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Electric machines emulators (EMEs) based on hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), which effectively act as emulators to mimic the actual motor behavior of Interior Permanent Magnet (IPM) machines. EME is frequently used to evaluate motor controller and motor control methodologies prior to development. The inverse magnetization motor model, which is used as the basis for real-time simulation in this paper's proposal for an electric machine emulator system based on HIL, uses FEA to create the motor model data. The nonlinear features of the motor may be successfully replicated with this motor model, and the accuracy of the electric machine emulator can be enhanced by using a straightforward and trustworthy motor controller. The real-time simulation tool typhoon HIL is used in the study to develop a hardware-in-the-loop simulation platform for an IPM electric machines emulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle suspension is considered powerful and perspective in enhancing heat transfer, but the unclear nature of particle‐loaded flow limits further understanding of particle suspension. Therefore, in this paper, orthogonal experiments and the arbitrary Lagrangian‐Eulerian method were used to investigate the heat transfer characteristics of particle‐loaded flow. Results indicate that when the particle is at the inlet of the microchannel, the factors arranged in important order are the Reynolds number, blockage ratio, particle initial position, specific heat capacity, and thermal conductivity. When the particle is far from the microchannel inlet, the factors arranged in important order are the Reynolds number, blockage ratio, particle initial position, thermal conductivity, and specific heat capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expanding number of assets offers more opportunities for investors but poses new challenges for modern portfolio management (PM). As a central plank of PM, portfolio selection by expected utility maximization (EUM) faces uncontrollable estimation and optimization errors in ultrahigh-dimensional scenarios. Past strategies for high-dimensional PM mainly concern only large-cap companies and select many stocks, making PM impractical. We propose a sample-average-approximation-based portfolio strategy to tackle the difficulties above with cardinality constraints. Our strategy bypasses the estimation of mean and covariance, the Chinese walls in high-dimensional scenarios. Empirical results on S&P 500 and Russell 2000 show that an appropriate number of carefully chosen assets leads to better out-of-sample mean-variance efficiency. On Russell 2000, our best portfolio profits as much as the equally weighted portfolio but reduces the maximum drawdown and the average number of assets by 10% and 90%, respectively. The flexibility and the stability of incorporating factor signals for augmenting out-of-sample performances are also demonstrated. Our strategy balances the tradeoff among the return, the risk, and the number of assets with cardinality constraints. Therefore, we provide a theoretically sound and computationally efficient strategy to make PM practical in the growing global financial market. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regarding the three expansion modes of hydraulic fractures at the interface of a coal measure composite reservoir (arrested, deflection, and penetration), based on the coupling theory of fluid flow and solid elastic deformation, a criterion that considers the influences of the injection parameters (fracturing fluid injection rate and viscosity) is established to predict the propagation path of hydraulic fractures at the interface of a composite reservoir. The criterion judges the propagation behavior of the fractures by comparing the water pressure in the wellbore and the critical seam pressure of the penetration and deflection. The controlled variable method is used to analyze the influences of the various factors on the propagation behavior of hydraulic fractures at the interface between layers. The results show that the differences in in situ stress, the interface cohesion, and the included angle mainly affect the critical seam pressure of the fracture deflection. The differences in elastic modulus, fluid injection rate, and fracturing fluid viscosity directly affect the water pressure in the wellbore. The difference in the fracture toughness mainly affects the crack propagation path by affecting the critical seam pressure of the deflection. The smaller the difference in the in situ stress is, the more likely it is that the hydraulic fractures will penetrate the layer. Larger differences in the fracture toughness between layers, interfacial cohesion, fluid injection rate, and fracturing fluid viscosity are more conducive to the hydraulic fractures penetrating the layer. When the angle between the hydraulic fractures and the interface is 25–55°, the hydraulic fracture is more likely to expand along the interface. This criterion takes into account the influences of the injection parameters and is of great significance to gaining a better understanding of the propagation behavior of hydraulic fractures at an interlayer interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An axial static magnetic field (ASMF) is superimposed during the electroslag remelting (ESR) process to regulate the inclusion removal (GCr15 bearing steel) in the current study. After applying a 50 mT ASMF, the metal pool of the ESR ingot becomes shallower and the solidified dendritic structure tends to grow axially, together with a higher inclusion removal efficiency. The number of inclusions in ESR ingot decreases, and the inclusion with larger size (>10 μm) is almost eliminated. By tailoring the morphology of the liquid melt film (LMF), droplet, and metal pool, the ASMF applied in this study strengthens the kinetic conditions (inclusion migrated to slag/metal interface) for the inclusion removal, thus realizing the multi‐stage enhanced removal of inclusion during ESR process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) remains challenging. Elevated IgE levels have previously been reported in several RDEB patients. In this prospective, single‐centre, open intervention study, elevated IgE levels were seen in 11 out of 12 patients with intense pruritus, and the patients with elevated IgE levels received anti‐IgE therapy every 4 weeks for at least three cycles. Compared with the baseline, 10 patients with RDEB had good clinical outcomes with enhanced wound healing, a reduction in Birmingham (epidermolysis bullosa) EB severity score by 15%, a reduction in affected body surface area by 23.3%, amelioration of skin inflammation, and an increase in type VII collagen deposition by 13.1‐fold. All the patients had a good tolerance to anti‐IgE therapy. Furthermore, patients with higher IgE levels tended to have higher disease severity and more favorable clinical outcomes. Our report also suggested the potential role of IgE in the pathogenesis of inflammatory conditions associated with RDEB. (ChiCTR1900021437). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method called forging solidifying metal (FSM), developed to establish an energy-efficient process chain for ferrous alloys, was proposed based on the semi-solid forming (SSF) technology. The microstructure of the 12Cr1MoV steel investigated was inhomogeneous when deformed by the FSM process under conditions of 70% and 50% liquid fractions (F L ). A circle-like macrosegregation band, which was enriched in C, Cr, Mo and V, appeared in the forging. What is significantly different from that is, a uniform, dense microstructure characterized by fine grains (30 μm) was obtained when the FSM process was conducted at the F L of 30%. With decreasing F L , the mechanical properties of the forgings gradually homogenized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An energy efficient method called deformation and holding process (DHP) in two phase region, which applied for eliminating the harmful Laves eutectic (LE) phase of INCONEL 718 (IN718) was proposed based on semi-solid forming technology. To verify its feasibility, the effects of solid-liquid fraction and isothermal holding on formation of LE and the microstructure of the deformed alloys were investigated experimentally. LE can be eliminated and the microstructure is refined when deformation and holding were carried out at the end of solidification. The fraction of the LE decreases from about 10.8% in the as-cast specimens to 2.53% in the deformed specimens (0.1/s 50% compression at 1700 °C following 2 min isothermal holding process). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary/Backup has been well studied as an effective fault-tolerance technique. In this paper, with the objectives of tolerating a single permanent fault and maintaining system reliability with respect to transient faults, we study dynamic-priority based energy-efficient fault-tolerance scheduling algorithms for periodic real-time tasks running on multiprocessor systems by exploiting the primary/backup technique while considering the negative effects of the widely deployed Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) on transient faults. Specifically, by separating primary and backup tasks on their dedicated processors, we first devise two schemes based on the idea of Standby-Sparing (SS) : For Paired-SS , processors are organized as groups of two (i.e., pairs) and the existing SS scheme is applied within each pair of processors after partitioning tasks to the pairs. In Generalized-SS , processors are divided into two groups (of potentially different sizes), which are denoted as primary and secondary processor groups, respectively. The main (backup) tasks are scheduled on the primary (secondary) processor group under the partitioned-EDF ( partitioned-EDL ) with DVFS (DPM) to save energy. Moreover, we propose schemes that allocate primary and backup tasks in a mixed manner to better utilize system slack on all processors for more energy savings. On each processor, the Preference-Oriented Earliest Deadline (POED) scheduler is adopted to run primary tasks at scaled frequencies as soon as possible (ASAP) and backup tasks at the maximum frequency as late as possible (ALAP) to save energy. Our empirical evaluations show that, for systems with a given number of processors, there normally exists a configuration for Generalized-SS with different number of processors in primary and backup groups, which leads to better energy savings when compared to that of the Paired-SS scheme. Moreover, the POED-based schemes normally have more stable performance and can achieve better energy savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 17-4 PH stainless steel has been additively manufactured (AM) using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Different from traditional counterpart, the AM 17-4 PH steel exhibits a peculiar dual-phase microstructure containing large amount of retained austenite (66 vol%) and the rest martensite. This metastable structure is highly susceptible to surface polishing, thus widely scattered data of phase constitution are reported in many previous papers. It is found that the thermal martensite transformation is suppressed by the ultra-fine microstructure produced by LPBF, thus giving rise to a large amount of austenite retained. And as a consequence, plastic deformation of the AM 17-4 steel displays an obvious three-stage behavior: (I) yield plateau, (II) severe work hardening, and (III) final necking. Underlying mechanisms are revealed, respectively. At the beginning of plastic deformation, because there is lacking of further strengthening mechanism upon yielding in the fine-grained structure, a plastic instability caused by local softening occurs and leads to the formation of complex Lüders band. When the accumulated mechanical energy plus the intrinsic chemical energy exceeds activation energy of martensite transformation, further plastic deformation results in severe strain-induced martensite transformation (SIMT). The SIMT endows the AM 17-4 steel with extremely high work hardening ability in stage II, consequently, flow stress rises sharply from 490 MPa to the maximum level of 1090 MPa, and most of the retained austenite is exhausted in this stage. Afterward, the work hardening rate drops below the true stress, an increase in strain produces no additional load increase, local necking occurs and leads to final rupture of the AM 17-4 steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A thorough overview on recent advances in C 1 -deuterated aldehyde synthesis is provided. • Transition-metal catalysis, photocatalysis and NHC-catalysis are employed to address this synthetic challenge. • Specific focus is placed on reaction design and mechanistic pathway. • The scope, limitation and future aspect are emphasized and critically discussed. • Late-stage modification and derivatization are presented to showcase the synthetic value. The recent surge in deuterated pharmaceutical compounds has created an urgent demand for new synthetic tools that allow facile access to D-containing building blocks. As one of the most predominant chemical entities in organic synthesis, aldehyde serves as a powerful linchpin in assembling structurally diverse molecular architectures. Recently, numerous efforts have been devoted to developing synthetic methods toward C 1 -deuterated aldehydes, which apparently broaden and streamline approaches toward versatile deuterated compounds. Herein, our aim is to offer a timely and comprehensive survey of this emerging topic. The overview is divided into four sections according to the synthesis tool utilized, with specific emphasis placed on the reaction design, mechanistic pathway, and resulting new synthetic paradigms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dlg5 (Discs large homolog 5), a member of the membrane-associated guanylate kinase adaptor family of scaffolding proteins, has been shown to participate in cancer progression. However, little is known about whether abnormal expression of Dlg5 facilitates bladder cancer metastasis. In the current study we initiated a study analyzing Dlg5 expression and its roles in human bladder cancer metastasis. The expression of Dlg5 is decreased in most bladder cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues, and Dlg5 expression is further downregulated in patients with muscle-invasive tumors. DNA methylation analysis showed a methylation of Dlg5 gene in bladder cancer cell lines and in bladder cancer tumors, especially in muscle-invasive tumors. Hypermethylation of Dlg5 in bladder tumors is tightly correlated with silencing of Dlg5 expression, which is further functionally validated by demethylation analysis in bladder cancer cell lines. Knockdown of Dlg5 increases cancer cell invasion in vitro and promotes cancer metastasis in vivo . Of clinical significance, Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that downregulation of Dlg5 is significantly associated with reduced overall survival in patients with bladder cancer. Conclusion These data suggest that inhibition of Dlg5 by DNA hypermethylation contributes to provoke invasive phenotypes in bladder tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider a set of real-time periodic tasks where some tasks are preferably executed as soon as possible (ASAP) and others as late as possible (ALAP) while still meeting their deadlines. After introducing the idea of preference-oriented (PO) execution , we formally define the concept of PO-optimality . For fully-loaded systems (with 100% utilization), we first propose a PO-optimal scheduler, namely ASAP-Ensured Earliest Deadline (SEED) , by focusing on ASAP tasks where the optimality of ALAP tasks’ preference is achieved implicitly due to the harmonicity of the PO-optimal schedules for such systems. Then, for under-utilized systems (with less than 100% utilization), we show the discrepancies between different PO-optimal schedules. By extending SEED, we propose a generalized Preference-Oriented Earliest Deadline (POED) scheduler that can obtain a PO-optimal schedule for any schedulable task set. The application of the POED scheduler in a dual-processor fault-tolerant system is further illustrated. We evaluate the proposed PO-optimal schedulers through extensive simulations. The results show that, comparing to that of the well-known EDF scheduler, the scheduling overheads of SEED and POED are higher (but still manageable) due to the additional consideration of tasks’ preferences. However, SEED and POED can achieve the preference-oriented execution objectives in a more successful way than EDF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinear optical (NLO) BaGa 4 S 7 polycrystalline materials with stoichiometric composition were synthesized from BaS, Ga, and S via solid-state reactions in the dual temperature zone rocking furnace with excess sulfur, and crystal BaGa 4 S 7 for the mid-infrared (IR) was grown with Bridgman–Stockbarger technique. The ultraviolet (UV) and IR optical absorption edges of crystal BaGa 4 S 7 were found to be at 350 nm and 13.7 μm, respectively. Its thermal conductivities at 50 °C were 1.45 W/(m K), 1.58 W/(m K) and 1.68 W/(m K) along a -, b - and c -directions, respectively. The laser damage threshold of a single crystal was about 7.1 J/cm 2 at 2.1 μm, and 26.2 J/cm 2 at 9.58 μm. The idler non-critical phase-matching OPO wavelength was between 6 and 10 μm when the pumped wavelength was varied around 2.2 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immunosuppressive therapy is usually administered following renal transplantation to protect the graft from rejection. However, this often causes complications such as infections to occur. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the CTLA4 gene, such as −1772T/C (rs733618), +49A/G (rs231775) and +6230 G/A (rs3087243), can affect graft rejection and the long-term clinical outcome of organ transplantation. The role of CTLA4 SNPs in T cell-mediated immunity in renal transplantation and association with infection after transplantation is unknown. Methods: In this study, the risk of infection according to CTLA4 SNPs was investigated in 304 patients who received kidney graft transplants between 2008 and 2012. Results: The frequency of the rs4553808 GG genotype was significantly higher in recipients with viral infection (14.89%) than in those without infections (3.50%) (Bonferroni-adjusted p = 0.005). A significant difference (p = 0.001) in patients with the rs4553808 GG genotype from those with the AA+AG genotypes was found in the viral cohort using the log-rank test. A significant association was found between the rs4553808 genotype and onset of viral infection in transplant recipients (p = 0.001). The frequencies of the CGTAG and CGCAG haplotypes were significantly higher in the viral infection group (9.6% and 5.3%) than in the non-viral infection group (3.8% and 1.4%) (p = 0.0149 and p = 0.0111). No association between any CTLA4 SNP and bacterial infection was found. Multivariate analyses revealed that one risk factor, the use of antibody induction therapy (p = 0.007), was associated with bacterial infection, and two risk factors, antibody use (p = 0.015) and recipient rs4553808 genotype (p = 0.001), were associated with viral infection. Conclusions: The rs4553808 GG genotype may be a risk factor for viral infection in kidney transplantation. The CTLA4 haplotypes CGTAG and CGCAG were partially associated with the development of viral infection in Chinese kidney transplant recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: New middle infrared nonlinear optical crystals of BaGa2GeX 6(X=S, Se) have been synthesized. The structures of both BaGa2GeS6 and BaGa2GeSe6 were found to be isomorphous exhibiting a three-dimensional framework constructed by the parallel alignment of Ga or Ge tetrahedron groups along the c-aix. The ultraviolet transmittance spectrum indicates the short-wavelength absorption edges of BaGa2GeS6 and BaGa2GeSe6 are 380nm and 440nm, respectively. The IR transmittance spectrum shows that the absorption edge of the BaGa2GeS6 crystal is 13.7μm. Second-harmonic generation of the powder samples was measured with a 2.05μm laser using the Kurtz and Perry technique, which showed that BaGa2GeS6 and BaGa2GeSe6 are phase-matched materials, and their measured SHG coefficient is ∼2.1 and ∼3.5 times as large as the coefficient of AgGaS2, or 26.3pm/V and 43.7pm/V. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The transformation of primary MC and M 2 C carbides, during high-temperature treatment, was investigated by quasi in-situ observation of Cr4Mo4V steel. It was found that the V-rich rod-like MC carbides have great thermal stability, and disintegrating and coarsening are their dominant transformation mechanisms. The M 2 C carbides mainly possess rod-like ( M 2 C-R) and lamellar ( M 2 C-L) morphologies. The M 2 C-R carbides are Mo-enriched, and their transformation follows the paths: the separate precipitation of MC and M 2 C-R + γ → MC + M 6 C. The V- and Fe-rich MC carbides nucleates randomly in the interior of M 2 C-R before the nucleation of Mo- and Fe-rich M 6 C carbides, which is controlled by the diffusion of V. Soaking for longer durations can cause spheroidization and coarsening of the MC carbides, along with the dissolution of M 6 C carbides. The evolution of Fe- and Mo-rich M 2 C-L carbides consists of two stages: the partial dissolution of M 2 C-L into the matrix and the transformation of M 2 C-L → MC + γ. These novel findings contribute towards the understanding of how primary carbides evolve during heat treatment and provide a potential method for carbides refinement in Cr4Mo4V steel. [Display omitted] • The transformation behavior of primary carbides in Cr4Mo4V steel was investigated. • Disintegrating and coarsening are the dominant transformation mechanisms of V-rich rod-like MC carbides. • The M 2 C carbides mainly possess rod-like ( M 2 C - R) and lamellar ( M 2 C - L) morphologies. • The transformation process of M 2 C - R carbides follows the paths: the separate precipitation of MC and M 2 C - R + γ → MC + M 6 C. • The evolution of M 2 C - L carbides consists of the partial dissolution of M 2 C - L and the transformation of M 2 C - L → MC+ γ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The thickness of LMF is reduced when the 65 m T TSMF is applied. • The number and size of the inclusions in LMF are decreased due to the TSMF. • The mechanism is that the TSMF enhances the kinetic process of inclusion removal in LMF. Magnetic-controlled Electroslag Remelting (MC-ESR) process has been proposed to improve the inclusion removal efficiency in recent years. In this study, the effects of transverse static magnetic field (TSMF) on liquid melting film (LMF) and inclusion removal during this period in ESR process of GCr15 steel were studied by a series of MC-ESR experiments. The thickness of the characteristic position of LMF was reduced by 27.2%∼80.5% due to the accelerated dynamic process (LMF aggregating to form droplet and droplet falling) after applying a 65mT TSMF. In addition, the kinetic conditions for inclusion removal in LMF were also enhanced by the TSMF, leading to decrease in the number and size of inclusions in LMF. A numerical simulation of the inclusion migration in LMF was then carried out to verify the experimental results to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A transverse static magnetic field (TSMF) is implemented in a laboratory electroslag remelting (ESR) experiment to control eutectic carbides morphology of Cr8 die steel herein. Under action of a TSMF, the temperature distribution of the molten pool becomes homogeneous, the local solidification time is shortened, and the interdendritic region space shrinks, which result in an evenly spaced distribution of solute atoms and a reduction in interdendritic segregation. Therefore, the formation and subsequent growth of eutectic carbides are further inhibited, thereby causing the generation of smaller and more uniform distributed eutectic carbides due to the application of the TSMF. Moreover, the increase of the number of Al2O3–(Ti,V)N inclusions serves to be the heterogeneous nucleus of carbides (inclusions also become finer) caused by TSMF, which also contributes to the refinements of eutectic carbides in Cr8 ingots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the attitude of students at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine toward organ transplantation and donation after cardiac death (DCD). A questionnaire including 16 single-choice questions about organ transplantation and donation was designed, and a survey was conducted using this questionnaire on 300 randomly selected respondents at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. The ratio of male to female was 1:2.4. Of the participants, 98.1% had heard of organ transplantation, and 68.2% had received the information through network news. Only 10.6% expressed a positive attitude toward organ transplantation in China. Further, 