Search

The present work examined water bath (WB) heating with microwave heating (WM) under different levels of transglutaminase (TGase) additions in a low-salt Mandarin fish surimi to obtain excellent gel properties. The breaking force was gradually enhanced with increased TGase additions (0.0 - 0.8 U/g), while WM with 0.8 U/g TGase produced the maximum gel strength. In the texture analysis, WM depicted a reduced hardness and an increased springiness at the corresponding TGase additions than that of WB. In low-field nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (LF-NMR) studies, TGase reduced water protons’ relaxation times to different extents, while WM increased their water-binding abilities, especially at 0.8 U/g. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed that the relative contents of the secondary structures did not apparently change at 0.2 - 1.0 U/g. Therefore, using WM and adding 0.8 U/g TGase improved the gel quality of low-salt Mandarin fish surimi gel, providing a new strategy for preparing healthy surimi products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reflection properties of pavement have an impact on the lit environment and thus upon drivers' vision and comfort and the energy consumption of the lighting installation. The reflection properties combine diffuse and specular components. The specular reflection component changes with different materials: it also changes when the surface is wet, although this is sometimes ignored in lighting design. This study used simulation (DIALux 4.13) to investigate the effect on lighting parameters (luminance, overall uniformity, longitudinal uniformity and threshold increment (TI)) of changes in pavement reflection properties using different pavement materials and under dry and wet conditions. Furthermore, comparison of lighting parameters was made with different road lighting arrangements. The results show that an increase in the specular reflection component leads to an increase in luminance and a decrease in uniformity. Of the surfaces investigated, the porous pavement had the lower luminance but better uniformity. Arranging the lighting installation based on the extreme wettest condition could make luminance and uniformity rise but with an increase of 2–2.5 kWh/m2 annual energy consumption. When trying to control glare problems during design process, it is suggested that uniformity cannot be neglected except the TI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present results of P-wave velocities and acoustic emission (AE) activities of a calcareous sandstone, collected from the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) area, under uniaxial loading to investigate the stress-induced damage evolution under both dry and deionized water saturated conditions. Chemical analyses of the sandstone-soaking water and microstructural observations of the sample were also conducted to study the chemical effects of water on the microstructure of sandstone. The results show that decline of P-wave velocity and accelerated AE activities in all samples are initiated after adequate volume dilatation has developed, yet the presence of water obviously postpones both processes to a higher stress ratio. Accumulated AE number is much less in saturated samples, a combined result of water-induced wave attenuation and water-enhanced microcracking with less fracturing energy. It is also shown that dissolution of carbonate cement in water takes place at room temperature. Both stress-induced inter and intra-grain cracking are significant in dry samples, while cracks in saturated samples mostly follow grain boundaries. Based on these results, three possible mechanisms responsible for the water-weakening effects of TGR sandstone, i.e., the Rehbinder effects, stress corrosion and pressure solution, are discussed in detail. A conceptual model involving pressure solution of carbonate cement is presented to explain the micro-structure evolution and damage process of TGR sandstone in the presence of water. Highlights: Water postpones the decline of P-wave velocity and accelerated AE activities in TGR sandstone to a higher stress ratio. Dissolution of carbonate cement in distilled water proceeds at room temperature. Cracks in saturated samples mostly follow grain boundaries. Pressure solution of carbonate cement plays an important part on the micro-structure and damage evolution of saturated TGR sandstone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study developed and characterized 13 novel polymorphic microsatellite markers from Mongolian redfin Chanodichthys mongolicus by restriction‐site associated DNA sequencing (RAD‐seq). Variability was tested on 36 individuals randomly collected from Qiantang River, Zhejiang Province, China. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 (MGB_1990, MGB_3456, MGB_6007, MGB_6539, MGB_7273, MGB_8632) to 9 (MGB_8632). Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.000 (MGB_7273) to 0.972 (MGB_5057), whereas the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.028 (MGB_6007) to 0.795 (MGB_4875). Polymorphism Information Content ranged from 0.027 (MGB_6007) to 0.755 (MGB_4875). Moreover, seven microsatellites were in agreement with Hardy‐Weinberg equilibrium. Four pairwise tests in seven microsatellite loci (MGB_1498, MGB_1990, MGB_4875, MGB_5057, MGB_6539, MGB_7273, MGB_8632) indicated linkage disequilibrium among loci. These microsatellites can evaluate Mongolian redfin populations' genetic parameters to provide precious information for a conservation management system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pyrotinib is a novel irreversible pan-ErbB receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Evidence of the efficacy of pyrotinib-based treatments for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in patients exposed to lapatinib is limited. Methods: Ninety-four patients who received pyrotinib as a third- or higher-line treatment for HER2-positive MBC were included in this retrospective study. The primary and secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS). Propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis were implemented to balance important patient characteristics between groups. Results: Thirty (31.9%) patients were pretreated with lapatinib and subsequently received pyrotinib as an anti-HER2 treatment, and 64 (68.1%) patients did not receive this treatment. The OS and PFS indicated a beneficial trend in lapatinib-naive group compared to lapatinib-treated group in either the original cohort (PFS: 9.02 vs 6.36 months, p = 0.05; OS: 20.73 vs 14.35 months, p = 0.08) or the PSM (PFS: 9.02 vs 6.08 months, p = 0.07; OS: 19.07 vs 18.00 months, p = 0.61) or IPTW (PFS: 9.90 vs 6.17 months, p = 0.05; OS: 19.53 vs 15.10 months, p = 0.08) cohorts. Subgroup analyses demonstrated lapatinib treatment-related differences in PFS in the premenopausal subgroup and the no prior trastuzumab treatment subgroup, but no significant differences were observed in OS. Conclusion: Pyrotinib-based therapy demonstrated promising effects in HER2-positive MBC patients in a real-world study, especially in lapatinib-naive patients, and also some activity in lapatinib-treated patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carrier velocity modulation by asymmetrical concave quantum barriers to improve the performance of AlGaN-based deep-ultraviolet light emitting diodes has been investigated. The concave structure is realized by inserting a low Al composition AlGaN layer in the barrier, and thus forming a concave region on energy band. The measured device performance shows a significant improvement under 0–250 mA operation current, with the maximum external quantum efficiency and light output power of 1.02% and 8.0 mW, which are more than double (2.32 and 2.35 times) of that for the conventional one, respectively. Simulation confirms that the concave quantum barriers make it possible for electrons to be scattered, which reduce the electron energy before being injected into quantum wells, and thus the capability of quantum wells to capture electrons is enhanced. Meanwhile, the vertical transport of holes within the active region is also enhanced because the asymmetrical setting of the concave layer in the quantum barriers helps holes accelerate under the polarization field, and then get more energy to overcome the barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing efficient active region structures with low sensitivity to threading dislocation density (TDD) is of great technical significance for AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet (DUV) light-emitting devices. Here, we propose an active region strategy by introducing bunching effect to form self-assembled sidewall quantum wells (SQWs) with much stronger carrier confinement, resulting in a significant enhancement of internal quantum efficiency (from 46% to 59%) compared to the commonly adopted multiple quantum wells (MQWs) due to the lower sensitivity to TDD. As a demo, an AlGaN-based DUV light-emitting diode (LED) with the proposed active region involving both SQWs and MQWs presents dual-band emission and a consequent 68% enhancement in light output power compared to the DUV-LED with only MQWs as the active region, suggesting that the proposed architecture is fully suitable for the development of high performance DUV light-emitting devices even based on poor or medium quality materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The benefits of coordinating activities and consolidating distribution points in supply chains are well highlighted and intuitively logical. However, the impact of these decisions on the overall performance of a complex supply chain may not be as obvious as usually perceived. This study models a relatively complex supply chain and evaluates the impact of simplifying demand and lead time assumptions under various supply chain configurations. Of particular interest is the investigation of the effect of risk pooling and the synchronization of production cycles in a multi-level multi-retailer supply chain under the influence of various parameters such as batch size, delivery frequency and ordering cycle. This study highlights the extent of complicated interaction effects among various factors exist in a complex supply chain and shows that that the intricacy of these effects can be better understood with a simulation model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolution of crystalline quality of AlN via high-temperature (HT) annealing induced by different sapphire pretreatments is investigated. It is found that after HT annealing at 1700 °C for one hour, an AlN