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Background: Ussuri raccoon dog is an important economic animal, which brings considerable economic benefits to Hebei, China. The high fertility rate of Ussuri raccoon dog is vital for its breeding industry. However, the molecular mechanism of prolificacy traits in raccoon dog remains unclear. Therefore, it is of great importance to identify the related genes and analyze the genetic mechanism of its high reproductive traits. Methods: In our study, RNA-seq was performed using ovarian tissues from six Ussuri raccoon dogs during estrus. The samples were divided into two groups based on the litter size over the last three consecutive years. We performed a standard transcriptomic analysis procedure to dig for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and analyze gene function in detail. Result: Statistical analysis revealed a total of 612 DEGs between the low-fecundity and high-fecundity group including 277 upregulated and 335 downregulated DEGs, respectively. KEGG pathway analysis shows the DEGs enriched in several reproductive related pathways, such as the Circadian entrainment pathway. A total of 8 DEGs were identified with differential alternative splicing (DAS) events and recognized as DAS-DE genes. Among the up-regulated DAS-DE genes, ABCA6 and GPAM were found to be the most important genes regulating the prolificacy trait of Ussuri raccoon dog. The DEGs and DAS-DE genes identified in this study provide a probable genetic mechanism for improving prolificacy of Ussuri raccoon dog breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, exploration breakthroughs have been made in the Lower Cretaceous sandstone reservoirs in the Doseo Basin, but the identification of reservoir fluid property is difficult due to variable reservoir lithology, complex oil-water contact within and faint responses of the oil zone, which causes the lower accuracy of reservoir fluid property identification with conventional mudlogging and wirelogging techniques. Applying the geochemical logging, fluorescent logging, mud logging and cutting logging technology, in combination with formation test data, this paper distinguishes the crude oil types, analyzes the logging response characteristics of oil zone after water washing, and establishes the interpretation charts and parameter standards for reservoir fluid properties. The crude oil can be divided into two types, namely viscous-heavy and thin-light, based on total hydrocarbon content and component concentration tested by mud logging, features of pyrolysis gas chromatogram and fluorescence spectroscopy. The general characteristics of oil layers experienced water washing include the decrease of total hydrocarbon content and component concentration from mud logging, the decrease of S1 and PS values from geochemical logging, the decrease of hydrocarbon abundance and absence of some light components in pyrolysis gas chromatogram, and the decrease of fluorescence area and intensity from fluorescence logging. According to crude oil types, the cross plots of S1 versus peak-baseline ratio, and the cross plots of rock wettability versus fluorescence area ratio are drawn and used to interpret reservoir fluid property. Meanwhile, the standards of reservoir fluid parameter are established combining with the parameters of PS and the parameters in above charts, and comprehensive multiparameter correlation in both vertical and horizontal ways is also performed to interpret reservoir fluid property. The application in the Doseo Basin achieved great success, improving interpretation ability of fluid property in the reservoir with complex oil-water contact, and also provided technical reference for the efficient exploration and development of similar reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report high-performance WSe2 phototransistors with two-dimensional (2D) contacts formed between degenerately p-doped WSe2 and undoped WSe2 channel. A photoresponsivity of ∼600 mA/W with a high external quantum efficiency up to 100% and a fast response time (both rise and decay times) shorter than 8 μs have been achieved concurrently. More importantly, our WSe2 phototransistor exhibits a high specific detectivity (∼1013 Jones) in vacuum, comparable or higher than commercial Si- and InGaAs-based photodetectors. Further studies have shown that the high photoresponsivity and short response time of our WSe2 phototransistor are mainly attributed to the lack of Schottky-barriers between degenerately p-doped WSe2 source/drain contacts and undoped WSe2 channel, which can reduce the RC time constant and carrier transit time of a photodetector. Our experimental results provide an accessible strategy to achieve high-performance WSe2 phototransistor architectures by improving their electrical transport and photocurrent generation simultaneously, opening up new avenues for engineering future 2D optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Resistance to tamoxifen (TAM) frequently occurs in the treatment of estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer. Accumulating evidences indicate that transcription factor HOXB13 is of great significance in TAM resistance. However, the regulation of HOXB13 in TAM-resistant breast cancer remains largely unexplored. Here, we were interested in the potential effect of HBXIP, an oncoprotein involved in the acceleration of cancer progression, on the modulation of HOXB13 in TAM resistance of breast cancer. Methods: The Kaplan-Meier plotter cancer database and GEO dataset were used to analyze the association between HBXIP expression and relapse-free survival. The correlation of HBXIP and HOXB13 in ER+ breast cancer was assessed by human tissue microarray. Immunoblotting analysis, qRT-PCR assay, immunofluorescence staining, Co-IP assay, ChIP assay, luciferase reporter gene assay, cell