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This paper studies a Bayesian persuasion game in which a receiver can receive signals from two senders. We study under what circumstances the competition between senders induces them to fully disclose all of the signals available. We find that if the senders' preferences are such that they are opposite to the same degree across states (to be made precise in the paper), full disclosure is the only equilibrium outcome of the game. Furthermore, we find that the above condition on the senders' preferences is also necessary if we require that full disclosure be the only equilibrium outcome for any receiver's utility and any information environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present a second order numerical scheme for the Cahn-Hilliard equation, with a Fourier pseudo-spectral approximation in space. An additional Douglas-Dupont regularization term is introduced, which ensures the energy stability. The bound of numerical solution inH²h and ℓ∞norms are obtained at a theoretical level. Moreover, for the global nature of the pseudo-spectral method, we propose a linear iteration algorithm to solve the non-linear system, due to the implicit treatment for the non-linear term. Some numerical simulations verify the efficiency of iteration algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Pore structure and stress sensitivity evolve during hydraulic intrusion. • LF-NMR and in-situ technology reveal pore structure dynamics. • Pre-drilled coal samples deform more, recover slower. • Pore compressibility varies with stress, influenced by larger pores. • Confining and injection pressures affect compressibility oppositely. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) technology is a non-invasive measurement method, that provides a fast, direct, and nondestructive tool for characterizing complex pore structure. To reveal the evolution law of pore structure and stress sensitivity during hydraulic intrusion, this paper adopts LF-NMR monitoring and in-situ hydraulic intrusion technology to carry out the hydraulic intrusion test on both pre-drilled and un-drilled coal. The quantitatively characterizes the variation patterns of pore structure, compressibility, and other parameters, revealing the dynamic mechanism of pore structure evolution Three dynamic evolution laws of pores were obtained through experimental data analysis. The mechanism of dynamic evolution of pore structure was determined from the perspective of pore compressibility and effective stress. Based on the measurement results, LF-NMR is an efficient non-destructive method for quantifying pore size distributions of the coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vibration of offshore wind turbines caused by external loads is significant, which will cause fatigue damage to offshore wind turbines. Wind load is the main load during the operation period of the wind turbine, and available studies have shown that the external wind field often exhibits certain non-Gaussian characteristics. This article aims to obtain the fatigue assessment of the monopile foundation of the wind turbine under the non-Gaussian wind fields. A 5 MW wind turbine is selected in this article, and OpenFAST is applied to simulate the wind load. By comparing the Mises stress time histories of the pile foundation at a different depth, the fatigue analysis of the critical spots of the pile foundation is obtained. In the analysis of fatigue damage, the rain flow counting method is adopted, and the two-segment S-N curve is selected to analyze the fatigue life of the critical spots. The results show that, by taking the non-Gaussian characteristic of the wind field into account, the fatigue life of the monopile foundation decreases. Therefore, attention should be paid to the influence of non-Gaussian characteristics of wind fields on the fatigue life of monopile-supported wind turbines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking Hongyan strawberry as the material and PE drip irrigation tape and fertilizer applicator as the tool of integrated application of water and fertilizer, this experiment studied the effects of six fertilizers including Batian, Jiashili, Wangdefeng, Stanley, volfertile and calcium protein on yield and quality of strawberry. The experimental results showed that different water-soluble fertilizers had different effects on the main economic traits of strawberry. For the maximum single fruit mass, the highest was volfertile treatment (28.72 g), followed by calcium protein treatment, and the lowest was Stanley treatment (23.89 g). The fruit treated with Batian, volfertile and calcium protein was hard in the texture, the fruit treated with Wangdefeng was harder, that of Stanley was softer, and that of Jiashili was soft. The strawberry fruit treated with Wangdefeng and calcium protein was sweet, the fruit treated with volfertile and Batian was sweet, that treated with Jiashili was sour and sweet, and that treated with Stanley was slightly sour. The fruit treated with calcium protein, volfertile and Batian showed strong storage resistance. Strawberry plants treated with Batian, Wangdefeng, Stanley, and calcium protein showed stronger growth, and strawberry plants showed a semi-opening pattern. The yield of strawberry treated with volfertile was highest (17 400 kg/ha), which was significantly increased compared with other treatments, followed by that treated by Stanley (13 140 kg/ha). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suppose an arbitrator needs to allocate an asset among two players, whose claims on the asset are incompatible. The allocation outcome is said to be fair if the arbitrator awards an outcome that brings the same utility payoff to the two players whenever the two players' claims are symmetric and the allocation set is symmetric. In conjunction with other natural axioms, this fairness requirement implies a unique allocation outcome for any claims problem. We propose a mechanism which can be used by the arbitrator to implement this allocation outcome, even when the players' preferences are unknown to the arbitrator. ( JEL C78, D63, J52) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The seed oil of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim (ZBSO) is considered to be rich source of fatty acids, mainly oleic and linoleic acids, and has been used for the treatment of burns in Chinese medicine. Objective: We evaluated the healing efficacy of ZBSO and explored its possible mechanism on scalded rats. Materials and Methods: Sprague-Dawley rat models with deep second-degree burns were set up, and ZBSO (500 and 1000 μl/wound) was topically applied twice daily for 7 days and then once daily until wound healing. The therapeutic effects of ZBSO were evaluated by observing wound closure time, decrustation time, wound-healing ratio, and pathological changes. Collagen type-III, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, phospho-nuclear factor-κB (p-NF-κB) p65, inhibitor of NF-κB subunit α p-IκBα, and inhibitor of NF-κB subunit α (IκBα) expression were determined using Western blotting. Results: The ZBSO-treated group showed a higher wound-healing ratio and shorter decrustation and wound closure times than the untreated group. The topical application of ZBSO increased collagen synthesis as evidenced by an increase in hydroxyproline level and upregulated expression of collagen type-III on days 7, 14, and 21 posttreatment. A reduction in MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions also confirmed the collagen formation efficacy of ZBSO. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in superoxide dismutase levels and a decrease in malondialdehyde levels in ZBSO-treated wounds. ZBSO also decreased tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1 (IL-1) β, and IL-6 levels in serum, upregulated IκBα, and downregulated p-NF-κB p65 and p-IκBα expression in vivo, indicating the anti-inflammatory action of ZBSO. Conclusion: ZBSO has significant potential to treat burn wounds by accelerating collagen synthesis and the anti-inflammatory cascade of the healing process. Abbreviations used: ECL: Enhanced chemiluminescence; ECM: Extracellular matrix; ELISA: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; GC-MS: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; HRP: Horseradish peroxidase; HYP: Hydroxyproline; IκBα: Inhibitor of NF-κB subunit α; IL: Interleukin; MDA: Malondialdehyde; MMP: Matrix metalloproteinase-2; NF-κB: Nuclear factor-κB; SFE: Supercritical fluid extraction; SOD: Superoxide dismutase; SSD: Silver sulfadiazine; TCM: Traditional Chinese medicine; TNF: Tumor necrosis factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Available wind turbine design standards usually assume that the inflow wind field is a smooth Gaussian process, but the in-situ measured data show that the inflow wind presents a certain degree of non-Gaussian characteristics. This study investigates the dynamic response of the supporting structure of the wind turbine under both Gaussian and non-Gaussian wind fields. The Mises stress at the tower base and the mudline of the monopile are considered. Through the global maxima method and the average conditional exceedance rate method, the extreme value response of the turbine under a given mean recurrence interval is obtained. The results indicate that by taking the non-Gaussian characteristics of wind fields into account, the short-term extreme values are generally larger than those under Gaussian wind fields. For the long-term extreme values of the stress at the two critical points, the influence of kurtosis is significantly greater than the skewness. Meanwhile, the long-term