film grown on a nitridation treated sapphire substrate presents a much lower threading dislocation density (TDD) than that grown on an alumination treated one, indicating that the combination of nitridation and HT annealing is a more effective approach to achieve high quality AlN. It is verified that the much greater grain density of the nucleation layer induced by nitridation can produce more columns with much smaller sizes so that they can more easily rotate during the HT annealing to reduce the TDD more effectively. A deep ultraviolet light-emitting diode (285 nm) with an output power over 10 mW has been demonstrated on a HT annealed AlN template with sapphire substrate nitridation pretreatment, showing great potential for applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AlGaN-based deep-ultraviolet light emitting diodes adopting an embedded delta-AlGaN thin layer with an Al composition higher than that in conventional barriers have been investigated. The experimental result shows that when the current is below 250 mA, the maximum of the external quantum efficiency and light output power for the proposed structure reach severally 1.38% and 10.1 mW, which are enhanced significantly by 160% and 197%, respectively, compared to the conventional ones, showing a tremendous improvement. We attribute that to the inserted delta-thin layer's modulation effect on the energy band, namely, accelerating holes to cross the high barrier with very large kinetic energy, thus increasing the hole injection into the active regions. Meanwhile, the electron concentration within the active regions is enhanced as well because of the accompanying additional effect of the delta-AlGaN thin layer being an electron barrier to block electrons escaping from the active region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth behaviors of AlN on hexagonal configuration hole-type and truncated-cone-pillar-type nano-patterned sapphire substrates (NPSSs) have been investigated. It is found that threading dislocation density (TDD) of AlN grown on the hole-type NPSS reaches 4.87 × 108 cm−2, which is over one order of magnitude lower than the value 6.63 × 109 cm−2 on the pillar-type one with the same period and mesa width. It is verified that the TDD of AlN grown on NPSSs is greatly dominated by the area ratio of the coalescence zones and thus the NPSS pattern with a small coalescence area (SCA) ratio is the preferred choice for high-quality AlN epitaxy. Benefiting from the low-TDD AlN grown on the hole-type NPSS with an SCA, the internal quantum efficiency of the 281 nm AlGaN-based multiple quantum wells has reached 73.9% at 300 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-temperature (HT) annealing effects on the evolution of strain in AlN films grown on sapphire have been investigated. It is found that there is a significant transition behavior from tensile to compressive strain in AlN before and after HT annealing at an optimal temperature of 1700 °C. Based on a microstructural analysis, it is clarified that the HT annealing will result in the (1) disappearance of grains that account for the tensile stress before HT annealing, (2) generation of a new interface that has little influence on the lattice constant upper/below this interface, and (3) regular 8/9 arrangement of misfit dislocation at the AlN/sapphire interface that relieves almost all stress associated with lattice mismatch. It is thus deduced that the remnant compressive strain in AlN after HT annealing mainly comes from the cooling down process due to thermal mismatch between sapphire and AlN. This understanding of the annealing effect is certainly of great significance in AlN materials science and technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crystal quality evolution of AlN films via high-temperature (HT) annealing under nitrogen is investigated. It is found that the best crystal quality can be realized using an optimized combination of the annealing temperature at 1700 °C and an AlN thickness of 540 nm, respectively. Thus the X-ray diffraction ̉-scan full width at half maximum (FWHM) values of 59 and 284 arcsec for (0002) and (101̅2) diffractions were achieved, respectively. It is verified that the significant reduction in the threading dislocation density (TDD) via HT annealing starts from the interface zone between AlN and sapphire anterior to the zone far from the interface, which is caused by less energy being required to decrease the larger twist angle among the columns in the interface zone. Benefiting from the low-TDD annealed AlN template, the internal quantum efficiency of the 282-nm AlGaN-based multiple quantum wells reached 57% at 300 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-five resveratrol derivatives were synthesized, among which eight compounds have not yet been reported. The target compounds were evaluated for thrombin inhibitory activity in vitro (IC50). The results showed that four compounds displayed a better thrombin inhibitory activity with IC50 values from 10.43 to 18.31 μM, better than resveratrol (25.87 μM). The R3 position of resveratrol was modified by heterocyclic rings containing oxygen and sulfur, which could increase the anticoagulant activity of resveratrol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a type of autoimmune disease that damages multiple