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The vibrating superfine mill (VSM) is a machine that belongs to the micronization technique. In this study, VSM was employed to produce micronized tapioca starch by varying micronization times (15, 30, 45, and 60 min). The structural and physicochemical properties of the micronized starch were then examined. Scanning electron microscopy studies revealed that micronized starch was partially gelatinized, and the granule size dramatically increased when micronization time increased. X‐ray diffraction patterns showed that the relative crystallinity was decreased from 24.67% (native) to 4.13% after micronization treatment for 15 min and slightly decreased after that. The solubility of micronized starch significantly increased as the micronization time increased, which was associated with the destruction of the starch crystalline structure. Differential scanning calorimetry investigations confirmed that micronized starch was "partly gelatinized," and the degree of gelatinization increased to 81.27% when the micronization time was 60 min. The weight‐average molar mass was reduced by 15.0% (15 min), 30.9% (30 min), 55.7% (45 min), and 70.5% (60 min), respectively, indicating that the molecular structure was seriously degraded. The results demonstrated that the physicochemical changes of micronized starch granules were related to the destruction of the starch structure. These observations would provide details on micronized starch and its potential applications. Practical Application: These observations would provide details on micronized starch and its potential applications. Moreover, we believe that when the structures of starches were known, it is probable that the effect of VSM on the structural and physicochemical properties change of other starches might be predicted by adjusting the processing time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narrowband afterglow materials display interesting functions in high-quality anti-counterfeiting and multiplexed bioimaging. However, there is still a limited exploration of these afterglow materials, especially for those with a full width at half maxima (FWHM) around 30 nm. Here, we report the fabrication of narrowband organic/inorganic hybrid afterglow materials via energy transfer technology. Coronene (Cor) with a long phosphorescence feature and broad phosphorescence band is selected as the donor for energy transfer, and inorganic quantum dots (QDs) of CdSe/ZnS with a narrowband emission are used as acceptors. Upon doping into the organic matrix, the resultant three-component materials exhibit a narrowband afterglow with an afterglow lifetime of approximately 3.4 s and an FWHM of 31 nm. The afterglow wavelength of the afterglow materials can be controlled by the QDs. This work based on organic/inorganic hybrids provides a facile approach for developing multicolor and narrowband afterglow materials, as well as opens a new way for expanding the features of organic afterglow for multifunctional applications. It is expected to rely on narrowband afterglow emitters to solve the "spectrum congestion" problem of high-density information storage in optical anti-counterfeiting and information encryption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afterglow brightness represents one of the most important characteristics in the application of afterglow materials. High molar absorption coefficient, high afterglow efficiency, and long afterglow lifetimes are required to achieve intense afterglow. However, current strategies cannot simultaneously fulfill these requirements due to specific intrinsic problems. Here, based on the understanding of difluoroboron β‐diketonate systems, the manipulation of higher triplet excited states is conceived to selectively enhance intersystem crossing with phosphorescence lifetimes remaining long. Aromatic substrates, which possess specific HOMO levels and T1 levels, are selected for relay synthesis to form difluoroboron β‐diketonate compounds with very close‐lying S1 and T2 levels; according to the energy gap law, such systems exhibit strong intersystem crossing. Upon doping into rigid matrices, the resultant difluoroboron β‐diketonate systems display the brightest ambient afterglow that has ever been observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Blueberries and apples exhibit favorable bioactivity and health benefits as a result of their rich phytochemicals. Natural phytochemicals exist in complex forms, but there are few reports on whether have additive, synergistic or antagonistic effects between different phytochemicals. The present study aimed to elucidate the synergistic effects of blueberry extract (BE) and apple peel extract (APE) together with respect to inhibiting the proliferation of HepG2 liver cancer cells. Meanwhile, phytochemical characterization of BE and APE was conducted by HPLC, and total antioxidant activity was determined via a cellular antioxidant activity assay, oxygen radical absorption capacity assay and peroxy radical scavenging capacity assay. RESULTS: The results showed that BE and APE were rich in phytochemicals and had potent antioxidant activities, which synergistically inhibited cell proliferation. In the bilateral combination, the dose reduction index value increased by two‐fold, and the combination index value at 95% inhibition was less than 1. Additionally, BE + APE supplementation could promote the expression levels of p53 and c‐myc genes. In conclusion, the BE and APE had strong antioxidant activity and exhibited synergistic inhibition against proliferation of HepG2 cells. CONCLUSION: The present study can provide a theoretical basis for the synergistic effect of different phytochemicals in health care. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop a better understanding of the resource recycling of ladle furnace slag (LFS) in steel enterprises, electric field strengthening by direct current (DC) is tested as an effective method for sulfur removal from slag. Herein, sulfur removal from CaO–SiO2–Al2O3–MgO–CaF2–S (CSMAFS) slag with 4–12 wt% MgO under 0–6 V is observed at 1773 K, and the mechanism resulting from the electric field on sulfur migration is analyzed. It was concluded that with voltage increases in the range of 0–4 V, the slag network structure depolymerizes, and the melting temperature decreases, which are beneficial to sulfur migration. Mg2+, Ca2+, and other cations in the slag (cathode) are reduced, and S2− migrates to the molten steel (anode) to maintain electrochemical balance. However, sulfur migration reveals an opposite trend when the voltage is 6 V because the electric field force generated at 6 V is not sufficient to resist the combined forces of charge resistance and slag diffusion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective electrochemical rearrangement reaction, both oxidant and metal catalyst-free, is presented to construct γ-keto sulfones containing a β-quaternary carbon center in this study. In the protocol, radicals are generated from benzenesulfonyl hydrazines, which cause 1,2-migrations of starting materials, 2-methylallyl alcohol derivatives, and formation of new C–C and C–S bonds. A series of aryl-migration, alkyl-migration and ring expansion products are obtained in good yields with excellent functional group tolerance. Gram-scale reaction demonstrates that the electro-oxidative rearrangement strategy has the potential for industrial practicability. Additionally, a possible and reasonable mechanism is proposed based on existing literature reports, control experiments and cyclic voltammograms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The selection of adaptive strategies in MR‐guided adaptive radiotherapy (MRgART) usually relies on subjective review of anatomical changes. However, this kind of review may lead to improper selection of adaptive strategy for some fractions. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop prediction models based on deformation vector field (DVF) features for automatic and accurate strategy selection, using prostate cancer as an example. Methods: 100 fractions of 20 prostate cancer patients were retrospectively selected in this study. Treatment plans using both adapt to position (ATP) strategy and adapt to shape (ATS) strategy were generated. Optimal adaptive strategy was determined according to dosimetric evaluation. DVFs of the deformable image registration (DIR) of daily MRI and CT simulation scans were extracted. The shape, first order statistics, and spatial features were extracted from the DVFs, subjected to further selection using the minimum redundancy maximum relevance (mRMR) method. The number of features (Fn) was hyper‐tuned using bootstrapping method, and then Fn indicating a peak area under the curve (AUC) value was used to construct three prediction models. Results: According to subjective review, the ATS strategy was adopted for all 100 fractions. However, the evaluation results showed that the ATP strategy could have met the clinical requirements for 23 (23%) fractions. The three prediction models showed high prediction performance, with the best performing model achieving an AUC value of 0.896, corresponding accuracy (ACC), sensitivity (SEN) and specificity (SPC) of 0.9, 0.958, and 0.667, respectively. The features used to construct prediction models included four features extracted from y direction of DVF (DVFy) and mask, one feature from z direction of DVF (DVFz). It indicated that the deformation along the anterior‐posterior direction had a greater impact on determining the adaptive strategy than other directions. Conclusions: DVF‐feature‐based models could accurately predict the adaptive strategy and avoid unnecessary selection of time‐consuming ATS strategy, which consequently improves the efficiency of the MRgART process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid and efficient acid‐promoted strategy to access allylic thiocyanates using allylic alcohols as substrates and easily‐available NH4SCN as the thiocyanate source is presented under metal‐ and oxidant‐free conditions. Through screening of various kinds of acids, organic and strong trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) was found most effective. Testing of substrates showed that the strategy has remarkable functional group tolerance. A possible mechanism is provided, and the gram‐scale experiment demonstrate that this novel protocol has potential industrial application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Ferulic acid (FA) is a dietary polyphenol widely found in plant tissues. It has long been considered to have health‐promoting qualities. However, the biological properties of dietary polyphenols depend largely on their absorption during digestion, and the effects of their intestinal metabolites on human health have attracted the interest of researchers. This study evaluated the effects of three main colonic metabolites of FA – 3‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)propionic acid (3,4diOHPPA), 3‐(3‐hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid (3OHPPA) and 3‐phenylpropionic acid (3PPA) – on longevity and stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans. RESULTS: Our results showed that 3,4diOHPPA, 3OHPPA and 3PPA extended the lifespan under normal conditions in C. elegans whereas FA did not. High doses of 3,4diOHPPA (0.5 mmol L−1), 3OHPPA (2.5 mmol L−1) and 3PPA (2.5 mmol L−1) prolonged the mean lifespan by 11.2%, 13.0% and 10.6%, respectively. Moreover, 3,4diOHPPA, 3OHPPA and 3PPA treatments promoted stress tolerance against heat, UV irradiation and paraquat. Furthermore, three metabolites ameliorated physical functions, including reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels, motility and pharyngeal pumping rate. The anti‐aging activities mediated by 3,4diOHPPA, 3OHPPA and 3PPA depend on the HSF‐1 and JNK‐1 linked insulin/IGF‐1 signaling pathway, which converge onto DAF‐16. CONCLUSION: The current findings suggest that colonic metabolites of FA have the potential for use as anti‐aging bioactivate compounds. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The durability of recycled concrete is susceptible to degradation from both chloride salt attack and carbonation when exposed in service environment. The depth of carbonation in recycled concrete subject to chloride salt attack was studied here. This investigation assessed the effects of mineral admixture, replacement rate of recycled coarse aggregate, and quality of recycled coarse aggregate on the carbonation depth. The carbonation depth Recycled concrete was studied through accelerated simulated carbonation in the laboratory for 7d, 14d and 28d. Based on the results, the correlation analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between depth of carbonation, mineral admixture, recycled coarse aggregate replacement rate, recycled coarse aggregate quality and the presence of chloride ions. The objective of this study was mainly to investigate the effect of internal chloride ions on the depth of carbonation of recycled concrete subjected to chloride salt attack. The study referred to previous academic research on carbonation in recycled concrete that had not been affected by chloride salts, and conducted a comparative analysis to identify the carbonation depth pattern in recycled concrete influenced by chloride salt exposure. The study discovered a negative correlation between the replacement rate of mineral admixture and recycled coarse aggregate and the carbonation resistance of concrete. Moreover, enhancing the quality of recycled coarse aggregate positively impacted the carbonation resistance of concrete. An improved model was developed that considers the effect of internal chloride salts on the carbonation depth of recycled concrete, in reference to the empirical prediction model presently available. The model demonstrated a high level of agreement with experimental outcomes, displaying an error range of between −4.32% and 8.27%. It enables an in-depth comprehension of the carbonation behavior of recycled aggregate concrete in an environment exposed to chloride salt attack. Based on the model, the service life of recycled concrete structures can be more accurately forecasted, which can provide a theoretical direction for enhancing the durability of engineering structure. • This study aims to investigate the impact of chloride salts on carbonation in recycled aggregate concrete. • The influence of recycled aggregate on carbonation of recycled aggregate concrete has been studied. • The carbonation depth of recycled concrete is reduced due to the presence of chloride ions. • An empirical prediction carbonation model of recycled aggregate concrete with embedded chloride ions has been developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fe/Fe 3 C embedded in N-doped carbon nanofiber (Fe/Fe 3 C@NCNF) was prepared successfully. • The zero-dimensional Fe/Fe 3 C nanoparticles were homogeneously distributed to one-dimensional NCNF. • Fe/Fe 3 C@NCNF exhibited excellent TC degradation over a wide range of pH 3–11. • Fe/Fe 3 C and graphitic N were the main active sites of Fe/Fe 3 C@NCNF. • Superoxide radical and singlet oxygen were primary ROS for the TC degradation. The toxic metal ions leaching and metal nanoparticles agglomeration were the critical issues for metal-based carbon materials during the peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation processes. Herein, a facile strategy was first proposed that zero-dimensional Fe/Fe 3 C nanoparticles were embedded in one-dimensional N-doped carbon nanofiber (Fe/Fe 3 C@NCNF) to solve the above challenges. The as-obtained Fe/Fe 3 C@NCNF-800 possessed a low E a value (11.7 kJ/mol) and exhibited high activity for activating PMS to degrade tetracycline (TC) in a wide range of pH 3–11. As expected, the iron ions leaching concentration of Fe/Fe 3 C@NCNF-800 was very low (0.082 mg/L). Meanwhile, the Fe/Fe 3 C@NCNF-800 was easily recovered from the reaction solution due to its magnetic properties. Both superoxide radicals (O 2 ∙−) and non-radical of singlet oxygen (1O 2) were the primary reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the Fe/Fe 3 C@NCNF-800/PMS system via quenching tests and electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR). The catalytic mechanism suggested that the Fe/Fe 3 C and graphitic N were the main active sites in the Fe/Fe 3 C@NCNF-800 for PMS activation. This work provided a facile method for the preparation of Fe-based carbon materials with high catalytic ability, low metal leaching and easy recycling, showing a broad prospect for environmental applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sarcopenia is one of the early pathological manifestations of cancer cachexia. This change in quality and function has a general and special impact on the prognosis of many types of tumors. However, there are few studies to evaluate the overall impact of sarcopenia on the prognosis of gynecological tumors in sufficient follow‐up period. Methods: This study systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, web of science, and MEDLINE databases for related studies and related references since April 15, 2021. The 1‐year, 5‐year overall survival (OS), progression‐free survival (PFS), hazard ratio (HR), and 95% confidence interval (CI) were analyzed by Stata 14.0.