stress extreme value also increases with the increase of kurtosis. The non-Gaussian characteristic of the wind field has a particular influence on the safe operation of the wind turbine and should be considered when designing wind turbines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze an alternating-offer model in which an arbitrator uses the split-the-difference arbitration rule to determine the outcome if both players' offers are rejected by the opponents. We find that the usual chilling effect of split-the-difference arbitration arises only when the discount factor is sufficiently large. When the discount factor is sufficiently small, players tend to reach agreement immediately. When the discount factor is in the middle range, delayed agreements might arise. We also find that as long as players are not excessively impatient, then the player who makes the first offer obtains an equilibrium payoff that is not greater than his opponent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When it comes to nurse shift schedules, it is found that the nursing staff have diverse preferences about shift rotations and daysoff. The previous studies only focused on the most preferred work shift and the number of satisfactory days-off of the schedule at the current schedule period but had few discussions on the previous schedule periods and other preference levels for shifts and days-off, which may affect fairness of shift schedules. As a result, this paper proposes a nurse scheduling model based upon integer programming that takes into account constraints of the schedule, different preference ranks towards each shift, and the historical data of previous schedule periods to maximize the satisfaction of all the nursing staff's preferences about the shift schedule. The main contribution of the proposed model is that we consider that the nursing staff's satisfaction level is affected by multiple preference ranks and their priority ordering to be scheduled, so that the quality of the generated shift schedule is more reasonable. Numerical results show that the planned shifts and days-off are fair and successfully meet the preferences of all the nursing staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wheel/rail system is an open system, where the operating environment factors, such as atmospheric humidity, temperature, and oxidation behavior, are subject to change. This study conducts experiments on a twin-disc test rig with a climate chamber to examine the effect of ambient humidity on adhesion and damage between the wheel and rail interface under hot weather conditions. Results indicate that humidity has a remarkable effect on the adhesion behavior of a wheel–rail rolling contact interface. Under low humidity levels, fatigue wear is predominant, abrasive wear becomes increasingly serious with an increase in humidity, oxide wear debris acts as abrasive particles and accelerates the wear process. Under high humidity levels, a friction-reducing layer is formed, and the rollers are protected from excessive wear. Adhesive wear is the main damage mechanism in addition to oxidative wear. Raising the humidity level helps the rollers to avoid excessive wear. However, high humidity level is unconducive to the safe operation of trains because high humidity and a high heat environment promotes the formation of tribochemical products which are a mixture of iron oxide and water molecules and lead to a great decrease in the adhesion between wheel and rail. • Low adhesion behavior under hot weather and high humidity condition were proposed and studied. • Effects of ambient humidity on the adhesion and damage behavior of wheel–rail interface were analyzed and compared. • Transformations of damage mechanisms and third-body layer on worn surface were characterized and revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the traveling wave reduction method with a perturbed initial solution and the F-expansion method, a class of explicit exact solutions of the (2+1)-dimensional CDGKS equation are obtained through the symbolic computation. Moreover, both the interaction behavior between parameters and the perturbation degree of periodic wave and Gauss wave to rational pulse wave, and the correlation of parameters to the superposition degree of the interaction energy between solitary wave and rational pulse wave are discussed. Finally, numerical simulations are shown to demonstrate the mechanism of the above solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a compact dual‐band antenna is presented for sub‐6 GHz base station applications. The main radiator of the antenna is composed of ring‐shaped dipoles and Y‐shaped dipoles. Broadband impedance matching is achieved by complementarily coupling between the two types of dipoles. The measured results show the bandwidth of the proposed antenna can cover from 2.06 to 