremia (38.1%), nine cytomegalovirus (CMV, 42.7%) and six Candida (28.6%) infections. In all 55 blood cultures, 38 (69.1%) yielded gram-negative bacilli, of which carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii accounted for eight (21.1%); 17 (30.9%) yielded gram-positive cocci, of which methicillin-resistant S. aureus accounted for six (35.3%); and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus accounted for four (23.5%). Daily steroid dose ≥ 20 mg (hazard ratio (HR) 2.00), recent pulse steroid therapy (HR 2.80), azathioprine (HR 2.00), rituximab (HR 2.00), plasmapheresis (HR 2.00), acute respiratory distress syndrome (HR 2.00), concurrent infections (HR 5.667) and CMV viremia (HR 1.75) were higher in the fatality group. All p values were less than 0.05. Septic shock (n = 7, 50% in the fatality group) is the most common cause of mortality. Conclusions High daily steroid dosing, recent pulse steroid therapy, azathioprine, rituximab, concurrent infections, and CMV viremia were mortality risk factors for IA in SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a Kolsky bar, also known as a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB), experiment, stress equilibrium and strain rate constancy conditions directly contribute to the measurement quality for rate-sensitive materials. A Kolsky bar specimen is initially at rest, and then gradually accelerated to a desired rate. Stress equilibrium is incrementally achieved by multiple stress pulse reflections inside the specimen to reach the desired mean stress. The critical time to achieve constant strain rate and equilibrium stress depends on the impedance mismatch between the bars and the specimen. This paper examined this critical time based on using linear elastic specimens under uniaxial compression. In the first part, the critical time is experimentally measured for PMMA specimens loaded by aluminum, titanium, and steel bars using linear ramp incident pulses. The results show that increasing impedance mismatch increases the time to reach a constant rate, while the time to satisfy equilibrium remains nearly the same. In the second part, optimal bilinear-shaped incident loadings were evaluated and shown to achieve both conditions faster than linear loadings. The time to satisfy both conditions was mapped via simulation using various bilinear pulses over a wide range of impedance mismatches. The analysis shows bilinear loadings with initial rise time between 1.75 and 2.15 transits in the sample require minimum time to equilibrium. There exists an optimum region of bilinear loadings that can reduce the time to reach constant rate. Within such region, the bilinear slope ratio can be approximated to be a reciprocal function of initial rise time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of acidification of drinking water with citric acid (CA) on growth performance, cecal pH, and cecal microflora of meat ducks. Preparing tap water containing 5 concentrations of CA (0%, 0.021%, 0.034%, 0.068%, and 0.449%) to lower pH of the solutions from 7.80 (tap water) to 5.45, 4.45, 3.50, and 2.56 was assessed, respectively. A total of 120 1-d-old ducks in Exp. 1, and another 120 15-d-old ducks in Exp. 2 were randomly allocated to 5 drinking water treatments with 6 replicate cages of 4 ducks, respectively. The experimental period was from 1 to 14 d of age in Exp. 1, and was from 15 to 35 d of age in Exp. 2. In both experiments, drinking water administration of incremental concentrations of CA linearly and quadratically reduced ( P < .05) water intake of ducks. Feed intake and daily weight gain of ducks in Exp.1 linearly decreased ( P < .05), while feed intake in Exp.2 linearly increased ( P < .05), and the absolute quantitative level of E. coli (d 35, Exp.2) in the cecum of ducks quadratically decreased ( P < .05) as supplementation of drinking water with CA increased. Data obtained from Exp. 1 indicated that ducks from 1 to 14 d of age should not be given acidified drinking water; however, acidified drinking water with 0.068% CA (pH 3.50) can be supplied to ducks from 15 to 35 d of age based on data from Exp. 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA methylation is an epigenetic regulation of gene expression, which has drawn great attention in biomedical research due to its association with various diseases. A robust, inexpensive platform to detect and quantify the methylation status in a specific genomic region is necessary. In this study, an on-chip analytical technique of cytosine methylation with droplets in a microchannel is proposed. Genomic DNA samples are encapsulated into a series of droplets and transported through a detection region, where a stable temperature gradient is created. As the temperature is elevated from 60 °C to 85 °C, the DNA samples denature and the associated fluorescence signals decay, with the relationship being acquired as the melting curve. The droplets serve as discrete reactors for conducting DNA melting curve analysis in the liquid phase, thereby eliminating the need for immobilization of reagents. Due to a high heating rate and greater enhanced thermal stability, this microchip allows larger melting temperature differences for the samples at different percentages of methylated DNA. It has an enhanced discrimination ability and lower volume consumption, compared to the commercial qPCR machine. This chip enables quantification