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Studying the mechanism of binder is important for improving the coating formation process of solid lubricants. Two-component polyurethane (PU), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), and styrene-butadiene styrene (SBS) copolymer were selected as binders for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) solid lubricant. The influence of solid lubricant coating prepared with different binders on the stamping properties of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy was compared and analyzed using the cupping test. A lubrication model was developed based on the results. Due to the difference in the molecular structure of the binders, the prepared solid lubricants have different characteristics and affect the dispersion of lubricant coating and its performance. When the content of PTFE reaches 15 wt% and the coating thickness is 10 µm, the anodic aluminum alloy sheet with PVB coating has the smallest punch force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study takes multitemporal Landsat images as data source to explore the changes of Fractional Vegetation Cover (FVC) and ecological quality (EQ) of the Wugong Mountain (WGM). The regression model obtained from MODIS NDVI data was used to correct the temporal difference of Landsat normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data in 2019, and the Remote Sensing based Ecological Index (RSEI) was calculated to assess the change of FVC and EQ in WGM. Results showed that, in the past 25 yr, the mean value of FVC has increased from 0.795 in 1994 to 0.890 in 2019, which consequently improved EQ from 0.746 to 0.773 respectively. The relationship among topographic factors, FVC and EQ was analyzed by using elevation, slope, and aspect. The effect of topographic factor on FVC and EQ in WGM was in the order of slope, aspect, and elevation. The value of FVC and RSEI increased first and then decreased with increment of elevation and slope. In detail, the favorable terrain of FVC and EQ was the area with an elevation of 500–1,400 m and a slope of 8°–35°. The value of FVC and RSEI in semi‐sunny and sunny slopes were higher than that of shady slopes. The unfavorable terrain of FVC and EQ was the area of the meadow with an elevation greater than 1,700 m. This work highlights the importance of FVC and EQ which can provide scientific decision‐making for the sustainability of WGM, and coordinate development of ecological environment protection and economic construction. Key Points: Remote Sensing based Ecological Index (RSEI) can enable quickly monitor and evaluate the regional ecological environmentFrom 1994 to 2019, the average RSEI increased from 0.746 to 0.773, indicating that the ecological quality has been significantly improvedThe influence of slope, aspect, and elevation factors on the distribution of Fractional Vegetation Cover and RSEI decreased in turn [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With molecular dynamics simulations, we systematically investigate melting of a set of ∑3(110)70.53° tilt grain boundaries (GB) in Cu bicrystals, including coherent twin boundaries (CTBs), 12 asymmetric tilt grain boundaries (ATGBs), and symmetric incoherent twin boundaries (SITBs), in the order of increasing length weight of SITB or GB energy. ATGBs decompose into CTBs and SITBs, which migrate and coalesce as a result of internal stress relaxation. GBs can be superheated or premelted, and GB melting temperature decreases exponentially with increasing SITB weight, owing to the systematics in GB microstructure. GB melting nucleates at disordered CTB-SITB junctions, and grows along SITBs and then into grain interiors, with the solid-liquid interfaces preferentially aligned with {111}. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1134/S002247662403020X [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC has been used widely as a medicinal herb for centuries and is now being used to treat COVID-19 pneumonia. Terpenoids are thought to be its main pharmacologically active constituents. However, their biosynthesis remains uncharacterized in this species. In this study, the terpene synthase gene AlTPS1 was cloned and functionally characterized. We found that AlTPS1 was a bifunctional enzyme that catalyzed the conversion of farnesyl diphosphate to nerolidol and geranyl diphosphate to linalool in vitro. However, it functioned only in the nerolidol production in vivo by transient expression of the AlTPS1 gene in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves maybe due to subcellular compartmentalization of the AlTPS1 in the cytosol. Furthermore, AlTPS1 was highly expressed in leaves, considered to be the sites of nerolidol synthesis. This study is the first in which the cloning and expression of the AlTPS1 gene from A. lancea were analyzed, and it has provided new insights into terpene biosynthesis in A. lancea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multichannel transition visible and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescences have been captured in Dy3+-doped fiber-adaptive Na2O-ZnO-PbO-GeO2-TeO2 glasses. The maximum stimulated emission cross-sections σem-max were derived to be 0.33 × 10-21, 3.66 × 10-21, and 0.67 × 10-21 cm2 for conventional visible emissions assigned to 4F9/2→6HJ (J = 15/2, 13/2, and 11/2) transitions, respectively. Infrequent multi-peak NIR emissions were recorded in the spectral range of 900-1500 nm, among which the values of σem-max were solved to be 1.05 × 10-22 and 1.56 × 10-22 cm2 for ∼1.02 and ∼1.18 μm emission bands. Internal quantum efficiency for the 4F9/2 level and external quantum yield for visible emissions of Dy3+ were determined to be 88.44% and 12.38%, severally. Effective multichannel radiative emissions reveal a potential in developing fiber-lighting sources, tunable lasers, and NIR optical amplifiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, two similar substituted imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine ligands with different coordination groups are facilely synthesized and further used for constructing two novel Cu(II)-based coordination complexes [CuCl2(L1)2] (1, L1 = 3-(imidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-3-yl)-1-(pyridin-3-yl)propan-1-one) and [Cu(L2)2]n (2, L2 = 4-(imidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-2-yl)-2-oxobutanoic acid) via a one-pot solvothermal reaction. Then the activity of the synthesized complexes is assessed against HeLa cervical cancer cells with the CCK-8 method. The results indicate that complex 1 