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The key to the evaluation of bearing performance degradation is to extract sensitive characteristic indicators that can reflect the degradation process. In order to solve the problem of insufficient sensitivity of the bearing multi-source signals feature, a fusion entropy ratio feature based on dynamic time warping is proposed. First, the segmented approximate entropy, sample entropy and fuzzy entropy of the bearing performance degradation process are extracted, and then the mean clustering is used to obtain the standard entropy vector of the health state. In order to eliminate the influence of working environment and entropy value on state evaluation, a concept of entropy ratio is defined by the ratio of the entropy vector of each state to the standard entropy vector of the health state. Finally, using dynamic time warping has the advantage of accurately describing the similarity between vectors from a global perspective, and the multi-source heterogeneous fusion entropy ratio distance feature is constructed to describe the degraded state of bearing performance. Experiments show that this feature is more sensitive to the bearing performance degradation than other features, such as fusion entropy ratio feature based on Euclidean distance, single entropy ratio feature based on dynamic time bending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary polyphenols, a natural component in many kinds of foods such as fruits and vegetables, play essential roles in a wide range of plant functions. Importantly, the discovery of the functions of polyphenols including anti-oxidant, anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory has been appealing to researchers' attentions. Dietary polyphenols have shown protective effects on chronic degenerative diseases (CDD) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases by regulating gene expression. Dietary polyphenols also affect the composition and activity of gut microbiota, in reverse, gut microbiota influences the bioavailability and physiological activity of dietary polyphenols. However, not all kinds of dietary polyphenols are beneficial for human health. The potential deleterious effects of several dietary polyphenols have been reported by inducing DNA damage and gene mutants. This review summarizes the potential therapeutic effects of dietary polyphenols on chronic degeneration diseases, the polyphenols-gut microbiota interactions, and the potential dangers of individual dietary polyphenols on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the everyday experiences of racism among Chinese immigrants in Canada. Data came from nine virtual focus groups comprising 48 participants of diverse genders and ages taking place in December 2021 and January 2022. We conducted our qualitative analysis by drawing on Essed’s conceptualization of everyday racism and Crenshaw’s conceptualization of intersectionality. Thematic and content analysis showed that racism against Chinese immigrants is more pervasive than previously recognized. Three-quarters of the participants disclosed instances of racism across various settings, including workplaces, schools, shops, airports, banks, hotels, restaurants, streets, and online. Some gender and age groups reported more incidents than others. Young men, on average, encountered the greatest number, followed by young and middle-aged women, while older men reported the fewest. Types of racist incidents also varied by age and gender. Young and middle-aged women encountered unsolicited intimate remarks and racism related to gender division of labour, while older adults, both men and women, faced racism associated with service provision. Younger men reported online racism. Some older participants remained unaware of the racist nature of their encounters, and middle-aged and older men tended to deny having experienced racist encounters. Given these findings, we suggest the need to raise awareness, establish empowerment initiatives, and adopt intersectionality approaches to address and combat racism against Chinese immigrants in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new experiment based on phase inversion of Pickering emulsions was carried out in a physical chemistry course. The emulsions were stabilized by surfactant-modified SiO[sub 2] particles. As the concentration of surfactant increased, the emulsions changed from oil-in-water type (O/W) to water-in-oil type (W/O) type, and then reverted to be O/W type again. This double phase inversion of emulsions proved to be an ideal indicator for the adsorption of surfactant on particle surfaces. The students gained preliminary lab skills and improved their understanding of the basic concepts in colloid and interface chemistry. In addition, students were encouraged to work out a mechanism to explain the phase inversion; this practice helped strengthen and improve their reasoning abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agentwas added into a simultaneous radiation grafting system and its effects on graft polymerization and homopolymerization were investigated. Chloromethylstyrene (CMS) was graft polymerized onto ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE) films under -ray sources via simultaneous irradiation. The non-grafted poly(CMS) in the grafted films were extracted by xylene at 120 °C. The poly(CMS) was characterized by NMR and GPC instruments. Addition of the RAFT agent suppressed both graft polymerization and homopolymerization. However, under a high concentration of RAFT agent, the homopolymerization in the monomer solution could occur through a typical RAFT polymerization while polymerization in the ETFE films proceeded via RAFT and conventional radical polymerization, resulting in poly(CMS) in the ETFE films with molecular weight dispersity higher than 1.0 but lower than that without RAFT agent. Furthermore, it was found that the molecular weight of the poly(CMS) in the ETFE films was