organs, including the heart, joints, liver and kidneys. The main characteristics of SLE are the deposition of circulating autoantibodies; autoantigen complexes in the renal system; and abnormal expression of complements, cytokines and chemokines. Lupus nephritis (LN) is the most serious manifestation of SLE and is characterized by inflammation of the kidney. This review summarizes recent clinical applications of protein biomarkers including autoantibodies, complements, cytokines and chemokines and some new protein biomarkers in SLE and LN. The clinical differential diagnois of protein biomarkers related to prognosis and diagnosis is discussed and highlighted. Protein biomarkers play crucial roles in the study of SLE and LN. Useful biomarkers will provide insights into effective treatments for these diseases. Lupus (2018) 27, 1582-1590. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, knocking combustion in dual-fuel diesel engine is modeled and investigated using the CFD code coupled with detailed chemical kinetics. The ethanol/gasoline blend E85 is used as the primary fuel in a dual-fuel combustion concept based on a light-duty diesel engine equipped with a common-rail injection system. The E85 blend is injected and well mixed with intake air in the intake manifold and is ignited by the direct injection diesel fuel. A 46-species, 187-reaction Multicomponent mechanism is adopted to model the auto-ignition process of the E85/air/diesel mixture ahead of the flame front. Based on the model validation, knocking combustion under boost and full load operating condition for 0 %, 20 %, 50 %, as well as 70 % E85 substitute energy is simulated. The effects of E85 substitute rate and two stage injection strategies on knock intensity, power output, as well as location of the auto-ignition initiation is clearly reproduced by the model. The calculation result shows that, for a high E85 rate of 50 % and 70 % with single injection strategies, the most serious knock and the origin of auto-ignition always occurs far away from where the flame of diesel spray is first generated, at the center of combustion chamber, due to higher pressure wave, relatively richer E85 mixture and longer distances of flame propagation. The two stage injection strategies with a small amount of diesel pilot injection ahead of the main injection primarily influence the ignition behavior of the directly injected fuel, leads to a lower pressure rise rate and a reduced propagation distance, both of which contribute to the attenuation of knock intensity for a higher E85 rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional tailoring of a proton beam is realized by a "particle lens" in our experiment. A large quantity of electrons, generated by an intense femtosecond laser irradiating a polymer target, produces an electric field strong enough to change the trajectory and distribution of energetic protons flying through the electron area. The experiment shows that a strip pattern of the proton beam appears when hot electrons initially converge inside the plastic plate. Then the shape of the proton beam changes to a "fountain-like" pattern when these hot electrons diffuse after propagating a distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple scheme to produce strong magnetic fields due to cold electron flow in an open-ended coil heated by high power laser pulses is proposed. It differs from previous generation of magnetic fields driven by fast electron current in a capacitor-coil target [S. Fujioka et al., Sci. Rep. 3, 1170 (2013)]. The fields in our experiments are measured by B-dot detectors and protonradiography, respectively. A 205 T strong magnetic field at the center of the coil target is generated in the free space at I?² of 6.85 × 1014 W cm-2 µm², where I is the laser intensity, and ? is the laser wavelength. The magnetic field strength is proportional to I?². Compared with the capacitor-coil target, the generation mechanism of the magnetic field is straightforward and the coil is easy to be fabricated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The route to lighter composite aero-structures requires advanced 3D non-destructive characterisation (NDC) methods to provide confidence that the as-built structures conform to the design expectations. Material models can also make use of this type of NDC data, allowing performance prediction of as-built structures and opening new possibilities for accepting components into service, component life prediction and in-service inspection routines. The toolset to achieve such a structural integrity framework is understandably multi-disciplinary and diverse. This paper provides an overview of progress towards this framework. One of the main elements covered is the progress towards measuring 3D fibre orientation, the first material property required to enable material modelling, followed by ply spacing, fibre volume fraction and, in the future, 3D porosity distribution. Following an extensive study of the literature for characterising other kinds of fibrous or textured images (fingerprints, hair, textiles, etc), the most promising methods have been evaluated and compared using ultrasonic and X-ray CT data. This paper also demonstrates the ability to use these 3D fibre orientation maps to construct a finite element model to determine the mechanical