has an excellent inhibitory effect on cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion capability. Moreover, a further study is performed and it reveals the mechanism of complex 1, which exerts the anti-cancer ability via inducing the HeLa apoptotic cell death. Above all, synthesized complex 1 has an outstanding in vitro antitumor activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epitaxial La[sub 0.7]Ca[sub 0.3]MnO[sub 3] thin films on the SrTiO[sub 3](100) surface have been irradiated with 250 MeV Ag[sup 17+] ions at different nominal fluence values in the range of 5×10[sup 10]–4×10[sup 11] ions/cm[sup 2], resulting in columnar defects. At low fluences these defects cause changes in material properties that are small and scale linearly with dosage. Above a threshold fluence value ∼3×10[sup 11] ions/cm[sup 2] dramatic changes are observed, including an order of magnitude increase in the resistivity and 50 K drop in the Curie temperature. Transmission electron microscopy measurements show that the changes are associated with a phase transformation of the undamaged region between the columnar defects. The transformed phase has a diffraction pattern very similar to that seen in charge-ordered La[sub 0.5]Ca[sub 0.5]MnO[sub 3]. We propose that above a critical level of ion damage, strains caused by the presence of the columnar defects induce a charge-ordering phase transition that causes the observed dramatic changes in physical properties. We speculate that a conceptually similar surface-induced charge ordering may be responsible for the “dead layer” observed in very thin strained films, and the dramatic changes in optical properties induced by polishing, and that an impurity-induced charge ordering causes the extreme sensitivity of properties to lattice substitution. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulva prolifera is one of the causative species of green tides. Salicylic acid (SA) alleviated the high-temperature damage by up-regulating a portion of antioxidant-related proteins, however, little is understood regarding the impacts of SA under high light in this species. In order to study the regulation effects of SA on U. prolifera under different light conditions, we grew this species under three SA concentrations (0, 2.5, 5.0 µg mL-1) and three light levels [high light (HL): 400 µmol(photon) m-2 s-1, medium light (ML): 160 µmol(photon) m-2 s-1, and low light (LL): 70 µmol(photon) m-2 s-1]. After 3 d, the growth, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, photosynthetic oxygen rate production, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of U. prolifera were investigated. We found that: (1) The relative growth rate (RGR) of U. prolifera increased with the increase of light, no matter if with or without SA; under the three light levels, the highest RGR was observed in the presence of 2.5 µg(SA) mL-1. (2) U. prolifera grown under HL conditions showed the highest values in nonphotochemical quenching and total content of cartenoids. (3) Under three light levels, the dark respiration rate, the net, maximal, and gross photosynthetic oxygen rate significantly decreased by SA. (4) The highest value of SOD activity was observed under LL in the presence of SA (5.0 µg mL-1). In conclusion, the effects of light on the physiology in U. prolifera could be mediated by SA in a concentration-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investment in highway construction not only promotes the development of China's transportation industry, but also achieves a far-reaching significance to China's economy and society. In this paper, we present a highway-maintenance evaluation system (HMES) during the project lifecycle in highway construction, and the decision-making model for the highway maintenance. The HMES contains three parts including the acceptance list of highway safeguard, the selection and evaluation of highway security scheme, and the analyses and evaluation of safeguard project, which based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Also two kinds of grades decision-making models of maintenance management were established, which are the project-grade and the network-level respectively, through the estimation and benefit analysis of different management schemes. The results of case analysis show that the decision-making model can improve highway maintenance effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using ab initio density function theory total energy calculations, we have investigated the mechanism of Fe segregation into Si Σ5(310) grain boundary (GB). We find that the segregation is site selective at the GB-Fe will only segregate to specific sites. We further find that the choice of the segregation site is determined by the segregation-induced stress and effective crystal-field-induce splitting of Fe d orbital at that site. Our results suggest that the revealed mechanism of Fe segregation into the GB should be general for other 3d transition metals with partially filled 3d orbits and for other grain boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of feeding reduced CP, AA-supplemented diets on meat quality in growing and finishing pigs as well as the related mechanism. In experiment 1, 18 growing pigs (36.5 kg BW) were assigned randomly and fed 1 of 3 corn-soybean meal diets containing either 18% CP (normal protein, NP), 15% CP (low protein, LP), or 12% CP (very low protein, VLP). In experiment 2, 18 finishing pigs (62.3 kg BW) were allotted randomly into 1 of the following diets: 16% CP (NP), 13% CP (LP), or 10% CP (VLP). In both experiments, the LP and VLP diets were supplemented with crystalline AA to achieve equal content of standardized ileal digestible lysine, methionine, threonine, and tryptophan. At the end of each experiment, all pigs were slaughtered to collect longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) samples. Samples were used for determining meat quality, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, fatty acid composition, free AA profile, and expression of genes for myosin heavy chain isoforms. Results showed that growing and finishing pigs fed the LP diets increased (P < 0.05) redness value of LM, while finishing pigs fed the LP and VLP diets decreased (P < 0.05) the shear force values. Compared with the NP diet, growing and finishing pigs fed lower CP diets had higher (P < 0.05) contents of IMF and MUFA, and lower (P < 0.05) contents of PUFA. Besides, higher (P < 0.05) expression levels of type I and/or IIa muscle fibers were observed in LP diet-fed growing and finishing pigs, and greater