of the methylation levels of the pluripotent stem cell factor Oct-4 in its distal enhancer (DE) region, with a designed probe after bisulfite treatment and asymmetric PCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular matrix (ECM) is the major macromolecule in skeletal muscle, and collagen is main component of ECM surrounding muscle fiber and adipocyte, which affect meat quality greatly. The remodeling of ECM is regulated by matrix metalloproteinases, such as ADAMTS2, which is essential for the maturation of triple helical collagen fibrils in body. The expression patterns of COL1A1, COL2A1, COL3A1 and ADAMTS2 in longissimus dorsi muscle were explored by qRT-PCR and results indicated that the expression levels of COL1A1, COL3A1 and ADAMTS2 were significantly higher at 3 and 24 month, while significantly lower at 12 and 30 month. The expression of ADAMTS2 and COL1A1 had significant positive relationships with intramuscular fat content, while expression of COL3A1 had significant positive relationship with shearing force and water holding capacity in cattle. The expression levels of collagen and ADAMTS2 were significantly higher in mesenteric fat, mammary fat pad and subcutaneous fat than in longissimus dorsi muscle, biceps femoris and infraspinitus tissues. The expressions levels of COL1A1, COL3A1 and ADAMTS2 were significantly lower in marbling fat than in other fat tissues. This study indicated that the expression of collagen and ADAMTS2 had important effects on postnatal skeletal muscle development and meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and Dickkopf homologue-1 (Dkk-1) levels in ankylosing spondylitis (AS).Method: Serum BMPs and Dkk-1 were measured in 72 AS patients and 30 healthy controls. For AS patients, we recorded the demographic data, disease activity, functional index, and global assessment with questionnaires, and image changes with roentgenography. We also measured human leucocyte antigen-B27 and systemic inflammatory reactants.Results: BMPs were higher but Dkk-1 was significantly lower in AS patients than in controls. Dkk-1 was higher in AS patients who received non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) regularly in the past year (p = 0.001). Serum BMP-7 level and the BMP-7/Dkk-1 ratio correlated significantly with sacroiliitis severity, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Radiology Index (BASRI)-total, modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score, and disease duration. There were also significant positive correlations among serum levels of BMP-2, -4, and -6, BASRI-total, and disease duration (p < 0.05). However, BMP-2/Dkk-1 was only significantly correlated with disease duration. The calculated area under the standard receiver operating characteristics curve suggested that BMP-2/Dkk-1 and serum BMP-2 are good indicators to predict disease activity, functional index, and patient global assessment in AS patients.Conclusion: BMPs and BMPs/Dkk-1 were significantly correlated with disease activity, and radiological and functional indices in AS patients. Dkk-1 was lower in AS patients than in controls. Among AS patients, Dkk-1 was higher in those taking NSAIDs regularly. BMP or Dkk-1 may be taken as a biomarker for disease severity or a treatment outcome predictor in AS, but this needs further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Studies focusing on the efficacy and safety of ledipasvir (LDV) + sofosbuvir (SOF) therapy in liver transplant (LT) recipients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence are still limited. Therefore, the aim of our work was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate outcome data of LDV + SOF therapy in LT recipients. Methods Multiple databases were systematically searched for eligible studies. We included studies reporting sustained virological response 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12) and treatment-related adverse events (AEs) in LT recipients treated with LDV + SOF ± ribavirin (RBV) for HCV recurrence. All statistical analyses were conducted by using R version 3.3.1 (The R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria). Results Twelve studies with a total of 994 LT recipients were included, most of which were diagnosed with HCV genotype 1 infection. The overall SVR12 reached 96.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 94.9%–97.5%) and no significant heterogeneity was observed ( Q statistic = 10.63, P = .47; I 2 = 0%). No difference was found in SVR12 between treatments for 12 weeks and 24 weeks ( P = .18). Patients treated with LDV + SOF + RBV (n = 525) exhibited an SVR12 rate of 95.1% (95% CI 92.8%–96.6%), which showed no difference from the findings in the LDV + SOF treatment group (n = 314) with an SVR12 reaching 94.9% (95% CI 91.5%–97.0%; P = .92). There was a tendency for a higher SVR12 in patients without cirrhosis than those with cirrhosis ( P < .05). The most common AEs were listed as following: anemia 41.9% (n = 203 of 484), fatigue 39.1% (n = 207 of 530), headache 24.2% (n = 128 of 530), nausea 21.9% (n = 106 of 484), and diarrhea 19.0% (n = 92 of 484). Conclusion LDV + SOF-based treatment is highly effective and well tolerated in LT recipients with HCV reinfection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) composites containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared using a process of melt-blending