properties of the as-manufactured structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the conventional I- and T-type three-level neutral-point-clamped (3L-NPC) inverter for low-voltage renewable energy systems is first investigated. Literature research shows that the T-type inverter improves I-type's insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) $+$ IGBT current paths. However, the IGBT $+$ diode paths are the same. The calculation in this paper further reveals that the IGBT $+$ diode current paths dominate the conduction losses and even the whole semiconductor losses. Based on the aforementioned recognitions, a novel T-type inverter is presented as an alternative to be applied in the low-voltage renewable energy systems. In the proposed 3L-NPC, four CoolMosfets replace the IGBT $+$ diode middle bidirectional switch. In the proposed topology, there is no diode involved in the current path supposing the unity power factor. In this way, the conduction loss is expected to be reduced compared with that from the conventional T-type 3L-NPC, particularly in the low and medium power ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

p53 is one of the most studied genes in cancer biology, and mutations in this gene may be predictive for the development of many types of cancer in humans and in animals. However, whether p53 mutations in non-tumor stromal cells can affect tumor development has received very little attention. In this study, we show that B16F0 melanoma cells form much larger tumors in p53-deficient mice than in wild-type mice, indicating a potential role of p53 deficiency in non-tumor cells of the microenvironment. As mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are attracted to tumors and form a major component of the tumor microenvironment, we examined the potential role of p53 status in MSCs in tumor development. We found that larger tumors resulted when B16F0 melanoma cells were co-injected with bone marrow MSCs derived from p53-deficient mice rather than MSCs from wild-type mice. Interestingly, this tumor-promoting effect by p53-deficient MSCs was not observed in non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency mice, indicating the immune response has a critical role. Indeed, in the presence of inflammatory cytokines, p53-deficient MSCs expressed more inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and exhibited greater immunosuppressive capacity. Importantly, tumor promotion by p53-deficient MSCs was abolished by administration of S-methylisothiourea, an iNOS inhibitor. Therefore, our data demonstrate that p53 status in tumor stromal cells has a key role in tumor development by modulating immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate tumors develop resistance to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) by multiple mechanisms, one of which is to express constitutively active androgen receptor (AR) splice variants lacking the ligand-binding domain. AR splice variant 7 (AR-V7, also termed AR3) is the most abundantly expressed variant that drives prostate tumor progression under ADT conditions. However, the molecular mechanism by which AR-V7 is generated remains unclear. In this manuscript, we demonstrated that RNA splicing of AR-V7 in response to ADT was closely associated with AR gene transcription initiation and elongation rates. Enhanced AR gene transcription by ADT provides a prerequisite condition that further increases the interactions between AR pre-mRNA and splicing factors. Under ADT conditions, recruitment of several RNA splicing factors to the 3′ splicing site for AR-V7 was increased. We identified two RNA splicing enhancers and their binding proteins (U2AF65 and ASF/SF2) that had critical roles in splicing AR pre-mRNA into AR-V7. These data indicate that ADT-induced AR gene transcription rate and splicing factor recruitment to AR pre-mRNA contribute to the enhanced AR-V7 levels in prostate cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be isolated from almost all tissues and effectively expanded in vitro. Although their true in situ properties and biological functions remain to be elucidated, these in vitro expanded cells have been shown to possess potential to differentiate into specific cell lineages. It is speculated that MSCs in situ have important roles in tissue cellular homeostasis by replacing dead or dysfunctional cells. Recent studies have demonstrated that in vitro expanded MSCs of various origins have great capacity to modulate immune responses and change the progression of different inflammatory diseases. As tissue injuries are often accompanied by inflammation, inflammatory factors may provide cues to mobilize MSCs to tissue sites with damage. Before carrying out tissue repair functions, MSCs first prepare the microenvironment by modulating inflammatory processes and releasing various growth factors in response to the inflammation status. In this review, we focus on the crosstalk between MSCs and immune responses and their potential clinical applications, especially in inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary phosphorus on the intestine and hepatopancreas antioxidant capacity of juvenile Jian carp ( Cyprinus carpio var. Jian). Jian carp, with an average initial weight of 7.17 ± 0.01 g, were fed with diets containing graded concentrations