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The dried flower buds of Magnolia biondii Pamp (herbal name, Xin-Yi) are a traditional Chinese medicine with a long history of clinical use in the treatment of allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. However, the constituents responsible for its antiallergic effects remain clearly unidentified. In the present study, totally 33 lignans were obtained from M. biondii. Among them, two novel furofuran lignans (1 and 2), two novel tetrahydrofuran lignans (3 and 4), and other 16 known lignans were isolated first time from M. biondii. The antiallergic effects of compounds 1-33 on mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) degrunaliton were evaluated and results showed that compounds 7, 8, 13, 15 and 18 could significantly inhibited β-hex release on BMMCs. The results proved that furofuran and tetrahydrofuran lignans were the main constituents in M. biondii and their antiallergic effects were related with suppressing mast cell activation.

This study investigated the regulation of GRP78 in tumour-associated macrophage polarization in lung cancer. First, our results showed that GRP78 was upregulated in macrophages during M2 polarization and in a conditioned medium derived from lung cancer cells. Next, we found that knocking down GRP78 in macrophages promoted M1 differentiation and suppressed M2 polarization via the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription signalling. Moreover, conditioned medium from GRP78- or insulin-like growth factor 1-knockdown macrophages attenuated the survival, proliferation, and migration of lung cancer cells, while conditioned medium from GRP78-overexpressing macrophages had the opposite effects. Additionally, GRP78 knockdown reduced both the secretion of insulin-like growth factor 1 and the phosphorylation of the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor. Interestingly, insulin-like growth factor 1 neutralization downregulated GRP78 and suppressed GRP78 overexpression-induced M2 polarization. Mechanistically, insulin-like growth factor 1 treatment induced the translocation of GRP78 to the plasma membrane and promoted its association with the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor. Finally, IGF-1 blockade and knockdown as well as GRP78 knockdown in macrophages inhibited M2 macrophage-induced survival, proliferation, and migration of lung cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo.

The dried flower buds of

International audience; A generic synthetic method based on the Suzuki-Scholl reactions was successfully exploited to yield new poly(hetero)aromatic hydrocarbons containing carbazole, fluorene or fluorenone moieties. These butterfly-like mesogens exhibit columnar mesophases, form fibrous gels in various solvents, emit blue to orange light in films and solutions and show outstanding photocurrent behavior with charge carrier mobility in the ∼0.03 cm 2 V −1 s −1 range.

Unlike their Han Chinese counterparts who were mainly sequestered to the inner quarters, many imperial Khitan women of the Liao 遼 (907–1125) were not only active in state affairs, but they even rode astride and led their own armies to fight on battlefield. This article aims to investigate the lives and political careers of Empress Dowagers Yingtian and Chengtian, who ruled the empire as de facto sovereigns on behalf of their husbands and sons for over fifty years, by focusing particularly on how they proved themselves as capable horsewomen and what strategies have they employed in order to gain access to power and to accomplish their ambitions. Such warrior women, exercising leadership and exhibiting personal bravery, drew their strength from their Inner Asian steppe traditions and therefore established themselves as another type of queenship in Chinese history.

Slope stability has been the research focus in the field of geotechnical engineering. Both the asynchronous decay speeds and distinct stability contributions of cohesion c and friction φ during slope instability have been evidenced. In this study, based on linear softening model and weighted average hypothesis, a modified double-reduction method is established. The research includes: 1) the asynchronism between decay speeds of c and φ are described by adopting different slopes in linear softening model for c and tanφ, in which case the respective reduction factors in strength reduction method Fc and Fφ are solved. 2) The distinct slope stability contributions of c and φ is readily linked with the different influences to safety factor, and therefore, introducing the equivalent influence angle θe (defined as the slope angle at which c and φ share identical contributions to stability), as well as its determination method. 3) According to weighted average hypothesis that the overall safety factor Fs is the weighted average of Fc and Fφ, the contribution scaling factor μ (defined as the weighted ratio of Fc and Fφ is proposed, which promotes the solution of respective weighted coefficients wc and wφ of two reduction factors by combining θe, achieving a new double-reduction method. 4) The validity of this method is verified via comprehensive comparison with existing double-reduction methods of practical slope examples.

