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The effect of casting method on the magnetic properties of Sm(Co0.63Fe0.28Cu0.07Zr0.02)7.6 magnet has been investigated. The results show that the plate-mold ingot (PM) and strip-casting flake (SC) have the same phase composition. Compared with PM, the SC has a smaller grain size and larger fine-grain region due to its larger degree of undercooling. The magnetic properties of the PM magnet are Br = 11.63 kG, Hcj = 25.65 kOe, (BH)max = 30.97 MGOe, while the magnetic properties of SC magnet are Br = 11.45 kG, Hcj = 24.00 kOe, (BH)max = 30.03 MGOe. The reason for the low remanence of the SC magnet is revealed by the XRD and EBSD results. It shows that the PM magnet has a better easy-axis orientation than the SC magnet, due to the existence of fine grains in SC that are unfavorable for the alignment under a magnetic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calf diarrhea is one of the most serious diseases in the dairy industry, which has caused huge economic losses to the worldwide dairy industry, including China. We conducted a meta-analysis to systematical assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of diarrhea among dairy calves in China. The China Science and Technology Journal, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan Fang and Pub Med databases were systematically searched from the inception dates to April 30, 2022, using keywords of prevalence, diarrhea, calves, key factors, determinants, related factors, causes, etiology, prevalence, epidemiology and China. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate 95% Cis using random-effects models. 35 studies reporting the prevalence of dairy calves' diarrhea in China were selected upon our inclusion criterion. The pooled diarrhea prevalence in dairy calves in China was estimated to be 27.2% (95% CI 24.2-30.2). The results of our systematic review and meta-analysis revealed that the highest prevalence rate was found in Northeast China, followed by Northwest China and East China and the lowest two regions were Northern and central China. The main cause of diarrhea in calves is bacteria, the second is virus and the third is a parasite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the morphological and physiological responses of Osmanthus fragrans 'Yingui' (Yin) and O. fragrans 'Jingui' (Jin) to different NaCl concentrations. NaCl concentrations significantly affected plant height and leaf mass per area. Total biomass decreased by 22.8-41.8% under moderate and high NaCl which inhibited O. fragrans growth. The ratio of root to shoot biomass in Yin was 44.3% higher than that in Jin at high NaCl concentrations which suggested that Yin possesses conservative resource acquisition strategies to resist salt stress. Compared to Yin, Jin showed higher net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and intercellular CO2 concentration under high NaCl treatment. Jin exhibited also relatively higher proline, soluble sugar, K+ content, and K+/Na+ under the treatments implying that acquisitive resource acquisition may be the main strategy for salt resistance in Jin. Our results demonstrated that Yin and Jin could be cultivated in saline land in a short time and the two cultivars respond to salinity by different morphological and physiological mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of different light intensities (50, 100, 200 μmol/m2 s) on the morphogenesis, physiological characteristics and dry matter accumulation of Gleditsia sinensis Lam. seedlings, and to find out the suitable light intensity for the growth of Gleditsia sinensis seedlings. In this study, it was found that with the increase of light intensity, the seedling index, biomass accumulation, photosynthetic pigment content and leaf thickness of Gleditsia sinensis seedlings increased significantly. L1 (50 μmol/m2 s) treatment was not conducive to the growth of Gleditsia sinensis seedlings. The chloroplast structure of the leaves under this treatment was damaged, and the chlorophyll content was low. The starch content, soluble sugar content, soluble protein content, POD activity and SOD activity of Gleditsia sinensis seedlings under L1 treatment were significantly lower than those under L3 (200 μmol/m2 s) treatment. L2 (100 μmol/m2 s) treatment resulted in significantly higher cell tense ratio(CTR)than L1 and L3 treatments, and stomatal length and width were significantly lower than those of L1 and L3 treatments. L3 (200 μmol/m2 s) treatment was beneficial to the stem thickening growth and the accumulation of dry matter, chlorophyll, carotenoid and soluble sugar content of Gleditsia sinensis seedlings, and the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly reduced. There was no significant difference in Fv/Fm, α and Ik of Gleditsia sinensis seedling under different light intensities, but the F0, Fm and ETRmax of Gleditsia sinensis seedling under L3 treatment were significantly higher than those under L1 treatment.The results show that the light intensity of 200 μmol/m2 s is more suitable for the growth of Gleditsia sinensis seedlings than the other two treatments. The light intensity below 50 μmol/m2 s is not conducive to the growth of Gleditsia sinensis seedlings, and to some extent, it will damage the structure of photosynthetic organs of Gleditsia sinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We primary aimed to synthesise the available data, assess the effectiveness of different mesh materials in prophylactic mesh placement, and rank these materials according to the incidence of parastomal hernia (PSH) and other stoma complications.This network meta-analysis performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis statement. Four databases were searched for randomised controlled trials of prophylactic mesh placement. The aggregated results were performed in the STATA routine for Bayesian hierarchical random effects models.Thirteen randomised controlled trials from 1203 articles, met the inclusion criteria, including 681 cases without meshes, 65 cases with mesh material of xenogeneic acellular dermis (porcine/bovine), 27 cases with polypropylene/PG910, 114 cases with polypropylene/polyglecaprone (Monocryl), 117 cases with polypropylene/cellulose (ORC), 233 cases with polypropylene, and 35 cases with polypropylene/PVDF. In network A, compared with no mesh, only polypropylene (RR 0.24, 95% CI 0.04–0.80) were significantly associated with a reduction in the incidence of PSH. In network B, no statistical difference regarding stoma complications was found between mesh and no mesh.Based on the network meta-analysis and ranking results, the polypropylene mesh material exhibited the best performance. However, this conclusion needs to be confirmed with larger sample sizes and high-quality randomised controlled trials.Method: We primary aimed to synthesise the available data, assess the effectiveness of different mesh materials in prophylactic mesh placement, and rank these materials according to the incidence of parastomal hernia (PSH) and other stoma complications.This network meta-analysis performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis statement. Four databases were searched for randomised controlled trials of prophylactic mesh placement. The aggregated results were performed in the STATA routine for Bayesian hierarchical random effects models.Thirteen randomised controlled trials from 1203 articles, met the inclusion criteria, including 681 cases without meshes, 65 cases with mesh material of xenogeneic acellular dermis (porcine/bovine), 27 cases with polypropylene/PG910, 114 cases with polypropylene/polyglecaprone (Monocryl), 117 cases with polypropylene/cellulose (ORC), 233 cases with polypropylene, and 35 cases with polypropylene/PVDF. In network