Search

The systemic treatment landscape for advanced and metastatic chondrosarcoma, a malignancy with limited responsiveness to conventional therapies, has always been notoriously challenging. While standard chemotherapy offers minimal benefits, certain subtypes, such as mesenchymal and dedifferentiated chondrosarcomas, have shown some response to systemic therapies initially developed for other sarcomas. Investigational strategies are focusing on molecular targets, including mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase gene (IDH), signaling pathways, such as hedgehog and death receptor 5 (DR5) and immune modulation. IDH mutations, notably found in conventional and dedifferentiated chondrosarcomas, have prompted the evaluation of IDH inhibitors, which have demonstrated promising efficacy in preclinical and early clinical trials, despite limited data in chondrosarcoma. Additionally, the hedgehog pathway, implicated in chondrosarcoma progression, has been targeted with inhibitors, although clinical translation has shown mixed results. Immunotherapy, including programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cells, is also being investigated but faces challenges due to the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment. Among new approaches, DR5 agonists such as INBRX-109 have shown single-agent efficacy, with minimal toxicity, opening possibilities for use in combination therapies to improve outcomes. Given the heterogenous and treatment-resistant nature of chondrosarcoma, we highlight the need for multi-omics and genetic profiling to guide personalized, combination therapies that target multiple carcinogenic pathways. The integration of multi-targeted approaches could enhance efficacy, address tumour heterogeneity, and overcome resistance, presenting a hopeful direction for systemic therapy in this challenging cancer. The investigation of combination regimens with IDH inhibitors, immunotherapy and DR5 agonists hold promise for transforming the management of advanced chondrosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATG8 is a key gene in the process of autophagy. The expression of ATG8 affects many intracellular progresses. Here we report that the amino acid sequence of AtATG8 and TaATG8 protein share a high similarity of 84.03%, we found that TaATG8 involved in the abiotic stresses, such as drought, salt stress and nutrient deficiency. Moreover, TaATG8 plays an important role in the process of Arabidopsis defending against biotic stress caused by the infection of powdery mildew through HR. Hydrogen peroxide acts as an important metabolic product and signaling molecule in the process of TaATG8 resisting to powdery mildew. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biomass composites were prepared by hot molding with a pressure of 10 MPa, a temperature of 125 °C, a time of 15 minutes using soybean straw powder, poplar wood fibers, and soy protein as raw materials. The effects of different straw species, the ratio of soybean straw powder to poplar wood fibers, the particle size of soybean straw powder, and the theoretical density on the performance of biomass composites were investigated. The experimental results show that under the condition that the ratio of soybean straw powder and poplar wood fibers is 1 : 1, 20 mesh to 40 mesh soybean straw powder and 20 mesh to 60 mesh wood fibers are selected to copolymerize and strengthen the soy protein biomass composites when the theoretical density is 0.80 g/cm3, the actual density of the biomass composites is 0.90 g/cm3, the tensile strength was up to 22.04 MPa, and the bending strength was up to 44.92 MPa. Biomass composites have good water resistance while obtaining excellent mechanical properties. The above figures not only meet the relevant technical requirements of automotive interior parts but also enable the lightweight design of automobiles and the sustainable development concept of green, low carbon, and environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helvella is a widespread, frequently encountered fungal group appearing in forests, but the species diversity and molecular phylogeny of Helvella in China remains incompletely understood. In this work, we performed comprehensive phylogenetic analyses using multilocus sequence data. Six datasets were employed, including a five-locus concatenated dataset (ITS, nrLSU, tef1-a, rpb2, hsp), a two-locus concatenated dataset (ITS, nrLSU), and four single-locus datasets (ITS) that were divided based on the four different phylogenetic clades of Helvella recognized in this study. A total of 1 946 sequences were used, of which 713 were newly generated, including 170 sequences of ITS, 174 sequences of nrLSU, 131 sequences of tef1-a, 107 sequences of rpb2 and 131 sequences of hsp. The phylogeny based on the five-locus concatenated dataset revealed that Helvella s. str. is monophyletic and four phylogenetic clades are clearly recognized, i.e., Acetabulum clade, Crispa clade, Elastica clade, and Lacunosa clade. A total of 24 lineages or subclades were recognized, 11 of which were new, the remaining 13 corresponding with previous studies. Chinese Helvella species are distributed in 22 lineages across four clades. Phylogenetic analyses based on the two-locus concatenated dataset and four single-locus datasets confirmed the presence of at least 93 phylogenetic species in China. Among them, 58 are identified as known species, including a species with a newly designated lectotype and epitype, 18 are newly described in this paper, and the remaining 17 taxa are putatively new to science but remain unnamed due to the paucity or absence of ascomatal materials. In addition, the Helvella species previously recorded in China are discussed. A list of 76 confirmed species, including newly proposed species, is provided. The occurrence of H. crispa and H. elastica are not confirmed although both are commonly recorded in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ceramic matrix composites are promising materials for high temperature application in aerospace and nuclear engineering. In these applications, thermal shock is an important potential cause for failure. Objective: In order to study thermal shock resistance of SiC/SiC composite braided tubes, a novel method has been developed to apply thermal shock cycles to tube sections and then measure the residual tensile strength. Methods: SiC/SiC composite braided tubes have been thermally shocked by many cycles in a short time using a novel test platform based on quartz lamp irradiation heating. The circumferential tensile strength was measured using C-ring specimens after thermal shock testing of short tube sections. Numerical simulations of the stress from the thermal shock test were conducted using the finite element method. Results: The circumferential