several times higher than that of the poly(CMS) in the monomer solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient adherence is a crucial determinant of rehabilitation in the long term after stroke. However, adherence is inconstant and fluctuates along a time course and the underlying regular pattern of adherence variation remains to be clarified. Objective: We aimed to describe the longitudinal pattern of adherence to rehabilitation exercises in stroke patients and to determine different adherence phases based on formulated rehabilitation adherence curve. Patients and methods: Rehabilitation adherence levels were prospectively collected using the Questionnaire of Exercise Adherence (EAQ) among patients diagnosed with first-onset stroke since the second week of stroke onset, with a follow-up of 24 weeks. SPSS19.0 was used to formulate a fitting curve based on a scatter diagram. Possible causal factors for the different adherence phases are also discussed from the psychological, socioeconomic, and behavioral aspects. Results: A total of 98 patients were included in this study. General adherence of the included subjects was classified as low to medium during follow-up. The adherence fitting curve was an "S" curve, with the fitting function y =0.005x3-0.211x2+1.963x+52.345. Three phases, namely, rapid increase phase, slow decrease phase and stable phase, were identified based on the adherence curve and relevant theories are explored. Conclusion: Rehabilitation adherence of stroke patients is a dynamic behavioral process that continuously changes along a time course, with a regular pattern of an "S" curve and includes a rapid increase phase, a slow decrease phase and a stable phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To optimize the technique of rapid propagation of Dendrobium hybrids seedlings and to explore a hormone-free tissue culture method for D. hybrida, six kinds of mycorrhizal fungi which were isolated from the wild orchids were made into fungal elicitors. These fungal elicitors were added into the DE medium with concentrations of 40, 60 and 80 ml/L, respectively. After a 90-d culturing, the effects of fungal elicitors on the growth of D. hybrida cultivar '088' tissue culture seedlings were studied. The results showed that treatment 13 (T13) extremely significantly increased the fresh weight, but other treatment groups had no significant effects. In addition, T1, T5, T9, T11 and T13 extremely significantly influenced the contents of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll a + b. However, T1 and T11 had extremely significantly effect on the content of chlorophyll b. Combining the effects on fresh weight and chlorophyll content, it could be concluded T13 (40 ml/L of Y05) has promoting effects on the growth of D. hybrida tissue culture seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nerve growth factor (NGF) is a growth factor that belongs to the neurotrophin family. NGF has two structurally different receptors, the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) and the tropomyosin-related kinase A (TrkA). Interaction of NGF with its receptors regulates a variety of physiological processes of neuronal system. Recent studies have shown that NGF and its receptors were involved in the regulation of tumourigenesis by either supporting or suppressing tumor growth depending on the tumor types. This review summarizes the current views of NGF and its receptors in tumorigenesis and cancer pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ligustrazine (TMP) derivative, (E)-2-(2, 4-dimethoxystyryl)-3,5,6-trimethylpyrazine (DLJ14) was synthesized for the improvement of low bioavailability and short half-life of ligustrazine. We have observed the potential reversal effects of DLJ14 on adriamycin (Adr)- resistant human myelogenous leukemia cells (K562/A02) and Adr-resistant human breast cancer cells (MCF-7/A) in vitro or in vivo in previous study. The aim of the present study was to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism of DLJ14 and Adr combinational treatment on Adr-resistant human breast cancer. Inhibition of cancer cell growth was estimated by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cell cycle distribution was analyzed by flow cytometry and apoptosis determined using Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) double staining and Hoechst 33258 nuclear staining. The expressions of proteins in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/ phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt survival pathway and mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis pathway were measured by western blotting analysis. Results showed that DLJ14 and Adr combinational treatment exhibited stronger inhibition on the survival of MCF-7/ A cells than Adr treatment alone. This effect might be associated with its role in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction. DLJ14 combined with Adr induced cell cycle arrest in G2/ M-phase by activating p21wafl/cip1 and p53 in mitochondria and increased cleaved caspase-9, caspase-3, and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) disruption and cytochrome c (Cytc) releasing from mitochondria to cytosol suggested that the apoptosis induction might mediated by mitochondrial pathway. Moreover, the combination of DLJ14 and Adr could down-regulate the expression of EGFR, p-EGFR, PI3K, and p-Akt in MCF- 7/A cells. Overall, DLJ14 and Adr combinational treatment may inhibit the proliferation of Adr-resistant human breast cancer cells through inhibition on EGFR/PI3K/Akt survival pathway and induction of apoptosis via mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A straightforward four-step synthesis of primary-aminosubstituted naphthyridine esters from commercially available cyanopyridines was described. The route makes use of a condensation reaction between pyridinyl acetates with N,N-dimethylformamide dimethylacetal (DMF-DMA) to form ortho-cyano vinylogous carbamates. These intermediates can undergo facile cyclization with ammonium acetate in acetic acid to generate the corresponding naphthyridine esters in good synthetic yields. The synthesis of primary-amino-substituted 7-azaquinoxaline was also described [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zhihuilun (?