A, compared with no mesh, only polypropylene (RR 0.24, 95% CI 0.04–0.80) were significantly associated with a reduction in the incidence of PSH. In network B, no statistical difference regarding stoma complications was found between mesh and no mesh.Based on the network meta-analysis and ranking results, the polypropylene mesh material exhibited the best performance. However, this conclusion needs to be confirmed with larger sample sizes and high-quality randomised controlled trials.Result: We primary aimed to synthesise the available data, assess the effectiveness of different mesh materials in prophylactic mesh placement, and rank these materials according to the incidence of parastomal hernia (PSH) and other stoma complications.This network meta-analysis performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis statement. Four databases were searched for randomised controlled trials of prophylactic mesh placement. The aggregated results were performed in the STATA routine for Bayesian hierarchical random effects models.Thirteen randomised controlled trials from 1203 articles, met the inclusion criteria, including 681 cases without meshes, 65 cases with mesh material of xenogeneic acellular dermis (porcine/bovine), 27 cases with polypropylene/PG910, 114 cases with polypropylene/polyglecaprone (Monocryl), 117 cases with polypropylene/cellulose (ORC), 233 cases with polypropylene, and 35 cases with polypropylene/PVDF. In network A, compared with no mesh, only polypropylene (RR 0.24, 95% CI 0.04–0.80) were significantly associated with a reduction in the incidence of PSH. In network B, no statistical difference regarding stoma complications was found between mesh and no mesh.Based on the network meta-analysis and ranking results, the polypropylene mesh material exhibited the best performance. However, this conclusion needs to be confirmed with larger sample sizes and high-quality randomised controlled trials.Conclusion: We primary aimed to synthesise the available data, assess the effectiveness of different mesh materials in prophylactic mesh placement, and rank these materials according to the incidence of parastomal hernia (PSH) and other stoma complications.This network meta-analysis performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis statement. Four databases were searched for randomised controlled trials of prophylactic mesh placement. The aggregated results were performed in the STATA routine for Bayesian hierarchical random effects models.Thirteen randomised controlled trials from 1203 articles, met the inclusion criteria, including 681 cases without meshes, 65 cases with mesh material of xenogeneic acellular dermis (porcine/bovine), 27 cases with polypropylene/PG910, 114 cases with polypropylene/polyglecaprone (Monocryl), 117 cases with polypropylene/cellulose (ORC), 233 cases with polypropylene, and 35 cases with polypropylene/PVDF. In network A, compared with no mesh, only polypropylene (RR 0.24, 95% CI 0.04–0.80) were significantly associated with a reduction in the incidence of PSH. In network B, no statistical difference regarding stoma complications was found between mesh and no mesh.Based on the network meta-analysis and ranking results, the polypropylene mesh material exhibited the best performance. However, this conclusion needs to be confirmed with larger sample sizes and high-quality randomised controlled trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflux scintigraphy is often used to diagnose gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, the efficacy of this study remains controversial. Our aim was to determine the role of reflux scintigraphy in diagnosing GERD by comparing it to 24 h combined pH-impedance study as the gold standard. Adult patients who presented for investigations of reflux symptoms were prospectively recruited into the study. All patients underwent high resolution esophageal manometry and those with major motor disorders of the esophagus were excluded. Eligible patients immediately underwent reflux scintigraphy following insertion of the pH-impedance catheter. Thirty patients were included in the study. Using a total acid exposure time (AET) of >4.2% as the reference for abnormal acid reflux, reflux scintigraphy had a sensitivity and specificity of 62.5 and 68.2%, respectively, in detecting acid reflux. When compared to AET >6%, reflux scintigraphy had a sensitivity and specificity of 66.7 and 62.5%, respectively, and a positive predictive value of 30.8% and a negative predictive value of 88.2%. There were no associations between outcomes of reflux scintigraphy and total AET (p =.46), total (acid or non-acid) reflux events (p = 0.11), proximal AET (p =.33) or the number of proximal reflux episodes (p =.75) on 24 h pH-impedance study. Reflux scintigraphy has limited role in diagnosing GERD when compared to 24 h combined pH-impedance monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the relationship between pre-corneal and pre-contact lens tear film stability (TFS), and to determine whether pre-corneal TFS is a reliable predictor of subsequent pre-lens TFS after a contact lens is placed on the eye. Methods: 667 records met inclusion criteria and were extracted from a soft contact lens multi-study database. Multivariable linear mixed effects models were fit to examine the association between pre-corneal and pre-lens TFS, adjusting for potential confounders and accounting for repeated measures. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to assess the predictive performance of pre-corneal TFS for subsequent pre-lens TFS. TFS was quantified for this analysis as the non-invasive tear breakup time (NITBUT). Results: Pre-corneal NITBUT was significantly related to the pre-lens NITBUT at both 10 min (p<0.001) and 2–6 hrs (p<0.001) post-lens insertion. However, the sensitivities of pre-corneal NITBUT for predicting symptom-associated thresholds of pre-lens NITBUT ranged from 50–65%, and specificities ranged from 57–72%, suggesting poor-to-moderate diagnostic performance. Conclusions: Despite the association of pre-corneal and pre-lens TFS, the inherent lability and sensitivity to environmental exposures of the tear film introduce significant variability into NITBUT measurements. Using pre-corneal NITBUT to identify likely successful contact lens candidates prior to fitting is thus not sufficiently accurate to be relied upon in the clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic heat (AH) is an important part of urban surface energy balance. Although AH affects regional climates through changing land-atmosphere interactions, the climate forcing from AH are not usually calculated in state-of-the-art regional climate simulations. In this paper, the spatial pattern of AH in 20 automatic weather station sites in the Beijing municipal administrative area is parameterized by employing nighttime light data. Two experiments were designed and performed to quantify the influence of AH on the surface balance of energy and water through running the Integrated urban Land Model (IUM). The results show that due to accounting for AH, the simulated LST increases; the net radiation decreases around noon; the absolute value of the ground heat flux increases around noon; the sensible heat flux increases in the daytime; the evapotranspiration decreases around noon and increases in the morning and evening; volumetric soil moisture and soil water storage decrease; aggregated evapotranspiration increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tensile behavior at elevated temperature of heavily plastically deformed Al-Mg alloys with an Mg content of 1 to 5% was investigated. Large plastic deformation was imposed by confined channel die pressing at room temperature up to 18 passes. During heating to test temperature the specimens were observed to undergo recovery and partly recrystallization. The strain rate sensitivity was found to increase with increasing test temperature, and the previously reported asymmetry of the stress differential upon instantaneous up and down strain rate changes disappeared at elevated temperatures. The transition temperature from the low temperature to the high temperature behavior depended on the amount of pre-deformation. The observed phenomena were attributed to a change in deformation mechanism which occurred the earlier, i.e. at lower temperature, the higher the dislocation density introduced by pre-deformation. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level is strongly associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in chronic HBV infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between intrahepatic HBV DNA titer and post-liver transplantation (LT) prognosis for HBV-related HCC (HBV-HCC) patients. A total of 60 patients with HBV-HCC who underwent LT were retrospectively studied. Using quantitative TaqMan fluorescent real-time polymerase chain reaction assay, HBV total DNA (tDNA) and covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) were both quantified in tumor tissue (TT) and adjacent non-tumor tissue (ANTT) from the explanted liver. The loads of tDNA and cccDNA in ANTT were associated with serum HBV DNA levels. Multivariate analysis showed that the presence of vascular invasion and cccDNA in TT were independent risk factors for tumor recurrence. The group of patients with cccDNA titers ≥31og l0 copies/μg in TT had significantly higher cumulative recurrence rates than those with <31og l0 copies/μg group. The cccDNA titers predicted the tumor recurrence with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.664. Our findings would assist the clinical implementation of a more personalized therapy for tumor recurrence control and improve the prognosis of HBV-HCC patients. • cccDNA titer (≥31og l0 copies/μg) in the tumor tissue may predispose patients to HCC recurrence after liver transplantation in HBV-HCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increase in lattice constants and an order-disorder phase transition were observed in the magnesium aluminate spinel (MgAl2O4) powders after shock compression. Theoretical calculations on the basis of density functional theory confirm that the remarkable volume expansion in shocked MgAl2O4 powders is closely related to the substantial site disorder in the MgAl2O4 lattice. The calculations also show that the partially inverse MgAl2O4 spinel with an inversion index of 0.7 represents the greatest disordered metastable phase and the most unstable structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I present an open source code Esh3D that evaluates the quasi‐static elastic displacement and stress fields perturbed by ellipsoidal inclusions, known as the Eshelby solution. The improvement over my previous work includes obtaining solutions in half‐space by numerically canceling the traction to stage a free surface. The discrete numerical domain allows nonplanar surface. I first briefly introduce the ellipsoidal inclusion problem and solution evaluation. Then, I describe the traction cancellation method in forming the half‐space solutions. Next, I emulate a planar fault with a low aspect ratio ellipsoid and compare the half‐space solution against the well‐known Okada solution for flat and topographic surfaces. Finally, I provide comparisons between the full space and half‐space solutions to illustrate the free surface effects on the displacement and stress fields. Plain Language Summary: In a number of geophysical applications, our code presented in Meng et al. (2012, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2011.07.008) is adopted. Among those, people sometimes use the code to fit surface deformation/strain data. However, the original code is for full space without considering the free surface. Now I extend the code to cover both the full space and half surface cases. In the last figure, I show that the free surface effect cannot be neglected even at depth of 4 km. Key Points: Esh3D evaluates Eshelby solution for ellipsoidal inclusions in full or half‐spaceHalf space Eshelby solution is obtained seminumerically by traction cancellationThe half‐space solution allows nonplanar surface [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deals with a study which measured the current-voltage characteristics of gallium arsenide (GaAs)-aluminum arsenide (AlAs)-GaAs-AlAs-GaAs double-barrier heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy on oriented substrates under longitudinal uniaxial stress. Preparation of sample and experimental technique; Current-voltage characteristics of the resonant tunneling diode; Description of the I-V characteristics of the heterostructures.

The thermal fatigue of hot worked tool dies improves remarkably when treated with a laser biomimetic coupling technique (LBCT). By processed specific area, the reinforcing structure is built to hinder the spreading of cracks on substrate. Electropulsing is another way to improve steel performance. The processed sample surface has finer the grain and more meandering boundaries that prevent crack from initiation. In this paper, it was utilized to improve the fatigue behaviour of steel hot worked tool dies treated with both methods. The results indicated that the microstructure of the bionic surface was refined by electropulsing. The effects of obstructing crack initiation and extension worked at the same time. Both strengthening method worked together and improve the thermal fatigue performance to a further degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Assess potential risk factors for severe Meibomian gland atrophy (SMGA) in a young adult population. Methods: Cross-sectional study using medical history and ocular surface examination to evaluate relationships with study outcomes: SMGA, tear lipid layer (TLL) thickness, non-invasive (NITBUT) and fluorescein (FTBUT) tear breakup times, and symptoms using the Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness (SPEED) questionnaire. Results: One hundred one participants (101; 202 eyes; Age: mean±SD = 22.3±4.0 years) completed the study. Hormonal birth control (HBC) use was the only significant risk factor for SMGA (p = 0.028). Female HBC users had 4.8 times greater odds of having SMGA compared to female HBC non-users (p = 0.028), but the odds of having SMGA was similar between female HBC non-users and males (p = 0.885). Multivariable analysis suggested that the relationship between SMGA and TLL thickness was dependent on HBC use. Compared to female HBC non-users without SMGA, TLL thickness for HBC users was estimated to be 10 nm thinner if SMGA was absent (p = 0.007) and 21 nm thinner if SMGA was present (p<0.001). SMGA status had no significant impact on TLL thickness among female HBC non-users (p = 0.552). The effect of TLL thickness on FTBUT was small but significant (p = 0.026). TLL thickness was not significantly associated with NITBUT (p = 0.349). Neither FTBUT nor NITBUT was significantly associated with the SPEED score. Conclusion: HBC use may be associated with SMGA, supporting the hypothesis that SMGA could lead to thinner TLL. However, less evidence was present to support that thin TLL could lead to clinically detectable tear film instability and subsequently to increased ocular dryness symptoms. Further investigation with a larger sample size is warranted to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Hyperparathyroidism is a common complication in chronic kidney disease and might persist in up to 25% of patients after transplantation. In this setting, vitamin D analogues further aggravate persistent hypercalcemia and cinacalcet has not been