39.8% of the participants were willing to donate their organs after death, while 51.9% of the participants hesitated because of perceived opacity in how donated organs were used. Even among those who did not share this concern, only 46.2% considered it. However, 80.7% were in favor of organ donation between relatives. Separately, 67.4% and 60.2% of the participants were interested in participating in activities and publicity related to organ donation, respectively. A majority of the participants had an understanding of organ transplantation and had obtained this information through media. Most showed a positive attitude toward donation between relatives, but only some of them indicated willingness to donate their organs. Generally, acceptance and awareness of organ transplantation need to be improved. Media outreach and education might have a profound influence. • This article provides statistics on the attitude of students of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine toward organ transplantation in China. • According to the statistical results, we analyze and infer the current status of organ transplantation in China. • We summarize China's shortcomings in organ transplantation based on the status quo and make comments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the field of organosulfur chemistry and its applications in various industries. The authors specifically discuss their research on aryne chemistry and its interaction with organosulfur compounds. They detail their efforts in developing synthetic methodologies using sulfonium zwitterions and the unique reactivities of the resulting S(IV) intermediates. The article highlights their recent achievements in sigmatropic rearrangement, ring-opening reactions of cyclic sulfides, and selective arylation of thio-oxindoles. The authors aim to advance zwitterion chemistry and expand its applications through selectivity control and diversity-oriented synthesis. [Extracted from the article]

The title compounds are prepared by solid state reaction of BaS, Ga, Ge, and S or Se (700 °C for 70 h and 1000 °C for 3 d). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Processing of immiscible alloys with a homogeneous distribution of fine minor segregated phases is a great challenge. Al-10 wt.%Bi immiscible alloys were solidified under the homogeneous and gradient high magnetic fields (HHMF and GHMF). X-ray computed tomography technique was applied to study the spatial features of the minor Bi-rich particles (MBPs). The results show that the MBPs displayed as centripetal and centrifugal distributions along the radial directions of the ingots solidified under the GHMF. The segregation of the minor Bi-rich droplets (MBDs) was dominated by both radial Marangoni migration and the vertical Stokes sedimentation under the HHMF. In the case of the GHMF, both the radial Marangoni migration and vertical Stokes sedimentation of the MBDs can be effectively stopped by the gradient forces. This work provides a novel path to design the novel alloys with homogeneous microstructures by utilizing the magneto-Archimedes levitation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A previous validation study showed a very low sensitivity and higher specificity associated with Hanifin and Rajka criteria (H&R) and the UK Working Party criteria (UKWP) in diagnosing AD vs. the Chinese criteria of atopic dermatitis (AD) for children (CCAD). However, their diagnostic efficacy in adult and elderly Chinese populations remains unknown. Objectives To validate the diagnostic efficacy of three sets of AD criteria in adult and elderly Chinese populations in a hospital setting. Methods A total of 1034 patients (aged 19–95 years) from five university hospital dermatological clinics were recruited. Medical history, dermatological examination, AD diagnosis and evaluation of AD severity were done by dermatologists. Each patient was investigated by two dermatologist panels, one to establish a clinical diagnosis, and the other to identify and record the major or minor signs of H&R criteria, UKWP criteria and CCAD. Taking clinical diagnosis as the reference, the diagnostic efficacy of three sets of diagnostic criteria was evaluated. The χ2 test or rank sum test were used for between-groups comparisons. Results CCAD had a higher sensitivity (84.0%), especially among mild and moderate cases of AD (72.7% and 90.3%, respectively), than the H&R (58.0%; P < 0.001) and UKWP criteria (56.0%; P < 0.001) in diagnosing AD. The specificity of CCAD (92.7%) was slightly lower than the H&R (97.3%; P < 0.001) or UKWP criteria (97.4%; P < 0.001). The CCAD had the highest Youden index (0.77), accuracy rate (0.90) and Kappa value (0.76) of the three sets of diagnostic criteria. Conclusions Consistent with results in a population of Chinese children, although the H&R and UKWP criteria had a high specificity for diagnosing AD, their low sensitivity limited their use in adult and elderly Chinese patients. Based on the high sensitivity and favourable diagnostic efficacy, the CCAD is proposed for AD diagnosis in adult and elderly Chinese populations, especially for cases of mild and moderate AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atopic dermatitis (AD) exhibits difference in immune polarization between Caucasians and Asian races due to which an evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Pimecrolimus (PIM) in Asian population is called for. The current study addresses the need via a sub-group analysis of the PETITE study (NCT00120523) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PIM in Chinese infants. Patients with AD (≥3 months–<12 months of age) were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either PIM 1% cream or topical corticosteroids (TCS). The primary endpoint was safety. The secondary endpoint was efficacy. 120 patients were randomized to either PIM 1% or TCS (n = 61 for PIM, n = 59 for TCS). The most often reported adverse events were reported by similar proportions of patients treated with PIM or TCS. There was a progressive increase in overall IGA treatment success in infants treated with PIM (82.9%, p <.05, 95% CI: 70.4, 95.3) after 26 weeks which was comparable to the TCS group (88.5%, p <.05, 95% CI: 79.8, 97.1). PIM showed an early and sustained efficacy in the Chinese sub-population with a substantial corticosteroid-sparing effect in patients with AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with severe atopic dermatitis (AD) can benefit from intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy. This study aimed to identify the efficacy and safety of IVIG therapy in children with severe AD. Twenty pediatric AD patients were enrolled in this study. Patients with an Investigator's Global Assessment score of 0 or 1 or a reduction of 2 points after treatment were defined as high‐responders (HRs), otherwise, they were defined as low‐responders (LRs). Twelve patients (60%) achieved an excellent treatment response after 2 months, while eight (40%) had a low response. The Scoring Atopic Dermatitis index had improved significantly at 2 months post‐treatment compared with baseline (p < 0.001). Baseline total serum IgE levels and eosinophil counts were elevated in all subjects and decreased significantly at 2 months post‐treatment (p = 0.004 and 0.021, respectively). Baseline IgE levels were significantly higher in the HR group compared with the LR group (p = 0.020). The treatment was well tolerated. Fever was the most common adverse event and occurred in five patients (25%). In conclusion, IVIG could be a safe and effective therapy for children with severe AD and may be more effective in patients with higher IgE levels. Further studies are needed to investigate the different therapeutic responses in patients with different AD phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The leaching efficiency of Ga and Ge increases continuously with temperature. • Si(OH) 4 is easy to selectively adsorb Ge, which reduces the leaching rate. • The strong magnetic field can change the reaction mechanism of Si(OH) 4. • The strong magnetic field can reduce the insoluble GeO 2 content. • There is an intrinsic correlation in temperature, magnetic field, and ultrasound. Gallium (Ga) and Germanium (Ge) are crucial strategic resources with extensive applications in high-tech industries. However, Ga and Ge primarily occur as associated