-876) was not only a major advocate of Esoteric Buddhism in ninth-century China, he also played a crucial role in transmitting Esotericism to the rest of East Asia. Details of the life of this important figure have remained lost in the mists of uncertainty due to the lack of reliable data. Relying on long-hidden evidence, this article shows that almost all of the remarks made about Zhihuilun by Zanning (919-1001) in the Song gaoseng zhuan are contradicted by this body of new evidence and must be modified or simply rejected. In addition to reconstructing more accurately the life of a principal esoteric promoter, this article aims at exposing certain fundamental flaws inherent in monastic biographies. It also suggests that the nature and functions of Chinese Esoteric Buddhism might need to be reassessed in view of the newly revealed Chinese origin of this key promoter of that tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional feature selection algorithms rarely consider the dynamic misalignment between different time series, and have poor fault tolerance and robustness. In this paper, a fault feature selection method for rolling bearings based on Dynamic Time Warped Related Searches (DTWRS) is proposed. Firstly, the bearing fault feature set is constructed, and the dynamic time warping algorithm is used to calculate the shortest cumulative distance between feature of different faults, and this distance is used as the correlation evaluation standard. Then, two new search rules, dynamic time warping difference and dynamic time warping entropy, are proposed based on the minimum redundancy between bearing fault features and the maximum correlation between fault features and feature categories, use these two search rules to judge the ability of the feature to express the fault, define the quality of the fault feature and sort from good to bad according to the level of ability. Finally, in this order, the number of features is gradually increased and input to the fault classifier, and the sensitive fault feature set is obtained based on the principle of the highest recognition rate and the least number of features. The experimental results show that the fault feature selection method of rolling bearing based on DTWRS can increase the accuracy of fault diagnosis while minimizing the number of features, and improve the efficiency and effect of fault diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a bifunctional electrochemical biosensor for highly sensitive detection of small molecule (adenosine) or protein (lysozyme) was developed. Two aptamer units for adenosine and lysozyme were immobilized on the gold electrode by the fonnation of DNA/DNA duplex. The detection of adenosine or lysozyme could be carried out by virtue of switching structures of aptamers from DNA! DNA duplex to DNAJtarget complex. The change of the interfacial feature of the electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammertic (CV) response of surface-bound [Ru(NH3)6]3+. On the other hand, DNA functionalized Au nanoparticles (DNA-AuNPs) were used to enhance the sensitivity of the aptasensor because DNA-AuNPs modified interface could load more [Ru(NH3)6]3+ cations. Thus, the assembly of two aptamer-contained DNA strands integrated with the DNA-AuNPs amplification not only improves the sensitivity of the electrochemical aptasensor but also presents a simple and general model for bifunctional aptasensor. The proposed aptasensor has low detection limit (0.02 nM for adenosine and 0.01 μg mL-1 for lysozyme) and exhibits several advantages such as high sensitivity and bifunctional recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and ultrasensitive label-free electrochemical impedimetric aptasensor for thrombin based on the cascaded signal amplification was reported. The sandwich system of aptamer/thrombin/aptamer-functionalized Au nanoparticles (Apt-AuNPs) was fabricated as the sensing platform. The change of the interfacial feature of the electrode was characterized by electrochemical impedance analysis with the redox probe [Fe(CN)6]3-/4-. For improving detection sensitivity, the three-level cascaded impedimetric signal amplification was developed: (1) Apt-AuNPs as the first-level signal enhancer; (2) the steric-hindrance between the enlarged Apt-AuNPs as the second-level signal amplification; (3) the electrostatic-repulsion between sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) stabilized Apt-AuNPs and the redox probe [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- as the third-level signal amplification. Enlargement of Apt-AuNPs integrated with negatively charged surfactant (SDS) capping could not only improve the detection sensitivity of the impedimetric aptasensor for thrombin but also present a simple and general signal-amplification model for impedimetric sensor. The aptasensor based on the enlargement of negatively charged Apt-AuNPs showed an increased response of the electron-transfer resistance to the increase of thrombin concentration through a wide detection range from 100 fM to 100 nM. The linear detection range was 0.05-35 nM, and thrombin was easily detectable to a concentration of 100 fM. The aptasensor also has good selectivity and reproducibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conductive polymer poly(neutral red) polymerized on a graphite electrode (PNR/graphite) as a support material was used for catalytic oxidation of ethanol in acidic solution and investigated by electrochemical methods. Pt particles loaded on the surface of PNR/graphite electrode exhibited higher electrocatalytic activity for ethanol oxidation in comparison with Pt particles supported directly