3.69 GHz in the low‐frequency band with an around isolation of 30 dB, and cover from 4.79 to 5.02 GHz in the high‐frequency band with an around isolation of 25 dB. The in‐band peak realized gain is 9.12 ± 1.02 dBi. Since the proposed antenna operates at N41, N78, and N79 bands in China, it can be a potential element for full sub‐6 GHz base station applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper studies the impact of second-order uncertainty on the (ex-post) efficiency of the 0.5-double auction. We consider a discrete double auction model in which the seller’s valuation is either or and the buyer’s valuation is either or with . The buyer’s valuation and the seller’s valuation are private information. We further assume that the buyer’s belief about the seller’s valuation is also private information (i.e., there is second-order uncertainty). We show that if and are sufficiently small, then the efficiency of the 0.5-double auction model with second-order uncertainty is higher than the efficiency of the 0.5-double auction model with first-order uncertainty. Our result thus serves as an example in which the introduction of higher-order uncertainty results in reducing, instead of increasing, the inefficiency of a bargaining model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: I analyze an alternating-offer model that integrates the common practice of having an arbitrator determine the outcomes if both playersʼ offers are rejected. I assume that the arbitrator uses final-offer arbitration (as in professional baseball). I find that if the arbitrator does not excessively favor one player, then the unique subgame-perfect equilibrium always coincides with the subgame-perfect equilibrium outcome in Rubinsteinʼs infinite-horizon alternating-offer game. However, if the arbitrator sufficiently favors the player making the initial offer, then delay occurs in equilibrium. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In order to investigate the influence of jets width on detonation initiation via imploding annular shock waves, detonation initiation with different jets width were simulated and hydrogen-air mixture was used. The results indicate that when jets temperature is constant, different jets width exist different critical jets pressure, when jets pressure Pin is higher than the critical jets pressure, imploding annular shock waves can form high pressure and high temperature region that lead to direct initiation; the critical jets pressure increased with the increase of jet width. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental investigation was conducted on fire resistance of reactive powder concrete (RPC), mainly on explosive spalling occurrence and residual mechanical properties exposed to high temperature. The residual mechanical properties measured include compressive strength, tensile splitting strength, and fracture energy. RPC was prepared using cement, sand, silica fume, steel fiber, and polypropylene fiber. After subjected to high temperatures from 200 to 600°C, the residual mechanical properties were determined. RPC spalled considerably under high temperature. After exposure to high temperatures from 200 to 400°C, mechanical properties were enhanced more or less, which can be attributed to further hydration of cementitious materials activated by elevated temperature. Compressive strength started to decrease after exposure to 400°C, but tensile splitting strength and fracture energy started to decrease after exposure to 200°C. Incorporating hybrid fiber (polypropylene fiber and steel fiber) is a promising way to enhance resistance of RPC to explosive spalling, which should be a main objective for improving its fire resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Batch tests were carried out to analyze the effect of pH in the range of 7–12 on the hydrolysis and acidification of sludge at room temperature. Ultrasonic pretreatment was conducted to disintegrate waste activated sludge (WAS) and accelerate WAS hydrolysis. The experimental results showed that the sludge with ultrasonic pretreatment was readily degraded in the hydrolysis and acidification process, and more organic substances were released with increase of initial pH. The optimal initial pH for sludge acidification was 11, and the short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentration reached about 1751 mg/L after 15 days of hydrolysis and acidification. Phosphorus release was investigated during hydrolysis and acidification at any pH adjustment. The SCFAs mainly consisted of acetic and propionic, accounting for 74.6–84% of total SCFAs. Three microbial species, including Bacteroidetes, γ-proteobacteria, and β-proteobacteria, were involved in different pH environments of the hydrolysis and acidification process, and, simultaneously, the three species were identified as being responsible