viability assay, and colony formation assay were performed to explore the possible molecular mechanism by which HBXIP modulates HOXB13. Cell viability assay, xenograft assay, and immunohistochemistry staining analysis were utilized to evaluate the effect of the HBXIP/HOXB13 axis on the facilitation of TAM resistance in vitro and in vivo. Results: The analysis of the Kaplan-Meier plotter and the GEO dataset showed that mono-TAM-treated breast cancer patients with higher HBXIP expression levels had shorter relapse-free survivals than patients with lower HBXIP expression levels. Overexpression of HBXIP induced TAM resistance in ER+ breast cancer cells. The tissue microarray analysis revealed a positive association between the expression levels of HBXIP and HOXB13 in ER+ breast cancer patients. HBXIP elevated HOXB13 protein level in breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, HBXIP prevented chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA)-dependent degradation of HOXB13 via enhancement of HOXB13 acetylation at the lysine 277 residue, causing the accumulation of HOXB13. Moreover, HBXIP was able to act as a co-activator of HOXB13 to stimulate interleukin (IL)-6 transcription in the promotion of TAM resistance. Interestingly, aspirin (ASA) suppressed the HBXIP/HOXB13 axis by decreasing HBXIP expression, overcoming TAM resistance in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: Our study highlights that HBXIP enhances HOXB13 acetylation to prevent HOXB13 degradation and co-activates HOXB13 in the promotion of TAM resistance of breast cancer. Therapeutically, ASA can serve as a potential candidate for reversing TAM resistance by inhibiting HBXIP expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic carcinoma (PC) is a deadly form of cancer with poor overall survival. Currently, chemotherapy such as gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) are the most popular medications that can improve survival, but rapid drug-resistance makes the search for more effective drugs urgent. Upon looking for natural components to treat PC, it was found that arenobufagin, a cardiac glycosides-like compound, showed significant effects on the gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic carcinoma cell line Panc-1 and the gemcitabine-sensitive cell line ASPC-1 at nanomolar concentrations. The present study used MTT and clonogenic survival assays to examine survival and proliferation, and western blotting to assess changes in the associated mitogen activated protein kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathways and expression of apoptosis-related proteins. The current study also detected the cell cycle by flow cytometry. Arenobufagin inhibited cell survival and proliferation, decreased the phosphorylation of key downstream proteins of K-Ras, including protein kinase B and extracellular signal related kinase, induced cell cycle G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis, and downregulated the level of phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor. Notably, the present data also showed that arenobufagin can enhance the sensitivity of PC cells to gemcitabine and 5-FU. In conclusion, arenobufagin could enhance the effect of gemcitabine and 5-FU on PC cells by targeting multiple key proteins. Therefore, arenobufagin has potential as anadjuvant therapy for the treatment of PC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell lung carcinoma (SCC) are two major subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Previous studies have demonstrated that fundamental differences exist in the underlying mechanisms of tumor development, growth and invasion between these subtypes. The investigation of differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) between these two NSCLC subtypes is useful for determining and understanding such differences. The present study aimed to identify those DEGs using meta-analysis and the data from four microarray experiments, consisting of 164 AC and 161 SCC samples. Raw gene expression values were converted into the probability of expression (POE) representing the differentially-expressed probability of a gene and expression barcode values representing its expression status. The results indicated that when applying a meta-analysis using barcode values, heterogeneity in genes across studies was less severe than when applying a meta-analysis using POE values. DEGs in each meta-analysis method overlapped substantially (P=1.3x10-4), but the barcode method yielded a lower global false discovery rate. Based on this and several other performance statistics, it was concluded that the barcode approach outperformed the POE method. Finally, using those DEGs, ontology and pathway analyses were conducted. A number of genes and enriched pathways were found to be closely associated with NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper details a new method that combines laser autogenous welding, laser wire filling welding and hybrid laser-GMAW welding to weld 30mm thick plate using a multi-layer, multi-pass process. A "Y" shaped groove was used to create the joint. Research was also performed to optimize the groove size and the processing parameters. Laser autogenous welding is first used to create the backing weld. The lower, narrowest part of the groove is then welded using laser wire filling welding. Finally, the upper part of the groove is welded using laser-GMAW hybrid welding. Additionally, the wire feeding and droplet transfer behaviors are observed by high speed photography. The two main conclusions from this work are: the wire is often biased towards the side walls, resulting in a lack of fusion at the joint and the creation of other defects for larger groove sizes. Additionally, this results in the droplet transfer behavior becoming unstable, leading to a poor weld appearance