approved for these patients, some of whom will require parathyroidectomy to correct post-transplantation hyperparathyroidism. Objectives In this single-center, retrospective study we aimed to analyze the long-term effect of parathyroidectomy on calcium, phosphorus, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels and its effect on allograft function in kidney transplantation patients submitted to parathyroidectomy. Patients and Methods Fifteen patients underwent parathyroidectomy between January 2005 and January 2015; median age 54 years old; 8 (53.3%) were receiving cinacalcet at the time of surgery. Pre-parathyroidectomy median values of intact PTH, calcium, and phosphorus were, respectively, 262 pg/mL, 10.8 mg/dL, and 2.4 mg/dL. Surgery consisted of uniglandular parathyroidectomy in 5 (33.3%) patients, biglandular in 4 (26.7%), and subtotal in 6 (40%). There was no surgery-related mortality. Results Compared with baseline, there was a decrease of PTH (262 pg/mL vs. 106 pg/mL, P = .001), calcium, and phosphorus levels (10.8 mg/dL vs. 10.4 mg/dL, P = .3; 2.4 vs. 2.9 mg/dL, P = .05) 1 year after surgery; with normalization of serum calcium at the end of follow-up (10.8 mg/dL vs. 9.4 mg/dL, P = .04). A decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate occurred 1 month post-surgery (62.7 mL/m vs. 49.7 mL/m, P = .006) but returned to baseline 1 year after surgery (62.7 mL/m vs. 60.8 mL/m, P = .73). Conclusion Parathyroidectomy appears to be a safe procedure and should be considered in kidney transplantation patients with persistent post-transplantation hyperparathyroidism. Although there was an acute estimated glomerular filtration rate decrease, we observed no long-term deterioration in allograft function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematic abilities in childhood are highly predictive for long-term neurocognitive outcomes. Preterm-born individuals have an increased risk for both persistent cognitive impairments and long-term changes in macroscopic brain organization. We hypothesized that the association of childhood mathematic abilities with both adulthood general cognitive abilities and associated fronto-parietal intrinsic networks is altered after preterm delivery. 72 preterm- and 71 term-born individuals underwent standardized mathematic and IQ testing at 8 years and resting-state fMRI and full-scale IQ testing at 26 years of age. Outcome measure for intrinsic networks was intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC). Controlling for IQ at age eight, mathematic abilities in childhood were significantly stronger positively associated with adults' IQ in preterm compared with term-born individuals. In preterm-born individuals, the association of children's mathematic abilities and adults' fronto-parietal iFC was altered. Likewise, fronto-parietal iFC was distinctively linked with preterm- and term-born adults' IQ. Results provide evidence that preterm birth alters the link of mathematic abilities in childhood and general cognitive abilities and fronto-parietal intrinsic networks in adulthood. Data suggest a distinct functional role of intrinsic fronto-parietal networks for preterm individuals with respect to mathematic abilities and that these networks together with associated children's mathematic abilities may represent potential neurocognitive targets for early intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine whether localized hyperosmotic spikes on the pre-lens tear film (PrLTF) due to tear break up results in hyperosmotic spikes on the ocular surface during soft-contact-lens (SCL) wear and whether wear of SCLs can protect the cornea against PrLTF osmotic spikes.Methods: Two-dimensional transient diffusion of salt was incorporated into a computationally designed SCL, post-lens tear film (PoLTF), and ocular surface and solved numerically. Time-dependent localized hyperosmolarity spikes were introduced at the anterior surface of the SCL corresponding to those generated in the PrLTF. Salt spikes were followed in time until spikes penetrate through the lens into the PoLTF. Lens-salt diffusivities (Ds) were varied to assess their importance on salt migration from the PrLTF to the ocular surface. SCL and PoLTF initial conditions and the lens anterior-surface boundary condition were varied depending on the value of Ds and on dry-eye symptomatology. Determined corneal surface osmolarities were translated into clinical pain scores.Results: For Ds above about 10-7cm2/s, it takes around 5-10 s for the PrLTF hyperosmotic break-up spikes to diffuse across the SCL and reach the corneal surface. Even if localized hyperosmotic spikes penetrate to the ocular surface, salt concentrations there are much lower than those in the progenitor PrLTF spikes. For Ds less than 10-7cm2/s, the SCL protects the cornea from hyperosmotic spikes for both normal and dry eyes. When localized corneal hyperosmolarity is converted into transient pain scores, pain thresholds are significantly lower than those for no-lens wear.Conclusions: A cornea can be protected from localized PrLTF hyperosmolarity spikes with SCL wear. With regular blinking (e.g., less than 10 s), SCL wear shields the cornea from significant hyperosmotic pain. Decreasing Ds increases that protection. Low-Ds soft contact lenses can protect against hyperosmotic spikes and discomfort even during infrequent blinking (e.g., > 10 s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which adopted parameters to characterize the transport process in double-barrier quantum-well (DBQW) structures. Issue on the transport mechanism across the DBQW; Illustration of the band diagram of a DBQW; Assumption of the involvement of one resonant mode.

This review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding interfacial properties of very complex biological colloids, specifically, human meibum and tear lipids, and their interactions with proteins similar to the proteins found in aqueous part of human tears. Tear lipids spread as thin films over the surface of tear-film aqueous and play crucial roles in tear-film stability and overall ocular-surface health. The vast majority of papers published to date report interfacial properties of meibum-lipid monolayers spread on various aqueous sub-phases, often containing model proteins, in Langmuir trough. However, it is well established that natural human ocular tear lipids exist as multilayered films with a thickness between 30 and 100 nm, that is very much disparate from 1 to 2 nm thick meibum monolayers. We employed sessile-bubble tensiometry to study the dynamic interfacial and rheological properties of reconstituted multilayered human tear-lipid films. Small amounts (0.5–1 μg) of human tear lipids were deposited on an air-bubble surface to produce tear-lipid films in thickness range 30–100 nm corresponding to ocular lipid films. Thus, we were able to overcome major Langmuir-trough method limitations because ocular tear lipids can be safely harvested only in minute, sub-milligram quantities, insufficient for Langmuir through studies. Sessile-bubble method is demonstrated to be a versatile tool for assessing conventional synthetic surfactants adsorption/desorption dynamics at an air-aqueous solution interface. (Svitova T., Weatherbee M., Radke C.J. Dynamics of surfactant sorption at the air/water interface: continuous-flow tensiometry. J. Colloid Interf. Sci. 2003;261:1170–179). The augmented flow-sessile-bubble setup, with step-strain relaxation module for dynamic interfacial rheological properties and high-precision syringe pump to generate larger and slow interfacial area expansions-contractions, was developed and employed in our studies. We established that this method is uniquely suitable for examination of multilayered lipid-film interfacial properties. Recently