concentrations of taurine and tasty AA in VLP diet-fed growing and finishing pigs. Taken together, our results indicate that low-protein diets could positively affect meat quality of growing and finishing pigs, and likely through regulation of IMF content and fatty acid composition, fiber characteristics, and free AA profile in the muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the long-term shunt patency and overall survival of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement using covered stents with or without bare stents over a follow-up period up to 7 years.Materials and Methods: A total of 154 patients undergoing TIPS placement were enrolled and analysed retrospectively. They were divided into two groups: those undergoing TIPS placement using covered with bare stents (group A, n=42) and those without bare stents (group B, n=112).Results: The cumulative 5-year primary patency rate was significantly lower in group A than in group B (group A: 0% versus group B: 66.7%; p<0.001). The cumulative 5-year overall survival rates were comparable between the two groups (group A: 76% versus group B: 58.7%; p=0.214). The baseline portal vein thrombosis (hazard ratio [HR]:4.610; 95% confidence interval [CI]:2.691-7.897; p=0.000), portal pressure decrement (HR: 0.911; 95% CI: 0.845-0.982; p=0.015), and group (HR: 0.419; 95% CI: 0.239-0.736; p=0.002) were independent predictors for shunt dysfunction, while hepatocellular carcinoma (HR: 6.615; 95% CI: 2.863-15.283; p=0.000) and ascites (HR: 2.166; 95% CI: 1.298-3.615; p=0.003) were independent predictors for mortality.Conclusions: Although TIPS placement using covered with bare stents led to lowered long-term shunt patency than using covered stents alone, the overall survival rates were similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The relationship of altered DNA 5′‐hydroxymethylation in human spermatozoa with seminal parameters remains unclear. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between the 5′‐hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) rate in the promoters of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and homeobox C4 (HoxC4) genes and human sperm concentration/motility. The study population consisted of three groups: asthenozoospermia (AZ), oligoasthenozoospermia (OAZ) and normozoospermia (NZ). The 5hmC rate in the promoter was measured by CCGG loci‐dependent MspI/HpaII restriction mapping of glycosylation‐modified sperm DNA combined with a hydroxymethylation‐specific real‐time polymerase chain reaction assay. The 5hmC rate in the AChE promoter in group AZ and OAZ was higher than that in group NZ (p < .05). A weak inverse correlation between 5hmC rate of AChE and sperm motility was observed in all subjects (r = −.172, p < .05). The 5hmC rate in the HoxC4 promoter in group OAZ was lower than that in group NZ (p < .05). These results indicated that altered 5hmC rates of AChE and HoxC4 promoters are associated with low sperm motility and sperm concentration respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The process and mechanism of impact fractures in sandstone were investigated under equal biaxial static compression. The cracking process was captured by a high‐speed video camera. The results indicate that the main crack propagates along the circumference and finally forms a crater‐shaped failure zone. The size of the crater‐shaped failure zone increases as the static stress and impact velocity increase. In addition, microscopic features of the fracture surface were observed using a scanning electron microscope. It was found that the microcracks expand after combination loading, making the rock more susceptible to damage. Finally, the influence mechanism of static loading on dynamic failure of the rock was revealed by theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at live fish identification in aquaculture, a practical and efficient semi-supervised learning model, based on modified deep convolutional generative adversarial networks (DCGANs), was proposed in this study. Benefiting from the modified DCGANs structure, the presented model can be trained effectively using relatively few labeled training samples. In consideration of the complex poses of fish and the low resolution of sampling images in aquaculture, spatial pyramid pooling and some improved techniques specifically for the presented model were used to make the model more robust. Finally, in tests with two preprocessed and challenging datasets (with 5%, 10%, and 15% labeled training data in the fish recognition ground-truth dataset and 25%, 50%, and 75% labeled training data in the Croatian fish dataset), the feasibility and reliability of the presented model for live fish identification were proved with respective accuracies of 80.52%, 81.66%, and 83.07% for the ground-truth dataset and 65.13%, 78.72%, and 82.95% for the Croatian fish dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of reduced dietary protein level on growth performance, muscle mass weight, free amino acids ( FAA) and gene expression profile of selected amino acid transceptors in different fibre type of skeletal muscle tissues ( longissimus dorsi, psoas major, biceps femoris) of growing pigs. A total of 18 cross-bred growing pigs (Large White × Landrace × Duroc) with initial body weight (9.57 ± 0.67 kg) were assigned into three dietary treatments: 20% crude protein ( CP) diet (normal recommended, NP), 17% CP diet (low protein, LP) and 14% CP diet (very low protein, VLP). The results indicated improved feed-to-gain ratio was obtained for pigs fed LP and NP diets (p < 0.01), while the pigs fed VLP diet showed the worst growth performance (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the weights of longissimus dorsi and psoas major muscle between LP and NP groups (p > 0.05). Majority of the determined FAA concentration of LP group were greater than or equal to those of NP group in both longissimus dorsi and psoas major muscle (p < 0.01). Further, the mRNA expression levels of sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transceptor 2, L-type amino acid transceptor 1 and proton-assisted amino acid transceptors 2 were higher in skeletal muscle tissue in LP group compared to those of the pigs fed NP or VLP diet. These results suggested that reduced dietary protein level (3 points of percentage less than recommended level) would upregulate the mRNA expression of amino acid transceptors to enhance the absorption of FAA in skeletal muscle of growing pigs. There seems to be a relationship between response of AA transceptors to the dietary protein level