tensile strength decreased with increasing number of thermal shock cycles in air. An embrittled region with limited fiber pullout due to oxidation extended from the surface. Conclusions: The test platform can simulate service environments with fast temperature cycling for small test specimens in air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudodynamic (PD) method is a novel method that has the merit of considering the temporal and spatial effects of earthquake input in seismic stability analysis. Currently, most PD analyses adopted the two-dimensional (2D) plane-strain assumption, which is inconsistent with the fact that many slope collapses have distinct three-dimensional (3D) features. To address that, a 3D PD method was proposed in this paper for rock slopes yielding Hoek–Brown criterion. The present method was established on the one-block mechanism in the kinematic analysis, since this mechanism has considerable efficiency in 3D safety factor computation. The details of the 3D PD method are elaborated herein, including failure mechanism, energy balance equation, and strategy of fining solutions. The effects of temporal–spatial variation of seismic input on slope stability are discussed using the proposed approach. The study reveals that phase change and acceleration amplification have contrary effects on rock slope stability, and which factor dominates determines whether PD analyses result in overestimated or underestimated safety factors than classical PS analyses. Finally, a parametric study is performed to investigate the influences of rock strength, slope geometry, and earthquake parameters in PD analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the endogenous relationship and coupling coordination mechanism of a coordinated development between the economy, an ecological environment, and a health system. From the perspective of green production, an index evaluation system of the economy, ecological environment, and health system was constructed by using principal component analysis. At the same time, the entropy method and the coupling coordination model are used to analyze and measure the coupling coordination relationship between the economy, the ecological environment, and the health system of China's green production from 2009 to 2016. (1) Health is a key factor in the green production system. (2) From the perspective of time clues, the coupling degree and coupling coordination degree between the economy, the ecological environment, and the health system of China's green production increased during 2009–2016, and the change of coupling coordination degree was approximately M-shaped. However, after 2012, the coupling coordination scores of the three systems showed a downward trend. (3) From the perspective of spatial clues, the coupling coordination relationship between the economy, the ecological environment, and the health system of green production in the eastern region is obviously better than that in the central and western regions. In particular, 2014 was a turning point in the coupling and coordination relationship between the east, the central and the west. Before 2014, the coupling and coordination relationship of the economy, the ecological environment, and the health system in eastern, central and western China showed an upward trend (except in Xinjiang). After 2014, the coupling and coordination relationship in the eastern region developed polarization. The central and western regions showed a trend of deterioration and maladjustment. (4) The leading provinces in terms of coupling coordination level are Shanghai > Zhejiang > Beijing > Inner Mongolia, and the most backward province is Xinjiang. Paying attention to the coupling and coordination relationship between green production systems provides a new way to achieve the goal of green, healthy, and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease with low bone mineral density (BMD) and high incidence of vertebral fractures (VFs). Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis have decreased total fat and lean mass. This study aimed to investigate the associations between body composition and VF risk and explore the potential predictor of VF risk in postmenopausal women. Methods: Enrolled 731 postmenopausal women were referred by various departments and outpatient clinics to assess vertebral status between October 2016 and November 2017. The main measures were total body lean mass, fat mass, and BMD. Patients were divided into osteopenia, osteoporosis, and normal groups based on T-scores. Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations between body composition parameters and VF. Results: VF was significantly associated with increased age, lower height, and lighter weight in all participants, and higher BMI was observed in VF participants. Participants in the osteoporosis group were older and had lower height, weight, and BMD than those in normal and osteopenia groups. Femoral and total hip T-scores as well as T-scores for lumbar spine were significantly lower in participants with VF than in non-VF participants. Percentage of bone mass was also significantly lower in VF participants compared to that of non-VF participants. Women with increased BMD and lower bone mass had reduced odds for VF occurrence. Bone mass was significantly able to identify VF occurrence. Conclusions: Body composition analysis discerns differences in the bone status of postmenopausal women with and without VF. The cutoff value of the bone mass might be used effectively as an indicator of risk for VF occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of β-Ga2O3 Schottky contacts (SCs) fabricated using amorphous, intentionally oxidized platinum–iridium alloys was investigated as a function of alloy composition and β-Ga2O3 crystal orientation. PtyIr(1−y)Ox SCs with Pt fractions of y = 0.8, 0.5, and 0.3 were deposited on (001), ( 2 ¯ 01), and (010) single-crystal β-Ga2O3 substrates via the reactive rf and dc co-sputtering of Pt and Ir targets using oxygen–argon plasmas. In each case, the PtyIr(1−y)Ox SCs were highly rectifying with current rectification ratios (at ±3 V) of 11/10/9 orders of magnitude (at 300 K) for the (001)/( 2 ¯ 01)/(010) β-Ga2O3 substrates. Current–voltage (I–V) and capacitance–voltage (C–V) measurements revealed that the Pt0.5Ir0.5Ox SCs contained the highest Schottky barriers on all β-Ga2O3 crystal faces, with the best contacts having ideality factors of 1.05 and image-force-corrected I–V and C–V determined barrier heights of 2.10 and 2.20 eV, respectively. These were consistently higher by ∼0.2 eV than the corresponding barriers for the Pt0.8Ir0.2Ox and Pt0.3Ir0.7Ox SCs, with the Pt0.5Ir0.5Ox SCs also having significantly lower reverse leakage currents (in the 0 to −100 V range). In comparison, the barrier heights of the best