Search

Lauric arginate ethyl ester (LAE), a cationic surfactant with low toxicity, displays excellent antimicrobial activity against a broad range of microorganisms. LAE has been approved as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for widespread application in certain foods at a maximum concentration of 200 ppm. In this context, extensive research has been carried out on the application of LAE in food preservation for improving the microbiological safety and quality characteristics of various food products. This study aims to present a general review of recent research progress on the antimicrobial efficacy of LAE and its application in the food industry. It covers the physicochemical properties, antimicrobial efficacy of LAE, and the underlying mechanism of its action. This review also summarizes the application of LAE in various foods products as well as its influence on the nutritional and sensory properties of such foods. Additionally, the main factors influencing the antimicrobial efficacy of LAE are reviewed in this work, and combination strategies are provided to enhance the antimicrobial potency of LAE. Finally, the concluding remarks and possible recommendations for the future research are also presented in this review. In summary, LAE has the great potential application in the food industry. Overall, the present review intends to improve the application of LAE in food preservation.

Keloid is a type of unusually raised scar. Botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) has a great application potential in keloids treatment. Here, we investigated the functional role of BTX-A in keloids. We separated keloid tissues and normal skin tissues from keloid patients and found that the expression of myofibroblast markers, α-SMA, Collagen I, and Collagen III was increased in the keloid tissues as compared with normal skin tissues. Keloid fibroblasts derived from keloid tissues were treated with TGF-β1 to induce the differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. The keloid myofibroblasts displayed a significant up-regulation of α-SMA. BTX-A enhanced the expression of adipocyte markers, PPARγ and C/EBPα, and increased the accumulation of lipid droplets, and reduced the expression of α-SMA, Collagen I, and Collagen III in the keloid myofibroblasts. Moreover, BTX-A enhanced the expression of BMP4 and p-smad1/5/8. Noggin (BMP4 antagonist) treatment reversed BTX-A-mediated increase of PPARγ and C/EBPα expression and lipid droplets, and down-regulation of α-SMA, Collagen I, and Collagen III in primary keloid myofibroblasts. In conclusion, BTX-A promoted the transdifferentiation of primary keloid myofibroblasts into adipocyte-like cells, which may attribute to activate BMP4/Smad signalling pathway. Thus, this study provides new insights into the mechanism of BTX-A in keloid.

In this work, we show for the first time that high-silica zeolites (MFI, TON, MTT, and *MRE) could be synthesized from a combined strategy of both zeolite seeding and alcohol filling in the absence of organic structure-directing agents (OSDAs). High-silica ZSM-5 zeolites with Si/Al ratios ranging from 38 to 240 (TF-Al-ZSM-5) could be synthesized via this route. The key to the success of this technique was the employment of an aluminosilicate precursor with a fully 4-coordinated aluminum species as the initial source, wherein the rearrangement and condensation of the silicate species, rather than the aluminate species, occurred during zeolite crystallization. In addition, heteroatoms, such as Fe and B, could be incorporated into the zeolite frameworks. Catalytic tests for the methanol-to-propylene (MTP) reaction exhibited good catalytic performance for TF-Al-ZSM-5, which was comparable to that of the aluminosilicate ZSM-5 zeolite synthesized with OSDAs. Hence, this method offers viable opportunities for the industrial production and catalytic application of high-silica zeolites in the future.

Vitiligo is a common depigmented skin disease that negatively affects the physical and mental health of patients. The 2018 version of the Vitiligo Treatment Consensus has been updated based on the research progress on vitiligo in the past 3 years in combination with the clinical experiences of experts. The newly revised points include maintenance therapy, early glucocorticoid intervention, and oral mini-pulsed glucocorticoid administration protocols. The prospect of using JAK inhibitors in the treatment of vitiligo is also discussed.

Sustainable one-pot preparation of fully crystalline shaped zeolite catalysts is attractive for industrial applications but still challenging. Herein, for the first time, we show a one-pot preparation of fully crystalline shaped zeolite catalysts with MFI, TON, and MTT structures from a shaped precursor by crystallization via zeolite seeding and ethanol filling. As a typical example, a fully crystalline shaped ZSM-5 zeolite catalyst with a Si/Al ratio of 151 in the final product is well characterized by SEM, XRD, MAS NMR, particle strength analysis, N2 sorption, and XPS techniques, showing uniform crystals, high crystallinity, four-coordinated aluminum species, good mechanical strength, high surface area, and a core-shell structure. Very interestingly, catalytic tests in the methanol-to-propylene (MTP) reaction demonstrate that the fully crystalline shaped ZSM-5 zeolite catalyst has a much longer lifetime than that of the conventional one. Compared with the conventional preparation of shaped zeolite catalysts, this work has obvious advantages such as low-cost, environmentally friendly, simple, and fully crystalline features. These sustainable advantages plus the excellent catalytic performance should be of significant importance for the applications of these shaped zeolite catalysts in industrial processes.