in skeletal muscle tissue of different fibre type. To illustrate the underlying mechanisms will be beneficial to animal nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidized flavor stability of milk is highly associated with consumer acceptance. This study characterized oxidized flavor stability as affected by milk concentration. The selected volatiles in raw milk (RM), heated milk (HM), concentrated milk, and distillate were investigated using solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Concentrated milk and distillate showed higher levels of heptanal (14.52 - 17.24 μg/kg), nonanal (5.08-8.64 μg/kg), 2-heptanone (25.22-73.25 μg/kg), and 2-nonanone (10.83-17.28 μg/kg) compared with RM and HM. Based on the odor activity values of different volatiles, oxidized volatiles may contribute to fatty, greasy, soapy, and dyestuff oxidized odors in concentrated milk. Oxidized volatiles of nonanal, 2-heptanone, and 2-nonanone were found to be higher in concentrated milk at 50°C than at 40°C. In addition, 18 and 24 volatiles were found in unconcentrated milk and distillate, respectively. Straight aldehydes and methyl ketones showed much higher levels in distillate than in RM and HM, which also had higher levels compared with their corresponding concentrated milk samples. These results indicated that oxidized volatiles were mainly evaporated into distillate as flavor loss. They also suggested that lipid oxidation could continue drastically even under the concentration processing at a low temperature and reduced pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The Asian citrus psyllid ( ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama transmits the bacterium 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' (Las), which causes citrus huanglongbing ( HLB) disease. Although many studies have been conducted on the biology of ACP on different host plants, few have taken the plant, Las bacteria and the vector insect within one context to evaluate the effects of Las on the fitness of ACP under field conditions. Understanding the relationship between Las and ACP is critical for both ACP and HLB disease management. Methods and Results We estimated the development and survival of ACP immatures, the longevity and fecundity of ACP female adults in four treatments (Las-positive or -negative ACP on Las-infected and -free citrus plants). Las-positive ACP immatures developed significantly faster on Las-infected citrus than those on Las-free plants. The fecundity and longevity of Las-positive female adults were also greater, or longer on Las-infected citrus shoots, whereas the survival of Las-positive immatures was significantly lower on Las-infected citrus shoots, compared to those that developed on Las-free plants. Similarly, the intrinsic rate of population increase ( rm) was highest (0·1404) when Las-positive ACP fed on Las-infected citrus shoots and the lowest (0·1328) when the Las-negative ACP fed on Las-free citrus shoots. Conclusions Both the Las infection in ACP and citrus plants had obvious effects on the biology of ACP. When compared to the Las infection in ACP insects, the Las infection in citrus shoots had a more significant effect on the fitness of ACP. Significance and Impact of the Study To efficiently prevent the occurrence and spread of HLB disease, it is critical to understand the ecological basis of vector outbreaks and disease incidence, especially under field conditions. Thus, this study has increased our understanding of the epidemiology of HLB transmitted by psyllids in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to explore the extent to which the dietary CP level can be reduced for maintaining muscle protein deposition in growing pigs as well as the related mechanism and whether the response to dietary protein restriction is diversely modified throughout the 2 trial periods. A total of 36 pigs (9.57 ± 0.64 kg initial BW) were individually penned and fed 1 of 3 diets for 10 or 25 d. During each period, the diets contained 20, 17, and 14% CP, respectively. Both the 17% CP diet and the 14% CP diet were supplemented with Lys, Met, Thr, and Trp to provide the same total concentrations as those in the 20% CP diet. Results showed that feeding the 14% CP diet for 10 or 25 d seriously impaired (P < 0.05) growth performance of the pigs compared with those fed the 20 or 17% CP diets. Pigs fed the 20% CP diet for 25 d had a higher (P < 0.05) serum content of urea nitrogen than those fed the 17 and 14% CP diets. In addition, the free AA (FAA) profile in skeletal muscle of the pigs was evidently changed (P < 0.05) by the low-protein diets for 25 d; of note, the 14% CP diet increased (P < 0.05) the size of muscle FAA pool compared with the 20% CP diet. Meanwhile, on d 25, reducing dietary CP levels also influenced (P < 0.05) mRNA levels of specific AA transceptors expressed in skeletal muscle, especially revealing the striking differences between the 14 and 20% CP diet–fed pigs. Most importantly, we observed a globally decreased (P < 0.05) activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway in skeletal muscle of pigs fed the 14% CP diet, whereas only partial inhibition was observed for those fed the 17% CP diet compared with those fed the 20% CP diet. However, feeding the low-protein diets for 10 d had minimal effects on serum parameters, muscle FAA profile, and muscle mTORC1 pathway of the pigs. Taken together, our results indicate that supplementing with limiting AA to the 14% CP diet is not highly effective for the pigs in restoring protein synthesis and muscle growth, whereas the 17% CP diet likely maintains the pigs' muscle mass, which were regulated, at least in part, by mediating AA transceptors expression, FAA profile, and activation of the mTORC1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EAST plasmas heated with deuterium neutral beam injection and ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) have been simulated by the TRANSP code. The analysis has been conducted using the full wave solver TORIC5, the radio frequency (RF)-kick operator, and NUBEAM to model the RF heating effects on fast ion velocity distribution. In this work, we present several simulated results compared with experiments for high power EAST scenarios, indicating that the interactions between ICRH and fast ions can significantly accelerate fast ions, which are confirmed by the increased neutron yield and broadened neutron emission spectrum measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The optimal strategy of maintenance therapy for patients with mCRC is controversial. This study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of maintenance therapy with capecitabine versus observation following inductive chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Patients and methods: In this randomized, open-label, multicenter, phase III trial, patients who received 18-24 weeks of induction chemotherapy with XELOX or FOLFOX and achieved disease control were randomly assigned centrally (1:1) to receive maintenance therapy of capecitabine or only observation until disease progression. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) from randomization; the secondary end points included overall survival (OS), PFS from induction treatment (PFS2) and safety. Analyses were done by intention to treat. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials. gov, number NCT02027363. Results: Between 30 July 2010 and 15 September 2013, 274 patients were enrolled in the study from 11 sites in China and randomly assigned to maintenance group (n = 136) or observation group (n = 138). Clinicopathological characteristics were balanced in two groups. The median follow-up time from randomization was 29.0 months [interquartile range (IQR) 21-36 months]. The primary end point of PFS was statistically significantly longer in capecitabine maintenance group than in observation group {6.43 [95% confidence interval (CI) 5.26-7.71] versus 3.43 (2.83-4.16) months, HR 0.54 (0.42-0.70), P < 0.001}. The median OS of capecitabine maintenance group was longer than that of observation group, but not statistically significant [25.63 (22.46-27.80) versus 23.30 (19.68-26.92) months; HR 0.85 (0.64-1.11), P = 0.2247]. Similar safety profiles were observed in both arms. The most common grade 3 or 4 toxicities in capecitabine maintenance group versus observation group were neutropenia, hand-foot syndrome, and mucositis. Conclusions: Maintenance therapy with a single agent of capecitabine can be considered an appropriate option following the induction of XELOX or FOLFOX in mCRC patients with acceptable toxicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between stabilizer and milk protein are believed to influence the stabilizing behavior of the milk system. We investigated changes in fluorescence intensity induced by interactions of soybean soluble polysaccharide (SSPS) and milk protein (Mp) during acidification. The fluorescence intensity (If) of Mp increased as pH decreased from 6.8 to 5.2. Compared with Mp alone, If of SSPS-Mp mixtures increased as the pH decreased from 6.8 to 5.2. We found that the If of the SSPS-Mp mixture decreased in a pH range from 5.2 to 3.6, which indicated a change in the polarity microenvironment around the Trp residues. We also found that the maximum emission wavelength (λmax) shifted from 337 to 330 nm as pH decreased from 6.8 to 3.6, in further support of SSPS interacting with the polar portion of Mp during acidification. Furthermore, an excited monomeric molecule (pyrene exciplex) was found as a ground-state pyrene formed and a broad band was shown at about 450 nm. The intensity ratio of the first peak to the third peak (I1:I3) of Mp increased slightly, and the ratio of intensity of pyrene exciplex to monomer (Ie:Im) decreased because pyrene molecules were located in a less hydrophobic microenvironment during acidification. However, the ratio of I1:I3 decreased clearly at pH below 5.6 and the ratio of Ie:Im showed the opposite trend in the SSPS-Mp mixture. Changes in intrinsic and exogenous fluorescence intensity confirmed that interactions of SSPS and Mp could change the polarity of the microenvironment and that SSPS probably interacted with the polar portion of Mp. These results could give insight into the behavior of stabilizers in acid milk products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the formation of ultrafine-grained (Ti69.71Nb23.72Zr4.83Ta1.74)100-x Six (at.%, x = 0, 2 and 5) alloys designed by d-electron alloy design theory and fabricated by spark plasma sintering of nanocomposite powder precursor. The designed and fabricated alloys exhibit a high yield and fracture strength of 1296 MPa and 3263MPa along with an ultra-large fracture strain of 65% under compression. Mean while, they display lowelastic modulus of 37-48 GPa. The high-performance titaniumalloyswithout toxic elements showhigh potential for application as biomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous Ti59.38Nb26.6Zr8.7Fe5.32 (wt-%, referred to as TNZF) alloys with high strength and low modulus were successfully fabricated by space holder method through adding ammonium hydrogen carbonate (NH4HCO3). Results show that the fabricated porous TNZF alloys are of β type titanium alloy with adjustable pore characteristics and mechanical properties. Varied amount of NH4HCO3 exerts significant effects on phase constituents, pore characteristics and mechanical properties of the porous alloys. Fracture mechanism of the porous alloys, which is different from the typical brittle fracture as a result of high porosity, exhibits transgranular fracture accompanied with cleavage steps. Strain increased even under low stress during the compressive deformation, demonstrating that the porous alloys possess certain ductility. The porous TNZF alloys with a porosity of 39-53%, an average pore size of 300-800 μm and a compressive modulus of 7-16 GPa and a compressive strength of 117-204 MPa can well meet the requirements of biomedical implant materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inappropriate c-MET signaling in cancer can enhance tumor cell proliferation, survival, motility, and invasion. Inhibition of c-MET signaling induces apoptosis in a variety of cancers. It has also been recognized as a novel anticancer therapy approach. Furthermore, reports have also indicated that constitutive expression of P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) is involved in the HGF/c-MET-related pathway of multidrug resistance ABCB1-positive human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. We previously reported that elevated expression levels of PKCδ and AP-1 downstream genes, and HGF receptor (c-MET) and ABCB1, in the drug-resistant MES-SA/Dx5 cells. Moreover, leukemia cell lines overexpressing ABCB1 have also been shown to be more resistant to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate. These findings suggest that chemoresistant cancer cells may also develop a similar mechanism against chemotherapy agents. To circumvent clinical complications arising from drug resistance during cancer therapy, the present study was designed to investigate apoptosis induction