of available phosphorus, namely 1.7 (control), 3.6, 5.5, 7.3, 9.2 and 11.0 g kg−1 diet for 9 weeks. Results showed that, in intestine and hepatopancreas, content of malondialdehyde ( MDA), protein carbonyl ( PC) and glutathione ( GSH), capacity of anti-superoxide anion ( ASA) and anti-hydroxyl radical ( AHR), and glutathione reductase ( GR), catalase ( CAT), glutathione S-transferase ( GST), superoxide dismutase ( SOD) and glutathione peroxidase ( GPx) activities were significantly affected by dietary phosphorus levels ( P < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that significant quadratic responses occurred in MDA content and ASA, GST, GPx and AHR activities in intestine, GSH content and CAT and SOD activities in hepatopancreas ( P < 0.05). These results indicate that optimal level of dietary phosphorus prevented oxidative damage and increased antioxidant enzyme activities in the intestine and hepatopancreas of juvenile Jian carp. The phosphorus requirement estimated from MDA using quadratic regression analysis was 5.7 g kg−1 diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 9-week feeding trial was carried out with juvenile Jian carp ( Cyprinus carpio var. Jian) to study the effects of dietary phosphorus on growth, body composition, intestinal enzyme activities and microflora. Quadruple groups of juvenile Jian carp (7.17 ± 0.01 g) were fed practical diets containing available phosphorus 1.7 (unsupplemented control), 3.6, 5.5, 7.3, 9.2 and 11.0 g kg−1 diet to satiation. Feed intake, specific growth ratio and feed efficiency were the lowest in fish fed the basal diet ( P < 0.05). Body moisture, protein, lipid content and ash were all significantly affected by dietary available phosphorus levels ( P < 0.05). Activities of trypsin, amylase, Na+, K+-ATPase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase were improved with increasing dietary phosphorus levels. Intestinal Aeromonas and Escherichia coli decreased with increasing dietary phosphorus up to 3.6 and 5.5 g kg−1 diet respectively ( P < 0.05), while Lactobacillus increased with the increasing dietary phosphorus up to 9.2 g kg−1 diet ( P < 0.05). These results suggested that phosphorus could enhance intestinal enzyme activities of juvenile Jian carp and the minimum dietary available phosphorus requirement for SGR of juvenile Jian carp (7.2-63.8 g) was 5.2 g kg−1 diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new dammarane triterpenes 3beta-acetyl-20S,24R-dammarane-25-ene-24-hydroperoxy-20-ol (1), 20S,24R-dammarane-25-ene-24-hydroperoxy-3beta,20-diol (2), as well as three known dammarane triterpenes, 3beta-acetyl-20S,25-epoxydammarane-24alpha-ol (3), 20S,25-epoxydammarane-3beta,24alpha-diol (4), 20S-dammarane-23-ene-3beta,20,25-triol (5) were isolated from the fruits of Ligustrum lucidum. Compounds 3-5 were isolated from the fruits of L. lucidum for the first time. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu2O/ xCu ( x=0–25 wt%) cermets were evaluated as a novel partially inert anode for aluminum (Al) production. The physical and mechanical properties, including the compressive strength, flexural strength, thermal expansion coefficient, thermal conductivity, and dc electrical conductivity were tested at room temperature and at temperatures up to 950°C. The coefficient of thermal expansion, compressive strength, flexural strength, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity of Cu2O/Cu cermets increased with increasing Cu content. High-temperature electrical conductivity measurements showed that with increasing temperature, the electrical conductivity increased when the Cu content was below the percolation threshold, while it decreased when the Cu content was above the percolation threshold. A relatively stable CuAlO2 layer formed on the cermet surface during electrochemical testing, and the corrosion rate of this anode was estimated to be about 1.8–1.9 cm/year in Al production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu2O–10CuAlO2– xCu cermets, as candidate inert anode materials for Al production, were prepared via hot-pressing (HP) technology, and their electrical conductivity was studied. The results show that the Cu2O–10CuAlO2– xCu cermet materials can act as an electrical conductor when the Cu content is higher than 15 wt%. The electrical conductivity of the cermet material depends on the content, the particle size of the metal phase, and also on the porosity of the cermet material. The electrical conductivity increases with the decrease of particle size of the metal phase and the porosity. The particle size of the metal phase decreases with the increase of HP pressure, while it increases with increase of the HP temperature. The mathematic relationship connecting electrical conductivity and the influence factors was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents research on the genetic diversity and breeding of a Chinese soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis with the use of polymorphic microsatellites. It says that 16 novel polymorphic microsatellites were developed in Pelodiscus and a genomic library was made using 400 ng DNA digested with RsaI (Bio-Red) biotin, along with the analysis of 19 primer pairs. The results suggest that all of the microsatellites were polymorphic in both cultured and wild populations.