Two Ocean State Monitoring and Analyzing Radar (OSMAR071) (7.8 MHz) high-frequency (HF) radars and four moored ADCPs were operated concurrently in the southwestern Taiwan Strait during January–March 2013. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons of surface currents were conducted between the HF radars and the ADCPs. Except for a location probably affected by shallow water and sand waves on the Taiwan Banks, the HF-radar-derived radial currents (radials) showed good agreement with the ADCP measured results (correlation coefficient: 0.89–0.98; rms difference: 0.07–0.13 m s−1). To provide further insight into the geophysical processes involved, the performance of the HF-radar-derived radials was further evaluated under different sea states (sea states: 2–6). It was found that both the data returns of the radar-derived radials and the differences between the radar-derived radials and the ADCP-derived radials varied with sea state. The HF radar performed best at sea state 4 in terms of data returns. The spatial coverage increased rapidly as the waves increased from sea state 2 to 4. However, it decreased slowly from sea state 4 to 6. Second, the radial differences were relatively high under lower sea states (2 and 3) at the location where the best agreement was obtained between the radar and ADCP radials, whereas the differences increased as the sea states increased at the other three locations. The differences between the radials measured by the HF radars and the ADCPs could be attributed to wave-induced Stokes drift and spatial sampling differences.

Metastasis remains the major cause of breast cancer (BC)-related death as developing an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is a major clinical challenge. Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) is an emerging target for MBC as its expression is amplified in metastases and FGFR1 can be upregulated in MBC cells through the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Inactivation of FGFR by tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has achieved great success in various types of cancer. However, FGFR TKI resistance has become a concern in improving MBC patients’ outcomes. Therefore, it is critical to develop advanced therapeutic interventions for improving patients’ survival. In this dissertation work, we investigated novel therapeutic avenues to target FGFR1 in MBC. To date, a variety of FGFR TKIs have been evaluated in clinical trials or clinically approved for cancer treatment. However, the efficacies of FGFR TKIs in MBC remain unclear. Herein, we evaluated the efficacies of several experimental and clinically approved FGFR TKIs using 3D culture and in vivo model systems. Our results demonstrated that FGFR-targeted kinase inhibitors are completely effective at blocking ligand-induced cell growth but fail to eliminate dormant BC cells. Moreover, animals succumb to disease progression while on therapy. Therefore, we explored broader approaches to inhibit FGFR1 expression in addition to blockade of its kinase activity. Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs), heterobifunctional molecules inducing degradation of protein of interest via proteasome machinery, have emerged as a powerful tool for targeted cancer therapies. Together with our collaborators, we developed an array of FGFR PROTACs. Here, we showed that FGFR PROTACs inhibited metastatic and drug-resistant BC cell growth. Furthermore, our results identified potential FGFR PROTACs which induced FGFR1 degradation and blocked FGFR1 downstream signaling. Using 3D culture, FGFR PROTACs are shown to target MBC aggressiveness. Hence, our data suggested that PROTAC-mediated FGFR1 degradation is a promising strategy for MBC therapies. In addition to the aforementioned approaches, G-quadruplex (G4) is revealed highlighting new possibilities for anticancer therapies. The Examination of the FGFR1 proximal promoter indicated sequences forming potential for G-quadruplex (G4) secondary structures. We found that G4 stabilizing agents are able to block constitutive and EMT-induced expression of FGFR1. Additionally, G4 stabilizers could effectively block ectopic FGFR1 expression derived from CMV promoter driven constructs. Importantly, use of the clinical G4-targeting compound CX-5461 suppresses FGFR1 promoter activity, targets FGFR1 expression, and inhibited FGFR1 downstream signaling, resulting in eradication of dormant breast cancer cells. Finally, in vivo application of CX-5461 reduced FGFR1 expression, blocked pulmonary tumor formation, and prolonged animal survival. Overall, our findings indicated that targeting FGFR1 expression through G4 stabilization may be a potential therapeutic strategy for MBC. FGFR1 has attracted great attention as a therapeutic target in a variety of tumors. In this dissertation work, we have identified the potential FGFR kinase-independent function which may contribute to TKI resistance. Moreover, we have revealed novel therapeutic options to overcome FGFR TKI resistance and achieve significant antitumor responses in MBC. In the future, our innovative therapeutic strategies can serve as an influential tool to investigate the FGFR1 regulation and kinase-independent function during metastasis.

The synthesis process of AF-Ali-PC MA and P(MMA-co-GMA) and the extra optical power loss caused by the Al electrode.