on graphite. With the equivalent loading mass of Pt catalyst, the special activity ( S A ) at peak a of the Pt/PNR/graphite electrode polymerized for 10 cycles in 5 × 10−4 M NR + 0.5 M H2SO4 solution is 3,478 A C−1 and about 2.20 times higher than that of the Pt/graphite electrode (1,582 A C−1). The results show that the electrochemical performance of Pt catalyst for ethanol oxidation is improved by the addition of PNR [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The electrooxidation of ethanol on Pt/ZSM-5 zeolite-C catalyst was investigated in sulfuric acid aqueous solution. Because of high stability in general acidic solution, ZSM-5 zeolite particles were selected as the support and the second catalyst. The micrograph and elemental composition of Pt/ZSM-5 zeolite particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy disperse X-ray spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic properties of Pt/ZSM-5 zeolite-C catalyst for ethanol oxidation have been investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Under the same Pt-loading mass and experimental conditions for ethanol oxidation, Pt/ZSM-5 zeolite-C catalyst shows higher activity than Pt/C catalyst. Additionally, Pt/ZSM-5 zeolite-C catalyst possesses good long-term cycle stability. The results indicate that Pt/ZSM-5 zeolite-C catalyst may have good potential application in direct ethanol fuel cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel process comprising the UV‐induced photografting of styrene into poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) films and subsequent sulfonation has been developed for preparing proton‐conducting membranes. Although under UV irradiation the initial radicals were mainly generated on the surface of the PTFE films by the action of photosensitizers such as xanthone and benzoyl peroxide, the graft chains were readily propagated into the PTFE films. The sulfonation of the grafted films was performed in a chlorosulfonic acid solution. Fourier transform infrared and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the grafted and sulfonated membranes. With a view to use in fuel cells, the proton conductivity, water uptake, and mechanical properties of the prepared membranes were measured. Even through the degree of grafting was lower than 10%, the proton conductivity in the thickness direction of the newly prepared membranes could reach a value similar to that of a Nafion membrane. In comparison with γ‐ray radiation grafting, UV‐induced photografting is very simple and safe and is less damaging to the membranes because significant degradation of the PTFE main chains can be avoided. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 2624–2637, 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A carbon nanotube paste (CNTP) electrode and a carbon nanotube paste/glucose oxidase (CNTP/GOx) electrode were prepared, and the electrochemiluminescent (ECL) behavior of luminol in the presence of glucose was investigated in detail at each of these electrodes. Compared to the classical carbon paste (CP) electrode, the CNTP electrode incorporating glucose oxidase greatly enhanced the response of the ECL sensor to glucose due to the electrocatalytic activity of the carbon nanotubes, the specificity of the enzymatic reaction, and the sensitivity of the luminol ECL reaction. Under optimal conditions, the electrode was found to respond linearly to glucose in the concentration range 1.0 × 10−6~2.0 × 10−3 mol/L, and the detection limit (defined as the concentration that can be detected at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3) was found to be a glucose concentration of 5.0 × 10−7 mol/L. The method used to prepare the CNTP/GOx electrode was very convenient, and the electrode surface could be renewed in the case of fouling by simply polishing or cutting it to expose a new and fully active surface. The relative standard deviations (RSD) were found to be 6.8% and 8.9% for the CNTP electrode and the CNTP/GOx electrode ( n = 6). The electrode retained 95% of its initial response after two weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Trigonioides goshourensis n. sp. and Trigonioides amakusensis Kikuchi and Tashiro occur in the late Albian Eboshi Formation of the Goshoura Group in Kyushu, Japan. These Albian species are characterized by three radial pseudocardinal teeth on the thick and wide hinge plate, and are probably ancestors of Cenomanian species of Trigonioides (Kumamotoa) with four radial pseudocardinal teeth. This chronological relation may be important for the correlation of non-marine Cretaceous strata in East Asia. In addition, the habitat of T. amakusensis is interpreted as estuarine tidal flats under brackish water conditions, although Trigonioides is generally a freshwater bivalve genus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Carbon nanotube (CNT) supported Pt nanoparticle catalysts have been prepared by spontaneous reduction of PtCl62-ion as a result of direct redox reactions between PtCl62-and oxygen-containing functional groups at defect sites of CNTs, which were introduced by chemical and electrochemical oxidation treatment of CNTs. The electrocatalytic properties of as-prepared Pt-CNT catalysts for methanol oxidation were investigated by chronopotentiometry and cyclic voltammetry. Compared with Pt catalysts prepared by hydrogen reduction and electrochemical deposition methods, Pt catalysts synthesized by functional CNT defects show excellent antipoisoning ability and long-term cycle stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the relationship between Liang Wudi, an exceptionally competent but controversial ruler and Buddhism, with implication on a Buddhist palace chapel installed within Wudi's palace complex where various politico-religious activities are held. Accordingly, it pays particular attention to dharma-assemblies that represented the Chinese version of the Indian and Central Asian institution known as the pñcavārşika.