for SCFAs accumulation and protein degradation. This study indicated that the combination of ultrasonic pretreatment, alkaline adjustment for hydrolysis, and acidification of WAS was an appropriate method for SCFAs accumulation and contributed to the demand of carbon source for WWTPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the application of memristors to improve chaos complexity in discrete chaotic systems has been paid more and more attention to. To enrich the application examples of discrete memristor-based chaotic systems, this article proposes a new three-dimensional (3-D) memristor-based Lozi map by introducing a discrete memristor into the original two-dimensional (2-D) Lozi map. The proposed map has no fixed points but can generate hidden hyperchaos, so it is a hidden hyperchaotic map. The dynamical effects of the discrete memristor on the memristor-based Lozi map and two types of coexisting hidden attractors boosted by the initial conditions are demonstrated using some numerical methods. The numerical results clearly show that the introduced discrete memristor allows the proposed map to have complicated hidden dynamics evolutions and also exhibit heterogeneous and homogeneous hidden multistability. Finally, a digital platform is used to realize the memristor-based Lozi map, and its experimental phase portraits are obtained to confirm the numerical ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates in situ friction-generated copper nanoparticles at the sliding in the precursor solution of copper formate tetrahydrate and octylamine, which induced by frictional heat, it can effectively mitigate wear while slightly reducing friction coefficient. The frictional heat between tribo-pairs accelerated the decomposition of the precursor into in situ generated copper nanoparticles, as indicated by black stripe regions on the worn surface. This study opened a new strategy to achieve low friction and wear through the thermal decomposition of the liquid lubricants during sliding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐fat diet (HFD) and sucrose intake can lead to hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as well as disturbed gastrointestinal microbiota and dysfunctional intestinal barrier. In the present study, we showed that Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide and chitosan (PC) significantly mitigated the hyperlipidemia in HFD‐fed hamsters via lowering the contents of serum total triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Furthermore, PC changed the composition of gastrointestinal microbiota and elevated the relative abundances of beneficial bacteria, such as Prevotella, Oscillibacter, and SCFA‐producers. Interestingly, we also found that the abundances of Prevotella, Alloprevotella, Bifidobacterium, and Alistipes were negatively associated with serum lipid profiles. Collectively, the above‐mentioned findings indicated that PC could improve lipid metabolic disorders, at least in part, by modulating gastrointestinal microbiota, suggesting that PC could be used as a potential lipid‐lowering ingredient in functional foods. Practical applications: PC could ameliorate lipid metabolism disorder, at least in part, by regulating specific gut microbiota, suggesting its potential as a novel lipid‐lowering ingredient in functional foods. We believed that our findings could be of interest to the readers because they help others further understand the gut microbiota alterations that occurred after PC supplementation in the context of metabolic syndrome (MetS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arad and Rubinstein (2012, AER) proposed the 11–20 money request game as an alternative to the P beauty contest game for measuring the depth of thinking. In this paper, we show theoretically that in the Nash equilibrium of the 11–20 game players are more likely to choose high numbers if they are risk-averse rather than risk neutral. Hence, the depth of thinking measured in the 11–20 game is biased by risk aversion. Based on a lab experiment, we confirm this hypothesis empirically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue damages of an offshore wind turbine (OWT) would be caused by long-term wind and wave loads, necessitating the importance of fatigue life analysis to ensure the in-service behaviors of OWT. This study evaluates the fatigue damage and predicts the fatigue life of OWT considering full-directional wind inflow under the coupling effects of non-Gaussian wind field and wave. The forces and bending moments are assessed in three types of the wind field, i.e., Gaussian, softening non-Gaussian, and hardening non-Gaussian, according to the Kaimal spectrum by using OpenFAST. The dynamic responses of OWT are implemented by a three-dimensional finite element model (FEM) established by ABAQUS. The fatigue life is assessed