it was compellingly proven that chemical composition of human tear lipids extracted from whole tears is substantially different from that of meibum lipids. To be exact, healthy human tear lipids contain 8–16% of polar lipids, similar to lung lipids, and they are mostly double-tailed phospholipids, with C16 and longer alkyl chains. Rationally, one would assume that the results obtained for meibum lipids, devoid of surface-active components such as phospholipids, and, above all, in a form of monolayers, are not pertinent or useful for elucidating behavior and stability of an averaged 60-nm thick ocular tear-lipid films in vivo. The advantage of sessile-bubble technique, specifically, using a small amount of lipids required to attain multilayered films, unlocks the prospect of evaluating and comparing the interfacial properties of human tear lipids collected from a single individual, typically 100–150 μg. This is in sharp contrast with several milligrams of lipids that would be required to build equally thick films for Langmuir-trough experiments. The results of our studies provided in-depth understanding of the mechanisms responsible for properties and stability of human tear-lipid films in vivo. Here we summarize recent publications and our latest findings regarding human tear-lipid interfacial properties, their chemical composition, and their interaction with model proteins mimicking the proteins found in human tear-aqueous phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preterm birth is a leading cause for impaired neurocognitive development with an increased risk for persistent cognitive deficits in adulthood. In newborns, preterm birth is associated with interrelated white matter (WM) alterations and deep gray matter (GM) loss; however, little is known about the persistence and relevance of these subcortical brain changes. We tested the hypothesis that the pattern of correspondent subcortical WM and GM changes is present in preterm-born adults and has a brain-injury-like nature, i.e., it predicts lowered general cognitive performance. Eighty-five preterm-born and 69 matched term-born adults were assessed by diffusion- and T1-weighted MRI and cognitive testing. Main outcome measures were fractional anisotropy of water diffusion for WM property, GM volume for GM property, and full-scale IQ for cognitive performance. In preterm-born adults, reduced fractional anisotropy was widely distributed ranging from cerebellum to brainstem to hemispheres. GM volume was reduced in the thalamus, striatum, temporal cortices, and increased in the cingulate cortices. Fractional anisotropy reductions were specifically associated with GM loss in thalamus and striatum, with correlation patterns for both regions extensively overlapping in the WM of brainstem and hemispheres. For overlap regions, fractional anisotropy was positively related with both gestational age and full-scale IQ. Results provide evidence for extensive, interrelated, and adverse WM and GM subcortical changes in preterm-born adults. Data suggest persistent brain-injury-like changes of subcortical-cortical connectivity after preterm delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been shown to promote post-stroke angiogenesis and long-term functional recovery; however, whether IL-6 could promote post-stroke neurogenesis remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of IL-6 on neurogenesis after ischemic stroke. We also investigated whether pair housing (PH) could improve the experimental stroke outcome through IL-6. Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) was induced in mice treated with recombinant IL-6 (rIL-6) or anti-IL-6 neutralizing antibodies (anti-IL-6 mAbs). Another set of mice were pair-housed (PH; male and ovariectomized female) for 2 weeks, subjected to tMCAO and then assigned to a housing condition (isolated or PH). Pair-housed mice were treated with anti-IL-6 mAbs. Behavioral assessments were made 3 days before tMCAO and after 28 days of reperfusion. Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) isolated from ipsilateral subventricular zone (SVZ) at 14 days post-ischemia were treated with rIL-6 plus soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R). The effects of IL-6 on the proliferation and differentiation of NPCs were examined in vivo and in vitro . The role and mechanism of IL-6 in PH-mediated enhancement of NPC proliferation and functional recovery were investigated in vivo . We found that anti-IL-6 mAbs significantly reduced the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of NPCs in the ipsilateral SVZ, as well as functional recovery; whereas rIL-6 conferred the opposite effects. PH significantly promoted NPC proliferation and functional recovery compared with socially isolated cohorts; blockade of IL-6 with anti-IL-6 mAbs prevented this promoting effect. In conclusion, our results suggest that IL-6 is an important mediator of social interaction on neurogenesis and long-term functional recovery after ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive senescence is a hallmark of aging. The molecular mechanisms regulating reproductive senescence and its association with the aging of somatic cells remain poorly understood. From a full genome RNA interference (RNAi) screen, we identified 32 Caenorhabditis elegans gene inactivations that delay reproductive senescence and extend reproductive lifespan. We found that many of these gene inactivations interact with insulin/IGF-1 and/or TGF-β endocrine signaling pathways to regulate reproductive senescence, except nhx-2 and sgk-1 that modulate sodium reabsorption. Of these 32 gene inactivations, we also found that 19 increase reproductive lifespan through their effects on oocyte activities, 8 of them coordinate oocyte and sperm functions to extend reproductive lifespan, and 5 of them can induce sperm humoral response to promote reproductive longevity. Furthermore, we examined the effects of these reproductive aging regulators on somatic aging. We found that 5 of these gene inactivations prolong organismal lifespan, and 20 of them increase healthy life expectancy of an organism without altering total life span. These studies provide a systemic view on the genetic regulation of reproductive senescence and its intersection with organism longevity. The majority of these newly identified genes are conserved, and may provide new insights into age-associated reproductive senescence during human aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of lens care solutions (LCS) on interfacial dynamics and rheological properties of human tear-lipid films. Methods: Tear lipids were extracted from Schirmer strips collected from 6 healthy subjects. Sessile bubble tensiometry was used to study interfacial properties at 22 °C. Lipids were deposited on an air bubble immersed into electrolytes solution to form 90 ± 20 nm films. Lipid films were subjected to expansion-compression cycles for dynamic interfacial properties and to step-strain relaxations for assessments of rheological properties. LCS (BioTrue [BT], PureMoist [PM], Revitalens [RL], ClearCare [CC]) were injected into optical chamber and equilibrated for 2 h without or with lipid films. Dynamic interfacial properties of films were measured. Then electrolyte solution was pumped through chamber and properties of films were re-evaluated. Results: Equilibrium surface tension (EST), elasticity modulus (E), and relaxation times (τ) of tear lipids were 22 ± 2.1 mN/m, 10.7-14.8 mN/m, and 80-150 s, respectively. EST for LCS was 45.3 ± 0.8 for CC, 40.3 ± 0.8 for BT, 33.4 ± 1.0 for PM, and 30.1 ± 0.8 mN/m for RL. E for LCS varied within 0.5-6.7 mN/m, and τ varied from 49 to 68 ± 5 s. For mixed lipids + LCS films, EST remained unchanged whereas E and τ were reduced for all LCS types. Exposure