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Octadecylamine was used as a primary water repellent and mixed into the remodeled expansive soil, and modified expansive soils with different water contents and octadecylamine contents were configured. The water repellency level of the modified expansive soil was determined by the drip penetration time method, the corresponding free, unloaded, and loaded swelling rate tests were carried out, and the law of the influence of octadecylamine content and water content on the expansion and deformation of expansive soil was obtained. It can be shown that the modified expansive soil with an octadecylamine content of 0.8% (mass fraction) had an extreme water repellent grade, and the water repellency remained stable. The more the water content and octadecylamine content, the lower the free swelling rate, and the unloaded swelling rate and loaded swelling rate of modified expansive soil tended to be stable. When the octadecylamine content was 0.5% and 0.8%, the free expansion rate was significantly reduced, and the maximum drop was 42%. When the octadecylamine content was increased from 0% to 0.8%, the uncharged expansion stability duration was shortened from 97 h to 47 h, and the expansion rate was reduced from 12.9% to 9.4%. When the mass fraction of octadecylamine was 0.8%, the modified expansive soil with a water content of 20% would decrease its load expansion rate from 2.14% at 50 kPa to 0.01% at 400 kPa. When the load was small, the octadecylamine content and initial water content had a greater impact on the loaded expansion rate; when the load was large, the load became the main factor affecting the loaded expansion rate. Under the same overburden pressure, the more the octadecylamine content was, the lower the soil shear strength was and the more it tended to be stable.

Purpose: To evaluate the trueness of one stationary and two mobile systems for 3D facial scanning.Materials and Methods: Twenty participants were included in this study. After marking facial soft tissue landmarks, their faces were scanned using three facial scanning systems: the Bellus3D Dental Pro app on an iPad Pro 2020 (Apple; IP); the ARC-7 Face Scanning System (Bellus3D; BA); and the EinScan Pro 2X Plus (Shining 3D Tech; EP) following the manufacturers' operating instructions. Three-dimensional images were reconstructed with corresponding software and saved in object (OBJ) file format. The interlandmark distances were measured and compared to direct caliper measurements, and absolute error (AE) was chosen as the measurement to determine the trueness of the three scanners. The normal distribution and variance of homogeneity were measured, and then the data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis H test. The significance level was set at P = .05.Results: For the measurement of interlandmark distances, no significant differences were found among the four measuring techniques, and the mean AEs of the IP, BA, and EP systems were 1.17 ± 0.80 mm, 0.76 ± 0.61 mm, and 0.69 ± 0.65 mm.Conclusion: The three facial scanning systems tested provided a reliable 3D facial reconstruction. The portable IP system could meet the clinical requirements for facial scanning, but it is suggested to select the EP and BA systems when a higher trueness is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence and development of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV), quick response time and ultralow delay are required. Cloud computing services are unfavorable for reducing delay and response time. Mobile edge computing (MEC) is a promising solution to address this problem. In this paper, we combined MEC and IoV to propose a specific vehicle edge resource management framework, which consists of fog nodes (FNs), data service agents (DSAs), and cars. A dynamic service area partitioning algorithm is designed to balance the load of DSA and improve the quality of service. A resource allocation framework based on the Stackelberg game model is proposed to analyze the pricing problem of FNs and the data resource strategy of DSA with a distributed iteration algorithm. The simulation results show that the proposed framework can ensure the allocation efficiency of FN resources among the cars. The framework achieves the optimal strategy of the participants and subgame perfect Nash equilibrium.

Photographic reproduction and enhancement is challenging because it requires the preservation of all the visual information during the compression of the dynamic range of the input image. This paper presents a cascaded-architecture-type reproduction method that can simultaneously enhance local details and retain the naturalness of original global contrast. In the pre-processing stage, in addition to using a multiscale detail injection scheme to enhance the local details, the Stevens effect is considered for adapting different luminance levels and normally compressing the global feature. We propose a modified histogram equalization method in the reproduction stage, where individual histogram bin widths are first adjusted according to the property of overall image content. In addition, the human visual system (HVS) is considered so that a luminance-aware threshold can be used to control the maximum permissible width of each bin. Then, the global tone is modified by performing histogram equalization on the output modified histogram. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method can outperform the five state-of-the-art methods in terms of visual comparisons and several objective image quality evaluations.