(CRD 42021236036). Results: A total of 23 observational studies involving 3495 female patients were included in the analysis, with an average prevalence of 46.9% (38.5%–55.3%). Meta‐analysis showed that the 1‐year OS (RR: 1.60, 95% CI = [1.04, 2.46]) of patients with sarcopenia was significantly lower than that of patients without sarcopenia, and then this effect gradually decreased. The results showed that sarcopenia was an independent predictor of OS (HR: 1.78, 95% CI = [1.38, 2.30]) and PFS (HR: 1.32, 95% CI = [1.02, 1.70]) in gynecological cancer patients. Subgroup analysis showed that sarcopenia was significant in Asian population (HR: 1.93, 95% CI = [1.18, 3.17]) and cervical cancer patients (HR: 5.07, 95% CI = [2.82, 9.56]). Conclusion: The survival and recurrence outcome of patients with sarcopenia independently related to surgery, and its impact is very obvious in the short term. In addition, Asian participants with sarcopenia face a greater risk of death than Western participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we examined the phytochemical profiles, antioxidant activity (AA), and antiproliferative activity (APA) of four Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.) pulp extracts. They were found to be rich in total phenolics content (TPC; 186.45 ± 5.42 to 498.94 ± 8.25 mg of gallic acid equiv./100 g FW) and total flavonoids content (TFC; 126.28 ± 4.18 to 194.35 ± 12.03 mg of catechin equiv./100 g FW). For all varieties, the free flavonoid/phenolic/anthocyanin contents were higher than that the bound fractions. Wild pink bayberry (WPB) displayed the highest values of TPC and TFC, and also showed the highest total antioxidant activity (TAA) as revealed by peroxyl radical scavenging capacity (PSC) (451.47 ± 8.01 µmol Vit. C equiv./100 g FW), and free cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) (184.99 ± 6.11 µmol quercetin equiv./100 g FW, no PBS wash; 117.78 ± 2.34 µmol quercetin equiv./100 g FW, PBS wash) assays. Bayberry extracts had a marked reduction in the APA of HepG2 cells, and WPB exhibited the lowest EC50 (8.50 ± 0.83 mg/ml) value, which was probably associated with cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction. Practical Application: Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.) fruit is rich in natural phenolic compounds, which might be a functional ingredient in food and nutraceutical products. Our findings would provide a logical strategy to promote the comprehensive utilization of phenolics in bayberry fruit with both health and economy benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to individual deviations in tumor tissue uptake, the role of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosis is limited. β-Hydroxy β-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase degradation 1 (HRD1) plays a key role in clearing misfolded proteins. This study is aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of HRD1 in [18F]FDG uptake for the diagnosis of HCC. HRD1 expression level was detected using immunohistochemical (IHC) staining in 9 HCC patients. [18F]FDG PET/CT scans were conducted before treatment. [18F]FDG uptakes in HRD1 overexpressed and knockdown transgenic models were measured by γ-counter and microPET imaging. The GLUT1-HRD1 complex was examined by co-immunoprecipitation and IHC assays. GLUT1 expression in different cell lines, xenograft models and HCC patients was evaluated by Western blot and IHC assays. HRD1 was highly expressed in the HCC tumors of patients with low [18F]FDG uptake, while the HRD1 expression was obviously low in the higher [18F]FDG uptake group. Both in vitro and in vivo studies found that HRD1 significantly inhibited [18F]FDG uptake in HCC Huh7 cell lines and animal models. Furthermore, the co-location and interaction of HRD1 with GLUT1 were detected, and the results also indicate that HRD1 could induce the degradation of GLUT1 in vitro and in vivo. HRD1 inhibits the high uptake of [18F]FDG in HCC tumor cells by inducing degradation of GLUT1, which leads to decreased diagnostic efficiency of [18F]FDG PET imaging for HCC. This study suggests that HRD1 inhibits the high uptake of [18F]FDG in HCC tumor by inducing degradation of GLUT1. HCC diagnosis with [18F]FDG PET should be accompanied by determination of HRD1 expression, and patients with high tumor HRD1 expression might be unsuitable for [18F]FDG PET. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature dependence of initial permeability (μi-T curve) for as-quenched and annealed Sirich (Fe0.9Co0.1)74.5Nb2Si17.5B5Cu1 alloy was investigated. The results showed that fewer Co doping into Fe74.5Cu1Nb2Si17.5B5 can reduce the onset primary crystallization temperature Tx1, enhance the Curie temperature of amorphous phase Tamc, and improve the high-temperature soft magnetic properties. After annealing at 480-650 °C, the common feature of μi-T curve is that the μi increases with T from room temperature and reaches a peak value at a certain temperature, which depends on the annealing temperature Ta, then μi decreases with T. This kind of μi-T curves is different from that of the common Co-contained Finemet-type alloys ever reported. The optimal high-temperature magnetic softness was obtained by annealing at 540 °C, the higher μi of 6500 at 10 kHz can be kept up to 500 °C. Such a magnetic softness at elevated temperature is superior to that of Fe74.5Nb2Si17.5B5Cu1 alloy and other Co-contained Finemet-type nanocrystalline alloys with higher Co content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src, also known as c -Src, belongs to the family of non-receptor tyrosine protein kinases (TKs) called Src kinases. It plays a crucial role in cell division, motility, adhesion, and survival in both normal cells and cancer cells by activating various signaling pathways mediated by multiple cytokines. Additionally, c -Src kinase has been implicated in osteoclasts and bone loss diseases mediated by inflammation and osteoporosis. In recent years, remarkable advancements have been achieved in the development of c -Src inhibitors, with several candidates progressing to the clinical stage. This review focuses on the research progress in several areas, including the mechanism of action, drug discovery, combination therapy, and clinical research. By presenting this information, we aim to provide researchers with convenient access to valuable insights and inspire new ideas to expedite future drug discovery programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Magmas associated with post-collisional deposits and barren systems in the Gangdese belt both reached sulfide saturation and have comparable PGE and Cu concentrations at the early stage of differentiation. • The ore-forming magmas show highly variable Cu, Au and PGE trends after they reached fluid exsolution. • Assimilation and cannibalization of sulfides in the underlying mush zones by fluid-saturated ore-forming magmas result in the porphyry Cu deposits formation, which may be stimulated by regional extension. Production of Cu-rich melts via melting of sulfide-bearing lower crustal cumulates is thought to contribute to porphyry Cu formation in the post-collisional Gangdese belt (Tibet). We present new whole rock, including platinum group elements (PGE) data, for ore-causative granites (OCG), ore-related granites (ORG) and barren granites (BG) from the Gangdese belt. The OCG, ORG and BG show indistinguishable Cu, PGE and Cu/Ag behavior during differentiation down to ∼2 wt% MgO. These systematics, together with the occurrence of sulfides, demonstrate that the propensity for some Gangdese magmas to be ore-associated is unrelated to melting of sulfide-bearing cumulates or the relative timing of sulfide fractionation. The behavior of chalcophile and siderophile elements during differentiation of the OCG, ORG and BG diverges when melts evolve past 2–3 wt% MgO and exsolve H 2 O, S and Cl: the BG show a decrease in Cu, whereas the OCG and ORG show highly variable Cu, Au, and PGE trends. Because S degassing causes melts to become sulfur undersaturated and because Cu is highly soluble in Cl-rich fluids, any sulfides in contact with the melt or magmatic fluids