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The electrical conductivity of room temperature ionic liquid (IL) is investigated with molecular dynamics simulation. A trajectory of 1 us in total is analyzed for the ionic liquid [C4mim][NTf2] (1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, and the anion is also called TFSI or TFSA), and the ion motions are examined in direct connection to the conductivity within the framework formulated previously [K.-M. Tu, R. Ishizuka, and N. Matubayasi, J. Chem. Phys. 141, 044126 (2014)]. As a transport coefficient, the computed electrical conductivity is in fair agreement with the experiment. The conductivity is then decomposed into the autocorrelation term of Nernst-Einstein form and the cross-correlation term describing the two-body motions of ions, and the cross-correlation term is further decomposed spatially to incorporate the structural insights on ion configurations into the dynamic picture. It is observed that the ion-pair contribution to the conductivity is not spatially localized and extends beyond the first coordination shell. The extent of localization of the cross-correlation effect in the conductivity is in correspondence to that of the spatial correlation represented by radial distribution function, which persists over nanometer scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A framework for analyzing the electrical conductivity is proposed on the basis of the Green-Kubo formula. The conductivity is decomposed into the contributions from the ionic species in the electrolyte solution to enable the determination of the transport number, and is further expressed as a sum of the autocorrelation term of the Nernst-Einstein form and the cross-correlation term describing the two-body motions of ions. The spatial decomposition is then conducted for the cross-correlation term by formulating an integral expression over the ion-pair distance to bridge the static picture of ion pairing and the dynamic picture of correlated motions. The present framework is applied to 1 m aqueous solution of NaCl using molecular dynamics simulation. The electrical conductivity and the transport number are computed in agreement with the experimental, and the cross-correlation term is seen to cancel the Nernst-Einstein term by 40%. The spatial decomposition of the time correlation functions for ion motions shows that the Na+-Cl- pair in the first coordination shell moves together and that the like-ion pairs also have positive correlations due to the bridging effect by counter ions. The extent of localization is further analyzed for the cross-correlation effect on the conductivity by introducing a cutoff to the integral expression of spatial decomposition over the ion-pair distance. It is found that the contribution from the cross correlation is localized in the first coordination shell of the Na+-Cl- pair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is themost common form of arthritis, and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is found to be up-regulated in adjacent areas of cartilage surface damage. CTGF is present in osteophytes of late stage OA. In the present study, we have reviewed association of CTGF in the development and progression of OA and the potential effects of CTGF as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of OA. We have reviewed the recent articles on CTGF and OA in databases like PubMed, google scholar, and SCOPUS and collected the information for the articles. CTGF is usually up-regulated in synovial fluid of OA that stimulates the production of inflammatory cytokines. CTGF also activates nuclear factor-κB, increases the production of chemokines and cytokines, and up-regulates matrix metalloproteinases-3 (MMP-3) that in turn leads to the reduction in proteoglycan contents in joint cartilage. Consequently, cartilage homeostasis is imbalanced that might contribute to the pathogenesis of OA by developing synovial inflammation and cartilage degradation. CTGF might serve as a useful biomarker for the prognosis and treatment of OA, and recent studies have taken attempt to use CTGF as therapeutic target of OA. However, more investigations with clinical trials are necessary to validate the possibility of use of CTGF as a biomarker in OA diagnosis and therapeutic target for OA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vasohibin 2 (VASH2) has previously been identified as an agiogenenic factor and a cancer related protein. Here we investigated the association of VASH2 expression and chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for VASH2 was performed on 102 human pancreatic cancer samples. Pancreatic cancer cell line models exhibiting overexpression or knockdown of VASH2 were generated. Gene expression analyses were carried out to determine genes differentially regulated by VASH2. Putative transcription factors that are downstream mediators of gene expression regulated by VASH2 were queried bioinformatically. Dual-luciferase reporter assays and ChIP assays were performed to confirm transactivation of target genes following VASH2 overexpression or knockdown. Results: VASH2 protein expression was higher in human pancreatic cancer than in paired adjacent tissues and elevated VASH2 levels were associated with gemcitabine chemoresistance. In cell line models of pancreatic cancer, VASH2 expression induced gemcitabine chemoresistance in vitro and in vivo. It was discovered that expression of ribonucleotide reductase regulatory subunit M2 (RRM2) is regulated by VASH2; immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated a positive association of VASH2 expression and RRM2 expression in human pancreatic cancer tissues. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that induction of the Jun proto-oncogene (JUN) by VASH2 is responsible for upregulation of RRM2 expression; this JUN-dependent regulation of RRM2 by VASH2 was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual luciferase reporter assays, which demonstrated that JUN directly binds with the RRM2 promoter to activate transcription. Conclusions: These data suggest that VASH2 reduces the chemosensitivity to gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells via JUN-dependent transactivation of RRM2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anticancer effect of Scutellaria baicalensis extract has recently become a topic of interest. In this study, the anticancer effects and underlying mechanisms of wogonoside, the main constituent of Scutellaria baicalensis, were investigated in a human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line in vitro. The effects of wogonoside on the proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells were examined. Western blotting was employed to analyze the proteins associated with the biological effects of wogonoside. Wogonoside exerted anti-proliferation properties in vitro. HCC cell growth was attenuated by wogonoside (8 µM) treatment. Cell cycle progression analysis and DNA ladder assay revealed that apoptosis was enhanced in wogonoside-treated cells and that cell cycle arrest occurred in the G2/M phase. It was also demonstrated that increased apoptosis was accompanied by increased levels of Bax protein and decreased levels of Bcl-2 protein. The results of this study suggest that wogonoside may represent a potential therapeutic agent against HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vasohibin-2 (VASH2) is an angiogenic factor, and has been previously reported to be a cancer-related gene, with cytoplasmic and karyotypic forms. In the current study VASH2 expression in human breast cancer tissue and adjacent non-cancerous tissue was investigated with immunohistochemistry. MCF-7 and BT474 human breast cancer cells were transfected with lentiviral constructs to generate in vitro VASH2 overexpression and knockdown models. In addition, BALB/cA nude mice were inoculated subcutaneously with transfected cells to generate in vivo models of VASH2 overexpression and knockdown. The effect of VASH2 on cell proliferation was investigated using a bromodeoxyuridine assay in vitro and immunohistochemistry of Ki67 in xenograft tumors. Growth factors were investigated using a human growth factor array, and certain factors were further confirmed by an immunoblot. The results indicated that the expression level of cytoplasmic VASH2 was higher in breast cancer tissues with a Ki67 (a proliferation marker) level of ⩾14%, compared with tissues with a Ki67 level of <14%. VASH2 induced proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Four growth factors activated by VASH2 were identified as follows: Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), growth/differentiation factor-15 (GDF15), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein (IGFBP)3 and IGFBP6. FGF2 and GDF15 may contribute to VASH2-induced proliferation. The current study identified a novel role for VASH2 in human breast cancer, and this knowledge suggests that VASH2 may be a novel target in breast cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new colorimetric anion receptors 1–3were synthesized and characterized. Among them, both 1and 3showed good sensitivity and selectivity for discrimination of maleate vs. fumarate or malate vs. tartrate by dramatic colour changes in DMSO or DMSO–H2O (95 : 5). Thus, both 1and 3can be used as optical chemosensors for recognition of maleate vs. fumarate or malate vs. tartrate anion. Besides that, the receptor 1has also a unique colour change for recognition of either cis-aconitate or trans-aconitate in DMSO, accordingly it can be used for detection of each isomer and discrimination of cis-aconitate from trans-aconitate anion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  In order to estimate genetic diversity of rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm in Yunnan Province of China, 60 varieties from different regions were analyzed by microsatellite (SSR) fingerprints. Nine selected SSR primer pairs amplified a total of 55 alleles from these varieties, and high genetic diversity (0.706) was found, although it was not evenly distributed across the regions. Marked genetic variation was detected within the traditional varieties. A UPGMA dendrogram based on SSR polymorphism indicated a great variation among the rice varieties, with coefficients ranging between 0.229 and 1.000. The formation of the rice diversity pattern in Yunnan is associated with natural conditions and especially