in the tower base section and the pile of OWT under different loading combinations. Results show that the crack initiation life is greatly affected by the non-Gaussian wind field, while the crack propagation life is not that sensitive. The fatigue life of OWT under a full-directional wind inflow is approximately three times longer than that under a single-directional wind inflow. It is recommended to consider full-directional wind inflow in the non-Gaussian wind field for OWT design. • It is found that the crack initiation life is greatly affected by the non-Gaussian wind field. • The fatigue life of OWT under a full-directional wind inflow is longer than that under a single-directional wind inflow. • It is recommended to consider full-directional wind inflow in the non-Gaussian wind field for OWT design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The N and C doping effects on the crystal structures, electronic and optical properties of fluorite structure CeO2 have been investigated using the first-principles calculation. Co-doping these two elements results in the local lattice distortion and volume expansion of CeO2. Compared with the energy band structure of pure CeO2, some local energy levels appear in the forbidden band, which may facilitate the light absorption. Moreover, the enhanced photo-catalytic properties of CeO2 were explained through the absorption spectra and the selection rule of the band-to-band transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A radical-mediated approach has been introduced for the C-S bond activation of arylalkenyl sulfides. The protocol provides an efficient approach for the generation of various alkenes including alkenyl silanes, sulfones, phosphine oxides, and nitroolefins. In most cases, these radical substitutions are performed under metal-free conditions with stereospecificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition-metal-free radical access to 1,4-benzothiazine derivatives from o-aminobenzenethiols is disclosed. This procedure is available for various ketones including α,β-unsaturated, cyclic, linear, and fluoroalkyl ketones to generate a number of 1,4-benzothiazines, which exist in numerous bioactive and natural molecules, rendering this protocol attractive to both synthetic and medicinal chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new indole alkaloids, named naucleamide G (1), and nauclealomide B and C (5 and 6), were isolated from the n-BuOH-soluble fraction of an EtOH extract of the leaves of Nauclea officinalis, together with three known alkaloids, paratunamide C (2), paratunamide D (3) and paratunamide A (4). The structures with absolute configurations of the new compounds were identified on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS, acid hydrolysis and quantum chemical circular dichroism (CD) calculation. According to the structures of isolated indole alkaloids, their plausible biosynthetic pathway was deduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PM 10 and PM 2.5 samples were simultaneously collected during a one-year monitoring period in Chengdu. The concentrations of 16 particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Σ 16 PAHs) were measured. Σ 16 PAHs concentrations varied from 16.85 to 160.24 ng m −3 and 14.93 to 111.04 ng m −3 for PM 10 and PM 2.5 , respectively. Three receptor models (principal component analysis (PCA), positive matrix factorization (PMF), and Multilinear Engine 2 (ME2)) were applied to investigate the sources and contributions of PAHs. The results obtained from the three receptor models were compared. Diesel emissions, gasoline emissions, and coal and wood combustion were the primary sources. Source apportionment results indicated that these models were able to track the ΣPAHs. For the first time, the cancer risks for each identified source were quantitatively calculated for ingestion and dermal contact routes by combining the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values with the estimated source contributions. The results showed that gasoline emissions posed the highest cancer risk, even though it contributed less to Σ 16 PAHs. The results and method from this work can provide useful information for quantifying the toxicity of source categories and studying human health in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, we report the photoluminescence (PL) properties of D and S defects induced by Si+/Ni+ ions co-implanting into the top Si film of the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. Variable-temperature PL spectra of these co-implanted SOI samples indicate that the light emitting from the D defects can be observed as high as 273 K. In comparison with the other ion-implantation, the Si+/Ni+ ion-co-implantation optimizes luminescent temperature stability of the both D and S defects and purifies the S defect type