unoxidized plain-metal Pt0.5Ir0.5 SCs were only ∼1.2 eV, illustrating the effectiveness of in situ oxidation in improving the performance of PtIr SCs. All PtyIr(1−y)Ox SCs on ( 2 ¯ 01) β-Ga2O3 showed excellent high-temperature performance with rectification ratios (at ±3 V) of 109 at 300 °C and of 106 at 500 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study conducted at the Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital on the factors influencing medical decision-making for fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). The study analyzed data from prenatal CDH cases detected by ultrasound between July 2017 and December 2022. The results showed that the overall mortality rates for isolated and complex CDH cases in the live-born group were 34.4% and 30.0%, respectively. The study also found that the risk factors independently associated with pregnancy termination were gestational age at diagnosis and the presence of congenital heart disease. The authors call for more positive advice for parents of fetuses with CDH and emphasize the importance of early detection and the presence of congenital heart disease in influencing the likelihood of termination of pregnancy. [Extracted from the article]

A simple and rapid method for fabrication of concentration gradient generators on microfluidic devices on poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) substrate using a flexible and low cost CO2 laser system is proposed. The effects of the laser power and the cutting speed on the depth, width and aspect ratio of the microchannels machined into the PMMA substrate were studied. Laser power was set from 10 to 30 W and laser scanning speed was set from 7 to 27 mm/s in the experiment. The results show the depth of the microchannels increases with the increase of the laser power at the same laser velocity; however, the depth of the microchannel decreases with the increase of the laser velocity at the same laser power. At the same laser power, the width reaches the maximum when the laser velocity is 10mm/s. So when the laser velocity is at 5 to 10mm/s, the width increases with the increase of laser velocity. When the laser velocity is at 10 to 27 mm/s, the width decreases with the increase of laser velocity. The PMMA substrate with microfluidic channels are encapsulated using a hot-press bonding technique. The experimental results show that obvious concentration gradient could be easily obtained in the device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ELAV/Hu family is a conserved multigene family of pan‐neuronal RNA‐binding protein involved in post‐transcriptional regulation in metazoans. In Drosophila, three members of this family, ELAV, RBP9 and FNE, are involved in neuronal differentiation, gene expression regulation and so on. This family is less well characterized in Bombyx mori. Two orthologs BmELAV‐like‐1 (BmEL‐1) and BmELAV‐like‐2 (BmEL‐2) share 55%–71% and 47%–62% identity with that of in Drosophila and humans, respectively. Bmel‐1 is ubiquitously expressed while Bmel‐2 is expressed in the head and ovaries specifically. Proteins encoded by both genes are localized in nuclear and cytoplasm. The weight of body, cocoon, pupae and cocoon shell are differently affected in Bmel‐1−/−2− mutants created using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Mutations of both genes increase the expression of four silk protein genes, Fib‐L, Fib‐H, P25 and Ser‐1. In addition, the oviposition ability of Bmel‐2− females is decreased. This study not only provides valuable insights into the functional roles of Bmelav‐like genes in the growth, cocoon characters and regulation of silk protein genes expression, but also provides useful information for silkworm variety breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO2 laser cutting is an advanced processing technology which can, with the assistance of computer-aided design (CAD) graphics, cut a variety of shapes on the surfaces of many polymer sheets. This work aims to analyse the effect of laser power, scanning speed, focal distance and number of cut passes on the surface roughness of polystyrene (PS) microchannels with CO2 laser cutting process. There are several experiments designed and the results were analysed by an orthogonal experimental method. Finally, optimal power, speed, focal distance and number of cut passes were obtained: laser power of 10 W; laser cutting speed of 8 mm/s; focal distance of 8 mm; and three cut passes, respectively. The experimental results show that the greatest influence factor is the number of cut passes. In the optimal case, the arithmetical mean roughness (Ra) can reach as little as 0.861 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very high temperature operation β-Ga2O3 Schottky contacts were fabricated on moderately doped 2 ¯ 01 β-Ga2O3 single crystal substrates using four different types of intentionally oxidized platinum group metal (PGM) Schottky contacts (SCs), i.e., PtOx, IrOx, PdOx, and RuOx (x ∼ 2.0, 2.2, 1.1, and 2.4, respectively) formed by reactive rf sputtering of plain-metal targets in an oxidizing plasma. All four types of oxidized PGM SCs showed rectification ratios (at ± 3 V) of more than 10 orders of magnitude up to 300 °C, with almost no measurable increase in reverse leakage current density (Jrev) from that at room temperature. From 350 to 500 °C, a measurable increase in Jrev was observed, which was consistent with the thermionic emission of charge carriers over the respective image force (IF) lowered Schottky barriers. Despite this increase, PtOx(IrOx)[PdOx]{RuOx} SCs showed large rectification ratios (at ± 3 V) of 6 × 106(8 × 106)[5 × 105]{2 × 104} and IF-corrected barrier heights of 2.10(2.10)[1.90]{1.60} ± 0.05 eV, respectively, while operating at 500 °C. The significantly lower 500 °C barrier height of the RuOx SCs was due to the thermal reduction of RuOx to Ru that occurred above 400 °C. In contrast, the Schottky barriers of IrOx, PtOx, and PdOx SCs were thermally stable while operating at 500 °C, indicating significant potential for their use in very high temperature rectifying devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between IL1R2 rs34043159 and Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the Chinese population. Methods: A total of 500 AD patients and 500 healthy controls were recruited. The SNaPshot technique was used to detect IL1R2 rs34043159. Results: The dominant and recessive models of IL1R2 rs34043159 were associated with AD with or without adjustment of age, gender and education [dominant model, P = 0.019, odds ratio (OR) 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06–1.89, adjusted; recessive model, P = 0.011, OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.51–0.92, adjusted]. The recessive model of IL1R2 rs34043159 was associated with