A letter to the editor about polymer electrolyte membrane is presented.

Three new genera including four new species of the bivalve family Mysidiellidae are described from late middle to early late Anisian (Middle Triassic) deposits of Qingyan, Guizhou Province, south-west China. The new taxa Leidapoconcha gigantea gen. et sp. nov., Waijiaoella elegans gen. et sp. nov., Waijiaoella speciosa gen. et sp. nov. and Qingyaniola mirabilis gen. et sp. nov. significantly increase the known taxonomic diversity within the Mysidiellidae. These findings suggest a somewhat endemic evolutionary development within this small bivalve family during the Middle Triassic in south-west China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the importance of Chinese Buddhist sacred sites in the history of Buddhism. It cites the reasons why very few Buddhist monasteries have been studied as sacred sites. It examines a series of legends related to the origin of the Xiangguosi Buddhist center. It notes that Buddhist images were instrumental in representing the visions and histories relating to a specific site deemed sacred.

The important Indian Buddhist missionary Dharmašema (385-433) spent most of his time in China at Guzang...(present-day Wuwei..., Gansu), the capital city of the Northern Liang (397-439). Scholars are divided as to the date of his arrival in Guzang. What is at stake here is not merely how to pin down the most critical turning point in the career of this significant figure, or to date a number of Buddhist translations prepared under his direction, but also how to understand some central aspects of the state-church relationship in the Northern Liang, which had far-reaching impact on north China after it was unified by the Northern Wei rulers in 439. In addition to proposing a new solution to this thorny issue, this article also intends to show that an appropriate understanding of some events and figures important in Chinese Buddhism may well hinge on an apparently trivial philological conundrum. It also underscores the necessity and worthwhileness of closely reading monastic materials against secular ones when we are addressing certain issues which might appear to be purely monastic ones at first glance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lumazine synthase and riboflavin synthase catalyze the last two steps in the biosynthesis of riboflavin, a vitamin that is involved in many critical biochemical reactions that are essential for the maintenance of life. To obtain inhibitors and structural probes that could be useful in studying the structures of bound reaction intermediates, the ribitylamino N-H moiety of the lumazine synthase substrate was replaced by CH2 and N-CH3 groups. The CH2 replacement unexpectedly and completely abolished the affinity for lumazine synthase, thus revealing a critical, yet unexplained, role of the ribitylamino N-H moiety in conferring affinity for the enzyme. In contrast, the N-CH3 replacement resulted in an inhibitor of both lumazine synthase and riboflavin synthase. Replacement of the ribitylamino N-H moiety with epimeric C-F moieties led to inhibition of lumazine synthase and riboflavin synthase when combined with the replacement of the 5-amino group with a nitro substituent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the Tang Buddhist monk Fazang, one of the most famous Buddhist philosophers of East Asia. Founding of the Huayan school; Founding of the Avatamsaka tradition in East Asia; Correction of misrepresentations and misinterpretations of Fazang's work.

When the current transfer learning algorithm is applied to the field of bearing fault diagnosis under different working conditions, it only focuses on reducing the cross-domain distance or the distribution difference within the domain, and does not consider the domain tilt. When the fault samples are scarce, the degradation of recognition ability is more obvious. A fault diagnosis method for rolling bearings based on cross-domain divergence alignment and intra-domain distribution alienation (CDDA-IDDA) is proposed. Firstly, aiming at the crossdomain tilt in the domain data space of variable working conditions, the overall divergence matrix of source domain and target domain is constructed, and the cross-domain divergence alignment is carried out. Then, aiming at the overlapping phenomenon of categories in the domain, based on the distribution adaptation weighted conditional distribution, the spatial distribution of different categories in the same domain is further alienated. Finally, the regularization term is introduced under the framework of structural risk minimization. On the basis of fully retaining the internal structure of the data, a multi-classifier with strong transfer ability is obtained by iteration. Experiments show that the proposed method is better than some mainstream transfer learning algorithms in multi-fault, multi-degree recognition and compound fault diagnosis. In addition, the proposed method still has high diagnostic accuracy when there are few labeled training samples. When the ratio of labeled source domain samples to unlabeled target domain is 1:50 (16 labeled data), the average accuracy of the transfer task reaches 97.78 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microencapsulated phase change materials (MePCMs) based on swelling polymerization in Pickering emulsion were demonstrated. Monodisperse poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) P(GMA-co-HEMA) particles were prepared by dispersion polymerization. The introduction of hydrophilic monomer HEMA endowed the obtained particles with suitable surface hydrophilicity