for smaller groove sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cell of origin and the tumor microenvironment's role remain elusive for the most common peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs). As macrophages promote the growth and survival of malignant T cells and are abundant constituents of the tumor microenvironment, their functional polarization was examined in T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. Cytokines that are abundant within the tumor microenvironment, particularly interleukin (IL)-10, were observed to promote alternative macrophage polarization. Macrophage polarization was signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 dependent and was impaired by the Janus kinase inhibitor ruxolitinib. In conventional T cells, the production of T helper (Th)2-associated cytokines and IL-10, both of which promote alternative macrophage polarization, is regulated by the T-cell transcription factor GATA-binding protein 3 (GATA-3). Therefore, its role in the T-cell lymphomas was examined. GATA-3 expression was observed in 45% of PTCLs, not otherwise specified (PTCL, NOS) and was associated with distinct molecular features, including the production of Th2-associated cytokines. In addition, GATA-3 expression identified a subset of PTCL, NOS with distinct clinical features, including inferior progression-free and overall survival. Collectively, these data suggest that further understanding the cell of origin and lymphocyte ontogeny among the T-cell lymphomas may improve our understanding of the tumor microenvironment's pathogenic role in these aggressive lymphomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inductively coupled plasma etching parameters for fabricating sensing windows of integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometer sensor based on polymers are systematically investigated. Under the optimum etching condition, we fabricate an improved sensing waveguide with three sensing surfaces, whose sensitivity can be enhanced by a factor of 3.5 in theory. Through precisely controlling the etching time, low propagation loss and high hydrophilicity are both achieved in the etched sensing waveguide. This optimizing approach along with rapid response and stable operation has rendered the MZ1 wave-guide sensor more competent to practical requirements of R1 sensing and biochemical sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viral protein 35 (VP35), encoded by filoviruses, is a multi functional dsRNA binding protein that plays important roles in viral replication, innate immune evasion, and pathogenesis. The multifunctional nature of these proteins also presents opportunities to develop countermeasures that target distinct functional regions. However, functional validation and the establishment of therapeutic approaches toward such multifunctional proteins, particularly for non-enzymatic targets, are often challenging. Our previous work on filoviral VP35 proteins defined conserved basic residues located within its C-terminal dsRNA binding interferon (IFN) inhibitory domain (IID) as important for VP35 mediated IFN antagonism and viral polymerase cofactor functions. In the current study, we used a combination of structural and functional data to determine regions of Ebola virus (EBOV) VP35 (eVP35) to target for aptamer selection using SELEX. Select aptamers, representing, two distinct classes, were further characterized based on their interaction properties to eVP35 IID. These results revealed that these aptamers bind to distinct regions of eVP35 IID with high affinity (10-50 nM) and specificity. These aptamers can compete with dsRNA for binding to eVP35 and disrupt the eVP35-nucleoprotein (NP) interaction. Consistent with the ability to antagonize the eVP35-NP interaction, select aptamers can inhibit the function of the EBOV polymerase complex reconstituted by the expression of select viral proteins. Taken together, our results support the identification of two aptamers that bind filoviral VP35 proteins with high affinity and specificity and have die capacity to potentially function as filoviral VP35 protein inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frédéric Chopin's compositions have been popular since they first appeared in print. Unfortunately, that popularity has not always resulted in editions of his works that follow modern, critical editorial conventions. A single composition by Chopin can have many types of "authentic" sources, and editors and publishers have taken liberties in changing details of the score to suit their own ideologies. This article examines the editorial issues involved in fashioning a critical edition of Chopin's Grand Valse Brillante in E-flat Major, Op.18. Specifically, it focuses on four modern editions and compares and contrasts the editions among themselves, as well as to various 19th-century editions and manuscripts. The evaluation compares the stated goals of the editions to the editors' execution of those goals and assesses the effect of the editors' choices of marking on a performance of the waltz. The author also shows how editorial methodology--presentation of sources, editorial decisions, critical repots and such--leads to such discrepancies among the editions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipocalin-2 (Lcn2) is a biomarker for many inflammatory-based diseases, including acute kidney injury, cardiovascular stress, diabetes, and various cancers. Inflammatory transitions occur rapidly in kidney and cardiovascular disease, for which an in-line monitor could be beneficial. Microcantilever devices with aptamers as recognition elements can be effective and rapidly responsive sensors. Here, we have selected and characterized an RNA aptamer that specifically binds mouse Lcn2 (mLcn2) with a dissociation constant of 340 ± 70 nM in solution and 38 ± 22 nM when immobilized on a surface. The higher apparent affinity of the immobilized aptamer may result from its effective multivalency that decreases the off-rate. The aptamer competes with a catechol iron-siderophore, the natural ligand of mLcn2. This and the results of studies with mLcn2 mutants demonstrate that the aptamer binds to the siderophore binding pocket of the protein. A differential interferometer-based microcantilever sensor was developed with the aptamer as the recognition element in which the differential response between two adjacent cantilevers (a sensing/reference pair) is utilized to detect the binding between mLcn2 and the aptamer, ensuring that sensor response is independent of environmental influences, distance between sensing surface and detector and nonspecific binding. The system showed a detection limit of 4 nM. This novel microcantilever aptasensor has potential for development as an in-line monitoring system for mLcn2 in studies of animal models of acute diseases such as kidney and cardiac failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As short nucleic acids, aptamers in solution are believed to be structurally flexible. Consistent with this view, most aptamers examined for this property have been shown to bind their target molecules by mechanisms that can be described as "induced fit". But, it is not known to what extent this structural flexibility affects the integrity of the target-aptamer interaction. Using the malachite green aptamer (MGA) as a model system, we show that the MGA can protect its bound target, malachite green (MG), from oxidation over several days. Protection is reversed by an oligonucleotide complementary to the MGA binding pocket. Computational cavity analysis of the MGA-MG structure predicted that MG oxidation is protected because a molecule as small as an OH- is sterically excluded from the C1 position of the bound MG. These results suggest that, while the MGA-MG interface is sufficiently coherent to prevent OH- penetration, the bases involved in the interaction are sufficiently mobile that they can exchange out of the MG binding interface to hybridize with a complementary oligonucleotide. The computational predictions were confirmed experimentally using variants of the MGA with single base changes in the binding pocket. This work demonstrates the successful application of molecular dynamics simulations and cavity analysis in determining the effects of sequence variations on the structure of a small single-stranded nucleic acid. It also shows that a nucleic acid aptamer can control access to specific chemical groups on its target, which suggests that aptamers might be applied for selectively protecting small molecules from modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are associated with significant alterations in the bone marrow microenvironment that include decreased expression of key niche factors and myelofibrosis. Here, we explored the contribution of TGF-β to these alterations by abrogating TGF-β signaling in bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells. Loss of TGF-β signaling in Osx-Cre-targeted MSCs prevented the development of myelofibrosis in both MPLW515L and Jak2V617F models of MPNs. In contrast, despite the absence of myelofibrosis, loss of TGF-β signaling in mesenchymal stromal cells did not rescue the defective hematopoietic niche induced by MPLW515L, as evidenced by decreased bone marrow cellularity, hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell number, and Cxcl12 and Kitlg expression, and the presence of splenic extramedullary hematopoiesis. Induction of myelofibrosis by MPLW515L was intact in Osx-Cre Smad4fl/fl recipients, demonstrating that SMAD4-independent TGF-β signaling mediates the myelofibrosis phenotype. Indeed, treatment with a c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor prevented the development of myelofibrosis induced by MPLW515L. Together, these data show that JNK-dependent TGF-β signaling in mesenchymal stromal cells is responsible for the development of myelofibrosis but not hematopoietic niche disruption in MPNs, suggesting that the signals that regulate niche gene expression in bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells are distinct from those that induce a fibrogenic program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using density functional theory (DFT) within the non-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) formalism, we studied the spin transport through a binuclear ferric phthalocyanine (Fe2Pc2) connected to gold nanowire electrodes. The Fe2Pc2 molecular devices exhibited a perfect spin filtering effect and larger magnetoresistance ratio even where magnetic electrodes did not exist. The spin-polarized transport comes from the magnetic proximity to the central Fe atoms at the center of each phthalocyanine causing the molecule to develop a finite magnetic character. Compared with traditional magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), the spin transport of the proposed molecular junction can be tuned only by altering the magnetization orientation of the Fe atom at the center of the molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forkhead box D1 (FOXD1) is a new member of FOX transcription factor family. FOXD1 has demonstrated multilevel roles during normal development, and several diseases' pathogenesis. However, little is known about the role of FOXD1 in the progression of head and neck squamous cancer (HNSC). In the present study, we analyzed FOXD1 expression pattern using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, HNSC cell lines, and HNSC tissues. Then, we analyzed the correlation between FOXD1 expression and clinical characteristics, and evaluated the prognostic value of FOXD1 in HNSC. Moreover, we assessed the relationship between FOXD1 expression and tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune cell infiltration using Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in MAlignant Tumor tissues using Expression data (ESTIMATE) and Cell-type Identification By Estimating Relative Subsets Of known RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT) algorithms. Finally, we predicted the FOXD1-related biological processes (BPs) and signal pathways. FOXD1 was up-regulated in HNSC tissues in TCGA datasets, validated by GEO datasets, HNSC cell lines and HNSC tissues. FOXD1 expression was significantly associated with tumor site and HPV infection. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that FOXD1 expression was an independent prognostic factor. Moreover, we found that the proportions of naïve B cells, plasma cells, and resting dendritic cells (DCs) were negatively correlated with FOXD1 expression, otherwise, the proportion of activated mast cells was positively correlated with FOXD1 expression using CIBERSORT algorithm. Gene Set Enrichment Analyses (GSEAs) revealed that FOXD1 was mainly involved in cancer-related signaling pathway and metabolism-related pathways. FOXD1 was a potential oncogene, and might represent an indicator for predicting overall survival (OS) of HNSC patients. Moreover, many cancer-related pathways and metabolism-related processes may be regulated by FOXD1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional manufacturing processes for aerogel insulation materials mostly rely on the supercritical drying, which suffers from issues of massive energy consumption, high-cost equipment, and prolonged processing time. Considering the large market demand for the aerogel insulation material in the next decade, a cost-effective and scalable fabrication technique is highly desired. In this paper, a direct ink writing (DIW) method is used to three-dimensionally fabricate the silica aerogel insulation material, followed by room-temperature and ambient pressure drying. Compared with the supercritical drying and freeze-drying techniques, the reported method significantly reduces the fabrication time and costs. The cost-effective DIW technique offers the capability to print complex hollow internal structures, coupled with the porous aerogel structure, it is found to be beneficial for the thermal insulation property. The addition of fiber to the ink assures the durability of the fabricated product, without sacrificing the thermal insulation performance. The foam ink preparation methods and the printability are demonstrated in this paper, along with the printing of complex three-dimensional geometries. The thermal insulation performance of the printed objects is characterized, and the mechanical properties were also examined. The proposed approach is found to have a 56% reduction in the processing time. The printed silica aerogels exhibit a low thermal conductivity of 0.053 W m-1 K-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a facile method to produce ultrathin molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) hybrids with polarized near-infrared (NIR) photoresponses, in which horizontally-aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are integrated with single- and few-layer MoS2 through a two-step chemical vapor deposition process. The photocurrent generation mechanisms in SWNT-MoS2 hybrids are systematically investigated through wavelength- and polarization-dependent scanning photocurrent measurements. When the incident photon energy is above the direct bandgap of MoS2, isotropic photocurrent signals are observed, which can be primarily attributed to the direct bandgap transition in MoS2. In contrast, if the incident photon energy in the NIR region is below the direct bandgap of MoS2, the maximum photocurrent response occurs when the incident light is polarized in the direction along the SWNTs, indicating that photocurrent signals mainly result from the anisotropic absorption of SWNTs. More importantly, these two-dimensional (2D) hybrid structures inherit the electrical transport properties from MoS2, displaying n-type characteristics at a zero gate voltage. These fundamental studies provide a new way to produce ultrathin MoS2 hybrids with inherited electrical properties and polarized NIR photoresponses, opening doors for engineering various 2D hybrid materials for future broadband optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor immune infiltration cells (TIICs) are highly heterogeneous, not only in different cancer subtypes but also within different cancer regions. We conducted the Cell-type Identification using Estimating Relative Subsets Of RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT) method. We assessed the relative proportions of 22 TIICs in HNSC using publicly available TCGA transcriptional datasets, analyzed the proportions of TIICs between HNSC tissues and normal tissues, along with accompanying clinicopathological data, and the impact of TIICs on clinical outcome. After the filter criteria, a total of 395 patients were included in the analysis. We found significant differences in naïve B cells, monocytes, resting mast cells, activated mast cells, CD8+ T cells, and M0 macrophages between HNSC tissues and adjacent non-cancer tissues. We also found that some TIIC subgroups were significantly associated with clinical parameters. Moreover, the patients with low Tregs fraction had worse OS and DFS than those with high Tregs fraction. However, low M0 macrophages fraction was associated with better OS and DFS in HNSC patients. Moreover, Tregs and M0 macrophages are likely to be important determinants of prognosis, which may serve as a potential immunotherapy target for HNSC. Then, we screened the immune-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs), performed the GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, constructed the protein–protein