The synthesis and magnetic properties of multifunctional CoPtAu alloy nanoparticles of three compositions by a modified polyol process are described. The x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses have shown the formation of the alloy nanostructure comprising Au-rich and Pt-rich nanophases, with a narrow distribution of particle sizes and have provided the structural arrangements.

The synthesis and characterization of multifunctional AuFe alloy nanoparticles by a polyl process are described. The magnetic investigation has shown the superparamagnetic or soft ferromagnetic behavior of the nanoparticles at room temperature, whereas the UV-visible measurements have displayed the variation of the absorption bands at 560 nm.

The effect of external magnetic field exercised during the fabrication of the Co and Co/Cu multilayer nanowires in anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates using pulse electrodeposition is examined. Results found that the effect becomes significant when the pores size is small.

The effect of substrates on the microstructure and magnetic properties of electrodeposited Co nanowire arrays in porous aluminum oxide membrane is studied. Results reveal that the easy axis on the nanowire arrays switches from perpendicular to the wire axis on Au to parallel to the wore axis on the Co-coated nanocrystalline Finemet substrate.

We report the synthesis and characterization of size-tunable MnxFe3-xO4 ferrite nanoclusters of different sizes ranging from ~30 to ~120 nm. The nanoclusters synthesized via a hydrothermal polyol process show high crystallinity and a narrow size distribution. The magnetic properties of the nanoclusters demonstrate well-behaved magnetization and low-coercivity characteristics, ferrimagnetically at a large size, and superparamagnetically at a small size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the efficiency of genomic DNA extraction as a function of particle size and quantity. For DNA extraction, we synthesized magnetic nanoclusters of various sizes and coated the surface of these magnetic nanoclusters with meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid. We showed that the nanoclusters had a tight particle size distribution and high crystallinity. Furthermore, we observed that the three types of magnetic nanoclusters studied exhibited ferrimagnetic behavior and that larger nanoclusters showed larger saturation magnetization values. The resultant efficiency of DNA extraction is inversely proportional to particle size in the range of nanoclusters tested, due to the fact that the surface-to-volume ratio decreases as particle size increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes are small, extracellular membraneenclosed vesicles that contain a variety of molecules, including proteins, DNA, mRNA and non-coding RNA; these vesicles have been defined as new tools for intercellular communication between cells. Numerous types of cells, including stem cells, secrete exosomes into the extracellular environment, and are significant communicators in the tumor microenvironment. Stem cells are a unique cell population defined by their ability to indefinitely self-renew, differentiate into a variety of cell lines, and form clonal cell populations. Stem cells also secrete large amounts of exosomes, which have demonstrated great potential in a variety of diseases. Increasing evidence has revealed that the mechanism of interaction between stem cells and human tumor cells involves the exchange of biological material through exosomes. In this review, the latest developments in the role of stem cell-derived exosomes in cancer are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing evidence indicates that the dysregulation of miRNAs expression is involved in the tumorigenesis by acting as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. However, no study investigates the function and mechanisms of miR-24 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: Quantitative RT-PCR, MTT, colony formation, soft-agar, wound healing, Transwell migration and invasion assays, and xenograft tumor growth and lung metastasis models were performed to test the expression levels and functions of miR-24 in NPC. Luciferase reporter assay, quantitative RT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were used to identify and verify the target of miR-24. Results: The results showed that MiR-24 was obviously downregulated in NPC cell lines and tissue samples (P < 0.05). Ectopic expression of miR-24 inhibited the cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro (all P < 0.05), and suppressed the xenograft tumor growth and lung metastasis formation in vivo (all P < 0.05). Fascin homologue 1 (FSCN1) was verified as a direct target of miR-24, and silencing FSCN1 expression with small interfering RNA inhibited NPC cell proliferation and invasion (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: Overall, miR-24 acts as a novel tumor suppressor