minerals. The process involves the leaching of lead–zinc ores and subsequent leaching to recover the valuable elements. The conventional acid leaching procedure exhibits low leaching effectiveness for Ga and Ge, making their recovery challenging. This study initially investigated the occurrence states of Ga and Ge. The thermodynamic simulations were used to investigate the feasibility of Zinc powder replacement residue (ZPRR) in a two-stage acid leaching process. The leaching mechanism in the strong magnetic field and ultrasonic field was studied using several characterizations such as XRD, SEM, XPS, FT-IR, etc. The investigation revealed that raising the temperature in the acidic solution led to an enhanced leaching efficiency of Ga and Ge. However, at 120 °C, the leaching efficiency of Ge decreased due to the hydrolytic precipitation occurring between Ge and SiO 2. Nevertheless, the utilisation of a strong magnetic field proved advantageous in impeding this process. Furthermore, the application of the combined ultrasonic field contributed to enhancing the level of residue refining, hence promoting the effectiveness and degree of the reaction. Thus, the leaching efficiency of Ga and Ge was influenced by temperature, strong magnetic field, and ultrasonic field in combination. The high leaching efficiency of 95.53 % and 97.11 % for Ga and Ge, respectively, could be attained in the optimal experimental parameters. This study offers theoretical guidance for the effective and environmentally friendly leaching of Ga and Ge. Furthermore, it has been observed that this method is also promising for leaching the other valuable metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breaking the strength-ductility trade-off in metal materials has always been a prominent topic in materials science. Here, we proposed a novel strategy of combining rotary swaging (RS) with appropriate annealing to construct an ultrafine lamellar structure with low dislocation density in Cu-8wt.% Sn alloy. This unique anisotropic structure achieves triple ductility without compromising strength compared with the traditional cold rolling process. Results show that the lamellar structure composed of alternating ultrafine-grained α-Cu and brittle Sn-rich phases can be significantly refined by RS, which can weaken stress concentration and thus reduce microcrack nucleation during tensile deformation. The lamellar ultrafine-grained α-Cu with low dislocation density has excellent strain hardening ability, which can effectively mediate deformation, and resist crack propagation and coalescence, thereby enhancing the ductility of materials. As a deformation method with industrial application capability, RS can construct a novel lamellar structure to overcome the strength-ductility dilemma, which deserves attention in materials science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics and transformation of M 2 C and MC, the most common primary carbides in Cr4Mo4V bearing steel, have been investigated via scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry and X-ray diffraction at high austenitization temperatures. It was first found that the transformation of rod-like M 2 C and spherical MC primary carbides during heating occurs at approximately 1180 and 1200 °C, respectively. In the transformation process of M 2 C, the periphery first transforms into an MC-type carbide, and then the internal untransformed M 2 C and newly-formed MC-type melt, and re-solidify in a M 2 C" eutectic carbide structure with a composition change and a finer lamellar spacing. In contrast, MC carbides melt directly with the re-solidified product also being constituted of finer M 2 C" eutectic carbides. The transformation process is controlled by the diffusion of alloying elements Mo and V, while the matrix provides Fe for the formation of M 2 C". In addition to elucidate the transformation mechanisms, this study also highlights the essential effect of the melting matrix on the modification of primary M 2 C and MC carbides in Cr4Mo4V steel. • Transformation of primary M 2 C and MC carbides in Cr4Mo4V were investigated at high austenitization temperatures. • Primary M 2 C carbide is rod-like Mo − M 2 C, while M 2 C is spherical V − MC, and they both remain unchanged below 1180 ℃. • The transformation of Mo − M 2 C consists of a solid-solid phase transformation, melting, and re-solidification. • The transformation of V − MC consists of melting and re-solidification, and the product is finer M 2 C". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allergen-specific immunotherapy is widely used for allergic rhinitis and asthma treatment worldwide. This study explored the efficacy and safety of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) with the extracts of Dermatophagoides Farinae (D. farinae Drops) on house dust mites (HDM)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD). 239 patients with HDM-induced AD were recruited and exposure to a multi-centre, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical trials for 36 weeks, which were randomly divided into placebo and sublingual D. farinae Drops groups (high-dose, medium-dose and low-dose), respectively. Statistical analysis was performed in three groups: Full Analysis Set, Per Protocol Set and Safety Set. 48 cases have withdrawn from the study before the end of study. As primary outcomes, significant decreases in scoring atopic dermatitis and total medication score were showed in medium-dose and high-dose D. farinae Drops groups. In the sixth visit, the skin lesion area showed a statistically significant difference between high-dose/medium-dose D. farinae Drops group and placebo group (p <.05). Most adverse events are slight, and no life-threatening adverse drug reaction happened. Our research demonstrates the beneficial effect of SLIT with high or medium dose D. farinae Drops on AD, and the treatment was well tolerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) can cause graft loss and reduces long-term graft survival after kidney transplantation. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and/or non-HLA antibodies play a key role in the pathogenesis of AMR by targeting the allograft epithelium via complement activation and complement-independent mechanisms. However, the precise mechanisms of AMR remain unclear and treatment is still limited. Methods In this study, we investigated the role of the endothelial-associated transcription factor Sox7 in AMR, using the anti-HLA antibody W6/32, shRNA-mediated Sox7 knockdown, and by manipulating the Notch pathway. We used an in vitro human kidney glomerular endothelial cells (HKGECs) model and an in vivo MHC-mismatched kidney transplantation model. Results Sox7 expression was upregulated and the Jagged1-Notch1 pathway was activated in HKGECs after W6/32 activation. W6/32 antibodies increased the expression of adhesion molecules (VCAM-1, ICAM-1), inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α), and chemokines (CXCL8, CXCL10), and Sox7 knockdown and inhibition of the Notch pathway by DAPT significantly reduced these effects. Jagged1 overexpression rescued the inhibitory effects of Sox7 knockdown. In addition, Sox7 knockdown attenuated acute allograft kidney injury in mice and reduced the expression of adhesion molecules and Jagged1-Notch1 signaling after transplantation. Conclusions Our findings suggest that Sox7 plays an important role in mediating HLA I antibody-dependent endothelial cell activation and acute kidney allograft rejection via the Jagged1-Notch1 pathway. Manipulating Sox7 in donor organs may represent a useful treatment for AMR in solid organ transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been reported to suppress immune function. However, previous studies on prenatal exposure to PFASs and allergic disorders in offspring provided inconsistent results. We aimed to examine the association between prenatal exposure to PFASs and childhood atopic dermatitis (AD) in offspring up to 24 months of age.Methods: A prospective birth cohort study involving 1056 pregnant women was conducted in two hospitals in Shanghai from 2012 to 2015. Prenatal information was collected by an interview with the women and from medical records. Fetal umbilical cord blood was collected at birth. Cord blood plasma PFASs were measured. Children were followed at 6, 12 and 24 months and information on the