in silicon then effectively restrains the spectral broadening of the S-line in PL spectra. The depth distribution of the D and S defects along the normal direction of SOI surface at the corresponding ion-implantation energy has been well depicted by detecting the PL signals of the layer-by-layer etched SOI surface, respectively. These results provide valuable information to fabricate SOI-based infrared light sources for optical fiber communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of in situ immunotherapy with dinitrophenyl (DNP) hapten in combination with laser therapy for patients with malignant melanoma (MM). Between February 2008 and March 2012, 72 patients with stage III or IV MM were enrolled. Patients received in situ DNP alone (n=32) or in combination with laser therapy (n=32), and each group received dacarbazine chemotherapy. The levels of peripheral cluster of differentiation (CD)4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), interleukin (IL)-10 and tumor growth factor (TGF)-β were detected by ELISA. The association between delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and survival time was evaluated. Although peripheral Treg levels significantly decreased over time in the two groups (P<0.001), there was no significant difference between the treatment groups (P=0.098). Patients receiving the combination treatment exhibited significantly higher interferon-γ production by CD8+ and CD4+ T cells (both P<0.001), as well as significantly reduced levels of IL-10, TGF-β1 and TGF-β2. In addition, patients in the combination treatment group experienced significantly longer overall survival (OS; P=0.024) and disease-free survival (DFS; P=0.007) times; a DTH response of ≥15 mm was also associated with increased OS time and DFS time (P≤0.001). Finally, no severe adverse events were observed in either treatment group. Overall, in situ immunization with DNP in combination with laser immunotherapy may activate focal T cells, producing a regional antitumor immune response that increases cell-mediated immunity and improves survival in MM patients. Thus, this may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with unresectable, advanced MM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) has been established for a long time as the footing stone of the whole microelectronics industry. This does not come into true in the photonics domain yet, where the limited degrees of freedom in material design and the indirect bandgap are the major constraints. Therefore, making Si as an efficient light-emitting material is an important approach for Si photonics, even for achieving the all-Si-based photoelectronic and microelectronic integration engineering. Here we reported a facile and effective method for enhancing the photoluminescence (PL) from the Si+/N+ ion co-implanted Si film by coating the polystyrene (PS)-sphere@metal complex core-shell structure upon the Si film on insulator (SOI) wafers. The PL enhanced phenomena have been demonstrated in the violet-blue waveband by the three kinds of single-layer PS sphere array capping with different metal films (namely Ag, Au, and Al), respectively. The experiments and theoretic calculation based on the finite difference time domain (FDTD) model indicate that the plasma resonance is responsible for the PL enhancement, and these core-shell structures take advantage of both metal plasma and photonic crystal in the PL enhancing process. • The photoluminescence origin of Si+-N+ co-implanted Si film on insulator wafers was studied and identified systematically. • After coating the polystyrene-sphere@metal (Al, Au and Ag) core-shell structure upon the Si film on insulator wafers, the photoluminescence intensity has been enhanced. • The mechanism for the mode of local surface plasmon resonance was investigated through the FDTD model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survivin belongs to the family of genes known as inhibitors of apoptosis, and although it has been implicated in the prevention of cancer, its potential role in burn-induced cardiac injury is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of survivin blockade on burn-induced cardiac apoptosis. Using a standardized Sprague-Dawley rat model of third-degree burn injury over 40% of total body surface area, apoptosis was measured in vivo followed by in vitro assessment of burn serum-stimulated cardiomyocytes. Based on the Western blot analyses, real-time PCR, ELISA, and TUNEL, apoptosis and caspase activation both in vivo and in vitro were significantly increased after severe burn injury, while survivin expression was increased (up to 2.90-fold) during the early stage of burn injury and was almost completely abolished 8 h after the burn. Survivin-deficient cardiomyocytes, as well as hearts from rats treated with the survivin inhibitor YM155, exhibited increased