in the development and progression of NPC through targeting FSCN1, which providing new insight into the mechanisms of NPC carcinogenesis and suggesting the possibility of miR-24 as a therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is a rare and aggressive type of cancer, which is associated with a poor prognosis. Identification of patients at high risk of TSCC tumorigenesis may provide information for the early detection of metastases, and for potential treatment strategies. MicroRNA (miRNA; miR) and mRNA expression profiling of TSCC tissue samples and normal control tissue samples were obtained from three Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data series. Bioinformatics analyses, including the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes were used to identify genes and pathways specifically associated with miRNA-associated TSCC oncology. A total of 25 miRNAs and 769 mRNAs were differentially expressed in the two groups assessed, and all the differentially expressed miRNA and mRNA target interactions were analyzed. The miRNA target genes were predominantly associated with 38 GO terms and 13 pathways. Of the genes differentially expressed between the two groups, and confirmed in another GEO series, miRNA-494, miRNA-96, miRNA-183, runt-related transcription factor 1, programmed cell death protein 4 and membrane-associated guanylate kinase were the most significantly altered, and may be central in the regulation of TSCC. Bioinformatics may be used to analyze large quantities of data in microarrays through rigorous experimental planning, statistical analysis and the collection of complete data on TSCC. In the present study, a novel differential miRNA-mRNA expression network was constructed, and further investigation may provide novel targets for the diagnosis of TSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Banana and plantain (Musa spp) comprise an important part of diets for millions of people around the globe. Low temperature is one of the key environmental stresses which greatly affects the global banana production. To understand the molecular mechanism ofthe cold-tolerance in plantain we used RNA-Seq based comparative transcriptomics analyses for both cold-sensitive banana and cold-tolerant plantain subjected to the cold stress for 0, 3 and 6 h. Results: The cold-response genes at early stage are identified and grouped in both species by GO analysis. The results show that 10 and 68 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are identified for 3 and 6 h of cold stress respectively in plantain, while 40 and 238 DEGs are identified respectively in banana. GO classification analyses show that the majority of DEGs identified in both banana and plantain belong to 11 categories including regulation of transcription, response to stress signal transduction, etc. A similar profile for 28 DEGs was found in both banana and plantain for 6 h of cold stress, suggesting both share some common adaptation processes in response to cold stress. There are 17 DEGs found uniquely in cold-tolerance plantain, which were involved in signal transduction, abiotic stress, copper ion equilibrium, photosynthesis and photorespiration, sugar stimulation, protein modifications etc. Twelve early responsive genes including ICE1 and MYBS3 were selected and further assessed and confirmed by qPCR in the extended time course experiments (0, 3, 6, 24 and 48 h), which revealed significant expression difference of key genes in response to cold stress, especially ICE1 and MYBS3 between cold-sensitive banana and cold-tolerant plantain. Conclusions: We found that the cold-tolerance pathway appears selectively activated by regulation of ICE1 and MYBS3 expression in plantain under different stages of cold stress. We conclude that the rapid activation and selective induction of ICE1 and MYBS3 cold tolerance pathways in plantain, along with expression of other cold-specific genes, may be one ofthe main reasons that plantain has higher cold resistance than banana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nickel (Ni)–gold (Au) core–shell nanowires (CSNWs) were synthesized by a combination of electrodeposition and electroless-plating methods. This template based, electroless-plating approach can control the size and shape of nanostructures by adjusting the experimental conditions. The X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and TEM line-scanning and elemental mapping analyses were applied to investigate the formation and microstructure of the core–shell nanostructure. Also using a focused ion beam lift-out technique provides an important route to prove the inner microstructural details of the CSNWs. The optical characterization showed the surface plasmon absorption shifting with electroless-plating time, whereas the magnetic measurements revealed the shape anisotropy and soft ferromagnetic properties of the NWs. Using the strong interaction between biotin and streptavidin, streptavidin–fluorescent