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π-Extended pyrene compounds possess remarkable luminescent and semiconducting properties and are being intensively investigated as electroluminescent materials for potential uses in organic light-emitting diodes, transistors, and solar cells. Here, the synthesis of two sets of pyrene-containing π-conjugated polyaromatic regioisomers, namely 2,3,10,11,14,15,20,21-octaalkyloxypentabenzo[a,c,m,o,rst]pentaphene (BBPn) and 2,3,6,7,13,14,17,18-octaalkyloxydibenzo[j,tuv]phenanthro [9,10-b]picene (DBPn), is reported. They were obtained using the Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling in tandem with Scholl oxidative cyclodehydrogenation reactions from the easily accessible precursors 1,8- and 1,6-dibromopyrene, respectively. Both sets of compounds, equipped with eight peripheral aliphatic chains, self-assemble into a single hexagonal columnar mesophase, with one short-chain BBPn homolog also exhibiting another columnar mesophase at a lower temperature, with a rectangular symmetry; BBPn isomers also possess wider mesophase ranges and higher mesophases’ stability than their DBPn homologs. These polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons all show a strong tendency of face-on orientation on the substrate and could be controlled to edge-on alignment through mechanical shearing of interest for their implementation in photoelectronic devices. In addition, both series BBPn and DBPn display green-yellow luminescence, with high fluorescence quantum yields, around 30%. In particular, BBPn exhibit a blue shift phenomenon in both absorption and emission with respect to their DBPn isomers. DFT results were in good agreement with the optical properties and with the stability ranges of the mesophases by confirming the higher divergence from the flatness of DBPn compared with BBPn. Based on these interesting properties, these isomers could be potentially applied not only in the field of fluorescent dyes but also in the field of organic photoelectric semiconductor materials as electron transport materials.

Herein, biochars from 6 different feedstocks (taro straw, corn straw, cassava straw, Chinese fir straw, banana straw, and Camellia oleifera shell) were produced using magnesium chloride (MgCl2) as a modifier due to their sorption behavior toward NH4+-N and phosphorus in an aqueous solution. The biochar characteristics were evaluated, including pH, pHPZC, biochar magnesium content, and total pore volume (PVtot). The experimental results in terms of the kinetics and equilibrium isotherms showed that the cassava straw and banana straw biochars exhibited the theoretical maximum saturated adsorption capacities of 24.04 mg·g−1 (NH4+-N) and 31.15 mg·g−1 (TP), respectively. Biochar produced from these feedstocks had higher magnesium contents and greater total pore volumes, reflecting the significant contributions from magnesium and steric effects. FTIR, XRD, and SEM/EDS analyses demonstrated that NH4+-N and TP sorption mechanisms predominantly involved surface electrostatic attraction, Mg2+ precipitates and complexation with surface hydroxyl functional groups.

This study investigated the regulation of GRP78 in tumour-associated macrophage polarization in lung cancer. First, our results showed that GRP78 was upregulated in macrophages during M2 polarization and in a conditioned medium derived from lung cancer cells. Next, we found that knocking down GRP78 in macrophages promoted M1 differentiation and suppressed M2 polarization via the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription signalling. Moreover, conditioned medium from GRP78- or insulin-like growth factor 1-knockdown macrophages attenuated the survival, proliferation, and migration of lung cancer cells, while conditioned medium from GRP78-overexpressing macrophages had the opposite effects. Additionally, GRP78 knockdown reduced both the secretion of insulin-like growth factor 1 and the phosphorylation of the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor. Interestingly, insulin-like growth factor 1 neutralization downregulated GRP78 and suppressed GRP78 overexpression-induced M2 polarization. Mechanistically, insulin-like growth factor 1 treatment induced the translocation of GRP78 to the plasma membrane and promoted its association with the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor. Finally, IGF-1 blockade and knockdown as well as GRP78 knockdown in macrophages inhibited M2 macrophage-induced survival, proliferation, and migration of lung cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Additional file 1: Figure S1. Relative expression levels of adipogenic marker genes in hBMSCs cultured under adipogenic conditions (AM) in soft or stiff scaffolds. Data are normalized to that from Soft-GM group (cultured under control growth conditions). N = 4. *, p

Internet of Things (IoT) integrates with finger tracking and 3D signature verification can provide the user authentication service for these IoT applications which require user identification and authorization, such as the home automation and security system. This work develops two modules. The FingerTalk module provides the fingertip trajectories tracking service based on a Leap Motion camera and IoTtalk, The AirSig module provides 3D signature verification service to recognize whether a signature is signed form the authenticated user. The AirSig module requires only two user signature samples to train the neural network model which significantly reduces the process time for signature collection. The validation results from 10 people show the average accuracy is up to 93.6% on 3D signature verification.

Additional file 1. AMPK activation is involved in the effect of metformin on MMP13 of culture supernatant of chondrocytes and cartilage explants. Chondrocytes (a, c) and cartilage explants (b, d) were cultured in the absence of IL-1β, with or without 10 mM metformin, dorsomorphin or DMSO. Concentration of MMP13 of culture supernatant were detected by ELISA and were normalized to cell protein concentrations. Data were expressed as the mean ± 95% confidence intervals. * p

International audience; Liquid-crystalline D-A dyads and A-D-A triads, based on the chemical association of electron-donor (D) triphenylene discogens and electron-acceptor (A) perylene/benzoperylene diimides, have been synthesized by the Pd-catalyzed Sonogashira coupling/DBU-promoted cyclization reactions tandem. These molecular heterojunctions spontaneously self-organize into columnar hexagonal (Colhex) or/and rectangular (Colrec) mesophases, over broad temperature ranges including room temperature, with the antagonist moieties segregated into alternated homo-molecular (homolithic) stacks within mixed columns. Their intramolecular electron and energy transfers have been studied by UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopies. Due to photo-induced electron transfer between donor and acceptor units, fluorescence quenching is systematically observed for all the dyads and triads. This study further reveals that perylenediimide is a stronger electron acceptor than the larger benzoperylenediimide building block. Density function theory calculations of their molecular structures and HOMO-LUMO energy levels and gaps support the experimental results and demonstrate that these donor-acceptor systems have potential applications in various optoelectronic devices.