development of AD was recorded. AD was diagnosed by 2 dermatologists independently based on the questionnaires. Multiple logistic regression was used to compute odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between AD and each PFASs, adjusting for potential confounders.Results: A total of 687 children completed a 2-year follow-up visit and had PFASs measurement. AD was diagnosed in 173 (25.2%) children during the first 24 months. In female children, a log-unit increase in perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was associated with a 2.1-fold increase in AD risk (AOR 2.07, 95% CI 1.13-3.80) after adjusting for potential confounders. The corresponding risk was 2.22 (1.07-4.58) for perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). The highest PFOA quartile was significantly associated with AD (2.52, 1.12-5.68) compared with the lowest quartile. The highest quartile of PFNA, perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) were associated with AD with AOR (95% CI) being 2.14 (0.97-4.74), 2.14 (1.00-4.57), and 2.30 (1.03-5.15), respectively. Additionally, the second quartile of perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) was associated with a 3.2-fold increase in AD risk (3.24, 1.44-7.27). However, no significant associations were found in male children.Conclusions: Prenatal exposure to PFOA, PFDA, PFDoA and PFHxS significantly increased the risk of childhood AD in female children during the first 24 months of life. In addition, the associations between AD with prenatal exposure to PFNA were close to statistical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background IL36RN mutation has been identified as one pathogenesis of generalized pustular psoriasis, but the existence of GPP patients without mutation makes this controversial. Objective Our study aimed at assessing the differences in clinical profiles of children with GPP, with and without IL36RN mutation. Methods An ambispective case series study involved review of the records of 66 childhood patients with pediatric-onset GPP and without previous psoriasis vulgaris. Results c.115 + 6T > C was the most common mutation in this Chinese population with GPP alone. The age at onset was nearly halved in the homozygotes/compound heterozygotes than in IL36RN-negative patients. Besides a more severe inflammatory progression, three minor signs could prioritize patients with GPP for IL36RN screening (confluent lakes of pus (P = 0.002), perianal erosion (P = 0.014), and flexural erosion (P = 0.007)). More patients with the pathogenic mutation converted to ACH than those without mutation (χ2 = 4.773, P = 0.029). Children with GPP with or without IL36RN mutation responded well to oral low-dose acitretin, but IL36RN-positive cases suffered a much higher half-year recurrence rate after withdrawl of acitretin treatment(χ2 = 10.370, P = 0.001). Conclusions Specific clinical features can remind dermatologists of the necessity of sequencing diagnosis. The mild pustular phenotype of those without mutation may imply the possible role of the epigenetic changes of IL36RN, or other IL36-blockers in the pathogenesis. Pediatric patients with GPP alone, both with and without IL36RN mutation responded well to low-dose acitretin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a novel strategy for fabricating the three-dimensional graphene-like nanosheets network (3D-GLNN) in a nickel (Ni) matrix composite through spark plasma sintering induced welding between graphene-like nanosheets grown on the surface of Ni foams. The in-situ constructed 3D interconnected GLNN architecture can significantly improve the load transfer capacity, thereby increasing the yield strength of the bulk composite. The crack bridging in the fracture process induced by the 3D-GLNN blocks the crack propagation during tensile deformation and results in significant strengthening and toughening. This study provides an innovative design idea (using the 3D-connected Ni foam as a template) to synergistically enhance the strength and strain-hardening capacity, thereby breaking the strength-ductility trade-off of graphene-reinforced metal matrix composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The excellent mechanical properties produced by refined grains can be inherited. • Strengthening mechanism of the as-cast and aged samples is changed. • Dislocation and precipitation strengthening play a dominate role in aged samples. In this investigation, a novel heredity phenomenon was reported that the mechanical properties of thermo-mechanically processed Cu-15Ni-8Sn alloys were improved by refining the as-cast structure. This underlying mechanism of hereditary strengthening was carefully analyzed, which is mainly contributed to the additional dislocation proliferation induced by structure refinement and accelerated precipitation effect on strengthening phases. The strengthening mode changed from grain refinement strengthening in as-cast state to dislocation strengthening and precipitation strengthening for aged alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The cyclic-life "saturation effect" appears more easily with increasing strain ranges. • The larger strain range results in the higher ratio of straight single superdislocations cutting into γ′ phase. • The creep-fatigue microscopic deformation-mechanism and macroscopic mechanical-response could be well unified by the criterion-model of cyclic-life "saturation effect". The creep-fatigue interaction has been recognized as the main failure mode of most structural components operating in the high-temperature regime. The cyclic life (N f) usually decreases continuously with the dwell time in their interactions. However, N f shows an abnormal change, i.e. keeps constant or slightly increases/decreases, in the present studied Nickel-based superalloy, DZ445. This means that generalized "N f saturation" is achieved by a dynamic equilibrium between the straight single superdislocations and dislocation networks corresponding to local and homogeneous damage, respectively. The saturation appears more easily with the increasing high strain ranges. The variation in the mechanical response parameters, the damage characterizations, and the phase involutions with the increasing dwell time exhibits the low amplitude under the high strain range. The combined characteristics show that the easy occurrence of N f saturation in the range of large deformations is obtained by increasing the local-damage. The low change rate of straight single superdislocations with the dwell time in the range of large deformation is well confirmed by the above mechanism. The parameters in the different criterion models of the cyclic-life "saturation phenomenon" unify the mechanical response and the damage mechanism soundly. The work provides a new theoretical basis and guidance for the creep-fatigue safety design of high-temperature metallic materials and the establishment of dislocation-based models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since late 2012, coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) has gradually become the predominant pathogen responsible for hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) in several provinces of China. A total of 626 patients diagnosed with HFMD in Shanghai, China from January 2012 to September 2013 were enrolled in this study. Of these, 292 CVA6 infected cases were subjected to clinical analyses. Whole-genome sequencing, recombination and phylogenetic analyses were also performed. A recombinant CVA6 monophyletic lineage was found during an outbreak of CVA6-associated HFMDs in Shanghai, China in November 2012, and accounted for 21.9% (64/292) of the CVA6 strains during the study period. Recombination analyses showed that the 2C gene of the novel CVA6 virus was probably derived from a coxsackievirus A4 (CVA4) strain circulating in the population. Clinical observation showed that this recombinant CVA6 virus led to a more generalized rash than did the non-recombinant CVA6 virus. This newly emerged CVA6 lineage was associated with a considerable proportion of HFMD cases from 2012 to 2013 in Shanghai, and poses a potential threat to public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess immunomodulatory properties on a diverse array of immune cell lineages, including regulatory T and B cells (Tregs and Bregs, respectively). However, their