for stabilizing Pickering emulsion. MePCMs with PGMA–polystyrene interpenetrating composite shell were formed when noncrosslinked particles were employed as stabilizer, while MePCMs with particlesembedded shell were prepared with crosslinked particles as Pickering stabilizer. Phase change property, thermal stability and thermal reliability of two kinds of MePCMs were investigated by TGA, FT-IR, DSC and cycling test. The temperature of 10% weight loss of MePCMs with interpenetrating shell was 11 °C higher than that of MePCMs with particles-embedded shell. After cycling test, the percentage of leached core materials from MePCMs with interpenetrating shell was approximately one-third of that from MePCMs with particles-embedded shell. The results showed that MePCMs with an integral shell presented better thermal stability, tightness and thermal reliability than MePCMs with particles-embedded shell. The research developed a simple process for MePCMs with excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a decoupling design approach for a free-piston linear generator (FPLG) constituted of three key components, including a combustion chamber, a linear generator and a gas spring serving as rebounding device. The approach is based on the distribution of the system power and efficiency, which provides a theoretical design method from the viewpoint of the overall power and efficiency demands. The energy flow and conversion processes of the FPLG are analyzed, and the power and efficiency demands of the thermal-mechanical and mechanical-electrical energy conversion are confirmed. The energy and efficiency distributions of the expansion and compression strokes within a single stable operation cycle are analyzed and determined. Detailed design methodologies of crucial geometric dimensions and operational parameters of each key component are described. The feasibility of the proposed decoupling design approach is validated through several design examples with different output power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bougainvillea Comm. ex Juss. (Nyctaginaceae; Bougainvillea) is a popular ornamental plant with vigorous growth, luxuriant blooming, colorful bracts, and a high tolerance to the stresses of temperature, drought, and soil pollution, and thus is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. However, the paucity of information on ploidy and the genomic constitution is a significant challenge to genome research and cultivar improvement. We present a flow cytometry method for ploidy detection in bougainvillea based on evaluating different lysates and tissues, identify the ploidy level of a batch of bougainvillea accessions, and infer the genome size of horticultural species Bougainvillea glabra, Bougainvillea spectobilis, and Bougainvillea peruviana. The results show that tender leaves and woody plant buffer (WPB) were optimal for flow cytometry analysis. The 2C nuclear DNA amounts in 176 bougainvillea accessions ranged from 4.66 ± 0.04 to 12.26 ± 0.1 pg, which represents 161 diploids, 13 triploids, 1 tetraploid, and 1 di-tetraploid mixoploid. For B. glabra, B. spectobilis, and B. peruviana, the mean 1C values were 3.201, 3.066, and 2.915 pg, respectively. The genome size of B. glabra was significantly larger than that of B. peruviana (P 5 0.0004), but had no significant variation with that of B. spectobilis (P = 0.1061). These results reveal fundamental cytogenetic information for bougainvillea that are beneficial to whole-genome sequencing and hybrid breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a facile electrodeposition method without any additive has been successfully adopted to fabricate dendritic gold nanostructure (DenAu) on glassy carbon (GC) electrode and the prepared DenAu/GC electrode has large surface area. A sensitive third-generation superoxide radical (O2-) biosensor was then constructed by assembled l-cysteine (cys) onto the DenAu/GC electrode to immobilize large amounts of superoxide dismutase (SOD). The direct electron transfer of SOD was successfully realized and a pair of quasi-reversible redox peaks of SOD was observed at the SOD/cys/DenAu/GC electrode in the phosphate buffer solution (25mM, pH 7.2). Due to the high loading of SOD on the electrode, the resulted biosensor exhibited good analytical performance for O2- detection, such as a low detection limit of 2.1nM, a good stability and reproducibility, especially a wide linear range up to 540μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HLA antibodies and sCD30 levels were detected in the serum sampled from 620 renal graft recipients at 1 year post-transplantation, which were followed up for 5 years. Six-year graft and patient survivals were 81.6% and 91.0%. HLA antibodies were detected in 45 recipients (7.3%), of whom there were 14 cases with class I antibodies, 26 cases with class II, and 5 cases with both class I and II. Much more graft loss was record in recipients with HLA antibodies than those without antibodies (60% vs. 15.1%, p<0.001). Significantly higher sCD30 levels were recorded in recipients suffering graft loss than the others (73.9±48.8 U/mL vs. 37.3 ± 14.6 U/mL, p<0.001 ). Compared with those with high sCD30 levels, recipients with low sCD30 levels (<50 U/mL) had much better 6-year graft survival (92.4% vs. 46.6%, p<0.001). Further statistical analysis showed that detrimental effect of de novo HLA antibodies and high sCD30 on graft survival was not only independent but also additive. Therefore, post-transplantation monitoring of HLA antibodies and sCD30 levels is necessary and recipients with elevated sCD30 level and/or de novo HLA antibody should