Few studies have addressed the impact of the psoriasis-related proinflammatory cytokines on the proliferation and melanogenesis of melanocytes (MCs) in lesional psoriatic skin.We investigated the effects of TNFα, IL17A, and IL8 on the proliferation and melanin synthesis of MCs.Skin specimens were biopsied from patients with psoriasis vulgaris at the active stage, or from the tail skin of Dct-LacZ mice with imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasiform dermatitis. Cultured keratinocytes (KCs), MCs, and human skin explants were used in this study. The numbers of MCs were measured via β-galactosidase staining, EdU incorporation and HMB45 immunohistochemical staining. The expression of human β-defensin 3 (hBD3) in KCs was silenced by siRNA, the conditioned medium (CM) from siRNA-transfected KCs was used to treat MCs, then followed by αMSH stimulation. The melanogenesis-related genes were examined by using qRT-PCR and western blotting.The increased number of MCs and decreased melanin content were highly relevant to the enhanced expression of IL8 and BD3 both in human psoriatic skin and in IMQ-treated mouse tail skin. IL8 expression in KCs and CXCR2 expression in MCs was significantly increased by IL17A and TNFα, the αMSH-induced upregulations of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase in MCs were abrogated by the CM from hBD3-unsilenced KCs, but not from hBD3-silenced KCs.Our results suggest the roles of IL8-CXCR2 activation in promoting MC proliferation and of BD3 upregulation in reducing melanogenesis. These findings have been implicated in the underlying mechanism that active psoriasis prefers hypopigmentation despite chronic inflammation.

Repigmentation of the skin in patients with vitiligo represents an intricate process in which the depigmented epidermis is replenished by functional melanocytes (MCs) that migrate from undamaged hair follicles and/or surrounding areas. We characterized whether MCs release a secreted form of Pmel17 (sPmel17) protein after exposure to UVB, thereby weakening the cell-cell adhesions of keratinocytes (KCs), which provides MCs the opportunity to migrate to areas devoid of MCs. At first, we examined the interactions of sPmel17 and FHL2 (four-and-a-half LIM domain protein 2) in KCs treated with the conditioned media (CM) from MCs exposed to UVB. The results showed that both the protein and mRNA levels of FHL2 were significantly upregulated in KCs treated with sPmel17-enriched CM from UVB-exposed MCs. We also found that there are physical interactions between sPmel17 and FHL2 as analyzed by reciprocal coimmunoprecipitation assays and double immunofluorescence staining. The CM from UVB-exposed MCs signaled KCs to remodel the actin cytoskeleton and reduce E-cadherin expression. However, the CM from UVB-exposed and Pmel17-silenced or from UVB-unexposed MCs failed to do this. To further determine the in situ distributions of sPmel17, FHL2, and E-cadherin, we examined the expression profiles of those proteins in the skin from healthy subjects and from depigmented or repigmented vitiligo using immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical staining. The results showed that the expression of sPmel17 was positively correlated with FHL2 but not to E-cadherin. The colocalization of FHL2 and sPmel17 was also observed in UVB-exposed mouse tail skin. Together, the upregulation of FHL2 in KCs requires stimulation by sPmel17 secreted from MCs and activation of the sPmel17-FHL2-E-cadherin axis offers a potential therapeutic target to expedite the repigmentation process in patients with vitiligo.

As the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth version (DSM-5) was published, the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL) was modified to adapt the new version (K-SADS-PL DSM-5). We translated it to Chinese (K-SADS-PL-C DSM-5) and described its reliability and validity.A total of 154 groups of 6 to 18-year-old children and their guardians were included. Trained interviewers interviewed subjects using the K-SADS-PL-C DSM-5. Interrater reliability was assessed by audio recording. Parent-reported scales, like child behavior checklist (CBCL), the Chinese version of Swan-son Nolan and Pelham, version IV scale-parent form (SNAP-IV), social responsiveness scale (SRS-1), and children-reported scales like depression self-rating scale for children (DSRSC) and the screen for child anxiety related emotional disorders (SCARED) were used to examine the validity of depressive disorder, ADHD, ASD, and ODD.The K-SADS-PL-C DSM-5 had fair to excellent interrater (0.537-1.000) and test-retest (0.468-0.885) reliability of affective disorder and neurodevelopment disorder. The convergent validity of affective disorder and neurodevelopment disorder was good, and their divergent validity was acceptable.i) Clinical questionnaires were insensitive in classifying disorders and had limitations in derived diagnoses. ii) Samples only came from clinical environment, iii) covered limited disease species, and iv) were small.The K-SADS-PL-C DSM-5 can support reliable and valid diagnoses for children with affect, neurodevelopmental, and behavioral disorders in China.

There is growing evidence that dermal papilla cells(DPCs)act as the organizing center to induce the cyclic hair regeneration.On one hand,DPCs secrete cytokines or growth factors to regulate the differentiation,proliferation,and migration of epithelial stem cells(EpSCs)and melanocyte stem cells(MeSCs)residing in the bulge region.On the other hand,DPCs manipulate the microenvironment(also termed as niche)for both EpSCs and MeSCs,such as the size of dermal papilla,the distance between dermal papilla and the bulge region,and the lymphatic drainage and sympathetic nerve innervation surrounding the bulge region,thereby orchestrating the cycling hair growth.Recent studies have demonstrated at least four subpopulations existing in dermal papillae,which induce the unilineage transit-amplifying epithelial cells to form the concentric multilayers of hair shafts and sheaths.In addition,emerging study has indicated that sustained psychological stress potentially leads to hyperactivation of the sympathetic nerves that innervate the bulge region.The large amount of norepinephrine released by the nerve endings forces MeSCs to rapidly and abnormally proliferate,resultantly causing the depletion of MeSC pool and the loss of hair pigment.Understanding the molecular regulation of hair growth and pigmentation by DPCs holds substantial promise for the future use of cultured DPCs