with diverse cultural demands and farming styles. Strategic conservation of rice germplasm in Yunnan is important, and this could be implemented by collecting varieties across geographic regions with sufficient individuals within the same varieties. Effective rice conservation should also consider cultural aspects during collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solvent mixture controlled rapid room temperature syntheses for facile access to uniformzeolitic-imidazolate framework nanocrystals (ZIF-7, ZIF-65-Zn and ZIF-71) are reported. ZIF thin film devices for sensing volatile organic chemicals were fabricated by dip-coating nano-ZIF (80-130 nm) suspensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil is the most biologically abundant ecosystem on the earth. Soil biodiversity has significant impact on maintaining soil ecological balance and agricultural production, especially on healthy growth and disease control of plants. Therefore, it is of great significance to study soil biodiversity. This paper reviewed the role of soil biodiversity in plant growth. First of all, the history of soil biodiversity was introduced. Secondly, the composition of soil biodiversity was introduced, and the role of soil biodiversity in regulating the quantity and species of soil organisms, maintaining the balance and stability of soil system, participating in nutrient circulation and energy flow, and promoting plant health were discussed based on the interactions among microbial diversity, fauna diversity and plant diversity. Finally, combined with the background of advocating the protection of soil biodiversity in the great time, the potential factors threatening soil biodiversity were analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency droop in InGaN-based UV light emitting device (LED) with AlGaN and InAlGaN barrier is investigated. Electroluminescence results indicate that the light performance of quaternary LEDs can be enhanced by 25% and 55% at 350 mA and 1000 mA, respectively. Furthermore, simulations show that quaternary LEDs exhibit 62% higher radiative recombination rate and low efficiency degradation of 13% at a high injection current. We attribute this improvement to increasing of carrier concentration and uniform redistribution of carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The association between asthma and the risk of prostate cancer remains elusive. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between asthma and the onset of prostate cancer. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases for articles that assessed the association of asthma with the risk of prostate cancer through October 2015. We extracted odds ratio (OR) and calculated the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). We used random-effects models to calculate a pooled association between asthma and the risk of prostate cancer. Results: Fourteen studies were involved in the assessment of the association between asthma and prostate cancer risk. Asthma was not associated with the risk of prostate cancer in overall populations (OR 0.994, 95% CI 0.836-1.182), Caucasians (OR 0.922, 95% CI 0.825-1.030), and Asians (OR 5.022, 95% CI 0.415-60.793). The cumulative analysis also suggested a lack association between asthma and the risk of prostate cancer. Exclusion of any single study did not change the results significantly. No evidence of marked publication bias was observed. Conclusions: Our investigation indicated that asthma was not associated with prostate cancer risk in overall populations, Caucasians, and Asians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graded permittivity materials have gained significant attention due to their exceptional ability to regulate electric fields. Multi-material stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing has opened up new possibilities for creating such materials. However, conventional SLA printers typically generate graded material using fixed printing parameters and multiple feedstocks with limited differences, resulting in a constrained capacity for modulating the electric field distribution. To address this limitation, we have developed a multi-material, parameter-controllable SLA strategy, enabling us to assign varying printing parameters for each building layer and switch between feedstocks with significant differences. Solid insulators with graded permittivity are optimised through electric field distribution simulations and subsequently manufactured using our innovative multi-material SLA approach. A 4-layered graded insulator effectively decreases the maximum electric field strength from 82.5-30.8 kV/mm. Both flashover tests and partial discharge signals confirm that graded insulators outperform homogeneous ones in electrical insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteosarcoma is the most common type of cancer that develops in bone, mainly arising from the metaphysis of the long bones. MicroRNA (miR)-200b has been found to generally act as a tumor suppressor in multiple types of human cancers. However, the detailed role of miR-200b in osteosarcoma still remains to be fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the exact role of miR-200b in the progression of osteosarcoma and the underlying mechanism. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction data showed that miR-200b was significantly downregulated in osteosarcoma tissues compared to their matched adjacent nontumor tissues. Low miR-200b level was associated with the advanced clinical stage and positive distant metastasis. Besides, it was also downregulated in osteosarcoma cell lines (U2OS, Saos2, HOS, and MG63) compared to normal osteoblast cell line NHOst. In vitro study showed that restoration of miR-200b led to a significant decrease in proliferation, migration, and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. Moreover, ZEB1 was identified as a target gene of miR-200b, and its expression levels were negatively mediated by miR-200b in osteosarcoma cells. In addition, ZEB1 was significantly upregulated in osteosarcoma cells compared to the normal osteoblast cell line NHOst, and inhibition of ZEB1 expression also suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion in osteosarcoma cells. Finally, we showed that ZEB1 was frequently upregulated in osteosarcoma tissues compared to their matched adjacent normal tissues, and its expression was reversely correlated to the miR-200b levels in osteosarcoma tissues. Based on these findings, our study suggests that miR-200b inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of osteosarcoma cells, probably via the inhibition of ZEB1 expression. Therefore, miR-200b/ZEB1 may become a potential target for the treatment of osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the quality analysis of contemporary industrial production of praseodymium-neodymium (Pr-Nd) alloys, the amount of carbon content is mainly determined using chemical analysis methods. To overcome the shortcomings of the long durations and high costs of quality inspection cycles, this study proposes a non-destructive model for determining the carbon content of Pr-Nd alloys using acoustic emission signals collected using a mel frequency cepstral coefficient (MFCC) long short-term memory (LSTM) network (MFCC-LSTM) model and a data acquisition system. The MFCC ensures accurate signal feature extraction and data dimensionality reduction and the LSTM enables learning of the extracted features. The recognition rate of the MFCC-LSTM model reaches up to 97.53%, which can satisfy the quality inspection requirements for the industrial production of Pr-Nd alloys. In model evaluation, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve shows good performance indices, indicating that the model is robust. Real-time verification of the model shows that the proposed method greatly shortens the time of each quality inspection link; the quality inspection time for a single piece of Pr-Nd alloy is only 0.3-0.65 s, which is a good real-time parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] The paper was to understand the species and pathogenicity of the pathogen causing potato early blight in winter. [Methods] The occurrence of potato early blight was investigated in 5 winter potato growing areas in Yunnan Province. The disease samples were collected from two locations (Zhutang Village and Zhanai Village, Pu'er City) where the occurrence of early blight was severe. The pathogen was isolated and purified in laboratory and identified by morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of ITS gene sequence. And it was further verified via re-inoculation by Koch's rules. The growth characteristics and pathogenicity of isolates in different seasons were analyzed with 4 strains of Alternaria isolated in spring (EYZ, EYAX, TA1 and TAC) as controls. [Results] Early blight occurred in varying degrees in the 5 winter potato growing areas, and the incidence of early blight was up to 100% in some plots in Lancang County, Pu'er City. A total of 35 strains of Alternaria were isolated from plots with high incidence, which were divided into two types according to colony morphology. The first type was round colonies with smooth edges and gray white fronts, and the second type was round colonies with rough edges and gray black fronts. Three strains LC1, LC2, LC3 of the first type and two strains ZT3 and ZT8 of the second type were selected and identified as Alternaria alternata through morphological and molecular identification. Re-inoculation test further confirmed that the pathogen was A. alternata. Meantime, it was found that the growth rate of colonies isolated in winter was relatively slow, and there was no significant difference between the pathogenicity of LCI and TA1, but the pathogenicity of strains isolated in winter was generally higher than that isolated in spring. [Conclusions] It is confirmed that the pathogen causing potato early blight in winter is A. alternata in Yunnan Province. The results will lay a foundation for the research of pathogenesis, occurrence regularity and disease control of A. alternata in winter potato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pillared-layered metal-organic framework compounds M2(BME-bdc)2(dabco) (M2+ = Zn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+; BME-bdc2- = 2,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate; dabco = diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane) exhibit