three-dimensional (3D) printing filaments. Maleic anhydride (MA)-grafted polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA-g-MA) and chemically modified MWCNTs (MWCNTs-COOH) were used to improve the compatibility and dispersibility of the MWCNTs within the PHA matrix. Structural, morphological, thermal and mechanical characterisations revealed dramatic enhancements in the thermal and mechanical properties of the PHA-g-MA/MWCNTs-COOH composites compared with PHA, because of the formation of ester carbonyl groups through the reaction between MA groups of PHA-g-MA and the carboxylic acid groups of the MWCNTs-COOH. For example, with an addition of 1.0 wt% of MWCNTs- COOH, the initial decomposition temperature and tensile strength at failure increased by 72 °C and 16.0 MPa, respectively. Moreover, MWCNTs or MWCNTs-COOH enhanced the antibacterial activity and static dissipative properties of the composites. Composites of PHA-g-MA or PHA containing MWCNTs or MWCNTs-COOH had better antibacterial activities and antistatic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which examined the growth of gallium nitride thin films with a wurtzite structure on fused silica substrates by pulsed laser ablation of a liquid gallium target in the presence of ammonia gas. Background of the study; Methodology of the study; Results and discussion.

Effect of rare earth (RE) element cerium on castability, mechanical properties and electric conductivity of Al-0.3Si-0.2Mg alloy was investigated. With Ce addition, the fluidity of Al-0.3Si-0.2Mg alloys is increased and the hot tear sensitivity (HTS) is decreased remarkably, and the optimum Ce addition level is about 0.2%. Significant improvement of castability (especially the HTS) is attributed to the remarkable grain refinement from Ce addition. Ce addition also leads to a remarkable rise in electric conductivity, mainly due to the reduction of Fe and Si solutes in α-Al solution. T7 heat treatment further improves the electric conductivity. However, in the case of T7 condition, Ce-induced improvement of conductivity is not considerable. An excellent combination of castability, strength and conductivity can be obtained with 0.3%Ce addition in the studied alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved and specification‐compatible general precoding scheme (GPC) for adjustable peak‐to‐average power ratio (PAPR) reduction in discrete Fourier transform spread orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT‐s‐OFDM) is proposed. Through the rearrangement of periodic padding for precoded data symbols in the GPC precoding matrix, the proposed algorithm does not increase any computational complexity compared to the original GPC. The LTE‐based simulation shows the proposed algorithm has a better improvement of PAPR reduction especially in low‐order modulations and the performances can be scaled to the other transmission bandwidth. These works contribute to the flexibility of DFT‐s‐OFDM for supporting 5G transmission over miscellaneous power amplifiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ectomycorrhizal ( EM) fungi form symbiotic associations with plant roots that regulate nutrient exchange between forest plants and soil. Environmental metagenomics approaches that employ next-generation sequencing show great promise for studying EM symbioses; however, metatranscriptomic studies have been constrained by the inherent difficulties associated with isolation and sequencing of RNA from mycorrhizae. Here we apply an optimized method for combined DNA/ RNA extraction using field-collected EM fungal-pine root clusters, together with protocols for taxonomic identification of expressed ribosomal RNA, and inference of EM function based on plant and fungal metatranscriptomics. We used transcribed portions of ribosomal RNA genes to identify several transcriptionally dominant fungal taxa associated with loblolly pine including A mphinema, R ussula and P iloderma spp. One taxon, P iloderma croceum, has a publically available genome that allowed us to identify patterns of gene content and transcript abundance. Over 1500 abundantly expressed P iloderma genes were detected from mycorrhizal roots, including genes for protein metabolism, cell signalling, electron transport, terpene synthesis and other extracellular activities. In contrast, P iloderma gene encoding an ammonia transporter showed highest transcript abundance in soil samples. Our methodology highlights the potential of metatranscriptomics to identify genes associated with symbiosis and ecosystem function using field-collected samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) enables visualizing dynamic behaviors of biological molecules under physiological conditions at a temporal resolution of 1s or shorter. A small cantilever with a high resonance frequency is crucial in increasing the scan speed. However, detecting mechanical resonances of small cantilevers is technically challenging. In this study, we constructed an atomic force microscope using a digital versatile disc (DVD) pickup head to detect cantilever deflections. In addition, a flexure-guided scanner and a sinusoidal scan method were implemented. In this work, we imaged a grating sample in air by using a regular cantilever and a small cantilever with a resonance frequency of 5.5 MHz. Poor tracking was seen at the scan rate of 50 line/s when a cantilever for regular