SSZ-39 zeolite with AEI framework structure is a good catalyst candidate for the methanol-to-olefins (MTO) reaction. However, the diffusion limitation and coke formation often results in fast deactivation of the SSZ-39 zeolite catalyst. One solution for this challenge is to introduce mesoporosity in the SSZ-39 zeolite. Herein, we report the synthesis of mesoporous SSZ-39 zeolite using an organosilane surfactant, N,N-dimethyl-N-(3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl)octan-1-aminium chloride, as a mesopore template and N,N-dimethyl-cis-2,6-dimethylpiperidinium as a micropore template. The obtained zeolites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2 sorption, scanning electron microscopy, temperature programmed desorption of ammonia, and magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance of 27Al. The results show that the mesoporous SSZ-39 zeolite has high crystallinity, meso/microporosity, high surface area, cuboid morphology, and abundant acidic sites. More importantly, this mesoporous SSZ-39 zeolite exhibits enhanced catalyst lifetime in the MTO reaction due to the presence of mesoporosity for fast mass transfer, compared with a conventional SSZ-39 zeolite without mesoporosity.

For the first time, SSZ-39 zeolite has been directly prepared using conventional colloidal silica and sodium aluminate instead of using FAU zeolite as the raw material in the alkaline media. The adjustment of the Si/Al ratios in the starting materials to the suitable values is a key factor to prepare the aluminosilicate SSZ-39 zeolite. Various characterizations (for instance, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen sorption, solid 27Al NMR, and NH3-temperature-programmed desorption) display that the aluminosilicate SSZ-39 zeolite owns high crystallinity, uniform cuboid morphology, large surface area, four-coordinated aluminum species, and strong acidic sites. Inductively coupled plasma analysis shows that the SiO2/Al2O3 ratios of the SSZ-39 products are ranged from 12.8 to 16.8. Considering the special framework of the SSZ-39 zeolite, the yield of this synthesis is not higher than 21.3%. Moreover, the catalytic performance of Cu-SSZ-39 catalyst synthesized from this route is excellent in the selective catalytic reduction of NO x with NH3 (NH3-SCR).

Background Limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis is one subtype of systemic sclerosis which is characterized by a prototypic multisystem fibrotic disorder. Objective This study aimed to further investigate the pathological mechanism of limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (lcSSc). Methods The dataset GSE76807 generated from 10 lcSSc patients and five healthy controls was used. After the preprocessing of the original data, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and then performed functional analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and module analysis. Additionally, the transcription factors (TFs) and miRNAs which potentially regulating DEGs were identified and the co-regulatory network was constructed. Finally, DEGs targeted by current drugs were identified. Real-time quantitative PCR analyses of some DEGs in mice with lcSSc were performed. Results Total 203 up-regulated and 189 down-regulated DEGs were obtained. The up-regulated genes were enriched in protein interactions at the synapses neuronal system, NCAM1 interactions, and CREB phosphorylation through the activation of CaMKII, while, cilium assembly, and endothelial form of nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation were enriched by down-regulated genes. SCRT2 and RABEP1 regulated by miR-218 were hub nodes in the network. DRD4 and GRIN2D were the main drug targets. RABEP1 and SSB were found lowly expressed in mice model with lcSSc. Conclusion Endothelial form of NOS activation would be suppressed, and the process of neuronal migration and outgrowth would be activated to participant in the pathological mechanism of lcSSc.

Introduction: Although it has been reported that the antidiabetic drug metformin has multiple extra-hypoglycemic activities, such as anti-oxidation, antiaging, and even antitumor, topical metformin also can induce hair regeneration, but the precise mechanism involved in that process is still unclear. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of metformin on hair growth in a mouse hair-follicle reconstitution model generated by in vitro self-assembled three-dimensional aggregates of epidermal and dermal cells (DCs) (3D aggregates). Methods: Epidermal cells and DCs were isolated and cultured from the mouse skin of 50 C57BL/6 mouse pups (1-day-old). For tracing the distribution of DCs during the self-assembly process of 3D aggregates, the DCs were labeled with Vybrant Dil Cell-Labeling Solution and mixed with epidermal cells at a 1:1 ratio. Formed 3D aggregates were treated with 10 mM metformin and then were grafted into recipient BALB/c nude mice. The biomarkers (hepatocyte growth factor [HGF], prominin-1 [CD133], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], β-catenin, and SRY-box transcription factor 2 [SOX2]) associated with the hair-inductive activity of DCs were detected in the grafted skin tissues and in cultured 3D aggregates treated with metformin using immunofluorescent staining, quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), and Western blotting. Furthermore, the expression levels of CD133 were also examined in DCs with different passage numbers using qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Results: Metformin directly stimulates the activity of ALP of cultured 3D aggregates, upregulates both the protein and mRNA expression levels of molecular markers (HGF, CD133, ALP, β-catenin, and SOX2), and improves the survival rate of reconstituted hair follicles. Moreover, we also found that metformin increases the expression of CD133 in DCs thus maintaining their trichogenic capacity that would normally be lost by serial subculture. Conclusions: These results suggest that metformin can promote hair follicle regeneration in vitro through upregulation of the hair-inductive capability of DCs, warranting further evaluation in the clinical treatment of male or female pattern hair loss.