structural flexibility and undergo guest and temperature-induced reversible phase transitions between a narrow pore (np) and a large pore (lp) form. These transitions were analyzed in detail by powder X-ray diffraction ex and in situ, isothermal gas adsorption measurements and differential scanning calorimetry. The threshold parameters (gas pressure or temperature), the magnitude of the phase transitions (volume change) as well as their transition enthalpies are strikingly dependent on the chosen metal cation M2+. This observation is assigned to the different electronic structures and ligand field effects on the coordination bonds. Accordingly, in situ powder X-ray diffraction measurements as a function of CO2 pressure reveal different mechanisms for the np to lp phase transition during CO2 adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common cancer of the bone. Chemotherapy is commonly used for the clinical treatment of OS. However, chemoresistance to cisplatin [also known as diamminedichloridoplatinum (II) (DDP)] is a major obstacle for OS therapy, the underlying mechanism of which is not fully understood. The present study aimed to investigate the role of microRNA (miR)-199a-5p in the regulation of chemoresistance to DDP in OS cells. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that the expression level of miR-199a-5p was significantly reduced in human OS MG63 cells. In addition, DDP treatment also upregulated the protein levels of light chain 3 (LC3)-II and Beclin1 as well as the ratio of LC3-II vs. LC3-I in MG63 cells, indicating that autophagy was activated. Restoration of miR-199a-5p expression promoted DDP-induced inhibition of MG63 cell proliferation and inhibited DDP-induced autophagy, as indicated by the reduced protein levels of LC3-II and Beclin1 and the ratio of LC3-II vs. LC3-I. Finally, luciferase reporter assay data revealed that miR-199a-5p directly targeted Beclin1 and negatively mediated Beclin1 expression at a post-transcriptional level in MG63 cells. In conclusion, our study suggests that miR-199a-5p promotes the cytotoxicity of DDP in OS cells via inhibition of autophagy. Therefore, miR-199a-5p/autophagy signaling is involved in chemoresistance and may become a potential target for the treatment of DDP-resistant OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice restorer Qianhui 5819 bred by Guizhou Institute of Crop Germplasm Resources and cytoplasm male sterile (CMS) line Anfeng A bred by Rice Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences were used to develop three-line mid-season indica hybrid rice Anyou 5819. Anyou 5819 was examined and approved by Guizhou Crop Variety Approval Committee in June 2014 (No.2014013 validated in Guizhou). The average yield of the combination in Guizhou regional test of hybrid rice in 2012 and 2013 were 8 839.05 kg/hm² and 9 693.90 kg/hm², respectively. The yields increased 8.66% and 8.80% respectively compared with the control Xiangzaoyou 2017. The yields of 15 points among 16 points during the two years were increased. In addition the average yield in Guizhou production test of early-maturing hybrid rice in 2013 was 8 772.15 kg/hm². It increased 2.31% compared with the control Xiangzaoyou 2017. In General, Anyou 5819 has high yield, disease resistance, good quality and moderate growth period, which is suitable for the rice cropping area with middle and high altitude in Guizhou. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serine/threonine-protein kinase-1 (SMG-1) belongs to the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-related kinase family. Altered expression of SMG-1 contributes to human carcinogenesis and cancer progression. The present study detected the expression levels of SMG-1 in normal and cancerous pancreatic tissues and then assessed the effects of SMG-1-knockdown in pancreatic cancer cell lines in vitro. A pancreatic cancer tissue array and pancreatic cancer cell lines were used to detect the expression levels of SMG-1 and a lentivirus expressing either SMG-1 or negative control short hairpin (sh)RNA were used to knock down the expression of SMG-1 in the pancreatic cancer cell lines. Western blot, cell proliferation, Cell Counting kit-8, Transwell tumor cell migration and invasion assays, and flow cytometric analysis of cell apoptosis with or without gemcitabine or cisplatin treatment were performed to assess the tumor cells. The protein expression of SMG-1 was higher in the pancreatic cancer tissues and cells compared with the normal tissues. sh-SMG-1 lentivirus infection significantly suppressed the expression of SMG-1 in the pancreatic cancer cell lines, resulting in the inhibition of tumor cell proliferation and increased chemosensitivity to treatment with gemcitabine and cisplatin. However, SMG-1 knockdown had no effect on pancreatic cancer cell migration or invasion capacities. The protein expression of SMG-1 was increased in the pancreatic cancer tissues and was associated with an advanced tumor stage. Knock down of the expression of SMG-1 inhibited tumor cell proliferation and induced the chemosensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro effect of osteopontin (OPN) on the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) in chondrocytes and the role of OPN in osteoarthritis (OA). Cartilage was purified from the tibial surfaces of patients with OA of the knee and cultured in vitro to obtain chondrocytes. Recombinant human OPN (rhOPN) and OPN small interfering RNA (siRNA) were used to treat the chondrocytes, and the changes in the expression levels of the HIF-2α gene were measured. An anti-CD44 blocking monoclonal antibody (mAb) was used to determine the probable ligand-receptor interactions. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays were designed and validated with SYBR® Green dyes for the simultaneous quantification of the mRNA expression levels of OPN and HIF-2α. The mRNA expression level of HIF-2α was markedly decreased in the rhOPN-treated group compared with that in the control group; by contrast, OPN siRNA increased HIF-2α gene expression. CD44 blocking mAb suppressed the inhibitory effect of OPN on HIF-2α mRNA expression. The results of the present study suggest that OPN may play a protective role in OA by inhibiting HIF-2α gene expression in osteoarthritic chondrocytes through CD44 interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) typically relies on tumor transformation and angiogenesis for its malignant behavior, including growth and metastasis. Previously, we reported that Vasohibin2 (VASH2) is preferentially expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor tissues and promotes angiogenesis. Here, we further investigated the role of VASH2 in HCC tumor progression. Results Bioinformatics analyses and luciferase reporter gene assays confirmed the posttranscriptional regulation of VASH2 by miR-200a/b/c. We then used HepG2 and Hep3B cells, two representative hepatic cancer cell lines, to examine the role of VASH2 in tumors. VASH2 knockdown in HepG2 cells inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), but VASH2 overexpression in Hep3B cells promoted EMT. Western blot analyses showed that VASH2 promoted EMT through the ZEB1/2 pathway. Conclusion VASH2 promoted invasion, reduced apoptosis and increased the proportion of stem cells in vitro and in vivo. These results indicated that VASH2 expression in HCC cells promotes the malignant transformation of tumors by inducing EMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells play a key role in non-specific immune response in different cancers, including pancreatic cancer. However the anti-tumor effect of NK cells decreases during pancreatic cancer progression. The regulatory pathways by which NK cells facilitate tumor immune escape are unclear, therefore our purpose was to investigate the roles of the contributory factors. Methods: NK cells isolated from fresh healthy peripheral blood were co-cultured with normal human pancreatic ductal cells hTERT-HPNE and human pancreatic cancer cell lines SW1990 and BxPc-3 in vitro. Then NK cell function was determined by Flow cytometric analysis of surface receptors and cytotoxic granules in NK cells, NK cell apoptosis and cytotoxicity, and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of cytokines. Expression level of MMP-9, IDO and COX-2 in hTERT-HPNE and SW1990 cells were detected by quantitative RT-PCR. Statistical differences between data groups were determined by independent t-tests using SPSS 19.0 software. Results: Our results showed that NK cell function was significantly downregulated following exposure to pancreatic cancer cells compared to normal pancreatic cells, as demonstrated by lower expressions of activating surface receptors (NKG2D, DNAM-1, NKp30 and NKp46) and cytotoxic granules (Perforin and Granzyme B); decreased secretion of cytokines (TNF-α and IFN-γ); and reduced cytotoxicity against myelogenous leukemia K562 cells. Further investigations revealed that MMP-9 and IDO may be implicated in SW1990 cell-induced NK cell dysfunction by facilitating tumor immune evasion. Blockade by TIMP-1 and/or 1-MT could partially restore NK function. Conclusions: Taken together, elevation of MMP-9 and IDO induced by pancreatic cancer cells mediates NK cell dysfunction. Our findings could contribute to the development of NK cell-based immunotherapy in patients with pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a composite buffer layer structure (CBLS) with multiple AlGaN layers and grading of Al composition/u-GaN1/(AlN/GaN) superlattices/u-GaN2 and InAlGaN/AlGaN quaternary superlattices electron-blocking layers (QSLs-EBLs) are introduced into the epitaxial growth of InGaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on 6-inch Si (111) substrates to suppress cracking and improve the crystalline quality and emission efficiency. The effect of CBLS and QSLs-EBL on the crystalline quality and emission efficiency of InGaN-based LEDs on Si substrates was studied in detail. Optical microscopic images revealed the absence of cracks and Ga melt-back etching. The atomic force microscopy images exhibited that the root-mean-square value of the surface morphology was only 0.82 nm. The full widths at half maxima of the (0002) and (101̅2) reflections in the double crystal X-ray rocking curve were ~330 and 450 respectively. The total threading dislocation density, revealed by transmission electron microscopy, was <; 6× 108 cm-2. From