AFM imaging was used. Using a small cantilever at the scan rate of 100 line/s revealed no significant degradation in the topographic images. The results indicate that a smaller cantilever can achieve a higher scan rate and superior force sensitivity. This work shows the potential for using a DVD pickup head in future HS-AFM technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on an endophytic bacterial strain, Pantoea sp. Sd-1, which can be used to degrade lignin and rice straw. This strain was isolated from rice seeds by an optimized surface sterilization method. Pantoea sp. Sd-1 showed exceptional ability to degrade rice straw and lignin. In rice straw or kraft lignin-containing medium supplemented with 1% glucose and 0·5% peptone, Pantoea sp. Sd-1 effectively reduced the rice straw mass weight by 54·5% after 6 days of treatment. The strain was also capable of reducing the lignin colour (52·4%) and content (69·1%) after 4 days of incubation. The findings suggested that the rice endophytic bacterium Pantoea sp. Sd-1 could be applied for the degradation of lignocellulose biomass, such as rice straw. Significance and Impact of the Study Rice straw, an abundant agricultural by-product in China, is very difficult to degrade because of its high lignin content. Due to the immense environmental adaptability and biochemical versatility of bacteria, endophytic bacteria are useful resources for biodegradation. In this study, we screened for endophytic bacteria capable of biodegrading rice straw and lignin and obtained one strain, Pantoea sp. Sd-1, with suitable characteristics. Sd-1 could be used for degradation of rice straw and lignin, and may play an important role in biodegradation of this agricultural by-product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous polarization and its strain effects of bismuth titanate (BiT) with B2cb and Blal space groups are studied by first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculation, Blal was proved to be the most stable phase structure and the spontaneous polarization is in good agreement with the experimental value. Similar variations of the principal polarization component (Pa) are obtained for B2cb and Blal structured BiT by applying 6-uniaxial, c-uniaxial, a6-biaxial and 6c-biaxial strains. It is found that the Pa is enhanced about 18.5% (20.8%) with ab-biaxial tensile strain of 2.4% for B2cb (Blal) structure. Polarization along the c-axis (Pc) for the Blal structure is improved by 59.1% when fcc-biaxial tensile strain reaches 2.4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The astigmatic detection system (ADS) based on commercial optical pickup head was demonstrated to achieve a sub-nanometer sensitivity in detecting the vertical movement of an object surface in air. The detection laser spot of the ADS was sub-μm and the detection bandwidth was over 80 MHz. These advantages allow detection of high-frequency mechanical resonance of very small objects, which would have many important applications in nanotechnology. In this work, we optimized the operation conditions of ADS to achieve good sensitivity in aqueous solutions. We demonstrated good contrast and good spatial resolution of cancer cells in water with the optical profilometry mode. We also built an ADS-AFM (atomic force microscopy) for imaging in water. A novel cantilever holder was designed, and the spurious peaks were suppressed down to 26.0% of the real resonance peak. Most importantly, we demonstrated that the ADS-AFM could resolve single atomic steps on a graphite substrate and image soft DNA molecules on mica in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generalised cumulative count of conforming (GCCC) charts have been proposed for monitoring a high-yield process that allows the items to be inspected sample by sample and not according to the production order. Recent study has shown that the GCCC chart with a variable sampling interval (VSI) is superior to the traditional one with a fixed sampling interval (FSI) because of the additional flexibility of sampling interval it offers. However, the VSI chart is still costly when used for the prevention of defective products. This paper presents an economic model for the design problem of the VSI GCCC chart, taking into account the correlation of the production outputs within the same sample. In the economic design, a cost function is developed that includes the cost of sampling and inspection, the cost of false alarms, the cost of detecting and removing the assignable cause, and the cost when the process is out-of-control. An evolutionary search method using the cost function is presented for finding the optimal design parameters of the VSI GCCC chart. Comparisons between VSI and FSI charts for expected cost per unit time are also made for various process and cost parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porosity formation in a Sr modified A356 alloy was investigated using microfocus X-ray imaging and directional solidification technology. In situ experimental results indicate that Sr addition enhances the effectiveness of oxide inclusions in the liquid aluminium alloy as pore nucleation sites and thus leads to a remarkable rise in the nucleation temperature. As pores are nucleated in high temperature region and far away from the solidification front, they can grow at a high growth rate for a relatively long time, and thus, significant