specific effects and mechanisms underlying induction of Bregs remain unclear. The immune regulatory function of MSCs is exerted through both cell-cell contact and the release of soluble factors. The main objective of this study was to examine the role of the SDF-1-CXCR4/CXCR7 axis in the secretory action of MSCs, and potential effects on the immunoregulatory function of these cells. Methods: MSCs were isolated from mouse bone marrow and characterized according to their multilineage differentiation potential and their surface antigen expression. CD19+ B cells purified from mice splenocytes were co-cultured with MSCs at various ratios in the presence of LPS and αCD40. After 4 days, intracellular IL-10 production and cell surface CD1d and CD5 expression by CD19+ B cells were determined using flow cytometry, and the secretion of IL-10, IL-6, IgM, and IgG were assessed with ELISA. MSCs were treated with different concentrations of stromal derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) stimuli or transiently overexpressed with CXCR7. and their cell viability and immune regulatory effects of MSCs on Bregs were assessed. Results: MSCs induced IL-10-producing regulatory B cells and primarily stimulated the CD1d+CD5+B cell subset of IL-10+Breg cells to express IL-10. IL-10, IL-6, and IgM secretion were additionally induced by MSCs. The CXCR7 pathway was required for MSC viability and the production of paracrine factors under SDF-1α culture condition. Low concentrations of SDF-1α promoted the immunomodulatory effect of MSCs, leading to a further increase in IL-10-producing regulatory B cells and IL-10 secretion. In contrast, high concentrations of SDF-1α inhibited MSCs induction of IL-10+Breg cells. Notably, CXCR7 overexpression in MSCs reversed the inhibitory effect of high concentrations of SDF-1α and promoted the immunomodulatory effect of these cells. Conclusion: MSCs induce IL-10+Breg cells, which contribute to the generation of an immunosuppressive environment. SDF-1α and its receptor, CXCR7 play important roles in the immunomodulatory function of MSCs by regulating their paracrine actions. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of Zr addition on the solidification structure and mechanical properties of a Cu-10 wt%Fe alloy were investigated. Grain refinement results from the in-situ synthesis of the ZrFe 2 nucleation substrate during solidification. The enhanced mechanical properties can be attributed to the additional precipitation of Cu 4 Zr and ZrFe 2 during ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation reports the results of the strain-controlled creep-fatigue behavior of precipitation-strengthened directionally-solidified Nickel-based superalloy DZ445. The results refer to the processes performed at 850 °C in the total strain range of 1.0% with 0, 3, 10, and 30 min tensile-dwell time. It was found that, compared to cyclic life that decreases rapidly after the initial application of dwell time, the reduced cyclic life slows down gradually when the dwell time exceed 30 min (i.e., the "generalized saturation effect"). As the publicly reported creep-fatigue results of the solid-solution-strengthened superalloy Haynes 230 and Alloy 617 under the same loading conditions, the cyclic life continues to decrease even 30 min dwell time is reached, which is hard to reach the case of N f saturation. The reasons to reach the cyclic life (N f) saturation are systematically elaborated from two aspects, namely, mechanical response (maximum stress, plastic strain, hysteresis loop, stress relaxation, etc.), and damage mechanism (cracks, voids, dislocation structures, etc.). This research provides theoretical guidelines for achieving the safety design of the superalloy components in the creep-fatigue deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Accumulating evidence supports the hypothesis that HLA antibodies play an important role in early renal allograft injury. However, the effects of HLA antibodies on long-term graft survival are still poorly understood. In this study, we examined the impact of HLA antibodies on graft survival in long-term renal recipients with functional grafts for 10 years. Material and Methods: In this retrospective study, long-term renal recipients were defined as kidney transplant recipients who had normally functioning renal grafts (serum creatinine level <2.0 mg/dl) for 10 years. Posttransplant serum samples from a total of 92 long-term renal allograft recipients on cyclosporine-based triple maintenance drug therapy (121.6 ± 0.886 months) were screened for the specificities of anti-HLA antibodies. The results of HLA antibodies before the transplantation, assessed using the same test method, were compared with those after their transplantations. Moreover, these 92 patients who received cadaveric renal transplant between January 2000 and December 2002 were followed up for about 10 years (range 107-135 months). Results: 27 patients had HLA-I antibodies and 16 patients had HLA-II antibodies before the transplantation, whereas 12 patients had HLA-I antibodies and 18 patients had HLA-II antibodies after the transplantation. Moreover, the types of HLA antibodies were different from those found before the transplantation. In these renal recipients with functioning renal grafts, the estimated glomerular filtration rate was 66.52 ± 14.52 ml/min/1.73 m2 in the HLA antibody-positive group (n = 23) and 69.09 ± 25.54 ml/min/1.73 m2 negative in the HLA antibody-negative group (n = 69, p > 0.05). Three patients (3.26%) (3 out of 92) had donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA). The frequency of DSA in this study was lower than that in the general Chinese Han renal recipient population. Conclusions: We find that all HLA antibodies in the long-term renal grafts are newly formed after the transplantation. The HLA antibody status has little impact on the renal graft function in the long-term renal recipients. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory, chronically relapsing, pruritic skin disease and lesions associated with AD are frequently colonized with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Activation of T cells by staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of AD. Previous studies have demonstrated that lidocaine could attenuate allergen-induced T cell proliferation and cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from asthma patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of lidocaine on SE-stimulated activation of PBMCs from AD patients. PBMCs were isolated from ten AD patients and stimulated by staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) or staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in the presence or absence of lidocaine in various concentrations. Cellular proliferation and the release of representative T1- and T2-type cytokines were measured. The effect of lidocaine on filaggrin (FLG) expression in HaCaT cells co-cultured with SE-activated PBMCs was also examined. Our results demonstrated that lidocaine dose-dependently inhibited the proliferative response and the release of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, TNF-α, and IFN-γ from SEA- and SEB-stimulated PBMCs and also blocked the down-regulation of FLG expression in HaCaT cells co-cultured with SEA- and SEB-activated PBMCs. These results indicate that lidocaine inhibited SEA- and SEB-stimulated activation of PBMCs from patients with AD. Our findings encourage the use of lidocaine in the treatment of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulator of Cullins-1 (ROC1) is a key subunit in the Cullin-RING ligase (CRL) protein complex. Overexpression of ROC1 protein is associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis of non-muscle invasive bladder transitional cell carcinoma (NMIBC). This study was designed to assess the effects of ROC1 knockdown in bladder cancer cells and to determine the potential mechanisms involved. A total of 112 bladder cancer tissue specimens were recruited for immunohistochemical analyses of ROC1 overexpression. Bladder cancer cell lines were used to knockdown ROC1 expression using ROC1 siRNA. Our data showed that ROC1 knockdown remarkably inhibited bladder cancer cell growth, arrested cells at the G2 phase of the cell cycle, and induced the p53-dependent cell senescence. Molecularly, G2 arrest was associated with upregulation of