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Screening biological readouts in cell culture are increasing in frequency and throughput. In such assays, cell types may be rare and reagents or compounds may be expensive often resulting in a reduced number of conditions and/or replicates. “Tubeless” microfluidics offers a method to reduce this burden, as has been previously shown. In addition the In-Cell Western (ICW) has recently been adapted to microfluidic cultures allowing high throughput analysis of immunocytochemistry in microfluidic channels. Combining automated liquid handling in tubeless microfluidics with the ICW provides rapid and quantitative high throughput cell-based screens. Here, we validate this platform using three parameters: operational robustness (pipetting reliability), cell seeding consistency, and cell staining consistency (both nuclear and antibody). Integration of liquid handling with microfluidics was found to be more than 97% operationally robust. Cell seeding consistency between each microchannel and within each microchannel was found to be within a standard deviation of less than 5% and 6%, respectively. Finally, through optimization of liquid handling steps, uniformity among all the channels was found for both nuclear and antibody staining. These results lay the foundation to perform most standard ICW assays using automated tubeless microfluidics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a new method of abdominal skin care on patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) undergoing orthopedic surgery. A total of 90 patients with AS and thoracolumbar kyphosis undergoing orthopedic surgery were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the control group received routine care while those in experimental group received the following new treatment regimen: i) Vaseline cream was applied to the abdominal skin for 3-5 min every 6 h; ii) preoperative stretch exercises were encouraged and iii) 24 h after surgery, the patient was placed in a lateral decubitus position. The difference in abdominal pain levels and the size of tension blisters was the compared between the two groups. There was no difference in age, gender, disease course and kyphosis angle between two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the patients in the control group, those in test group experienced milder pain when evaluated by visual analogue score at 6, 18 and 30 h after surgery (3.6±1.2 vs. 4.5±1.8; 4.4±2.3 vs. 6.1±2.7; 4.1±2.1 vs. 4.1±2.1, P<0.05). Moreover, tension vesicles in the abdominal skin were significantly smaller in the treatment group than the control group (P<0.05). Optimal nursing may be the key to the reduction of the level of pain and occurrence of tension vacuoles in the abdominal skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hotspot detection focused on lithography induced defects becomes crucial at advanced node due to the increasing complexity of the design and manufacture process. Compared with traditional lithography simulation techniques for hotspot detection, machine-learning-based methods have shown significant advantages attributing to the efficiency and generality of their model. However, most convolutional neural network-based hotspot detector can only inference a layout pattern at once. Therefore, sampling clip patterns from the detected layout is the bottleneck of the whole process and determines the performance of hotspot detection. We designed a flow to generate filter rules by clustering analysis of known hotspots, which can efficiently extract layout clips as detected samples to hotspot classifier. We further propose a feature parametric optimization method to extract valuable graphic features for classifiers and reduce redundancy from context patterns. Experimental results demonstrate that these techniques improve the accuracy of hotspots detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In datasets for hotspot detection in physical verification, data are predominantly composed of non-hotspot samples with only a small percentage of hotspot ones; this leads to the class imbalance problem, which usually hinders the performance of classifiers. Aim: We aim to enrich datasets by applying a data augmentation technique. Approach: We propose a data augmentation flow-based generative adversarial network (GAN) to generate high-resolution hotspot samples. Results: We evaluated our flow with the current state-of-the-art convolutional neural network hotspot classifier by comparison with conventional data augmentation techniques. Experimental results demonstrate that the accuracy improvement of our work can reach 3% at the same false alarm rate and the false alarm rate reduction can reach 5% at the same accuracy. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that rational hotspot classification can improve the efficiency of data. It also highlights the potential of GAN to generate complicated layout patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As semiconductor technologies continue to shrink, optical proximity correction may not have enough space to optimize layout due to limitations from adjacent layers. Lithography friendly design (LFD) becomes a powerful tool to detect potential lithography yield killers for fabless side from 14-nm technology node and beyond. Design layout can be modified before tape-out to avoid future rework. However, huge runtime is the bottleneck of LFD. Aim: Our paper puts forward an innovative layout decomposing algorithm to accelerate LFD at full-chip level. Approach: The proposed projection-based high coverage fast (PBHCF) LFD layout decomposing algorithm partitions the full-chip layout as a set of unique patterns. The simulation runtime can be reduced by only simulating every unique pattern and corresponding optical interaction range in full chip. The LFD hotspots will be classified, analyzed, and repaired by pattern matching in batches for full-chip layout. Results: The experiments compare hotspot accuracies and prediction speeds of proposed PBHCF LFD and the most commonly used accelerated algorithm, Smart LFD, for different layouts at chip level for metal 2 layer of 12-nm technology node with pure unidirectional routings. On one hand, the average accuracy of PBHCF LFD can achieve 97.07%, improving 3.4% than Smart LFD on average. On the other hand, PBHCF LFD improves the average prediction speed over regular LFD 19.51%. And the PBHCF LFD is faster than Smart LFD by 5.96%. Conclusions: PBHCF LFD achieves higher accuracy and less runtime than Smart LFD. The verification experiments conducted on layouts at chip level show the feasibility of the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights from the article: Functional Nanomaterials: 3D Porous Superhydrophobic CNT/EVA Composites for Recoverable Shape Reconfiguration and Underwater Vibration Detection (Adv. Funct. In article number 1900554, Hongqiang Li, Xingrong Zeng, and co-workers report a robust porous superhydrophobic composite (PSC) based on a hybrid of multiwalled carbon nanotubes network and a poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) matrix for recoverable shape reconfiguration and underwater vibration detection. The solvent plasticization and capillary effect endow the PSC with great shape memory performance, and the skeleton deformation makes the PSC applicable for detecting various underwater vibrations.

Functional superhydrophobic materials with shape memory and electrical conductivity play important roles in a wide variety of growing fields. Herein, a robust 3D porous superhydrophobic composite (PSC) with multiwalled carbon nanotube/poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate) (CNT/EVA) as its skeleton is proposed for recoverable shape reconfiguration and underwater vibration detection. Thanks to the capillary wicking of the interconnected porous structure and ethanol plasticization of the skeleton, this PSC achieves fast shape reconfiguration (<20 s) and recovery (<20 s), high shape fixity (>98%) and recovery ratio (>90%), and excellent shape‐memory repeatability (>10 times) even at 80% compressive strain. Additionally, induced by the wave‐sensitive air layer trapped on the superhydrophobic surface, the flexible CNT/EVA skeleton endures compressed/stretched deformation. Thus, the conductive PSC sensor presents high sensitivity in monitoring tiny underwater vibrations generated by stirring, objects falling, a ruler sliding, ultrasonic ation, and human activities. The findings conceivably stand out as a new methodology for the fabrication of functional superhydrophobic materials for innovative and broad applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As semiconductor technologies continue to shrink, the growth in the number of process variables and combined effects tighten the overall process window, which leads to a more serious yield loss. Yield cannot be totally guaranteed by design rule check and verifications of optical proximity correction, due to complex process variations. The joint effects from unreasonable designs and unstable control of critical dimensions and overlay mainly contribute to the formation of bridging defects in critical interconnect layers. Aim: Our paper puts forward a model to detect the potential bridging region and predicts the corresponding failure probability under a litho-etch-litho-etch process. Approach: The proposed model is based on input error sources from variations of lithography and etch processes. In this scheme, bridging is expected when the minimum space of simulated postetch contours within a specific range is smaller than a user-defined bridging threshold. Gaussian distribution characteristics of line edge roughness (LER) and overlay are considered in the proposed model. Moreover, the proposed model provides meaningful guidelines for bridging prediction with the use of process variation bands. Results: The experiment results indicate consistency and validity of theoretical derivation of the proposed model. The concrete impacts of LER and overlay on the model have been quantitatively analyzed as well. Conclusions: According to the predicted probabilities, the model can early discover potential bridging defects quantitatively by considering the statistical properties of process variations with very few calculations and can give a ranking of failure severity as a decision foundation for design rule optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MnO2 is an oxide with many crystalline phases and is often used as a cathode material for aqueous zinc-ion batteries. However, its poor electrical conductivity and structural instability limit its further application. In the present work, Mo-doped MnO2 microflowers are successfully prepared by a facile hydrothermal method. Interestingly, it is found that the doping of Mo inhibits the phase transition from δ-MnO2 to α-MnO2, which may be related to the low crystallinity of Mo doped MnO2. Compared with undoped MnO2, Mo-doped MnO2 maintains two-dimensional morphology with a large specific surface area and mesoporous structure. In addition, the electronic conductivity and reversibility of Zn2+ insertion/extraction are improved in Mo doped MnO2. Therefore, Mo-doped MnO2 exhibits high reversible capacity and long cycling stability. For example, a high reversible capacity of 72.6 mA h g−1 can be achieved at a current density of 2000 mA g−1 after 2500 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the Taiwanese government launched the Blueprint for Developing Taiwan into a Bilingual Nation by 2030, the Implementation Project of Bilingual Instruction in several domains of primary and junior high school education was promoted by the Taiwan Ministry of Education. Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is a dual-objective strategy in which students simultaneously acquire language skills and subject knowledge. CLIL has been widely implemented and proven to be successful in European countries. This strategy will become the primary method of bilingual education for instructors in grades K-12. Other non-European countries, such as Latin America and Indonesia, however, found difficulties applying CLIL in class. The issues need to be identified to encourage researchers and practitioners to find solutions. The purpose of this paper is to identify the barriers to implementing CLIL from the perspective of K-12 teachers. We surveyed 102 K-12 teachers in Keelung using a questionnaire. The findings indicate that (1) 49.0% of teachers feel concerned if they are required to teach half of their content in English, (2) 64.8% of teachers are willing to improve their English proficiency in their spare time for implementing CLIL in class, and (3) only 36.3% of teachers are willing to adopt CLIL in class, while 50.0% of teachers are willing to implement CLIL if a teaching assistant system supports them with English course materials. Teaching assistant systems that provide English course materials might influence teachers' willingness to implement CLIL in class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: DNA‐based next‐generation sequencing has been widely used in the selection of target therapies for patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). RNA‐based next‐generation sequencing has been proven to be valuable in detecting fusion and exon‐skipping mutations and is recommended by National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for these mutation types. Methods: The authors developed an RNA‐based hybridization panel targeting actionable driver oncogenes in solid tumors. Experimental and bioinformatics pipelines were optimized for the detection of fusions, single‐nucleotide variants (SNVs), and insertion/deletion (indels). In total, 1253 formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded samples from patients with NSCLC were analyzed by DNA and RNA panel sequencing in parallel to assess the performance of the RNA panel in detecting multiple types of mutations. Results: In analytical validation, the RNA panel achieved a limit of detection of 1.45–3.15 copies per nanogram for SNVs and 0.21–6.48 copies per nanogram for fusions. In 1253 formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded NSCLC samples, the RNA panel identified a total of 124 fusion events and 26 MET exon 14‐skipping events, in which 14 fusions and six MET exon 14‐skipping mutations were missed by DNA panel sequencing. By using the DNA panel as the reference, the positive percent agreement and the positive predictive value of the RNA panel were 98.08% and 98.62%, respectively, for detecting targetable SNVs and 98.15% and 99.38%, respectively, for detecting targetable indels. Conclusions: Parallel DNA and RNA sequencing analyses demonstrated the accuracy and robustness of the RNA sequencing panel in detecting multiple types of clinically actionable mutations. The simplified experimental workflow and low sample consumption will make RNA panel sequencing a potentially effective method in clinical testing. RNA panel sequencing was capable of detecting multiple types of clinically actionable mutations with high accuracy. This simplified experimental method was proven in 1253 formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded non–small cell lung cancer samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytopathogenic fungi secrete chitin deacetylase (CDA) to escape the host's immunological defense during infection. Here, we showed that the deacetylation activity of CDA toward chitin is essential for fungal virulence. Five crystal structures of two representative and phylogenetically distant phytopathogenic fungal