early‐onset AD (EOAD) with or without adjustment of age, gender and education (recessive model, P = 0.038, OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.37–0.97, adjusted). The additive model was associated with late‐onset AD (LOAD) (P = 0.041). The dominant model of IL1R2 rs34043159 was associated with LOAD with or without adjustment of age, gender and education (dominant model, P = 0.005, OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.17–2.44, adjusted). Conclusion: An association between the dominant and recessive model of IL1R2 rs34043159 and AD was found. The recessive model of IL1R2 rs34043159 was associated with EOAD. The additive and dominant models of IL1R2 rs34043159 were associated with LOAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Disturbed process of B-cell differentiation into plasmablasts (PBs)/plasma cells (PCs) is involved in multiple myeloma (MM). New strategies will be required to eliminate the MM cell clone for a long-term disease control. Because of its PB-like characteristics, the mus musculus myeloma SP 2/0 cell line was used in this study to search novel targets for PBs/PCs. Methods/patients: Affymetrix microarrays and RNA-sequencing assays were used to search a novel different molecule (Gm6377) between PBs/PCs and mature B cells. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), flow cytometry (FACS), xenograft mouse model, and the luciferase reporter system were used to assess the effect of Gm6377 on SP 2/0 cell proliferation, cell cycle, tumor growth, and Myc promoter activation, respectively. Results: We found that B cells expressed a high level of Gm6377 mRNA, whereas Gm6377 mRNA was decreased in PCs. In addition, SP 2/0 cells also expressed low levels of Gm6377 mRNA. Critically, Gm6377 overexpression suppressed SP 2/0 cell proliferation but not cell cycle. Furthermore, Gm6377 overexpression suppressed tumor progression in the SP 2/0 xenograft mouse model. Finally, we found that Gm6377 suppressed SP 2/0 cell proliferation by reducing the activation of the Myc promoter. Conclusions: These results suggest that Gm6377 suppresses myeloma SP 2/0 cell growth by suppressing Myc. Thus, modulation of Gm6377 may be a potential therapeutic way to treat MM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, melatonin (MEL)‐mediated plant resistance to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was examined to study local infection in Nicotiana glutinosa and systemic infection in Solanum lycopersicum. Exogenous application of 100 µm MEL increased anti‐virus infection activity to 37.4% in virus‐infected N. glutinosa plants. The same treatment significantly reduced relative levels of virus RNA analysed by qRT‐PCR and virus titres measured by dot‐ELISA, and increased the relative expression levels of the PR1 and PR5 genes analysed by qRT‐PCR, in virus‐infected S. lycopersicum. MEL treatment induced considerable accumulations of salicylic acid (SA) and nitric oxide (NO) but did not significantly affect production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the virus‐infected S. lycopersicum plants. Transgenic nahG N. tabacum was used to determine whether MEL‐induced TMV resistance was dependent on the SA pathway. The results showed that the relative RNA level of the TMV analysed by qRT‐PCR and virus titres analysed by dot‐ELISA were not reduced by the MEL treatment in the nahG transgenic N. tabacum seedlings treated twice with 100 µm MEL. The increased relative expression levels of PR1 and PR5 were greatly reduced when cPTIO, an NO scavenger, was included in the MEL treatment. A working model of MEL‐mediated plant resistance to TMV is proposed. MEL‐mediated plant resistance to viruses provides a new avenue to control plant viral diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) have been investigated for decade years for powering low energy consumed electric devices. However, research of PEH more focuses on the structure and energy capture performance, ignoring the interaction between the PEHs and environmental vibration. In order to investigate energy harvesting performance of PEHs in uniform flow, this study presented a two-dimensional (2D) simulation method. The fluid kinematics was simulated by the discrete lattice Boltzmann equation. Fluid effecting on the piezoelectric flag were handled by immersed boundary method (IBM). Coupled with Euler-Bernoulli beam and piezoelectric theory, the full-coupled fluidstructure-electric (FSE) was established by using the immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method. Results indicate that due to the simple boundary treatment and time saving calculation of the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) and IBM, the numerical method is superior efficiency for the FSE problems. The identified peak energy conversion efficiencies for various velocities are significant to explore the optimum structure of piezoelectric flags in various fluid situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High quality Ru, Ir, Pd, Pt, Ag, and Au Schottky contacts (SCs) were fabricated on 2 ¯ 01 β-Ga2O3 single crystal substrates via rf sputtering under inert and oxidizing plasma conditions. The oxidized SCs exhibited significantly higher rectifying barriers and, with the exception of gold oxide, significantly improved high temperature performance, with more than 12 orders of magnitude of stable rectification at 180 °C. With the exception of Ag, the image-force-corrected laterally homogeneous barrier heights of the plain metal SCs were pinned close to 1.3 eV, irrespective of the metal work function, with the Fermi level at the SC interface close to the predicted VO (2+/0) transition level of fourfold coordinated oxygen vacancies. The equivalent barrier heights of the oxidized SCs were consistently 0.5–0.8 eV higher than their plain metal counterparts, lying in the range of 1.8–2.5 eV, with the increase attributed to the passivation of interfacial oxygen vacancies and a significant increase in the work function of the oxidized metals. The highest Schottky barriers for both the plain and oxidized metal SCs involved Ag, which may be linked to the relative ease of its unintentional and intentional oxidation, respectively. The very high rectifying barriers and the thermal stability of oxidized Schottky contacts to β-Ga2O3 indicate their potential for high temperature device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we use sunphotometer (AERONET) data as reference to evaluate MODIS, Himawari-08, and MERRA-2 aerosol products over China. AERONET data from Beijing, Xianghe, Xuzhou, Taihu and Hong Kong are used. The results indicate that aerosol optical depths (AODs) obtained from MODIS, Himawari-08, and MERRA-2 from 2015-2017 over China are consistent with the AERONET observations. The accuracy of these AOD products shows