There are a large number of zeolites, such as ITH, that cannot be prepared in the aluminosilicate form. Now, the successful synthesis of aluminosilicate ITH zeolite using a simple cationic oligomer as an organic template is presented. Key to the success is that the cationic oligomer has a strong complexation ability with aluminum species combined with a structural directing ability for the ITH structure similar to that of the conventional organic template. The aluminosilicate ITH zeolite has very high crystallinity, nanosheet-like crystal morphology, large surface area, fully four-coordinated Al species, and abundant acidic sites. Methanol-to-propylene (MTP) tests reveal that the Al-ITH zeolite shows much higher selectivity for propylene and longer lifetime than commercial ZSM-5. FCC tests show that Al-ITH zeolite is a good candidate as a shape-selective FCC additive for enhancing propylene and butylene selectivity., This work is supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFB0702803), National Natural Science Foundation of China (21703203, 21673205, 21835002 and 21875140), Shanghai Pujiang Program (17PJ1406400), and the Young Elite Scientist Sponsorship Program by CAST (2017QNRC001). This work is partially supported by CħEM, SPST, ShanghaiTech (Grant 02161943), the Spanish Government‐MICINN through “Severo Ochoa” (SEV 2012‐0267) and RTI2018‐101033‐B‐I00, and the European Union through ERC‐AdG‐2014‐671093 (SynCatMatch). This work was also supported by INCOE program of BASF SE.

Aluminosilicate SSZ-39 zeolite has been successfully prepared by transformation from ZSM-5 and beta zeolite in the presence of N,N-diethyl-cis-2,6-dimethylpiperidinium hydroxide (DMPOH) under hydrothermal conditions. Catalytic tests in the selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3 (NH3-SCR) show that the copper-exchanged products synthesized from the interzeolite transformation exhibit excellent catalytic performance.

Access to nanosized zeolites is a topical subject due to the advantageous mass transfer in zeolite catalyzed reactions. Herein we report a low-cost and generalized methodology to decrease zeolite crystal sizes by accelerating the nucleation rate when reducing the solvent amount in the synthesis. As anticipated, nanosized zeolites like MFI (100–200 nm, Si/Al ratios from 100 to ∞ in the starting gels) and BEA (50–200 nm, Si/Al ratio of 13) have been successfully synthesized with a H2O/SiO2 ratio of 2.0–3.0. The lower consumption of water as the solvent in the synthesis leads to non-centrifugation for nanosized zeolites, giving higher yields of the zeolite product. Experimental data confirm lower apparent activation energy for nucleation at higher gel concentrations in the synthesis of ZSM-5 zeolites. Catalytic examination of the conversion of methanol to olefins (MTO) demonstrates that the thus-obtained nanosized ZSM-5 zeolite (NS-ZSM-5) exhibits a much longer catalyst lifetime than conventional ZSM-5 (C-ZSM-5) and even nanosized ZSM-5 crystals (NC-ZSM-5) obtained from a hydrothermal route.

Background The hypothesis of bacterial infection initiating marginal bone loss around dental implant in analogy with natural tooth is still in debate. Purpose The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the effects of uncontrolled periodontitis on marginal bone alterations around implants compared with the periodontal health group at a mean follow-up of at least 6 years. Materials and methods Thirty consecutive uncontrolled periodontally compromised patients (PCP) and 30 periodontally healthy patients (PHP), with a total of 96 Straumann implants (PCP = 55, PHP = 41) were matched for age, gender, smoking, and implant characteristics. The inclusion criteria for PCPs were continuing tooth loss due to uncontrolled periodontal disease and no supportive periodontal maintenance after implant therapy. Peri-implant conditions were examined and the number of teeth lost during the follow-up periods was recorded in both groups. Radiographic marginal bone loss of implants and adjacent teeth was calculated having the restoration time point as baseline. Results No implant loss occurred in both groups. The mean number of teeth lost during the follow-up periods was 0.67 ± 0.80 in the PHP group, 3.93 ± 2.36 in the PCP group with statistical significance. The average overall bone loss was significantly greater at teeth than that around implants in the PCP group (0.54 ± 0.27 versus 0.22 ± 0.25 mm, P

Macao is a major exporter of gambling service in the world. Economies of scale in the gaming industry are the driving forces behind Macao’s pattern of export. However, rather than exploiting the economies of scale through further specialization in gambling service, the government of Macao aims at diversifying the service exports, focusing on Macao’s relatively small convention industry. To provide a theoretical ground for this seemingly counterintuitive strategy of the city, this paper builds a multiproduct model of service export diversification. In line with previous studies, the present model shows that if the cost of providing gambling service is relatively low, it is optimal for a city to export relatively more gambling service than convention services. However, as the tourism market expands, the city will pursue a higher degree of diversification among the two services. Analyses of 2008 Q1–2019 Q1 data of visitor arrivals, visitor expenditure, and production costs of Macao match the propositions of the theoretical model. Furthermore, the VAR model provides empirical evidence that the degree of service export diversification is positively related to the size of the tourism market.