interaction network, and screened the prognosis-related hub genes in HNSC. However, further clinical investigation and basic experiments are needed to validate our results, and uncover the molecular mechanisms interlinking TIICs in HNSC and their roles in prognosis and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, cellulose fiber was extracted from bamboo shoot shell with a deep eutectic solvent (DES). The deep eutectic solvent used was prepared by the fusion of choline chloride (ChCl), oxalic acid (OA) and ethylene glycol (EG) at 80 °C. Based on the degumming rate, the influence of temperature and time on the DES degumming system was determined. Based on the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG) results, it was confirmed that the DES system can remove colloids from bamboo shoot shell, increasing the thermal stability and heat resistance of bamboo shoot shell fiber, and improving its crystallinity. It was proved that the DES system can effectively remove lignin and hemicelluloses, and retain cellulose in bamboo shoot shell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lots of multi-layer heterogeneous sandstone reservoirs have reached extreme high water content and high recovery after long-time water-flooding development, and their low-permeability thin oil layers (LPTOLs) have gradually been the main potential reserves. Therefore, taking the geology of LPTOLs into account, an independent water-flooding development (IWD) method with stratified hydraulic fracturing (SHF) for LPTOLs is put forward. The method combines undeveloped LPTOLs as an individual strata series in one injection-production system, and the HPTOLs even with low water content are abandoned in order to reduce the reservoir vertical heterogeneity. To realize economic benefits, mature stratified hydraulic fracturing is necessary to increase production. The key of IWD is selecting and combining appropriate LPTOLs in an individual strata series. Two development modes, OW-OL and WW-OL, are designed by different wells' perforations and the oil layers' distribution. The difference between these two modes mainly depends on whether the oil-wells perforate the HPTOLs connected with the LPTOLs. Upon an embedded fracture model for simulating hydraulic fractures, the oil production and water content of one LPTOL are calculated with different physical factors of reservoir and fractures. According to the cumulative oil production under different factors, their impact degrees are evaluated by gray relative analysis method. Permeability, oil layer thickness and oil viscosity are three main factors influencing the development of LPTOLs, and flow coefficient is a comprehensive index composed of these three factors. Therefore, the flow coefficient variation degree is a core indicator to evaluate the vertical heterogeneity of an individual strata series, and IWD will get better water-flooding effect with lower flow coefficient variation degree. In order to analyze the effect of IWD, 30 cases are designed with different flow coefficient variation degree, different thickness of HPTOL and different IWD modes. Oil production and water content variation of two development modes are studied by simulation. OW-OL mode is superior to the WW-OL mode on water-flooding recovery. That is because the oil is mainly produced from layered-LPTOLs with less water content, the vertical water-flooding efficiency is higher at the production side, and the whole displacement is more balanced in the whole OW-OL strata series. IWD of LPTOLs is not only suitable for Chinese sandstone oilfields, but also has a general significance for other multi-layer sandstone reservoirs owing high-potential LPTOLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrated optical amplification in BaYF5: 20% Yb3+, 2% Er3+ (BYF) nanocrystals doped polymer waveguide. BYF nanocrystals with an average size of ~13 nm were synthesized by a high-boiling solvent process. Intense 1.53 µm fluorescence was obtained in the nanocrystals under excitation at 980 nm. An optical polymer waveguide was fabricated by using BYF nanocrystals doped SU-8 polymer as the core material. A relative optical gain of ~10.4 dB at 1525 nm was achieved in a 1.1 cm long waveguide for an input signal power of ~0.09 mW and a pump power of ~212 mW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exploration of adaptive evolution of organisms in response to environmental change can help to understand the evolutionary history of species and the underlying mechanisms of adaptation to local environments, thus guiding future conservation programmes. Before the introduction of Apis mellifera in China, eastern honey bees (Apis cerana) were the only species used for beekeeping in this region. In the mountains of Changbai, populations of A. cerana are considered a distinct ecotype of the species which formed through the distinct selective pressures in this area over time. Result: We performed a measure of 300 wing specimens of eastern honey bees and obtained the geometric morphological variation in the wing of A. cerana in Changbai Mountain. A total of 3,859,573 high-quality SNP loci were yielded via the whole-genome resequencing of 130 individuals in 5 geographic regions. Conclusion: Corresponding geometric morphology and population genomics confirmed the particularity of the A. cerana in Changbai Mountain. Genetic differentiation at the subspecies level exists between populations in Changbai Mountain and remaining geographic regions, and a significant reduction in the effective population size and an excessive degree of inbreeding may be responsible for a substantial loss of population genetic diversity. Candidate genes potentially associated with cold environmental adaptations in populations under natural selection were identified, which may represent local adaptations in populations. Our