dyes were successfully conjugated on the biotinylated CSNWs. This was then analyzed for the surface plasmon resonance effect and Stokes' shifting viaultraviolet-visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy measurements and imaged by confocal scanning laser microscopy. Proliferating cancer cells (Panc-1) have been used to study the toxicological effects of both Ni–Au CSNWs and Ni NWs in a living cell system: the cellular responses to nanowire effects were observed. Ni–Au CSNWs appeared to be tolerated more by this cell line at the dose tested than Ni NWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the synthesis and magnetic properties of multifunctional Fe3O4-AuPt core-shell nanoparticles. The Fe3O4-Au Pt core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized by a one-pot polyol process in two consecutive steps from Fe, Au, and Pt precursors. The structural characterization and property analysis proves the formation of the core-shell nanostructure fusing the multifunctionality in a single entity. The TEM observation shows that the Fe3O4-AuPt core-shell nanoparticles are highly crystalline and uniform in size distribution, with an averaged particle size of ~12.5 nm in diameter, whereas the X-ray diffraction patterns provide further substantiation. The surface plasmon resonance arising from the AuPt nano-shell was revealed by UV-vis spectroscopy, while the magnetic measurements by YSM and PPMS demonstrate the well-defined superparamagnetic and/or soft-ferromagnetic behavior of the Fe3O4-AuPt core-shell nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional Au0.5Fe0.5 alloy nanoparticles from a polyol process were investigated, showing the alloy nanostructures with the formation of a new phase and twin microstructures. Giant diamagnetism, on the order of -10-2 emu g-1 Oe-1, is observed in the zero-field cooled process of the nanoparticles, which is modeled in terms of the spin-orbital interactions tuned by the modified potential energy as a result of the shrinking dimension, peculiar disordered microstructure, and heterogeneous elemental composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Au-doped CoPt nanowires were prepared in anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) nanotemplates by electrodeposition and the doping effects on their microstructure and magnetic properties were investigated. Dependent on the deposition conditions, the CoPtAu nanowires can have the cubic or tetragonal phase. The magnetic measurements indicate that the nanowires demonstrate ferromagnetic behavior, showing the easy axis along the direction of the nanowires and strong enhancement in coercivity and squareness prior to annealing, whereas the optical measurements reveal plasmon resonances characteristic of nanostructured Au. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the synthesis and characterization of Fe - FeOx core-shell nanowires by thermal conversion of the Fe nanowires from pulse electrodeposition in anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) nanotemplates under various conditions. Well-defined core-shell nanostructure of the Fe - FeOx nanowires was confirmed by TEM and corresponding elemental line scanning and point scanning. The type of the iron oxide in the shell was identified using nano-Raman spectroscopy, which exposes magnetite to be the major constituent. The magnetic measurements demonstrate that the nanowires are robustly soft magnetic, with the magnetization tunable by heat treatment parameters and a weak magnetic easy direction parallel to the nanowire axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of substrates on the microstructure and magnetic properties of electrodeposited Co nanowire arrays in porous anodic aluminum oxide membrane was investigated. It is found that the nanowires possess dominant (002) and (110) textures on the Co-coated nanocrystalline Finemet™ and Au substrates, respectively. Magnetic measurements show that the easy axis of the nanowire arrays switches from perpendicular to the wire axis on Au to parallel to the wire axis on the Co-coated nanocrystalline Finemet™ substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interparticle interactions in magnetic nanoparticles are studied by dc and ac magnetization measurements. For non-interacting nanoparticles, while the anisotropy constant of the nanoparticles Keff = 1.6 × 105 erg/cm3 is accurately determined by fitting zero-field-cooled and field-cooled measurements, we show that Keff values deduced only from time relaxation measurements must require simultaneous adjustments of the complex susceptibility by taking into account the size distribution of nanoparticles. This leads to Keff = 1.7 × 105 erg/cm3 in agreement with dc measurements. For interacting nanoparticles, comparisons with theoretical models show that energies due to magnetic dipolar interactions can only be predicted for weak and moderate interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]