A large amount of zeolite structures are still not synthetically available or not available in the form of aluminosilicate currently. Despite significant progress in the development of predictive concepts for zeolite synthesis, accessing some of these new materials is still challenging. One example is the IWR structure as well. Despite successful synthesis of Ge-based IWR zeolites, direct synthesis of aluminosilicate IWR zeolite is still not successful. In this report we show how a suitable organic structure directing agent (OSDA), through modeling of an OSDA/zeolite cage interaction, could access directly the aluminum-containing IWR structure (denoted as COE-6), which might allow access to new classes of materials and thus open opportunities in valuable chemical applications. The experimental results reveal that the COE-6 zeolites with a SiO2/Al2O3 ratio as low as 30 could be obtained. Very interestingly, the COE-6 zeolite has much higher hydrothermal and thermal stabilities than those of the conventional Ge-Al-IWR zeolite. In methanol-to-propylene (MTP) reaction, the COE-6 zeolite exhibits excellent selectivity for propylene, offering a potential catalyst for MTP reaction in the future.

Large crystalline particles of ZSM-5 zeolites (S-ZSM-5) have been successfully synthesized by adjusting crystallization time and Si/Al ratios in the starting solid mixtures in the absence of water solvent. Catalytic tests in the methanol-to-olefins (MTO) reaction show that these S-ZSM-5 zeolites obtained from the solvent-free route exhibit superior catalytic properties including excellent propylene selectivity and extraordinarily long life in the MTO reaction. Particularly, when the crystallization time is 30 h and the Si/Al ratio in the starting solid mixture is adjusted at 150 under the solvent-free conditions, the S-ZSM-5-30h-150 catalyst with the large particle sizes (10–20 μm) gives propylene selectivity as high as 50.0% and catalyst life as long as 9 h, which are much better than those (propylene selectivity at 38.9% and catalyst life of 3 h) of the conventional ZSM-5 zeolite with smaller crystals (ca. 5 μm) synthesized from the hydrothermal route. High-resolution TEM images of these S-ZSM-5 zeolite...

A high-silica zeolite with a TON structure designated as ZJM-4 was successfully synthesized in the absence of any organic templates and zeolite seeds. Many factors such as the SiO2/K2O ratio, Si/Al ratio, SiO2/H2O in the starting aluminosilicate gels, crystallization temperature, and crystallization time strongly influence the formation of the ZJM-4 zeolite. Interestingly, this synthesis shows very efficient silica utilization in the starting gels (>80 %). Catalytic tests on the isomerization of m-xylene to p-xylene show that the ZJM-4 catalyst has high selectivity to p-xylene (ca. 80 %), which could be potentially important for industrial applications for the ZJM-4 zeolite as a candidate catalyst in the future.

As a commerical catalyst of high silica CHA zeolite for NH3-SCR reaction, controllable Al sites in CHA framework for improving catalytic performance are rarely reported. In this work, two organic templates (TMAda+ and DMCHA+) were employed to prepare aluminosilicate CHA zeolite with similar Si/Al ratios, donated as CHA-T and CHA-D. Detailed characterizations demonstrate that two completely distinguishable crystallization pathways can be identified as the preferential formation of smaller D6R units for CHA-D with DMCHA+ and larger 8MRs for CHA-T with TMAda+, resulting in spatially closer Al sites in CHA-D than CHA-T. As an interpretation, CHA-D with more paired Al atoms in 6MR generating more hydrothermally stable Cu2+-2Z sites contributes to higher activity than CHA-T at 400−550 °C. These results suggest that the crystallization pathways directed by rational choice of organic templates might be responsible for the controllable Al sites in the framework, which is important for designing efficient NH3-SCR catalysts.

The aim of the present study wasto investigate the potential inhibitory effect of timolol on topical glucocorticoid-induced skin telangiectasia. In rabbits, flumethasone ointment was used to induce skin telangiectasia in the inner ear. Subsequently, timolol maleate (0.5%) eye drops (TMEDs) were administered twice daily for 4 weeks. Expression of the antibacterial peptides 37-amino acid peptide (LL-37) and kallikrein-5 (KLK5) was detected using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and semi-quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. In patients with facial skin telangiectasia, one cheek of each patient was assigned to a treatment group and the other to a control group. For the treatment group cheeks, topical application of TMEDs was combined with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment once or twice daily for 8 weeks. The control group cheeks were administered with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment alone. Alterations in lesions were recorded by dermoscopy, and the L, a and b values of lesions were measured, based on the Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage system, with a chromameter prior to and at 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks following treatment. The results indicated that erythema, papules and telangiectasia were significantly diminished following 4 weeks of treatment with TMEDs in rabbits. Notably, the expression of LL-37 and KLK5 mRNA was increased in the negative control group; however, it was decreased in the trial and blank groups. Clinical and dermoscopy images demonstrated that erythema was reduced in the 2 groups for 1 week, and that telangiectasia in the treatment group was markedly reduced compared with the control group at 4 weeks. The difference of the L and a values of lesions between the treatment and control group was significant (P

In Taiwan, the production of science news would benefit by cooperation between communication (e.g., the news production team) and science education (e.g., instructional designers and scientists involved). The news production team is skilled in exposing stories vividly to motivate audiences, whereas the science education team carefully curates the scientific and instructional content. Therefore, we started the Different Science News project, which strives to align the above features of science news production. Through using concurrent, local, and concise materials that occur in daily lives, we hope to promote the public understanding of science.

The simulation software for subway train traction and braking process is composed of a GUI based on Lab VIEW and an underlying model based on Matlab/Simulink. An underlying model consists of a traction system model and a braking system model, which is used to achieve simulation of traction and braking process. A GUI of the software is mainly be used to input model parameters, display operation status and simulation data. This software integrates the simulation of traction and braking process which can simulate the real status of train and provides a reference for setting subway stations and route optimization. In addition, the simplification of traction model and braking model shortens the operation time of the software, so as to achieve a real-time simulation.