a spatial and temporal variation. MODIS aerosol products tend to overestimate the AODs at Beijing, Xianghe and Xuzhou, with stronger overestimation in winter. For Taihu and Hong Kong, MODIS only overestimates the AODs in winter. Himawari-08 and MERRA-2 underestimate the AODs in autumn over almost all stations except Taihu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been hypothesized that xylanase inhibitors play important roles in plant defense against microbial pathogens. Currently, there is little information available about xylanase inhibitor OsXIP in rice and its gene expression. We cloned a xylanase inhibitor gene OsXIP from rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Nipponbare) genomic DNA. To determine the function of OsXIP, we generated OsXIP-overexpressing transgenic rice plants. The transgenic plants had significantly higher OsXIP expression and showed enhanced defense response to Magnaporthe oryzae compared to the wild-type plants. The results also showed that the increased OsXIP expression was accompanied by the up-regulation of pathogenesisrelated genes. To clarify the OsXIP expression pattern, a ProOsXIP::GUS vector was constructed and transgenic plants were obtained. GUS staining results revealed that OsXIP showed organ-specific expressions in rice plants. OsXIP was primarily expressed in the roots and in the veins, but it was weakly expressed in the leaves. Analyses of the OsXIP expression in response to biotic and abiotic stresses indicated that it was drastically induced by biotic stresses and methyl jasmonate treatment. OsXIP, a member of a new class of antifungal proteins, may function as a barrier that prevents the cell wall degradation by xylanases excreted by fungal pathogens. The OsXIP was found to be a stressresponsive gene and it could take part in plant defense via a JA-mediated signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of MgO tunnel barrier thickness on the magnetic-transport characteristics of perpendicularly magnetized magnetic tunnel junction device are explored. Saturation magnetization and initial switching field of the free layer decrease with MgO barrier thickness. Increased MgO thickness that extended interaction distance and diminished the influence from the magnetized pinned layer leads to a smaller initial switching applied field required for saturation. The oscillating dependences of the high coercivity of pinned layer and the low coercivity of free layer on MgO thickness are discovered. Moreover, an out-of-phase feature between both layers’ coercivity cyclic variation is exhibited. This unique cyclic varying of coercivity with MgO barrier thickness is revealed and analogous to the recent finding of the magnetoresistance’s periodic variation with MgO thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-step method is proposed for reconstructing the in-plane magnetization distribution from a magnetic force microscope (MFM) image. The magnetization distribution is initialized using some assumptions based on our knowledge about domain structures and MFM contrast mechanisms. Then the high-energy moment configurations, which are initialized based on linear variation assumption, are relaxed by performing a micromagnetic calculation using experimentally measured magnetic parameters. A section of a 360° wall in a NiFe/NiO bilayer has been selected to illustrate the reconstruction procedures. It is shown that the method is effective in revealing the wall structure related to the MFM contrast. This method avoids problems caused by noise and nonunique solutions of the micromagnetic equations. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exchange bias anisotropy field in CoFe/IrMn ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic bilayers has been investigated by two different experimental probes. One was the traditional hysteresis loop shift technique and the other was a recently developed technique which monitors small reversible rotations of the magnetization with the anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR). All the samples show approximately twice the exchange bias anisotropy field measured with the AMR technique compared to that measured with the traditional hysteresis loop method. Based on similar experiments in other materials, there is a portion of the exchange bias uniaxial anisotropy which rotates in a hysteresis loop measurement. It is surmised it is this energy which the hysteresis loop technique neglects and that the AMR technique is a better measure of the exchange bias anisotropy energy. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotational hysteresis of ferromagnetic (F)/antiferromagnetic (AF) exchange coupled systems was studied by using NiFe/IrMn, NiFe/FeMn, and NiFe/NiMn samples sputter deposited under almost the same conditions, although the sample of NiFe/NiMn was annealed later to obtain the antiferromagnetic phase for the NiMn layer. The rotational hysteresis of each sample exhibited quite a different feature from each other, especially in the rotational hysteresis-magnetization angle curves. The NiFe/IrMn bilayer showed a dip at around the antiparallel direction to the applied field direction during sample preparation (pinning direction), while the NiFe/NiMn bilayer exhibited a large peak in that direction. The NiFe/FeMn bilayer did not show any noticeable structure in the rotational hysteresis-magnetization curve. Based on the analysis of those data done by using the model recently proposed by the authors, the following was inferred: (1) The distribution of the anisotropy easy axes of ! IrMn of the NiFe/IrMn bilayer grains is limited in some range of angles around the pinning direction. Some direct exchange coupling exists between the IrMn grains. (2) The distribution of the anisotropy easy axes of FeMn grains of the NiFe/FeMn bilayer is almost random and the direct exchange coupling between the FeMn grains is negligible. (3) In the NiFe/NiMn bilayer, substantial strength of direct exchange coupling exists between some of the grains which switch and the ones which do not switch with the rotation of the magnetization of the NiFe layer, although the volume fraction of the former is much smaller than the latter. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature dependence of the exchange bias H[sub eb] and coercivity H[sub c], has been measured for a NiO(6.5 nm)/Ni[sub 81]Fe[sub 19](12 nm) bilayer which demonstrated at room temperature zero exchange bias, but an enhanced coercivity (H[sub c]=65 Oe). Upon cooling the sample in a magnetic field (H=300 Oe), the exchange bias remains zero down to T=250 K, whereas the coercivity increases roughly linearly with decreasing temperature. Below this critical temperature an exchange shift of the hysteresis loop occurs that is accompanied by a decrease in the coercivity. Decreasing the temperature further results in an increase in both H[sub eb] and H[sub c]. A thermal fluctuation model, where both fluctuating and stable AF grains contribute to the coercivity, with an additional assumption of increasing the density of NiO interfacial uncompensated spins at low temperature, predicts the correct temperature behavior of H[sub eb] and H[sub c]. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 360° domain wall loops were studied using a magnetic force microscope (MFM) in a glass/Ta(10 nm)/NiFe(12 nm)/NiO(6 nm)/Ta(5 nm) multilayered film fabricated by magnetron sputtering. The film had an enhanced coercivity but no M–H loop shift due to the thin NiO layer. It was found that the local magnetic field exerted by a MFM tip can strongly affect the 360° domain wall, and this interaction was used to probe the structure and dynamics of the wall. The repeated scanning action of the tip causes the transformation from a 360° wall loop into a 180° wall loop. The magnetization distributions for these domain walls were derived from the MFM images. The mechanism of the irreversible change of wall structures caused by the tip–sample interaction was investigated based on micromagnetic analysis. The study of the transformation process provided a better understanding of the structures of the 360° walls. This work suggests that the tip–sample interaction could be a useful tool for studying the domain wall structures. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity and structural variation of glycogen phosphorylase (GP) at different phosphorylation levels during incubation at 4 °C were explored in this study. The GP was assigned into four treatments to obtain high/low phosphorylation levels, which were (1) treated with glycogen phosphorylase kinase (Phk) to obtain high phosphorylation level, (2) treated with protein kinase A to obtain high phosphorylation level, (3) treated with alkaline phosphatase to obtain low phosphorylation level, and (4) control. Compared with the control group, the content of α-helix and β-sheet increased and the secondary structure of GP changed from disorder to order after phosphorylation. The activity of GP was increased and its structure was more tightly in the Phk group than that in the control group. The phosphorylation at Ser277, Ser430, Ser809, Thr304, Tyr298, and Tyr525 resulted in tighter spatial structure. In conclusion, phosphorylation of GP enhanced its catalytic activity by making the secondary and spatial structure more orderly, which is of great significance for controlling meat quality by regulating glycolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To quantify the Li diffusion behavior in nanocrystalline anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), a hybrid model of the first principles calculation and diffusion kinetics was developed. The dependence of the Li diffusion on the electronic structure, solute concentration, grain size and temperature was described for the nanocrystalline Li–Si system. In contrast to conventional polycrystalline materials in which the activation barrier for Li diffusion decreases with the increase of concentration before amorphization, there exists a coordination effect of the solute concentration and grain size on the Li diffusion in nanocrystalline materials. A maximum diffusion coefficient can be obtained in the nanocrystalline Li–Si by a combination of the concentration and grain size, which is increased by two orders of magnitude from that in the coarse-grained counterpart. The present work advanced the understanding of the Li diffusion mechanisms during lithiation/delithiation of LIBs and may facilitate the development of nanocrystalline anode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In China, few studies reported the disability situation and the association between disabilities with chronic conditions in aged people. This study investigates the cross-sectional trends of prevalence and severity of activities of daily living disability (ADL) in Chinese oldest-old people from 1998 to 2008, and identified the potential risk factors of disability. Design: A combination of population-based longitudinal prospective study and probabilistically sampling cross-sectional studies. Setting: The Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) was based on a random sampling of aged people from twenty-two provinces in China. Participants: A total of 52,667 participants aged from 80 years old to 105 years old sampled in the year of 1998 (n=8,768), 2000 (n=10,940), 2002 (n=10,905), 2005 (n=10,396) and 2008 (n=11,658) were analyzed respectively. Results: The prevalence of ADL disability decreased from the year of 1998 (18%) to 2008 (12%). The disability prevalence significantly increased in 2002 and decreased in 2008 (P<0.001) in total participants than the year of 1998. The prevalence trends of low ADL disability level were almost identical with that of the total ADL disability. Stroke/cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and cognitive impairment were the strongest risk factors of disability. Vision impairment became less associated with ADL disability (P=0.045), while the association between multimorbidity and ADL disability became stronger (P=0.033). Conclusions: The prevalence of ADL disability declined among the oldest-old population in China from the year of 1998 to 2008 without obeying a linear pattern. Temporal trends of ADL disability mainly attributed to the change of low disability level prevalence. Stroke/CVD and cognitive impairment were the most common risk factors of disability. Vision impairment caused disability has become less common, while risks of multimorbidity related disability increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present study aimed to investigate changes in nitric oxide (NO) level and its relationship with callose deposition during the interaction between soybean and Soybean mosaic virus (SMV). Soybean cv. ‘Jidou 7’ and SMV strains N3 and SC‐8 were used to constitute incompatible and compatible combinations. Intracellular NO was labelled with the NO‐specific fluorescence probe DAF‐FM DA. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was then used to observe changes in NO production during SMV infection‐induced defence responses in soybean. The results showed NO fluorescence increased rapidly at 2–72 h post‐inoculation, peaked at 72 h and then decreased in the incompatible combination. However, in the compatible combination, extremely weak NO fluorescence appeared in the early stage (2–24 h) post‐inoculation, but was not observed thereafter. Injections of the NO scavenger c‐PTIO prior to inoculation postponed the onset of NO production to 48 or 72 h post‐inoculation. The same occurred when injections of NR or NOS inhibitors were applied prior to inoculation. The observation of callose fluorescence in the incompatible combination revealed that either the elimination or reduction of NO in the early stage led to a delay in callose formation, enabling the virus to cause systemic infection. Together with our previous findings, this study indicates that viral infection could induce NO production and callose deposition during the incompatible interaction between soybean and SMV. The production of NO involves NR and NOS enzymatic pathways, and NO mediates the process of callose deposition at plasmodesmata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite numerous experimental studies of the NOx emission of coke combustion, there is no good computational model for NOx emission of the coke combustion. In this study, experimental studies of exhaust emissions of coke combustion were conducted by using micro-sinter equipment. Unreacted-core model was applied to kinetic analysis. The calculated NOx content curve described the measured data well, and the peak and integral total NOx difference values between the calculated and experimental data were 2.7 ppm and 0.15 mL, respectively, which illustrated successful application of unreacted-core model for the NOx emission of coke combustion. The equation also illustrated that particle size of coke breeze and O2 concentration had a great influence on the NOx emission of coke combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial intermetallic compound (IMC) growth between Cu substrates and low-Ag Sn-0.3Ag-0.7Cu- xMn ( x = 0 wt.%, 0.02 wt.%, 0.05 wt.%, 0.1 wt.%, and 0.15 wt.%) (SAC0307- xMn) solders was investigated under different isothermal aging temperatures of 100°C, 150°C, and 190°C. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to observe the microstructural evolution of the solder joints and measure the IMC layer thickness. The IMC phases were identified by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction. The results showed that a CuSn IMC layer formed in the as-soldered solder joints, while a duplex structure consisting of a CuSn IMC layer near the solder matrix and a CuSn IMC layer was observed after isothermal aging. A considerable drop in the IMC layer thickness was observed when 0.1 wt.% Mn nanoparticles were added. Beyond this amount, the thickness of the IMC layer only slightly increases. Adding Mn nanoparticles can increase the activation energy and thus reduce the interdiffusion rates of the Sn and Cu atoms, which suppresses excessive IMC growth. The solder joint containing 0.1 wt.% Mn nanoparticles has the highest activation energy. SEM images revealed that the number of small particles precipitated in the channels between the CuSn IMC layers increases with an increasing proportion of Mn nanoparticles. Based on the microstructural evolution of the solder joints, this study revealed that grain boundary pinning is one of the most important mechanisms for IMC growth inhibition when Mn nanoparticles are added. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LiMn0·75Fe0·25PO4/C powders were prepared by a facile hydrothermal and ball-milling method, and then calcined. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy revealed that the calcination temperature had a strong effect on the structure and morphology of the as-prepared powder, and thus, on the subsequent electrochemical performance of the material. When the calcination temperature was increased from 550 to 700°C, the grain size of LiMn0·75Fe0·25PO4/C increased greatly. The electronic conductivities of the carbon coatings, which were obtained from sucrose and calcined at 550 and 700°C, were investigated. The discharge capacities of LiMn0·75Fe0·25PO4/C decreased with increasing calcination temperature, but electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that the charge-transfer resistances of LiMn0·75Fe0·25PO4/C electrodes decreased owing to the increase in the electronic conductivity of the carbon coating. Grain growth played a more important role than the electronic conductivity of the carbon coating in the discharge capacity of the electrode. The powder calcined at 550°C exhibited the best electrochemical performance, with a discharge capacity of 131·9 mAh g−1at a rate of 0·1 C. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Salt stress is one of the abiotic stresses limiting the yield of crops worldwide. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of plant response to salt stress are not completely elucidated. Ethylene response factors (ERFs) are a subfamily of the AP2 (APETALA2)/ERF transcription factor family that regulates multiple aspects of plant growth and development, and plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. ERF96 is one of the small ERFs that is involved in plant defense response and abscisic acid signaling in Arabidopsis. By using real time quantitative PCR, we found that the expression of ERF96 in the wild type Arabidopsis thaliana (cv. Col-0) seedlings was induced by NaCl treatment. The transgenic plants overexpressing ERF96 were more tolerant to salt stress in terms of NaCl inhibited seed germination, early seedling development, and fresh mass. Consistent with these observations, elevated expressions of some NaCl-responsive genes including responsive drought 29 ( RD29A), Δ-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase ( P5CS), cold responsive 15A ( COR15A), and kinase 1 ( KIN1) were observed in the transgenic plants in the presence of NaCl. We also found that the Na and K content and expressions of genes related to Na/K homeostasis including stelar K outward rectifier ( SKOR) and potassium transport 2/3 ( AKT2/3) were altered in the ERF96 transgenic plants in response to NaCl treatment. Taken together, these results showed that overexpression of ERF96 enhanced plant tolerance to salt stress, indicating that ERF96 is a positive regulator of salt tolerance in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-screening of samples detected the presence of Apis mellifera filamentous virus (AmFV), a DNA virus that was previously confirmed to be in Apis cerana cerana colonies in several provinces in China. To study whether it was presence and prevalence in A. mellifera colony in China, we collected samples from 170 colonies across 17 provinces and to assess the occurrence and geographical distribution of AmFV in different regions. The highest prevalence occurred in Beijing (80%) among all positive provinces, and the lowest infection prevalence occurred in Fujian and Qinghai with 10%. There was significantly geographical distribution of AmFV infection among investigated regions, and north of China was significantly higher than south of China ( p < 0.05) and central of China ( p < 0.05). The low infection rate for AmFV was in south of China, southwest and central of China, suggesting that geographical