CDAs, VdPDA1 from Verticillium dahliae and Pst_13661 from Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, were obtained in ligand-free and inhibitor-bound forms. These structures suggested that both CDAs have an identical substrate-binding pocket and an Asp-His-His triad for coordinating a transition metal ion. Based on the structural identities, four compounds with a benzohydroxamic acid (BHA) moiety were obtained as phytopathogenic fungal CDA inhibitors. BHA exhibited high effectiveness in attenuating fungal diseases in wheat, soybean, and cotton. Our findings revealed that phytopathogenic fungal CDAs share common structural features, and provided BHA as a lead compound for the design of CDA inhibitors aimed at attenuating crop fungal diseases. Phytopathogenic fungi secrete chitin deacetylase (CDA) to escape the host's immunological defense during infection. Here, the authors reveal the common structural features of phytopathogenic fungal CDAs, and identify CDA inhibitors that are promising to control plant diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of 3D, physiologically relevant in vitro cancer models to investigate complex interactions between tumor and stroma has been increasing. Prior work has generally focused on the cancer cells and, the role of fibroblast culture conditions on tumor-stromal cell interactions is still largely unknown. Here, we focus on the stroma by comparing functional behaviors of human mammary fibroblasts (HMFs) cultured in 2D and 3D and their effects on the invasive progression of breast cancer cells (MCF10DCIS.com). We identified increased levels of several paracrine factors from HMFs cultured in 3D conditions that drive the invasive transition. Using a microscale co-culture model with improved compartmentalization and sensitivity, we demonstrated that HMFs cultured in 3D intensify the promotion of the invasive progression through the HGF/c-Met interaction. This study highlights the importance of the 3D stromal microenvironment in the development of multiple cell type in vitro cancer models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advancements in radiotherapy (RT) in recent years, several studies have shown that RT can significantly prolong the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As a noninvasive treatment option, the application of RT for the treatment of HCC is garnering increasing attention. In this retrospective study, we included data from 13,878 patients with HCC from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2000 and 2019 and 325 patients with HCC treated in three tertiary hospitals in China between 2015 and 2021. Patient data were divided into RT and non-RT groups based on whether the patients underwent RT. Propensity score matching analysis was performed to minimize the deviation between the RT and non-RT groups, and the Kaplan–Meier method, Cox proportional hazard model, and nomogram were used to assess the efficacy of undergoing RT. The median overall survival (mOS) of the RT group was significantly longer compared with that of the non-RT group for the SEER data (16 months versus 9 months, p < 0.01). Similarly, the survival benefit was more significant in the RT group than in the non-RT group at our hospitals (34.1 months versus 15.4 months, p < 0.01). Furthermore, multivariate Cox analysis revealed that factors, including tumor (T) stage, patient age, tumor grade, serum AFP level, and chemotherapy, also affected patient survival. Moreover, these factors were also used to construct a nomogram. Subgroup analysis of these factors showed that RT was effective in prolonging patient survival in different populations. RT significantly improves the survival time of patients with inoperable HCC, thereby providing a basis for selecting HCC patients who can benefit from RT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought risk assessment provides a vital basis for drought relief and prevention. We developed a dynamic agricultural drought risk (DADR) assessment model to predict drought trends and their impacts on crop yield in real time. A weather generator was employed to produce daily meteorological scenarios to simulate drought trends stochastically. Then, it was used to drive a crop model for simulating drought-induced yield loss. The yield loss rate was calculated to assess the DADR, whereas the cumulative yield loss rate was calculated to measure the cumulative impacts of drought on yield. The drought that occurred in the Liaoning Province in 2000 was selected as a case study, and the DADR was assessed weekly during the maize growth period. The statistical parameters of historical meteorological data were used to prove the rationality of meteorological scenarios. The crop data from 1996 to 2012 were used for crop model calibration and verification. The results showed that, on July 3, 2000, the majority of the Liaoning Province experienced severe or moderate DADR, which showed an increasing trend from east to west, while the highest DADR (over 35%) was noted in Fuxin and Chaoyang. The drought during the maize growth period in 2000 caused an average cumulative yield loss rate of 62.4%. The drought in the early seeding and milk maturity stages had a negligible