A new powder material, rice husk-plastic composite powder (RPC), was successfully developed for selective laser sintering (SLS) process. RPC is mainly composed of rice husk powder and a hot-melt adhesive powder, it is a green and biological material and its most important advantage is low-cost, but because the hull surface of rice is burr and not smooth, easily jammed between particles, poor mobility, is not the medium of easy flowing, so mixing process was successfully developed to prepare RPC powders. The preparation process is divided to three steps. First, before mix, the rice husk power is dried for reducing the hydrophilic nature of rice husk fiber and improving the wettability and the adhesion actions of the interface. Then, put the PES hot melt adhesive, the dried wood powder and the acetone solution which contain coupling agent and initiator together to mix evenly. At last, dry the basic material at the constant temperature of 45±2°C in the oven, add the organic filler and light stabilizer. Finally, RPC powder for SLS is got. As the result of SLS fabrication, part made by RPC powder is got, its mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy is satisfied.

Probe of Cloud Droplet (CDP) based on forward scattering has the characteristics of high efficiency, simple structure, and it is the main instrument for small cloud particle (less than 50μm in diameter) detection. A CDP based on forward scattering was constructed in this paper. Calibration experiment and the measurement of the field of depth were conducted. To measure the depth of field, a pinhole adhered to a rotating disk which is fixed to multi-dimensional optical table is used. The pinhole can be seen as a particle appeared in the detection area periodically, as it moved across the laser beam, the depth of the field can be measured. Standard particles with known size were used to calibrate the system and Mie theory was used to calculate the intensity of forward scattering signal. In the end, combining the experiment results and the theoretical calculations, the response curve which can be used to inverse the size of cloud droplet was obtained.

The analytical solution of the differential-form momentum equation for the outflow distribution along a continuous multiple-port diffuser is derived. The solution is verified by comparison with available experimental data. The outflow patterns along the diffuser are determined by the range of two dimensionless parameters, which measure the effects of wall friction and port momentum, respectively. A concept of flow uniformity of lateral discharge is explored, and an analytical formula for the evaluation of uniformity is derived. A simple formula is also proposed which may be useful in the design of the multiple-port diffuser.

To investigate the effect of ridge preservation with Bio-Oss Collagen and Bio-Gide in posterior sites.From May 2010 to July 2013, 16 patients with bilateral posterior teeth planned to be extracted and replaced by implants were enrolled. One of the sockets was randomly selected and presserved with Bio-Oss Collagen and Bio-Gide (intervention group). The contralateral socket was left to heal spontaneously (control group). Cone-beam (CBCT) scans were performed immediately after the extraction and 6 month later. The bone cores were collected during the implant placement surgery and analyzed by micro-computed tomography.After 6 month healing, the vertical and horizontal dimensional alteration of the treatment group were (0.55 ± 1.05) mm and (-0.99 ± 0.94) mm respectively, while the vertical and horizontal change of control group were (-0.71 ± 1.41) mm and (-2.26 ± 1.29) mm respectively. The micro-computed tomography results showed that there was no significant difference in new bone volume between control and intervention groups.Applying Bio-Oss Collagen and Bio-Gide for ridge preservation in posterior sites resulted in less vertical and horizontal bone resorption of sockets following extraction.

The nonlinear partial differential equation governing the spherically symmetric dynamic deformations of Blatz-Ko materials is studied. The Lie groups and three invariant solutions of the governing equation are derived. Two of the invariant solutions are in separable form. The governing equation of the invariant solution in non-separable form is a singular second order non-autonomous ordinary differential equation (ODE). We transform this ODE to an autonomous ODE successfully and analyze its trajectories in the phase plane. By doing this we can capture the global behaviors of the solutions for the ODE. Especially, we can figure out what kind of problems will have singularity. The invariant solution in non-separable form studied in this paper is interesting because it shows that when localization or blowing up of some physical quantities occurs close to the outer boundary of a Blatz-Ko sphere the sphere may still look normal, that is, the distribution of the radial deformation as well as the boundary data still vary moderately. Therefore this special invariant solution gives us new insights about the behaviors of Blatz-Ko materials.

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a commonest and difficult-to-manage complication of Herpes zoster. This comparative study included 140 cases of PHN admitted in the department of dermatology in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China, from March 2014 to February 2015, divided into a control and a study group. In addition to the combination of antiviral, analgesic, and neurotrophic agents given to the control group, additional ganglioside GM1 was given to patients in the study group. Pain assessment was performed at the time of admission, and then on the third, seventh and tenth day of treatment, on both groups, using a 10 cm visual analogue scale (VAS). There was a significant statistical difference between the pain VAS score of the two groups, on the seventh day (3.73 ±1.66 vs. 3.03 ±1.86, p=0.024) and on the tenth day (3.25 ±1.78 vs. 2.20 ±1.59, p=0.006) of treatment. The number of patients who have good /and complete response (37.5%) were largely higher in the study group than those in the control group (15%, p0.05). This finding demonstrates that the administration of ganglioside GM1 may potentially serve as a neoadjuvant therapy to reduce the severity and duration of pain in PHN patients.