study provided insights into the evolutionary history and adaptation of A. cerana in Changbai Mountain, as well as its conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of the Chinese economy over the past 30 years has increased demand for passenger and freight transport considerably. Although restrictions on economic development have been alleviated by a major programme of road construction, China has begun to seek more sustainable ways of supporting transport development. Intelligent transport systems (ITS) have been introduced and a series of research has been conducted to take advantage of ITS applications in traffic management and control with significant social, economic and environmental benefits. This paper reviews the current use of ITS in China and presents policies, technologies, typical applications and recent activities in ITS development. The main achievements that reflect the current level of China's ITS development are described, in particular the ITS showcase programme and preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games. Finally, the paper discusses China's future ITS plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to optimize the position of the micro-texture on the negative chamfering edge ball-end milling cutter, the experiment of milling titanium alloy with the negative chamfering micro-texture ball-end milling cutter was carried out. The effects of micro-texture at different placement positions (rake and flank faces of cutting tools) on cutting performance were compared when the cutting depth was 0.3 mm, and the effects of negative chamfering and micro-texture parameters on cutting performance of the cutter were studied. Finally, the negative chamfering and micro-texture parameters were optimized based on genetic algorithm. The results show that the micro-texture of the flank face can improve the cutting performance, and the negative chamfering angle and width have the greatest influence on the cutting performance. The parameter optimization results are: the negative chamfering angle is 10.016°, the negative chamfering width is 199.995 μm, the micro-pit diameter is 49.996 μm, the micro-pit spacing is 174.004 μm, and the micro-pit distance from the edge is 109.993 μm. The above research realizes high efficiency and high-quality machining of titanium alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: HER2 has been implicated in mammary tumorigenesis as well as aggressive tumor growth and metastasis. Its overexpression is related to a poor prognosis and chemoresistance in breast cancer patients. Although Grb2-associated binding protein 2 (Gab2) is important in the development and progression of human cancer, its effects and mechanisms in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer are unclear. Methods: Clone formation and MTT assays were used to examine cell proliferation. To detect the effect of Gab2 on the stemness of breast cancer cells, we used flow cytometry, a sphere formation assay, realtime PCR, and western blot. An animal model was created to validate the effect of Gab2 on tumor growth in vivo. Tissue slides were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Results: Knockdown of Gab2 suppressed PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK pathway activity. Gab2 ablation also reduced the stemness of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells. In vivo, knockdown of Gab2 inhibited tumor growth. Conclusion: This study unveils a potential function of Gab2 in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells. Gab2 might be a potential target in the clinical therapy of HER2-overexpressing breast carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to establish a method for detecting fatty acid esters of chloropropanols [including 2-monochloropropane-1,3-diol (2-MCPD) ester and 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) ester] in infant milk powder using isotope dilution and GC-MS. The fat fraction in infant milk powder samples was extracted and treated with sodium methylate−methanol to cleave the ester bonds of the 2- and 3-MCPD esters. The resultant 2- and 3-MCPDs in the samples were purified with matrix solidphase liquid−liquid extraction and derivatized with heptafluorobutyryl imidazole for GC-MS analysis. Standard samples of deuterium isotope−labeled 2- and 3-MCPD palmitic acid double esters and stearic acid double esters were used as the internal standards. We also detected 2- and 3-MCPD ester contents in 88 commercial samples of infant formula milk powder using this system. The detection system we established showed a good linearity of 2- and 3-MCPD ester contents in serially diluted standard solutions within the concentration range 25−1000 μg/L, with r2 > 0.9995 and an LOD of 30 μg/kg for both of the MCPD esters. The recoveries of the two MCPD esters spiked at 25, 50, 100, and 200 μg/kg in blank infant formula milk ranged from 98.2 to 110.5%, with RSDs <4.8%, suggesting good accuracy and reliability of this method. In the 88 commercial infant formula milk powder samples, the mean content of 2-MCPD ester was 41 μg/kg (0−52 μg/kg) and that of 3-MCPD was 185 μg/kg (0−316 μg/kg). Based on these results, we estimated the exposure levels of the two MCPD esters in infants fed on formula milk, and the results indicate potential health risks of consuming formula milk products contaminated by the two MCPD esters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease with limited treatment options. Several microarray experiments have been conducted on lesional/LS and non-lesional/NL AD skin to develop a genomic disease phenotype. Although these experiments have shed light on disease pathology, inter-study comparisons reveal large differences in resulting sets of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), limiting the utility of direct comparisons across