following volatile exsolution would dissolve. Continual injection, cooling and ascent of magmas through the Gangdese crust is expected to have resulted in the development of regions of crystal-rich partially molten crust beneath the intrusive granites. We suggest that prior to porphyry mineralization, extension and erosion caused exhumation of these long-lived sulfide-bearing mush zones. This exhumation may have caused a change in magmatism style from volatile exsolution after the melts transited sulfide-bearing mushes (i.e., the BG), to volatile exsolution during magma transit through sulfide-bearing mushes (i.e., the OCG). We suggest that only the magmas and that exsolved fluids during their ascent through sulfide-bearing mushes were able to assimilate sufficient Cu-rich sulfides to fuel the formation of porphyry Cu deposits in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Article 2300182 by Ting Wu, Hai‐chuan Wang, and co‐workers describes the sulfur removal from ladle furnace slag with 4–12 wt% MgO under 0–6 V electric field conditions, and the slag structure, properties and electrochemical mechanism are analyzed. By this method the slag is no longer subjected to the traditional process of melting→cooling→crushing→reheating, which greatly reduces environmental and resource pressures..By Wen-zhi Xia; Ting Wu; Jie Lei; Chen Zhang; Guang-da Bao and Hai-chuan WangReported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author [Extracted from the article]

Content-Defined Chunking (CDC) has been playing a key role in data deduplication systems recently due to its high redundancy detection ability. However, existing CDC-based approaches introduce heavy CPU overhead because they declare the chunk cut-points by computing and judging the rolling hashes of the data stream byte by byte. In this article, we propose FastCDC, a Fast and efficient Content-Defined Chunking approach, for data deduplication-based storage systems. The key idea behind FastCDC is the combined use of five key techniques, namely, gear based fast rolling hash, simplifying and enhancing the Gear hash judgment, skipping sub-minimum chunk cut-points, normalizing the chunk-size distribution in a small specified region to address the problem of the decreased deduplication ratio stemming from the cut-point skipping, and last but not least, rolling two bytes each time to further speed up CDC. Our evaluation results show that, by using a combination of the five techniques, FastCDC is 3-12X faster than the state-of-the-art CDC approaches, while achieving nearly the same and even higher deduplication ratio as the classic Rabin-based CDC. In addition, our study on the deduplication throughput of FastCDC-based Destor (an open source deduplication project) indicates that FastCDC helps achieve 1.2-3.0X higher throughput than Destor based on state-of-the-art chunkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a key enzyme involved in energy metabolism. Recently, GAPDH has been suggested to have extraglycolytic functions in DNA repair, but the underlying mechanism for the GAPDH response to DNA damage remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the tyrosine kinase Src is activated under DNA damage stress and phosphorylates GAPDH at Tyr41. This phosphorylation of GAPDH is essential for its nuclear translocation and DNA repair function. Blocking the nuclear import of GAPDH by suppressing Src signaling or through a GAPDH Tyr41 mutation impairs its response to DNA damage. Nuclear GAPDH is recruited to DNA lesions and associates with DNA polymerase β (Pol β) to function in DNA repair. Nuclear GAPDH promotes Pol β polymerase activity and increases base excision repair (BER) efficiency. Furthermore, GAPDH knockdown dramatically decreases BER efficiency and sensitizes cells to DNA damaging agents. Importantly, the knockdown of GAPDH in colon cancer SW480 cells and xenograft models effectively enhances their sensitivity to the chemotherapeutic drug 5‐FU. In summary, our findings provide mechanistic insight into the new function of GAPDH in DNA repair and suggest a potential therapeutic target in chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of cucurbit[n]urils–polyoxometalate (Q[n]–POM) hybrids with the same microshape and nanoscale features is highly desirable, yet remains a great challenge. Herein, we design and synthesize a class of Q[n]–POM hybrids and tetramethyl cucurbit[6]uril–phosphomolybdic acid (TMeQ[6]–PMA) nanocubes (NCs) via a facile one-step self-assembly method, as heterogeneous acid catalysts for greatly boosting the catalysts in term of activity and stability for the esterification of gallic acid and n-propanol to propyl gallate (PG). The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy reveals that the self-assembled mechanism of TMeQ[6]–PMA NCs based on the outer-surface interaction of Q[n]s. The temperature programmed desorption experiments with ammonia and FTIR analysis of the pre-adsorbed pyridine results confirm that the coexistence of medium and strong acid sites and a larger number of Lewis acid sites other than Brønsted acidic sites on the catalyst surface. These new features make the as-prepared TMeQ[6]–PMA NCs exhibit a high PG conversion (95.6%) and excellent stability, which represents a better catalytic performance than other reported catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many outbreaks of Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) infections are associated with contaminations in personal care products (PCPs). This study aimed to analyze a collection of Bcc isolates in PCPs and assess the susceptibility of preservatives, including dimethoxy dimethyl hydantoin (DMDMH), methylisothiazolinone- chloromethylisothiazolinone (MIT/cMIT), and methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (MH). The Bcc isolates collected during the 3-year (2015-2017) study period were further examined by biochemical identification system, phylogenetic analysis based on recA nucleotide sequences, and multilocus sequence typing analysis. Preservatives susceptibility testing of Bcc bacteria were evaluated by minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration. A total of seven distinct sequence types (STs) were identified, which belonged to four different Bcc species: Burkholderia cenocepacia (ST621, ST258, and novel ST), Burkholderia lata (ST339 and ST336), Burkholderia contaminans (ST482), Burkholderia cepacia (ST922). For DMDMH and MH, the maximum permitted concentrations according to the safety specification of cosmetics (0.6% and 0.4%) were able to inhibit or kill all Bcc strains, but 40% of Bcc isolates could survive at higher than maximum permitted concentrations of MIT/cMIT (of a mixture in the ratio 3:1 of 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one and 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one). The PCPs contamination of Bcc strains should be given more attention by manufacturers because of its diversity in molecular epidemiology and its low susceptibility to preservatives such as MIT/cMIT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A signed graph Γ = (G , σ) is obtained from a simple graph G by assigning to each edge of G a sign + or −. Let A (Γ) denote the adjacency matrix of Γ and α (G) be the independence number of G. We study the rank of A (Γ) and the independence number α (G) . We show that r (Γ) + 2 α (G) ≥ 2 n - 2 d (G) , where n is the order of G and d(G) is the dimension of the cycle space of G. Moreover, we obtain sharp lower bounds for r (Γ) + α (G) , r (Γ) - α (G) , r (Γ) / α (G) and we characterize all corresponding extremal graphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tapioca starch (TS) suspensions (10%, w/v) were subjected to high speed jet (HSJ) processing at 80, 120, 160, 200 and 240 MPa for one pass, and the effects of HSJ treatment on solubility, rheological, pasting, morphological and molecular properties were further investigated. Polarized light microscopy observation revealed TS was partly gelatinized, and the number and clarity of"Maltese cross" decreased with the increase of HSJ pressure. The solubility of TS was increased significantly from 1.59% (0 MPa) to 12.11% (240 MPa). Dynamic oscillation analysis showed that TS gels displayed less elastic and more liquid like after HJS treatment, and all samples displayed pseudo-plastic properties during flow properties analysis. Rapid Visco Analyser measurement indicated that treated samples showed significantly decreased in peak viscosity and exhibited a lower