impact on maize yield, contrary to that in the jointing to tasseling period. Our study provides insights into the implementation of drought relief measures and the development of drought monitoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper defines the elements of the province-based knowledge competitiveness and analyzes the strategies to enhance the competitiveness. And then, this paper builds a model to verify and measure the effectiveness of enhancement policy for the province-based knowledge competitiveness, with the help of the AHP, Granger causality test, structural equation modeling and other methods. What is more, it takes China's 31 provinces and cities in 2008 as the objects for the knowledge competitiveness empirical analysis. And finally, the findings show that: on one hand, R & D incentives, talents introduction policies and other policies take a positive part in promoting knowledge competitiveness. On the other hand, the promotion effect of R&D input policy, achievements transformation policy, talents development policy, high-tech industry development policy and new product and technology promotion policy is not notable from the statistics perspective, and the validity of these policies should be further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infection is one of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted diseases globally. Untreated C. trachomatis infections can ascend to the upper genital tract and establish a series of severe complications. Previous studies using C3−/− and C5−/− mice models demonstrated that C3-independent activation of C5 occurred during C. trachomatis infection. However, the mechanism of how chlamydial infection activates C5 in the absence of C3 has yet to be elucidated. To delineate interactions between C5 and chlamydial infection, cleavage products in a co-incubation system containing purified human C5 and C. trachomatis -HeLa229 cell lysates were analyzed, and a novel cleavage pattern of C5 activation induced by C. trachomatis infection was identified. C5 was cleaved efficiently at the previously unidentified site K970, but was cleaved poorly at site R751. C5b was modified to C5bCt, which later formed C5bCt-9, which had enhanced lytic ability compared with C5b-9. The chlamydial serine protease CPAF contributed to C3-independent C5 activation during C. trachomatis infection. Nafamostat mesylate, a serine protease inhibitor with a good safety profile, had a strong inhibitory effect on C5 activation induced by chlamydial infection. These discoveries reveal the mechanism of C3-independent C5 activation induced by chlamydial infection, and furthermore provide a potential therapeutic target and drug for preventing tubal fibrosis caused by chlamydial infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aimed to explore the level of and changes in the 1,5-anhydroglucitol × glycated hemoglobin A1c/100 (AH index, AHI) associated with different glucose metabolism statuses and to evaluate the islet function and insulin sensitivity of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) with different AHI levels. Methods: Of the 3562 subjects enrolled in this study, 1697 had T2DM. The disposition index (DI) was the product of islet secretion function and insulin sensitivity-related indexes. Results: The mean AHI level was 1.0 (0.7–1.3) in the general population, while the mean AHI level in the T2DM group was 0.8 (0.5–1.2), which was significantly lower than that in the impaired glucose regulation and normal glucose tolerance group (both 1.2 (0.9–1.5), both P < 0.01). We further divided patients with T2DM into four subgroups according to the quartile of AHI. The results showed that with the increase in AHI level, the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) decreased, while HOMA-β, insulin generation index, insulin sensitivity index, and DI increased (all Pfor trend < 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression showed that the odds ratios for a low DI for increasing levels of AHI were 1.00, 0.22 (0.16–0.29), 0.16 (0.11–0.22), and 0.09 (0.06–0.13), showing a decreasing trend (Pfor trend < 0.05). Conclusion: The AHI could reflect the variation in glycemic disorder and the function of islet β cells. The lower the AHI, the worse the glycemic disorder, as well as the islet β-cell function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical and basic investigations have indicated a significant association between circulating growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) and cardiovascular disease; however, the relationship between GDF15 and lower extremity atherosclerotic disease (LEAD) has been less studied. The present study aimed to explore the association between GDF15 and LEAD in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Considering that obesity is an important factor associated with circulating GDF15 levels, whether the relationship between serum GDF15 levels and LEAD is affected by body mass index (BMI) was also analysed. Methods: A total of 376 hospitalized T2DM patients were enrolled (161 with LEAD and 215 without LEAD). A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the serum GDF15 levels. The femoral intima-media