The sequential linearizabilities of some initial‐boundary value problems for the plane‐strain equations of motion of the neo‐Hookean solid are studied. The initial‐boundary value problems are formulated for a cylinder in plane‐strain condition and subjected to shear and radial deformations or tractions on its inner and outer surfaces. The results obtained extend the previous concept about the sequential linearizability of the governing equations for the neo‐Hookean solid to the sequential linearizability of initial‐boundary value problems for the governing equations.

Background To investigate the in vitro multi-lineage differentiation of adipose-derived adult stem cells and their ability to differentiate into endothelial cells. Methods Adipose-derived adult stem cells were isolated for detection of the immune phenotype, cell doubling time, cycle, and induction of endothelial cell differentiation in vitro. The expression of endothelial cell-specific surface markers was measured immunocytochemically. Results Adipose-derived adult stem cells have multi-lineage differentiation potential and can differentiate into endothelial cells in vitro. Conclusions Adipose-derived adult stem cells have the same differentiation ability with those derived from the bone marrow, as both can differentiate into endothelial cells. These findings have opened up the prospect of adipose-derived adult stem cells in angiogenesis therapy.

A hodograph transformation found useful in linearizing equations in civil engineering is studied in this paper. The characteristics of the linearizable systems associated with the hodograph transformation are calculated. The general expressions of the linearizable parabolic and hyperbolic systems associated with the hodograph transformation are derived. The link between the hodograph transformation and the reciprocal transformation proposed by Kingston and Rogers is also studied and the merits of the hodograph transformation are pointed out. A new application of the hodograph transformation, namely, the reduction of the order of some nonlinear second order partial differential equations, is also presented. Two new examples are given for the linearization of nonlinear partial differential equation by the hodograph transformation.

This study explores the infinite group structures related to integrabilities of a solvable wave equation proposed by Calogero. We find the group splittings as well as the linearization mapping of the equation and its equivalent system. The equivalent system is found to be an automorphic system with respect to an infinite group. It can also be split into an automorphic system and a resolving system which can be solved by quadratures. In English literature a concrete example is difficult to find that illustrates the notion of reducing a non-linear PDE with order higher than one to quadratures by the method of group splitting. Our results indicate that the equivalent system can be served as a good example in this aspect. The results obtained also provide a group-theoretic interpretation of the solvability of the equation, which had not been completely developed in Calogero's original work. Since the equation does not pass the Painleve test, our results demonstrate that sometimes group analysis can obtain much more information than the Painleve test does in detecting the integrabilities of non-linear PDEs.

Four systems of one-dimensional waves reduced from the plane-strain equations of motion of the neo-Hookean material are studied. It is found that these systems can be decoupled into linear equations. Analytical solutions of these systems are obtained using the method of characteristics and the method of eigenfunction expansions.

Mean ionic concentrations in rain water (RW) and cloud water (CW) for urban, suburban and rural locations in southwest (SW) and eastern (E) China, from sampling periods between 1985 and 1989 are reported. In SW China the ammonium, calcium and hydrogen cations, and the sulphate anion are present at elevated levels in urban RW. The mean concentrations of these ions are all lower in CW, so that washout is the predominant process leading to acidification. Washout is also important over suburban regions but rainout provides most of the acidity of precipitation in rural areas. Simultaneous observations of CW and RW concentrations over short time intervals have confirmed the dominance of washout processes in the large cities Chongqing and Guiyang. The chemical compositions of CW and RW exhibit changes with the weather system behaviour as well as with the sampling location. In E China the acidity of rainfall is largely neutralized by alkaline particulates. The mean ionic concentrations in RW show an increasing trend from 1985 to 1988. The ambient air quality in China has deteriorated over the same period, with concentrations of sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates at high levels. The below-cloud acidification process has been simulated by a model which includes scavenging of both gas and aerosol species. The importance of rainout, gas washout or aerosol washout processes is found to vary with the location and with the different ion species considered. Gas washout always leads to overall acidification. Aerosol alkalization has been identified in some suburban areas. The effects on the rainwater acidification predicted from the reduction of sulphur dioxide gas emissions have also been simulated, and are expected to be negligible at Chongqing and Guiyang. The concentration of the hydrogen peroxide oxidant, not that of the pollutant sulphur dioxide, is the controlling factor for the pH of the rainfall in these regions.

Major urban areas in south-western China exhibit unique air pollution problems due to increasing use of high sulphur-content fuels in an environment of unfavourable topography and climate. Ambient levels of sulphur dioxide exceed the air quality objectives, and this gas is the major precursor of acid rain. Cloudwater chemistry studies are reported for urban, suburban and countryside locations, during the period 1985-1989. Although cloudwater acidity was found to increase towards the cloud base, the acidity was much greater for rainwater samples collected simultaneously, and was more pronounced in urban rather than neighbouring suburban or countryside regions. The main contribution to the acidity arises from below-cloud scavenging of gas and aerosol and model calculations are able to simulate this behaviour.

Nocardiosis is a rare human infection due to ubiquitous soil born gram-positive, filametous aerobic bacteria. First signs are frequently cutaneous either as part of systemic infection disseminated to the skin, or as primary cutaneous inoculation. An 88 years old man presented with a 3-day history of red papules and pustules with pain on his forehead. The combination of the unusual clinical presentation, laboratory examinations, and a favorable response to co-trimoxazole therapy were consistent with a diagnosis of primary cuteneous nocardiosis. Early recognition and treatment of the disease will improve the cure rate.