tendency towards retrogradation on cooling process compared to untreated TS. Size-exclusion chromatography analysis suggested that the degradation of TS happened during HSJ treatment, and the degradation was more prominent beyond 160 MPa. The results showed that the significant changed in physicochemical and structural properties of treated TS were related to its degradation. These observations would provide an alternative and environmentally approach for starch modification. Image 1 • The viscosity decreased after treated by high speed jet (HSJ). • HSJ treatment significantly improved the solubility of tapioca starch (TS). • HSJ treatment had an effective change in rheological properties of TS. • The degradation of TS happened, and it was more pronounced upon high pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anammox and autotrophic desulfurization-denitrification (AADD) process is feasible for the nitrogen and sulfide removal in the same reactor, and the influence of excess nitrate produced by anammox could also be alleviated simultaneously. This study firstly proposed a novel strategy with inoculating single anammox sludge to start up the AADD process. Results demonstrated that the 90% nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE), 2.55 kg m−3 d−1 nitrogen removal rate (NRR), and 95% sulfide removal efficiency (SRE) were obtained at the influent total nitrogen of 280 mg L−1 and sulfide of 221.5 mg L−1, and the final effluent nitrate concentration was as low as 8 mg L−1 under the appropriate operation conditions. Tryptophan-like and protein-like substances were characterized as the main components in bound EPS. Thiobacillus (35.68%) and Pseudoxanthomonas (11.61%) were identified as the predominant genera. This study will pave a potential avenue to promote the treatment of high concentration nitrogen and sulfide in wastewater in the future. Unlabelled Image • AADD process could be successfully started up by merely seeding the anammox sludge. • Nitrate concentration was under 8 mg L−1 in the final effluent. • Tryptophan-like and protein-like were the main components in bound EPS. • Thiobacillus and Pseudoxanthomonas were the predominant genus in AADD process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A radical cascade methylation/cyclization of ortho‐cyanoarylacrylamides was developed by utilizing dicumyl peroxide as a methylation reagent. This transformation provides a simple and straightforward approach to methylated quinoline‐2,4(1H,3H)‐diones, and exhibits a wide substrate scope. Furthermore, this reaction could be readily scaled up. A possible mechanism is also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) has demonstrated benefit in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to proximal large-vessel occlusion. However, it is unclear whether these results can be extrapolated to patients with an occlusion of the second segment (M2) of the middle cerebral artery (MCA). We sought to study outcomes in patients with M2 occlusion treated with MT and to better understand clinical predictors of these outcomes. We performed a single-center retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with acute MCA M2 segment occlusion who underwent stent retriever MT. We correlated clinical and radiographic outcomes with demographic, clinical, and technical characteristics. Thirty-seven patients were included in the analysis (median admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] score, 15 [12–19], mean age 74 [67–80] years, 48.6% women). Good clinical outcome at 3 months (modified Rankin Scale ≤2) was achieved in 48.6% of patients. Baseline NIHSS was a predictor of clinical outcomes, based on modified Rankin Scale distribution at 3 months after MT (P = 0.015, odds ratio 1.63, 95% confidence interval 1.01–2.43). The results of our single-institution experience suggest that MT-based endovascular therapy for M2 occlusions is safe and effective. Baseline NIHSS was a predictor of outcomes in patients treated with MT for M2 segment occlusion of the MCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Eight new triterpenoid saponins, including four ursane-type saponins, ilexchinenosides J-M (1 – 4), and four oleanane-type saponins, ilexchinenosides N-Q (5 – 8), along with three known triterpenoid saponins (9 – 11) were isolated from the leaves of Ilex chinensis Sims. Their structures were established by 1D, 2D NMR and MS spectroscopic analyses and through comparisons with known compounds. Moreover, compounds 1 , 3 , 5 , 7 – 9 and 11 exhibited significant levels of hepatoprotective activity against N -acetyl-p-aminophenol (APAP)-induced HepG2 cell damage in in vitro assays while compound 10 had moderately inhibitory effects on the NO production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine macrophages. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Eight new triterpenoid saponins were isolated from the leaves of Ilex chinensis. • Seven compounds exhibited significant hepatoprotective activity. • One compound exhibited moderate inhibitory activity on NO production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Elevated triglyceride to high density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio has been identified as a surrogate marker of insulin resistance and an independent predictor for cardiovascular events in the general population. However, the prognostic value of TG/HDL-C ratio in revascularized ST-elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI) patients remains unclear. We examined the association between TG/HDL-C ratio and clinical outcome of revascularized STEMI patients in the Chinese population. Methods 464 STEMI patients who underwent successful revascularization were enrolled to determine the relationship between TG/HDL-C ratio and major adverse coronary events(MACEs) with a 30-month follow-up. The Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression proportional hazard model were applied to assess the prognostic value of TG/HDL-C ratio. Results TG/HDL-C ratio was found to be significantly associated with age (p = 0.017), history of diabetes(p = 0.017), heart rate(p = 0.011), TG(p < 0.001), HDL-C(p < 0.001) and Gensini score(p = 0.034). The multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that elevated TG/HDL-C ratio was an independent prognostic factor for MACE in female patients (HR = 2.624,95%CI = 1.211–5.687,p = 0.014) but not in male patients(HR = 0.756, 95%CI = 0.484–1.179,p = NS) after adjustment with other MACE-related prognostic factors. Conclusion The TG/HDL-C ratio may be independently associated with MACEs in female revascularized STEMI patients in the Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eleven previously undescribed compounds including two triterpenes, ilexchinenin A and ilexchinenin B, and nine triterpenoid saponins, ilexchinenosides A-I, along with twelve known triterpenoids were isolated from the leaves of Ilex chinensis Sims (Aquifoliaceae). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with known compounds. Furthermore, eight compounds exhibited significant inhibitory effects on NO production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine macrophages, while nine compounds exhibited potent hepatoprotective activity against N-acetyl-p-aminophenol (APAP)-induced HepG2 cell damage in in vitro assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Begomoviruses are exclusively transmitted by whiteflies in a persistent circulative manner and cause considerable economic losses to crop production worldwide. Previous studies have shown that begomoviruses accumulate in vesicle-like structures in whitefly midgut cells and that clathrin-mediated endocytosis is responsible for their internalization. However, the process by which begomoviruses are trafficked within whitefly midgut cells remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the roles of vesicle trafficking in the transport of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), a begomovirus that has spread to over 50 countries and caused extensive damage to a range of important crops, within midgut cells of whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). By disrupting vesicle trafficking using RNA silencing and inhibitors, we demonstrated that the early steps of endosomal trafficking are important for the intracellular transport of TYLCV in the whitefly midgut. In addition, our data show that, unlike many animal viruses, TYCLV is trafficked within cells in a manner independent of recycling