thickness (F-IMT) and LEAD were assessed by ultrasonography. Results: Patients with LEAD had significantly higher serum GDF15 levels than those without LEAD, regardless of whether their BMI was < 25 kg/m2 or ≥ 25 kg/m2 (both P < 0.05). Serum GDF15 levels were independently positively related to the F-IMT (standardized β = 0.162, P = 0.002). After adjusting for confounding factors, per 1-standard deviation (SD) increase in the serum GDF15 levels was significantly related to an approximately 1.4-fold increased risk of LEAD in the total population (P < 0.05). Regardless of whether the BMI was < 25 kg/m2 or ≥ 25 kg/m2, this association remained significant, with approximately 1.6- and 1.4-fold increased risks of LEAD, respectively (both P < 0.05). Conclusions: High serum GDF15 levels were significantly correlated with an increased risk of LEAD in T2DM patients, and this relationship was independent of BMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Leaf area is proportional to the product of leaf length and width both for herbaceous and woody plants. The coefficient of proportionality falls into the range (1/2, π/4) for the investigated species. According to Thompson's principle of similarity, the area of an object should be proportional to its length squared. However, leaf area–length data of some plants have been demonstrated not to follow the principle of similarity. We explore the reasons why the leaf area–length allometry deviates from the principle of similarity and examine whether there is a general model describing the relationship among leaf area, width and length. We sampled more than 11,800 leaves from six classes of woody and herbaceous plants and tested the leaf area–length allometry. We compared six mathematical models based on root-mean-square error as the measure of goodness-of-fit. The best supported model described a proportional relationship between leaf area and the product of leaf width and length (i.e., the Montgomery model). We found that the extent to which the leaf area–length allometry deviates from the principle of similarity depends upon the extent of variation of the ratio of leaf width to length. Estimates of the parameter of the Montgomery model ranged between 1/2, which corresponds to a triangular leaf with leaf length as its height and leaf width as its base, and π/4, which corresponds to an elliptical leaf with leaf length as its major axis and leaf width as its minor axis, for the six classes of plants. The narrow range in practice of the Montgomery parameter implies an evolutionary stability for the leaf area of large-leaved plants despite the fact that leaf shapes of these plants are rather different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa-derived pigment pyocyanin (PCN) has been proved to induce cell apoptosis mediated by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which has been studied mainly in epithelial cells and neutrophils. However, we previously found that the PCN-producing strain PA14 induces cell apoptosis in human NK cell line NK92 more effectively than in PCN-deficient strain PA14-phZ1/2 via a yet undetermined mechanism. In the current study, we found that PCN-induced NK92 cell apoptosis occurs through mitochondrial damage despite inhibiting intracellular ROS generation. Intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and Bcl-2 family proteins act as important "priming signals" for apoptosis. PCN treatment increased [Ca2+]i in NK92 cells more than twofold after 2 h stimulation, whereas the Ca2+-chelating agent ethylene glycol tetra-acetic acid (EGTA) inhibited apoptosis. PCN triggered the activation of Bim, Bid, Bik, Bak, and phospho-Bad in NK92 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, but these pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins were not inhibited by EGTA. In this study, we describe the function of PCN in NK92 cells and identify mitochondrial damage as the mechanism underlying the apoptosis. [Ca2+]i and pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins are novel targets for PCN-induced apoptosis. Clarification of the cytotoxic diversity of PCN provides a new therapeutic target for defense from P. aeruginosa-induced immune cell damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With oil spill accidents and oil industrial wastewater increasing, oil/water separation has attracted much attention in recent years. Herein, we report the fabrication of superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic thiol-ene/silica hybrid decorated fabrics for oil/water separation via vapor-liquid interfacial reaction. It is based on sol-gel reaction of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) to generate silica and thiol-ene reaction between poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) and trimethylolpropane tris(3-mercaptopropionate) (TTMP) to form crosslinked hydrophilic polymer on polyester fabric under the catalysis of butylamine/ammonia vapor. The chemical structure of the surfaces on thiol-ene/silica hybrid decorated fabric was confirmed by FTIR and XPS, and obvious micro-nano morphology and roughness were observed with SEM and AFM. The water contact angle of the fabric attained 0° in 0.36 s, and the