in ABCB1-overexpressed cancer cells using c-MET-targeted RNA interference technology in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that cell viability decreased and apoptosis rate increased in c-MET shRNA-transfected HGF/c-MET pathway-positive MES-SA/Dx5 and MCF-7/ADR2 cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo reduction of tumor volume in mice harboring c-MET shRNA-knockdown MES-SA/Dx5 cells was clearly demonstrated. Our study demonstrated that downregulation of c-MET by shRNA-induced apoptosis in a multidrug resistance cell line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The study was to investigate the outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with hip fractures with a large-scale, population-based, nationwide, case-cohort study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance database. The group has hip fractures at a younger age, higher complication, and mortality rate, which indicate that early intervention is necessary. Introduction: This study seeks to evaluate the incidence, mortality, and complication rates in RA patients with hip fractures, using a nationwide database. Methods: Data were collected from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. The study group included 117,129 patients with hip fractures diagnosed from January 2004 to December 2010. Matching based on the propensity of RA patients was used. In total, 1,088 hip fractures were reported among patients with RA. Patients with hip fractures were divided into two groups: those without RA (controls) and those with RA (RA group). The incidence of hip fracture and mortality and complication rates after the hip fracture were then compared between the two groups. Results: RA patients had a significantly higher incidence of hip fracture (3,260/100,000 person-years) compared with the general population (72/100,000 person-years). Hip fractures occurred significantly earlier among RA patients (70.6 ± 5.3 years) compared with the control group (76.1 ± 6.2 years). Cumulative mortality rates at 6-month and 1-year follow-up were significantly higher among patients in the RA group (9.47 and 18.47 %) compared to the controls (8.47 and 13.62 %) and among RA patients without hip fractures (3.24 and 6.16 %). There was a significantly higher incidence of osteomyelitis after hip fracture among the RA group than among the body mass index-, comorbidity-, age-, and sex-matched patients in the control group. Conclusions: Compared to patients without RA, those with RA have a higher incidence of hip fractures at a relatively younger age and with higher complication and mortality rates. Steroid and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, the most common medicine in Taiwanese RA patients, might contribute to the high incidence of fracture and post-op infection. Appropriate early intervention to prevent hip fractures in RA patients is a critical issue in rheumatology care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high pressure plasma shock wave induced by nanosecond pulse and 1000 MW laser irradiation on the materials will also decay in the air and further form the plasma acoustic wave. The formation of plasma acoustic wave was analysed during laser shock processing and the signals with or without water restraint under different power densities were investigated experimentally. It's found that the processing parameters have a remarkable influence on the amplitude of the plasma acoustic wave signals and low influence on waveform. The spreading speed of acoustic signal with water confining layer is higher than the speed of it without water confining layer, and higher power density also improves the amplitude of the signal. The variables are then analysed in order to evaluate correlations. The increase in intensity of signal is found to be essentially due to shock wave pressure. The envelop spectrums of the acoustic wave signal with the ablative layer well kept and broken are similar in high frequency area, while in the frequency from 0 to 80 kHz the envelop spectrums are quite different. It is supposed that the breaking of ablative layer reduced the creation efficiency of plasma, and the shacking frequency of plasma area is also changed. This method can be also applied for the acoustic wave diagnose in the interaction between laser plasma shock wave and materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lanyu is a miniature pig breed indigenous to Lanyu Island, Taiwan. It is distantly related to Asian and European pig breeds. It has been inbred to generate two breeds and crossed with Landrace and Duroc to produce two hybrids for laboratory use. Selecting sets of informative genetic markers to track the genetic qualities of laboratory animals and stud stock is an important function of genetic databases. For more than two decades, Lanyu derived breeds of common ancestry and crossbreeds have been used to examine the effectiveness of genetic marker selection and optimal approaches for individual assignment. In this paper, these pigs and the following breeds: Berkshire, Duroc, Landrace and Yorkshire, Meishan and Taoyuan, TLRI Black Pig No. 1, and Kaohsiung Animal Propagation Station Black pig are studied to build a genetic reference database. Nineteen microsatellite markers (loci) provide information on genetic variation and differentiation among studied breeds. High differentiation index (FST) and Cavalli-Sforza chord distances give genetic differentiation among breeds, including Lanyu's inbred populations. Inbreeding values (FIS) show that Lanyu and its derived inbred breeds have significant loss of heterozygosity. Individual assignment testing of 352 animals was done with different numbers of microsatellite markers in this study. The testing assigned 99% of the animals successfully into their correct reference populations based on 9 to 14 markers ranking D-scores, allelic number, expected heterozygosity (HE) or FST, respectively. All miss-assigned individuals came from close lineage Lanyu breeds. To improve individual assignment among close lineage breeds, microsatellite markers selected from Lanyu populations with high polymorphic, heterozygosity, FST and D-scores were used. Only 6 to 8 markers ranking HE, FST or allelic number were required to obtain 99% assignment accuracy. This result suggests empirical examination of assignment-error rates is required if discernible levels of co-ancestry exist. In the reference group, optimum assignment accuracy was achievable achieved through a combination of different markers by ranking the heterozygosity, FST and allelic number of close