characterization that might favor the presence of AmFV. Although the significance of AmFV infection is not fully understood, its presence may be one of the critical factors affecting honey bee health in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the residual target tissues for better monitoring of amantadine abuse in broiler chickens, 22-day-old commercial Arbor Acres broiler chickens were, respectively, fed with 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg of amantadine for five consecutive days. Plasma, breast, and liver tissue samples from the chickens were collected 0, 4, 16, 24, 48, 96, 144, and 312 h after amantadine withdrawal. The high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was used to detect the concentrations of amantadine. The highest concentration was found in the chicken liver and it took the longest time for amantadine to vanish by metabolism. In the high-dose group, amantadine residues were still detected 312 h after amantadine withdrawal. As the amantadine dose increased, amantadine residues in the chicken liver were more slowly to disappear than in other tissues. Even if approximately the same concentration of amantadine residues was found in chicken breast and plasma samples, it took a shorter time before the residues were eliminated. In the medium- and high-dose groups, the concentrations of amantadine residues in chicken liver samples were substantially higher than those in chicken breast and plasma samples, and it took more time to eliminate them. Therefore, the chicken liver can be used as a target tissue to detect illegal use of amantadine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to study the feasibility of fluorescence spectroscopy as a reliable method for discrimination of Chinese liquor according to different aroma styles and geographic origins. The 84 Chinese liquors were analyzed by fluorescence spectroscopy and chemometrics. The results showed that Chinese liquors exhibit characteristic fluorescence spectra recorded at special excitation wavelengths that may be considered as fingerprints. Both principal component analysis (PCA) and stepwise linear discriminant analysis (SLDA) were carried out on the emission spectra (330-435 nm) recorded at excitation wavelength 300 nm to classify different aroma styles of Chinese liquors. The first two principal components explained 98.87% of the total variance, and the SLDA classified correctly 100%. Both hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were carried out on the emission spectra (325-420 nm) recorded at excitation wavelength 300 nm to identify different geographic origins of Chinese liquors. HCA accurately identified all the samples and the first three PCA explained 98.25% of the total variance. This study indicates that fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics offers a promising approach for identifying Chinese liquors according to different flavor types and geographic origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which focused on temperature dependence of the pinning field and coercivity of nickel iron layers couple with an antiferromagnetic iron manganese layer. Methods; Results; Discussion.

A total of 374 fungal endophyte strains were isolated from of Vaccinium dunalianum var. urophyllum (Ericaceae), a well-known cultivated blueberry in southern China. These fungal endophytes could be categorized into 25 morphotypes according to culture characteristics and molecular identification based on the internal transcribed spacer region. All of these isolates belonged to Ascomycota. Jaccard's (Jc) and Sorenson's similarity indices indicated that the species communities from the fruits and branches were closer to each other than to those from leaves. The leaves appeared to host the highest fungal biodiversity, and the fruits displayed the lowest diversity. Significance and Impact of the Study This study is the first on endophytic fungi isolated from fruits, branches and leaves of blueberry plants. The results contribute to the body of knowledge on the biocontrol of pathogens associated with blueberry and develop the improvement of plant growth. By comparing with the different fungal communities, the leaves appeared to host the highest biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin (IL)-12 family cytokines play critical roles in autoimmune diseases. Our previous study has shown that IL-23p19 and Epstein-Barr virus-induced 3 (Ebi3) form a new IL-12 family heterodimer, IL-23p19/Ebi3, termed IL-39, and knock-down of p19 or Ebi3 reduced diseases by transferred GL7+ B cells in lupus-prone mice. In the present study, we explore further the possible effect of IL-39 on murine lupus. We found that IL-39 in vitro and in vivo induces differentiation and/or expansion of neutrophils. GL7+ B cells up-regulated neutrophils by secreting IL-39, whereas IL-39-deficient GL7+ B cells lost the capacity to up-regulate neutrophils in lupus-prone mice and homozygous CD19cre (CD19-deficient) mice. Finally, we found that IL-39-induced neutrophils had a positive feedback on IL-39 expression in activated B cells by secreting B cell activation factor (BAFF). Taken together, our results suggest that IL-39 induces differentiation and/or expansion of neutrophils in lupus-prone mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mo containing high-C-Cr bearing steel was modified with Si (0.8-1.5 wt.%) and 0.8Si-1.0Al to prepare nanostructured bainite by low-temperature isothermal heat treatment. The modified steels were isothermal held at 220 to 240 °C after partial austenitization in an intercritical gamma+carbide region, and the resultant microstructure and mechanical properties were studied. Carbide-free nanostructured bainite with plate thickness below 100 nm and film retained austenite, as well as a small amount of undissolved carbide particles, was obtained in the modified steels except in 0.8Si steel, in which carbides precipitated in bainitic ferrite. As Si content increased, the mean thickness of bainitic ferrite plates modestly decreased, whereas the fraction of retained austenite markedly increased. The thickness of bainitic ferrite plate and the fraction of retained austenite in Si-Al-modified steel were smaller than those in Si-modified steels. The hardness and elongation of the Si-Al-modified steel were lower than those of Si-modified steels. The yield strength of Si-Al-modified steel was superior to that of Si-modified steels. Mid-level ultimate tensile strength and impact toughness were achieved in Si-Al-modified steel. For bearing applications, Si-modified steels could provide higher hardness and toughness but lower dimensional stability. Meanwhile, Si-Al-modified steel could offer higher dimensional stability but lower hardness and toughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]