be paid more attention in order to achieve better graft survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the anatomic route of inferior petrosal sinus (IPS) after going out of the cranium and its confluence patterns with internal jugular vein (IJV), anterior condylar vein (ACV) and lateral condylar vein (LCV), and to supply knowledge about typing of IPS–IJV junction, so as to provide reference evidence for evaluation of transvenous access route in the diagnosis and treatment of skull base and cavernous sinus lesions. In 120 patients, the IPS route and its confluence with IJV, ACV and LCV were shown by multi-planar reconstruction (MPR) and curve multi-planar reconstruction (CMPR). Combining with continuous thin slice, the IPS–IJV junction was further subdivided according to the level of IPS confluence with IJV and whether there is an anastomosis with sigmoid sinus (SS). Furthermore, the IPS length, venous diameter at IPS–IJV junction and IPS–SS communicating branch were determined and compared. Inferior petrosal sinus directly draining into jugular bulb (JB) or/and draining into JB after communication with SS was found in 28 sides (11.7%, pattern A); IPS draining into IJV at the level of exterior opening of hypoglossal canal in 114 sides (47.5%, pattern B); IPS draining into IJV in a lower extracranial level in 83 sides (34.6%, pattern C); IPS with multiple junctions draining into IJV near the jugular foramen in 12 sides (5.0%, pattern D); IPS directly draining into VVP in 1 side (0.4%, pattern E); IPS being absent in 1 side (0.4%, pattern F). IPS draining into VVP via ACV was seen in 218 sides, IPS draining into VVP via LCV in 100 sides and IPS directly draining into IJV in 14 sides. After going out of the cranium, IPS goes along with IJV for a relatively long distance in some cases. The IPS extracranial length over 40 mm was found in ten sides and the lowest level of IPS route was at the inferior margin of the fourth cervical vertebra. The venous diameter at the IPS–IJV confluence was 0.8–5.7 mm (mean 2.51 mm) and it was significantly larger on the right side than on the left ( P = 0.01). However, there was no remarkable difference between male patients and female ones. Continuous thin-slice scanning by multislice spiral computed tomography in combination with MPR and CMPR can clearly show IPS route and its confluence with relevant veins, and determine the feasibility of procedures via IPS. Therefore, it can be used as an effective method for preoperative evaluation of IPS for diagnosis and treatment of skull base and cavernous sinus lesions by IJV access route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Polyaniline–tin dioxide (PANI-SnO2) composites were prepared by chemical polymerization method, and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Due to the good stability in diluted acidic solution, PANI-SnO2 composites were selected as the catalyst support and second catalyst for methanol electro-oxidation. The electrocatalytic properties of the PANI-SnO2 supported Pt catalyst (Pt/PANI-SnO2) for methanol oxidation have been investigated by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and chronopotentiometry. Under the same loading mass of Pt, the Pt/PANI-SnO2 catalyst shows higher electrocatalytic activity towards methanol electro-oxidation than Pt/SnO2 catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new electrochemiluminescent (ECL) biosensor based on an electrically heated carbon paste electrode (HCPE) that was surface modified by xanthine oxidase (XOD) was designed and constructed in this work. It was found that the ECL intensity of luminol could be enhanced at the surface of XOD/HCPE by adding hypoxanthine (HX) to the solution, and there was a linear relationship between the ECL intensity and the concentration of HX. On the basis of this, an ECL enzyme biosensor can thus be developed to detect HX. However, because the activity of XOD is highly dependent on temperature, the biosensor is very sensitive to the temperature of the electrode. Also, because the temperature of the electrode may also affect the diffusion and convection of the luminescent compounds near the electrode surface, a suitable temperature for XOD/HCPE has to be controlled to achieve the best ECL signal. The key feature of the designed biosensor is that the temperature of the electrode is controllable so the most suitable temperature for the enzyme reaction can be obtained. The obtained results showed that the ECL enzyme biosensor exhibited the best sensitivity at an electrode temperature of 35 °C for the detection of HX. The detection limit was 30-fold lower than that at room temperature (25 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptidyl−prolyl cis–transisomerases are a group of cytosolic enzymes initially characterized by their ability to catalyze the cis–transisomerization of peptidyl−prolyl bonds. This represents a significant event for protein folding because cis-proline introduces critical bends within the protein conformation. FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs) represent one of the three families of enzymes sharing peptidyl−prolyl cis− transisomerase activity. Inhibitors of FKBP12, in particular, have potent neurotrophic properties both in vivo and in vitro. Here, we describe a fragment-based unbiased nuclear magnetic resonance drug discovery approach for the identification of novel classes of chemical inhibitors against FKBP12. Compared to FK506, the fragment-based FKBP12 inhibitors developed herein possess significant advantages as drug candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a protein that is intricately