increases in the volume fraction of porosity and particularly the number density of large pores are seen in the Sr modified alloy. The growth rate of pores decreases with the reduction in local liquid temperature, and it fluctuates violently during directional solidification. Addition of Sr weakens this fluctuation and decreases the average growth rate of pores. Addition of Sr has a considerable influence on the size distribution of pores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report new limits on a spin-independent weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP)-nucleon interaction cross section using 39.5 kg days of data taken with a p-type point-contact germanium detector of 840 g fiducial mass at the Kuo-Sheng Reactor Neutrino Laboratory. Crucial to this study is the understanding of the selection procedures and, in particular, the bulk-surface events differentiation at the sub-keV range. The signal-retaining and background-rejecting efficiencies were measured with calibration gamma sources and a novel n-type point-contact germanium detector. Part of the parameter space in the cross section versus WIMP-mass implied by various experiments is probed and excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents numerical modeling work as part of a forensic investigation on a catastrophic roadside slope failure in Taiwan. It includes three stages of numerical modeling analysis of the failure slope. Two-dimensional (2D) limited equilibrium analysis numerical modeling is first carried out to check the original design. A series of parametric studies are then introduced to investigate the influences of controlling design factors on slope stability. Finally, three-dimensional (3D) finite-element difference analysis is conducted to further examine possible failure scenarios and the failure states. As a result of this study, the failure mechanism and triggering factors were possibly verified via the numerical analyses. The purpose of the presented study hopefully introduces the applications of numerical modeling in similar forensic investigations, as well as appropriate means of adapting numerical modeling in a forensic investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diverse atomic configurations induce the anisotropic surface properties. For investigating anisotropic phenomena, we developed a rotational positioning system adapted to atomic force microscope (AFM). This rotational positioning system is applied to revolve the measured sample to defined angular direction, and it composed of an inertial rotational stepper and a visual angular measurement. The inertial rotational stepper with diameter 30 mm and height 7.6 mm can be easily attached to the AFM-system built in any general optical microscope. Based on a clearance less bearing and the inertial driving method, its bidirectional angular resolution reaches 0.005° per step. For realizing a close-loop controlled angular positioning function, the visual measurement method is utilized. Through the feedback control, the angular positioning error is less than 0.01°. For verifying the system performance, we used it to investigate the anisotropic surface properties of graphite. Through a modified cantilever tip, the atomic-scale stick-slip, and the anisotropic friction phenomena can be distinctly detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Capsaicin, an agonist of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channels, is pro-nociceptive in the periphery but is anti-nociceptive when administered into the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG), a midbrain region for initiating descending pain inhibition. Here, we investigated how activation of TRPV1 channels in the vlPAG leads to anti-nociception.Experimental Approach: We examined synaptic transmission and neuronal activity using whole-cell recordings in vlPAG slices in vitro and hot-plate nociceptive responses in rats after drug microinjection into the vlPAG in vivo.Key Results: Capsaicin (1-10 µM) depressed evoked GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (eIPSCs) in vlPAG slices presynaptically, while increasing miniature excitatory PSC frequency. Capsaicin-induced eIPSC depression was antagonized by cannabinoid CB₁ and metabotropic glutamate (mGlu₅) receptor antagonists, and prevented by inhibiting diacylglycerol lipase (DAGL), which converts DAG into 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), an endocannabinoid. Capsaicin induced membrane depolarization in 2/3 neurons recorded but, overall, increased neuronal firings by increasing evoked postsynaptic potentials. Intra-vlPAG capsaicin reduced hot-plate responses in rats, effects blocked by CB₁ and mGlu receptor antagonists. Effects of capsaicin were antagonized by SB 366791, a TRPV1 channel antagonist.Conclusions and Implications: Capsaicin activated TRPV1s on glutamatergic terminals to release glutamate which activated postsynaptic mGlu₅ receptors, yielding 2-AG from DAG by DAGL hydrolysis. 2-AG induces retrograde inhibition (disinhibition) of GABA release via presynaptic CB₁ receptors. This disinhibition in the vlPAG leads to anti-nociception by activating the descending pain inhibitory pathway. This is a novel TRPV1 channel-mediated anti-nociceptive mechanism in the brain and a new interaction between vanilloid and endocannabinoid systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]