studies. Methods: We carried out a meta-analysis combining 4 published AD datasets to define a robust disease profile, termed meta-analysis derived AD (MADAD) transcriptome. Results: This transcriptome enriches key AD pathways more than the individual studies, and associates AD with novel pathways, such as atherosclerosis signaling (IL-37, selectin E/SELE). We identified wide lipid abnormalities and, for the first time in vivo, correlated Th2 immune activation with downregulation of key epidermal lipids (FA2H, FAR2, ELOVL3), emphasizing the role of cytokines on the barrier disruption in AD. Key AD "classifier genes" discriminate lesional from nonlesional skin, and may evaluate therapeutic responses. Conclusions: Our meta-analysis provides novel and powerful insights into AD disease pathology, and reinforces the concept of AD as a systemic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Despite advances in the early diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, these cancers are often being detected rather late in their course. Emerging published data on the accuracy of dickkopf-1 (DKK1) for diagnosing GI cancers are inconsistent. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the diagnostic value of DKK1 in the diagnosis of GI cancers. Methods: A systematic literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and WANFANG databases was conducted to identify the related studies published before May 1, 2015, which investigated the diagnostic value of serum DKK1 for GI cancers. The methodological quality of each study was assessed according to the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 checklist. The diagnostic performance was pooled and analyzed using a bivariate model. Publication bias was evaluated with the Deeks' funnel test. Results: A total of 15 studies with 5,076 participants were finally identified for the metaanalysis. The pooled results of sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio for DKK1 test were 0.72 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.70-0.74), 0.90 (95% CI: 0.89-0.91), 7.72 (95% CI: 4.90-12.14), 0.29 (95% CI: 0.22-0.39), and 28.95 (95% CI: 16.25-51.65) for diagnosis of GI cancers, respectively. The area under the summary receiver-operating characteristic curve was 0.8901. The SEN of DKK1 in diagnosis of gastric cancer and pancreatic cancer may be higher than hepatocellular carcinoma, and the SPE in pancreatic cancer subgroup was lower than hepatocellular carcinoma and gastric cancer subgroups. Conclusion: The currently available evidence suggests that serum DKK1 is a potential biomarker with high SEN and SPE for screening GI cancers. To better elucidate the usefulness of serum DKK1, further studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

VEGF is a frequently studied angiogenic factor in ovarian cancer (OC), and is considered to have an important role in the progression of OC. However, its diagnostic value has not been widely accepted because the conclusions are inconsistent and even conflicting. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic value of VEGF in OC. A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and WANFANG databases for relevant published articles (the last search update was November 18, 2014). The diagnosis sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio, and the summary receiver operating characteristic curves were pooled by Meta DiSc 1.4 software. A total of ten studies with 1,131 subjects were finally included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio, and summary receiver operating characteristic curves were 0.67 (0.63-0.73), 0.78 (0.75-0.81), 3.08 (6.36-12.22), 0.39 (0.29-0.51), 9.10 (5.43-45.25), and 0.8175, respectively. Furthermore, to explore the sources of heterogeneity, we conducted subgroup analyses based on ethnicity and sample size. The diagnostic accuracy of VEGF was higher in an Asian population than in a Caucasian population. A similar finding was found in subgroups with the smaller sample size (<100 subjects). In conclusion, the present meta-analysis suggests that VEGF has moderate diagnostic accuracy for OC. Considering our limitations and the heterogeneity among our selected studies, larger, well-designed prospective and multicenter validation studies are needed to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum VEGF for OC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The salmeterol xinafoate (SX) binding to calf thymus DNA in vitro was explored by fluorescence, resonance light scattering (RLS), UV-vis absorption, as well as viscometry, ionic strength effect and DNA melting techniques. It was found that SX could bind to DNA weakly, and the binding constants (Ka) were determined as 8.52 × 103, 8.31 × 103 and 6.14 × 103 L mol-1 at 18, 28 and 38 °C respectively. When bound to DNA, SX showed fluorescence quenching in the fluorescence spectra and hyperchromic effect in the absorption spectra. Stern-Volmer plots revealed that the quenching of fluorescence of SX by DNA was a static quenching. Furthermore, the relative viscosity and melting temperature of DNA solution were hardly influenced by SX, while the fluorescence intensity of SX-DNA was observed to decrease with the increasing ionic strength of system. Also, the binding constant between SX and double stranded DNA (dsDNA) was much weaker than that between SX and single stranded DNA (ssDNA). All these results suggested that the binding mode of SX to DNA should be groove binding. The obtained thermodynamic parameters indicated that electrostatic force might play a predominant role in SX binding to DNA. The quantum yield (φ) of SX was measured as 0.13 using comparative method. Based on the Förster resonance energy transfer theory (FRET), the binding distance (r0) between the acceptor and donor was calculated as 4.10 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]