lineage populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contents Growth differentiation factor 9 ( GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 ( BMP15) are members of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family, and their roles in oocyte maturation and cumulus expansion are well known in the mouse and human, but not in the pig. We investigated GDF9 and BMP15 expressions in porcine oocytes during in vitro maturation. A significant increase in the m RNA levels of GDF9 and BMP15 was observed at germinal vesicle breakdown, with expression levels peaking at metaphase I (MI), but decreasing at metaphase II (MII). GDF9 and BMP15 protein localized to the oocyte cytoplasm. While treatment with GDF9 and BMP15 increased the expression of genes involved in both oocyte maturation (c-mos, cyclinb1 and cdc2) and cumulus expansion (has2, ptgs2, ptx3 and tnfaip6), SB431542 (a TGFβ-GDF9 inhibitor) decreased meiotic maturation at MII. Following parthenogenetic activation, the percentage of blastocysts in SB431542 treatment was lower than in the control (41.3% and 74.4%, respectively). Treatment with GDF9 and BMP15 also increased the m RNA levels of maternal genes such as c-mos [a regulatory subunit of mitogen-activated protein kinase ( MAPK)], and cyclinb1 and cdc2 [regulatory subunits of maturation/M-phase-promoting factor (MPF)]; however, SB431542 significantly decreased their m RNA levels. These data were supported by poly (A)-test PCR and protein activity analyses. Our results show that GDF9 and BMP15 participate in cumulus expansion and that they stimulate MPF and MAPK activities in porcine oocytes during in vitro maturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of two environmental factors (substrate type and water velocity regime) was studied in the ontogenetic migration intensity of kaluga, Huso dauricus, a protected species in the Amur River. Early-life stages studied were: free embryos = days 0-8; larvae = days 9-49; and juveniles = days 50-66. Effect of treatments on fish migration intensity was observed in circular channels, allowing migration in an endless stream. Daily migration intensity of fish was characterized by counting the number of daily upstream or downstream fish passes past a specific site in the channel observed for 5 min every hour by vision or video camera. The hypothesis that substrate type (bare bottom or sand-small cobble) affects migration intensity was accepted, depending on the life stage. For example, the substrate type had no effect on migration intensity of days 0-6 free embryos. However, the intensity in days 7-8 free embryos and days 9-29 larvae was greater over rock substrate, while intensity in days 46-49 larvae and days 50-66 juveniles was greater when the bottom was bare. Thus, the effect of the substrate on migration varied in intensity according to the life stage, and within the larva life stage, by age. The velocity regime had a positive effect on migration intensity of free embryos, but a high velocity (mean, 29.9 cm∙s−1) delayed the resting period of day 8 free embryos and day 9-15 larvae. Free embryos and larvae in low vs fast velocities showed that they may have a drive to migrate a similar distance, and moreover, that a triggering velocity may be needed to initiate or to stop migration. The hypothesis was accepted that the rearing velocity affects migration intensity, e.g. larvae reared in still water and then placed in moving water had a compensatory migration intensity response. For population enhancement stocking of H. dauricus, the results indicate culture practices must insure that: (i) same-population individuals are mated to produce early-life stages with the correct behaviour, (ii) migrating larvae, not juveniles, should be stocked, and (iii) larvae should be released in a river reach with a bottom velocity ≥30 cm∙s−1 containing sand and small pebbles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNA (miRNA) are a class of small, single-stranded, non-coding RNA that regulate mRNA expression at the post-transcriptional level and play important roles in many fundamental biological processes. There is emerging evidence that miRNA are critical regulators of widespread cellular functions, such as differentiation, proliferation, and migration. At present, little is known about miRNA expression profiles related to skeletal muscle growth in aquatic organisms. This study aimed to investigate the phenotypic variation in the body growth of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and to identify and quantify the differential expression levels of selected growth-related transcriptomic miRNA in the skeletal muscle of this fish. To this end, we performed next-generation sequencing to define the full miRNA transcriptome in muscle tissue from Nile tilapia and to detect differentially expressed miRNA between 2 strains of Nile tilapia. These tilapia strains exhibited significant (P < 0.05) phenotypic variation with respect to growth-related traits (body length and BW), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype diversity, and the differential expression of selected growth-related genes. The results obtained from the transcriptome analysis and real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed significant differences in miRNA expression between fast-growing and control strains of tilapia. Digital gene expression (DGE) profiling was performed based on the obtained read abundance, and we identified down-regulated miRNA, including let-7j, miR-140, miR-192, miR-204, miR-218a, miR-218b, miRSOlc, and miR-460, and up-regulated miRNA, including let-7b, let-7c, miR-133, miR-152, miR-15a, miR-193a, miR-30b, and miR-34, associated with body growth in tilapia. These results were further validated using real-time qRT-PCR and microar-ray profiling. In summary, the up- and down-regulation of miRNA involved in the GH/IGF-1 axis signaling pathway suggests that the differential expression levels of growth-related miRNA may serve as molecular markers that are predictive of specific functional and diagnostic implications. The obtained data on genetic polymorphisms in miRNA-target interactions are particularly useful for Nile tilapia breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ion irradiation experiments and atomistic simulations were used to demonstrate that irradiation-induced lattice swelling in a complex oxide, Lu2Ti207, is due initially to the formation of cation antisite defects. X-ray diffraction revealed that cation antisite formation correlates directly with lattice swelling and indicates that the volume