Supplemental material, DS_10.1177_0363546519880468 for Point-of-Care Procedure for Enhancement of Meniscal Healing in a Goat Model Utilizing Infrapatellar Fat Pad–Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction Cells Seeded in Photocrosslinkable Hydrogel by Benjamin B. Rothrauff, Hiroshi Sasaki, Shinsuke Kihara, Kalon J. Overholt, Riccardo Gottardi, Hang Lin, Freddie H. Fu, Rocky S. Tuan and Peter G. Alexander in The American Journal of Sports Medicine

Figure S1. Under computerized control, VL-PSL is able to fabricate scaffolds with different geometries (A) and internal architectures, such as a porous structure (B). Bar = 5 mm in (B). Figure S2. Mechanical test. (A) The device for mechanical test. (B) Representative force-displacement curve of the tested samples from the Gene and Protein groups (in vivo study) in this test. Figure S3. hBMSC transduced with a lentiviral BMP-2 and eGFP containing gene construct and maintained in 2D culture. (A) Phase contrast microscopy; and (B) Epifluorescence microscopy. Bar = 200 μm. Figure S4. ALP activity and osteogenesis-associated gene expression in naïve hBMSCs (Control) and lentiviral BMP-2 construct transduced hBMSCs (BMP-2). The latter showed significantly higher ALP staining (A, purple) and enhanced OCN and BSP II expression as measured by real-time PCR (B). Figure S5. 3D confocal imaging of hBMSCs within scaffolds. hBMSCs (green) were infected with Lentiviral-BMP-2-eGFP. Bar = 100 μm. Figure S6. Strong eGFP expression in lentiviral BMP-2 transduced hBMSCs encapsulated in gelatin scaffolds remained after 56 days in culture. Bar = 100 μm. (PDF 1824 kb)

Supplemental material, DS_10.1177_0363546518782973 for In Vitro Repair of Meniscal Radial Tear With Hydrogels Seeded With Adipose Stem Cells and TGF-β3 by Hiroshi Sasaki, Benjamin B. Rothrauff, Peter G. Alexander, Hang Lin, Riccardo Gottardi, Freddie H. Fu and Rocky S. Tuan in The American Journal of Sports Medicine

Table S1. Cell groups used in this study. Each cell group was generated by pooling MSCs from three to four donors. Donor MSCs are specified by age (number) and gender (m, male; f, female). (PDF 14 kb)

Anyone who researches Asian and comparative philosophy – especially Confucian ethics – owes a debt of gratitude to Joel J. Kupperman for his prolific scholarship spanning a wide array of topics, wh...

After a lull in scholarship on the history of the Chinese book during the mid-twentieth century, there has been a reemerging surge of scholarly interest since the 1980s. This article accesses the expanding field of Chinese book history by focusing on two recently published volumes, which represent the newest approaches to the study of Chinese printing in the first significant phase of its development from the tenth to the fourteenth century and its long-term role in Chinese social and intellectual history after 1800, respectively. Placing them in the broader historical context, it further seeks to flesh out recent research trends and future prospects in the field, in particular the changing social and intellectual engagement with printed texts, the increasing impact of printing and publishing on cultural production, and the dynamic interaction between print and other media.

Backgrounds/Aims: Preeclampsia was characterized by excessive thrombin generation in placentas and previous researches showed that thrombin could enhance soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) expression in first trimester trophoblasts. However, the detailed mechanism for the sFlt-1 over-production induced by thrombin was largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore the possible signaling pathway of thrombin-induced sFlt-1 production in extravillous trophoblasts (EVT). Methods: An EVT cell line (HRT-8/SVneo) was treated with various concentrations of thrombin. The mRNA expression and protein secretion of sFlt-1 in EVT were detected with real-time polymerase chain reaction and ELISA, respectively. The levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were determined by DCFH-DA. Results: Exposure of EVT to thrombin induced increased intracellular ROS generation and overexpression of sFlt-1 at both mRNA and protein levels in a dose dependent manner. Short interfering RNA (siRNA) directed against PAR-1 or apocynin (an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase) could decrease the intracellular ROS generation and subsequently suppressed the production of sFlt-1 at mRNA and protein levels. Conclusions: Our results suggested that thrombin increased sFlt-1 production in EVT via the PAR-1 /NADPH oxidase /ROS signaling pathway. This also highlights the PAR-1 / NADPH oxidase / ROS pathway might be a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of preeclampsia in the future.