p21, p27, cyclin B1, and Cdc2 proteins. ROC1 knockdown induced-senescence functioned through p53/p21 pathway. Knockdown of p21 expression partially rescued ROC1 knockdown-induced growth inhibition in cancer cells. Furthermore, nude mouse xenograft analyses confirmed these in vitro data. In conclusion, data from the current study indicate that ROC1 plays an essential role in bladder cancer progression and could serve as a novel anticancer target for bladder transitional cell carcinoma (BTCC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The optimal critical value with (0.1, 0.1) of the envelope is determined in linear-damage-summation method. • Prediction accuracy of parameters at characteristic cycle with physical meaning is the highest. • Evolution of creep damage based on time fraction, simple ductility exhaustion, and strain-energy-density exhaustion. • Prediction of energy-life model based on damage mechanisms and frequency-correction. The purposes of the present work are to evaluate the prediction accuracy of characteristic cycle on creep-fatigue life prediction and to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of various models in tensile strain-dwell tests. The parameters of the first cycle, the 10% life, the half-life, and the characteristic cycle that we proposed (a turning point between the initial rapid softening and subsequent slight softening/hardening) are employed to linear-damage-summation (LDS) and energy-life prediction models based on the creep-fatigue data of directionally-solidified Nickel-based superalloy, DZ445, at 900 °C. It is found that the characteristic cycle parameters with clear physical significance have the highest life prediction accuracy. Moreover, the optimal critical value of fatigue and creep damage (the coordinate of the creep-fatigue envelope intersection) in the LDS is also determined. The prediction accuracy of creep damage based on the time-fraction, the simple ductility-exhaustion, and the strain-energy- density-exhaustion models is sequentially improved in the LDS rule. In the energy-life model, the life prediction accuracy based on damage mechanism and frequency correction is higher than the value without any correction. This investigation provides a new method of the parameter-selection for the creep-fatigue life prediction, which is accurate and convenient. It provides the theoretical-guidance for creep-fatigue life prediction in both laboratory experiment and actual components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical and electrical properties of continuously cast Cu-0.4 wt%Te alloy produced by continuous extrusion forming at 800 °C were investigated. It was found that this thermomechanical processing was an effective way to induce the formation of refined recrystallized grain and promote dynamic precipitation of Te atom, thereby simultaneously improving the strength, ductility and electrical conductivity of Cu-0.4 wt%Te alloy. • Ultrafine grained Cu-0.4Te alloy obtained by continuous extrusion forming at 800 °C (termed as HCEF process). • Refined recrystallized grain with high coordinated deformation ability significantly increase the strength-ductility. • Dynamic precipitation during HCEF process was accelerated due to the high activation energy at elevated temperature. • Improved precipitation of Te atom in Cu matric induced the increase in electrical conductivity of Cu-0.4Te alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize the efficient biomass tar cracking into syngas-rich gases, several Aspen wood char (ASC) supported metal catalysts, including the Ni/ASC, Cu/ASC and bimetallic Ni-Cu/ASC catalysts, were synthesized with the method of one-step pyrolysis. The structure of the Ni Cu/ASC catalyst with Ni Cu nanoalloy encapsulated in carbon nanofibers (CNFs) was observed on the basis of the XRD, SEM and TEM analysis. The catalytic performances of the prepared catalysts on tar cracking were assessed in a two-stage fixed-bed pyrolysis-cracking/reforming device at the catalytic cracking temperatures of 600-800 °C. In a comparison to the single metal catalysts, the bimetallic Ni-Cu/ASC catalyst exerted a better performance on tar removal and possessed a higher selectivity to H 2 and CO. The tar conversion efficiency and syngas (H 2 + CO) yield, over the Ni Cu/ASC catalyst at 800 °C, reached up to 93.2% and 581.07 ml/g with the total volumetric content of 72.2% together with H 2 /CO of 1.1, respectively. The Ni-Cu/ASC catalyst resulted in the lowest contents of two-ring and three-ring aromatics accompanied with highest contents of one-ring aromatics in tar. The Ni-Cu/ASC catalyst was reasonably stable because of its good resistance to sintering and carbon deposition. [Display omitted] • Ni Cu nano alloy embedded in CNFs/porous carbon composites were obtained. • Tar conversion efficiency reached up to 93.2% at 800 °C over Ni Cu/ASC catalyst. • Syngas yield reached up to 581.07 ml/g with the total volumetric content of 72.2%. • Ni Cu/ASC catalyst had good resistance to sintering and carbon deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fatigue life with dwell time is explained by mechanical response and damage mechanism. • Inelastic strain range, stress relaxation, mean stress, and hysteresis loop with dwell time. • Schematic illustration of fracture and deformation mechanism with dwell time. • Energy-life prediction model for the creep-fatigue data with high strain range. High total strain-controlled creep-fatigue tests of 1.8% were performed for a directionally-solidified Ni-based superalloy, DZ445, at 900 °C in air. Dwell times of 0, 2, and 5 min. were introduced at the tensile peak strain for each cycle. Experimental results show a decrease in fatigue life with increasing dwell time. The significant cyclic softening is observed after the application of the dwell time. The mean compressive stress and large plastic-strain accumulation are produced due to the stress relaxation in the tensile-dwell period, resulting in the increase of the hysteresis loop area. The typical single-source crack-initiation and transgranular crack-propagation are transformed into multi-source crack-initiation and mixed transgranular and intergranular crack-propagation mode by these characteristics. Dislocation features are transformed from cutting of γ' precipitates by multiple stacking faults to the mixed mode of dislocation climbing and slipping. The reduction in the fatigue life with increasing the dwell time is well explained on the basis of the mechanical response and damage mechanism. The fatigue life is also predicted by the energy-based life-prediction model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the existence of regulatory gene in the pathogenic process of rare type of immune-mediated inflammatory skin diseases, Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) and Psoriasis vulgaris (PV). It states that these diseases are caused by mutation in the interleukin 36 receptor antagonist gene (IL36RN). It notes that the mutation can be identified by exome sequencing, a diagnostic tool for specific genetic diseases.

The calcium ion-exchange moso bamboo was subjected to microwave heating to investigate into the influence of calcium ion on its pyrolysis. The dependence of the heating method on the pyrolysis behavior was also researched. The calcium-loaded samples gave very different pyrolysis behaviors from that of the demineralized sample based on the results of thermogravimetric analysis. The calcium ion was found to facilitate the production of the solid and gaseous products at the expense of bio-oil. The relative contents of 3,5-Dimethoxyacetophenone and levoglucosan in bio-oil were increased from 15.732% to 23.572% and 3.465% to 29.642%, respectively, by the introduction of calcium ion into the samples. The calcium ion exhibited a positive effect on the volume concentrations of CO 2 and H 2 companied with the decrease in those of CH 4 and CO. The catalytic influence of the calcium ion became more outstanding under microwave condition than conventional condition. • Calcium ion was favorable to the productions of gaseous product and char. • Calcium ion increased obviously the contents of sugars and phenols. • Calcium ion increased the volumetric contents of CO 2 and H 2. • Microwave heating made the calcium catalytic effect become more outstanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]