the material characterizations, described above, blue and white LEDs emitters were fabricated using the epiwafers of InGaN-based LEDs on 6-inch Si substrates. The blue LEDs emitter that comprised blue LEDs chip and clear lenses had an emission power of 490 mW at 350 mA, a wall-plug efficiency of 45% at 350 mA, and an efficiency droop of 80%. The white LEDs emitter that comprised blue LEDs chip and yellow phosphor had an emission efficiency of ~110 lm/W at 350 mA and an efficiency droop of 78%. These results imply that the use of a CBLS and QSLs-EBL was found to be very simple and effective in fabricating high-efficiency InGaN-based LEDs on Si for solid-state lighting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Realization of advanced bio-interactive electronic devices requires mechanically compliant sensors with the ability to detect extremely large strain. Here, we design a new multifunctional carbon nanotube (CNT) based capacitive strain sensors which can detect strains up to 300% with excellent durability even after thousands of cycles. The CNT-based strain gauge devices exhibit deterministic and linear capacitive response throughout the whole strain range with a gauge factor very close to the predicted value (strictly 1), representing the highest sensitivity value. The strain tests reveal the presented strain gauge with excellent dynamic sensing ability without overshoot or relaxation, and ultrafast response at sub-second scale. Coupling these superior sensing capabilities to the high transparency, physical robustness and flexibility, we believe the designed stretchable multifunctional CNT-based strain gauge may have various potential applications in human friendly and wearable smart electronics, subsequently demonstrated by our prototypical data glove and respiration monitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel approach for estimating vehicles' orientations from still images using "eigen color" and edge map through a clustering framework. To extract the eigen color, a novel color transform model is used for roughly segmenting a vehicle from its background. The model is invariant to various situations like contrast changes, background, and lighting. It does not need to be re-estimated for any new vehicles. In this eigen color space, different vehicle regions can be easily identified. However, since the problem of object segmentation is still ill-posed, only with this model, the shape of a vehicle cannot be well extracted from its background and thus affects the accuracy of orientation estimation. In order to solve this problem, the distributions of vehicle edges and colors are then integrated together to form a powerful but high-dimensional feature space. Since the feature dimension is high, the normalized cut spectral clustering (Ncut) is then used for feature reduction and orientation clustering. The criterion in Ncut tries to minimize the ratio of the total dissimilarity between groups to the total similarity within the groups. Then, the vehicle orientation can be analyzed using the eigenvectors derived from the Ncut result. The proposed framework needs only one still image and is thus very different to traditional methods which need motion features to determine vehicle orientations. Experimental results reveal the superior performances in vehicle orientation analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A response by the authors to Gebauer and Amling's reaction to their letter to the editor concerning the duo's paper "Subdental synchondrosis and anatomy of the axis in aging: A histomorphometric study on 30 autopsy cases," in the 2006 issue is presented.

We demonstrate a GaN-based high-Q microcavity light emitting diode (MCLED) with a buried AlN current aperture. A thin AlN layer is inserted on the InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells as a current blocking layer and an optical confinement layer. The GaN-based MCLED is composed of a 29-pair GaN/AlN distributed Bragg reflector (DBR), an eight-pair of SiO2/Ta2O5 dielectric DBR, and a three-λ optical thickness InGaN/GaN active region. The current can be injected more effectively in the MCLED with a buried AlN current aperture. The output emission has a dominant emission peak wavelength at 440 nm with a very narrow linewidth of 0.52 nm, corresponding to a cavity Q-value of 846 at a driving current of 5 mA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the demonstration of the continuous wave laser action on GaN-based vertical cavity surface emitting lasers at room temperature. The laser structure consists of a ten-pair Ta2O5/SiO2 distributed Bragg reflector (DBR), a 7λ-thick optical cavity, ten-pairs InGaN/GaN multiquantum wells with an AlGaN electron blocking layer, and a 29-pair AlN/GaN DBR. The laser has a threshold current of about 9.7 mA corresponding to the current density of about 12.4 kA/cm2 and a turn-on voltage about 4.3 V at 300 K. The lasing wavelength was 412 nm with a linewidth of about 0.5 nm. A spontaneous emission coupling efficiency factor of about 5×10-3 and the degree of polarization of about 55% were measured, respectively. The laser beam has a narrow divergence angle of about 8°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]