endosomes, late endosomes, lysosomes, the Golgi apparatus and the endoplasmic reticulum. Instead, our results suggest that TYLCV might be transported directly from early endosomes to the basal plasma membrane and released into the hemolymph. Silencing of the sorting nexin Snx12, which may be involved in membrane tubulation, resulted in fewer viral particles in hemolymph; this suggests that the tubular endosomal network may be involved in the transport of TYLCV. Our results also support a role for the endo-lysosomal system in viral degradation. We further showed that the functions of vector early endosomes and sorting nexin Snx12 are conserved in the transmission of several other begomoviruses. Overall, our data indicate the importance of early endosomes and the tubular endosomal network in begomovirus transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostarches were successfully prepared by high speed jet (HSJ) after pretreatment of micronization. The nanostarches were obtained at the conditions of micronization treatment for 60 min, and then one cycle at 240 MPa of HSJ (188.1 nm). Moreover, after HSJ treated for three cycles, the particle size could reach the level of nanometer materials (66.94 nm). The physicochemical properties of nanostarches had been characterized. Rapid Visco-Analysis (RVA) showed that the viscosity of nanostarches significantly decreased compared with native tapioca starch and slightly decreased with increasing processing cycles of HSJ. Steady shear analysis indicated that all samples displayed pseudoplastic, shear-thinning behavior, while the flow curves of nanostarches were little impact by the processing cycles of HSJ. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the complete destruction of tapioca starch crystalline structure was obtained after HSJ treatment. Molecular characteristics determination suggested that the degradation of amylopectin chains occurred after the treatment of micronization and HSJ, which was proved by the decrease of weight-average molar mass. The results demonstrated that nanostarches were obtained due to the breakdown of starch molecules. This study will provide useful information of the nanostarches for its potential industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel bisperoxovanadium complex, [NH4][VO(O2)2(ima)] (1) (ima = imidazole-4-carboxamide), was synthesized by the reaction of NH4VO3 and ima in the presence of H2O2, and the structure was characterized by single-crystal X-ray technology. The adjacent [NH4][VO(O2)2(ima)] monomers further constructed a 3-D supramolecular framework through intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. The composition of the title complex solution was explored using a combination of multinuclear (1H, 13C and 51V) magnetic resonance, heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC), and variable temperature NMR in a 0.15 mol L−1 NaCl/D2O solution that mimics physiological conditions. According to NMR experimental results, a pair of isomers (Isomers A and B) are observed in aqueous solution, which are attributed to different types of coordination modes between the metal center and the ligands; Isomer B (the main product) has the same coordination structure as the crystal structure of [NH4][VO(O2)2(ima)]. The 51V NMR experiment together with single-crystal X-ray diffraction results indicated that Isomer A is the hexa-coordinated peroxovanadium species while Isomer B is the hepta-coordinated species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reveals a strategy of electrochemical alkoxy-oxylactonization and dearomatization under metal- and external oxidant-free conditions to synthesize dehydroaltenusin analogs bearing both polycyclic cyclohexadienone and benzopyrolactone moieties. This methodology achieves phenolic radical-mediated self-dearomatization promoted by electricity at anode in an undivided cell, having good functional group tolerance, and more eco-friendliness. The obtained products are dehydroaltenusin analogs which possess potentially pharmacological activities. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the substitution effects of 3-aminomethyl-pyridine on the reaction equilibrium, the interactions between a series of 3-aminomethyl-pyridine derivatives and peroxovanadium(V) complex [OV(O2)2(D2O)]−/[OV(O2)2(HOD)]− in solution were explored by the combined use of multinuclear (1H, 13C, and 51V) magnetic resonance spectroscopy together with HSQC in 0.15 M NaCl ionic medium for mimicking the physiological conditions. Some direct NMR data are given for the first time. The relative reactivity among the 3-aminomethyl-pyridine derivative ligands are N-(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)acetamide (1) ≈ N-(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)propionamide (2) > N-(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)pivalamide (3) > t-butyl(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)carbamate (4). The competitive coordination results in the formation of a series of new six-coordinate peroxovanadium species [OV(O2)2L]− (L = 1–4). The results of density functional calculations indicated that the solvation effects play an important role in these reactions, providing a reasonable explanation on the relative reactivity of the 3-aminomethyl-pyridine derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Death-associated protein 1 (DAP1) is a small proline-rich cytoplasmic protein that functions both in the apoptosis and autophage process of mammalian and in the clinical cancer of human. However, little knowledge is known about the homologue gene of DAP1 and its roles in the physiological process of invertebrates. In this paper, we report a novel function of DAP1 in the antivirus immunity of shrimp. A homologue gene of DAP1 was cloned from Marsupenaeus japonicus and named as Mjdap -1. The full-length of Mjdap -1 was 1761 bp with a 309 bp open reading frame that encoded 102 amino acids. Reverse transcription-PCR results showed that Mjdap- 1 was expressed in all tested tissues, including hemocytes, gills, intestines, stomach, heart, hepatopancreas, testes, and ovaries. In shrimp, Mjdap- 1 transcripts were up-regulated by white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection; Mjdap- 1 knockdown decreased the virus copy in vivo and the mortality of M. japonicus to WSSV challenge. Conversely, injecting the purified recombinant Mj DAP1 protein promoted the amplification of virus in shrimp. Flow cytometric assay showed, the virus infection-induced apoptosis of hemocytes was enhanced by Mj DAP1 protein injection and inhibited in Mj DAP1 knockdown shrimp. Furthermore, the expression of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) was regulated by Mjdap- 1, but the caspase transcripts were not affected. Our results suggested that Mj DAP1 facilitated the amplification of virus in shrimp, which may be attributed to the promotion of hemocyte apoptosis in an AIF-dependent manner. These results provided a new insight into the function of this protein that may be used for virus disease control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a pivotal role in endothelial repair following artery injury, however, the molecular mechanism of late outgrowth EPCs (LEPCs) in endothelial repair remained to be studied. Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) is involved in vascular injury-mediated mobilization and homing of LEPCs. Here, we investigated the influence of BMP4-modified signaling pathway in LEPC-related endothelial repair of human and underlying molecular mechanism. Methods and results In vitro , after a 28 day culture, human LEPCs were pretreated with different concentrations of recombinant BMP4 (0, 10, 50, or 100 ng/mL), which markedly augmented the migration and adhesion in vitro and demonstrated a significantly accelerated in vivo endothelial repair capacity of human LEPCs after transplantation into nude mice with carotid artery denudation injury. Moreover, the main Id gene (Id2), a well-characterized down-streaming target of BMP4, upregulated in LEPCs incubated with recombinant BMP4. The BMP4-induced enhancement in in vitro functional activities and in vivo endothelial repair capacity of human LEPCs were abolished by pretreatment with BMP antagonist Noggin or shRNA-mediated knockdown of BMP4 expression. Furthermore, BMP4 gene transfer remarkably activated BMP4-mediated signaling pathway and facilitated therapeutic endothelial repair capacity of LEPCs, and the improved functional activities of human LEPCs could be inhibited by Noggin. Conclusion Thus, the present study demonstrates for the first time that BMP4-related signaling pathway is essential with endothelial repair capacity of LEPCs in human. The upregulation of BMP4-modified signaling pathway in human LEPCs may be a novel therapeutic strategy for endothelial repair after injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was aimed to investigate different roles of endogenous and Lactobacillus plantarum proteases during fast fermentation of silver carp. The results show that endogenous proteases could degrade both sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins. In contrast, L. plantarum had low proteinase activities and could only hydrolyze sarcoplasmic peptides. This indicates that gel properties could be mainly affected by endogenous proteolysis while microbial proteolysis contributed to the production of smaller peptides and free amino acids which may be related to flavor and taste. Texture and free amino acid analyses verified these hypotheses. It shows that endogenous lysosomal proteases were the major contributors for the decrease of gel strength while L. plantarum proteolytic activities could lead to the increase of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and alanine, which may result in umami and sweet taste; and also lead to a rise in some amino acids which were volatile compounds precursors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (McGregor), a major citrus pest distributed worldwide, has been found to be resistant to various insecticides and acaricides used in China. However, the molecular mechanisms associated with the abamectin resistance in this species have not yet been reported. In this study, results showed over-expression of a novel glutathione S -transferases (GSTs) gene ( PcGSTm5 ) in abamectin-resistant P. citri . Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the transcripts of PcGSTm5 were also significantly up-regulated after exposure to abamectin and the maximum mRNA expression level at nymphal stage. The recombinant protein of PcGSTm5-pET-28a produced by Escherichia coli showed a pronounced activity toward the conjugates of 1-chloro-2,4 dinitrobenzene (CDNB) and glutathione (GSH). The kinetics of CDNB and GSH and its optimal pH and thermal stability were also determined. Reverse genetic study through a new method of leaf-mediated dsRNA feeding further support a link between the expression of PcGSTm5 and abamectin resistance. However, no direct evidence was found in metabolism or inhibition assays to confirm the hypothesis that PcGSTm5 can metabolize abamectin. Finally, it is here speculated that PcGSTm5 may play a role in abamectin detoxification through other pathway such as the antioxidant protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, harbors the primary symbiont ' Candidatus Portiera aleyrodidarum' and a variety of secondary symbionts. Among these secondary symbionts, Rickettsia is the only one that can be detected both inside and outside the bacteriomes. Infection with Rickettsia has been reported to influence several aspects of the whitefly biology, such as fitness, sex ratio, virus transmission and resistance to pesticides. However, mechanisms underlying these differences remain unclear, largely due to the lack of genomic information of Rickettsia. In this study, we sequenced the genome of two Rickettsia strains isolated from the Middle East Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) species of the B. tabaci complex in China and Israel. Both Rickettsia genomes were of high coding density and AT-rich, containing more than 1000 coding sequences, much larger than that of the coexisted primary symbiont, Portiera. Moreover, the two Rickettsia strains isolated from China and Israel shared most of the genes with 100% identity and only nine genes showed sequence differences. The phylogenetic analysis using orthologs shared in the genus, inferred the proximity of Rickettsia in MEAM1 and Rickettsia bellii. Functional analysis revealed that Rickettsia was unable to synthesize amino acids required for complementing the whitefly nutrition. Besides, a type IV secretion system and a number of virulence-related genes were detected in the Rickettsia genome. The presence of virulence-related genes might benefit the symbiotic life of the bacteria, and hint on potential effects of Rickettsia on whiteflies. The genome sequences of Rickettsia provided a basis for further understanding the function of Rickettsia in whiteflies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given two graphs H 1 and H 2 , a graph is (H 1 , H 2) -free if it contains no induced subgraph isomorphic to H 1 or H 2. Let P t be the path on t vertices. A bull is the graph obtained from a triangle with two disjoint pendant edges. In this paper, we show that there are finitely many 5-vertex-critical (P 5 , bull)-free graphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in China has caused increasing attention to be paid to the treatment of low-level radioactive wastewaters (LLRWs). One possibility is the application of vacuum membrane distillation (VMD). In this study, a commercial hydrophobic microporous polypropylene membrane was investigated with respect to nuclide decontamination and permeate flux performance in the VMD process. The results demonstrate that vacuum pressure has the most obvious influence on permeate flux, followed by feed temperature and feed velocity. Despite the influence of operational parameters, effective nuclide filtering can be achieved with average decontamination factor (DF) values consistently higher than 1700. The salt concentration in the feed solution decreases the permeate flux and nuclide filtering. However, the VMD process still offers high average DF values of 6000 for Cs(I), 3700 for Sr(II), and 8300 for Co(II), even when the feed salt concentration reaches 80 g L-1. After operation at a high salt concentration, there is no obvious variation in the chemical composition on the membrane surface based on the attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectra. A brief comparison shows that the process integrating reverse osmosis and VMD is a promising method for treating LLRWs and minimizing radioactive waste in NPPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data reduction has become increasingly important in storage systems due to the explosive growth of digital data in the world that has ushered in the big data era. One of the main challenges facing large-scale data reduction is how to maximally detect and eliminate redundancy at very low overheads. In this paper, we present DARE, a low-overhead deduplication-aware resemblance detection and elimination scheme that effectively exploits existing duplicate-adjacency information for highly efficient resemblance detection in data deduplication based backup/archiving storage systems. The main idea behind DARE is to employ a scheme, call Duplicate-Adjacency based Resemblance Detection (DupAdj), by considering any two data chunks to be similar (i.e., candidates for delta compression) if their respective adjacent data chunks are duplicate in a deduplication system, and then further enhance the resemblance detection efficiency by an improved super-feature approach. Our experimental results based on real-world and synthetic backup datasets show that DARE only consumes about 1/4 and 1/2 respectively of the computation and indexing overheads required by the traditional super-feature approaches while detecting 2-10 percent more redundancy and achieving a higher throughput, by exploiting existing duplicate-adjacency information for resemblance detection and finding the “sweet spot” for the super-feature approach. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Food allergy is the most common cause of anaphylaxis in children. Intramuscular delivery of epinephrine auto-injectors (EAI) is the standard of care for the treatment of anaphylaxis. We examined if children and adolescents at risk of anaphylaxis weighing 15-30 kg and >30 kg would receive epinephrine into the intramuscular space with the currently available EAI in North America and Europe. Methods: The distance from skin to muscle (STMD) and skin to bone (STBD) on the mid third anterolateral area of the right thigh was measured by ultrasound applying either high pressure (max) or slight pressure (min) in 102 children weighing 15-30 kg (group 1) and 100 children and adolescents, weighing more than 30 kg (group 2). Results: Using a high pressure EAI (HPEAI), Epipen Jr® and Auvi-Q®/Allerject® 0.15 mg, 11/102 (11%) children in group 1 and 38/102 (38%) using another HPEAI, Jext®, had a STMDmax that showed a risk of intraosseous injection. There was a 1% risk of subcutaneous injection with these devices. There was no risk of intraosseous injection using a low pressure EAI (LPEAI), Emerade®. In group 2, the risk of intraosseous injection using a HPEAI was 3% and no risk using a LPEAI. However, the risk of subcutaneous injection using HPEAI was 9% and using LPEAI was 2%. Conclusion: There is a risk of intraosseous injection using HPEAI (Epipen®/Epipen Jr®, Auvi-Q®/Allerject® and especially Jext®) in children at risk of anaphylaxis. There was also a risk of subcutaneous injection using the currently available HPEAI in children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur mustard and nitrogen mustard (mechlorethamine, HN2) are potent vesicants developed as chemical warfare agents. These electrophilic, bifunctional alkylating agents cause skin injury, including inflammation, edema, and blistering. HN2 covalently modifies macromolecules such as DNA, RNA, and proteins or is scavenged by glutathione, forming adducts that can contribute to toxicity. Multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (Mrp1/MRP1) is a transmembrane ATPase known to efflux glutathione-conjugated electrophiles. In the present studies, we examined the effects of modulating Mrp1-mediated transport activity on the sensitivity of primary and PAM212 mouse keratinocytes to HN2. Primary keratinocytes, and to a lesser extent, PAM212 cells, express Mrp1 mRNA and protein and possess Mrp1 functional activity, as measured by calcein efflux. Sulforaphane, an activator of Nrf2, increased Mrp1 mRNA, protein, and functional activity in primary keratinocytes and PAM212 cells and decreased their sensitivity to HN2-induced growth inhibition (IC50 = 1.4 and 4.8 μM in primary keratinocytes and 1 and 13 μM in PAM212 cells, in the absence and presence of sulforaphane, respectively). The Mrp1 inhibitor, MK-571, reversed the effects of sulforaphane on HN2-induced growth inhibition in both primary keratinocytes and PAM212 cells. In primary keratinocytes from Nrf2-/- mice, sulforaphane had no impact on Mrp1 expression or activity, or on sensitivity to HN2, demonstrating that its effects depend on Nrf2. These data suggest that Mrp1-mediated efflux is important in regulating HN2-induced keratinocyte growth inhibition. Enhancing HN2 efflux from keratinocytes may represent a novel strategy for mitigating vesicant-induced cytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The retrogradation properties of rice gels with different milling degrees (0, 3, 6, and 9%) stored at 4°C and −20°C were investigated. Results showed that rice gels with the same degrees of milling (DOM) stored at 4°C retrograde faster than those stored at −20°C. Moreover, higher milling degree leads to a faster retrogradation in the same temperature. Texture profile analysis demonstrated that samples showed a lower hardness but higher adhesiveness during storage at −20°C. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that the higher the milling degree, the higher retrogradation index (ΔHr/ΔHg) obtained at 4°C or −20°C. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that samples stored at −20°C had a lower degree of crystallinity compared with those stored at 4°C, which was also confirmed by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that samples stored at −20°C presented a more shrinkable appearance with more pores. The results are expected to provide some theoretical guidance for retarding the retrogradation of rice in processing and preservation industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Sawur region, north Xinjiang, hosts many Late Paleozoic volcanic hosted gold deposits. • Lamprophyres in gold deposits with xenoliths and xenocrysts provide important information of lithospheric mantle. • Sawur mantle fertilized by alkali carbonatite metasomatism is susceptible for gold mineralization. The Sawur gold belt, northern Xinjiang, China, is the eastward extension of the Zarma-Sawur Au-Cu belt in Kazakhstan. Many gold deposits and other mineral occurrences are distributed in volcanic rocks of the Sawur area. Systematic studies are in need to learn how gold is associated with volcanic rocks. This study applied whole rock and mineral geochemical analysis on lamprophyres in Qia'erdunbasixi gold deposit. Clinopyroxene (Cpx) xenocryst in lamprophyre and Cpx megacryst core is Mg- and Cr-rich diopside, which is commonly eroded by salite with resorption boundary. These Cpx grains with low rare earth element (REE) abundance, light rare earth element (LREE) depletion ([La/Yb] N < 1) and without Eu anomaly are likely formed in the spinel-facies lithospheric mantle. Xenocryst in lamprophyre has undergone metasomatism, which is proved by the occurrence of amphibole and phlogopite along the rim of Cpx. In situ trace element analysis of amphibole and metasomatized clinopyroxene unravels the property of metasomatic melt with large LREE/HREE fractionation and strong depletion in Zr-Hf and Ti relative REE, with the occurrence of pargasite, phlogopite and apatite, which are typical characteristics of alkali carbonatite melt from upper mantle. Fe-rich salite with low Mg# (61 ∼ 64) and right-leaning REE pattern is different from any other clinopyroxene in Sawur lamprophyre, should be the subducted mélange, which is captured by upwelling melt together with xenocryst caught from spinel-facies mantle. Cpx phenocryst with low Mg#, Cr and high abundance of REE in lamprophyre has different compositions with xenocryst, should be formed in a shallow magma chamber. The lamprophyre is thought to be derived from deep mantle and therefore carry these various xenocrysts into surface. We suggest the mantle origin with alkali carbonatite metasomatism likely results in the gold fertility of Sawur volcanic rocks, which explains the common association with gold mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tapioca starch-water suspension was subjected to high speed jet (HSJ) treatment and the physical properties were investigated by Particle size analysis, Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscope (SEM). Particle size analysis revealed a significant increase in volume mean diameter from 17.00 to 40.35 μm. SEM studies showed that treated tapioca starch (TS) was prone to aggregate with each other and markedly damaged at starch granule surface which eventually disintegrated into gel-like structures at high pressure level. XRD patterns showed that all samples exhibited A-type and there was an evident loss of crystallinity after treated over 160 MPa. The TS showed similarity on FTIR spectral pattern but had different intensity in some peaks at increasing pressure. DSC analysis confirmed that TS was partly gelatinized after HSJ treatment, and the degree of gelatinization increased to 34.34 ± 1.0% when the pressure was 240 MPa. These results provided the basic information on the physical properties of TS treated at different pressures and indicated the potential possibility of HSJ for starch modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data deduplication has gained increasing attention and popularity as a space-efficient approach in backup storage systems. One of the main challenges for centralized data deduplication is the scalability of fingerprint-index search. In this paper, we propose SiLo, a near-exact and scalable deduplication system that effectively and complementarily exploits similarity and locality of data streams to achieve high duplicate elimination, throughput, and well balanced load at extremely low RAM overhead. The main idea behind SiLo is to expose and exploit more similarity by grouping strongly correlated small files into a segment and segmenting large files, and to leverage the locality in the data stream by grouping contiguous segments into blocks to capture similar and duplicate data missed by the probabilistic similarity detection. SiLo also employs a locality based stateless routing algorithm to parallelize and distribute data blocks to multiple backup nodes. By judiciously enhancing similarity through the exploitation of locality and vice versa, SiLo is able to significantly reduce RAM usage for index-lookup, achieve the near-exact efficiency of duplicate elimination, maintain a high deduplication throughput, and obtain load balance among backup nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]