Based on wave equations of Timoshenko curved beam, the theoretical derivation and numerical calculation of the behavior of in-plane and out-of-plane wave propagating in curved beam of phononic crystals (CBPC) are carried out using transfer matrix method combined with the Bloch theorem. Finite CBPC is also simulated by FEM method. It is shown that both in-plane and out-of-plane elastic waves band gaps exist in CBPC. Compared with equivalent straight beam of phononic crystals (SBPC), CBPC has some unique characteristics, such as the first complete in-plane band gap, special in-plane coupling band gap, and out-of-plane coupling band gap. In those band gaps, CBPC has a better property of vibration reduction than the equivalent SBPC in some ways. Furthermore, effects of curvature of CBPC on the in-plane and out-of-plane band gaps are discussed.

Background Recent anatomic findings suggest aging-related changes of the complex fat distribution in the hand. Objectives To rejuvenate the aging hand, we developed a targeted fat grafting technique based on the physiologic fat distribution of the hand. Methods The dorsum of both hands was examined in 30 healthy volunteers of different age utilizing B-mode ultrasound to determine physiological changes of the aging hand. Additional anatomic dissection was performed in 10 hands of five fresh cadavers to establish the anatomic basis for the targeted restoration technique. A total of 17 patients were treated for hand rejuvenation utilizing this technique and followed up for at least 6 months. The posttreatment outcome was assessed through B-mode ultrasound, 3-dimensional (3D) topography scanning, and a patient satisfaction survey. Results According to the fat distribution of the dorsum, hand aging was divided into three grades: (1) mild atrophy with rhytides; (2) moderate atrophy with exposed veins; and (3) serious atrophy with exposed tendons. Anatomic findings showed the existence of distinct superficial and deep fat compartments. The average fat grafting volume was 25.5 ml per hand dorsum administered in one or two procedures. Patients were monitored for 8.3 ± 2.6 months. After 6 months, a volume gain was found in all patients. The degree of aging was significantly reduced. The majority of patients (94.1%) were satisfied with their results. Conclusions This study provides the anatomic and clinical basis for targeted restoration of the physiological fat volume in the hand dorsum with high satisfaction rates. Level of evidence 4.

Many epidemiological studies have found a positive association between chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection and the risk of preterm labor, but the magnitude of this association varies and independent studies have reported conflicting findings. We performed a meta-analysis to ascertain the relationship between CHB infection and preterm labor. The PubMed and Embase databases were searched up to May 1st, 2014, for relevant observational studies on an association between CHB infection and the risk of preterm labor. Data were extracted and analyzed independently by two authors. The meta-analysis was performed using Stata version 10.0 software. Six observational case-control studies and 4 cohort studies, involving 6781 women with preterm labor, were identified. Based on a random-effects meta-analysis, no association between CHB infection and preterm labor was identified (odds ratio=1.12, 95% confidence interval CI, 0.94-1.33). Our meta-analysis suggested that CHB infection is not associated with an increased risk of preterm labor.

Introduction Several epidemiological studies have found a positive association between chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection and the risk of placental abruption and placenta previa, but various studies have reported conflicting findings. The objective was to systematically review the literature to determine a possible association between CHB infection and these two placental complications. Methods We conducted a computerized search in electronic database through March 1, 2014, supplemented with a manual search of reference lists, to identify original published research on placental abruption and placenta previa rates in women with CHB infection. Data were independently extracted, and relative risks were calculated. The meta-analysis was performed using Stata version 10.0 software. Results Five studies involving 9088 placenta previa cases were identified. No significant association between CHB infection and placenta previa was identified (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.60–1.62). Five studies involving 15571 placental abruption cases were identified. No significant association between CHB infection and placental abruption was identified (OR = 1.42, 95% CI, 0.93–2.15). Discussion The immune response against the virus represents a key factor in determining infection outcomes. No observation of significant increased risk of the placental complications could be partially explained by the complex immune response during CHB infection. Conclusions Our meta-analysis found no evidence of significant associations between CHB infection and increased risk of placental abruption as well as placenta previa. Further well-designed studies were warranted to assess any potential association between CHB infection and increased risk of placental abruption as well as placenta previa.