caspase-3 protein and mRNA expression and apoptosis ratio at different times after the burn. Furthermore, inhibition of ERK, phosphoinositol 3-kinase contributed the burn serum-induced increase in apoptosis and caspase-3 protein expression, and decreased survivin expression, whereas burn serum-induced increase in apoptosis was attenuated by P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibition. These data identify survivin as a critical anti-apoptotic regulator of cardiomyocytes after burn injury. ERK, P38 MAPK and PI3K were found to be upstream regulators of survivin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a high toxic small molecular neurotoxin. Haptenic vaccine for TTX was investigated and the carrier proteins were compared. TTX was conjugated to Tachypleus tridentatus hemocyanin (TTH) and tetanus toxoid (TT) via formaldehyde to form the artificial antigen TTX-TTH and TTX-TT. BALB/c mice were immunized with the artificial antigen, the TTX-specific antibody response were detected. The immunized animals were intragastrically challenged with increasing doses of TTX repeatedly. The mice which exposed to TTX in doses of 600, 630, 800, 1200, 1500, 2000 and 2400 μg/kg survived at rates of 100, 100, 90, 90, 80, 50 and 20%, with a LD50 value of 2020 μg/kg for TTH-TTX vaccine, and of 100%, 90.9%, 90.9%, 90.9%, 63.6%, 27.3% and 0%, with a LD50 value of 1410 μg/kg for TT-TTX vaccine, respectively. All control mice inoculated with carrier protein TTH or TT uniformly died of a dose of 600 μg/kg TTX i.g. challenge. Animals immunized with vaccines could antagonize repeated TTX challenge, half of them surviving about 6 mg/kg, and a few being able to bear a maximal accumulative dose as high as approximate 9 mg/kg of TTX challenges within eight months. The TTH-TTX vaccine was of the more excellent in protective effect from TTX oral intoxication, mainly resulted from the higher antibody affinity than that from TT-TTX vaccine. The present study for the first time demonstrated that the anti-TTX experimental vaccines would high effectively protect animal from multiple, oral TTX intoxication. Immunoprophylaxis would be the hopeful means against TTX poisoning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The polyclonal antibodies specific for tetrodotoxin (TTX) were prepared from mice and their capacity of neutralizing TTX was investigated so as to explore the possibility of developing TTX antitoxin. Haptenic TTX was conjugated to Tachypleus tridentatus hemocyanin (TTH) chemically to form artificial antigen TTX–TTH. BALB/c mice were immunized with TTX–TTH and ascites were induced by intraperitoneal administration of Freund''s adjuvant. Twenty strains of TTX-specific ascites antibody with apparent affinity varying from 10-4 to 10-7M were obtained. KM mice were challenged with lethal doses (1LD = 14.0μg/kg, i.p.) of TTX neutralized by antibodies to evaluate the power of antitoxin. The potential of TTX-neutralizing of the antibodies was approved by the increase in survival animal challenged by lethal doses of TTX pre-incubated in vitro or neutralized in vivo with TTX specific antibodies. The highest protection was observed with all animals survived challenge of 1.5 × LD TTX neutralized in vitro, and antibody administration 4 days prior to 1.3 × LD TTX challenge in vivo neutralization. The protective efficiency was antibody quality factor dependent and with the highest detoxifying immunological equivalent as high as 1 300μg TTX/Lascites approximately, while the antibody apparent affinity being at the order of 10-6 to 10-7M. These results suggested that chemical vaccine for haptenic TTX could successfully raise high humoral immune response and the antibodies could neutralize TTX effectively both in vitro and in vivo, antibody therapy would be the hopeful means for detoxification of TTX. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An electrochemical immunosensor for the direct determination of paraoxon has been developed based on the biocomposites of gold nanoparticles loaded with paraoxon antibodies. The biocomposites are immobilized on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) using Nafion membrane. On the immunosensor prepared paraoxon shows well-shaped CV with reduction and oxidation peaks located −0.08 and −0.03 mV versus SCE, respectively. The detection of paraoxon performed at −0.03 mV is beneficial for guaranteeing sufficient selectivity. The amount of the biocomposite consisting gold nanoparticles loaded with antibodies and the volume of Nafion solution used for fabricating the immunosensor have been studied to ensure sensitivity and conductivity of the immunosensor. The immunosensor has been employed for monitoring the concentrations of paraoxon in aqueous samples up to 1920 μg l−1 with a detection limit of 12 μg l−1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]