underwater oil contact angle reached up to 160°. Importantly, the fabric exhibited high separation efficiency at 99.5%, fast water flux above 71600 Lm −2 h −1 and excellent recyclability in oil/water separation. Our findings open a new strategy to fabricate organic-inorganic hybrid superhydrophobic and underwater superoleophobic materials for oil/water separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the environmental pollution deteriorating, oil-water separation has attracted much attention in recent years. In this work, a facile method is proposed to fabricate superhydrophobic polyurethane sponge for oil-water separation via a simple dipping-drying process. It is based on the utilization of hydrophobic thiolated graphene (GSH) with the water contact angle (WCA) of 128° from graphene oxide through thiolation reaction. The WCAs of the as-prepared sponges were largely determined by the loading of GSH, and the WCAs reached 157.0° and 160.5° with GSH loadings at 5.0% and 7.5%, respectively. The GSH-based superhydrophobic sponge exhibited high absorption selectivity for different organic solvents and oils, the absorption capacity for chloroform attained 90 times and there was no decrease after 10 absorption cycles. Importantly, with the oil-water separation device composed of pump, rubber tubes and GSH-based sponge, the separation efficiency of toluene from water reached 99.7%, and still maintained 99.5% after 5 cycles. Additionally, GSH-based sponge also effectively shortened burning time and reduced black smoke in the combustion process, demonstrating good flame retardancy. Our findings provided a new strategy to fabricate superhydrophobic materials for oil-water separation, showing the great potential in large-scale practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Previous studies showed that serum 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) levels are significantly reduced in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). However, it remains unclear how 1,5-AG levels acutely change in response to a glucose load. This study explored acute changes in 1,5-AG levels after a glucose load and the related influencing factors in individuals with differing degrees of glucose tolerance. Methods: A total of 681 participants (353 without DM and 328 with DM) without a prior history of DM were enrolled. All participants underwent an oral glucose tolerance test. Fasting and postload (30, 60, 120, and 180 min) levels of plasma glucose, serum 1,5-AG, and insulin were measured. Results: In all participant groups, serum 1,5-AG levels were slightly elevated after a glucose load and reached peak values at 120 min after loading (all P < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that body weight was negatively associated with the difference between peak and baseline 1,5-AG levels (Δ1,5-AG, standardized β = −0.119, P < 0.01). A strong and positive association between 1,5-AG and Δ1,5-AG was also found independent of other confounding factors (standardized β = 0.376, P < 0.01). The ratio of the Δ1,5-AG to the 1,5-AG was higher in DM patients (7.3% [3.4-11.5%]) than in those without DM (6.2% [3.6-9.2%]). Conclusions: In contrast to the established decline in 1,5-AG levels with long-term hyperglycemia, the present study showed that serum 1,5-AG levels slightly increased by 6-7% after a glucose load. Further studies in different 1,5-AG transport models are needed to investigate the relevant metabolic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The front cover of the September 2015 issue of the journal "CrystEngComm" is presented.

A table of contents for the September 2015 issue of the journal "CrystEngComm" is presented.

In this work, we report the synthesis of Na2Ta2O6/Ag heterojunctions with the aim of tailoring their structural, electronic and photocatalytic properties. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis optical diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The effects of silver doping and heterojunctions on the electronic structure and photodegradation of a rhodamine B dye solution were investigated experimentally and theoretically. It was found that silver played critical roles in modulating the electronic structure, defect chemistry and visible light photocatalytic activity. Partial incorporation of Ag ions into the Na2Ta2O6 host lattice led to a monotonous lattice expansion and introduced an interband for band gap narrowing. Meanwhile, some of the Ag ions were reduced, and crystallized into Ag nanoparticles on Na2Ta2O6 surfaces that can promote the visible light absorption efficiency of Na2Ta2O6/Ag heterojunctions. Moreover, the doping and heterojunction of silver can also result in the modulation of defective oxygen species that have a great impact on photocatalytic performance. As a consequence of the well-controlled electronic structure, surface defect chemistry, Ag particle size, BET surface area, and Ag+ doping effects, the photocatalytic performance of the Na2Ta2O6/Ag heterojunctions was optimized at an as-measured Ag/Ta molar ratio of 1.17. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The table of contents for the June 2015 issue of the "New Journal of Chemistry" is presented.