With reference to Hangzhou's intelligent transport information platform design, this paper presents the central aim, system function and implementation technique of city's intelligent transport information platform construction, which is one of the major tasks of constructing China's metropolitan ITS (Intelligent Information System). First of all, the current situations and existing problems of Hangzhou's ITS construction are analyzed along with the present global development concerned. Secondly, its aim, system users and their requirements are specified. Designing the structure of platform system based on user's requirement analysis covers the subsystems of basic transport information collection, transport information exchange and sharing, intelligent transport simulation and transport information service. Meanwhile, with a detailed introduction to the functions of each subsystem, the key technologies in platform construction are put forward, such as multi-resolution method, GIS-T(Geography Information System -Transportation) design, mass data on-line analysis and processing technology, decision-oriented transport analysis tool, etc. Above all, the introduction to intelligent platform design affords useful lessons to China's city intelligent transport information platform construction.

To a great extent，traffic accidents of liquefied gas tankers are caused by the defects inside the tankers themselves. Analyzing what causes the defects, and putting forward the corresponding prevention measures, to reduce accident risk, is of great significance. In this paper, the research object is a defective liquefied gas tanker in a propylene factory in Shandong. The defects in actual transportation process containing weld joints defects and anti-wave plates are analyzed, and the corresponding solutions are put forward on the basis of the literature analysis. The results show that the main causes of the defects are that the manufacture and processing did not correspond with design data. The defects repair of the liquefied gas tanker should be performed by qualified service units after specific repair plan and relevant formalities are put forward. The repaired liquefied gas tanker should be inspected qualified by the inspection organizations.

A finite element model of the frame was established based on studying structure parameters of the YLJ series tire uniformity testing machine (TUTM). For the purpose of dynamic analysis of the frame of the YLJ series TUTM, make use of model analysis function of ANSYS to work out the first six-mode natural frequencies and vibration modes. Analysis results show that the first three-mode frequencies of the frame are 20.7 Hz, 21.9 Hz and 30.8Hz, which are far greater than working frequency of the spindle, 1 Hz. As is known, the natural frequency of the frame should be forty times more than the rotation of tire when the force variation of the tire is decomposed into tenth harmonic. In this situation, the low mode natural frequencies of the frame cannot meet this requirement, which have great influence on the test accuracy of the TUTM. The research results in this paper will provide helpful theoretical support to improve test accuracy of the YLJ series TUTM．

Background/Aims: Preeclampsia is a complex multi-system obstetric syndrome and remains one of the leading causes contributing to maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. Previous epidemiological studies regarding the association between chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection and the risk of preeclampsia have reported inconsistent results. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the association between CHB infection and preeclampsia. Methods: The electronic database was searched until January 1st, 2016. Relevant studies reporting the association between CHB infection and the risk of preeclampsia were included and for further evaluation. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata 10.0 (Stata Corp). Results: Three observational cohort studies and eight case-control studies, including 11566 preeclampsia patients, were identified. A significant negative association between CHB infection and preeclampsia was observed (odds ratio = 0.77, 95% confidence interval, 0.65- 0.90, P=0.002, fixed-effect model). Conclusions: Findings from our meta-analysis indicate that CHB infection may decrease the risk of preeclampsia in Asian population. Future prospective cohorts in different countries with larger sample sizes are warranted to ascertain the causality and pathophysiological studies are required to explore the possible biological mechanisms involved.

This paper provides a concise description of the international development of the low-speed tire uniformity testing machine (TUTM). And particular emphasis is given to the developing history of YLJ series TUTM, researched and developed independently by MESNAC Co., Ltd. It is well known that data measurement and analysis are fundamental to a TUTM. However, very few studies of testing mechanism of tire uniformity have been reported. The primary subject of this paper is to describe operational principle, measurement of force, data measurement and analysis methods of YLJ series TUTM. It also shows the good property of YLJ series TUTM combined with the experimental data of a 215/70R15 97H tire repeated test 10 times.

As one index of product certification for vehicle tire, rolling resistance is difficult to measure. In order to evaluate feasibility of two test schemes for tire rolling resistance measuring equipment, a new approach to study rolling resistance was developed with displacement deformation. Establishment process of finite element testing model was introduced briefly. Using two test schemes separately, simulation analysis and numerical computation of tire rolling resistance were conducted by controlling the experimental parameters. The comparison results showed that angle test method was reasonable and displacement field response to load was good under different working conditions. Subsequently, change trends of simulation results and experimental data were contrasted. They all indicated that tire rolling resistance added as the load enhanced and the obtained conclusion was consistent with related theories. It was validated that angle test scheme was feasible for equipment development.

Force model of tire uniformity testing system and data analysis method are fundamental to a tire uniformity testing machine. Based on theoretical analysis, this paper proposes a two-dimensional force model to calculate tire’s radial and lateral force, confirm the mechanical structures of the existing tire uniformity testing machine’s testing system and verify the validity of its testing method by the model. According to this two-dimensional force model and FFT data analysis method, the YLJ series tire uniformity testing machine is developed. It is mainly applied for fully auto online uniformity test and size deviation. The authors also explained the operational principle, data measurement and analysis procedure of the YLJ series tire uniformity testing machine.

Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) is a novel adipocyte-derived cytokine playing an important role in the regulation of energy metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Although the association between RBP4 and metabolic dysfunction is well established, studies on the relationship between circulating RBP4 levels and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have yielded inconclusive results. We performed a meta-analysis to investigate whether women with GDM had higher circulating RBP4 levels than the normglycemic pregnant women. PubMed, Web of Science and EMBASE were searched up to 1 August 2014. A total of 14 studies comprised of 884 women with GDM and 1251 normglycemic pregnant women were included. The overall results suggested that maternal circulating RBP4 levels were significantly higher in GDM than their normal controls (SMD: 0.49 μg/ml, 95% CI: 0.23-0.75 μg/ml, p 0.001, random effect model). However, stratified results indicated that this significant difference only existed in the second/third trimester and was limited to Asian populations. Furthermore, subgroup analysis according to matched maternal age and BMI still demonstrated that GDM had higher circulating RBP4 levels than the normal controls. Our findings suggested that Asian women with GDM had increased circulating RBP4 levels in their second/third trimester.

When noise in the field is very strong, we can not get data with proper signal to noise ratio (SNR) even if combination vibroseis is used. To solve this problem we proposed to apply a phased-array vibrator, which can form a directional seismic wave. We have made numerical simulation of multi-track seismograms and computed reflected waves’ SNR for combination and phased-array sources on a given horizontal stratified model. The result shows that the average SNR of reflected waves increases by 1.54_9.90dB with respect to the combination source when 4,8,15 and 20-unit phased-array vibrators are used. We conclude that phased-array source is competent to improve seismic signal SNR. Moreover, the phased-array source can boost SNR obviously when more vibrators are applied but there is no similar result for the combination source.

The linear model based on the hydraulic pressure vibrator has been no longer adaptable to the electromagnetic vibrator. In order to realize the effective transmission of the limited energy from the vibrator to the ground, it is important to study the coupling model of the electromagnetic vibrator and the earth. In this paper, a nonlinear restore term was introduced to the coupling model because of the existence of a large amount of harmonics in the vibrator baseplate. The nonlinear vibration analysis was applied to the model by the multiscale method. In the course of energy transmission from the vibrator to the ground, ultraharmonic resonance was used to explain the generation of harmonics. An improved scheme was advanced to select the cross correlation reference signal in the vibrator seismic exploration. Good application results were obtained in field experiments.

Interfacial reactions of Co/Si0.76Ge0.24 and Co(Si0.76Ge0.24)/Si0.76Ge0.24 by pulsed KrF laser annealing as a function of energy density and pulse number were studied. For the Co/Si0.76Ge0.24 samples annealed at an energy density of 0.2–0.6 J/cm2, three germanosilicide layers, i.e., amorphous structure and/or nanocrystal, Co(Si1−xGex), and Co(Si1−xGex)2, were successively formed along the film-depth direction. At 0.3 J/cm2 Ge segregated to the underlying Si0.76Ge0.24 film, inducing strain relaxation in the residual Si0.76Ge0.24 film. At 0.8 J/cm2 the reacted region was mostly transformed to a single layer of Co(Si1−xGex)2, whereas Ge further diffused to the Si substrate. At 1.0 J/cm2, constitutional supercooling appeared. Even the Co(Si0.76Ge0.24) film used as the starting material for laser annealing could not prevent the occurrence of constitutional supercooling at energy densities >1.6 J/cm2. The energy densities at which Co(Si1−xGex) transformation to Co(Si1−xGex)2, Ge segregation to the underlying Si, and constitutional supercooling occurred were higher for the Co(Si0.76Ge0.24)/ Si0.76Ge0.24 system than for the Co/Si0.76Ge0.24 system. Higher energy density and/or pulse number enhanced the growth of Co(Si1−xGex)2 film. In the present study, the Co/Si0.76Ge0.24 samples subjected to annealing at 0.2 J/cm2 for 20 pulses produced a smooth Co(Si0.76Ge0.24)2 film without inducing Ge segregation out of the germanosilicide and strain relaxation in the unreacted Si0.76Ge0.24 film.