The nonlinear equation describing the steady state of a nonlinear anisotropic diffusion process can be transformed to a special type of linear partial differential equation using the Kirchhoff transformation together with the hodograph transformation. The method of separation of variables is employed to obtain exact solutions. A solution with a domain bounded by two ellipses is studied in detail for the materials which have a linear conductivity function in one direction and a constant conductivity function in the other direction. Comparison of the adopted approach with the similarity reduction approach is also presented, though the obtained results cannot be easily found via the latter approach. A special case is found in which the transformed linear equation can be reduced further to the Laplace equation.

To investigate whether the mutation in dopachrome tautomerase (Dct) affects melanosome maturation and anti-oxidative potential in cultured melanocytes (MCs).Slaty and melan-a MCs were derived from the skins of neonatal Dct(Slt) and C57 BL/6J mice respectively. Their detailed melanosome structures were examined with a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and their eumelanin granules characterized by Fontana-Masson staining. Furthermore, the tyrosinase activity and three melanogenic proteins, i. e., tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 and Dct, were also measured with a spectrophotometry method or Western blot assay. The level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was monitored by 2,7-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCF-DA) labeling.Mature stage IV melanosomes markedly decreased in slaty MCs under TEM. The brownish granules stained with Fontana-Masson silver method were far less in slaty MCs than in melan-a MCs. The cell pellet of slaty MCs was white in color, but the similarities between slaty and melan-a were found in tyrosinase activity and its protein expression. The relative intensity of DCF fluorescence was 8.9 +/- 0.7 for slaty melanocytes versus 8.9 +/- 2.5 for melan-a melanocytes prior to UVA irradiation, but an abrupt ROS production was merely observed in slaty MCs (18.0 +/- 0.3) other than in melan-a MCs (13.6 +/- 0.3) after UVA exposure. There was statistical difference between these two cell lines in ROS level upon UVA irradiation (P = 0.024).The mutation in Dct causes hypo-pigmented phenotype in cultured slaty MCs, inhibits melanosome maturation and decreases anti-oxidative capacity especially in the presence of UVA-induced oxidative stress.

A disturbing feature of the conventional objective function for intertemporal decisions under uncertainty is that the agent's attitudes toward intertemporal substitution and risk aversion are entangled. This paper shows that, in contrast to common perception, the two attitudes can be completely disentangled under the expected utility theorem (EUT) by modeling each of them successively in two steps. The conventional form is nested as a special case where the functions describing the two attitudes are identical. The proposed framework requires only the standard axioms of the EUT, in addition to a regulatory assumption. It is flexible in accommodating different combinations of the two attitudes, indifferent to the timing of resolution of uncertainty, intuitive to interpret, and extendable to multiple goods. The objective function under the proposed framework is time inconsistent according to Strotz's (1955) definition. I argue that Strotz's notion of time consistency is misguided. It is constructed based on a priori assumption that the agent should continuously forget history as time progresses. But this means the agent is either chronically amnesiac or self-contradictory. To be truly consistent, the agent should have one and only one objective function, determined at birth, throughout his entire life. As history unfolds, the agent updates his information set, but not his objective function.

Abstract 2697 Purpose: Although the clinical and biological features of Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have been characterized, its stability and in vivo sufficiency of the mutation alone for leukemogenesis remain uninvestigated. Patients and Methods: Mutations of IDH and other clinically relevant genes were analyzed in the bone marrow from 446 adult patients with de novo non-M3 AML. IDH2 mutations were examined serially in 140 patients at diagnosis and after chemotherapy. Results: Among the 446 adults with de novo non-M3 AML, IDH2 R172, R140, and IDH1 R132 mutations occurred at a frequency of 2.9%, 9.2%, and 6.1%, respectively. IDH2 mutation was associated with higher platelet counts (p=0.046), intermediate-risk (p=0.002) or normal karyotype (p=0.023), and isolated +8 (p=0.014), but was inversely correlated with expression of HLA-DR (p=0.002), CD34 (p=0.039), CD15 (p=0.003), CD7 (p=0.010), and CD56 (p=0.048), and was mutually exclusive with WT1 mutation (p=0.037) and core-binding factor translocations (p=0.001). All these correlations became stronger when IDH1 and IDH2 mutations were considered together, suggesting similarity of biological roles between these 2 mutations. However, IDH2 but not IDH1 mutation conferred a better prognosis (Fig 1), especially in those with normal karyotype or intermediate cytogenetics (median overall survival: not reached vs. 58 months, p=0.044 and not reached vs. 19 months, p=0.027 for normal and intermediate karyotype group, respectively). Importantly, IDH2 but not IDH1 mutation was an independent favorable prognostic factor (HR: 0.332, 95% CI: 0.159–0.694; p=0.003). Patients with IDH2−/FLT3-ITD+ genotype had especially worse prognosis (median OS of IDH2−/FLT3-ITD+ vs. IDH2+/FLT3-ITD− group: 12 months vs. not reached; p=0.003; median OS of IDH2−/FLT3-ITD+ vs. IDH2+/FLT3-ITD+ or IDH2−/FLT3-ITD− group : 12 months vs. 35 months; p Conclusion: IDH2 mutation is a stable marker during disease evolution and confers favorable prognosis. FLT3-ITD combined with wild type IDH2 exerted synergistic negative impact on survival. IDH2 mutation alone is insufficient for leukemogenesis. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.