Simple Summary: TBXT (c.333G > C; c.334G > T) has been identified as a molecular genetic marker in short-tailed sheep. This paper describes a high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis using unlabeled probes and asymmetric PCR for the detection of genetic variants of TBXT in short-tailed sheep populations. The detection results of this method are consistent with those of Sanger sequencing and can help farmers with marker-assisted breeding. The short-tailed phenotype has long been considered one of the best traits for population genetic improvement in sheep breeding. In short-tailed sheep, not only is tail fat eliminated but also the pubic area is exposed due to the lack of a tail covering, giving them an advantage in reproduction. Recent studies have shown that two linked mutations in sheep TBXT at nucleotides 333 and 334 are associated with the short-tailed phenotype. In the population of short-tailed sheep, several heterozygous mutants of this gene are found. In our research, we used high-resolution melting (HRM) to identify homozygous and heterozygous genotypes in a flock of short-tailed sheep and compared the results with those of Sanger sequencing, which were identical. This demonstrates that our established HRM method, a rapid and inexpensive genotyping method, can be used to identify homozygous and heterozygous individuals in short-tailed sheep flocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the petrological studies of wall rocks, mineralized rocks, ores and veins from the Laowangzhai gold deposit, it is discovered that with the development of silification, carbonation and sulfidation, a kind of black opaque ultracrystalline material runs through the space between grains and amphibole cleavages, which is the product of fast condensing consolidation with magma mantle fluids turning into hydrothermal crustal fluids in the process of mineralization and alteration. It is thought that the water in ore-forming fluids mainly derived from magmatic water through research on H-O isotopes, and C as well as S isotopic compositions, has clear mantle-derived characteristics, and rock (mine) stones contain high 87Sr/ 86Sr ratios, low 143Nd/ 144Nd ratios and high 206Pb/ 204Pb ratios, which also reflects the ore-forming fluids were derived from the metasomatically enriched mantle. In combination with the features of H-O-C-S isotopes and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes described above, the ore-forming fluids of the Laowangzhai gold deposit in the northern part of the Ailao Mountains were derived mainly from the deep interior of the mantle, and their properties were transformed from magma fluids to hydrothermal fluids in the course of metasomatism and alteration, which initiated crust-mantle contamination simultaneously to be in favor of mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myopia is a refractive error of the eye that is prevalent worldwide. The most extreme form, high myopia, is usually associated with other ocular disorders such as retinal detachment, macular degeneration, cataract, and glaucoma, and is one of leading causes of blindness. The etiology is complex and has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we identified a novel missense variant of the CCDC111 gene (NM_152683.2: c.265T > G; p.Y89D) in a high myopia family by exome sequencing. The variant was identified in 4 patients from an additional 270 sporadic high myopia patients, but not found in 270 controls. The amino acid is highly conserved across species, and variants giving rise to amino acid substitutions are predicted to be functionally damaging. The CCDC111 gene was ubiquitously expressed in primary cell cultures from human eye tissue, including corneal epithelial cells, choroidal melanoma cells, scleral fibroblasts, retinal epithelial cells, retinal Müller cells, and lens capsule epithelial cells. In summary, our results suggested that the CCDC111 may be a susceptibility gene for high myopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bibliography on the subject of finance and accounting is presented which includes the articles "Does Graph Disclosure Bias Reduce the Cost of Equity Capital?," by Flora Muiño and Marco Trombetta, "The Logic of Pension Accounting," by J. Christopher Napier and "Accounting for Debt Instruments Held As Assets,' by W. Edward Trott.