Although abnormal soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) production is thought to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia, the mechanisms that regulate the production of sFlt-1 during pre-eclampsia are unclear. Accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) is prevalent in obesity, advanced maternal age, diabetes mellitus, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Alterations in the regulation and signaling of angiogenic pathways have been considered as a link between these conditions and pre-eclampsia. The purpose of this study was to explore the possible effects of AGEs on sFlt-1 secretion in extravillous trophoblasts (EVT). A EVT cell line (HRT-8/SVneo) was treated with various concentrations of AGEs-BSA. The mRNA expression of sFlt-1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and placental growth factor (PlGF) in EVT were detected with real-time polymerase chain reaction. The secretion of sFlt-1, VEGF, and PlGF protein from EVT was measured with ELISA. The levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were determined by DCFH-DA. Exposure of EVT to AGEs-BSA induced increased intracellular ROS generation and overexpression of sFlt-1 at mRNA and protein levels in a dose dependent manner. Anti-RAGE immunoglobulin G or apocynin (an inhibitors of NADPH oxidase) could decrease the intracellular ROS generation and subsequently suppressed the production of sFlt-1 at mRNA and protein levels. Our data suggested that AGEs may be a new class of important mediator in the regulation of angiogenic pathways of EVT. Accumulation of AGEs might contribute to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia by promoting sFlt-1 production through activation of RAGE/NADPH oxidase dependent pathway in EVT.

Während des letzten Jahrhunderts erlebt China massive soziale und kulturelle Änderungen, die sich vorwiegend durch schnelle Übernahme westlicher Normen und deren Ideen kennzeichnen. Zur gleichen Zeit ist Chinas historisches und kulturelles Erbe aber nie geschnitten worden und das chinesische Volk und die heutige chinesische Gesellschaft sind immer noch erheblich durch die Geschichte und seine traditionell kulturelle Identität geprägt, insbesondere durch Konfuzius und seine Lehren. Aber wer ist eigentlich Konfuzius und was sind seine Lehren? Wie sind sie mit der chinesischen kulturellen Identität in Verbindung gebracht? Die vorliegende Arbeit setzt sich ein Konfuzius und seine wichtigsten Ideen zu analysieren. Sie versucht dann den Kern der konfuzianischen Werte und ihre Bedeutung für die Entwicklung der Geschichte Chinas zu skizzieren. Auf der Basis dieser Untersuchung werden Einblicke gegeben um zu zeigen, dass Konfuzius und seine Lehren nicht untergegangen sind, sondern sie sind immer noch relevant. Eine angemessene Bewertung dieser Werte kann wesentlich dazu beitragen ein tieferes Verständnis über die zeitgenössische chinesische Gesellschaft und die chinesisch kulturelle Identität zu gewinnen. China has experienced massive social and cultural transformation during the last century, an era marked with rapid adoption of Western norms and ideas. In the mean time, Chinese cultural heritages have never been totally cut and the Chinese people and the Chinese society today are still considerably shaped by China's unique past and its traditional cultural identity, especially by Confucius and his teachings. But who is Confucius? What are his teachings? How are they related to the Chinese cultural identity? This paper endeavors to analyze Confucius, the founder of the Confucianism, and his main advocations, trying to outline the essence of confucian values and their significance for the history of China. On the base of this examination, considerations will be given to demonstrate that Confucius and his teachings did not perished but are still relevant in modern China. An insight into the ideas of Confucius and a proper comprehension of these values can help to better understand Chinese contemporary society and Chinese cultural identity.

Floating Car Data has been used to evaluate traffic conditions in Real-time Transportation Information Systems. In these systems, taxis are often used as probe cars. Because of the randomicity of taxis when travelling in cities, it is necessary to analyze taxis’ distribution characteristics in road networks. In this paper, two indexes named Detecting Intensity and Detecting Rate are designed to analyze the Space-Time Distribution Characteristics. 5,000 taxis in Hangzhou of China are selected as probe cars, and Floating Car Data are continuously collected from these taxis during a week. The conclusions show that Detecting Intensity and Detecting Rate can clearly demonstrate the Space-Time Distribution Characteristics in different time and road types. Urban express ways, arterial roads can usually be detected by probe cars with more dependability. Traffic conditions evaluated through FCD in peak hours on a day is probably more dependable than in off-peak hours. At the same time, the relationship between distribution characteristics and sample size are also analyzed, in order to help find a more reasonable probe car sample size for Real-time Transportation Information Systems.

To establish hybridoma cell lines against sporozoites of Eimeria acervulina.BALB/c mice were immunized with purified sporozoites of E. acervulina. Hybridoma cell lines were set up by using hybridoma technique, and monoclonal antibodies were prepared. The monoclonal antibody was identified by determining their cross reactivity, relative affinity, immunoglobulin class or subclass with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Four hybridoma cell lines stably secreting McAbs against sporozoites were obtained: Easp-3G3 and Easp-5G10 belonging to IgG1, Easp-3H6 belonging to IgG2b, Easp-5H4 belonging to IgG2a. All four McAbs bound with E. acervulina sporozoite protein, but the Easp-5H4 McAb showed cross reactivity with E. tenellum sporozoite protein. Different antigenic epitopes were recognized by Easp-3G3 or Easp-5G10 and Easp-3H6 or Easp-5H4.Three of the four produced monoclonal antibodies show high specificity and affinity to the Eimeria acervulina sporozoites.