per antisite pair is approximately 12 Å3. First principles calculations revealed that lattice swelling is best explained by cation antisite defects. Temperature accelerated dynamics simulations indicate that cation Frenkel defects are metastable and decay to form antisite defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Spinal neuroinflammation has been shown to play an important role in the development of morphine tolerance and morphine withdrawal-induced hyperalgesia. Lipoxins are endogenous lipoxygenase-derived eicosanoids that can function as “braking signals” in inflammation. The present study investigated the effect of 5 (S), 6 (R)-lipoxin A4 methyl ester (LXA4ME), a stable synthetic analog of lipoxin A4, on the expression of antinociceptive tolerance and withdrawal-induced hyperalgesia in chronic morphine-treated rats. Chronic morphine administration through repeated subcutaneous injection induced the development of hyperalgesia and the expression of spinal antinociceptive tolerance to morphine. However, LXA4ME treatment significantly attenuated the development of hyperalgesia and the expression of spinal antinociceptive tolerance to intrathecal morphine in both mechanical and thermal test. Moreover, the administration of LXA4ME during the induction of morphine tolerance inhibited the activation of microglia and astrocytes; reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α); upregulated the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1); and inhibited nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation at the L5 lumbar spinal cord. These results suggest that treatment of LXA4ME provides a potential preventative or therapeutic approach for morphine tolerance and associated abnormal pain sensitivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The ballistic spin-filter effect from a ferromagnetic metal into a semiconductor has theoretically been studied with an intention of detecting the spin polarizability of density of states in FM layer at a higher energy level. The physical model for the ballistic spin filtering across the interface between ferromagnetic metals and semiconductor superlattice is developed by exciting the spin polarized electrons into n-type AlAs/GaAs superlattice layer at a much higher energy level and then ballistically tunneling through the barrier into the ferromagnetic film. Since both the helicity-modulated and static photocurrent responses are experimentallymeasurable quantities, the physical quantity of interest, the relative asymmetry of spin-polarized tunneling conductance, could be extracted experimentally in a more straightforward way, as compared with previousmodels. The present physical model serves guidance for studying spin detection with advanced performance in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene was prepared and used as an adsorbent for removal of cationic red X-GRL from aqueous solutions. The physico-chemical properties of graphene were characterized by the transmission electron microscope (TEM), the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area measurement, atomic force microscope (AFM), and Raman microscope. The adsorption properties of cationic red X-GRL onto graphene were studied as a function of pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and temperature. Kinetic data were well fitted by a pseudo second-order model. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were applied to describe the isotherms and isotherm constants. Equilibrium data agreed very well with the Langmuir model. Thermodynamic studies showed that the adsorption was a spontaneous and endothermic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wnt10b ( wingless-related mouse mammary tumour virus integration site 10b) plays various roles in a wide range of biological actions, including hair-follicle development. To assess the roles that Wnt10b plays in postnatal hair-follicle growth. Adenovirus vectors AdWnt10b, AdGFP, AdGFP plus AdRFP, AdWnt10b plus AdFrzB, and AdWnt10b plus AdSimBC were co-cultured separately with vibrissae. In situ protein expression of Wnt10b, β-catenin and Lef1 was determined by immunohistochemistry, and the proliferation status of the hair follicle was detected by 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labelling. The presence of Wnt signalling molecules in the three stages of hair-follicle growth was detected by PCR-based microarray. AdWnt10b-infected cells were able to secrete bioactive Wnt10b, and when this was added into the basal medium, the vibrissae grew faster than in control medium or in medium containing canonical Wnt signalling antagonists. The in situ protein expression of Wnt10b was consistent with that of β-catenin and Lef1. The expression locus of Wnt10b was almost the same as the proliferating cells labelled by BrdU in the anagen hair follicle. Wnt10b may promote hair-follicle growth by inducing the switch from telogen to anagen via a canonical Wnt signalling pathway to promote the proliferation of matrix cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To quantify the capillary permeability of the lower extremity muscles using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in healthy control subjects without diabetes and patients with diabetes before and after percutaneous angioplasty. Methods: Fifty-five patients (30 without diabetes, 25 with Type 2 diabetes with occluded vasculature of the lower extremities) were examined by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. The transfer constant (K-trans) of the tibialis anterior muscle was determined before (for all patients) and after (for patients with diabetes only) percutaneous angioplasty of the intrapopliteal artery. Clinical assessment was also recorded. Statistical significant differences were defined at the level of P < 0.05. Results: Before percutaneous angioplasty, patients with diabetes displayed significantly lower K-trans values in the tibialis anterior muscles than control subjects. Although percutaneous angioplasty increased the K-trans of these patients, the final values were still less than those of the control group. Differences were also observed between the groups in the Fontaine classification and ankle–brachial index, which reflect ischaemia in the lower extremities. After percutaneous angioplasty, these values were increased in the group with diabetes. Conclusion: K-trans can be used to quantify changes in the capillary permeability of the lower extremity muscles, reflecting the microcirculation of the lower extremities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]