to PM and RL noticeably altered the shape of lipid-film iso-cycles. These changes persisted after LCS washout. Conclusions: Some components of LCS bind irreversibly to lipid films and make them less viscous and less elastic. These findings suggest the possibility of tear-film destabilization upon LCS exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: With active investigation underway for embedded-circuit contact lenses, safe oxygen supply of these novel lenses remains a question. Central-to-peripheral corneal edema for healthy eyes during wear of soft contact (SCL) and scleral lenses (SL) with embedding components is assessed.Methods: Various 2-dimensional (2D) designs of SL and SCL with embedded components are constructed on Comsol Multiphysics 5.5. Local corneal swelling associated with the designed lenses is determined by a recently developed 2D metabolic-swelling model. Settled central post-lens tear-film thicknesses (PoLTFs) are set at 400 μm and 3 μm for SL and SCL designs, respectively. Each lens design has an axisymmetric central and an axisymmetric peripheral embedment. Oxygen permeability (Dk) of the lens and the embedments ranges from 0 to 200 Barrer. Dimensions and location of the embedments are varied to assess optimal-design configurations to minimize central-to-peripheral corneal edema.Results: By adjusting oxygen Dk of the central embedment, the peripheral embedment, or the lens matrix polymer, corneal swelling is reduced by up to 2.5 %, 1.5 %, or 1.4 % of the baseline corneal thickness, respectively, while keeping all other parameters constant. A decrease in PoLTF thickness from 400 μm to 3 μm decreases corneal edema by up to 1.8 % of the baseline corneal thickness. Shifting the peripheral embedment farther out towards the periphery and towards the anterior lens surface reduces peak edema by up to 1.3 % and 0.6 % of the baseline corneal thickness, respectively.Conclusions: To minimize central-to-peripheral corneal edema, embedments should be placed anteriorly and far into the periphery to allow maximal limbal metabolic support and oxygen transport in the polar direction (i.e., the θ-direction in spherical coordinates). High-oxygen transmissibility for all components and thinner PoLTF thickness are recommended to minimize corneal edema. Depending on design specifications, less than 1 % swelling over the entire cornea is achievable even with oxygen-impermeable embedments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Nb content on the lattice parameters and relative stability of α, β and ω phases in Ti1-xNbx (0< x≤0·30) alloys was investigated using the exact muffin-tin orbitals method in combination with the coherent potential approximation. For ω phase, the value of a increases and c/ a decreases almost linearly with increasing Nb concentration. Whereas in the case of α phase, the lattice constant a and the value of c/ a increase with the increasing Nb content. The critical Nb concentration for the complete stabilisation of β phase at 0 K is 26 at-%. An approximate composition range in which the ω phase exist is between 17 and 26 at-%Nb. The Nb addition enhances the stability of β phase relative to ω and α. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Intense muon beams have very important applications by using μSR techniques and other methods. An experimental muon source (EMuS) as a parasitic facility at China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) is proposed. EMuS makes use of a small portion of the high power proton beam from the CSNS accelerator complex. It will provide an excellent platform for muon beam based multidisciplinary research, and will also serve as the development base for a future full-scale muon source at CSNS. The available proton beam power of 4kW at 1.6GeV can produce intense muon flux with a thick production target. The muon yields with different target materials and shapes, and the muon collection efficiency have been simulated by using the FLUKA code. It is found that the graphite target of about 10–12cm in thickness and rectangular in cross-section is a good choice, and that the collection at 90° from the beam direction is the best for surface muons. It is found that 4-D emittance volume instead of two independent 2-D emittances should be used to define the relation between the optimal muon intensity and the muon channel acceptance, due to the asymmetry between the distributions in the two transverse phase planes. The collected muon intensities for both surface muons and cloud muons with different emittances have also been studied, which are important for designing the muon beam transport line. The intensities of positive and negative muons are in the orders of 105 μ+/s and 104 μ−/s, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

BACKGROUND: Macrophage activation plays a crucial role in regulating adipose tissue inflammation and is a major contributor to the pathogenesis of obesity-associated cardiovascular diseases. On various types of stimuli, macrophages respond with either classic (M1) or alternative (M2) activation. M1- and M2-mediated signaling pathways and corresponding cytokine production profiles are not completely understood. The discovery of microRNAs provides a new opportunity to understand this complicated but crucial network for macrophage activation and adipose tissue function. METHODS AND RESULTS: We have examined the activity of microRNA-223 (miR-223) and its role in controlling macrophage functions in adipose tissue inflammation and systemic insulin resistance. miR-223(-/-) mice on a high-fat diet exhibited an increased severity of systemic insulin resistance compared with wild-type mice that was accompanied by a marked increase in adipose tissue inflammation. The specific regulatory effects of miR-223 in myeloid cell-mediated regulation of adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance were then confirmed by transplantation analysis. Moreover, using bone marrow-derived macrophages, we demonstrated that miR-223 is a novel regulator of macrophage polarization, which suppresses classic proinflammatory pathways and enhances the alternative antiinflammatory responses. In addition, we identified Pknox1 as a genuine miR-223 target gene and an essential regulator for macrophage polarization. CONCLUSION: For the first time, this study demonstrates that miR-223 acts to inhibit Pknox1, suppressing proinflammatory activation of macrophages; thus, it is a crucial regulator of macrophage polarization and protects against diet-induced adipose tissue inflammatory response and systemic insulin resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structure of the simultaneous switching noise (SSN) suppression mechanism and coplanar EBG structure equivalent circuit model, a novel structure of Meander-L Bridge is proposed for SSN suppression in high-speed circuits. Simulation and measurement results show that the stopband ranging from 210MHz to 20GHz at −30 dB suppression of the bandgap depth. Furthermore, the suppression bandwidth is more than 19.79GHz to achieve the ultra-wideband SSN suppression. Moreover, time-domain simulation results show that the structure in high-speed circuits is met with signal integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Identification of genes regulating fat accumulation is important for basic and medical research; genetic screening for those genes in Caenorhabditis elegans, a widely used model organism, requires in vivo quantification of lipids. We demonstrated RNA interference screening based on quantitative imaging of lipids with label-free stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy, which overcomes major limitations of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy. Our screening yielded eight new genetic regulators of fat storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The standard regimen of the levonorgestrel-only pill (1.5 mg either in a single dose or in a dose of 0.75 mg twice, 12 h apart) administered orally for emergency contraception (EC) has been shown to have no effect on endometrial development and markers of endometrial receptivity. We aimed to explore whether repeated oral and single vaginal administration of levonorgestrel affect the endometrium and thus potentially increase the EC efficacy, compared with the standard regimen. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: An analysis including most recent Belle data on is performed, using coupled channel Flatté formula. A third sheet pole close to but below threshold is found, besides the bound state/virtual state pole discussed in previous literature. The co-existence of two poles near the threshold indicates that the may be of ordinary state origin, distorted by strong coupled channel effects. The latter manifests itself as a molecular bound state (or a virtual state). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: JNK signaling functions to induce defense mechanisms that protect organisms against acute oxidative and xenobiotic insults. Using Drosophila as a model system, we investigated the role of autophagy as such a JNK-regulated protective mechanism. We show that oxidative stress can induce autophagy in the intestinal epithelium by a mechanism that requires JNK signaling. Consistently, artificial activation of JNK in the gut gives rise to an autophagy phenotype. JNK signaling can induce the expression of several autophagy-related (ATG) genes, and the integrity of these genes is required for the stress protective function of the JNK pathway. In contrast to autophagy induced by oxidative stress, non-stress related autophagy, as it occurs for example in starving adipose or intestinal tissue, or during metamorphosis, proceeds independently of JNK signaling. Autophagy thus emerges as a multifunctional process that organisms employ in a variety of different situations using separate regulatory mechanisms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fat metabolism, reproduction, and aging are intertwined regulatory axes; however, the mechanism by which they are coupled remains poorly understood. We found that germline stem cells (GSCs) actively modulate Lipid hydrolysis in Caenorhabditis elegans, which in turn regulates longevity. GSC arrest promotes systemic lipolysis via induction of a specific fat lipase. Subsequently, fat mobilization is promoted and life span is prolonged. Constitutive expression of this lipase in fat storage tissue generates lean and long-lived animals. This lipase is a key factor in the lipid hydrolysis and increased longevity that are induced by decreased insulin signaling. These results suggest a link between C. elegans fat metabolism and longevity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fully integrated GaInP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor, transformer-based top-series quadrature voltage controlled oscillator (QVCO) is demonstrated at 4 GHz. The transformers on the semi-insulating GaAs substrate possess good electrical properties at high frequencies. The QVCO at 4.1 GHz has phase noise of -120 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset frequency, output power of 2 dBm and the figure of merit -178 dBc/Hz. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 49: 215–218, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.22067 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we propose a mapping method in which the system function of filter in z-domain is founded by discrete-time domain techniques as well as by chain-scatte ring matrices of various transmission-lines is derived to fulfill a dualbandpass microwave filter based on equal-length nonuniform coupled lines. A dualband filter with the desired bandwidth and low insertion loss is recognized by cascading bandpass and bandstop filters. The five-order Butterworth bandstop filter, which uses a coupled-serial-shunted lines structure, causes the implantation and correct placement of the bandstop filter. The wide-band bandpass filter is implemented by the five-order Chebyshev Type II band-pass filter, which uses serial lines and shunted stubs lines configuration. The design process is finished by using optimization algorithms to tune the values of characteristic impedances of each transmission-line section. Experimental results significantly agree with the theoretical values. Measurement shows that the 3 dB passband widths are about 20% for the frequency of 2.45 GHz and 10% for the frequency of 5.25 GHz. The insertion loss is about 0.831 dB at the frequency of 2.38 GHz and 1.873 dB at the frequency of 5.216 GHz. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 49: 210–215, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.22075 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Stimulant use disorder (SUD) and obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD) are both characterised by compulsive behaviours, previously conceptualised as dysfunctional habits. Thus, imbalanced regulatory control between fronto-striatal and cortico-striatal loops subserving goal-directed and habitual behaviour respectively, possibly involving midbrain dopaminergic input, could be involved in compulsive behaviour. Objectives: We used resting-state fMRI to investigate neural networks of compulsivity in SUD and OCD. We hypothesised that SUD and OCD would differ from healthy volunteers in frontostriatal and cortico-striatal connectivity, and that dopaminergic drug challenges would differentially affect these networks in both disorders. Methods: In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design, patients with SUD (n=18), OCD (n=18), and healthy volunteers (n=18) received one dose of placebo, pramipexole, or amisulpride, before undergoing resting-state fMRI. Regions of interest included ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), premotor cortex (pMOT) and posterior putamen (pPUT), regions involved in goal-directed and habitual control. We compared functional connectivity within these networks and related connectivity to disorder-specific compulsivity measures. Results: Disorder-specific compulsivity predicted functional connectivity between vmPFC and pPUT on placebo in SUD (r=0.51, p<0.05), but not OCD. Pramipexole reversed this relationship in both disorders, so that the correlation was negative in SUD (r=-0.54, p<0.05), but positive in OCD (r=0.49, p<0.05). Pramipexole equally increased connectivity between vmPFC andpMOT in SUD, and decreased connectivity between pPUT and pMOT in OCD. Conclusions:Our findings suggest that imbalanced fronto-striatal loops are involved in compulsive behaviour in SUD and OCD. Dopaminergic modulation of these circuits putatively contributes to compulsivity, with possible ramifications for novel treatments. Disclosure: Dr Meng is supported by the Wellcome Trust (105602/Z/14/Z) and the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. Dr Bullmore is employed part-time by GSK and part-time by University of Cambridge. He holds stock in GSK. Dr Craig was employed by the University. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two major techniques for gain improvement of the CMOS low noise amplifier (LNA) and mixer are presented. First, the inductive interstage matching is applied to design a cascode amplifier for increasing the power transfer between the common source (CS) and common gate (CG) stages. Second, a super source follower (SSF) is utilized in a P-type micromixer for increasing the conversion gain of the mixer. A series of investigations are performed for demonstrating the feasibilities of the proposed techniques. The LNA and mixer designs based on the proposed techniques are realized using 0.35 ìm 1P4M CMOS technology. Then their measured results are compared with those of a preliminary design, which fully integrates a conventional cascode amplifier and a P-type micromixer. The gain of the LNA is increased 2.1 dB and the noise figure is maintained at the same value of the preliminary design. On the other hand, the conversion gain of the super source follower (SSF) of the micromixer output is improved about 9.5 dB. Such improvements reveal great potential of the proposed design techniques on the gain enhancement for the LNA and mixer. Then, the measured results of the preliminary design show the return-loss of 25 dB, the isolation of better than 30 dB, and the conversion gain of 4.8 dB in the 2.4 GHz ISM band. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2067–2070, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21838 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact physics-based transit-time model is established for the GaInP/GaAs HBT device. The VBIC model fails to describe the transit-time frequency versus bias (IC, VCE), especially at low- and medium-current regimes. Starting with the HICUM model, we introduce a new time constant to describe the transit-time frequency versus bias (IC, VCE) more precisely. This model has obvious advantages over the VBIC model for showing the relation of ft versus bias (IC, VCE) in the low and medium current regimes for GaInP/GaAs HBT devices. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 780–783, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21474 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging of a eukaryotic organism is affected by its nutrition state and by its ability to prevent or repair oxidative damage. Consequently, signal transduction systems that control metabolism and oxidative stress responses influence life span. When nutrients are abundant, the insulin/lGF signaling (IIS) pathway pro- motes growth and energy storage but shortens life span. The transcription factor Foxo, which is inhibited by IIS, extends life span in conditions of low IIS activity. Life span can also be increased by activating the stress-responsive Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. Here we show that JNK requires Foxo to extend life span in Drosophila. JNK antagonizes 115, causing nuclear localization of Foxo and inducing its targets, including growth control and stress defense genes. JNK and Foxo also restrict 115 activity systemically by repressing 115 llgand expression in neuroendocrine cells. The convergence of JNK signaling and 1IS on Foxo provides a model to explain the effects of stress and nutrition on longevity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the exclusive decays of the B meson into pseudoscalar charmonium states ηc and η'c within the QCD factorization approach and find that the non-factorizable corrections to naive factorization are infrared safe at leading-twist order. The spectator interactions arising from the kaon twist-3 effects are formally power suppressed but chirally and logarithmically enhanced. An important improvement by including the O(αs) corrections is the cancellation of the renormalization scale μ dependence of the decay amplitude. However, the calculated decay rates are too small to accommodate the experimental data. On the other hand, we compare the theoretical calculations for B meson decays to J/ψ,ψ', ηc and ηc, and find that the predicted relative decay rates of these four states are approximately compatible with the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in the genetic makeup of an organism can extend lifespan significantly if they promote tolerance to environmental insults and thus prevent the general deterioration of cellular function that is associated with aging. Here, we introduce the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway as a genetic determinant of aging in Drosophila melanogaster. Based on expression profiling experiments, we demonstrate that JNK functions at the center of a signal transduction network that coordinates the induction of protective genes in response to oxidative challenge. JNK signaling activity thus alleviates the toxic effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, we show that flies with mutations that augment JNK signaling accumulate less oxidative damage and live dramatically longer than wild-type flies. Our work thus identifies the evolutionarily conserved JNK signaling pathway as a major genetic factor in the control of longevity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents the newly developed digital redesign control scheme with a weighted switching strategy and lifted digital control, for a cascaded analogue system with state saturation. This method improves the generally poor transition response caused by state‐saturation constraints. It replaces an existing or designed analogue controller with state saturation, by a digital controller with almost identical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Contact lens extended wear increases the permeability of epithelium to sodium fluorescein (Pdc). The exact mechanism is not known. However, changes in Pdc likely result from either corneal hypoxia or mechanical trauma, or both. We explored the effects of one-night continuous wear with either high- or low-Dk/t soft lenses on Pdc. The results show that corneal epithelial barrier function decreases significantly with both lens groups. We also observed that Asian eyes had higher Pdc after overnight wear compared to non-Asian and that for both Asian and non-Asian eyes, the elimination of corneal hypoxia did not prevent changes in epithelial permeability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A 1.2-V fully integrated 0.35-μm inductively degenerated common source CMOS low-noise amplifier has been demonstrated at 2.4 GHz in this paper. A simple common source configuration can be operated at lower voltage and has lower output impedance when compared with a conventional high output impedance cascode LNA circuit topology. The input matching inductance, output matching inductance, and source degeneration inductance are integrated on a single chip. The fully integrated 2.4-GHz CMOS LNA has 5.27-dB power gain, 17-dB input return loss, 15-dB output return loss, 4-dB noise figure, and -1-dBm IIP1dB and 8-dBm IIP3 at Vdd = 1.2 V and Idd = 10 mA, respectively. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 36: 136–139, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10699 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Initial results from the Active Plasma EXperiment North Star experiment are presented. The North Star active experiment included two separate plasma jet injections, both perpendicular to the Earth''s magnetic field. The objective of the experiment is to investigate the interaction of high-speed (7–40 km/s) plasma jets with the ionospheric plasma and the coupling to the magnetosphere and lower ionosphere. The plasma jets were produced using an Explosive Type Generator device. This device is a shaped-charge device that vaporizes porous aluminum inside the generator and forces the vaporized products out of a nozzle, resulting in the production of a high-speed, partially ionized aluminum plasma jet. Instrumentation on three different payloads was used to obtain multi-point observations of the plasma jet properties, optical radiation from the jets, and ionospheric perturbations. Imagery, high-speed photometry, and spectrographic imagery using ground- and space-based sensors were used to monitor the dynamics and spectral content of the plasma jet. This paper describes the experiment and summarizes the initial results from the North Star experiment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]