involved in signaling pathways controlling cell growth. Rapamycin is a natural product that binds and inhibits mTOR function by interacting with its FKBP–rapamycin-binding (FRB) domain. Here we report on the NMR solution structure of FRB and on further studies aimed at the identification and characterization of novel ligands that target the rapamycin binding pocket. The biological activity of the ligands, and that of rapamycin in the absence of FKBP12, was investigated by assaying the kinase activity of mTOR. While we found that rapamycin binds the FRB domain and inhibits the kinase activity of mTOR even in the absence of FKBP12 (in the low micromolar range), our most potent ligands bind to FRB with similar binding affinity but inhibit the kinase activity of mTOR at much higher concentrations. However, we have also identified one low-affinity compound that is also capable of inhibiting mTOR. Hence, we have identified compounds that can directly mimic rapamycin or can dissociate the FRB binding from the inhibition of the catalytic activity of mTOR. As such, these ligands could be useful in deciphering the complex regulation of mTOR in the cell and in validating the FRB domain as a possible target for the development of novel therapeutic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed picture of the chemical and electrochemical oxidation of a series of mononuclear and dinuclear phosphine Au(I) thiolates is presented. The medicinal implications of the results are illustrated by redox studies on the anti-rheumatoid drug, auranofin, [(2,3,4,6-tetra-acetyl-1-thio-β-D-glucopyranosato)(triethylphosphine) gold(I)]. The phosphine Au(I) thiolate complexes undergo a broad irreversible oxidation in the range, +0.6 to +1.1 V, and a second irreversible oxidation at more positive potentials from +1.2 to +1.6 V (vs. SCE). Chemical oxidation of the Au(I) thiolate complexes with (Cp 2 Fe)(PF 6 ) results in disulfide and tetragold(I) clusters with bridging thiolate ligands, except for the unusual nine Au(I) atoms cluster obtained by oxidation of [(dppm)Au 2 (p-SC 6 H 4 CH 3 ) 2 ]. Chemical oxidation of auranofin with (Cp 2 Fe)(PF 6 ) results in disulfide and a cationic Au(I) cluster with bridging thiolate ligands, [(Et 3 PAu) 2 (μ-SATg)] 2 2+ , typical of mononuclear gold(I) thiolates. The Au(I) clusters react with disulfide to undergo thiolate/disulfide exchange. Comparative rates show clusters react much faster than the mononuclear complex, Ph 3 PAu(SC 6 H 4 CH 3 ). A mechanism for the oxidation of auranofin and related complexes, and possible biological implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are secreted ligands that belong to the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily. BMP7 has been reported to play a role in reversing obesity and regulating appetite in the hypoth alamus. Whether BMP9 plays a central role in regulating glucose metabolism and insul in sensitivity remains unclear. Here, we investigated the impact of central BMP9 signa ling and possible route of transmission. We performed intracerebroventricular (ICV) surgery and injected adenovirus expressing BMP9 (Ad-BMP9) into the cerebral ventricle of mice. Metabolic analysis, hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp test, and analysis of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3) formation were then performed. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were performed to detect gene expression and potential pathways involved. We found that hypothalamic BMP9 expression was downregulated in obese and insulinresistant mice. Overexpression of BMP9 in the mediobasal hypoth alamus reduced food intake, body weight, and blood glucose level, and elevated the energy expenditure in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Importantly, central treatment wi th BMP9 improved hepatic insulin resistance (IR) and inhibited hepatic glucose productio n in HFD-fed mice. ICV BMP9-induced increase in hepatic insulin sensitivity and relate d metabolic effects were blocked by ICV injection of rapamycin, an inhibitor of mammalia n target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. In addition, ICV BMP9 promoted the ability of insulin to activate the insulin receptor/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway in the hypothalamus. Thus, this study provides insights into the potential mechanism by which central BMP9 ameliorates hepatic glucose metabolism and IR via activating the mTOR/PI3K/Akt pathway in the hypothalamus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have become an important therapeutic modality for oncology, with three approved by the FDA and over 60 others in clinical trials. Despite the progress, improvements in ADC therapeutic index are desired. Peptide-based ADC linkers that are cleaved by lysosomal proteases have shown sufficient stability in serum and effective payload-release in targeted cells. If the linker can be preferentially hydrolyzed by tumor-specific proteases, safety margin may improve. However, the use of peptide-based linkers limits our ability to modulate protease specificity. Here we report the structure-guided discovery of novel, nonpeptidic ADC linkers. We show that a cyclobutane-1,1-dicarboxamide-containing linker is hydrolyzed predominantly by cathepsin B while the valine-citrulline dipeptide linker is not. ADCs bearing the nonpeptidic linker are as efficacious and stable in vivo as those with the dipeptide linker. Our results strongly support the application of the peptidomimetic linker and present new opportunities for improving the selectivity of ADCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]